What to Read While Stuck at Home This Winter

 We're still social distancing so better make the best of it and pick up a good book! This one will be released on Dec. 29th

To Fetch a Felon by Jennifer Hawkins--Cozy Mystery

I received an e-ARC from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

Emma Reed and her Corgi Oliver are exploring the charming Cornish village of Trevena where they hope to make their home. Emma has dreams of opening her own tea shop and Oliver is eager to chase foxes away from his special human. Emma does not expect to encounter the village crank, Victoria Roberts, a woman who does NOT like dogs and owns half the village, including Penhallow's, the old tea shop Emma hopes to reopen. She worries Victoria won't let her rent Penhallow's. Emma decides to bring over a peace offering of scones to discuss renting the shop but when she arrives, she discovers Victoria lying dead on the floor. Oliver suspects something unnatural killed Victoria but being canine, he can't express what is is in human terms. Some kind of flowers in the tea? The village is abuzz with gossip about Victoria's death. Who DIDN'T want to kill her, aside from her friend Louise? Another visitor, Parker Taite, a writer, encourages Emma to investigate, believing real estate agent Maggie Trenwith killed Victoria to get her hands on Victoria's land to sell to developers. Emma isn't sure she trusts Parker but she knows she's in a unique position to gossip with the locals and uncover information DCI Brent can't, as competent as she is. With Oliver at her side to make friends and sniff out clues, can she solve the mystery before her dreams crumble like overbaked scones?

I really, really liked this book. It ticks most of the boxes for me: dogs, English village and baking! There's actually even a historical mystery to solve but it's too recent for my interests or else this would tick all the boxes. Trevana is charming but once all was revealed, I found the village full of dark, sad secrets and maybe not so charming. I loved traveling to Cornwall though, I place I fell in love with through the The Poldark Saga. Here we see modern Cornwall, still stuck in time very much as it was way back when, just after the Poldark times. There's a high street, a fish and chips shop, a B&B, a vintage home furnishings store, a closed tea room and friendly people, aside from one. There are also two cute dogs and some yummy treats!

The mystery is very good. The suspect pool is limited but I didn't guess whodunit. I did sort of suspect the first part but not the second. It was very heartbreaking. The writing style is lively and engaging. Non-crazy dog ladies might not enjoy the chapters from Oliver's point-of-view. At first even I thought it was weird but I quickly fell in love with this unique way of telling a story. I noticed only a few errors in the ARC I hope are corrected before the paperback hits the market in a month. All were in the second half of the book. The only real problem I had with this novel is that it's too long for a cozy and too repetitive. If it can be trimmed (Emma's parts), it would be a 4.5 star read from me. Not 5 because of the big reveal.

The characters are so well-developed, they fully come alive to me. Emma, a 45-year-old finance sector veteran, is a little older than I normally like my heroines, but she seems younger. Her age isn't relevant to the story, just her experience working as a banker. It made her wise but wore her down. I absolutely ADORE her unique relationship with her Corgi pup Oliver. Oliver is absolutely adorable. He's super loyal to Emma and sees it as his duty to guard her and protect her. He doesn't ever WANT to leave her but sometimes he can't help but chase a fox- you know, just to scare it away from his Emma. Emma can speak to Oliver- literally. She hears his thoughts in English and he understands everything she says back. What I found enjoyable about this concept is that unlike the other novels I've read, the dog speaks dog and not human. Oliver reports his impressions from scents. Names of people and things are not important. Emma doesn't always know what he means because of the way they communicate. The house smells like flowers. bad. wrong. It's up to Emma to interpret what that means. Oliver is just too darn adorable. Emma does know when he wants more sausages or to visit the fish and chips shop. He may speak doggie English but anyone who is owned by a canine know their stomachs speak louder than words LOL! Oliver is a true Watson to Emma's Sherlock.

Victoria Roberts was the village crank but she had a heart of pure gold when it came to those she loved and cared about. Victoria wanted to keep the village pristine and untouched by modern life (I believe they have wifi though and cell towers). She owns half the village to keep it the way she likes it-free of tourists and developers. I understand that feeling and I'm not sure the development deal is a good one but the village already has one closed shop, how long before others follow? How long before Trevana gets left behind and the young people move to more touristy areas or the cities where the jobs are? Victoria was a complicated character and in many ways I feel sorry for her. In other ways, I don't.

Maggie Trenwith (love the name, wink wink), the real estate agent, is fierce. She's determined to get what she wants and won't let anyone or anything stand in her way. She can be ruthless. Her charm seems fake and turned on to land a commission. I don't know if I trust her. I don't think she'd stoop to murder but maybe? Like Maggie, Parker Taite is not always likable. I didn't like him or trust him from the start. However, Oliver seems to like him, so... maybe he's OK? I think his ethics are shady and perhaps his morals as well. I liked him for murderer until... well, it seemed like he wasn't. I think he came to Trevana to cause trouble.

Louise Craddock, Victoria's best friend, is a nervous type. Victoria was certainly the alpha in the relationship, but I assume Louise was content to leave it that way. I think Louise cared about Victoria and what Victoria thought was right. Without Victoria she has to make her own decisions. Did she kill her friend to inherit the land to sell to developers? I don't think she has it in her to murder someone but I think she knows more than she lets on. Victoria's nephew, Jimmy, seems to know what happened. He made a mistake and is paying for it. As a result, he needs money. Could he have murdered his aunt to inherit? I believe he poisoned his aunt to put her out of commission for awhile so he could take over her business deals and sell to the developer. Unlike his aunt, he likes dogs and is kind to Oliver. I don't think Jimmy killed his aunt on purpose.

Oliver makes a new friend too, Percy, the Yorkshire Terrier, who is staying with Parker Taite. Percy is a Houdini. He likes to run away and explore and play. He's like a toddler. I don't like Oliver's attitude towards Percy. I happen to love terriers for their terriertude and their selective hearing. Yorkies aren't real terriers though. They've been bred down to be companions more than working dogs, as Percy is supposed to be. I think Percy's problem is his human is away and his human's brother has no idea what to do with him or any interest in him at all. Percy has a huge role to play at the end of the story though.

Ruth, Louise and Victoria's best friend, no longer lives in the village. She lives in a care home. Why? She's only about my mom's age~ 70ish. That's not old enough to be in a nursing home in a wheelchair. Ruth's childhood was utterly heartbreaking and sadly, rather common. What on earth was wrong with people back then?! I don't get it. Her father was despicable and should have been in jail. No wonder no one missed him when he disappeared. The secondary mystery revolves around him.

Emma's first friend in the village, Genny Knowles, owner of the fish and chips shop, is a huge gossip. I can't stand that normally but Genny is friendly and fun. She appreciates the village as is but knows the tourists bring in business. She can take or leave the development. Genny also knows a good thing when she eats it and encourages Emma's dreams. I think Genny can be a bit mischievous but a good friend to have around. Angelique, the B&B owner, is a motherly figure who cares about her guests. She's kind and supportive of Emma and good to Oliver. Her daughter, Pearl, has some big ideas that could help Trevana stay relevant with the B&B at the center. I'm not sure I like her ideas. They make sense but she moves FAST and I'm not sure everyone else is ready to keep up. Other quirky villagers include PC Patel, a kind young man who grew up in the village. His family is a bit eccentric but proud of him. He seems extremely sympathetic for a cop. DCI Constance Brent, a female detective, is wonderful. She's intelligent and seems to know more than she lets on. She's very sweet with Oliver and according to Oliver, she has dogs of her own. She's firm with Emma but not mean and for a change, doesn't think Emma is the killer. Ben, the taxi driver, is friendly and Emma seems to be developing a crush on him. Only time will tell if he will reciprocate.

I highly recommend this book to dog lovers and English village cozy mystery lovers. Baking mystery fans will enjoy it too. MOSTLY recommended though for crazy dog people, like myself. You do have to suspend some disbelief but the dog stuff is cute and fun. I can't wait to read more about Emma and Oliver's adventures in Cornwall! I need some recipes, too, in the completed paperback edition, thank you!

Written by Darcie Wilde/Sarah Zettel, etc. Thank you to the publisher for suggesting the idea.
I can't wait to read book 2.

What to Read While Social Distancing... Still

Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright-- Cozy Mystery --1920s

Thank you to NetGalley for a free advanced review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in the review are entirely my own and not affected by the giveaway.

It's Christmas and Lady Eleanor Swift is excited and nervous about hosting the entire village and some of the next to a big 'do at her home. She is thankful for her small family of the ladies, Clifford and even naughty Gladstone to help see her through and share in the tidings of the season. Ellie even extends the invitation to curmudgeonly coal deliveryman Mr. Canning. He's surprised at the invitation. No one else has ever been kind to him. With the villagers drinking mead and enjoying the festivities, what can go wrong? Well, a sudden snow storm for starters and then a man dropping dead during the fun run. When Canning falls down during the run, Ellie tries to help but it's too late. The doctor isn't much help or sympathetic for Mr. Canning had a heart condition. Clifford fears Canning was murdered and in the same method as Ellie's uncle! Is the same person responsible? When the coroner dismisses Mr. Canning's death as an accidental overdose of digitalis, it's up to Ellie and Clifford to solve the mystery, if there is one.

This mystery didn't quite capture my attention. I figured out what happened right away. The villain was super obvious to anyone paying attention to who was where when. The motive, however, was a shock. I was surprised when Ellie didn't figure it out sooner. What I loved about this book is the charming Christmas celebration activities. I'm not sure about a fun run in 1920 but maybe? The internet says they started much later- in the 1970s and 80s. I also really loved the character development over the series and learning more about Uncle Byron and Clifford's secret past. I am not crazy about love triangles and I hope this one doesn't go on too long.

I have truly grown to know and love Ellie as the series has progressed. She's grown up a lot and come into her own. At first she had a chip on her shoulder and wanted to be anywhere except at the Manor. She was angry, fearful and ready to run but when she discovered a murder, she was persistent. Now Ellie has a home and a family she loves. She's endeared herself to many of the villagers in the area by her kindhearted and open approach to being lady of the manor. She's managed to understand their needs and institute some much needed reforms. What is really touching is Ellie's relationship with Clifford. He's more than a servant and more than a friend. Really, Clifford is a stand-in for the uncle she lost before she got to know him. Clifford sees Ellie as his to protect, picking up where her uncle left off, but I believe their relationship has grown in his heart as well and she's like a niece to him and not just someone to protect on behalf of her uncle. Clifford seems to care for Ellie for her own sake. I love his wry sense of humor and his devotion to Ellie's uncle. Ellie and Polly also have a special relationship. I love how Ellie educates the girl subtly, helping Polly grow in confidence. What happens to Polly here is terrible. It's obvious she's very young and not too bright. Ellie knows this and is sympathetic. She's willing to stand up for her friend. Trotters and Butters are charming but I get them confused. Hands-down, my very most favorite character is Gladstone! I kept squealing "He's SO CUUTTTEEE!!!!" throughout this whole novel. Yes he's naughty, but he's a spoiled dog. I like the naughty ones the best. Gladstone is more animated and shows more personality than he has ever before. I just want to sit next to him and rub his belly while he snores!

Mr. Canning is a curmudgeon, he's mean, nasty, selfish and doesn't give a care about anyone or what anyone else thinks. His actions in the past have been horrendous, yet he didn't deserve to be murdered. He's not quite a two-dimensional character. Something Ellie said resonated with him and made him pause to think. It also gave me an idea of what happened.

Constable Fry is a really nice man. He's kind and caring and does his job. Unlike the Inspector, he seems more open to possibilities. I also really liked Solemn Jon, the undertaker. He's just the opposite of his name and nothing bad affects him or his jolly mood. DCI Seldon is not the man for Ellie any more than Lancelot is. Seldon seems to care about her but he doesn't think outside the box, which is why she solves more murders than he does. He looks at the evidence but doesn't consider alternative solutions. He's too rigid and unbending for Ellie. Another character who appears in the story but isn't a suspect, is Mrs. Fontaine, Rev. Gaskell's housekeeper. She's hardworking and helpful. I think she seems dedicated to her employer. I think she knows more about Canning's past than she lets on though.

Main suspects include Dr. Browning, who is kind of cranky and reluctant to gossip. He has a past history with Canning that could have cost him his job. I'd say he's not the murderer. He's a doctor and he wasn't treating Mr. Canning at this point and if he was going to kill the man, why now? Rev. Gaskell, another nooo from me! Not the doctor or the reverend! I can't stand the idea of the most trusted people in the village being a murderer. Rev. Gaskell quotes from the Bible way too much for my liking. He seems kind but a bit absentminded. He isn't above losing his temper and it does seem like he could be guilty. Miss Moore, the florist, is a more likely suspect. A single mother, she's struggled her whole adult life since having her son Alvan. Her lover behaved abominably towards her and she's suffered for her actions. She has the motive and the means and was spotted around the victim at the time he would have ingested the poison. Her son Alvan is a more likely suspect. That man has a quick temper and spends a lot of time drinking. He seems kind of shady and up to something with the barmaid. Ellie's final suspect is a person unknown to her, a large, bearded man named Hubert Wraith who was seen arguing with Canning multiple times throughout the day he was killed. This man certainly could have been the murderer.

Returning characters include Lord and Lady Langham and Lancelot. I do not like Lancelot. He's still too childish for Ellie and as she notes, he doesn't understand why she was so offended by his behavior at the debate. His parents are nice but I think they wouldn't understand either. They spoil him. Their friends are also there at their New Year's party. The Dowager Countess is still nasty, Cora seems OK, Baron Ashley and his wife are sweet but the other couple are still sour. There wasn't much of them in this book. I liked seeing more of the villagers instead.

I look forward to another entry in this series. This series is perfect for Downton Abbey fans who also love cozy mysteries.

Movie Review : Enola Holmes

 Enola Holmes

(2020 Netflix, based on the books by Nancy Springer)

Starring: Millie Bobby Brown as Enola, Louis Partridge as Viscount Twekesbury,

Henry Cavill (aka Superman) as Sherlock Holmes, Sam Clafin as Mycroft; cameos by Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes and a host of famous British actors

Enola Holmes, a spunky 16-year-old-girl was not raised like other girls in 1884. With her father dead and her older brothers living adult lives (her second brother is the famous detective), it was just Enola and her mother. Enola was educated in unconventional subjects. She's read every book in the Ferndell library, practiced archery, tennis and Jiu Jitsu and learned to solve word games. When her mother disappears on her 16th birthday, Enola is devastated. She asks her brothers to come home to help her find her mother but instead of helping, her guardian, Mycroft, tries to send her to a strict boarding school for young ladies (run by Harry Potter's Aunt Petunia). Enola is aghast and devastated at the loss of her freedom and determined not to put up with it so she escapes in Sherlock's old clothes and heads off to find her mother. Her adventure brings her into contact with the young Marquess of Twekesbury. He, too, is running away from home. They disappear in London separately, but when it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Twekesbury, Enola must put her skills to the test if she's going to save herself and her friend. 

This is such a fun movie! While there are numerous historical and logistical errors, I watched the movie to evaluate it from the perspective of an aunt of tween girls. Would they love the story about a gutsy, plucky, smart, brave teenage girl- excuse me, lady detective. I would have absolutely adored this story when I was much younger. I hope they do too.

The plot is ridiculous. It apparently centers around the Reform Bill of 1884 with a side order of women's suffrage. The mystery seems fairly easy to figure out, until the twist. The villain is a real villain with no shades of gray and definitely not a Disney-fied villain turned hero. The mystery is more of a subplot to the real story of a young woman's coming of age and coming into her own. Those are the stories I always loved reading as a girl. The end of the movie suddenly gets very, very dark and intense. I didn't like that and was surprised at how intense it was for a movie aimed at 12/13-year-olds. My mom HATED the reveal! I do love the wordplay games in the story and how Enola uses wordplay to send a coded message to her mother. That's very clever and ensures no one else can intercept the message.

Enola is a great heroine in the tradition of lady detectives like Miss Fisher and Amelia Peabody but for tween girls. Enola is 14 in the books and 16 in the movie. Enola isn't a perfect person. She's young and often makes mistakes. Enola runs away from home, which you should totally not do- unless your sexist brother tries to put you in a strict reform school for unconventional girls who try to defy gender norms, of course. (See also, madhouse). She has to decide between doing the right thing vs. doing what she wants. I couldn't help but like this character though. She had the incredible unconventional upbringing I would dream of if I were a Victorian girl. It's difficult for her though being a smart woman in a man's world. Her brothers don't understand her, not even Sherlock. 

Tweens and teens can relate to feeling like their families don't understand them. In Enola's case though, they really don't. Mycroft is a sexist bully and a prig who can't even be bothered to offer any comfort to his little sister who is confused and upset. She may be 16 but she's still a child. So Enola must take matters into her own hands. She's gutsy and her unconventional knowledge helps save her life. 

Tweksbury is less appealing, probably on purpose. To be fair, he was raised in the lap of luxury, spoiled and allowed to study the natural world with his father. He even has his own treehouse with a library! Why should he know someone is trying to kill him and how to save his own life? He's rather whiny and ungrateful at the beginning of the movie but later on he comes through for Enola and I liked him better. 

The adults all appear as secondary to the teens. The adults are there to thwart the teens or to lightly help them on their journey. Particularly memorable is Lestrade, a detective friend of Sherlock's, or is he? Then there's Miss Harrison, the boarding school headmistress. She strongly resembles Harry Potter's Aunt Petunia Dursley or even Dolores Umbridge. She's about punishment and correction. She forces Enola to fit the prescribed feminine mold, turning the students into mini Victorian Stepford wives. Miss Harrison also seems motived because she has a crush on Mycroft, who we have established is a sexist prig. One adult is an actual assassin the teenage heroine must fight off. A helpful adult would have been nice but this movie is for and about young girls from the perspective of a young girl. The generation of girls raised with the attitude that girls can do anything will appreciate this aspect of the story better than adults.

Tweksbury's family is pretty conventional. A Marquess would never be sent off to India to the army. He would take his seat in the House of Lords. However, this Marquess is under age so that plot doesn't make sense. Ignoring that, it seems obvious his uncle wants to kill him and inherit the lot. Sherlock isn't all that sensitive to Enola's drama. He's properly analytical and detached from most of his emotions. I think he does care for his little sister but doesn't want to get involved in his brother's business. I don't know much about Sherlock Holmes so I can't comment whether his character is true to what Conan Doyle intended. Mrs. Lane, the Holmes family housekeeper, is the only one who loves Enola and is concerned for her welfare. Edith, the tea shop owner and secret Jiu Jitsu expert, is both a help and not much help for Enola. She evaluates Enola's readiness for self-defense and clues Enola in as to why her mother disappeared. I found it especially interesting that this woman is a woman of color in 19th-century London. It seems plausible but I'm not sure how accurate it would be for her to be a tea shop owner and suffragette. 

The acting in this production is not super great. I recognize most of the adults from other period dramas and they're all great as usual. The children are less so. I think Millie Bobby Brown overacted a bit, especially when breaking the 4th wall and addressing the audience. However, she's energetic and perky, making Enola a fun character. She does an incredible job with the physical challenges of playing this character. Louis Partridge played his part satisfactorily but I can't rave about his performance. 

The costumes are not super accurate for 1884 but give an idea of the stuffy, fussy dresses women were forced to wear. Enola even asks for a whalebone corset, indicating the torture women had to put up with in the 1880s. (It should be steel bone. Steel boning was more common in the 1880s AND the boning can be used as a weapon or the boning channels to hide a knife.) The dress Enola chooses looks more like something an actress or less respectable woman would wear. I think that's the point. She's hiding from her brother and he would never think to look for a lady attired in such a dress.

I need to watch this again with my nieces to really get a true idea of how this is reaching the target audience! Update: Niece #2 (age 10 1/2) recommend this to ME! She said I would really like it because of the suffragette plot. I told her I saw it and loved it! From the perspective of a tween girl, this movie is really amazing. Enola is an intelligent sleuth and an action hero for tween girls. If she serves as a role model for my nieces and they learn a little something about history, even if the timeline is off by decades, I'm good with that. My inner 12-year-old loved it anyway.

Watch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81277950

all pictures copyright Legendary Pictures. Images used for illustrative purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

What to Read While Social Distancing? : A Special Post 2

 Forget Me Not by Sarah M. Eden-- Georgian Romance

Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for a free advanced copy of this book. Opinions stated in this review are entirely my own.


Katie Jackson's review on AustenProse is pretty much perfect, but I promised to review this book so here it goes:

After losing his siblings and childhood playmates, Lord Lucas Jonquil decides it's time to live his own life. He heads off to Brier Hill, his estate, to get settled and then he's off on adventures living life to the fullest. His little playmate, Julia Cummings, is heartbroken - again- at yet another loss. Her mother, twin sister and two childhood friends are already gone and her older brother is fighting against the rebels in America. When her best friend decides to up and leave without telling her, the loss seems unendurable. He promises he'll be back to visit soon but eight years go by without Julia ever seeing Lucas again. Now she's a young lady who prefers the quiet solitude of home, reading and studying to the childish romps and games they used to play. It's safer that way. Lucas has been off mountain climbing and having adventures, living life to the fullest. He can't wait to be off on his next trip. Lucas and Julia are both stunned when their parents publicly announce the old friends are to be wed in a week's time. This is news to the not-so-happy couple! Julia resents being forced into an unwanted marriage and Lucas feels trapped. Can these two make it work? It doesn't seem like it and they may need some divine intervention to help. Enter Lucas's best friends, known as "The Gents," a lively band of brothers who are determined to help fix their friend's broken relationship.


Normally I'm not a huge fan of marriage of convenience novels. They go on too long with too many misunderstandings and the couples never talk. This one is no exception and even after they work things out, it goes on too long. However, I was eager to read this after binge reading the Jonquils series all spring and summer. I adore this family and I really wanted to get to know Father. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. The little "Easter Eggs" (nods) to the Jonquils series are wonderful.

Philip is the son who most takes after Lucas. Lucas, known as "Jester" to his friends, hides behind a mask of comedy. He jokes and pretends everything is OK even when it's not. He's cruel to Julia at times but also sweet, tender, loving and romantic. To be fair to Lucas, what teenage boy/young man tells his plans to a little girl? NONE! Not even if they're childhood friends. Maybe he assumed her father had told her or maybe he was waiting until the last minute to make parting less painful. We never really learn why he didn't tell her he was leaving except that he was thoughtless. Later on, he is thoughtless and doesn't talk to her about his plans. He never asks what her hopes and dreams are and doesn't try to figure out how their differences can be reconciled. He still cares about Julia but he doesn't consider her thoughts and feelings much.

Like the brothers, I assumed Mater and Father fell in love at first sight and were inseparable until death did them part. However, Mater hints that the Jonquil men, including their father, make idiots of themselves in front of the women they love. Lucas is no exception. .

Julia, too, bears some of the blame for their early marital problems. She behaved rather immaturely when she heard the news of their impending nuptials. Julia sounded younger than 2o but I attribute that to the fact she hasn't had a Season or been anywhere outside the village other than to visit cousins in Berkshire. Julia is grieving the loss of so many people she loves and putting up walls to protect herself is easier than dealing with the pain. I don't really blame her for that but she needs to tell Lucas. Julia doesn't have any empathy for Lucas's grief either. He lost his siblings and hers and most recently, her elder brother STANLEY, one of his best friends. She doesn't consider that his jetting off on adventures is a way to keep from being alone with his feelings.

I liked little Julia, the feisty hoyden, game for any adventure. She sounds like a lot of fun but like her twin, I prefer reading and playing with my dolls to crazy, dangerous stunts. Lucas's goal is to recapture that magic childhood and bring back HIS Julia. He should be getting to know her as an adult and find some common ground. He makes a bit of a beginning, which is very sweet, but it's not enough to make up for his casual dismissal of her. I have a soft spot for him though because even though he's a dunderhead when it comes to love and romance, he is fundamentally a nice young man. (Yet, after bearing him 7 sons I'd be like GO AWAY on one of your mountain climbing adventures PLEASE! Don't come back until after I'm too old to have babies or birth control is invented).

I really appreciate how smart Julia is. She is vastly intelligent and all self-taught. Her governess sounded narrow-minded and stupid. I love how Julia has a thirst for knowledge and isn't afraid to go after it. She's opinionated and makes her thoughts known at a time when women were supposed to be ornaments to Society. (Elizabeth Poldark, that vapid doll is an excellent example of a Georgian woman). It's easy to see why Philip is attracted to Sorrel because young Julia is very much like Sorrel, intelligent and prickly.

Lucas's friends are a lot of fun. I enjoyed meeting them and seeing Lucas from their points-of-view. First we meet Kester Barrington, aka "Grumpy Uncle." I don't think Kes is grumpy at all. He's an introvert by nature and cautious. Just because he's the voice of reason, doesn't mean he's grumpy. He's just not crazy! I like him a lot and can relate to him best of all. No mountain climbing for me, thanks! "The King" turns up next. Digby LAYTON is silly but he's used to getting his own way and what he wants is for his best friend to stop being a dunderhead. His rule is gentle and benevolent. He surely must be Philip's godfather and sartorial advisor because he acts like a fop. I suspect he isn't and I find that affectation annoying but Digby is fun and makes people smike. Lord Aldick Benick, younger son of the Duke of Hartley, is the strong, silent type. He seems imposing. "The General" has a keen mind and likes to use his brain to strategically plan things, in this case, how his best friend is going to win over his wife. Henri Fortier aka "The Archbishop" is the peacemaker of the group. He also seems a little bit silly. I think he must be the namesake and godfather of "Holy Harry" Jonquil. (Henry is also Lucas's middle name). Finally, Niles Greenberry doesn't say much but he's up for anything and I expect his loyalty has earned him the nickname "The Puppy." They love Lucas like a brother and accept Julia as a sister and want to help but sometimes their plans interfere with the romance and Lucas (and the reader) is frustrated!

It was also fun to meet the Jonquil boys' grandparents. "Flip" gets his wit from his Jonquil grandparents. They're very much in love and share a wacky sense of humor. They can make the weather sound funny and interesting. I really like them, arranged marriage notwithstanding. Not as charming is Julia's father, Lord Farland. He means well and probably wants to make sure Julia is taken care of before he dies like his wife and son but he did her a disservice. Julia has never been anywhere or met anyone. Her only childhood friends are dead or married and moved away. It's heartbreaking to see her withdraw into herself. First, he should have at least sent her to a Little Season or a season in Bath, mourning or not. She could have attended informal gatherings, made friends with other girls on the verge of coming out and met gentlemen. No dancing, of course, but at least she could go for a drive or a walk with a gentleman, provided she was suitably escorted. Then the arranged marriage wouldn't have been such a shock and so confining.

We also meet the Duke of Kielder as a little boy of 6 or 7 and his parents, the Duke and Duchess. This is a deeply unhappy family. The Duke is a homebody and his wife is always itching to travel with her gal pals. He could, legally, forbid her from leaving home, but I think he cares about her and doesn't want to do that. He's unhappy she doesn't like to stay home. Little Lord Folkstone is lonely. He's so serious for such a young lad. Julia's heart goes out to him.

There's also a brief cameo by Robert Finley, a rotter. He's the awful, annoying boy in the neighborhood. He apparently takes after his father. I assume the Mr. Finley in The Kiss of a Stranger and As You Are is his son. Robert isn't as bad as the present Mr. Finley.

I really want to see more of Lucas and Julia as parents to 7 mischievous young boys but at the same time, it will be heartbreaking! Knowing what happens made this one a little tough to read. Poor Julia! How she endured so much loss, I don't know.

My only real complaint other than the length is that other than the fashions and dances, the time period doesn't really stand out. I would have liked to see more specifics about Georgian etiquette. For example: what were the Georgian mourning customs? Were ladies allowed to show emotion? I would have also liked seeing Julia learning how to be a wife from an advice book. She does acknowledge the law of the day makes her belong to Lucas and that, to her, is a misery. I'm not sure he can dictate the terms of her title in her marriage settlement though. Wouldn't Parliament have to redo the patent formally? Is she only the Baroness of Farland because she's the only surviving child or does the title normally pass through the female line? That makes a big difference for the grandchildren. (The Heart of a Vicar)

I also want to comment on the book design. It's so beautiful! The blank pages between chapters are covered in a forget-me-not design which carries over to the margins of the first page in the chapter. It's pretty even in black and white. I really like that.

One last comment: My rating for Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.11? half a star! It kept freezing on me and I had to borrow an android tablet and download the NetGalley app just to read this book.

What to Read While Social Distancing? : A Special Post

 What to Read While Social Distancing? : A Special Post

Are you still stuck at home? Here's another book recommendation for you.

Dough or Die by Winnie Archer--Cozy Mystery

Thank you Kensington Books for the free ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway. #KensingtonCozies #CozyClubCard

Ivy Culpepper is excited when Olaya Solis agrees to feature her bread shop, Yeast of Eden, on a cable food network's new show about the best bread bakeries in America. Olaya wants the program to feature her new Bread for Life program she started to lift up and empower low income and immigrant women in the community to help them develop hirable skills and develop self-confidence. The women will learn to bake and share recipes from their cultures. When the show starts filming, Ivy is starstruck by the co-host, Sandra Mays, a local celebrity but soon learns filming a reality show with two hosts is not the smoothest procress. Egos are at work and the production takes twice as long as necessary. The cameraman, Ben Nader, is a local man who grew up escaping the drama of his teen years by climbing up to the roof of what is now Olaya's shop. While everyone is on a filing break, Ben is struck by a car and nearly killed. Ivy witnessed the incident and knows this was no accident. Who would want to harm Ben and why? Then someone else turns up dead on the roof of Yeast of Eden and Ivy worries Olaya and the shop could be implicated. Was there a connection between the two events and if so, was one of the people connected to the program involved? If not, then it must have been a member of the Bread for Life program and that could be a disaster for Olaya. Ivy sets out to figure out whodunit to help Olaya. She also seems to have a stalker. Ivy isn't certain the stalker has something to do with the murder. She thinks she can handle it herself. Can she figure out the clues before it's too late?

This wasn't the best book of the series. It's long, repetitive in spots and Ivy goes way overboard in her investigation. She does something unconsociable and I can't believe she would stoop that low as to investigate in a private room at a battered women's shelter. That's just wrong! The initial hit and run accident happens early in the book but the murder doesn't happen until halfway through. I didn't really know or care who the murderer was. I was able to put the book down and go to sleep. The story didn't pick up until 2/3 into it and then it rushed along until I put the clues together just ahead of Ivy. I was a little more interested in the Ivy stalker plot but not much. I was mostly into the Bread for Life program which is an incredible, amazing idea. This story will not age well. Ivy makes numerous pop culture references to reality TV food programs and celebrities Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry, Guy Fieri; named shows like Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I like it better when the network and shows are fictionalized. Readers can use their own references to make the connection. How does Ivy even have the time to watch that much TV?

Ivy, Ivy, Ivy. She's a nosy baking apprentice with no good reason to investigate the murder. I really don't like how she kept asked pointed, personal questions and digging into people's private business. I don't understand how Emmeline didn't do that in the first place. Suddenly deciding to volunteer at a women's shelter and then using that opportunity to investigate and even snoop is just plain bad investigative technique. Let Emmaline do that if necessary. Ivy lied and snooped. I think she went too far this time. Her heart is in the right place but her methods need work. When she came across the big clue she didn't even put it together. At least she figured it out before she got into trouble. The stalker subplot is lame and just padding. It wasn't necessary at all and not entirely resolved. It was unrealistic at best. Miguel is a sweetheart and totally amazing. I think he's read for a longterm commitment but she's not ready yet. Maybe in the next book?

Emmaline is hardly in the story in the capacity of sheriff. She's busy trying to solve the hit-and-run with no clues to go on then the murder. She's normally awesome at her job and I think Ivy should just trust her. Emmaline wouldn't purposefully make Olaya look bad. Emmaline is in the story in the capacity of friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law. She's a great friend and will be a wonderful, lively, official addition to the Culpepper clan. I noted in the uncorrected proof her hairstyle is more natural in z waves, a change from her usual black braids. At the very end of the book there's another mention of her hair and this time it's in braids. The passage as written is slightly in error and repetitive. That's the time to discuss her hair and how she's going to wear it for the wedding.

Olaya is an amazing woman! Her heart is giant and she truly loves helping people with her "magical" bread. The Bread for Life program is inspiring and amazing! I really liked learning about the different breads. I thought Ivy's first blog post should have been exactly what Olaya said about baking bread and why she started the shop. I'm sure if one of the women proves to be a murderer, Olaya will have compassion for her and try to help in any way she can. Penelope is hardly in the story but she comes through for Olaya even though they have a past history. I like seeing their friendship grow. I miss Penny's zany investigations though. Without them the story is heavy.

Olaya has a new apprentice baker, Felix. He seems fun and eager to learn as much as Ivy. I think he will be successful one day. Ivy's brother Billy gets in on the investigation, bouncing ideas around with Ivy and Emmaline. It's nice to see him doing so well. Even Ivy's dad is doing well. He makes some brief appearances and is there for Ivy when she needs her dad. Agatha isn't in the story enough. She's cute but she doesn't have anything to do this time. Too bad!

The women of Bread for Life all have some kind of baggage they're trying to leave behind. Baking becomes group therapy. Zula from Eritrea is a lot of fun. She takes to baking and sharing her culture wholeheartedly. She's open about her past and her personality is bubbly. I can't see her being a murderer. What would the motive be? Amelie from Germany is also fun. She's alone in the world but she doesn't let it stop her from enjoying her new life in Santa Sofia. I can't see her as a murderer either. Claire's background is a mystery. She's quiet, mysterious and doesn't think she has any culture to share. There could be some reason for her to want Ben out of the way but the murder motive is a mystery. Then there's Esmeralda, Esme to her friends, from Mexico. Ivy uncovers secrets from Esme's past that could lead to a motive for hurting Ben and possibly murder.

Sandra Mays and Mack Hebron are both awful people, especially Sandra. Sandra is a big fish in a small pond. She enjoys being recognized and fawned over as a local celebrity. She has bigger dreams of being a big fish in a big pond. What would she do to get there? It sounds like she'd step on anyone who got in her way. She doesn't like hearing no and she fights a lot with Mack. He's deliberately rude and disrepectful to her. He antagonizes her just to watch her get angry. Yes she has a giant ego that needs deflating but that's not a nice way to do it. Mack claims he's not heartless but he is rather callous and cruel at times.

Ben Nader is a nice guy. Everyone loves him and he doesn't have a rap sheet or any skeletons in his closet. He and his wife Tammy are grieving the loss of their son in a car accident 10 years earlier and raising their grandson. Ben is a family man, a handy man, a camera man and there's no good reason someone would want to run him over. His wife, Tammy, is barely keeping it together. I think she needs professional mental health care help because she seems to be just about unglued. She owes to her to grandson to be the best she can be. I feel sorry for the kid. So much has happened in his short life.

Vivian Cantrell operates a shelter for abused women. Ivy had no idea it existed but it's searchable so anyone can find it. Vivian is tough vetting Ivy yet the home is on Google, she doesn't require a background check on anyone and just trusts word-of-mouth. Some of the rules are strict and some of the policies seem strange like moving people around to different rooms without their knowledge. I can't decide if I like her or not. I like what she's doing but not her personality.

Ivy meets a number of women who need help escaping their pasts. Angie is quiet and indifferent towards Ivy's gardening plan but then her personality changes as the garden starts to grow. It must be healing for her. Meg becomes Ivy's friend on the inside and helps with the investigation. A petite, blond, Irish woman, Meg seems to know everything that's going on. She helps Ivy with her snooping but has enough sense to feel guilty about it. I sense Meg is rather mischievous. She introduces Ivy to Mickey, a woman sadly co-dependent on her abuser who seems to be getting away with it! Mickey is a hoarder but able to disengage to help Ivy. One more person is a surrpise to Ivy but it makes sense. Ivy is completely disrespectful towards this woman, even chasing the woman down in order to interrogate her about Ben. I really liked that woman and even though the clues were there, I think Ivy should have left her alone.

This isn't my favorite series to read. The bread sounds amazing but it's not enough to make up for the somber plots. At least a good person didn't die this time!

What to Read in Quarantine? : A Special Post Part 2

What to Read in Quarantine? : A Special Post Part 2

Another excellent book you may hopefully be able to obtain from your library's e-book system or favorite bookseller is. . .


The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner--Austenesque/Historical Fiction


Thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed in my review are my own and not affected by NetGalley's service.

A race against time to save Jane Austen's legacy in Chawton, the Hampshire village where she spent her final days writing and revising her famous novels. It all begins in in June 1932 when a chance meeting between Adam Berwick, a sad farmer mourning his lost family and educational opportunities, and an American tourist inspires Adam to spend his winter reading Jane Austen. He falls in love with Elizabeth Bennet and wonders at how Mr. Darcy can mess up the situation any more. Though no one understands Adam's desire to read and learn, her returns to Jane Austen again and again as winters pass.

In 1943 in the same Hampshire village where Adam learns to love literature again, Dr. Gray ponders the weight of his responsibilities as a country doctor and as a member of the school board of trustees. Miss Adeline Lewis hopes to inspire her students by teaching Jane Austen and other 18th-century women writers in opposition of the school board. Adeline's star pupil, Evie Stone, is forced to leave school at 14 to work but not without a book list provided by her beloved Miss Lewis. Miss Lewis too is about to leave the school before she is fired. She is engaged to her childhood pal Samuel Grover and intends to keep house and wait for his return from war, a return that will never come.

Two years later the war is over and the village of Chawton will never be the same. Adeline is trying to carry on without her husband, killed in action before they were settled into married life. She looks forward to impending motherhood. An American actress and Jane Austen devotee, Mimi Harrison, is eager to obtain Jane Austen's jewelry at auction and thus begins preserving the author's legacy, while her fiance, Jack Leonard, believes making Mimi's Austen dreams come true will allow him to score with the lady, Willoughby style.

Back in Chawton, Frances Knight, last of the Knight family, last of Jane Austen's brother's line, is waiting for her father to die. Waiting to see if he finally acknowledged her years of service to him - years sacrificed, love lost and never regained. Meanwhile, her housemaid Evie plans to help Miss Knight by voraciously scouring the library for any trace of Jane Austen. This odd assortment of people, plus a few others, will form the Jane Austen Society in hopes of creating a museum in the old steward's cottage in Chawton. Their lives intersect in ways none of them can understand just yet but they all share a devotion to one of the greatest writers in the English language.

It's impossible to fully describe this novel and how I feel about it. I loved the concept of the novel, the preservation of a beloved author's legacy in her hometown, the creation of the museum many of us have made our own pilgrimages to and the friendship and romances between the characters. I found the story compelling and kept turning the page to read what would happen next. Mostly I cared about whether the society would be able to save the Knight library and preserve the cottage. It took a really long time to get there and the end was maybe a bit rushed.

What I didn't like is how contrived this story is. Astute Austen readers will pick up on similarities between the characters of this novel, the "real" people of Chawton and the characters in Jane Austen's novels, yet only ONE character in the entire plot figures this out at the end. This story is permeated with the somberness of a generation caught up in two catastrophic world wars and is therefore, more tinged with sadness that I normally prefer. As Jane Austen once said, let other pens dwell on guilt and misery! The relationships between the characters are very predictable for the most part. One storyline surprised me at the end. The one plot that I really really didn't like was the Mimi plot. It reflects real life a little too much with a sexual assault scene and an actress who knowingly falls for a "bad boy" because of sexual attraction. The rest of the characters and plots I enjoyed, particularly Evie's catalog of the Knight library.

The characters in this novel are composites of Austen characters and yet they are also fully flesh and blood, much like Austen's own characters. We feel right along with them and grieve and ache as they do and experience joy and romance. Shy Adam Berwick may be a farmer but he once had dreams of attending University and studying literature. The only male left in his family after the Great War and the Spanish flu, he was forced to give up those dreams and stay with his mother who doesn't understand him. My heart broke for Adam more than any of the other characters. I empathize entirely with the rut he is stuck in and how much that lost dream meant to him. He's just so sad and lonely. I was hard pressed to put my finger on WHICH Austen character he could be but perhaps Captain Benwick?

Mary Anne/Mimi is a bit of an idealistic dreamer yet she enters into a relationship with Jack with eyes wide open. A lifelong lover of Austen, Mimi, like Elizabeth Bennet, has high standards for herself and won't allow herself to be with any man who doesn't respect her. She experiences a #MeToo moment with a 1940s Harvey Weinstein that forces her to rethink her career. At 35, she's old for Hollywood and her time on the big screen may be coming to an end. Intelligent and resourceful, Mimi decides to retire part-time to Hampshire where she can indulge her Austen dreams. I like how she sets out to preserve Jane Austen's legacy from the beginning and how she sparked a rebirth in Adam. I REALLY disliked her relationship with Jack though. She knows he's Henry Crawford and likes that she can ostensibly reform him. I disagree but I know plenty of people on team Crawford. Mimi has some very frank conversations with people she's only just met. Aren't the British supposed to be more reserved than Americans? That was very awkward and unrealistic.

The most beautiful and heart-wrenching plotline is the Dr. Gray/Adeline plot. Austen lovers will figure out which characters they are pretty quickly. Dr. Gray is a tragic figure. He hasn't gotten over the death of his wife, feeling guilty because he couldn't save her. He can't let the past go yet he tries to stay in the present and not think too much about what happened. When tragedy hits Adeline, he worries about her in a very sweet way. She seems him as a bit paternalistic at times though and keeps pushing against him. He truly cares but can't see what's in front of his nose. I like Adeline's spark and her spunk. Like Elizabeth Bennet, her courage rises at every attempt to intimidate her. When the school board said no, she did it anyway. Adeline had a terrible shock and is grieving in an unhealthy way but who can blame her? I experienced all the emotions with these two. Jane Austen brings them together and sparks fly but both are broken and perhaps they can't be made whole again to experience life.

Miss Frances is clearly Anne Elliott with the personality of Fanny Price. She accepts what is and that's that. She never fights back or gets upset at the injustices her terrible father inflicted on her. Old Mr. Knight is a horrid tyrant of the Georgette Heyer type without any humor. For years he has bullied his daughter, ignored her and basically treated her like dirt. He blames her for not marrying and producing an heir. Evie, her housemaid, is devoted to Miss Frances. Evie, a lively girl of 16, would rather spend her nights reading in the library than going out or even sleeping. Evie still has a strong passion for learning and literature. Her plot engaged me the most and I was eager to sit there next to her looking at the books. One day I simply must go to Chawton House Library. Evie's plot hook kept me turning pages late into the night.

Andrew Forrester, a solicitor from Alton and Yardley Sinclair, an auctioneer from London, round out the Jane Austen Society. Andrew is scrupulous about rules and regulations even when it comes to his personal feelings. His feelings are obvious and he directly corresponds to one Austen hero. The situation is basically the same. I found him a bit too black and white and not a character I sympathize with. He needs to do something and take action. Yardley is funny. At first I thought he was just a money hungry businessman but soon his passion for Jane Austen becomes clear. Then the reader knows he has the very best of intentions. Yardley seems to be the only character who isn't broken. He's a little bit of light relief in a heavy story.

Minor characters that populate Chawton and make this English village so charming are Harriet Peckham, Dr. Gray's secretary. I can't stand her. She's a nosy gossip and presumes too much about her employer. His nurse, Liberty, is just as bad and for some reason is rivals with Adeline. Adeline's mother, Mrs. Lewis is sharp tongued and not very pleasant. It's no wonder Adeline can't move on with her battle-axe of a mother staying with her. Mrs. Berwick is nearly as bad but I believe Mrs. Lewis isn't selfish, just protective of her daughter. Mrs. Berwick is selfish and out to protect herself and keeps her son under her thumb. She has a secret that comes out of nowhere and seems rather far-fetched. Colin Knatchbull-Hugessen is a lazy, no-good fool. He's new to Chawton and I don't think he deserves to be there. I'm not a lawyer but I'm pretty sure I would be questioning his arrival in town if I were a certain someone.

I liked the author's writing style, for the most part. A few editorial things bothered me that I hope will be fixed in the final edition. The use of "alright" is my biggest pet peeve. Standard English usage is "all right" - two words. "Alright" one word seems more accepted now but it really doesn't make sense. The other problem I had with this uncorrected edition is the passage of time back and forth within a scene and between characters. I hope the publisher includes some kind of mark to indicate the scene is changing. I enjoyed some of the beautiful phrases and the insights into Jane Austen's novels. I never thought about some of the things discussed and now have more to think about next time I reread.

This book is recommended for true Janeites but probably not to those who only know the movies or GASP don't know Jane at all!

Content warning:
sexual assault - semi-graphic
pre-marital sex - not shown on page but discussed a lot in the inner dialogue
prescription drug abuse

Emma. Movie Review

Emma.

c. Focus Features LLC

Screenplay by Eleanor Catton, Based on the novel by Jane Austen
Directed by Autumn DeWilde

Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Bill Nighy, Mia Goth, Callum Turner, Josh O'Connor

"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." In summary, she's bored. The movie opens with the marriage of Emma's governess, Miss Taylor, to Mr. Weston. Emma is convinced because she introduced them, therefore she made the match. She decides to take on a protégée and do some more matchmaking. Harriet Smith, a parlor boarder at Miss Goddard's School, is the natural daughter of nobody knows who. While Harriet has feelings for Robert Martin, a farmer, Emma imagines Harriet's father is a nobleman and Harriet can do better than a mere farmer. Enter a slew of suitors with some interesting results. Throw in one bossy neighbor, a talkative spinster, a hypochondriac father and you get an entertaining story with a bit of social commentary thrown in.

promotional bookmark

I had low expectations coming into this so I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it very much but it's not my favorite adaptation. Anya Taylor-Joy was a delight as Emma. Emma is not a likable character and I felt she portrayed that. Mia Goth is acceptable as naive Harriet. Miranda Hart as Miss Bates is decent. She runs on and on well but the script didn't do justice to the real tragedy that is Miss Bates's life. There's no mention of how she was once the vicar's daughter which gave her a high status in the community. She's now an impoverished country spinster dependent upon the generosity of others. She can't go where she wants, when she wants and must wait to be invited. This is only briefly conveyed by her excitement over being invited to tea at Hartfield. Tanya Reynolds as Mrs. Elton was appropriately awful but again she was downplayed in the script. Her personality was more conveyed through her clothes and hairstyle. The women were mostly pretty good. 

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A post shared by Autumn de Wilde (@autumndewilde) on Feb 25, 2020 at 11:16am PST

The men, however, were mostly lacking. Josh O'Connor (Larry Durrell) as Mr. Elton is perfect! He was funny, smarmy and an foppish. 

Josh O'Connor as Mr. Elton c. Focus Features LLC

 Mr. Knightley and Frank Churchill were terribly miscast. Since when is Mr. Knightley an emotional dandy? Those shirt points were way too high for a country gentleman who actually oversees management of his estate, walks across fields, etc. The actor was wooden and didn't have any chemistry with his leading lady.  Mr. Knightley was just awful. He's some weird, emo dude falling on the floor in angst filled fits and running around like a maniac. His chemistry with Emma is next to none and he has lost his playful sense of humor. I didn't find him very attractive. Johnny Lee Miller is my Mr. Knightley of choice!

Frank Churchill cut got down in size to a minor character. Frank's blunder and the letters game were left out entirely. I was disappointed they cut out the parts where Jane Fairfax is upset by Frank and Emma's flirting and how she was going to sell herself in the governess trade. Cutting that out ruined Frank Churchill's plot and Emma's growth.

Johnny Flynn as Mr. Knightley c. Focus Features LLC

Mr. Woodehouse, hypochondriac, is very spritely for an invalid! Standing straight, jumping down stairs, going to weddings-that's not Jane Austen's Mr. Woodhouse. I love Bill Nighy but he's not Mr. Woodhouse. The real Mr. Woodhouse is a semi-invalid who fears everything. This Mr. Woodhouse is a contradiction. He fears drafts but it able to jump up at a moment's notice. It's very weird. I rather prefer Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse in in the 2009 TV adaptation.

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A post shared by Autumn de Wilde (@autumndewilde) on Mar 11, 2020 at 8:45am PDT

I also felt they cut too much about Miss Bates, her garrulousness and her poverty. She's very fashionably dressed for an impoverished spinster!

Mia Goth and Anya Taylor-Joy as Harriet and Emma
c. Focus Features LLC

The twist at the end with Harriet was stupid and unrealistic.

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A post shared by EMMA. (@emmafilm) on Feb 20, 2020 at 10:10am PST

Some of the context got lost in translation. 

• The farmer, Robert Martin, is no mere farm laborer. He's a tenant farmer on his way to gentility. This should be shown by his house and his little gifts to Harriet- going three miles round just to bring her walnuts, selling his wool for more than anybody around, having  parlor and spending the evening in leisure and knowing how to read. He's a good catch for someone like Harriet. 
• The class thing is also left out of the Weston/Churchill family plot. Mr. Weston is comfortably situated NOW because he's engaged in trade but when his first wife died and Frank was young, he was in the militia and not rich. When I explained this to my dad, he said "Oh ok. So they're middle class?" That needed explanation or else the viewer is left wondering why Frank was adopted.
•  The same with Miss Bates's poverty. It's barely there.
• The little subtle social gestures are needed like Mr. Knightley bringing Emma's arm to his heart. (whoo... racy for Jane Austen).  "For a moment or two nothing was said, and she was unsuspicious of having excited any particular interest, till she found her arm drawn within his, and pressed against his heart," (Chp. 49). These subtitles help the reader or viewer understand the time period and characters better. However, the script does quote from the original novel quite a bit so huzzah! (see the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice for how NOT to write a Jane Austen adaptation). 

Emma promotional swag 

• The scenery, the houses, the women's clothes were all EXQUISITE! Emma's pink spencer and some of her other gowns were copies of actual period pieces. 
• The men's costumes were not so great.

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💙 #repost // #Repost @elledecor: While fans of Jane Austen were quick to praise @autumndewilde’s film adaptation of the novel ‘Emma’, they weren’t the only ones swooning over the 19th-century, Georgian era movie. Designers across the globe looked beyond the storyline (and into the backdrop), falling for the stunning production design by Kave Quinn and set decor by Stella Fox. “I’m an obsessive researcher in general, and when I went to drama school, which was a long time ago before I became a photographer, I became pretty obsessed with different periods and how they affect the storytelling,” de Wilde says. At the link in bio, ELLE Decor executive editor @ingridabram talked to de Wilde about the enthusiastic embrace of her gorgeous period comedy and how the world of decor—and her own obsessive attention to detail—was crucial in creating Emma’s irresistible world.

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What was especially nice about the costumes is that the underpinnings are correct as well and shown on screen. The same with nightwear. It's nice to see the characters are real flesh and blood people who wear underwear and nightgowns and put their hair in curl rags. Emma's perfection is not that of a carved statue. It takes work.

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• The music was an odd, eclectic mix of period classical music and noisy folk tunes that may be appropriate for a film set in the country but jar with the perfect drawing room setting of the story.
• On the plus side, the actresses playing Emma and Jane perform their own musical numbers which adds to the authenticity of the story.

promotional denim bag from Emma. and Focus Features LLC.

*******************************SPOILERS*******************************************

I did not at all mind Emma bearing her bum by the fire. She was alone and it's taken from a satirical print so it's possible some women did do that. They'd never admit it! Mr. Knightley getting dressed was another scene of partial-nudity and it wasn't much. I liked seeing the way gentlemen got dressed. EVERYONE focuses on women's fashions and the men I've seen at Jane Austen events were either in military dress or their wives dressed them in some semblance of period costume, if they were in costume at all. I've read a lot of Regency romances where the hero's sartorial splendor plays a large role and it was great to see it in real life. I didn't mind the "make-out" scene. That was way more tame than I was expecting. The nose bleed scene was funny and weird.

Overall, I enjoyed this adaptation. I haven't seen the version with Kate Beckinsale for awhile. I'd need to refresh my memory to rank them properly.
See my review of Emma 1996 and Emma 2009.

A big thank you to Focus Features for putting out the film OnDemand early due to the COVID-19 situation. I didn't get to see it before theaters closed. Next time, I don't wait for my mom to have time to join me!