Out August 6th, 2024 from Entangled Teen Publishing; 400 pages
About the Author: “Erica George is the author of young adult romances such as Witty in Pink (Entangled Teen, 2024), The Edge of Summer (Little, Brown BFYR, 2022), and Words Composed of Sea and Sky (Running Press, 2021). She is a graduate of The College of New Jersey with degrees in both English and education, and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is currently a writing instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, residing in northwest New Jersey but spending her summers soaking up the salty sea air on Cape Cod. Many themes in Erica’s writing rotate around environmental activism and young people finding their voice. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring river towns, whale watching, or engrossed in quality British dramas with her dog at her side” (Bio from Erica George’s website).
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“This time it’s different. This time I’m different. Because of you”
They say “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Blythe has finally come face to face with Briggs Goswick, her very attractive, very elite nemesis, after avoiding him for five years, which makes her summer complicated at the very least. Despite the weight of marriage and saving her family’s name on her shoulders, Blythe has a plan — a business plan — that will save her family from financial ruin. The catch? She needs investors. When Blythe finds out Briggs is broke, she realizes they’re more alike than she thought. Both Blythe and Briggs are trapped in their circumstances and need to figure out how to save their families. When they call a truce and come together, his society connections can help win over investors for Blythe’s business venture and, in return, she promises to help Briggs woo a rich heiress that can solve his financial problems.
As a fan of Bridgerton, I’m not surprised that I really enjoyed this. I don’t typically read regency romance, so this was a first for me. I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it read, despite the recency-esque language used throughout the entire book. Blythe and Briggs were two characters that had their own motivations and aspirations outside of their relationship together which I really enjoyed seeing. Since YA books are targeted towards teens I think this is a great way to demonstrate healthy romantic relationships and the boundaries that create strong individuals. I could feel their chemistry through their banter and shared experiences, which made the relationship all the more believable. I thought that Blythe’s interest in bees was refreshing and necessary as both a way to make her character stand out and a way to explain exactly why she was going along with her scheme in the first place. On another note, this book had everything I love to look for in a romance: pining and stolen glances. Overall, Witty In Pink is the perfect book for fans of Jane Austen or Bridgerton. I especially think those who consider Eloise Bridgerton their favorite character will enjoy Blythe’s witty humor and her independent nature.
Witty in Pink releases August 6th, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Vanshikha Vij, Pine Reads Review Writer