JANE & EDWARD: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre by Melodie Edwards

Publication Date: March 21, 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

This powerful reimagining of Jane Eyre, set in a modern-day law firm, is full of romance and hope as it follows the echoing heartbeats of the classic story.

A former foster kid, Jane has led a solitary life as a waitress in the suburbs, working hard to get by. Tired of years of barely scraping together a living, Jane takes classes to become a legal assistant and shortly after graduating accepts a job offer at a distinguished law firm in downtown Toronto. Everyone at the firm thinks she is destined for failure because her boss is the notoriously difficult Edward Rosen, the majority stakeholder of Rosen, Haythe & Thornfield LLP. But Jane has known far worse trials and refuses to back down when economic freedom is so close at hand.

Edward has never been able to keep an assistant—he’s too loud, too messy, too ill-tempered. There’s something about the quietly competent, delightfully sharp-witted Jane that intrigues him though. As their orbits overlap, their feelings begin to develop—first comes fondness and then something more. But when Edward’s secrets put Jane’s independence in jeopardy, she must face long-ignored ghosts from her past and decide if opening her heart is a risk worth taking.

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I can’t believe this is a debut novel for Ms. Edwards. I loved it and could not put it down. I’ll admit that I don’t remember the storyline of Jane Eyre, so I was not stuck comparing different aspects of the story.

Jane was so calm on the outside, seeming to take life day by day. But on the inside her thoughts were spot on and relatable to me. I liked her immediately. I loved how she grew to find that she always had strength and courage inside her. Then there is Edward. He was a quirky and temperamental tornado that most saw as a jerk. But Jane and the reader saw through that early on. He too had his demons to overcome. I think they recognized and related to each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Yes, he screwed up badly, but I couldn’t dislike him for it. I even admired and understood Jane’s response. That made it a joy to see how the story resolved itself. Witty dialogue, fast paced writing, and a lovely romance.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle | Paperback

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Melodie Edwards has a BA from the University of Toronto, a master’s degree from McMaster University and Syracuse University (2023), studied comedy writing at the Second City Training Centre, and works in communications. Jane & Edward is her first novel.

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