Virginia Kantra

I suspect many Louisa May Alcott aficionados get nervous every time they hear about a remake of Little Women, or a "contemporary retelling," like Virginia Kantra's Meg & Jo. I know I do, and I almost didn't pick up this book because I was concerned about the damage it would do to my favorite book. I need not have worried. On the contrary, Kantra got it just right. I can easily imagine that this is the book Louisa May Alcott would have written if she lived in the 21st century.

Which means, of show more course, that it's a really good book, in addition to preserving the spirit of Little Women. The characters, their struggles and triumphs, and their family bond (since this is still the March family) spring off the page. I felt so connected to the characters that I was a little bereft when the book ended, and I was thrilled to see that Kantra has a sequel, Beth & Amy, coming soon.

I would recommend Meg & Jo to anyone who was looking for a good story, whether or not they've read Little Women. Many kudos to Kantra for this wonderful book. Jo March (the original) would be proud. show less

Excellent book about two people who find love and healing with each other as they try to rebuild their lives. I was sucked into the story from the beginning as Gabe touched my heart. He grew up in a home with an abusive father and a mother who chose her husband over her son. While he had the benefit of a caring uncle, Gabe never felt that he had a home until he joined the Marines. But after leaving the Corps, Gabe had a run of bad luck, including time in jail for accidentally killing a man show more while trying to prevent a rape. He was acquitted of murder, but with everything that has happened, Gabe needs a new start. All he can think of is Dare Island and his friend and fellow Marine Luke Fletcher's family, who welcomed him with open arms years before.

I loved Gabe. His past and his troubles have worn him down to the point where it's easy for him to believe others' low opinions of him. But underneath that bad boy exterior is a man with a good heart. That heart first makes its appearance when he shares his sandwich with a stray dog. I loved how the dog sensed the goodness in Gabe and attached himself to Gabe. I could feel Gabe's relief at Luke's welcome, and also his determination to turn his life around. Gabe's encounter with Jane, her kindness to him, and the immediate pull he felt toward her, made him feel things he'd never felt before.

Jane's life hasn't been that great either. Her mother walked out when Jane was seven, leaving Jane with her busy police officer father. Tom didn't know how to relate to her, so Jane was frequently left alone, feeling isolated. She fell in love and married young, looking for the family she craved. Instead, she ended up with a man who abused her for years before she escaped and divorced him. Now she's trying to stand on her own two feet, running her business and raising her seven-year-old son. She is determined to put her past behind her and make better choices for her future. Jane has a nurturing heart and gets great satisfaction from taking care of the people around her, from her son and father to her customers and friends. Her kindness and caring have her helping Gabe, even as she realizes that she should stay away from him.

I loved the development of the relationship between Gabe and Jane. Both are wary of risking their hearts. It was sweet to see Gabe show his caring through the work he did on her shop. He was always on the lookout for ways to make things better for her. It didn't take long for him to realize that what he felt for Jane was more than just physical attraction. Jane is attracted to Gabe, both physically and emotionally, but she is afraid of making another mistake. I liked seeing her step outside her comfort zone as she tried to overcome those fears. The dinner scene at the bakery was awesome, but also magnified Jane's worries. Seeing Gabe's connection with her son, Aiden, dug him deeper into her heart. I loved watching the changes in Gabe as his determination to be the type of man Jane needed fueled his resolve. I ached for him as he told her his feelings and her fears made her pull back. There was an emotional scene as he dealt with his hurt, and Jane tried to make him understand her concerns. When Jane's past makes an appearance, it creates complications but also helps her see past her fears. There was an unexpected twist that could have gone badly for Gabe. I loved how everything worked out in the end. I loved the epilogue and seeing how things have changed for both of them. I'd love to see more books in this series and catching up with all of the people of Dare Island. show less

In the world of Little Women adaptations, many authors/screenwriters get caught in what I'm going to start calling the "Beth trap". In the original, Beth is the "good" sister, which often means she's seen as the "boring" sister, so adapters try to make her more "interesting" (usually while still having her die). Kantra does not avoid the Beth trap, but in her sure hands, Beth is able to be a full character, and a full member of the sisterly quartet (and she doesn't die, either). I shouldn't show more have doubted Kantra, whose first book, Meg & Jo, was was far and away the best written adaptation I've come across.

Once again, Kantra has embodied the spirit of the original, while bringing the March sisters into the modern era. In this book, Beth and Amy share the spotlight, and we even get some insight into the question of how Jo, Amy, and Laurie (in this book, Trey) all manage to reconcile their erstwhile love triangle. Once again, Kantra handles this deftly and elegantly; everyone's feelings are respected and the reader gets a satisfying resolution too.

Once again, Kantra has given us a good book and a good adaptation, although this one perhaps stands less on its own without Little Women than did Meg & Jo. Certainly, one should read Meg & Jo first. But Little Women fans will enjoy this book alongside readers who have no familiarity with the original. It's sweet, and light without being too light, and generally wonderful. show less

I love Little Women and I doubly-loved this NYC/North Carolina reinvention in Meg and Jo. This story focuses on the older March girls, with Beth and Amy appearing like guest stars. Jo is a food blogger and prep cook in New York, while Meg is a stay-at-home mom to adorable twins in North Carolina. Amy's doing a fashion internship in Paris, and Beth is a country singer in Branson, MO??? (What now? The rest of these are so on-target that I'm trying to reserve judgement on this one until I read show more Beth And Amy).

This review is going to have spoilers, because it's almost impossible to discuss this book without mentioning ways in which it followed and deviated from the original. Anyway, Little Women came out in 1868, which makes it a 151-year-old spoiler.

I just loved the sisters' relationship here, and I absolutely believed that not just that they were really sisters, but the girls took wildly different paths and still called each other every day. I thought Jo's blog was a perfect updating. In Alcott's life, magazine serials were considered pop culture, and sometimes minimalized as lowbrow and easy. just like blogs today. I loved Jo and Eric's relationship, too.

My only concern was a moment where Jo and Eric decide that it doesn't matter whether they live in NYC or North Carolina, as long as they're together. Nope. Speaking as someone who moved from Brooklyn to Chapel Hill when my Southern boyfriend proposed, OMG, IT MATTERS A LOT. Jo, you deserve better than extra-slow conversations about traffic and college basketball, don't move to North Carolina!

Meg and John's story was believable and engaging, but a bit Romance 101. The basic premise is that Meg is running herself ragged being a supermom when her problems could be solved if only she could learn to ask for help from John, as if assigning the husband chores isn't just more mental load for the wife. I realize that grown men sometimes need to be told to take out the trash and buy milk and whatever, but it doesn't make for an appealing romantic hero. I always thought the modest, hardworking John Brooke was more appealing than selfish Laurie, so I really wanted him to be a great husband too.

Finally, I was just as sad as the March sisters when Marmee and Father's marital problems are revealed! The modern Mr. March is consistently and realistically inconsiderate towards his wife, leaving her with all the responsibility while he does Important Work, just like in the original story, but modern Mrs. March isn't having it. Plus, Bronson Alcott was off doing charitable works while his family struggled, making this a sick 151-year-old burn.

I loved this retelling, and I'm already looking forward to seeing the rest of the story in Beth and Amy. show less