I feel like this was one of those books/authors that had so much potential, I ended up being more upset by what could have been once I finished it than anything else. I really think that if Charlotte Greene could utilize dialogue more than she does, this would be a totally different story and a great one at that.

My biggest issue is how internalized this whole story is. Almost 80% of it is the characters inside voice and descriptions of what is going on, rather than conversations while those events are occurring. For instance, instead of saying goodbye to someone as actual dialogue, it was written as “Erin finally excused herself”. That’s just one TINY example of how everything felt so descriptive and not intimate. When this is happening all the time between your two leads, it barely feels like they got to know each other. I want flirty dialogue, not being told that they are flirting!

I also have to be honest that I didn’t like many of the characters. They all seemed like jerks during different points and never redeemed themselves. Charlie was a coward and couldn’t communicate. Jen/Erin’s Dad was mean for most of it and then seemed bipolar at the end. Lydia was just full of attitude, and acted like an angsty 14 year old. Will seemed like a creep, Darcy’s family were mainly full of snobs, and I didn’t even really like Darcy that much considering how hot and cold she always was. I figure I just like some likable people to relate to??

Overall, I think if the next book the author writes could rely much more on dialogue than I’ll read it. If it’s structured like this one, I’ll pass.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39410441-pride-and-porters" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Pride and Porters" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521941437m/39410441.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39410441-pride-and-porters">Pride and Porters</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/285828.Charlotte_Greene">Charlotte Greene</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2355243319">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
An ARC was obtained from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.<br />An angst filled romance with leads Erin and Darcy and ample supporting characters. The unusual main setting - a small town brewery (with all the drama of owning/operating one) was a clever hook for the story and I loved the Colorado backdrop. However, for me the relationship between Erin/Darcy never quite gelled while Jen/Charlie's did and that carried the plot. <br />A fair read with 3 stars.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

Modern retellings tend to make Lizzy Bennet a shrew (my word; I'm sure the authors think they've created a woman of dry wit); I'm relived to say Dr. Greene succeded where so many others have failed. Erin Bennet is a woman with knowledge and inner strength. While I didn't get emotionally involved with any of the characters (what can compare to the original?), it wasn't a waste of my time either.

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Pride and Porters is an easily discernable retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The obviousness of the names and story arch were perfectly indulgent for what I was looking for. There is something so comforting about knowing what is going to happen next but with a bit more beer and lesbians. This is not the best lesbian fiction book I've ever read but it was fun! I recommend it to anyone who loves P&P but isn't overly protective of it either.

I'll start this review with the fact that I've never read Pride & Prejudice. I actually think I've never read any Jane Austen book (although I may have seen one of movies based on the books?) So, I came into this book knowing that it was an homage, but probably not getting most of the homage-y parts and just seeing it as a lesfic romance.

All that said. This book was a delightful surprise. The main characters are Darcy and Erin. Erin and her sister Jen own a brewing company that's not doing horribly, but right on the edge. In comes Charlie and Darcy. Charlie is the head of a big Boston brewing company and we slowly learn who Darcy is. Erin's sister Jen falls for Charlie, and slowly Darcy and Erin sorta start to like each other as well, but there are fits and starts to it.

I really liked the Erin character. Jen grew on me. I went back and forth with Lottie. Mostly liked Charlie, and then there was Darcy. I'm still conflicted about her even after finishing the book.

But, it was an interesting story with some really great characters, and I enjoyed it a ton, even if I hadn't read the underlying novel.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.

I have no idea what to say about this book. It’s far from bad, but in my opinion it’s not exactly stellar. To me, I felt cheated for romance, that’s the feeling I had. Though very detailed on breweries and business, it lacked plot in romance. It lacked chemistry between two main characters and the whole “get together” happening happens all of sudden somehow and without any details. So, for me - it’s a miss in that genre. As a matter of fact, the whole back and forth was so overused and without serious chemistry or the dialogues between Erin and Darcy, that when I got to the point of 2/3 of the book I didn’t even care how it’s going to end. Had I not been a fan of Charlotte Greene’s previous work, my guess is that I wouldn’t have finished this book.

I rated it 3 stars but I lean towards 2.5. While I like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I think the author limited herself too much by sticking to the same character's trait. Pride and Prejudice the book is a product of its time. I was disappointed that we didn't learn anything at all about Darcy Fitzwilliam. If the book had more character development it would have been more interesting. The ending fell flat for me.

Not your typical formula of Lesfic romance, the title of Pride and Porters immediately piqued my interest, as the subject of beer is near and dear to me. As a certified beer judge and a former brewery owner I’ve spent a lot of time in the craft-beer community. The author certainly knows what she’s talking about, even including a rarely brewed beer called gose (pronounced GOH-ze). She accurately captured the craft-brewing industry atmosphere as well as Colorado’s love affair with nature, outdoor sports, and of course, craft beer.

What sets this novel apart from so many is this genre, aside from craft-beer, is that the story does not revolve solely around two women falling in love. There is that, of course, but the author manages to artfully weave several plots of many of the characters into one cohesive story that speaks more of a community rather than just the singular romance. Every plot added interesting and captivating details to the kaleidoscope of Erin and Darcy’s families and friends. I became invested in all the characters as each had a story to tell and in the end, all of them were so intricately connected. The architecture of their community became the central theme and the strength to overcome just about anything became their triumph.

A side effect of the presence of multiple story arcs did detract a bit from Erin and Darcy’s love affair. The intensity of their attraction is sizzling and their chemistry was blazing, However, the choice of fade to black intimacy failed to convey that pinnacle and crescendo that we look forward to in any romance, and this is a reason why I took away a star in my review.

Fortunately, the character development is deep and makes up for some of this lack of depth in the romance. Erin is adorably shy while Darcy is a classic Ice Queen. Both find it very difficult to confide in others for very different reasons, and the author was adept at allowing these characters to communicate via nonverbal cues across the spectrum from subtle to blatant. Neither character is verbose, so paying attention to their body language and expressions was the key to interpreting where they were in their burgeoning romance. They are far from perfect, and their mistakes as well as their triumphs make them all adorably human and relatable.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this misfit crew. Truly a unique and satisfying drama with a little bit of romance thrown in while you enjoy the Colorado outdoors and some tasty brews.

This book is a kind of adaptation of Jane Austen's best seller of similar title, but brought to the environment of craft breweries in the state of Colorado, with Bennets, a Charles, a Darcy, many prejudices and too much omissions.

Several of the characters are really unpleasant and because of this, the romantic relationships that are developed in the book have not been entirely interesting. It's hard to feel sorry for anything that could happen to Darcy or Lydia or even Erin.

The book also has an excess of detail in the narrative that often deviates from the plot line. I think many of the descriptions have been boring and just filling.

If there had been at least one sex scene, interesting or not, but not even that.

And for me, the beer, so-so, so I'm sorry. I could not omit this final statement.

<i>An ARC was sent to me from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley for an honest review </i>

I have read and loved most of Jane Austen’s works, so I was excited to read this modern retelling. While I think a lot of the aspects from Pride and Prejudice transformed well into this book, I didn’t like this any better than just okay. I seem to be in a little bit of a book slump. This is the fifth 3 star book in a row that I have read. Maybe I’m being a little extra critical because of that. But in looking at the other reviews, my opinion seems to be the current consensus.

First I do want to mention the setting was wonderful. I loved the choice of Colorado and having this book be about craft beer and running that business. It was actually really interesting and I enjoyed those parts.

I also thought almost all of the characters were well done. From the likeable main Erin to the ice queen Darcy. I even liked all the secondary characters who were mostly family members of Erin’s. Her relationship with her sister Jen was especially well done. It was fun comparing some of these characters to Austen’s.

Where this book really let me down was the romance between Erin and Darcy. It was almost nonexistent. They had sex a few times, and that was it. Just from that we were supposed to believe there was love between them? First, the sex scenes are not shown. While I don’t prefer that, I don’t mind it. But it was implied they were just hooking up, nothing more. That was the problem there was never anything more. There were never any real conversations or chemistry, nothing that showed a relationship. What made it all the stranger, the M/F relationship between Erin’s sister Jen and her boyfriend, was better done then Erin and Darcy’s. I believed Jen was in love with her boyfriend, I never believed Erin was.

While this book had some good parts, it just never fully came together for me. I also want to mention there was a lot of angst in this book. It was almost too much for me. I sure don’t remember P&P having this much drama. I can’t really recommend this, but if you are an Austen fan, you might want to give this modern retelling a try.

Misstep to the maximum. This is a read about relationships, family, wealth, Colorado and the desire to find someone to share your life with when you did not know you were looking. There is romance but what was more prevalent was the importance of family. The Bennet sisters are quite the formidable pair. There is also their younger sister who has always felt like a afterthought. An educational read about the location, craft beer and small town living. I enjoyed Charlie and Jen's coupling. Darcey and Erin, not so much. In general, the read is interesting and the Colorado scenery is awesomely described.

A quick and easy retelling of Austen's classic P&P. I was kind of annoyed with the superficial descriptions and how some of the characters where described as almost overwhelmingly beautiful … But otherwise: Well written and a fun for a few hours of reading.

Pride and Porters is a modern reimagining of Jane Austen's masterpiece Pride and Prejudice. Charlotte Greene sets her story in modern-day Northern Colorado and around craft beer industry.
The retelling part is well done with a lot of interesting characters and details that we can recognize from the original, but told in a very good new way. Even those who have never read Austen's immortal classic can enjoy a well told and well researched story.
The less successful part is the romance between Erin Bennet and Darcy Fitzwilliam. I totally agree with some other reviewers that it lacks emotions and strength. There is none of Austen's romantic magic in that respect, none of that special well known palpable chemistry between the main pairing which should be the most important thing about them. That something is unfortunately missing here. Also, the ending is rushed, with no real comprehension of Erin and Darcy's future and how they see their life together.
Overall, this is a good book, but not as good as I am used to getting from this author.

I just couldn't get into this story - maybe because I don't like beer?? 

The two leading characters didn't have chemistry and their whole attraction and missteps just didn't seem genuine to me. The only viewpoint the reader had was from Erin so we didn't get any of Darcy's feelings, emotions and views, which I think in this story was missing. 

Mostly if a story is lacking chemistry it is hard to look over...

Have you ever wondered how Pride and Prejudice would work if it were two women falling in love with a brewery as a backdrop? Well, wonder no more! If you're anything like me, you have read all there is when it comes to Pride and Prejudice. It's rare to find one with LGBTQ characters, and even rarer to find lesbian versions. I went in to this thinking it would be a fun way to pass a few hours, but I was pleasantly surprised to find an entertaining and engaging take on one of my favorite stories. I like that it followed the general plot of the original, but the Colorado brewery setting made it refreshing and new. I did miss Kitty and Mary a little bit, but I understand that for story purposes, they weren't necessary. I do wonder how Charlotte Greene would have handled Mrs. Bennet, had she chosen to include her as well, but again, I liked the focus on the sisters and the father instead.
All in all, I would say this is up near the top on my list of favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptations.

Oh wow. This is possibly one of the best romances based on the Uber romantic novel Pride and Prejudice. It never ceases to amaze me how well it can be reused to fit any time, place or sexual orientation.

This is a great romance that I will be rereading again in a few months

I always like 'what if' Austenations and this one (basically 'what if Lizzie Bennet was a lesbian brewer in modern-day Colorado?') was a lot of fun. The setting of the novel was particularly nicely drawn and very evocative. As a fan of beer, I also thoroughly enjoyed the brewery background. I had some minor problems with Erin-Lizzie and Darcy's relationship, which didn't seem as intimate and believable as in the original (certainly), or in other Austenations I've enjoyed. Still, it all came right in the end and I did enjoy the book overall.

This review was based on an ARC ebook received in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Another take on pride and prejudice, this time set in the Bennet sisters brewery in Colorado. I couldn't really get in to the story sorry.

Pride and Porters by Charlotte Greene is a modern-day adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The amiable, financially struggling brew master meets the ultra-rich ice-queen. It’s a dynamic that I love for the start.

This story is solely told from the perspective of Erin Bennett. Erin is the brewmaster and part owner of Bennet Sisters Brewing (BSB), a small, but well-respected brewery in western Colorado. BSB is turning out great beers but they need financial support to expand and keep up with the demand for their product. Erin keeps the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her business is seriously struggling, her relationship with the father is poor and the mounds of stress are only going to get bigger when Charlie Betters and Darcy Fitzwilliam walk into her life.

Darcy is, as you may have already guessed it, rude and snobbish. She immediately shoots her mouth off running down both Erin and her sister Jen. Therefore, Erin has a massive issue with the woman and wants zero to do with her. This aversion to Darcy is hard since Jen and Charlie begin dating. Darcy and Erin are forced to interact with each other both women she each other in a new light.

Overall the book is well written. It is an interesting story with great details and sets the scene perfectly. I could almost feel myself sitting in a taproom ordering a beer and enjoying the beauty of Colorado. My one issue and it’s a big one is I didn’t feel the connection between Erin and Darcy. They have constant missteps that cause issues between them. What you don’t feel is emotion. I needed more dialogue between the two leading ladies. You get a lot of what Erin is struggling with but none of that was what draws her to Darcy other that she is gorgeous. More than anything I wish these two had a conversation. Great dialogue is what can set a book apart from all the others. This one just needed some great conversations.