Publishers Weekly
10/02/2023
In this cute romp, Cotugno (Birds of California) pulls off an unlikely mash-up of Pride and Prejudice and Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The five 20-something Benedetto sisters—June, Lilly, Olivia, Marianne, and Kit—are famous for being famous, with a Kris Jenner–type “momager,” the mercurial Cinta, and a once popular, now cancelled reality show. Their father Dominic, the “Meatball King” of Los Angeles, is seeing his restaurants and wealth decline along with his five daughters’ popularity. All live in a decaying mansion that may soon slip out from under them in the fictional L.A. suburb of Pemberly Grove. Enter movie star Charlie Bingley, who moves in next door with his best friend, actor Will Darcy. Charlie quickly falls for the oldest sister, June, while Lilly and Will clash spectacularly—and with no small amount of heat behind their sparring. Will and Lilly’s unlikely romance neatly proves that opposites attract, and Cotugno’s bold take on the Bennet family works surprisingly well. Charming leads and roguish supporting characters alike leap off the page; even the deeply flawed Benedetto parents prove lovable. Janeites and reality TV fans alike will devour this lively retelling. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
"The perfect escapist novel: Meet the Benedettos is a funny, flashy, heartfelt story of self-discovery, a champagne-soaked romance, and a family drama, all in one. Cotugno's loveable, impetuous, sharp-witted characters find love and family bonds in the most hopeless places. These people are so vivid, I forgot they weren't real and tried to google them. Somebody make this book a movie, please." — Meredith Goldstein, columnist for Boston Globe Love Letters and author of Things That Grow
“Meet the Benedettos is a smart, sharp, sisterly take on Pride and Prejudice. Katie Cotugno writes with such precision, giving each character a chance to shine, while still giving readers what they want - smoldering, unshakeable chemistry between Elisabetta and Darcy. It's hot and fun and modern, a must-read.” — Elissa Sussman, bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask
“In this cute romp, Cotugno pulls off an unlikely mash-up … Charming leads and roguish supporting characters alike leap off the page. … Janeites and reality TV fans alike will devour this lively retelling.” — Publishers Weekly
"Wry, poignant, and charmingly incisive, Katie Cotugno's MEET THE BENEDETTOS is a retelling that is perfectly pitched to our pop culture moment. Cotugno's spare, careful prose is witty and warm, her characters flawed and human and so easy to root for. I loved these five sisters and all those they pulled into their orbit: MEET THE BENEDETTOS is a book that will have you thinking about love in all its iterations...and that will leave you feeling perfectly hopeful about love's impact on our very messy, very modern lives." — Kate Clayborn, author of Georgie, All Along
It is also a commentary on reality-television programming and the Hollywood lifestyle, wrapped up in a lighthearted read....Austen fans will enjoy this new spin on what has become a franchise — Library Journal
“The traditional Pride and Prejudice tropes are all here, this time with fun, modern twists. The chemistry between Lilly and Will (Darcy, naturally) is appropriately tense and pleasantly steamy. Cotugno is great with witty dialogue, and the famous story line lends itself surprisingly well to the standard Hollywood types. This is an enjoyable example of the classic-retelling genre. Cotugno's fans will be eager for this one.” — Booklist
Library Journal
11/01/2023
At the heart of Cotugno's (Birds of California) modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice are the five sisters of the Benedetto family; think of them as a failed Kardashian clan. They had a reality show for a couple of years and are now struggling to further their careers while the bills pile up. June, the eldest, falls for their new neighbor, action-film star Charlie Bingley, while the next oldest, Lilly, keeps squabbling with Charlie's best friend, Will Darcy. Then Lilly meets Nick, and he tells her an awful story about Will. Will tries to warn Lilly about Nick but doesn't give her any details, so it's just a matter of time before Nick shows his true colors and everything comes to a head. For readers familiar with any of the iterations of the Austen masterpiece, all the players in Cotugno's novel will be recognizable. It is also a commentary on reality-television programming and the Hollywood lifestyle, wrapped up in a lighthearted read with a rather abrupt ending. VERDICT Austen fans will enjoy this new spin on what has become a franchise; think Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld, Sonali Dev's Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, or Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding.—Stacy Alesi
MARCH 2024 - AudioFile
Thérèse Plummer offers a rich narration of this audiobook, a modernized LITTLE WOMEN meets PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. The Benedettos were a once beloved family on a popular reality show. Now they've blown through all their TV money and are close to bankruptcy. With her eldest sister courting a new neighbor, Lilly is stuck with Darcy--who proves to be a lot more than meets the eye. Plummer gives contemporary charm to a classic love story. Plummer deftly handles Lilly's shifts between shame at being a reality TV star who is near rock bottom and her pride at being a strong woman who is figuring out what to do next. Plummer's narration creates a full experience with dynamic characters, intense romance, and saucy dialogue. G.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
