Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Tolerable by Ruth Mitchell Series: Modern Jane #2
on March 21, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 323
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon
A hilarious and heartwarming modern twist on Pride and Prejudice
When I receive a Thank You note from my client Mr. Darcy, I picture a genteel white-haired gentleman. Then I Google him. Turns out, Mr. Darcy is HAWT! And much younger than I expected. Thirty-one and head of an almond empire, here I am 26, working two jobs and barely scraping by.
After seeing his photo, I must admit, I dress a little nicer whenever I go to Pemberley for a work meeting,
But Liam Darcy is a total disappointment.
Sure, he's just as tall and handsome as his photos. But he's rude and awkward. And that's before I overhear him telling his friend that I'm barely tolerable!
The first time I met Lettie Benson I called her tolerable. Oof!
And she will NEVER let me forget it.
She says I'm the last man she'd ever kiss.
I'm hoping she means that as much as I meant it when I said she was tolerable.
After adoring her previous romantic comedy Modern Jane series retelling of Persuasion, I was geeked to dive right into Ruth Mitchell’s Tolerable, a contemporary Pride & Prejudice retelling. And, squee, Darcy is an almond grower from my home town of Sacto!
Lettie, an event planner (and a few other hats including writer to make ends meet), is excited to meet her new client after spotting his hawt self during her internet search on him, but bleh, that didn’t go well. He only found her TOLERABLE to look at. Liam learns to regret such words were said let alone overheard by the woman in question when a salty Lettie makes it clear he’ll not get any traction with her in this lifetime. And, by this lifetime, she learns she’s stuck with him at their best friend’s Christmas wedding getaway in the mountains, ugh!
Sassy dialogue, entertaining pen pal exchanges, snowed in in a motel together with a certain big secret ala Georgette Heyer’s Sylvester-style ready to explode, glow ups on all of Austen’s colorful characters right down to the villains made this modern take entertaining in its own right.
But, there was something else very familiar going on besides the P&P plot points and characters niggling at me. As I am also a huge Georgette Heyer fan, I had Sylvester moments pinging right and left particularly when Lettie writes a piece with a villainous character that everyone knows is obviously based on Liam and, due to a contretemps, get stuck together at a motel where love and loathing are felt in their turns. It wasn’t until after I read Tolerable and looked at some other reviews that I learned I was not imagining this and even the author stated it. So, a double delicious tale awaiting readers.
Incidentally, snobbish side character, Caroline was a fun original version and Lettie even befriended her. I am so glad she gets her story next. She is all prickles and sass.
So, an all and all abso-fab time was had by this reader and I can recommend Tolerable to general romcom fans and those who love Jane Austen moderns alike.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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It’s fun to read a story set in a location you’re familiar with! Happy to see you enjoyed this Austen re-telling!
You said it. I got all excited when I realized what he did for a living and where they were at. And, Tahoe for the forced proximity part. Just fun stuff all around.
I tend to enjoy the modern retellings because then I don’t feel so lost for not having read the originals!
That’s a good point. This one is an example of that because anyone can enjoy this as a romcom without needed prior acquaintance with the classic.
That sounds great. I’m glad you liked this one.
I had such a good time reading it. Thanks, Mary!
Ohh fun. I do love PP
Yes! These are a good match for the P&P lovers. 🙂
Sighs I need this series in my life.
Oh yeah, you would get a kick out of these.