[ARC Review] Bennet, Pride Before the Fall by Anyta Sunday

Release date: June 30, 2021
Format: eARC
ARC provided by: Gay Romance Reviews

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Bennet, Pride Before the Fall is a cute M/M romance inspired by Pride and Prejudice and is the third book in Anyta Sunday’s Love, Austen series. 

Bennet has never been shy about his sexuality. He’s gay and proud of it, and he’s not going to let the people in his small town corral him into being something he’s not. Darcy, on the other hand, has kept his bisexuality uncomfortably closeted for decades. But when a force of nature like Bennet meets a stoic wall like Darcy, they’re in for a storm like no other. Add in old flames, revenge dates, and a flirty younger brother, and readers will love the romance between Darcy and Bennet most ardently. 

Bennet, Pride Before the Fall was my first foray into the Love, Austen series. Although I haven’t read the previous two novels, it was easy to follow along with the events of this world. Characters from the previous books do make appearances and play a bit into the overall plot of Bennet, Pride Before the Fall, but readers don’t necessarily need to read the prior stories in order to fully enjoy Darcy and Bennet’s romance - though I’m sure reading the other books enhances the plot. Overall, I absolutely loved Bennet and Darcy’s story. Both characters had great personalities and both characters were just opposite enough to really make their slow-burn romance interesting. Bennet was a fantastically out character, and being out was exactly what his younger brother, Lyon, needed to see as he navigated his teens. I also loved that Bennet’s main purpose throughout this novel (outside of his gay romance editing job) was to bring a Pride celebration to his small town. Bennet really was a complete foil to Darcy, who kept his feelings close to his chest, often uncomfortable with his own feelings towards Bennet even though he acknowledged his bisexuality. Coming out is hard. Admitting your feelings is hard. And Darcy was a wonderful representation of just how hard it can be to live your true self. 

Anyta Sunday’s writing was well done: easy to get lost in, real, and often quirky. I found myself laughing at the dialogue throughout the novel, and really loved the play between characters. And, even though this series is inspired by Jane Austen novels, readers do not need to be familiar with the original novels or love the classics in order to enjoy Bennet, Pride Before the Fall.

A fairly clean, slow-burn M/M romance, Bennet, Pride Before the Fall is a fantastic, modern take on an Austen classic, and a great addition to the Love, Austen series. 

Thank you to the team at Gay Romance Reviews for the advanced review copy of Bennet, Pride Before the Fall. I received no compensation in exchange for this honest review.