I am a sucker for a good love story so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I loved Mandy Hubbard’s PRADA AND PREJUDICE. But simply labeling this tale as a romance would be grossly underestimating it.
PRADA AND PREJUDICE is a YA Magical Realism/Historical that follows fifteen-year-old awkward Callie on her school trip to England. Tired of not fitting in and being a social leper, she vows to change things. Callie wanders off to explore London’s shopping district and comes across a beautifully expensive pair of Prada heels. Despite the price tag, Callie purchases the shoes, believing they are the key to her future social success. She decides to wear the heels back to the hotel to wear off the ‘just purchased’ look and ends up snagging her heel on a grate, twisting her ankle, falling to the ground and blacking out.When Callie awakes, she finds herself in Regency England. Alone, scared, and completely out of her element, Callie pretends to be Rebecca, the cousin of The Duke of Harksbury. She befriends Emily, a bubbly young girl who helps Callie navigate the confusing waters of 1815. When Callie learns of Emily’s arranged betrothal, she concludes it is the reason she was sent back in time—to correct the wrongs of the past using her twenty-first century intellectual skills. Maybe if she does that, she’ll get back home. Meanwhile she embarks on a tumultuous relationship with the Duke, one filled with her own prejudices and wrong conclusions and his prideful need to follow cultural duty. But neither can deny the effect they have on one another or their attraction. Through Callie’s relationships with both characters, she begins to see herself differently, learns confidence, and rediscovers the joy of friendship. When she is inevitably sent back to modern times, Callie is a new person, forever changed by her month living in the past.
There is much to love about this story. The friendship between Callie and Emily is fun and completely spot on. I am so glad Mandy took the time and allowed Callie and the reader to experience the girly stuff we all think of and idolize when it comes to this period in history. The beautiful dresses, the hairstyles, the balls, and the dancing. Emily is the perfect fashionista to guide Callie through these experiences and it adds depth to their relationship. One of the best things about this friendship is that it endears the reader to Callie even more. By Callie loving Emily, constantly pointing out how adorable and sweet she is, and wanting to take care of her, it automatically makes us not only care for Emily, but about Callie, too. We agree with her—Emily is as cute as a button—and by having Callie not become jealous, but instead protective over her, we as the reader like Callie even more. Finally, their friendship also serves as the perfect catalyst for Callie’s emerging strength. My favorite line involving this subplot beautifully captures why this relationship was so essential to the plot:
“Why is it that I can’t defend myself to three pretty girls from my class but when it comes to Emily, I am as fierce as a lioness with cubs?”
Callie’s character arc is also extremely well done and completely believable. She starts out insecure and not fitting in, and by transporting her to a time when she REALLY doesn’t, she is forced to grow. As in real life, there are growing pains. Things aren’t perfect and as Callie says, “Even pretending to be someone else didn’t fix it.” But she keeps on trying because she has to, and eventually, through the confidence she gains from her relationships with Emily and Alex, she emerges stronger.
Finally, Callie and Alex’s relationship is pure entertainment. There is enough mystery to keep the reader guessing, despite us knowing there are obvious miscommunications happening all over the place. Their banter is hilarious and sexy, and their unraveling romance made me swoon. Their first kiss takes place in the middle of one of their classic fights and leaves both Callie and the reader shocked and wanting more. Their second kiss is short and sweet, and at first, I wished there had been more. But then I realized that this story wasn’t really about that. Sure it was a romance—and you get plenty of that without the kissing scenes (in fact, the tension and build up for these scenes are pretty hot!)—but this story was more about character growth and I think that could have been lost if too much emphasis had been placed on the hooking up.
It’s needless to say at this point, but I adore PRADA AND PREJUDICE and Mandy Hubbard. Along with P&P, she has also written YOU WISH and has two books coming out this summer: RIPPLE hits stores July 21st, and BUT I LOVE HIM, written under the name Amanda Grace, comes out May 8th.
Be sure to pick up your copy of PRADA AND PREJUDICE at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your favorite indie bookstore.
