Pride and Protest

August 22, 2022
Payne debuts with an entertaining and politically charged retelling of Pride and Prejudice that tackles gentrification, prejudice, and the intersections of race, class, and gender. Rigid Filipino CEO Dorsey Fitzgerald and passionate Black DJ and activist Liza Bennet are at odds over Dorsey’s efforts to gentrify Merrytown, Liza’s DC neighborhood, before they even meet. Dorsey is struggling to prove himself as the heir to Pemberley Development following his adoptive parents’ death and Liza’s efforts to rally the community to halt the company’s plans using her radio show and popular social media accounts aren’t making his job any easier. In a twist on Austen’s classic meet-ugly, Liza arrives at a Pemberley gala to stage a flash protest, mistakes Dorsey for one of the waitstaff, and attempts to entice him to join her cause. When a snowstorm later strands them together in the Pemberley offices, their mutual misconceptions start to melt away as their attraction heats up. As their connection grows, they work hard to see eye to eye, even while keeping up appearances by performing their parts on opposite sides of the fight for Merrytown. While it doesn’t stand out among a crowded field of Austen retellings, the redevelopment plot puts a fresh twist on familiar beats and the enemies-to-lovers romance sizzles. This is good fun. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds Literary.

Starred review from September 1, 2022

Payne's steamy take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is an enchanting addition to the genre of classic retellings. Free-spirited DJ and activist Liza and uptight CEO Dorsey are at odds before they even meet due to the fact that he is trying to gentrify her Washington, DC, neighborhood. When Liza shows up to protest the opening gala for his luxury housing development, she meets Dorsey in person, initially confusing him for the help and setting off an encounter that's humiliating for both. On opposite sides of the proposed housing plan, they keep turning up at the same events and find that they are also fighting their growing desire for each other. But they'll have to overcome their class and cultural differences in order to find love. VERDICT Featuring Liza's delightful Bennett family and Dorsey's complex background as an adoptee from the Philippines, this contemporary romance is funny, intelligent, and full of heart. Readers will be pleased to know that a second book inspired by Sense and Sensibility is already planned.--Migdalia Jimenez

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2022
A spirited activist and a real estate CEO clash in a battle of heads and hearts in this inventive Austen retelling. When Aliz� Bennett, otherwise known as Liza B., isn't showcasing international hip-hop on her radio show, she can be found protecting the housing rights of her tightknit D.C. community. News has spread about the imminent eviction of all residents from the low-income Longbourne Gardens complex due to Pemberley Development's newest creation, Netherfield Court. Liza, her three siblings, their mother, and Granny--along with dozens of other longtime inhabitants--face losing their homes to make way for vegan bakeries and high-end pet spas. Liza has more than one bone to pick with the man behind the gentrification of her home: Dorsey Fitzgerald, Pemberley's acting CEO. After the tragic death of his adoptive parents and older brother, Dorsey became the heir to his family's billions despite his feelings of inadequacy and general dislike of the very foundations of real estate development. Adopted from the Philippines at age 9 by the White Fitzgerald family, Dorsey has long felt as if he didn't belong, and Liza's fervent public protests of Netherfield do little to grant him credibility. As the two nemeses find themselves constantly in one another's orbit, however, and as Liza and Dorsey squabble over politics and pride, their burning hatred starts to transform into passion. Soon, simple moments shared in snowstorms and innocent grocery store visits reverberate with their desire. Amid rising sexual tension, viral memes, and distractions from other potential mates, how will Liza and Dorsey make their love last? Payne's version of Pride and Prejudice deftly explores themes of racism and idealism while providing deep insights into her characters. The author crafts a thoroughly modern update to Austen's novel and even offers a confident replacement for the untying-of-the-corset trope with the satisfying snap of shirt buttons. A lively, sexy, and fresh take on a beloved classic.

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