I’m Not Charlotte Lucas (2023)

About the Book

Book: I’m Not Charlotte Lucas

Author: Kasey Stockton

Genre: Contemporary Clean Romance

Release Date: February 7, 2023

Northern California girl Charlotte “Charlie” Lucas has two great loves: Diet Coke and Pride and Prejudice. But her passion for Regency classics is tempered by a very real fear: Charlie is terrified of having to endure the fate of her namesake—spinsterhood. Despite her best attempts to maintain a modern sensibility, she can’t say no when an elderly neighbor asks Charlie to attend a charity ball with her grandson. Blind date or not, Charlie is powerless to resist the allure of a real-life ball. Soon it’s clear that she will struggle to resist the charms of her blind date too.

Liam Connell is every bit the swoon-worthy leading man, straight out of Charlie’s daydreams. But he’s completely unattainable—his last girlfriend was a gorgeous actress and a far cry from Charlie’s world. So after a magical evening with Liam, Charlie is ready to get back to reality, even if her best option right now is a former boyfriend who wants to give it another shot. Unfortunately, despite imagining she’ll never see Liam again, he seems to be everywhere. How is a lady to move past a fantasy when life suddenly seems to be imitating fiction to an alarming degree?

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My Thoughts

I’m Not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton is an excellent read I didn’t want to put down. I have been a fan of Stockton’s writing for a while, so I knew I would love her pacing, her writing style, and her characters in this story. I was initially drawn to I’m Not Charlotte Lucas because of the cover. Isn’t is gorgeous?! I absolutely love it. The title caught my attention, too, because I know who Charlotte Lucas is and was very curious as to why the main character in this story wants to separate herself from a fictional character in Pride and Prejudice. Then I read the synopsis on the back cover and knew I needed to read this book immediately.

I think, deep down, whether women want to admit it or not, we are all, on some level, fearful of becoming a Charlotte Lucas — the unwanted, unloved, unattractive spinster. From the second a girl is born, Society judges us and it judges harshly, and we take in every judgement as if it is Gospel. Some of us are affected by comments made about our looks. Some of us struggle with comments from our mothers. Some of us are hurt by comments made from those we look up to or admire. And some of us struggle with the mean things boys said or did. Charlie Lucas is a 26-year old woman who has lost her spirit. She is SO kind and compassionate. She cares about every single person she knows and meets. She is hard working and diligent. She is dedicated and loyal. But she is trapped. Someone said something really mean to her and it stuck in her heart and refuses to stop playing on loop in her mind. She has allowed that one comment to define her, and has built a life where all she really does is hide. To protect herself from getting hurt again and losing even more of herself in the process, Charlie keeps things superficial. Her job is safe, her car is boring, she lives in her parent’s attic, and her dating life is stale. But then she is asked to go on a blind date with her next door neighbor’s grandson, and life can’t help but change for Charlie. Who knew the hottest man alive was just the person Charlie needed to get her life going again?! I very much enjoyed Charlie’s journey from “Charlotte Lucas” to “Elizabeth Bennett” status. I laughed out loud a few times, teared up some, wanted to smack Charlie a time or two, and very much cheered her on as she rediscovered who she is and what she wants out of her life. What a great journey!

I’m Not Charlotte Lucas is a great Contemporary Romance; one I highly recommend. If you are a fan of clean Contemporary Romances, and a fun nod to Pride and Prejudice, then you will not want to miss out on this super fun read.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Covenant Communications, through NetGalley in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.