Thirteen Hundred Media, 2008
271 pages
Fiction; Chick-lit; Austen
4/5 stars
Source: Won a signed copy through firstreads
I was intrigued by this book due to its references to The Sound of Music (who doesn't love that movie?) and the fact that had a strong focus on sisters, a plot element I am a complete sucker for. What I didn't realize was the strong references to Pride and Prejudice, my favorite book, and my love for the spunky heroine Sylvie.
What I didn't expect was how much I'd like this. I mean, I won a free copy so I figured it doesn't hurt to try but I did keep my expectations low. This had the upside that I was tremendously pleased and enjoyed myself at every point. Of course, I loved the pop culture references, the aforementioned Sound of Music and general trivia (I rock at trivia games). But the characters were great too.
Sylvie is the main character; during turbulence on a plane trip, Sylvie promises God to do something good with her life. On solid ground, she procrastinates but her sisters prod her to apply for a job at a poor high school. When she receives the position, her life changes as she becomes involved in teacher squabbles, bonds with her students, and learns about herself. I also loved getting to spend time with her sisters as well as the romantic plot although I would have liked even more of that. I also loved Sylvie's interactions with her students. As a first-time teacher, she doesn't always know what she's doing nor is she on top of everything but she tries hard and she really cares about the kids.
I guess my main problem was the romantic element, which is obviously drawn from Pride and Prejudice and thus I was frustrated with Sylvie for not realizing that. I'm not sure how she's supposed to do that when she's the character who's caught up in the drama but that's not a favorite element of mine in books.
Overall: A very humorous story with a quick-pace and a good dose of sweetness; recommended for fans of The Sound of Music film adaptation.
