Book Blurb:
Amy March is more like her older sister Jo than she’d like to admit. An up-and-coming designer in New York’s competitive fashion industry, ambitious Amy is determined to get out of her sisters’ shadow and keep her distance from their North Carolina hometown. But when Jo’s wedding forces her home, she must face what she really wants…and confront the One Big Mistake that could upend her life and forever change her relationship with Jo.
Gentle, unassuming Beth grew up as the good girl of the family. A talented singer-songwriter, she’s overcome her painful anxiety to tour with country superstar Colt Henderson. But life on the road has taken its toll on her health and their relationship. Maybe a break to attend her sister’s wedding will get her out of her funk. But Beth realizes that what she’s looking for and what she needs are two very different things.
My Review: 4 stars
I highly enjoyed Kantra’s first book Meg & Jo, so I was very excited to start reading the follow up, Beth & Amy. Once again, Kantra did not disappoint. This book starts a few years after the first book left off, but this time focusing on younger sisters Beth and Amy. The chapters switch off between Beth and Amy’s POV and I was surprised to find myself enjoying Amy’s plotline more as she was my least favorite character in the previous book. I even grew to love Trey – who I found annoying in the first book. It goes to show how your feelings can change when a character is fully developed.
I became completely invested in the characters and their stories thanks to Kantra’s beautiful storytelling. Beth’s storyline focused on her loss of identity and struggle for control in her life. Through Beth’s inner-monologue, Kantra shows the reader why Beth has such a lack of self-love and confidence. I think her spin on Beth’s fatal illness (trigger warning) and how she handled the taboo topic of eating disorders was done with a great sensitivity and understanding. Amy’s storyline focused on her drive to stand out from her sisters and make something of herself. Of course, we get to know what happened between her and Trey in Paris… and where they stand now. We also get some chapters told through Mrs. March’s perspective which was a welcome treat. I loved peeking into her marriage, as well as seeing the girls through their mother’s eyes.
Similar to the first book, you have to go into it thinking of it as a new book, rather than as a “modern retelling” of Little Women. While the sisters generally take on characteristics of their characters from the original Little Women, they’re products of their time and Kantra expertly evolved them into the 21st century. Overall, this was another entertaining read.
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