Emma of 83rd Street

By: Audrey Bellezza, Emily Harding

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Teddy Hamilton

In this witty and romantic debut novel, Jane Austen’s Emma meets the misadventures of Manhattan’s modern dating scene as two lifelong friends discover that, in the search for love, you sometimes don’t have to look any further than your own backyard—perfect for fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Clueless.

Beautiful, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse has lived twenty-three years in her tight-knit Upper East Side neighborhood with very little to distress or vex her…that is, until her budding matchmaking hobby results in her sister’s marriage—and subsequent move downtown. Now, with her sister gone and all her friends traveling abroad, Emma must start her final year of grad school grappling with an entirely new emotion: boredom. So when she meets Nadine, a wide-eyed Ohio transplant with a heart of gold and drugstore blonde highlights to match, Emma not only sees a potential new friend but a new project. If only her overbearing neighbor George Knightley would get out of her way.

Handsome, smart, and successful, the only thing that frustrates Knightley more than a corked whiskey is his childhood friend, Emma. Whether it’s her shopping sprees between classes or her revolving door of ill-conceived hobbies, he is only too happy to lecture her on all the finer points of adulthood she’s so hell-bent on ignoring. But despite his gripes—and much to his own chagrin—Knightley can’t help but notice that the girl next door is a woman now…one who he suddenly can’t get out of his head.

As Emma’s best laid plans collide with everyone from hipster baristas to meddling family members to flaky playboy millionaires, these two friends slowly realize their need to always be right has been usurped by a new need entirely, and it’s not long before they discover that even the most familiar stories still have some surprises.

Critic reviews

"Pressley's versatility of expression is evident in her characterizations, especially that of Emma, whose bright timbre and curious tone reflect her intense interest in the affairs of others. Hamilton brings forth the sweetness underlying George’s clever, sardonic demeanor. This audiobook is packed with energy, humor, and more than a touch of poignancy."

Regurgitated Clueless

Not even my 2 favorite narrators could save this one. Sad, because I love Austen, but this is way more Clueless than Emma. And stop with the brand dropping. Blah!

Sweet happy romance

A sweet, fluffy romance that was a happy, easy listener. I loved the book. Would be a perfect beach read.

Best narrators!

Not only was this retelling amazing, but the best audiobook narrators read the story! Their voices really made the story that much better.

Cute modern retelling

If you loved how Clueless was a modern retelling of Emma, you’ll love this modern take. Thoroughly enjoyed this. The narrators were amazing.

Great Update

As someone who has read a lot of Jane Austen retellings, I was pleasantly surprised. This was modern and fun. Usually the retellings are too schmaltzy or follow the story too closely. This followed Emma, but let it breathe and be romantic. I enjoyed the Emma and Nadine relationship and of course the Emma and Knightley dynamic. Would recommend. Looking forward to what these authors do next.