Such a Lovely Read - Meg and Jo

TITLE: Meg & Jo
AUTHOR: Virginia Kantra
PUBLISHER: Berkley
PUBLISHING DATE: December 3, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: 

The timeless classic Little Women inspired this heartwarming modern tale of four sisters from New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra. 

The March sisters—reliable Meg, independent Jo, stylish Amy, and shy Beth—have grown up to pursue their separate dreams. When Jo followed her ambitions to New York City, she never thought her career in journalism would come crashing down, leaving her struggling to stay afloat in a gig economy as a prep cook and secret food blogger. 

Meg appears to have the life she always planned—the handsome husband, the adorable toddlers, the house in a charming subdivision. But sometimes getting everything you’ve ever wanted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. 

When their mother’s illness forces the sisters home to North Carolina for the holidays, they’ll rediscover what really matters. 

One thing’s for sure—they’ll need the strength of family and the power of sisterhood to remake their lives and reimagine their dreams. 

MY THOUGHTS: I don't read a lot of classics but I've always loved Little Women and it's a book that always reminds me of the holidays.  So I was thrilled when Berkley provided me with a copy of Meg & Jo to read and review, and I suspected it would be a great for the month of December.  I'm so glad I was right.

Meg & Jo focuses primarily on two of the March sisters, even though all are present. Having grown up on a farm in North Carolina, Meg decides to branch out and move to New York.  She has completed college and now secretly runs a food blog.  She also works at one of New York's renowned restaurants.  Meg stays behind in North Carolina.  She has married a good provider, who gave up his coaching career so she could stay home and raise their twins.  However, when Meg's mother gets ill, the running of the farm falls primarily on Meg which makes her question what she really wants from life. 

Jo has always been my favorite March sister and the same is true for Meg & Jo.  I love that Jo is independent and loves writing.  She decides to go after her dreams even when the road doesn't seem easy. During the book she strikes up a romance with the restaurant's owner and chef, and even though it is doomed from the start, I couldn't help but cheer Jo on.  I also really liked Meg's character development throughout the novel.  I must add that Mr. March is not a very likable character and I don't know how the March women tolerate him.  It seems they have grown up with a very jaded idea of what their father is really like and the bubble may be about to burst.

I think anyone who likes reading about family drama will thoroughly enjoy Meg & Jo but if you are a Little Women fan, then you really need to pick it up.  It's nice to see the March sisters venture into the 21st century.  And I'm thrilled to know there is a sequel, Amy & Beth, already in the works.

RATING: 5 PAWS