Once Persuaded, Twice Shy, a modern reimagining of Persuasion by Melodie Edwards, was published earlier this week by Berkley. To celebrate the release, the publisher has provided CR with this excerpted snippet to share. First, though, here’s the synopsis:
When Anne Elliott broke up with Ben Wentworth, it seemed like the right thing to do… but now, eight years later, she’s not so sure.
In her scenic hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Anne is comfortable focusing on her successful career: filling her late mother’s shoes as town councilor and executive director of her theater company. She certainly keeps busy as the all-around wrangler of eccentric locals, self-centered family members, elaborate festivals, and the occasional attacking goose. But the more she tries to convince herself that her life is fine as is, the more it all feels like a show — and not nearly as good as the ones put on by her theater company. She’s the always responsible Anne, always taken for granted and cleaning up after other people, and the memories of happier times with Ben Wentworth still haunt her.
So when the nearby Kellynch Winery is bought by Ben’s aunt and uncle, Anne’s world is set ablaze as her old flame crashes back into her life — and it’s clear he hasn’t forgiven her for breaking his heart. A joint project between the winery and Anne’s theater forces both Ben and Anne to confront their complicated history, and as they spend more time together, Anne can’t help but wonder if there might be hope for their future after all.
*
She sat down shakily on the edge of the tub, unable to look away. He’d left the door open, he must know he was in plain sight, but that didn’t stop him from removing everything, including his briefs, before pulling on a sweater, sweatpants, and lumpy socks like her own. Anne’s heart was definitely beating faster, suddenly becoming a little more effective at returning heat to her body.
He returned to the bathroom, face impassive, no hint of what he might have been thinking giving her that show, before he helped her stand back up on her shaky legs and led her out to the living room.
The Fairchilds’ living room furniture was plus and large — no wonder, the colonel and Ben were both tall men — and she curled into a corner of a comfy couch, pulling a throw blanket over herself. It was crocheted and more decorative than warming.
Ben disappeared immediately into the kitchen, and Anne heard him put on the kettle before disappearing into another room and returning with an armful of flannel blankets. These he shook out and placed over Anne. His expression was back to something calmer.
“I apologize. How you live your life is none of my business,” he said, a little formally, but sincere.
“It’s all right,” Anne said softly, unsure what had just happened. “I’m… I’m always going to try and help people, but looking after myself is something I’m working on. And you can get in line behind my friend Vidya because she’s had plenty to say on the same topic lately,” Anne quipped, and was relieved to see Ben crack a smile.
“Is that so?”
She looked down at the flannel in her lap, picking at a loose thread. “I’ve been… reevaluating some aspects of my life. Some of the responsibilities that I need to let go of.”
“I’ve been doing some reevaluating myself,” he said quietly, “thinking about the things I let go of that I should have fought to hold on to.”
*
Melodie Edwards’s Once Persuaded, Twice Shy is out tomorrow, published by Berkley in North America and in the UK.