Book Review: Jane Austen Goes To Hollywood

Jane Austen Goes to Hollywood 

by Abby McDonald

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Published April 9th 2013 by Candlewick Press 

Goodreads synopsis:
 Abby McDonald gives L.A. the Jane Austen treatment in this contemporary take on Sense and Sensibility.

Hallie and Grace Weston have never exactly seen life eye to eye. So when their father dies and leaves everything to his new wife, forcing the girls to pack up and leave San Francisco for a relative’s house in shiny Beverly Hills, the two sisters take to their changing lot in typically different styles. Shy, responsible Grace manages to make friends with an upbeat, enterprising girl named Palmer but still yearns for her old life — and the maybe-almost-crush she left behind. Meanwhile, drama queen Hallie is throwing herself headlong into life — and love — in L.A., spending every second with gorgeous musician Dakota and warding off the attention of brooding vet Brandon. But is Hallie blinded by the stars in her eyes? And is Grace doomed to forever hug the sidelines?
 

 

 I have no clue where to start. I really wanted to at the very least like this book. Hallie and Gracie loose their father. Hallie is completely distraught while Grace is trying to keep it together to keep her mother and sister from loosing it. Unfortunately their mother has set into such a deep depression that they can't to get a coherent sentence out of her. Their evil step mother strips everything away from them and they are forced to leave their home and move to L.A. Before they move Grace meets Theo and slowly falls in love. 
While living in L.A. Hallie falls in love and then gets her heart broken and then falls in love again. I can't stand her character. She is beyond obnoxious. All she ever did was shove her nose where it didn't belong and create drama for everyone else. Every time she tried to interfere with her sisters love life I wanted to kick her in the throat.Grace was stuck on Theo. Even when he showed up and acted all weird she couldn't help but still dream of a happily ever after with him. 
The sister go back to NY on a trip and get invited to a party at their step mothers house. While there, Grace has to endure hearing about Lucy's love story with her Theo. (Crushing I know). After this Grace is devastated and ready to try and move on. While trying to forget Theo Hallie and Grace receive news about Lucy eloping. 
I loved Sense and Sensibility and pretty much all of Jane Austen's books. I am normally a fan of rendition's from the classics but this one just didn't do it for me. I couldn't relate to the characters and just didn't like them. Maybe if the ending would have been drawn out more, it would have helped but I don't know. Hallie just drove me insane. If you feel differently let me know.