All The Things I Know by Audrey Ryan

All The Things I Know by Audry Ryan
Genres: Austenesque, Contemporary Romance, Mr. Darcy Romance, Mr. Darcy Type Characters

Lizzie Venetidis is confident in her decisions. Moving to Seattle with her sister Jane after she graduated from Stanford, for instance, was a no-brainer. Adult life, however, turns out to be more difficult to navigate than she expected.

What career should she pursue with a bachelor’s degree in art history and no marketable experience amongst a tech-heavy job market? How responsible is it to drink that fourth cocktail while out with friends? And what should she do about Darcy—the aloof yet captivating guy she met her first night in town?

All the Things I Know is a one-mistake-at-a-time retelling of Pride & Prejudice, set against the backdrop of modern-day techie Seattle. Full of wry observations, heartache, and life lessons, All the Things I Know shares the original’s lessons of correcting ill-conceived first impressions and learning who you really are.

By the time I make it back to the table, the two guys are sitting comfortably and chatting with Jane. Mr. Glasses sits across from her, gazing at her in awe.
“Lizzie!” Jane says as I approach, “Chip told me that you told him to talk to me?”
“Chip?” I exclaim, sliding in next to Jane. I push her drink to her hand. “Is your sister named Buffy?”
“My sisters are Emmeline and Laurel,” he replies in confusion. His friend laughs, and I chuckle. We catch eyes again, and my heart flutters uncomfortably. Just because he’s good-looking doesn’t mean he’s a good guy. I’m not about to let my attraction to someone cloud my judgment again. I breathe out and look back at Chip and Jane.
Chip stares at Jane, and she smiles at him bashfully.
“Sisters’ night out?” Chip asks with enthusiasm.
“Yes,” Jane replies. “Lizzie just moved here—today, actually—and I just passed the bar. We’re celebrating.” She smiles at me fondly.
“You’re a lawyer!” Chip exclaims. “Smart and beautiful—who knew women like you existed?”
“Easy there, champ,” I snort. “She’s only human.”
“Lizzie just graduated from Stanford on Saturday,” Jane diverts.
“Did you study law too?” Chip asks earnestly.
“Art history,” I reply. “The major to kill all real career opportunities.”
“I thought that was philosophy,” the tall one remarks. I realize I haven’t caught his name. I imagine it’s something ridiculously hipster like Zane or Gunner—one of those stupid names that only work on a classically handsome face like his, an oval so perfectly symmetrical it could have been designed in a geometry class. An awkward, round-faced nerd with a patchy beard could not pull off Gunner.
“Art history may have more to offer than philosophy,” I admit to Zane/Gunner. “But it isn’t worth anything without a master’s degree…” I pause and take a sip. “What’s your name?”
“Call me Darcy,” he replies.
“Darcy hates his first name,” Chip explains.
“You would too if your first name was a last name.”
“I don’t know,” I contribute helpfully, “Taylor isn’t so bad.”
“Or Thomas!” Jane supplies.
“Let me guess, your first name is Vanderberg. Vanderberg Darcy.”
Chip guffaws and ribs Darcy.
“What are you drinking?” Darcy indicates our empty glasses and neatly changes the subject.
“Whiskey sours,” Jane replies.
“Are they good?” Chip stares at her again. Jane’s cheeks tinge, and her eyes are sparkling. I haven’t seen her like this since before Joey broke her heart in eleventh grade.
“They live up to their reputation,” she replies.
Darcy abandons the table for the bar. Chip and Jane lean over the table toward each other. It’s hard to hear their conversation.
“I’ll be right back,” I call to Jane, indicating the bathroom.
“I’ll go with you!”
“My sisters always go to the bathroom as a pair,” Chip observes. “I never understood why.”
“Mysteries of women,” I reply, waiting for Jane to join me.
“Back in a minute.” She smiles at him. Her cheeks are still pink. I grin at her as she follows me to the back.
“He’s cute,” I note.
“Did you really tell him to talk to me?” she asks in slight amazement.
There’s a line to the ladies’ room. I lean against the wall and give her a smug look. “Only because he was drooling over you from afar. I had to put the poor bastard out of his misery.”
“He is really cute,” Jane replies. “And he’s nice. Did you know he’s a project manager at Microsoft?”
“Gainfully employed—check.” We shuffle forward as the line moves up, and Jane shakes her head at me.
“Our first night out together and we meet two cute guys. It’s like…a good omen, or something.”
We finally make our way back to the table. I can feel a happy anticipation emanating from Jane. Her optimism is contagious.
“…no way, Chip. Just ask her on a real date, and please don’t leave me to babysit the kid sister.”
I freeze.
Chip looks at us, startled. From behind me, I can feel Jane grip my arm.
Asshole. My chest stings even though I don’t know the guy and I could care less if he thinks I’m immature. I suck in my breath, approach the table, and grab one of the cocktails. Jane slides into the booth across from Chip. I sit down next to her and take a gulp.
Darcy glances at me with some discomfort then looks away.

Ok, what did I NOT love about All the Things I Know? Um, not a damn thing! I LOVED IT ALL!!! It was bloody brilliant! Contemporary Pride & Prejudice adaptions are my absolute favorite when it comes to reboots, I can NEVER get enough! I live for the days when a JAFF author or publicist approaches me about reading one, I ALWAYS jump at the chance!! It’s not as easy as it seems to take a book that is loved like Pride & Prejudice and make it new but some people have the knack to breathe new life into old-fashioned characters and make you love them even more! All the Things I Know is a modish tale of new adulthood, new friendships and new love. It was wonderful!

All I know is… I LOVED this book! An original spin on a beloved classic. It was brilliant!

Audrey Ryan is the nom de plume of Andrea Pangilinan: daydreamer, wife and step-mother, and obsessive story consumer. She studied writing in college, dreamt about becoming a novelist and slowly forgot about it when real life took over. With a particular affection for contemporary retellings, adapting Pride & Prejudice to modern day has always been a dream.

When she’s not reading and writing, Andrea is a marketing slave to the internet industry. She enjoys talking crazy to her weirdo cat, consuming copious amount of wine and coffee with her girlfriends, and record shopping with her husband. Oh yeah, and there’s that small Jane Austen obsession. That doesn’t take up any time at all.

http://audreyryan.merytonpress.com