Anne of Avenue A by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding: My Review
Check out my book review of Anne of Avenue A by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding to see what I think of this Jane Austen modern retelling of Persuasion.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Anne of Avenue A
by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
Category: Contemporary Romance
Tags: Modern Retelling, Second Chance, New York City
Series: For the Love of Austen
Published November 2025
Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: ★★★
Book Boyfriend: ★★★
Anne of Avenue A Summary:
Eight years ago, Anne Elliot broke Freddie Wentworth’s heart when she refused to give up her five-year plan for the sake of adventure. But despite big dreams, Anne, now thirty, is still living at home with hardly a plan in sight. Anne tries to be optimistic—she knows better than anyone that regret will get you nowhere—but that goes out the window when, thanks to her father’s bad spending habits, her childhood apartment is rented out to the very man still living in her head rent-free.
Freddie Wentworth never thought he would see Anne Elliot again after she dumped him for accepting a job overseas. He spent years trying to forget her, and he’s been mostly successful. So when a job opportunity takes him back to New York, he’s shocked to find out that Anne is not only his new neighbor, but also the former resident of his new Greenwich Village penthouse.
Nearly a decade after Anne and Freddie’s fateful romance, the only thing they still have in common is a desire to leave their relationship firmly in the past. But between a disastrous off-Broadway show and a drunken Thanksgiving dinner, nosey neighbors, and flirtatious friends, Anne and Freddie suddenly find their lives more intertwined than ever before. When old feelings start rising to the surface, they must decide whether to put their hearts on the line or walk away all over again.
Anne of Avenue A: My Review
The year 2025 is the 250 anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth so I’ve been reading my way through modern retellings of her work which is why Anne of Avenue A captured my attention and has me circling back to all the books in the For the Love of Austen series!
This book in the three book series (so far!) is a modern retelling of Persuasion, the emotional second chance romance that brings Anne and Frederick back together after eight years a part despite their love never fading.
Even if you are not a fan of Jane Austen or familiar with the classic story, you’ll enjoy this book if you love second chance romance. Anne and Freddie fell in love in college but when it came to plans after college the planner and the dreamer wanted different things despite their love for one another.
Anne essentially broke up with Freddie so that he wouldn’t throw away a once in a lifetime opportunity but that set them on the path of eight years a part until they ran into each other again when Freddie moves back to New York and inadvertently buys Anne’s family’s apartment.
While this story didn’t pull in too many iconic moments from the classic as I anticipated, it is a well-written story that has you rooting for them to once again admit their still strong feelings for one another.
It broke my heart to see Anne used as a doormat for so many people in her life but it made her turnaround at the end even more sweet. I also enjoyed the nod to Freddie’s notes to her in the past and the last two made my heart melt.
This is the book for anyone who fell for their soulmate in college but found their interests and dreams tugging them in different places before finding each other again. It’s a sweet love story that is a fun, modern retelling of an amazing classic.
I will definitely be reading more from this writing duo!
*I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Related Book Lists:
Pin This:
