I have been a longtime fan of Anne, probably because I too am an Anne with an e (middle name) while all my cousins with the family middle name don’t have that e. I’ve read the books, seen all the old movies (recently learned there were some newer ones), binged the Netflix series, and even read and watched every episode/book of the spinoff series Avonlee.  I even dated a Gilbert Blythe look alike.  So yeah, I’m a fan.  I was excited to see a retelling since all my friends are Austinites. I finally had a chance to say , seeeeeeeee my favorite story is important enough for retellings too.  

And this story does not disappoint.  I can tell the author is a fan.  The story has moved Green Gables to Long island, made it a winery, and starts with Anne in the last year of grad school for her Masters in Teaching.  Gilbert has been away in California, but has moved closer to family as his father has fallen ill. Most readers remember Anne before adulthood, so at the beginning of this book seems a little late to the game, but through various flashbacks we get the story of young Anne and younger Gilbert and the love that wouldn’t die.  The only thing I really miss from her younger story that is not retold here, is breaking the slate over Gilbert's head.  He totally deserved it.  But what the author uses to fill in those gaps like the beach scene and the kiss at the wrong time fit perfectly with the original story I loved so much.  

There were so many things to like about this book.  There were also a few ehhhh things.  For example, I didn’t not care for the sex scenes.  There are only two, but the author aimed for steamy and instead came out sounding like a sex scene written by a man.  And here’s the thing ... they are not needed.  The original books never had sex scenes.  This book could have alluded to happy fun times, and left the details out and it would have been just fine.  I did like what they did with the character Marilla, and their eventual escape to Prince Edward Island.  I also really enjoyed how they brought Anne and Gilbert together at the end.  

Overall, this was a really fun read that I think fans of Anne will enjoy, but I think people who never read the Anne books will enjoy it as well.  It’s a light comedic romance that just puts a smile on the reader's face.