May 6, 2025

Reimagining the Romantic Comedy

Angourie Rice and Kate Rice on Pride and Prejudice and the inspiration behind their debut romantic comedy.

Reimagining the Romantic Comedy

Angourie Rice and Kate Rice on Pride and Prejudice and the inspiration behind their debut romantic comedy.

As mother and daughter, we’ve done a lot together: first days of school, dance concerts, family vacations. And also days on set, movie premieres and film festivals. But in August of 2020, six months into Melbourne’s covid-19 lockdown, we decided to do something we’d done separately, but never together: write.

Over the next four months, we formulated our grand plan: to write an updated version of Pride and Prejudice for young readers. That summer, we retreated to our lovely beach house to write our first novel, Stuck Up and Stupid. Elizabeth Bennett became Lily, an eighteen-year-old high school graduate who is trying to enjoy her last summer before she decides what to do with her life. The small English village in Hertfordshire became Pippi Beach, a sunny, sandy, idyllic place where you can leave your worries (and your shoes) behind. And Mr Darcy became Dorian Khan, a Hollywood movie star who arrives at Pippi looking for a reclusive summer vacation, only to find himself entangled in local parties and beach games, and he can’t get local girl Lily out of his head.

Pride and Prejudice is the blueprint for the modern romantic comedy. In Stuck Up and Stupid, we wanted to capture all that has made Pride and Prejudice so timeless: embarrassing families, nosy neighbours, close-knit female friendships, awkward encounters with your crush, and the courage it takes to admit you were wrong.We also wanted to explore the idea of legacy. What is different, two hundred years later, and what is the same? Are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our mothers, our grandmothers, and our ancestors even further back? We wanted to show family history repeating itself, while also showing what has changed since 1819, and what we can hope for in the future. These days, women have much more agency, the bad guys get away with much less, and the right man won’t save you: you have to do it yourself.

Stuck Up and Stupid is a story about mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, best friends, crushes, and first love. We hope you love our Lily, Dorian, and Pippi Beach

– Angourie Rice and Kate Rice

Stories are more than words on page — they’re memory, tradition, and love carried across generations. 

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re honoring the voices that keep culture alive. In A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey, a Cuban-American teen finds herself far from Miami, but never far from the heart of home:

“Our story, our people live on in these words. They grow between pages that are sized to fit between a reader’s hands. Small, yes, but somehow they hold us all.” 

Here’s to honoring the voices that remind us where we come from– and where we’re going.  Drop a 🇨🇺 if you've read A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow (or if it's on your TBR!)
Ali Kriegsman has a gift for making the art of reinvention feel accessible and empowering. ✨

On this week's episode of Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club podcast, @AliKriegs chats with @DanielleRobay about her new psychological thriller 'The Raise', reinvention, and her bold, fun approach to self-publishing. 

Listen now at the @iHeartPodcast app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen. 🎧
Hoping your week is filled with coffee and good reads! 📖☕ 

Our August Pick Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by @AshleyJordanWrites is one of those rare books that can lift your spirits and set a positive tone for the week ahead.
✨ From the voice of @ElianaRamage herself, prepare to be swept into the cosmos. To the Moon and Back will leave you star-struck 🌙🔭 Tap the link in bio to grab a copy.
"If you are on the hunt for a book that has heart, ambition and authenticity dripping from its pages, add this one to your TBR immediately."

📷+💬= @thatbookladybythesea
These characters are taking us back! We're HUGE Judy Greer fans. ✨

This week on Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club Podcast, we welcome the incredible @MissJudyGreer! @DanielleRobay and Judy chat her new Stephen King movie adaptation, @HelloSunshine's The Last Thing He Told Me, and of course, dream bookclubs.

Listen on the @iheartpodcast app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen, and discover which of Judy’s other iconic characters got the book club invite🎧
GIVEAWAY ✨ We're giving away 5 advance copies of the coveted Gone Before Goodbye by @ReeseWitherspoon and @HarlanCoben. Be the first to dive in!

To ENTER:
1. Like this post 💙
2. Follow @reesesbookclub
3. Tag a friend!

Giveaway ends 9/24/25 at 11:59 PT. (5) winners will be notified by DM from @reesesbookclub. No purchase necessary. U.S. only. See official rules in our link in bio.
To the Moon and Back by @ElianaRamage truly shows us that the stars are in reach! ⭐ Grab this exclusive version, including a letter to YOU, an extra chapter, discussion questions, book club insights, and even a conversation with the author at the link in our bio.
#ad The ultimate literary escape is calling ✨ 

We teamed up with World of @Hyatt and brought you an unforgettable bookish adventure with upscale accommodations, scenic views, campfire conversations, and more. Grab your book club and prepare for the dreamiest getaway. Head to our link in bio to book your trip now!
Loving this bookish insight from @MissJudyGreer! Books truly meet us where we are, and take us to where we've never been! 💙

This week on Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club Podcast, we welcome the incomparable @MissJudyGreer! @DanielleRobay and Judy chat all things power of story, female friendships in media, the new Stephen King book-to-screen adaptation, and more!

Listen on the @iHeartPodcast App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen! 🎧

Photo courtesy of Gregory Russell.