We need more Emma retellings! This fic is honestly better than some of the published fiction out there. Props for staying true to the original spirit and intent of Emma when bringing it into a modern context :)

I love this story! You are an amazing author who captures people’s emotions perfectly. I am happy that you are pursing publishing Fixing on the Hour, but I believe you should publish this one as well because I maybe even loved it more than your genderbent Pride and Prejudice.

She paused. It wasn’t her duty or her desire to stand up for August. - Bahaha, not even the ever charitable Grace can think of something both honest and good to say about the lammergeier bait. And in what desperate straits Jake must feel himself to be, to tolerate the company of such a creature! Poor Jake.

Noel looked like this was a conversation he’d had before. - I can picture this clearly, Noel sitting on the couch and reading a book or something, only half-listening as Emmett dramatically paces back and forth and gestures for emphasis as he holds forth at length about how Jake Fairfax is The Worst Ever and how he is not Worthy of Grace's good regard and how Worried he is that Grace's good regard of him will be Wasted, etc., etc. If Emmett were not naturally the dramatic sort someone probably would have dug a little deeper before now and realized that Emmett just wants Grace's good regard. In fact, I'm surprised Noel and Ashley didn't glean that fact from the conversation here. However, they're still recovering from their Francesca x Emmett hopes, so I'll give them a pass. Even Grace gets a pass, since she's the logical fave and also because she's probably been putting up with this sort of behavior from Emmett for forever.

She looked sharply at Noel. “What are you smiling at?” - Noel is smiling because he is us in this moment and HE KNOWS. Or, rather, we know.

It wasn’t fair, to try to paint any sympathy with Jake in a romantic light. - I feel ya, Grace. People who interpret any sort of good regard as romantic feeling are so tiring. And tiresome.

Except… People weren’t. - Take that. A shred of faith in humanity restored.

“Wh-why? On this weekend? Baby, I don’t…that just…" - Is this that term of endearment you warned me about? I can give it a pass in this case, because of the mother-son context that validates it.

He’d call Noel to check in on her all the same. - Emmett is a good son, and they are blessed with good friends. And don't think I missed my name there. ;)

He wandered his attic studio, staring into Grace’s eyes a dozen times from a dozen different angles. - So, does Emmett have like one unfinished portrait of Grace sitting up on top of his dresser and he's wandering around his room examining it from every vantage point, or does he have a dozen unfinished portraits of her scattered around his room and his surveying them all as if they hold the answers to the universe? XD I kinda want to believe the latter, because it's funnier. Poor guy. He does get off a decent apology and he does it first thing during his call; good for him (and, yes, Grace, apologies certainly are good for him).

It was an image colored by warmth. - EMMETT I TOLD YOU THAT YOU BELONG IN GRACE'S KITCHEN

The Martinez's abuela strikes again! Her presence is great even though she never actually appears in the story. However, I cannot be any better a judge of good salsa, as most Mexican food does not agree with me. (My stomach is merely much less adventurous than I happen to be, and will declare war upon the slightest of provocations. It is a long stalemate of a war, with victories won on both sides.) I shall trust to Grace's cooking skills. Wisely, Grace uses the speakerphone. I also fully trust in Grace's mastery of that arcane art, the ability to keep a phone securely wedged between shoulder and ear and talk on it while performing other tasks, but I acknowledge the good sense of not taking that route. I have dropped my phone too many times attempting to learn that skill to say otherwise. Also, Julia continues to steal the scene. Her evil cackling as the call is ended in favor of Emmett's arrival is a definite sororal trait.

“Did she sign you up for a job?” - Daaaang, only a few sentences into this conversation and Emmett is already barbecued.

THE DANTE'S INFERNO IMAGERY RETURNS AGAIN. I AM SO PLEASED. Okay, it returns mainly because Emmett is being very dramatic (slightly less deservedly, this time), but it still returns. Although bacon the texture of chewing gum is horror indeed. At least this time he will have his knight in shining armor to accompany him. Knights usually carry swords, which are useful for skewering fish and lammergeier bait, as appropriate.

OH WAIT! The famous abuela appears! AND SHE HAD SECONDS OF THE SALSA! Meanwhile, Grace goes to incredible efforts to not speak as ill of the Barracuda as she deserves. Grace's charity cannot be lauded too highly. This girl is amazing, y'all.

...I'm not sure at what stage of the average strawberry's lifespan this chapter takes place, especially as compared to previous chapters, but Jane Austen herself received snark on how Mr. Knightley's trees were blooming out of season in her novel so I shall assume any inconsistency in this regard is a well-hidden easter egg in homage of that little fact. Don't worry, only farmers will notice.

They seriously had some kind of fairy-lights-on-steroids situation happening. Strands of them were looped over every banister. - Naturally, the Barracuda and her Lammergeier Bait fiance belong to that class of people who are closely related to the people who use too much glitter. Now, the former category will strenuously deny being related to the glitter category, but they have no solid ground upon which to stand. It is self-evident to all who look upon them that these two groups are akin. They indulge in glitzy appearances because they are hollow and of no substance, a sparkly crust scraped over emptiness.

She looked very pretty, but Emmett wasn’t going to say so in front of Harry. - SAY SO IN FRONT OF HARRY, YOU COWARD. YOU COULD POSSIBLY AVOID SO MUCH LATER DRAMA IF YOU HAD. Or precipitate it, I suppose...

“I’ll go get us some grub,” he said, obviously forgetting Emmett’s hatred of that word. Emmett let it pass. - I also hate that word, Emmett. You see one pale-shelled little wormy thing writhing about on wet asphalt and you want to scrub the word from the English language. That, or you quote The Lion King: "Slimy, yet satisfying."

Emmett would have killed him, if such a thing could be done with a glare and a foulard pocket square. (It couldn’t. He’d tried.) - I NEED THIS STORY. Noel probably witness this go down. Where is he? I have questions.

Emmett narrowed his eyes. His Highbury indeed! - I share Emmett's disdain of cityfolk who move into small towns and immediately think they own the place despite a distinct lack of great-grandparents in the local cemetery and of locals who know every embarrassing incident from your childhood.

A voice that might equally have been Julia or Emmett told her that a nap would be better still, but she pushed the voice away. - I hear ya, Grace, my girl. I understand completely. It's a matter both of pride and of the deeply-ingrained NEED to be always productive. Sleep is for the weak, and also the time spent sleeping could be used much more productively! Never mind that the fact that a little more sleep would make the time actually spent doing stuff more productive in the long run.

Jake Fairfax stayed, whether he was enjoying himself or not. He was close-lipped and pale and afflicted by headaches more than ever. - I feel for Jake. He's not well, he seems to live a lonely and stressful life (even the artist's consolation of music can only go so far; you might be able to live upon this much-vaunted 'passion' for your career alone, but it burns the wick at both ends and consumes you before your time), he has to keep his relationship a secret, he watches his fiancee flirt with another man, and he feels useless in his hometown. I'm now morbidly curious as to how Jake and Francesca got together in the first place. I'm not sure if I can even ship them in good conscience. I can only suppose that their relationship is warmer and more sincere when the POV characters aren't around. Francesca is still endless sights better than the Barracuda, though.

“You’re more than nice, Grace. You’re good. That’s a harder trick to pull off.” Grace never knew what to do in the face of compliments. She ducked her head in thanks. - Okay, (1) Mrs. W (and that is such an adorable nickname) speaks the truth here, both in the abstract sense of the third sentence and in the immediate, concrete sense of the first two. Many loathsome people can pull off a veneer of niceness, of politeness just long enough to achieve their goals, but true goodness is deeper and more difficult and may be found behind unattractive facades as well as behind attractive faces. A look fair/feel foul dichotomy, to badly butcher Tolkien. Also, I feel ya, Grace (is that becoming my mantra? am I secretly Grace? I have questions?); I don't know what to do with compliments, either. I was taught to say, "Thank you," and so I do, but society also dictates that humility means one's skills or achievements must be downplayed or a flippant, "It's nothing," must be offered - so how does someone too honest for either react? Well, in my case it's smile and act embarrassed, I guess...

Hello, August Hawkins, I hope a giant hawk swoops down from the sky and carries you away and out of this story. A lammergeier, perhaps. A really, really large one. I'm sure your blood will nourish many avian offspring. (IDK, but I hate August Hawkins more than I hated August Elton nee Hawkins in the novel? I even found her amusing, in an, 'Oh my gosh I'm so glad I don't have to deal with such a person in real life,' sort of way - and also she was a little dumb, which helped. Granted, August appears to be a little dumb, too. I have no such tolerance for August, however. Strange.) A barracuda and lammergeier bait. Why has my brain devised these nicknames, I cannot answer. I can only hope my reviews amuse you.

“Of course, babe!” - You had no possible way of knowing this, but 'babe'/'baby' are endearments I positively loathe (and over which I would probably dump a boyfriend, if they persisted with it past a warning - granted, this assumes the existence of a boyfriend in the first place, which does not look likely to happen...) and so it seems eminently fitting that this unholy union of raptor food and fish would indulge in them.

She muttered a few vivid phrases in English and Spanish on the drive home. - I am reminded of that scene wherein Emma storms home (at least in the 4-part miniseries) muttering about Augusta and her 'bloody caro sposo'. Emmett and Grace can at least commiserate in the shared suffering the Eltons/Hawkins bring to everyone unfortunate enough to enter their vicinity. Nothing unites like shared suffering. Students in horrible classes know this.

But what right had she, Grace, to exact vengeance? And on Emmett’s behalf? - You're his knight in shining armor, that's what.

So. New hypothesis. He wasn’t in love with her. - I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, EMMETT, ACTUALLY THINKING THROUGH YOUR FEELINGS. WELL DONE, MY WAYWARD SON.
He was rather bored after that. Grace was in the middle of the planting season and that made him feel woefully inadequate because he had no competing duties of his own. He threw himself into the managing the family charities as best he could, but it wasn’t quite enough. He brought up the law school idea again, internally, but didn’t even bother consulting with Ike. Julia would hear of it, and mock him, and he hated lawyers, always had. - Okay, this paragraph is a thing of beauty for multiple reasons. (1) After examining his heart, Emmett decides he is not in love after all. He is now bored. LOL. (2) He feels inadequate because he isn't doing something. This boy wants to be a productive member of society. He is not a worthless profligate. He manages the charities. He considers a career in law. Well done, my son. (3) HE DROPS THE LAW CAREER IDEA BECAUSE HE KNOWS HIS SISTER-IN-LAW WOULD MOCK HIM. AHAHAHHAHA. Like, the fact that he hates lawyers comes second to, "Julia would make fun of me." Emmett, I love you. This is so great.
Some people had too much nerve. - Emmett, you kinda are a bit pretentious and I have judged you in the past for being judgy, but since this here involves the Barracuda and the Lammergeier Bait, judge away. I'll help you. I'll pull out my folding chair and sit on the sidelines with a cup of coffee and cheer as you judge them.

Damn, what kind of dreadful beat poetry had Harry been reading lately? - BAHAHAHAHAHA EVEN EMMETT WOULDN'T STOOP TO THAT TURN OF PHRASE

“To moving on.” - Emmett might have manipulated Harry here, but it's well-meant and honestly even I'm beginning to feel that Harry needs a gentle boot to the rear to stop moping and move on. Emmett really does want to see Harry happy. He acknowledges that there can be value in Harry's simplicity. He is becoming a better friend. 'He felt envy, and then nothing at all.' *sobs* EMMETT, THINGS WILL GET BETTER FOR YOU, I PROMISE.

Julia continues to be the most well-meaning (if occasionally somewhat aggravating) sister and a scene-stealer in whatever chapter in which she makes an appearance. One gets the sense that Emmett - and, more particularly, Julia's advice regarding Grace's lack of action in his direction - is a topic they have visited before, fruitlessly; Grace tries to brush off Julia's comment from years ago as a joke, but Julia isn't joking. Unlike some would-be 'helpful' meddlesome relatives, however, Julia is capable of utilizing the indirect approach. I have no doubt she wouldn't *mind* if Grace ended up with this Dan O'Ryan, but she doesn't expected it. She just wants Grace to be happy (and possibly for certain people to get a clue, but she wouldn't be Julia otherwise).

Grace in chainmail? Emmett, take note: this is the perfect mental image for you to paint! C'mon, she's already been (in a sense) your knight in shining armor. Plus, painting her in an armor with a full helm would negate his inability to illustrate her features properly... XD A very time-honored artist technique right there: if you can't draw something properly, strategically cover it up with something!

No explanation could justify why she picked up a bottle of Mrs. Woodhouse’s favorite wine from a shop and ended up at the Woodhouses’ almost as late as Emmett had visited her. - Oh, there's an explanation all right, but it's not one Grace wishes to acknowledge or upon which Emmett has yet picked up. I SEE YOU.

“But I—would you want me to?” - IMAGINE HOW MUCH LESS COMPLICATED THINGS WILL BE IF YOU TWO JUST SPIT IT OUT.

Francesca talked to Jake with her back turned, which was unhelpful, and she was blocking Emmett’s view of Jake’s face, more unhelpfully still. - How interesting... *chinhands* They also talk too long for a mere jibe. Francesca takes a little bit too much delight in needling Jake, doesn't she? Of course, I benefit from magical plot foreknowledge in pointing this out and I probably wouldn't be any astuter in real life, but, hey, this is the realm of fiction and herein I pride myself on my genre-savviness!

But it wasn’t an insult. It wasn’t. - Emmett, I would just like to point out the fact that you're being defensive.

He should love her by now, because a few weeks must be enough for the shallows of human affection as he knew it. - EMMETT NO OH MY GOSH NO Nothing else Emmett has said/done/thought more clearly illustrates exactly how young he is, not just in years but in experience and maturity as well. (I'm a few years older. I can say such things.) I have an older-sisterly urge to defend him from himself.

Francesca shut her eyes. If he had had a reason to believe it, he would have thought she looked ashamed. But that made no sense at all, so Emmett folded the look up and locked it away to be forgotten. - FRANCESCA, YES, YOU SHOULD FEEL GUILTY, AND, EMMETT, YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE THINGS JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE INCONVENIENT OR NONSENSICAL. *gestures to this whole mess* I can't say that I'm terribly sorry to have missed out on all this sort of thing in my life so far. Emotions are a mess. Interpersonal relationships are a mess. Interaction with real, live people is a mess. Only the cold, pointy realm of numbers is tangible and reliable in an awful, detached way. But it cannot support life.

I am both disappointed and thrilled this is complete.
It is a marvelous story.
The only thing I could have wished for was anger tantrum from August.
I did appreciate her set-down of him, though.
Thanks for the entertainment.

AHHHHHHHHHH I FREAKING LOVE YOU AND THIS SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH AND WOW IF YOU END UP DOING PERSUASION AT ANY POINT I THINK I WILL, IN ALL REALITY, LEGITIMATELY DIE.

what a perfect epilogue for this - you tell us everything we need to know light and poignant and beautiful.
*side note is it just me or does the term agrotourism remind anyone else of Dwight's beet farm? anyone? just me? ok

Thank you for bringing your touch to this story, I enjoyed your take on Pride and Prejudice. You have a unique and compelling voice Im excited to read what you come up with next.

jealously, tamp it down and focus on other things - it's not her business. Bless her heart, Grace is SO GOOD. And this is me standing behind her, threateningly waving the largest dictionary I can find (it's like three-inches thick and unfortunately hard-covered; softcovers inflict more damage).

FRANCESCA AND JAKE BOTH BOUGHT SOY MILK. THE PLOT THICKENS. *laughs the evil laugh of magical plot foreknowledge*

(The trick was, of course, only moving when she’d made a beeline for him. That was the game.) - On the one hand, Emmett, I understand you completely. On the other hand, you are so pretentious.

Noel was staring at him. They all were. - What everyone needs to do is take a step back and contemplate just why Emmett rises so passionately to the defense of Grace-not-secretly-admiring-Jake. Well, not *everyone* must do this, but Emmett certainly must do this. It would be enlightening. Then he wouldn't have to politely ignore the knowing looks traded between Noel and Ashley. I mean, there's no disguising the fact that Noel's theory freaks him out. He goes racing to Grace's house to confirm the veracity of it and only realizes what he's doing after blurting it all out. He's lucky Grace is too relieved that no one is sick, injured, or dying that she passes straight into mild annoyance at his childishness and doesn't question (too heavily) just why he came barging over. Otherwise...

We ALL know at least one person who's entirely too fond of glitter. It's a fact of life. The reminder of this fact is alleviated by Julia, who is once again my favorite part of just about every chapter in which she appears. Conveniently, she also provides fuel for Grace and Emmett to commiserate about their friends and family, although it's hampered by the invitation issue. Truly, is there anything more indicative of Pre-That-Moment-of-Realization!Emmett than the desire to receive an invitation from the Coles just so he can turn it down?

Okay, okay, so the scene in Grace's kitchen was THE #1 THING when I was reading through (most of) Match the first time. Up until then, I'd been kinda shipping it as a holdover from Mr. Knightley and Emma (whom I adore) and based on the few, tantalizing hints we've seen before now. This, however - *this* moment was when I understood. This moment sold me on it. I could feel the warmth, taste the soap suds, see the sunlight (okay, so I was picturing sunlight through a window over the sink, even if it's not mentioned in the text; DON'T QUESTION ME ON THIS LITTLE DETAIL OF IMAGERY). And I wanted to screech, "He belongs in your kitchen, Grace!" And not even the mention of Francesca can wholly dim this ember. Grace, my darling logical fave, I agree with you on this: give us a man who'll run his fingers through our hair and arrange it nicely, and we'll melt. Yes, Emmett, you can savor the artistry of this moment, but can't you also look beyond it and realize: you really want this for the rest of forever. TRUST ME ON THIS, MY BOY.

I can't decide if Francesca realizing that she's terrible batshit and continuing on her merry stress-spreading way is worse than those who don't come to those realization at all. *passes aspirin to Grace*

Britt was reliving her prom queen hopes (she hadn’t actually been prom queen). - This (and the mention of the disco ball earrings) made me cackle like a hyena. Yes, I'm a terrible judgmental person, but I'm enjoying it. This is exactly what I'd expect out of someone who overuses glitter. You don't have to describe Britt in any greater detail. I can already picture her perfectly in my mind.

Yes, Emmett supposed she would. Hadn’t that been his whole plan? - Emmett devises all these schemes and yet they never work out exactly as he had planned. He's like that 'all according to keikaku' (*Translator's note: 'keikaku' means 'plan') meme as the Barracuda keeps dropping by and still somewhat as Francesca flirts with him, but the instant he can declare his plans an unvarnished success he realizes what he has done and internally screams, "This isn't what I wanted!" Have you tried not devising devious schemes, Emmett?

awwwww LOVED the ending, thanks so much for writing such an amazing story! Pls let us know if you’re doing another Jane Austen fic!

I have a mental image of Grace's father as Mufasa, gesturing grandly over their strawberry fields and announcing, "Everything the light touches is our kingdom." It doesn't quite gel with the trapped vibe Grace is suffering through. You'll feel less trapped one day, Grace. After all, Highbury is as much your domain as its Emmett's; you're gonna be the queen (as soon as some sense gets knocked into your king and he sees what's been in front of him all this time - and, yes, I am thinking of the Taylor Swift lyric as I type that).

What a contrast between Grace and Emmett here! Grace visits the Bates because she's in desperate need of some friendly faces and some inner tranquility, while Emmett finds there exactly the opposite. *thinks ahead to Box Hill* *screams internally*

Francesca drew her attention anyway. She wasn’t leaning on anything, but she looked as though she was. As though the whole world leaned for her, some sort of yearning gravitational tilt in her direction. Most people just stood around; Francesca beckoned. - The best reason why Francesca x Emmett should not happen, despite the undoubtedly pretty aesthetics they would offer to their current location, is that their combined presence would contain entirely too much in the way of dramatics. I'm not suggesting that their dramatics would create some sort of gravitational singularity that would draw in everyone and everything around them - no, wait, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. XD

My magical plot foreknowledge makes me want to heft the biggest dictionary I can find and drop it on Francesca's head for flirting with Emmett. Does she actually intend to flirt, however, or does she merely possess a naturally flirty manner? Perhaps she intends to be a *little* flirty with him to draw attention away from her secret relationship, and doesn't realize just how far she's taking it. Either way. She's still a thoughtless girl up to romantic shenanigans and I feel secure in prescribing a good dictionary-dropping as a cure for her.

Hey, Emmett, you should totally try painting Grace haloed by moonlight. Just a suggestion~

I have been following this story all along, and I love it! I'm sorry not to have a more detailed review, but I love the atmosphere and tone of the story. The characters all feel real and breathing and complex. It's a wonderful tribute to Austen, but it stands beautifully on its own, as well. Thank you for the moving story and exquisite writing!

Grace standing in the midst of a dirty-dish-strewn kitchen, flour in her hair, and staring at yet another failed baking effort forms the most relatable image ever. I feel ya, Grace. I can't say I've ever tried to bake for someone as demanding as Rosa's abuela, but I do know the pressure of having to cook something for a church potluck dinner - which gives, I suppose, enough room for multiple abuelas to judge my cooking but at least some attempt at anonymity (as long as you don't have your name marked on your casserole dish, I guess XD). 'Taco-Paco' - this made me smile. It seems my family isn't the only one to assign nicknames to pets left and right.

"So, where do I buy the strawberries?" - I suppose you're trying for a witty opening Francesca, but you should at least prefix that with a, "Hello," or, "Hi, how are you?" At least, that's how we do things in the south. However, Francesca still makes a better impression than the Barracuda. It is as Emmett later notices: Francesca genuinely loves her sister, seems disposed to like Highbury and its inhabitants, and appears to have no nefarious schemes. I do disapprove of her taking so long to reciprocate Ashley's sororal efforts, as do Noel and Grace, but overall Francesca does seem like a lovely girl. (Don't worry, Grace; I still call woman of my own age that, too.) If it weren't for my magical plot foreknowledge powers, and for my little shipper's heart bias towards Grace, my logical fave, I could almost be tempted towards Emmett x Francesca. However, I shall not be swayed!

(Is Emmett x Grace a case of Last Girl Wins or First Girl Wins? She's probably the first girl he met, chronologically speaking, but she'll be the last girl he'll consider, romantically speaking, so... I'm not sure how to trope this. Anyway. Do carry on.)