AustenLand

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen—or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It’s all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books_austen.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I loved this novel!! I thought Shannon's characters were completely believable and funny.

Going through the list of Jane Hayes' boyfriends has you sympathizing with her as you read of each man.

The story takes you through Jane's three week sojourn into a world beyond the norm...to Pembrook Park, a place known to cater to the Jane Austen fans of the world...

In this world, Jane discovers a sense of herself and a confidence when she says her goodbyes to Mr. Darcy (and it is the Colin Firth version, I might add lol).

The ending of Austenland is funny and sweet with our Mr. Nobley (who is the epitomy of Mr. Darcy) falling in love with the real life woman...and I for one just melted at this particular ending because it was one of those sigh-able moments we get when reading a true romantic story!!!

Well, dear friends, I must go. I believe a cup of Earl Grey and my next adventures: JUST JANE by Nancy Moser, and THE MAN WHO LOVED JANE AUSTEN by Sally Smith O'Rourke are calling my name...

Happy reading,
~Karol