Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah


 Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction novels have become a “must read” for me as they come out.  I was very excited to read The Four Winds as part of the Brenda Novak Book Club – 2021 Reading Challenge.  She had a wonderful interview with Kristin Hannah last Thursday the 25th that is available on Facebook.  It provides great insight into Hannah’s writing process and how she came up with the Four Winds.  I loved it!

 Elsa is a plain, unhappy, unloved, and unmarried daughter of a prosperous family in Texas in the 1920s.  One day she makes herself a red flapper dress, bobs her hair, and meets her husband.  Handsome Rafe has many dreams but settles down to raise a family with Elsa.   As the depression and then the Dust Bowl hit, the Martinelli family is hit with many difficult choices.  What will they do to survive?

 I loved the vivid portrait that Hannah painted of the Dust Bowl and the depression.  The very hard choices that people had to make for their family survival were devastating.  The ecological destruction wrought by the Dust Bowl helped to bring in new conservation practices that are still used to this day.  The travel from the shattered plains to California to then be treated like dirt was also heartbreaking.  People that proudly had their own farms or owned their own businesses were treated like trash and forced to live in tent cities.  The novel really humanized the situation.

 I LOVED the characters in this novel.  Elsa is a woman who had difficulty in self-confidence, but through the love of her children, she was able to work her hardest to survive.  I in particular loved her relationship with her in-laws and how they became her real parents.  I also loved the often-angry relationship she had with her 13-year-old daughter Loreda.  It rang as a true mother daughter relationship.  I loved that Elsa was doing her best, even when Loreda didn’t see it.

 I don’t want to ruin this book experience for others so I will not get further into the plot.  Like Hannah’s past few novels, I flew through this one and couldn’t put it down.  Tears were shed and emotions were felt.  I loved this novel.

 Favorite Quotes:

“Hope is a coin I carry:  an American penny, given to me by a man I came to love.”

 “Passion is a thunderstorm, there and gone.”

 “Elsa hadn’t known until right then how much difference a friend could make.  How one person could lift your spirit just enough to keep you upright.”

 “Poverty was a soul-crushing thing.  A cave that tightened around you, its pinprick of light closing a little more at the end of each desperate, unchanged day.”

 “Life went on, even in the hardest of times.”

 Overall, The Four Winds is a gripping story that vividly paints the devastation caused by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

Monday, March 29, 2021

What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand


 What Happens in Paradise in #2 in the Paradise Trilogy and picks up just after the first book, Winter in Paradise concluded.  We read Winter in Paradise in January for the Kewaunee Library Book Club.  I was excited to read book number two, and I read it very quickly on my Kindle!

Irene Steele is still looking into the mystery of what life her late husband, Russell, was living in the Caribbean.  The FBI is now involved and has taken over her beloved Iowa home.  Irene and her sons return to the island of St. John to try to figure out what exactly happened to Russell and to maybe start new lives of their own. 

We also get some answers into how Russell’s relationship started with Rosie, through her friend Ayers.  Ayers helped to clean out Rosie’s old room and has discovered her diary.  She reads through it and the reader makes discoveries.  I’ll admit though, I’m still dubious on Russell and Rosie’s relationship.  Russell was described a mid-forties, pudgy, married man on the island for work.  Rosie was described as a sexy 23-year-old.  I didn’t quite buy that this would work as I really don’t see what Rosie sees in Russell.  When I was 23, my Dad was in my mid-forties and I was not checking out his friends. 

I read this book really fast and stayed up too late reading it on my Kindle at night.  It ended with another cliffhanger, so I am waiting for the third novel from the library.  It’s an entertaining read.  I want to know why Russell and Rosie ended up dead and what bad business Russ found himself in.  I also want their family and friends to have a happy ending.  I enjoy the characters and the plot!

Favorite Quotes:

“She’s a civil engineer.  She builds bridges in the Bay Area, the kind of bridges that can withstand earthquakes.”  - This was about a very minor character, but I am always on the look out for engineers in books!

“Life gave me another chance to be happy.  Only an idiot would say no to that out of fear.”

“Did two good people do something they knew was wrong because there was some kind of magical chemistry involved?  Or was it plain old human fallibility, weakness in the face of temptation?”

“It was so important to stay vigilant where your heart was concerned.  Why didn’t they teach you that in school?”

“Because if you don’t write down what happens in a day, you forget – and that day becomes a blur and that blur becomes your life.”

“But if she did believe it, she might understand that everyone has her baggage and her sad stories.  What differentiates people is how they choose to deal with them.”

“Love is messy, complicated, and unfair.”

Overall, What Happens in Paradise was an entertaining, fast read.  I would recommend reading this after you have already read the first book in the series, Winter in Paradise.

Book Source:  E-book copy from the Kewaunee Public Library

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman


 

Title:  Good Eggs

Author: Rebecca Hardiman

Read by:  Alana Kerr Collins, Gary Furlong, and Siobhan Waring

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 17 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Shuster Audio.  Thank-you! 

 Good Eggs is the story of the three generational Irish Gogarty family.  Eighty-three-year-old Millie likes to shop lift and is beginning to show signs of dementia.  Her son, Kevin, decides to get a home aide, Sylvia, to help her out.  Kevin has lost his job, and is trying to deal with his mother, and his daughters.  When one sixteen-year-old daughter, Aideen, causes trouble, Kevin ships her off to boarding school where she promptly integrates herself with the number one troublemaker in the school.  When the family finds themselves in a crisis, how will they recoup?

Good Eggs was a mixed read for me.  On the positive, I loved that audiobook was set up with three narrators to tell the story as told through the three different viewpoints in the book.  Their Irish accents and narration were excellent.  It was a great audiobook experience.  I also really loved the character of Millie.  She cracked me up and was a fun character.  I wanted the story just to be about her!  On the negative side, I really didn’t like the character of Kevin.  He complains about his wife not spending time with him when she is working hard to support their family while he is out of a job.  Instead of working harder to find a new job and alleviate her workload, he instead decides to try to embark on an affair.  I was not pleased and could not sympathize with him at all.  It really brought the book down for me.  The book was advertised as being very funny.  I did like the humor, but it wasn’t laugh out loud funny and had a lot of down moments in it.

Overall, Good Eggs is an interesting book about a multi-generational Irish family.  The audiobook experience is excellent, but the story was so-so for me.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

The Irish Princess by Elizabeth Chadwick

In twelfth century, Ireland, Aoife grows up as the daughter of the King of Leinster, Diarmait MacMurchada.  After he is forced from his Kingdom, the family seeks help from King Henry II of England.  This leads the family to Richard de Clare, an Earl who seeks to improve his standing with King Henry II.  Richard and Diarmait hatch a plan to retake Ireland, which includes Richard marrying Aoife as one of the key elements.  Will their plan work to retake Ireland?  Will Richard regain Henry II’s favor?  Will Richard and Aoife find love?

I couldn’t put this book down.  Elizabeth Chadwick is one of my favorite historical fiction authors.  She is able to weave a compelling tale that makes you feel like you are in the twelfth century court of Henry II.  I loved the intrigue and politics that took place to make everything happen.  I also didn’t realize until mostly through the book that this tale is related to my favorite novel of Chadwick’s, The Greatest Knight.  Aoife is his mother-in-law!  I was very intrigued by this and of course the real history in the author’s note at the end of the novel. 

This novel made me realize again, that Game of Thrones is not far fetched when you look at the real history of the Middle Ages.  People were ruthless and it was hard times to live through.   I loved Aoife’s cunning and her love for her family.  I’ll admit, I was sad by the end of the book, but also intrigued at how Aoife was able to hold her world together.

I love reading about history that I previously knew nothing about.  Especially when you have a master craft author like Elizabeth Chadwick writing the tale.

Favorite Quotes:

“Bold deeds are far better sung than experienced.”

“One wrong decision, one moment of dropped guard, made the difference between having everything and having nothing.  Between being alive and being dead.”

Overall, The Irish Princess is historical fiction at its finest and is a riveting tale set in twelfth century Ireland.

Book Source:  Christmas Present from my Best Friend Jenn.  Thank-you!

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Dangerous Magic (A Pride and Prejudice Variation) by Monica Fairview

What is your favorite retelling of a classic tale?

In an alternate Regency era, England is in a war with France and losing.  In order to project England, Elizabeth Bennet is plucked from her family at their country estate at Longbourn and brought to the Guild Hall in London.  Once there she is expected to marry and bond with the powerful Royal Mage, Fitzwilliam Darcy.  She has always hoped to marry for love and is unhappy over this forced union.  Will Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love?  Will they be able to bond and protect England?

 I enjoyed this new spin on a classic tale.  Monica Fairview understands and perfectly writes the characters from Pride and Prejudice.  It’s amazing reading how true they are to their original characters, but in this new magical setting.  The story was unique, but familiar and I really enjoyed it.  I was just sad it ended but was pleased to see that this is the first in a series and there will be a Book 2 of Jane Austen’s Mages.  I look forward to it. 

I also loved the reimaging of some of the side characters, in particular Caroline Bingley.  I thought it was interesting that the book focused on “bloodlines” and how many people were obsessed on being of noble pure blood in order to be the best Mage.  It seems like Mr. Darcy would think along these lines, but he is friends with the Bingleys.  I liked this and how Elizabeth in turn defies everyone’s expectations of her.

Overall, Dangerous Magic is a fun magical reimagining of Pride and Prejudice.  I loved the story and the characters!

Book Source:  Review Copy from author Monica Fairview.  Thank-you!

Monday, March 22, 2021

Is This Anything? By Jerry Seinfeld


 

Title:  Is This Anything?

Author: Jerry Seinfeld

Read by:  Jerry Seinfeld

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 19 minutes (5 CDs)

Source: Christmas Gift from my Best Friend Jenn – Thank-you!

Do you have a favorite comedian or comedy audiobook?  I love listening to comedy, although I am a more old-fashioned comedy listener.  I really don’t like comedy that just tries to get laughs by swearing or talking dirty.  It seems like cheap laughs to me.  I like the type of humor that finds hilarity in everyday living.  Jerry Seinfeld’s humor is the epitome of this.

I had a fun time listening to the audiobook of Is This Anything?  by Jerry Seinfeld while on the road for work.  The title comes from a question that a comedian will ask another comedian on whether a new bit works.  In this audiobook, Seinfeld gives background of the various chapters of his life as he started at a comedian in 1975 and rose up through standup comedy to success.  After his explanations, he then goes through the different jokes from that era.  It’s interesting to see how his jokes changed over time.  It was a fun, lighthearted audiobook to listen to and made me laugh. 

I really enjoyed that Jerry Seinfeld narrated this audiobook and told the jokes himself.  It made it an especially fun book. 

Overall, Is This Anything? is a great audiobook that showcases Seinfeld’s best jokes over his entire career.

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance


 What book has prompted a good discussion in your book club?  Rogue Book club (aka FLICKS) discussed Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance longer than most any other book we’ve read.  It was a pretty lively discussion.

Hillbilly Elegy is a memoir by J.D. Vance describing his childhood growing up in a dysfunctional family in Ohio.  After high school he joined the Marines and afterwards made it into Yale Law School.  This memoir describes his background, his family, difficult times he had, and his thoughts on a variety of topics.

I thought where this memoir really shined was when it described J.D. Vance’s personal story. His love for his grandparents and troubled relationship with his mother were compelling reading.  When he started to just discuss his thoughts about the world, it was not nearly as compelling.  He made really general statements about entire groups of people that I didn’t agree with from my experience.  This was the consensus of our book club as well.

I also was confused on the hillbilly aspect.  I expected the memoir to take place in Appalachia, instead the memoir takes place in Ohio.  J.D. Vance’s grandparents are from Appalachia, but he and his parents grew up in Ohio.  The problems faced when the main mill closed down and caused unemployment, sounded like problems faced by any midwestern “rust belt” town that has faced similar situations.  The drug problems and poverty also were very familiar to me growing up in Michigan.  I was struggling to determine what exactly made someone a “hillbilly” and all I came up with is that they swear and resort to violence more according to this memoir.    A lot of book club members weren’t sure why this life story was memoir worthy.  I thought it was because it covers a section of society that doesn’t often get covered in books.

I’m also still laughing at one book club member’s assessment of this book “he was an unreliable narrator in his own memoir.”  Ha!!!

I have started the Netflix movie, but have not watched it yet.  It looks like it changes some things and focuses on the story rather than the opinions in the memoir.  Have you watched it?  What do you think?

Favorite Quotes:

“Identity is an odd thing, and I didn’t understand at the time why I felt such kinship with these strangers.”

“They want us to be shepherds to these kids.  But no one wants to talk about the fact that many of them are raised by wolves.”

“Nothing compares to the fear that you’re becoming the monster in your closet.”

“How much of our lives, good and bad, should we credit to our personal decisions, and how much is just the inheritance of our culture, our families, and our parents who have failed their children?”

Overall, Hillbilly Elegy is a book that prompts a lot of discussion.  The story in the memoir was engaging, but also included a lot of opinions that were less so.

Book Source:  The Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Catharine or the Bower by Jane Austen Completed by Leo Rockas

 

Catharine or the Bower is an incomplete juvenilia novel by Jane Austen.  I read the incomplete novel probably twenty years ago.  I was excited to read this version completed by Leo Rockas as one of the March picks for the Northwoods JASNA Book Club.

Catharine is a young orphan being raised in the country.  Her best friends are the four children of the vicar.  After the vicar’s death, they have been sent off to various locations to make their way in the world.  Mr. and Mrs. Stanley come to visit Catharine and her guardian aunt.  They have a daughter Camilla, and a handsome son Edward.  Camilla and Catharine become friends and Camilla is sure that Catharine and Edward will become a couple.  Catharine is soon visiting London as well.  Will she reunite with her friends?  Will Catharine and Edward become a couple?

Unfortunately, this short novel was hard to read through and took me longer than expected to finish.  The sentences were very long, convoluted, and hard to read.  The characters are not fully developed. Rockas tried to copy Austen’s style in this book and he continued with this type of sentence style in his section of the book.  This novel did give me an appreciation for how well Austen’s fully developed novels are written.  As she grew older and had time to edit her works, it made a great difference.  The first part that was written by Austen did show hints of her wit, and Camilla and Catharine reminded me of Isabella Thorpe and Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey.  I loved that Lady Susan from another Austen juvenilia also was mentioned in the later part finished by Rockas.  Lady Susan is my favorite Austen juvenilia piece.  I would like to see this work fully developed by another writer to see what they do with it.

Favorite Quotes:

“She professed a love of books without reading, was lively without wit, and generally good humored without merit.”

“To suppose that a young man would be seriously attached in the course of four and twenty hours, to a girl who has nothing to recommend her but a good pair of eyes!”

Overall, Catharine or the Bower, was interesting to see how Austen developed her style over time but falls flat as a work on its own.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com


Friday, March 12, 2021

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

 

Have you ever had a dream that came true?

I have had this happen a couple of times and it’s always a déjà vu moment.  My favorite dream was when I dreamed the solution to a math problem in high school.  I woke up and wrote down the answer and then went back to sleep.  I wish that would happen more often!

Mia Graydon has been having dreams about a mysterious stranger for years.  Mia and her husband Harrison have just moved to a new small town.  Harrison is a doctor and after losing a young patient during a routine surgery, he wants a fresh start.  Mia is an artist, and she is trying to find her place in the small town.  What Mia wants most of all is a baby, but after another miscarriage, she is not sure it’s meant to be.  At a local store, she meets the mysterious stranger, Oliver, who has been in her dreams.  She discovers that Oliver has also dreamed about her too.  What does it all mean?  How will this impact Mia’s marriage?

I really enjoyed You Were there Too.  I like books that keep me guessing until the end and You Were There Too fulfilled that need.  I don’t want to say too much more and ruin the plot for everyone.  I enjoyed that the plot was unique and tied up all of the ends.  I also enjoyed the three main characters of Mia, Harrison, and Oliver.   I felt they were very well developed with no one being a villain.

We met for our book club virtually Tuesday at lunch and it seemed that everyone felt the same as me about this novel.  We liked it and how it was unpredictable.

Favorite Quote: “Maybe all that matters is that love is a circle. Infinite. Eternal. Present, even when the person you want to be there most is absent.”

Overall, You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley was a great novel with a unique plot and well-developed characters.

Book Source:  Copy from the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!!


Wednesday, March 10, 2021

A Captain for Caroline Gray by Julie Wright (Blog Tour)



Join the virtual blog tour of A CAPTAIN FOR CAROLINE GRAY (Proper Romance Regency), Julie Wright’s highly acclaimed historical romance novel March 1 – 28, 2021. Over forty popular blogs specializing in historical romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will join in the celebration of its release with excerpts, spotlights, and reviews of this new Regency-era novel set aboard an English ship bound for India.

Caroline Gray is an educated woman with a lot of opinions.  Although her parents raised her this way, it is not appreciated in regency England.  Caroline has been out for many seasons but has not been able to find a match.  With her father’s death, her male cousin has inherited the estate.  He is now taking possession with his new bride and Caroline will be homeless.  At this time, she meets Mrs. Barritt who feels she will be a perfect bride for her son, Captain Barritt.  She pays for half a ticket for Caroline to sail to India to meet her son to see if they will suit.  If the match does not work, Caroline will not afford to be able to return to England.

Captain Thomas Scott does not like ferrying young English women to India to find husbands.  He feels that often the women do not know what they are getting into and end up with morally corrupt husbands.  He tries to keep his distance from these women, but he is surprised to find that he is captivated by Miss Gray.  Her wit and lively conversation intrigue him. He does not want a wilting lily for a wife.  Will Captain Scott propose to Miss Gray?  What about Captain Barritt?

I enjoyed this novel and read it quickly.  I really enjoyed the unique regency setting of having it mostly take place on the journey to India.  Jane Austen’s aunt was a “Fishing Fleet” member herself; she went to India to find herself a husband.  In a time where finding a husband was the only way for a woman to economically survive, it makes sense, although it is sad to think about.  I enjoyed the chemistry between Captain Scott and Miss Gray.  I also liked the theme of forgiveness and of telling the truth.  I thought the time in India was interesting as well, especially the exploration into the prejudices of the time.  My only complaint is that I thought the ending was a bit rushed and wish there could have been more explanation of the climax. 

Favorite Quotes:

“But that does not mean that all the skies of a country are void of clouds just because on person happens to be blind to them.  A world of absolutes would be a colorless dreary place, would it not?”

“Why should I not invite a well-informed woman to a conversation where her intelligence would be appreciated?”

Overall, A Captain for Caroline Gray is a unique regency romance that was truly enjoyable.  I highly recommend this novel.

Book Source:  Review Copy from Shadow Mountain Press for being a part of the Blog Tour.  Thank-you!


QUICK FACTS

·       Title: A Captain for Caroline Gray (Proper Romance Regency)

·       Author: Julie Wright

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (March 2, 2021)

·       Length: (336) pages

·       Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & audiobook

·       Tour Dates: March 1 – 28, 2021

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Regency London

Caroline Gray's third season in London society ends as badly as her first two—no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it's because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.

However, her family's dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the Fishing Fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn't work, Caroline cannot return home.

Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the Fishing Fleet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.

The trips have always been routine and uneventful—until this trip's first night's dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.

The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott which quickly draws them closer.

Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother's wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met, thus securing a future for her and her mother, or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?

 

ADVANCE PRAISE


· "A charming historical romance in which smarts and sass are vindicated."— Foreword Reviews

· "…a delightful, not exactly traditional Regency romance. Teen readers will enjoy this adventurous journey with its proactive heroine and exotic settings."— Booklist, starred review

· "An unconventional woman finds herself at home at sea in this stirring Regency from Julie Wright…This adventure is sure to entice fans of historical romance."— Publishers Weekly

AUTHOR BIO

Julie Wright wrote her first book when she was fifteen and has written over twenty novels since then. She is a Whitney Awards winner for best romance with her books Cross My Heart and Lies Jane Austen Told Me, and she is a Crown Heart recipient for the novel The Fortune Café.

She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs, and salamanders (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.

She hates mayonnaise.

 

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

 | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS


BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE  

March 01      My Jane Austen Book Club (Excerpt)

March 01      Austenprose — A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

March 02      Storeybook Reviews (Review)

March 02      Lu Reviews Books (Review)

March 02      Bookworm Lisa (Review)

March 03      Probably at the Library (Excerpt)

March 03      Our Book Confessions (Review)

March 03      Lady with a Quill (Review)

March 04      The Caffeinated Bibliophile (Review)

March 04      Fire & Ice (Review)

March 05      Literary Time Out (Review)

March 05      Among the Reads (Review)

March 06      Books and Socks Rock (Review)

March 07      Encouraging Words (Excerpt)

March 08      So Little Time… (Review)

March 09      For Where Your Treasure Is (Review)

March 10      Laura's Reviews (Review)

March 10      My Bookish Bliss (Review)

March 11      Heidi Reads (Review)

March 12      Reading with Emily (Review)

March 13      The Christian Fiction Girl (Review)

March 14      Silver Petticoat Reviews (Excerpt)

March 15      Austenesque Reviews (Review)

March 16      The Lit Bitch (Excerpt)

March 16      Greenish Bookself (Review)

March 17      Inkwell Inspirations (Review)

March 18      A Darn Good Read (Review)

March 19      Relz Reviewz (Review)

March 20      Book Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina (Review)

March 20      Christian Chick's Thoughts (Review)

March 21      Jorie Loves a Story (Review)

March 22      From Pemberley to Milton (Review)

March 23      Gwendalyn's Books (Review)

March 23      Historical Fiction with Spirit (Review)

March 24      Captivated Reading (Review)

March 24      Books, Teacups, & Reviews (Excerpt)

March 25      Roseanne E. Lortz (Review)

March 26      Cup of Tea with that Book, Please (Review)

March 26      Randi Loves 2 Read (Review)

March 27      Library of Clean Reads (Review)

March 28      The Bibliophile Files (Review)

 

PURCHASE LINKS

 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP

| DESERET BOOK | GOODREADS


Monday, March 8, 2021

The Jane Austen Dating Agency by Fiona Woodifield

 

Sophie Johnson is working for a high-powered fashion magazine in London in sales.  She would much rather be writing editorials for the magazine.  She has been unfortunate in love, but when she discovers the Jane Austen Dating Agency, she thinks her dreams have been answered.  It’s described as an “Exclusive dating agency for ladies to meet real gentleman in beautiful settings – only the truly romantic may apply!  Dine like Elizabeth and Darcy at Chatsworth aka Pemberley, picnic like Emma or Knightley on juicy strawberries and sparkling champagne on Box Hill.”

 Sophie is soon meeting new people and having new adventures through the dating agency.  Will she find her own Mr. Darcy, or will it be Mr. Wickham?

 This was the March Book Club selection for JASNA Northwoods Book Club.  We had our meeting yesterday and it seemed that everyone felt the same about this novel as I did.  It was a fun book, but there were just too many characters.  The author tried to put in characters and plot items from four of Austen’s novels and it was just too much.  It was hard to keep track of the characters and I don’t feel the romance was well developed between the leads.  I wish the author would have written a separate book for each Austen novel with less characters – it would have been fun.

 Favorite Quotes:

“My brother, Ben, always says I have such unrealistic expectations of men due to an alarming overconsumption of romantic novels as a teenager.  Maybe he’s right, I know I love to escape into a book – I should probably at least try to live in the real world.  But right now it feels pretty inadequate.”

 “I want him to gaze at me, although maybe not in a creepy stalker way, and not controlling either.  Just romantic – you know what I mean.”

 “I really admire you.  In spite of your ridiculous gaucheness our bizarre friends and ability to burst out laughing at random moments, I think maybe . . . well, I really like you.  You’re not like anyone else I’ve ever met.”

 “The time has come for me, Sophie Johnson, to kick ass and sort out my own happy ever after.”

 Overall, The Jane Austen Dating Agency was a fun book, but lost its way with too many characters.

 Book Source:  Purchased on my Kindle from Amazon.com