The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

 

Title:  The Austen Affair

Author:  Madeline Bell

Narrated by:  Stephanie Németh-Parker

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 31 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

If you could time travel to any era in a book, what era would you pick?  Regency England is one of my top picks.

American actress Tess Bright has gotten her dream part to play Catherine Morland in a new production of Northanger Abbey (based on the book by Jane Austen).  Unfortunately, her co-star, Hugh Belfour, is a method actor and very unpleasant to work with.  He does not appreciate her teen choice award or her improvisational acting style.  An electrical accident puts them back in the past to Regency England. Will they be able to find their way back to the future and will they find true love?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This was a March selection for my JASNA Northwoods Book Club.  We are meeting this upcoming weekend to discuss it.

·       This was a fun and engaging novel.  It was good escapism reading.

·       The audiobook narrator was fantastic and did a wonderful job of different voices for each character.

·       I love that they met the real Jane Austen while in the past.

·       Tropes included enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, and slow burn.

·       The romance was open door at the end.

·       This was a fun romantic comedy and would make a great movie.

·       Tess is dealing with grief at the loss of her mother and has been having a hard time dealing with the world after her passing.  Hugh is also dealing with grief which Tess does not realize until later in the novel.

·       I loved that Hugh and Tess had to use their knowledge of Regency England to make it in the past, although they do make mistakes which are pretty funny. 

·       I liked how minor Austen character names pop up in the text and I also enjoyed how Tess would use Austen quotes in her dialogue.

·       There was good banter between Tess and Hugh.  I loved the buildup of their romance and I could believe they would make a great couple.

·       I was sad that Hugh Belfour takes the place of his distant relative who died at Waterloo.  The real Hugh’s father, family, and fiancé all believe that Hugh has come back with a head injury.  This was an ethical quandary for me as I wanted Tess and Hugh to go back to the future, but I also wanted them to stay so that everyone wouldn’t have the pain of losing Hugh again.

·       It’s hard to believe that Madeline Bell is a debut author!  I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Overall, The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell was an enjoyable time travel romantic comedy with great characters and an Austenesque storyline.

Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson

 

What are you reading this weekend?

Judith Stanford is surprised to learn that her estranged grandfather, James Ashton, wants her to travel to Minnesota to determine whether she should inherit his fortune.  She has never met the man, but he offers her a sum of money to travel that she can use to help Civil War widows and orphans.  She decides to use this money for her charities and make the trip.  She also hopes to cross paths with Dr. Roman Turner, a man she met years before who interested her as no man has done since her husband passed away.  The problem is that the only man that Roman hates is Judith’s grandfather as he ruined his father financially and caused his early death.  Can Judith and Roman work through these issues from the past?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a clean read, inspirational, and Christian novel.  I enjoyed that the characters prayed throughout the novel.

·       It was fun having Judith ride in a luxurious train from Philadelphia to Minneapolis in 1870.

·       It was interesting how Judith and her grandfather had very different philosophies in life.  Judith has a life of giving and helping others while her grandfather is consumed with making more money.  He reminded me of Ebenezer Scrooge.

·       I loved the sermon in a chapter of the novel that focused on the teachings of Jesus including his greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself and the parable of the good Samaritan.  I have tried to live my life following these teachings however imperfectly.  I think they are very important and something that needs to be emphasized in today’s world.

·       I loved how Judith stuck to her own self and values and did not bend to her grandfather’s will.  I also appreciated that she tried to help people harmed by her grandfather.

·       Chapters were told in alternating perspectives between Judith and Roman.

·       Roman has the same values as Judith and is always helping others.  I enjoyed their relationship.

·       This novel had a theme of forgiveness.

·       I greatly enjoyed the suspense at the end of the novel.

·       I would say the tropes are slow burn and second chance romance.

·       This is the first book in a new series, Minnesota Legacy.  I’m very interested to read the next book which is about Judith’s daughter.  There is an excerpt at the end of this book.

Overall, Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson was a great historical romance novel with a wonderful theme of faith and forgiveness.  I enjoyed the journey of the characters throughout this novel.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @authortraciepeterson @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.

A Most Natural Consequence by Heather Moll

 

If you could be character from a book for one day, who would you be and why?  Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice would be at the top of my list.

Elizabeth Bennet has traveled to Ramsgate with her mother and sisters, Kitty and Lydia, for Kitty’s health.  While in Ramsgate, they befriend a quiet girl, Georgiana Darcy, visiting the seaside with her governess. Georgiana’s brother, Fitzwilliam soon shows up to visit his sister and meets the Bennets for the first time.  When it appears that one of their sisters have run away with Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth and Darcy try to save them only to realize they now need to marry for propriety’s sake.  Will the two be able to fall in love after marriage?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel is a variation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

·       It was a stressful week last week and ending my day with A Most Natural Consequence by Heather Moll each evening was both enjoyable and stress relieving.

·       Elizabeth and Darcy are vividly drawn and detailed. I enjoyed their interactions and chemistry.  All the characters felt very true to Austen’s original creations.

·       I loved the slow burn build up of the romance between Darcy and Elizabeth.  It was fun to see them become friends and to see that friendship turn to love.

·       There was open door romance at the end, and it felt earned after the build-up of the relationship.

·       The tropes in this novel were forced proximity, forced marriage, and slow burn.

·       The Bingleys visiting Netherfield is at the end of this novel.  I enjoyed this variation.

·       Darcy is straightforward on Wickham’s flaws.  Wickham is a terrible man.  It was hard to believe that anyone would want to marry him knowing the truth.

·       Elizabeth decides to act independently and take matters into her own hands on an issue that leads her into trouble that threatens her and Darcy’s relationship.  I was very annoyed at Elizabeth during this section of the book.

Favorite Quote:  “The qualities of her mind were equal to those of her heart and her person.  He respected her for her personal charms and for her cultivated understanding and refined taste and lively mind.  Bot those qualities and attractions had ascendancy over his heart and went far deeper than respect and admiration.” – How romantic!

Overall, A Most Natural Consequence by Heather Moll was a very engaging Pride and Prejudice variation and historical romance.  It’s a book to savor read to bring yourself to another world.

Book Source:  Review Copy from author Heather Moll.  Thank-you!

Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie

 

Title:  Mrs. McGinty’s Dead

Author:  Agatha Christie

Narrated by:  Hugh Fraser

Publisher: Harper Audio

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 8 minutes

Source: Checked out through Libby from the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thanks!

What cold case would you like to be solved?  From history, I would like the definitive answer on who is Jack the Ripper.  From my lifetime, I would like a definitive answer on who killed my eighth-grade teacher, Dar Foley.

Mrs. McGinty was murdered by a blow to the back of her head, and her lodger, a young local man, was jailed for her murder.  As he nears execution, Superintendent Spence asks Hercule Poirot to take another look at the case. Is he guilty or is the murderer still out there?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       I am a part of the #ReadChristie2026 challenge again this year, although I am running a bit behind and read February’s book in March.  The theme for 2026 is Biggest, Best, Beloved Stories.  The February theme was “Beloved Characters.”  Hercule Poirot is definitely a beloved character, and this book did a good job of showcasing him.  Two favorite reoccurring characters also appear - Inspector Spence and Ariadne Oliver.

·       I loved Ariadne Oliver’s banter about her famous detective creation, Sven Hjerson, and how she hates him.  I loved the argument about how old he was since she started writing about him thirty years ago when he was thirty-five.  Is he thirty-five or sixty-five years old now?  She said she regretted making him Norwegian when she had never been to Norway.  It seemed tongue in cheek about Christie’s own creation of Hercule Poirot.  It made me laugh.

·       This was Hercule Mystery #29 and was published in 1952 in the United States as a novel.

·       I loved Hugh Fraser as the narrator of the audiobook and how he does the voices for all of the characters.  He does a great job as the narrator of the Poirot novels.

·       The mystery was highly entertaining with Poirot at the top of his game.  I did not guess the ending. 

·       The novel had fun dialogue, especially with Ariadne Oliver.  I greatly appreciated the humor.

·       Poor Poirot was annoyed at the untidiness and poor cooking the house where he was staying.  No one cared about his complaints, but they were very legitimate.

·       The title was based on the old English schoolyard chant, “How did Mrs. McGinty Did?”

Overall, Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie was a very enjoyable cozy mystery with great humor and characters.

 

And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

 

Title:  And the Crowd Went Wild

Author:  Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by:  Kelli Tager

Publisher: Avon

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 8 minutes

Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

Do you have a favorite sports team?  I live near and work in Green Bay, so the Packers are just sort of a part of everyday life around here.

Darcy Flynn is a star best known for her bombshell roles and marriage to a famous action star.  After a very public humiliation, she is looking for a place to get away.  She inexplicitly ends up at her former high school boyfriend’s (now Chicago quarterback) retreat in Wisconsin.  Clint is trying to relax and regain his focus before the season begins and he is surprised to see his old girlfriend who broke his heart in high school.  He lets her stay in an old caboose on his property that he is restoring.  Will these two find themselves and each other?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This was the February pick for the Brenda Novak Book Group.  There was a fun book club meeting on Facebook for this book that you can still watch.  Sadly, Susan Elizabeth Phillips was sick and unable to join the book club this time.

·       And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was a contemporary romance, but it had depth and hard topics were discussed such as alcoholism, r#@e, and murder.  Even with these topics, it was still a fun and engaging romance.

·       Narrator Kelli Tager had a great performance and unique voices for the characters.

·       I loved the Boxcar Children quotes at the start of each chapter.  It gets even better when Darcy ends up living in an old boxcar that Clint is fixing up on his property.

·       Darcy’s marriage reminded me of the breakdown of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s marriage.

·       This is #11 in the Chicago Stars series.  I read this as a standalone and it was fine as a standalone.  I’m assuming some of the characters were also in previous books.

·       The characters are in their mid-thirties.

·       This was a dual point of view novel between Darcy and Clint.

·       Tropes in this novel included second chance romance, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity.

·       I loved the Northwoods of Wisconsin setting and how Darcy is only able to find Packer gear for clothing.  This rings true for the area.  This pains Clint as he is a quarterback for Chicago.

·       Darcy and Clint had amazing tension and chemistry.

·       The romance in this novel was steamy with the door wide open.

·       I loved the romance, but also the personal journey of both Darcy and Clint.

·       I also loved how Darcy rescued a mutt and named him Watch (from the Boxcar Children).  I also like how she helped and befriended a woman who was being abused by her boyfriend.

Overall, And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was an engaging contemporary romance with great characters, chemistry, and romance.  The story had depth and was very enjoyable.

Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane

 

What is the last book you read in February? I finished this book up on the very last day of the month just in time to finish up #blackhistory month.

At Magnolia Row, Virginia, Henri starts a new life as an enslaved man.  He remembers freedom in Africa and yearns for it again.  He falls in love with another enslaved man, Luke, who has suffered abuse his entire life from his white enslaver, Junior.  When the cruelty goes too far, Luke and Henri take matters into their own hands. Their actions will inspire others who saw what happened and realize they have the power to make a change.

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Each chapter is long and is an individual linked story (four stories total).

·       Josephine is a quiet woman, but when the abuse becomes too much, she takes matters into her own hands.  It was interesting in the authors note at the end at she was based on two different women named Josephine and their true stories.

·       Charity Butler was in Pennsylvania for enough days for her to declare her freedom.  She marries and has two children only to have her old enslaver try to get her back with a famous lawyer, Thaddeus Stevens, and a trial.  This story was heartbreaking.

·       I had always heard of Thaddeus Stevens in history as an abolitionist.  I didn’t realize he was the lawyer in this type of case in the past that sent a woman and her children born free back to slavery.

·       Nathanial is a black man who owns slaves and is very cruel.  Will he get is comeuppance?

·       In this book, violence begat violence.

·       The story was very cleverly written.  It takes that starting main event and from this event, other acts of rebellion spread like a flame.

·       This book was almost too horrifying to read at times with the violence against the enslaved and the violence back from the enslaved.  I thought it was over the top at times only to discover in the author’s note that it was based on actual true events.  Our true history is horrifying.

·       I was debating with someone online yesterday and they told me that it was my “opinion” that the southern generals in the Civil War were traitors trying to keep in place the enslavement of another race.  This is not an opinion, but fact.  We need to stop teaching the lost cause myth and we need to embrace books like Burn Down Master’s house which vividly describe how cruel and inhumane slavery really was.  It’s uncomfortable, but it is our history.  This story did tell of hope.  It is also interesting that the true stories of enslaved people that did rebel have been kept in the dark.

Favorite Quotes:

“Misinformation is an old, strong tool:  it distorts history, manipulates narratives, and fuels power.  Misinformation makes it possible to win elections, spark wars, and turn neighbors into enemies with the stroke of a pen or a simple click.  The danger of being misled is more than ignorance; it’s political and social vulnerability.  A society untethered from truth can be easily controlled, its people divided by lies while the oligarchies consolidate their power.”

“Henri was a man with a spirit too wild to be caged; no amount of punishment, no beating, no harsh words could bend him into the shape of a proper field hand.  His rage was a monsoon, a rage he could not cast aside like she or Luke could.”

Overall, I was disturbed by Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane, and I can’t stop thinking about it.  It was a cleverly written book about the enslaved people who had enough and took matters into their own hands to win their own freedom.

Book Source:  Thank-you to Kensington Books and Between the Chapters Book Club for a review copy of this novel.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

 

Title:  The Body in the Library

Author:  Agatha Christie

Narrated by:  Stephanie Cole

Publisher: Harper Audio

Length: Approximately 5 hours and 21 minutes

Source: Amazon Music

Are you involved in any book challenges or book clubs this year?  I am once again a part of the #ReadChristie2026 challenge this year, although I am running a bit behind.  The theme for 2026 is Biggest, Best, Beloved Stories.  The January theme was “Best Opening.”  The Body in the Library certainly has a great opening…

The Bantrys wake up one day to find the body of a dead woman in their library.  Who is this woman and how did she end up in their library?  The Bantrys ask Miss Marple to help solve the case.

My thoughts on the novel:

·       This is the second novel in the Miss Marple series.  I love how sharp Miss Marple is and how she is able to use her knowledge and observations of human nature and behavior to solve mysteries.

·       This seemed a slightly more gruesome Agatha Christie mystery to me with the burned body of a “Girl Guide” (equivalent to a girl scout) victim in a car.  The book didn’t go into great detail, but I was very disturbed by it.

·       Stephanie Cole is a new audiobook narrator for me.  She did a good job and this was an enjoyable audiobook.

·       The plot of this novel was very clever.  I did not guess the ending and was intrigued as Miss Marple laid it all out in the end.

·       It is funny how Miss Marple recognizes the small things or clues and is able to put together the scenario while the police have no idea what is going on.

·       The poor Bantrys.  St. Mary’s Mead starts to cut them out of society as they are sure Colonel Bantry had something to do with it.

·       This is one of my favorite Miss Marple mysteries so far.

Overall, The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie was an enjoyable classic mystery with Miss Marple in her prime.

 

Mail-Order Baroness by Misty M. Beller

 

Do you order things through the mail or prefer shopping in person?  I love getting things in the mail, but it’s still fun to shop in person and browse through items (especially books).

Rose is a singer in Virginia City stuck in a twenty-year contract she signed with her stepfather when she was fifteen.  She dreams of the happy days she spent in her childhood with her mother on the Balfour ranch.  When an ad appears advertising for an assistant housekeeper at a ranch, Rose takes it upon herself to make her escape to try out the new job.  She soon discovers the job is at the Balfour ranch, and she is reunited with her childhood friend James, the middle Balfour brother.  James has never forgotten Rose and is happy to have her back.  Will these two find love?  Will her stepfather find her?  Why did her mother leave the ranch suddenly when she a child?

My thoughts on the novel:

·       I enjoyed the mystery in this book. Why did Rose and her mother leave the ranch?  I also enjoyed the suspense of her escape.

·       I enjoyed the romance and relationship between James and Rose.

·       I also enjoyed the continuing story from book one of Enoch and Mandie’s story.

·       The plot line was similar to the first book but was still enjoyable.

·       I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

·       I love the beautiful Montana setting.

·       It was unique having the British aristocracy living in Montana.  Enoch will need to return to England soon leaving James in charge of the ranch which is added stress.

·       There were moments of tension and danger toward the end of book which added excitement.

·       This is a second chance romance novel which is one of my favorite tropes.

·       This was a Christian book and a clean read.

·       This was a quick read and good escapism reading. 

·       This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.  I did enjoy reading both books in the series. 

·       I love how understanding and empathetic James is.

Overall, Mail-Order Baroness by Misty M. Beller is a wonderful historical western romance with great characters and a suspenseful storyline.  It’s a great story to get lost in.

Book Source:  Thank-you to author Misty M. Beller for a review copy of this novel.

 

Jazz by Toni Morrison

 

Title:  Jazz

Author:  Toni Morrison

Narrated by:  Toni Morrison

Publisher: Random House Audio

Length: Approximately 3 hours

Source: Purchased from Audible and checked out a physical copy of the book from Kewaunee Public Library

Do you have a favorite jazz song or musician?  I have always loved the classic songs by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

In 1926, a middle-aged man named Joe murders his teenage girlfriend, Dorcas.  His wife, Violet, attacks the corpse at the funeral and stabs it across the face, earning her the nickname, “Violence.”  How did they end up in this situation?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read Jazz by Toni Morrison this month for the Classics Buddy read hosted by @Dees.Reads.

·       The audiobook is read by the author, but it is abridged so I also had the physical book from the library to fill in the gaps.

·       I loved the jazzy music and sound effects in the audiobook and Toni Morrison reading her own work.

·       There is a great forward by Toni Morrison that sets up the book.  She was inspired by seeing an old picture of a pretty girl in a coffin and the description that went with the picture.  How creepy and interesting.

·       This is the second book in a series after Beloved.  Beloved centered on mother love and Jazz centers on couple love.  They are both set at different points in Black history, otherwise they are not related.

·       Jazz is a beautifully written book that flows like a jazz song.  Like jazz, the narrative does not flow the way you would expect it too, which made it hard to understand at times.

·       Just like when I recently read Beloved, I found using SparkNotes to be helpful after I read it to make sure I understood what I had read.

·       I am still confused though – why didn’t Joe go to jail for shooting Dorcas?

·       The setting for the book was mostly 1920s Harlem, but there are plenty of flashbacks to the past.

·       Violet and Joe’s marriage gets better after the shooting.  I guess they were finally about to talk through their problems, but I was disturbed about Joe.  He, a man in his fifties, was so upset that his teenage girlfriend had decided to date men her own age that he shot her.  I think Violet deserved a better man, but she also does bad by slashing Dorcas’s face at the funeral.  This was meant to represent her sadness as she wanted to be a mother, but her and Joe had decided not to have children and she realized she wanted to be a mother too late.  Violet learns she has to take control of her own life and happiness.

Overall, Jazz by Toni Morrison was an interesting novel written in a unique way.  I am glad I read this book.