,.About The Austen Escape
- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 7, 2017)
Love Jane Austen? Then you’ll adore The Austen Escape.
Falling into the past will change their futures forever.
Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues – particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.
But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by the other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.
Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.
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Review: This was such a great book. I can't say that I am an Austen fan, but I am a fan of books that involve books or book lovers, and the thought of an Austen themed escape, well that's awesome. It reminded me of the theme of the film Austenland.
Mary and Isabel are longtime friends, but they are friends with a history. They aren't perfect BFFs. There are jealousies and hard feelings over things in the past. It is easy to love Mary, who is an all around good person. Then there's Isabel, who isn't quite so nice or well liked. She's actually not very likable at all, but you feel bad for her, because she has had a really bad childhood. By bad childhood,I mean a totally awful one that leaves you scarred for life.
To finish her dissertation, Isabel is going to Bath to an Austen escape at Braithwaite House and she wangles Mary into going as well. Mary is having trouble with her tech job, so getting out of Austin for a little Austen escape is good for her too.
Mary easily makes friends with the other guests as well as Gertrude and Sophia who work at Braithwaite. I love the secondary characters that really bring the story to life. Their love of Jane Austen and her stories makes you want to read her novels again or for a first time if you haven't already.
Soon after arriving Isabel loses her memory. This is what makes the story so interesting. In her mind, as she's dressed in period clothes and taking part in an Austen "escape" she becomes her character, which as you learn more about Isabel is better than her actual life.
Enter the love interests. Grant for Isabel and Nathan for Mary. Nathan is someone that was working at WATT. Nathan is just fabulous in a quiet sort of way. He's perfect for Mary. I liked that the romance was subdued in this book for both characters, yet both men helped them find themselves and helped them with who they are.
The ending was priceless. Just enough misunderstandings and changes that always happen in romances, but with the perfect happily ever after we all want.
To finish her dissertation, Isabel is going to Bath to an Austen escape at Braithwaite House and she wangles Mary into going as well. Mary is having trouble with her tech job, so getting out of Austin for a little Austen escape is good for her too.
Mary easily makes friends with the other guests as well as Gertrude and Sophia who work at Braithwaite. I love the secondary characters that really bring the story to life. Their love of Jane Austen and her stories makes you want to read her novels again or for a first time if you haven't already.
Soon after arriving Isabel loses her memory. This is what makes the story so interesting. In her mind, as she's dressed in period clothes and taking part in an Austen "escape" she becomes her character, which as you learn more about Isabel is better than her actual life.
Enter the love interests. Grant for Isabel and Nathan for Mary. Nathan is someone that was working at WATT. Nathan is just fabulous in a quiet sort of way. He's perfect for Mary. I liked that the romance was subdued in this book for both characters, yet both men helped them find themselves and helped them with who they are.
The ending was priceless. Just enough misunderstandings and changes that always happen in romances, but with the perfect happily ever after we all want.
This book was about friendship, forgiveness and Austen. It can't get much better than this.
This book was fabulous!
Rating: 5 flowers
About Katherine Reay
Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries—who provide constant inspiration both for writing and for life. She is the author of three previous novels, and her debut, Dear Mr. Knightley, was a 2014 Christy Award Finalist, winner of the 2014 INSPY Award for Best Debut, and winner of two Carol Awards for Best Debut and Best Contemporary. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University and is a wife, mother, runner, and tae kwon do black belt. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine and her family recently moved back to Chicago. Visit her on line at katherinereay.com.
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Thanks for being a part of the tour!
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