Where the Regency boys are
I found this little nugget after knocking over a couple of book towers at the local bookstore. I bought it a 1/4 its original price.
It's been a while since I've read an Austen-inspired book that really satisfies. Really, such a book only needs a Regency-style romance and a smart herione who's an Austen nut.
Neurotic and somewhat helpless Jane has one deep, dark obsession: she rewatches the BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries over and over, dreaming of a Mr. Darcy coming into her own life. Unfortunately, all she has had to deal with are cheaters and commitment-phobes. When an intuitive great aunt passes away, she leaves a parting gift for Jane: a ticket to a highly exclusive, stylized theme park dedicated to all things Austen. Arriving at Pembrook Park, Jane is given a new-old wardrobe and new name, and told that she is to play a part - as Jane Erstwhile, thirty-two-year-old spinster. There are plenty of characters to keep her entertained - a flirty colonel, a nice but dull "aunt," perfect Miss Heartwright, fellow guest Miss Charming, and the stately and steely Mr. Nobley. At first, Jane finds it hard to stay in character and takes a break with a gardner, Martin, who's game for a few make-out sessions. She truly doesn't know what to think about the experience, but after she settles in and starts playing along, she finds herself drawn to Mr. Nobley, who reluctantly warms up to her. As Jane tries to keep reality separate from her imagination, she's determined to kick her habit of pining for a Darcy of her own.
This was definitely a book that, like Darcy himself, takes a while to reveal its intentions. The story really starts once Jane gets to England. The concept of a Jane Austen theme park is interesting, but Hale takes it to a wonderfully heady extreme. It is there that we see Jane blossom, indulging in her inner Elizabeth Bennett. Many of her dialogues with Mr. Nobley mirrors Elizabeth's sparring with Darcy; refreshingly, the relationship between Jane and Nobley evolves in a different, perhaps more natural direction. One thing I appreciated was that not only was Jane given two suitors, but also that there is a stretch of the book where it is difficult to guess who she ends up with. For a while near the end, I was almost sure that she'd end up by herself (an ending I think I would've been happy with). The message that Jane had to come to grips with her Austen obsession - that she was letting it distract her from real relationships and setting herself up for disappointments - is somewhat of a necessary problem that female characters are usually handed. But it played out nicely here. I wish Hale had given us a scene wherein Jane interacts with a man, to see the contrast between Jane and "Miss Erstwhile." Instead, we get little paragraphs before every chapter detailing the highlights (/lowlights) of her previous relationships. I suppose it does its job well. I wouldn't have minded getting to know "Miss Charming," an American divorcee around 50 who is happy to pretend to be a young Regency woman, or Miss Heartwright, who seems to enjoy Jane's company even though Jane tends to overlook her. But it is brought to a sweet and rather mature conclusion that made me proud of Jane and happy for her future, which was more than I was expecting.
For Austen-lovers only. Rating: 4 first impressions out of 5.