BOOK REVIEW: Confessions of a Jane Austin Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Title: Confessions of a Jane Austin Addict
Author: Laurie Viera Rigler
Publication: August 2, 2007
Publisher: Plume
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 304

SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)

After nursing a broken engagement with Jane Austen novels and Absolut, Courtney Stone wakes up and finds herself not in her Los Angeles bedroom or even in her own body, but inside the bedchamber of a woman in Regency England. Who but an Austen addict like herself could concoct such a fantasy? 

Not only is Courtney stuck in another woman’s life, she is forced to pretend she actually is that woman; and despite knowing nothing about her, she manages to fool even the most astute observer. But not even her love of Jane Austen has prepared Courtney for the chamber pots and filthy coaching inns of nineteenth-century England, let alone the realities of being a single woman who must fend off suffocating chaperones, condomless seducers, and marriages of convenience. Enter the enigmatic Mr. Edgeworth, who fills Courtney’s borrowed brain with confusing memories that are clearly not her own. 

Try as she might to control her mind and find a way home, Courtney cannot deny that she is becoming this other woman and being this other woman is not without its advantages: Especially in a looking-glass Austen world. Especially with a suitor who may not turn out to be a familiar species of philanderer after all.

REVIEW:

I am not even sure where this book came from.  I am pretty sure that it came in a stack of books from my mom.  I let my Grandma borrow a few books I thought she would like and when I asked for them back so I could read it. So…needless to say, it was in my pile for a while and I have been on a regency romance kick so this was a perfect book to read next.  

Courtney has just had a horrible break-up.  Her finance was caught by her red-handed cheating on her with her cake person for her wedding.   She is mad at her husband’s best friend because he knew about it and didn’t tell her.  She drowns her sorrows in ice cream, alcohol, and guys.  She is in for a rude awakening when one day she wakes up and she is being called Jane and is living in the same time period as Jane Austen. As a Jane Austen fan, having read her books multiple times and watched the books countless times she is thrilled but so incredibly confused.  What is happening to her?  This book was alright.  Not amazing nor was it horrendous.  It was kind of middle of the road.  I liked the idea behind the book.  It kind of reminded of the movie Enchanted of sorts.  It also kind of reminded me of the short tv series called Lost in Austen. 

The character of Jane/Courtney had me wanting to shake her at times.  She just wanted to live her life like she had before in the other life.  She wanted to do things unchaperoned.  She just didn’t get it that in that time she couldn’t do that.  Her huge will she won’t see with her romantic interest gets tiresome at times.  I was left slightly confused with how Courtney/Jane remembered things that she didn’t experience. I know this makes me sound like I hated the book more than I did but I really did like the book.  I did love it when she actually meets Jane Austen.  By meets I mean she chases her down in the streets to ramble on and on about her and her books.  I gave it 3 stars because it was such a middle of the road book for me.   I see that there is a sequel of sorts to this book.  It’s the story but from Jane’s perspective in Courtney’s place instead.  I think I am going to read that one as well and will report back when I do!

STAR RATING: 3/5

Pick up your copy of Confessions of a Jane Austin Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and check your local bookstores. Also make sure to add it to your To Reads list on Goodreads and leave feedback for the author when you are finished. You can check out more from author Laurie Viera Rigler on her Website HERE.

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