Jane Austen

The Marriage Pact by Wendi Sotis (Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway)

March 4, 2018 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

If you hang out with me long enough, it won’t take long for you to know that I am a fan of (maybe a bit obsessed with) Jane Austen. So, if there’s even the slightest reference to Jane, that book automatically joins my TBR. Granted, I should probably just start an entirely separate TBR list for these books!

Today, I’m spotlighting one such book in The Marriage Pact book blitz hosted by the wonderful I Am A Reader. This book is one I’ve already added to the aforementioned list. Check out the book details and excerpt below. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway before you go. Are you really going to turn down the chance to win that $100 gift card and make a dent in Austen-adjacent stories?

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay (Review & Giveaway)

November 6, 2017 by Suzie Waltner 19 Comments

About the Book

After years of following her best friend’s lead, Mary Davies finds a whimsical trip back to Austen’s Regency England paves the way towards a new future.

Mary Davies lives and works in Austin, Texas, as an industrial engineer. She has an orderly and productive life, a job and colleagues that she enjoys—particularly a certain adorable, intelligent, and hilarious consultant. But something is missing for Mary. When her estranged and emotionally fragile childhood friend Isabel Dwyer offers Mary a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in Bath, Mary reluctantly agrees to come along, 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 that she lives in Regency England. Mary becomes dependent on a household of strangers to take care of Isabel until she wakes up.

With Mary in charge and surrounded by new friends, Isabel rests and enjoys the leisure of a Regency lady. But life gets even more complicated when Mary makes the discovery that her life and Isabel’s have intersected in more ways that she knew, and she finds herself caught between who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who stands between them. Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this triangle works out their lives and hearts among a company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation.

Amazon // Goodreads

First Line Friday: Seeking Mansfield by Kate Watson

October 27, 2017 by Suzie Waltner 12 Comments

Happy Friday everyone! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been enjoying some cooler fall weather. It takes a while to hit us here in Tennessee! Stop by Hoarding Books Blog and read all of the first lines (maybe you’ll find your next read).

There have been several good Jane Austen modernizations and Jane Austen inspired books this year. I’m a fan of Austen’s books (read all of them several times). This week I’m going to share a YA modernization of Mansfield Park that I adored! It’s been out a few months but this book deserves some recognition. Author Kate Watson did an amazing job of making this story relevant and giving Finley Price a backstory that tugged at my heart.

Review: Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge

June 9, 2017 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

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I’m going to admit something that may not be popular here. As a Jane Austen fan, one of her books I like least is a favorite of many. There’s just something about Sense and Sensibility that has always bothered me. Maybe it’s because Marianne Dashwood seems more flighty than heart-on-her-sleeve to me, or that Elinor and Edward spend so little time together that I never get the feel for their relationship.

Whatever it is, I’m happy that there have been some adaptation of the original story that I have enjoyed reading. And Hillary Manton Lodge’s contemporary take on this classic tale is delightful and engaging.

A Little Bit of Persuasion and a Lot of Love

October 29, 2015 by Suzie Waltner Leave a Comment

Over the past several years, my favorite book written by Jane Austen has shifted from the more beloved Pride and Prejudice to Persuasion. There’s just something about love that not only lasts through years apart but becomes stronger even though both people change.

And Becky Wade’s Love in the Details (the final Novella in this year’s Year of Weddings novella series from Zondervan) hits on all the same notes.

Eight years ago, Holly broke up with her first love during their first year of college because she believed it was what was best. Josh needed to focus on his school, on his career. He needed to make the most of himself and not throw it all away to be with her.

Now, she must prepare herself to see him again at his best friend’s wedding in Martinsburg, Texas. When they actually run into each other on the street, every feeling she had for him rushes in but she knows she can’t fall in love with him again. It’s been eight years of longing and loss, and she won’t put herself through that again.

Josh had seven months to prepare himself for seeing Holly again. It wasn’t enough. From the first moment he lays eyes on her, his tight control on his life begins to shift and he finds excuses to spend time with her.

I loved the fact that Holly is an author. Her detailed descriptions of the people around her bespoke to that fact. And despite Josh’s success in business, he remains loyal to his friends and family, taking time out of his busy schedule to help out when needed.

A story of love that endures through time and the maturing of two people, one that proves God’s timing is perfect, my only complaint was I wanted to spend more time with Josh and Holly. And I want more details about Holly’s fun best friend.

I haven’t heard or seen whether Zondervan plans to do another go around of the wedding novella’s next year but maybe they could catch readers up on the lives of the people they’ve been introduced to over the past two years instead!

***Zondervan Publishers provided me with a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.