Madeline Bell! You goddess!!! What a divine ode to the queen of romances herself (Jane Austen, duh!) The opening prologue talks about Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice - if that does not tickle your memory, Do NOT go near chapter 27!!
Take Jane Austen, Twelfth Night, Northanger Abbey plus a grumpy brooding British hero and a ray of sunshine, watery eyed, flower child - add all the above to a blender and voila! you see a novel you wish would turn to a movie. The author contrasts the sensibilities of the modern era with the modes of the regency period, adding some smoldering dialogues and repartees from our favorite Austen works, and you are left with a satisfied afterglow!
The tale follows two actors who are to be leads in the Northanger Abbey, Hugh Balfour as the upright and reserved method artist and Tess Bright, his heart on the sleeve counterpart- their chemistry and relationship building is gradual, silly and romantic, I think that's what makes it perfect - not being overwhelmed by circumstances but taking time to be themselves and honest potrayals of their faults and virtues that makes this an automatic winner! I love how Tess reacts to situations by cataloguing which character from Austen-world they resemble and then the dialogs roll off her tongue. Its wickedly entertaining and my inner-Tess balked at having to finish the book - because we didn't want it to end!!
A million thank yous to St Martins Press and Netgalley for furnishing me with the ARC. I am ardently in your debt. and to the author, you have become an auto buy author for me! thank you for giving Austen her limelight and I had a field day with twelfth night too!!
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