The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen

Why I wanted to read this Book

When I was asked if I wanted to be on the Blog Tour of The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Asuten by Ada Bright and Cass Grafton, I said yes without hesitating for a second. This even when I had never read these two authors before and had no idea if their writing style was my cup of tea.

It was because of Miss Jane Austen!

Yes, you read that right. Jane Austen is one of my all time favourite authors and I was not going to miss out on this novel just because I did not know what was in store for me here.

Here is a little synopsis for you

Before I actually give you a synopsis, take a look at the book cover. Isn’t it pretty? I mean very, very pretty!

When a time travelling Jane Austen gets stuck in modern-day Bath it’s up to avid Janeite Rose Wallace to save her… because she’s the only one who knows that Jane exists!

Rose Wallace’s world revolves around all things Austen, and with the annual festival in Bath – and the arrival of dishy archaeologist, Dr Aiden Trevellyan – just around the corner, all is well with the world…

But then a mysterious woman who bears more than a passing resemblance to the great author moves in upstairs, and things take a disastrous turn. Rose’s new neighbour is Jane Austen, whose time travel adventure has been sabotaged by a mischievous dog, trapping her in the twenty-first century.

Rose’s life is instantly changed – new home, new job, new friends – but she’s the only one who seems to have noticed! To right the world around her, she will have to do whatever it takes to help Jane get back home to write Rose’s beloved novels. Because a world without Mr Darcy? It’s not worth living in!

My Thoughts on the  Book

I have been going on an on about it so much that if you follow me on any social media, you’d know by now that I loved the book. And, I do not say this lightly. I seriously loved it! As a Janeite myself, I can say the book is well researched and gives a sense of endearing a legend. Kind of humanising a legend too.

So, in this one Jane Austen is not really the main character while at the same time she is the most important person in this story as well. Confusing? What I mean is, it is not Jane’s perspective or her being the main person in the story but the story is there only because Jane existed.

Still confusing? You’ve got to read the book already!

Rose, our lead lady in the story, is a woman who has always underestimated herself and this encounter with her favourite author (who died a couple of centuries ago) – Jane Austen – teaches her how she ought to grab at the opportunities life presents as that is an integral part of her life.

The story portrays how one person’s existence (or non-existence for that matter) may not only impact another person’s life but may as well change the face of the future itself. This is shown by dear Jane Austen’s ability to time travel but still holding the ability to go back to her time so that the timeline of the world moves at it’s own pace and what chaos ensues once the portal to real time is lost.

Just because there has been no Jane Austen in the history of the world, so much changes! A city’s importance. Friendships existing no more. Businesses losing their selling points. Entire future (or present, really) changes!

I was with these two as they made their way in the current chaos and worked towards restoring the normal reality to regain what had been lost.

There is a sub-plot of a romance and I love how that has not been overdone and keep it very real with the hesitancy and fear of rejection in the forefront of the minds of all involved. I say all because there is more than one romance sub-plot.

Seriously, just read it already!

If you are a Janeite, give this one a go. I give it a solid 4.25/5!

Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources for arranging this blog tour.

A little about the authors before I sign off

Ada Bright

Ada grew up much more fond of reading than sports or socializing and still tends to ignore everyone she loves, all her responsibilities and basic life needs when she’s in the middle of a book. She spent over a decade as a photographer before dedicating herself to writing, though she still believes that life should be documented well and often.

There is nothing she loves more than a good, subtle love story whether it be in real life, tv, movie, theatre or book form… well, except cake. She also really loves cake.

 

Cass Grafton

A proud bookworm since childhood, Cass writes the sort of stories she loves to read – heart-warming, character driven and strong on location. Having moved around extensively and lived in three countries, she finds places inspiring and the setting of her novels often becomes as much a part of the story as her characters.

She has an over-active imagination, is prone to crying with happiness as much as she is at sadness, but when it comes to her writing she leans heavily towards the upbeat and insists on a happy ever after. As one of her favourite authors, Jane Austen, once wrote, ‘let other pens dwell on guilt and misery’.