The Mischief of the Mistletoe - Lauren Willig

Summary: Arabella Dempsey's dear friend Jane Austen warned her against teaching. But Miss Climpson's Select Seminary for Young Ladies seems the perfect place for Arabella to claim her independence while keeping an eye on her younger sisters nearby. Just before Christmas, she
accepts a position at the girls' school in Bath. She hardly imagines coming face-to-face with French aristocrats and international spies...
Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh - often mistaken for the elusive spy know as the Pink Carnation - has blundered into danger before. When Turnip and Arabella find a beautifully wrapped Christmas pudding with a cryptic message, they are launched on a Yuletide adventure that ranges from the Austens' modest drawing room to the awe-inspiring estate of the Duke of Dovedale and an elaborate Christmas celebration.
Will they find poinsettias or peril, dancing or danger? Is it possible that the fate of the British Empire rests in Arabella's and Turnip's hands in the form of a festive Christmas pudding?


Comments: Perfect for a winter read (even though it's not terribly cold here now). The story of the unassuming, but practical Arabella Dempsey and the handsome, rich, but slight quirky Turnip Fitzhugh is a lovely addition to the Pink Carnation pantheon. It's very interesting how this story folds into the Temptation of the Night Jasmine which of course, leads to The Betrayal of the Blood Lily. The back cover quotes "Pride and Prejudice lives on" and while I agree there is a classic quality to them, but it is not the best analogy I think. These have more mystery, more romance (read: almost sex), and are quite funny. Austen has a dry wit. It's just not quite a fair way to describe the books. I do tend to like the female characters, but Turnip is downright adorable. We all know some guy like him, blessed in the looks department which is good because he's a few tools short in the shed. Lovely story and a quick read for the holidays.

Austenland - Shannon Hale

Summary: Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. 
 
Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen—or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It’s all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

Comment: I had heard of this book before, but the premiss seemed a bit far fetched (where did that phrase come from?). Who would want to spend real time in Regency England? I like reading about it - at least Miss Austen's version of it, but I sure the heck wouldn't want to live it. Plus just the stigma of being lame enough to go to Austenland? I'm just not there. That said, I enjoyed the book. It was quirky and fun and had all the important parts necessary; scheming mother, brooding handsome stranger, competitive women, plus a normal nice guy.  While the premiss did seem a bit out there, it's written in a believable manner so I got over that part. Jane  - let's see - she's a strange girl, but in the best possible way - I liked her. 

Further Comment: In looking for a picture of the book cover, I have just discovered what, I'm sure, the rest of the Jane Austen world knows - that this is being made into a movie - and even better JJ Feild will be in it.  Ah, Mr. Tilney. 

Love at Absolute Zero - Christopher Meeks

Summary: Gunnar Gunderson is a physicist who teaches at University of Wisconsin who work relates to getting to absolute zero - it's his holy grail. As he earns tenure, he decides he needs to take control of his person life -  which means finding a wife in three days. That's all the time he can spare away from his research. 


Comments: There was just something so hopeless naive about Gunnar that I had to read the book. It's not just romance, it's not all science, but it certainly is about life and how we, mostly, stumble our way through it. I could say more on this, but I don't want to give up too much of the story. It is a bit of an unusual pick for me, but I really enjoyed it. Gunnar is dense, brilliant, goofy and hopeless all at the same time - that why you need to read the book. 

I'm prepared to be annoyed

until the time changes back. I hate the time change in winter, though it's still fall here. It's just so depressing.  Sigh. 

A Poisoned Season - Tasha Alexander

Summary: London's social season is in full swing and Victorian aristocracy can't stop whispering about a certain gentleman who claims to be the direct descendant of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. But he's not the only topic of wagging tongues. Drawing rooms, boudoirs, and ballrooms are abuzz with the latest news of an audacious cat burglar who has been systematically stealing valuable items that once belonged to the ill-fated queen.
Light gossip turns serious when the owner of one of the pilfered treasures is found murdered, and the mysterious thief develops a twisted obsession with Lady Emily Ashton. It will take all of Emily's wit and perseverance to unmask her stalker and ferret out the murderer, while faced with a brewing scandal that threatens both her reputation and her romance with her late husband's best friend, the dashing Colin Hargreaves.


Comment: Lady Emily Ashton is smart, modern, maybe too much so. She has a gift for sorting out problems, but that gift gets her involved in all sorts of trouble that cause notice among the ton. She's independent and encourages her female friends to be so too, which means certain families avoid her altogether. Ms. Alexander has created a real character with Emily Ashton, but her secondary characters are good as well. Charles Berry, the pretender to the non-existant French throne, is despicable, Ivy, remains her innocent self, and Margaret plans a deception to get her parents to allow her to go to Oxford. Emily's friend Cecile, along w/Brutus and Caesar, is an instigator in the best possible ways for Emily. Of course, there is Colin Hargreaves, handsome, an operative for the home office, and Emily's love interest - but will she finally agree to marry him?
There is a largely looming character over the whole novel - the season. What it means to women and, to some degree, to men. How gossip can change your status, how an innocent misstep can too. And if you have a conniving mother, how you could end up marrying some one you hardly know and don't like instead of the one man you truly love.

The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer

Summary: Horatia Winwood is simply helping her family - When the Earl of Rule proposed marriage to her sister Lizzie, Horatia offers herself instead. Her sister is already in love with someone else, and Horatia is willing to sacrifice herself for her family's happiness. Everyone knows she's no beauty, but she'll do her best to keep out of the Earl's way and make him a good wife. And then the Earl's archenemy, Sir Robert, sets out to ruin her reputation ...
The Earl of Rule has found just the wife he wants - Unbeknownst to Horatia, the Earl is enchanted by her. There's simply no way he's going to let her get into trouble. Overcoming some misguided help from Horatia's harebrained brother and a hired highwayman, the Earl routs his old enemy, and wins over his young wife, gifting her with a love that she never thought she could expect.


Comments: I have an intrinsic problem with this story. Why would Rule accept Horatia as a substitute for her sister Lizzie. Lizzie is the eldest, she's beautiful, and has a lovely personality. Charlotte, the middle daughter, reminded me of Mary Bennet of Pride and Prejudice. Horatia is not beautiful and not rich and she stutters - quite a bit, so what the heck is the appeal? I guess the idea that she will leave Rule to run his live as he sees fit without an interference from Horry (hate the nickname by the way), but really having the Massey (ie. his mistress) is enough to let him over look a seventeen year-old with a stutter? I just can't buy this part of the story.
That said, Horatia, now married has a grand time for herself - basically she's become a club girl - out all night with all sorts of people, gambling, drinking and living it up. Rule seems not to mind until she strikes up a friendship with his enemy Sir Robert Lethbridge. Lethbridge, at one time, was interested in Rule's sister Louisa. The surrounding characters, including Horatia's brother Pelham, Captain Edward Heron, Lizzie's eventual husband and Pelham's friend Pomeroy are well written and quite hysterical in the search for a missing piece of jewelery that could indite Horatia. If you can suspend reality to get past why Rule would want to marry Horatia, this is a very interesting and fun story.

Caroline Bingley by Jennifer Becton

Summary: When Charles Bingley and Mr. Darcy made proposals of marriage to the Bennet sisters at the end of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Caroline Bingley was both distressed by her brother's choice of bride and humiliated by Mr. Darcy's rejection of her. And she made her objections known.
Now banished from her brother's household, Caroline must return to her mother's home in the north of England until she can make amends with both Bennet sisters. Desperate though Caroline may be to return to polite company, she absolutely refuses to apologize to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and instead, she seeks an alternative route back into society in the form of Mr. William Charlton, heir to a barony.
Through her connections with Mr. Charlton's sister Lavinia, Caroline begins to infiltrate the household in the hopes of securing the gentleman and his title for herself. However, she must also contend with her vexing emotions regarding Mr. Patrick Rushton, a once-wealthy
landowner, and the meddlesome opinions of Mrs. Rosemary Pickersgill, the companion sent by her brother.
When all that Caroline has ever dreamed of attaining--an ancient family name, a title, and a home of her own--is finally within her reach, will she grasp for it even if it means disregarding the workings of her own heart? Or will she cast off the trappings of society and give herself to true love?


Comments: Ever wondered what happened to Caroline Bingley after the end of Pride & Prejudice? Yeah, right, me either. I felt the same way about Charlotte Lucas, and Jennifer Becton changed my mind about that. I purchased this book three days ago and planned to read it as soon as I finished the three others I had going at the time. After the first few pages of Ms. Becton's story, those other books - including a Georgette Heyer - were set aside for Caroline Bingley.
She's haughty, snide, ugly and has been dismissed from Charles' favor and sent to the far north and her mother's home. She has been disappointed by Darcy, and Charles is furious with her over her treatment of Jane and Elizabeth Bennet. She's embarrassed and tries to hide this all from her mother, her traveling companion Rosemary Pickersgill, and her old friend Lavinia Winton. She quickly forms designs on Lavinia's brother, Mr. Charlton, despite rumors of his reputation, because one day he will be a baron and it would be a fine thing for Caroline to be his baroness.
While there are a few characters from Pride & Prejudice, Ms. Becton created a world of her own with Mr. Rushton, Rosemary Pickersgill and Mr and Mrs. Newton, Caroline's mother and her new husband the bridge-building engineer. The characters are smart and engaging and it's fun to watch Caroline realize that those around her are possibly more shrewd than she ever thought. The plot is intriguing and moves quickly, but not so fast that you don't get to know the characters. I've read Ms. Becton's other novel, Charlotte Collins and short story, Maria Lucas. In a very different vain, I've read Ms. Becton's Absolute Liability and and looking forward to future works in her Southern Fraud Thriller Series. I can't wait to see what Ms. Becton does next.

Jane Austen Made Me Do It - Edited by Laurel Ann Nattress

Summary: If you just heaved a contented sigh at Mr. Darcy's heartfelt words, then you, dear reader, are in good company. Here is a delightful collection of never-before-published stories inspired by Jane Austen - her novels, her life, her wit, her world. Regency or contemporary, romantic or fantastical, each of these marvelous stories reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history's most cherished authors. (Source: Cover)


Comments: This was a delightful set of short stories that were inspired, by some way or another, by Jane Austen. I would love to comment on each story, but I shall limit myself to the ones that caught my attention and piqued my interest. All the stories were enjoyable, but some had that little quirk that really made me think or laugh. Laurel Ann Nattress has created a volume that will have something (more than one something, of that I'm sure) for everyone.
I'd say I've read texts by half of these authors before, so it was the comfort of the familiar with the interest in the authors unknown, until now, to me. One, now, to the stories.
What would Austen do? by Jane Rubino & Caitlen Rubino-Bradway is one of the funnest stories I've read in a while. Parents being brought to school because their child is too good? I guess Miss Austen has that effect on people. It's contemporary, it's funny, it's irreverent. I
loved it and they are new authors to me.
Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss by Jo Beverly Can a widow find love? Will she be willing to try again. This one just might because one of her neighbors is none other than Miss Austen. A lovely story with a lovely family that I would like to see expanded into a full book. Again, a new author to me. 
Nothing less than a Fairy-land by Monica Fairview is the lovely continuation of Emma in which Mr. Knightly moves into Hartfield, much to the consternation of Mr. Woodhouse. How can Emma reconcile her father to the situation. It's one of the most unexpected turns. 
It's really really hard not to just keep adding books, but I'll suffice with just a few more.
The Love Letter by Brenna Aubrey The author who until now was unpublished. She's the contest winner and gave a great modern Persuasion rendition that I particularly enjoyed as I work with a number of physicians. 
A Night at Northanger by Lauren Willig. An author I have read many many times and have enjoyed greatly takes on modern ghost hunting in Northanger Abbey. It's an hysterical take on modern television and modern society. Great fun. 
Heard of You by Margaret C. Sullivan (aka Mags) An author and blogger that I adore has written a back story of the meeting of Admiral Croft and Sophy Wentworth. It's charming, but I am shocked that Mags didn't write about Henry Tilney - that said, a lovely story that I wouldn't mind seeing more of. 
Okay, I have to stop at some point. So many great stories - which will all be available tomorrow. If you like Jane Austen you will enjoy these stories. 

The Hanover Square Affair - Ashley Gardner

Summary: Meet Captain Gabriel Lacey-in an extraordinary series of Regency-set mysteries. Cavalry captain Gabriel Lacey returns to Regency London from the Napoleonic wars, burned out, fighting melancholia, his career ended. His interest is piqued when he learns of a missing girl, possibly kidnapped by a prominent member of Parliament. Lacey's search for the girl leads to the discovery of murder, corruption, and dealings with a leader of the underworld. Lacey faces his own disorientation upon transitioning from a soldier's life to the civilian world, redefining his role with his former commanding officer, and making new friends--from the top of society to the street girls of Covent Garden.  (Source: Amazon)


Comment: I cannot remember how I stumbled into this book, but I'm certainly glad that I did. I'm pleased to see that there are several more in the series. I'm looking forward to reading them all. Captain Gabriel Lacey is my kind of guy. So let's proceed to why I liked this story. It was intriguing, with fully developed characters and in a time period I enjoy. Lacey is honest, has integrity, and isn't afraid to help the helpless. He's been wounded, both physically and psychologically, but uses neither as a crutch. He's also got the evil of a temper... not one I would want to be on the wrong side of, to be honest.
There are strong secondary characters, some of whom, I'm still not sure of their intentions. Lucius Grenville is a charming man-about-town, a trend leader, and a good friend to Lacey. Marianne Simmons, Lacey's slightly needy and slightly tart-ish, upstairs neighbor, is an actress who is constantly stealing from him and attempting to find protectors to keep her company. Louisa Brandon, wife of his former Colonel Aloysius Brandon, who is Lacey's very close friend and sometime confidant. The three have known each other for more than twenty years. Mr. Denis, is a strange person who has the ability to acquire things for others. But why does he want Lacey?I look forward to the next story, A Regimental Murder.

Jane Austen in under a minute

Okay, some might find they sacrilege, but I find it hysterical. Jane in under a minute. Here.