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By a Lady: Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England
A tale of time travel, true love, and Jane Austen
New York actress C.J. Welles, a die-hard Jane Austen fan, is on the verge of landing her dream portraying her idol in a Broadway play. But during her final audition, she is mysteriously transported to Bath, England, in the year 1801. And Georgian England, with its rigid and unforgiving social structure and limited hygienic facilities, is not quite the picturesque costume drama C.J. had always imagined.
Just as she wishes she could click her heels together and return to Manhattan, C.J. meets the delightfully eccentric Lady Dalrymple, a widowed countess who takes C.J. into her home, introducing her as a poor relation to Georgian society—including the dashing Earl of Darlington and his cousin, Jane Austen!
When a crisis develops, C.J.—in a race against time—becomes torn between two centuries. An attempt to return to her own era might mean forfeiting her blossoming romance with the irresistible Darlington and her growing friendship with Jane Austen, but it’s a risk she must take. And in the midst of this remarkable series of events, C.J. discovers something even more startling—a secret from her own past that may explain how she wound up in Bath in the first place.
New York actress C.J. Welles, a die-hard Jane Austen fan, is on the verge of landing her dream portraying her idol in a Broadway play. But during her final audition, she is mysteriously transported to Bath, England, in the year 1801. And Georgian England, with its rigid and unforgiving social structure and limited hygienic facilities, is not quite the picturesque costume drama C.J. had always imagined.
Just as she wishes she could click her heels together and return to Manhattan, C.J. meets the delightfully eccentric Lady Dalrymple, a widowed countess who takes C.J. into her home, introducing her as a poor relation to Georgian society—including the dashing Earl of Darlington and his cousin, Jane Austen!
When a crisis develops, C.J.—in a race against time—becomes torn between two centuries. An attempt to return to her own era might mean forfeiting her blossoming romance with the irresistible Darlington and her growing friendship with Jane Austen, but it’s a risk she must take. And in the midst of this remarkable series of events, C.J. discovers something even more startling—a secret from her own past that may explain how she wound up in Bath in the first place.
363 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
4 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Elyot
6 books19 followersAlso, Leslie Carroll
I was born and raised in New York City, attended the Fieldston School in Riverdale, and received my Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University. I began writing novels in 1998 while I was working three survival jobs simultaneously and struggling to have a career as a working actress. Over the years I slogged away in dreary day jobs in such diverse fields as politics, advertising, public relations, law, and journalism. Finally, in 2003 I was able to become a fulltime author, and I’m still acting professionally as long as the script, the role, and the talent of the people involved are feeding my soul.
My first novel was published in March, 2002. To date I have had seven works of contemporary women’s fiction published under my own name. I have also published four works of historical fiction under the pen name Amanda Elyot.
In June, 2008, I’ll make my nonfiction debut with a book about the sex lives of the English sovereigns, titled ROYAL AFFAIRS: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures that Rocked the British Monarchy.
As Leslie Sara Carroll, I have played virgins, vixens, and villainesses on the in New York stage and in regional theatre and have appeared in commercials, on voiceovers and talking books, and daytime dramas. My classical repertoire includes the leading ladies of Shakespeare, Molière, Coward, Wilde, and a staggering number of Shavian heroines. Not merely confining my performances to the canons of dead playwrights, I am extremely proud to have had the opportunity to read and perform new plays by Meir Z. Ribalow, Arthur Giron, Cassandra Medley, James McLure, Jack Heifner, Pulitzer Prize winner N. Scott Momaday, and National Book Award winner Denis Johnson, among others, as part of two play-development units: New River Dramatists in Healing Springs, NC, and the Playwrights Workshop, at The Players, a renowned theatre and literary social club on New York's Gramercy Park. I am a third-generation member of The Players.
Under the auspices of Survivor Productions, a not-for-profit professional theatre company that I founded in 1989, I produced several seasons of "neglected" plays of the 19th century. I am also the author of three stage adaptations of 19th century/early 20th century English novels: Ivanhoe, The Prisoner of Zenda, and The Scarlet Pimpernel. The first two plays received successful professional productions in New York City; Zenda was a finalist at the Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival. Additionally, I dramatized The Diaries of Adam and Eve, based upon the humorous writing of Mark Twain, which received its premiere at The Players club (of which Twain was a founding member).
Among many other published journalistic pieces, I have written articles on intellectual property rights as they affect directors and dramaturgs, "How to Start a Non-Profit Theatre Company," and "How to Build and Maintain an Audience," for Back Stage, New York's leading trade paper for the Theatre professional, where, as Associate Editor, I wrote and edited theatre industry news and features. I am a member of the Authors Guild and the national chapter of Romance Writers of America.
After spending decades surrounded by hundreds of books, needlework, family mementos, and a plethora of romantic pre-Raphaelite prints in a rambling pre-war apartment I once shared with her grandmother, I moved uptown and now live with my husband on Manhattan's Upper West Side. With Scott by my side, a washer/dryer, dishwasher, and a walk-in closet—I’m in heaven!
I was born and raised in New York City, attended the Fieldston School in Riverdale, and received my Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University. I began writing novels in 1998 while I was working three survival jobs simultaneously and struggling to have a career as a working actress. Over the years I slogged away in dreary day jobs in such diverse fields as politics, advertising, public relations, law, and journalism. Finally, in 2003 I was able to become a fulltime author, and I’m still acting professionally as long as the script, the role, and the talent of the people involved are feeding my soul.
My first novel was published in March, 2002. To date I have had seven works of contemporary women’s fiction published under my own name. I have also published four works of historical fiction under the pen name Amanda Elyot.
In June, 2008, I’ll make my nonfiction debut with a book about the sex lives of the English sovereigns, titled ROYAL AFFAIRS: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures that Rocked the British Monarchy.
As Leslie Sara Carroll, I have played virgins, vixens, and villainesses on the in New York stage and in regional theatre and have appeared in commercials, on voiceovers and talking books, and daytime dramas. My classical repertoire includes the leading ladies of Shakespeare, Molière, Coward, Wilde, and a staggering number of Shavian heroines. Not merely confining my performances to the canons of dead playwrights, I am extremely proud to have had the opportunity to read and perform new plays by Meir Z. Ribalow, Arthur Giron, Cassandra Medley, James McLure, Jack Heifner, Pulitzer Prize winner N. Scott Momaday, and National Book Award winner Denis Johnson, among others, as part of two play-development units: New River Dramatists in Healing Springs, NC, and the Playwrights Workshop, at The Players, a renowned theatre and literary social club on New York's Gramercy Park. I am a third-generation member of The Players.
Under the auspices of Survivor Productions, a not-for-profit professional theatre company that I founded in 1989, I produced several seasons of "neglected" plays of the 19th century. I am also the author of three stage adaptations of 19th century/early 20th century English novels: Ivanhoe, The Prisoner of Zenda, and The Scarlet Pimpernel. The first two plays received successful professional productions in New York City; Zenda was a finalist at the Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival. Additionally, I dramatized The Diaries of Adam and Eve, based upon the humorous writing of Mark Twain, which received its premiere at The Players club (of which Twain was a founding member).
Among many other published journalistic pieces, I have written articles on intellectual property rights as they affect directors and dramaturgs, "How to Start a Non-Profit Theatre Company," and "How to Build and Maintain an Audience," for Back Stage, New York's leading trade paper for the Theatre professional, where, as Associate Editor, I wrote and edited theatre industry news and features. I am a member of the Authors Guild and the national chapter of Romance Writers of America.
After spending decades surrounded by hundreds of books, needlework, family mementos, and a plethora of romantic pre-Raphaelite prints in a rambling pre-war apartment I once shared with her grandmother, I moved uptown and now live with my husband on Manhattan's Upper West Side. With Scott by my side, a washer/dryer, dishwasher, and a walk-in closet—I’m in heaven!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
July 4, 2017
I had this Austenesque time-travelling escapade on my TBR shelf for a few years and it's finally been read! I am usually not a fan of modern Austenesque stories, but I enjoyed this one (probably because it's mostly in the past).
I enjoyed it for how C.J. presented 1801 Bath to us, I'm sure most of us would end up in jail within our first 24 hours or so.
There were a few holes (where did the yellow dress go is one, etc.) that I wondered about in this time travel plot, but all in all it was enjoyable! The ending DID surprise me!
I enjoyed it for how C.J. presented 1801 Bath to us, I'm sure most of us would end up in jail within our first 24 hours or so.
There were a few holes (where did the yellow dress go is one, etc.) that I wondered about in this time travel plot, but all in all it was enjoyable! The ending DID surprise me!
August 10, 2008
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. It starts off with an interesting premise-21st century gal gets magically transported to Jane Austen's Bath-but then descends into new ways the author can get the 21st c. gal into sexual situations (I gave up taking it seriously at the tantric sex. That was before she witnessed a threesome in a brothel) and how often she can have Jane Austen spout lines from her novels.
August 25, 2008
Unable to finish this one, due to the twin strikes against it of 1) featuring the Kama Sutra to an excessive degree (Regency Romance cliche I am sick to death of) and 2) containing JANEAUSTENBOT-1800, who only apparently speaks in direct quotes from Austen's works and letters.
November 8, 2018
3.5 stars.
C.J. is trying out for a part on Broadway, hoping to play her favourite author, Jane Austen. As the audition comes to a close, she suddenly finds herself in Bath, England, in the year 1801. Now what? She has no money, no place to stay, and knows no one! C.J. finds herself in all sorts of different situations while in the early 19th century.
It was a good book. I learned a little bit about the time period, as well.
C.J. is trying out for a part on Broadway, hoping to play her favourite author, Jane Austen. As the audition comes to a close, she suddenly finds herself in Bath, England, in the year 1801. Now what? She has no money, no place to stay, and knows no one! C.J. finds herself in all sorts of different situations while in the early 19th century.
It was a good book. I learned a little bit about the time period, as well.
April 3, 2019
Many others have, understandably, given this silly book a very low rating; however, there's a difference between a silly book and a stupid book, so I'm being a little more gracious with my rating. The story is so ridiculous that the reader often wonders if the author is having a joke with us all; but it's very WELL written, using a rich and intelligent vocabulary, and is very well researched, the author having a good understanding of Regency era Bath.
My initial reaction was that the author was using far too many Jane facts all at once. I wrote, "not everything has to be explained. A fan already knows these things and a non-fan won't care. Too much clever gets to be annoying." After awhile, I realized this was going to be the style of the entire book so I gave up my frustration and rolled with it. It did get better after awhile when I realized the author was pretty knowledgeable and offered many interesting lessons on Georgian/Regency life.
The story was so unbelievable that it would be silly to even attempt a comment. Many reviewers have expressed frustration that it all seemed so coincidental and ridiculous. I'd invite those readers to stop for a moment and remember they're reading a time travel story. Time travel is impossible. Therefore, EVERYTHING in this story is silly and ridiculous...it's built upon a ridiculous premise. So, rather than trying to pick apart the story itself, perhaps it makes more sense to comment on the predictable elements within it.
My only issue with her actual grammatical style was the fact she put quotes around far too many words and phrases, hoping to emphasize their importance. The whole "aunt" and "niece" thing was frustrating, as I found myself emphasizing them in my head as I read them, page after page. I suppose it was supposed to build up to the fact that she didn't use them at the end---emphasizing the true connection between these two characters---but that was annoyingly anticlimactic.
I was not impressed with the character of CJ. Firstly, she had way more knowledge than made sense---no matter how much she'd researched for her character. Sure, she may have perfected a 21st century idea of what Regency life was like, making her actions less conspicuous once she got there, but it's very unlikely she'd be able to speak their way so easily, quickly, and without detection. No matter how much I study a foreign language, I will never speak it flawlessly to other native speakers my first time out. While American English and British English may be mostly the same language, any American who has read something written by a 21st century Briton can tell the difference almost immediately---how much more the difference between a 21 century actress and the 18th century culture into which she stepped?
A second unlikely thing was CJ's reaction to meeting Jane Austen. She doesn't seem to care a bit and the beloved author is treated like any other character. It's not until after several meetings with her that CJ expresses any sort of awe that they are friends. (Side note: robotic Jane-quoting Jane is also really annoying.)
I suppose I could comment here, at length, on the predictability of the story; but as I said above, it's made to be unrealistic to begin with so expectations should be appropriate.
Lastly, my biggest beef with the story was the explicit sex scenes. Always unnecessary---but very unexpected in this story and unneeded, too. Austen introduced us to many romantic relationships without any hint of impropriety. Surely this author could have challenged herself to do the same.
Overall, I liked reading about Bath---mainly because I'll be going there again twice this year, for my fourth and fifth visits, and will enjoy some of the same walks and views as these characters did. However, the rest of the story's elements left me rolling my eyes. Not a bad book---but not a super great one. Without the explicit scenes, I might recommend it for its silly fun look at Regency life, but I can't suggest it to anyone with those scenes included.
My initial reaction was that the author was using far too many Jane facts all at once. I wrote, "not everything has to be explained. A fan already knows these things and a non-fan won't care. Too much clever gets to be annoying." After awhile, I realized this was going to be the style of the entire book so I gave up my frustration and rolled with it. It did get better after awhile when I realized the author was pretty knowledgeable and offered many interesting lessons on Georgian/Regency life.
The story was so unbelievable that it would be silly to even attempt a comment. Many reviewers have expressed frustration that it all seemed so coincidental and ridiculous. I'd invite those readers to stop for a moment and remember they're reading a time travel story. Time travel is impossible. Therefore, EVERYTHING in this story is silly and ridiculous...it's built upon a ridiculous premise. So, rather than trying to pick apart the story itself, perhaps it makes more sense to comment on the predictable elements within it.
My only issue with her actual grammatical style was the fact she put quotes around far too many words and phrases, hoping to emphasize their importance. The whole "aunt" and "niece" thing was frustrating, as I found myself emphasizing them in my head as I read them, page after page. I suppose it was supposed to build up to the fact that she didn't use them at the end---emphasizing the true connection between these two characters---but that was annoyingly anticlimactic.
I was not impressed with the character of CJ. Firstly, she had way more knowledge than made sense---no matter how much she'd researched for her character. Sure, she may have perfected a 21st century idea of what Regency life was like, making her actions less conspicuous once she got there, but it's very unlikely she'd be able to speak their way so easily, quickly, and without detection. No matter how much I study a foreign language, I will never speak it flawlessly to other native speakers my first time out. While American English and British English may be mostly the same language, any American who has read something written by a 21st century Briton can tell the difference almost immediately---how much more the difference between a 21 century actress and the 18th century culture into which she stepped?
A second unlikely thing was CJ's reaction to meeting Jane Austen. She doesn't seem to care a bit and the beloved author is treated like any other character. It's not until after several meetings with her that CJ expresses any sort of awe that they are friends. (Side note: robotic Jane-quoting Jane is also really annoying.)
I suppose I could comment here, at length, on the predictability of the story; but as I said above, it's made to be unrealistic to begin with so expectations should be appropriate.
Lastly, my biggest beef with the story was the explicit sex scenes. Always unnecessary---but very unexpected in this story and unneeded, too. Austen introduced us to many romantic relationships without any hint of impropriety. Surely this author could have challenged herself to do the same.
Overall, I liked reading about Bath---mainly because I'll be going there again twice this year, for my fourth and fifth visits, and will enjoy some of the same walks and views as these characters did. However, the rest of the story's elements left me rolling my eyes. Not a bad book---but not a super great one. Without the explicit scenes, I might recommend it for its silly fun look at Regency life, but I can't suggest it to anyone with those scenes included.
June 29, 2022
This book is so bad but also highly entertaining!
March 5, 2012
This was truly god-awful! About half-way through it occurred to me that the author thought she was writing a farce, but since nothing had yet struck me as funny, I must be excused for not having previously noticed. The absolute stupidity of a character transported through time responding not with horror, or awe, or fear, but only mild curiosity is absurd (and not in any way funny!) When she finds herself in another century, our heroine makes no attempt to return, spares no time to wonder how or where she will eat or sleep or even relieve herself, but simply proceeds to play the tourist for the rest of the day. Her only worries were whether she was fashionably enough dressed. When it does finally occur to our heroine to wonder how indeed she will relieve herself, or deal with such realities as her period, the author does not bother to give us an answer after asking the question, an intolerable cheat. On two different occasions our heroine assures another poor unfortunate that she will take care of her and never forget her, only to abandon them both without another thought when her own circumstances change. The cut and paste effect of the Austen dialogue is amazingly awkward, without ever being funny. Yuck! I can’t believe I was such a fool (again) as to hope that somewhere out there was someone able to “play” with Jane Austen in an amusing way!
December 31, 2008
Yet another woman-who-travels-back-to-Jane-Austen's-time novel, although I think I prefer novelists that revisit Austen's characters and imagine their later lives. Rather extensive erotic scene midway through; about a 10-pager lol. What would Jane say?
June 16, 2011
I don't know if there are enough words to convey how much I disliked this story. Don't waste your time.
May 18, 2013
Jane Austen + Romance novel = a book I'm ashamed I've read.
July 8, 2025
This book was a little slow to get into. I think I struggled a little with the perspective the author took with it. I'm very much into 19th century England, but in an effort to take the reader there much as she took CJ there, we often get taken out of CJs story and into other people's viewpoints that I felt was kind of unnecessary. It's not a first person narrative, but at times I thought we were diving too much into random people's thoughts. She doesn't stay there long, but I struggled with that cause I just didn't care. I did like the spicy element to it, it's very Bridgerton before there was Bridgerton. At one point about midway through she mentions CJ was adopted. I couldn't remember if she had mentioned it prior to that, but as soon as she did I had a feeling I knew where it was heading and it didn't disappoint. So I didn't think the big reveal was all that big. And there are still things I'm confused about, like the necklace that I thought she said she came across randomly but somehow was really hers all along. Oh also, Jane Austen doesn't have that big of a role. She's there, but she literally adds nothing to the plot? But overall I did get into the story so it's more like a 3.5. Read this if you like time travel and Georgian England.
August 28, 2019
"By a Lady" is, I think, what some of Jane Austin's books gave as the author's name.
This is Jane Austin and time travel (to Austin's time). What I remember most about this was the protagonist's discomfort with the clothes she had to wear in that time, some of them felt funny and some were too, too revealing for her comfort.
This is Jane Austin and time travel (to Austin's time). What I remember most about this was the protagonist's discomfort with the clothes she had to wear in that time, some of them felt funny and some were too, too revealing for her comfort.
October 5, 2018
This started out well, and the Jane Austen tone of it pulled me right in. Unfortunately, the graphic sex threw me back out again. I don't generally mind sex in a book if it's integral to the plot, but in this case, it destroyed the whole Jane Austen vibe. And I never really got back into it.
July 17, 2022
Very silly, but an interesting start
March 15, 2023
I read a similar book last year. A girl goes back in time to the regency era, she’s really into Jane Austen, she gets to live her dream by meeting Austen blah blah blah.
The big difference between the two is this one seems more realistic.
The big difference between the two is this one seems more realistic.
April 25, 2013
Amanda Elyot does not dumb down her books. She has an impressive vocabulary and clearly did extensive research for this one. So it ends up being just about as convincing and effective as a time travel novel with Jane Austen as a character could be -- probably because it has a story of its own to tell that does not depend on Austen's work to exist, unlike other works in this category which I have read. Austen has already told us everything that needs to be told about her own stories, perhaps.
Yes, Austen herself is a character, but a minor one -- probably necessary to minimize the chances of writing her wrongly in some fan's eyes. Her portrayal here is not unbelievable, in part because she often delivers lines very similar to those in her books, which Elyot inserts without fanfare, rewarding the knowledgeable reader but not beating her over the head. That's probably because their contexts do not exactly mirror those in Austen's books, giving the reader a chance to think about how we are supposed to take them. Should we agree? Should we rethink them? etc. Without blowing Austen's work out of the water, Elyot does, bravely and gently, problematize some components of Austen's work. It is the best kind of flattery.
The story is also completely consistent. All oddities are explained quite satisfyingly by the end (except there is no comment when the protagonist's real age is revealed, and there probably should have been). There are plot twists, as necessary to a good story, but they are not overwhelming or dizzying. I found deliciously ironic the effect that the protagonist's final change of circumstance would have on her lover's situation -- it is a bit of a reversal of the situation of most of Austen's heroines -- but was a little disappointed that, again, the characters do not comment on that.
Yes, there is sex here. There is almost always sex in recent adult-oriented novels, I think. At first I was horrified -- but then today I thought better of it. Why shouldn't there be? Certainly it happened back then, and the characters in Elyot's book respond to it in what would probably be very much an appropriate way for those times. Austen indicates its occurrence herself -- only think of Lydia in Pride and Prejudice, for instance. Lydia's situation turns out well for her because she ultimately does have the connections necessary to bring her lover around to marrying her. One can only imagine how many times something just like that occurred but was ultimately swept under the rug -- and more quietly than happened in Lydia's case. The only difference is that today we could read a book that openly talks of it. Elyot does not whitewash the problems with nineteenth century England in By a Lady.
My only real criticism is that sometimes I felt there had been too much research, and that Elyot's desire to share her knowledge of the time period was crowding out the story a bit. But such moments occurred infrequently and got rarer as the book progressed.
Well done.
Yes, Austen herself is a character, but a minor one -- probably necessary to minimize the chances of writing her wrongly in some fan's eyes. Her portrayal here is not unbelievable, in part because she often delivers lines very similar to those in her books, which Elyot inserts without fanfare, rewarding the knowledgeable reader but not beating her over the head. That's probably because their contexts do not exactly mirror those in Austen's books, giving the reader a chance to think about how we are supposed to take them. Should we agree? Should we rethink them? etc. Without blowing Austen's work out of the water, Elyot does, bravely and gently, problematize some components of Austen's work. It is the best kind of flattery.
The story is also completely consistent. All oddities are explained quite satisfyingly by the end (except there is no comment when the protagonist's real age is revealed, and there probably should have been). There are plot twists, as necessary to a good story, but they are not overwhelming or dizzying. I found deliciously ironic the effect that the protagonist's final change of circumstance would have on her lover's situation -- it is a bit of a reversal of the situation of most of Austen's heroines -- but was a little disappointed that, again, the characters do not comment on that.
Yes, there is sex here. There is almost always sex in recent adult-oriented novels, I think. At first I was horrified -- but then today I thought better of it. Why shouldn't there be? Certainly it happened back then, and the characters in Elyot's book respond to it in what would probably be very much an appropriate way for those times. Austen indicates its occurrence herself -- only think of Lydia in Pride and Prejudice, for instance. Lydia's situation turns out well for her because she ultimately does have the connections necessary to bring her lover around to marrying her. One can only imagine how many times something just like that occurred but was ultimately swept under the rug -- and more quietly than happened in Lydia's case. The only difference is that today we could read a book that openly talks of it. Elyot does not whitewash the problems with nineteenth century England in By a Lady.
My only real criticism is that sometimes I felt there had been too much research, and that Elyot's desire to share her knowledge of the time period was crowding out the story a bit. But such moments occurred infrequently and got rarer as the book progressed.
Well done.
June 25, 2009
A person would think that after one Jane Austen disaster that I would be less inclined to jump into another Austen centered book. However, the description sounded so intriguing that I went against my better judgment. Even the concept of the book had enough potential as to draw me into thinking I had found a gem. Elyot had obviously done her research so I got comfortable and prepared myself for a good read.
The main character, Cassandra Jane (C.J. for short) is a Regency period fanatic and an actress in modern day New York. She lands her dream role in a play as Jane Auste and after a dress rehearsal she is taken back in time to 1801 in Bath, England. There she meets her favorite author, Jane Austen, and falls in love with the Earl of Darlington, Percy. Like I said, the premise is not that bad and Elyot does a good job capturing the readers suspension of disbelief. About half way through I began to realize that this was the Harlequin romance novel that Austen -- thankfully -- never wrote. The sex scenes stretched on for 10 pages at a time and were graphic enough to be considered erotica. I felt that the author was trying to be edgy and exciting, but the writing came off boring and offensive to modern day Regency readers. My suggestion would be to skip pages 180 to 214.
Another main problem was C.J.’s character. Simply put, she had no major flaws. She fits nearly perfectly within Georgian society. The minor mistakes she does make are seen as eccentric rather than faux pas. This does take away the cliché and embarrassing scenes that haunt every time travel piece, but makes the story utterly boring. C.J. is so perfectly cut for 1801 that her inner turmoil to stay in England is really no struggle which makes the reader feel even less connected to her. Lastly, within the last 50 pages every problem is easily solved and C.J. gets the family fortune, the guy, the best friend and the twin babies. This makes me wonder if Elyot wrote this book purely for the sex.
I have to say that even Austen’s character was disappointing. The few times the reader caught a glimpse of her, she spouted lines from her books or letters as if she were a walking quote book. I believe it is time for me to resign from Regency-themed books for at least six months.
The main character, Cassandra Jane (C.J. for short) is a Regency period fanatic and an actress in modern day New York. She lands her dream role in a play as Jane Auste and after a dress rehearsal she is taken back in time to 1801 in Bath, England. There she meets her favorite author, Jane Austen, and falls in love with the Earl of Darlington, Percy. Like I said, the premise is not that bad and Elyot does a good job capturing the readers suspension of disbelief. About half way through I began to realize that this was the Harlequin romance novel that Austen -- thankfully -- never wrote. The sex scenes stretched on for 10 pages at a time and were graphic enough to be considered erotica. I felt that the author was trying to be edgy and exciting, but the writing came off boring and offensive to modern day Regency readers. My suggestion would be to skip pages 180 to 214.
Another main problem was C.J.’s character. Simply put, she had no major flaws. She fits nearly perfectly within Georgian society. The minor mistakes she does make are seen as eccentric rather than faux pas. This does take away the cliché and embarrassing scenes that haunt every time travel piece, but makes the story utterly boring. C.J. is so perfectly cut for 1801 that her inner turmoil to stay in England is really no struggle which makes the reader feel even less connected to her. Lastly, within the last 50 pages every problem is easily solved and C.J. gets the family fortune, the guy, the best friend and the twin babies. This makes me wonder if Elyot wrote this book purely for the sex.
I have to say that even Austen’s character was disappointing. The few times the reader caught a glimpse of her, she spouted lines from her books or letters as if she were a walking quote book. I believe it is time for me to resign from Regency-themed books for at least six months.
December 15, 2015
I'm giving this two stars, because it was rather engaging and did hold my interest until a little more than halfway, when I realized, "nope. I was wrong. This IS actual nonsense". I'm by no means a period drama know-it-all, and my experience is typically delegated to BBC marathons on youtube around midterm season, but even I know that every action she took is a faux-pas. And not the usual embarrassing mistakes one would expect from a modern girl plopped down in ye olde England, but actual reputation-killers. All of which is swept under the rug and she seems to be forgiven every single time! I'm no expert, but I know better than to e.g. dip my entire arm into the punch bowl, expose my breasts in a public park when it's raining, announce during an engagement party with Bath's elite that you're preggers with the groom's baby, and generally not act silly. The Austen crowd I know would have condemned heroines for much much lesser social crimes. For an actress who was an expert in Georgian society, she did no acting and no conforming to the etiquette, which is fine for her but not for the reader. She could have at least given Lady Dalrymple (who was a useless yet convenient figure) a thank you for her rescue by not ruining both their reputations at every single social function they attend.
I didn't relate to her from page one, where she's dancing with a strict Georgian dancing group that take themselves far too seriously. Darlington had no subtlety from the minute he met her, and his courtship of her was fast and hardcore. The Kama Sutra? Really? It was certainly a change from the slow, drawn out courtships that usually take place in an Austen novel. They were a couple of horndogs, which would be okay if the setting matched the characters. But it's out of place.
I didn't relate to her from page one, where she's dancing with a strict Georgian dancing group that take themselves far too seriously. Darlington had no subtlety from the minute he met her, and his courtship of her was fast and hardcore. The Kama Sutra? Really? It was certainly a change from the slow, drawn out courtships that usually take place in an Austen novel. They were a couple of horndogs, which would be okay if the setting matched the characters. But it's out of place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2008
This was the strangest "novel" I've ever encountered! It starts our with our heroine, an actress, at an Old English Country Dancing club...seriously...they wear costumes...because that would make me identify with her?!
She is cast in a play about Jane Austen. Somehow her wardrobe is magical!! The excitement begins as she travels through time and becomes some grumpy old woman's hand maid - woe is me. Once she "escapes" that predicament, she miraculously befriends Jane Austen. And falls in love with a dashing man who ends up engaged to another woman. Oh, the heartbreak and confusion!!
Just to spice things up, the author decides to sprinkle in a few scenes with some romance (i.e. erotica) just to keep things interesting. Which didn't work.
She ends up pregnant (dashing but unavailable suitor is the baby-dadddy), falls off a horse (why couldn't she just die so the book would end!), but ends up with the guy...and twins?! And she lives happily ever after in ye ol' England.
In conclusion: This. Book. Was. Stupid.
She is cast in a play about Jane Austen. Somehow her wardrobe is magical!! The excitement begins as she travels through time and becomes some grumpy old woman's hand maid - woe is me. Once she "escapes" that predicament, she miraculously befriends Jane Austen. And falls in love with a dashing man who ends up engaged to another woman. Oh, the heartbreak and confusion!!
Just to spice things up, the author decides to sprinkle in a few scenes with some romance (i.e. erotica) just to keep things interesting. Which didn't work.
She ends up pregnant (dashing but unavailable suitor is the baby-dadddy), falls off a horse (why couldn't she just die so the book would end!), but ends up with the guy...and twins?! And she lives happily ever after in ye ol' England.
In conclusion: This. Book. Was. Stupid.
February 16, 2009
I always like a different take on period books that have Jane Austen in them or about the time that she wrote. This book had some features that I liked, but there were too many parts that reminded me of a harliquin romance novel. I had to skip pages due to to much information. The first part of the book was very promising, entertainment about a girl that walks off stage trying out for a part as Jane Austen and ends up in 1801 in Bath. The journey of how she can survive this time travel looks like it will be entertaining. I got lost in the very detail scenes of intimacy which were pretty far into the book that I was actually curious how it was going to end. When I first decided to read this book I almost just bought it on Amazon, but instead got it at the library. Thank goodness for that. I can say plainly I will never read this book again and am glad I did not buy it. I cannot reccomend this book and have been saddened by what authors have my out of one of my favorite authors Jane Austen.
June 15, 2011
The only thing I can give this author credit for is the idea. The rest of it just made me want to laugh! Everything was so horrifyingly predictable - at first I wondered if it was supposed to be a satire on the quintessential "happy ending" novel of the time, but its countless sex scenes forced me to scrap that idea. Not to mention the endless (and I mean endless) coincidences and silly actions by silly characters that I just can't be forced to believe.[return][return]And honestly, I could not bring myself to like the protagonist. Her "modern" outlook on life seems, to put it plainly, like that of a modern hooker. She does stupid things and never learns from them - insisting that she won't be "put down" by an era wherein it's merely common sense not to do certain things.[return][return]All in all, the author had a good idea, but her writing was too silly to make it worth reading. At least it gave me a good laugh.
June 15, 2011
The only thing I can give this author credit for is the idea. The rest of it just made me want to laugh! Everything was so horrifyingly predictable - at first I wondered if it was supposed to be a satire on the quintessential "happy ending" novel of the time, but its countless sex scenes forced me to scrap that idea. Not to mention the endless (and I mean endless) coincidences and silly actions by silly characters that I just can't be forced to believe.[return][return]And honestly, I could not bring myself to like the protagonist. Her "modern" outlook on life seems, to put it plainly, like that of a modern hooker. She does stupid things and never learns from them - insisting that she won't be "put down" by an era wherein it's merely common sense not to do certain things.[return][return]All in all, the author had a good idea, but her writing was too silly to make it worth reading. At least it gave me a good laugh.
January 2, 2011
Fun time travel book. Our idiotic (no, really, her behavior is simply incomprehensibly stupid throughout the book) heroine is transported, in the middle of an audition for a Broadway play about Jane Austen, back to... Jane Austen's England! Where she proceeds to do very stupid things, like steal a piece of fruit (and be arrested), have sex and get pregnant when she's unmarried ('cause the Georgians, they love that), and generally act like she expects everyone to welcome 21st-century thought. Not the sharpest quill in the stand, she. But the book itself was cute (if surprisingly full of very NC17 [tantric!!!!] het sex!), although the surprise 'revelation' at the end was anything but. Anyone who hadn't seen that coming, well, is probably very sympathetic to Our Heroine. It was really fun, though, the book.
March 1, 2014
This book started with a lot of promise, and the end was satisfying. The middle was too muddied. The plot seemed forgotten at times and I often found myself reading back a few paragraphs because it made big jumps. All of a sudden a character would speak that you didn't even know was in the scene. And there was one big flaw in reasoning if the ending is to be believed- the author should have kept the time moving equally in both worlds. Plus, I got really annoyed by seeing "aunt" in quotes every time. It should have moved to regular or kept using titles. The quotes assume the reader is too dumb to catch on.
March 8, 2011
Mix of Jane Austen and Diana Gabaldon though not as successful as either of them.[return][return]Modern day actress C. J. Welles finds that a prop door on the stage where she is playing Jane Austen leads her back to Jane Austen's England. There through a series of events, sometimes outlandish, sometimes not, she meets the real Jane Austen, falls in love, and finds her true life.[return][return]Some of the events seem to have arisen from the author's research on the topic more than need of the story, but still an engaging read.
April 30, 2019
Looks like I'm going against the majority to say I really liked this book. CJ Welles was an actress auditioning for a Broadway play when she steps through time and ends up in 1801 Bath in the circle of society that includes Jane Austen. Yes, there were some fantastically convenient plot twists (a random noblewoman decides to adopt her as a "niece", the origin of her "antique"necklace, and the identity of CJ's real parents) and the odd (in the sense of an Austen-inspired book) scene of tantric sex. But overall, I enjoyed CJ's attempt to blend into Georgian society. This was a fun read.
June 10, 2008
May 28, 08 - So far this book is awesome! It's what "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict" should have been. Very, very interesting. Based on what I've read so far any Jane Austen fan might enjoy this book.
June 9, 08 - Very, very good book. I like how this Jane Austen addict actually stuck to the ideals and mannerisms of the time instead of trying to change everybody and everything. It really was her adventure of becoming a lady of Edwardian England.
June 9, 08 - Very, very good book. I like how this Jane Austen addict actually stuck to the ideals and mannerisms of the time instead of trying to change everybody and everything. It really was her adventure of becoming a lady of Edwardian England.
April 29, 2008
I thought this book was great. Had a little light heartedness but also some mystery and what I really loved about it was the ending. I assumed there would be no suprises but there were! And I didn't see it coming. So was really thrilled to read this, also learned some new things about living in Jane Austen days.
May 17, 2008
It was cutely done - time travel, two different eras, two different countries. Like a Connecticut Yankee, a character is trying to "get home" while not giving up the truth about current circumstances.
There was a twist at the end - obvious many pages before it was revealed.
Light reading with some depth.
More erotic moments than I had expected.
fun!
There was a twist at the end - obvious many pages before it was revealed.
Light reading with some depth.
More erotic moments than I had expected.
fun!
June 22, 2008
This book started out as very engaging but about 1/2 way through it, it lost me. I actually skipped a ton of pages to get to the end. Comparing the pros and cons, I would not recommend it when there is so many other good reads out there. (There are few mildly graphic sex scenes which have not place in a Georgian novel in my opinion).
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