Austen Persuaded

Austen Inspired #2

by Alana Highbury

From bestselling author Alana Highbury comes a new contemporary second-chance romance inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion ...

On the surface, Annie has it all. Beauty, brains, youth, a flexible job, and a party girl image—even while a troubled childhood and a missed opportunity for love continue to haunt her. And then it all comes crashing her boyfriend betrays her, she has an epic falling out with a close friend, she’s forced to quit her job, and she sinks into a deep depression fueled by alcohol and her toxic narcissistic mother. Beneath it all is a growing fear that she’ll spot her ex, Kylan, who has shockingly returned to town. How could she face the man whose heart she broke four years ago and who—if she’s really honest with herself—she might never have really gotten over?

Just as soon as Annie is finally getting back on her feet, passionate about her new job as a literary agent assistant, another bomb drops. Kylan’s New York agency is acquiring the agency she was just hired at. Now she not only has to work for him, but she has to watch her new agent colleague and BFF flirt with him. Can she survive working for him while he’s in town and in the same office, or does she need to give up her dream job?

Preorder the second book is this new series today!

This sweet romance, loosely based on Jane Austen's works, has no explicit scenes but does have light to moderate language.

Genres: Romance

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 17, 2025

About the author

Alana Highbury is the author of the Austen Inspired series, along with several holiday romances: Meet Me on Christmas Eve, Snowed In on Valentine's Day, and Dance with Me on New Year's Eve. Her novels blend rom-com, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing board games, cross stitching, or hanging out with her family, which includes a writerly husband and children, two beautiful, lazy cats, and a feisty cockatiel. With master’s and bachelor’s degrees in English, Alana has worked in professional writing and editing roles for two decades, but she’s been an avid fan of romance fiction even longer.

Reviews

[Bailey Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one. I thought the characters really grew and developed plus the Jane Austin references are really such a move. Such a fun concept and rally a great cozy read.

[Mija Kha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Not since I ended a relationship with the man who’d been head over heels in love with me. The man who was everything good in a person—the man I had never deserved. The man I couldn’t forget … the one whose love I couldn’t put out of my mind, couldn’t erase from my body’s memory, couldn’t eradicate from my dreams.”

-5 stars-

Tropes:
-Second chance
-Love triangle
-He falls first
-Author/writer
-She’s a bookie
-Jane Austen retelling

Spice:
1/5

How!? How has Alana Highbury amazed me yet again with her amazing writing skills and really sweet Jane Austen retellings?
This book follows Annie, a city girl that doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life. Basically she's lost, after quitting her job and "breaking up" with her "boyfriend." She decides to reinvent herself and her life.
I absolutely loved Annie, herself. And all of the amazing and fun side characters in this book. Her room mates, Rainn and Rafael were literally some of the best side characters I've got to read about. I also loved the way Viv from Austen Inspired was part of this book!
I love the way Alana Highbury wrote this book because I feel like it explains Annies side of the story! Like the reason her and Viv got into a fight and it justifies what she did and why she did it. Annie herself was so so sweet and bubbly and just so relatable all around.
I'm not going to talk too too much about the lucky guy that Annie ends up with because I don't want to ruin/spoil it, but let me just tell you... Boy, is he swoon-worthy!
Last thing, can we just talk about how cute this book cover is?! Like shut up!
Overall, the book was great! Well written, fun characters, and I honestly couldn't get enough of it! I ate it up!

““What … is … he … doing here?I guess he’s buying books.He’s by the circle. My circle.No, not the book club. NOT MY BOOK CLUB!”

[Melodie Falek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute second chance at love story!!

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion

If you love reading second chances, he falls first, book nerd rep, and Jane Austen retelling you need to read this book. Highbury has done it again, I love her writing style, the plot, the characters and great lessons that you will find.

I love that I didn’t even have to read the Jane Austen book Persuasion to understand the plot of this book and that is best of the way that Highbury writes. I love that we get to see Jane Austen references in the book and if you didn’t know that they were references, Highbury adds in the scenes “just like in the book, or just like the characters in the book”. I loved those moments in the book because being one person who hasn’t read all the Jane Austen books, I love knowing that the plot of the book is a spin off from this book. In this book you will meet Annie and Kylan, and here is the thing… They used to date in college, and they were truly meant for each other, but things didn’t work, and they went their separate ways. Years later Annie is forced to quit her job, her boyfriend who she thought was falling in love with breaks up with her, her best friend Viv and her have a huge fight and Annie finds herself spiraling into depression. With the help of her roommates and other best friends (by the way, these characters are amazing) Rainn and Rafael they’re able to help pull Annie out of her funk and help her get back to herself.

I loved getting to see Annie start to go for what she has always wanted to do and to see her trying to leave her college partying years behind her. She gets a new job and starts to love it until she realizes that the man she let get away is the new owner of the company and he will be staying for a while. She can’t deny that the sparks/feelings are still here when it comes to Kylan, she even starts to get jealous when a coworker and him start spending more time together and she can’t figure out why. (lol we all understand why) I really loved this book so much more than the first one, and don’t worry, they can be read as a standalone but trust me you will love reading the first one and being able to see the characters from book 1 in this book was so much fun. I loved watching Annie reimagine herself into what she really wanted in life. I know for a lot of people, me included, that it was easy for me to relate to her. I loved all her flaws; those are what made her easy to connect with and honestly, I would love to be friends with her in real life. I loved that we got to see a kinda breakup scene, but with her BFF and getting to see those two come back together was great. I know that I have done stupid things like that, and my BFF handled it the same way. This story has so many heartfelt moments, moments that the readers will understand because they have gone through something like that, you will find romance, learning to understand yourself again, it does have a lack of communication and misunderstanding but its so much more. You will find betrayal, losing a job, emotional abuse from a parent and reimaging yourself.

I can’t wait to read what Highbury writes next because I know that I will love it.

I want to thank Alana Highbury for the opportunity to review this book

[Chad Barrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author and though I wasn’t required to post a review, I wanted to voluntarily share my honest opinion after reading this book.

Alana has continued to share her love of Jane Austen
with this second book in the series, Austen Persuaded. Vivi and Jack are secondary characters in this book since they were the main characters in the first book but both play important roles and some scenes are flashbacks to what transpired in the first book.

It was so easy to identify with Annie in this story as she tries to lead a life of partying to hide a life that is anything but happy. She loved a boy in college but her friend and upbringing told her he wasn’t for her so she broke his heart and hers as well in the process
in leaving him.

Throughout the book you get to understand the inner demons that plague her but through it all she has a desire to finally go after what she truly desires only to find out that the man whose heart she broke is now the new owner of the company she has just started working for and he’ll be there in the office where she’ll see him!

She tries to not let her jealousy and hurt show when her best friend at work starts spending time with him because she thinks he hates her anyway but life has a way of working out for the best in this story of love which though dimmed refuses to die out completely.

This story will touch you on a deeper level as you get to know Annie and her friends, one of whom shares the same feelings towards another as she does for her ex.

I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this book and also Austen Inspired as they are so closely related and once you’ve read one, you’ll want to read the other! Again the two main characters in Inspired are prominent in this book so I’d suggest
reading Inspired before reading Persuaded.

I am looking forward to Austen Revisited to find out which character or characters will star in it! This series to me deals with real life situations and in reading it, it’s hard not to think they aren’t really real!
When you read it, you’ll see what I mean!

I loved these two books and I really believe you will also!

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Austen Persuaded
by Alana Highbury
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

RECAP:
Annie is trying to rebuild her life after a painful breakup, career detour, and a spiral into anxiety, but just as things start to stabilize, her ex, Kylan, walks back into her world. Worse? He’s now her boss. As old feelings resurface and professional tensions rise, Annie must face the past she’s been avoiding and decide if a second chance is worth the risk.

REVIEW:
Austen Persuaded is a beautifully honest, modern love story that digs into what it means to grow up, and grow back into someone you once loved. Reading this book felt like catching up with a friend over coffee… the kind of friend who’s trying to hold everything together but is secretly unraveling. (Not that I know anything about that from personal experience or anything!) Annie is sharp and successful on the outside, but underneath the party-girl gloss, she’s nursing old heartbreaks, strained family ties, and the kind of anxiety that doesn’t go away just because life looks okay.

And then, just because things aren’t already interesting enough, her ex shows up. And doesn’t just show up, but becomes her new boss, just as Annie’s trying to reset her career and keep her mental health afloat. Cue the spiraling!

What I loved is how Alana Highbury doesn’t sugarcoat Annie’s messiness. She lets her flail, fall apart, pull herself back up, and still land in something like hope. It’s a second-chance romance, yes, but it’s also about what it means to forgive yourself for who you were when things went wrong the first time, and to have a second chance at loving yourself, too.

If you’ve ever been your own worst enemy, or fallen for someone you weren’t quite ready for yet, this one will hit close to home. It’s witty, emotionally honest, and just swoony enough to keep you up way too late. I was all in.

Thank you @alanahighbury_author and @bookedwiththeemilys for the #gifted copy of this book and for the opportunity to read and review it. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Anastasia Kar · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's easy to have your life turned upside down. 


Annie is what one would call a privileged girl. She is beautiful, charming, easy to like. She has a good job as an editor, lots of friends and admirers, and a penchant to be the party girl everyone wants. 


And then, it all went sideways, and it all started with a flu. See, her boyfriend, Brandon, wasn't the good man she thought he was, and on top of that, her friendship with Vivianna went up in flames as well. That revealed that Annie had to make a complete change of her life: work-wise, relationship-wise, the works. And while that's doable to an extent, everything becomes more complicated when Kylan returns in town. Kylan, as in Annie's old flame, the man she let go a few years ago. Between her new adventures in her dream job and the difficulties of Kylan becoming her boss’ boss AND flirting with her coworker, Annie is in a rough spot. 


Alana Highbury takes us back to the setting of Austen Inspired. This time, we follow the charming Annie in a Persuasion retelling. The story is full of emotional struggles and heartfelt moments, as Annie (or should I say Anastasia? I am giddy about it, having the same name) York makes a complete change of her life, discovers where her true passion lies and works boldly to achieve it. The party girl we saw in Austen Inspired is actually a smart woman who has to work through so many issues, and discovering her own story was so fun. Her relationship with her roommates, her coworkers, and Vivianna was absolutely intriguing, and her tension with Kylan was hilarious as she struggled to avoid him, only for all the circumstances to bring them close again. 


Maybe I’m biased because Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen novel, but this was glorious, and I enjoyed it even more than Austen Inspired. 

[Book Obsessed Goddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited to be ARC reading for @ again. I really enjoyed her stories because they always have a great flow and feel natural to read. This is book 2 in an interconnected series inspired by Austen.

Annie
She is such whirlwind of emotions. She's confident and knows whe gorgeous but she has low self-esteem at the same time. She started dating Brandon in book one (Viv's book) and we see how it was going from their perspective instead. However she has only truly loved one man before. The one she broke years ago. She didn't know what she wanted to do with her life and having a narcissist of a mother never helped. However when she realized what career she wanted she worked her absolute butt off for it but ran into a memory from the past.

Kylan
Grew up with nothing and lost the love of his life back in college. He went to New York to chase his dreams. He comes off as the silent annoyed type any time we saw him but below all that hurt is such a caring man. With some luck and hard work he got everything he dreamed of.

This is a slow burn but very well written.
I laughed so hard at the "This is it. My drstiny awaits" part. I really connected with her about having a toxic family. I've always wondered what it would be like to have one that cared just like she did.
This book was more than just romantic love. It was about friendship, self love and getting rid of the toxic things that ruin those things for us.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a slower pace than I'm use to but very well written. There were a few times where I felt Annie said or did something that was a little forced but 99% of the time it was spot on. If you love Austen or are looking for a book about discovering who you are and who you are meant to be then this is the book for you. Plus amazing roommates who I want to befriend so badly.

[Bailey Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a devoted Austen fan, I approached Austen Persuaded with both excitement and trepidation, modern retellings can be hit or miss. I'm delighted to report this one largely succeeds in capturing the bittersweet longing of Persuasion while giving it a fresh, contemporary voice.
What Worked:
The emotional depth here is genuinely impressive. Annie's struggle with depression, complicated family dynamics, and the weight of past regrets felt authentic rather than melodramatic. Highbury doesn't shy away from the messier aspects of healing, the setbacks, the unhealthy coping mechanisms, the way past mistakes can haunt you. This gives the story a raw vulnerability that elevates it beyond typical romcom fare.
The second chance romance angle is beautifully executed. The tension of working alongside someone you once loved (and hurt) crackles on every page. Watching Annie navigate professional obligations while her heart is breaking? Chef's kiss. The slow burn truly burns.
I also appreciated that this isn't just a romance, it's a story about a woman rebuilding herself, learning to set boundaries with toxic family members, and discovering what she truly wants from life.
Minor Reservations:
At times, the pacing felt uneven. The setup takes a while, and some secondary characters could have been more developed. I also wished for a bit more of Kylan's perspective, though I understand keeping him somewhat enigmatic maintains that Persuasion vibe of yearning and uncertainty.
Bottom Line:
If you love Jane Austen, second-chance romances, or character driven stories about growth and redemption, Austen Persuaded deserves a spot on your TBR. Just be prepared with tissues and perhaps a cozy blanket, this one hits the feelings hard in the best way.
Perfect for fans of: Emily Henry, Christina Lauren's emotional reads, and anyone who's ever wondered "what if?"

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austen Persuaded is the second book in the Austen Inspired series. While this may be able to be enjoyed as a standalone, if you plan to read the series, I recommend reading in order. There is some timeline overlap between the two, and there could be some minor spoilers for this first book if read out of order.

Once again, I must confess: I've never read Jane Austen's Persuasion. As such, I can't say much about any nods to the original story or how closely inspired this one was... but I can say that once again, that lack of knowledge didn't hinder my enjoyment at all. (Though I am sure those who do know and love it will appreciate this one all that much more!) While this is a contemporary second chance romance, it definitely reads more like women's fiction through much of the book... in fact, we don't really see much of the MMC until the second half of the book so that's something to keep in mind if that's not your cup of tea! While I'll admit, I usually love more romance as early in the story as possible, it worked for this story. Annie is a bit of a party girl as the story begins and had a lot of growing to do before she was ready for that second chance with her college ex, Kaylan... who just so happened to be her new boss! I loved seeing that growth throughout that story just as much as I enjoyed seeing that super slow burn finally pay off between these two! If you enjoy a story that is a good blend of women's fiction with contemporary romance, this one will certainly be right up your alley.

Austen Persuaded is a closed-door romance but does have some innuendo and implied intimacy off pages (unmarried couple). There is also some language throughout.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Jodi Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jane Austen retellings, especially when it is a modern retelling. Austen Persuaded by Alana Highbury is a modern day retelling of Persuasion. Persuasion is probably my favorite Jane Austen book, so I was so excited to read this one.

Annie broke up with Kylan four years ago. She thinks she is doing well and is hopeful that her current boyfriend is the one. When her relationship and her job blow up, Annie sees a social media post of Kylan flying back to Minnesota. As Annie stresses about possibly seeing Kylan again, she realizes that she might not be as over him as she thought. The story that follows is full of self-reflection, growth, hard work, dreams, and love.

Things to love:
-modern retelling of Persuasion
-strong friendships
-forgiveness and acceptance
-second chance romance
-Annie following her dreams
-Kylan’s grand gesture
-Annie’s letter

The story was a fun take on Persuasion. I found the characters engaging, and I loved seeing characters from the first book in this one. The romance is secondary to Annie’s journey of self-reflection and growth. She really struggles for most of the book. Even though Annie and Kylan don’t even interact until close to halfway through the book, I enjoyed seeing Annie come to recognize that her belief in and love for Kylan were justified. I thought the author did a great job showing how Annie comes to know her own worth and trust her own opinions instead of letting other persuade her to believe differently. I did find the use of alcohol to be a bit excessive for my taste, and I felt it detracted a bit from the story.

Thank you to the author for the gifted copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Cameron Charping · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I love Persuasion. So, a retelling was up my alley. This was absolutely adorable. Very much had the heart of Austen’s Persuasion while having a story of its own. The slow burn is exactly what I want. I appreciated the growth of the FMC, Annie. Her best friends are so fabulous and supportive while also telling her like it is. Highly recommend!!

Thank you @bookedwiththeemilys and @alanahighbury_author for the #gifted copy.

Synopsis:
A fresh start was the plan … until he showed up and reminded her of everything she left behind.
On the surface, Annie has it all. Beauty, brains, youth, a flexible job, and a party girl image—even while a troubled childhood and a missed opportunity for love continue to haunt her. And then it all comes crashing down: her boyfriend betrays her, she has an epic falling out with a close friend, she’s forced to quit her job, and she sinks into a deep depression fueled by alcohol and her toxic narcissistic mother. Beneath it all is a growing fear that she’ll spot her ex, Kylan, who has shockingly returned to town. How could she face the man whose heart she broke four years ago and who—if she’s really honest with herself—she might never have really gotten over?
Just as soon as Annie is finally getting back on her feet, passionate about her new job as a literary agent assistant, another bomb drops. Kylan’s New York agency is acquiring the agency she was just hired at. Now she not only has to work for him, but she has to watch her new agent colleague and BFF flirt with him.
Can she survive working for him while he’s in town and in the same office, or does she need to give up her dream job?

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jane Austen, and "Persuasion" is one of my absolute favorite novels! As soon as I heard about this book, I just knew I needed to read it! ⁣
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Also, such an adorable cover my goodness!⁣
⁣
Oh my goodness, this book is such a beautiful adaptation / retelling of Jane Austen's "Persuasion". The author does a phenomenal job of transporting the story into the present, and her love and respect for Ms. Austen's original novel is so clear. I simply and truly did not want to put this book down!⁣
⁣
Full of both heart-wrenching and heartwarming moments, moments that had me swooning, and so much more, Austen Persuaded is truly special. With strong character development, backstories that weave seamlessly with what is going on in the novel, friendships, a second-chance romance, dreams, learning from past mistakes, and so much more, I was pulled in from the first page to the last. The main character's (Annie) emotions are written in such a way that I truly felt like I really got to know her, and each moment jumped off of the page. The reader is taken on a journey with her, and it is so poignant. ⁣
⁣
Annie and Kylan truly bring out the best in one another, and I hope to see them again in a future book / books!⁣
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I loved the nods throughout to Ms. Austen's original novel as well! ⁣
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I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to read more in this amazing series! ⁣
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Thank you so much to the author, Alana Highbury, for the gifted e-ARC of this book, and for having me on the ARC team for this incredible novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.⁣

[Rebecca Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

She let him leave.
He left.


Annie Elliot got sick. She NEVER gets sick. During this illness things changed, she broke up with her cheating boyfriend, left a job that brought her zero fulfillment, and saw a post on IG that made her world tilt off its axis; Kylan Quinn, the man she let get away, was back in town…but why?

Haunted by this knowledge, but determined to find herself during this crossroads moment, Annie’s two roommates and BFF’s encourage her to step back and evaluate what SHE wants rather than constantly be making choices to accommodate/support the goals of others.

Annie finds the job of her dreams in this moment of self discovery, but the universe responds as her new boss just happens to be the very man she wants to avoid. Yep. Kylan Quinn.

Have they both moved on enough to work together? Or will Annie once again be persuaded to walk away from the man she loves?

—
Congratulations to the amazing @alanahighbury_author on another amazing novel! This beautifully lovely spin on my personal favorite of Austen’s stories was perfectly delectable in every way.

Without being too predictable or a carbon copy of the original, this book brings the story and essence of what makes Austen’s Persuasion magical to life in her own story.

Loved it!
4.5 ⭐️
—

Thank you @bookedwiththeemilys for once again having me for this book tour. It’s an absolute joy to work with you!

#bookedwiththeemilys #booktourpost #austenpersuaded #persuasionjaneausten #readintorebecca #secondchanceatlove #halfagonyhalfhope #workplaceromance #nowavailabletoread

[Koren | the_blue_eyed_bluestocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austen Persuaded is a fun crossover style between a romcom and a contemporary romance based upon a modern retelling of Persuasion. If you are familiar with the original Jane Austen work, then you know this is the story of a love let go and reclaimed.

In this modern variant, Annie lets her college boyfriend, Kylan, walk away because she isn't ready to follow his dreams at the expense of her own...she just isn't sure what those are yet. Turns out, her dream really is Kylan, and fate brings them back together in the most frustrating way when he buys the publishing company Annie works for and becomes her boss. Just like in the original, we have to wait through A LOT of angst to get to that happily ever after.

What is interesting is that this story kind of breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges its similarities to the Austen tale. I enjoyed it when Annie decided to have a Wenworth moment and write a letter. The play on that was my favorite part! The little banter that follows is the best of the dialogue in the book. So sweet.

This was a nice follow-up story to its predecessor, Austen Inspired, and it was nice to see those familiar characters return and cross over into Austen Persuaded. I enjoyed the shared world building! If you like modern takes on Jane Austen, then you may enjoy this story!

Note: This is a closed-door, fade-to-black romance.

I received a complimentary copy of the author's story to read and review. All thoughts contained here are my own.

[Brit’s Bookstagram · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love whenever I come across a Persuasion adaptation and this one checked off all the boxes!

This is definitely a mix between a romcom and contemporary romance. Some of the characters made me want to Thanos snap them out of existence lol.

What I really liked was the originality that Alana added to her story and I didn’t know what was coming next. That was fun!

Annie, has been through the wringer and is dealing with a lot of trauma and unhealthy relationships that. She looks to alcohol and partying to stuff down the pain.

Okay, her besties are the best and Rafael is my fav! He is able to see through the masks and walls she puts up. They are so supportive and are truly family to her.

I feel like the first half really dives in and shows what Annie is dealing with and how she has been coping. I feel like she is finally trying to discover herself and what she wants to do with her life. The romance doesn’t come straightaway but when it does it is so good! The blizzard scene!

I love the way that Kylan is always watching out for her and taking care of her!

Just like Wentworth, I can’t stand when he is entertaining other women but when he confesses, it’s like my memory has been wiped lol.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie and Kylan . . .

This story line has lots of things going on, but the best sign of a good story is that Annie York will begin to experience growth in her life and her job as she deals with the issues that come at her. At the start of her new beginning, she isn’t ready to recognize a second chance with her college ex-boyfriend Kylan Quinn who is back in back in town. Annie is not sure she is ready to deal with him and their past, where she had to watch her boyfriend and someone she thought was a close friend betray her. She starts her new job as a literary agent assistant, only to find that Kylan’s New York agency will be acquiring the agency that just hired her! There apparently is no escape now since she will be working in the same office… and, of course, he is her new boss. Will she hang in there and demonstrate that she is ready for this challenge after 4 years apart? Are they both ready to reconnect and find out if what they had is still there? Is she strong enough now to deal with the other issues that burdened her as she prepares to move her life forward? Or will she give up and walk away?

[Oruare Ojimadu · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Book 2 beings Annie and Kylan's story. After reading book 1 and seeing Vivi's reaction to Kylan's appearance I did wonder.
Austen Persuaded really explored Annie's character as she journeyed through life, battling her insecurities and finally getting comfortable in her true self. How she gradually blossomed into a confident woman was beautiful to see. Her friends were indeed good support system and helped her to understand herself better and learn to remove toxicity from her life irrespective of who the person was.
Glad both Kylan and Annie got their second chance at love after a painful separation. Both of them learnt to value their love and Kylan is an amazing person who didn't hold a grade.
It took a while to see Kylan appear in the story but the story did pick up. It was nice seeing a continuation of Jack and Vivi's story from Austen Persuaded as well as seeing another angle of Annie and Kylan.
A nice read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[ChristinaReadsOnTheRoad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @alanahighbury_author for the #gifted copy of this book.

Austen Persuaded is my first read by Alana Highbury and is a retelling of Austen’s Persuasion (as you might have guessed!). The story centers more on Allie’s self discovery and career moves than the romance – while Allie and Kylan have a past that’s referenced throughout the story, their current storyline picks up in the later half of the book. My one critique of the story is that it felt like there were a lot of story lines going all at once, and at times it felt like a bit distracting. However, when you see the ways that Allie owns her mistakes, cuts the toxicity out of her life, and finds joy at work and in her personal life that is uniquely hers, it’s redeeming to see her growth and change throughout the story so she could love and be loved.

This book is definitely for people who love reading about books & the inner workings of publishing, second chance romances from the perspective of the heartbreaker, and the importance of really good friends in your life.

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
This book was interesting; it didn’t quite meet my expectations as a second chance romance. Although it was marketed that way I felt like the two main characters didn’t reconnect or speak until much later in the story and that made the romance element feel more like a subplot.
As a reader, I found it a bit confusing at times as there wasn’t much of a backstory provided about the characters or their past relationship. We were told they had once been in love with limited emotional context to support it.
Overall, the story seemed to focus more on the fmc’s personal journey. It was less about second chance romance and more about self-discovery, growth, and change. While that made for an inspiring narrative, it wasn’t quite the romance I had expected.

Thank you to Booked with the Emily’s and Alana Highbury for this #gifted copy.

[Megan | Reads Alotl Books]

In the second installment of the series, we have Annie, who is down on her luck, broke, and has to find a new job. She finally discovers a job she loves but discovers her ex is acquiring her company and she’ll have to work with him and watch her coworkers flirt with him.

“He had not lost his power over me. Maybe it was more potent than ever.”

This story reads more like a women’s fiction, which is fine. Annie learns a lot about herself and life during this story. Her mother is a piece of work and I had to slam the kindle closed a few times. Kylan is such a sweetheart and even though he doesn’t know how Annie feels, he’s still trying to push her to do her best, set boundaries and be the woman he knows she is.

“It was almost as if nothing had mattered – nothing had been real – since Kylan.”.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read Persuasion so I won't compare it, but this was a fun one all the same.

Annie breaks up with her boyfriend and in turn hurts her friendship with her best friend Viv. She hates her job so she quits without a plan. Then she makes her own plan and really goes for it! She gets a job that she doesn't know much about but she works hard and has a great friend Sofia there to help her. If only she wasn't working for the one whose heart she broke, Kylan.

Annie was an interesting character. She was so extroverted but that sometimes led to a "no filter" persona. I adored her roommates, they were amazing guys they just were always there for her no matter what. Her mother though- oof, toxic woman.

[Holly Kiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is hard for me to rate because I feel like this read as more of a women's fiction book. I enjoyed the writing and the story, but I was expecting a second chance romance book. The two main characters barely spoke to each other until about 70% into the book. The readers didn't really get much of a back story. We were just told they were previously in love, and then were supposed to believe they were still in love at the end. The romance to me was a side plot. I think if I would have went into this thinking it was a story about Annie finding herself, changing, and growing and then re-uniting with an ex, I probably would have rated this higher.

[Christiana Camacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!

I truly felt for all that Annie was going through in this story. But I’m glad things turned around for her in some of the best ways possible!

There were some unexpected character connections, but the author did an amazing job at making me fall in love with them!

This book really taught me that good friends are so hard to come by and it’s so important to make sure that you keep the best ones close! They may just get you through some of your toughest battles!

I give this book 5 stars because I felt connected to the main characters and I felt all the emotions (in a good way of course!).

Thank you Alana for gifting me this ebook!

[Bev H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book can be read as a standalone, it would be better appreciated having read the 1st book in the series, Austen Inspired, beforehand. I enjoyed the parallels to Jane Austen's Persuasion, and feel this is a worthy modern rendition. My only criticism is that because the book is written in first person, the reader is left to somewhat speculate as to the MMC's thoughts and motivations, particularly when he suddenly barges in. I received an ARC of this novel, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Momma T's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jane Austen, so anything that comes out of anyone's love for her masterpieces is a win for me.

Annie and Kylan are cute. A second chance romance that blossoms under a rock bottom moment, and a truth that has been held close to the heart for years. It's great seeing these two overcome their demons and distrust. All while doing it in the publishing and book world. Top notch.

A great addition to the Austen Inspired series. Jack and Vivi are also seen throughout, so you can keep tabs on the MCs from Austin Inspired.

[Jen B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not Austen's Anne Elliot - an extrovert vs introvert; a mother who is more narcissistic compared to Sir Walters's and Elizabeth's mostly neglect with a side of narcissism; stalwart friends vs isolated; more immature and persuadable vs maturation through loneliness and seeing life pass her by.
Told in the first person (which worked, I generally don't like it), this was an interesting re-imagined Persuasion.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in the series. This time inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, bringing back memories of when it was part of my school exam reading list and has remained one of my favourites.
It's basically a second chance romance with a love triangle thrown in as well. Very similar to the original. Annie is very much protagonist of the first part with Kylan, the ex, making an appearance a bit later on. There's also a tie in with the first book.
Perfect for Jane Austen fans. A witty retelling!

[Dawn Blythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. I loved not knowing where the story was going to take me. I love how real and flawed Annie is. You don't often see books that happen in tandem with the previous ones, but this one does! You get Annie's story as Viv's is happening in the first one, and then some! We also got some potential teasers for character stories in more books to come! I'm stoked to read what happens next!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book even though it was not a typical romance novel. Annie faces so many challenges throughout the story that she sees a lot of growth. There are so many amazing supporting characters in here topped by Rafael and Rainn, the best best friends anyone could hope for who are always in Annie’s corner no matter what.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.