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Once Upon a Laugh
Jane by the Book
Four years ago, Jane Warwick escaped the shame and heartbreak of being jilted at the altar by becoming a housekeeper at the secluded Inn at Simeon Ridge. Predictable and quiet, the inn helps Jane find a place to heal and celebrates her strengths, where she is promoted to head housekeeper. But an unexpected visit to Bath, England, upsets Jane's plans and sends her out of her comfort zone, directly into the harrowing path of historical detective author, Titus Stewart.
The only plans Titus sticks to are family holidays and the ones that send him careening into his story worlds, but when an uptight and nervous innkeeper stumbles into his life - and his latest novel - nonfiction begins to take on a much more interesting gleam.
As the unlikely pair delve into the mystery behind a one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old letter, will they both uncover a romance that stands the test of time?
The only plans Titus sticks to are family holidays and the ones that send him careening into his story worlds, but when an uptight and nervous innkeeper stumbles into his life - and his latest novel - nonfiction begins to take on a much more interesting gleam.
As the unlikely pair delve into the mystery behind a one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old letter, will they both uncover a romance that stands the test of time?
134 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2018
About the author
Pepper Basham
43 books3,279 followersPepper D Basham has been telling tales ever since she was a little girl. When her grandmother called her a “writer” at the age of ten, Pepper took it as gospel and has enjoyed various types of writing styles ever since. A native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and lover of chocolate, Pepper enjoys sprinkling her native Appalachian culture into her fiction wherever she can. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of the New River Valley in Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
May 7, 2019
I spent the entire book biting my lip and grinning like a fool.
I have NO clue why I haven’t read a book by Pepper yet, but now that I’ve started good luck getting me to stop.
Oh this story was EVERYTHING my little romance loving heart needed. (And the kisses weren’t too shabby either)
All the stars! In my eyes and in my rating!
5/5
I have NO clue why I haven’t read a book by Pepper yet, but now that I’ve started good luck getting me to stop.
Oh this story was EVERYTHING my little romance loving heart needed. (And the kisses weren’t too shabby either)
All the stars! In my eyes and in my rating!
5/5
September 23, 2021
This is me, swooning just as much the second time around. I was arranging all my Pepper Basham books on my author highlight shelf (doesn't everyone do that monthly? Or is my librarianishness showing? I just can't resist the urge to showcase books by theme or author even in my own little (or not so) home library.) Anyway, once I got my hands on Titus I couldn't let him go until we got reacquainted. :-)
____
"If God can use a talking donkey and a group of disgruntled fishermen, I think He can inspire an author with the right heart and abilities to create a story that will touch people's lives." (p 86)
Love, love, LOVE!!!!!! In a giddy, tilt-a-whirl, heart-thrumming, cheeks-hurt-from-grinning kind of way. Short (novella length) but oh so sweet!!!! And God bless authors who go to the trouble of making their novellas available in paperback format! This cherished copy is going on my keeper shelf and every time I spy it's pretty cover I'm going to get all nostalgic and swoony. :-) And isn't it adorable?! Love that both the hero and heroine are sporting glasses. You don't see that every day.
If you enjoy a bookish love story -- you know, where there's tons of references to books and reading and the power of story you will be over-the-moon ecstatic with this novel. Hero Titus is an author -- squeeeeallll -- and getting a peek into his slightly crazed writer mind is so much fun! He's probably the most unique hero I've ever met and the banter between Jane and Titus still has me smiling. "He really was fun to spar with, and he didn't seem to mind her sarcasm at all. It bounced off his optimism with the ease of rain off an umbrella." (p 44)
Despite the short word count (123 pages), Basham delivers a riveting plot filled with drama and romance and lots and lots of laughter. And a genealogical mystery to solve! And -- surprise -- there's even a Christmas component to this story! "Milkshakes, mystery and kisses from Jane Cecily? Merry early Christmas to him!" (p 88) And to happy readers everywhere. Seriously good and not to be missed!
"God created romance. It makes sense that people who write from a Christian worldview would incorporate it into their books and show the God-given beauty of the love between a man and a woman." (p 67)
____
"If God can use a talking donkey and a group of disgruntled fishermen, I think He can inspire an author with the right heart and abilities to create a story that will touch people's lives." (p 86)
Love, love, LOVE!!!!!! In a giddy, tilt-a-whirl, heart-thrumming, cheeks-hurt-from-grinning kind of way. Short (novella length) but oh so sweet!!!! And God bless authors who go to the trouble of making their novellas available in paperback format! This cherished copy is going on my keeper shelf and every time I spy it's pretty cover I'm going to get all nostalgic and swoony. :-) And isn't it adorable?! Love that both the hero and heroine are sporting glasses. You don't see that every day.
If you enjoy a bookish love story -- you know, where there's tons of references to books and reading and the power of story you will be over-the-moon ecstatic with this novel. Hero Titus is an author -- squeeeeallll -- and getting a peek into his slightly crazed writer mind is so much fun! He's probably the most unique hero I've ever met and the banter between Jane and Titus still has me smiling. "He really was fun to spar with, and he didn't seem to mind her sarcasm at all. It bounced off his optimism with the ease of rain off an umbrella." (p 44)
Despite the short word count (123 pages), Basham delivers a riveting plot filled with drama and romance and lots and lots of laughter. And a genealogical mystery to solve! And -- surprise -- there's even a Christmas component to this story! "Milkshakes, mystery and kisses from Jane Cecily? Merry early Christmas to him!" (p 88) And to happy readers everywhere. Seriously good and not to be missed!
"God created romance. It makes sense that people who write from a Christian worldview would incorporate it into their books and show the God-given beauty of the love between a man and a woman." (p 67)
June 3, 2018
"Why did women have to be like a Chinese finger puzzle?"
Titus Stewart is in a constant state of imagination; scrutinizing everyone in sight as a potential character muse. His main character, Detective Jack Miracle, needs a heroine and if Titus is not mistaken the lovely blond with the tight ponytail and the black framed glasses at the front of the train would be a perfect "Lydia Whitby". If only his own relationships could be so easily scripted; it seemed that he always turned out to be "the best friend and never the boyfriend".
"Predictability and order cultivate peace."
Jane Warwick is rather annoyed when the odd-author-man on the train bumps into her, scattering the pages of her great grandmother's journal all over the street. Traveling with her best friend from the mountains of North Carolina to Bath, England had already been a stretch in her orderly existence; albeit the possibility of solving a family mystery had tipped the scales, and here she was . . . . but she really needed every page of that journal. Wait a minute, he was getting into their car? He knew Nora's fiance? It was bad enough that "pale blue eyes had stared at her as if trying to read all the way to her childhood", now he wants to know her middle name? It's Cecily, Jane Cecily Warwick.
There is everything to love about this warm, fuzzy, funny, and inspiring romantic comedy of sorts, between a wound-up Jane and a wide-open Titus, especially when they realize that the story they are writing is actually their own.
I received a copy of this story from the author. The opinions stated are entirely my own.
Titus Stewart is in a constant state of imagination; scrutinizing everyone in sight as a potential character muse. His main character, Detective Jack Miracle, needs a heroine and if Titus is not mistaken the lovely blond with the tight ponytail and the black framed glasses at the front of the train would be a perfect "Lydia Whitby". If only his own relationships could be so easily scripted; it seemed that he always turned out to be "the best friend and never the boyfriend".
"Predictability and order cultivate peace."
Jane Warwick is rather annoyed when the odd-author-man on the train bumps into her, scattering the pages of her great grandmother's journal all over the street. Traveling with her best friend from the mountains of North Carolina to Bath, England had already been a stretch in her orderly existence; albeit the possibility of solving a family mystery had tipped the scales, and here she was . . . . but she really needed every page of that journal. Wait a minute, he was getting into their car? He knew Nora's fiance? It was bad enough that "pale blue eyes had stared at her as if trying to read all the way to her childhood", now he wants to know her middle name? It's Cecily, Jane Cecily Warwick.
There is everything to love about this warm, fuzzy, funny, and inspiring romantic comedy of sorts, between a wound-up Jane and a wide-open Titus, especially when they realize that the story they are writing is actually their own.
I received a copy of this story from the author. The opinions stated are entirely my own.
June 2, 2018
I have one word for you: Titus. You’ll fall in love with him the minute he steps on the page, and you’ll only fall harder the more you get to know him. From his imaginary friends (sorry, characters) to his obsession with Pink Lady apples and freckled shoulders, his spontaneity and complete unpretentiousness is utterly captivating. And when it comes to solving mysteries, he’s like a puppy begging you to come and play. You might grumble and try to resist, but there’s no chance you’re not going to cave.
Which is exactly why Jane Warwick ends up on the trail of her ancestor, Jane Ridley, wondering whether she ever worked up the courage to leave her privileged life behind to be with the man she loved. Jane is Titus’s opposite in many ways, but she blossoms as their friendship grows. Personally, I think you’d have to be dead not to bloom under Titus’s affection!
The romance is sweet, the dialogue is enchanting, and, well, Titus. He sells this novella all by himself, really!
Which is exactly why Jane Warwick ends up on the trail of her ancestor, Jane Ridley, wondering whether she ever worked up the courage to leave her privileged life behind to be with the man she loved. Jane is Titus’s opposite in many ways, but she blossoms as their friendship grows. Personally, I think you’d have to be dead not to bloom under Titus’s affection!
The romance is sweet, the dialogue is enchanting, and, well, Titus. He sells this novella all by himself, really!
July 23, 2018
List of the reasons you should read Jane by the Book ASAP:
-Pop culture and Sherlock and mysteries and general bookishness. Oh, and BATH, England!
-A super-relatable heroine -- whose cluelessness is realistic and sets up growth and personal realizations women of the world need to hear!
-A wonderfully bookish and nerdy hero with an internal monologue that will make you giggle. He definitely earns the nickname #terrificTitus!
-An intriguing family mystery with smart parallels to Jane's own heart-journey
-Simply put, CORGIS!
-And, last but not least, a sweet and charming romance that will have you rooting for the happily ever after!
Thanks to the author for the review copy! This is my honest review.
-Pop culture and Sherlock and mysteries and general bookishness. Oh, and BATH, England!
-A super-relatable heroine -- whose cluelessness is realistic and sets up growth and personal realizations women of the world need to hear!
-A wonderfully bookish and nerdy hero with an internal monologue that will make you giggle. He definitely earns the nickname #terrificTitus!
-An intriguing family mystery with smart parallels to Jane's own heart-journey
-Simply put, CORGIS!
-And, last but not least, a sweet and charming romance that will have you rooting for the happily ever after!
Thanks to the author for the review copy! This is my honest review.
April 9, 2019
Absolutely adorable! Everything about this book will melt your heart. 💕
Want to Read
February 24, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/24/2020)! 🎁
July 25, 2018
On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Jane By The Book by Pepper Basham is a chocolate raspberry smoothie. Fresh raspberries add a sweet pucker to chocolate smoothness. Seeds crunch cool against teeth.
[copy received. Opinions my own]
Left at the altar, Jane hid away by accepting a job at a mountain inn, but her best friend convinced her to take a trip across the ocean to help set up an inn in England. While there, Jane hopes to find out what happened to the original owner of a journal that has been handed down through her family. She didn’t expect to meet Titus, a wannabe sleuth and real life author.
Pepper Basham had me at the title. Goodness gracious, Jane tip-toed cautious while Titus fit bumbling, lovable sleuth to a T. I loved watching them interact across the pages as they tried to determine what happened to Jane’s ancestor. I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a character quite like Titus.
If you love sweet, clean, and funny romance, you’ll enjoy Jane By The Book.
Also, Pepper Basham scored another closet kiss in this one too. 😘
[copy received. Opinions my own]
Left at the altar, Jane hid away by accepting a job at a mountain inn, but her best friend convinced her to take a trip across the ocean to help set up an inn in England. While there, Jane hopes to find out what happened to the original owner of a journal that has been handed down through her family. She didn’t expect to meet Titus, a wannabe sleuth and real life author.
Pepper Basham had me at the title. Goodness gracious, Jane tip-toed cautious while Titus fit bumbling, lovable sleuth to a T. I loved watching them interact across the pages as they tried to determine what happened to Jane’s ancestor. I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a character quite like Titus.
If you love sweet, clean, and funny romance, you’ll enjoy Jane By The Book.
Also, Pepper Basham scored another closet kiss in this one too. 😘
March 22, 2019
Wow! What a fantastic story! This is a book that I KNOW I will be reading again and again. It was just so fun! I loved the setting, the mystery from long ago that Titus and Jane were trying to solve, and the amazingly quirky personality of Titus. I loved how totally Titus gave of himself. What a wonderful heart!
Although this is a novella, it did not seem short to me. These characters were fully developed and I felt like both laughing and crying with them at times. I also realized that Nora and Ethan, who do not have big parts in this book, but do appear in it, have their own story. I now must read it, too!
I absolutely love the cover of this book, too! One of the best around and matches the story perfectly!
Although this is a novella, it did not seem short to me. These characters were fully developed and I felt like both laughing and crying with them at times. I also realized that Nora and Ethan, who do not have big parts in this book, but do appear in it, have their own story. I now must read it, too!
I absolutely love the cover of this book, too! One of the best around and matches the story perfectly!
July 25, 2018
Y’all, this story has changed my life… I will never look at shoulders or corgis or chocolate milkshakes in the same way again. Jane and Titus are now and forever dear friends of mine. This story is sweet, quirky, and at times, flat-out hilarious yet earnestly authentic. For a little novella, packs a plot-punch with a historical family mystery, fiction within fiction, and honest discussions of faith.
I purchased this book as part of the Once Upon a Laugh collection. The opinions expressed are my own.
I purchased this book as part of the Once Upon a Laugh collection. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 14, 2018
This charming Bath-set story features two love stories: the one developing between Titus and Jane and the love Titus holds for Bath.
In a way, this novella is charmingly accessible but also cleverly subversive. The tropes and archetypes usually ascribed to the heroine are harboured in the hero. He is sensitive, romantic, clumsy and swoons for Austen.
It was refreshing for me to read a romance with such a unique flip of the gender stereotypes.
You will dive into this novella and finish it in one easy, enjoyable sitting.
In a way, this novella is charmingly accessible but also cleverly subversive. The tropes and archetypes usually ascribed to the heroine are harboured in the hero. He is sensitive, romantic, clumsy and swoons for Austen.
It was refreshing for me to read a romance with such a unique flip of the gender stereotypes.
You will dive into this novella and finish it in one easy, enjoyable sitting.
July 31, 2021
I simply adored this book. Titus is so imperfectly perfect. And Jane, well, she tries to resist his charming uniqueness. There's a little bit of a mystery involving a centuries old journal. Given my penchant for family heirlooms and the history they offer, I was hooked and eagerly followed Titus and Jane on their search for the story it told, but didn't finish. The setting is Bath, a place I was fortunate enough to have visited once and so that sent me down memory lane. Everything about this book was fun and enjoyable. I would recommend it!
May 20, 2022
Chock full of Pepper Basham’s signature one-liner zingers and swoony romantic moments. Loved this story of a girl who’s an Excel-loving planner and an imaginative writer-hero!
May 31, 2018
I don’t like to tell people what to do, but you MUST add Jane by the Book, by the incredible Pepper Basham, to your TBR. Not only add it, but move it straight to the top! Jane by the Book is, in a word, perfect! I literally just finished it and I want to read it again. And I am not a rereader! I loved everything about it! I loved Titus, Jane, meeting up with old friends, Titus, the setting, the mystery, the humor, the romance, and did I mention Titus?!
So, speaking of Titus, what a great character! He is an author, a dreamer, a little quirky, kind, compassionate, and humorous. He says and does so many heart swooning things for Jane, you just can’t help but love him. And his sense of humor had me laughing out loud more than once! I laughed so much, my husband kept asking me what was so funny and eventually, I think I just became a bit annoying to him! And I will never be able to look at a Corgi without laughing again!
Jane, on the other hand, is more of a planner, somewhat serious, and a tad reserved. But when you put the two together and Titus begins breaking her shell, you have perfection!
There is also a wonderful faith message in this book. I love how Titus talks so easily to Jane about his faith and how he gives her a gift that helps her realize how much God loves her. And this gem of a line, “Help me to trust You, even with my fears.” As a feary (is that a word?) type person, that line really speaks to me. I not only need God’s help giving Him my fears, but also trusting Him with them.
This novella really packs a punch! It did not feel like a novella. Well, except for when it ended! I so wanted more. I’m rating this one “in a class by itself” and it will for sure be in my top books of 2018!!
Jane by the Book is a follow up to Second Impressions, which I also loved! It takes us back to the beautiful city of Bath where we get to meet up with Ethan and Nora again. So, if you haven’t read that yet, you can grab it and read it before Jane by the Book comes out this JULY in the Once Upon a Laugh Novella Collection.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own.
So, speaking of Titus, what a great character! He is an author, a dreamer, a little quirky, kind, compassionate, and humorous. He says and does so many heart swooning things for Jane, you just can’t help but love him. And his sense of humor had me laughing out loud more than once! I laughed so much, my husband kept asking me what was so funny and eventually, I think I just became a bit annoying to him! And I will never be able to look at a Corgi without laughing again!
Jane, on the other hand, is more of a planner, somewhat serious, and a tad reserved. But when you put the two together and Titus begins breaking her shell, you have perfection!
There is also a wonderful faith message in this book. I love how Titus talks so easily to Jane about his faith and how he gives her a gift that helps her realize how much God loves her. And this gem of a line, “Help me to trust You, even with my fears.” As a feary (is that a word?) type person, that line really speaks to me. I not only need God’s help giving Him my fears, but also trusting Him with them.
This novella really packs a punch! It did not feel like a novella. Well, except for when it ended! I so wanted more. I’m rating this one “in a class by itself” and it will for sure be in my top books of 2018!!
Jane by the Book is a follow up to Second Impressions, which I also loved! It takes us back to the beautiful city of Bath where we get to meet up with Ethan and Nora again. So, if you haven’t read that yet, you can grab it and read it before Jane by the Book comes out this JULY in the Once Upon a Laugh Novella Collection.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own.
July 29, 2018
Jane by the Book by Pepper Basham is a very swoony read!
Wow! If I wasn’t already happily married I would put my request in for someone just like Titus Stewart!
Traveling from the States, Jane Warwick is on a job with her best friend Nora and her boyfriend Ethan. ( You may remember Nora and Ethan from Second Impressions). Jane has to train staff and organize a B&B with a Jane Austen theme in Bath, England. So far, a dream job! Titus Stewart, a friend of Ethan, is an author who will be researching and writing at the B&B before joining his family for the holidays in Cambria. Jane has an ancestor who came from Bath. She would like to know more about her great grandmother, Jane Ridley, but clues from an old journal are scarce. Titus and Jane team up to play Sherlock and Watson.
Pepper’s vivid descriptions and funny dialogue will forever be in my memory. Closets and Pink Lady Apple references still have me chuckling.
This story has all the right elements: humor, faith journey, swoony romance, a mystery and Jane Austen! After all, Titus says: God is the Author of Romance!
*I purchased this ebook from Amazon. All opinions are my own.*
Wow! If I wasn’t already happily married I would put my request in for someone just like Titus Stewart!
Traveling from the States, Jane Warwick is on a job with her best friend Nora and her boyfriend Ethan. ( You may remember Nora and Ethan from Second Impressions). Jane has to train staff and organize a B&B with a Jane Austen theme in Bath, England. So far, a dream job! Titus Stewart, a friend of Ethan, is an author who will be researching and writing at the B&B before joining his family for the holidays in Cambria. Jane has an ancestor who came from Bath. She would like to know more about her great grandmother, Jane Ridley, but clues from an old journal are scarce. Titus and Jane team up to play Sherlock and Watson.
Pepper’s vivid descriptions and funny dialogue will forever be in my memory. Closets and Pink Lady Apple references still have me chuckling.
This story has all the right elements: humor, faith journey, swoony romance, a mystery and Jane Austen! After all, Titus says: God is the Author of Romance!
*I purchased this ebook from Amazon. All opinions are my own.*
August 18, 2018
I thought for sure I've read Ms. Basham's novels prior to this one but forsooth, I have not! This was a fabulous novella! Quirky, funny, sweet, interesting, and what's a romance without Sherlock & Watson?! Onto the next!
September 26, 2020
Super adorable bookish mystery love story. I really enjoyed this novella!! Titus is adorable and now I need to go back and read Nora and Ethan’s story. I am going to enjoy catching up on all Pepper’s books!
July 4, 2018
'You are significant. God doesn't make mistakes, and He's been working on your story much longer than you have.'
Jane Warwick was jilted at the altar. Now she's come to Bath, England to help a friend with his hotel business. She meets Titus Stewart, novelist, who thinks she is the perfect image of his latest female heroine. Jane has not the slightest interest in this. At all. But Titus is a remarkable man. Then there's the old, 1800s journal Jane has of one of her forbears. Titus wants to investigate to find out what happened with this woman. Jane has no interest in doing this, either. So back and forth they go.
Pepper Basham has written one of the most delightful books! And the character of Titus is wonderful! I loved him the minute he appeared on the page. Bravo! Don't miss this one. It's terrific!
*My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions stated here are entirely my own.
Jane Warwick was jilted at the altar. Now she's come to Bath, England to help a friend with his hotel business. She meets Titus Stewart, novelist, who thinks she is the perfect image of his latest female heroine. Jane has not the slightest interest in this. At all. But Titus is a remarkable man. Then there's the old, 1800s journal Jane has of one of her forbears. Titus wants to investigate to find out what happened with this woman. Jane has no interest in doing this, either. So back and forth they go.
Pepper Basham has written one of the most delightful books! And the character of Titus is wonderful! I loved him the minute he appeared on the page. Bravo! Don't miss this one. It's terrific!
*My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions stated here are entirely my own.
July 9, 2018
I loved everything about this story!
From the first sentence until the last word on the page, I was blissfully along for a literary journey with Jane and Titus. Our story begins in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains and then we travel to Bath England, where I was swept off my feet by the quirky Titus Stewart.
Ladies, Titus is sure to steal your heart! He is a prince charming in black-framed glasses, who occasionally get's lost in his own creative genius story writing. Titus is quirky and a more than a little unsure of himself. But this just adds to his appeal. He has a heart of gold and is willing to go the extra mile to help a friend.
This fun novella is full of sleuthing mystery and Pepper's signature light-hearted romance. You are sure to fall in love with Jane & Titus in this delightful story!
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
From the first sentence until the last word on the page, I was blissfully along for a literary journey with Jane and Titus. Our story begins in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains and then we travel to Bath England, where I was swept off my feet by the quirky Titus Stewart.
Ladies, Titus is sure to steal your heart! He is a prince charming in black-framed glasses, who occasionally get's lost in his own creative genius story writing. Titus is quirky and a more than a little unsure of himself. But this just adds to his appeal. He has a heart of gold and is willing to go the extra mile to help a friend.
This fun novella is full of sleuthing mystery and Pepper's signature light-hearted romance. You are sure to fall in love with Jane & Titus in this delightful story!
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
July 10, 2019
It took me a while to finish this book because life happened! LOL! But it’s definitely a quicker read! This is my first Pepper Basham book and it definitely not be my last! The story had all the elements you look for! Great characters, romance, and God. I love how Titus the lead male character is quirky but at the same time very strong in his believe in God. Jane is the quiet, reserved leading lady who has been hurt in the past and has no clue on what true love is and that someone like God could love her unconditionally. The two join forces to uncover a family mystery and discover that they are meant for each other!
I don’t want to give it all away but I can say the only negative is that it’s not long enough! LOL! I’m a greedy reader and I want to know what happens to these characters!
If you are like me and Christian fiction is you jam this book is for you! If you like clean reads then this book is a good choice too! But if you definitely cannot handle books with a spiritual/Godly content then stop! Don’t even grab the book! This book is definitely not for you!
:)
I don’t want to give it all away but I can say the only negative is that it’s not long enough! LOL! I’m a greedy reader and I want to know what happens to these characters!
If you are like me and Christian fiction is you jam this book is for you! If you like clean reads then this book is a good choice too! But if you definitely cannot handle books with a spiritual/Godly content then stop! Don’t even grab the book! This book is definitely not for you!
:)
June 30, 2021
Oh my word I absolutely adored this novella! It felt short and long at the same time. Short in that I flew through the pages and it didn't drag on and long in the fact that the connection and relationship between Titus and Jane felt authentic. I'm not a huge fan of insta-love and this didn't feel like that at all. The chemistry is off the charts! Like I'm fanning my face from the heat but the book was completely clean! That is the type of romance I want to read. I was audibly reacting to things while reading (gasps, squeals, groans of disman) and I kept telling my husband how good it was when I finished the book. I even recapped it for him which I'm sure he loved. Also I love how ecentric Titus is. He felt real instead of being this Adonis of a man that most romance novels have (which I'm not totally complaining about but can we please get more nerdy heros??).
September 20, 2021
This novella was absolutely adorable! High strung Jane shows up in Bath,England with her spreadsheets and organizers where everyone and everything fits into a box…and will stay there as long as she doesn’t show them even a peek of her real self or the hurts she just can’t let go of. Enter author Titus Stewart, a little absentminded and fully wide open, with a heart for pretend people, unsolved mysteries, and as it happens, for Jane Cecily. I loved getting to know them both (and I’m intrigued that there’s also a book about Nora and Ethan that I haven’t read yet!) and I was charmed by the mystery of what became of the first Jane and her Captain.
September 8, 2018
Pepper Basham is one of my favorite authors. Seriously, I will read anything she writes, no matter the genre. And there’s something about her contemporary stories that leaves me sighing and laughing in delight. Jane by the Book was no exception!
Jane and Titus make a fantastic couple. Not to mention Titus is a writer and does swoon worthy hero moves in writerly goodness.
My favorite quote: “Help me to trust you even with my fears…even with my heart…”
*I received an ARC from the publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.
Jane and Titus make a fantastic couple. Not to mention Titus is a writer and does swoon worthy hero moves in writerly goodness.
My favorite quote: “Help me to trust you even with my fears…even with my heart…”
*I received an ARC from the publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.
July 3, 2018
With no shortage of quirkiness, swooning, and grin-inducing charm, Basham has dished up another delightfully sweet morsel of story goodness for your insatiable consumption. Jane and Titus are such a fun pairing, perfect counterpoints of stubbornness, creativity, and compatibility. Set in the English countryside and sprinkled with a dollop of historical frosting, this bite-sized romantic treat is the perfect splurge!
May 14, 2023
Light, fun, and entertaining!
January 20, 2020
There's not much not to love and very much to adore in this darling novella, sure to cheer hearts and bring much joy.
I can't make it too much farther in this review without saying how much I loved Titus. A charming hero, he is engaging, endearing and made me smile so many times with his antics and everyday heroism. I would have loved a full book with his as the main man to his fair lady Jane.
Written with charm and flare, there is much to be enjoyed and taken away from the pages of this novella. Which is often, I think hard for an author to accomplish, based on the low word count to work with. I loved the biblical lessons woven through the story and the uniqueness of the characters, all while giving us a romance that is sweet and thoroughly enjoyable.
I can't make it too much farther in this review without saying how much I loved Titus. A charming hero, he is engaging, endearing and made me smile so many times with his antics and everyday heroism. I would have loved a full book with his as the main man to his fair lady Jane.
Written with charm and flare, there is much to be enjoyed and taken away from the pages of this novella. Which is often, I think hard for an author to accomplish, based on the low word count to work with. I loved the biblical lessons woven through the story and the uniqueness of the characters, all while giving us a romance that is sweet and thoroughly enjoyable.
August 14, 2022
This may be my favorite book by this author I have read so far. Maybe. Each one has been a great experience. Jane by the Book is a novella, coming in at just 136 pages....but man is it good. Maybe it is weird for a guy to gush about a male character, but then I am far from being a normal or average guy.....but Titus is what made the book. Jane made a great heroine, and was extremely likable in spite of her sewn up proper ways, but Titus may be the most awesome hero that has appeared in any book I have read for a while. Quirky, funny, living in a world where everything gives him an idea for his book.....even things he says. If you want a book that will make you smile, this is definitely one that will.
And it is far from being fluff and shallow....there is a lot of spiritual depth in the book. It is worth reading, and if you have not read this author yet, this would be a great introduction to her works.
And it is far from being fluff and shallow....there is a lot of spiritual depth in the book. It is worth reading, and if you have not read this author yet, this would be a great introduction to her works.
October 16, 2020
Romance novellas are like romance novels but with 1/3 the angst.😄 Jane by the Book was laugh out loud funny with fun characters, a bit of mystery, and a solid faith foundation.
November 1, 2020
A cute novella with a full story packed into it! I enjoyed this lighthearted book with some heavier elements woven in. The corgies were probably one of my favorite parts.
March 30, 2019
Light-hearted, humor-filled read
Pepper Basham is one of the few authors who keeps me quickly turning pages amidst sighs, swoon-worthy kisses and out-loud laughs. This book actually woke the sleeping hubs as I giggled through a scene. Corgis. Ha!
Pepper Basham is one of the few authors who keeps me quickly turning pages amidst sighs, swoon-worthy kisses and out-loud laughs. This book actually woke the sleeping hubs as I giggled through a scene. Corgis. Ha!
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