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The Man Who Loved Jane Austen #1
The Man Who Loved Jane Austen
When New York artist Eliza Knight buys an old vanity table one lazy Sunday afternoon, she has no idea of its history. Tucked away behind the mirror are two letters. One is sealed; the other, dated May 1810, is addressed to "Dearest Jane" from "F. Darcy"--as in Fitzwilliam Darcy, the fictional hero of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Could one of literature's most compelling characters been a real person? More intriguing still, scientific testing proves that the second, sealed letter was written by Jane herself. Caught between the routine of her present life and these incredible discoveries from the past, Eliza decides to look deeper and is drawn to a majestic, 200-year-old estate in Virginia's breathtaking Shenandoah Valley. There she meets the man who may hold the answer to this extraordinary puzzle. Now, as the real story of Fitzwilliam Darcy unfolds, Eliza finds her life has become a modern-day romance, one that perhaps only Jane herself could have written. . . "Fascinating. . .pays tribute to Jane Austen's enduring ideals of romantic love." --Booklist "O'Rourke's latest is mysterious yet romantic as she reveals secrets of Jane Austen's life." --Romantic Times Sally Smith O'Rourke lives in Monrovia, California, where she is working on her next novel.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2006
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2169 people want to read
About the author
Sally Smith O'Rourke
8 books107 followers“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808)
That I reside in the Victorian village of Monrovia, California; a mere two miles from my place of employment, The City Of Hope. COH is a cancer research hospital where I spend most daylight hours in the operating room as a scrub nurse.
That I am a native Californian, having been born in Glendale, and spent most of my life here with a relatively short span of years in Reno, Nevada where I attended school. Returning after graduation I have remained in sunny SoCal.
That I was widowed some time ago. That I have very domestic hobbies like sewing, cooking, baking, candy making and cake decorating. Oh, yeah I write, too. Mike, my late husband and teacher, taught me that writing has to be treated like a job so every day no matter how tired I am I edit, research one or more projects and write.
That I reside in the Victorian village of Monrovia, California; a mere two miles from my place of employment, The City Of Hope. COH is a cancer research hospital where I spend most daylight hours in the operating room as a scrub nurse.
That I am a native Californian, having been born in Glendale, and spent most of my life here with a relatively short span of years in Reno, Nevada where I attended school. Returning after graduation I have remained in sunny SoCal.
That I was widowed some time ago. That I have very domestic hobbies like sewing, cooking, baking, candy making and cake decorating. Oh, yeah I write, too. Mike, my late husband and teacher, taught me that writing has to be treated like a job so every day no matter how tired I am I edit, research one or more projects and write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
May 1, 2015
I have a rant. However, before I rant, I need to state that I did not find anything technically wrong with Sally Smith O'Rourke's novel, "The Man Who Loved Jane Austen". The story is solid and the characters are more or less developed. O'Rourke's novel is an easy read and I feel like she probably is a decent writer. I would give her another chance if she writes a book on a different subject.
O'Rourke's novel follows an artist named Eliza, who buys an antique vanity table and discovers letters written by author Jane Austen, hidden inside. In the process of trying to get the letters authenticated, Eliza meets a mysterious man, who is desperate to acquire the letters and has a very bizarre story.
Admittedly, I didn't see the twist that came 1/3 into the story. I wish that the twist had played out in a less conventional manner.
Now the rant...
This book was recommended to me by a close friend, whom after I acquired the book, admitted that it wasn't that good. She just liked it based on the subject matter, tending to read anything involving Jane Austen. I love Jane Austen, but I find all of the Jane Austen mania to be tiresome.
O'Rourke's novel is another book to add to the long list of overly sentimental, Jane Austen themed crap. I think what bothers me the most about these modern Jane Austen books, is that they nearly always obsessive over the romantic parts of Austen's books, in particular, Pride and Prejudice.
I feel like behind everyone one of these books is an author who needs to get their personal literary obsessions on the page. They don't add anything new to the genre and lack creativity.
I find it irritating that the focus is on the romance, rather than Austen's wit and social observations.
O'Rourke's book drove me extra nuts, because her modern characters were like caricatures of Austen's characters. I see what O'Rourke tried to do by having the modern characters mirror Jane's fictitious ones, but it never quite worked. Eliza, is often completely unlikeable in her superior attitude and the turning point where we are supposed to warm to her, never quite happens. I don't buy her connection with Darcy for a second. Darcy is just too weird and too perfect to be believed.
I feel like this is a fairytale, lacking all depth and meaning. The last few chapters with the Rose Ball were an overkill fantasy sequence.
Maybe lovers of romance novels with Fabio on the cover will love this book?
Please check out my blog for more reviews and musings.
O'Rourke's novel follows an artist named Eliza, who buys an antique vanity table and discovers letters written by author Jane Austen, hidden inside. In the process of trying to get the letters authenticated, Eliza meets a mysterious man, who is desperate to acquire the letters and has a very bizarre story.
Admittedly, I didn't see the twist that came 1/3 into the story. I wish that the twist had played out in a less conventional manner.
Now the rant...
This book was recommended to me by a close friend, whom after I acquired the book, admitted that it wasn't that good. She just liked it based on the subject matter, tending to read anything involving Jane Austen. I love Jane Austen, but I find all of the Jane Austen mania to be tiresome.
O'Rourke's novel is another book to add to the long list of overly sentimental, Jane Austen themed crap. I think what bothers me the most about these modern Jane Austen books, is that they nearly always obsessive over the romantic parts of Austen's books, in particular, Pride and Prejudice.
I feel like behind everyone one of these books is an author who needs to get their personal literary obsessions on the page. They don't add anything new to the genre and lack creativity.
I find it irritating that the focus is on the romance, rather than Austen's wit and social observations.
O'Rourke's book drove me extra nuts, because her modern characters were like caricatures of Austen's characters. I see what O'Rourke tried to do by having the modern characters mirror Jane's fictitious ones, but it never quite worked. Eliza, is often completely unlikeable in her superior attitude and the turning point where we are supposed to warm to her, never quite happens. I don't buy her connection with Darcy for a second. Darcy is just too weird and too perfect to be believed.
I feel like this is a fairytale, lacking all depth and meaning. The last few chapters with the Rose Ball were an overkill fantasy sequence.
Maybe lovers of romance novels with Fabio on the cover will love this book?
Please check out my blog for more reviews and musings.
November 6, 2017
Una historia totalmente sacada de la imaginación de la autora, que nos cuenta cómo habría sido el encuentro entre Jane Austen y su personaje masculino de Orgullo y prejuicio.
No es un libro perfecto, pero para las amantes de la autora inglesa y las fans de Darcy creo que puede ser una historia bonita e interesante.
La trama es sencilla, y se lee casi de corrillo, lo único que no me ha gustado tanto ha sido el enamoramiento instantáneo de los protagonistas, me han faltado páginas tanto para la historia de Darcy con Jane, como de Darcy con Eliza, sobre todo con el juego que daba el misterio de las cartas.
Sí, hay dos Darcys en la historia... ¿O es el mismo? Para saberlo, hay que leerlo ;)
No es un libro perfecto, pero para las amantes de la autora inglesa y las fans de Darcy creo que puede ser una historia bonita e interesante.
La trama es sencilla, y se lee casi de corrillo, lo único que no me ha gustado tanto ha sido el enamoramiento instantáneo de los protagonistas, me han faltado páginas tanto para la historia de Darcy con Jane, como de Darcy con Eliza, sobre todo con el juego que daba el misterio de las cartas.
Sí, hay dos Darcys en la historia... ¿O es el mismo? Para saberlo, hay que leerlo ;)
March 21, 2013
I picked up this novel because I was on a literary trip following Miss Jane Austen's steps in Bath and in Chawton.
Having read most of her books and wanting to keep the one I had left for after the journey, I chose "The man who loved Jane Austen" looking for a light entertainment and because I wanted to read something related to Austen as well.
I didn't expect a masterpiece and the book started quite well. I thought it to be a predictable story but a good romantic one, with some of Austen's touch. Well, I was entirely mistaken. The novel resulted to be a cheap sci-fi story, treating time travel as the commonest thing in the world.
And then...the assumption that Mr. Darcy (our dear Mr. Darcy, pure embodiment of the ever-after perfect English gentleman) was an American was too much for me, even with the author's foreword apologising for her daring imagination.
Jane Austen appears cheapened, shallow and uninteresting. A middle aged poor woman in search of an affair.
The Mr. Darcy of this story is a snob and a big headed guy who behaves like a puppet without will or determination like the Mr. Darcy that we know. He is not appealing at all, just a fake and unsatisfying replacement.
And Eliza, the heroine of the book, is conceited, uni dimensional and superfluous.
I was actually a bit ashamed to keep on reading because the book loses all the essence like in chapter 4.
So, I think I'll stick to Austen's books, they are far more rewarding and always a pleasure to read for any kind of public who appreciates a good novel.
Having read most of her books and wanting to keep the one I had left for after the journey, I chose "The man who loved Jane Austen" looking for a light entertainment and because I wanted to read something related to Austen as well.
I didn't expect a masterpiece and the book started quite well. I thought it to be a predictable story but a good romantic one, with some of Austen's touch. Well, I was entirely mistaken. The novel resulted to be a cheap sci-fi story, treating time travel as the commonest thing in the world.
And then...the assumption that Mr. Darcy (our dear Mr. Darcy, pure embodiment of the ever-after perfect English gentleman) was an American was too much for me, even with the author's foreword apologising for her daring imagination.
Jane Austen appears cheapened, shallow and uninteresting. A middle aged poor woman in search of an affair.
The Mr. Darcy of this story is a snob and a big headed guy who behaves like a puppet without will or determination like the Mr. Darcy that we know. He is not appealing at all, just a fake and unsatisfying replacement.
And Eliza, the heroine of the book, is conceited, uni dimensional and superfluous.
I was actually a bit ashamed to keep on reading because the book loses all the essence like in chapter 4.
So, I think I'll stick to Austen's books, they are far more rewarding and always a pleasure to read for any kind of public who appreciates a good novel.
August 15, 2013
I, honestly, was not quite expecting much, and was not disappointed. The story starts out all right and it seems nice, a romantic notion, finding out about Jane Austen's long lost lover; except he's not "long lost". The story goes on all right but when it comes to "Fitz" telling the story of how he met Jane and fell in love with her within a matter of days, that's when I couldn't quite get myself to enjoy it. I don't like how Jane was portrayed, as needing to be kissed(and often) I realize she was in love, but I don't seem to be able to BELIEVE in what she is doing and what she is saying. That said I didn't enjoy the interactions between Darcy and Eliza( and the naming! Really? Eliza? something different would have been better) Eliza, when Darcy tells her about Jane kissing him under the moonlight, she kisses him as well. I find that just odd, somewhat creepy I suppose, talking about another woman and him kissing and then her going and kissing him as well. Overall I didn't like the fact I couldn't imagine Jane saying these things and acting this way most of the time. The only character I did like was Jenny
November 16, 2020
Not my cup of tea but not bad enough to dnf. If you like silly romance, if you like time travel, go for it. If you worship Jane Austen don't bother.
August 6, 2021
This is one of those stories I read before I retired and began reviewing every book I read. I do want to reread all those stories which I did not review but as time has slipped by and I haven't done so, I just want to mark all those stories as "read" so I have a record of the true number of books in the JAFF sub-genre I have read. I am using the average rating at this time as I do not remember how I rated this story back when I read it. If I ever get around to rereading it I will look at my rating to make sure it is true to my opinion. It was published in 2006 so that is most likely when I read it.
January 15, 2014
I am going to try to tone it down as I express the frustration I felt as I read this book (see, I say "frustration" but I actually felt like throwing the book across the room). I felt like she did a complete injustice to the character of Mr. Darcy, one who represents all that is noble and good in men but who was reduced in this book to an empty and shallow character (albeit rich and handsome) who is labeled "honorable" but whose actions are such as to mock the word as evidenced in the "unfortunate" episode of his having had "too much drink" and then impetuously sleeping with his friend's sister, but who patiently suffers through the inconvenience of her jealous fits as his attention shifts to another woman (and then another woman). But the author takes great pains to point out how wonderful it is that unlike the 1800's when he would have been considered a "cad for using women for his own pleasure," he is now considered by one of the characters as being "the best man I've ever known." What?!
Putting the fictional character aside, I really was blown away by her portrayal of Jane Austen. The suggestion that Jane was a woman who would proposition a man for one night together where they could "play at being lovers" all so she could experience "love" was insulting to her image to the highest degree. This characterization of Jane is completely unjustified and made my blood boil. Her concept of love as portrayed in this book is merely lust in a pretty package.
I understand that the author and I have very different views on morality, with her perspective being that "what we call morality is always only relative to the standards of a given society" (quoted directly from the book) and my perspective based on eternal truths revealed by a higher being which do not change with the times or the trends. But I take issue with the author's assumption and assertion that Jane, her heroes, and her heroines were only chaste because she lived in a so-called repressed society. All of her writings celebrate the good and virtuous in people, and I believe these were an extension of the kind of person she was regardless of the times in which she lived. Her books were a description of love to the purest degree.
Perhaps I failed in my attempt to tone it down, but apparently nobody messes with Jane or my image of Mr. Darcy!
Putting the fictional character aside, I really was blown away by her portrayal of Jane Austen. The suggestion that Jane was a woman who would proposition a man for one night together where they could "play at being lovers" all so she could experience "love" was insulting to her image to the highest degree. This characterization of Jane is completely unjustified and made my blood boil. Her concept of love as portrayed in this book is merely lust in a pretty package.
I understand that the author and I have very different views on morality, with her perspective being that "what we call morality is always only relative to the standards of a given society" (quoted directly from the book) and my perspective based on eternal truths revealed by a higher being which do not change with the times or the trends. But I take issue with the author's assumption and assertion that Jane, her heroes, and her heroines were only chaste because she lived in a so-called repressed society. All of her writings celebrate the good and virtuous in people, and I believe these were an extension of the kind of person she was regardless of the times in which she lived. Her books were a description of love to the purest degree.
Perhaps I failed in my attempt to tone it down, but apparently nobody messes with Jane or my image of Mr. Darcy!
February 3, 2013
There has been lots of speculation amongst those who adored Jane Austen's works regarding first, how a lady who never married or experienced a love affair could write such beautiful scenes and dialogues of love and secondly, there is speculation if her characters such as Mr. Darcy were based on real people. Sally Smith O'Rourke has taken these speculations and made a worthy story from them.
In this tale, modern day, Eliza Knight a NYC landscape artist whimsically purchases an old vanity and takes it home where she starts cleaning it up and discovers two old letters. One letter is open and the other has never been read. One is addressed to Fitzwilliam Darcy and the other to Jane Austen. This begins Eliza's quest to first determine the authenticity of the letters and to discover if there was a real Fitzwilliam Darcy.
For some time, Fitzwilliam Darcy, wealthy Virginia man and owner of Pemberley Farms, has been on a search of his own that leads him to Eliza Knight when he responds to her email inquiry at a Jane Austen website forum. He unintentionally antagonizes her and then dismisses her inquiry as just another Darcy fan.
But then he is confronted by Eliza in person and finds that she truly has the evidence in the form of Jane's unopened letter that will give him the answers he seeks. They irritate each other again and Darcy discovers that he must tell his unbelievable tale of journeying back through time to convince Eliza that she should relinquish the letter to him.
I found the slower paced, gentle story lines both past and present delightful. I was a bit taken aback by the Jane Austen character, but then again I suppose we all have varying pictures of what she was like in our own minds. The one in the story was not vastly different from my own or in such a way that I couldn't see her at all in the portrayal. It was fun seeing how the present day story characters and some of the plot loosely followed the Pride and Prejudice plot. I found myself really taken with Eliza and Darcy even when they kept getting each other angry. I think my favorite character was Jenny. She's such a sweet and fun friend.
This story will appeal to those who enjoy sweet romances with gentle plots and for certain to those who enjoy Austenesque stories.
In this tale, modern day, Eliza Knight a NYC landscape artist whimsically purchases an old vanity and takes it home where she starts cleaning it up and discovers two old letters. One letter is open and the other has never been read. One is addressed to Fitzwilliam Darcy and the other to Jane Austen. This begins Eliza's quest to first determine the authenticity of the letters and to discover if there was a real Fitzwilliam Darcy.
For some time, Fitzwilliam Darcy, wealthy Virginia man and owner of Pemberley Farms, has been on a search of his own that leads him to Eliza Knight when he responds to her email inquiry at a Jane Austen website forum. He unintentionally antagonizes her and then dismisses her inquiry as just another Darcy fan.
But then he is confronted by Eliza in person and finds that she truly has the evidence in the form of Jane's unopened letter that will give him the answers he seeks. They irritate each other again and Darcy discovers that he must tell his unbelievable tale of journeying back through time to convince Eliza that she should relinquish the letter to him.
I found the slower paced, gentle story lines both past and present delightful. I was a bit taken aback by the Jane Austen character, but then again I suppose we all have varying pictures of what she was like in our own minds. The one in the story was not vastly different from my own or in such a way that I couldn't see her at all in the portrayal. It was fun seeing how the present day story characters and some of the plot loosely followed the Pride and Prejudice plot. I found myself really taken with Eliza and Darcy even when they kept getting each other angry. I think my favorite character was Jenny. She's such a sweet and fun friend.
This story will appeal to those who enjoy sweet romances with gentle plots and for certain to those who enjoy Austenesque stories.
August 28, 2013
STAY AWAY!!! Even if a book starts out slow, I'm one of those people who stick it out at least to Chapter 4 or 5...and most of the time, I'll just go ahead and finish it because I'm curious to find out if it ends as poorly as it began. This book was so bad that I couldn't even get past the second chapter. Trite doesn't even begin to describe it. Predictable is putting it mildly. My eyes are stuck to the top of my head for the rolling and my gag reflex is working overtime.
SPOILER ALERT:
I knew going in that this was a fluff piece...but I was hoping for well-written fluff. From the first page, the prose felt as though it was written for a tween audience. Jane Austen goes to meet a lover in the dead of night only to be informed by a groom that he was called away unexpectedly. The groom returns an undelivered letter Jane had written to said lover and she returns home only to wonder where to hide the letter as Cassandra insists to know what's wrong.
The next chapter finds us in present day New York where Eliza Knight and her cat Wickham find the letter in a newly acquired antique dressing table. But with the unopened letter from Jane is another letter from the lover...wait for it...wait for it...a Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Now, I must admit that I stopped reading at this point. However, I skimmed the rest of the book...it gets worse. Before turning the unopened missive over to the historical authorities, Eliza goes in search of the elusive Mr. Darcy and discovers him...in Virginia...in the present...at an estate called Pemberley. It turns out that somehow, "Fitz," as his friends call him, traveled through time, fell in love with Jane Austen, and then ended up back in his own time.
The last few pages reveal that he and Eliza somehow also fell in love and the unread letter from Jane finally reveals that she wants him to find his one TRUE love in his own time.
Can you see why I couldn't stomach actually reading it? As a lover of Jane Austen and cheesy romance novels, I am HIGHLY offended that this was actually published.
SPOILER ALERT:
I knew going in that this was a fluff piece...but I was hoping for well-written fluff. From the first page, the prose felt as though it was written for a tween audience. Jane Austen goes to meet a lover in the dead of night only to be informed by a groom that he was called away unexpectedly. The groom returns an undelivered letter Jane had written to said lover and she returns home only to wonder where to hide the letter as Cassandra insists to know what's wrong.
The next chapter finds us in present day New York where Eliza Knight and her cat Wickham find the letter in a newly acquired antique dressing table. But with the unopened letter from Jane is another letter from the lover...wait for it...wait for it...a Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Now, I must admit that I stopped reading at this point. However, I skimmed the rest of the book...it gets worse. Before turning the unopened missive over to the historical authorities, Eliza goes in search of the elusive Mr. Darcy and discovers him...in Virginia...in the present...at an estate called Pemberley. It turns out that somehow, "Fitz," as his friends call him, traveled through time, fell in love with Jane Austen, and then ended up back in his own time.
The last few pages reveal that he and Eliza somehow also fell in love and the unread letter from Jane finally reveals that she wants him to find his one TRUE love in his own time.
Can you see why I couldn't stomach actually reading it? As a lover of Jane Austen and cheesy romance novels, I am HIGHLY offended that this was actually published.
July 5, 2017
¿Quién no querría que Mr. Darcy existiera o, al menos, que lo hubiera hecho siglos atrás?
La historia, al principio, promete ser interesante. Admito que me atrajo la idea de un Mr. Darcy real pero, a medida que avanzaba la lectura, el argumento se volvió poco creíble y absurdo. En la sinopsis no dice nada que indique que se trata de un viaje en el tiempo y, siendo un libro que se supone que intenta ser realista (al menos es la impresión que da al comienzo), quedó fuera de lugar. Es difícil imaginarse que una persona que existió siglos atrás, la misma Jane Austen, se viera envuelta en una situación de tanta fantasía; casi tan absurdo como imaginármela luchando contra dragones.
Esto no es porque no me gusten las historias de viajes en el tiempo. De hecho, me encantan. Solamente siento que en este caso no encaja. O quizás es porque tenía otras expectativas al leer este libro.
Aparte de esta situación inverosímil (un Darcy del presente que viajó al pasado), los personajes fueron algo planos y no pude sentir empatía por ninguno, ni siquiera por el Darcy que retrató.
En cuanto a la escritura, estuvo bien, pero -en mi opinión- no fue suficiente para "sostener" la historia.
La historia, al principio, promete ser interesante. Admito que me atrajo la idea de un Mr. Darcy real pero, a medida que avanzaba la lectura, el argumento se volvió poco creíble y absurdo. En la sinopsis no dice nada que indique que se trata de un viaje en el tiempo y, siendo un libro que se supone que intenta ser realista (al menos es la impresión que da al comienzo), quedó fuera de lugar. Es difícil imaginarse que una persona que existió siglos atrás, la misma Jane Austen, se viera envuelta en una situación de tanta fantasía; casi tan absurdo como imaginármela luchando contra dragones.
Esto no es porque no me gusten las historias de viajes en el tiempo. De hecho, me encantan. Solamente siento que en este caso no encaja. O quizás es porque tenía otras expectativas al leer este libro.
Aparte de esta situación inverosímil (un Darcy del presente que viajó al pasado), los personajes fueron algo planos y no pude sentir empatía por ninguno, ni siquiera por el Darcy que retrató.
En cuanto a la escritura, estuvo bien, pero -en mi opinión- no fue suficiente para "sostener" la historia.
May 14, 2013
Convoluted plots such as this one only work if well-written. This book, unfortunately, was not.
Read
July 29, 2022I seem to be on a time-travel kick!
Read
November 4, 2017The Man Who Loved Jane Austen is a very different Pride and Prejudice retelling, one that centers on 200-year-old letters between Jane Austen and Fitzwilliam Darcy, which are found in an antique vanity table purchased by New York artist Eliza Knight. Eliza’s quest to determine whether the Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice was based on someone Austen knew in real life leads her to Fitzwilliam Darcy of Virginia, a horse breeder who owns the grand Pemberley Farms.
Eliza makes the trip to discuss the letters, in which Fitz is extremely interested. She arrives just before the annual Rose Ball, and he convinces her to stay so he can explain why he wants to buy the letters. If only Faith Harrington, the temperamental socialite intent on marrying Fitz (think Caroline Bingley, only worse) would leave them alone long enough for Fitz to explain his obsession with Jane Austen…but would Eliza believe him anyway?
Sally Smith O’Rourke has created a delightful tale of a woman who has never taken a chance on love and a man who nearly lost everything for just a taste of it, who are brought together by a writer whose romantic tales have been cherished by readers for 200 years but who may never have had a love story of her own. In The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, O’Rourke transports readers to Chawton Cottage in 1810 when Austen was editing First Impressions, the novel that would become Pride and Prejudice. O’Rourke imagines Jane as an intelligent, observant, witty, and curious young woman who is very much attached to her family but is a hopeless romantic. She is willing to risk a great deal for a kiss in the moonlight, a chance to know how it feels to love and be loved, even if it breaks her heart.
I decided to re-read The Man Who Loved Jane Austen (first read in my pre-blogging days) to refresh my memory before reading the newly published sequel, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen, and I’m glad I did because I think I liked it even more the second time around. I didn’t completely buy Eliza as a sort of modern day Elizabeth Bennet, mainly because she was willing to settle for a boring relationship with a boring investment manager (and we know from Elizabeth turning down two marriage proposals that she doesn’t settle!) and she lacked Elizabeth’s wit. However, Fitz reminded me of Austen’s Darcy, quiet and arrogant until you chip away at his hard shell and uncover the good man hiding beneath. While I don’t know all that much about Jane Austen’s life (and O’Rourke admits to taking liberties when it comes to the biographical details), I liked how she was portrayed as being very similar to Elizabeth Bennet in personality. It’s easy to think of Austen merely as a spinster who died young and somehow managed to write some great love stories, but she was so much more than that. And who doesn’t want to believe that Jane had a love story?
The Man Who Loved Jane Austen is unique in simultaneously juggling past and present retellings of Pride and Prejudice and imagining the inspiration for Austen’s beloved novel. There’s a bit of a mystery amidst all the romance, and it’s even a bit predictable, but that was easy for me to overlook because I just got swept up in the magic of the story. It’s a lighthearted novel that, at its core, is about the power of love to change people.
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
Eliza makes the trip to discuss the letters, in which Fitz is extremely interested. She arrives just before the annual Rose Ball, and he convinces her to stay so he can explain why he wants to buy the letters. If only Faith Harrington, the temperamental socialite intent on marrying Fitz (think Caroline Bingley, only worse) would leave them alone long enough for Fitz to explain his obsession with Jane Austen…but would Eliza believe him anyway?
Sally Smith O’Rourke has created a delightful tale of a woman who has never taken a chance on love and a man who nearly lost everything for just a taste of it, who are brought together by a writer whose romantic tales have been cherished by readers for 200 years but who may never have had a love story of her own. In The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, O’Rourke transports readers to Chawton Cottage in 1810 when Austen was editing First Impressions, the novel that would become Pride and Prejudice. O’Rourke imagines Jane as an intelligent, observant, witty, and curious young woman who is very much attached to her family but is a hopeless romantic. She is willing to risk a great deal for a kiss in the moonlight, a chance to know how it feels to love and be loved, even if it breaks her heart.
I decided to re-read The Man Who Loved Jane Austen (first read in my pre-blogging days) to refresh my memory before reading the newly published sequel, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen, and I’m glad I did because I think I liked it even more the second time around. I didn’t completely buy Eliza as a sort of modern day Elizabeth Bennet, mainly because she was willing to settle for a boring relationship with a boring investment manager (and we know from Elizabeth turning down two marriage proposals that she doesn’t settle!) and she lacked Elizabeth’s wit. However, Fitz reminded me of Austen’s Darcy, quiet and arrogant until you chip away at his hard shell and uncover the good man hiding beneath. While I don’t know all that much about Jane Austen’s life (and O’Rourke admits to taking liberties when it comes to the biographical details), I liked how she was portrayed as being very similar to Elizabeth Bennet in personality. It’s easy to think of Austen merely as a spinster who died young and somehow managed to write some great love stories, but she was so much more than that. And who doesn’t want to believe that Jane had a love story?
The Man Who Loved Jane Austen is unique in simultaneously juggling past and present retellings of Pride and Prejudice and imagining the inspiration for Austen’s beloved novel. There’s a bit of a mystery amidst all the romance, and it’s even a bit predictable, but that was easy for me to overlook because I just got swept up in the magic of the story. It’s a lighthearted novel that, at its core, is about the power of love to change people.
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
January 4, 2014
Partilhar o coração de um homem com outra mulher é algo que deve ser muito pesaroso, principalmente a partir do momento em que esse homem é Fitzwilliam Darcy de Pemberley e muito especialmente quando a outra mulher é Miss Jane Austen, de Chawton Cottage House, falecida há quase dois séculos e, no entanto, ainda tida como o grande amor de Mr Darcy.
O conceito é interessante. Para mim, que gosto da escritora e dos seus personagens, de viagens no tempo e romance. Mas desenganem-se aqueles que não gostam de histórias de viagens no tempo. A história está entrançada de forma interessante e 'viável', por assim dizer. Claro que a viagem no tempo torna a história absolutamente fantasiosa, mas não lhe rouba carisma.
Sim, Mr Darcy existiu. Jane Austen escrevia acerca daquilo que conhecia. Porque e onde iria buscar a personagem daquele homem orgulhoso mas afável e bom? Ele teve de ter existido. Só não contava era que ela o tivesse desencantado vindo do século vinte e um. Confuso? Só lendo a história que é muito boa, acreditem. Dentro do ramo da fantasia, claro, apesar das premissas e conceitos quase acurados e com possibilidade de terem mesmo acontecido daquela forma.
Porque não cinco estrelas? Oh, eu sou romântica e gosto de um bom romance mas nem na ficção aceito que um homem ou uma mulher se apaixonem tão rapidamente e com intensidade suficiente para que esse amor dure através dos tempos. Ou melhor, na ficção, até aceito. Mas não desta forma tão imediata, tão pouco explorada. Primeiro porque F.Darcy de Pemberley Farms era demasiado interessante para se perder de amores por uma mulher old-fashioned como a Jane e depois porque a própria Jane Austen nunca faria ou diria as coisas que disse a Darcy aquando dos seus poucos e breves interlúdios. Claro que sabemos quase com certeza que ela era uma mulher inteligente, sagaz e com apetência para querer sempre saber mais sobre a vida, a sociedade e os seus costumes, principalmente os sociais. Aí sim, acredito e aceito a sua personalidade como retratada no livro. No entanto, acredito que a sua discrição social, o seu medo pelo desconhecido e pelas repercussões que poderiam acontecer, fossem muito superiores aquela vontade de, uma única vez na vida, viver os encantos de um grande amor.
Recomenda-se, no entanto. Positivamente.
E segue a continuação. Sim, porque ainda não acabou. Parece-me que Eliza Knight ainda vai ouvir falar de Jane Austen. E Mr Darcy, esse parece que ainda não sabe onde está o seu coração.
O conceito é interessante. Para mim, que gosto da escritora e dos seus personagens, de viagens no tempo e romance. Mas desenganem-se aqueles que não gostam de histórias de viagens no tempo. A história está entrançada de forma interessante e 'viável', por assim dizer. Claro que a viagem no tempo torna a história absolutamente fantasiosa, mas não lhe rouba carisma.
Sim, Mr Darcy existiu. Jane Austen escrevia acerca daquilo que conhecia. Porque e onde iria buscar a personagem daquele homem orgulhoso mas afável e bom? Ele teve de ter existido. Só não contava era que ela o tivesse desencantado vindo do século vinte e um. Confuso? Só lendo a história que é muito boa, acreditem. Dentro do ramo da fantasia, claro, apesar das premissas e conceitos quase acurados e com possibilidade de terem mesmo acontecido daquela forma.
Porque não cinco estrelas? Oh, eu sou romântica e gosto de um bom romance mas nem na ficção aceito que um homem ou uma mulher se apaixonem tão rapidamente e com intensidade suficiente para que esse amor dure através dos tempos. Ou melhor, na ficção, até aceito. Mas não desta forma tão imediata, tão pouco explorada. Primeiro porque F.Darcy de Pemberley Farms era demasiado interessante para se perder de amores por uma mulher old-fashioned como a Jane e depois porque a própria Jane Austen nunca faria ou diria as coisas que disse a Darcy aquando dos seus poucos e breves interlúdios. Claro que sabemos quase com certeza que ela era uma mulher inteligente, sagaz e com apetência para querer sempre saber mais sobre a vida, a sociedade e os seus costumes, principalmente os sociais. Aí sim, acredito e aceito a sua personalidade como retratada no livro. No entanto, acredito que a sua discrição social, o seu medo pelo desconhecido e pelas repercussões que poderiam acontecer, fossem muito superiores aquela vontade de, uma única vez na vida, viver os encantos de um grande amor.
Recomenda-se, no entanto. Positivamente.
E segue a continuação. Sim, porque ainda não acabou. Parece-me que Eliza Knight ainda vai ouvir falar de Jane Austen. E Mr Darcy, esse parece que ainda não sabe onde está o seu coração.
August 21, 2008
Jane Austen has been my solace, mentor and inspiration since I saw late night movie at 12 or 13 with Greer Garson (in Victorian???? costumes) raced to the library in order to read Pride and Prejudice. Read it annually since, so that must be maybe 50 times or more if I counted the semi-annual readings. If there’s nothing else decent (meaning well written, wry, ironic, deep relationships without the grit, I will pick up my best beloved author. Then this summer my Boston daughter brought me a box of the knock-offs. Jane Fairfax, wow, so well done and for the first I liked Jane F. Jane Austen in Boca, superbly written, respectful yet very funny. Elizabeth Aston’s The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy was also quite well written but the plot borrowed from Georgette Heyer and didn’t work. Finally, I decided that I did not want to read about the imaginary possible relatives of the Darcy’s but wanted more Jane Austen, more Eliza and Mr. Darcy, not off stage. Then last night finished The Man Who Loved Jane Austen - finally a Austen-sequel author who brings the Beloved into the story. The writing wasn’t great but the plot and characters and ending were just wonderful. A Letter suitably appropriate to Captain Wentworth's Letter to Anne. Highly recommended if you can conceive of Jane Austen ever writing fantasy. Why am I so hard on these sister authors, I am just as hard on my own books, believe me, most sincerely, I am, Garnette
June 17, 2010
Well this book is about time travel. Fitzwillam Darcy is a man form the 21 century and while riding on his horse time travels back to meet Jane Austen tells her how "liberated" women are today. Then he come back falls for the hereon (Eliza Knight) of the story who happens to find letters written in Jane Austen hand, and his (Mr. Darcy) so yes they have corresponded before he left. So yes he has fallen for Jane and Eliza. Even Eliza has a cat named Wickham
This author rally is a fan of P&P and Jane altogether. The pore woman has been ghost righted, written about, made into movies,and t.v shows. All because the world loves a good romance. From the ultimate romantic author Jane Austen. Other author's have tried to take a good thing and make it better. That jest cant happen.
This author rally is a fan of P&P and Jane altogether. The pore woman has been ghost righted, written about, made into movies,and t.v shows. All because the world loves a good romance. From the ultimate romantic author Jane Austen. Other author's have tried to take a good thing and make it better. That jest cant happen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2009
This book reminded me of the books my grandma gave me to read when I was 16.
July 21, 2013
Couldn't even finish this. The main character just does not act in a normal way. Couldn't get attached to the story because her actions just didn't make sense.
July 7, 2019
I was not a huge fan of this one. It felt a bit like fan-fiction. It also felt overdone.
Full review here: http://castoffcovers.blog/2019/07/07/...
Full review here: http://castoffcovers.blog/2019/07/07/...
January 8, 2021
"And though you have concerned yourself with my heart, let me now concern myself with tours. For some where on that faraway world of yours, I know there awaits your one true love. Find her, dearest! Find here whatever else you may do... And when she is found, you must tell her she is your dearest and loveliest desire. Be happy, my love. Yours forever, Jane"
I might have rated this 5-stars if only I didn't find some parts of Fitz and Jane's interactions somewhat..boring? Maybe my loss of interest was because of how those long chapters were written. Mostly, the story revolves around the romantization of a real life Mr. Darcy that most people adorns and how a real person inspired his character.. I do find that kind of a bit overused. But I did found the premise where Darcy was a modern American who somehow ended up in 1810 England and how a letter from Jane to Darcy found in an antique table could possibly rewrite what we know about the inclusive author, her life, and her famous written works. These were interesting enough for me to give this book a try. I'm a fan of Jane Austen and her literary works. And I adorn Pride and Prejudice as well. God knows how many Pride and Prejudice-related books I've read in the past.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy reading about Fitz's unexpected adventure to 1810. It was fun reading about the "kind, thoughtful and honorable man, Fitzwilliam Darcy", an American from the 21st century who owns a 200-year old estate in Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, how he became "the essence of Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy, and how he incidentally became the inspiration behind " the most romantic character in English literature", obviously created by Jane Austen.
However, I do wish that there was more Eliza - Fitz interactions. I understand that Fitz's 1810 adventures is essential for the story since that is what the novel is about. But the story also supposedly revolves around Eliza's unexpected "modern-day romance" with Darcy himself. And yet I don't think there's enough events centered in Eliza and Darcy's modern day romance.
Lastly, although it was established from their first meeting and in a couple more passages that there in an instant connection between the two, the "romance" between these characters as well as Darcy's feeling for Eliza are vaguely expressed(?), incorporated(?) in the story. And I'm not sure what to think about it. Does Darcy really likes--or loves Eliza as implied in the final passages? Or did she merely ignited those feelings from him because she reminded him of Jane? I guess I have to read the next book in order to find out. Yes, I just found out that there's a sequel. I thought this is a stand-alone but apparently not. Nonetheless, I found this enjoyable, for the most parts of it. But I am not quite sure whether I should read the next book or not.
I might have rated this 5-stars if only I didn't find some parts of Fitz and Jane's interactions somewhat..boring? Maybe my loss of interest was because of how those long chapters were written. Mostly, the story revolves around the romantization of a real life Mr. Darcy that most people adorns and how a real person inspired his character.. I do find that kind of a bit overused. But I did found the premise where Darcy was a modern American who somehow ended up in 1810 England and how a letter from Jane to Darcy found in an antique table could possibly rewrite what we know about the inclusive author, her life, and her famous written works. These were interesting enough for me to give this book a try. I'm a fan of Jane Austen and her literary works. And I adorn Pride and Prejudice as well. God knows how many Pride and Prejudice-related books I've read in the past.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy reading about Fitz's unexpected adventure to 1810. It was fun reading about the "kind, thoughtful and honorable man, Fitzwilliam Darcy", an American from the 21st century who owns a 200-year old estate in Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, how he became "the essence of Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy, and how he incidentally became the inspiration behind " the most romantic character in English literature", obviously created by Jane Austen.
However, I do wish that there was more Eliza - Fitz interactions. I understand that Fitz's 1810 adventures is essential for the story since that is what the novel is about. But the story also supposedly revolves around Eliza's unexpected "modern-day romance" with Darcy himself. And yet I don't think there's enough events centered in Eliza and Darcy's modern day romance.
Lastly, although it was established from their first meeting and in a couple more passages that there in an instant connection between the two, the "romance" between these characters as well as Darcy's feeling for Eliza are vaguely expressed(?), incorporated(?) in the story. And I'm not sure what to think about it. Does Darcy really likes--or loves Eliza as implied in the final passages? Or did she merely ignited those feelings from him because she reminded him of Jane? I guess I have to read the next book in order to find out. Yes, I just found out that there's a sequel. I thought this is a stand-alone but apparently not. Nonetheless, I found this enjoyable, for the most parts of it. But I am not quite sure whether I should read the next book or not.
September 29, 2024
I grabbed this book at The Book Thing....anything Jane Austen....my horrible pleasure where every time I pick up another book influenced by the illustrious Ms. Austen I groan quietly as I turn each page.
This is a pretty far fetched story- a mix of Jane Austen and Darcy Fitzwilliam and the current world. Modern day artist (who is not an Austen fan) buys a writing desk at an antique store- that ends up having 2 letters hidden behind the glass....she gets them authenticated by an Austen expert who just happens to be having an exhibit at the NYC library.....a man appears and they discuss the clothing. He knows so much....then she starts up a conversation with an online Austen fan....and then travels south to meet up with a man named Darcy Fitzwilliam.....who is a wealthy horse breeder and is planning a ball THAT weekend....they get in a spat....of course they are both just highly attracted....the ball, he recounts what truly happened and why those letters are HIS....time travel, midnight meetings in the woods....a ball (where he picks her dress).
There is a lot that doesn't make sense- and doesn't work. Eliza (main character) isn't an Austen fan- yet she knows ALL the facts....and her cat's name is Wickam. Darcy is fake sleeping while recovering from a concussion in Austen's time- 2-3 days....but didn't notice he wasn't wearing underwear? Nah. Didn't have to use the restroom? Yea. Eliza just happens to be the exact size of his ancestor. Sure. Cassandra is ok with Jane disappearing in the middle of the night ? Sure.
Read- but be ready to roll your eyes....it is ok.
M & L Reading Challenge 2024: a book that you know will be bad, but you have to!
This is a pretty far fetched story- a mix of Jane Austen and Darcy Fitzwilliam and the current world. Modern day artist (who is not an Austen fan) buys a writing desk at an antique store- that ends up having 2 letters hidden behind the glass....she gets them authenticated by an Austen expert who just happens to be having an exhibit at the NYC library.....a man appears and they discuss the clothing. He knows so much....then she starts up a conversation with an online Austen fan....and then travels south to meet up with a man named Darcy Fitzwilliam.....who is a wealthy horse breeder and is planning a ball THAT weekend....they get in a spat....of course they are both just highly attracted....the ball, he recounts what truly happened and why those letters are HIS....time travel, midnight meetings in the woods....a ball (where he picks her dress).
There is a lot that doesn't make sense- and doesn't work. Eliza (main character) isn't an Austen fan- yet she knows ALL the facts....and her cat's name is Wickam. Darcy is fake sleeping while recovering from a concussion in Austen's time- 2-3 days....but didn't notice he wasn't wearing underwear? Nah. Didn't have to use the restroom? Yea. Eliza just happens to be the exact size of his ancestor. Sure. Cassandra is ok with Jane disappearing in the middle of the night ? Sure.
Read- but be ready to roll your eyes....it is ok.
M & L Reading Challenge 2024: a book that you know will be bad, but you have to!
January 7, 2020
This was a light, quick read. The writing wasn't always very fluid, but it was, by and large, fine. The main characters, meanwhile, are fairly well-written, with some occasional doses of wit- especially from Eliza. The premise is far-fetched, but this is a dive into pure romantic fantasy, so that can be forgiven, I think.
However, the characters did make some rather odd leaps of logic or rash assumptions that led to unnecessary conflict. The early email exchange, for example, in which Darcy assumes (based on a simple question) that this woman has access to the information he wants. And then there's Eliza's rudeness in replying to what seems like a fairly anodyne response to her inquiry, which strikes as contrived exclusively to create tension between the two when they finally meet.
Other than that, the plot was pretty predictable and the supporting characters were a little two-dimensional. Faith, in particular, was a troubling (and slightly tedious) exploration of the 'insanely jealous other woman' trope that seemed to say little, other than, "Bitches be crazy." We're not supposed to see anything wrong with the fact Fitz arguably led her on by getting drunk and having sex with her. I, for what it's worth, do see something wrong in him doing that.
If you're looking for an unsurprising, predominantly sweet romance with a dash of Austen, this is a perfectly decent way to while away a few hours. But don't go in expecting any more than that.
However, the characters did make some rather odd leaps of logic or rash assumptions that led to unnecessary conflict. The early email exchange, for example, in which Darcy assumes (based on a simple question) that this woman has access to the information he wants. And then there's Eliza's rudeness in replying to what seems like a fairly anodyne response to her inquiry, which strikes as contrived exclusively to create tension between the two when they finally meet.
Other than that, the plot was pretty predictable and the supporting characters were a little two-dimensional. Faith, in particular, was a troubling (and slightly tedious) exploration of the 'insanely jealous other woman' trope that seemed to say little, other than, "Bitches be crazy." We're not supposed to see anything wrong with the fact Fitz arguably led her on by getting drunk and having sex with her. I, for what it's worth, do see something wrong in him doing that.
If you're looking for an unsurprising, predominantly sweet romance with a dash of Austen, this is a perfectly decent way to while away a few hours. But don't go in expecting any more than that.
March 5, 2023
¿Qué pasaría si encontrases una carta de amor escrita hace 200 años por un personaje de ficción para la escritora que lo creó? ¿Y sí, junto a esa carta, hay otra dirigida a este personaje… y remitida por la propia escritora? La verdad puede ser más rara que la ficción, pero una mujer está a punto de descubrir lo que sucede cuando la ficción se convierte en realidad…
La vida aburrida y tranquila de Eliza termina cuando descubre dos enigmáticas cartas en un antiguo tocador que acaba de adquirir en una tienda de antigüedades. Una, escrita de su puño y letra por la autora que más admira, Jane Austen. La otra, más increíble aún, escrita por Fitzwilliam Darcy, el protagonista de la novela de Austen 'Orgullo y prejuicio'. ¿Es posible que fuera un personaje real? Decidida a indagar en un fabuloso romance del pasado, Eliza entra en contacto por Internet con un Fitzwilliam Darcy actual, al que cree descendiente del autor de su carta. Pronto, acude a su mansión a conocerlo en persona. Allí le espera la revelación de un secreto increíble y la ocasión de convertirse en protagonista de una aventura que nada tiene que envidiar a las que inventó, y vivió, su adorada escritora. Un delicioso romance que rompe las barreras del tiempo, con el que Sally Smith O'Rourke rinde su particular homenaje a la gran autora británica.
La vida aburrida y tranquila de Eliza termina cuando descubre dos enigmáticas cartas en un antiguo tocador que acaba de adquirir en una tienda de antigüedades. Una, escrita de su puño y letra por la autora que más admira, Jane Austen. La otra, más increíble aún, escrita por Fitzwilliam Darcy, el protagonista de la novela de Austen 'Orgullo y prejuicio'. ¿Es posible que fuera un personaje real? Decidida a indagar en un fabuloso romance del pasado, Eliza entra en contacto por Internet con un Fitzwilliam Darcy actual, al que cree descendiente del autor de su carta. Pronto, acude a su mansión a conocerlo en persona. Allí le espera la revelación de un secreto increíble y la ocasión de convertirse en protagonista de una aventura que nada tiene que envidiar a las que inventó, y vivió, su adorada escritora. Un delicioso romance que rompe las barreras del tiempo, con el que Sally Smith O'Rourke rinde su particular homenaje a la gran autora británica.
August 27, 2020
"El hombre que amó a Jane Austen" fue la primera novela JAFF (Jane Austen Fan Fiction) que leí en el 2007 e hizo que me enamorara realmente de Austen. Apenas había leído la novela de "Orgullo y prejuicio", pero fue esta novela de viaje en el tiempo de Sally Smith O'Rourke y su difunto esposo la cual hizo que quisiera leer más de estas novelas, que en ese entonces realmente no habían disponibles en español.
Una parte del prefacio dice:
"El hombre que amó a Jane Austen es la personificación de un sueño. Es una fantasía vista a través de la bruma del tiempo, en la cual Darcy, el enigmático héroe de Orgullo y prejuicio, finalmente es desenmascarado y Jane, la mujer quien lo ha creado, revela el secreto de su propio verdadero amor.
Pero que no haya equivocación, este es sólo un sueño. Nuestra fantasía, de Mike y mía. No de Jane Austen. Y aunque sin duda tomamos libertades excesivas con la vida y tiempos de esta ilustre autora, nos gustaría pensar que Jane, de entre todas las personas, ella lo entendería. Y, al descubrirse interpretando el deseado papel de la heroína romántica, incluso nos recompensaría con una sonrisa."
Y ahora, casi 15 años después esta novela tendrá una nueva traducción al español, y su secuela también tendrá su traducción para este año (2020).
Una parte del prefacio dice:
"El hombre que amó a Jane Austen es la personificación de un sueño. Es una fantasía vista a través de la bruma del tiempo, en la cual Darcy, el enigmático héroe de Orgullo y prejuicio, finalmente es desenmascarado y Jane, la mujer quien lo ha creado, revela el secreto de su propio verdadero amor.
Pero que no haya equivocación, este es sólo un sueño. Nuestra fantasía, de Mike y mía. No de Jane Austen. Y aunque sin duda tomamos libertades excesivas con la vida y tiempos de esta ilustre autora, nos gustaría pensar que Jane, de entre todas las personas, ella lo entendería. Y, al descubrirse interpretando el deseado papel de la heroína romántica, incluso nos recompensaría con una sonrisa."
Y ahora, casi 15 años después esta novela tendrá una nueva traducción al español, y su secuela también tendrá su traducción para este año (2020).
January 20, 2022
I feel like everyone who gave this book a low rating did it because they are a Jane Austen fan(atic). The book is nothing to write home about, more of a fanfic really, which I did not expect when I picked it to grace my bathroom shelf. It deserves low ratings for that more than for not being an accurate portrayal of Jane as a chaste, virginal spinster with so much 1800s dignity she would not even imagine spending a night with a man she's fallen in love with and knows she has no hope of marrying. I believe, being the thinker she was, by age 34 Jane could see right through the binds of 'morality' that the people of her time insisted on.
I did not expect or love the sci-fi twist to this story. Caught me completely offguard and made Darcy look like a fool. Accepting the fact that this is a fanfic helped me not get too offended by that. I saw what Sally O'Rourke tried to do, making our modern-day heroine and time-traveling hero experience pride & prejudice online. But, meh.
All this book arose in me was a hankering for a good romance novel, a curiosity for more time-travelling books, and a strong desire to reread Jane Eyre for the 5th time.
I did not expect or love the sci-fi twist to this story. Caught me completely offguard and made Darcy look like a fool. Accepting the fact that this is a fanfic helped me not get too offended by that. I saw what Sally O'Rourke tried to do, making our modern-day heroine and time-traveling hero experience pride & prejudice online. But, meh.
All this book arose in me was a hankering for a good romance novel, a curiosity for more time-travelling books, and a strong desire to reread Jane Eyre for the 5th time.
September 21, 2019
New York artist, Eliza Knight, is intrigued when she discovers two letters behind the mirror of an old vanity table she purchased. The open letter is dated 5.12.1810, addressed to "Jane Austen" and signed "F. Darcy". The 2nd is still sealed and is addressed to Fitzwilliam Darcy from Jane. Eliza starts doing research to see if Darcy really was real and not just the hero of P&P. Her research leads her to horse breeder Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, VA. She goes to visit him and he tries to buy the letter. They are very attracted to each other, but there's some conflicts - he actually jumped a horse over a fence in England 3 years earlier and travelled back in time becoming Jane's Mr. Darcy. Political situations required him to leave quickly (War of 1812 - Jane's brother is a naval captain) and it has bothered him ever since, as he fell in love with Jane. When they do finally open her letter, she urges him to find his one true love and tell her "she is your dearest and loveliest desire" which he finally does tell Eliza. Fun believable story - clean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2020
Don't waste your time. The synopsis sounded so promising and unusual but as I plod through it reads as though two different people have written this story. It's written in volumes, and different time periods, but not very well. Present day Darcy and his American friends appear to be too English in their speech and mannerisms as they wile away their time in Virginia. The estate is called a farm not a ranch for instance. They drink cocktails on the terrace. They speak rather aristocratic English. ( I know I am English). All in all, a good subject amateurishly written with overly wordy sentences and elongated descriptions of things that don't matter. This presumably because the correct wording would not come to mind. I have struggled to page 96 but am now giving up.
June 4, 2023
Історія про попаданця на ім'я Фіцвільям Дарсі, який із ХХІ століття потрапив у ХІХ, закрутив роман із Джейн Остін, а потім повернувся у свій час і, шкодуючи про втрачене кохання, знайшов нове.
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Книга легка і невимушена, читаючи її просто розслабляєшся і пливеш за течією. Персонажі і ситуації звичайні й передбачувані, але вони не дратують і спостерігати за ними приємно. Бал троянд викликав трепетне відчуття у душі і бажання перенестися у літній квітучий сад, де під зоряним небом здійснюються усі мрії.
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Книга не ідеальна і, якщо ви захочете до чогось прискіпатися, то легко зможете це зробити. Але з нею я змогла відпочити і відволіктися, тому мої враження позитивні.
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Книга легка і невимушена, читаючи її просто розслабляєшся і пливеш за течією. Персонажі і ситуації звичайні й передбачувані, але вони не дратують і спостерігати за ними приємно. Бал троянд викликав трепетне відчуття у душі і бажання перенестися у літній квітучий сад, де під зоряним небом здійснюються усі мрії.
⠀
Книга не ідеальна і, якщо ви захочете до чогось прискіпатися, то легко зможете це зробити. Але з нею я змогла відпочити і відволіктися, тому мої враження позитивні.
December 18, 2018
This was the most CONFOUNDING book I have read in quite some time!!! Without revealing important plot details this book married modern concepts with Jane Austen I would never have imagined possible. It was both ridiculous and intriguing. By the time I reached the middle I was so shocked that I momentarily considered throwing the book out!! However, having never read such a preposterous tale I couldn't stop reading and finished the last 200 pages in an afternoon. It was both predictable and deliciously well thought.
May 15, 2025
This Book has charmed me with it's whimsical premise and Austenian echoes, even though it also wandered into perplexing paths. Like a Dream you half-remember now, it was strange in many aspects and parts of the book. Yet it was sweetly satisfying- laced with wit like a Jane Austen Book, lots of Wonder like I was in Wonderland, and just enough romance to keep me turning the pages until just before my dinnertime.
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