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Austen Addicts #2
The Perfect Hero
The sparkling follow-up to A Weekend with Mr Darcy from Victoria Connelly -- set to become the Richard Curtis of the chick-lit world! The circus has come to town! Die-hard romantic, Kay Ashton, uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can't believe her luck -- especially when she realises that heart throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof! Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn't up to scratch, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is as baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two are meant for each other and can't resist a spot of matchmaking. Then, when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist? Featuring a cast of characters that could have stepped out of a Jane Austen novel, this is the perfect read for fans of Katie Fforde and Alexandra Potter.
373 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
99 people are currently reading
1379 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Connelly
67 books509 followersVictoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk before attending Worcester College where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she worked her way through a number of jobs before becoming a teacher in North Yorkshire.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
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March 31, 2014
I am a die-hard romantic. I am a die-hard Austen fan. I love light, fluffy books. I also love deep, thoughtful books. So, had this drivel fallen anywhere within my fairly large spectrum of "likes", all would have been well. However, I cannot abide poor characterization, stupid characters who do stupid things, plot lines that demand constant suspension of disbelief, and poor editing (seriously - some of the words used don't even exist!).
Kay starts out as a promising character. Then we get to the 4th or so chapter. From then on, she is nothing but an airheaded, immature, daydreaming, self-absorbed, blind fool. All the while, the male characters can't seem to get enough of her. Everyone is enchanted by her the moment they meet her. Good holy heavens, why? By the latter portion of the book, I was honestly hoping for an ending wherein Kay finally comes to her senses, comes begging to her man, and he promptly tosses her hiney out the door. That is the only fate worthy of a performance such as hers.
And Adam, while a pretty good beta male hero, and one I rooted for most of the book, was also a bit too much...himself. His character is supposed to be shy and frightened of making a fool of himself over love again. Therefore, he proceeds to prostrate himself before this imbecile who ignores his every advance, getting shut down time and again. But still he comes back for more. Because he loves her. Right after he meets her and her "toffee-coloured hair". (Another peeve. Seriously? No other part of this heroine's physical appearance or personality could be a positive attribute? I can't believe how much time we had to spend reading about her hair - how she washed it, brushed it, how it flew in the breeze. Gack!) I'm sorry, but a man this unable to assert himself could never be a movie producer.
Gemma is a nice enough character, but again, the author insists on each character so completely committing to his or her persona, that she comes off as quite one-dimensional. She's shy. She's a doormat. Yet - again - a wonderful man has been hovering around in her background, ready to take any crumb she drops his way - even after she continues to rebuff him.
Oli is a lovely little man-whore. 'Nuff said. Wish we hadn't had to hear about him through the whole book. However, his was the best "resolution" of the book - even if I saw it coming from miles away.
Nana Craig was fun. The most well-rounded, realistic character of them all, and a refreshing change in this book.
Additionally, every character in the book fell in "love" instantaneously. This might have been acceptable in a YA novel, but seriously. Everyone here is an adult. Lust happens as an adult, and is acknowledged as such. Attraction, interest, fascination - yes. But for everyone to be in love with one another when they know nothing of the other as an actual person is terribly juvenile.
I was completely surprised to learn this was not the author's first work. She's published? Multiple times? Good heavens. It felt very sophomoric and self-edited to me. Why did I finish? Apart from hoping for a deserving ending? Honestly, I just couldn't believe it could be this bad.
I hate to write a bad review. Truly, honestly I do. But I felt I had to balance the glowing reviews with something a little more realistic, on the off chance I can save someone from losing several hours of their life to this book like I did.
Kay starts out as a promising character. Then we get to the 4th or so chapter. From then on, she is nothing but an airheaded, immature, daydreaming, self-absorbed, blind fool. All the while, the male characters can't seem to get enough of her. Everyone is enchanted by her the moment they meet her. Good holy heavens, why? By the latter portion of the book, I was honestly hoping for an ending wherein Kay finally comes to her senses, comes begging to her man, and he promptly tosses her hiney out the door. That is the only fate worthy of a performance such as hers.
And Adam, while a pretty good beta male hero, and one I rooted for most of the book, was also a bit too much...himself. His character is supposed to be shy and frightened of making a fool of himself over love again. Therefore, he proceeds to prostrate himself before this imbecile who ignores his every advance, getting shut down time and again. But still he comes back for more. Because he loves her. Right after he meets her and her "toffee-coloured hair". (Another peeve. Seriously? No other part of this heroine's physical appearance or personality could be a positive attribute? I can't believe how much time we had to spend reading about her hair - how she washed it, brushed it, how it flew in the breeze. Gack!) I'm sorry, but a man this unable to assert himself could never be a movie producer.
Gemma is a nice enough character, but again, the author insists on each character so completely committing to his or her persona, that she comes off as quite one-dimensional. She's shy. She's a doormat. Yet - again - a wonderful man has been hovering around in her background, ready to take any crumb she drops his way - even after she continues to rebuff him.
Oli is a lovely little man-whore. 'Nuff said. Wish we hadn't had to hear about him through the whole book. However, his was the best "resolution" of the book - even if I saw it coming from miles away.
Nana Craig was fun. The most well-rounded, realistic character of them all, and a refreshing change in this book.
Additionally, every character in the book fell in "love" instantaneously. This might have been acceptable in a YA novel, but seriously. Everyone here is an adult. Lust happens as an adult, and is acknowledged as such. Attraction, interest, fascination - yes. But for everyone to be in love with one another when they know nothing of the other as an actual person is terribly juvenile.
I was completely surprised to learn this was not the author's first work. She's published? Multiple times? Good heavens. It felt very sophomoric and self-edited to me. Why did I finish? Apart from hoping for a deserving ending? Honestly, I just couldn't believe it could be this bad.
I hate to write a bad review. Truly, honestly I do. But I felt I had to balance the glowing reviews with something a little more realistic, on the off chance I can save someone from losing several hours of their life to this book like I did.
February 26, 2012
I was hoping for a fun Austen fluff read. Instead I got a waste of time. The characters and plot were totally unrealistic and Kay, one of the main characters, was so annoying and ditsy I would have thrown the book across the room if it wasn't on my nook. The hero was quiet, sensitive, spouted Austen, cleaned, baked, and didn't so much as blink when he found out the girl he loved had just had a one night stand with a movie star. Huh? There was also an obscene amount of love-at-first-sight crap in this book too. If you need a Mr. Darcy fix, go watch some Colin Firth and leave this on the shelf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2016
Welp. Sometimes you find some great books in the bargain bin, and sometimes you don't. I bought this book a few years back and never got around to reading it because the first few chapters dragged. Since one of my personal goals this year is to clean up my electronic and physical shelves I decided to check this one of the list since I decided to start reading Persuasion this week.
Besides a few callbacks to Austen novels (Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion) there was not a lot here left to really recommend this book to others.
Told in the third person, "Dreaming of Mr. Darcy" follows recent bed and breakfast owner Kay, screenwriter/produced Adam, and actress Gemma.
I would say for the most part, Kay is the main character that the story revolves, with little side roads taken here and there to focus on Adam and Gemma.
For me, the biggest problem I had (thought I had issues with all three characters) was with Kay.
Kay is a die-hard Jane Austen fan and a lover of all things Mr. Darcy. After losing her mother and a close friend at a retirement home that her mother used to work at, Kay is left a house and some money. She realizes that she can now use the house and money to move to Lyme Regis where Jane Austen set most of Persuasion. With that little bit right there, I did like Kim. But it seemed that she did a quick 180 with the character, because soon after reaching Lyme Regis readers are given a glimpse of a new Kim. A Kim that is obsessed with the local actors/actresses she is housing in her newly bought bed and breakfast. With her falling in love at first sight with the actor playing Captain Wentworth, Oli. I was actually having flashbacks to the Shopaholic series at certain points with Kay because she reminded me so much of Becky Bloomwood. Every five seconds Kay would imagine some off the wall scenario with Oli and even though she is warned by everyone around her she ignores them and decides that love conquers all and she is going to marry and be with Oli.
Kay for me was a mixture of Marianne Dashwood and Emma Woodhouse with their worst parts amplified. For example, after knowing Gemma for five seconds and Adam for five minutes, Kay decides that they are in love with one another and they need her help in realizing that. I just couldn't get over her presumption to know what other people needed. What really gets me though is that the author doesn't set up this side of Kay enough. All we initially know of Kay is that she paints and she loves to read Austen. She doesn't seem to have many friends. All of a sudden she's moved away to Lyme Regis and she's decided she knows what everyone around her really needs. I wanted to shake her.
Gemma is not given much to do in this book besides knit and hide how nervous she is when acting. Growing up with a famous mother, Gemma is pushed into acting and is starting to realize that she's not really enjoying it. I really wish we had gotten more of Gemma in this story. We don't spend enough time with her in my opinion and then we also have her having a crush/falling in love with Oli though she has enough sense to realize that he's not worth her time. I though that Gemma was Elinor Dashwood through and through.
Adam is similar to Gemma that he is not really given much to do in this book besides fall in love at first sight with Kay and act awkward and shy. I felt sorry for him initially, but he started to bug me too because he kept going around trying to warn Kay about Oli. I was of the mindset to just let her fall on her face and be done with it. I honestly saw a lot of Colonel Brandon in Adam's character. A good man who doesn't think he deserves someone as vibrant as Kay (blech).
There are secondary characters here such as Adam's grandmother (who I enjoyed more than anyone else), Oli, and a few of the other actors on set as well as the director of the movie. Funnily enough I did end up liking Oli in the end just because he was very much a modern day version of Frank Churchill.
The writing was okay, but nothing really special to me. After the umpteenth daydream of Kay's I was kind of over it. What really ended up messing up the book to me was the flow. The transition from Kay to Gemma to Adam and back and forth really didn't work well. I can see why Kay and Adam's story worked better, but Gemma's stood out like a sore thumb. Gemma's story really needed to be told in a standalone format.
The setting of Lyme Regis was described very well and I could picture the shops, the stone steps where Captain Wenworth missed Louisa and the seaside where many walks apparently took place.
The ending fell seriously flat to me because the big takeaway I got was that everyone having not gotten their first choice, was quite happy to run away with their second.
Besides a few callbacks to Austen novels (Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion) there was not a lot here left to really recommend this book to others.
Told in the third person, "Dreaming of Mr. Darcy" follows recent bed and breakfast owner Kay, screenwriter/produced Adam, and actress Gemma.
I would say for the most part, Kay is the main character that the story revolves, with little side roads taken here and there to focus on Adam and Gemma.
For me, the biggest problem I had (thought I had issues with all three characters) was with Kay.
Kay is a die-hard Jane Austen fan and a lover of all things Mr. Darcy. After losing her mother and a close friend at a retirement home that her mother used to work at, Kay is left a house and some money. She realizes that she can now use the house and money to move to Lyme Regis where Jane Austen set most of Persuasion. With that little bit right there, I did like Kim. But it seemed that she did a quick 180 with the character, because soon after reaching Lyme Regis readers are given a glimpse of a new Kim. A Kim that is obsessed with the local actors/actresses she is housing in her newly bought bed and breakfast. With her falling in love at first sight with the actor playing Captain Wentworth, Oli. I was actually having flashbacks to the Shopaholic series at certain points with Kay because she reminded me so much of Becky Bloomwood. Every five seconds Kay would imagine some off the wall scenario with Oli and even though she is warned by everyone around her she ignores them and decides that love conquers all and she is going to marry and be with Oli.
Kay for me was a mixture of Marianne Dashwood and Emma Woodhouse with their worst parts amplified. For example, after knowing Gemma for five seconds and Adam for five minutes, Kay decides that they are in love with one another and they need her help in realizing that. I just couldn't get over her presumption to know what other people needed. What really gets me though is that the author doesn't set up this side of Kay enough. All we initially know of Kay is that she paints and she loves to read Austen. She doesn't seem to have many friends. All of a sudden she's moved away to Lyme Regis and she's decided she knows what everyone around her really needs. I wanted to shake her.
Gemma is not given much to do in this book besides knit and hide how nervous she is when acting. Growing up with a famous mother, Gemma is pushed into acting and is starting to realize that she's not really enjoying it. I really wish we had gotten more of Gemma in this story. We don't spend enough time with her in my opinion and then we also have her having a crush/falling in love with Oli though she has enough sense to realize that he's not worth her time. I though that Gemma was Elinor Dashwood through and through.
Adam is similar to Gemma that he is not really given much to do in this book besides fall in love at first sight with Kay and act awkward and shy. I felt sorry for him initially, but he started to bug me too because he kept going around trying to warn Kay about Oli. I was of the mindset to just let her fall on her face and be done with it. I honestly saw a lot of Colonel Brandon in Adam's character. A good man who doesn't think he deserves someone as vibrant as Kay (blech).
There are secondary characters here such as Adam's grandmother (who I enjoyed more than anyone else), Oli, and a few of the other actors on set as well as the director of the movie. Funnily enough I did end up liking Oli in the end just because he was very much a modern day version of Frank Churchill.
The writing was okay, but nothing really special to me. After the umpteenth daydream of Kay's I was kind of over it. What really ended up messing up the book to me was the flow. The transition from Kay to Gemma to Adam and back and forth really didn't work well. I can see why Kay and Adam's story worked better, but Gemma's stood out like a sore thumb. Gemma's story really needed to be told in a standalone format.
The setting of Lyme Regis was described very well and I could picture the shops, the stone steps where Captain Wenworth missed Louisa and the seaside where many walks apparently took place.
The ending fell seriously flat to me because the big takeaway I got was that everyone having not gotten their first choice, was quite happy to run away with their second.
February 1, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand the heroine buys a bed and breakfast in Lyme Regis which tooted my Anglophile and Janeite horn. How cool would that be?! On the other hand, she has the emotional maturity of a middle schooler which brought a knee-jerking slap her off the side of the head reaction from me. And I can't understand why the title is Dreaming of Mr. Darcy when the book takes place in Lyme Regis and a film crew is working on a Persuasion movie. Shouldn't it have been Dreaming of Capt. Wentworth ??
But I digress. Story was interesting enough and the book was easy to read. However, as mentioned earlier, I couldn't get around the fact that the characters were just OK. The heroine was OK - emotionally retarded, but OK, the hero was nice but just OK and the supporting characters were a little bit unlikeable. Throughout the book the heroine was blind to the obvious actions of one man while blatantly ignoring the feelings of the other, along with some meanness you'd see from that Middle Schooler. At the end, the heroine is giving into a crying jag which might have brought sympathetic feelings to the reader (I think the author hoped), but it didn't for me.
So, why did I keep reading? Well, the premise of the book sounded really good and I kept waiting for that magic to happen. I guess I had high expectations. I've read other knock-off Jane Austen wannabes and they were just fine. This one didn't work.
I might, or might not, read the other books penned by this author. Hopefully the other characters won't be as blah as all these people were.
But I digress. Story was interesting enough and the book was easy to read. However, as mentioned earlier, I couldn't get around the fact that the characters were just OK. The heroine was OK - emotionally retarded, but OK, the hero was nice but just OK and the supporting characters were a little bit unlikeable. Throughout the book the heroine was blind to the obvious actions of one man while blatantly ignoring the feelings of the other, along with some meanness you'd see from that Middle Schooler. At the end, the heroine is giving into a crying jag which might have brought sympathetic feelings to the reader (I think the author hoped), but it didn't for me.
So, why did I keep reading? Well, the premise of the book sounded really good and I kept waiting for that magic to happen. I guess I had high expectations. I've read other knock-off Jane Austen wannabes and they were just fine. This one didn't work.
I might, or might not, read the other books penned by this author. Hopefully the other characters won't be as blah as all these people were.
March 5, 2012
Although there were likeable elements, I found myself utterly repulsed by the characters' overuse of "love" to describe feelings for people they'd just met and barely knew. It was as if these folks were Austen characters rather than multidimensional 21st century characters. This may be deliberate, of course, but it repulsed me nonetheless.
Kay's flash daydreams were cute at the start except that, again, although she told herself not to get carried away, she still did seem more to plan on the stuff of her daydreams than merely to hope for it DESPITE having basically been warned off by everyone including the object of her daydreams. And again this makes her a bit unappealingly simple/naive/silly.
On an "I'm clearly being Debbie Downer" continued note,... Actually, strike that, I've said enough.
Nana Craig is pretty wonderful, though, and gives us this charming exchange:
Adam rolled his eyes. 'Do you want another cup of tea?'
'I want some great-grandchildren--that's what I want.'
'Yes, but I'm offering you a cup of tea,' Adam said.
Nana Craig sighed. 'If that's all that's on offer, I guess I'd better say yes.'
Kay's flash daydreams were cute at the start except that, again, although she told herself not to get carried away, she still did seem more to plan on the stuff of her daydreams than merely to hope for it DESPITE having basically been warned off by everyone including the object of her daydreams. And again this makes her a bit unappealingly simple/naive/silly.
On an "I'm clearly being Debbie Downer" continued note,... Actually, strike that, I've said enough.
Nana Craig is pretty wonderful, though, and gives us this charming exchange:
Adam rolled his eyes. 'Do you want another cup of tea?'
'I want some great-grandchildren--that's what I want.'
'Yes, but I'm offering you a cup of tea,' Adam said.
Nana Craig sighed. 'If that's all that's on offer, I guess I'd better say yes.'
July 4, 2017
Fand ich ganz nett, endlich mal ein "austenisches" Buch, dass nicht einfach die Stränge von Jane Austen kopiert. Über Kay und oft auch Adam habe mich schon sehr genervt, aber Gemma fand ich sehr symphatisch und die Einbettung der Geschichte ans Set einer Persuasion Verfilmung fand auch ich toll. Natürlich hat es auch geholfen, dass Persuasion mein Lieblingsbuch ist und ja, jetzt möchte ich unbedingt mal nach Lyme Regis reisen. :)
January 12, 2012
In the second Austen-inspired novel of her trilogy about Jane Austen addicts, Victoria Connelly once again transports readers to a Jane Austen location that is on every Janeites' list of places visit. Lyme Regis, a seaside village known for its fossils, Cobb, and Louisa Musgrove's fictional fall, is the ideal setting for this novel about fresh starts and broken hearts. It is also the location of a new big screen production of Persuasion. It seems the quiet village of Lyme Regis is being invaded by actors, actresses, directors, and producers, as well as romance, excitement, and action...
Similar to A Weekend With Mr. Darcy, Ms. Connelly creates a dual plot story where the point-of-view shifts between each of the three main characters. This time though, it felt like a lot more page time and emphasis was place on one couple than the other. The three main characters are: Kay, our resident Jane Austen addict who is the proud new owner of a charming bed and breakfast appropriately dubbed Wentworth House; Adam, a quiet and unassuming screenwriter whose dream of producing Persuasion is finally becoming a reality; and Gemma, a talented but reluctant actress living in the shadow of her famous mother.
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
Similar to A Weekend With Mr. Darcy, Ms. Connelly creates a dual plot story where the point-of-view shifts between each of the three main characters. This time though, it felt like a lot more page time and emphasis was place on one couple than the other. The three main characters are: Kay, our resident Jane Austen addict who is the proud new owner of a charming bed and breakfast appropriately dubbed Wentworth House; Adam, a quiet and unassuming screenwriter whose dream of producing Persuasion is finally becoming a reality; and Gemma, a talented but reluctant actress living in the shadow of her famous mother.
To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
January 12, 2012
This was a bit different from my usual JA stuff, but it still deals with the love of Austen. Kay, our heroine, truly loves Jane Austen. Truly loves is the word. But then our hero loves JA too, talk about a match made in heaven...or not.
This was a bit of an Emma novel. Kay is clueless (but in a good way) that Adam likes her. Because she is oogling hottie actor Oli who is playing Captain Wentworth. And this is where the Emma story comes in. She is smitten by someone who is just playing with her. And she is trying to hook up a friend with Adam. Not a good matchmaker, and neither was Emma. But it does make for a delightful story. She is dreaming about her actor, and poor poor Adam can't do anything about it.
I liked Kay, cos she was not clueless in a bad way. Come one, if Colin Firth hang around my house then of course I would stare at him and not the shy nerd who tries to talk to me. So it was understandable that she did not notice. I also liked who silly she was and how her mind went to babies and weddings at once. She was such a daydreamer. While our hero was a lovely shy guy who, aww, hugs. I do like a good shy guy.
Conclusion:
It was a cute story about not seeing that which is right in front of you. But true love always win.
This was a bit of an Emma novel. Kay is clueless (but in a good way) that Adam likes her. Because she is oogling hottie actor Oli who is playing Captain Wentworth. And this is where the Emma story comes in. She is smitten by someone who is just playing with her. And she is trying to hook up a friend with Adam. Not a good matchmaker, and neither was Emma. But it does make for a delightful story. She is dreaming about her actor, and poor poor Adam can't do anything about it.
I liked Kay, cos she was not clueless in a bad way. Come one, if Colin Firth hang around my house then of course I would stare at him and not the shy nerd who tries to talk to me. So it was understandable that she did not notice. I also liked who silly she was and how her mind went to babies and weddings at once. She was such a daydreamer. While our hero was a lovely shy guy who, aww, hugs. I do like a good shy guy.
Conclusion:
It was a cute story about not seeing that which is right in front of you. But true love always win.
May 20, 2018
A movie is being made of Persuasion and we get to see the behind the scenes antics of the actors, director, producer, screenwriter, crew, etc. It was a train wreck and traffic jam from the beginning.
Midway through I wanted to throw myself off the Cobb. So many story lines to follow, so many stupid antics that tried to mirror Jane Austin plots [example: match making Emma style, really?]. The heroine was made ridiculous, needy, and insipid with her every emotion on her face. How on earth was she a business woman and running a B&B? Her behavior was that of a star struck teenager living in a fantasy world of her own creating. I desperately wanted a happy ending.
However, it took too much effort to get there. I was exhausted by the time I reached the end and by then I didn’t really care whether she had a happy ending or not. However, I wanted the Hero to have his happy ending; he worked hard enough for it and I loved Nana and she wanted him happy. So take the damaged heroine and see if you can straighten her out. Good luck with that.
Midway through I wanted to throw myself off the Cobb. So many story lines to follow, so many stupid antics that tried to mirror Jane Austin plots [example: match making Emma style, really?]. The heroine was made ridiculous, needy, and insipid with her every emotion on her face. How on earth was she a business woman and running a B&B? Her behavior was that of a star struck teenager living in a fantasy world of her own creating. I desperately wanted a happy ending.
However, it took too much effort to get there. I was exhausted by the time I reached the end and by then I didn’t really care whether she had a happy ending or not. However, I wanted the Hero to have his happy ending; he worked hard enough for it and I loved Nana and she wanted him happy. So take the damaged heroine and see if you can straighten her out. Good luck with that.
July 23, 2013
This is a superficial irritating little book. I liked her first book Weekend with Mr Darcy and I was hoping for the same kind of fun. Instead you get Kay, the main character who is a stupid twit. She thinks she's going to marry the most famous actor in England just because he winks at her. I wanted to reach in and throttle her. I didn't like her character at all. I know there are women out there like that but please, it was irritating. I'm not sure if I want to read the next one. Maybe I need to read the Jane Austen books over and over and see what all the fuss is about.
January 6, 2020
3.5 stars
Fluffy chick-lit with a heroine that loves Jane Austen, maybe too much. She’s a daydreamer, which keeps her from being rooted in reality. At times this was annoying to me, but overall enjoyed this read for what it is. I don’t pick up a book like this expecting great literature, so anyone who is does is bound for disappointment. Read it for light-hearted Austen related fiction fun!
Fluffy chick-lit with a heroine that loves Jane Austen, maybe too much. She’s a daydreamer, which keeps her from being rooted in reality. At times this was annoying to me, but overall enjoyed this read for what it is. I don’t pick up a book like this expecting great literature, so anyone who is does is bound for disappointment. Read it for light-hearted Austen related fiction fun!
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November 3, 2017Dreaming of Mr. Darcy is the second in Victoria Connelly’s series about Jane Austen addicts, following on the heels of A Weekend With Mr. Darcy. The heroine this time around is Kay Ashton, a young woman stuck in a dead-end job who inherits some money and decides to make her dreams come true. She buys and remodels a bed and breakfast in Lyme Regis, a seaside town that plays an important role in Kay’s favorite book, Jane Austen’s Persuasion, and she plans to spend her time finishing her book, The Illustrated Darcy.
Kay is all alone in the world; she’s unlucky in love, her father left when she was a child, and she’s still grieving the deaths of her mother and a close friend. But her quiet days walking along the Cobb and enjoying the views of the sea are turned upside down when the cast of the new big-screen adaptation of Persuasion rent rooms at her B&B. She befriends the shy and insecure actress, Gemma, who’s living in her mother’s shadow, and the equally shy and unlucky-in-love screenwriter, Adam, who encourages Kay to have her work published.
Kay is too busy falling in love with the dashing actor, Oli Wade Owen, who plays Captain Wentworth, to notice that her efforts at matchmaking Gemma and Adam are failing as badly as those of Austen’s beloved heroine, Emma Woodhouse. The minute Oli winks at her, Kay imagines herself as his wife, ignoring everyone’s warnings not to get involved with him. Kay is a daydreamer, and she lets her fantasies about fictional heroes interfere with real life.
Dreaming of Mr. Darcy is a fun novel, one that makes me think my obsession with Austen-inspired novels is actually not that bad. I loved how Connelly worked in the Austen references and especially the focus on my favorite Austen novel, Persuasion. Her characters were likable, aside from the obnoxiously self-centered actress, Beth, who flirts endlessly with Oli, and Gemma’s mom, Kim, who is desperately clinging to the fame that has followed her since her one successful part years ago. Kay was charming, even though I wanted to smack some sense into her. I could see how her daydreams kept her from feeling so lonely, but she was so blind to the potential for happiness that was standing right in front of her. Adam’s grandmother, Nana Craig, was a treat; I love feisty old ladies and their eccentricities. Nana only wants the best for the grandson she raised, and her penchant for bright colors even if they clash was hilarious. Gemma coming into her own and Adam learning to fight for what he wants were perfect complements to the main story.
There are lots of romantic mishaps and misunderstandings in Dreaming of Mr. Darcy, certainly reminiscent of Austen’s books. Connelly is fast becoming one of my favorite authors of modern-day Austen-inspired novels. I definitely recommend this one if you love all things Austen as much as I do. If you’ve been shying away from the Austen sequels and retellings because you’re wary of authors tinkering with Austen’s characters, then you should give this one a try. Connelly uses original characters and plenty of humor to create lively new stories, and her love and respect for Austen’s novels shines through.
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
I received a free copy of this book for review.
Kay is all alone in the world; she’s unlucky in love, her father left when she was a child, and she’s still grieving the deaths of her mother and a close friend. But her quiet days walking along the Cobb and enjoying the views of the sea are turned upside down when the cast of the new big-screen adaptation of Persuasion rent rooms at her B&B. She befriends the shy and insecure actress, Gemma, who’s living in her mother’s shadow, and the equally shy and unlucky-in-love screenwriter, Adam, who encourages Kay to have her work published.
Kay is too busy falling in love with the dashing actor, Oli Wade Owen, who plays Captain Wentworth, to notice that her efforts at matchmaking Gemma and Adam are failing as badly as those of Austen’s beloved heroine, Emma Woodhouse. The minute Oli winks at her, Kay imagines herself as his wife, ignoring everyone’s warnings not to get involved with him. Kay is a daydreamer, and she lets her fantasies about fictional heroes interfere with real life.
Dreaming of Mr. Darcy is a fun novel, one that makes me think my obsession with Austen-inspired novels is actually not that bad. I loved how Connelly worked in the Austen references and especially the focus on my favorite Austen novel, Persuasion. Her characters were likable, aside from the obnoxiously self-centered actress, Beth, who flirts endlessly with Oli, and Gemma’s mom, Kim, who is desperately clinging to the fame that has followed her since her one successful part years ago. Kay was charming, even though I wanted to smack some sense into her. I could see how her daydreams kept her from feeling so lonely, but she was so blind to the potential for happiness that was standing right in front of her. Adam’s grandmother, Nana Craig, was a treat; I love feisty old ladies and their eccentricities. Nana only wants the best for the grandson she raised, and her penchant for bright colors even if they clash was hilarious. Gemma coming into her own and Adam learning to fight for what he wants were perfect complements to the main story.
There are lots of romantic mishaps and misunderstandings in Dreaming of Mr. Darcy, certainly reminiscent of Austen’s books. Connelly is fast becoming one of my favorite authors of modern-day Austen-inspired novels. I definitely recommend this one if you love all things Austen as much as I do. If you’ve been shying away from the Austen sequels and retellings because you’re wary of authors tinkering with Austen’s characters, then you should give this one a try. Connelly uses original characters and plenty of humor to create lively new stories, and her love and respect for Austen’s novels shines through.
Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric
I received a free copy of this book for review.
June 6, 2011
“Maybe Jane Austen’s fans are destined to be disappointed by love because nothing could ever live up to the happy endings created in fiction”. This is what Adam Craig, one of the main characters in Victoria Connelly’s latest novel, thinks. The same can be said of the perfect hero: who might live up to Mr Darcy’s charm or Captain Wentworth’s passionate loyalty? Maybe... your favourite actor? Someone you admire and dream about? Imagine that he, a real dream-come-true, arrives where you have just opened a B&B and is one of your first guests with the director and a bunch of colleagues. Imagine also that he starts flirting with you disguised as Captain Wentworth since the cast you host is shooting Persuasion. Add to these facts that this dream man is the most handsome you’ve ever laid eyes on, with his blond hair and blue eyes. Wouldn’t you think the perfect hero has landed into your real life? I’m sure that, like Kay Ashton, you would.
Let’s cool our enthusiasm and give this story some order.
Die-hard romantic Kay Ashton uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis in Dorset and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can’t believe her luck – especially when she realises that heart-throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof!
Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn’t up to scratch, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two, Gemma and Adam, are meant for each other and can’t resist to try herself at matchmaking like Austen’s Miss Woodhouse.
Then when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist? Or do they only exist in movies and books?
Kay is a lovely heroine who reminds partly Emma, in her funny attempts at matchmaking, as well as Marianne, in her romantic, passionate, naive vision of love. Oli Wade Owen in Wentworth’s uniform has the aspect of Rupert Penry Jones but the impertinence of a George Wickham.
Gemma Reilly recalls Anne Elliot in her initial little self-confidence overcome little by little in her journey through the book.
Adam Craig ... well, Adam, not to give away too much is ... my favourite character together with his hilarious grandmother, Nana Craig. She is funny, colourful and terribly noisy. She has hated actors since she was left by her husband, in search for fame in the movies, for a beautiful actress. She has brought Adam up and their relationship is definitely unique.
Could I not like a romance set in Lyme Regis, with a glamorous cast shooting Persuasion involved, written with a light touch and witty prose, featuring gorgeous heroes and beautiful sensitive heroines? There’s too much of what I like best not to recommend it to all of you, Janeites like me, or fond of romances in general.
Let’s cool our enthusiasm and give this story some order.
Die-hard romantic Kay Ashton uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis in Dorset and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can’t believe her luck – especially when she realises that heart-throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof!
Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn’t up to scratch, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two, Gemma and Adam, are meant for each other and can’t resist to try herself at matchmaking like Austen’s Miss Woodhouse.
Then when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist? Or do they only exist in movies and books?
Kay is a lovely heroine who reminds partly Emma, in her funny attempts at matchmaking, as well as Marianne, in her romantic, passionate, naive vision of love. Oli Wade Owen in Wentworth’s uniform has the aspect of Rupert Penry Jones but the impertinence of a George Wickham.
Gemma Reilly recalls Anne Elliot in her initial little self-confidence overcome little by little in her journey through the book.
Adam Craig ... well, Adam, not to give away too much is ... my favourite character together with his hilarious grandmother, Nana Craig. She is funny, colourful and terribly noisy. She has hated actors since she was left by her husband, in search for fame in the movies, for a beautiful actress. She has brought Adam up and their relationship is definitely unique.
Could I not like a romance set in Lyme Regis, with a glamorous cast shooting Persuasion involved, written with a light touch and witty prose, featuring gorgeous heroes and beautiful sensitive heroines? There’s too much of what I like best not to recommend it to all of you, Janeites like me, or fond of romances in general.
April 28, 2012
This was an impulse buy, I liked the cover and I thought it sounded like an entertaining read from the synopsis.
I enjoyed this book, it didn’t knock my socks off but it was a fun read. I liked the behind the scenes on a film set idea, and the thought of a film cast and crew coming into your town, meeting and interacting with them would be fantastic! I’m sure I would be just as star-struck as Kay was.
The story is told from Kay, Gemma and Adam’s point of view. I loved Kay’s imagination, it sounded scarily like my own – she tended to go off into a daydream and that is something that I’m certainly guilty of.
I also found I could relate to Gemma who was a huge worrier (another trait of mine), she is a quiet character who was being put under a lot of pressure and you could tell that she wasn’t happy with what she was doing.
Adam was one of my favourite characters, he was really sweet, shy and as the reader you can see what he is trying to do, without much success I might add, I found myself yelling at the book as if I could help get through to Kay! Adam’s Nana Craig was also a favourite, I loved how straight-talking she was and her conversations with Adam about his love life had me laughing out loud.
There were many crossed wires between the characters and this made it interesting to read, it was fun reading about all the misunderstandings but I was sure everyone would figure out what was what by the end.
I enjoyed reading the wonderful descriptions of Lyme Regis and the surrounding areas, it really set the scene for the Jane Austen world that they were trying to recreate.
I think the lesson of this story is that sometimes when dreams come true, they aren’t always as good as you thought they might be, and you could end up setting yourself up for disappointment.
This was a perfect holiday read, light and enjoyable.
I enjoyed this book, it didn’t knock my socks off but it was a fun read. I liked the behind the scenes on a film set idea, and the thought of a film cast and crew coming into your town, meeting and interacting with them would be fantastic! I’m sure I would be just as star-struck as Kay was.
The story is told from Kay, Gemma and Adam’s point of view. I loved Kay’s imagination, it sounded scarily like my own – she tended to go off into a daydream and that is something that I’m certainly guilty of.
I also found I could relate to Gemma who was a huge worrier (another trait of mine), she is a quiet character who was being put under a lot of pressure and you could tell that she wasn’t happy with what she was doing.
Adam was one of my favourite characters, he was really sweet, shy and as the reader you can see what he is trying to do, without much success I might add, I found myself yelling at the book as if I could help get through to Kay! Adam’s Nana Craig was also a favourite, I loved how straight-talking she was and her conversations with Adam about his love life had me laughing out loud.
There were many crossed wires between the characters and this made it interesting to read, it was fun reading about all the misunderstandings but I was sure everyone would figure out what was what by the end.
I enjoyed reading the wonderful descriptions of Lyme Regis and the surrounding areas, it really set the scene for the Jane Austen world that they were trying to recreate.
I think the lesson of this story is that sometimes when dreams come true, they aren’t always as good as you thought they might be, and you could end up setting yourself up for disappointment.
This was a perfect holiday read, light and enjoyable.
February 26, 2012
I wanted a light read, but this was just painful. The characters were all dumb as bricks, and there was absolutely no mystery about who anyone was going to end up with. I mainly kept reading to see if the random creepy guy inserted for Gemma was going to turn out to be a murderous stalker, as he just sort of starts appearing in every scene she's in and saying the perfect right thing. But no, just another perfect guy, just with even less character development and even lazier writing than all the others.
The quirky grandmother was bad enough (she likes rainbows! How special!) but the totally unnecessary and quite homophobic conversation about how lucky women in the Regency period were because there were no gay men (Pemberley would be all pink! Haw haw, those silly gays and their penchant for feminine decorating!) really put this book over the edge for me, and showed me exactly who the author is. I'm glad this was just a library book.
The quirky grandmother was bad enough (she likes rainbows! How special!) but the totally unnecessary and quite homophobic conversation about how lucky women in the Regency period were because there were no gay men (Pemberley would be all pink! Haw haw, those silly gays and their penchant for feminine decorating!) really put this book over the edge for me, and showed me exactly who the author is. I'm glad this was just a library book.
January 5, 2012
Gah, this book drove me crazy. Didn't like it at all, which was too bad because the summary sounded like it had potential. The characters are just sad, the writing isn't great, and the plot was silly and ridiculous. It started off good but quickly went downhill once Kay moves to Lyme, and at the point I couldn't stop the eye-rolling. I kept thinking that it would get better but it never did. It was one unbelievable thing after the next. Adam invites her to his Nana's house why? Just because he thinks that she'll like Kay and that Kay will like his Nana?! And after knowing her for about 5 seconds? I'd be trying to push him on someone else too. And he's so sure he's in love with her after only two days and a handful of brief exchanges? Give me a break. Waste of my time and not a great way to start off the new year.
July 1, 2012
The Story:
Chick-lit. A girl comes into some money and decides to open a Bed and Breakfast in ... uh... wherever Jane Austen's Persuasion takes place. (And that is how memorable the story was). A film cast and crew are filming Persuasion and descend upon her B&B. Romance is in the air, but the lines of romance get crossed and muddled, and then sorted out.
The Review:
It started off kind of cute, then got annoying, then was completely forgettable. I don't even remember the characters' names. Why is chick-lit all so predictable? And why are the "heroines" so annoying?
Chick-lit. A girl comes into some money and decides to open a Bed and Breakfast in ... uh... wherever Jane Austen's Persuasion takes place. (And that is how memorable the story was). A film cast and crew are filming Persuasion and descend upon her B&B. Romance is in the air, but the lines of romance get crossed and muddled, and then sorted out.
The Review:
It started off kind of cute, then got annoying, then was completely forgettable. I don't even remember the characters' names. Why is chick-lit all so predictable? And why are the "heroines" so annoying?
August 24, 2019
Another Victoria Connelly Austen in August re-read for me. This one contemporary Persuasion Austenesque set in Lyme Regis with quaint cottages, colourful beach settings plus
the lovely bed & breakfast gathering point.
As I devoured this story, I wanted to spare our various mcs their mistakes, but then they were lessons learnt!
Thanks , once again, Victoria, for capturing my attention with a world of Jane Austen enjoyment.
the lovely bed & breakfast gathering point.
As I devoured this story, I wanted to spare our various mcs their mistakes, but then they were lessons learnt!
Thanks , once again, Victoria, for capturing my attention with a world of Jane Austen enjoyment.
November 14, 2018
A lovely, warm - totally predictable (but not in a bad way) - romantic story. I loved this book. Yes, it was obvious who was going to end up with whom, but the joy of these type of books is how of they get-together rather than the will they/won't they.
This is the first book by Victoria Connelly I have read, and I shall keep my eyes open for more. Her characters are well-written and the plot moves at a steady pace. Recommended for all fans of chick-lit and romance.
This is the first book by Victoria Connelly I have read, and I shall keep my eyes open for more. Her characters are well-written and the plot moves at a steady pace. Recommended for all fans of chick-lit and romance.
October 17, 2018
Hrozné klišé a místy dost přeslazené, děj absolutně předvídatelný, každopádně to je stejně super. Čas od času člvoěk potřebuju přesně takovou knihu, u které si prostě odpočine, a zvlášť pokud je fanoušek Jane Austenové. Netušila jsem, že u nás vyjde druhý díl, takže to bylo velmi příjemné překvapení.
October 10, 2020
Tohle bylo prostě hrozný
February 16, 2022
“Badly done, Emma!” That’s all I can say about this Jane Austen inspired book. There were three different couples in this book and they all had very poorly developed stories. Why does he like her? It must be her toffee-colored hair and all those floral dresses because honestly there was no other reason to. A set of immature and underdeveloped characters and over descriptive prose is what I found here.
One extra star for it making me want to reread all of Austen’s books.
One extra star for it making me want to reread all of Austen’s books.
July 13, 2017
I have to make it work...Kay murmured to herself. She is fond of Jane Austin & her books such as Pride & prejudice & Persuasion. I believe Victoria Connelly wants to remind us of seizing the day, & say give your heart & feeling to someone who is worth it. (16th book in 2017)
March 5, 2017
Hmmm.... I wanted to like this so much more, I really did. But then the main story split into two different threads, the believability factor totally tanked and then it got super messy and super shallow.
I adored Sophie and Gemma-- Kay was, unfortunately, a bit of a silly prig. I think the author picked the wrong main characters.
I adored Sophie and Gemma-- Kay was, unfortunately, a bit of a silly prig. I think the author picked the wrong main characters.
February 7, 2012
Dreaming of Mr. Darcy is the story of Kay Ashton who inherited a sizeable amount of money and bought an old bed and breakfast in Lyme Regis, home of Jane Austen’s Cobb and Persuasion. Now, all she needs is Captain Wentworth to walk in the door. Which happens shortly after room renovations are done, as the movie of Persuasion is being filmed in front of Wentworth House, Kay’s new venture in the world of bed and breakfast. In walks Oli Wade Owens, the newest Captain Wentworth, and his fellow actors, due to a catastrophe at the B&B they were staying in, they needed a new place to stay. Winks and smiles quickly turned Kay’s head in the direction of Oli, as she was immediately startstruck. But what about the compassionate screenwriter and producer Adam Craig? Since he is so shy, he would be a great partner to the equally quiet and shy Anne Elliot, played by actress Gemma Reilly; or so Kay Ashton thinks and tries to put forward.
This next addition of Austen Addicts has two Jane Austen novels rolled in to one: Persuasion that is being filmed, and Emma that is being played out, with Kay as Emma, trying to matchmake, and not really seeing what is going on around her.
I loved how Kay was able to buy a run-down bed and breakfast and still had adequate funds to completely renovate the place (said with tongue-in-cheek). It was almost too whimisical in the way that it happened. There was no, “Let’s borrow some money, and keep my inheritance to pay the bills until the inn was successful.” It reminded me a bit of Molly’s Millions, in which a young lady came into a large amount of money and drove around England giving away money, and not thinking very straight. This story was unlike the first in Austen Addicts: A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, which I adored! And which was very humourous…this current one was not. Kay was a bit adolescent in her daydreams which would take her away from reality all too often.
My favorite characters were Gemma, Nana Craig and even Adam. I really wanted to keep smacking Kay, but I guess that is how one feels while reading Jane Austen’s Emma. I also wanted Adam to be a little more forthright and stop the insanity of Kay misunderstanding him. She did have her ‘ah-ha’ moment at the end, but only after Frank Churchill left her behind with no explanation.
I wanted to see more of Gemma and how things ended up working out for her. I know that she was not supposed to be a big character, but, once again, after A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, I expected to see how her story wrapped up as well.
It was a fun read, and it truly made me want to go to Lyme Regis (which I didn’t have a chance the first time I was in England…) and experience that seaside town. But I felt that this story was done hastily and could have been wrapped up a little better. Some of the characters were larger than life (Oli and Beth) and others you wished would have grown a bit more of a spine. But it was nice to visit the world of Jane Austen, if briefly.
This next addition of Austen Addicts has two Jane Austen novels rolled in to one: Persuasion that is being filmed, and Emma that is being played out, with Kay as Emma, trying to matchmake, and not really seeing what is going on around her.
I loved how Kay was able to buy a run-down bed and breakfast and still had adequate funds to completely renovate the place (said with tongue-in-cheek). It was almost too whimisical in the way that it happened. There was no, “Let’s borrow some money, and keep my inheritance to pay the bills until the inn was successful.” It reminded me a bit of Molly’s Millions, in which a young lady came into a large amount of money and drove around England giving away money, and not thinking very straight. This story was unlike the first in Austen Addicts: A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, which I adored! And which was very humourous…this current one was not. Kay was a bit adolescent in her daydreams which would take her away from reality all too often.
My favorite characters were Gemma, Nana Craig and even Adam. I really wanted to keep smacking Kay, but I guess that is how one feels while reading Jane Austen’s Emma. I also wanted Adam to be a little more forthright and stop the insanity of Kay misunderstanding him. She did have her ‘ah-ha’ moment at the end, but only after Frank Churchill left her behind with no explanation.
I wanted to see more of Gemma and how things ended up working out for her. I know that she was not supposed to be a big character, but, once again, after A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, I expected to see how her story wrapped up as well.
It was a fun read, and it truly made me want to go to Lyme Regis (which I didn’t have a chance the first time I was in England…) and experience that seaside town. But I felt that this story was done hastily and could have been wrapped up a little better. Some of the characters were larger than life (Oli and Beth) and others you wished would have grown a bit more of a spine. But it was nice to visit the world of Jane Austen, if briefly.
January 11, 2012
First thoughts: ‘Dreaming of Mr.Darcy’ by Victoria Connelly was a cute page turner. I loved it. This book is centered more on ‘Persuasion’ despite the title and has references to ‘Emma’ and of course, ‘Pride and Prejudice’. I had a look into life in dreamy seaside towns which are definitely a wonder as seen through this book.
Review: Events in her life and at work lead Kay Ashton to quit her job and move to Lyme Regis when she comes into some money so she can pursue her passion in peace. Her passion – bringing Jane Austen characters to life on paper with her illustrations – especially dreamy Mr.Darcy. But peace is nowhere to be found - since, no sooner than she settles into the B&B she buys at Lyme, she has the cast of Persuasion in her aptly named B&B, Wentworth House. She falls for the leading man, Oli, playing Captain Wentworth, while Adam Craig, the quiet screen-writer and producer of the movie falls for her.
A comedy of errors is what most of the book is as Kay tries to play an ‘Emma’ to Adam and Gemma (the leading lady of Persuasion who is the most unlikely actress you will see). Twists – the expected, the unknown, and always sweet – keep the reader engrossed in the book until the end.
All the characters in the book are delightful and the author makes sure you do not get lost in any storyline as she weaves stories around the central characters and the others. One of my favorite supporting characters in this book – Nana Craig(see 1 below). Her description of Lyme Regis and surrounding places has now made me add this to my ‘to-visit’ places list. Kay’s habit of day-dreaming herself into the most fantastic scenarios always made me smile(see 2 below).
1.“‘She’s a bit hard of hearing,’ he said, ‘except if you’re gossiping with somebody in the room next door, and then she hears everything.’” (pg 99 of the digital ARC)
2.“She might end up best friends with Gemma Reilly and Sophie Kerr! They’d invite her to red carpet premieres and Kay would get a swishy new haircut and become a media darling. ‘Confidante to the stars,’ they’d call her. ‘Former B and B owner, Kay Ashton, is now a star in her own right, with her bestselling book, The Illustrated Darcy.’” (pg 50 of the digital ARC)
Side note: If someone does come out with an ‘Illustrated Mr.Darcy’ or similar book, I will definitely be getting that book as well!
Rating: A (loved it and will be picking more of Victoria Connelly's books to read)
Review: Events in her life and at work lead Kay Ashton to quit her job and move to Lyme Regis when she comes into some money so she can pursue her passion in peace. Her passion – bringing Jane Austen characters to life on paper with her illustrations – especially dreamy Mr.Darcy. But peace is nowhere to be found - since, no sooner than she settles into the B&B she buys at Lyme, she has the cast of Persuasion in her aptly named B&B, Wentworth House. She falls for the leading man, Oli, playing Captain Wentworth, while Adam Craig, the quiet screen-writer and producer of the movie falls for her.
A comedy of errors is what most of the book is as Kay tries to play an ‘Emma’ to Adam and Gemma (the leading lady of Persuasion who is the most unlikely actress you will see). Twists – the expected, the unknown, and always sweet – keep the reader engrossed in the book until the end.
All the characters in the book are delightful and the author makes sure you do not get lost in any storyline as she weaves stories around the central characters and the others. One of my favorite supporting characters in this book – Nana Craig(see 1 below). Her description of Lyme Regis and surrounding places has now made me add this to my ‘to-visit’ places list. Kay’s habit of day-dreaming herself into the most fantastic scenarios always made me smile(see 2 below).
1.“‘She’s a bit hard of hearing,’ he said, ‘except if you’re gossiping with somebody in the room next door, and then she hears everything.’” (pg 99 of the digital ARC)
2.“She might end up best friends with Gemma Reilly and Sophie Kerr! They’d invite her to red carpet premieres and Kay would get a swishy new haircut and become a media darling. ‘Confidante to the stars,’ they’d call her. ‘Former B and B owner, Kay Ashton, is now a star in her own right, with her bestselling book, The Illustrated Darcy.’” (pg 50 of the digital ARC)
Side note: If someone does come out with an ‘Illustrated Mr.Darcy’ or similar book, I will definitely be getting that book as well!
Rating: A (loved it and will be picking more of Victoria Connelly's books to read)
February 4, 2012
In Dreaming of Mr. Darcy,* Kay Ashton lives in her own dream world, forever dreaming of “the perfect hero.” But what does he look like? Is he the libidinous and charming Oli Wade Owen, who just happens to be playing the role of Captain Wentworth, or the compassionate and gentlemanly Adam Crain, or does he exist only in Kay’s dreams?
In her quest for the perfect hero, Kay faces many obstacles. She chooses to overlook many signs that she is currently heading down the same road her mother traveled, always falling in love with the wrong man, never finding Mr. Right. With her wild imagination, Kay imagines that there is more to her relationships than there really is. When her hero winks at her, Kay’s imagination is let loose, taking them from innocent flirtation to marital bliss. Kay fails to see that guys do this all the time. Disregarding red flag after red flag, Kay is continually setting herself up for another heartache.
While searching for her perfect hero, Kay takes on the role of a matchmaker. Believing Gemma and Adam like each other, in true Emma Woodhouse fashion, Kay does her best to get these two to see just how much they love each other, all while missing signs that prove otherwise.
As much as I wanted to grab Kay by the shoulders and shake the dreamer out of her, I do have to give Victoria Connelly credit for creating characters readers recognize and can relate to. Kay typifies those women who think they will be the one to change their dream guy, the ones who are willing to sacrifice their desires and goals in order to make a man happy. We all know someone like that, and I am sure readers can also recognize an ex-boyfriend in Oli and an insecure, yet sweet, friend in Gemma.
As much as I thought Connelly captured human nature and tendencies in her characters, the one thing I found unbelievable was how quickly her characters fell in love. After their first day together, Adam is ready to declare his love to Kay. It’s not that this cannot be done; I just think Connelly failed to execute this in a believable manner.
While I did not enjoy this novel as much as her first, A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, I am looking forward to see what Victoria Connelly’s has in store with the third novel in her Jane Austen Addicts trilogy, Mr. Darcy Forever
*Titled in the UK as The Perfect Hero; I believe that is the perfect title for the book, considering that it is also the book’s main theme.
In her quest for the perfect hero, Kay faces many obstacles. She chooses to overlook many signs that she is currently heading down the same road her mother traveled, always falling in love with the wrong man, never finding Mr. Right. With her wild imagination, Kay imagines that there is more to her relationships than there really is. When her hero winks at her, Kay’s imagination is let loose, taking them from innocent flirtation to marital bliss. Kay fails to see that guys do this all the time. Disregarding red flag after red flag, Kay is continually setting herself up for another heartache.
While searching for her perfect hero, Kay takes on the role of a matchmaker. Believing Gemma and Adam like each other, in true Emma Woodhouse fashion, Kay does her best to get these two to see just how much they love each other, all while missing signs that prove otherwise.
As much as I wanted to grab Kay by the shoulders and shake the dreamer out of her, I do have to give Victoria Connelly credit for creating characters readers recognize and can relate to. Kay typifies those women who think they will be the one to change their dream guy, the ones who are willing to sacrifice their desires and goals in order to make a man happy. We all know someone like that, and I am sure readers can also recognize an ex-boyfriend in Oli and an insecure, yet sweet, friend in Gemma.
As much as I thought Connelly captured human nature and tendencies in her characters, the one thing I found unbelievable was how quickly her characters fell in love. After their first day together, Adam is ready to declare his love to Kay. It’s not that this cannot be done; I just think Connelly failed to execute this in a believable manner.
While I did not enjoy this novel as much as her first, A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, I am looking forward to see what Victoria Connelly’s has in store with the third novel in her Jane Austen Addicts trilogy, Mr. Darcy Forever
*Titled in the UK as The Perfect Hero; I believe that is the perfect title for the book, considering that it is also the book’s main theme.
January 20, 2012
3.5 stars. This was a cute piece of Jane Austen related fluff.
I went into it looking for nothing more than that, and at first, I thought I wouldn't be disappointed. And perhaps I shouldn't have been disappointed in the last half, either.
Certainly, the Jane Austen references were lots of fun. Since the book revolved around the production of a movie version of Persuasion, those are the ones that I was expecting, but many more elements were borrowed from Emma, which I am immensely more fond of. These aspects are responsible for lifting the book from 3 to 3.5 stars, and were enough to leave me happy that I read the book.
I'm satisfied with the plot, which just needed to frame the Jane Austen references and the characters themselves.
My problems with Dreaming of Mr. Darcy are all in the characters, which are really what I read books like this for.
All of the characters were somewhat flatter than I'd like-- not enough to be fatal to the book, but not well rounded enough for me to care what Gemma decides to do about her movie career, or to be surprised by the twist near the end (which I did see coming, there was no other reason for some of the material setting it up to be there).
But really, I just didn't like Kay. Granted, many of her flaws were patterned after Emma, but Emma had a little more texture to her, and just never felt quite so clueless to me.
Kay is star struck, and when she meets the actor playing the object of her dreams, the fantasies fly. That's not a problem, although the direction her fantasies went didn't resonate with me. It's where she goes with them that doesn't work for me. If she'd pursued them with a real sense of laughing at herself while doing so, I could have loved her for it. But as it was (and I don't want to give too much away)she just wasn't my kind of heroine.
Beyond that, I never felt the chemistry between Adam and Kay. I liked him well enough, but just didn't feel what he was feeling for her,in spite of being told it was happening.
I can see this book working much better for someone else, someone that values following your dreams, wherever they take you.
I went into it looking for nothing more than that, and at first, I thought I wouldn't be disappointed. And perhaps I shouldn't have been disappointed in the last half, either.
Certainly, the Jane Austen references were lots of fun. Since the book revolved around the production of a movie version of Persuasion, those are the ones that I was expecting, but many more elements were borrowed from Emma, which I am immensely more fond of. These aspects are responsible for lifting the book from 3 to 3.5 stars, and were enough to leave me happy that I read the book.
I'm satisfied with the plot, which just needed to frame the Jane Austen references and the characters themselves.
My problems with Dreaming of Mr. Darcy are all in the characters, which are really what I read books like this for.
All of the characters were somewhat flatter than I'd like-- not enough to be fatal to the book, but not well rounded enough for me to care what Gemma decides to do about her movie career, or to be surprised by the twist near the end (which I did see coming, there was no other reason for some of the material setting it up to be there).
But really, I just didn't like Kay. Granted, many of her flaws were patterned after Emma, but Emma had a little more texture to her, and just never felt quite so clueless to me.
Kay is star struck, and when she meets the actor playing the object of her dreams, the fantasies fly. That's not a problem, although the direction her fantasies went didn't resonate with me. It's where she goes with them that doesn't work for me. If she'd pursued them with a real sense of laughing at herself while doing so, I could have loved her for it. But as it was (and I don't want to give too much away)she just wasn't my kind of heroine.
Beyond that, I never felt the chemistry between Adam and Kay. I liked him well enough, but just didn't feel what he was feeling for her,in spite of being told it was happening.
I can see this book working much better for someone else, someone that values following your dreams, wherever they take you.
February 24, 2012
This is author Victoria Connelly's second entry in her "Austen Addicts" series (to read my review of her first, A Weekend With Mr. Darcy, please go here) and I was utterly delighted with this effort.
From the first page, Ms. Connelly draws the reader in with the comparisons to Jane Austen's Persuasion, most notably the stunning location of Lyme Regis. I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that I was secretly envious of Kay, stepping into the role of bed and breakfast owner. Wouldn't it be fabulous to run a cozy little bed and breakfast in the charming village of Lyme?
Kay was a marvelous heroine for this book, the right balance of sweet and spicy, sensitive and headstrong. Certainly she did a few things that made me say "oh no!" out loud but they were frustratingly realistic and not actions that were merely to move the plot forward.
Ms. Connelly treats the reader with a smorgasboard of savory characters, from the sexy leading man portraying Captain Wentworth in the production of Persuasion being filmed in the village to the diva-like supporting actress, to the quiet and introverted leading lady and the humble writer, Adam. We know from the get go that Adam is the "Mr. Darcy" in Kay's world but her journey to discover that is a fun and exciting one. In that regard, Dreaming of Mr. Darcy has shades of Emma, where the heroine has her dream man right in front of her but doesn't see it immediately. In fact, despite the "Mr. Darcy" in the title, there is little other commonality with Pride and Prejudice.
My favorite character, however, is the seaside town of Lyme Regis. The writing provides gorgeous mental pictures of Jane Austen's beloved village, from the largest to the smallest detail. Ms. Connelly writes of the town with such love and care that I dare any reader to walk away from Dreaming of Mr. Darcy without a serious yearn to jump on the next flight across the pond.
To read more, go to http://www.psychoticstate.net/2012/02...
Review Copyright © Psychotic State Book Reviews
http://www.psychoticstate.net
From the first page, Ms. Connelly draws the reader in with the comparisons to Jane Austen's Persuasion, most notably the stunning location of Lyme Regis. I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that I was secretly envious of Kay, stepping into the role of bed and breakfast owner. Wouldn't it be fabulous to run a cozy little bed and breakfast in the charming village of Lyme?
Kay was a marvelous heroine for this book, the right balance of sweet and spicy, sensitive and headstrong. Certainly she did a few things that made me say "oh no!" out loud but they were frustratingly realistic and not actions that were merely to move the plot forward.
Ms. Connelly treats the reader with a smorgasboard of savory characters, from the sexy leading man portraying Captain Wentworth in the production of Persuasion being filmed in the village to the diva-like supporting actress, to the quiet and introverted leading lady and the humble writer, Adam. We know from the get go that Adam is the "Mr. Darcy" in Kay's world but her journey to discover that is a fun and exciting one. In that regard, Dreaming of Mr. Darcy has shades of Emma, where the heroine has her dream man right in front of her but doesn't see it immediately. In fact, despite the "Mr. Darcy" in the title, there is little other commonality with Pride and Prejudice.
My favorite character, however, is the seaside town of Lyme Regis. The writing provides gorgeous mental pictures of Jane Austen's beloved village, from the largest to the smallest detail. Ms. Connelly writes of the town with such love and care that I dare any reader to walk away from Dreaming of Mr. Darcy without a serious yearn to jump on the next flight across the pond.
To read more, go to http://www.psychoticstate.net/2012/02...
Review Copyright © Psychotic State Book Reviews
http://www.psychoticstate.net
March 17, 2012
This was a charming book! I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan, so I appreciated all the references to all things Austen, but you don't have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjy this book. Miss Connely has written a witty, romantic, funny book filled with lively characters who will keep readers interested fromm the start, Kay, the main character is a dreamer who had lost her mother and a dear friend and feels all alone in the world. She is stuck in a dead end job, but dreams of illustrating Jane Austen's works. With the money left to her by her friend's death, so decides to take a chance on her dream and move to Lyme Regis where she purchases a lovely old home and starts to convert it into a bed and breakfast.
Adam is a writer who lives in Lyme Regis and sees Kay on her first day in town. He falls immediately in love with her, but has no idea who she is. In a fun twist of fate, he is the writer of a version of Jane Austen's Persausion that is being filmed in Lyme Regis. The cast needs lodging and ends up barging into Kay's unfinished B&B. Kay is thrilled with meeting famous actors she has previously only seen on film or TV. She has a serious crush on Oli who plays the Austen romantic hero, Capt. Wentworth. While Adam tries to tell Kay how feels, she is trying to set him up with Gemma, the shy actress who plays the romantic lead. A true Shakespearean comdey of errors occurs, with all sorts of mistaken ideas about who is in love with whom.
Eventually Kay has to learn the hard way that happy endings aren't just for books, but that they take opening your eyes to the real heroes around us, not the fictional ones we build up in our heads.
This is a charming read, paced well, with good characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and found it moved at a pleasant pace, was believable and most of all keep me wanting more. A light, romantic, happy book that will take you out of your everyday troubles and transport you to Lyme Regis! I highly recommend this ne.
Adam is a writer who lives in Lyme Regis and sees Kay on her first day in town. He falls immediately in love with her, but has no idea who she is. In a fun twist of fate, he is the writer of a version of Jane Austen's Persausion that is being filmed in Lyme Regis. The cast needs lodging and ends up barging into Kay's unfinished B&B. Kay is thrilled with meeting famous actors she has previously only seen on film or TV. She has a serious crush on Oli who plays the Austen romantic hero, Capt. Wentworth. While Adam tries to tell Kay how feels, she is trying to set him up with Gemma, the shy actress who plays the romantic lead. A true Shakespearean comdey of errors occurs, with all sorts of mistaken ideas about who is in love with whom.
Eventually Kay has to learn the hard way that happy endings aren't just for books, but that they take opening your eyes to the real heroes around us, not the fictional ones we build up in our heads.
This is a charming read, paced well, with good characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and found it moved at a pleasant pace, was believable and most of all keep me wanting more. A light, romantic, happy book that will take you out of your everyday troubles and transport you to Lyme Regis! I highly recommend this ne.
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