Member Reviews
I love and respect Jane Austen as a literary figure but I have a confession to make – I haven’t read any of her books. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried! I’ve started Pride and Prejudice many times but haven’t gotten past page 30. Sigh.
That being said I love the Regency period so the idea of a “real” manor vacation is exactly my thing. I like the way it was handled, too – technology is put into the background but not shunned all together. A vacation spot that confiscates cell phones probably wouldn’t be popular, you know? The days are filled with as many Regency activities as the guests can handle with chances to tap out when needed. The pragmatism kept any nitpicking part of my brain at bay.
Even with the interesting setting the characters take center stage. People grow and change and everyone is fleshed out from the leads down to the manor maid. While Austen is discussed a lot over the course of the story I felt like I was able to keep up. Some references went over my head but it didn’t get in the way of the story. Needless to say, Austen fans will have more to dig into. The writing is solid but not stylistically notable, and the plot pulled me through no problem.
The more you love (and know) Austen the more you’ll get out of The Austen Escape, but even if you’re a relative know-nothing like me you can enjoy the ride.
Stalled in a project at work, Mary Davies agrees to go to Bath, England for an Austen Escape when her best friend, Isabel, invites her. Though at first it’s a little odd to put on the persona of a fictional Austen character, she soon begins to enjoy it, interacting with the likes of Mrs. Jennings, who hopes to play matchmaker, and many other beloved characters. When Isabel loses her memory and really believes she’s part of Austen’s world, Mary is at a loss for what to do, but help comes from an unexpected source.
I loved the focus on Austen’s works and enjoyed seeing how people interpreted various characters. It sounded like great fun….minus the tightening of the corsets. As people immersed themselves in their characters, they learned more about who they are in real life. It was fascinating and satisfying to see Isabel and Mary grow and change.
If you enjoy Regency England and Jane Austen, I think you’ll really enjoy this book and other Katherine Reay books. I’d highly recommend them.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Other Katherine Reay books:
A Portrait of Emily Price
The Bronte Plot
Dear Mr. Knightley
Lizzy and Jane
This book had a great mesh of regency period meets 2017, love, drama and friendship. The storyline has a playful plot that includes the ultimate vacation of living like Austen for a time plus all the amenities and also incorporates boy and friendship drama. Reay did a wonderful job of including multiple characters from Austen's books, weaving them in to fit the story line. One doesn't need to have read all the Austen books to understand the story but it definitely helps. Overall a fun, light, "pull-you-in" read.
As every book lover knows the best compliment I can give this book is that I stayed up far too late last night reading this book. I kept trying to put it down but one more chapter kept going until I reached the very end. This is ironic considering I wasn't sure about this book because it had a very disjointed start. If you are reading a sample and considering whether or not to buy this book give it until Mary has lunch with her dad which will hopefully be included in the sample. The author does such a wonderful job describing this quirky loving father and their relationship that I started to think there could be something here. If you have only a passing idea of Austen don't let that deter you from this book. I am a book lover who has never read her books. I have seen the contemporary movies and some of the miniseries but I really only have a vague idea of some of the stories aside from Pride and Prejudice. I'm sure readers with more of familiarity with the characters would enjoy it even more but it's definitely not required. At the heart of the book is really the modern day relationship between two very different women but most of all it centers on Mary and who she is. Despite having something of a dark undertone given the circumstances this was a fun book. Mary was a wonderful character who you couldn't help but root for and want more of. I did have some minor issues with the book, like acting as if a child would adore a stranger who was mean to her and forgiving something awful too quickly. I definitely recommend this book and I'm excited to check out her other novels.
From the cute cover and charming description, I was expecting far much more than this novel actually delivered.
It's a charming tale of a Jane Austen-themed vacation taken by two friends who have a complicated past - the dynamic between Mary and Isabel was certainly my favorite aspect of the novel & I wish there had been greater focus & fallout when secrets come to light and long-standing grudges are addressed on the trip. As it is, it's just sort of there... and pushed aside for a rather bland romance.
Still the overall atmosphere of the book was charming, and I would recommend for any Austenites!
I love how Katherine Reay mixes modern with Jane Austen. I love the references to Jane Austen's novels, that make me want to go and read the classics. This book is filled with relationships between friends, forgiveness and dreams. I loved how close Mary is to her father and how they share a love of tinkering with gadgets and how creative they both are. Of course there are always things you would change if you were writing the book, but for the most part, I really liked The Austen Escape. Keep writing Katherine Reay, I love your books!
I am a sucker for all things Austen related and was so happy that this book did not disappoint.
The Austen Escape was very clever in its method to encompass and reference as many Austen characters as possible in a plausible and realistic manner. The backbone of the story involved a get away to an 'Austen role play experience' with two estranged best friends; subdued Mary and dominant Isabel. As their past and present history weaved itself throughout the book and their personalities compared to namesakes within Austen's world - it really helped to bring to life their issues as we readily rooted and sympathised where necessary. There was also an unexpected twist that really helped to make the story its own.
It's such a small thing but I love that the protagonist Mary was so smart (she's an Engineer) and her knowledge was more than a surface level description; it seeped into all aspects of her life.
The novel barely scratched the surface with the secondary characters, and definitely took the easy way out by simplifying conclusions to problems that should have been more complicated. However due to the overall lightness of the book it is something that was easily forgiven. Some of the conclusions left me without closure, and by not ending in the location where the bulk of the story took place, it gave the illusion the story was being dragged out.
For the non-Austen's don't be put off as the characters referenced from Austen's works offer a subtle nuance to the overall tone of the novel whose themes revolve around friendship, romance and escapism.
A fun and quick read.
4.5 Stars
The Austen Escape was not the first book i read by this author, it turned out that i previously read "The Brönte Plot" and enjoyed it a lot. It was not the reason for choosing this book though, i honestly did not make the connection quickly. It is simply that i can't resist any story that has Jane Austen and her books as a theme, that comes with a risk of course and i have been disappointed before.
But not this time. I LOVED this one.
Mary, an industral engineer, embarks into a journey back to the Regency period, in a manor in Bath reliving the stories of Jane Austen, with her childhood best friend Isabel. It was a long way to come from Texas and not an easy one for a "pragmatic" engineer. Both Mary and Isabel had a complicated and grief-filled past and they had no idea how this escapism esperience was going to change both of them and make them see each other like never before.
I though this book will be just fun. But it was more than that. All the dressing up, the pretend, even the choice of characters for each of the guest showed their personality and exposed the fragile sides of them, most of all for Mary and Isabel.
There are many things i loved about this book starting with the house. As the story was told by Mary, and being an engineer, she was bound to see it differently from other characters and i liked her way of perception, i mean who would notice the wiring otherwise? I loved the story of the house, the way it was organized, it felt more than just a place, especially when we get to learn more of its story by Gertrude, the housekeeper.
The characters were a very interesting combination, i liked that it was not only about "young couples", the old married couple, the child Clara, added something special to the story.
And the best two points for me were: One, that for a change the story did not have the usual Mr Darcy and Lizzy that i found in so many similar books. I liked the fact that the characters chose various personas, and some that were not the focal point of Austen books like Mrs Jennings, Margaret Dashwood even the characters from Northanger Abbey. Also the fact that Persuasion was mentioned much more than any other Austen book, i liked this because it is my favorire book.
The second point is Nathan, a very interesting character. I mean a man who really knows Jane Austen, the details about the characters and even getting the difference between the two Ferrars brothers. Now, that's a keeper. I was half in love with him by the end of book.
As in Persuasion, this story was about clearing misunderstanding and second chances and i enjoyed it a lot. I am now tempted very much to get to all the other books by Katherine Reay, that should be a real treat for me.
Two childhood friends reconnect and take a two week dream vacation to England. Staying at an eighteenth century home, they take a step back in time in a Regency immersion experience, and find themselves in a complicated situation. An insightful story, rich in details, told through Mary's first person perspective. Recommend skipping the synopsis on this one, and just diving in as I did, savoring the story as it unfolds.
"Jane Austen understood people and she was funny...Across two hundred years, I [Mary] recognized her characters in the here and now. She wrote about people I knew."
Good, well-developed, complex characters with relatable struggles made this an interesting read, especially with the group at Braithwaite House in Bath. The descriptions of the scenery, people, and interactions made it feel like a real Regency book in parts, except with a contemporary group. They were like the characters plucked from the Austen books, complete with a few tender, sweet affections growing between some couples. No overt discussions of faith, but themes of genuine friendship, compassion, betrayal, grief, forgiveness, and family lend inspiration in parts.
I felt for Mary with all she goes through, and cheered as she overcomes her difficulties at work and with Isabel, picking herself up, and taking back "her best self", especially with her music. Learning to forgive and see her friend through eyes of compassion was inspiring; most of us give up on relationships that are difficult like that one. It demonstrated to me what a true friend looks like.
Recommend this to readers who enjoy character driven stories with classic references. An enjoyable contemporary story with some clean romance. The index of all the Austen characters was very helpful in the beginning, and a nice reference while reading. 4.5 stars
4.5 stars for a truly enjoyable Austen escape.
The plot centers around the faltering relationship of two friends since childhood, Mary and Isabel, and one complicated love interest, Nathan. A bit slow to start, we learn that Mary's engineering position at WATT, a tech company, is on thin ice as the company appears to be moving in a new direction. Nathan is the consultant hired by WATT and may have an agenda of his own. Since a vacation is long overdue for Mary, she decides to finally accept Isabel's free two week trip to Bath, England for a costumed Austen-style experience.
Full disclosure: I have yet to read any of Jane Austen's novels. I am, however, familiar with her literary style and plots. This did not stop me from fully enjoying the storyline due to the author's fluid writing and distinguishable characters. The beginning also lists a brief description of the Austen characters that will be talked about throughout the book and role-played by the guests at Braithwaite house. This is a nice touch and can easily be referred back to if needed.
Upon arriving at Braithwaite House, the pace begins to accelerate. The grandeur of the house, the period clothing, and the excitement of role-playing quickly got my attention and held it. Between Mary's naiveté and Isabel's fragile psyche and sometimes unscrupulous machinations, I could not put the book down and was turning pages well into the night.
The development of the secondary characters gave well-placed depth to the story, especially Mary's dad, the other hotel guests, and Gertrude, Braithwaite's house manager. While the very ending may be predictable, the pleasant twists and turns along the way were not. This once in a lifetime trip stirs up memories, pleasant and painful, while the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different time and place, even if only for a little while, brings unexpected results for Isabel, Mary, and even Nathan.
I highly recommend and look forward to reading more from this author.
Blurb:
After years of following her best friend’s lead, Mary Davies finds a whimsical trip back to Austen’s Regency England paves the way towards a new future.
Mary Davies lives and works in Austin, Texas, as an industrial engineer. She has an orderly and productive life, a job and colleagues that she enjoys—particularly a certain adorable, intelligent, and hilarious consultant. But something is missing for Mary. When her estranged and emotionally fragile childhood friend Isabel Dwyer offers Mary a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in Bath, Mary reluctantly agrees to come along, in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways. But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes that she lives in Regency England. Mary becomes dependent on a household of strangers to take care of Isabel until she wakes up.
With Mary in charge and surrounded by new friends, Isabel rests and enjoys the leisure of a Regency lady. But life gets even more complicated when Mary makes the discovery that her life and Isabel’s have intersected in more ways that she knew, and she finds herself caught between who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who stands between them. Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this triangle works out their lives and hearts among a company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation.
Review:
The cover of The Austen Escape is artistic, colorful and so very cute!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review!
Mary and Isabelle both are really interesting characters and this book was an amazing experience because of them!
The storyline was awesome, the characters well developed, and the descriptions? Oh my my.
I wish I could write an essay on how much I enjoyed this book, but I don't think I have enough words to do that.
So I guess I'll have to do with saying that this book was an amazing read and that I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I had! :)
Mary Davies is a unique character when it comes to fictional heroines, as she’s an engineer. She finds herself in a rut. A vacation with her friend Isabel may be just the thing to shake things up. Mary needs a break from her job … and her life. She heads to England, where she finds herself immersed in the world of Jane Austen, where she learns more about herself and her relationships.
If you’re a fan of Jane Austen, you’ll likely enjoy Reay’s latest release. It’s a nice change to have a book focused more on personal growth and development than on romance, even though the romance does exist. It was a bit slow to get into and felt a bit like too much info was given too slowly. The pace picked up once Mary arrived in England. Mary’s inability to see her own potential may be relatable for some readers. Parts are a bit predictable, and the ending wasn’t all I was hoping for, but this is a sweet tale overall.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
The basic premise of the book is that Mary is a workaholic in an engineering company, and Isabel, her best friend since school, has been writing a thesis on Jane Austen. They travel over to England on an Austen Escape, and here the story unfolds.
A lot of the references to the less well known Jane Austen books I did not understand and therefore I may have missed some of the subtleties in the plot. Having said that, I did enjoy the book.
I was enjoying this book in the beginning. The main character was an engineer genius which is a neglected career in books. The slow build up of conflict with her work, romantic interest and best friend made things interesting. Then conflict starts getting resolved without any communication. Like main character forgives someone because she has seen their prospective but they don't talk through their conflict. It's just the main character assuming. I still don't understand why the best friend did those things that hurt the main character so badly. The ending with the best friend was too neat.
Mary Davies, an engineer in Austin, Texas may soon find herself out of a job after major changes at the tech startup for which she works. She’s been stuck on her latest project and her new manager doesn’t think she’s enough of a team player. At least she has her work crush Nathan- a consultant hired by the company-to distract her. But now Nathan’s stint at WATT is coming to an end, and his last day arrives before Mary can summon the courage to tell him how she feels.
Needless to say, Mary could use a bit of an escape. Against her better judgement, she’s persuaded by her father and her childhood friend Isabel, to accompany the latter on an all-expenses paid trip to a beautiful estate in Bath. Here the two will live like characters in a Jane Austen novel as Isabel gathers research for her Masters thesis. Although Mary is less into this Regency game of dress-up, she does quickly make friends with the other guests and gets swept up a bit in the quiet and beauty of the period. That said, she’s grateful there’s still indoor plumbing and wifi.
Things become complicated when Isabel-who has a troubled relationship with her father-has a bit of a psychological breakdown, and starts to believe she really is a Regency era lady. This dredges up old hurts and new betrayals for Mary. She is forced to weigh their friendship against her own heart’s desire. Perhaps she can look to Austen’s heroines for guidance as she navigates her relationships and her career.
I found The Austen Escape to be predictable and mediocre. Many of the plot points were glaringly obvious. Some parts kept my interest, but ultimately I couldn’t wait to be done with this one. The toxic friendship between Isabel and Mary was rather painful to read about. Frankly, I’m not convinced that these two had a relationship that was worth salvaging. The romance itself was pretty boring and the novel’s ending lackluster. I didn’t feel strongly for any of the characters or invested in their relationships.
I mostly felt like this was a novel about workplace drama with a bit of Austen tacked on as an after thought. It was as if Reay inserted elements and dialogue from the novels in a paint by numbers fashion. I loved that Reay included an intelligent and competent heroine who worked as an engineer. The more fiction that includes and celebrates women in the STEM field, the better in my opinion. However, I think this would’ve been more successful if Mary herself had been a bigger Austen fan. Instead, it is her deceased mother and Isabel for whom Austen means the most.
Perhaps Mary could’ve been an Austen reader who just wasn’t as gung-ho about dressing up as a Regency character, or someone who loved Austen when she was younger but who hadn’t revisited the novels as an adult. But since Austen didn’t mean much to Mary, the Austen elements ended up feeling rather secondary. Now, a novel featuring a woman engineer who is also an avid Janeite? That’s a novel I’d like to read please…
All in all, I found Reay’s characters rather forgettable, and the premise itself clichéd and unbelievable. In my opinion, there’s nothing about this novel that makes it stand out from the pack of the contemporary Austen genre. Maybe it’s also a case of my being over this genre as well?
This type of book gears for specific readers,I personaly did not like the book as you have to have read most of the books by Jane Austin to fully appreciate the various charzcters and the book references the plot was weak as regard to Mary and Isabel and somehiw the two characters did not fully fit into the story.To appreciate thus book it needs to be rethinked and polished up with regard to the plot the interaction between the characters and the setting in genersl but like I mentioned in the begining this book cstes to a certsin type of reader.
The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay is a sweet, wholesome tale of a woman who goes to England to partake in an Austen themed vacation getaway. I enjoyed how modern and fun this novel was and for anyone vaguely familiar with Austen you will get a kick out of some references. I sympathized with the main character and liked the little twist at the end.
This book was too much fun. Jane Austen LARPing (live action role playing)? Gorgeous old English manor? Check. Awesome protagonist who likes Jane Austen AND is an industrial engineer? Check. I loved this combination. It felt charming, fun, and fresh to me. I devoured it in one day. Now I'm itching to read both Austen AND much more Katherine Reay.
What a delightful story! Mary heads to a castle in England with her friend to immerse herself in “all things Austen.” The story develops beautifully as Mary learns more about herself and her friend Isabel. It is my first Reay novel and I am pumped to read others now.
This is my first time reading Katherine Reay and I will be happy to read more by this author. This book was a good book, but I don't think it was great.
Mary and Isabel grew up as really close friends. They actually think of each other as sisters. So when Isabel offers Mary the chance of a life time to go to regency England and participate in a costumed Jane Austen Escape, she eventually accepts.
When Isabel loses her memories and thinks that she is really in regency England Mary gets freaked out and has to figure out what to do.
The characters were not lovable. Isabel was not even likeable until she loses her memory. When reading this book at first, all I could think was that Mary had a terrible life and I would not want trade places with her. I could not relate to the characters until later in the book but it was a decent read, so try it, you have nothing to lose.
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.