This was a nice twist on Jane Austen's stories. The modern day blurred with the historic Austen made for an enjoyable read. This is my first book written by Katherine Reay and I was pulled in by her writing style, it was relaxed, warm, and flowed from the pages. Her characters were complex and fully realized. This was a truly wonderful "Escape" for me! I enjoyed Katherine's writing so much I am looking into her other books.

Is it fair to say that since I enjoyed "Dear Mr Knightley" I was primed and ready and expected to love "The Austen Escape" too? Because I did.

It was a delightful confection, full of Austen references and wit; with themes of betrayal, friendship, belonging, family ties and (of course) courtship/relationships.

I loved this novel and devoured it in one afternoon. If you haven't read Dear Mr Knightley yet, buy that title too and enjoy both in a smorgasbord of Austen themed writing.

With many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

"True escapism is hidden."

If books do indeed keep us warm, then The Austen Escape is a cozy blanket on a rainy Sunday. I loved every inch of this story! It was the perfect blend of friendship, romance, and Jane Austen. Best friends Mary and Isabel embark on a trip to the land of Jane Austen where they find their friendship challenged by a shared history and an uncertain future, unexpected romance, and career growth and change. Such an enjoyable story I was simultaneously torn between devouring it and not wanting it to end. I devoured it.

Mary Davies is a little nerdy when it comes to engineering, but she loves her job and creating things. She’s also a little insecure—both in her job due to a new manager and in the potential relationship. When her best friend since second grade invites, then forces, her on a trip to Bath, England, Mary has no idea what she’s in for.
Yes, she’s aware this in an Austenland-eque adventure. She’ll be required to dress up, attend dinners and balls, spend time in the country. What she doesn’t count on is having to care for her friend who believes she’s truly living during the Regency era.
Katherine Reay has done it again. With a story immersed in all things Austen, she manages to not only bring readers along on this adventure in bath but to examine so much more. Her characters are rich and rounded, people you’d want to hang out with. The setting and descriptions are warm and inviting. I felt like I was along for this vacation at the Braithwaite House.
This book, at it’s core, is about relationships. Those with potential; those that have survived the hardest trials in life and survived; and those that have taken a turn and are in their final stages. It’s about finding our truest selves and not hiding from those memories where heartache is entwined with happiness.
If you’re an Austen fan, if you’re struggling in a relationship, if you need an escape, or if you love an well written, engaging, and robust story, The Austen Escape is a must-read.
***I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

NICE!

Reay always does a marvelous job with contemporary Austen novels & The Austen Escape is no exception! Reay doesn’t cheapen the originals but does her own twist serving up a nice, clean story. Clever writing, interesting complicated characters, beautiful scenic descriptions and plenty of emotional drama among friends. Another winner! I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley & the Publisher. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

I previously read a book, A Portrait of Emily Price, by Katherine Reay and was completely pulled in by her writing style, the prose, the storyline, the characters. Very well done. I had also seen several friends loving her other Austen style books, so when I saw this available for review I jumped at the chance. I've been waiting for the release date to be a little closer before I read and reviewed it. Well when it hit a month away I couldn't wait any longer. I picked up my kindle and dove right in.

I had noticed that several other reviewers were saying that the beginning was a bit slow but at a certain point in the book, it picked up. I would have to agree with them that, yes it was a bit slow. But, the beginning is crucial for introducing our heroine. Mary, oh what to say about Mary? This story really revolves around a long standing friendship. A complicated, messy, and sometimes one sided friendship. And that one sidedness isn't just delegated to one friend, both friends in this relationship can be accused of being one sided. That's probably not very clear and I'm sorry because, well, it's complicated. What I will clarify with is, kids. Yes, kids. How often as kids did we see everything perfectly clear? No rose colored glasses at all? I'd say rose colored glasses a lot of the time. Most kids only see what's straight ahead, no peripheral vision (understanding) and that, I think, is a great way to describe this friendship. A friendship between Mary and Isabel. A friendship that started way back in elementary school. Two broken little girls, trying to make semblance out of their lives. One more stable than the other, but still feeling like everything around her is falling apart. The other, completely uprooted, degraded, neglected, broken. Again, I know that's vague, but this story is about that relationship and how years later, after this friendship has settled and follows a strict routine, enlightenment comes and it redefines and opens and changes everything.

Ok, enough about that. I really hadn't meant to write about that when I sat to type my review out. But as I've called my reviews before, Julie's rambling thoughts, my thoughts come tumbling out how they may and I just type away happily as they do.

Back to my thoughts about the beginning of this book, and Mary. I love Mary's character. Not to be spoiler-ish but a character in the book (not saying who) says to Mary on a couple different occasions, "what must it be like to live in your head?". I absolutely loved that line, because as the reader, we get to live in Mary's head throughout the whole book. For me, having the book written this way made it feel raw and real, the emotions and the moments of understanding, were that much more real. And I felt the connection to Mary strengthened because of the perspective we see of her life. So, although it might feel slow, it is important. The tidbits of background given, the friends/coworkers introduced in the beginning will play a role throughout the book.

I feel as if I could write forever and ever on my thoughts for this book. I don't want my review to be massively long so I'm trying to pull out some of my favorite points of the story.

Mary ends up going on a trip with her friend, Isabel, to Bath. Or more accurately to an estate located a few miles from Bath, in England. Isabel is an aficionado for all things Jane Austen. The trip is really part of her research for her final project. Live at a manor house, and become immersed in the true lifestyle of the Regency era. Escapism. I really loved the thoughts that the author gave us on this sort of Escapism. Is it real? What happens when the lines of reality and make believe blur? In a way one of the characters could be said to have escaped into her books, into the world of Jane Austen and become so consumed with it all, that she didn't live fully in reality. Now, there is a whole lot more surrounding those thoughts and why the Escapism for this character, and I'm not going to even go there. That is something you must read this book for and discover for yourself. But as I said, I really enjoyed the thoughts that the author showed us through several different scenes of the book, how characters set aside fully living by settling, or living through something else (not all were living in books). It was wonderful to see all the characters' perspectives on this as well, whether they realized it or not. How much of our reality is disillusioned? How much do we have our own sort of Escapism?

Another theme that was throughout the whole book was, our individualism verses allowing others into our lives, not as an opposite of the Escapism I was talking about earlier, but more as relying on them, allowing them to help us. Not fighting battles, or experiencing life isolated, living in our own heads/world, but living and interacting, and making connections with those around us. Even when the connections we have made don't always turn out, or appear as we thought. All of these thoughts I'm talking about are some of the questions that Mary has to work out for herself in this book. Will she be able to take off the rose colored glasses from her youth, or her rose colored glasses that have been protecting her from healing from her losses, or any other rose colored glasses that she has been wearing? Those moments when she makes a choice and watching the unfolding scene after she's chosen were my favorite parts of this book. Some of those choices dealt with people, some with work, some were her personal experiences. But I loved those moments of, I think the best word here would be, Enlightenment.

This review wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention how much I loved the idea, and the execution of the idea, of the characters who are vacationing at the manor house and dressing up in period costumes choosing characters from Jane Austen's books. They become those characters while staying at the manor home. And let me tell you, I loved Mary's choices. Yes, choices. Because she is on a journey of discovery and what she first believes of herself isn't necessarily what she discovers her true self to be. Happy sigh! I can't quite bring myself to share too much about the love interest. Because yes, there is most definitely a love interest in this book...two actually. And no, not for the same character. It's messy and complicated and perfect all at the same time. Again, happy, happy sigh!!!

The almost end, might just make you say, "What in the world Mary!" But then the end, perfection. At least for me. I loved it! I actually was highlighting like crazy throughout my reading. I might skim through those and share a few with you...as long as they're not spoiler-ish. Hee Hee! If you can't tell already, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. I know not all readers prefer this genre or style but if you think you might, I suggest you take a chance. Now to go read more by this author!

Here's a handful of quotes for your enjoyment!!! <33333

"You can get these for free on an e-reader. They're in the public domain." "I know and I probably will, but I love books. The weight. The smell. The bigger the better. It's a shame Encyclopedia Britannica doesn't print all those encyclopedias anymore. Weren't those the best?" The woman sighed the equivalent of a Whatever and rang the sale. I patted the book's dark green cover as if to soothe any hurt feelings. I'd gone over the top with the whole Encyclopedia Britannica thing, but books-heavy books-meant something to me...

I stepped into the gallery. Then I felt it-a shock of pure energy. It was noiseless. There was no change in pressure or sound. It simply felt like a charge reverberating through and around me, like when the guys in the lab set off experiments to see if my hair stood on end when I walked in the door. I looked down the stairs and there he was, right below me, looking around but not up. Four hours early. I closed my eyes, thankful for a moment to allow the heat in my face to cool. I shifted my weight to step back when a soft chuckle reached me. "Look at you." The words were soft, almost flirtatious.

"And why not? It's a manual for life-setting right pride, prejudice, misconceptions, and self-illusions. Also some good fun. Right now I'm going to take my cue from Caroline Bingley and sit here and admire you while I pretend to read." I blinked; he laughed. "Well, go on...Get to work."

"Then if you won't go change..." I mustered up a smile and looped my arm through hers. "We shall walk. When there are serious matters to discuss, Austen women walk. And it has the side benefit of keeping our figures so light and pleasing." She choked on a laugh that became a mess of tears before we'd walked five steps.

And those are all the quotes I'm going to share...I have plenty more but this review has already gone on epically long. *shrugs shoulders and blushes* Again, grab the book whether you're a Jane Austen fan or not, a Katherine Reay fan or not. I loved it, I know not everyone else will, but hey I can dream and hope to share something that I loved with others by encouraging you to give it a chance.

Content: Clean and witty and emotional and sad, but all around great fun!

I received a copy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Having read only two of Jane Austen’s novels, I knew enough to appreciate Katherine Reay’s new novel, The Austen Escape. It is not necessary to be a Jane Austen follower to enjoy this book, but there are things mentioned in the book that only an Austen fan would appreciate.

The story is about two lifelong friends, Mary and Isabel, who have grown apart and through a series of events, end up going on a vacation together to Bath England to a manor estate where they dress in the fashion of the time and enjoy a simulated world of Austen’s Regency England.

The results of this trip are life changing. Mary and Isabel discover a new friendship, career paths and find romance that neither one was expecting. The book moves at a fairly quick pace and was engaging from the start.

I enjoyed this light-hearted story of friendship and love done with a Jane Austen flair.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson-Fiction for allowing me to read an advance copy and give an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for sharing this title with me and introducing me to this author! I was very happy to get a copy as I love Austen and was excited to try Reay's take on her. Most Austen remakes tend to either be well done and fun or lousy and insulting to Austen. I am pleased to say that Reay fell in the first category for me. I loved all of her reference to the novels while still telling a new and entertaining story. I loved getting to tag along on an Austen experience and only wish I was really in Bath too. Good characters, interesting storyline, a lot of Austen reference. My only complaint was in the ebook version which seemed to have errors in format which didn't always flow, but could be due to formatting for kindle or being an early edition that hasn't been yet revised and corrected. I still enjoyed the story and would happily read more by this author.

This Austen related book was good.
The story of Mary and Isabel is slowly unfolding. (Too slow for me, hence only 3 stars.) Still, the story of their friendship, of the escapism, the side characters kept me reading till the end. A tip of the hat to the author for that, I would have given up earlier if it wasn't for her skill.

Several years ago I read Shannon Hale's Austenland, the story of a young woman with an obsession for Mr. Darcy who lives out her dream at a Jane Austen theme park. I expected The Austen Escape would be similar escapist fare. I was pleasantly surprised to find some twists in this story to make it a little less predictable. The best part of the book was that our heroine, Mary, is an engineer by profession, well-regarded by her colleagues. It is refreshing to follow a woman of intelligence through the twists of her life. Naturally she lacks self-confidence and makes some obviously wrong decisions as the story unfolds, but without these blunders, we would have no drama, would we?
The setting in Bath at the grand estate of Braithwaite House with all the trimmings of Regency England is pure delight for Austin fans. Although I have read all the works of Jane Austin, I admit some of the allusions to the behavior and personality of particular characters I found unfamiliar and even tedious. (There is a brief description of the major characters at the front of the book which I should have read more closely), It did not however, prevent me from enjoying the story of Mary who had her own Pride and Prejudice to overcome.
The aspect of this book that makes it more than a Regency Era escape is the conflict between Mary and her best friend Isabel. It is Isabel who has persuaded Mary, against her better judgment, to accompany her on this trip back in time. For Isabel it is research for her doctorate, for Mary it is an escape from tensions at work. When Isabel loses her memory and believes she is truly a gentlewoman of the Regency period, it is time for Mary to examine her own past and make life-altering decisions. Business consultant Nathan, the man who is Mary's Mr. Darcy, was not as strong a presence as I would have liked. In fact he was quite bland, but with no other man as competition, it was obvious it would be Nathan with whom Mary would reach an understanding.
Reworking classics of literature seems to be author Katherine Reay's specialty and I am anxious to see what she does with a few more of my favorites.

Reay is an excellent writer. This is probably one of my favorite novels by her.

Katherine Reay has the uncanny ability to weave classic literature into her own narratives, writing page-turners that will leave you thinking. Her first two novels were fantastic and it feels like she's back in her stride with The Austen Escape.

Mary and Isabel have a friendship that often resembles a sibling relationship. Their complicated past gets even more complicated when a charming man gets stuck in the middle. Add in a dream trip to Bath where the pair masquerade as Regency era ladies and you've got the basic plot of this enjoyable novel.

The Austen Escape explores friendship, self-discovery, and how to heal from a painful past. Perfect for any Janeite or someone looking for a clean, lively romance.

The Austen Escape ment well, but wasn't the book for me. It was a bit too verbose at times, and had trouble getting to a point or climax. I loved the concept of a new "Austenland" vacation novel, but it lacked the clever banter, charismatic characters, and insightful moments that made Austenland so mesmerizing.

This is a fun read for Jane Austen fans as it visits many favorite characters and stories, while interweaving familiar tropes in the main modern-day story as well. The idea of a sort of “Jane Austen” theme park-like is a fun one, and those details played well. One of the biggest strengths of the story was the way the author gave us a glimpse into the way an engineer’s mind works, and in laymen’s terms, helped us see that it is different from the way non-engineers think. It was especially interesting to see these characteristics in a female character, and my favorite “Mary moments” were those that truly let us see her different perspective, especially from the “average” Jane Austen fan. At times, it did feel there were too many conflicts and misunderstandings, and I got frustrated with some of the characters and situations, but overall, the story had a few unexpected developments that captured and held my attention. The attention to detail in descriptions will warm the hearts of many Austen fans, and it is fun to see how timeless many of the basic concepts in Austen stories are—even Austen characters and situations could be frustrating at times! I would recommend The Austen Escape to Austen fans who want a little bit of Austen in their present-day romances.

I thought that making the main character an engineer was a fantastic idea, but in the end, I didn't find her to be very interesting as a character. I thought that the beginning of the book was a bit slow- everything with her work and the guy she liked... and then her friend... it just dragged on for me. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters, and that disappointed me. I hope to read another of Katherine Reay's books to see if this was a one-off for me.

So The Austen Escape is told from Mary Davies point of view.  Mary has a job she loves, although she is dealing with some career frustrations.  In addition she has a real crush on her colleague Nathan, not that she's brave enough to do anything about it!  So when her lifelong friend Isabel convinces her to accompany her to England to immerse herself in a Regency Jane Austen themed experience, she finds herself going despite her misgivings.

I chose to read this book based entirely on it's title - I am a real lover of Jane Austen's work, and am therefore always keen to read anything based on her novels, characters and the time period.  I was not disappointed.  There were references to characters and Austen quotes dotted throughout this novel.  In fact it highlighted that I really need to re-read more of her novels, rather than just my annual read of Pride and Prejudice.  Anyway, back to The Austen Escape...

I enjoyed all of the characters within this novel, but particularly Mary.  I found her character flaws to be realistic, and I enjoyed going with her on her journey to both self-discovery but also to really seeing her friend Isabel and why she behaves the way she does.  The novel touches on mental health issues, which is something I actually would have preferred a little more of as it is a topic that we should all be talking about.  The book was ultimately about Mary working out what she really wants from life, something we all need to be encouraged to do at some point in ours lives.

So, in summary this book has Jane Austen, dressing up in Regency period gowns, friendship, love and self-discovery.  What more can you want from a novel?!

Out on the 7th November 2017, go and pre-order your copy now!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Reay's works are always thought-provioking, inspiring the reader to look within themselves. Hers are not light, bright, fluffy, chick-lit tales; rather they are deep, sometimes painful journeys to make. I delay the journey until I know I am strong enough to travel the path with her characters ... the journey is worth it. The journey stays with you. Reay's book are not quickly forgotten.

Imagine being transported backward in time to Jane Austen's world – a place to revel in the wearing of beautifully detailed Regency clothing, taking in the elegant custom of afternoon tea and the blisses of domesticity. All this, yet with our 21st-century real-life messiness. The Austen Escape is a story about friendship and forgiveness. It is a tale of a modern-day romance complete with dashingly handsome, chivalrous heroes who rush in to do their rescuing. “I have enjoyed every moment with you." Who wouldn't want their modern-day hero say that?!