***ARC received for an honest review***

I like Lucy Parker. I can depend on her for solid contemporary romance. And let’s be honest - I can’t say that about many authors. I like her funny, feminine, struggling heroines and broody-yet-terribly romantic heroes. She’s created an interesting and realistic world around the London theatre. And each time I’m pulled completely in to a lifestyle I know nothing about and normally wouldn’t interest me.

Griff and Freddy have a solid backstory. A good reason not to like one another. A grudging mutual respect. He was a fun grump. She was spritely without being foolish. I found their family history and the way it tumbled into their romance entertaining and fun.

Their were a lot of characters - not unusual for a Parker. I found myself more curious about them than about Griff and Freddy at times. But that didn’t diminish my enjoyment.

I did have some hesitation with the progression of Griff and Freddy’s romantic relationship. It seemingly sprung from nowhere. It was intense - which was fine - except even Griff and Freddy kept talking about the suddenness with which the emotion had developed. And the possibility that it was a flash in the pan. Not the most romantic thing in the world.

There are two characters from this story that I’m really hoping find love in upcoming books. (Not with one another). I look forward to more excellent story telling from Ms Parker. She hasn’t let me down yet.

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Delightful and witty with a great story to keep the reader fully engaged, THE AUSTEN PLAYBOOK continued the series with the same quality of writing and development of characters that I have come to expect from Lucy Parker.

Book four took the setting outside of London to Grumpy Griff’s (Ford-Griffen) country seat. Griff was a TV/stage critic whilst managing the failing finances of his family’s home. Griff had thrown a few review punches at Freddy, the quirky heroine, in the past. Freddy was a breath of positive fresh air with some vulnerabilities hidden behind the ‘everything will be okay’ facade. I took to her immediately.

“He was frequently rude, definitely a Slytherin, and clearly viewed her as a sort of irritating insect who kept buzzing around his space, but there was something very reassuring about his solid warmth when she hurt.”

There was an interwoven backstory behind the main story of a play in the country. Freddy and Griff were thrown into each other’s paths and there was a persistent, bubbling chemistry between them. I had all the feelings when they were interacting, either with looks or banter.

“It was more than physical; it was a building and layering of a bond that went much deeper than that.”

As well as the clever backstory (which Parker conveys with ease), there were a literal cast of side characters, brothers, mean girls, fathers, colleagues and sisters. There is something about the acting world on stage that Lucy Parker translates so well to the reader. The English setting was spot on as always with dialogue, colloquialisms and contexts. The banter and dialogue were engaging. My only little niggle was the unstated dual POV, I loved the dual POV but had ‘who is this’ moments, however I did settle into it.

I can’t recommend this series enough and the best thing is they standalone, you can dip your toe into any of them and read out of order if that’s how you roll. Go discover Lucy Parker and you won’t regret it.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

4.5 stars -- I don't think I have the right words to sufficiently communicate how DELIGHTFUL this is. Ugh. These humans are impossibly adorable together, there's a "we're putting on a show trope" at an English country estate with a Jane Austen murder mystery play, and a past mystery that they're solving. GUYS. This was written for me. Also there's one of the most romantic scenes of all time ever. Loved this - best romance I've read in quite some time. I'm not sure if I like this or ACT LIKE IT better, but it's close

Freddy Carlton is in a bit of a funk. The latest in a long line of a famous theater family, her career is going well, but she's not really enjoying it. Like any British heroine, she heads off to the country to clear her head.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that an actor in a rut must be in want of a spot of murder, mayhem, and true love."*

And like any romance novel heroine, where there's a country house, there's a grumpy sod who owns it. Enter J. Ford-Griffin. Griff is barely holding his head above water trying to keep his family solvent as the ancestral estate falls apart and his spendthrift parents breeze from project to project.

I'm a huge fan of Lucy Parker, and I'm delighted she wrote a book for Freddy, one of the charming side characters in Pretty Face. But this one was a real slow burn for me. For the leads as well, but really for me. Similar to Making Up, The Austen Playbook lacks some of the happy fizz of Parker's first two books. Freddy is weighed down by professional, then personal, concerns as the book goes on. If you thought Leo's sister was awful, wait until you see Sadie in action. All of Freddy's concerns occasionally overwhelm the budding romance, and Griff doesn't quite do enough of the work on his end.

Even so, Parker remains at the top of my list of authors to buy. Her characters have depth and the stories unfold almost effortlessly. I cannot say enough good things about her work, and The Austen Playbook is a worthy entry in the London Celebrities series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in order to facilitate this review. But my Amazon pre-order still stands!

*This book contains no murder.

When I think of any of the books from this series, certain words come to mind: delightful, witty, funny, charming, swoony -- the list goes on and one, but what you won't find are any negative adjectives, because I am absolutely enchanted by this series.

Once again, Parker brought us into the the world of London celebrities, but also mixed it up a bit, but taking us out to the country, where we not only got to see this romance unfold, but were also treated to a little mystery.

Who?

• Griff - the grumpy theatre critic, who was working night and day in an attempt to save his family's crumbling estate.

• Freddy - an established stage actress, who was kept from pursuing her own interests in order to try and fulfill her family's theatre legacy.

What?

In an attempt to raise some funds, Griff allows the stage adaptation of a popular game, The Austen Playbook, to be performed and filmed at his country estate. Freddy managed to capture his interest, and as the friendship blossomed, they stumbled upon a mystery, which could destroy their family legacies.

Why?

I don't ever really know where to start with my love for a Lucy Parker novel, but I can tell you I seemed to always be smiling as I read it.

I found Freddy to be an utter delight. She was amusing and a ray of sunshine, despite the fact that she was living someone else's dreams. I enjoyed all the time I got to spend with her, but really loved seeing her make those breakthroughs with her family, as well as finally pursuing her own wants and needs.

He was grumpy, but I still adored Griff. At first, I just thought he was kind of a jerk, but then when I got to see all that he had been dealing with, it sort of justified his demeanor. I was ind of thrilled, that Freddy entered his orbit and injected some fun and joy into his life, though. She helped reduce the weight of what was holding him down, and Griff was finally able to enjoy and appreciate the things he had so much more.

This was probably one of my favorite pairings, because I would not have imagined them together. However, that was what was so lovely about this romance. These two had undeniable chemistry, but they also understood each other. They thought they were so different from each other, but both were bogged down by familial obligations and self imposed guilt. Together, they were able to see their situations a little more clearly, and that allowed them to go after what they truly wanted.

Other things I found fantastic

• I adored being in the country. The estate was a great setting, and provided the perfect backdrop for this tale.

• I found the whole process involving the staging of the play to be fun and fabulous. We got all that delicious drama, interesting characters, and a fun look into the process of live for TV stage performances.

• The side plot involving Griff's grandfather and Freddy's grandmother had me fascinated. Not only did we get a look into the modern theatre world, but we also got a peek at the thespian scene of yesteryear, which was quite interesting.

• So many great auxiliary characters! There were many characters, who helped make this story a success. They were each unique and brought something to the table, which took the story up a notch.

• Parker blended they mystery into this romance so well, and I loved getting closer and closer to the truth.

Overall: Another fantastic book from Parker. I hope she has a plethora of London Celebrities stories to tell, because I have grown to depend on this series to deliver delightful romances filled with wit, charm, swoon, heat, and lots of fun.

3.5 stars. It was nice to finally get to Freddy's book, and I thought Griff was a great love interest for her. Lucy Parker is great at writing those grumpy and cynical heroes. I enjoyed the multiple subplots in the story, but I do think it started to feel like it was making the developing romance take a back seat. I would have loved to have seen a bit more scenes of Freddy and Griff just spending time together. Nonetheless, I'm still rounding my rating up to 4 stars because I genuinely enjoy reading Lucy Parker. She always has great dry, witty banter between her characters that I find really entertaining. I hope the next book is about the person I'm hoping it's about, but even if it isn't, I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

So I'm actually new to Lucy Parker. Look the Part has been on my to read list for awhile now, so I was excited when I found out I was approved for the Austen Playbook. Nearly every time I ask for recommendations for a good old-fashioned enemies to lovers book, Lucy Parker always finds her way on the list. I really found myself enjoying the writing style of this book - the prose felt like a modern Jane Austen, which is fitting with the title :) I'll keep my review on Netgalley short since my full review will be up on my goodreads soon, but I definitely recommend this one if you've enjoyed the previous books, and even if you're like me, and you've not read any of the previous books, definitely give this one or any of the previous books a go!!

Picture a crumbling estate managed by a severely grumpy theatre critic and television host, Griff. Griff looks like Lucius Malfoy and, in my head, has the voice and gravitas of Alan Rickman.

You with me?

To Griff's great dismay, his brother has signed a contract allowing basically a choose-your-own-adventure play (based on a game based on Jane Austen characters) to be performed at a theatre on their estate.

Who’s playing Lydia Bennet?

Why, none other than Freddy Carlton, a delightfully irrepressible actress who has taken her fair share of knocks in Griff’s column.

What follows is spectacular. There’s banter galore, between an icy, acerbic critic-by-trade (a Slytherin!) who is used to managing everything in his life, and a frequently underestimated, plucky dynamo who is trying to figure out how she can honor herself and what she wants without losing her dad’s respect and affection.

There’s also plenty of steam.

The love scenes are exciting to be sure, but they’re also poignant and real—they’re full of moments we all long for and they're also approachable, they’re inhabited by characters who are lovely and attractive but not physically or otherwise perfect. It’s so well done, and truly lovely.

Finally, there’s an exciting historical mystery that Freddy and Griff try to uncover that lends extra pathos to The Austen Playbook.

If you want to see romance beautifully done, pick up The Austen Playbook or any of Lucy Parker’s other books. She’s very special.

The Naptime Writer also recommends: Lauren Layne’s Walk of Shame; Sarah Skilton’s Fame Adjacent.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley, but all opinions provided are my own.

Q: Who is a grumpy personality you can’t get enough of?

This book was just so delightful. I loved it. Freddy is a West End actress whose manager-father is pushing her into serious dramatic roles, despite her love of comedy and musicals. Griff is an acerbic theatre critic with spendthrift parents who are putting their family estate at risk of bankruptcy. When Freddy takes a role in a live, interactive Jane Austen murder mystery (!) set at Griff's estate, their paths collide. I really enjoyed the way Freddy and Griff played off each other, and the setting - with lots of backstabbing actors - was great. My favorite bit was a subplot involving Freddy's playwright grandmother. I read this with a smile on my face the whole time. Recommended!

I love plunging myself into the London theater world Lucy Parker creates. Maybe it's because my mother was a local community theater actress and had me tag along with her to rehearsal or maybe it's just the inherent curiosity I have about what's like behind the curtain--either way, this series is one I've enjoyed and am always looking forward to reading the next new addition.

The Austen Playbook did exactly what I hoped--it lightened my mood with it's romance and comedy, kept me engaged with the building tension between Sadie and, well, basically everyone else, and had me wondering how Griff and Freddy were going to work out the conflicts that seemed to pop up. I loved that Parker took her characters out of the city and put them in the countryside for a change of pace--it gave my imagination a new thing to dream up and gave me yet another reason to want to visit England again. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and am so very hopeful that all of them can get the Lucy Parker treatment of romance and comedy and happily ever afters. The Austen Playbook was the perfect way to spend this rainy weekend.

Lucy Parker is one of my favorite new authors. I found her last year after I was recommended Act Like It and I rapidly read the rest of the series in rapturous joy. I am so glad I got the ARC for The Austen Playbook because this book was amazing.

Freddy is a West End actor who is a bit unhappy with the path her career is taking. She’s unfulfilled in the dramatic roles she’s been cast into because of her family’s name. She takes a new role in a televised “who dun it” re-enaction of a popular video game called The Austen Playbook and gets to spend weeks at a country manor with owner/play critic Griff.

Griff is straight laced and feels like the keeper of his dreamer family. Their home was left to him by his grandfather and he feels the burden of maintaining it and keeping it profitable, despite his parents’ best efforts of careless purchasing. His brother signs the contract to host The Austen Playbook without Griff’s input and their lives were forever changed.

I loved these two together. The book references multiple times that Griff is a Slytherin and Freddy is a Hufflepuff. The two together are adorbs. They both have so much going on in their lives that shouldn’t leave an opportunity for a happy relationship but they both go into it full steam ahead. There is a light mystery plot surrounding their grandparents torrid love affair that kept me engaged right through the end. I was also highly amused by the cast of characters, especially Freddy’s sister. I wouldn’t be surprised if that relationship is set up for another book in the series.

Check this book out. You won’t regret it.

Lucy Parker has done it again! I originally picked up this series on a whim but fell in love with her strong characters and hilarious banter. The London theater-scene setting and British-isms add flavor to the stories about actors, dancers, singers, directors, critics, and the people who love them! Each entry in the series can absolutely be read as a stand alone, but it's fun to see some familiar names and faces pop up from previous books.

In this installment, Freddy Carlton is an actress torn between the roles she wants and the roles her overbearing manager father thinks she should pursue. She takes advantage of his trip out of the country to book a job on a Jane Austen-themed live TV event but is shocked to learn that it will be filmed on the grounds of an old manor house owned by the family of London's most hated theater critic, J. Ford-Griffin. The same J. Ford-Griffin who has repeatedly torn her to shreds in his reviews. But maybe it turns out he's not QUITE as loathsome as she originally thought. And Griff is terribly irritated to discover that, despite his previous scathing commentary on Freddy's stage performances, he just can't seem to resist her. Between family secrets, backstage drama and on-camera scandal, can Griff and Freddy have any hope of making it work?

As much as the plot here is completely ridiculous, it's absolutely done on purpose with tongue firmly in cheek. The live TV event is designed to work with audience participation, so the show they're doing is kind of a "Choose Your Own Adventure" mixed with a who-dunit. It's supposed to be absurd and everyone involved, including the reader, knows it! The dialogue is so sarcastic and witty, and the Harry Potter references are pitch-perfect. I laughed out loud more than once.

Freddy is adorable, always seeing the best in everyone but able to kick some ass when she has to. Griff is curmudgeonly and snippy, and it was so fun to see him warming up to Freddy, helpless against her charm. I absolutely rooted for these two. Griff's brother, Charlie, was also a hoot, and I'm hoping he gets his own book at some point.

Lucy Parker is a must-read for me! Can't wait for the next one in this series.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for the delightful read!**

This story is such a wonderful addition to the London celebrities series. Fun and entertaining but also exploring the complexity of family relationships, together with a look behind-the-scenes of the theatre/TV world and it's not as glamorous as it appears on the surface.

The romance came second at times but all those other scenes really helped show the true colours of the MCs (and the side characters).

I'm a fan of Lucy Parker's writing and this was no exception - engaging, subtle, sarcastic humour that works so well for me. This whole story was very atmospheric both of the English countryside f the whole mansion-owning family in financial trouble. I also very much liked the parallel love stories from the past so closely interwoven with Freddy and Griff's romance in the present day. .

Grumpy misanthropic heroes are my catnip and it made me happy to see this one paired with a bubbly, light-hearted, fun-loving heroine. I really appreciate her journey to asserting her self-worth and finding value in doing the things she enjoys (comedies and musicals), rather than the things others view as worthy (high-end drama plays). I can't stress enough how important and satisfying it was seeing this, anything that brings you joy is worthy and good.

I also love the element of caring about others that was really prevailing in the story. Griff cared deeply for his family, Charlie did too in his own way. Freddy wanted the freedom from her family's legacy and expectations but she also cared people for her family and didn't want to see them hurt.The villains got their due in the end but it felt well deserve with no malice and spite.

In short, I loved everything in this story - the romance, the mystery, the theatre/celebrity world, the family feuds and secrets and past love affairs. Highly recommended read!

PS: I just have to say how much I loved the proposal scene, it was ridiculous and over-the-top and didn't go according to plan at all, yet it was perfect for Freddy and Griff.

This was a fun, well-written story. 4 stars is the highest I’ve given to any Lucy Parker book, and I don’t quite know why we’re just out of reach of 5. But I think it has to do with the progression of the plot and conflict. There are multiple small conflicts throughout the book, rather than one big conflict near the end. And while there are things I love about the realism of the many small conflicts vs one big one, there’s just always something that keeps this from being a 5. And it just comes down to a gut reaction. But I did love how they talked through problems, and one offense in the relationship wasn’t the end all to be all.

But anyway, I really enjoyed both Griff and Freddy. And loved how realistic the depiction of sex was. Sex is not always perfect. And I felt represented a bit when Freddy talked about how sometimes sex could could be painful, even with the most perfect partner.

But The Epilogue may have been my favorite part. Is it weird that I kind of wished my own proposal involved the phrase “For fuck sake?” Hehe.

Random final prediction: Parker’s next book will be about Sabrina and Jack Davenport. That would be the ultimate hate to love relationship and I am here for it.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've loved Parker's series, and this new addition did not disappoint (I was especially happy to see that the London Celebrities series would not be a trilogy, like so many romance series these days, but would be longer - I hope there are additional titles!)

What a fun read! I sat down to read this title and finished it in just a few hours. Freddy is an immensely likable character and I enjoyed reading about the dynamics between her and the other actors she encountered. Griff was a sexy grump and I loved watching his character thaw under Freddy’s positivity. The big issue in the story was revealed and resolved very quickly which may appeal to those who dislike too much angst in their romance. Overall, a great addition in a lovely romance series.

This is textbook Lucy Parker: smart, funny, achingly romantic, with some of the best dialogue in the business. I can’t wait to share this book with readers at my library.

Lucy Parker rarely goes wrong and the Austen Playbook is no exception. Considering how often the press and critics had been used in previous books I was a bit skeptical of this pairing. Shame on me! This is one of my favorites in this series and the sarcasm is top notch. Loved it!

If you truly know me, you know I adore Lucy Parker's London Celebrities series, and The Austen Playbook was no exception. Act Like It is my favorite, but this book is definitely starting to edge it out . . . As soon as I finished it, I immediately wanted to reread.

This book is the very picture of "character A being a ray of sunshine and character B being a cloud of grumpiness"!! Honestly, all the books in this series has some variation of this, but The Austen Playbook possibly is the best in this retrospect. There wasn't as much hate-to-love as I thought, but that actually ended up working really well.

Freddy is so fun and optimistic and honest and kind. Conversely, Griff is so sarcastic and pessimistic and blunt and critical, literally in Freddy's case. But they totally work together! What I loved is that they never, at any point, find their personality differences an obstacle to their relationship. Instead they're just like, "How unlikely, but wow, is our chemistry off the charts!" And their chemistry is truly something else. The sex scenes . . . are good, I'll just say.

Also, it's established that Freddy has slept with a lot of guys, but she's never slut-shamed or judged for her decisions! She knows what and who she wants, and what she likes, and she's sure to let Griff know. We love a sex-positive heroine!

The family dynamics on both sides are amazing. Griff taking charge of his family's estates and caring for everybody, but his brother just wants to help him out despite Griff thinking he's helpless. Freddy and her complex relationship with her (now deceased) grandmother and with her father, who's her manager and typecasts her into dramatic roles. There's a lot of feelings everywhere, and Griff and Freddy help each other navigate through some complex ones.

I liked following Freddy as she struggles with her career path; it was interesting to read a narrative about an actor trying to do more fun projects, and not just intense, dramatic ones. Griff, as well, is stepping out of his comfort zone trying to get his movie greenlit.

I am upset that we didn't get certain cameos, but it makes sense because these characters' social worlds don't interact. We do get to see some of the previous main characters, and there are allusions to other theaters and news, so that was nice.

If you haven't read the London Celebrities series, I totally and wholeheartedly recommend it. Although you don't need to read them in order, I recommend it so you don't accidentally spoil anything by reading one of the books that are set later. The Austen Playbook releases today, so you won't have to wait for the next book (although there are two more books, if I'm correct). Get to reading, so you can read this sexy, wholesome, and snarky delight of a novel!

**This post will be on my blog, Magical Reads, on April 22, 2019.**

Lucy Parker’s books are always a delight to read, I’ve had a lot of fun with the characters that I’ve come across in the London Celebrities series, (there’s a few that you want to smack upside the head), but other than that Parker knows how to bring the swoon! And she didn’t let me down with this latest book, Griff is the typical character that I always tend to find myself falling for; grumpy, tends to get under people’s skin and doesn’t seem like he a nice thing to say about anyone. So, I loved it when he came head to head with Freddy, the chemistry was super hot, but Freddy was also exactly what he needed and I liked the evolvement of his character by the end of the book. I did like the mystery aspect to The Velvet Room, and their quest to discover more about the backstory of other characters, but I think because I was able to guess the big revelation early on, it kind of took the fun away from it. Despite this, however, I still enjoyed The Austen Playbook overall, I loved the eclectic characters and the drama that they bought, the laugh out loud moments that Parker gave us amongst the heartbreak but most of all, I loved the romance between Griff and Freddy, it was off the charts!