Member Reviews

I really enjoyed this light hearted and amusing story with Maddy and Luke/Cameron as the main attraction. The side story with Nigel is a great addition. A few typos spotted which I hope will have been sorted before publication date as I read an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Such a cozy little story full of lovable characters, the grumpy sunshine romance was so sweet and I liked the funny little ways they were thrown together, And I enjoyed all the nods to Jane Austen's stories and characters such as ghost hunting (Northanger Abbey)

Was this review helpful?

This was a light read with a few references to Jane Austen sprinkled through. Maddy was an enjoyable character trying to find her way after being sacked and then learning she'd been left a house by a long-lost relative. The story was a bit predictable but made for bit of fun reading on a sunny afternoon.

Was this review helpful?

Loved it. Mandy discovers her column is being scrapped from the newspaper. She then discovers she's been left a house.by her dad's cousin who she was always told was a rogue. She moves into this huge house and.discovers a horrible crime writer is living next door

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.

I don't love books that are dialogue heavy, and that was the case here. The plot felt a bit too circular for me, and I was just eager for more development with the characters and for things to keep moving.

Was this review helpful?

If you love contemporary romance (without spice) this book is for you. There was a lot less Jane Austen references than I thought there would be, but it did make the story it's own.
I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would but I did enjoy the opposites attract story line and the secrecy around the main character's family.
As mentioned, there is NO spice - only a fade to black scene, which was a little disappointing as adult romance need a little something, something. There are a few dotting's of 'adult language' but not much.
All in all, it wasn't the best contemporary romance I've read but it was an easy read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I am sorry but this just wasn’t my favorite read. I didn’t dislike it but also didn’t love it. The writing was okay. The cover was cute at least. Literally no other thoughts.

Was this review helpful?

A fun take on Pride and Prejudice and other Jane Austen stories.

Maddy Shaw enjoys writing her Dear Jane column, but then she finds out it's been canceled and she has no way of paying her rent for her London flat. Then she gets an unexpected inheritance from her long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel: a house in the country. When she moves in, though, she ends up chair of the committee for the annual village literary festival and neighbors with bestselling crime author - and romance sceptic - Cameron Massey. Maddy challenges Cameron to write romantic fiction, since he says it's so easy, and they spar over everything else. Sparks definitely start flying though...

I am always here for a Jane Austen retelling, and I really enjoy that this story has obvious parallels to Austen's works, but is also a modern take on the classic Pride and Prejudice. Seeing Maddy explore her new home and village and see the charms of small town life is very heartwarming. The cast of characters is also really fun and quirky, as would be expected.

Like with many of these stories, there's a certain amount of miscommunication that comes into play, which was not my favorite to read. I also wanted to see them working through their issues a bit more. However, they were overall pretty supportive of each other and their friends were definitely supportive and adorable.

Overall, if you like Jane Austen and/or small town British romances, I recommend giving this book a try. It's a fun, fast read that feels perfect for cozying up with a cup of tea or laying in the sunshine.

Was this review helpful?

This was a delightful contemporary romance with a very Hallmark vibes of countryside inheritance. The main character is obsessed with Jane Austen and the book is filled with lovely quotes. I love the grumpy love interest, small town and “forced proximity” tropes.

The story had a very relaxed and lighthearted air. I enjoyed the fact that Maddy finding herself and forming a community were at the heart of the story and the romance was almost a bonus. I really liked the overall feeling of this book, easy yet entertaining, funny and emotional.

Was this review helpful?

This was a pretty cute light romance. We follow Maddy who loses her job as a agony aunt and ends up inheriting her cousins house in the countryside. What she wasn't planning was to meet her nemesis there too. Her and Luke have a tense relationship and struggle to agree on anything. Slowly she starts to warm to him when he is forced to move into her house due to building works. Maddy spends time in her new house in the countryside trying to plan a literary festival and finding out more about her dead relative. All in all it's a sweet book, but nothing special, I would say its slightly over written at points, but the book wraps up nicely and you feel satisfied at the end.

Was this review helpful?

What novel could ever go wrong with a Jane Austen vibe? I loved the character of Maddy. After her column gets canceled she lands up inheriting a beautiful country home. I love how she is thrust into being chair of the annual literary festival and the character of Cameron fellow crime author is quite swoon worthy. I loved the writing, the storyline, and the beautiful description of the scenery, this book was a delight and I know our readers will enjoy it as well!

Was this review helpful?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Linda Corbett’s novel is an absolutely delightful & enjoyable read that fans of Jane Austen will adore! This novel is a simply constructed modern day Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy novel. The two characters - Madeleine Shaw & Luke Hamilton move from enemies to friends to lovers in a light-hearted ease. And these two characters perform the perfect banter - although at times the banter is interrupted by the antics of Buster! - and a very slow but perfectly developed love story (not a surprise - we all knew it was coming!). I enjoyed how each chapter begins with a quote from a Jane Austen novel that applies perfectly to what unfolds afterwards. Plus, I found enjoyment in Madeleine trying to find her way in a small town, a new house, & new situations all swapped by a colorful group of people relaxing. Jane Austen enthusiasts will enjoy & find this novel perfect for summer reading!

Was this review helpful?

Maddy Shaw loves her job working as ‘Dear Jane’- an advice columnist who helps people solve their problems by giving advice Jane Austen would approve of. When Maddy is unexpectedly let go from work on Valentines Day, she finds herself searching for a new place to live with her reduced funds.

Unbeknownst to her, Maddy has become the sole heir of her deceased cousins estate in the small town outside of London- but with property maintenance expenses exceeding her budget, she must take in a lodger to make ends meet. Enter Cameron Massey- published crime author and notorious grump.

Can Jane Austen’s wisdom help Maddy navigate her new circumstances, and maybe even find love?

What Would Jane Austen Do is more than a feel-good romance; it’s a love letter to the romance genre and to Jane Austen herself. Linda Corbett did a great job of selecting quotes from Austen’s novels that compliment the content of each chapter, and speaks up in defence of the lasting impact and relevance Austen’s novels continue to have today.

Things I liked:
Jane Austen quotes and connections/references to characters
Opposites attract
Smooth writing- story was light and charming with great descriptions and a good pace

This is a closed-door, cute romance.

Check out What Would Jane Austen Do? on June 16th!

Was this review helpful?

Maddy inherits an old house in the country and, as the trope goes, has to live there for a year before she can sell it. That’s really all that is ordinary about WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTIN DO? Bits of wisdom in the form of quotes by Jane Austin are scattered throughout the story of writers and literary endeavors in a small town.

The story is full of memorable characters. Cameron Massey has his layers peeled away, and Maddy has hers expanded as she gets to know the man she inherited the house from and the townspeople who loved him.

This is a closed door romance. There are a few slow moving parts, but overall it is a clever and entertaining story.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and am providing my voluntary review.

Was this review helpful?

This was cute but it was boring. I wanted it to focus more on the romance but it felt like that was on the backburner. That would have been fine if I personally found the stuff about her uncle interesting, but I didn't. It was not bad at all I just wanted more from it.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

This was a sweet Austen inspired romcom. When Maddy inherits a country home after being fired from her job, she jumps to the chance to live there. But the loving comes with a price such as a very annoying writer next door.

I loved the plot of the book! Especially when Maddy made sure to give a piece of her mind to Luke about romance novels. The discussion of how romance novels are important & as not easy to write was enlightening.

Mady & Luke were two poor opposites that didn't make sense in the beginning but eventually came around.

I loved the setting of the small town. So much community gatherings, quirky side characters & an adorable dog.

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, A Cozy Read, Beach Read, Contemporary Romance
Spice Level: Med (closed door—nearly sweet)
Language: I remember one swear word
Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine (Opposites Attract), One Bed, Unexpected Windfall, Small Town

Just look at the title...I had such high expectations for this book.

And YAY! Expectations met!

I enjoyed both of the love interest characters. Maddy is upbeat, a dog-lover, and a journalist. Luke writes fiction under a pen-name (is private), grumpy, and opinionated. The small town is nosey. Quirky. Offers community involvement. Friendship. Friends you may not always like. An upcoming festival. And so, let the sparks fly!

The small town vibes work so well in this story. Putting the city-girl, Maddy, into the country was fun because we got to see how she changes. And Luke is a completely different man around the big, lovable dog, and also not what he seemed in the city. Oh, but there is so much more.

There's a bit of a:
Mystery
Some pride
Definitely some prejudice
Humor
Jane Austen references
Embarrassment
Revelations
Myths dispelled

What a lovely book! It also fills my need to see British colloquialisms on occasion.

Yes! I highly recommend this book!

Happy reading!

Was this review helpful?

Im a big jane austen fan and so I had to give this a go
Im glad that I did because it was cute and cosy.
One writes crime the other loves romance.
book banter, enemies to lovers, nods to the great Jane Austen

Was this review helpful?

What Would Jane Austen Do has it all and keeps you hooked with wonderful characters, a hint of romance, a bit of a mystery, some potential ghosts, and lots of small town charm. It was a delight to read. It was captivating and full of moments that made me smile. I would highly reccomend What Would Jane Austen Do, and will be reading it again in the near future. I found myself laughing out loud from the beggining where Maddy tears Camerons views on romance novels to shreads, with her snappy arguments backed up by statistics, I knew it would be a great read from those early pages and it truly was! It reminded me of midsummer murders without the murders, set in the beautiful country town and it's close knit community. The characters were all very likeable, making it a really enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

A sweet romance with the perfect village setting and wonderful cast of characters. I really enjoyed the Austen vibes and found this an enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?