I’m a big Jane Austen fan and I loved the idea of this book, so I was looking forward to reading it. Of course, there’s a Jane Austen theme and each chapter begins with a quotation from one of her books.
But the story here focuses on Madeleine ‘Maddy’ Shaw in present day Britain. She shares a flat in London with her best friend Alice. Maddy has just been told her Dear Jane agony aunt column is no longer required. Maddy has lost the job she loves and is unemployed.
Maddy is invited onto a radio interview with bestselling author Cameron Massey. They get into a heated debate about the value of romantic fiction (Go Maddy! Brilliantly argued. #RespectRomFic) which Cameron dismisses, suggesting his crime thrillers are somehow more worthy.
Meanwhile, a distant relative of Maddy leaves her a house in the village of Cotlington – but it’s too big, expensive to run, needs repairs and is nowhere near London. How will she manage?
Without giving away too much of the story, Maddy and Cameron (aka Luke Hamilton) are soon thrown together again. Will they continue to hate each other?
Linda Corbett writes in a very accessible way, the story is easy to get into and the characters are really believable. I like Maddy straight away and sympathised with her predicament. There is a lot of humour in the writing and the chapters are a good size, so it was a lovely read. The nods to Jane Austen are delightful too. Oh and there’s an adorable dog called Buster! (Every book needs an adorable dog!)
It's a fun and easy read, in the best possible way. You get carried along in the story and want to find out how things develop. The setting of the big house is easy to picture and I love all the mystery of the boxes in the attic too.
I really enjoyed the book, it’s a lovely light read with wonderful characters and a beautifully written and interesting story.

A fun contemporary romance with enemies to lovers and many nods to the great works of Jane Austin. This was a cute quick read, and there's a loveable dog involved. What's not to love. Not your typical Jane Austin story retelling. Great for romance lovers.

I am most definitely a Jane Austen person so as soon as I saw this title, I had to read it. As a matter of fact, each chapter starts with a quote from a beloved Austen character.

Maddy Shaw has just lost her job and has no prospects. You know the story about an unknown relative leaving you an English manor, just as you’ve been fired and are at the end of your rope? Great! This is easy. Sell the house and problems solved, right? Well, no, because Cousin Nigel placed a stipulation that Maddy must live in the house for a year, or it goes to the next named person in the will.

Cameron Massey is a bestselling author of crime novels. A grouchy type that turns his nose up at romance novels. He also just happens to be Maddy’s neighbor along with his adorable dog. The firs time they met, it wasn’t so cute. It was more like two fencers lunging at each other from opposite points of interests.

Maddy is not received well by the townspeople. Cousin Nigel was liked and very much a part of small-town life. Who is this estranged family member that no one ever knew about, being thrown into their midst? Will she be accepted or is she doomed to rattle around her beautiful, drafty old house all by her lonesome.

Bring on the shenanigans! Or the Literary Festival that Maddy quickly gets pulled into heading. The slow burn, fade to black nature of What Would Jane Austen Do appealed to me. I immediately wanted to stream Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility.

Call it enemies to lovers, chic lit, a great beach read or whatever you like. I call it delightful fun, sweet and a love letter to all Austen aficionados. Truth be told, even without the Austen references, it would have been a fun read.

A cute clean enemies to lovers romance. I loved all the references to Jane Austen and the story line of this book. And the quirky characters in the village.I look forward to more from his author.

Maddy, a London based journalist, fortuitously inherits a large house in the Cotswolds just as she loses her job as a agony aunt. The will stipulates she must live there for a year before selling it so she reluctantly takes on a lodger, Cameron, a local author with whom she has previously clashed over romance vs crime. It doesn't take much to guess where the story is going, but the telling is good and well paced,

Thanks as always to the publisher & the Blog Tour Host.

It’s Valentine’s Day and Maddy has just had an email from her employer saying she’s sacked! She can’t understand why?.

Maddy loved being the resident agony aunt for the magazine in her Dear Jane column and her readers loved her.

Just when Maddy thinks she can’t afford her rent in London anymore she gets a phone call from her dad says it she’s been left an inheritance from a long lost family member, will her luck soon start to change?.

I found myself racing through this book due to the short chapters which I’m becoming to love, all books should have short chapters right ?. I also loved the Jane Austen book quotes at the start of every chapter.

Maddy is now the proud owner of house that looks like it belongs in a Jane Austen novel but it comes with a few stipulations, she soon finds herself with a lodger Cameron/Luke who he has a somewhat heated past with.

As they live together they have ups and downs and Maddy soon finds a mystery to solve that could involve her cousin Nigel who left her the house and her lodger but she gets help from the lovely host of characters who live in the quaint village.

I will recommend this lovely book to all my romance loving friends.

What would Jane Austen do is heartwarming read full of wit, humour, and romance. The characters are well-written and developed, it is such a delight to read, intriguing and fun to watch things develop just like Austen.
I highly and wholeheartedly recommend What Would Jane Austen Do? What are you waiting for because “There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart”

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A fan of Jane Austen? Looking for a romantic comedy that will warm your heart and tickle your funny bone? Then What Would Jane Austen Do? is just the book you need. Written by Linda Corbett, this delightful read centres around a journalist and Jane Austen fan girl, Maddy Shaw, who finds herself in a small English village far from London. But what makes it an interesting read? Let's dive deeper into the world of What Would Jane Austen Do?.

The book is set in an English village, where Maddy moves into a house bequeathed to her by her cousin Nigel, who has long been the family's black sheep. Maddy is left to contend with Cameron Massey, a bestselling crime author known for his cynicism about romance, when she is made chair of the village's annual literary festival committee. The book takes on a humorous, witty tone as Maddy challenges Cameron to write a romantic novel of his own. A fun rivalry ensues, leading to more romance than either of them could have ever anticipated.

One of the great things about this book is that it really captures the essence of Jane Austen's novels. Corbett draws on Austen's wit, humour, and love of romance, giving the book a distinct Austenian feel. Jane Austen fans will find plenty to love about the book, and those who are less familiar with her works will still enjoy the humour and romance of the story.

In terms of characters, Maddy and Cameron make a fantastic duo. Their differing views on romance make for some great banter, and their chemistry is undeniable. The supporting characters are also well-written, adding depth to the book's small village setting. From the eccentric committee members to the charming locals, the village feels like a real place, with real people living in it.

What Would Jane Austen Do? is also a great reminder that sometimes we must step outside our comfort zones and try new things. Maddy finds herself in a job she never expected to have, in a village she never expected to live in, and with a romantic challenge, she never could have imagined. But it's these unexpected challenges that lead to some of the best moments in the book. Corbett's message is clear: take chances, be fearless, and embrace the unexpected.

If you're looking for a fun, heartwarming read that will transport you to an English village and make you believe in love, then What Would Jane Austen Do? is the book for you. Linda Corbett captures the wit, humour, and romance of Jane Austen's novels, adding her unique twist to the story. The characters are well-crafted, the setting is charming, and the message is clear: embrace the unexpected and see where it takes you. So what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of What Would Jane Austen Do? and fall in love all over again.

A really enjoyable story that kept you guessing for a lot of it as to which way it would go.

Easy to read. Would recommend.

A fun lighthearted read, perfect for fans of Jane Austen and romance novels. I really enjoyed this one. It's a great read for the summer months.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with this book.

“What WOULD Jane Austen do after reading this book?”
I can honestly say I loved everything about this book. I think Jane Austen would say the same. The story had a bit of everything going on which totally had me engaged from the first few pages I read.
Cozy romance
Fun, quirky characters
Humorous aspects
Mystery
Jane Austen quotes
Family secret
A cute, loveable dog
All in all, a satisfying, light hearted read that I highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

📖My Thoughts📖

Where do I begin? I’ve always admired Jane Austen for her beautiful writing. While this book obviously wasn’t written by her and it’s not about her, she is woven into each and every chapter, giving it a unique twist. At the start of every chapter, there is a quote that in some way, shape or form is linked to her, along with frequent mention of her throughout the book. The storyline; I thoroughly enjoyed it and how it all came together. It was very intriguing and fun to watch relationships develop amongst the characters as well as watching them grow and interact with one another. I loved the strong chemistry between the two main characters which was portrayed very well by the author. There is honestly just so much to love about this book. It was lighthearted, entertaining and very well written. I highly recommend this book to anyone that’s a Jane Austen fan that loves a good romantic comedy!
Thank you Netgalley, One More Chapter and Linda Corbett for the opportunity to read and review this beauty! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Unceremoniously – and rather unexpectedly – dumped from her regular job as an agony aunt, her column “Dear Jane” drawing on the wit and wisdom of Jane Austen, inheriting a country pile from distant cousin Nigel might be something of a life-saver for Maddy. Hoping to put it straight on the market, she’s rather horrified to find that a condition of the inheritance is that she must live in the house – in the quintessentially English village of Cotlington – for a year. It’s ok though, Nigel’s left some money for running costs – but nothing like enough, and that means she’ll really need to get a lodger.

And that’s how crime writer Cameron Massey (real name Luke) – escaping building work at his own house in the village – ends up staying in one of her many spare rooms and struggling with his latest book in her library. Their paths have crossed before – a clash over the merits of romantic fiction (Maddy’s passion) while recording a podcast, and a particularly grumpy encounter over his escapologist dog Buster. And as if his constant presence isn’t bad enough – and it might just be that there’s a ghostly presence too – it seems Nigel was a leading light in organising the annual village literary festival, held in the house’s garden, and that Maddy is expected to step in and take his place.

Light and lovely, this book was an absolute delight. At first, Maddy’s not a particularly sympathetic character, but I soon began to feel for her through her trials and tribulations – and the enemies to lovers storyline that develops between her and Luke, helped by Buster’s interventions and with obstacles from the past along the way, was so beautifully handled. There’s an unfolding – and very intriguing – mystery about Nigel’s past, and how the black sheep of the family managed to afford his home in the country and become such a well-loved benefactor to the village community. And that community really is simply wonderful – full of characters who wouldn’t be out-of-place in Austen’s Regency world (with more than a nod too, I thought, to the Vicar of Dibley), with plenty of laughs (the night of ghost-hunting was just wonderful) and a few touches of real poignancy along the way.

Each chapter starts with a Jane Austen quotation, appropriate to its content – and, should you be a fan, you’ll spot a lot more rather familiar character traits and subtle references along the way, really cleverly done. I also liked very much the whole premise of the clash between the dismissive crime writer without a romantic bone in his body and the staunch defender of romantic fiction – lots to identify with there for the reader. And I really must mention just once more the fantastic Buster – such a character, his every appearance just adding to the joy and laughter to be found within the book’s pages.

I really enjoyed this one – sheer fun from beginning to end, beautifully written, and with a real touch of originality. Very much recommended by me!

(Review also copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Who can resist a book with Jane Austen in the title? Not me!

This is a light-hearted, fun, contemporary romance that is quite easy to read and is the type of book to relax with. It is a bit of a slow burn type of romance and the setting is great as well as the cute dog that i a part of this story.

A quick, easy read that gives you the warm and fuzzy feeling. Fun, witty and romantic. 3 1/2 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

An amusing rom com that pits a Jane Austin fan and advice columnist against a popular crime writer over the topic of romance. Witty banter, ample angst, a mystery to solve and a decision to be made all while trying to keep an old home standing and a literary festival alive makes for a delightful read that will have you smiling your way through. Add in a charming pup and your heartstrings will be singing for more! Definitely a fun read that was a sweet romance and clean cut enough to be a good read for anyone who likes a good rom com!

Maddy is a single woman living in London, who works for a magazine as a correspondent and the writer of a weekly "Dear Jane" column where she offers advice. She's terminated from her job on February 14th. On that same day, she does a podcast where she meets a crime writer - Cameron Massey. On the podcast, they discuss his books and how he feels about romance which is the opposite of Maddy's point of view. After the podcast, she receives a phone call from her Dad and he has news. One of his cousins, Nigel who was the black sheep of the family, has left Maddy his home as an inheritance. The house is in the country and Maddy must live in the house for a year before she can sell it. It's a small manor and much too big for one person alone but Maddy decides to move in. The story then is about the people Maddy meets in town, discovering who Nigel was, and finding love, of course. 3 1/2 stars.

Maddy wrote a column Dear Jane, but it was just cancelled and she is out of a job. Then she unexpectedly gets an inheritance from a long-lost cousin. In order to get the house and be able to eventually sell it, she has to live in it for a year. It is a hard transition from big city to small-town life, but Maddy soon finds her footing. She slowly cleans the house, researches the family history and gets involved in the town's life.

She could use a lodger. The new tenant is no other than the famous crime writer Cameron Massey. They are not exactly friendly. But with time and close proximity, sparks start to fly.

I like the romance, it has all of my favourite elements, forced proximity, small town, grump and sunshine, opposite attract. The only thing I wish for is more Jane Austen vibes.

A cosy romance with lovely quotes dotted in from Jane Austen books. An enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

A fun read, the story of Maddy and Cameron/Luke They clash from the moment they meet, and then meet again when not expecting it. Looking forward to more books from this author.

Well this was just delightful. A little heavy on the Austin references with no context but fun! Much enjoyed.