I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay Published by Thomas Nelson on November 7, 2017
Genres: Fiction / Christian / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Clean & Wholesome, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Women
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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When Mary Davies travels to Jane Austen’s Bath for a historical getaway, she expects a luxurious escape from reality. Instead she finds her friendship at a crossroads, her love life upended, and her heart on a journey she never expected.
Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues—particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer, offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees 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 she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.
Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings arise, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.
“Admirers of Jane Austen, especially, will delight in the delicious descriptions and elegant prose as the protagonist is transported to the English countryside, taking readers along for the ride. Both cleverly written and nicely layered, Reay’s latest proves to be a charming escape!” —Denise Hunter, bestselling author of Lake Season on The Austen Escape
“At once sophisticated and smart . . . Clever and classy . . . Whether for the first-time Pride and Prejudice reader or the devotee with an ardent affection for all things Austen . . . The Austen Escape is an equally satisfying retreat into the wilds of Jane’s beloved Regency world. In scenes brilliantly woven with Austen’s classic characterization, Reay goes beyond courtship and manners to explore modern-day scenarios, grappling with themes of brokenness and loss, the weight of decisions and consequences, and the anchor of faith through difficult circumstances. As amiable as an Austen novelist could be—but with a pen just as witty—Katherine Reay proves she’s ready to become Jane to a whole new generation of women.” —Kristy Cambron, bestselling author of The Painted Castle
“Wildly imaginative and deeply moving, The Austen Escape is Katherine Reay at her very best.” —Billy Coffey, author of Steal Away Home
“The Austen Escape has the remarkable ability to be both lighthearted and gripping. The dramatic elements are first rate, the characters even finer. Wonderful writing. Highly recommended.” —Davis Bunn, bestselling author
- Sweet and thoughtful contemporary read
- Stand-alone novel
- Book length: 80,000 words
- Includes a discussion questions and an excerpt from Dear Mr. Knightley
And we are back with another edition of books I read in the wayback time but never reviewed. Honestly, never even tracked this one on Goodreads, so all I know is wayback time. The difference here is that there were significant parts that I did remember. Not a lot, mind you, but enough to know where the story was going. Here’s where I am going to share things with you that might get me canceled. I was never an Austen girl. My generation is filled with Austen girls. I’ve never read Austen. I’ve read books about Austen Girls, but alas, I am not one, and honestly, I don’t think I could be one.
Yes, this book is a romance. But honestly, it didn’t hit with a strong in-your-face formula, and it was so much more than a romance. It was a story about relationships. Family relationships, friendships, work ships, and overcoming bad ships. It’s about finding ships and reimagining ships. Sorry, tired of typing relation with it 😀 It’s also about inventing and electrical, and honestly, that touch was overwhelming to someone without a clue what it all meant, but added so much depth to the story. Also, just for the sake of honesty, I had to Google Heisman. For those, like me, that aren’t sportsball folks, it is a trophy for college football. And I will never look at it the same way again. Great touch to this story that you will have to read to find out because it literally has nothing to do with football!
The small details of Austin (which typing this out makes me realize the purpose of that setting . . . I’m slipping) that I know just from many visits to a friend there made it that much more real. The real story for me is not the romance. It’s the real story of two girls with a long history of friendship, many times unbalanced, so often hurtful and fracturing at the edges. And an opportunity to really learn about each other in adulthood that helps, while not to heal the hurts, but understand the why that really made this book for me. There’s always three sides to every relationship, and you don’t always make the time to find the middle. Not how I feel, or you feel, but how we got here. And to me, that’s what this story is about . . . finding the middle to heal and move forward.
About Katherine Reay
Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author of twelve novels and one non-fiction work. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Northwestern University, her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Redbook, USA TODAY, The Daily Beast, Criminal Element, and many more. She holds a master’s in marketing from Northwestern University as well. Katherine is also a co-founder and host of the What the Dickens Book Club on Facebook and The 10 Minute Book Talk on Instagram. She is a mother of three and lives in Montana with her husband and their dogs. Her latest novel, THE ENGLISH MASTERPIECE will release on June 10, 2025, and centers upon a young woman framed for forging a Picasso found in London’s Tate Gallery in 1973.
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