Review by Melanie Chitwood
Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Patillo
Even though I’m not a huge Jane Austen fan, I loved this entertaining and well-written novel. I’m betting that if you are a Jane Austen fan, you’ll really love this book!
Emma Grant’s expectations of happiness are shattered by her husband’s unfaithfulness and coworker’s betrayal. She blames Jane Austen and her parents’ faith for “filling [her] head with an unshakeable belief in happy endings.” With a shattered marriage and ruined career, she runs away from her present problems to perhaps find the happy ending she longs for in London.
Emma sees an opportunity to resurrect her academic career in London if she can find the lost letters of Jane Austen. She meets Mrs. Gwendolyn Parrott, the supposed keeper of the lost letters, who requires Emma to complete a series of tasks to prove she’s worthy of the letters. While Emma travels from one historic Austen location to another, we wonder if Mrs. Parrott is simply a crazy old lady, or truly the gateway to the literary and personal happiness that has eluded Emma.
Along the way, Emma uncovers treasures about Austen and also about her own heart as she renews a connection with a former best friend Adam, who just might turn out to be a romantic interest. While Emma doesn’t get the happy ending she imagined, she finds that happiness has more to do with the happiness inside her than with her circumstances.
The pacing of this novel is quick, and the main character likable. I’m not a big fan of purely historical fiction, but I did enjoy the blend of historical and contemporary adventure/romance in this novel. I went on to read the next in this series, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, and enjoyed it as well.
About Ariel Lawhon
Ariel Lawhon is the co-founder of She Reads, novelist, blogger, and life-long reader. She lives in Texas with her husband and four young sons (aka The Wild Rumpus). Ariel believes that Story is the shortest distance to the human heart.
The title made me laugh. In high school, I had never heard of Jane Austin! I did something very peculiar. I picked out one of her books for a speed reading practice. All the conversation whizzing by as fast as the moving light made me not like the book. Terrible experience.
Carol Wong
I’m not a huge fan of historicals, either, but this sounds like something I’d enjoy. I love 19th century English literature and would enjoy “visiting” the historic locations of Austen’s books. Thanks for sharing it.
I’d read it just because of the cover art!
I adore Jane Austen’s work. Feminine wit wins the day…and gets her man with a manor. I’m incredibly intrigued by this book.