The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

about the book

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

After years of following her best friend’s lead, Mary Davies finds a whimsical trip back to Austen’s Regency England paves the way towards a new future.

Mary Davies lives and works in Austin, Texas, as an industrial engineer. She has an orderly and productive life, a job and colleagues that she enjoys—particularly a certain adorable, intelligent, and hilarious consultant. But something is missing for Mary. When her estranged and emotionally fragile childhood friend Isabel Dwyer offers Mary a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in Bath, Mary reluctantly agrees to come along, 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 that she lives in Regency England. Mary becomes dependent on a household of strangers to take care of Isabel until she wakes up.

With Mary in charge and surrounded by new friends, Isabel rests and enjoys the leisure of a Regency lady. But life gets even more complicated when Mary makes the discovery that her life and Isabel’s have intersected in more ways that she knew, and she finds herself caught between who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who stands between them. Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this triangle works out their lives and hearts among a company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation.

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My Thoughts

If you’re reading this, you probably know what it’s like to get lost in a good story! Can you even imagine taking an immersive vacation fashioned after a story?! How fabulously wonderful would that be?!

Mary Davies is crazy intelligent and intensely focused yet endearingly insecure. I love her and the sweet relationship she has with her father! Mary’s patience and compassion are her greatest virtues and especially when it comes to spending an extended period of time with her friend Isabel (bless her heart).

Fortunately, Mary is surrounded by encouraging coworkers who keep her grounded and inspired (because frankly, if her only friend Isabel, even the sweetest person would grow discouraged)! She has a bit of a workaholic streak so joining Isabel for a literary escape is just what she needs to step back, refresh, and reevaluate.

Oh, the shenanigans! Y’all are going to love the variety of secondary characters in Mary’s workplace and her fellow literary escapees. Readers don’t need to be Austenites to enjoy this story (especially with the handy starter guide provided) but I would imagine those who are mega fans of Jane Austen will especially appreciate the many references.

This book is going on my all-time favorites shelf. I highly recommend this story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

 

About the Author

Katherine Reay is a writer, wife, mom, continually rehabbing runner, compulsive vacuumist and a horrific navigator…

She graduated from Northwestern University and earned an MS in Marketing from Northwestern as well. She then worked in marketing and development before returning to graduate school for a Masters of Theological Studies. Moves to Texas, England, Ireland and Washington left that degree unfinished as Katherine spent her time unpacking, raising kids, volunteering, writing, and exploring new storylines and new cities.

The Reay family (with a great sense of permanency) now resides outside Chicago, and Katherine pursues writing with more focus. She writes character-driven stories and non-fiction that focuses upon examining the past and how it influences our present experiences.

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Also Available

   
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#DealAlert The Austen Escape is $1.99 for a limited time!

Have you participated in any roleplay or costumed activities, reader friends?
I attended a mystery dinner once and it was lots of fun!
Be sure to add The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay to your tbr!