Six people; five women and a man, meet once a month in California's Central Valley to discuss Jane Austen's novels. They are ordinary people, neither happy nor unhappy, but each of them is wounded in different ways, mixed up about their lives and relationships. Over the six months they meet, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable under the guiding eye of Jane Austen a couple of them even fall in love.

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Well, I liked the concept of the book. A group of friends meeting every month at someone's house in Southern California to discuss Jane Austen's novel. Each chapter was filled with references and quotes to the book they are currently reading and you tried to make the connection to their real lives.That was the most interesting and amusing bit.
However, on the downside I found it hard to warm to the actual book club members and unfortunately half the time I could not figure out who was talking. Since every month the meeting is held in someone else's house I presume that every month it was someelse talking, making the introduction etc but it was hard to follow.
Still, all in all a very entertaining book, I learned a lot about Jane Austen as well and the back of the book is filled with quotes and references as well.

RELEASE NOTES:

For the January Meet Up. Enjoy

Caught at Meet Up. Many thanks! I have read quite a lot of Jane Austin's books (possibly all of them, but it's a long time ago!) so i look forward to this!

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the way that certain aspects of the plots of Austen's novels were mirrored in the lives of the book club members. I thought the characters were great, not that I liked them all, but they were well-drawn. It's funny and perceptive and sometimes moving as well as being an interesting reminder of Austen's work. Thanks for sharing kinedi!

RELEASE NOTES:

To release at Meet Up. Enjoy!

Caught at the Edinburgh meet up. It was highly recommended, so looking forward to this one.

Loved this book. Although it was a similar idea to Elizabeth Noble's novel about a book group (which I did enjoy) I think this one engaged me more. I liked the way it was narrated. I wondered if it was "the group" narrating rather thn one person. I thought it was witty and bits made me snigger if not laugh out loud. I'm now off to get my mitts on a copy of the Mysteries of Udolfo!
Will offer at the next meet up.

RELEASE NOTES:

Set free at the Edinburgh meet up. Happy reading!

Caught at BC meet-up.

I admit the only Austen book I've ever read is P&P and that was more than 10 years ago. So I might have been missing a lot of references.
Without it, I kept this feeling that there must have been more to this book than I could see. I found the characters mundane and the plot thin and predictable. Not my cup o'tea.

RELEASE NOTES:

BC meet-up