The Austen Escape - by Katherine Reay (Paperback)

About the Book

When Mary's estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer, offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house, 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, England.

Book Synopsis

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

Review Quotes

'Reay handles. . .scenes with tenderness and a light touch, allowing the drama to come as much from internal conflict as external, rom-com--type misunderstandings. . .Thoughtful escapism.'--Kirkus

'Reay has written so many Austen-tangential novels, they almost make a genre. While three adapt Mansfield Park, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma, The Austen Escape stands alone . . . What's interesting about Reay is the way she tests how far from canon new stories can get. Where Flynn's Jane Austen Project gave us time travel; Reay offers an Austen-triggered psychotic break. Such storylines reveal something Janites already know: Austen is infinitely adaptable.'--Vulture

'Dripping with period detail but fundamentally a modern story, The Austen Escape is a clever, warmhearted homage to Austen and her fans.'--Shelf Awareness

'Reay's exquisite phrasing will resonate with readers and provide much fodder for pondering. . .this is a beautifully written novel and one to be savored and enjoyed.'--RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

'Unlike many books written in homage to Austen, this is not a modern retelling of any of her stories, but rather a romp among contemporary Austen fanatics. Readers eager for anything Austen-related will enjoy this clean romance that explores the concept of escapism and what it may reveal about our real lives.'--Publishers Weekly