Thanks to reviewing for NetGalley, I read a lot of “new to me” authors. Enough so the names don’t always stick. I started reviewing for this very reason…so I could remember why I wanted to pick up another of their books.

Why am I bringing this up now? I’m an Austen fan, but once I read past the title, the author’s name brought back the delight I’d felt when reading Pretty Face some two years earlier. At the time, I recommended the novel to my father. He is the main reason I’ve spent my life on the edge of theater from up front to backstage, at least until my son took over the charge. Lucy Parker folds you into the complications of live theater so completely with her subtle, nuanced writing. She does a wonderful job capturing the absolute love of theater that draws people to the stage as well as the quirky, sometimes poisonous personalities found there. She gets to the heart not just of people but of theater people, who have their own set of motivations.

The Austen Playbook has many similarities to Pretty Face, but I quickly discovered the only true similarity is love of theater itself. Playbook focuses on theater dynasties and the pressure to live up to your family legacy, but it doesn’t stop there. Layer on two families at odds over three generations, with economic and social consequences, add in a grand betrayal that echoes down through time, and you’ve only touched the surface of this story.

While there are elements of melodrama, the characters bring the events into sharp focus through their strengths and flaws, keeping the story from tipping over into an exaggerated caricature. It’s powerful and poignant as two people from opposing families discover they’re stronger and better people when together. And it’s not all deep drama either.

Lucy Parker turns her skillful hand not just to writing revealing body language when words are not enough to convey the complex situations. She includes deadpan humor that made me look around for someone to share the joke with. Or maybe joke is the wrong word. The humor comes into the situation not tacked on but as a natural outgrowth. Simple things like the cast assuming a building designed to mimic older theaters would lack ventilation or Freddy’s attempt to distract working more because she failed to carry it off than because she succeeded. These are not setups, but rather circumstances that provoke empathic chuckles.

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t mention the plot seeding. I was able to intuit the impending crisis from body language combined with events, but then doubted my interpretation enough to be led astray for a bit. That’s the best of possible worlds because the answers are there and yet not heavy handed enough to spoil the fun of exploring possibilities.

There are open door relations between Freddy and Griff for those who care, but it’s not explicit or detailed, and plays into the story events well. There are also many secondary or minor characters with quirky and conniving natures to turn even the simplest complication into something more.

If you haven’t figured out this second taste has won me over, know that I picked up the rest of this series as soon as I finished The Austen Playbook. This novel had me from the start and kept me going until the final moment when Freddy turns formal plans into exasperated laughter. Freddy and Griff are far from similar people, but together they are a perfect match in blended humor, love, and support.

P.S. I received this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I'm going to be honest and admit that I judged this book by its cover. I will read anything remotely related to Jane Austen, so I requested to review this book without knowing much about it. On the cover there is a couple kissing, Austen, and an old building. That was really all I needed. Initially, I thought this would be a cute (it is!) but run of the mill (it is NOT) contemporary romance for us Austenites who can never get enough. But I found so much more in these pages. This book really stood out to me for one major reason, but let's hit the book review highlights first.

The characters were a lot of fun. Some were funny, some serious, and most were pretty one dimensional but in a totally appropriate way. If you're looking for a gritty, character driven narrative, try something else. This is just fun in a book. Here the characters are perfect for the story and tone of The Austen Playbook, funny witty and charming.

The plot moved really well and avoided some overdone/boring romance tropes that have become all too common and frustrating for me. You will not spend chapter jus twaiting for the heroine's secret to come out and ruin everything. You also won't find people refusing to be with each other for made up and increasingly absurd reasons. This is a straight forward, quirky romance with a little bit of Austen flair and a lot of family drama.

But let's get to my favorite part of this book... the sex.

There are several sex scenes in The Austen Playbook, and thy aren't overly romantic and flowery. They also aren't hardcore. The scenes are what I like to call real sex. Finally, and I mean FINALLY, an author who writes a book where the sex remotely resembles real life sex. Don't get me wrong, I love a good fantastical sex scene, excuse me while I swoon over Jamie Fraser and Rhysand. *sigh* Every once in a while it's nice to see what I have experienced in print.

Griff wasn't an all powerful orgasm master. He didn't get her off by just kissing her. Their climaxes took some freaking time, and guess what? It wasn't always perfect. Seriously, in one scene, she needs more to get there, so the couple changes what they are doing until they find what works in the moment. Effing brilliant!

And the shower sex scene was inspired. I can't begin to explain how many times I have rolled my eyes at shower scenes in books and movies. Unless you are wearing grippy swim shoes or having sex with Aquaman (yes, please), it's not physically possible to do some of the things depicted in other books. After giving it a go, Griff and Freddy, they laugh at themselves because they know they just cannot do it. Like a lot of couples, they try, and try again, but don't have the coveted couple skill of hydro-fornication. And that is ok! Some have it, some don't (the laws of physics are real after all), and sometimes you just end up a cold, frustrated woman with shampoo in your eyes.

I could go on and on because I loved this book and this couple. If you want a fun read that will make you laugh out loud while giving you a dose of romance, try The Austen Playbook.

* Special thanks to Lucy Parker, Carina Press, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of The Austen Playbook in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Parker is a new to me author, and one I’ve had on my list of “want to read” authors for a while now. I was thrilled when TLC Book Tours offered me the chance to read and review one of her books. The Austen Playbook features as sweet, perky heroine, and a sour, grumpy hero, much like the main characters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which is by far, one of my most beloved pieces of literature.

Freddy is an actress, who is spending her time acting in plays directed by her father, and not acting in what would make her truly happy. The family pressure causes her star in dreary plays written by a familial relative, which makes her father very happy, but has left her feeling empty and unfulfilled. Griff, on the other hand, is the famous critic who has slammed her performances more than once, while also realizing that Freddy is simply not happy acting in the dramas that she has been cast.

In true enemies to lovers fashion, Griff and Freddy are not the biggest fans of each other when they are forced to interact on a regular daily basis. Freddy is consistently irritating Griff with her quirky attitude, and sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth personality. And Griff is like a dodgy old man, but way more attractive! However once these two begin to interact with each other on Griff’s family’s plantation, it is hard to miss the sparks that fly between the two of them.

So, one thing that I love about a romance novel, and one of the reasons why I’m so attracted to the original romance novels like Jane Eyre and Sense and Sensibility is those moments of soft romance. The ones that are so full of swoons that you simply want to melt. For me, The Austen Playbook, was FULL OF THESE MOMENTS, which was absolute music to my soul. I loved this, and the way that Lucy Parker drew out the romance between these two individuals.

After finishing The Austen Playbook, I am more than a little excited to go back and read the other books within this series and see just what other treasures Ms Parker has in store for me!

4/5 Stars!!

Loved this one! I've heard so many good things about this series--now I know why :)

(And can I just say--I NEED this app and live-action TV event to be a real thing. Like so, so much...

Please?)

Freddy and Griff's story was absolutely wonderful. They started out firmly on the "enemies" side of an enemies-to-lovers romance--she's a stage actress who got started, at least, with a touch of nepotism; he's a critic who spares the feelings of no one in his reviews, even when encountering them face-to-face. They definitely got off to a wrong-footed start here, but Ms. Parker did an excellent job of showing how their changes of heart where each was concerned came about. I loved that both retained the essential parts of themselves, even as they learned to let the other person in (This quote from Freddy that made me LOL: "Unfortunately, she loved the acerbic, patronizing d*ckhead to bits" was from the second-to-last chapter! There was much snort-laughing during the reading of this one...)

I enjoyed the way that Ms. Parker took all the different story threads here and wove them together into an extremely satisfying ending for everyone (okay, almost everyone--Sabrina, Freddy's sister could use an HEA--hopefully soon!--but that cow Sadie doesn't, so...) even though things looked really, really bleak for quite some time there, I finished this one with a huge smile on my face.

The Austen Playbook is the fourth book in the series, but it worked just fine as a standalone. Of course, now I'm dying for the next book (Sab and Nick, please!!!) and already have the first three in my TBR just waiting for a free moment, so... ;)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

4.5 Stars in a top-notch addition to a lovely series. The only reason I am not rounding up is I felt less sold on the chemistry between the two leads. I really liked them together. I thought they made sense and complimented each other in a supportive and necessary ways, but they didn’t sizzle as much as I thought they would. I also thought the villain a bit too vicious and self-serving.

Each of the books in this series are a variation of an enemies-to-lover or opposites-attract trope. This is no exception. Freddy is a stage actor, who has been getting tired of the dramatic roles she’s been playing, and Griff is a critic who has had some harsh critiques about Freddy’s recent performances. They are also part of two families that have history. Freddy’s infamous and revered grandmother, who was a well-known actress and author, had a notorious affair with Griff’s grandfather, who built her a theater on the same estate that housed his wife and kids. Despite their opposing sides, they seem to like each other at the beginning and accept that the jobs are not the sum total of the person. I liked how that was not a big obstacle for them.

Circumstances throw them together when Freddy signs on to the production of an Austen-inspired Murder Mystery that was to be performed and filmed from that theater built for her grandma on Griff’s estate. The estate badly needs a cash infusion for upkeep and repairs. When they keep running into each other, they find they share a mutual attraction and a desire to understand their shared history better.

The characters in this were lovely. Both Freddy and Griff were well-meaning with demons to conquer. They both had unsupportive family situations, with self-centered, unreliable parents. They found in each other the support and strength they needed that had been lacking in their lives. This was a true highlight of the book for me. The subplot as they unravel hidden mysteries from their shared history was also very intriguing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read/listen (I alternated). I think the second is still my favorite, but this is a close second. I definitely recommend and look forward to rereading some day.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful read! This was a new to me author and while this is the fourth book in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone.
We follow the story of Freddy and Griff, an actress and a critic that end up tangled together in one summer that involves plays, family secrets and a lot of wonderful moments.
Both main characters are likeable - even Griff who is a grumpy sarcastic character sometimes - and you can see how they both care very much for their families and how that is reflected different according to their personalities. I like that there are no back and forths with them, they recognize an attraction and they decide to explore it. I liked the honesty on their relationship and how the conflict comes from all the external sources you can imagine but they shepherd it through.
There are several plot twists, in lieu of the spirit of Austen novels and there is so many endearing supporting characters that you can't wait to meet again.
Wonderful, light-hearted, easy to read along (in the best way possible), a definite winner!

The Austen Playbook
London Celebrities - Book 4
By Lucy Parker

Carina Press - May 2019

Contemporary Romance


Freddy Carlton knew which direction her career was supposed to go, but she had come to the realization that her manager father's opinion was quite different than her own. When the opportunity to work on a unique contemporary live tv show was offered, she quickly accepted. The legacy of her name had kept her from performing roles that she loved. She knew it, the critics knew it, and it was time she took her career in a new direction. The Austen Playbook was certain to be just the challenge and excitement that she wanted in her career. Equally exciting was learning that it would be filmed at a theater built for her grandmother. She just never anticipated that a critic who tended to see the worst of her performances would call Highbrook home.

James "Griff" Ford-Griffin had taken the mantle of containing the fires his parents and younger sibling set, but he feared they might still lose their heritage. His parents continued to spend as if there was an endless supply of money, and Charlie had just signed papers that could be a fiasco. A televised version of The Austen Playbook game, filmed live while the audience voted on what direction the show should follow. The actors would be required to learn all variations of each scene, and Griff would open Highbrook for the filming at The Henry Theatre on their property.

Griff well knew the scandalous history of The Henry. His grandfather, married at the time, had it built for a woman he'd been having an affair with. The woman went on to become a legend, playwright and actress. The following generations had followed in her career footsteps. He knew that Freddy had better potential than she had been showing in her recent performances, but he never realized just how spectacular a woman she was offstage as well. Together, Griff and Freddy look into their mutual family history, and learn that perhaps all criticisms aside, they make a perfect match for the future.

The Austen Playbook, the fourth story in Lucy Parker's London Celebrities series, is an absolute delight. I loved the mish mash of Austen characters, and not knowing who the audience would choose to be with whom. Which fan favorite, or villain, the votes would kill off. And since the cast didn't know, they had to plan for every outcome. Intertwined with the difficulty of learning the thick script, Freddy is dealing with family issues, and coming to realize that Griff isn't the gruff character his columns make him out to be. I loved everything, the romance, their investigation of their families' histories, the chaos of the cast and crew, and the suspense of how the play would end. The Austen Playbook does stand on its own.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

I’ve been looking forward to The Austen Playbook, the fourth book in Lucy Parker’s London Celebrities series, for ages. This one features actress Frederica Carlton, who has done an admirable job in a lot of serious dramas and made a name for herself – but the lighthearted Freddy is tired of being in stuff that her dad deems worthy. She misses doing fun musicals and lighter comedic roles – but she feels she owes it to her legacy West End family to continue doing serious drama. This is exacerbated by the fact that Freddy’s grandmother has written one of the most celebrated serious dramas in England, and Freddy’s guilt that an accident that she was involved in caused her father’s acting career to end prematurely.

Meanwhile, J. Ford-Griffin or “Griff”, is a theatre critic whose family is spending way beyond their means. He’s trying to save the family estate, Highbrook, where Freddy’s grandmother famously wrote her celebrated play. To do so, Griff’s brother Charlie hatches a plan to have The Austen Playbook, an interactive play, put on and broadcast from Highbrook’s theatre. Of course, this brings Freddy into Griff’s home and they’re both surprised and delighted by their feelings towards each other.

Normally, I adore Lucy Parker’s romances and eat them up like candy. But The Austen Playbook left me baffled with its insta-love between Freddy and Griff. It felt like hate-to-love, but immediately transitioned into love, and it happened so fast I basically had whiplash. I even went back and reread the beginning to see if I saw the natural progression of when the characters’ feelings changed and…nope.

Because of that insta-love, I felt like I was off-balance and confused by a lot of the characters’ actions. The relationship was very quickly intense and seemed sort of lost in the drama between Freddy and her father, her sister’s relationship, Griff’s family income woes, the actual show being rehearsed, and oh yeah, there’s a scandal in there, too. Like, whoa. There was way, WAY too much going on in this book, and it left me feeling like there was lack of character development and just not invested in the characters. I feel like this needed a major edit, a lot less drama, and a lot more in the way of romance. I’m sad to say I was disappointed by this one. I will still be reading Lucy Parker’s next book, because I still like her writing, but MAN. I needed more from this one and it didn’t deliver.

4 stars

The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker was a great read and I really enjoyed it.

The storyline was entertaining, the characters were likable, engaging and my interest was captured from the first page until the end.

Another wonderful read by the talented Lucy Parker and a great addition to the London Celebrities Series.

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

i've read all the london celebrities books, and honestly i thought the series had ended. but the world is rich and layered enough that it is entirely possible for this series to keep going on indefinitely. something that totally works for me.

in this book we are treated to a heroine who is both delightfully sunny and honest. her brand of honesty is not the kind that cuts, but it is still incisive and astute. and that core of honesty is what brings freddy and griff together. he is that acerbic, no-holds-barred kind of honest. the kind of person you hate for being right because of the way he elects to deliver the unvarnished truth about your truest self. how he sees past all artifice and gets to the heart of the matter. he is not kind. but he isn't cruel either.

at their core, freddy and griff are both intensely moral people who do things for love of their family. you look past all the window dressings of who they appear to be and you see that they are, of course, meant for each other in spite of everything that seems so opposite.

this is a layered plot, what with the multi-level adaptation of austen, griff's estate issues, and freddy's family skeletons bouncing about, but the relationship moves forward with intense chemistry and relatively minor hiccups. when freddy and griff go all in, they are all in. and how they sort through the chaos around them, is one of those things that leaves you swoony and happy and slightly hungover.

i loved the austen playbook. i love griff and freddy. i hope to see a future story with nick and sabrina because i believe there is a lot to go on there. i want this series to keep going and going because it is that good.

**the austen playbook will publish on april 22, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

The Austen Playbook tells the story of Freddy (Frederica) Carlton, an actress from a London acting family who has traveled to the English countryside to appear in a Jane Austen inspired "choose your own adventure" style TV production. While rehearsing to play Lydia Bennett in the production, she runs into theater critic Griff, who has been very harsh about her acting in the past. He is at his family's estate to research a future film about a theater star -- and a story that connects both their families.

I wanted to read this novel initially because I was intrigued by the London theater setting. I loved theater (and studied acting) in my 20's and knew I would like the setting. I did! However, I was even more interested in the sparks that flew between Freddy and Griff ... and I loved the family history that brought the past into this story as well.

The writing is smart and lively, with some clever British wit. For instance, this description from the book: "It was a truth, universally acknowledged that an actor in a rut must be in a want of a spot of murder, mayhem, and true love" (Kindle location 441).

The story really became especially interesting to me when Freddy and Griff took off to a spooky neighboring estate to research the past of Henrietta (Freddy's ancestor) and Sir George (Griff's ancestor). The past that begins to unravel there - and the way it impacts the present - was fascinating.

The author uses a lot of British slang and uniquely British words. I was grateful for the word definition feature on my Kindle! It was fun learning a lot of new words and expressions by reading this book.

This is the fourth book in the London Celebrities series. I have not read the rest of the series (yet!) but enjoyed this novel as a standalone read.

I recommend The Austen Playbook for fans of smartly written romance, British settings, all things Austen, and lively wit and storytelling.

One of my favs this year.
I love a Book when you, besides from knowing The main characters, you discover Secrets about People from Their families, secrets that change everything.
And this book has that. And a lot more.

The heroine is an actress that wants to change her carreer path and the hero is a critic... Who doesnt like her very much.

At The beggining, they Just havr normal encounters, and they have opinions about each others that are not very good. But, when we start going in deep Into the Story, that changes.

He has dreams, She has goals and they both help each other.

I like The Jane Austen plot. I love The idea they have of making a live performance when People can vote so Their fav characters acts Or make some things The way they want it.

I love The fact that they confront Their fears and get to know each other so well, they fight for being happy together.

I highly recommend this Story!!

I haven’t read anything by Lucy Parker before, but as I was reading the pitch summary, I hopped on to Goodreads to check out some reviews of Parker’s other books in this series to see if this was something I might want to read.

It became very apparent that she has a lot of fans and that this series is one to watch. I also liked the title of this book. The title made it sounds like it was going to be a Jane Austen style romance which made me really excited to check it out!

The cover was also eye catching. I liked the color scheme and the couple on the front indicated that it would clearly be a romance novel but it looked like it would be more of a sweet romance based on the cover and title.

At any rate, I decided to give it a shot even though it’s part of a series, I guessed that it could be read as a standalone.

Summary

Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.

She can’t take her eyes off him.

Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.

Instead all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.

As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all (summary from Goodreads)

Review

I was not prepared to love this book in the way that I did. I thought it was going to be more of a fluff read but it was very clear that this book had soul. There were comedic moments and the pace and snap of the dialogue was fantastic. But with the humor and lightness of the story, also came depth and heart that I wasn’t expecting but worked great within the novel. It wasn’t overly tedious, but enough to add substance to the story.

One thing I wasn’t expecting was that this book focused a lot on the complicated history between the families rather than exclusively on the romance. There are a lot of people involved in the overall book and sometimes that can be a little overwhelming, but it wasn’t so much that I was put off all together, I just had to remember and keep track of the different people. At times I kind of wished that the focus was more on the Freddy and Griff and their romance, but overall I felt satisfied with the ending.

I liked how the choose-your-own-adventure style with the Jane Austen novels worked in this story. I thought it added some familiarity and fun to the book. Overall I thought this was a good contemporary romance novel, as I mentioned before it does stand alone so I had no trouble picking this one up late in the game as far as the series goes!

Favorite Quotes:

He was all injured gentlemanly charm. It would be more successful if she hadn’t witnessed him getting absolutely rat-arsed at a wrap party, whipping his trousers off, and drawing a smiley-face on his willy. Once you’d seen a bloke doodling on his dick with permanent ink, the mystique was gone.

Look at that, her mere presence could make a man’s entire being go instantly flaccid. As superhuman powers went, she didn’t really rate it up there with invisibility and flight.

I hope the baffling fact that you’re letting it be staged on your property doesn’t mean I’ll miss out on the joy of a written review. They’re useful to have around if I’m ever in danger of developing self-esteem.

I’m a forgiving soul… Can’t say the same for some of that lot out there. And it’s a murder-mystery play. All the suspects gathered together for a house party. It could give someone ideas… The sarcastic critic with his poison pen and scores of embittered enemies. If this was Midsomer Murders, you wouldn’t even make it to the opening credits. If you hear the faint strains of ominous music, come find me. I’ll protect you.

Ma once said that if it hadn’t been for the twenty-hour labour, she might have thought he’d spontaneously animated from an ice sculpture.

He was broad-shouldered and long-legged, with dark skin and eyes, and his bone structure was unbelievable. He might have been carved by Michelangelo rather than sprouting from cells like other mortals.

My Review:

This was a fun and cleverly written book that was brimming with levity, razor sharp banter, pithy and wry commentary, keenly honed wit, family drama, a bit of intrigue, and most importantly, an enemies to lovers romance. I adored it, and how could I not – as the main characters were intelligent adults who laced their humor with brilliantly placed Scooby-Doo and Harry Potter references. I enjoyed Ms. Parker’s vibrant characters, vivid descriptions, and colorful word choices. I also gleaned an addition to my Brit word list with sarky, which is Brit slang for sarcastic, as I could never have enough of those words. ;)

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
After having read the three previous books in Lucy Parker’s London Celebrities series, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that The Austen Playbook is my favorite so far. I just loved every minute of it. I’m excited to read the next installment in Parker’s celebrity series. This is exactly the kind of charming romance read I’ve come to expect from Parker and I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it. I couldn’t get over the chemistry between Freddy and Griff, it was just so perfect! Freddy was such a delightful character with such a sunny disposition that you couldn’t help but instantly like her. Now, Griff was a bit of a harder sell, but eventually became a swoon-worthy character.

Although I’m not a big theater person, Parker always does such a phenomenal job of bringing the theater stage to life in her books. Having The Austen Playbook take place in the countryside was a pleasant change of scenery from the West End and every bit as enticing. Plus, despite being book #4 in the series, this can easily be read as a standalone.

All in all, a solid five-star read for The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker. I can’t wait to see what Parker has in store for her London Celebrities series next!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series – and is just as brilliant as the others. I love the mixture of intrigue, theatre, and romance. Each one has managed to be different, and give us another viewpoint in the world of luvvies.

I loved how the links between Freddy and Griff were introduced to us, so that from the very beginning we can understand the issues between them, and yet the clarity with which Griff has homed in on Freddy's acting dilemmas. It would seem as we get to the heart of that matter, that he may be the only one who ever got it, but through him great things can happen.

There is an interesting power dynamic between them, which is always changing, and whilst restless, draws them together all the time. We get to enjoy them falling in love as well as becoming really good friends and confidantes, recognising kindred souls in a harsh working environment.

There are some lovely side characters, especially Griff's brother and his hilarious parents! Catching glimpses of friends from previous books is also a treat. All in all, a really enjoyable read, I was just sad when I turned the last page, as I could have read on and on!

I’m always a fan of the London Celebrities books. I love London. I love that the books are set in the theatre world. I love the formula of the books, which typically feature a brooding, formidable, powerful guy who is annoyed by (but of course falls in love with) a spontaneous, spirited woman. (Sounds a bit like Pride and Prejudice now that I think about it…)

Though this book is called The Austen Playbook, don’t worry if you’ve never read an Austen book. It did (I think) feature little Easter Eggs for those who are familiar with Austen (and especially Pride and Prejudice) but the actual play, a live action mash-up version of Austen’s books, doesn’t feature that heavily in the story.

The way that Freddy and Griff meet, though, is pure P & P, complete with an eavesdropping scene in which she and her sister overhear Griff insulting her. I also thought there was a bit of homage to Austen in a subplot about a certain character who falls in love with a complete cad, and the fact that the production of the Austen Playbook felt a bit like a giant house party.

I did I like the romance between Freddy and Griff and as a huge fan of hate-to-love stories, I appreciate that the London Celebrities books usually have that type of romance. But I also felt that the transition from hate to love felt a little … sudden? I didn’t feel that I really came to understand what Freddy saw in Griff except that he infuriated her and that he was cute. (I did laugh at the Draco Malfoy jokes, though.) I also felt that the rather substantial subplot about Freddy and Griff’s family history (her grandmother had an affair with his grandfather) really bogged the story down at times. I would have rather that the story stuck more to the present, and paid more attention to the slowly smoldering passion between Griff and Freddy, rather than having it transition suddenly from cold logs to a raging fire.

I am excited that Freddy’s sister Sabrina will get her own book and that means that we’ll get to peek in on how Freddy and Griff are doing. Overall, a big fan of this series. Pretty Face is still my favorite. Am not sure if I like this more or less than Act Like It – maybe I’ll have to re-read and decide!

Once upon a time, there was a great stage actress in the making. By all accounts, the theater was in her blood and her family history backed that up one hundred percent...but sometimes what we WANT to do and what we OUGHT to do are two different things, and therein lies the conundrum. The OUGHT will lead her down the path to greatness, and establish her as an actress to remember filling time honored roles and following in the footsteps of her familial predecessors. The WANT in this case is a lot more fun, and less serious, but it will make her happy and allow her inner talent to truly be on display. To disappoint family and push aside obligations is a tough decision to make...but so is squashing your own dreams to fulfill those of another...

Honest to goodness, for me it was initially a little rocky to get into, but once things clicked...I was hooked! With memorable characters, a multilayered story, a bloody good romantic interlude, and an ending that just felt right...why I do believe Ms Austen herself would be proud. While it is the fourth book in the series (which somehow I did not know until writing this post!), it does work fine as a standalone...but then again, the more the merrier! You'll enjoy the theatrical performances both on and off stage, the witty repertoire, the Darcy-esque moments, and the general FUN to be had throughout the story, while being drawn in deeper, and deeper to the unexpected mystery at the heart of it all.

Recommended for Contemporary Romance readers, theater fans, and Austenites alike.

In the Austen Playbook, Parker delights with a clever opposites-attract romance.
Set in a crumbling estate begrudgingly opened to a television production crew and a querulous cast of thespians, Parker throws together a grumpy and frustrated theater critic with a charming and impulsive actress. While full of Austen references, it is not a full blown retelling, allowing for the story to surprise by calling back to beloved Austen moments at unexpected points. The conflict embedded in Freddy and Griff’s explicitly Hufflepuff/Slytherin personalities is fodder for much of the humor. While it comes close to becoming repetitive, neither of them become caricatures. Parker’s resolution of the high stakes literary mystery did not wholly satisfy, but I loved how Griff and Freddy worked out their differences.

Parker layers present-day conflicts with past scandals, creating an engaging story that is at once playful and profound. I was completely caught up in the saga of the Fords and Carltons and how the choices of one generation echo down the years. With its cast of colorful, vain, and occasionally villainous supporting players, The Austen Playbook made for a full blown house party mystery from Parker.

The Austen Playbook is one of my favorite reads of the year so far and one of my favorites of the series, perhaps even surpassing my love for Pretty Face.



Content Warnings: Bullying, workplace harassment

The Austen Playbook is the fourth book in the London Celebrities series. I had high hopes for this one as I have seen good things written about it. I will admit that I wasn't a fan of the first book, Act Like It, but had heard that the stories get better as later in the series. This is only the second of the series that I have read. While it was slightly better than the other one, I still didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked. The biggest issue was again, major lack of chemistry between the main couple, Griff and Freddy. I never felt it; even in the end. These two books are the only ones I have read by this author, so I'm not sure if this is usual for her main love interests.

The one thing I did enjoy about the book were all of the Jane Austen reference and character name drops. I love Austen and am a big fan of her works, so that was a lot of fun. I would recommend this one for fans of this author and the series. For me, I like more heat in my romance.

I don't know what to think. I liked the characters fine, but it didn't really pull me in. I couldn't super connect, the side characters are just annoying mainly.. and I kinda stopped. It didn't make me go back in.