I was intrigued by the premise of this own since I love a falling through time story and enemies to lovers. Unfortunately I never really connected with the story and the pacing was pretty slow. I liked the family and cast of characters in the past but didn't really get why either of the mcs would like each other. I never really felt much chemistry between them and even the spicy scene just felt off. I did think the cameo of Austen herself was pretty cute.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well, that was delightful. Austen lovers are sure to fall head-over-heels for this book because 1) it artfully incorporates everything Austenites love and 2) it’s a well-written adult debut. The banter was witty. The comebacks were sharp, and smart.

I especially loved all the Easter Eggs scattered throughout. Who hasn’t picked which version of their preferred Austen classic is the best? Yes, Clueless does count. And so on and so forth. Loved, loved, loved.

<i> I received an e-ARC courtesy of St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. This in no way impacted my review of the book. </i>

I love Austen and enemies-to-lovers and was so excited to read this book!

I throughly enjoyed the Jane Austen fandom moments in this book and the MCs and their family were adorable!

“My dear, no one can be trusted with their own heart. That is why we give them to others for safekeeping.”

Only miss for me was the ‘spicey’ scene.

Rest of it was regency/rom com/Austen perfection.

So thankful I was able to read this ARC!

3.5*’s
Standing by my original assessment- "Jane Austen but seen through a TikTok lens? Turns out it's a lot of fun". This one was high melodrama but still relatable, steamy and sweet, but no one brought up “Back to the Future”? (big Gen X sigh)…

This is SUCH a cute idea for a book, but while I enjoyed reading it — and it’s a fast read — I found myself not at all thinking about it after I closed it up. There’s something not super-memorable about either Tess or Hugh, maybe because they feel so very much like characters we’ve read a million times before.

Even the stuff that should be most distinct about them — they TIME TRAVEL?? — gets lost in translation. Their obsession with finding an electricity machine is so oddly hit on as THE answer to their problems that it keeps them from investigating any other ideas (robbing us of so many fun possibilities). And for two people who adore Jane Austen, most of their references sure seemed like the stuff only movie fans (not book fans) would love.

This book was SO cute! I LOVED the idea of this book, and was not disappointed! Two co-stars in a Northanger Abbey remake movie who absolutely hate each other accidentally are sent back in time to the Regency era. They have to figure out how to get back home, and all the while seeing each other maybe in a new way? This was a super fun read!

(4.5 rounded down) Friends, I do believe I’ve found the key to a successful romance novel for me. That key is that there has to be a secondary plot device besides the romance itself. It can be a mystery or an adventure or, in this case, time travel. I loved this so much. I think I also vibed hard with it because the author has a keen understanding and love of Jane Austen’s oeuvre, and that understanding plays a big part of this story. In this one we have Tess and Hugh, our enemies to lovers. Tess is a t.v. actress staring in a major series that is popcorn entertainment (and has earned her Teen Choice Awards, which are apparently still a thing). Hugh is an actor staring in more snobby, “serious” films, who takes his work very seriously. The two end up on a “Northanger Abbey” adaptation as co-stars, and then, naturally, an electrical malfunction sends them both back to the actual time period of Jane Austen, the regency era. In order to return home, they have to work together to solve their very realistic conundrum. Hijinks ensue and sparks fly. There’s a lot of heart to this, as well as humor, and I just had a great time. Of course it’s not based in reality, but that’s not what you come to these novels for.

I liked the novel; I just wish there was more tension in it. It didn't feel like there was much high-stakes conflict, even when it came to waiting for the machine. It was accepted as, we'll just wait for it, instead of having a sense of urgency to get out of there quicker.

What happens when you’re in a film adaptation of Northanger Abbey and you and your costar get shocked by lightening and plopped back into 1815?
You get: The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Tess and Hugh are stuck in the past, but they’re making the most of it. They settle in Hugh’s ancestral home with his old family until they figure out a way back to the present. Tess is living out her mother’s dream (who was a huge Austen fan) and Hugh is putting his method-acting research into play. This is a rivals-to-lovers, regency-era romance (low spice) with cute Austen-ified banter and modern-day references.

Something about TAA just worked for me. Okay… the time traveling part (and the search to get back, which was about 10% of the book) is a little strange, but everything else, I enjoyed! Bell most obviously knows her Jane Austen. She references the books, movies/shows, random Jane Austen trivia, and everything in between, which made this Austen fan (me) super duper excited.

I have a lot of trouble with retellings of Austen’s works. TAA isn’t necessarily a retelling, but rather a tribute to all things Austen. I think this is why it worked for me. It’s basically a book that worships Austen and her literary genius.

TAA comes out on 9/16/25! If you love Jane Austen and know the film/show adaptations well, you’re going to enjoy this one! Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I absolutely adored THE AUSTEN AFFAIR! Bell manages to balance a fun and funny contemporary with a swoonworthy Regency romance. Tess is a main character I haven't seen before--someone who sparkles and wins people over effortlessly but is also believably a flighty mess who isn't done maturing. Hugh is a fantastic hero--a Henry Tilney in Rochester's clothing. Neither character is too perfect. It makes them falling in love and growing together all the more satisfying knowing that they will make each other better. The extended cast is delightful. Never has there been a child in a romance novel as fun as little George.

The book is such a love letter to all things Austen and Austen fandom. I screamed in delight when there was an Austenland reference! Speaking of references: any aside about the Riverdale-esque Charlie Brown show that Tess was on had me howling. I would love to see future books around the other Chuck Brown cast members just for more info about the show's very silly plotlines.

I look forward to many more Madeline Bell books (and I'll definitely be seeking out the books under her YA nom de plume). 5 stars!

I truly enjoyed reading "The Austen Affair." The main characters were delightfully fun and I enjoyed the slow burn of their affections. I need to read more Jane Austen to fully get all of the references, but I look forward to re-reading to Madeline Bell's book with that new lens. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this eARC.

This was a fun retelling of Northanger Abbey. A must read for any Austen fan and loved it! Highly recommend !

This book is a love story to us Jane Austen fans and it’s great! Tess and Hugh are actors working on a Northanger Abbey film adaptation. Unfortunately, they do not get along and end up have a big fight on set that ends up in a freak accident. This accident time travels them back 200 years to the days of Jane Austen. Tess, a grieving sunshine must work with Hugh’s grumpy stoic to navigate the situation and find a way home. Along the way, they end up learning more about each other and helping overcome personal issues. There are many Austen references, and the characters are nice Austenesque homages. There is a brief non-descriptive open door scene that is easy to pass over if you would rather. I recommend checking this one out.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

3.5 stars - Release date: September 16, 2025

Two fueding movie co-stars get transported back to the Jane Austen era while working on a Jane Austen movie. This book was SO cute and such an original concept - I can't wait to see what else Madeline Bell comes out with in the future!

This was a cute time travel enemies to lovers story. I enjoyed seeing the characters try to survive in Regency England. It was a true enemies to lovers and has a happy ending.
Thank you net galley for the ARC

Die-hard Austen fans who will pick up on all the subtle references will appreciate this book more than the casual reader. The romance scenes at the end of the book were too graphic for me. Overall, readers who enjoy historical fiction and edgy romance books will enjoy the Austen Affair!

4.5 stars

I loved this! It was refreshing to read a romance about two adults getting to know each other and falling in love (even if in unusual circumstances). They had misunderstandings and conflicts, but then they (gasp) talked to each other and worked it out.

The setting was beautiful, the characters were fun and enjoyable, and the plot was clever. I loved that there were both literary references and references to Riverdale. (The Chuck Brown parts killed me - hilarious.)

I do wish maybe more air was given to the fact that the Regency Era wasn't a great time for women.

Highly recommend.

Two feuding co-stars quarrel on the set of Northanger Abbey and break the space time continuum when they’re struck by lightning and get zippity-zapped back to 1815 Hampshire. Tess the hot mess express spills on her costumes and has crap taste in men. The role of Catherine Moreland is her last shot at both career redemption and honoring her Austen-obsessed, dearly departed mother. Hugh is a RADA graduate with a stiff upper lip and a stick up his arse. He either thinks Tess improbably stupid, or perhaps he’s just a typical guy who says the wrong thing all the time.

To return to the future from whence they came, they stage a fake engagement and embark on a mission to get electrocuted once more. The journey of enemies to slow burn to lovers peaks at a ball, so they Irish goodbye it to knock boots in a foyer where his cock springs to attention before it slides in like butter. Shall lightning indeed strike twice? Might a love improbable withstand the tempests of time itself? I dare not think to say.

I cried two times and misted a third because the Jane vibes were really vibing. When I say “I’m very fond of walking” and no one gets it, I shall turn to this book for solace therein.

I've always been a fan of the time travelling storyline and this one hit the mark because it's Jane Austen - my absolute favorite. The idea of a struggling actress costarring with a jerk in an Austen movie adaption just makes for good reading. The enemies to lovers trope always works for me but for both of them to time slip into in the Austen time period together is just too good. Their efforts to go back to their own time period creates a truce so they can work together to make it back home. Their efforts to fit into the time period is just gold. They had to learn to trust each other, and from that romance blooms. The references to Austen, Austen tribute books and contemporary romances was a nice touch. It's hard to believe this was a debut novel! There were a few clunky bits but dont' want to ruin it for others. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this early look. Opinions are my own.

This was a phenomenal read, five out of five stars! Honestly no notes or criticisms. The characters are well rounded and have layered connective experiences. The plot is equal parts light as it is daring, and the time travel niche trope is a particular favorite of mine. I appreciated the addition of Jane Austen herself and the name drop influences of janes navel characters ,as well as, the dynamic family lore. Madeline bell wrote a fantastic novel.