I freaking adored this book! Tess and Hugh had the best chemistry ever and George was so cute throughout the story, making for a great side character. Tess’ ability to always stand up again after all the hurts she’s experienced and to still be brave enough to fall in love is something that I admire so much in her. Hugh, on the other hand, was just such a perfect gentlemen who could give a burning hot kiss to a lady that I couldn’t help but fall a bit more. I will always recommend reading this book!

As an avid rewatcher of Pride and Prejudice and Emma growing up, this book was the first one I saw when coming into NetGallery that day and I hit "request" so fast! I loved the premise of the book: time travel, enemies-to-lovers, AND Jane Austen?! Absolutely!

As I got into the book, I appreciated the connection that the two MCs were able to form, although some of the banter fell flat or was one note at times and I found myself getting incredibly annoyed at the pettiness of the FMC throughout the first half of book as well. The second half flowed much better.

While I'm not sure if it was intended, I read the MMC as being autistic and when he was talking about being left without an updated script and struggling to connect, that's what my world feels like sometimes too. It was so refreshing to see it depicted so well in a book. I also read the FMC as an ADHDer and it made me really happy to see her zeal for life represented so well.

Thank you to Madeline Bell, St. Martin's Press, and NetGallery for the eARC! Release date will be September 16, 2025.

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC!!

I will admit that when I started this book, I expected it to be a little cheesy but still fun for my 2005 Pride and Prejudice loving heart. I did NOT expect that I would squeal and kick my feet and reread paragraphs and cry like a baby by the end. This book is all the things: just enough adorably nerdy references paired with an incredibly sweet love story and with character growth that was so true to life. Every time Tess starts to inwardly spiral about being Tess the Mess? Real. When Hugh's emotions get the better of his tightly wound control? Real. Each time Tess finds herself quoting her favorite books and movies like it's her key to survival?!? SO VERY REAL. I was worried how the story was going to end and if it would do this adorable read justice and I was so pleased when I made it to the final page! Loved this story from beginning to end and I cannot wait to see more from Madeline Bell!

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover, but the insides blew me away. It has 3 things I love, a brooding Englishman, enemies to lovers and period pieces. And a little bit of spice to round it all out.

Immediately I felt seen by Tess. I too feel like a failure a lot of the time and that maybe others don't see me the way they should. Her struggles to fit in on set can really resonate with real world struggles, even though she's an actress. The tension with Hugh in the beginning is delicate and I felt for her there as well. Once they get thrown together into the problem they must fix as a team, it was really hard for me to put the book down. The miscommunications are a plenty but I don't think it took anything away from when Tess and Hugh eventually work out and finally start to understand each other. They both felt so real to me, their issues never felt superficial. The side characters all felt well fleshed out and one in particular proves that fuck boys know no time period bounds.

I know there are some Jane Austen undertones that i probably didn't pick up on, but anyone who is a fan or not would get a giggle and maybe a good cry out of this novel. I've already recommended it to a few friends and can't wait to add it to my shelf when the time comes.

I'd like to thank the author Madeline Bell, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eARC.

It was a cute read, but unbelievable that anyone would just believe they were from the future. No one looked into Tess' family history? They just believed she was a widow with no family?

Tess is a down on her luck actress, currently starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen‘s Northanger Abby. Her career is in shambles after the death of her mother, who instilled in her a love of all things Austen. Hugh Balfour is the very serious BAFTA-nominated British actor starring opposite her in the film.

Tess is a mess, and she and Hugh are constantly butting heads in the production. But when a free electrical accident sends them hurtling back to Regency Era England, they are forced to work together to find a way to get back to the 21st Century.

Of course, along the way, their relationship changes from enemies to lovers. Which is somewhat problematic, due to the social mores of the period.

The Austin affair was a surprisingly delightful and emotional read. Yes, it was a love story, but it was also a love letter to Jane Austen, and the lasting impact she has had on literature, and through cinematic adaptations of her works. The book is not so much an adaptation of one of Austin‘s works itself, but the author does a fantastic job instilling in the narration enough references for the reader to know it’s a celebration of the type of love story for which Jane Austen is most famous.

You can’t help but root for Tess and Hugh, who are surrounded by well-developed secondary characters in a storyline that pays homage to one of the greatest authors who has ever published.

A very strong 4.5/5 stars!! I truly have no words for how much this book gave me everything I didn't know I wanted. I am a romantic at heart and my love for romances started with the classics like Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights. My love then transitioned to RomComs and contemporary romances. Basically anything that can get me that giggling and kicking my feet feeling or gives me true yearning like Elizabeth and Darcy is an immediate win for me.

How did Madeline somehow give me everything I love in one go? Tess was witty and funny, Hugh was angsty and anxious but both were extremely honest characters. We had the wit and fast banter of modern rom coms nestled in the proper language and slow yearning of the Regency era. It was such a perfect combo, I literally just want to throw myself back into reading my favorite classics again.

I only docked half a star because sometimes Tess's inner monologue was a little repetitive but nothing that actually annoyed me.

I am truly so excited for the publication of this book!

POSTED: 4/29/2025

5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

GOOD-FREAKING-BYE. I devoured this book. Ate it right up. Tess and Hugh’s story is an enemies to lovers that mirrors Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett’s own dislike of one another, which as we know is the start of my lore reading. As they get zapped back in time, they have to try and work together to navigate the Regency Era’s strict rules and demands.
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This book had me laughing and giggling and wanting more of it. The writing mimicked a Jane Austen style with a mix of modern thrown in there. It was easy to read and enjoyable. Being a mood reader is hard, but this book pulled you in from the get start. Now I need more historical/time traveling romances!
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Thank you to Madeline Bell, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the eARC. This book comes out September 16th! Literally get it, because I know I am!

I rated it as 3 stars, but it is a positive neutral for me, rather than just neutral. Probably the first time I was torn between 3 and 4 to the point where I considered the damned 0.5 rating.

I picked up this ARC as a short&sweet palate cleanser book, a silly little romance to enjoy in the middle of the hurdle that is babel (this critique is coming soon-ish). I am and always will remain a fan of all Austen adaptations, interpretations and retellings - no matter the media. I was hoping this would remind me of 2003 movie adaptation, and it sort of did. If you add time travel/isekai moment to the list.

It was a lot more anachronistic than I would've preferred, but it is manageable if you treat it for what it is - a printed feel good romcom. Ideally, though, the characters from the past should remain true to their time period and the isekai-ed main characters be comically trying to fit in too much and thus sticking out in the crowd.

Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised that it had some good depiction/insights of dealing with grief and healthy mature love. While I do not agree that love for a partner can substitute love for a parent (hello Ancient Greek love types), I think the way Tess progressed from being consumed by her loss to finally being able to move on was done quite well.

ALSO, queen Reese Whitherspoon would've loved the fact that "what are we gonna do" question is asked by a man for a change.

Additional points for making the male main character autistic-coded - even if the intention was to make him fit into grumpy x sunshine trope, to me he 100% read as autistic. His monologue about speaking to people with an outdated script or the need to use flowery language to make people inclined to do business with you spoke to me on a spiritual level.

I would definitely recommend this to a few of my friends if they were looking for a quick cheerful read to unwind.

Loved this book! Time travel to regency times, enemies to lovers, family bonding, grief - what more could I ask for? Main characters were perfect.

3.5/5

The Austin Affair by Madeline Bell is a fast-paced, enemies-to-lovers romance novel. The two main characters, Tess Bright and Hugh Balfour, are actors cast in a film adaptation of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. An electrical shock sends them back 200 years to Jane Austen's time – the Regency era. Hugh and Tess have to maintain the ruse that they are part of that era until they figure out how to project themselves forward in time.

The beginning of this book was very fast-paced and got to the point immediately. So much so, I wish there was a little more context and scene setting. At the start of the book, there was preexisting animosity between Tess and Hugh, but there wasn’t an initial event that sparked this hatred. Tess is a go-with-the-flow, slightly messy, improv-loving actress who doesn’t understand why Hugh is so stoic and uptight. Hugh sees Tess as an absolute train wreck and is annoyed he has to work with someone so messy, both professionally and personally. There were a few moments that emphasized their differences, such as when Tess went off script and adjusted Hugh’s cravat, which caused him to freak out and stop the scene. While this moment highlighted their professional differences, I felt the story lacked a deeper context for their hatred.

Hugh and Tess shot into the past so early on in the book, I felt like I was missing the enemies part of the enemies-to-lovers trope. As Tess was falling for Hugh, she thought about their audition for Northanger Abbey. She referenced a “spark” they had while auditioning, which solidified the casting director’s decision to choose them for the roles. I wish Bell had explored that scene and included it as the first chapter of the book. There was so much potential to introduce Tess and Hugh and delve into that initial “spark”, which would have foreshadowed the romance that comes later in the book. I would have loved an incident to pinpoint the exact moment their initial attraction turned sour. This would have set a basis for the tension on set once filming started. I think that would have rounded out the enemies arc.

Most scenes lacked the amount of imagery I wanted to pull me into the Regency Era. Even after reading the entire book, I still have a hard time picturing what the two main characters look like. Hugh is described as having dark hair, dark eyes, and being tall, and Tess has dark hair. Aside from these vague physical descriptors, I was left in the dark. There were some great moments, such as when the group went to Beacon Hill and finally reached their destination. In that moment, Bell’s imagery and emotional descriptors made me feel like I was in Regency England, overlooking a small town and enjoying a picnic with my friends. A few added paragraphs to preexisting scenes would have enhanced the story.

Bell did a great job developing side characters who added to the depth of the story and world-building. I adored the Balfour family, especially Hugh’s multi-great-grandfather, George, who at that time is a hyperactive, imaginative six-year-old child. Hugh’s awkwardness trying to navigate being himself and playing the part of his distant ancestor was anxiety-inducing, yet adorable and entertaining.

I wish I could rate this book higher because overall, The Austen Affair was such an enjoyable read, and I couldn’t put it down. The romance between Tess and Hugh was so sweet and exciting, especially set in the period of the early 1800s. Social propriety of the time created exceptional tension during their budding romance that I loved, but between the lack of imagery and basis for enmity, I had to rate the story slightly lower than I would have liked.

I absolutely loved this time travel romance. It was funny, wistful, and romantic, and Jane Austen herself made multiple appearances throughout! The characters stole my heart. I grew to love Hugh even though he was rude and standoffiish in the beginning. It's clear that Tess softened his edges and helped him believe that he deserved to be loved, and that he gave Tess confidence that she was not alone and that he would protect and care for her. They made such a lovely couple that I would definitely want to read about them again! I wish we could know more about their lives together post-Northanger Abbey. Kudos to Madeline Bell whose writing career I will follow from now on, and thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I have always loved a good time travel story, and The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell manages to blend it beautifully with romance and historical fiction. The novel follows Tess Bight, who has landed her dream role in a Northanger Abbey remake, an opportunity that could make or break her career. Unfortunately, her co-star Hugh Balfour takes an instant dislike to her and dismisses her acting abilities.
While filming, the two are caught in an electrical accident that transports them back to the Regency period, specifically to Hugh’s ancestral home during Jane Austen’s time. As Tess and Hugh struggle to adapt to the past, they must carefully navigate Regency society and avoid altering Hugh’s family history. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic brings plenty of sparks to their interactions, and their adventures in the past are both entertaining and filled with twists. The time-slip concept is cleverly executed, keeping the story fresh and engaging.

With numerous nods to Jane Austen herself, the novel strikes a delightful balance between homage and originality. I quickly found myself rooting for Tess and Hugh as a couple and their surprisingly strong communication for a romance novel added an extra layer of charm. This book was an absolute treat, and I can’t wait to read more from Madeline Bell.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

4/5 stars

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I found the characters to be a bit dense at times. I was concerned at first that they would only have an interest in each other due to be thrown into the same situation, but I was proven wrong; they did have some deep moments that warranted a deeper connection. Overall, a quick and light read.

I love Jane Austen and Hollywood-set romances so there was much to love in this one. The premise is wonderfully absurd, but the light tone kept it well-balanced — it also helped to balance the exploration of grief at the center of the story. It was interesting to read a time slip romance where the MCs happen to look right in place in the past, due to movie set costumes and family resemblances. It allowed the story to skip a lot of the typical time slip elements and forge a new direction.

I think it can be tough to make enemies to lovers work in contemporary romance, but there was solid reasoning for Tess and Hugh’s dislike of each other. And their arc from enemies to lovers felt natural and romantic. This was a fun, unique romance read.

So, everyone in Regency England just accepts that there are time travelers? Also their acting was that good and there were zero cultural (or hygiene) surprises? Also simply replicating the inciting event fixes everything? Like, a backup plan could have been...good?

THE AUSTEN AFFAIR by Madeline Bell is a romantic, fun, and clever time travel romance. This book does enemies to lovers in such a great way. It's Jane Austen meets time-travel romantic comedy. The premise - accidental time travel from modern day to Jane Austen's England - sucked me in but the characters and pacing kept me binge reading until the very end. Before I gush on more, let me tell you what this book is about.

The main character, Tess Bright, has suffered a recent loss. It's caused her acting career, which had some promise, to falter. Surprisingly, she's cast as the main female lead in a movie based on Northanger Abbey. Unfortunately, the main male lead is Hugh Balfour, a stuck up, perfectionist, method actor who doesn't want to have anything to do with bright, sometimes messy but always fun, Tess. In the middle of an argument, something happens and they are transported to Regency England. How will they survive in this day and age? Will they ever stop despising each other? How will they be able to return to their modern time? Will they want to? Read this fun, entertaining, funny, and clever book to find out.

What I loved most about this book:
- The enemies to lovers romance had such a gradual and fulfilling build
- The parallels and call-backs to Austen's work made this Austen fan very happy, indeed
- The voice in this book was fantastic. It was fun and sometimes sad to be inside Tess's head. What a great character -- flawed, human, and with a gigantic heart.
- I totally related to Hugh in this story. I have perfectionist tendencies, and understand the anxiety that goes along with catastrophizing. Also - who doesn't love an attractive man with a posh English accent?
- It was entertaining to read about the Regency setting and all that it entails from etiquette around courting to the potential violence of a duel
- Bonus points for the Balfour family, even George, the rascal!

What didn't work:
- I can't think of anything. I had so much fun reading this story. As long as the reader doesn't have a problem suspending their disbelief about a couple of lucky happenstances, they will have fun, too.

THE AUSTEN AFFAIR is an enjoyable read with a fantastic premise, strong characters, and an enjoyable enemies to lovers romance. I highly recommend it. Don your Regency best, then pre-order this beguiling novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.

I received an advanced reader copy of The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell. While this isn't my typical genre, my love of Jane Austen and the promise of a fun enemies-to-lovers romance drew me in.

The novel has a charming premise, blending literary fandom with modern romance. There are plenty of clever nods to Austen's work that fans will appreciate. However, the story itself sometimes felt uneven. The chemistry between the main characters had its moments, but their transition from adversaries to romantic partners lacked the emotional build-up I was hoping for. Additionally, while the setting and Austen-inspired elements were enjoyable, some of the plot twists felt predictable and the pacing lagged in the middle.

Overall, The Austen Affair is a light, enjoyable read that will appeal to Austen enthusiasts looking for a modern twist, but it didn’t fully sweep me off my feet the way I hoped.

Thank you to Madeline Bell, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a really fun, quick read, perfect for Austen fans! The leads in a Northanger Abbey film (who don’t get along) get transported in time back to Jane Austen’s era. Tess and Hugh have little in common and clash a lot at the beginning, but they have a very sweet enemies-to-lovers romance.

Admittedly, I find the time travel premise of it a bit silly, but that was part of the charm for me. It’s mostly a light, entertaining read, but there was also some depth to the characters and their experiences. I really loved all the Jane Austen references and quotes, and of course the references to some of the film adaptations. If you’re an Austen fan, there’s a lot to love here!

From the very first page, it captures your heart with its warmth and natural flow. The narrative is perfectly paced, allowing the plot to unfold seamlessly without ever feeling rushed or forced. What struck me most was how believable the characters and their relationships felt; everything developed organically, drawing you deeper into the story with each turn. If you're looking for a read that leaves you smiling and thoroughly satisfied, this book is an absolute gem worth experiencing.