Really enjoyed this one!! I had always been obsessed with Jane Austen and the regency period. Add in a favorite trope of mine, enemies to lovers, and this book was a delight. Very cute romance and loved the plot!

This book should be mentioned in Julie Andrew's 'My Favorite Things' because it truly did contain so many of my favorite things. Time travel, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, literally every Jane Austen reference under the sun, and a teensy bit of miscommunication? I'm so there. I genuinely loved this story so much and would gladly read any other period piece romance by Bell!

When Hugh Balfour and his co-star Tess Bright are accidentally zapped into the past, some two hundred years prior to the current day, they're thrust into a life that they didn't expect. For instance, Hugh has family in the area who think he's their long lost family member and they're utterly convinced that he and Tess are in love and must be married as soon as possible. They couldn't be farther from the truth. But will they be able to get over themselves long enough to fall in love and figure out why they've been sent back in time? Or are they destined to live in the past and suffer at the mercies of others?

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Madeline Bell, and NetGalley for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own and weren't purchased by the previously mentioned groups.

It’s been a minute since I’ve read a good romance novel, and a time travel regency one at that! I appreciated many aspects of this read. The first, obviously, a tribute to the incredible Jane Austen and pulling us in to a story that feels very reminiscent of her books. I liked that the relational building was a slower burn. I also really appreciated the way grief was handled. It was an ongoing battle that Tess is working through the whole book. Overall I enjoyed this book a good deal and wanted to keep picking it up to read.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

This book is more than simply a love letter to Austen fans. It’s (sigh) everything! Enemies-to-lovers, entertainment industry, found family, time travel - this book has it all. And it’s funny! Thanks to St. Martin’s for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this read. All opinions are my own.
I love Jane Austen, and especially look for retellings, modern adaptations, and similar stories. The Austen Affair doesn't quite fit into that category, but it was a delightful jaunt into the past. The Tess and Hugh, who both happen to have names that work really well both in modern and Regency time periods, are starring in a film adaptation of Northanger Abbey when they are suddenly transported back in time. The twist is that they are near Hugh's ancestral home, and his reappearance as his long ago (dead) uncle threatens his own lineage. Throughout the story, they slow burn from enemies to lovers, and get mixed up in several interesting situations including a forced marriage, a jilted lover, meeting Jane Austen herself, and using the newly discovered electricity to try and return home. It almost reminded me of Austenland, maybe in spirit more than anything else.

I admit it - I was hooked from the preface. As the author points out, I’m exactly the kind of woman who has been obsessed with Colin Firth since the 1995 BBC release of Pride and Prejudice … swoon. I’m also a big fan of Jane Austen and everything she represented in her time. Speaking of time, I love any book that involves time travel - so this was basically written for me.

The Austen Affair follows a classic rom-com trope: co-stars who hate each other (at first) and may or may not end up falling in love. But even though the plot is somewhat predictable, it’s told in such an entertaining and lighthearted way that I was happy to go along for the ride. The author’s easy, engaging writing style and strong character development really stood out. She clearly did her homework, too, Her understanding of 1815 life (no to electricity but yes to indoor plumbing!) is woven in naturally, never feeling like a forced history lesson.

I have just a couple of criticisms, keeping in mind that I read an advance copy. First, there are a few shifts between past and present tense that were a little distracting, though that’s easily fixed in editing. More significantly, the book seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a light rom-com for all ages, including middle-aged readers like me? Or is it a spicier romance aimed at a Gen Z audience? For the most part, it felt like a proper Austen novel with smoldering, unspoken sexual tension, which I loved. But one chapter veered sharply into modern romance territory with a very explicit scene. I’m no prude, but after settling into the more subtle tone of the rest of the book, it jarred me a bit and briefly pulled me out of my Austen dream.

That said, I adored this book. I couldn’t wait to pick it up each night and kept telling myself, “Just one more chapter,” when I really should’ve been doing other things. I’m excited for its official release in September so I can start recommending it to friends. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read!

This is an absolute must reads for fans of Jane Austen. The author manages to meld many of the Austen high points with modern characters. Tess and Hugh are charming and witty. The magic is found in their differences. At first I was unsure - Tess was stressing me out and Hugh was irritating - and yet I think I found I loved them almost as much as they loved each other.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

First off, this was super cute! The characters were fun, the modern pining in a regency setting was a total swoon, and it had all the classic hallmarks of a good regency story.

My only real con was just that the actual Jane Austen shows up at some point for no real reason other than a cameo. Overall, a good read and definitely better than most regency settings I’ve read.

As a life long devotee of Jane Austen, I was enraptured from the start. Every thing about this book, was exceptional. The Austen Affair is more than just a light sci-fi/time bending/historical rom-com; but a story of life, love, loss and grief -- that grief is not linear, and can be time bending in itself. The Austen Affair is above all a stunning tribute to the works of Jane Austen, and possibly my favorite book I've read all year.

Hugh Balfour and Tess Bright most definitely do not get off on the right foot. In fact, their relationship could be not more tumultuous, and then as the fates would have it they are thrust back in time to 1815 Hampshire with no one but each other to rely upon to get back home to the future. Now no longer on their film set of Northanger Abbey but in real life Regency England, Tess and Hugh must pull off the acting job of their lives.

It is truly the Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam enemies to lovers of it all that had me sold from the get go. Everything else from the Riverdale-esque Chuck Brown, to the overt Austenland reference (iykyk that movie is a lightly satirical masterpiece), to every Austenian allusion, were all just bonuses. I wasn't sure about the time travel element at first, but it was so well done. The incorporation of Cecelia, and William added to the precariousness of Hugh and Tess's circumstances. Hugh is able to connect with his ancestors in a meaningful way, and Tess is able to create community for herself that she's lost in the present. All the while they still need to find a way to get home, while questioning do they want to go home?

As their time in the Regency era progresses and they devise their plan to get back to the present, Tess realizes that Hugh isn't the straight laced, abhorrent ass she perceives him to be, and Hugh learns that Tess isn't the chaotic, unprofessional mess he assumes her to be. Will they get back to the present? Will they have an happy Austenian ending? I daresay you must read The Austen Affair to find out.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Very cute and well written. Would definitely recommend to a Jane Austen fan. Characters had good dialogue between them throughout and were easily likable.

This was fine, not great. I didn’t like the MMC for the majority of the book, and their chemistry wasn’t super believable. I think if you’re a huge Austen fan this might be for you, but I didn’t love it. The epilogue was cute though

I really enjoyed The Austen Affair’s overall premise and being able to see the Regency through a more modern lens. It was refreshing to see those archetypes have more humanity—of course they’ll roll their eyes when someone is being ridiculous. Having a Wickham-type being referred to as a “f***boy” by the FMC was also a delight.

I did have some frustrations with the book, namely that the FMC wasn’t particularly likable and the “why can’t they be together” obstacles felt undermotivated. I would have also loved to see some sort of attention placed on the servants of the house—surely the modern characters would have felt strange with these old fashioned class dynamics? But just like Jane Austen’s novels, we hardly acknowledged their existence.

This book is absolutely a love letter to Jane Austen. I’d recommend this novel to anyone who loves Austen’s work or readers who crave a splash of historical romance with more modern sensibilities.

Oh. My. God. WHAT a debut novel.

This was like a romance reader’s dream plot: normal hot girl and super hot guy who are acting in a Jane Austen movie time travel to Regency England. So it’s like a cross between contemporary and historical romance. But the leads are super into Jane Austen so they know what to do to not make a fool of themselves. I KNOW we’ve all wished this would happen to us too

Anyway, the love: The guy is super misunderstood. He comes off as mean even when he’s not trying to be (he’s me). The girl is a huge people pleaser who cares a ton about people liking her and is always fun and bubbly. At first they hate each other. But when they actually start to understand each other’s life and motivations, cha-ching love. It felt legit, not rushed. They know each other for a month or two before the feelings get serious.

The plotline in the Regency time drags a little—lots of time spent on a child being sick etc. But I also think this goes to show how boring that time period actually was outside of the London Season.

The overarching enemies-to-lovers movie star coworkers plotline was great though. Honestly, not sure how this author will write a second book after such a crazy debut. I hope lots of people read this.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

Tess Bright is an American actress with a bad reputation. Hugh Balfour is a British method actor with a stick up his butt. They’re cast in the film adaptation of Northanger Abbey. Tess is a big fan of Jane Austen and is thrilled with the chance to be in this movie. She’s less than thrilled to be paired with Hugh. The feeling is mutual.
A freak accident in a rainstorm sends them back in time to the Regency era where they end up meeting Hugh’s great, great, grandfather and could end up altering history if they can’t get back to the present day. They must work together to get back to the modern age.

Interesting story, very annoying American character. Hugh was too much of a stiff and honestly, I didn’t feel any chemistry between the two characters. It was just ok. It could have been more.

This was a really fun and quick read that felt fresh, despite how popular Jane Austin adaptations tend to be. I appreciated that the book had elements of a classic Austin novel, but wasn’t simply a re-telling of the plot of a different book. I do wish that I had been to connect a bit more to any of the characters. I found the side characters in particular to be a bit one dimensional, and I wasn’t sure how some of them drove the plot forward. However, overall it was a really enjoyable read. I am excited to see what this author comes up with next.

The magical aspect of the time travel in this book was something I wasn’t sure of at first but enjoyed the story and the journey that Hugh and Tess went on. The Jane Austen references were fantastic, there were a few moments that felt rushed but overall it was a great story! Some of the nuanced language that is used today could have been left out for me but I suppose there are others that probably will love it.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this delightful novel. As an Austen fan since the age 14, the title and plot were immediately intriguing, and from the very first line I knew I was in for a treat. There are so many “Easter eggs” for fans of Austen to appreciate, and the novel is definitely crafted as a tribute to her romances. The characters, being from 2025, do use modern language, and sometimes curses, that take you out of the Regency Era you become enveloped into while reading. It is not frequent, and I found it easily to be lulled back into the romantic daydream. Mostly keeping with the Regency era, there is only one chapter of spice, so if you want to have a “modest” reading experience you don’t have to skip much. A great read overall. Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin for this ARC!

When I was a teen, I feel in love with this early two thousand BBC short series Lost in Austen. The Austen Affair has brought back that same love of modern and regency in a perfect mix!

rating; ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spicy; 🌶️🌶️/5

Tess Bright got casted in her dream role. A lead in a regency romance. Based on a book her mom loved. Her leading man Hugh Balfour, is a tradition English man. Prim, propped and perfect image of a Mr Darcy!

These two begin as enemies! And then tension from day one is pivotal! I loved the banter and witty comebacks throughout the book with the two of these polar opposite characters!

However, when film becomes a reality from an unforeseen storm. Tess and Huge are shot back in time. They no longer are starting in a regency romance, they are living it in the 1800’s.

I love this as the society changed from what Tess is use to. To why she has to model to, to fit in. Huge, is the perfect cookie cutter actor who’s study this whole era and fits like a glove in this new era.

Will Huge and Tess be able to make it work, to get back home?… Guess you’ll have to read to find out!

The plot is exactly as described! Jane Austen lovers will love being immersed in Austen world. I enjoyed the imagery and setting. However, there weren’t really any major shocking revelations or plot turns which I would’ve liked to see.

As someone who loves Jane Austen, I thought this was a sweet and unique addition to the many "Austenian" type love stories. The premise of this one immediately gripped me. Working on a movie based on a Jane Austen novel and then getting transported to that time period and having to pretend to know what you're doing? I was sold. The romance in this was cute, not my favorite romance but it kept me entertained. I would recommend picking up this one when it comes out in September purely because of how enthralling the plot is.