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.

I have never read Austen, but still enjoyed this light and fun story of time travel and enemies to lovers. Fun banter and and overall good time reading. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Super fun and cute regency time slip. I loved the characters and the relationships. I'm a big fan of Jane Austen and this book did a great job of pulling in classic and modern references.

Read this if you like...
📚 Jane Austen (obviously)
⌛ time travel romance
⛅ grumpy x sunshine

After getting fired from her last TV gig, Tess Bright's casting in an adaptation of Northanger Abbey is her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress. She's struggled to cope after her mother's death, but starring in a Jane Austen film would be the perfect way to honor her memory. Too bad Tess' co-star is Hugh Balfour, a British method actor who hates her guts. After an on-set argument, the pair is zapped back in time to Regency-era England where Tess & Hugh must work together to return home.

I'll start with what I enjoyed about this book. I love that Northanger Abbey is getting its due! I read that first and then The Austen Affair right after. This is not a retelling, but rather an homage to Austen and her novels. The author clearly loves Jane and that affection bleeds through the pages (what excellent boiled potatoes, indeed!). The Netflix Persuasion shade had me cackling and texting my Janeite besties.

While Tess and Hugh had a fun dynamic and I enjoyed their banter, the most compelling plot point was Tess processing her grief. Lately, I've found myself drawn to stories with a grief subplot and Tess' affection for her mother made me emotional. There's a reveal about Hugh as well that also tugged on my heartstrings.

On paper, I should have loved this book, but I fear I wasn't the target audience. Reviewing ARCs often means I play roulette with the spice level, and this one unfortunately was spicier than I prefer. One detailed open door scene (Chapter 27) along with lots of innuendo made this story not work for me overall. While I've never read the books or seen the show, Bridgerton fans would likely enjoy this. As well, some of the plot felt too convenient for me. I feel like Tess and Hugh didn't have to work very hard to get out of their situation. This is more of a "here for the vibes" kind of read, which I don't mind every once in a while.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy reading literary fandom and have read several well-written Austenesque books. I was initially attracted by the time-travel part of this story, the references to Northanger Abbey as well as quotes from her other books.

The time travel part took my by surprise and I really liked the way it was described. The main characters, Bess and Hugh were polar opposites emotionally. Hugh is a method actor and refuses to talk or run lines with Tess, an American teen choice award actress. Although their individual stories are revealed as plot progresses, I honestly didn't feel anything for either of them. The secondary characters all held their own and they added dimension to the storyline.

I guess I'm just not a romcom fan but I struggled with the insta love plot and profanity. I found myself skimming over many portions that I felt uncomfortable reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall: This was a cute read! 3.75/5 stars rounded to 4, a light, fun read for fans of Jane Austen, time travel, or regency romance. It felt like a mix of Austenland and the Seven Year Slip. It follows two feuding costars, Tess Bright and Hugh Balfour, who are filming Northanger Abbey. One day on set, they are accidentally zapped back to 1815 and have to navigate their way through regency England to find a way back to the future.

POV: First person, Tess's POV
Likes:
- I loved the Jane Austen references, both to the books and movies.
- I appreciated the backstories of both Tess and Hugh, which gave them more depth.
- The beginning immediately had me hooked.
- The side characters were light and fun.

Dislikes:
- I generally don't love a lot of references to modern pop culture in books because it takes you out of the story. Because this book followed two stars in the film industry, I was okay with a lot of the references to famous actors or directors because it made sense for the story. BUT, there were a few other references (thinking of the Taylor Swift references) that I thought were unnecessary -- this seems to be a common theme for romance books to insert Taylor Swift references, and as much as I love her these references get old fast in books.
- This book was pretty short! I felt like I was wanting a little more from the romance development, but it was still cute.

I absolutely adored The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell. It’s wickedly funny and irresistibly charming, a perfect tribute to Jane Austen, second chances, and love that defies time itself. I found it to be the perfect blend of cheeky humor, heartfelt moments, and swoonworthy romance. As someone who’s always dreamed of stepping into a Jane Austen novel, this book felt like a dream come true. It’s warm, witty, and completely delightful, and an absolute must-read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, this book lost me at the 9% mark, when the protagonist (who, we're told, is being unfairly smeared for unprofessionalism) slaps her co-star in response to some run-of-the-mill rudeness. (If you are trying to establish your protagonist as a misunderstood underdog, it doesn't make much sense to prove her detractors right at the first opportunity.) Her professionalism doesn't improve from here.

Next came time travel, which we're made to believe is the result of accidental electrocution. The protagonists deduce that they must be shocked again to return to the modern day. (Time travel only works as a plot device if it is theoretically complex, ergo interesting, or grounded within the story's broader folklore. Barring these, it should at least be entertaining/comical.)

By 30%, I was reevaluating my principle to never DNF an ARC. Some representative moments: jokes between the protagonists fetishizing the abuse of mentally ill patients in asylums, pages and pages of the protagonist admiring her own cleavage, excruciating attempts at era-appropriate dialogue littered with paraphrased Austin quotes, the phrase "tickling the ivories", etc., etc.

By 40%, I found middle ground with my conscience and began to skim.

This is such a cute idea for a book, and I think for many readers it will be a hit! Hugh & Tess are great characters, the author clearly knows her Jane Austen, and it's a really simple concept, largely well-executed.

For me, I had an issue with how juvenile the characters acted overall. And I really wanted more chemistry between the leads! I felt like some of it was there - but the build up to the sex scene (and the writing in the sex scene itself) just really fell short! Please do not ever describe sex as someone "slid[ing] into me like butter". I was immediately sick lol.

Anyways, if you can overlook the occasional uncommented upon anachronism and the deeply disturbing sex scene, you'll enjoy it! The ending is fun too, if undeserved.

3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was delightful. Tess (an Austen aficionado) and Hugh (a dedicated method actor) meet on the set of an adaptation of Northanger Abbey, and they DO NOT get along. An electrical accident sends them back in time to the 19th century, where their time spent immersed in Austen and Regency period research proves invaluable.

This is a love letter to Jane Austen, her novels as well as the various adaptations we’ve all come to know and love. References to beloved characters and Austen lore abound, and it is done in such a respectful, meaningful way. And experiencing the Regency period from the perspective of modern-day characters is just so fun.

Tess and Hugh are both very likable and learn and grow so much throughout the novel. They are respectful of each other and both dealing with some difficult circumstances in their personal lives, which adds some depth to this enemies-to-lovers story.

Overall a sweet time-travel rom com. I didn’t love the method of travelling to and fro, but that’s just not picking on my end. Enjoyed the historical aspects more than the fake Tweets and pop culture references. Not enough tension for me to make believable chemistry, but not entirely wooden or forced.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy to review!

Five star reads are, to me, those shining stars that suck me in instantly and don’t let go- and that was exactly my experience with the Austen Affair. The book starts with a prologue, which I thought until almost the end of it was an author’s note- that’s how real the main character Tess Bright felt to me.

This book was a love letter to Austen and the adaptations of her work we all know and love, and written in such a way that you can just tell Madeline Bell genuinely loves Austen (unlike some remixes of Austen where you can tell they just kind of want to hit a target demographic and couldn’t care less about the material).

Not only did I enjoy every second while reading this, I actually think I am very likely to come back to this book over and over again. I was gifted a free e-copy but I will be buying a physical copy to keep next to my Austen collection- this book deserves to be there.

A silly little plot wrapped up in a whole lot of heart, I loved every second of this book.