Modern take on regency Austen - Modern-ish at least! If you like Austen, you’ll enjoy this. Two actors for a movie-version of Northranger Abby are sent back in time (in the middle of a savage fight) to Regency England.

It’s funny, chaotic, and true enemies-to-lovers.

This book was an easy read. I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion. If you are an Austen fan, then this is the book for you. I would recommend this book as a summer read.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this book the way I wanted to. I’ll try again when I’m in a different reading mood!

This book was such a treat! Tess and Hugh are costars on a Jane Austen adaptation who don’t quite get along and once struck by lightening get thrown back in time 200 years to live out their regency times.

A lot happens with some family tree and past ancestors thrown in there but ultimately it was a cute romance with lovable characters (George is #1). I loved seeing Tess and Hugh learn to trust each other while trying to return back home but with grace enough to build strong bonds with their regency counterparts. A feel good, modern take on Austen’s vibe that I’d highly recommend.

✨ 5 Stars – Enchanting, Quirky, and Utterly Delightful ✨

The Austen Affair is a beautifully enveloping read with just the right touch of whimsy. Tess and Hugh are wonderfully relatable characters—you’ll find yourself rooting for them from the very first page. Madeline Belle masterfully weaves humor, heart, and a hint of magic into this story, creating a world you won't want to leave.

The time travel twist adds an unexpectedly charming layer, giving this romcom a fresh and imaginative feel. Every page pulls you in deeper, and by the end, you’ll be wishing for just one more chapter. A must-read for fans of Jane Austen, quirky love stories, and a bit of literary time-hopping fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Austen Affair is a fun light hearted read about two actors in a regency period movie. Although they aren’t on the friendliest of terms, they show must go on. They both have a lot riding on the success of this project. Full of fun Jane Austen quotes, this fish(es) out of water tale is a quick read and have a HEA. Solid 4 stars.

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell was pure JOY from start to finish! The Austen Affair swept me away with its perfect blend of wit, charm, and emotional depth. I came for the Jane Austen vibes and time-travel twist—and stayed for the heart, the healing, and the incredible main character who felt so real.

Madeline Bell writes with a warmth and cleverness that reminded me of classic rom-coms but with a modern, bookish soul. Our heroine is smart, a little lost, and completely lovable. Watching her navigate grief, love, regret and rediscovery —while being dropped into a dream Jane Austen film set! It was a perfect set up to the story.

The romance was sweet and slow-building in the best way, with moments that made me sigh and scenes that had me grinning like a fool. The literary references? Chef’s kiss. This is such a love letter to Austen fans and story lovers alike.

What surprised me most was how moving the emotional arc was. Beneath the fun, there’s a beautiful story about second chances—not just in love, but in life, in trusting yourself again, and in rewriting your own narrative.

If you love:
• All things Jane Austen.
• Rom-coms with heart.
• Time travel.
• Books that feel like a cozy hug with a cheeky wink.

Then you NEED this one on your shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! I’ll be recommending this one to everyone who’s ever dreamed of getting lost in their favorite story and coming out better on the other side.

Madeline Bell has crafted something truly extraordinary with "The Austen Affair," a novel that manages to feel both deliciously familiar and refreshingly innovative. This isn't just another period romance or contemporary love story—it's a brilliant fusion that takes the best elements of both worlds and creates something entirely new.

What makes this book so compelling is how Bell seamlessly drops her thoroughly modern protagonists into the heart of Jane Austen's regency world, complete with all its suffocating social conventions and rigid propriety. The contrast is electric *pun intended*. Watching these contemporary characters navigate the formal drawing rooms, elaborate social hierarchies, and unspoken rules of early 19th-century England creates a tension that crackles on every page. Their modern sensibilities clash beautifully with the world they find themselves in, leading to moments that are alternately hilarious, heartbreaking, and utterly romantic.

The enemies-to-lovers arc Bell constructs is nothing short of perfection. The initial animosity between the protagonists feels genuine and earned, rooted in real misunderstandings and clashing personalities rather than manufactured drama. As they're forced to work together, their verbal sparring becomes increasingly charged with unspoken attraction. Bell masterfully builds the romantic tension, allowing it to simmer beneath the surface of every interaction, every stolen glance, every moment of reluctant cooperation. Both main characters experience genuine growth throughout the story. They don't simply fall in love—they evolve, learning from each other and from the strange world they've found themselves in. The regency setting, with its emphasis on duty, honor, and social responsibility, forces them to examine their own values and priorities. They emerge from their ordeal not just as lovers, but as more complete versions of themselves.

Bell's writing captures the essence of Austen's wit and social commentary while maintaining a contemporary voice that never feels forced or anachronistic. The period details are rich and immersive without becoming overwhelming, creating a world that feels lived-in and authentic. The pacing is superb, with each chapter building momentum toward the inevitable romantic resolution while maintaining enough obstacles and complications to keep readers genuinely invested in the outcome.

This is a book that satisfies on every level: as a romance, as a character study, and as a clever commentary on how timeless human emotions transcend historical periods. Bell has created something special here—a novel that honors the tradition of great romantic fiction while carving out its own unique space. I cannot wait to see what she publishes next!

When Tess Bright is booted off her successful teen series she finds her Hollywood career in a tailspin. After losing her mother she cannot seem to get her life back on track. But Jane Austen was her mother’s idol, the books and movies played on a continuous loop in the background of their lives. Finally a break, Tess is cast as the star of Northangar Abbey, because anything Austen she can manage to sink her teeth into. Her co-star Hugh, a stuffy Englishman who doesn’t think Tess is good enough for the part, makes this clear every chance he gets. One day while on set in Hampshire, England a terrible thunderstorm ensues. The two quarreling stars are struck by lightening (ok, I know it sounds ridiculous but carry on …) They awaken in a field still in costume only to realize they have time traveled to 1815. After being helped by neighbors and discovering Hugh’s long ago relatives the couple must make peace with each other to find a way back to the present. You must like Austen, time travel and goofy romances to enjoy this story. (Naturally, I loved it because I am a sucker for all three.) Adorable, light and funny, a needed respite from the world at large.

The Austin Affair is a fast-paced, charming read with just the right balance of romance, intrigue, and character-driven tension. From the very first chapter, I was pulled in by the sharp banter, the glamorous setting, and the undercurrent of secrets that kept me flipping pages late into the night.

The protagonist is smart, layered, and easy to root for—flawed in the best way, and navigating high-stakes emotions with grit and humor. The love interest had depth too, and their chemistry crackled, especially as past and present started to collide. I really appreciated how the book touched on ambition, trust, and reinvention without ever losing its fun, escapist feel.

It’s perfect for fans of romantic suspense or second-chance love stories with a sleek, contemporary edge. While a few plot points wrapped up a little too neatly, I still closed the book with a smile.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

unique and funny, i loooovveeddd how unserious serious this was at all moments

i liked how natural and unexpected going back in time was! and i loved how they came back and confused everyone with their kissing and declarations of marriage LOL

so cute

I always want to like this Austen inspired romances and I can never get into them this is obviously supposed to be Pride and Prejudice retelling with actors and time travel. Honestly Northanger Abbey really does need a good adaption Henry Tinley is the best. Overall the romcom was cute and fun but they never really get the heart of Austin’s stories. I also felt like it ended really quickly like the get back to the present time and then there is the epilogue with their happily ever after. I did think Tessa was a tad immature and a little annoying at time but overall its just a lighthearted little low stakes romcom.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I loved this book! While it's still a romance and some things are pretty obvious, I love that Tess is so well rounded, she's struggling with the grief of her mother's passing but she's also a fun loving mess. She's a little vain but acknowledges this and I felt it was endearing. I loved that it included time travel and while I know a little about Jane Austin's books I wouldn't say I know every character reference they give. But that didn't matter, you don't have to know to love the cozy British feel of the book.
The only ding I would give is that I didn't really see what she liked about Hugh, his character isn't as well rounded until they get towards the last third of the book where you learn more about him.
But overall a great read!

This was a fun and easy enemies to lovers read with an Outlander twist in that they go back to the regency era.
I enjoyed this even though I haven’t read Jane Austen, it was still fun to have Austen nods throughout. I’m sure I missed some not being well versed. But a fun read!

Thanks to Madeline Belle and Netgalley for this ARC

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🌶️🌶️


Dream scenario to any Jane Austen girl but make it a book.


Madeline take us in this exciting journey that is filled with adventure, romance, love, and mischief.

Tess's heartbreakingly beautiful story navigating her grief thru a dream come true for her and her dead mother while watching Hugh enjoy his family (even they're technically now dead) and while also creating this meaningful friendships with this Regency women that are living the best life they're allowed was just a magical experience.


And yes of course my favourite character was little grandpa George.


~Blurb~

Tess Bright just got the role of her (and he mom's) dreams a Jane Austen adaptation, and she's determined to make the best of it, specially after having a rough few months (even years) where she lost her best friend, her mom, and the toll that it took on her acting career. There's only one obstacle her CoStar is a pretentious Nepo baby actor that's too much into method acting and won't even run lines with her because is not period accurate. But the universe has another plans for them and those plans happen to be 200 years in the past in Jane Austen's Regency Era


Tropes:

Accidental Time Travel

Period Romance

Grumpy × Sunshine

Nepo Baby MMC

C List Actress FMC

This novel is a fun, breezy read—perfect for fans of Jane Austen or anyone who’s ever fantasized about time-traveling back to the Regency era. The characters are likable, though their emotional development feels a bit rushed at times. Overall, the story has a low-stakes vibe. Even the central conflict—how the characters might return to their own timeline—never quite builds the tension it promises. As a reader, you’re never truly worried, which keeps the story light but also somewhat lacking in urgency

I adored The Austen Affair! So much so that I couldn’t put it down, finished it in one day, but also didn’t want it to end! I loved the main character, Tess Bright — she was kind, thoughtful, and messy, and yet incredibly relatable. I empathized and connected with her story of love after deep loss, and Hugh Balfour was her perfect opposite. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, and it worked incredibly well here, as these two actors working on the set of a Jane Austen film adaption are transported back 200 years to Jane’s own time period. Tess and Hugh’s efforts to fit in and make do in their circumstances, whilst searching for a way back to the future, were entertaining and endearing — I loved reading their love story, and I hope Madeline Bell writes another romance with a regency twist soon!

Brief note to the publisher! There is an extra “a” in this sentence on page 282 — “But as a I stare out at the gray English countryside…”

The Austen Affair felt like a warm cup of earl gray tea and a scone on a rainy day. Reading it was such a delight! An uptight method actor and a free spirited actress are cast as the romantic leads in a Jane Austen adaptation and they don’t exactly get on well with each other but when an electrical mishap lands them 200 years in the past, they are forced to work together to get back to the future. The Austen inspired side characters and references were so much fun! It’s a slow burn enemies to lovers romance told from our female heroines single point of view. I would have honestly loved this novel to be a dual POV just because this plot line would have been really interesting told from Hugh’s POV at times since they are living with his actual ancestors back in Regency England, however the author does a great job with our two main characters communication that I did feel like we get to know our hero more than many of the he single POV romances I read. By the end of this book I was sobbing. It was a heartwarming story about love, family, grief and living your best life.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s a mix of Outlander and Jane Austen in a modern setting. Madeline was able to capture the cadence and rhythm that Austen produced with her ensemble casts of characters. Madeline does capture the whimsy and connectedness of the English society. She is able to talk about heartbreak, grief, and societal expectations of the past and present in a delightful way. The love story is so cute and you can fall into this story and have fun. This book was filled with joy and I love it.

The concept of this book sounded so fun: two actors on the film set of Northanger Abbey are transported to Regency England. Unfortunately, the execution of the concept fell flat. I never felt completely transported to the past, and I would have to blame that feeling on the main character Tess. I’m surprised the two main characters weren’t discovered sooner by the people in the past because of her. Tess’s personality did not translate to the time period and she barely made any adjustments to blend in. In terms of the romance, its progression made no sense. I don’t know if I missed a scene, but suddenly Tess forgave Hugh for his actions in the present day and due to her easy forgiveness, the relationship quickly turned into insta-love. I think this book would have worked better for me if the author wasn’t so intent on creating a female main character that was the antithesis of everyone around her.