Madeline Bell brilliantly brings a touch of magical realism to a classic Austen story! There’s nothing like an author who is also a Janeite, because they are going to deliver on chemistry, comedy, and character growth. While Tess and Hugh’s romance is at the forefront of this novel, this story also touches upon grander themes of grief and loss. These two find not only love, but a future that isn’t rooted in the past. I found this book so endearing. Although, I would have preferred for this to stay PG-13 given the context and logistics. Still, I’m intrigued to see what Bell writes next!

Two costars who absolutely loathe each other on the set of a Northanger Abbey adaptation find themselves traveling back in time to the regency era where nothing is the same. On the way to finding their way home, they might just find themselves and each other in the process.

This book was interesting to me in that it took a handful of twists and turns that I wasn't really expecting. I liked that it was connected to the leading man Hugh's family in the past and there was a real risk of things affecting him in the future if he wasn't careful.

I liked that Tess and Hugh found things to bond over even though they felt like they were totally opposite at first and that their bond over time felt natural.

Certain elements however I didn't particularly enjoy. I didn't like that we didn't spend much time with them after they got back home, I didn't like that there weren't more attempts to get back home and that the first effort they made was successful. I wanted to see more struggle there I think.

As much as I like Taylor Swift I also didn't love that she was brought up. It took me out of the story both times.

But I did like that you could tell the author is an Austen fan. That really shines through with the references to her novels and Jane herself. I appreciated those elements a lot.

Overall, I had a pretty good time and there's some people I would recommend it to.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC to review.

I. ABSOLUTELY. ADORED. THIS. BOOK!!!!!

The Austen Affair was such a fun read, and I am screaming
"YOU SHOULD READ THIS!" as loud as I can!

Let me start with this : I am one of those readers that desperately wants to be able to reference Jane Austen and Emily Bronte in book conversation, but l've never read any of the classic, well- known books. I have several of them, it's just a matter of putting down the new books to go back to the older gems. When I saw this title, I was immediately curious but then a little worried that I wouldn't enjoy it or understand it because I haven't read the "real" stuff. If you are like me, go ahead and erase any doubt creeping around in your brain, and get this on your TBR!

Madeline Bell included all the tropes! We span from enemies to lovers, time lapse, fake engagement to the much-loved HEA!

"Life is short and unpredictable, and yet we choose love anyway. We choose love over and over. Because if nothing is guaranteed, doesn't that make it even more important, then, to grab love with both hands when it's right there in front of you?"

If you need to smile, laugh or just read a book that will just make you feel like the heart eye emoji, this is the one.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Madeline Bell for this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Austen Affair is like stepping into a warm, bookish bubble where Jane Austen meets Back to the Future, and honestly, it’s the kind of escape I didn’t know I needed. Tess, our leading lady, is sharp, funny, and full of heart—and when she finds herself thrown into the past, things get interesting fast.

The historical side of this story totally shines. The characters from the past felt so real, I wanted to hang out with them at a tea party or at least steal a scene or two more before heading back to the present. They were written with so much charm and depth, it really did feel like Austen’s world came alive again. Saying goodbye to them felt weirdly sad—in the best way.

Let’s talk about the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Tess and Hugh. Usually, that trope can flop if it’s not done well, but Madeline Bell? She nailed it. The banter was top-tier and the chemistry kept me flipping pages. It was funny, frustrating, and totally adorable.

But here’s what really hit me: this isn’t just a love story. It’s also about Tess grieving her mom, who wasn’t just her parent—she was her best friend. That grief added a layer of emotion that made everything else—especially her relationship with Hugh—feel more meaningful. And honestly? It made this story stand out.

My one tiny complaint? The ending in the present-day felt a bit rushed. I wanted just a little more closure, maybe another chapter to really settle back in. But still, this was a fun, smart read full of heart, laughs, and so many Austen references it made my nerdy heart sing.

Big thanks to Madeline Bell, St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this delightful ARC!

A cute story that was a nice little escape to the past! I loved how fleshed out the characters in the past were. It felt like Austen come to life, and I was also sad to let them go when it was time to go back to the future. The present-day conclusion felt a bit rushed, and I wish there were a bit more, but overall this is a pleasant read! One spicy scene 🔥 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

The blurb for this book is both completely accurate and totally insufficient. Yes, this is a hilarious time travel romp with an excellent enemies-to-lovers plot (possibly the least frequently well-executed romantic trope, so props to Madeline Bell for killing it here). But it's also a story about heartbreak in which the lost love is not a partner, but a parent. Tess's grief over the death of her mother, who was also her best friend, is believable and wrenching, and much more effective as a foil to her relationship with Hugh than any romantic breakup could have been.

The Austen Affair is chock full of humor, chemistry, and more Jane Austen book and film references than you can shake a stick at. But what makes it unique is its meditation on the complexities of grief, family, and love. A big-hearted novel that made me laugh out loud and cry at the end.

3.5! This was so different and cute. Enemies to lovers this one is for you. Two feuding co stars in a Jane Austen film adaption accidentally time travel back to the regency era. This is Tess’s last shot at a career redemption and she also knows she has to pull this off ,and do it well to honor her departed mother, who was obsessed with Jane Austen. Will she able to pull it off when she has no chemistry with her co star Hugh, who just acts like he’s better than she is at everything he does?

They are both zapped by lightning and immediately brought back to the regency era. (Obviously for the best, they need to rehearse and really get the feel of the era to get the adaptation down right duh). But as they both are trying to figure out how to get back home and trying to survive this era they start to learn a lot about each other and there starts the enemies to lovers slow burn chefs kiss. Lots of Jane Austen references and I just enjoyed this story overall, and I’m not usually a big fan of romance so that’s saying a lot. As always, thank you St. Martin’s Press for a wonderful earc.

Two co-stars fight throughout the production of one of Jane Austen less know stories, and are suddenly brought back to regency era. They work together to get home and fall in love along the way. I liked the pace of the story and the side characters. Tess was so unbelievably childish, it was hard to root for her.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I don't even know where to begin with this. It was so stinking good!
The premise of the book had me by the throat immediately: a Jane Austen fangirl gets sucked back to 18th-century England with her costar who she can't seem to get along with? What in the K-drama goodness is this?!
Main character Tess is very much a mess, but she's also amazing and it's such a blast being in her head! She is able to be goofy and sad and angry all while feeling like a cohesive character whose actions make sense. Her journey in dealing with her grief was so raw that I actually felt emotional a few times while reading. There was one small, specific instance where she said (or rather thought) something that made me crinkle my nose in distaste, but other than that, she was just a gem of a character.
And Hugh... what a cutie-patootie! He was so unlikeable at the beginning that I wasn't sure if the author was going to be able to make me change my mind about him by the end. Consider me humbled! I was hooked on his awkward kindness by 50 pages in. He's painfully relatable in how he tries to say nice things and it all just keeps coming out wrong. He's just so stinking cute, I can't handle it!
All of the Austen references were sparking joy for me. I felt like a child again, hunting for all those Easter eggs. And the Austenland reference??? I hollered. That being said, I don't think you have to be a huge Austen fan to enjoy this book. You don't have to understand every single reference to enjoy what's happening.
Overall, this book was a blast. I cannot recommend it enough. If you have even a slight urge to read a romance, this is it!
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

This was a super fun read!

Enemy-esque costars sent back in time to Regency England only to discover turning on each other means they'll never return home? Confidants turned friends turned something even more? Regency backhanded compliments? Pining? Yearning?

I love.

There was a lot of chemistry within this cast of characters, and I thought the time traveling story line made for a lot of really fun situations for the main couple. There was tension, wit, and swooning throughout the whole novel. I found myself excited to pick it up again after having to break for work, sleep, general existing outside of the pages of a book.

This is a great book for Austen lovers but also just a solid read in general. I'd definitely recommend it to any romance readers!

Look, I'm a diehard Jane Austen fan. She has a whole shelf to herself on my bookcase. This novel seemed liked it would be the perfect fit. And it was-kind of. I really enjoyed the plot, and I thought it did a good job paying homage to her works without being overdone. However, there was one major problem-Tess. Our FMC just happens to be the most annoying character. Every time she made a decision, I found myself wanting to scream.
I still enjoyed it overall. The Austen affair is perfect for your hot girl regency summer.

This was a solid read.
I have to admit I am not the most avid Austen reader (I've read 2 of her books), but I could see the love and appreciation the author has for her work clearly throughout the story. I even recognized some of the quotes, which was a fun nod (and I'm sure would be lovely easter eggs for those even more well acquainted with her catalogue).
The plot here is simple enough: time travel, forced proximity, 'enemies' to lovers, Regency era romance. It's a light, fun read with a couple heavier storylines sprinkled in and lots of drama. It took me a while to get into the book (around half through) but once I got to that point I finished it in one sitting. Some of the plotlines were a bit ridiculous (though very entertaining).
The characters were decent, though nobody besides the 2 main ones felt fleshed out. They themselves were a bit annoying at times: Hugh is kind of an asshole (though he was the more reasonable and realistic of the two) and Tess was a hot mess who I went back and forth between liking and relating to, and facepalming at.
Overall, a quick, entertaining read that fans of Austen would definitely appreciate.

When bickering costars in a new Jane Austen adaptation get zapped back into the past and have to find their way back to the modern day while keeping up the ruse of fitting into Regency-era England society.

I had a great time reading this! They had me giggling and my stomach dropping. The magic/time travel scenario was a little underdeveloped, but the romance and the Regency era was so enjoyable. This book has singlehandedly convinced me that I need to read more historical romances!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for accepting my request! Honestly this book was such a nice surprise. This is my first time reading something from this author and it won’t certainly be the last time! I loved the story so much, I found the characters to be entertaining and well written. I recommend!

The Austen Affair is a silly rom-com in the vein of Austenland and Lost in Austen about two co-stars of an Austen adaptation who accidentally transport back to the Regency era. The premise is delightful, and I saw the love Madeline Bell has for all things Austen.

Tess, our plucky yet foul-mouthed POV character, is a standard romance novel lead. Hugh, our uptight male love interest, is a 21st century Darcy but with canonical social anxiety (and, to me at least, less charm/wit). As romantic leads of a Northanger Abbey film, I couldn’t picture her as Catherine Moreland, but he did seem like a good Henry Tilney. They hate each other on set in 2025 Hampshire, but when a freak accident lands them in the same setting but in 1815, they have to fake an engagement to avoid scandal. I found the development from enemies to lovers a bit uneven and the dialogue clunky. Tess sounded like a real person, but Hugh and all the Regency characters sounded a bit too stiff. Their transition from hatred to love felt rushed, at least to me.

I liked the inclusion of surnames from real Austen novels, like Dixon (Emma) and Crawford (Mansfield Park), as well as nods to situations like the Elinor Dashwood/Lucy Steele conflict in Sense & Sensibility. However, I wasn’t very transported to early nineteenth century England, so the time travel aspect didn’t feel as impactful as it could’ve. I LOVED that she wore period accurate stays and didn’t just complain about a nondescript “corset” though, which always happens in contemporary period dramas :)

2.75/5: An uneven but serviceable quick romance with a bit of a twist and some Austen easter eggs. I had a bit of fun, and I think other readers will have more fun than me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I say this a lot, but thank you AGAIN to St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin and to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Austen Affair. As a tried and true Jane Austen fan, I can assuredly say that I loved it!

Let me start off with Tess. My poor, sweet Tess, I am fully in there with you when it comes to grief. It never goes away, but it does get easier to remember the good times eventually. Not only that, but her personality is so relatable. It’s hard wearing your heart on your sleeve all the time.

Perfect angel Hugh, he’s just like a little lost puppy and I want to protect him from the world. He’s not mean or uptight or snooty, he’s just anxious and awkward.

In general, I loved this story. I loved that this was an Austen-based story but the main characters did not go and interfere or interact with any Austen characters. They were just existing in the regency era, trying to fit in.

I have one, and only one, complaint: the pop culture references. Yes, I am indeed an avid hater of pop culture references in books. The only appropriate ones were the Austen/Austen-adjacent references. Actually no, I have two complaints and the other is the Dakota Johnson slander. I am a Dakota Johnson stan until I die!!

Such a lovely book! Any Jane Austen fan will absolutely love it. It was a fun and unique take on the many stories inspired by Jane Austen and her works. Not only was it romantic and fun but it had depth and emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and author Madeline Bell for providing me with the eARC of “The Austen Affair”, in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: September 16th, 2025
Reviewed on Goodreads” June 26th, 2025

I would give this story 3.5 stars!

In the Austen Affair we meet Tess, an American actress who has recently been cast to play the female lead in a movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey”. A role that is extremely important to her following the loss of her mother, who was a major fan of all things Jane Austen.
We also meet Hugh, a British actor who has been cast to play the male lead in the same film.
However, there is a problem: The two actors hate one another and are unable to work together- until being transported back in time to the Jane Austen era forces them to.
They must collaborate to keep their secret and find a way to return back to the present, and both may just discover the other person isn’t as bad as they once thought.

This story has:
- Enemies to lovers
- Time travel/magic
- Jane Austen references/themes
- Old British/English vibes

I liked the story.
I went into this knowing little to nothing about Jane Austen or any of her novels, and while it was not a huge problem, I think it would have been helpful to be a fan of her work before reading this.
The story still flowed nicely and wasn’t too confusing even with my lack of knowledge, but I did not develop the same attachment to it that I think other readers might!

I really liked the setting and old-timey feel of this book. It is set in the Regency-era which I always think is run to read in novels.
The romance was good as well. I liked seeing the development of Tess and Hugh’s relationship throughout the story. They really came to know, understand and support each other with time.

The only thing I would really critique about this work, is the number of characters introduced. At times it was difficult to keep up, and I found myself forgetting who some of the people were. I think with a plot and setting like this, which is quite dense, the addition of too many side characters can get somewhat confusing.

Overall, I think this would be great for readers that are fans of Jane Austen’s work, or readers that enjoy romance with historical themes! Worth the read!
It is somewhat of a niche story, so if those things do not appeal to you, you may not find it as interesting.

This book offers an interesting and fun spin on the world of Jane Austen. However, I found certain aspects a bit odd. It definitely assumes the reader is already well-versed in Austen’s world as there are numerous references throughout that might be lost on someone unfamiliar with her work. If you're a devoted Austen fan, you'll likely appreciate these references otherwise, it might feel a bit alienating.

The main character, Tess, initially comes across as petulant (like girl get it together, but grief is complex so I let it slide). Hugh, the male lead, is brooding and a bit rude at first, it very much fits the grumpy x sunshine trope. As the story progresses, their dynamic becomes more engaging, a bit lighter, more relaxed, and even fun at times.

Beyond the Austen-inspired romance, the author attempts to explore deeper themes such as grief, caregiving for a parent, and emotional vulnerability. These are woven into the story with a touch of humor, which adds a nice balance.

Overall, this is a decent debut novel. It’s best enjoyed if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and not ask questions (hello? Time travelling from electrocution?) and just go along for the ride.

I had difficulty getting through this book. I really love the idea of the plot. Time travel, Austen affairs, romance... The book was really descriptive and I did feel like I was part of an Austin Estate in the countryside. But I just felt the conversations didn't seem genuine. The dialogue from the Balfour families and everyone else didn't feel natural. It felt like someone from modern times trying to write/speak like someone from back then.. At times it was flat. But it was cute.