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.

The Austen Affair was so much fun! I loved all the little nods and quotes of Austen books and adaptations. When Jane herself showed up, I gasped! The relationship between Hugh and Tess grew pretty organically and the tension of whether they'd make it back to their own time was exciting throuhgout!

This was an entertaining read. I really loved the concept, and thought there was a lot of potential. It fell flat a little bit. A lot ended up feeling cheesy in an awkward way. And there was definitely a little instant enemies to lovers going on. It didn’t really feel earned. Overall it was fine, just a few tweaks I would make.

The Austen Affair is a whip-smart modern romcom based on all your favorite Jane Austen lore, sparking with chemistry and lightened by banter, all grounded by two leads with depth and voice. A total joy for Austenites and non (though I can't imagine who THAT would be)!

I expected this book to be a fun time travel rom com romp, but it ended up being much more than that. There was wonderful character development here and the emotional chemistry between the two protagonists worked so well. The historical setting was believable (with a couple of maybe anachronistic moments, but not in a way that took one out of the storyworld). This was such a satisfying read and I look forward to reading more by this author. A++

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

This book was absolutely LUMINOUS!! Now I can't technically say I read this in one sitting because I did take a few days to read the first chapter, but after that you can bet I stayed up until 3 AM finishing this. In a way I feel like a fraud knowing I loved this book so much when I've only actually read 1 and a half Jane Austen books (even if I've watched every movie adaptation) because this book really was a love letter to any Austen fan.

To start off I will say that Tess' charecter seemed a little childish, but like I'd hoped she quickly grew out of that and was a very funny and charming mc. But where the REAL magic happened was between her and Hugh!!!!

I LOVE a good enemies to lovers (and my all time favorite will forever be Pride and Prejudice) so this book was EVERYTHING. The tension, the Austen call-backs, and the occasional Taylor Swift reference all made for the most delightful time traveling romp ever. Not to mention Jane Austen herself was in it!!

I reccomend this book to anyone who loves a good romance, chick lit, and of course Jane Austen!!

This book was just delightful, and I binged it start to finish in less than 24 hours.

Tess Bright is an actress, still reeling by the death of her mother and best friend. Her mother completely loved Jane Austen, and the books and movies were the background to their lives as Tess grew up. When the opportunity came to play Catherine Morland in an upcoming film adaptation of Northanger Abbey, Tess knew that she had to get the part and pay homage to her mother. Unfortunately a very stuff British actor (Hugh Balfour) is chosen to play the romantic lead, Henry Tilney. One day after they had an epic blow up fight while filming, Tess and Hugh suffer a minor electrocution and are sent back in time to Regency England.

Tess and Hugh are forced to work together to figure out how to survive in this situation, and also how to get back home. Through this, they learn more about each other and break down each others walls. They learn to work together, become friends, and eventually more than friends (it is a romance, after all).

Like I said, completely delightful read and I highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy!

Jane Austen adaptation and you go back in time and get to meet Jane Austen! I loved this book. It was such a fun read. The banter between Tess and Hugh was funny and kept me coming back. I loved all the references to the current Jane Austen movie adaptations. Even if you do not like a time traveling story line, it is still a great enemies to lovers and forced proximity, with the back drop of Regency era! I am also convinced that if Tess and Hugh ever had a baby boy, they would name him Georgie.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Advanced Readers Copy.


*posted on goodreads*

3.5 stars!

It was a bit corny at times but it was cute and I liked it! I’ve been watching a bit of period pieces so it fit my mood as a mood reader.

The spicy scene did make me cringe though.

The Austen Affair was a delightful story that is perfect for lovers of time travel stories, Jane Austen enthusiasts and those who just need a good romance. I felt like I was watching a Jane Austen adaptation because of the way Bell was able to describe the world and the characters.
Hugh and Tess were a flaw-filled and adorable couple who’s romance felt tangible on the page. I love that Hugh was both emotionally intelligent and willing to beat up anyone who spoke down on Tess. Tess’s character was vain, bubbly, and caring which made her a lovable, but realistic person. I liked the complexities of all of the characters, not just the two main characters. The side characters were full of personality and felt distinctive of one another.
The plot was well paced and rarely lagged. I kept wanting to pick up the book throughout the day which was a good indication that I enjoyed reading it.
Overall, I rate this book 4.5 stars!

An adorable modern-regency mashup that evokes the heart and soul of a Jane Austen novel.

Two feuding co-stars on a Jane Austen movie accidentally find themselves back in time 200 years in England. They have to blend in and pretend not to hate each other, while also not messing with the future. We even get a cameo from Jane Austen herself.

This was a sweet romance book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I loved the enemies to lovers. The writing and language was a modern twist on a regency love story.

Thank you so much for an early copy of this in exchange for an honest review! This book was so much fun!!! Enemies to lovers, starring in a Jane Austen film, getting sent back in the time of Jane Austen! This was so so fun!

3.5 stars.
This is a book specifically made for Jane Austen fans. This reads like a modern adaptation of her style, with enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity (because everyone lives in the same village or house while visiting each other for a month - I shudder at this). And let's not forget the modern trope of a fake relationship romance.

The main characters, Tess and Hugh, were interesting. They were flawed and somewhat relatable. Their banter, once Hugh got more comfortable with Tess, was good. I enjoyed their friendship and romance but it felt a little forced on Hugh's part, not because we don't believe him, but because he's so introverted, we only hear it, we don't see or feel it. This could have been helped by a few chapters in his POV.

I enjoyed the side characters, mostly George. He's an interesting kid!

Tess' grief felt real, it made me teary eyed. Actually, the prologue made me angry. A pretty long prologue, with a great intro to how Tess' mom loved Jane Austen and how adaptations of her works were a recurring theme in their house. I liked her mom immediately and then BAM, "dead mom", like wtf. I was invested, ok, that hurt my reader feelings!

Missing points, I thought: there was no explanation about why or how the electricity brought them back in time and other than the moment they come back, the tweets and the epilogue, there are barely any follow up on their modern relationship, I would have liked to see more.

This book was a fun read, though not as light-hearted as expected because of the grief aspect. I still enjoyed it...

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

The story is rife with Austen references that will delight any romance reader, including not just references to the books but also to fan-favorite movie scenes (cue: excellent boiled potatoes).

The FMC is equal parts obtuse (as one expects), self-aware (with stereotypes about performers reinforced), and quirky. Initially, I found her off-putting, but grew to enjoy her.

The MMC is fashioned in large part on misunderstanding of his character—ala P&P’s Darcy. The wide range of supporting characters truly feel ripped from an Austen plot, and the influences are often spelled out for the reader.

This leads me to my main annoyance. Despite a lovely story, the writer does not have enough faith in her writing (or maybe in her reader) to let the details speak. There were plenty of opportunities to cut the telling statements and trust that the reader could understand the details enough to form the desired conclusion.

3.25


Review also posted on Goodreads and Fable.

I was able to read an ARC of this through NetGalley. There were moments where this book had charm, but I had trouble connecting with the main characters. I especially didn't like that Tess slapped Hugh at the beginning - it made it hard for me to root for her and sympathize with her. Furthermore, I never really bought the transition from enemies to lovers, and once they became romantic the relationship went uncomfortably fast. Finally, the method for time travel was a bit too silly for my personal taste.

SPOILER AHEAD:

When Tess ran away from Hugh at their wedding because she wanted him to "chase her", any goodwill she had built up with me vanished. She just always seemed very child-like, and I couldn't really understand why Hugh fell for her.

Perfect for fans of time-travel stories like “Puck & Prejudice”; but in this one, instead of one person being sent back to Regency times, you get both the MMC and the FMC sent back there.

I have to say that I did find Tess, the FMC, to be quite immature, and she drove me up the walls. I also didn’t it like when Jane Austen showed up; I hate it when the lady in question is a central character in these time-travel romances because she never seems authentic.

This would be a better fit for contemporary romance fans given the banter between the main characters, but I could also see historical romance lovers falling for it.