I had mixed feelings about The Austen Affair. The plot was great, well thought out and executed beautifully and the writing itself was excellent. I enjoyed most of the characters, but I just couldn’t connect with the FMC. Her constant foul language felt unnecessary and pulled me out of the story. We made it all the way to chapter 17 before any adult content appeared, but unfortunately, chapters 17 and 28 took the book in a direction I didn’t enjoy. The narrator, however, was very enjoyable and added life to the story. If the strong language and unnecessary spice were left out, this could have easily been a 5-star read for me!

this was soo entertaining!! both of the main characters kind of annoyed me at first, but they grew on me so easily. i cannot even begin to imagine how confused the crew must be when they came back and were just randomly in love LOL... i genuinely commend hugh for his ability to adapt to every situation so well. i don't know how long it would have taken me to figure out what happened, but it definitely would've been way longer than what it took hugh... i still can't believe how quickly he caught onto everything. but, ugh they actually knew how to communicate!!! it's kind of rare, so it was really nice to see in this. despite their intial hatred for each other, they were very similar and understood each other quickly (once they started to open up). i've been wanting to read more historical romance books and this one hit the spot. the writing made it so easy to binge in one go, i could not put it down.

whoever chose the narrators needs a raise! they fit the story perfectly and the accents worked on me.... loved it!

'The Austen Affair' is full of clever nods to Jane Austen’s works. The time-slip premise—two modern-day actors finding themselves in Regency England—reminded me a bit of a flipped 'Kate & Leopold' and was every bit as entertaining as the description sounded. Tess and Hugh’s current roles in 'Northanger Abbey' add to the fun as they navigate a time period they had only researched for the film.

The time travel element isn’t just for novelty—it provides meaningful moments as the characters, each carrying their own baggage, find unique forms of healing both through the people they meet and through their growing connection with each other. I also appreciated how the story occasionally pulled them back to the reality of their 21st-century lives, which helps ground the Regency setting for readers who might struggle to fully sink into a historical world. Stephanie Németh-Parker's narration also helps bring the reader through the story amidst the differing time periods.

While I loved many aspects of this story, for my personal taste I wish it had been less spicy and with less foul language—more in line with the wholesome romances Austen herself wrote. Eventually I decided not to continue since the sexual references and vulgarity went beyond my capacity (which is arguably lower than most).

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for access to the audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.