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Reviews
The following are reviews from print media, followed by reviews from the blogosphere, online communities, and fellow authors.
Audiofile
"It's easy listening to this funny, clever story.... Though it's difficult to hear this wonderful production come to a close, this time-bending story ends just as it should."
Full Review | Full Review at Audiofile
Baltimore Sun
"Go Read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict... A Los Angeles woman is transported back in time to Jane Austen's England, where ...a Darcy-like hero ...makes her forget all the other inconveniences."
Full Review | Full Review at Baltimore Sun
Booklist
"Talk about an out-of-body experience. …This frothy take on literary time travel will appeal most to readers well versed in the celebrated author’s memorable characters and themes."
Book Sense
"...luscious confection of a novel...enjoy the ultimate in luxury travel as you are transported via Courtney
Stone, an archetypical 21st-century woman,
to the elegant early-19th-century world of Austen’s novels."
Full Review | Full Review at Book Sense
BookPage
"...a page-turner of a novel composed with remarkable assurance by a promising new author."
Boston Herald
"[Rigler] knows her Austen, and her heroine Courtney Stone lives it."
Full Review | Full Review at Boston Herald
The Emporia Gazette
"...a seriously funny book that doesn’t take itself too seriously."
Full Review | Full Review at The Emporia Gazette
The Daily Reflector
"This story will hook you and keep you reading until the very end. Hooting with laughter at the differences in hygiene and the satire of social excesses, you will find yourself deeply involved..."
Full Review | Full Review at The Daily Reflector
Good Housekeeping
"Read all the "sequels" and still want more? Try this latest riff, in which a 21st-century gal dumps her cheating fiance, only to wake up as an 18th-century lady with a romantic crisis of her own. Moral: Compared to ours, Regency-era plumbing was very bad, and its courtships very good."
Full Review | Full Review at Good Housekeeping
Historical Novels Review
"a terrific escapist read"
Full Review | Full Review at Historical Novels Review
JASNA News (The Newsletter of the Jane Austen Society of North America)
"The heroine’s mental and physical crossings between the two time periods ultimately constitute a journey towards discovering her own identity. ... Although she briefly runs into Jane Austen herself, the heroine does not come into contact with any of Austen’s characters, so those who have grown weary of sequels need not fear this story. The novel offers readings of Austen’s works while covering timely topics, such as women’s position in contemporary society, in a very entertaining way. I enjoyed this thought-provoking romp through Jane Austen’s England."
Full Review | Full Review at JASNA News (The Newsletter of the Jane Austen Society of North America)
Lansing State Journal
"Although "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict" by Laurie Viera Rigler could easily be dismissed as a frivolous story about time travel with Jane Austin thrown into the mix to pull in readers, this novel is far better than that brief description."
Full Review | Full Review at Lansing State Journal
Orlando Sentinel
"From the opening page when Courtney Stone wakes up in a strange bed to be confronted by a man and woman wearing clothes that look as if they were "cast-offs from the Merchant-Ivory costume department," the cleverness never stops."
Full Review | Full Review at Orlando Sentinel
St. Petersburg Times
"Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict takes the familiar arena of Austen's empire-waist muslin, afternoon tea world and tweaks it in a clever, cheeky way."
Full Review | Full Review at St. Petersburg Times
Publishers Weekly (review of hardcover edition)
"…breezy debut novel.…Fans of the ever-expanding inspired-by-Austen-lit garden party will find a winner here..."
Full Review | Full Review at Publishers Weekly (review of hardcover edition)
Publisher's Weekly (review of audiobook)
"Cassidy is spot-on with Courtney's California accent, modern-day moaning about men, self-analysis and doubt, and sarcasm—and then, without missing a beat, flips easily into the proper, upper-class English tones of Jane..., her pompous, controlling mother, her desperate suitor and her sympathetic best friend."
Full Review | Full Review at Publisher's Weekly (review of audiobook)
Social Life magazine
"You don’t have to be a rabid fan of Jane Austen to enjoy Laurie Viera Rigler’s entertainingly funny love story. A fun read that will thrust you into a world sans our modern luxuries. Can a single, contemporary city gal make it in a world of chamber pots and horse-drawn carriages?"
The Times of London
"...there’s even the occasional hint of subversive humour. Laurie Viera Rigler’s Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict leads the field here."
Full Review | Full Review at The Times of London
The Times-Picayune
"...a delightful comic romp: Modern readers are forced to consider life with chamber pots and without hand sanitizer and cell phones. And imagine what those "curative" waters at Bath really were like. Last, but not least, Jane Austen makes a cameo appearance that is pure pleasure."
Full Review | Full Review at The Times-Picayune
USA Today
"A devotee of all things Austen… discovers the reality of life in Regency England: rampant body odor, sexual and class repression and a style of medical care involving bloodletting.…Rigler does a perceptive job in contrasting the different eras. Despite the smells, little in Courtney's current lifestyle — including most of the men — can compete with the erotic charge of dancing in a candlelit ballroom."
Full Review | Full Review at USA Today
Washington Post
"It is all rather silly but pleasant."
Full Review | Full Review at Washington Post
REVIEWS FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES
About.com
"Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict is almost as addictive as a real Jane Austen novel."
Full Review | Full Review at About.com
About.com: Classic Literature
"Allow yourself to be transported back in time. Meet Jane Austen in the pages of this novel. It will be an experience that you won't soon forget."
Full Review | Full Review at About.com: Classic Literature
Ascent Aspirations
"If you want to have a pleasant break from our hectic and uncertain times you may want to immerse yourself in this novel. It will be, I'm sure, well-received by Jane Austen devotees looking for a literary 'fix.'"
Full Review | Full Review at Ascent Aspirations
Austenblog
"[A] charming novel… Rigler writes beautifully…a light and deftly orchestrated visit to 1813."
Full Review | Full Review at Austenblog
Austenblog
"Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict takes your typical 'I want to live in that world' fantasy and injects it with the reality that no matter how horrible your real life might get, fictional fantasy worlds, even if they are based on real time periods, have their drawbacks, too."
Full Review | Full Review at Austenblog
The Austen Intelligencer (Winter 2007)
"Ms. Rigler knows her Jane Austen and sprinkles the book with loving references....This book is a fun, light, fluffy bit of 'chick lit' for any Janeite - a good read for a plane trip or a rainy weekend."
Full Review | Full Review at The Austen Intelligencer (Winter 2007)
Authorlink
"...sharp wit and saucy prose...Rigler’s quicksilver sense of the ridiculous and sharp eye for detail make Courtney’s tale a visual and sensory delight."
Full Review | Full Review at Authorlink
Barnes and Noble
"adroit use of Jane Austen's time period...Rigler nimbly brings together Courtney's growing love for the Darcy-like Mr. Edgeworth with her acclimatization to place and time..."
Full Review | Full Review at Barnes and Noble
Becoming Jane Fansite
"...I could not put it down; it is the ultimate feel-good, page turner....This novel had me laughing out loud constantly..."
Full Review | Full Review at Becoming Jane Fansite
Becoming Jane Fansite
"...threaten your significant other that if he (I suppose, that will be he...) does not want to buy you the book, you will transport yourself to the Regency Period!"
Full Review | Full Review at Becoming Jane Fansite
Blog Critics
"Charming characters, matchless plot-lines and a great Austen flavor make this debut a must-read. Fans of Austen will love Rigler's style and Austen newbies will have no trouble following the story even if they aren't familiar with all of Austen's work."
Full Review | Full Review at Blog Critics
Blogging by and about Authors (Harriet Klausner)
"...a fun time travel parody of the Austen craze that is in vogue... Jane Austen fans will appreciate this fine tale (the great author even shows up) as the heroine ponders will the real Jane stand up?"
Full Review | Full Review at Blogging by and about Authors (Harriet Klausner)
Book Club Girl
"I loved this book (my confession--I read this on submission and we were not ultimately lucky enough to publish it) and raced through it in one night, I was so eager to find out what would happen, would she stay in this world, would she be found out, could she stay in this world? And I found myself wondering what I would do."
Full Review | Full Review at Book Club Girl
Book Loons
"...a fun read that would make an excellent book club choice, possibly in conjunction with a Jane Austen novel. It opens up a wide variety of great topics for discussion, such as the details of Courtney's time travel, as well as similarities and differences between 19th century writing about the 19th century, and 21st century writing about the 19th century."
Full Review | Full Review at Book Loons
Booking Mama
"I am so glad that I read this book -- I thoroughly enjoyed it (and I didn't have to be a Jane Austen expert to appreciate it!)...a terrific selection for your book club..."
Full Review | Full Review at Booking Mama
Book Room Reviews
"a charming, witty novel"
Full Review | Full Review at Book Room Reviews
Booksquare (Booksquare's introduction to Laurie Viera Rigler's guest post on the site)
"Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict captures the beauty of loving Jane while indulging in the ever-tantalizing “what if”"
Full Review | Full Review at Booksquare (Booksquare's introduction to Laurie Viera Rigler's guest post on the site)
The Bookworm
"a very entertaining, very sweet read"
Full Review | Full Review at The Bookworm
The Buddha Diaries
"Venturing into the risky territory of nineteenth century English as a contemporary American whose native language is the vernacular of twenty-first century California, [Rigler] proves sure-footed amongst the booby-traps--and as a native English English speaker, I'm sensitive to the potential lapses. Her plotting, too, is nicely handled: the reader's attention is engaged by the story line throughout, and the ending--long anticipated, because we're kept wondering how our Courtney is ever going to escape her predicament--is astutely satisfying: it serves at once to resolve and deepen the mystery of Courtney's time-warp, and leaves the reader empowered to speculate on its meaning."
Full Review | Full Review at The Buddha Diaries
Coffee Time Romance
"Ms. Rigler does an absolutely fantastic job!"
Full Review | Full Review at Coffee Time Romance
Conversations w/ Famous Writers
"...fabulous novel... a fish-out-of-water story with a twist."
Full Review | Full Review at Conversations w/ Famous Writers
Dallas Book Diva
"...well written, historically well researched, and takes the reader on a roller coaster ride."
Full Review | Full Review at Dallas Book Diva
Dear Author
"While I am tired of authors retelling Austen’s stories from endless different viewpoints and carrying on with the lives of the next generation of characters, I thought your clever working of the situations from her books into your book was great. After all, Austen was writing about the world she knew so it’s not surprising that those same circumstances would be encountered by anyone living in those times. I enjoyed watching Courtney grow as a person and delighted in her finally finding her own ‘Mr Darcy.’"
Full Review | Full Review at Dear Author
The Debutante Ball
"Now, I’m generally not a fan of time travel books, or books set in Regency England, but I could not put this book down. I was so hooked after my three hours at the beach that I snuck in a page at the two stoplights on the way home. In the pick-up line at my daughter’s camp. And plied my children with cookies and DVDs so I could finish it that afternoon. I love, love, loved this book."
Full Review | Full Review at The Debutante Ball
Fruits de Mare
"I do hope that somebody has picked up the television or film rights to this story. It would make a wonderful Masterpiece Theatre episode. This is by far the best of the bunch..."
Full Review | Full Review at Fruits de Mare
Get Lit
"...a lot of fun to read."
Full Review | Full Review at Get Lit
Girlawhirl
"Girlawhirl will proudly admit it. She is a Jane Austen addict. No matter how many times she reads, and re-reads, the author’s classic’s like Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion, as soon as she’s done she just wants to start again from the beginning. And so does Courtney Stone, Laurie Viera Rigler’s 21st century girl who takes to vodka and Jane Austen to help heal her broken heart after a failed engagement in Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict…"
Full Review | Full Review at Girlawhirl
Historical-fiction.com (review of audiobook)
"The main character is very witty and just how you’d expect a modern woman to think and feel if thrust into a situation as Courtney was.... If you are looking for a funny, delightful read, I would recommend this book."
Jane Austen's World
"...the fans that adored Jude Devereaux's Knight in Shining Armor or the time travel movies Somewhere in Time, Kate and Leopold, and Big will definitely have a rollicking good time."
Full Review | Full Review at Jane Austen's World
Living Read Girl
"After reading this book, I'm certainly looking forward to [the sequel] and hopefully, more novels from Rigler."
Full Review | Full Review at Living Read Girl
Moxiebleu
"A great escape with a ton of charm and many funny moments. I see this as going to the big screen soon."
Mischievous Muse
"I meant to read a few chapters before bed and ended up foregoing sleep, staying up all night, to read the book in one sitting. Whether you are a die-hard 'Austen addict' or just discovering Austen's world, this book is sure to delight."
Full Review | Full Review at Mischievous Muse
Monsters and Critics
"A light, entertaining read."
Full Review | Full Review at Monsters and Critics
MSN
"charming and funny"
Full Review | Full Review at MSN
Not Afraid of the
"...a fabulous, fun book...combines this love of Jane, a fascination of that time period, a fed-up-ness with looking for love in today's world, and time travel in a book that's funny and sweet and will keep you curious until the very end."
Full Review | Full Review at Not Afraid of the
Once Upon a Bookshelf
"highly enjoyable"
Full Review | Full Review at Once Upon a Bookshelf
Peeking Between the Pages
"hilarious...truly a delightful read for not only Jane Austen fans but others as well."
Full Review | Full Review at Peeking Between the Pages
Powell's Books
"In reading Laurie Viera Rigler's homage to her literary idol, I became an admirer of both her and the cult of Jane Austen."
Full Review | Full Review at Powell's Books
Romance Junkies
"captivating"
Full Review | Full Review at Romance Junkies
Romance Reader at Heart
"well written, often amusing...If you are a Jane Austen addict, then this book may be just the light read you've been looking for."
Full Review | Full Review at Romance Reader at Heart
The Romance Readers Connection
"...innovative and provocative historical novel... highly recommended..."
Full Review | Full Review at The Romance Readers Connection
Romance Reviews Today
"Jane Austen fans will be especially delighted with this unusual novel and its observations of Regency England by a twenty-first century female as she attempts to stay afloat in the ton."
Full Review | Full Review at Romance Reviews Today
Round Table Reviews
"Packed with humorous moments"
Full Review | Full Review at Round Table Reviews
Savvy Miss, “Best Beach Reads for Summer”
"If, like Courtney, Pride and Prejudice is your 'drug of choice,' Rigler’s book will be a perfect read for you this summer!"
Full Review | Full Review at Savvy Miss, “Best Beach Reads for Summer”
She Is Too Fond Of Books
"The novel is as interesting and engaging to a Jane Austen novice as it is to a full-fledged fan."
Full Review | Full Review at She Is Too Fond Of Books
Single Title
"...one book you must not miss...a smiling good read."
Full Review | Full Review at Single Title
Team Sugar
"Let me preface this by saying that normally I HAAAAATE Jane Austen knock offs. I have read a couple and hated them all. I am an avid Jane Austen fan and really want her integrity upheld, so the books that try to continue Darcy and Elizabeth's story and their like usually aggravate me. With that said, I would like to admit that, in this case, I am happy to be wrong. This book was sooooo good and worthwhile. It was really more than just a fun read."
Full Review | Full Review at Team Sugar
The Villanovan
"Instead of simply mimicking the brilliant 19th-century authoress, Laurie Viera Rigler's 'Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict' lives and breathes Austen - literally."
Full Review | Full Review at The Villanovan
What I'm Reading
"In smoothly elegant phrasing reminiscent of Austen, Rigler sets Courtney to unraveling the mystery of Jane’s complicated love life, not to mention the perplexing burp in time. ...Rigler’s magically scientific answers reveal why this homage is a cut above the usual Austen fan fare. "
Full Review | Full Review at What I'm Reading
AUTHOR ENDORSEMENTS
Marisa de los Santos, author of LOVE WALKED IN and BELONG TO ME
"A rich, saucy lark of a book for all of us who have ever looked at our lives and marveled, 'How did I get here?'"
Masha Hamilton, author of THE CAMEL BOOKMOBILE
"I read this wonderful novel in a single sitting; Jane Austen fans will love it!"
Judith Ryan Hendricks, author of BREAD ALONE
"By turns funny, thoughtful, romantic and suspenseful, this engaging story is as brisk and delightful as ‘taking a turn in the shrubbery’ in the company of a handsome gentleman. If you’ve ever fantasized about being a Jane Austen heroine, this is your book."
Ellen Baker, author of KEEPING THE HOUSE
"Courtney's navigation of the delicate 19th century social scene and her attempts to figure out how to get back to her ‘real’ 21st century life make for a hilarious and affecting, all-around wonderful read."