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Bookworm

In Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, Jane Mansfield who is from Regency England, wakes up in the body of Courtney Stone, current day in Los Angeles. At first Jane thinks she is dreaming, and wills herself to wake up.
Courtney’s friends explain to Jane that she hit her head pretty hard while in a swimming pool and that her ‘confusion’ might just be a concussion. Her friends are also wondering why Courtney is now talking as if she just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel.
The last thing Jane remembers is riding her horse and bumping her head while taking a fall. While in Courtney’s apartment, she finds copies of Jane Austen books as well as movie version of the novels. She begins to read the books and watch the films.

I do not know how I come to be in this time, in this place, in this body. But I do know that any place where there are six novels by the author of Pride & Prejudice must be a very special sort of heaven.

Jane is in shock to see so many differences in society. Besides television, cell phones, internet, cars and radio, Jane is stunned to see ladies unchaperoned, working and exposing so much skin. As the story goes on, Jane is getting flashbacks of Courtney’s life. She realizes she has alot to figure out and wants to help Courtney set things straight. One thing Jane does find out is that both she and Courtney were unlucky in love at the time they switched bodies. With the help of her friend Deepa, Jane winds up going to a fortune teller who does seem to be other wordly and has some answers to Jane’s questions. As Jane is trying to adjust to current day L.A., she is also wondering how and if she can ever get back to her former life.

I had been eagerly awaiting this book. Having read and really enjoyed Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and seeing what happened to Courtney while she lived in Jane’s body, I was very curious to see what happens with Jane while she inhabits Courtney’s body. Laurie does answer some of the questions, and she leaves the ending a bit open. I wonder will there be a third book?

If you’re in the mood for a fun, light read, pick up a copy of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, you won’t regret it! First of course, you have to read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict . These books are the perfect read for Jane Austen fans. The way Laurie writes, you can tell she is a true lover of Austen’s work. I like how she refers to Jane Austen novels throughout both books.

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