Where Does One Buy a Magical Austenesque Journal?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

While some of us may make general life plans and long-term goals, our heroine Nicola James has taken planning her life to the extreme. Creating a “Life Plan” at the age of thirteen and strictly adhering to it for the rest of their life is not something most people are in the practice of doing. But because Nicola’s dad made promises he never kept and plans he never followed through on, Nicola has decided that everything in her life must strictly coincide and adhere to her Life Plan. Which includes: getting a MBA, buying a home, being promoted to management, and finding a sensible, sturdy, like-minded man to marry.

But Nicola’s Life Plan is put to the ultimate test when a magical journal and a sexy Scottish rocker come into the picture. Nicola must let her viselike grip on life loosen and embrace the magical, unpredictable, and weird that surrounds her…

I am in love with this quirky, offbeat, and enchanting novel! Never have I wished to be in a novel more! I want to be Nicola’s best friend, meet Sean MacInnes in the flesh, and communicate with Jane Austen through a magical journal! (How fantastic would that be?) What I loved most about this novel was the incredibly well-drawn and likable characters (especially Nic and Sean!) In addition, I loved Alyssa Goodnight’s clever channeling of Jane Austen’s ironic wit, which in my opinion was spot on. I also took great pleasure in Ms. Goodnight’s playful and relaxed tone, which at times felt very intimate. And I greatly appreciated all her awesome references to The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, and Seinfeld!

I must devote this next paragraph of my review to reflect on the über sexiness that is Sean MacInnes! Allow me to enumerate the reasons why he is sexy: he’s got a Scottish accent, plays in a band, is roguishly handsome, exudes confidence and charm, but is also spontaneous, romantic, and sincere. It is impossible for you to read Austentatious and NOT develop a crush on Sean! Go Team MacInnes!

Magnetic, compelling, and comedic – Austentatious is a novel you should not miss! This romantic and magical adventure is sure to entertain and delight fans of Jane Austen and the Austenesque genre! And the great news is that there seems to be another novel in the works for Ms. Goodnight! YAY! I can’t wait to see if the magical Austenesque journal will make another appearance!

Note: Due to some mild profanity and allusions to intimate scenes (nothing happens on stage), I’d recommend this novel for PG-13 audiences.