Austenland Meets The Bachelor

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Austenesque Jolabokaflod

TYPE OF NOVEL: Austen-Inspired Original

THE PREMISE:

Emma Brady is coerced by her business partner and best friend to be a contestant on the show Dating Mr. Darcy – not because they hope she finds love – but because they want the publicity to promote their new activewear brand. And so Emma must play the part and pretend she is looking for love and is there for “the right reasons.” But what happens when something real starts to develop off the set of this dating show? And Emma’s goals begin to change?

WHAT I LOVED:

• The Concept: I love the combination of a feisty heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and a houseful of women competing against each other! Sebastian Huntington-Ross makes an excellent Mr. Darcy, with his reserve and haughty manners. Like Emma, I was trying to figure out why he agreed to go on this dating show. I also loved seeing all the contestants spotlighted in this story. There was quite a variety of personalities, some were delusional, some were hopefully romantic, some were catty, mean girls, and some were laidback realists.

• The Jane Austen Connections: The women were there because they want to “date Mr. Darcy.” And so the contestants needed to dress the part, act with Regency etiquette, and take part of Regency activities such as learning country dances, riding horses, and displaying their musical accomplishments (that part was brilliant). It was great fun to see these modern women endure this different lifestyle and unexpected challenges. It put me in mind of Austenland a little bit.

• What Is Real?: Our heroine does not believe real love can be found on a reality TV dating show and yet she shares many real moments with Sebastian. I loved all their private conversations and the humor and honesty of their exchanges. Their playful teasing is adorbs. And when Emma starts to recognize some unexpected feelings for Sebastian she needs to figure out if they are real or is it just the “Darcy Effect?” Can you really fall in love in an artificial reality? Can the relationship survive “real life?”

• Reality Show Realities: I enjoyed how the author poked at the falseness in reality shows with their outrageous reveals, manipulations to keep “entertaining” contestants around, and determined fishing for juicy and revealing confessions.

WHAT I LIKED AND DIDN’T LIKE AT THE SAME TIME:

• Emma: Like Elizabeth Bennet, Emma is independent, headstrong, and isn’t overly concerned about what others think of her. I loved seeing her loyalty to her friends, blunt honesty, and her hilariously humbling moments of clumsiness and awkwardness. However, the one aspect of her character I did not like was how prejudiced and judgmental she was towards Sebastian. It felt a little extreme given there wasn’t as strong a provocation like Mr. Darcy’s infamous insult to support her instant dislike of him.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• Unanswered Questions: Why do these characters fall in love with each other? What admirable and attractive traits did they discover about each other? I think I needed more convincing since the romance felt a little fast and light.

CONCLUSION:

Dating Mr. Darcy is a fun and entertaining Janeite fantasy! How many of us Jane Austen fans would watch this show? I know I would! I enjoyed this playful look at fantasized love, manufactured drama, and reality TV. I’d recommend this fun read to fans of Austenland, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and other romantic comedies.

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