October 26, 2009
This delightful sequel to Rigler's Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
has 19th-century Jane Mansfield switching bodies and milieus with contemporary L.A. girl Courtney Stone. As Jane grasps the idea that she's a different person in an unimaginable world, and grapples with the radically liberal social mores, dress and language, she leans on Jane Austen's novels as touchstones to reality. Kate Reading performs the first-person narration with a cultured tones and accent befitting an upper-class Regency-era young lady. Her skill as a versatile voice performer becomes evident as dialogue introduces modern American characters, and she skillfully modulates her accent, dialect and tones to accommodate them. The romantically suspenseful story and the entertaining vocal interpretation will keep romance listeners enthralled and amused. A Dutton hardcover.
June 1, 2009
In Riglers debut, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict (2008), twenty-first-century Los Angelino and die-hard Jane Austen lover Courtney Stone woke up in 1813 in the body of Jane Mansfield. This sequel, every bit as charming and readable as the first installment, answers the question of what happened to Jane Mansfieldwhen she woke up in Courtneys body. Jane is just as confused as Courtney was, and has no idea what to make of the square box playing out scenes from her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, the impossibly numerous motorized carriages, or Wes, Courtneys handsome friend who is soconcerned about her welfare. Just as Courtney did, Jane gradually starts to realize this strange new life isnt a dream as she confrontsthe cold reality of Courtneys unpaid bills, her thankless and demanding job, and her seductive, most likelyunfaithful ex-fianc' Frank. Perfect for Austenites regardless of whether theyve read the predecessor or not, Riglers second novels exploration of a Regency-era girl acclimating to present-day Los Angeles is nothing short of delightful.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)