Synopses & Reviews
There's no place for pride in this Austen misadventure.
Chloe Parker was born two centuries too late. A thirty-nine-year- old divorced mother, she runs her own antique letterpress business, is a lifelong member of the Jane Austen Society, and gushes over everything Regency. But her business is failing, threatening her daughter's future. What's a lady to do?
Why, audition for a Jane Austen-inspired TV show set in England, of course.
What Chloe thinks is a documentary turns out to be a reality dating show set in 1812. Eight women are competing to snare Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a gorgeous estate, along with a $100,000 prize. So Chloe tosses her bonnet into the ring, hoping to transform from stressed-out Midwest mom to genteel American heiress and win the money. With no cell phones, indoor plumbing, or deodorant to be found, she must tighten her corset and flash some ankle to beat out women younger, more cutthroat, and less clumsy than herself. But the witty and dashing Mr. Wrightman proves to be a prize worth winning, even if it means the gloves are off...
Review
Praise for Definitely Not Mr. Darcy
“Entertainment in its purest form, a skirt-flying tumble of a story, and an excellent, lighthearted way to while away a quiet afternoon.”—New York Journal of Books
“A lively and engaging tale of a modern woman faced with the amusingly inelegant reality of Regency life.”—Abigail Reynolds, author of Mr. Darcys Refuge
“Composed of equal measures of romance, captivating characters, and clever writing, Definitely Not Mr. Darcy is a fun read.”—Chicago Tribune
“Doornebos gives the historical romance novel a hilarious update in this delightful debut...The amusing secondary characters, sidesplitting faux pas, and fiery romance will make Doornebos an instant hit with readers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“[A] fun, funny, and perfectly satisfying dip into the world so many of us would like to time travel back to—but with a thoroughly modern twist.”—Arielle Eckstut, coauthor of Pride and Promiscuity
“Chloe deals with Regency underwear, spiteful costars, and chamber pots with determination and sass . . . Its delightful to read an Austen-inspired novel that is funny!”—Margaret C. Sullivan, author of The Jane Austen Handbook
Synopsis
Taking it off in the name of history
Forty-year-old American social-media master Vanessa Roberts lives her thoroughly modern life with aplomb. So when her elderly Jane Austencentric aunt needs her to take on the public relations for Julian Chancellor, a very private man from England whos written a book called My Year as Mr. Darcy, Vanessa rankles at the thought.
Hardbound books, teacups, and quill pens fly in the face of her e-reader, coffee, and laptop
until she finally sees Julian take off his tight breeches for his Undressing Mr. Darcy show, an educational striptease” to promote his book. The public relations expert suddenly realizes things have gotten
personal. But can this old-fashioned man claim her heart without so much as a GPS? It will take three festivals filled with Austen fans, a trip to England, a conniving frenemy, and a sexy pirate reenactor to find out
About the Author
Karen Doornebos, author of Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, is an award-winning ad copywriter who happened to work in London for a bit. She joined the Jane Austen Society of North America as a life member to ensure a lifetime of seeing men in breeches, but she does have other interests, she assures you! Often passing off her passion for travel, the arts, history, reading, and photography as research,” she lives in a suburb of Chicago with her Dutch husband, two teenagers, various pets, and a whirlwind of activity.