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Book Reviews of By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England

By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England
By a Lady Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England
Author: Amanda Elyot
ISBN-13: 9781400097999
ISBN-10: 1400097991
Publication Date: 3/28/2006
Pages: 384
Rating:
  • Currently 3.1/5 Stars.
 38

3.1 stars, based on 38 ratings
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

7 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
I found this account of New York actress C.J. Welles' accidental time travel into the life and times of Jane Austen an adventurous and well written peek into late 18th/early 19th century life. The plot is well paced and the period details lend an air of authenticity to the tale. This is a pleasurable read for Jane Austen, history, and theater fans alike.
reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 270 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
Took awhile to get into, but once the main part of the book got started, was hard to put down. Once you are "transported" back into Jane Austen's time it is wonderfully written as she goes back and forth in time.
reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 620 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
A well-researched and written time-travel Regency ... loved it!
reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 23 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I really liked this book. I often have a hard time with time travel stories, but this one did it just right. The characters are well developed, the writing style is smooth, and the time travel issue is resolved very well in the end. The story is funny and sweet and romantic, with some serious bits mixed in. I will not be giving this book back to PBS for swapping anytime soon. I liked it so much that I have read it several times and will probably read it again from time to time. I highly recommend it!
LittleLadies avatar reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 44 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
WARNING: To whom it may concern: This story has eplicit sexual content. I do not reccomend you order this book for your young Jane Austin fan.
dizz avatar reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 643 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I had heard good things about this book, but I was disappointed.

The first parts of the book, in which the heroine goes to auditions, steps through time and has her first direct experience of regency life (and it's all the downside of it, which was considerable), were interesting reading, but after that the stereotypes set in and things went downhill. The man the heroine falls in love with is such a stereotypical regency hero that he's pure cardboard through & through. I was left with the feeling that the author didn't really know where it was all going when she started off.

If you want to read some good regencies with some substance to them, then books by Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, Carla Kelly, Marion Chesney, Diane Gaston, Edith Layton or Barbara Metzger are much better bets.
MPMP avatar reviewed By a Lady : Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England on + 30 more book reviews
Very disappointing. Illogical plot, stilted writing, and poor characterizations.