Mr. Darcy Forever Vlog: Why Jane Austen?

One of the things I just love about Victoria Connelly’s Jane Austen Addicts Trilogy is how each heroine is obsessed with Jane Austen. They not only love Austen’s six novels, but she offers each of them a sort of comfort.  In A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, Katherine Roberts finds Jane Austen is the only thing keeping her sane. Needing a break from her chaotic life, Katherine sojourns to Hampshire to attend a Jane Austen Addicts conference. Oh, the solace of surrounding oneself with other Janeites. After all, people who share our love for Jane Austen are some of the kindest people.

In Dreaming of Mr. Darcy, Kay Ashton decides moving to Lyme Regis is just the thing she needs to finish her book, The Illustrated Darcy. What better inspiration for painting the seafront and Cobb than being there? It is here Kay turns to Northanger Abby and Persuasion for comfort and discernment.

Last, but surely not least, are Sara and Mia Castle from Mr. Darcy Forever, who are more like Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.  Knowing this about themselves, the sisters are able to use Austen’s characters to help them through some difficult times. It is on their annual trip to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath that they realize the healing powers of Bath.

Listen in on Sara Castle’s thoughts on why Jane Austen is still so popular and what Austen means to her.

Just like Sara, I love how timeless Austen's characters are. Sometimes when I am out shopping or at the park with my children, I like to observe people (or even my friends and family members) and find various traits in them that Austen's characters hold.

I love Austen's humor.  Her wit, irony, and the way she pokes fun at society keep me entertained. I enjoy watching Elizabeth Bennet, Catherine Morland, and Anne Elliot grow and find courage, reminding me there is always room for change.

Why do you like Jane Austen? What kind of comforts has Jane Austen provided you?

Review: Mr. Darcy Forever by Victoria Connelly

From the Publisher:

Sisters are forever...

Sarah and Mia Castle are closer than best friends and share just about everything, including a deep and abiding love for all things relating to Jane Austen. Their annual trip to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath is a highlight of their lives—until the year they discover that no matter how close two sisters may be, it's impossible to share one man between them. Even ifhe does seem like their own perfect Mr. Darcy, if one wins him, won' t both of them lose?

Planning a staycation this summer? Whether you are a Janeite, travel enthusiast, or romantic, Victoria Connelly offers a stress-free, cost-free, delightful getaway. Through her trilogy, Connelly takes readers to Hampshire in A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, Lyme Regis in Dreaming of Mr. Darcy and Bath in Mr. Darcy Forever.  Jane Austen Addicts Trilogy is the perfect summer read, allowing readers to escape reality and voyage to the beautiful sights of England and experience flirty romance first hand.

In the pages of Connelly’s novel, you will visit the Royal Crescent, Pump Room, Pultney Bridge, the Circus, and spend a week in Devon at Barton Cottage. It was here I could see the myriad of colors the scenery offered: pink and red campions, bluebells and lush green fields. I watched women in Regency dresses, adorned with bonnets and reticules, and men in tight breeches promenade through the Royal Crescent. It was as if I was a passerby, observing the elegantly dressed people and seeing firsthand the beautiful stonework and history of Bath. It’s these breathtaking sights that make each book memorable.

Similar to the other two books in the trilogy, in Mr. Darcy Forever, we are given two romances for the price of one! Sisters, Sara and Mia Castle, normally attend the Jane Austen Festival in Bath together each year. However, after a falling out, the two have not spoken nor attended the festival for three years. Throughout the story, the reader is taken back in time to Sara and Mia’s holiday at Barton Cottage and slowly given the sordid details behind their row. The transitions between present day Bath and the Barton Cottage flashbacks flow smoothly. I could not put down the book because I had to know what kind of guy could come between these best friends.

Coming face to face with their pain, each sister finds the healing power in talking about the past three years. Having opened up about their private struggles, there is an immediate bond formed between each sister and her new beau. Could these guys be the Mr. Darcys Sarah and Mia have been searching for? While their relationships do move rather fast, it did not bother me because they connected on such an emotional level already. And hey, any guy willing to enter a Mr. Darcy wet t-shirt competition must be a keeper, right?

I loved how many characters from A Weekend with Mr. Darcy and Dreaming of Mr. Darcy make cameos. It was like bumping into old friends. This was such fun trilogy; I cannot believe it is over. I really enjoyed my sojourns to Hampshire, Lyme Regis and Bath.

Those who find yourselves as sad as I am that the trilogy is over, put away your hankies, for Ms. Connelly is planning a novella sequel for Kindle called Christmas with Mr. Darcy, which will unite the main characters from each trilogy as they attend a special conference at Purley Hall in Hampshire.

*Stop by Thursday to watch my vlog for Mr. Darcy Forever!*

Mr. Darcy Forever
Available on Amazon
Available on Barnes and Noble
Available on Sourcebooks

Victoria Connelly's website: http://victoriaconnelly.com/
Twitter: @VictoriaDarcy
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