I have two books are that I would like to mention that are fictional, yet the main focal point of each book is Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Austen is a well known English author whose work dates back to the early 1800's. Some her works include Emma, Sense & Sensibility, and Persuasion. With millions of fans, Austen is a woman that is highly thought of in the literary world. So let's all celebrate Women's History Month by singing the praises of Ms. Jane Austen!
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman 2007
Enthusiasm is just adorable. The story begins with Julie Lefkowitz a kind of shy and quiet tall girl who has an off the hook friend Ashleigh who has some of the most insane and wild ideas a teenager could ever come up with. As it happens Julie has been love-struck by a handsome young stranger she has only seen a few times, but has never spoken to. One day Ashleigh decides her new craze is going to be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and she becomes obsessed with becoming Elizabeth Bennett and finding her own Mr. Darcy! This behavior completely describes why Ashleigh is the enthusiast in this story. Her whole life and of course her best friend Julie’s life must be turned upside down and filled with the language, dress, and mannerisms of Jane Austen’s novel which takes place in the late 17th century. Ashleigh’s latest enthusiastic plan involves crashing a boy’s private school dance and meeting her very own Mr. Darcy and dragging Julie along for the ride. Of all the things to happen, the girls end up meeting Grandison Parr who just happens to be Julie’s secret crush. And who do you think falls head over heels for Parr? The enthusiast sees Parr as a gentleman worthy of being Mr. Darcy indeed. This is Shulman’s first novel and a very good one. It has a solid storyline, believable characters and real life situations that many teenagers go through in their lives. Ashleigh’s schemes may be off the hook, but in the end her enthusiasm may be just the thing that Julie loves most about her. And let’s just say that Julie may end up with her very own Mr. Darcy thanks to Ashleigh.
Scones & Sensibility by Lindsay Eland 2010
Polly has such good intentions! With her head filled with romantic dreams of matchmaking, and her bicycle-basket filled with pastries from her parents' bakery, she embarks on a summer delivering parcels. Sometimes the parcels have been ordered--and sometimes they haven't! Polly delights in taking on the role of go-between for couples she wants to match up, pretending each has ordered treats for the other. The havoc that ensues is simply delicious, for Polly is so busy listening to her own ideas about what love should be that she fails, again and again, to listen to what people are telling her plain and simple. In the end, she learns that she's been leaving out an important ingredient in her recipe for love, namely reality. Humbled, but still believing in true love, she delivers a fresh perspective. This book is truly delightful. Polly has such a romantic soul and her story delivers a yummy bite of goodness for just about everyone!
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