03 December 2014

Jane Austen's First Love by Syrie James (Holiday Blog Tour and Giveaway)





BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In the summer of 1791, fifteen-year-old Miss Jane Austen is determined to accomplish three things: to do something useful, write something worthy, and fall madly in love. While visiting at Goodnestone Park in Kent for a month of festivities in honor of her brother's engagement to Miss Elizabeth Bridges, Jane meets the boy-next-door—the wealthy, worldly, and devilishly handsome Edward Taylor, heir to Bifrons Park, and hopefully her heart! Like many of Jane’s future heroes and heroines, she soon realizes that there are obstacles—social, financial, and otherwise—blocking her path to love and marriage, one of them personified by her beautiful and sweet tempered rival, Charlotte Payler.

Unsure of her own budding romance, but confident in her powers of observation, Jane distracts herself by attempting to maneuver the affections of three other young couples. But when her well-intentioned matchmaking efforts turn into blundering misalliance, Jane must choose between following her own happily-ever-after, or repairing those relationships which, based on erroneous first impressions, she has misaligned.

In September 1796, Jane Austen wrote in a letter that she has passed by the estate of Bifrons, "the abode of him, on whom I once fondly doated."  "Him" is Edward Taylor and Syrie James has taken this mysterious nugget and spun a tale of fifteen-year-old Jane Austen and her first crush in 1791.

Seventeen-year-old Edward Taylor, heir to Bifrons, makes a favorable impression on the young Jane when he and his friend Tom Payler stop to rescue Jane, Cassandra, and their brother Charles when their carriage becomes stuck in the mud.  Edward is cosmopolitan, cultured, educated, good-natured, and handsome, all qualities perfectly designed to entrance an intelligent, ambitious, and sheltered young woman.  Their paths cross frequently with all the fêtes, balls, and visits held in honor of Jane's brother and his fiancée (and her sister and that sister's fiancée, who got unexpectedly engaged....).  Jane also sharpens her powers of observation (and her tongue) by observing the self-aggrandizing, unimaginative Lady Bridges and her daughters, the gregarious Sir Brook, various other neighbors, and, frustratingly, Miss Charlotte Payler - Tom Payler's younger sister and Jane's rival for Edward Taylor's affections.

Syrie James effortlessly captures the sweetness of teenage crushes - the uncertainty, the wish to impress, jealously, and the sudden certainty that, yes, this person above all others is destined to be your one-and-only.  But readers know, simply by the introduction to the novel, that this teenage love is destined to be bittersweet.  Jane herself tells us that she "once" was fond of Edward Taylor and James does a remarkable job giving the reader an engaging romantic plot while staying true to the biographical history of her very famous protagonist.

In addition to the marriage plot(s) Janeites and sharp readers will delight in picking out lines, scenes, and characters that James has borrowed from Austen's novels.  Sir Brook is an analogue to Sir John Middleton, from Sense and Sensibility.  Lady Bridges is a bit like a more-aware version of Lady Bertram from Mansfield Park.  Jane horses around by climbing a high wall to impress Edward Taylor, much like Louisa does to impress Captain Wentworth in Persuasion (don't worry, Jane is quite all right).  She even suffers from a combination of Elizabeth Bennet's prejudicial first impressions and Emma's blind but well-meant match-making.  These are lovely distractions from the separation we know comes at the end of the novel.

Jane Austen's First Love by Syrie James is available now, wherever books are sold (Penguin and BN).

AUTHOR BIO:

Syrie James, hailed as “the queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings” by Los Angeles Magazine, is the bestselling author of nine critically acclaimed novels that have been translated into 18 languages. Her books have been awarded the Audio Book Association Audie, designated as Editor’s Picks by Library Journal, named a Discover Great New Writer’s Selection by Barnes and Noble, a Great Group Read by the Women’s National Book Association, and Best Book of the Year by The Romance Reviews and Suspense Magazine. Syrie is a member of the WGA and lives in Los Angeles. Please visit her at syriejames.com, Facebook or say hello on Twitter @SyrieJames.


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Grand Giveaway Contest

Win One of Five Fabulous Jane Austen-inspired Prize Packages



To celebrate the holidays and the release of Jane Austen's First Love, Syrie is giving away five prize packages filled with an amazing selection of Jane Austen-inspired gifts and books!

To enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment on any of the blog stops on the Jane Austen's First Love Holiday Blog Tour.

Increase your chances of winning by visiting multiple stops along the tour! Syrie's unique guest posts will be featured on a variety of subjects, along with fun interviews, spotlights, excerpts, and reviews of the novel. Contest closes at 11:59pm PT, December 21, 2014. Five lucky winners will be drawn at random from all of the comments on the tour, and announced on Syrie’s website on December 22, 2014. The giveaway contest is open to everyone, including international residents. Good luck to all!

27 comments:

  1. I didn't realize that you used some of Jane's lines in this book. What a great idea.

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    1. Hi Kimberly! As I recall, I didn't quote Jane verbatim--but in a few places, I did mischievously borrow the sentiment of some of her famous lines, and tried to give them an original spin--as if they were an early prototype of what she would write later. :)

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    2. Yep - as Syrie said, they aren't direct quotes. But you can hear echoes, as if Jane was storing up conversations around her to use when she needed them in a novel.

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  2. How wonderful to see more of the teenage Jane & to watch her fall in love :D

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  3. I have enjoyed reading this book and coming across hidden gems.

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  4. It will be interesting to read how Jane chooses to follow her own happily ever after or repair the relationships she has misaligned.

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  5. Great review! I can't wait to read this book.

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  6. Thank you so much Melissa for this wonderful review! I'm delighted that you enjoyed the novel and honored by all that you said. :)

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  7. Lovely review of Jane Austen's First Love. Syrie, I am so glad that you stay true to the biographical history. I love your attention to detail. :)

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  8. Love this book more and more

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  9. So want this book!!!! Love this writing style!

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  10. Can not wait to read this book!!

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  11. What a wonderful review!! nrslalee00@yahoo.com

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  12. Edward Taylor and his family sound like a basis for another series. I would enjoy reading about further exploits of his life and family. Thank you for the giveaway. This book is a must for me.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment, Denise. After you read Jane Austen's First Love I'd love it if you'd visit me at my website www.syriejames.com and/or at https://www.facebook.com/syriejames--and tell me what you think! Happy reading and happy holidays!

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  13. This sounds like a fascinating book. It's on my Christmas wish list!

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  14. I like this blog tour, thank you for inspairing us!

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    1. You're most welcome, Loren. So glad you're enjoying the blog tour. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy Jane Austen's First Love!

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  15. It sounds delightful!

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  16. Can't wait to read this book!

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  17. I think I will also love to notice scenes and characters borrowed from Jane Austen novels. It always makes me smile when I notice that in books from other authors. =)

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  18. It is wonderful to know there will will some lines in the book from Jane's. I wonder how Jane coped with Miss Payler advances to Edward!

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  19. I am glad to know that there ate quotes from Jane Austen's books in Jane Austen's First Love. I'll have to keep an eye out for them when reading. skamper35 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  20. Syrie, love that you can write as if you were Jane Austen.

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    1. Thank you, Dina. It's always a pleasure to put on my "Jane Austen hat" and climb inside her mind, as with all three of my Austen novels. I hope you love Jane Austen's First Love! You can learn more about it at www.syriejames.com. Happy reading!

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  21. This looks really good and I would love to read it.
    dez3b@yahoo.com

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  22. I so look forward to this new take on an old favorite author, from my most favorite country. rickjess@sbcglobal.net

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