Kelsey Edmundson is a geek and proud of it. She makes no secret of her love for TV, movies, and, most especially, books. After a bad breakup, she retreats into her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, wishing she had some of the wit and spirit of Elizabeth Bennett.
One night at a party Kelsey meets handsome Australian bartender Mark Barnes. From then on, she always seems to run into him when she least expects it. No matter how Kelsey tries, she always seems to say the wrong thing.
After a particularly gaffe-filled evening around Mark, Kelsey is in desperate need of inspiration from Jane Austen. She falls asleep reading Darcy’s letter to Lizzy and awakens to find herself in an unfamiliar place that looks and sounds suspiciously like her favorite book. Has she somehow been transported into Pride and Prejudice, or is it just a dream?
As Kelsey tries to discover what’s happening to her, she must also discover her own heart. Is Mark Barnes destined to be her Mr. Darcy? In the end, she must decide whether attempting to become Elizabeth is worth the risk or if being Kelsey Edmundson is enough.
Review
As many of you already know Pride & Prejudice is my absolute favorite book ever written. When I read the synopsis for Attempting Elizabeth I knew I HAD to read it. I can honestly say I wasn’t disappointed. This was a fun and fresh approach involving a beloved classic. I highly recommend this for all Austen fans!
Here are a few things I gathered from reading this book. Jessica Grey and I are kindred souls…no seriously, I swear I think she’s about as obsessed with Pride & Prejudice and all things Austen as I am. I can tell she is probably a book worm (totally not an insult), definitely a movie buff…completely obsessed with Star Wars and she loves the BBC version of Pride & Prejudice as much as I do. Yes, Colin Firth is the ONLY Darcy that counts! I loved every minute of this book. I won’t lie, there are a few moments that dragged, BUT overall I found the story to be exceptional and unique.
Attempting Elizabeth is a book about a young woman named Kelsey Edmundson who is quite simply put, a nerd. She meets hottie Mark Barnes at a party one night shamelessly insulting him and embarrassing herself. A series of back to back moments of awkwardness ensue and Kelsey finds herself struggling to find her footing. Her love of all things awesome (hehe)…Pride & Prejudice being at the top of that list causes her to fall into the world of Austen, seeking an opportunity to find her own Mr. Darcy, but discovering so much more than she bargained for.
This book took a surprising twist and I loved the spin. From reality to fiction and back again. I found there were some truly hilarious moments, especially for fans of the classic novel Pride & Prejudice. There are some notable references from movies, television and even books. I love the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the twists on the classic that Grey was able to construct. I felt she delved into areas of Austen’s original novel and found a way to bridge that gap. Her explanations of questions readers may have had after reading the original work is explained in a completely believable manner. I thought the character tie ins were brilliant.
I really loved this book. It made me re-read Pride & Prejudice…and of course I immediately had to see Colin Firth in action…all five hours and change of him lmaooooo. Seriously though, this is an exceptional piece of work. Kelsey’s journey is interesting. Her struggle to find a balance between fiction and reality shows how there is always something someone may want to change, but in the end what would you be willing to give up to attain the seemingly impossible and would it be worth it? This has a great ending. The story plays out well and the romance is sweet and simple. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author and again, I highly recommend this book.
*This book was provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*
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