Holidays with Jane: Thankful HeartsIt’s time for crisp weather, colorful leaves, and a Thanksgiving feast. The authors of the Holidays with Jane series bring you Holidays with Jane: Thankful Hearts with six modern-day adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels. Join your favorite heroines around the fire with a cup of hot apple cider for heart-warming takes on these classic stories.A Persuasive Visitor… Persuasive Visitor
by Cecilia Gray
Thanksgiving with your crazy family is hard enough without your rich and sexy ex-boyfriend, whom you were dumb enough to dump, showing up for the weekend. The only way it could be any worse would be if he started paying attention to another girl… which, of course, is exactly what happens to Anne Elliot. But the good thing about hitting rock bottom is that the only direction to go is up.
North by Northanger
by Jessica Grey
Kate Moore knows a lot about softball and sass…but she’s clueless when it comes to guys. Especially smart, cute, worldly guys like Henry Taylor. When Henry invites her home for Thanksgiving, Kate is over the moon. But will her propensity for acting first and thinking later mess up her chances with Henry?
Second Time’s the Charm
by Nancy Kelley
Marianne Dashwood has always believed in One True Love. But when her love isn’t true, Brandon Collins helps her pick up the pieces. Marianne dismissed her mother’s boring neighbor when they met, but his quiet personality hides depths that call to her as she gets to know him.
Will Marianne’s dedication to the ideal of One True Love leave her alone forever? Or will she find that with Brandon, the second time’s the charm?
Thanksgiving on Hartfield Street
by Jennifer Becton
When vet student Harriet “Addy” Woodhouse returns home to Highbury, Georgia, for Thanksgiving, she longs to relax and spend time with her father, her sister Emma, and her best friend Martin. But Emma’s incessant meddling causes Addy to hatch her own cunning plan, which not only threatens to ruin the entire Thanksgiving celebration, but reveals the secret loves of both sisters’ hearts.
Melanie Perceived
by Rebecca M. Fleming
For as long as she can remember, Melanie Frances Price has loved Eddie. Growing up next door to the wealthy Bertrams, she is used to being his shadow – they are inseparable, the “Eddie & Frankie Show.” With post-college plans on the horizon, she hopes the friendship will (finally) develop into more. But when MaryJo Crawford waltzes onto the scene, changing everything, Melanie must decide what is really worth fighting for.
The Construction of a Heart
by Melissa Buell
Elizabeth Bennet credits the success of Bennet Homes to her close-knit family, however dysfunctional they might be. The Meryton Chamber of Commerce calls on local businesses to host the annual All-Town Thanksgiving Feast. Unfortunately, Elizabeth is paired up with pretentious businessman Will Darcy of Pemberley Estates, her main rival in the construction business. Will Elizabeth be able to fill up her Thankful Jar this year?
Approximate word count: 84k words
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“Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery.” Jane Austen
The book blurb did a great job in giving a quick synopsis of each of the stories. There is no need for me to do the same, so I will just share my thoughts. You have six JAFF [Jane Austen Fan Fiction] authors drawing straws… well, perhaps it didn’t happen exactly that way. They may not have drawn straws, but they did have to decide who would write which classic. Having decided that, our authors took Austen’s words, outline, and story line and created their own story using similar names in some cases, and modern references and situations in others.
1) A Persuasive Visitor: Celia Gray: [Rating: Moderate]: ends at 13%
“She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.” Jane Austen, Persuasion
Dr. Anne Elliot pediatric doctor took the advice of Dr. Russell, her adviser, mentor, division chief and ended her budding relationship with Patrick Wentworth. This story picks up eight years later where he works with the national park service as a firefighter or smoke-jumper, to be more precise. I really liked this story. It was steamy but it held true to the tone of Austen’s Persuasion.
2) North By Northanger: Jessica Grey: ends at 32%
“If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.” Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey
Kate Moore came from a sports family. Her father was a coach, she had a softball scholarship at Abbey College, and her brother, James Moore, was a famous football star [quarterback for the NFL]. Henry Taylor, a theology student, invites her home for Thanksgiving. There she meets his mother, NY [2nd term] State Senator Bethany Taylor, and his sister Lana, who is 17-years old. This was a cute clean story that kept the character of Austen’s story and the HEA we expect. There are limitations as the characters are young… so, we really only have the early stages of their relationship.
3) Second Time’s the Charm: Nancy Kelley: ends at 50%
“The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much.” Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
Marianne Dashwood believes in ‘One True Love.’ When Will Hoffman, [her one true love], turns out to be a dud, she is thrown into a tailspin. Neighbor and friend Brandon Collins comes to her rescue and tries to show her that not all is lost. I love the use of the names from canon in Allenham College and Delaford University. Characters remain true to Austen’s blueprint. We have the romantic Marianne, steadfast Elinor, conflicted Edward, and a Lucy Steele that is not averse to using modern technology to secure her man. This was so cute.
4) Thanksgiving on Hartfield Street: Jennifer Becton: ends at 66% [Rating: Steamy]
“It’s such a happiness when good people get together.” Jane Austen, Emma
Our author did something I’ve not seen before. This story is from the POV [point-of-view] of Harriet who is Emma’s adopted sister. She is Harriet [Addy] Smith Woodhouse, doctor of veterinary medicine. This switch was so cool.
Emma Woodhouse worked at a tiny local TV station [Channel Four] as a nightly news anchor. And like canon was a tiny bit meddlesome… OK… she was a lot meddlesome. She loved to meddle help others be the best they could be. She refuses to think that Martin Roberts [farmer/rancher] is good enough for her sister Addy. And Liam Knightley will help Emma adjust to her mistakes.
Philip Elton, attorney, is running for City Council and is trying to wheedle funds from the wealthy Mr. Woodhouse. August is his campaign manager. Yeah, right. Brick-House Gyms: partnership between Dr. Perry Brickman and Mr. Woodhouse… that was a cool twist. Frank Churchill [his stage name… yeah] works with Jane Fairfax: producer Channel Four… you can see where this is going. Cute story with a HEA that we just knew would happen.
5) Melanie Perceived: A Mansfield Park Story: Rebecca M. Fleming: ends at 79%
“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.” Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
College Campus News ‘The Lion’s Den’: Melanie Frances [Frankie] Price, Eddie Bertram: editor-in-chief. We have MaryJo Crawford and Hank Crawford: editor… I enjoyed the college feel to this. However, it didn’t grab me as Mansfield Park does, even though the author tried to remain true to the story line and characterization.
6) The Construction of a Heart: Melissa Buell: ends at 98%
“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
I loved this story because Pride & Prejudice is my favorite Austen story. Meryton Chamber of Commerce calls on local businesses to host the annual All-Town Thanksgiving Feast. This year’s hosts are Bennet Homes and Pemberley Estates… rivals in the construction and renovation business. I loved all our characters even with the slight name changes. I did not think it distracted from the story. Their characteristics remained true to canon and their behavior was consistent with their roles in P&P. I always love seeing how Darcy and Elizabeth get together.