Holidays with Jane: Will You Be Mine?Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day as the talented authors of the Holidays with Jane series bring you six more modern adaptations of Jane Austen’s classic novels. This candy heart is filled with chocolates, roses, and happily ever afters!Design by Chanceby Rebecca M. FlemingLife has been a series of second guesses for Gracie Elliot since she called off … Gracie Elliot since she called off her engagement to sought-after ring designer Derek Worth. Eight years later, Derek is back in Northanger, Georgia helping his sister plan a Valentine’s Gala and Gracie wonders if she has a second chance to design her love story.
Fangirl
by Jennifer Becton
Catherine Moreland is a graphic designer by day and paranormal romance fangirl by night. Hoping to live out her supernatural fantasy, she jumps at the opportunity to spend Valentine’s weekend at the most haunted inn in Savannah, Georgia. Will Catherine’s fantasy become reality? Or is she just a silly fangirl?
Accidentally in Love
by Jessica Grey
Chawton High theater teacher Marianne Wood is no stranger to drama. Her breakup with a fellow teacher is the gossip of the school. Marianne’s sworn off dating co-workers—and maybe even men in general, but every time she turns around, football coach Drew Brandon is tempting her to change her mind. As the dreaded Valentine’s Day dance approaches, will Marianne learn that drama-free doesn’t have to mean boring?
Cupid’s Secret
by Nancy Kelley
Emma Woodhouse is Highbury’s Cupid. She’s been matching her friends up since high school, and now, she owns a business sending secret admirer notes.
But as the Valentine’s Eve Gala approaches, one of her arrows goes awry. Plus, someone is wooing Jen Fairfax, and Emma doesn’t know who it is.
Can she regain her magic touch in time to find true love herself, or will Cupid have a lonely heart this Valentine’s Day?
Concealed Spark
by Melissa Buell
Living with the Bertram family in order to attend prestigious Sotherton Academy is Felicity Price’s best prospect for a college scholarship. It isn’t all bad given that she is able to see Everett Bertram frequently. Felicity hopes that the True Hearts Ball will be when Everett finally sees her true heart. After concealing love for so long, can it spark to life?
Pride and Productions
by Cecilia Gray
All actress Liz Benoit wants for Valentine’s Day is to wrap filming on the Heartfield movie so she can write the screenplay that’s been bumping around in her brain. Sure, the town of Heartfield is charming, but she’s had her fill of working side by side with insufferable producer Darcy Williams, who never wanted to cast her in the first place. Fortunately for Liz and Darcy, Heartfield has a way of making people fall in love—with the town and with each other.
Approximate word count: 79k
more
The Holidays with Jane series with six modern adaptations of Jane Austen’s classic novels.
1) Design by Chance: by Rebecca M. Fleming: ends at 11%
This Persuasion adaptation has all the buzz words that we love to hear. I was surprised to hear of people and story threads from the other Holidays with Jane book. The Crofts have purchased Kellynch Hall and are renovating it for their Croft Galleries. Sophie Croft hired interior designer Gracie Elliot to help restore the old house, whose father had sold the family estate and moved to Atlanta with Elizabeth.
2) Fangirl: by Jennifer Becton: ends at 35%
A variation, with Northanger Abbey at its core, has to have a paranormal theme. John Thorpe, his mother and sister Belle, run the Northanger Abbey B&B, somewhere in Georgia near Savannah. It is Valentine’s weekend and John has brought his ‘girlfriend’ Catherine Moreland [a graphic artist] to the B&B for a romantic weekend. He has something in particular that he wishes to speak to her about. She, on the other hand, only considers him a coworker and friend. This does not bode well.
The newly opened B&B is supposed to be haunted by the ghosts of General and Eleanora Tilney, who died in a murder-suicide on Valentine’s Day back in 1952.
Catherine meets Henry and his sister Ellie [descendants of the General], who are investigating the alleged murder-suicide. Catherine hesitates to tell them that she can see, hear and talk to the ghosts. This is sort of a mash-up of Cold Case, Ghost Whisperer and Ghost-buster. Henry, working from his Police experience tries to solve the cold case. His sister works from the ghost-busting side that helps the ghosts resolve what is holding them back. Together they solve the crime, release the ghost and all is well. This was so cute, once I got into it… it was a bit slow in building the story line.
3) Accidentally in Love: by Jessica Grey: ends at 51%
This Sense and Sensibility variation is in a high school setting with Austen’s characters as teachers. Vice Principal Ward Ferras, head football Coach Brew Brandon, Mark Willoughby, Marianne Wood and her BFF Ella Dash work at Chawton High… now that is just too cute.
4) Cupid’s Secret: by Nancy Kelley: ends at 72%
Based on Austen’s Emma, Emma Woodhouse owns and operated Cupid’s Secret a specialty store that sends cards and greetings [called Arrows] to prospective recipients. Her assistant Harriet Smith needs a date for the charity Valentine’s Eve Gala. Emma is convinced that Elton Michaels [a real estate agent] is her perfect match.
With the list of characters from Austen’s Emma, this story is based in a small-town setting with shop keepers and business associates with names very familiar to JAFF readers. Jen Fairfax [owner & barista of Mansfield Perk], Matt & Sophia Weston [success story of Cupid’s Arrows], John & Bella Knightly [another success and sister to Emma and brother to Knightley], Mrs. Goddard [high school principal], Sally Cole [sandwich shop], Mr. Perry [drug store], Frank Churchill, and Rob Martin. This was a delightful story. The setting, finding all the names of favorite characters, watching as the author seamlessly fused the Regency with modern, and Austen’s characters in a whole new world that made perfect sense. It was adorable.
5) Concealed Spark: A Mansfield Park Story: Melissa Buell: ends at 82%
Although this was a modern adaptation of MP, the author held true to the traits of Austen’s characters. Since we were dealing with a smaller core set of characters, there were several variations to the story.
I loved Everett Bertram. He was everything that Edmond demonstrated in canon. Felicity Price was the personal assistant to Mrs. Mara Bertram [who had a teacup puppy named Pug]. The Bertram daughters were Juliette and Macy [who was engaged to Jeremy Rushworth]. Since we couldn’t have Felicity Price as a relation, Mr. Thomas Bertram was a Navy buddy of her father’s. When he was relocated to Illinois, Thomas Bertram offered to let her finish her schooling with them so she would be eligible for a scholarship from the prestigious school Sotherton Academy. Oh, yes, the Crawfords were also present [Maribel and her brother Harrison]. These siblings were as devious or more so than in canon. It was a good story.
6) Pride and Productions by Cecilia Gray: ends at 98%
This P&P adaptation centers around the world of acting, film crew, movies, actors, writers, producers, directors and stage mothers. The names are slightly different and the circumstances are altered. Elizabeth Benoit [actress/writer], Darcy Williams [producer], Jorgen Wickham “Wick” [sleaze bag underwear model], Jane [not with Bingley but with Carla], and Georgina [like a sister to Darcy].
This story ends at 98% with featured examples of other Holidays with Jane.