Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict Hardcover - 2009

by Laurie Viera Rigler

The eagerly anticipated sequel to Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Laurie Viera Rigler's debut novel, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict,was a hit with fans and critics, and a BookSense and Los AngelesTimes bestseller. Its open-to-interpretation ending left readers beggingfor more-and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict delivers.While Confessions took twenty-first-century free spirit Courtney Stoneinto the social confines of Jane Austen's era, Rude Awakenings tells theparallel story of Jane Mansfield, a gentleman's daughter from RegencyEngland who inexplicably awakens in Courtney's overly wired and morallyconfused L.A. life.

For Jane, the modern world is not wholly disagreeable. Her apartmentmay be smaller than a dressing closet, but it is fitted up with lights thatburn without candles, machines that wash bodies and clothes, and aglossy rectangle in which tiny people perform scenes from her favoritebook, Pride and Prejudice. Granted, if she wants to travel she mayhave to drive a formidable metal carriage, but she may do so withouta chaperone. And oh, what places she goes! Public assemblies that pulsatewith pounding music. Unbound hair and unrestricted clothing. Thefreedom to say what she wants when she wants-even to men withouta proper introduction.

Jane relishes the privacy, independence, even the power to earn herown money. But how is she to fathom her employer's incomprehensibledictates about "syncing a BlackBerry" and "rolling a call"? How can shenavigate a world in which entire publications are devoted to brides butflirting and kissing and even the sexual act itself raise no matrimonialexpectations? Even more bewildering are the memories that are nother own. And the friend named Wes, who is as attractive and confusingto Jane as the man who broke her heart back home. It's enough tomake her wonder if she would be better off in her own time, where atleast the rules are clear-that is, if returning is even an option.