This is a review I wrote almost two years ago and posted on Indie Jane. Unfortunately, it was lost. I was asked recently if I had read it, and I knew I had, so after some digging I found a copy on my documents. (Which is a miracle after so many updates on pages my old documents don't work anymore!) So, after a few edits, I thought I would re-post here!
When I’m With You (The Jane Austen Academy Series #3) by Cecilia Gray Publication Date: First published on December 22, 2012
Publisher: Gray Life, LLC
Pages: 129
Received: E-copy from author.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
When I’m With You: A Modern Retelling of Northanger Abbey is the third book of the Jane Austen Academy Series. Cecilia Gray brings this Regency classic to the present day, putting her spin on it in a fun and clever way!
Kat Morley is a star on stage, at least she is at the Jane Austen Academy. She knows her characters and delivers their lines well, but in real life she doesn’t quite fit in. She never knows what to say, and often feels like an outsider. She agrees to spend her Christmas holiday helping out a classmate, Josh Wickham while he’s on set filming his part in a horror movie. This part is important for Josh, who’s trying to make a comeback after taking a couple of years off. Kat agrees to be his personal assistant in the hope of catching the break she needs to get into the business herself.
While on set, she meets Henry Trenton, one of the co-stars of the movie. Henry is playing a serial killer in the film. He is an interesting character, a man of many hats, literally! He likes to wear different types of hats depending on his mood and what he is wearing. Kat is awestruck and is crushing on him.
I love the whole boarding school aspect of the story. Although, most of this story happens during winter break, away from school. I also liked to see how Gray worked aspects of Northanger into this story.
I could relate to Kat’s character; I’ve been there. I never know what to say. I often feel overlooked, and not part of the crowd. I don’t know if she realized it, but she made friends quickly on set and was well respected.
I really enjoyed When I’m With You! I haven’t read the first two books, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything. I felt it could stand alone. Although, I could see some threads that must continue through the series, for example, a mystery about the new owners of the Jane Austen Academy and what their plans for the school’s future are. Now, I’m going to have to read the first two, and I’ll be looking forward to the next three!
FTC Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of the story from the author for my honest review.
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BTW, I'm not sure how long When I'm With You will be on sale, but right now it's free!! (check before buying!)
Connect with Cecilia Gray
Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!
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