The Jane Austen Marriage Manual [Paperback]

Kim Izzo (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 22, 2012

Katherine Shaw—Kate— is happy with her life. She has supportive friends, a glamorous magazine career, and a love of all things Jane Austen. But when she loses her job, her beloved grandmother falls ill and a financial disaster forces a sale on the family home, Kate finds herself facing a crisis that would test even the most stalwart of Austen heroines.

Friends rally round, connecting her to freelance gigs, and presenting her with a birthday gift— title to land in Scotland—that’s about to come in very handy. Turns out that Kate’s first freelance assignment is to test an Austen-inspired theory: in the toughest economic times is a wealthy man the only must-have accessory? What begins as an article turns into an opportunity as Kate—now Lady Kate—jet-sets to Palm Beach, St Moritz and London where, in keeping company with the elite, she meets prospects who make Mr. Darcy look like an amateur. But will rubbing shoulders with men of good fortune ever actually lead her to love? And will Kate be able to choose between Mr. Rich and Mr. Right?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Clever, engaging and entertaining, Kim Izzo's delightful novel is a must-read for Austen die-hards (which means all of us!) and a fun and funny take on modern marriage. Life begins at 40, don't forget it--Jane would agree!" --Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times bestselling author of Witches of East End

“An engaging and amusing read full of clever allusions to Austen, The Jane Austen Marriage Manual … dares to explore a desire that most modern women would deny, namely the wish for a Mr. Darcy who will sweep us off our feet and pay off all our credit cards—and not necessarily in that order.” --Laurie Viera Rigler, author of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

“Kim Izzo has written a humorous and engaging modern day love story. “Kate Shaw” is a romantic who will inspire a new generation, whether they’re looking for love, or have already found it. “ --Nia Vardalos, screenwriter and actress, My Big Fat Greek Wedding

“This delightful and witty book contains a meaningful message. A very satisfying read.”--Katie Fforde, bestselling author of Summer of Love

"You don't have to love Jane Austen to fall in love with The Jane Austen Marriage Manual!  A modern take on the age old question: should we marry for love or money?" --Brenda Janowitz, author of Jack with a Twist

“A “self-professed Jane Austen addict” tries her hand at gold-digging, with disastrous and hilarious results, in Izzo’s charming first novel … Kate’s search for love contains a surfeit of laugh-out-loud moments. Spectacular descriptions of lavish, character-filled parties add further froth to the escapist fantasy.” --Publisher’s Weekly

“The Jane Austen Marriage Manual puts a timely, entertaining spin on the classic “love or money?” –Shelf Awareness, Reader’s Edition

About the Author

KIM IZZO is a journalist and best-selling author of two etiquette books including The Fabulous Girl’s Guide to Decorum. Her advice has appeared in The New York Times Sunday Style section, New York Daily News, The New Yorker, InStyle, Marie Claire, Glamour, Redbook, Real Simple, and Cosmopolitan.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (May 22, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781250003454
• ISBN-13: 978-1250003454
• ASIN: 1250003458
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,087,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for what it is trying to be June 21, 2012

By G. Dawson

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

No, this is not high-brow literature, and you're better off taking this book on a beach vacation than trying to write a senior thesis on it, but that's not a failing at all. If you go into this novel expecting something fairly light-hearted, filled with Jane Austen references, and finishing with a romantic happy ending, then you'll get exactly what you expect. On top of that, The Jane Austen Marriage Manuel is witty and well-written and contains characters that are a lot more substantive (and less predictable) than your average beach read. I generally prefer to read more literary (some would say, stuffy) books, but I enjoy the occasional detour through something lighter. The problem is that so many "lighter" books are poorly written and edited and seem to view their audience as undiscriminating and unsophisticated. The Jane Austen Marriage Manual satisfies the urge to read something light-hearted and fun without forcing you to give up your standards for intelligent writing.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Some character issues June 13, 2012

By Angela Risner VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This novel follows Kate, who has just lost her job and needs to get her hands on some cash quickly to help support her family. She embarks on a journey to learn if the ways of Regency times still hold true: that it's better to marry for money than for love and that marrying was all about position.

As you can imagine, this is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice with some Emma and other Austen novels thrown in. There are some highs and lows in the storytelling. First of all, Kate is hard to like in some aspects of the book. I understand her desperation to support her family, but it can make her character a little hard to take at times. Second of all, Kate's a writer and she's pretending to be something she's not. Yet, she's stumped by the questions she receives from those she is just meeting, questions that she should be able to answer with a simple Google.

While she has many friends, their characters are not detailed well and it can be hard to understand why they have the reactions they do or why they're even friends to begin with. As there were so many friends, it was a bit hard at time to remember who was whom. Some being in there just didn't make sense, such as Brandon, who was introduced as someone who might have been romantically involved with Kate at one time but was now a friend. Yet, he was hardly a factor in the book at all.

Overall, though, I think that there was some very good writing in this book. I would like to read more from the author to see how she grows as a writer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable and entertaining! June 10, 2012

By Laurie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read this book in just a few days time while at the beach. It was funny and relatable even though I am married with two children. "Lady Kate" and I are about the same age and I still have a few single friends so I enjoyed her antics and her "quest" to see if she could still marry well at 40. It was totally cute and I would highly recommend this book!