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Excerpt from Chapter One

"I sensed a strong presence of spirits at Twixton Manor Inn. Two distinct females… one who cannot leave and the other who won't."
—Crystal Darkhorse, psychic, in her newest travel book Haunted Destinations II

"What do you mean, no reservation?" Eleanor fought to keep her tone pleasant despite physical and emotional exhaustion. "Please look again. P-O-T-T-I-N-G-E-R."

"Noooo," the little gray-haired woman said as she watched the names scroll across her computer screen. Her plastic name tag identified her as the manager, Mrs. Ruth Simms. She turned and peered over the counter. "I'm so sorry. The Jane Austen Society is holding a conference here, and it's Regency Week. We have no vacancies." She frowned.

"Why does your name sound familiar?"
"I have a confirmation letter," Eleanor said. She stooped to dig in her carryon for the piece of paper.

"Now I remember," the woman said, her birdlike voice floating over Eleanor's head. "We received several boxes marked: Hold for E. Pottinger."

"The costumes for my fashion seminar on Friday," Eleanor explained without stopping her search. Thankful the shipment had arrived on time, she mentally crossed one item off her list of things to worry about.
"I'll have Harry fetch your boxes."
"Got it!" Eleanor stood with the prized confirmation letter held high.

Unfortunately, the shutters had been drawn across the opening of the registration counter. She looked around for a bell or buzzer and noted the changes made since her last visit two years earlier. The service counter was newly built into the doorway that had previously led to a cozy room once known as the ladies' parlor.

The impressive entrance hall with its sweeping staircase, marble floor, and carved paneling looked a bit… well, less elegant than she remembered. A modern fixture replaced the original crystal chandelier, and the suit of armor standing guard near the front door could use a good polish. To the left of the entrance, double doors led to the main parlor where a number of guests milled around, most in Regency dress, all with those silly stick-on name tags.

A wave of exhaustion swept over Eleanor. She desperately needed sleep after fifteen hours of travel. She knocked on the shutter. A few moments later, she knocked again.
A young woman, much tattooed and pierced, opened one shutter and responded. "Gram has gone to fetch Harry. You might as well have a seat." She gestured toward a wooden bench that looked like it had once been a church pew. "It'll be a while. He's out having a smoke." She sucked air between her thumb and forefinger, indicating more than a plain cigarette. "Either that or he's fiddling with that old motorcycle some guy left here instead of paying his bill. Either way, Gram won't find him anytime soon, especially if he hears her coming."

"I have my reservation confirmation."
The girl took the paper with the same enthusiasm she might accept a traffic ticket. She tapped on the computer keyboard and looked in an old-fashioned ledger. "It says you cancelled your reservation. The bridal suite?" She looked up, obviously curious.
Eleanor was not about to share with a stranger that her fiancé had dumped her for a tall, bosomy blonde talent agent who'd promised to make him a movie star.

"Bummer," the girl said.

What an adorable book. I have read Jane Austen books but wouldn’t consider myself a Jane Austin-ophile. So while the premise of this book was interesting to me - I didn’t anticipate that it would grab me and make me want to keep reading like it did.

Really Laurie Brown took a story that would be otherwise engaging and added a touch of a literary heroine to it in order to bring it together in even a better way. Yes, if you expect it to be mostly about Jane Austen you would be disappointed - but the story gives you so much more it is great.

You don’t know who the man is that Eleanor is to save. Is the good guy the man that she is attracted to and can’t help but be attracted to him either? Especially if he can’t remember where he came from? Or is the guy the brother of the sister’s that sent her back in time? It all is a fun story that keeps you intrigued. I also love that how with most time travel romances - the heroine either has no clue what to do - or seems to know exactly what to do. With this story it is all explained by the heroine’s love of Jane Austen. Her books taught her so much about life lessons and other things that she knew what was acceptable and what wasn’t.

A wonderful happy ending story that I highly recommend!


Recently dumped by her cheating fiance, Eleanor Pottinger is an expert
on Regency aristocratic fashion. She is currently working as a designer
for a Jane Austen festival during Regency Week. However, she is bit
taken aback to find her room at the old inn is preoccupied.
Nonplussed Eleanor meets the ghosts of sisters Mina and Deirdre
Cracklebury. The trio negotiates a deal in which Eleanor will go back to
18 14 to prevent a deadly duel between their brother Teddy and Lord
Shermont in exchange to them introducing her to Jane Austen. As she
and Shermont flirt outrageously with one another, Eleanor must decide
between sense and sensibility; she needs to choose either the active sex
of a lifetime or a passive meeting with a writer even as she considers
WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?.
Though Jane is a minor player, Eleanor and Shermont are wonderful
leads and the ghostly sisters great support as Laurie Brown provides a
whimsical time travel romance. The story line is fast-paced and filled
with twists. This is Eleanor’s tale as she tries to make the right choices
considers her mantra: WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? In this
situation.
Harriet Klausner
Senior Reviewer

Eleanor Pottinger, a costume designer, has come to England to participate in a Jane Austen Festival. With reservations made she arrives a bit jet-lagged and wants nothing more than to check into her room and pass out, but alas her reservation had been messed up and she was offered the ‘tower suite’ not generally let out as it was haunted. Not believing in ghosts, especially on the word of the bimbo at the front desk, Eleanor accepted. But of course, the room was home to ghosts, precisely two sisters who were delighted with Eleanor and went about convincing her that tghey were indeed spirits and would greatly appreciate her help in coming back in time to 1) meet the real Jane Austen, and 2) help them to prevent the duel that would kill their beloved brother. Not quite believing them Eleanor would agree to anything if they would just let her sleep. When Eleanor awoke she found herself back in the 1800’s and swept up into a house party where she encounters the very sexy but mysterious Lord Shermont and finds herself embroiled in a Napoleonic spy ring where she is the main suspect! She had to ask herself – “What would Jane Austen do?”

What a totally delightful time travel romance! WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? is an captivating and light hearted historical read with charming characters especially the two ghosts, Deidre and Mina in the present and their physical selves in the 1800’s. While Deidre and Mina were funny and witty in their ghost forms, they were simply adorable as the innocent and naïve young women that had not really lived life back in the Regency era.

Eleanor was a wonderful character who made her first mistake of ordering the ghostly sisters to stay out of her way which they took to heart. Unfortunately, at the time of the banishment Eleanor really didn’t realize that she had traveled back in time, just thought what marvelous costumes people were wearing for the re-enactment festival. By the time she figured out that this was not a re-enactment but the real deal, Eleanor was a bit lost in trying to fit into the Regency mold and which of the sisters she was supposed to protect. I loved the way the author showed how different modern life was to the simple tasks of living during the period. The way Eleanor figured out how to make some dental floss was quite ingenious and I’ll never take my hot and cold running water in a shower for granted again – neither would Eleanor!

The chemistry between the mysterious Lord Shermont and Eleanor was quite believable. Their many encounters as he tried to reconcile himself that Eleanor might just be the spy he was looking for, and she thinking he was the rake that would be the cause of the ruin of one of the sisters was lovely. Their budding awareness of each other was beautifully sensual but not overly sexual and I thought extremely well-done.

Bottom Line: WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? is a must read for Jane Austen fans even though Ms. Austen does not play more than a cameo appearance. Ms. Brown made her characters come to life providing a nice combination of mystery and romance both memorable and entertaining.


This time travel romance novel has a great hook in the title – Jane Austen’s name, and we all know that it caught your attention, cuz, you’re reading my review!

When an author sets out to ‘entrap’ (or more kindly stated) ‘entice’ us into noticing their book over all of the other thousands of books published each year by choosing a catchy title, it’s called clever marketing. Add to that, a provocative cover sporting a set of six-pack abs that we hoped we might find under Mr. Darcy’s wet shirt, and the façade of a Regency manor house a la Pemberley, and you know that they have really pulled out all the stops to make a sale. Let’s hope they can deliver the goods. After all, if the author was in doubt at any point in writing their story, all they had to do for a solution was to ask what Jane Austen would do, right?

Heroine Eleanor Pottinger is a costume designer from Los Angeles who arrives in Hampshire, England for Regency Week jetlagged and downtrodden after being unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend. She has booked her accommodations at Twixton Manor Inn, an eighteenth-century grand manor house converted into a hotel whose staff has lost her reservation and must put her up in the only room left available – the haunted one that they never use. Undaunted, Eleanor just wants sleep and does not care if she shares it with anyone, spectral or otherwise. When the two ghostly sisters Mina and Deirdre materialize to haunt her, she strikes a bargain with them to travel back to Regency times to thwart a deadly duel that kills their brother Teddy if they will in turn introduce her to their neighbor, her favorite author Jane Austen. Eleanor awakens in 1814 to meet the sisters and their family living at Twixton Manor with a house full of guests including hunky rake Lord Shermont, an agent for the crown who is secretly hunting for a Napoleonic spy among them. Eleanor quickly becomes his chief suspect. Motivated to meet Jane Austen, Eleanor engages in a week of social activities to discover which of the sister’s honor will be compromised provoking Teddy into duel with Shermont. Somehow she must figure out how to alter history and avert the deed and save his life. As a twenty-first century woman, Eleanor struggles with the Regency lifestyle and often asks herself “what would Jane Austen do?” in the same situation which works beautifully until romance gets in the way as she is courted by Teddy and the known womanizer Lord Shermont. Questioning their motives may be the key to her unraveling the mystery and discovering if she has fallen in love with a spy or an Austen-esque hero.

Author Laurie Brown has pulled together elements of several genres – historical romance, spy thriller, time travel, and Jane Austen – in an ambitious endeavour. The plot moved very quickly and was evenly paced. Contrary to scandalous rumor, I do enjoy historical romance novels, which What Would Jane Austen Do? would qualify. I have two requirements in my romance reading that this novel satisfied; — that the characters are believable and the plot has substance. I enjoyed traveling back in time with Eleanor, meeting Lord Shermont and of course encountering Jane Austen. Who wouldn’t? Brown obviously researched her Regency history and has read Austen’s novels quoting characters and scenes (though I must correct her reference to Knightley criticizing Emma Woodhouse after the picnic at Boxhill where she had treated Jane so badly! It was Miss Bates who was abused not Jane Fairfax.). Taken as a fun and frothy summer read, I have very few quibbles. However, when an author chooses to use Jane Austen or her characters that ups the ante in my book, and the standards are raised. Unfortunately, the opportunity to distinguish the present and the past with language nuances was missed as modern words such as Tarzan, yummy, omigod leaked in to the Regency world, and misnomers such as Arabian thoroughbred was used to describe Lord Shermont’s horse. Additionally, at times I would like to have rested and discovered more about characters and their motivations, which was Austen’s forte. In the end, I knew very little about the heroine and hero’s inner thinking and felt the plot skipped past moments to elaborate and reflect just a bit more. The author did however supply the requisite Austen-esque heroine transformation and happily-ever-after ending, which Jane would have chosen to wrap-up more swiftly with far less effusion. In the end, was I entrapped by Jane Austen’s name into reading this novel? You betcha! Do I have any regrets? Like Austen’s character Emma Woodhouse, in this instance “I would much rather have been merry than wise.”


This book really surprised me in how much I ended up loving this story. I am not a big "Regency" period reader, but I do enjoy Jane Austen and thought I would give it a try. The story is full of ghosts, mystery, time travel and history, which keeps you involved with the characters until the very end! I won’t give away some of the twists, but the character of Eleanor was refreshing to read. She was educated and had a passion that woman wish and hope we have in how we lead our lives. Eleanor is put in to a situation where she has to figure out what she needs to do to fix the past for the ghost/real sisters, but fate seems to guide her in a direction she may not be ready to accept. "Jane Austen" comes in to the story when Eleanor has a situation where she doesn’t know what to do. So, she thinks about the books Austen wrote to draw on an answer! A variety of secondary characters are filled by the ’handsome’ gentleman, the snooty older ladies, and family members that will have you laughing and intrigued by their lives.

Have you ever thought about if you were able to go back to a time period that you enjoy and had a life there...would you return back to your own time? The writing style of the story gives such vivid details of the Regency time period and customs that you feel like your living there with Eleanor. Just when I thought I had the ending figured out, it turned out better! I would tell anyone that enjoys a good book to take a look at this one. The book is like a looking glass to a time period through the eyes of someone who treasures the history of our world’s past.

Rating: 4.5/5

Have you ever wondered just what Jane Austen would do? In the latest Regency romance novel by Laurie Brown, we are about to find out.

Our heroine, Eleanor Pottinger, a costume designer, travels to England for a Regency Conference, and gets a very real Regency experience. On her first night at the Conference she’s startled by the ghosts of sisters Mina and Diedre, as they ask her to go back in time, to the 1800’s, in order to save their brother’s life, and change their future. Eleanor agrees, only when the sisters promise that she will get to meet her favourite author, Jane Austen. What follows is a journey of trials and tribulations as Eleanor tries to resist the charms of a sexy rake, and save the sister’s reputations.

What Would Jane Austen Do? is a beautiful Regency tale that would make even Jane Austen proud.

Within seconds of starting I got caught up in the storyline and found it hard to put the book down, even for a few moments. The storyline is very original. Unlike many of the Jane Austen-esque books out there, it doesn’t follow any of Jane Austen’s books. So it is perfect for those that haven’t read any of Jane Austen’s novels, or for those of us that love every single one of them.

The idea of what would arguably the world’s greatest romance writer do in an situation is such a wonderful idea. I myself have pondered that thought many times. The first time the phrase “What Would Jane Austen Do?” was used, my toes were curling in anticipation.

“Surely Regency men wouldn’t duel over such a silly reason. Eleanor felt she should say something, but she had no idea how to diffuse the situation she’d inadvertantly caused. Quick, quick, what would Jane Austen do? The scene that came to mind was when Knightley criticized Emma after the picnic where she had treated Miss Jane so badly.”

The characters that Laurie Brown has used are just as vivid and breathtaking as the storyline. Eleanor is a strong woman, or as termed by many of the young woman in the 1800’s a “bluestocking”. However it is was the many appearances of Jane Austen, and her sister Cassandra, that made this novel even more charming.

By far, my favourite part of the book will always be when Eleanor first sees Jane Austen,

“She was tiny in stature, not even five feet tall. Slim. High arched brows, classic Grecian nose, small mouth with thin lips. Ordinary. Someone you might pass by without a second thought. Except for the lively sparkle in her eyes.

Eleanor knew Jane Austen was thirty-nine years old in 1814. She was saddened to see the patch of pigmentation below Jane’s lower lip and an irregular area of darker skin with white spots under her chin. The blotchiness was a symptom of Addison’s disease the likely cause of her death in July 1817.”

The male characters, that adorn the pages of this historical novel, give off all the charm and sex appeal that one expects from a Regency novel. Everytime Lord Shermont, the sexy rake that Eleanor must stop from ruining the reputation of the sisters, spoke I was enthralled. He is so sexy and charming that if this book was turned into a movie I know I would be pressing the rewind button to re-play all his scenes, as I did with Colin Firth in Pride & Prejudice!

All in all, I was extremely impressed with this beautiful novel. It has all the ingredients of a Regency classic, love, intrique and sexy men, and it will be adorning my shelves for many years to come.

"Regency gowns, murder most foul, and a fabled author come together to create a dandy read."

A Jane Austen festival held in England attracts Elizabeth Poppering as a potential market for her Regency-era costumes. She arrives at the Festival with luggage full of her costumes, prepared to network her heart out and to make a go of her business. There is a small problem with her reservations - there aren’t any - so she agrees to take the room no one wants: a haunted spot near the top of the Inn. Haunted it certainly is, by sisters Diedre and Mina, who try to convince her to go back in time to save their brother from death with a bribe that they will introduce her to the real Jane Austen, and also bring her back once Teddy is saved. Meet the real Jane Austen? Oh, heck, why not??

In 1814, there were no microwaves, no indoor plumbing and NO espresso! However, there Elizabeth awoke. She meets the living Diedre and Mina, a houseful of guests as well as the soon-to-be-dead brother Teddy. She also meets one of Teddy’s friends, Lord Shermont whom the sisters believe kills him in a duel. Shermont is not what he seems. He is actually a spy for the Crown who was adopted as an adult when found in a gutter with loss of memory.

Elizabeth tries her best to figure out all the goings, comings and come-ons with a houseful of guests who live in the period, and know far more about court intrigue and how to behave than she does. To top it all off, the ghosts are miffed and let her carry on alone. She learns a lot about Regency fashions, customs and that in 1814 jealous females act just as they do today. This will be a boon to her costume business if she can get back to the twenty-first century to start it! After all, what would Jane Austen do?

This was a fascinating story of Regency England, ghosts, mystery and murder most foul. I whipped through it and will be looking for more novels by this author. If you’re close to one, this would be a great beach book!

Reviewed by Nancy Eriksen
Posted May 2, 2009


This book is about what so many of us would dearly love to do - travel back to Jane Austen’s time to meet her and to experience that time period. This book was purely delightful! The problems the heroine encounters because of the differences in times are cute and funny. The story was enjoyable and fun to read. There was a great romance between Eleanor and Shermont. Although I thought the end was a bit predictable, I still enjoyed the story. The book is definitely a time travel book, so if you just don’t like that type of fiction, this wouldn’t be the book for you probably. Although it’s not my favorite genre, I found the story to be intriguing enough that I almost forgot the time travel issue. All in all, I found this book to be a fun read.

Not only has her fiance dumped her, but when Eleanor Pottinger gets to her hotel in England for a Jane Austen festival, she has no reservation. She’s given a tower which is reputedly haunted. Much to Eleanor’s dismay, the tower deserves its reputation, and in the middle of the night she encounters sisters Deirdre and Mina, ghosts who send her back in time to ensure that one of them is not compromised so that their brother will not be killed in a duel. Not only must Eleanor contend with strange conversation, dancing, and dining, but she must figure out who is the villain, and then avoid falling in love with him. Her only solace? Asking herself what Jane Austen would do, and more so, meeting her idol!

I’m not sure I so much expected straight romance from this, but I didn’t mind that it was a major part of the book. This is especially so since I really liked the frame story. Eleanor is a fantastic, funny character who has had her confidence knocked out from under her. She spends a lot of the story getting it back, as well as falling in love with dastardly man who supposedly compromises one of the sisters. She learns pretty quickly that things are NOT what they seem. She only has a few interactions with Jane Austen, but the theme of Austen’s advice is woven through the story fairly effectively.

One thing I didn’t particularly like, and I feel a little nitpicky for this, as I always am, was Eleanor’s obviously 21st century thoughts mixed in with all the Regency stuff. Calling Sherborne “yummy” was slightly disconcerting! Clearly women call attractive men yummy in this day and age, but it felt weird in the parts which felt like they were from a historical romance. Honestly, I don’t even know if that should bother me, and I probably needed the reminder that Eleanor is from the future! I also felt there was a little too much physical expression of said love story for my taste, but again, that is just my taste. I didn’t find it unbelievable, which is usually the case with romances like that, since there is enough character going on here to make me feel they were drawn to each other, but could have done with a little less.

Regardless, this book is a lot of fun. It is very sweet. I loved watching Eleanor adjust and get her confidence back. I loved the interactions with Jane Austen and how the story of the necklace and the time traveling parts went full circle. The ending was adorable. I have to say, I’d really recommend this, although I’d probably warn a non-romance reader. It’s still so much fun and has a lot of appeal for those who like Jane Austen, chick lit, and really any quick, sweet read!

I love all things Austen and WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? is no exception. From the very beginning I was hooked. Eleanor is trying to put her life back together after a disastrous engagement and has traveled to England for a Jane Austen festival. After a mix up with her reservation she ends up in a haunted room, then finds herself in Jane Austen’s England with a mission to stop a duel. I loved how Eleanor fit right in with the other regency women, and also taught them a few 21st century ways to stand up for themselves. Lord Shermont is a very interesting character. After an accident takes his memory he has made his way to working for the crown trying to find a traitor. Eleanor and Shermont have a lot of chemistry. From the moment they meet they are drawn to each other. The writing in WHAT WOULD JANE DO? flows fantastically in both the current day and in the past. The descriptions of Eleanor’s adventures are fantastic. My only complaint is that the end seemed a little rushed. I would like to have read more about what Eleanor does when she returns to the present. I can’t wait to read more by Laurie Brown!!

the book girl gives WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? 5/5

Eleanor Pottinger was supposed to be going to the Jane Austen Festival for her honeymoon, but her fiance’ dumped her six months ago. She has moved on and uses this trip as a business opportunity to give a fashion seminar for the Festival attendees. A mix-up with her room reservation lands her in a room that is different from what she expected. She comes face-to-face with two sisters who are ghosts haunting her current accommodations. Deirdre and Emma claim they can’t "cross over" until Eleanor helps prevent a deadly duel involving their brother that took place during Jane Austen’s era of Regency England. Suddenly Eleanor is swept back in time to 1814. Luckily her research and studies keep her from being too much of a "fish out of water", but some details are quite different from what Regency romances promote.

Lord Shermont is the lord who was supposed to have killed the sister’s brother, Teddy. It is easy for Eleanor to flirt and learn more about the rakish Shermont. He is the epitome of the Regency romance hero with his good looks and smooth manners. Lord Shermont seems to reciprocate Eleanor’s attraction. They both feel the passion that is simmering right below the surface.

Eleanor has her mission to try to change history and Lord Shermont has his own mission involving the Napoleonic war and spies. If she is successful, will Eleanor have to give up a chance at true love?

Eleanor is a smart woman with a passionate nature. She has to work hard to not let her modern views reveal her true identity. Lord Shermont is more than an alpha hero. He has a tender, caring center under his womanizing ways.

The author skillfully weaves time travel and Regency romance into a delectable mix. I loved how she worked Jane Austen into the plot. In recent years I have read and/or reviewed many novels in my pursuit of "all things Austen." What Would Jane Austen Do? is a worthy contender for the best of the bunch.

When Eleanor Pottinger goes to England for a regency convention, hopeful on getting a start on her costume making business she could never imagine that the hotel losing her reservation would start her on an unforgettable journey back through time. But when she wakes up to find the ghosts of two dead sisters who want to send her back to Jane Austen’s time to save themselves Eleanor thinks it’s all a joke, or better yet a dream, until she finds herself surrounded by either the best regency actors or she’s really traveled through time.

WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? is an entertaining and light historical read. I loved the two sisters, Deirdre and Mina, both in ghost form and physical form in the 1800s. With Eleanor banishing the ghost forms almost the moment she awakes, it’s solely up to her to figure out just what it will take to send her back to her own time. There was so much I liked about this book. Eleanor is a great character, and watching her struggle with fitting in without the guidance or assistance of the ghosts is truly enjoyable. The banter between the characters was especially well done and I loved the mystery of not only who Shermont truly was, a man who was found by the side of the road with a bump on his head, but just how Eleanor was going to get back to her own time, if that was even possible.

One of my absolute favorite scenes in the book takes place about a third of the way through, when Eleanor awakes in the middle of the night. Unused to the absolute silence of the estate, she goes in search of a servant and possibly some warm milk to help her fall back asleep, but instead finds herself alone in the library with the mysterious Shermont. I loved the chemistry between the two in the scene and how they ended up sharing a sandwich. My only real issue with WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO was the ending did seem a little rushed to me, but it didn’t detract from a great story.

Laurie Brown teaches writing classes at the college level, has presented seminars at conferences all over the country, and has three published romance novels. She has been a Golden Heart finalist twice and has received the Service Award from the Chicago-North Chapter of RWA. She resides in Illinois.

WWJAD is quick fun read. The story is flirty and cute just like the hero, Lord James Shermont. Read it in the bathtub, on the beach, while waiting in line at the post office, wherever, it’s sure to make you smile and leave you eager to turn the page.

Eleanor Pottinger (yes it is unfortunate that is her real last name) is a fan of Jane Austen. We meet her trying to get a room at a Jane Austen convention only to be told the room she booked has been given to somebody else. Luckily there was a newly renovated suite that was available…if she didn’t mind ghosts!

Of course Eleanor changes her mind about ghosts the minute they materialize. Sisters Deidre and Mina from the time of Jane Austen need Eleanor’s help. They are stuck as ghosts and can’t move on without her help. Eleanor jokingly offers to help if they can guarantee she can meet Jane Austen. They agree and before Eleanor can cry “Just Kidding!” Deidre and Mina have transported Eleanor back into the past.

When Eleanor wakes up she is stuck in the Regency era and is believed to be the girls’ widowed cousin Ellen who was arriving from America. Eleanor plays along and gets away with it because they haven’t seen the real Ellen since childhood. The ghosts tell Eleanor her tasks are to keep them out of the clutches of Lord Shermont, a rakehell of the worst sort, and to make sure their brother, Teddy, doesn’t enter into a duel with Shermont over their reputations.

Eleanor was once foolish enough to try and make a Mr. Darcy out of a Wickham, is she smart enough not to do the opposite? What would Jane Austen do?

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Welcome to Regency England, Eleanor.. our heroine is having a bad day (despite the 12-pack on the cover) when she meets up with some ghosts during her stay at a hotel for a Jane Austen Conference. Sure, as a costume designer she wanted to learn all about the costumes and nuances of Jane Austen’s England but she had no idea that she was going to wake up in 1814 and be left to fend for herself while on a mission sent from two (ghosts!) sisters who need her help. Eleanor tries not to stick out like a sore thumb as she is socializing with Dierdre and Mina whom she had first met as ghosts. Their brother Teddy had died, and it is Eleanor who is sent to prevent his duel with Lord Shermont, who is an agent for the crown investigating Napoleon’s spies. Somehow in the middle of the romance and trying to conform to the mannerisms Eleanor needs to change history so that she can return to the present.

As luck would have it, Eleanor learns that she is being courted by Teddy, yet she immediately senses a strong attraction to the mysterious Lord Shermont, as of course all the ladies have.
Eleanor seems to enjoy herself in this fluffy romance and gets to meet Jane Austen and socializes with ladies and gents of the Regency Era.

I enjoyed discovering Regency England through Eleanor’s eyes; it was written with a Regency flair with not a lot of major events until the novel picked up the pace towards the end with an unexpected twist which was fortuitous. There was a nice wrap-up at the ending, although a bit contrived and roses and rainbows.. but I was glad that we learn the outcomes of the supporting characters. If you are looking for something new specifically on Jane Austen, this is not it although she is referred to numerous times. The Napoleon intrigue was not very developed, if it had been, it may have been a little less confusing and made me more interested in that historical aspect. The book gives the impression of having glazed over its topics for the sake of expediency. This is specifically about what Eleanor does during her time travel experience and how the ghost sisters wind up. The character of Eleanor is not very dimensional as she was strictly focused on her mission. So if you are ready for more of a no-brainer chick-lit romantic beach read without any major expectations, this is it for you. The author did her research as far as inventions and the types of things that Eleanor missed, such as medicine, bathing and the bathroom necessities of our day. The time travel aspect is a fun idea, and the costumes, dances and supporting characters helped round this book out. Perfect for a summer weekend read while watching the kids play!

The author, Laurie Brown, was once asked "If time travel were possible, would you go and whom would you want to meet?" and voila... we have this book, which is not her first time travel book. Mrs. Brown has cleverly blended time travel and historical romance in her second novel. This is full of romance, a hunky guy, and even some Jane Austen to boot, which I think Regency romance fans would enjoy.

After an exhausting fifteen-hour trans-Atlantic flight, complete with lost luggage, all Eleanor Pottinger wants is a quiet hotel room and a soft bed before facilitating her clothing seminar. When she arrives at the hotel, she discovers she has no reservation, and there is not an available room anywhere in town. As the manager goes off to find the boxes of costumes Eleanor had had shipped ahead, the manager’s granddaughter offers a solution to the problem. The Tower Suite is available…as long as Eleanor does not mind sharing the suite with Miss Deidre and Miss Mina, the resident ghosts.

While Eleanor is sleeping, Miss Deidre and Miss Mina arrive and are most disapproving of the stranger in the bed; however, they decide to wait until Eleanor wakes and see if she is willing to go back in time and help them save their brother Teddy’s life. Since Eleanor does not believe time travel is possible, she agrees to the plan the sisters have developed…if they will go away and let her sleep. When Eleanor wakes again, she is greeted by the smiling faces of the sisters, cheerfully informing her “…it is half past ten on Wednesday the twenty-third day of June in the year 1814.”

I loved What Would Jane Austen Do?! Time travel, intrigue, history, romance…Laurie Brown gives us all that and more. I enjoyed Eleanor’s struggles to behave as a proper maiden of 1814 and her determination to discover what really happened to Teddy while still behaving properly. There is political intrigue, social intrigue, class wars, and it seemed that nearly everyone was hiding a skeleton of some kind in their closet. The characters were not always as they appeared, and the author shows us some of their inner motivations. As she tries to solve the mystery, Eleanor falls for the wrong man in 1814, who turns out to be the right man…and that is all I’m going to say about that.

I definitely recommend this book! There are so many things happening that my attention was captured at the very beginning. Make sure you have a comfortable chair and plenty to snack on, because you’ll want to read this one straight through.

Costume designer Eleanor Pottinger is thrilled to be attending The Jane Austen Society’s conference at Twixton Manor where she can indulge in the world of her favorite author while promoting her line of Regency dresses.

After a long flight Eleanor arrives, weary and rumpled, only to find that there is no record of her reservation. So she is given the only room left, the haunted Tower Suite. Since she doesn’t believe in ghosts and only wants a place to sleep, it seems to be the perfect solution.

Resident ghosts Mina and Deirdre have their own plans. For centuries they have been trying to figure out what has been keeping them at Twixton Manor. They have decided that they need to stop the death of their half-brother, who dies in a duel with Lord Shermont. The duel was over the girls’ honor and they hope they can change the outcome by sending someone back that can intervene. And here is Eleanor, dropped into their laps and perfect for the job. She even has her own outfits!

Of course, when the ghosts wake Eleanor and outline their plan, she doesn’t believe them. She thinks they are a product of her travel-weary brain and goes back to sleep. When she wakes up it is in Regency England at a very different Twixton Manor. Here she finds the real Mina and Deirdre and meets the devilishly handsome Lord Shermont, who immediately captures her interest. How is she ever going to manage to fit into the complicated world of an 1814 manor house? By asking herself the same question each time she is in doubt: What would Jane Austen do?

This is a great book for the summer and would make a perfect travel or beach read. I read it on the plane to London! It is fun and light, it made my six hour flight zip by. If you like time travel romance novels, this one is for you!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown. I generally shy away from anything Austen related since I tend to encounter the Austen fanatics when I talk about her, but this was good.

It had a very simple story that not only worked well, but completely sucked me in. Set during the Regency era (which I found out is early 1800s), our heroine is thrown from her present day into the middle of a country ball where her favorite author, Jane Austen, will be. Thankfully, her new travel plans are not a complete shock since, what she thought was a dream, two ghosts came to her for help. I’m a fan of time travel novels, only when they are done well and this one definitely was. While Eleanor was taken back in time, she was placed in an era she was familiar with and was able to adapt to the situations - mainly by thinking What Would Jane Austen Do? A lot of what can make or break a time travel novel is the reactions of the main characters and Eleanor not only reacts well, but she doesn’t give away the idea that she isn’t from the time they are currently in. I also have to like the twist the ghosts added at the end to one of the characters Eleanor encounters. I’m not going to give what away, but I like how this individuals’ fate is played out and we’re not left wondering what happened after the conflict ends.

As for the plot, not the most original - a napolean spy being hunted at a ball - but the story was engaging and the romantic exploits entertaining enough that it didn’t matter. We were definitely suppose to focus on the relationships being developed rather than the espionage going on in the background and I can’t say that was a bad thing.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprised and I would definitely read another novel by Laurie Brown. Her characters were engaging, the story flowed well and we’re actually given a HEA, but not one totally expected. For anyone looking for a good Regency era romance, I would strongly suggest checking this one out.

I have to be honest here. When I was presented with an opportunity to read and review What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown, I considered myself a romance novels’ skeptic. I also was a little anxious to read another Jane Austen-esque book. Well, all my doubts were dispelled shortly after having read just a few pages of this greatly entertaining book.

What Would Jane Austen Do? introduces us to Eleanor Pottinger, a Jane Austen die-hard fan and a self-made 19th century costume designer. Her adventure starts in England where she travels to join a Jane Austen festival but it certainly does not stop there. Thanks to two, very endearing ghosts she is transported back in time to prevent a duel which, without her help, will have a deadly end. And here the fun begins. Eleanor experiences living in the Regency era to its full extent: dances, soirees, intrigue, courting, hot romance and a thing she wished for the most: meeting Jane Austen. Miss Brown very skillfully introduces the reader to this romantic part of history and really gives us a chance to have a good look into what life must have been for Jane Austen contemporaries.

Eleanor is a delightful character, very funny, clever and most importantly believable. Numerous times I found myself identifying with her or thinking that I would behave similarly in certain situations. The book is a perfect summer read. It is light, very funny, it has time travel, ghosts, suspense and romance. What else can you ask for?

Every woman, every fan of romance and historical novels should put this title on their summer reading list. It will provide a great escape into fantasy with a lot of extra laughs. And to all those skeptics like I used to be, What Would Jane Austen Do? is a perfect choice to be a skeptic no more. If there is a sequel to this novel, I will be the first one to buy it.

Recently dumped by her cheating fiance, Eleanor Pottinger is an expert on Regency aristocratic fashion. She is currently working as a designer for a Jane Austen festival during Regency Week. However, she is bit taken aback to find her room at the old inn is preoccupied.

Nonplussed Eleanor meets the ghosts of sisters Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury. The trio negotiates a deal in which Eleanor will go back to 1814 to prevent a deadly duel between their brother Teddy and Lord Shermont in exchange to them introducing her to Jane Austen. As she and Shermont flirt outrageously with one another, Eleanor must decide between sense and sensibility; she needs to choose either the active sex of a lifetime or a passive meeting with a writer even as she considers WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?.

Though Jane is a minor player, Eleanor and Shermont are wonderful leads and the ghostly sisters great support as Laurie Brown provides a whimsical time travel romance. The story line is fast-paced and filled with twists. This is Eleanor’s tale as she tries to make the right choices considers her mantra: WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? In this situation.

Recently dumped by her cheating fiance, Eleanor Pottinger is an expert on Regency aristocratic fashion. She is currently working as a designer for a Jane Austen festival during Regency Week. However, she is bit taken aback to find her room at the old inn is preoccupied.

Nonplussed Eleanor meets the ghosts of sisters Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury. The trio negotiates a deal in which Eleanor will go back to 1814 to prevent a deadly duel between their brother Teddy and Lord Shermont in exchange to them introducing her to Jane Austen. As she and Shermont flirt outrageously with one another, Eleanor must decide between sense and sensibility; she needs to choose either the active sex of a lifetime or a passive meeting with a writer even as she considers WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?.

Though Jane is a minor player, Eleanor and Shermont are wonderful leads and the ghostly sisters great support as Laurie Brown provides a whimsical time travel romance. The story line is fast-paced and filled with twists. This is Eleanor’s tale as she tries to make the right choices considers her mantra: WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? In this situation.

What is girl to do when two ghosts, Mina and Dierdre, interfere with her life but ask what would Jane Austen do?

Eleanor Pottinger is a costume designer who has kicked out her fiancé for cheating on her. She has arrived in England for the Jane Austen festival, of whom she has a great fascination, only to discover there is no room at the hotel. The young niece of the owner discovers the mistake and puts Eleanor in a tower room that holds the two ghosts. The ghosts discuss if Eleanor is the one to help them and the next morning Eleanor finds herself back in Jane Austen’s time – the Regency.

When Eleanor wakes the next morning, she thinks that the organising committee has gone overboard in their preparations but is prepared to take on the role assigned her. She eventually does realize she is back in time and tries to make the best of the situation. Eleanor also remembers that she has a job to do to get back to her own time. Nothing prepares her for the enigmatic Lord Shermont and a meeting with Jane Austen.

Lord James Shermont has a mysterious past. He was found on the road and taken in by the local aristocratic family and claimed as their own. This adds to his mysterious reputation but does not dispel the attempts by the unmarried ladies to attract his attention. When Shermont is with Eleanor he discusses his past and she realizes that he might also be a time traveller. Shermont himself does not realize this but there are fragments of odd moments in his memory that he does not understand, especially when he tells Eleanor that he introduced himself as James Bond to the family.

As with all stories involving Jane Austen or any of her beloved characters, the author treads a very fine line between having the reader enjoy the story or disliking what the author has done to those characters. In this story, it is the use of Jane Austen herself which might attract the comment. But as avid Jane Austen fans know she was very circumspect when she was alive and she is also in this story. Eleanor is the asking herself “What would Jane Austen do?” when she finds herself in a situation that calls for either wit or a solution to a problem.

The story does revolve mainly around Eleanor and Shermont and their attraction to each other. It was an interesting twist in the story to have the two time travellers working together. The characters from modern day in the Regency era were in keeping with how a reader might expect them to act, a little disoriented, unsure but going with the flow to ensure they do not look too out of place in the time period. The characters, especially Eleanor, did not whine about the lack of facilities, although at one time she did think about the things she was missing but only when she a toothache. Both of the characters, Eleanor and Shermont, were suited to each other. Eleanor receives her just reward at the end of the story. This was an interesting twist in a time travel story.

In college I knew a few girls who were part of the Jane Austen book club on campus and I would sometimes hear them muttering ‘What Would Jane Do?’ in certain situations. I was always amused by this since Jane lived a century and half before, how would she know what to do in our modern era? Oddly enough this book proved one thing to me—despite the superficial changes, society itself hasn’t really progressed.

Eleanor was a very likable character to me. As were the two ghost sisters, or even their not-so-ghostly living selves. Shermont…he’s described as being a womanizer and rake, but I really don’t think he was any worse then any other man. Despite his wariness where Eleanor is concerned (the timing is a little too perfect of her arrival, she would evade questions and always seemed to be hiding something, in other words she was acting very suspicious) I have to admit Shermont was surprisingly fair-minded with her.

The book has a lot of misunderstandings and misdirection. From the ghost sisters’ and their uncertainty about what happened the night of the duel to Shermont’s mission to find the Napoleonic spy events seem to spiral out of control quickly for poor Eleanor. I do find it very amusing later on when she has to choose between hot sex or Jane Austen (I truly don’t think I could have chosen).

The resolution was better then I thought it would be—too often it seems like time travel romances ignore changing history by uprooting a character to the past or present, but in this case it worked out wonderfully.

I really do enjoy Laurie Brown’s romances (I previously read One Hundred Years to Reform a Rake, which was another time travel romance, but the heroine had the terrible decision of loving the Ghost man or his live self and feeling like she betrayed both at once) and look forward to future books!

Eleanor Pottinger is a costume designer who was recently dumped by her fiancé. She is going to start her own company and is now on a trip to England for a Jane Austen festival. At the country manor hotel where the festival and conference are being held, her reservation is lost and she is forced to stay in a little used haunted room where she meets Mina and Deirdre, ghosts of former inhabitants of the house. They sweep her back in time to prevent a duel that leads to their presence centuries after their deaths. There as the girls’ widowed cousin she meets Lord Shermont, Regency Rake and spy for the Crown. He is at the manor trying to ferret out a Napoleonic Spy and the American Eleanor sparks his interest.

I am not usually a fan of time travel stories, but this one really caught my interest. I have always loved the Regency era and the idea of an American woman going back to that era is fascinating. The author really does a great job of describing Eleanor’s trials and tribulations in trying to help her ghostly friends and the descriptions of a typical house party and the activities that are involved is really well done. Lord Shermont is a wonderful character and everything that a hero should be; tall, handsome, patriotic, clever, sexy, and mysterious, he’s quite a package. The plot twist at the end is genius! This is a great romance both contemporary and historical.

Overall rating:4.5/5
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual