The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell (Sept. 16, 2025) Thank you, @macmillan.audio, for the #gifted advanced listening copy! #macaudio2025
Tess Bright and Hugh Balfour are cast as the romantic leads in a new adaptation of Northanger Abbey. For Tess, it’s the role of a lifetime – a chance to honor her Austen-loving mom and rebuild a faltering reputation. For Hugh, it’s an opportunity to showcase his method-acting perfectionism. Unfortunately, their off-screen chemistry is a disaster: Tess thinks Hugh is an over-serious control freak, while Hugh sees Tess as pure chaos in human form (both are spot on!)
But when an argument on set ends in a freak electrical accident, Tess and Hugh wake up in Regency-era England – still in costume, forced to ad-lib their way through society’s strict rules armed only with Hugh’s research and Tess’s quick wit. Between navigating scandal, impossible etiquette, and increasingly hilarious predicaments, they begin to see each other in a new light. Can love bloom two centuries too late, and will they ever make it back home?
Time-travel romances are one of my weaknesses, and this one was such a delight! The premise is whimsical and fun, packed with clever nods for Austen fans while still being accessible if you’ve never read her work. Tess and Hugh’s bickering-turned-bond is charming, their individual arcs feel satisfying, and the escalating Regency misadventures kept me laughing while rooting for them every step of the way.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: At 10h 31m, Stephanie Németh-Parker’s narration is fantastic. Her performance brings warmth, humor, and just the right touch of whimsy to make the story sparkle.
Charming, heartfelt, and full of clever surprises – this is the kind of romance that’s pure fun.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 