Jane Hayes is a thirty-something career woman who has a miserable love life.  As a result, she is very cynical where men are concerned, yet in her heart, she’s a hopeless romantic. She is also a die hard Jane Austen fan who is secretly hoping for a *Mr. Darcy to come along.  When Jane's old auntie passes away, she leaves to Jane an all-expenses-paid trip to a place called Austenland.

Austenland is an country estate in the England called Pembrook Park, where for several weeks, a small group of visitors travel back to 1816 and engage in the pretense of a country house party.  Each is given a name and identity, a period wardrobe, agree to employ regency manners, enjoy regency period activities and stay strictly in character. There are also actors employed at Austenland to make even the number of men and women in the house party.  Jane allows herself to get caught up in the escapist pleasure of Austenland, fantasizing that she just might find her Mr. Darcy. But, as always, there is old tension between her head and her heart.

The book is very funny as it goes back and forth from the narrative of the Austenland plot to brief accounts of each and every one of Jane’s fateful romances. As the book goes on, these rejections are more painfully hilarious, but they are important to understanding Jane’s disillusionment where men are concerned, and do not distract from the playful doings at Austenland.

The book is very short, clever, very funny - a perfect summer read - and it has a great surprise ending that would certainly get the Jane Austen seal of approval.

*Elizabeth Bennett's love interest in inJane Austen's Pride and Prejudice