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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
Athena takes time off from her professorship to write a book and get published so she can keep her position at the college. When she heads home to Illinois she finds her ex Thorne has ended up back home as well. In order to try to get information to write her book Athena works alongside Thorne, which is easier said then done given their history. What Athena doesn’t know is Thorne has been hiding a family secret for years, whilst she is trying to uncover the secret identity of a famous writer. Will all the secret end up tearing Athena and Thorne apartment, or bring them closer together again? I really enjoyed this book, and loved all the Brontë quotes at the start of each chapter. Not to mention some other Easter eggs as well. I do recommend this one and plan on rereading it again in the near future!
3/5
** Thank you to Net Galley for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. **
'Blame It On the Brontës' threw me for a bit of a loop! Throughout the first half of the book, I was enraptured- I could not put it down! The second half, however, had some pacing issues for me, and some moments were a little too unbelievable. However, I still really enjoyed my time in Laurel, Illinois and getting to meet all of the regular clientele at the As You Like It café. This book had a very cozy, heartwarming, and melodramatic undertone (because of all the parallels to literary classics such as 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Jane Eyre') and it worked!
I really loved getting to know the town of Laurel and its inhabitants; I thought Annie Sereno did a very good job at creating real side characters and not just characterizations of people; some were maybe a little bit over the top, but coming from a small town myself, it really isn't that far from the truth, so it didn't bother me. One thing that did bother me, however, was the way Athena and Thorne's relationship evolved (or re-evolved ?? because this is a third chance romance, haha). I wish there had been a smoother progression between the two of them instead of how it ended up. It felt a little rushed at the end to me, and I would have really liked to see them mature a bit more together instead of having all of their realizations suddenly all at once in the last few chapters.
At the end of the day, I ended up giving this book a 3/5 just because of the disconnect I felt between the pacing and some of the characters' choices in the second half, but all in all I thought this was a sweet read! Definitely would recommend to literary buffs or fans of lighthearted romance reads. :) Looking forward to reading another one of her books in the future!
** Thank you to Net Galley for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. **
'Blame It On the Brontës' threw me for a bit of a loop! Throughout the first half of the book, I was enraptured- I could not put it down! The second half, however, had some pacing issues for me, and some moments were a little too unbelievable. However, I still really enjoyed my time in Laurel, Illinois and getting to meet all of the regular clientele at the As You Like It café. This book had a very cozy, heartwarming, and melodramatic undertone (because of all the parallels to literary classics such as 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Jane Eyre') and it worked!
I really loved getting to know the town of Laurel and its inhabitants; I thought Annie Sereno did a very good job at creating real side characters and not just characterizations of people; some were maybe a little bit over the top, but coming from a small town myself, it really isn't that far from the truth, so it didn't bother me. One thing that did bother me, however, was the way Athena and Thorne's relationship evolved (or re-evolved ?? because this is a third chance romance, haha). I wish there had been a smoother progression between the two of them instead of how it ended up. It felt a little rushed at the end to me, and I would have really liked to see them mature a bit more together instead of having all of their realizations suddenly all at once in the last few chapters.
At the end of the day, I ended up giving this book a 3/5 just because of the disconnect I felt between the pacing and some of the characters' choices in the second half, but all in all I thought this was a sweet read! Definitely would recommend to literary buffs or fans of lighthearted romance reads. :) Looking forward to reading another one of her books in the future!
"Heroes in literature appeared on horseback and in drawing rooms, dressed in capes and cravats. Heroes in real life appeared on doorsteps wearing stained T-shirts, beneath which beat noble hearts." - Blame It on the Brontes by Annie Sereno
As a former student of literature myself, I always have a soft spot for books about academics in literature that pay homage to the classic novels.
In Blame It on the Brontes, Athena Murphy is an English Professor who moves back to her hometown of Laurel, Illinois to finally work on writing and publishing her own book. As her career hangs on the success of her prospective book, Athena chooses to focus on unveiling the identity of an elusive novella writer, C L Garland who allegedly hails from Laurel too. Though returning home also means facing her own past - including Thorne Kent, who runs the cafe where Athena now moonlights as a waitress.
I adored the book's countless references and allusions to classic literature, from Shakespeare to Austen to Bronte and Eliot. It is always refreshing to see a modern text refer to the classics that greatly inspired and paved the way to the various genres and tropes we are still privy to now. The book is filled with wit and charm, from Athena and Thorne's countless banters, to the quirky residents of Laurel who frequent the cafe. The book does have its surprises and hilarious twist and turns, which makes this quite a charming read, that lovers of the contemporary and classic alike will enjoy.
As a former student of literature myself, I always have a soft spot for books about academics in literature that pay homage to the classic novels.
In Blame It on the Brontes, Athena Murphy is an English Professor who moves back to her hometown of Laurel, Illinois to finally work on writing and publishing her own book. As her career hangs on the success of her prospective book, Athena chooses to focus on unveiling the identity of an elusive novella writer, C L Garland who allegedly hails from Laurel too. Though returning home also means facing her own past - including Thorne Kent, who runs the cafe where Athena now moonlights as a waitress.
I adored the book's countless references and allusions to classic literature, from Shakespeare to Austen to Bronte and Eliot. It is always refreshing to see a modern text refer to the classics that greatly inspired and paved the way to the various genres and tropes we are still privy to now. The book is filled with wit and charm, from Athena and Thorne's countless banters, to the quirky residents of Laurel who frequent the cafe. The book does have its surprises and hilarious twist and turns, which makes this quite a charming read, that lovers of the contemporary and classic alike will enjoy.
emotional
funny
slow-paced
First of all, I just wanna say: OMG Thorne Kent. Now...
I got this book from Netgalley and... This book is so lovely. I felt in parts as though it was quite cheesy but that is actually what lended to me liking it so much. I felt that the story was very well interwoven and while I felt myself sometimes wanting more tension and build up, I still loved it. Do note, however, this is not a spicy book and, while that was kind of disappointing given that she's trying to uncover the identity of a spicy romance author, it didn't need the spice. I was more than satisfied putting my imagination to work, I really felt that the story didn't need it, but if smut is what you're looking for, I would skip it. However, if you're looking for a low stakes, easy read with a funny cast of small town characters, this is the one for you.
Finally... THORNE KENT. Goodness. I wanna watch him bake bread.
I got this book from Netgalley and... This book is so lovely. I felt in parts as though it was quite cheesy but that is actually what lended to me liking it so much. I felt that the story was very well interwoven and while I felt myself sometimes wanting more tension and build up, I still loved it. Do note, however, this is not a spicy book and, while that was kind of disappointing given that she's trying to uncover the identity of a spicy romance author, it didn't need the spice. I was more than satisfied putting my imagination to work, I really felt that the story didn't need it, but if smut is what you're looking for, I would skip it. However, if you're looking for a low stakes, easy read with a funny cast of small town characters, this is the one for you.
Finally... THORNE KENT. Goodness. I wanna watch him bake bread.
not bad book, it took me a while to understand the references. it developed well too except the mom part i didn’t understand why she treated her son like that.
This book is adorable and fun! I thoroughly enjoy all of the different love stories going on around the main couple and how they learned from their own choices to help others. The setting of a small midwestern down throughout fall and the early part of winter is charming, and I loved the quirky Cafe which is run by Thorne, the male lead.
I will say this was a little slow to get started, and it did feel like some of the big reveals were a little slow to be revealed. Also, this book is about a young English professor seeking tenure by tracking down an elusive erotica author, yet every potentially erotic scene was actually "fade to black." I don't need erotica to be interested in a storyline, but I was kind of expecting it with this novel.
Overall, this is a very cute, uplifting story and I would certainly recommend it!
I will say this was a little slow to get started, and it did feel like some of the big reveals were a little slow to be revealed. Also, this book is about a young English professor seeking tenure by tracking down an elusive erotica author, yet every potentially erotic scene was actually "fade to black." I don't need erotica to be interested in a storyline, but I was kind of expecting it with this novel.
Overall, this is a very cute, uplifting story and I would certainly recommend it!
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes