Reviews - The Austen Playbook

332 reviews for:

I'm really torn between giving this book 3 or 4 stars. On one hand I really loved the writing style and the main characters (especially Griff - I really have a soft spot for sarcastic, grumpy heroes) but on the other hand I just didn't feel the love story. There was little to no chemistry between the h/H (or at least I didn't feel any) so their connection felt fake to me. And the "mean girl" (Sadie) of the story felt like a caricature. I like a well done bad guy/girl but she just felt cartoonish and whenever she poped up in the book it threw me out of the story.
While this is well-written and has some enjoyable moments and strong main characters, the central couple just wasn't enough for me to truly enjoy this book. They fall for each other so quickly that there isn't much build-up to enjoy and I just wasn't clicking with many of the other characters (with a very pleasant exception of Charlie, I really liked him).
Overall I think this wasn't an only 3 star read (more like 3.5 stars) but but not quite 4 so I'm rounding down this one. But it still was a very sweet and enjoyable read and I'd recommend it to my frinds despite the things that bothered me about it. I'm also looking forward to reading more from Ms. Parker.

***I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

mutxara's review against another edition

3.0

3.5/5

deborahs's review against another edition

4.0

Fun loving Freddy Carlton wants to do comedies and musicals. Her father/manager wants her to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and do dramas. When she accepts a role for the television whodunnit "The Austen Playbook", she ends up on the estate of no nonsense, no smiles critic James "Griff" Ford-Griffin. While falling in love, they end up finding out things about their families' pasts that will effect their futures.
Lucy Parker's "London Celebrities" is one of the best contemporary romance series today. Freddy and Griff are fun, well drawn characters as are many of the others featured in this book.

okelay's review against another edition

4.0

Really fun! Great characters and I loved the mystery!

lakeness's review against another edition

5.0

Excellent writing and characters, I will even excuse the harry potter references. Maybe it's because I was reading them both simultaneously but I can only picture Griff and Freddy as Hades and Kore now and it cannot be undone.