Just like Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, I also have been too quick to judge. Two years ago when Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler first came out, I read it eagerly and loved it until the end. The only problem with this book is that only half of the story is presented, leaving too many questions unanswered. Recently, I decided to forgive Rigler and try to struggle through the sequel, Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict. It was so delightful, I had to go back and read Confessions again, which was much more enjoyable on the second reading.

Both stories are about a young woman who is unhappy with the current conditions of her life. They each suffer a head injury and wake up in a different life in a different time. Courtney is an assistant in 21st century Los Angeles. Having just suffered a humiliating end to her engagement, she suffers a diving accident and wakes up in the body of Miss Mansfield in 1813. Jane is 30 and unmarried in in Regency era England. She has just seen something that may mean the end to her only prospect for marriage. She races off on her horse, hits her head and wakes up in Courtney’s apartment and life.

As each of them adjust to new surroundings, we get to see how many things concerning love and life have not changed very much, as well as how the resposibility of living someone else’s life causes them to make better decisions than they might have on their own behalf. An overall fun read.