Holidays with Jane - Will You Be Mine - Guest Post by Author Jessica Grey and Giveaway

As many of my long-time visitors will know, I've read a few of the 'Holidays with Jane' story anthologies. I think it's such a great concept for a series - take 6 authors, each writing a modernised short story of a different one of Austen's main stories and each book is based around a seasonal theme. This book, 'Holidays with Jane - Will You Be Mine?', is the sixth and final in the series and is themed around St Valentine's Day, hence our cunning scheduling!

The authors who've contributed to the anthology are by Rebecca M. Fleming, Jennifer Becton, Jessica Grey, Nancy Kelley, Melissa Buell and Cecilia Gray. Jessica Grey has authored a story in each of the six 'Holidays with Jane' books and is here today to talk about 'Sense & Sensibility' and Valentine's Day. Not only that, but there is an ebook giveaway, open internationally! Read on for more details.

Spotlight on Darcy's Hope in Donwell Abbey by Ginger Monette

Today the blog tour for Ginger Monette's new book drops by. 'Darcy's Hope in Donwell Abbey' is a follow up to 'Darcy's Hope: Beauty from Ashes' which came out late last year and concludes the story. You can read a bit more about the first book here. These WWI-set books find Captain Darcy and Lizzy Bennet initially at odds; they will need to overcome their pride and prejudice, plus whatever the war may put in their paths... I'll share the blurb with you, plus an excerpt of the new book and an interview with the author, Ginger Monette. There's also a chance for US visitors to win a prize! Read on for more info.

* * *

Planned Reading for February 2017

Happy February everybody! For many of us, February brings to mind Valentine's day and romance... for me it mostly brings to mind my son's birthday, which is why my post is late (distracted person!).

I got something lovely in the post today. It was my calendar of Austen's Men in Film with illustrations by Janet Taylor. This calendar really is something else, she is such a talented lady. I have to think where to put it to best enjoy it now :)

Now I have a calendar I have a date to put on it; a stage production of 'Pride & Prejudice' is coming to my town. It's the first time I will have seen something of that nature and I'm so excited about it! I'll let you know what I think of it once I've seen it.

Let's move on to books, so I can tell you all about what I have planned this month. Firstly, I will have a stop on Ginger Monette's blog tour for her latest book, 'Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey'. This is a follow up book to her WWI book, 'Darcy's Hope - Beauty from Ashes'. I believe the story is concluded in this latest volume.

The new book in the 'Holidays with Jane' collection, 'Holidays with Jane; Will you be mine?' has been released. This has been a series of standalone books, each one being a modernised Austen story by a different author with a theme tied to the time of year. We've had Christmas, Spring, Halloween etc, and the latest is this Valentine's Day themed collection. I have all the books, but I have been very lax about reviewing them, though I've enjoyed the reading! I have this one to read and review, which I'm very much looking forward to, and I will also be welcoming one of the authors here for a guest post.

Maria Grace has a new book out, 'Snowbound at Hartfield'. I assumed from the title that it's an 'Emma'-based book but having read the blurb I discovered that it's actually a book about Colonel Fitzwilliam. However, he is at Hartfield with the Knightleys, so I am hoping to see some of Emma and Mr Knightley too, and enjoy the change in scenery, as so many of the books I read are related to 'Pride & Prejudice'.

I hope you have a lovely month, and that February brings you good things, good romance and some good reading! Let me know what you're reading in the comments :)