Katherine Roberts and Robyn Love had more than one thing in common. Both women had a passionate love for Jane Austen, and both were unlucky in love. Katherine, a professor at Oxford University, was heartbroken when she found out her boyfriend, David, married without letting her know. Katherine drowned her sorrow in Jane Austen novels, DVDs, and any Jane Austen spinoffs she could get her hands on. Besides her love for all things Austen, Katherine also had a secret she hoped no one at the University would ever discover: Oxford's Jane Austen expert had an unhealthy obsession with the racy regency novels written by highly popular novelist Lorna Warwick.

Meanwhile, Robyn's life revolved more around fiction than real life. Completely devoted to Jane Austen's life and novels, Robyn found little in common with her boyfriend, Jace, who used Robyn's copy of Pride and Prejudice as a coaster. Robyn wanted some time away to figure out how to break up with Jace, and Katherine desperately wanted to get away from her now married ex-boyfriend who continued to pursue her. When both women hear about a Jane Austen convention being in held in Hampshire, they find the perfect excuse to escape reality and immerse themselves in the world of Jane Austen.

Katherine hoped her favorite author and pen pal, Lorna Warwick would make an appearance at the Jane Austen convention held at Purley Hall, home of actress Dame Pamela Harcourt. Katherine and Lorna had exchanged many letters and quickly became close friends. Katherine couldn't think of anything better than sharing her Jane Austen weekend with her famous friend. But Lorna had a secret of her own. Lorna was in fact Warwick Lawton, a man writing under a nom de plume. Warwick, who had a crush on Katherine, knew she would be at the convention, but feared his secret would be out if Katherine picked up on clues leading to his secret identity. How would he explain to the woman who had bared her soul to him through letters that he had lied about who he was?

Robyn's trip to Hampshire is nearly ruined when Jace decides to tag along. His presence becomes a real problem after Robyn meets Dan Harcourt, who seems like a hero right out of a Jane Austen novel. When Robyn and Katherine meet, they become instant friends. Robyn confides her real feelings about Dan and Jace, and Katherine tries her best to deny her attraction to the tall, dark, and handsome stranger, who is actually her confidant, pen pal, and favorite author. Robyn quickly falls for the handsome Charles Bingley look alike, Dan, but when Jace makes a shocking announcement, Robyn has some tough decisions to make.

A WEEKEND WITH MR. DARCY is a quick, fun read. However, the romances at Purley Hall seemed contrived from the start. Although readers enjoy a good love at first sight romance, Robyn and Dan's relationship seemed rushed and therefore unconvincing. Katherine and Warwick's weekend romance didn't ignite the sparks which one would associate with two people who discovered they were kindred spirits through letters. With that said, parts of the novel were highly amusing. Readers will actually laugh out loud throughout the book. Hardcore Janeites will also appreciate the many references to Austen spinoffs currently on the market, such as Mr. Darcy Vampyre and other Amanda Grange novels.

Book Summary

Dr Katherine Roberts is a lecturer at Oxford University and an expert on all things Austen. But she has a guilty secret; a love of racy Regency novels by Lorna Warwick. She’s even struck up a long-distance friendship with the novelist and the two of them have been sharing their closest confidences.

When Katherine gets her yearly invite to a Jane Austen Conference at the magnificent Purley Hall in Hampshire, she sincerely hopes that Lorna will be in attendance as well. She can hardly wait to meet her new friend, but it seems that Lorna may not have been completely honest with her…

Meanwhile, hopeless romantic Robyn Love is at her happiest when her head is stuck in one of Jane Austen’s novels – if only her boyfriend Jace Collins could be more like Colin Firth.

The weekend retreat is the perfect opportunity for Robyn to escape from reality for a few days – especially when she meets handsome stablehand Dan. But Jace isn’t going to be so easy to shrug off.

With misunderstandings, muddles and a few shocking revelations, the weekend proves to be even more than they bargained for. Like all true Jane Austen heroines, Katherine and Robyn will discover that finding their own Mr Darcy is far from easy…

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