I was sent a free copy of Blame it on the Brontes by Annie Sereno at no charge. All opinions are my own.
About Blame it on the Brontes:
She’s going to write her own happy ending.
English professor Athena Murphy is an authority on the novels of the Brontë sisters. But as they say in academia, publish or perish. To save her job, Athena decides to write a biography of C.L. Garland, the author heating up bestseller lists with spicy retellings of classic literature. Tracking down the reclusive writer and uncovering her secret identity, though, means Athena must return to her small midwestern hometown where Garland—and her ex-boyfriend, Thorne Kent—live.
Seeing Thorne again reminds Athena that real life never lives up to fiction. He was the Heathcliff to her Catherine, the Mr. Rochester to her Jane. Not only did their college breakup shatter that illusion, but they also broke each other’s hearts again a second time. Now she has to see him nearly every…single…day.
The only solution is to find C.L. Garland as quickly as possible, write the book, and get the heck out of town. As her deadline looms and the list of potential C.L. Garlands dwindles, Athena and Thorne bicker and banter their way back to friendship. Could it really be true that the third time’s a charm?
Athena and Thorne have a love story only a Brontë could write, and the chance for their own happily-ever-after, but first, they’ll need to forgive the mistakes of the past.
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You can purchase Blame it on the Brontes on Amazon.com
About the Author:
Annie Sereno holds a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania as well as master’s degrees in library science and British and American literature. Among other libraries, she was privileged to serve Harvard University and The National Geographic Society.
When she’s not expressing her imagination with pen and paintbrush, Annie gardens, swims, and haunts art museums. In possession of a well-worn passport and memories of all the places she’s called home, she shares her life with her husband and two sons.
Mildly (okay, seriously) obsessed with birds, Celtic music, and all things Australian, she believes there is no such thing as a former librarian, no time to read, or too many shoes. She currently lives with her family in New Jersey.
“A delightful third-chance romance with Bronte brooding and rom-com banter. You’ll be rooting for Thena and Thorne!”
―Jenny Holiday, USA Today bestselling author
“In Sereno’s charming, contemporary romance debut, the love of literature takes center stage… [English professor Athena Murphy] runs into her former lover, Thorne Kent, who owns the town’s main hangout, the As You Like It Café, where our frenemy protagonists trade Amy Sherman-Palladino-like barbs to the delight of the gossip-loving patrons. Sereno is a gifted writer and readers will watch for her next book.”―Booklist
“A swoon-worthy hero in a story that’s everything a rom com should be—smart, sexy, funny, and charming to boot!”―Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling author
“Delivers plenty of tongue-in-cheek literary witticism and small-town heart… The novel’s heart lies in its quirky, memorable characters. Readers will find themselves laughing through the familiar tropes.”―Publishers Weekly
“Sereno’s novel is witty and entertaining, and fans of the Brontë sisters will undoubtedly appreciate the fun she has nodding to their books.”―Kirkus
My Opinion:
This was certainly a light and easy to read book. Athena is a college professor and she has reached the point in her career where she needs to publish a book. She decides that her best course of action is to write a book outing the mysterious author of sexy mash up books of regency authors.
This author just happens to live in her old home town. So does her lost love. He runs a diner where Athena ends up getting a job so she can grill the local townspeople about the mysterious author. While in town she also deals with family issues and her love life.
I wanted to like this book. It was an easy, breezy book to read. The problem was the premise. It was tissue paper thin and it blew apart about a third of the way into the book. The characters are certainly likeable but I just couldn’t find the idea of Athena writing this book to save her career plausible.
Rating:
3
