MADreads

In want of more Jane Austen

May 9th, 2007 Robin - Pinney

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single reader in possession of a high Austen-fever must be in want of a read-alike.  Always on the prowl for new, Jane-ish books, I was tickled to see Jane Austen in Boca, by Paula Cohen, mentioned in an earlier MADreads post.

Jane Austen doesn’t actually make an appearance in Boca Raton, but her themes from Pride and Prejudice are very present in the largely-Jewish retirement community of our heroines.  Carol, May’s meddlesome but well-intentioned daughter-in-law, decides that May has been single for too long.  Conveniently, a wealthy widower has just emerged from mourning.  It’s too bad for May’s pal, Flo, that this wealthy widower’s best friend is a supreme snob, who’s disinclined to dance or to make chatty conversation with strangers.

Flo’s young niece shows up near the end of the book to further shake things up.  Her plan to use the retirement community as the setting for her latest film puts the residents in a vain tizzy.  It’s never too early to shop for bargain-priced Oscar dresses!

Even if you’re reader with a long row to hoe before your days of shuffleboard and bridge, Cohen’s characters are instantly lovable and her Austenish plot recognizably amusing.

Entry Filed under: Recreational Fiction, Romance