Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart edited by Laurel Ann Nattress

I have long been a fan of Jane Austen and was excited to read this collection. Jane Austen Made Me Do It, is a collection of short stories written by modern authors who love Jane Austen. As with any collection of short stories I have read, not all of them were my cup of tea. Overall, I truly enjoyed this wonderful collection. The book boasts a wide range of authors and a few of my personal favorites.  I was also delighted with the mixed genres including paranormal, suspense, gothic romance and contemporary fantasy. There is a mix of journal entries, short stories and letters. One of my favorites was Elizabeth Aston’s short story entitled “The Ghostwriter”.  A young writer named Sara comes home to find a Dear John letter from her boyfriend. It contains a departing gift, a locket containing a piece of Jane’s hair. After crying herself to sleep, she wakes to find the ghost of Jane at the foot of the bed.  The story that unfolds is simply delightful and the ending had me laughing out loud. Jo Beverly’s work, “Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss”, finds a widowed woman with four young girls. The widow takes Jane’s advice and finds love.  In Beth Pattillo’s story, “Only a Darcy Will Do”, a young woman studying abroad gives guided tours. Dressed in vintage garb, she leads them on a walk of places Austen has visited in London. This is the third Sunday she hasn’t had a single customer when a young man dressed as Mr. Darcy asks to take the tour. This is only a glimpse of the adventures inside this charming book.  This would make a great holiday gift for anyone who loves Jane Austen and a must have for Austen enthusiast. This book will be available October 11, 2011.

 A special thank you to netGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending me this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I give this book 3 coffee cups out of 5.