The Austen Playbook (London Celebrities, #4)

by Lucy Parker

[Sam@WLABB]

When I think of any of the books from this series, certain words come to mind: delightful, witty, funny, charming, swoony -- the list goes on and one, but what you won't find are any negative adjectives, because I am absolutely enchanted by this series.

Once again, Parker brought us into the the world of London celebrities, but also mixed it up a bit, but taking us out to the country, where we not only got to see this romance unfold, but were also treated to a little mystery.

Who?

• Griff - the grumpy theatre critic, who was working night and day in an attempt to save his family's crumbling estate.

• Freddy - an established stage actress, who was kept from pursuing her own interests in order to try and fulfill her family's theatre legacy.

What?

In an attempt to raise some funds, Griff allows the stage adaptation of a popular game, The Austen Playbook, to be performed and filmed at his country estate. Freddy managed to capture his interest, and as the friendship blossomed, they stumbled upon a mystery, which could destroy their family legacies.

Why?

I don't ever really know where to start with my love for a Lucy Parker novel, but I can tell you I seemed to always be smiling as I read it.

I found Freddy to be an utter delight. She was amusing and a ray of sunshine, despite the fact that she was living someone else's dreams. I enjoyed all the time I got to spend with her, but really loved seeing her make those breakthroughs with her family, as well as finally pursuing her own wants and needs.

He was grumpy, but I still adored Griff. At first, I just thought he was kind of a jerk, but then when I got to see all that he had been dealing with, it sort of justified his demeanor. I was ind of thrilled, that Freddy entered his orbit and injected some fun and joy into his life, though. She helped reduce the weight of what was holding him down, and Griff was finally able to enjoy and appreciate the things he had so much more.

This was probably one of my favorite pairings, because I would not have imagined them together. However, that was what was so lovely about this romance. These two had undeniable chemistry, but they also understood each other. They thought they were so different from each other, but both were bogged down by familial obligations and self imposed guilt. Together, they were able to see their situations a little more clearly, and that allowed them to go after what they truly wanted.

Other things I found fantastic

• I adored being in the country. The estate was a great setting, and provided the perfect backdrop for this tale.

• I found the whole process involving the staging of the play to be fun and fabulous. We got all that delicious drama, interesting characters, and a fun look into the process of live for TV stage performances.

• The side plot involving Griff's grandfather and Freddy's grandmother had me fascinated. Not only did we get a look into the modern theatre world, but we also got a peek at the thespian scene of yesteryear, which was quite interesting.

• So many great auxiliary characters! There were many characters, who helped make this story a success. They were each unique and brought something to the table, which took the story up a notch.

• Parker blended they mystery into this romance so well, and I loved getting closer and closer to the truth.

Overall: Another fantastic book from Parker. I hope she has a plethora of London Celebrities stories to tell, because I have grown to depend on this series to deliver delightful romances filled with wit, charm, swoon, heat, and lots of fun.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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