Review: The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay

The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay

Blurb from Goodreads:

Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious measures to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy's secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt, and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James's wealthy grandmother Helen hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy's predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen's wisdom, as Helen confronts the ghosts of her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters' beloved heroines, who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of change.

Now Lucy must go back into her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that's been waiting for her all along.

My Review:
  In the very first pages of this book, you will find yourself not only immersed in a cross between a Dickens and a Brontë novel but also deep in the world of high end interior designing with a bent toward antique book collecting.  I found these descriptions fascinating and could picture the entire world of Lucy so well!  And then she travels to England and the descriptions were even more magnanimous -- I lived there for two years and I felt like I was right back in the thick of it but seeing it through a newcomer's eyes and with that same wonderment.  

I absolutely love Katherine Reay's writing and how she manages to weave bits and pieces of the classics (think: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Elizabeth Gaskell, and the Brontës) into each of her novels whether through plot, quotes, message -- these classic books come to life in our time when reading Reay's novels.  She also makes the city of Chicago shine and come to life in a way that makes you simultaneously long to be right there but also feel like you are there at the same time.  I've loved every single one she's written so far and she is on my auto-buy list.  Of course, Dear Mr. Knightley is still my favorite but they should all be read!!

I highly recommend for fans of the classics like anything by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens or the Brontë sisters.  Fans of Katherine Reay will not be disappointed in her latest!!  The  Brontë Plot comes out TOMORROW, November 3, 2015, you can purchase HERE!!

James stared at her.  "I've never heard anyone talk about books like you do.  It's like they're your friends."  

"Aren't they yours?"