Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs (Jane Austen Takes the South Book 2)

I wrote a way too long review about Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits, the first book in Ms. Hathaway's series of Jane Austen retellings, so I will try to keep this quite a bit shorter. I don't like writing negative reviews because I know that someone's writing is very important to them and they worked hard on it. Nonetheless, I feel that there are lots of issues with this book. The writing is choppy and awkward in so many places, there are unnecessary descriptions of things that have nothing to do with anything, there are abrupt changes in whose point of view is being given even in the middle of a paragraph, at some times we are being told over again how a character feels or thinks about something like it is the first time, and sometimes we are not given enough information to understand what a character is thinking at all. There are many instances where the plot seems forced into a parallel with the original novel which don't work. The characters don't feel like real people and the setting certainly doesn't feel like the real South. I forgave all of these things and held out hope that the end would be worth it. I love the scene in Emma where Mr. Knightley finally tells Emma how he feels about her! But the way the story wraps up, the way all of the tensions are resolved and the characters live happy ever after, is done so badly that I felt the negative review had to be written for both books. I am sure Ms. Hathaway is a wonderful lady. I cannot imagine trying to come alongside Jane Austen! It would be so hard for anyone to do her works justice! And this book definitely does not. I love the idea of this series, but as a Southerner who loves Jane Austen, I was very disappointed. It's a swing and a miss, and it misses by quite a lot. But I admire her courage in stepping up to the plate.

Hathaway's first book in this series has become one of my favorites and so I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I didn't find myself caring for the characters nor the story. Skipped some and finally finished it, but I just did not find it engaging.

It seemed to me that lack of communication was the crux of the who book. I found myself frustrated because both of the main characters were just jumping to conclusions about the feelings of the other.

And not loved by the author. Between the multiple verbs left in ("he headed walked out the door" etc.) And the fact that she can't seem to remember what color her main character's eyes are among other glaring oversights, an otherwise fine beach read was rendered quite annoying.

The story was a cute, humorous, easy read. The editing is terrible! Didn't anyone take the time to proofread the ebook. Some sentences are so garbled it is hard to understand what is being said. Thankfully it was really cheap or I would be contacting customer service!

I really enjoyed Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits. I was very excited to see that there was sequel to the book. I downloaded Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs to my Kindle right away. While the story is good, I am having a hard time losing myself in the book because of the poor readability. Every other page there is a missing word, too many words, a sentence that does not make sense, or great is used instead of greet. I wish someone would have mentioned the editing problems in the comments, because I would have just borrowed it instead of spending my money on purchasing this book.

This is my first real negative review. The story was full of fluff, stinging you along thinking surely something will happen soon! This is a a boring book. I read the first one and liked it. This was such a disappointment!

Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs (2014) by Mary Jane Hathaway is the second book in the Jane Austen Takes the South series. The novel comes in all forms including eBook, and is 291 pages in length. With a full-time job and a precocious five-year old at home, this novel took me three days to read. I give this novel 3 STARS. This book is a Contemporary Christian Romance.

So, I don't hate this book, but I definitely don't love it. Let me begin by explaining that I am not a fan of Jane Austen's Emma. I know...gasp! How can this be? My issue with Emma is Emma. She drives me insane. She is a busy-body who thinks she knows everything but doesn't know anything. And, she almost ruins peoples' lives because she thinks she knows what is best for everyone. I find her to be an immature and selfish character. And, I always feel SO badly for Mr. Knightley. It's plain as day that he is in love with Emma, but she is so focused on her point of view she can't see anyone's reality. Mr. Knightley is one of the best heroes in Regency fiction...heck, in any era of fiction. Austen made him a knight in shining armor. It's hard not to love him!

The main characters in this novel are Caroline and Brooks. Caroline is the "Emma" character and Brooks is "Knightley." Just as in Emma, Brooks is an amazing guy. He pays attention to detail. He is sweet, kind, and compassionate. And, he absolutely loves Caroline. In this book, Brooks and Caroline have been best friends since birth, so it does take him a little while to realize his feelings for Caroline are more than just brotherly-best friend feelings. I do like how Hathaway develops Brooks's character. He feels very realistic and candid. And I feel so badly for him when he realizes he may have ruined his chance at real love. I definitely root for Brooks like I root for Mr. Knightley.

Caroline plays the "Emma" character perfectly. She does mean well, but she has blinders on that she doesn't realize she has. For example, there is a sweet, poor, young girl in the novel, Lexi, who has just graduated high school. Lexi received a scholarship to college and plans to get a degree in accounting. She wants to use that degree to help better the lives of herself and her father. Enter Caroline who throws a wrench into that plan because she thinks she knows better. Lexi is a fantastic artist. Caroline convinces Lexi to pursue her artistic talents and drop the accounting plans because, according to wealthy, elite Caroline, no one should be forced into something they don't love. As a high school teacher at a Title I school, and a mother, I wanted to scream at Caroline for jeopardizing the future of this young, impressionable girl. Caroline has pretty much had life handed to her on a silver platter. Foregoing a prudent choice in order to chase dreams is possible to do when you are rich. When you are not rich, you have to do the smart thing to survive. Just as in Emma, Caroline almost ruins the life of a young, impressionable, poor girl.

One issue with this novel is the focus on Brooks's parents, specifically his father. It is made a BIG deal throughout the entire book that Brooks's parents had an unhappy marriage. Never does the reader get an understanding of why the marriage was unhappy. We are just told they bickered and fought a lot. But, we are never told why they bickered and fought a lot. There is zero backstory. At the beginning of the novel, the reader is told that Brooks's mother had died about a year prior to the start of this book, and dad is so devastated he has basically stopped eating and holed himself up in his study. The reader is never told why dad is so devastated. Am I just supposed to assume he feels guilty for the supposed bad marriage? I don't know. I kept waiting for something. Some answer to explain how the marriage was so bad, and some answer as to why the dad was so devastated. But the explanation never comes. It left me feeling dissatisfied. If Brooks hadn't made it a big deal (he brings it up ALL the time), I could have let it go, but he does make it a big deal, so I need answers.

I do realize that Ms. Hathaway has written her characters exceptionally well. I am clearly having a visceral reaction to them. I really do appreciate that about this novel. Don't not read this book because I don't like Emma. That has clearly colored my read of this novel. It is a very well written book. I was never bored reading it. In fact, the best part of this book is Brooks and his grandmother. She is hilarious, and it is clear she dotes on her grandson. I flew through their pages and wanted more! If you love Emma, you will love this modern take. If you have never read Emma, you will more than likely love this book. I do recommend the novel. Just for me, there were moments that left me needing more.

In this contemporary rendition of the classic Jane Austen's Emma, Caroline is back hone in Thorny Hollow to take care of her fragile mother. Caroline had been a successful journalist but her father's death made her return home essential.

Her long time friend is Brooks, a professor of journalism at a nearby college. He is a bright spot in Caroline's life, a voice of sanity in a world of lemonade and bridge parties.

The settled world of Caroline and Brooks is rocked when a handsome fellow comes to town and asks Caroline to write copy for manga books at his up and coming digital publishing company. Brooks doesn't trust this fellow – or is he just jealous?

This novel is good southern romance. There are garden parties and southern belles to match. There are Civil War reenactments and homes full of antiques. There are good guys and bad guys and a few quirky ones too.

The characters were well presented. Brooks is a real southern gentlemen. He'll even buy a cake when he knows Caroline has messed up the one she baked for her mother's bridge club. He is so gentle he has trouble expressing his deep feelings for Caroline. And Caroline seems to be that typical southern woman who wants to fix others' lives. She does grow in the novel as she realizes her fix isn't always what is best for the other person.

This is the second in the series yet it can easily be read alone. I didn't find as much humor in this one as I did in the first novel. I did enjoy reading about the Civil War aficionados. Those guys (and gals) really get into character. This is a nice southern romance and will give additional pleasure to those who enjoy Austen's novels. The author has even included a couple of recipes at the end of the book.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Caroline Ashley grew up in the South, a place flush with ancestral mansions, social restrictions, expectations, and well to do families, much akin to Regency Era England. Caroline's one escape was when she left for college and worked for the Washington Post. But upon the death of her father she returns home, ever the dutiful daughter, to again take part in Southern society along side her mother.

Brooks is Caroline's best friend, and a college professor with a large hound named Absalom. He's known her for years, and been and inside observer of her parent's difficult marriage. Both Brooks and Caroline have their own theories about love and marriage and decide to test their theories at the many parties they are required to attend.

But will they ever realize that love might not be as impossible for them as they may think?

Ms. Hathaway puts a modern spin on a classic, with this rendition of Jane Austen's Emma. There were multiple parallel themes and characters to Emma and it was fun to try and figure out who was who, and how the book would differ from its inspiration. I especially loved the idea of a Jane Austen themed barn dance!

I think that this book does just what it sets out to do, the South taqking on Jane Austen classic and giving them a fresh new feel, giving Caroline an Emma-like modern flair, and making Brooks the epitome of the perfect Southern gentleman who wants to get out of friend zone. I loved the interaction between Brooks and Caroline, it was very well done and had glimmers of Knightley and Emma's relationship.

There are many colorful characters, and humorous situations, as well as some misunderstandings. This was an enjoyable read, that kept my attention throughout and was very engaging. Definitely a book to check out!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Though I enjoyed the first book in this series, I was hesitant to read the second one because Emma and Mr. Knightley are my favorite Jane Austen couple. But I really enjoyed this book. My thoughts:

What I liked:

Ms. Hathaway manages to capture the essence of the novel Emma. Clearly there are some differences (which I greatly appreciated), but Caroline reads as Emma and Brooks as Knightley.

Caroline. She’s got that rich, bored, let me invest in other people’s lives thing going the same as Emma. You can tell that she genuinely wants to help and be needed. She wants to be modern, but is still so very much tied to the old way of doing things. She is both very much likeable and sometimes annoying, but only in the way that Emma is.

Brooks is Knightley. He is also wealthy, but quiet and smart. He watches out and takes care of Caroline and is never afraid of correcting her when she’s wrong.

The romance. Obviously Brooks and Caroline are friends first. Really good friends who sacrifice for each other and only desire that the other be happy and make good decisions…even if that means they have disagreements. I loved watching them slowly fall in love and rarely do I comment on such a thing, but the kiss in this book was awesome. I had to go back and read that thing again.

The inclusion of the Civil War. Do people really take reenactments that seriously? If so, that’s kind of weird… and funny.

The secondary characters. It wasn’t exactly like Emma (again I’m very glad it was not), but I enjoyed that they secondary characters managed to encapsulate the same ideas as others in the Austen novel.

Spiritually, it’s kind of light, and I’m not sure that there is a theme. We are just aware that Caroline and Brooks are Christians and often turn to God in prayer.

What I didn’t like:

Sometimes I wanted to sit Caroline and Brooks down and make them communicate. Lack of communication can really throw off a book, and it didn’t here, but it is a minor annoyance.

Romantic Scale: 9

Overall, so much fun to read and very cute!

**I received this book from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

Caroline (our Emma, cause yay Austen re-imagining take two) is an intelligent girl who despite her best attempts often gets the wrong end of the stick. She is lovable, caring, and has good friends. Pulled back to her old home town to help out her mother after her dad passes away, she's beginning to find life a little stale. The only thing that makes it all bearable is having her long time friend Brooks around, but even that is challenged when some new people come to town. It isn't long before Caroline is questioning what she really wants out of life. Such a fun book, and a clever imaginative re-imagining of a classic. Totally worth a read... Now where's the next installment...

Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits got me rereading Pride and Prejudice. Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs has me reading Emma for the first time. But don't think you must know your Austen works to read this book or, hopefully, the next in the series. Caroline and Brooks have a delightful relationship. The story is a fresh take on the world we live in today and the issues we face. Engaging secondary characters, a delightful setting, and plenty of other reasons to keep the pages turning or the Kindle clicking make Emma the perfect book for poolside, a hammock, or the comfort of an air-conditioned family room. Pick it up, get the first in the series if you haven't read it, and impatiently tap your foot waiting for the next book in the series. Oh, and try a chili-slaw dog if you haven't had the pleasure.

I loved "Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits" so jumped at the chance to read this sequel. It's a rare thing to find a clean romance, and even rarer to find one that also has intelligent humor--I actually laughed out loud twice! True to Austen's Emma, the heroine Caroline is not the most likeable person at first. I thought the author did a good job of developing her character while not portraying her as an intentionally snobbish aristocrat. I loved the tie in of the Civil War re-enactment and local history. Amazingly descriptive writing--I felt like I could see the mansions, the surrounding countryside, and the elaborate costumes worn by the characters for special occasions (trying not to give anything away!). Would definitely recommend this to my friends!

Hold on to your hearts! Mary Jane Hathaway revs up the romance in this modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved EMMA, and the result is a sizzling tale of two best friends who discover just how much more they mean to each other. While some plotlines felt a bit unresolved in the end, and the lack of a spiritual message may be a turn-off for some conservative readers, this story is an excellent example of just how fun and passionate Christian fiction can be.

A full review and critique of this book may be found on my website.

[sigh] I tried, I really did. I adore, absolutely love Jane Austen, and was interested to read Mary Jane Hathaway's take on Austen classics - Southern style. To her and my credit, I read more of "Emma, Mr. Knightly and Chili-Slaw Dogs" than I did her other two novels in this series. But, this, like the other two were DNF's for me.
I'm sad to say that I felt Hathaway's prose was thick as molasses. It was hard going trying to read her books. The writing was stilted and awkward. It also had more than a whiff of Southern stereotypes (e.g. characters obsessed with Civil War reenactments, women who are tied to their parent's apron strings, people who spoke almost in a Gone With the Wind manner).
What I did like was that Hathaway did not re-work Austen frame by frame. Indeed, as I recall, the "Persuasion" book in this series had an interracial romance between the Anne/Capt. Wentworth characters. Bravo to the author on that front!
But, alas, even minor changes that I liked were not enough to compel me to continue reading. That's too bad, as I am always up for new interpretations of Austen's works, whether print or in some other medium.

The idea was interesting, but...execution was poor. The story felt very choppy and disconnected, with a lack of consistency in characters and plot, and details thrown in without any clear purpose. On one hand you've got Brooks musing about Caroline being the most generous, friendly, etc person that he knows, and shortly thereafter he's thinking about her being spoiled, selfish, and self-absorbed. Caroline thinks Frank is awesome, seems way over-eager for his attention, and yet there's just something about him that she can't like (except that part is apparently forgotten really easily). Caroline is a journalist that has never read Emma (but apparently has read Pride and Prejudice), and when she tries to read it, she can't quite comprehend it. I hate this kind of inconsistency in characters, as it prevents me from getting a good grasp of them and being able to feel the ending is believable. Several threads were left dangling (his father, her mother, the antique dealer) and the feeling is that they were just tossed in there with no real purpose. Also, references to God were sort of slapped in there as if it was trying to appeal to a more Christian audience, but again the effort just didn't quite make it. It felt like an afterthought.

Anyone who loves Jane Austen and present day renditions of classics like I do will enjoy Emma, Mr. Knightley and Chili-Slaw Dogs. Hathaway delivers a clean romance with splashes of faith and humor. And lordy, what a kiss! I can't wait to read the next Hathaway--who also writes as Virginia Carmichael--title.

Emma was not my favorite Austen title. However, I loved this southern adaptation. The characters were engaging and a lot of fun to read. Each chapter started with a quote from Emma which gave insight into the mood of the characters without giving away the plot. I found this book thoroughly delightful.