Motivated by a $100,000 prize, struggling divorced mother Chloe Parker
auditions for a trivia quiz about Jane Austen, only to find herself unexpectedly cast in a
public television reality dating show set in 1812, where competitors vie to win the money
and heart of Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a fabulous estate. To further distress Chloe,
contestants must dress and behave as if they were in the Regency year depicted in Pride
and Prejudice, without cell phones, indoor plumbing, or deodorant. It’s time for Chloe to
tighten her corset and flash some ankle to beat out women younger, more cutthroat, and
less clumsy than herself. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly raved that “Doornebos
gives the historical romance novel a hilarious update in this delightful debut.”
