Review: "The Perfect Hero" by Victoria Connelly

Kay Ashton, romantic and die-hard Jane Austen fan, is devastated when her long-time friend and substitute mother figure passes away. Kay is astonished to find out that she is to receive a sizable inheritance and decides to use the money to quit her boring job and follow her dream instead. She impulsively decides to open a Bed & Breakfast in Lyme Regis and is shocked when the cast of a new production of "Persuasion" knocks on her door, desperate for a place to stay. Kay can't believe that handsome leading man Oli Wade Owen will be staying under her roof, but when he decides to romance her, will she find out that he is the perfect hero? Or will she find out that her leading man is someone else?

I really enjoyed my foray into Jane Austen's world, if only for 368 pages. Lyme Regis, the place where Kay decides to move when she comes into a surprise inheritance, is one of the settings of the Jane Austen novel Persuasion, so it comes as no surprise that the producers of the new version of the Austen classic decide to film there. Connelly describes the area with attention to detail, and she creates fun and quirky characters that aim to entertain. One actress is a diva in the largest sense of the word, another actress is shy and nervous about her first leading role, and the director seems angry at the world, and at the leading man in particular. Add in a shy local producer with a love for Jane Austen novels and there's bound to be enough drama and romance worthy of any Jane Austen production.

Recommended for fans of both Jane Austen novels and chick lit, The Perfect Hero is the perfect read for a lazy summer day.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Challenges: 2011 100+ Reading Challenge

Thank-you to HarperCollins Avon for this review copy.