Monday, January 26, 2015

Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread

GIVEAWAY

HATHAWAY, MARY JANE
PERSUASION, CAPTIAN WENTWORTH AND CRACKLIN' CORNBREAD

A lively Southern retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, featuring Lucy Crawford, who is thrown back into the path of her first love while on a quest to save her beloved family home.

Lucy Crawford is part of a wealthy, well-respected Southern family with a long local history. But since Lucy’s mother passed away, the family home, a gorgeous antebellum mansion, has fallen into disrepair and the depth of her father’s debts is only starting to be understood. Selling the family home may be the only option—until her Aunt Olympia floats the idea of using Crawford house to hold the local free medical clinic, which has just lost its space. As if turning the plantation home into a clinic isn’t bad enough, Lucy is shocked and dismayed to see that the doctor who will be manning the clinic is none other than Jeremiah Chevy—her first love.

Lucy and Jeremiah were high school sweethearts, but Jeremiah was from the wrong side of the tracks. His family was redneck and proud, and Lucy was persuaded to dump him. He eventually left town on a scholarship, and now, ten years later, he’s returned as part of the rural physician program. And suddenly, their paths cross once again. While Lucy’s family still sees Jeremiah as trash, she sees something else in him—as do several of the other eligible ladies in town. Will he be able to forgive the past? Can she be persuaded to give love a chance this time around?


My Review:

I can't begin to convey how much I've loved this series. Revisiting Austen in the South with Hathaway's unique spin has been reading nirvana for me. And I do believe that Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread is my favourite of the three. I just loved Lucy and Jem's story even though it was angst riddled to the very end...or maybe because it was. Carefully plotted and flawlessly executed, every precious word built up sights and sounds and smells and oh, so many emotions in my mind. A total escape read -- so much so that it was surreal to be jarred out of it when real life got in the way.

If I never get my blood pressure down, I'm blaming Lucy's family. I was foaming at the mouth over some of their antics. Gah! I wanted to shake that girl for capitulating so many times. All that Southern breeding has made her a tad too biddable.

Stalwart Jem, hurt by past rejection but still drawn to the girl who broke his heart. There is something about a sensitive hero who struggles to stay on an even keel. These two have such history -- and it goes way beyond personal. Their past is cluttered with societal expectations, class consciousness and even racial prejudice. The heart of this story is the hero and heroine's willingness to create something enduringly beautiful from the shards of their shattered pasts.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 1 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

38 comments:

  1. I love Persuasion! I LOVE PERSUASION! I do love Pride and Prejudice, but I must confess that I consider Persuasion being finer as far as the writing goes. Don´t stone me :) And let´s see if the Southern version goes the same deep, intelligent way!
    I would love to read this, count me in, please.

    janka(dot)halcinova(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. No stoning, Janka. I'm an Austen fan but not a fanatic. LOL Good luck!

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  2. Oh, I am so looking forward to reading this one! Thanks for the giveaway! momrain(AT)aol(DOT)com

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  3. I enjoy the retelling of Jane Austin. Thanks for the chance to win this.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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  4. I would love to be entered! Just picked up her newest one at my library but haven't read the others yet. Thanks for the recommend!

    esterried[at]yahoo[dot]com

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    1. Wait -- she has a newer one than this? Must dash to her website to check that out. Good luck, Charity.

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  5. This is a series I keep seeing but haven't gotten around to yet. Can't wait to get started they all sound good.

    Diane
    dianemestrella at gmail dot com

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    1. It's definitely one you'll want to read, Diane. Good luck.

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  6. This sounds like a fun book to read this winter.

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  7. Love the title and would love to read the book!

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. The titles are so fun in this series. Good luck, Melanie.

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  8. You certainly have me excited to read this book, Kav! Thanks so much for the chance to be a winner.

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

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  9. Persuasion is one of my favorite Austen stories! Would love to win this retelling.

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. I think you'll enjoy it, Patty. Good luck.

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  10. This sounds like a great story, I haven't heard about this series yet, guess I'll have to check it out!

    wfnren at aol dot com

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  11. I like the cover & would like to learn more about the Austen books..Your review makes it go to the top of my TBR list :)
    dkstevensneAToutlookDoTCo M

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    1. It deserves to be at the top of that list, Deanna. Good luck.

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  12. I love Jane Austen's stories and this new series based on them sounds really interesting. I'd love to win a copy.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    sunshine6892 at hotmail dot com

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    1. It's a great mix of Austen and the South. Good luck, Cathy.

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  13. Looking forward to reading this one for sure. rrwalter34ATgmailDOTcom

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  14. This series has such terrific titles. I haven't read any of them yet but they are on my "want to read" list. Thanks for the chance to win.
    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. I love the titles too...very campy. Good luck, Pam.

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  15. Wonderful cover - looks awesome! truckredford(at)Gmail(dot)com

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    1. I really like the covers in this whole series. Very different and they all mesh making them easy to recognize. Good luck, Eliza.

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  16. I guess I really need to win this book. I have never read any Jane Austen books. Really! Love the cover and the title. makes me hungry for some cornbread. Something I grew up on. Lots of times one of our meals would be cornbread crumbled in a glass of milk. I still love it. Please put my name in. Maxie
    > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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    1. You don't need to have read Austen in order to enjoy this book, Maxie. It's delicious all on its own. Good luck.

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  17. I would buy this book based on the cover alone and the fact that I dearly love cracklin cornbread.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I'd never heard of crackling cornbread until I read this book, Janet. LOL Good luck.

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  18. I just got the second in this series at bookoutlet for a great price. Would love to win this one. Thanks for the giveaway.

    sweetdarknectar at gmail dot com

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    1. I love this series so much. Hope the author does more of them. Good luck, Boos Mum.

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  19. I've loved every retelling of Persuasion that I've read. There haven't been many, but they've been good! And this one is from a Christian perspective, so that bumps it up even more on my list! :)

    lieniitte(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. This one was written for you, Lieniitte. Good luck.

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