'Imperfect Bliss'

Oh, Jane Austen!  Contemporary authors and filmmakers are having a blast with your delicious stories.

And, dear Jane, yet another has hit store shelves and e-readers, delighting another generation of fans...and bringing them back to your original source.

'Imperfect Bliss', by Susan Fales-Hill, is a delightful retelling of Austen's story, 'Pride and Prejudice'.  Set in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Harold and Forsythia Harcourt, a mixed-race couple, are raising four marriage-eligible daughters.  Forsythia has named her daughters after Windsor royals in hopes that each one would find her own true prince.  But beautiful Diana has entered herself in a new reality tv series, 'The Virgin', and her mother couldn't be happier.  Not only will the show bring the family attention, but Forsythia has her moment to shine.  Recently divorced Elizabeth (a.k.a. Bliss) and her young daughter live with her parents, and Bliss wants no part of the madness as she pursues a PhD.  But when she meets the handsome producer, she is drawn into the romance and drama of the whole event.

Sure, it's 'chick lit', but it's quite charming and literate.  The characters are unforgettable, even when you know how things will turn out.

'Imperfect Bliss' is a sweet distraction from all the weighty tomes that will be heading our way this Fall.

So sit back and enjoy yourself...

...and I'm sure you'll find the original Austen calling your name.