The Jane Austen Marriage Manual
CBC Books | CBC | Posted: July 18, 2017 3:03 PM | Last Updated: July 18, 2017
Kim Izzo
Kate Shaw, an acting beauty editor for a fashion magazine, has just been told that her services are no longer required. Through no fault of her own, she finds herself single, homeless and in desperate need to help her family survive its own financial and emotional crises. Known for her love of all things Jane Austen, Kate is given a freelance gig that changes everything: to research whether it is possible, in these modern times — and at a certain age — to marry well.
What starts as an article quickly turns into Kate's real-life quest. From the polo fields of West Palm Beach to the glamour of London's social scene, Kate chases the man of her dreams, a charming and elegant older financier. But she keeps running into a brooding Englishman who works at an impeccably Austenesque estate. Caught between Mr. Rich and maybe Mr. Right, Kate must choose what she really wants out of life: to marry for money or risk it all for love. (From Harper Perennial)
From the book
"Do you think I'm too old to marry well?" I asked cautiously. Marianne and Brandon chuckled. They thought I was joking. Maybe it was the wine or all our talk about birthdays and money but as they laughed the reality hit me square on the jaw. Soon I would be forty. A middle-aged woman. Maybe it was too late to make what Austen called an "eligible match." Maybe marrying a wealthy man had an expiration date, and I had reached it. I was past due. I was best before. I shook myself free of the thought. It was silly to worry about that. My love of Jane Austen aside, I had never aspired to marry, let alone marry well. I was in a bad spot financially, but otherwise I was just fine, thank you very much.
From The Jane Austen Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo ©2013. Published by Harper Perennial.