This is more like a 2 1/2. I enjoyed it but I think the title and the blurb on the back lead the reader to believe that the actual character of Jane Austen plays a more prominent role than she actually does. She's there but there is only like an interaction with the heroine like maybe a total of three times. Also, while I am always a fan of time travel romance this one seemed a little hard to follow (maybe it was just me) and the description and the tying together at the end seemed a bit thrown together with not enough explanation as to the actual *why* it was that way. It was still an enjoyable read but not what I was expecting.

I'm a big fan of mysteries in general (cozy or otherwise) but I found myself not completely enamored of this book. I thought it dragged on a bit longer than necessary, introduced some characters that really didn't need to be there (although it may come out in the later books) and even as far as cozies go a lot of the situations seemed really implausible. It wasn't without the charm mind you and it wasn't horrible but, it's not the best thing I've read and I'm not inspired to rush out and get the rest in the series.

This novel is much different from the first novel of hers I reviewed (Walking on Broken Glass) which I think speaks of her ability to write to be able to write such different novels. I found that I enjoyed this one much more simply because I think it brings up a lot of questions that everyone (not just Christians) have about homosexuality in religion.

While most people may find Caryn's internal battle repetitive and silly, fact is most people feel that way they just don't verbalize it. She has been feed into the sterotype that Christianity = intolerance of anyone who is like them and while Christians can intolerant, God is not. But I digress this is a review not a soapbox.

I think Caryn's evolution from someone who wouldn't even talk to her brother to someone who realized that regardless of who he loved he was her family and she needed to stay by him happened in the speed that it needed to. After the attack, she realized she need to basically get overself (as her friend articulated to her many times) and then her eventually complete acceptance of him while even realizing her own downfalls was perfectly paced.

I don't want to give too many details since I hate spoilers but I do recommend picking this book up. If you've read her other novel though expect something different. I really wish a friend had read this along with me so we could have a discussion about it; that's how much I enjoyed it.