Syrie James has made a living by writing and complementing works of Austen and the Brontë’s, which is great for her and great for us. I’ve recently started reading James, beginning with The Lost Manuscripts of Jane Austen, and have really enjoyed the book and her work. The story was fresh, the romance, not really needed, was subtle. The pacing is good. There was constant moving forward of the plot. The writing was a bit sloppy at times but overall it was well written. While the primary time period was contemporary, James seemed to have a grasp of the machinations of the Regency period, which pleased me. (Nothing like sloppy research to ruin a good book, no matter how well written.) So when Jane Austen’s First Love became available at the library, I checked it out with working knowledge it would follow the same formula described above and be a delightful read.

Jane Austen’s First Love is not that book.

Let’s start with the characters — first, we must admit, we know nothing of how Jane Austen was as what is known is based on gossip, James Edward Austen-Leigh’s sketchy biography, and the few letters not burned to a crisp by Cassandra. With this, James had carte blanc in fleshing out Jane’s personality. She failed. James portrayed Austen as this 15 year old chatterbox, worried about fitting in with her peers and stressing about boys – essentially James distilled Lydia Bennet as Austen’s personality. There were some bright moments — she made Austen fearless which seems reasonable given what we can glean from Austen’s books, if we assume Austen injected herself into some of her heroines. There was, very scant times, when James’ Austen rejected what society had planned for her. But overall it was Austen’s pining for Edward Taylor that threw the story off for me.

Secondly, the Jane / Edward romance? No chemistry!

For this book , I read far more than my usual 50 page allotment to see if a book is worthwhile to continue and this one I got to page 165! But as I read, I realised I was reading it not because I so much enjoyed it BUT because it fulfilled Jane Austen paraliterature criteria. The book isn’t so bad as much as it has a tendency to be flat and the plot isn’t moving forward and there seems to be little action with the characters themselves. Jane Austen’s First Love reminds me a lot of the Lord of the Rings trilogy where in LotR, ther were hundreds of pages of “we’re walking and we’re walking,” without really any action happening which begins to get tedious and nervewrecking. DO SOMETHING, I screamed at the book (internally) at least. Jane Austen’s First Love strikes me as a book people are either really going to love, Jane Austen has a romance!, or something people are going to be put off by. I am giving this 3/5 stars because the book did fulfil some of my criteria but overall I found it flat and wanting.

I will end this with saying I’m not dissuaded by reading more Syrie James – The Lost Manuscripts of Jane Austen was really good and one meh book does not mean to reject an autor completely. ( )

Romantic, wistful and richly engrossing, fans of the beloved Miss Austen will delight in Syrie James’ well-researched, evocative story of the summer Jane is believed to have first fallen in love.

For a month in 1791, 15-year-old Jane Austen is welcomed with her sister and brother to the vast, beautiful world of Goodnestone to celebrate the engagement of her brother, Edward, to Elizabeth Bridges, one of the young ladies of the estate. On their way to the celebration, their carriage meets with calamity — and Edward Taylor, a handsome and educated young man who lives nearby, comes to their rescue.

As their connection to the Bridges family brings them together, Jane and Edward pass many enjoyable weeks in each other’s company . . . much to the chagrin of the chaperones entrusted with making sure the reputations of both families remain unsullied. Though she knows a match between a wealthy heir and a reverend’s daughter is unlikely, their affection continues to grow — even as Jane meddles in the romances of those around her, causing disturbances and miscommunications.

Based on the scholarly belief that Jane did, in fact, meet one Edward Taylor through her brother — and snippets of letters in which she mentions both Him and Bifrons, Edward’s actual home — James has constructed a lively, entertaining tale of the man who may have stolen young Jane’s heart. With generous and creative nods to future characters (especially Emma Woodhouse, intrepid but misguided matchmaker), Jane Austen’s First Love is a treat for fans of the author and historical fiction alike.

The way Jane falls in love with Edward was sudden but believable — a feat not easily accomplished. As a young woman with little experience away from Steventon (and her mother’s grasp), Jane is enamored to be passing time as she chooses — and in the company of new, exciting, accomplished people. In addition to being handsome and well-traveled, Edward is adventurous and kind. Though a bit of a daredevil with a reputation to match, he has no trouble questioning the status quo: unique in a society that places propriety above all else.

Jane comes from different stock, of course. Visiting Goodnestone for her brother’s engagement celebration, she and Cassandra are under immense pressure to behave well and not present as “country folk.” At 15, Jane is too young to actually be “out” in society . . . but her mother relents for the special occasion, allowing her to participate in the many events and balls held in honor of two sets of soon-to-be newlyweds (the sister of Edward Austen’s intended is also to marry). This new independence delights Jane — but it comes at a cost.

The early feelings of love and affection blossoming between Jane and Edward Taylor — the nerves; the excitement; the desperation to see each other again — are familiar to all of us. Indeed, it’s tough to read Jane Austen’s First Love and not feel transported back to your own first brush with romance. James does a remarkable job of drawing us into the easy banter and camaraderie the two share . . . but of course, we know the ending of the story.

Is it a spoiler to talk of the fate of a famous author who passed nearly 200 years ago? Austen fans know that, for all her exquisite explorations of the human heart, Jane herself never did marry — nor did her sister, Cassandra, after losing a fiance as a young woman. Jane passed at age 41 and left an enormous legacy that still has us talking, speculating and daydreaming centuries later.

Knowing the end of her romance with Edward Taylor even before it began did nothing to harm it; in fact, James beautifully demonstrates how reasonable it was that Jane could have fallen in love . . . but how, in the end, first loves are not always forever loves. What could have been a bittersweet ending was, instead, satisfying and realistic.

I loved my time at Goodnestone — and any time spent in the company of dear Jane is always well spent. Syrie James does a remarkable job of returning us to Regency England in the company of “characters” that actually feel like friends, with a story that felt both familiar and fresh. Jane Austen’s First Love will be a welcome addition to the shelves of Janeites everywhere — and those interested in a good love story will rejoice in it, too. ( )

What a delightful surprise this book was!! A lovely, charming and beautifully written account of Jane Austen's first love interest, Edward Taylor, inspired by true events. Jane Austen is 15 years old when the book opens and excited when she learns that she is to accompany her mother, sister, and younger brother to visit her elder brother Edward, who resides with Thomas and Catherine Knight of Godmersham Park, Kent. Edward is recently engaged to Ms. Elizabeth Bridges of Goodnestone Park, and the family is invited there to celebrate a month-long multitude of festivities, to Jane's overwhelming delight. As they got underway to Goodnestone their carriage met with peril and was nearly upset, leaving them virtually stranded on the road. When circumstances begin to look grim, Edward Taylor appears and rescues them. This is where Jane and Edward make their acquaintance, and she is at once smitten by his smart appearance. Jane eventually learns that Edward is highly accomplished; at 17 he's traveled the world and been educated by many Masters, speaks several languages, been in the company of numerous influential people including princes, ambassadors and lords. She's enamored by his opinions and thought processes regarding various subjects, and appreciates how his insights encourage her to think differently about some of her own deeply entrenched ideas. He is also somewhat of an enigmatic fellow and likes to take risks, challenges commonly accepted practices, and prefers not to inherit and manage his father's estate. The daredevil in him is somewhat displeasing to Jane on more than one occasion. Nevertheless, Jane feels certain that she truly loves Edward. Or does she?
I was enraptured and caught away by the mention of balls, picnics, garden parties, long walks and similar activities that the family engaged in. The visual detail of the aforementioned was splendid and I felt transported back in time where I could be a spectator of Jane's young life. Character development was excellent and I could easily envision many of the key family members, friends and acquaintances that were met with while I read along. It was nice to see the close bond that was evident between Jane and her older sister Cassandra, and also her younger brother Charles. I also liked how the book reminded me of Jane Austen's book Emma, and her disastrous match-making attempts. Mostly I loved watching how Jane and Edward's attachment unfolded.
This was the first book I've read by Syrie James and I was truly impressed!! So much so that I immediately looked into her other books and purchased one in audiobook format. If you enjoy Jane Austen inspired works, I trust you will be thrilled when you read Jane Austen's First Love. MAGNIFICENT, and highly recommended! ( )

From the first time I read one of Jane Austen's novels, I was captivated. First I read them for the romance; later I came to appreciate them for the nuanced characters and subtle social commentary. I mainly focused on her works, not as interested in her real life until I realized that there must have been happenings in her own life that gave her all that wonderful fodder for her works. Now I am fascinated by the speculations about the things she herself experienced that allowed her to write so well about the society in which she lived and to create characters who are so realistic and complete. Syrie James must also share this fascination with Austen's life and inspirations as she has written several books about Austen, the latest of which is the charming Jane Austen's First Love.

Opening with a letter from Cassandra triggering memories for an older Austen, the novel travels back in time to tell the story of the young man who might very well have been Austen's first love. When the Austen family hears of son Edward's betrothal to a young woman of good family and large fortune, they are pleased and excited for him. Even more exciting is that they have been invited out to meet the young lady in question and participate in all the celebrations surrounding the formal engagement announcement. So it happens that Mrs. Austen, Cassandra, 15 year old Jane and younger brother Charles undertake the arduous journey to Kent to see their son and brother. They spend some time in the grand Godmersham Manor that Edward will one day inherit before heading to Goodnestone Park, the home of Edward's beloved. On their way to this second destination, there is a carriage accident and the Austen girls must be rescued by the handsome and worldly Edward Taylor of Bifrons. Jane is immediately drawn to the daring and engaging young man and she is pleased to know that he will be present at most of the merry making leading up to Edward and Elizabeth's betrothal announcement.

The Jane of the novel is still a young woman, not yet out in society but desperately wishing to be so. She is already on her way to becoming an astute observer but being so young and inexperienced, she is also prone to mistaken impressions and to impetuosity. She is fascinated by Edward Taylor, the tales of his peripatetic childhood in Europe, his self-confidence, and his dashing devil may care attitude. He, in turn, is captivated by her sharp intellect and forthrightness. But like in Austen's own novels, simple attraction is never quite so simple. There is another lady, with perhaps the better claim, who also fancies Edward. And there are several other pairings that engage young Jane's interest as well. When many of the planned festivities must be cancelled for extenuating circumstances, Jane suggests that the company put on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the goal of correcting what she sees as these unlikely and unfortunate pairings as well as to give her more time to spend with Edward.

As is evident by Jane's own Emma-like match-making, James infuses many of the characters here with echoes of Austen's own major and minor characters. They do not correspond exactly but show flashes of the people Austen would one day write. The story itself is inspired by an actual line in a letter between Jane and Cassandra and Edward Taylor was in fact a real person. James' speculation about the relationship and the possibility that this trip to her brother's engagement was the first blossoming of love for Austen is beautifully done. The story is delightful and historically accurate. She captures the insecurities of a young woman on the verge as well as the events that shaped her into the keen social observer that she grew to be. Although the reader might wish for Jane and Edward to have a different ending, James must stay true to the facts of Austen's life and she manages to do so without allowing for any hint of the maudlin, infusing the older Jane's memories to come to an end with only a slight air of resigned melancholy. Fans of all things Austen will indeed get great pleasure out of this novel, both for its originality and for its hints of the masterful works Austen will, in fact, one day pen for us all to enjoy. ( )

Jane Austen’s First Love by Syrie James takes readers back into Jane Austen’s teen years, between the time she is a young girl free to play and the time she comes out and becomes a woman. While her sister Cassandra and she share everything and every confidence, there are some tender emotions that are too new and sacred to share right away — that of a first love. Jane Austen is 15 when she is given an unprecedented opportunity to attend a ball and a month of festivities in Kent to celebrate her brother Edward’s nuptials before she comes out to society. Things are not all that they seem to a young girl who longs to be out with her sister and share in all the activities Cassandra does. James paints a picture of Austen that is lively and young, as she enthusiastically takes on challenges before her — to prove herself not only to others but to herself — and enjoys every event set before her.

Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2014/08/jane-austens-first-love-by-syrie-james.html ( )