What can I say beyond 'oh my god why couldn't this happen to me?' I'll try to however. The title of course eludes to that most famous work, Pride and Prejudice, but unlike a lot of the Austen-esque sequels and re-invents coming out this year it has very little to do with those characters and more to do with the setting, attitudes and way of life.

Callie is a hoot. Once she acclimates to the situation she doesn't sit idly by and let things happen around her like she did in present day. She helps to build Emily's confidence, tramples all over Alex's highhanded treatment of women and attempts to make things perfect. Of course that old saying 'The road to hell is paved in good intentions...' rears its ugly head, but its not easy remembering that in 1815 women were little more then chattel to dress prettily and sell to the highest bidder most of the time (especially in higher echelons of society).

From a historical angle the book works well to explain the nuances of society back then without laboring on about them. Since Callie is impersonating an American to begin with its naturally assumed she knows next to nothing about how to behave in public (or private) anyhow. Some things about society never changes despite the superficial trappings and in many ways I think that, that lesson is the most important to remember.

My favorite part of the book is when Callie and Alex are discussing his lands (about halfway through the book or so). Soon as he mentions fox-hunting Callie is horrified. Even after she explains she knows what is entailed in fox-hunting he still acts like she has no understanding of it. Callie, thankfully, doesn't let him think she's okay with it and verbally smacks him down. Fox hunting indeed (barbaric!).

Its a short read at just over 210 pages, but there aren't any parts that drag or seem dull. Fans of the recent ITV drama 'Lost in Austen' might enjoy this quite a bit actually--in many ways Callie is like Amanda (the main protag of LiA). They both try to set things right from a modern perspective, but ultimately learn its better to work with the system then against it.

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Mandy Hubbard's PRADA AND PREJUDICE combines modern teen lit and Regency romance in a fresh way.

On a class trip to England, 15-year-old Callie wants to fit in with the other girls only because her best friend, Katie, has since moved away, leaving Callie friendless.

In an attempt to crash the night club party the popular girls are going to, Callie buys a pair of Prada heels and promptly trips sending her back into 1815 England where she is mistaken for Rebecca, a girl from America who has come to visit the Duke of Harksbury.

What ensues is a tangled mess including an illegitimate child, an arranged marriage, and social etiquette faux paus that will have you alternately laughing and crying and twisting your hands with worry.

Hubbard's debut novel is rich with what matters most--learning how to be yourself and finding others who love you just the way you are--no matter what century you are in! ( )

I liked it, but it wasn't very realistic. I were towards the ending wondering how the author would let the book end. I thought it might be hard to write a satisfying ending. Considering the alternatives, I guess it was one of the better solutions. I liked how our main character has developed from the beginning to the end, but sometimes in the middle she weren't that smart. She is in the 1800s after all, not everything is as the 21st century.
So, a nice read but not very realistic. ( )

DNF The main character was so whiney. She complains of having no friends because she was overheard bashing most of the people in her school. All the descriptions of other characters are her criticisms of them. I tried to give her a chance. I thought, maybe she grows and learns not to be so judgemental, so I skimmed ahead and maybe she does, a little, but I'm not sure she really does. I didn't like it enough to read the rest in depth. The MC also swears too much for my taste, a lazy device for people lacking in vocabulary.

3.5 out of 5 stars. Parts of the story dragged on a bit .... however ... I LOVED how the author wrapped it all up ... so in a way it might possibly be believable! =0)

Read more of this review and see it's book trailer here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/02/who-knows-that-here-we-are-and... ( )