Jane Austen Goes to Hollywood

Gr 8–10—Hallie and Grace couldn't be more different. Grace is practical and steady, while her older sister is given to hysterical fits and dramatic mood swings. So when their father dies unexpectedly, the siblings grieve in their own ways. When it's discovered that he left everything he owned to his second wife, Grace tries to think of ways to keep the family in their home, while Hallie sinks into despair. A rescue comes from an unlikely source-the girls' distant cousin Auggie, a movie director. He welcomes them and their mother to Beverly Hills and his home. Hallie believes that this will be the beginning of a new chapter for her and the launch of her acting career. Grace hopes things will be better, but doesn't hold out much hope. Nothing is as it seems in Hollywood. The story alternates between the sisters. There are similarities to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, as the story is promoted as a contemporary take on the classic. There are some references to alcohol and sex. Purchase where clean romances and the author's other novels are popular.—Natalie Struecker, Rock Island Public Library, IL