Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When Jane , the narrator of this clever, lively update of Jane Eyre from Marcott (The Producer's Daughter), loses her job writing for a small cable network show and otherwise finds her life falling apart in Brooklyn, she seizes the opportunity to tutor the teenage daughter of widowed tech entrepreneur Evan Rochester at Thorn Bluffs, his estate in Big Sur, Calif. Despite rumors that Evan murdered his wife, Beatrice, who he claims drowned, Jane is drawn to her smart, enigmatic employer. As Jane seeks the truth about what happened between Evan and Beatrice, she must also deal with a ghostly figure stalking Thorn Bluffs. Frequent references to art history--a Modigliani painting plays a crucial role in the action--elevate this above garden-variety romantic thrillers. At times, though, the narrative voice strains for effect ("My eyes a lucid shade of gray that tends to blab everything I'm feeling"), and the gothic plot builds to an ending that some readers may find a tad sappy. This twisty tale of madness and desire should satisfy most Charlotte Brontë fans. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary. (July)
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Review by Library Journal Review
TV writer Jane's life is in ruin. Losing her mother to cancer and her boyfriend to another woman was hard enough; now her show has been canceled, and she can't afford her New York apartment anymore. Luckily, an old friend offers Jane a deal that sounds too good to be true--a beautiful waterfront cottage rent-free, in exchange for tutoring the daughter of infamous entrepreneur Evan Rochester. Jane is undeniably drawn to her new employer, but the puzzling circumstances behind his wife's death have her scrutinizing everything. This imaginative take on Charlotte Brontë's Gothic novel has several satisfying nods to the source material, but veers away just enough to create a refreshing new experience. Marcott's Jane is a formidable protagonist. She's bright, inquisitive, and at times annoyingly suspicious. Evan is the typical brooding Rochester, and of course, the mystery behind the former Mrs. Rochester holds true to the original. The alternating points of view and brisk plot will hold readers' interest. VERDICT Fans of Jane Eyre who enjoyed Rachel Hawkins's The Wife Upstairs will appreciate this equally enjoyable retelling from Marcott (The Producer's Daughter).--Carmen Clark, Elkhart P.L, IN
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A modern American Jane Eyre won't rest until she learns the fate of her employer's wife. When Jane arrives at Thorn Bluffs, a former artists colony on the very edge of Big Sur, she's leaving behind a failed career as a scriptwriter, a romantic betrayal, and her mother's recent death. Almost at once she thinks she's made a mistake in letting her friend Otis Fairfax, Thorn Bluffs' chef, talk her into coming there to tutor a motherless teenage girl. The estate is isolated; Jane's cottage, though it's rent-free, is bleak; and the absent owner, Evan Rochester, is rumored to have murdered his wife, the lovely but mentally unstable Beatrice. Jane has always had a taste for the macabre, but even she's unsettled on her first night, when she thinks she sees a ghost. She's almost ready to quit when Evan and a motorcycle emerge from the mist. Despite his rudeness, arrogance, and unwillingness to talk about his wife, who supposedly drowned herself in the surf on their wedding anniversary, Jane can't help falling for him. Stolen garments, a mysterious medallion, a red stain on the rug, a deteriorating tower with a slashed portrait, Evan's beautiful business associate, and Beatrice's vengeful brother keep Jane guessing about Beatrice and doubting whether she can trust Evan--even after they become lovers. Despite its emojis, mojitos, Range Rovers, and Beechcrafts, Marcott's reworking of this Gothic classic holds its own. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
