Lizzy and Jane Paperback – November 4, 2014

First, do not read Reay's books unless you love classic literature or you will be completely lost with all the literary references. These women eat, sleep, and breathe Jane Austen, although this one also references a lot of Hemingway. And don't read this book unless you're at least a little bit of a foodie since food references are on almost every single page.Despite the heroines being named after the Bennet sisters, Lizzy's favorite Austen novel is Persuasion which also happens to my personal favorite. So I appreciated her insight and love of the novel, especially her thoughts on how Anne being forced to wait might have been a blessing, hence the following quote.Second, if you've ever known someone, either a friend or a family member, who battled cancer than this book will be an inspiration and encouragement to you. While I'm fortunate in the good health of my immediate family and friends, I also realize that the pain, confusion, hurt, and anger over that dreadful diagnosis of cancer is very real. And this book offers at least gentle semblance of healing and hope.Life and family are sometimes messy. I cannot connect to the reality of Lizzy and Jane's relationship, their anger, the long history of bitterness and snipping at one another. I don't know how defensiveness can be the first reaction you have to your sister. But then, I've been blessed with a best friend in my younger sister. I love her, so very much, and so my heart breaks when I remember the sad reality that a lot of siblings don't have the same relationship that I have with my sibling.This book is about closing relational rifts, especially in times of pain and suffering. It's about forging ahead to reconciliation, about being tentative and trusting and transparent with family. It's about giving of yourself when your first reaction for decades has always been self-preservation.I thoroughly enjoyed Reay's first book, Dear Mr. Knightley. It was a very sweet read, cute, but whatever I felt lacked in that novel has been found in Lizzy & Jane. Katherine Reay has matured into the author she was meant to become, and I hope and pray that she accomplishes much more with her writing in the years to come. I just know this book has already touched and softened many lives and that it will touch many more. That's the magic of books that connect to Austen. People read them, and they should this book!

I think that Ms. Reay is an extremely talented writer. Yet, the two books that I have read of hers so far ("Dear Mr. Knightley" & "Lizzy and Jane") have left me emotionally drained & needing a break. Somehow I didn't get the message that this book was about dealing with Cancer. I normally avoid such serious & sad subjects in my free-time reading choices but once again I found myself being drawn into one of Ms. Reay's stories and getting thoroughly caught up in it.This is a compelling story, well-written, with alot of depth to the characters. I did NOT like the female lead, Elizabeth, especially in the first 20 chapters or so. I kept saying to myself, "Oh my goodness, she's horrible!" or, "What a nasty person!" whenever Elizabeth would insult someone, say something inappropriate (she has no filter, it seems), or viciously attack someone verbally. This happened pretty often as she was a very prickly person who took offense quickly & attacked people just because she felt like it and wanted a fight. She really goes for the jugular, that's for sure.Elizabeth does grow on you a bit later in the book as she begins to grow & change personally. I think that's what I do like about Ms. Reay's heroines. The never stay messed-up, nasty, or unlikeable emotional wrecks ... they learn & grow as the book progresses, eventually finding their place in the world. It's just an emotional rollercoaster ride watching them get there. This is a good book well worth reading, but it's good to know what you're getting yourself into first.

Katherine Reay is an absolute delight and Lizzy and Jane is every bit as charming as she is. Guaranteed to resonate with any Jane Austen fan, the appeal of this novel isn't limited to that audience. Reay has layered this novel with multiple threads that intertwine and tug at the heart. 'Tis best to read this one after dinner, as Elizabeth's culinary journey and experiments will have your taste buds wanting to crawl through the book. Stunning succulent details provide rich color and a unique depth without turning the novel into a nutrition lesson or cookbook. Family dynamics--and the strain that a cancer diagnosis adds to the already tenuous cords between sisters, spouses, parent & child--are honestly yet tenderly portrayed, and the pages fairly palpate with emotions that simmer and, at times, boil over. Care, friendship, love, forgiveness, and the shared bond of literature infuse this heartwarming story. Don't miss the opportunity to read anything that Katherine Reay writes. You'll be richer for it.

“Cancer tilted the world sideways” in Lizzy and Jane. I endured a gamut of emotions and all aspects of cancer. The sensitive focus on the heart of the family as well as the struggles of the patient made this story unforgettable. As Jane “struggles to impose order from chaos,” Lizzy is desperate to give, to reach out and to help. “God is there to hold what is too heavy to carry.” I was entranced by the contrast of strength versus vulnerability. This story is truly a study in contrasts: Living or dying, Nurse Cecilia or Nurse Donna, Tyler or Brian, watching or seeing, listening or hearing, appearance versus reality. “If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that perspective can change everything.” As Lizzy remembers her mother’s fight with cancer, she discovers that her memories are skewed by time and her maturity. This complicated exploration of relationships and emotions was thought provoking. I don’t know if I relate more to Lizzy or to Jane. Beautifully written with wonderful characters and scenes, “living happens when you pay attention.”