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Jane Austen in Boca Paula Marantz Cohen St. Martin's Press October 2003 Trade Paperback/288 pages ISBN: 0312319754 |
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"In the spirit of the Golden Girls . . ." ". . . a romantic comedy focused on the tight-knit lives of a handful of colorful characters." "Cohen?s novel is fast-paced and funny." |
There’s a meddler in every family. In May Newman’s family, it’s her daughter-in-law, Carol. Paula Marantz Cohen’s first novel, Jane Austen in Boca, is off to an enjoyable start when this well-meaning yenta prods her lonely mother-in-law into a shy romance with the wealthy, eligible Norman Grafstein. Humorous and heart warming situations ensue as May’s two best friends, Lila Katz and Flo Kliman, also explore life and love in a retirement community in Boca Raton.
Following in the tradition of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen in Boca is a romantic comedy focused on the tight-knit lives of a handful of colorful characters.
When May and Norman are thrown together at a party organized by Carol (who is best described as a stress junkie), a hesitant but fond relationship starts. Stan Jacobs arrives on the scene, a quiet but interesting man who at once intrigues and annoys May’s outspoken friend Flo. New in town is the sophisticated Mel Shirmer, whose immediate interest in Flo is flattering but questionable. Lila and her new beau, Hy Marcus, watch from the sidelines as their friends’ relationships follow the twists and turns once reserved for their youth. To round out the cast of characters, Amy, a NYU film student and Flo’s great-niece, flies to Boca with a camera crew in tow, hoping to capture it all on film.
Cohen’s novel is fast-paced and funny. The time passes so quickly as the reader breezes through the light-hearted story. In the spirit of the Golden Girls, it’s encouraging to see a world where retirees are not content just napping or playing pinochle, but still desire to learn, laugh, and love. |
