Jillian Dare

Daring You

As a modern retelling of Jane Eyre this story didn't quite grab me. I can't be exactly sure why that is but most likely it falls upon the fact that I already knew the story. I found myself constantly comparing it to what I already knew of the plot and characters of the original. I imagine this is a pitfall of any re-telling of a classic but in this case it was difficult to overcome.

The speed with which Jillian finds herself professing her love to Ethan was abrupt to say the least. One day they were friends the next engaged to be married. I thought the transition between her being an employee to her being his betrothed could have been a bit smoother and certainly worth exploring the in between moments a bit more.

Lastly, I wasn't at all fond of the section of the story that had Jillian staying with the Brookes. Mainly because it was here that the book got to it's most preachy and cliched. Up until this point faith and God did play a role but it was subtle. Once Jillian arrived to live with the Brookes and became somewhat involved with John it got extremely overbearing. He was definitely the domineering caveman in the story where if they did get married Jillian was sure to be the subservient wife doing as she was told. Yea, that is totally not my bag.

What worked for me?

I thought the part of the story involving Ethan's wife was well paced and told. It was not focussed on for a tremendous amount of time but was focussed on well. I also liked the relationship between Jillian and Mrs. Carter. The latter became somewhat of a surrogate mother to the orphaned Jillian. She was cautious when appropriate and supportive of Jillian when necessary, even above and beyond her loyalty to Ethan.

As a first foray into Christian Fiction I'm glad to say that this book didn't turn me off of the genre completely. There was one element that I didn't enjoy (ie: John Brooke) but it wasn't enough to turn me off from reading more. If you enjoy the story of Jane Eyre and you're looking for a different version this certainly fits that bill.

Good read but some inconsistencies

I will admit that I have not actually read the original version of Jane Eyre. I have however watched several movie versions, including my favorite starring Timothy Dalton as Rochester. Therefore I remember the original storyline even if parts might be a bit fuzzy. This tale is a modern updated version of Jane Eyre. In place of Jane, we have Jillian a 20 year old nanny who has been hired to take care of the daughter of Ethan Remington, a famous movie producer. Jillian is a very humble character who takes delight in her job and her new way of living while at the same time starting to feel affection for her employer. I really liked the scenes that took place in England. I love the castle and enjoyed exploring it with Jillian. I could almost see myself there and would have loved to have spent more time in that setting. The scenes in Virginia were exciting too but that was mainly due to the fact that I live in the same area as the story. It's always nice to read books that take place in my area and I can identify the places and locations. However, one quick qualm: Jillian and her entourage go out to Tyson's Corner to go shopping. Where they live though, Tyson's would be extremely far and out of the way to go, and really wouldn't be the best place to shop. At the most, it would be an all day event and not the quick trip taken in the book. I liked Jillian's character. She just came across as very down to earth to me. She's not meek like Jane's character was yet she's not brash or outspoken. She was portrayed very well and I felt her character to be good for the story.


I felt that there were several conflicting issues throughout the book though. I felt that Ethan acted way older than his actual age. The explanation might be because he's British, but my argument would be that Jude Law is mentioned in this book and is the exact same age as Ethan. Jude is also British but he doesn't act stuff or old fashioned like Ethan does. I mean the way Ethan would talk sometimes just made me picture a 50 year old man. At the end scene at the hospital, the dialogue between Ethan and Jillian had me cringing because at how dated the conversation sounded. I also did not like John's character at all. After talking with other members of my book club, we discussed how his character vs. St. John in Jane Eyre acted totally different. John represents the stereotypical, preachy, condescending Christian that I hate reading about. Everything he did just got on my nerves. Also the fact that he wanted to marry his foster sister (warning bells!) but doesn't love her pretty much goes against everything he's supposed to believe in. I guess I was just really confused as to why John's Christianity comes off so strong because the rest of the story is meek and mild compared to him. While Jillian is a Christian, she doesn't feel the need to preach at everyone she comes in contact with. Therefore John seems to be a bad guy who wants it to be his way or no way at all.

Overall, while I enjoyed the story, I guess I just realize I'm not really a fan of modern adaptations. For this book, it comes from the fact that the characters acknowledge Jane Austen but either Bronte's story doesn't appear to exist or the characters just don't see that their lives are exactly parallel to Jane Eyre. I think the story best stands by itself and not as a modern adaptation. It does make for an interesting read and I look forward to going back and reading Melanie's p

Jillian Dare or Jane Eyre?

Jillian Dare is a fabulous contemporary adaptation of the classic story of Jane Eyre and I enjoyed it thoroughly. In the authors letter at the end of the book, Melanie tells us that she wrote this book not for the Bronte purists, but for three different types of people: those that love romantic suspense, those that have yet to read Jane Eyre and now will want to, and the category I fit in - those that have read the story and love to find the comparisons between the two stores and make conjectures as to how the contemporary twist plot will unfold. I have to admit, with each turn of the page I was fascinated by how in the world could the next main scene unfold.



Other things that I really enjoyed in this book were the bits and pieces that alluded to the personal life of the author as well as to her previous book "Evasions". It made me smile quite often. Also, the brought in pieces of Dickens literature as well as references to Broadway plays that I am familiar with such as "The Woman in White". As a reader, I am not one that usually leans toward reading and enjoying a story of contemporary fiction. But Melanie does more than that, she ties the bits and bobs of history in that make it worthwhile, page-turning, and fun.



In the last quarter of the book, there was a topic brought up that has been in theological debate as long as their has been theology and although at first it was a good point, after a few chapters I tired of it. But other than that slight imperfection, I heartily the entire book and could hardly bare to put it down until completion. I had to wait too many years before this for more fabulous fiction from Melanie Jeschke, and I do hope to read more from her in the future sooner rather than later. Although, I will wait quite impatiently for later if need be. *wink*

Bronte Style

Fans of Charlotte Bronte will love this romance suspense story. Set in Virginia and England, the reader will experience how the wealthy live. Jillian's life has been a struggle, and now she has the opportunity to live the good life while caring for a loving child. Someone sinister, however, wants to throw a wrench into those plans and dreams.

I read this one cover to cover in one day; it is an enjoyable read.

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