There was a time when throwing back to Jane Austen was all the rage... both in terms of niche genre lit and fantasy escapism. Fiction ran the gamut from Lost in Austen to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies with varying results. But in Rachael Lippincott's latest outing, sci-fi and romance have an equal footing.

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh focuses on Audrey, a hopeful teen artist at a crossroads in her life. She's just been through a breakup that's left her questioning her path forward to art school. Working at her family's store in her hometown is secure, but still not exactly what she's looking for. Then Mr. Montgomery, a cranky but loyal shop regular, throws a quarter at her and she wakes up in Regency England.

It's equal parts Life on Mars and Somewhere in Time, though Audrey at least gets to keep use of her cell phone for a bit. She's first discovered by Lucy Sinclair, a young lady who's having a pretty bad time of her own. Her widower father is gunning for her to earn an engagement to one Mr. Caldwell, an eligible bachelor who will give her (and thus her father) a comfortable life. But Lucy doesn't feel that "spark" with Mr. Caldwell, and is dreading an end to her life of freedom.

Fortunately for her, she has Audrey to distract her. The two work out that Audrey's magic quarter is counting down her days in 1812. Based on some cryptic words from Mr. Montgomery, the two figure out that she needs to have some sort of experience before the number on Audrey's quarter reaches zero. Probably finding love. Luckily, Radcliffe and the surrounding estates are absolutely crawling with eligible bachelors. But between fancy balls, late-night dance parties, and (of course) unexpected dips in nearby lakes with handsome men in gauzy shirts, Lucy and Audrey find themselves falling for each other.

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh is aware of its source material in just the right way: versed enough in it both to hat-tip it and subvert it. All the earmarks of an Austen work are there—both the straightforward references and the thematic elements. Rather than seeking to overthrow the source material, though, it creates a romance that works surprisingly well within it. So often, we see older fiction reapproached through a modern lens in a way that thoroughly shreds the original, marking it as misguided and problematic with the new take being the superior, enlightened one. Here, though, classic and modern work in harmony. Instead of damning Regency literature for having no space for Audrey and Lucy's romance, it both acknowledges a place for it and demonstrates how suited to the genre their burgeoning love actually is.

If there is a shortcoming with the book, it's the last-minute nature of Mr. Montgomery's whole deal being explained. While it's entertaining—and in the end really just a means to an end—I would love to have seen this addressed a tiny bit more. There's so much in those little moments that adds another compelling layer to Audrey's story, including how she found herself in this particular time with this particular person. But a lot of it is lost in the rush to the climactic finale. That's such a small gripe compared to the larger positives of the book, though.

Funny, sweet, compelling, and head-over-heels in love with the books that came before it, Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh is a sweet read for anyone who's ever been at a crossroads in life or in love.

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh goes on sale August 29.