Jane Stays Dreaming

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Author(s)

Britnee Meiser

Publisher

Aladdin

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

September 30, 2025

ISBN

978-1665978859

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Reality and fiction collide when a shy aspiring writer uses her larger-than-life anonymous blog to sabotage a budding relationship between the new girl in school and her childhood friend in this irresistible rom-com that takes notes from Jane Austen’s Emma for the social media age.

Shy, introverted Jane lives out a fantasy life in her online blog, where she writes elaborate posts about a teen girl with a glamorous life and a gorgeous boyfriend—two things Jane definitely doesn’t have. She only has her writing and her BFFs Camila and Leo, who she shares everything with—except the fact that she’s leading a double life online. Jane’s real life and her online life do not mix.

Then a new girl named Brynn, who Jane has had a rough start with, begins cozying up to Leo. Jane knows Brynn’s totally wrong for him, so when she finds out Brynn follows her blog, Jane does something risky: She starts using her blog to get her way in real life. But when the lines between fact and fiction start to blur, what does that mean for Jane’s anonymity, and the real-life relationships at stake?

Editor review

1 review

Social Media Friendship Drama

April 11, 2026 (Updated: May 31, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Jane Stays Dreaming by Britnee Meiser is a young adult novel that feels like a modern-day reimagining of Jane Austen’s Emma. In this version, our main character, Jane, creates a secret blog where she poses as "Anastasia"—the ultimate IT girl with a picture-perfect life. The blog blows up so much that followers start writing in for life advice, and Jane (as Anastasia) starts responding.

The secret blog seems pretty harmless until Brynn, the new girl at school, writes to the blog asking for advice on how to win over Jane’s best friend, Leo. Jane starts spiraling with a mix of complicated emotions as Leo and Brynn get closer, using her blog to sabotage their relationship. Of course, Jane’s secret identity is eventually exposed, and she’s forced to deal with the messy fallout in her real life.

What I Liked:

The characters are messy, which makes them so much more relatable. Jane doesn’t always do the right thing—she has a temper, she lashes out at her friends, and the book doesn't shy away from showing the consequences of those choices. Writing her as a real human with faults is exactly what makes her likable. This is a super fast-paced read. I loved that the chapters are broken up with actual blog posts; it really helps tie Jane’s double life together and keeps you turning the pages. The book does a fantastic job of showing how social media is usually just a highlight reel. It’s a lesson that feels incredibly relevant for teens today.

Readers who enjoy stories about friendship and the drama of high school will adore Jane Stays Dreaming.

Sara Perrera, Staff Reviewer Top 50 Reviewer 203 reviews

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all the modern-day rom-com chaos I crave

May 08, 2026 (Updated: May 31, 2026)

Jane Stays Dreaming gave me all the modern-day rom-com chaos I crave. Jane secretly running a glamorous blog while trying to control her real-life love triangle? The secondhand embarrassment. The yearning. The messy heart decisions. It felt like Emma met social media and said, “Let’s complicate everything.” I was rooting for her even while whispering, Girl, log OFF.