An Exclusive Interview with Katherine Cowley, Author of The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception

From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:

Happy Monday Dear Readers!

Summer is blazing here in my neck of the woods. It is time for raspberry lemonade, enjoying hydrangea blooms, and sitting in the shade with new books!

I am pleased to have a special guest with us today. Author Katherine Cowley has a new historical mystery novel arriving in September that immediately caught my eye, The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception. Continue reading “An Exclusive Interview with Katherine Cowley, Author of The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception” →

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My Top Ten Favorite Retellings & Spinoff Novels Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion

Anne and Captain Wentworth at Lyme, by Marsha Laurence at Etsy

From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:

The new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion aired on Netflix on Friday, July 15, 2022. It takes a creative approach to the Regency-era second chance love story, adding contemporary language, an American actress Dakota Johnson in the key role of heroine Anne Elliot, and breaking the fourth wall by having her speak directly to the audience while looking at the camera. The tried-and-true Janeites were all Continue reading “My Top Ten Favorite Retellings & Spinoff Novels Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion” →

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Women Who Read Are Dangerous, by Stefan Bollmann — A Review

From the desk of Tracy Hickman: 

If you page through Women Who Read Are Dangerous looking for visual representations that most people associate with danger, you might be confused initially. None of the women are brandishing weapons or committing violent acts. Instead, they sit quietly perusing books, pamphlets, magazines, hymnals, and letters. Some subjects have been caught during a momentary pause in their reading, gazing back at the Continue reading “Women Who Read Are Dangerous, by Stefan Bollmann — A Review” →

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Bloomsbury Girls: A Novel, by Natalie Jenner — A Review

From the desk of Tracy Hickman: 

Natalie Jenner’s debut novel The Jane Austen Society was an international bestseller and one of my favorite books of 2020. Would Ms. Jenner’s latest novel, set in post-war literary London, hold up under the weight of public expectation and comparison with her accomplished first effort? Would the Bloomsbury Girls be up to the task set before them? Continue reading “Bloomsbury Girls: A Novel, by Natalie Jenner — A Review” →

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The Murder of Mr. Wickham, by Claudia Gray — A Review

From the desk of Sophia Rose:

‘Murder’ and ‘Wickham’ in the same title makes any Jane Austen lover worth their salt sit up and take notice. Now, add that with an author name long associated with young adult sci-fi and fantasy, and that makes Claudia Gray’s The Murder of Mr. Wickham well-nigh irresistible.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham is both a historical mystery and pays homage as a sequel to not one, but all Continue reading “The Murder of Mr. Wickham, by Claudia Gray — A Review” →

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A Perilous Perspective: A Lady Darby Mystery (Book 10), by Anna Lee Huber — A Review

From the desk of Sophia Rose:

From the first, Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby mysteries brought the early Victorian era to life with the atmosphere and gritty backdrop and cunning plot. Add in complex characters led by Lady Darby with a dark past and the layered relationships around her and the series soon became a must-read. A Perilous Perspective is no exception, and I was eager to see Kiera and Gage detecting once again while also Continue reading “A Perilous Perspective: A Lady Darby Mystery (Book 10), by Anna Lee Huber — A Review” →

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The Matchmaker’s Request: A Regency Romance (Larkhall Letters Book 4), by Ashtyn Newbold — A Review  

From the desk of Katie Patchell:  

Matchmaker: For me, this word conjures up frightening images of domineering great-aunts and nosy neighbors, all wagging their fingers in my unwed face to the beat of Fiddler on the Roof’s justly titled song, “Matchmaker Matchmaker.” While these dreams may have more to do with my unresolved issues (or a rich diet of too sharp cheese), I do have to say in my defense that the word “matchmaker” would be Continue reading “The Matchmaker’s Request: A Regency Romance (Larkhall Letters Book 4), by Ashtyn Newbold — A Review  “ →

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Near the Ruins of Penharrow: A Cornish Romance (Book 3), by Deborah M. Hathaway — A Review

From the desk of Katie Jackson:

On the Cornish coast of England in 1815, the copper mines were often the lifeblood of the community, providing wages for the workers and wealth for the owners. The disparity between the two groups is explored in Near the Ruins of Penharrow, the third book of Deborah M. Hathaway’s riveting Cornish Romance series. Continue reading “Near the Ruins of Penharrow: A Cornish Romance (Book 3), by Deborah M. Hathaway — A Review” →

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The Time Traveler’s Guide to Regency Britain: A Handbook for Visitors to 1789–1830, by Ian Mortimer — A Review

From the desk of Tracy Hickman: 

Austenesque fiction like The Jane Austen Project and the BBC TV series Lost in Austen have entertained Janeites with fantastic stories about journeying back in time to Austen’s Regency Britain. While I cannot imagine being tempted myself, unless guaranteed a round-trip ticket, the idea of a virtual visit to Austen’s Britain with an experienced tour guide who is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a writer of Continue reading “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Regency Britain: A Handbook for Visitors to 1789–1830, by Ian Mortimer — A Review” →

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An Exclusive Interview with Tessa Arlen, Author of A Dress of Violet Taffeta

From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: 

Happy Friday, dear readers. Spring is finally here in my neck of the woods. It is time of renewal, flowers, and new books!

I am pleased to have a special guest with us today. Author Tessa Arlen has a new historical fiction novel arriving in July that immediately caught my eye, A Dress of Violet Taffeta. Arlen is a favorite author of mine. I have enjoyed her Lady Montfort mystery series, and recently adored her In Royal Service to the Queen. Continue reading “An Exclusive Interview with Tessa Arlen, Author of A Dress of Violet Taffeta” →

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Lily of the Valley: The Gents (Book 2), by Sarah M. Eden — A Review

From the desk of Katie Jackson:

Historical romance readers, rejoice! Sarah M. Eden has graciously reunited us with those best friends who are like brothers in Book 2 of her Georgian-era The Gents series, Lily of the Valley.

Grumpy Uncle

“The Gents were something of a miracle in his life. They’d saved him from a lifetime of loneliness and seen him through times of sorrow. They were like brothers to him. And yet, he often wished them to Hades.” (Loc 204)

Continue reading “Lily of the Valley: The Gents (Book 2), by Sarah M. Eden — A Review” →

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10 Facts You May Not Know About Jane Austen and Her Novels

Jane Austen Bookstack, by Bea Harvie

From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:

English novelist Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, the seventh of eight children of Rev. George Austen and his wife Cassandra Austen, nee Leigh. Her six major novels concern the pursuit of security, and love, for women dependent upon marriage among the landed gentry in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century England. Continue reading “10 Facts You May Not Know About Jane Austen and Her Novels” →

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