Austenprose’s Best Austenesque & Jane Austen Era Books of 2015

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What a great year of Austenesque reading! We reviewed 40 fiction and nonfiction books in the Austenesque, Regency or Georgian genre this past year and would like to share our list of what we feel were the most exciting, memorable and rewarding books of 2015. 

Best Austenesque Historical Novels 2015

  1. Brinshore: The Watson Novels Book 2, by Ann Mychal (5 stars)
  2. Jane by the Sea: Jane Austen’s Love Story, by Carolyn V. Murray (5 stars)
  3. Alone with Mr. Darcy: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, by Abigail Reynolds (5 stars)
  4. Pride, Prejudice and Secrets, by C. P. Odom (5 stars)
  5. The Darcy Brothers, by Monica Fairview, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Susan Mason-Milks and Abigail Reynolds (4.5 stars)
  6. Suddenly Mrs. Darcy, by Jenetta James (4.5 stars)
  7. Yours Forevermore, Darcy, by KaraLynne Mackrory (4.5 stars)
  8. The Second Chance: A Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility Variation, by Joana Starnes (4.5 stars)
  9. A Will of Iron, by Linda Beutler (4.5 stars)
  10. Miss Georgiana Darcy of Pemberley, by Shannon Winslow (4 stars)

Best Austenesque Contemporary Novels 2015

  1. Longbourn’s Songbird: A Novel, by Beau North (5 stars)
  2. The Muse: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, by Jessica Evans (4.5)
  3. Aerendgast: The Lost History of Jane Austen, by Rachel Berman (3.5 stars)
  4. Emma: A Modern Retelling, by Alexander McCall Smith (3.5 stars)
  5. The Loner: (The Canyon Club Book 1), by Kate Moore (3 stars)

Best Austenesque Short Fiction 2015

  1. Sun-kissed: Effusions of Summer, edited by Christina Boyd (5 stars)

Best Austenesque Mystery 2015

  1. The Suspicion at Sanditon, Or, The Disappearance of Lady Denham, by Carrie Bebris (4 stars)

Best Austenesque Paranormal/Fantasy Novel 2015

  1. Jane Austen Lives Again, by Jane Odiwe (5 stars)

Best Austenesque Young Adult Novel 2015

  1. A School for Brides: A Story of Maidens, Mystery, and Matrimony, by Patrice Kindl (5 stars)

Best Regency or Georgian Era Novels 2015

  1. Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, by Winston Graham (5 stars)
  2. For Elise, by Sarah M. Eden (5 stars)
  3. Demelza: A Novel of Cornwall, by Winston Graham (5 stars)
  4. Of Noble Family: Glamourist Histories Book 5, by Mary Robinette Kowal (5 stars)
  5. The Lure of the Moonflower: A Pink Carnation Novel, by Lauren Willig (5 stars)

Best Regency or Georgian Era Nonfiction Books 2015

  1. The Beau Monde: Fashionable Society in Georgian London, by Hannah Greig (5 stars)
  2. Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Covers, by Margret C. Sullivan (5 stars)
  3. Life in an Eighteenth Century Country House, by Peter and Carolyn Hammond (4.5 stars)
  4. A Jane Austen Christmas: Celebrating the Season of Romance, Ribbons & Mistletoe, by Carlo DeVito (4.5 stars)
  5. Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer, by Lisa Pliscou (4.5 stars) 

Best Austen-inspired Scholarly Book 2015

  1. Jane Austen’s Names: Riddles, Persons, Places, by Margaret Doody (5 stars)

Best Austenesque Book of 2015

  1. A School for Brides: A Story of Maidens, Mystery, and Matrimony, by Patrice Kindl (5 stars)

Congratulations to the authors and publishers! Thank you for an outstanding year of reading.

The Austenprose Review Staff.

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© 2016 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose.com

39 thoughts on “Austenprose’s Best Austenesque & Jane Austen Era Books of 2015”

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      1. I always love your list. Am over the moon that you and your reviewers liked “Pride, Prejudice, & Secrets,” “Suddenly Mrs. Darcy,” “Longbourn’s Songbird,” “Yours Forevermore, Darcy,” and “Sun-kissed: Effusions of Summer”–what validation for these emerging authors! Your year round efforts and support of the JAFF and Austen community is invaluable in helping to bring new talent to a larger environment. Thank you again! My best to you in all your 2016 endeavors–it’s going to be a great year.

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    1. Lucky Greta to have received 2 books on on list. I think you will find The Beau Monde fascinating and Jane Austen’s Names amazing – two fabulous books. Happy New Year!

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  6. Pingback: Lisa Pliscou: author of books for children & adults » Blog Archive "Young Jane Austen" one of Austenprose's Best Books of 2015

  7. I am always happy when someone else’s list includes so many which I read and enjoyed also. Thank you for all the work you put into reviews and compiling lists. Happy New Year.

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  9. I can’t think of a lovelier start to 2016 or a more surprising one! I’m honoured, delighted, but most of all astonished. Thank you so much, Laurel, for this wonderful website. A very happy new year to you all at Austenprose!

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  10. I enjoyed reading many of those 40 reviews you posted and picked up several to enjoy for myself. :)

    It’s such a humbling honor to see SunKissed on your list.

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  11. This is a real honour – thank you very much. You have also added substantially to my reading list. Have a happy and readerly 2016, Jenetta:-)

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  14. Thrilled to find our novel The Darcy Brothers on your list, Laurel Ann! Thanks for the mention! Like you, I also enjoyed several other novels most notably Jane Odiwe’s, Joanna Starnes’ and of course my co-author Abigail Reynolds’ book.

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  16. i cannot wait to read pride and prejudice (which is on my list!) so i can start to find interest in books inspired by an author as spectacular as jane!! :’) xxxx

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  17. What a wonderful treat to come home to! Thanks, Laurel Ann for including ‘The Second Chance’ among the Best Austenesque Historical Novels 2015, I’m thrilled and honoured to be in such amazing company!! Many thanks for the lovely mention, all the best and a very happy New Year!

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  19. These are fantastic picks! The stories are powerful and the writing style bright and involving. They are also an inspiration for those of us who aspire to write JAFF.

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  20. I am surprised people who (really) like Miss Austen’s style would actually enjoy modern novels… They are so ill written, nothing like the fluid style of old novels. Modern writers have no quality in my view. They lack style, but also write very poorly. I tried modern novels and was shocked at how poorly written they are. Maybe it is because I read Merimée, Proust, Machado de Assis, Baudelaire, Queirós, Garret, Voltaire, Flaubert, Balzac, Castelo Branco, etc when I was young and was spoiled?

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    1. How nice that you have read Merimée, Proust, Machado de Assis, Baudelaire, Queirós, Garret, Voltaire, Flaubert, Balzac, Castelo Branco and Jane Austen. I have found it very difficult to compare modern writers between themselves, let alone classic literature. The fact that you feel modern fiction is ill-written is totally your opinion and not the general view of most readers. Please do not condemn others because they enjoy another form of fiction than you do. We try to be opened minded here.

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    2. What Jane Austen wrote was modern at the time and quite different in style than the Bronte sisters, Ann Radcliffe, or other women authors of two centuries ago. Imagine if someone had shared criticisms with her similar to what you stated about “modern” authors in general. Only Miss Austen’s most unsavory characters would have bragged about reading Shakespeare rather than something “modern” like Pride and Prejudice or any of her other books.

      I, too, read your list of authors in my younger years. Nevertheless, my reading palette was stimulated to explore other genres rather than be confined. After reading your comment, Eu Sei, I am sad for you that you do not see the beauty and enjoyment in widening out in your reading selections. Yes, I am very sad for you.

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  21. What a great list. Read many, and the others are in the TBR list. Will get there eventually. Of course, I still buy new books so the TBR list keeps getting bigger.

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  23. This site was one of the first I found when exploring the web for more of Jane Austen. I have learned much from you, Laurel Ann. I appreciate getting pointed in a new direction (Poldark) and being reminded of why I enjoy one of my favorite authors so much. Plus, I love lists.

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  24. I always look forward to this list. So many books, so little money! You need to read the Stranje House series by Kathleen Baldwin, a new YA fanatasy/paranormal Regency-set series. The first book was intriguing and the second is coming out soon.

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  25. Pingback: New Reviews for Jane Austen Lives Again! | Jane Austen Sequels Weblog

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