From the desk of Debbie Brown: Abigail Reynolds continues to outdo herself, to the delight of JAFF readers throughout the world. Her name is one of the most recognizable in the genre, and for good reason. She’s been providing unique ways for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet to fall in love for over a decade.... Continue Reading →
Dress in the Age of Jane Austen: Regency Fashion, by Hilary Davidson — A Review
“Fashions come and go; bad taste is timeless.” — Beau Brummell So saith the arbiter of style in the Regency era when all of Jane Austen’s books were published and she and her characters dwelled. Since fashion is mentioned sparingly in her novels how is one to know, two hundred years after the fact, what... Continue Reading →
A Convenient Fiction: Parish Orphans of Devon (Book 3), by Mimi Matthews — A Review
From the desk of Debbie Brown: I need “Me” time. Frequently. My husband and I joke about my need for a “Leave Me Alone!” hat as a signal that I am NOT to be disturbed for a while. Anyone else feel this way sometimes? When the worries pile up, you feel the need to go... Continue Reading →
The Bride of Northanger: A Jane Austen Variation, by Diana Birchall — A Review
From the desk of Debbie Brown: Soon, All Hallow's Eve will be upon us, when restless spirits of the dead are said to roam. What better time to pick up a gothic Austenesque novel centered around an ancestral family curse that continues to claim its victims? Beware, brave readers: this tome is not for the... Continue Reading →
Pride and Prometheus, by John Kessel — A Review
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Honestly, to be a fly on the dining room wall of author John Kessel when in between passing the potatoes he announced to his family that his next book would be an amalgamation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. What a mischievous rogue he... Continue Reading →
Jane Austen’s Sanditon: With An Essay by Janet Todd — A Review
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Sanditon, Jane Austen’s last unfinished novel is in the news. A new TV adaptation and continuation of the same name premiered in the UK on ITV on August 25, 2019. The new eight-part series was written by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice 1995) and will be shown on... Continue Reading →
The Chilbury Ladies Choir: A Novel, by Jennifer Ryan — A Review
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Set in an English country village at the onset of WWII, The Chilbury Ladies Choir is told through letters and journal and diary entries by four female characters who are faced with keeping the home fires burning while their menfolk are off fighting Nazis. The first-person format intrigued... Continue Reading →
The Work of Art: A Regency Romance, by Mimi Matthews — A Review
From the desk of Katie Patchell Recently, I discovered the joy that comes from not reading the description on the back of a book prior to opening page one. When I was asked to review The Work of Art, I heard “Regency” and “Laurel Ann recommends” and I was all for it. After downloading this... Continue Reading →
A Modest Independence: Parish Orphans of Devon (Book 2), by Mimi Matthews – A Review
A five star book review of a Modest Independence, in which an impertinent, strong-willed woman and an independent bachelor travel from England to India in search of a lost friend and self discovery in Mimi Matthews' new historical romance.
Unmarriageable: A Novel, by Soniah Kamal – A Review
A review of Unmarriageable, a colorful and lively retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in 2000 Pakistan.
Queen Victoria: Twenty-Four Days That Changed Her Life, by Lucy Worsley – A Review
Just in time for the premiere on 13 January 2019 of the third season of Victoria on Masterpiece Classic on PBS, Queen Victoria: Twenty-Four Days That Changed Her Life is a new biography of one of the United Kingdom's (and the world's) most famous queens. Arriving like a gift on a royal red velvet cushion,... Continue Reading →
Austenprose’s Favorite Books of 2018
The Best Books of 2018 are summarized and spotlighted by Jane Austen and historical fiction authority Laurel Ann Nattress, editor of Austenprose.com