Your online source for Jane Austen and her legacy
From the desk of Katie Patchell:  Henry Tilney (of Northanger Abbey fame) is an underrated hero of a vastly underrated novel. It’s almost impossible for me to name a favorite Jane Austen work, as (like all the best stories) each speaks into one’s life in different ways and seasons. Yet if I applied myself... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: It’s time to brush up on your etiquette period drama fans. The Gilded Age premiers on Monday January 24th on HBO. We shall soon be immersed in the 1880s New York social whirl of Mrs. Astor’s elite, “Four Hundred,” along with some of those social climbing upstarts, the... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Patchell:  Who has seen the 1999 Wives and Daughters miniseries, adapted from Elizabeth Gaskell’s Victorian classic? It’s a powerful study of 19th-century life in a small English village, played by a phenomenal cast. Because of the miniseries, I recently devoured the 720-page volume and subsequently forced a family member... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: I admit to being more than a bit of a Catherine Morland when it comes to historical suspense novels. While Austen’s gothic fiction addicted heroine in Northanger Abbey reads The Mysteries of Udolpho she is compelled to discover what lies behind the mysterious black veil. I got that... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Sophia Rose:  Already a fan of the writing style and careful historical research that is given to romances rich in well-developed characters and plots, I was salivating for this new Belles of London series. Mimi Matthews’ stories are only a recent find for me, but each has presented something fresh... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Happy news for historical book lovers. The selection of new novels available in the next two months is so exciting. From forgotten events in history, to deep dives into the social machinations of Gilded Age New York, to feisty heroines and swoon-worthy heroes, the selection is deep and... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Jackson: Dear Historical Romance Readers, Are you ready for a heartwarming love story? One that begins with a forced-marriage scenario, involves an apparently incompatible couple whose relationship expands in beautiful ways, and provokes emotions that will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book? You are in for a... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:Â Happy New Year's Eve dear readers! 2021 proved to be a fabulous year in the historical book arena. From creative Austenesque variations, to Regency romances upending tropes, to reimagined gender-switched classics, to compelling historical fiction and mystery, we have been duly entertained and enchanted. A big thank you... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: I will state unequivocally that Venetia is my favorite novel by author Georgette Heyer (1902-1974). That is quite an accolade considering the depth of her oeuvre including 26 Regency, 8 Georgian, 6 historical fiction, 4 contemporary, and 12 detective fiction novels. That’s 56 in total, and in my... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Merry Christmas Eve to one and all. Are you ready for the big day? Can you image how the Christmas holiday season was celebrated in England in the early 1700s? Featured today is an exclusive excerpt from Austens of Broadford, by Carole Penfield, sharing a New Year’s Day... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Katie Jackson: The thought of love at Christmastime is enough to warm the heart, but when it is set in the midst of pleasant Regency-era traditions, snowy sleigh rides, and cheerful firesides, it’s certain to appeal to the hopeless romantic in us all. It is just such an inviting scene that... Continue Reading →
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:Â Happy Friday, dear readers. There was a time when I could count the number of Northanger Abbey sequels on one hand. Admitting that may date me and my Austenesque reading terribly, however, it is true. Only in the last few years has there been an uptick of new... Continue Reading →
