Top 10 Books for Jane Austen Lovers
This sequel to Pride and Prejudice imagines a wild married life for Elizabeth and Darcy. Almost every character from P&P shows up, and their exploits are dramatic and comic. The writing is not as tight as Austen’s and lacks social satire, but Berdoll packs a lot of action into every page. There are many racy and gruesome scenes, and the Napoleonic Wars play a much larger part than in the original. Austen purists may be shocked at the behavior of their beloved lead characters: be ready for steamy romance, adventure and intrigue.
Caroline Fortune is a poor but kind young woman who becomes an old lady’s companion. As she discovers long-lost family members, Miss Fortune finds herself in the uncomfortable position of being everyone’s confidant. Knowing too many secrets, and wondering what should be revealed, adds juicy drama to this story about nice families and the hidden side of propriety. Plenty of romantic tension ala Darcy and Elizabeth keeps this story fresh and moving. The characters are well drawn, the settings are vivid and the emotions run high. This is a wonderful story in its own right; the similarities to Austen only enhance its appeal.
As the queen of chaste Regency era romances, Heyer wrote detailed and lively plots full of historical accuracy and charming leading ladies. The men aren’t too bad, although the male lead here could use a little more attention. In this story, stammering plain Horatia offers to marry the Earl of Rue in place of her beautiful older sister, who loves a poor army officer. The marriage turns out to be more than either party expected. Lots of plot twists, misunderstandings and humorous relatives make this feel very much like Austen.
Jane is a 30-something New York singleton determined to find a mate who can hold a candle to her ideal, Mark Darcy. She takes a vacation to Pembrook Park, an all-inclusive, fantasyland where guests and actors pretend to be living in Austen-esque settings. The line between reality and fantasy blurs. Jane discovers that it’s not so easy to shed her Darcy obsession when she meets a “real” Regency gentleman. As she figures out what’s real, what’s not and what a proper relationship really is, Jane takes us through a world every Austenophile has dreamed of.
The mother-daughter Rubino team takes Austen’s unfinished epistolary novel Lady Susan and turns it into a fully realized story. The result is a book that echoes Austen’s most treasured stylistic choices – finely written characters, romantic twists and horrid family members – yet feels modern and fresh. The story is a good one and cleverly integrates the letters of the original. The book will appeal to readers who like the romantic suspense, humor and independence of Austen’s beloved heroines.
Juliet is a struggling writer in post-WWII London when she learns about a book club that helped residents of Guernsey Island survive German occupation. Intrigued, Juliet visits the island and is drawn into their lives. This sweet story is told in letters between islanders, Juliet and her friends back home. It examines love, friendship, loyalty and the limits of the human heart. Sound like a lot to handle? This charming book makes you wish you could join the Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Austen fans will enjoy the slow, shy romances, strong female characters and wit.
This novel takes readers on a French Revolutionary adventure through history, espionage, betrayal and the hidden parts of the human heart. Lady Marguerite Blakeney and her estranged husband, Sir Percy, must fight for their lives and marriage. For anyone interested in French history, this is a fun take on the Reign of Terror, while romance readers will like the simmering (but chaste) tension between the two main characters.
Not a book, but this BBC miniseries is the best Emma film adaptation ever. It follows the recent trend of casting actors closer in age to the characters in the books, and Jonny Lee Miller, Mr. Knightley here, plays Austen heroes better than almost anyone. (Colin Firth. Enough said.) This version appeals to both Austen purists and those who favor a more modern interpretation. I swooned. In fact, I’m getting a little dizzy just thinking about it.
If Jane Austen had lived in a Jewish retirement community in Florida, this is the novel she would have written. Following the plot of Pride and Prejudice, this book follows four older ladies and their dalliances, family relationships and the pitfalls of “club life.” A reminder of Jane’s universal appeal, humor and her sharp eye for social class, this book will appeal to young and old.