The Jane Austen Society follows eight completely different Austen-lovers who want to make a memorial for her in Chawton, where Austen spent much of her writing and final days. The eight characters are introduced to the reader quickly within the first few chapters which left me slightly confused until I wrote very brief notes on them. The characters quickly become intertwined in each other's lives and easy to follow after the first quarter or so of the book. Each character is working through some type of difficulty in their lives and consistently turn to Austen, and, later, each other, for comfort and insight. Over time, they are brought together by this mutual appreciation. I enjoyed listening in on their discussions of Austen with each other about favorite characters and little things they noticed during a recent reread. Like Austen novels, Jenner writes a happily-ever-after for all the good characters with several marriages, and on the flip side, the bad characters get what they deserve. Overall, this was a delightful read and pouring out of deep appreciation for Jane Austen. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me an ARC through NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free digital advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it, even to people who have never read Jane Austen. I liked the characters and enjoyed their growth throughout the novel. As I read the book I realized that it's been many years since I actually read Jane Austen, although I've seen many movies and mini-series. It made me actually want to read them again. I think that Austen-philes will get much more out of the book than I did!

Such a cute story, of a band of well-developed and lovable characters, reminiscent of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved all of the backstory about Jane Austen's home town as well as a few fictional tidbits that made me feel like I knew so much more about her and her life.

I really liked this cozy read as a nice entree into summer reading!

A very enjoyable read, particularly for Jane Austen fans! I loved the discussions of Jane Austen’s work by the book’s characters and how these same characters “unwittingly” seemed to mirror some of Austen’s finest protagonists. The author’s love for Austen and knowledge of her work shines throughout the book.

This is a charming historical fiction of the founding of The Jane Austen Society. At this point, it is hard to imagine that such a society was ever in doubt. Filled with lots of references, quotations, and critical interpretations of her work, this will be a delight to any Austen fan. Definitely a comedy of manners it ties up all the loose ends with skill and loving acknowledgment. A fun read.

This debut was stellar. I loved it.

This charming, endearing story was such a delight. A cast of characters whose mutual appreciation of Jane Austen brings them together. The way their lives connect is revealed at a luxurious, leisurely pace. I don't mean that to sound slow or boring because it was perfect. I felt like I was in the village of Chawton on a casual stroll right alongside them.

Fabulous writing, unforgettable characters and an engaging story= happiness! It hit all the right marks for me. The tone and cadence of this book gave me the same feelings I had when I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir and Dear Mrs. Bird.

You don't have to be an Austen aficionado to enjoy this book, but if you are, it will certainly be a charming addition to your reading experience.

Not only do I love historical fiction but I love Jane Austen so this book was perfect for me. And not only that, but I love stories about book clubs. It's always so sweet and entertaining watching a group of characters full of so many different personalities, all with their own trials and tribulations, come together and bond over books. I really enjoyed this and I think any Jane Austen fan would as well. Even a non-Jane Austen fan would enjoy!

A lovely debut for Austen fans! Set in the village of Chawton immediately following WWII, this is very much about a group of people who bond together for a common goal - which is not only to establish a center for Jane Austen-but also (even if they don't know it) to find love. Adeline taught at the village school until she was married; her husband was killed in the war and no, no spoilers, she is pregnant and being seen to by Dr, Gray, who lost his own wife to a tumble down the stairs. Frances Knight sits alone in the great house while Andrew Forrester knows what's coming in her father's will. Young Evie had to leave school at but she's cataloging the library. Adam is a lonely farmer. And then there's Mimi, an American actress who loves Jane Austen. The characters debate the merits of different Austen books and characters even as they circle one another. You will be a bit at sea if you haven't read the books (or at least seen the movies!) and some of it might have been better edited out but if you know your stuff, you'll appreciate how Jenner has woven her idol in. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read for those who also enjoy tales of village life in the UK.

I would give 3.5 stars if possible. A charming tale that became quite predictable at a certain point. I still enjoyed the read, and would recommend to others looking for a quick, sweet read. A nice escape from the horror of the outside world.

I am a huge fan of Jane Austen, having read all of her novels several times. And there actually is a Jane Austen Society of North America that I am considering joining! This novel, The Jane Austen Society, by Natalie Jenner, is a fictionalized look at the origins of the Society that began in Chawton, England, one of the places where Jane Austen lived. It is so much fun because it reads like an Austen novel. There is the idyllic country village setting with a group of villagers who are into each other's business. There are also several potential romantic couples, and regrets of moments lost. This was a wonderful novel.

What I Liked:
Setting:

Life in England was harsh right after WWII. Even though the war had ended, there were still food shortages and the personal losses of loved ones. And this was on top of all the losses from the first world war. People were emotionally and financially shredded. I liked all the details that the author provided to show the accumulated effects. It showed how devastating these world events were to everyone.

Characters:

There are so many wonderful characters in this book. Doctor Grey is a man who seems to be a blend between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightly. He is both astute about people like Mr, Knightly (Emma), and at times oblivious like Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice).

I also loved Adeline, the young war widow. Her outgoing, optimistic view of the world is shattered by a number of tragedies. She reminded me most of Jane in Pride and Prejudice.

There is also a subplot about an American movie star who is a rabid Jane Austen fan. At first, this doesn't seem to fit with the other characters. But I found her to be a good reminder that people all over the world can relate to Austen's works.

Plot Points:

There are several plot points that parallel situations in various Jane Austen novels. From similarities to Mr. Darcy and Jane in Pride and Prejudice, to long ago engagements as in Persuasion, the mirroring of plot devices are fun to notice and are well executed. This is especially true in the subplot of the forgotten romance between the daughter of a local gentry and a solicitor, which will remind readers of Persuasion (my favorite of Austen's books). I was squealing in delight!

It's the mid-1940's, and the people living in the small village of Chawton, England are putting their lives back together after the ravages of the World War. For some of the villagers, what unites them is a shared appreciation of the works of Jane Austen, a form of local pride because Chawton is where Austen lived last in her life. Of course, not all is perfect, and while Austen's home is in desperate need of preservation and repair, it seems like for many in the village, life is as it is meant to be, and as people attempt to reach out to each other for love and shared purpose, much of it seems to fade and wither before it can form a spark. For this village, and for Austen, salvation might be found unexpectedly, for one voice shines brightly out of the murk, a young lady named Evie who believes that what really matters is finding love, empathy, and shared purpose in life.

I think it was really great how Natalie Jenner provides resonance for Austen's works across generations. I think that placing this story in the post-World War II time period helps to drive home the point that Austen's works are soul food, that they provide hope and solace even when times seem dark. Jane Austen's works have always resonated with me, so with The Jane Austen Society, I felt that I too wanted to be part of the villagers' effort to preserve and protect an important part of her legacy. We don't always get a good chance at making an impact or finding love, and this story tells us to reach for what we can however and whenever we are able. I think that matters, because as Austen would tell us, “Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.” So be sensible, and take part in The Jane Austen Society, preferably after tea time and before excellent boiled potatoes.

What do an American actress, a village doctor, the proper heiress to a great English estate, a former school teacher, a city lawyer, a servant girl, an American movie producer, and a caretaker have in common? All have suffered loss, many of them great loss. Set at the end of World War II, this historical fiction reminds the reader of the great sacrifice many were forced to endure. Their love for Jane Austen and her literary works brings them together with a common goal, and it's through their companionship that their pasts are reconciled and their futures are set.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner is one of the best books that I have read in a long time. I loved the characters and found myself rooting for them. Jenner's writing style is beautiful, yet succinct without too much detail. Every sentence she writes advances the story, which I like. Set in England, Jane Austen's home, this book made me want to do two things: reread Pride and Prejudice and other Austen works, and plan a trip to England! I would recommend this book for any readers who love historical fiction, history enthusiasts, educators, librarians, or lovers of Jane Austen/female writers/writers from the nineteenth century.

Put the phone on mute.
Grab a cup of tea.
Get a blanket.
Find a quiet space.
Curl up and be transported to post WW II England with an engaging group of characters.
From different walks of life, they are brought together by a love for Jane Austen.
I especially loved their conversations and debates over the works of Jane Austen.
It makes me want to re-read all of Jane Austen’s books.
This is a cozy read. A great way to escape the reality of today.
I look forward to Natalie Jenner’s next book!

I received this book through Net Galley and this is my unbiased review.

Full disclosure here - bit of a Jane Austen fan so there was no doubt I was reading this one. Of course it is heavy with Jane Austen references in the writing so that is fun but about half way thru I was not so sure of the structure of the book. There were too many plot holes that were brushed over so that it became just a quick read with a predictable ending. It lacked the literary acuity of the namesake on the book. On the plus side, I did like the references to some books of Austen's I had not read (i.e. Mansfield Park) and had some good historical references to Austen's relationships with her sisters which kept my interest in the book.

While I did finish the work, and it would make a good beach read I am not sure that it would be for those die hard devotees of Jane Austen.

I don't even really love Jane Austen books, but I did love this one! The characters in this book turn to Jane Austen for some comfort after work. The community feel is really compelling, and the characters were very likeable. A PERFECT summer read!

was interested in this because of the beautiful cover and the fact that it’s about Jane Austen, as I’ve been reading whatever Austenesque material I can get my hands on lately. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this!

The characters are well-written and relatable, and I love all of the tie-ins with Miss Austen. I would highly recommend this to fans of Miss Austen and anyone who enjoys historical fiction. 5⭐️

TW at bottom.

"'But one can always read Austen.'
"And that's exactly what Austen gives us. A world so a part of our own, yet so separate, that entering it is like some kind of tonic."

I chose to read this book because it's an upcoming book club pick. The Jane Austen Society, set in the 1940s, tells of fictionalized people with real problems. A few villagers in one of Jane Austen's former towns love the author and what her work has meant to them, and so they band together to form a society to preserve artifacts and a cottage from Austen's life.

Many of the 8 trustees in the Society have had their share of trauma and grief, and that's a theme explored within.

To get the most out of this book, readers should be at least somewhat familiar with Jane Austen's work. All 6 novels get at a mention, with Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Persuasion having more discussion and allusions. Ok, let's toss Sense and Sensibility into that, too. I don't think you need to have read all of her books to enjoy this one (I have only read 3 so far, with movie familiarity with 2 others. Ahem. The movies are fun, too.)

The characters discuss specific examples of Austen's work, and there are some Austen-esque characters and plot points. You don't HAVE to have read all of her work, though, and I don't think there are really any spoilers unless you prefer to walk into a book completely blind. Still, why are you reading this book if you've never read Austen? Read her first, then come back.

If the author's intention was to tell a historical fiction centered around Jane Austen fandom, I think she succeeded.

I don't think I'll remember much about this book in a few months, though, and for that reason and some plot points that frustrated me, I'm giving it 3 stars for "I liked it."

Going into this book, I didn't expect it to need trigger warnings. I'm including them here for readers whom it would benefit:

Trigger warnings: sexual assault, loss of loved one, traumatic birth, loss of baby, drug use (morphine). Mention of suicide.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my free digital review copy.

Thanks to partner NetGalley for the digital ARC of Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society in exchange for an honest review. The book releases on May 26, 2020.

“I just feel, when I read her, when I reread her--which I do, more than any other author--it’s as if she is inside my head. Like music” (loc. 74).

Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society, historical fiction ranging from 1932 to 1947, is about grief and recovery, greed and sacrifice, selfishness and love. It’s also about the power of books and reading to bring people together and to help them understand themselves and those around them.

The book takes place in Chawton, Hampshire, where Jane Austen lived and wrote for part of her short life. It features an array of characters, some of whom have never left the tiny village and others who find its comfort later in life. The Jane Austen Society offers the charm and clear-eyed view of the world that one could expect from a book titled after Jane Austen. Like Austen’s novels, this one has a strong sense of both the beauty and the flaws of a traditional English village; it also is brilliant at demonstrating the way that the Wars, though not taking place in the story itself, had a lasting effect for its characters.

Jenner rotates between seven or so characters, with short glimpses into the perspectives of a few others. We come to know the village doctor, a teacher, the farmhand who lost both of his brothers in the war, the Hollywood star who loves Austen and her books, and the woman who is Austen’s last relative on the estate. We’re drawn into both Austen’s literature and what it means to these people. Through the novel, several characters form a society (the Jane Austen Society, of course) who aim to preserve some part of the home in which Austen lived and wrote--it is clear that their intentions arise from their need to hold on to something from the past, something they fear they may be losing. Austen, with her frank view of the village and the people around her, definitely symbolizes something more: she’s all that’s good about Chawton, the knowledge that they’ve played a part in the world, that they are--despite their negligible size--contributors to British history. One character thinks of Austen’s legacy, “These were small things in a way, much smaller than the war, yet they seemed to him more important to survival than he had previously understood” (loc. 1780). The author excels at showing just how much books to which we truly connect can mean to us, that they’re more than just a hobby to while away the time but are touchstones for all that is meaningful in our lives.

Overall, I would characterize this as a lovely, gentle read, one that makes incisive observations about human nature so that these sharp insights sneak into readers’ consciousness. While few books, for me, can compare to Jane Austen’s novels, Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society is a worthy tribute to the great writer.

Debut author Natalie Jenner brings together an unlikely group of people, all suffering in a variety of ways, and gives them hope, passion and determination under the guise of the Jane Austen Society. This is a quiet novel that feels more like a slice-of-life, though it encompasses a year or more. There are a number of main characters but each are given enough time for us to get to know them and their desires - the fun is in seeing them figure it out for themselves.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Jane Austen would be proud. In her debut novel, Natalie Jenner builds a cast of characters that would be right at home in one of the Jane Austen novels that they all adore. The story is set in the English village, Chawtan, where Austen wrote 3 of her novels and follows a disparate group of people who are brought together through their love of Jane Austen books. Each has been dealt disappointment and tragedy at some point in their life and are dealing with it in their own ways.

Charming and heartwarming would be adjectives to describe the way the farmer, widow, doctor, solicitor, Austen distant relative, auctioneer, movie star, and housemaid work together to form the Jane Austen Society to save the cottage where she penned some of her books. Along the way they heal and form bonds to help support one another. A thoroughly enjoying book that I couldn’t put down. Well done.