Natalie Jenner’s debut novel is a charming story about the universal language of literature and how it connects us. It’s set in the small town of Chawton, England, which was the final home of iconic novelist Jane Austen, just after the second World War. I am a huge Jane Austen fan (I’ve read every one of her novels, some of them twice), so I delighted in the Austen family history tidbits as well as the references to Austen’s novels. One would probably have to be an Austen fan to truly appreciate this book, but I think that everyone can appreciate its themes. I’ve long believed that books can bring people together and help them process the sometimes-harsh realities of life, and The Jane Austen Society exemplifies this. The book features a diverse cast of characters who find a united front in their love for Austen’s novels and desire to keep her family history alive in their small town, among them a young war widow named Adeline Lewis and her physician Dr. Gray, who is beating himself up for not being able to save her baby. Obviously this book becomes a little heavy and bleak at times, but it is overall hopeful and emphasizes the strength and importance of human connection.

The Jane Austen society is a character-driven novel that shows how Austen’s work has affected people of all ages and all facts of life, including a film actress and a laborer. The alternating third-person points of view might be confusing for some people, but I liked being able to see into all of the characters’ heads and learn about their life stories and their personal connection to Austen’s novels. Historical fiction fans will be excited to see this book when it hits shelves on May 26th.

Do you know those books that you can’t wait to finish to see what happens but you also don’t want to finish because you have become attached to the characters? Well, this is one of those books! The characters in this story had such depth and even when they did things I didn’t like, I still loved the character.
This story is set in post WWII England where two World Wars have caused so much pain in everyones lives, but they live on and struggle to find their joy again. The town of Chawton is where Jane Austen spent her last years and the residents of this town are split into those who love Austen’s works and those who only see the inconvenience of tourists to the town where Austen had lived. In this setting, a small group decides to set up the Jane Austen Society to give people a place to go to learn more about her stories and her life. Intermingled into the story are the complicated relationships between each of the characters in the spirit of a Jane Austen novel.
This book is definitely one that I would buy for myself to reread or buy as a gift for someone else. It is a very memorable story that will attach itself to you as though it were your own.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress and #Macmillan for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book for a fair review. #TheJaneAustenSociety

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner is a charming and lovely read. It's impossible not to fall in love with this quaint little English village and its people described within. The village itself is the location of Chawton House once formerly the home of Miss Jane Austen. While the author's story is not the true narrative of the societies founding, she has created a beautiful, sweet story featuring austenesque style characters and written in similar fashion. In the Jane Austen Society, Jenner slowly but brilliantly introduces us to each character, flawed and traumatized by life’s circumstances but endearing non the less. I think this is what makes her story so compelling, the people are just like you and me. Real and vulnerable, in need of something that always seems out of one's grasp but which all Jane's characters seem to find in the end. Each member of the society sets out to celebrate and preserve the life and works of Jane Austen and in turn finds hope, healing and even love through their shared affection for all things Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy and Emma. For readers of Austen and fans of the Literary Potato Peel Pie Society, I think you'll find this one to be quite enchanting.

My review has been posted to Goodreads, Amazon, and my Instagram page Lost_in_a_book_reviewer

This is my new favorite book! I was so pleasantly surprised by this little gem. Perfect for Austen fans, but anyone would enjoy it. The setting is charming, the writing is wonderful, and the characters are well-developed and empathetic. I bookmarked so many passages in this lovey book.

Thank you so much to the NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. It will stay with me for some time.

In a world full of wonderful books, The Jane Austen Society stands out as a gem. This was a lovely and fulfilling read.

The title immediately caught my attention and both drew me in and made me a bit suspicious. There have been seemingly mountains of books that have been inspired by Jane Austen to some degree, and many times they disappoint. This one not only did not disappoint, but it exceeded my hopeful expectations. I am not certain that it is necessary to be an Austen fan to enjoy this book, but it added a special layer of delight to read this as a fan.

I loved the setting of this book, Chawton in the 1940s. It seemed freshly historical, if that can be a thing. It felt perfectly natural and comfortable to settle right into that world.

I also loved the author’s choice to use completely fictional characters and events within a historically accurate setting, and to not attempt recreating Austen’s writing style. Instead, the story unfolds in the most enjoyable and lovely way.

Ultimately, it is the characters and their individual traumas and situations, and their relationships that make this such a beautiful and fulfilling book. I treasured reading it. It brought out all of my emotions, including my all-important crying tears of joy and happiness at the end. I highly recommend this book!

This was an incredible read. As a firm believer in the basis of Jane Austen as the premise for any good novel, I loved the intricate ways that bits of Jane Austen's novels were woven throughout the story, while creating new and dedicated characters that struggled to keep her alive. I particularly liked the discussions where they simply talked about what they liked about the books--it was though I were there.

I was hoping to see a more give-and-take relationship similar to the one of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet or Mr. Knightley and Emma Woodhouse--I think that when you have "Jane Austen" in the title, it does drum up those expectations. However, I thought this was a small issue and I am sure it will join so many other beloved tributes to Jane Austen in history.

I really enjoyed this book. Technically I didn't see any errors. For the most part the pacing was okay. I was shocked that a character lost a child. Obviously that story line was incredibly sad and dragged on a bit.

Goodreads Review:
If you are a fan of anything Jane Austen you will LOVE this book. I wanted to jump on a plane and go visit the society. It was fun trying to figure out which characters were following a Mansfield Park type story line and what characters were a bit Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and all the other books. However, the book isn't all light heartened chic lit. There are serious dramatic events mixed in, which had me in tears. Of course every Austen-esque book will end on a good note.

This is totally a work of fiction the only actual part of the story that is real is the town of Chawton and the house reputed to be where Jane Austen lived and wrote for part of her life. However, this book just sucks you in and the characters become totally real. There are some surprises and twists which is always fun. I felt like I was transported to post-war Britain and I could actually picture the village, the streets, the rolling hills of the countryside. The characters are all well realized. The plot well written. There is nothing short of superb about this book. I loved it.

I so wanted to love this book, hoping it would become a favourite. The premise was absolutely delightful in and of itself, but I feel the content fell a little short of what I had hoped for. Certain chapters were a bit tiresome and I found myself skimming pages rather than diving in headfirst. It took time to build up to - not excitement, exactly - but any sense of engagement with the characters or invested interest in their outcomes. The cadence of the dialogue also felt a bit off for me. It was an interesting take on a shared love for a beloved author, but unfortunately didn't make the cut as far as becoming a perennial favourite.

My thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this title via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

A beautiful novel full of amazing characters you will fall in love with reminded me of the chillbury ladies society a favorite of mine lots of interesting stories and different lives playing out and intertwining in surprising ways so enjoyable and easy to read

If you need a good escapist story, this book is perfect. For fans of historical fiction and Jane Austen. This is a fictional account of how the Jane Austen Society was formed, but more than that, this is the story of people from various walks of life can connect through the written word.

Jenner’s book is filled with charming and quaint characters. They are typical fictional English creations who are endearing in their own way. Throw in one or two Americans and the story is complete. What binds all these disparate people together is their devotion to Jane Austen. Not only do they read and reread Austen’s books, but they enjoy nothing better than talking about the author and her characters.

World War II is over and the world is moving on. Chawton is the small village where Austen lived and wrote. The locals, plus a few outsiders including an American actress, decide they want to create a museum in tribute to their beloved author. This may sound like a simple project but there are roadblocks that they must overcome.

To readers who are familiar with Austen’s books, many of Jenner’s characters are reminiscent of the very ones created by Austen. There is the long-suffering spinster who turned away a chance at love because of a domineering father, the rejected lover, an older man who is intrigued by an effervescent younger woman and the typical banter that brings to mind Emma and Knightly or Elizabeth and Darcy.

It isn’t necessary that one love Austen to read this book but to those familiar with the author’s writing, this will certainly have great appeal. The reference to the cottage in Chawton has personal significance since I have visited there myself and enjoyed walking in Austen’s footsteps. Jenner lovingly approaches Austen and her novels through a new and winning set of characters who will remind readers of some of Austen’s well-known figures. A wonderful story with memorable characters and an homage to a fabulous classic author who has impacted so many over the years.

Calling all jane Austen fans! Jane Austen herself would love this novel, written in her style, that takes a look at the people in the small town where she wrote her last three books. Widows, widowers, a famous movie star and other local characters come together to try to pay homage to Jane and save her legacy in their village. Just what I needed in these very strange and scary times.

This lovely novel by debut author Natalie Jenner imagines how a group of people who cherish the works of Jane Austen find each other and propose a special society to honor the beloved author in the small village of Chawton, Hampshire.

Any group couldn’t be as diverse in personality and circumstance than the ones who gather right after World War II. There’s a bachelor farmer, a country doctor, a respected solicitor, a young widowed teacher, a high school dropout, an Austen descendent from the Knight family, a Sotheby’s representative, and an American movie star. While some of the group have known each other since childhood, others meet serendipitously through their appreciation of Jane Austen’s works.

This is a life-affirming novel that is quiet and hopeful and pays great tribute to an author and her works with many quotable sentences and paragraphs about the power of literature. It is set apart from many Austen adaptations by its time period, plot, and cast and reminds me of one of my favorite novels about readers, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Highly recommended, especially during these discomforting times.

If you love Jane Austen you will find kindred spirits among the members of the Jane Austen Society. If you don’t know much about Jane Austen you will still find yourself among friends in this book. Each character starts out the book dealing with their own tragedy alone and in secrecy. It takes a common love to bring these characters together where they learn the power of community and figure out that life is better when you support one another.

On par with my adoration of reading books is my adoration of reading books about books. Books that talk about the classics, shed light on subjects I have or have not before thought or discussed, and are full of characters who share my same love of literature. This is one such book.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this, grasping the different characters in different places on the same timeline. I suppose I read too many books that jump around in time that finding one that just jumps around in place seemed odd to me. But there were a lot of characters to keep track of and that sometimes felt overwhelming.

This was clearly written to carry the same or similar air as an Austen book; the characters all yearning for love but making infuriating choices and ignoring things that were right in front of them. By bringing all these characters together in one society, it's almost as if you are seeing Austen's own characters coming together, each with their own similar representation in this book.

That said, I didn't find the character's backstories all that intriguing. I loved how they came together and their discussions about Austen, but I didn't necessarily care all that much for their personal interactions or story arcs. I found these parts dragged.

At it's core, this book celebrates what is so beautiful about books; the conversations and bonds they create between people of all ages and stages of life who seem to have absolutely nothing else in common. Bringing together a motley crew in tribute to Austen's life, well what isn't to love about that and how does one not relate to it?

I have no doubt this book will find many ideal readers. Alas, I am not among them. It was a bit ponderous and low energy for my tastes — but I can certainly imagine customers to whom it might appeal.

This book is a love letter to Jane Austen and her works. I loved the parallels between Jane’s books and some of the characters, for example Frances & Andres’s history being like “Persuasion”. I did get a little bored with Mimi’s aging Hollywood actress storyline. Other than that, I enjoyed the book. I think it would have been a different experience if I had not read Jane’s books, as there are a lot of references to the books and characters. Having read her books though, I was able to understand all the references

ARC provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Oh my goodness, this book was so wonderful! While it took me a bit to get into the swing of it, once I did it was such a fun and beautifully touching read!

So what is this book about?

The world has been ravaged by two world wars in a handful of years, and the effects can be seen everywhere. In the tiny village of Chawton, England, this is no different. People's fathers, brothers, and husbands were lost, and everyone feels the deep pain. But Chawton has its own little joy, and that is a strong connection to author Jane Austen. In this little town, we see the lives of multiple villagers come together through their love of her works. From a small town doctor, a young pregnant widow, a recluse heiress, a lonely farmer, a young maid, and even a Hollywood actress, the likes of Jane Austen fans are vast and varied. As we follow these ordinary people's lives post-WWII, we see how loving Austen's works helps them heal, and how they find friendship and love amongst the company of the new Jane Austen Society, created to preserve her legacy.

This book is told in alternating POVs between multiple characters, giving life and breadth to all of their stories as well as their own particular love for Jane Austen's works. It is the unique, well-developed stories that make this book as amazing as it is, and what's even better is seeing these stories come together so beautifully by the end of the book.

What I found to be particularly charming was each characters' journey and relationship with Austen's works, as each character has favorite works, related to different characters, and had different struggles that the books helped them through. The small debates and discussions and debates between the characters about the intricacies of Austen's works was very in-depth. If anyone knows anything about these books, it was these characters (and by extension, the author!), so much so that I felt I was learning as much as I would in an English Literature class, but in a fun way!

Each character in this story was so well developed, and their stories were amazingly deep. The author wrote such amazing, strong and sassy women that Austen would surely appreciate, as well as romantic, if albeit hard-headed and unaware of their affections, men that fit right into her repertoire as well. One of my favorite characters was Adeline. A headstrong teacher hellbent on teaching all women's literature in this tiny village, she absolutely embodies the feminism that the 1940s was sorely missing. Even as she went through such tragedy throughout the book, her whip-smart humor and sass rivaled Elizabeth Bennett at many times. In fact, so many of these characters had an Austen character that they were similar to, a touch that added such a sincere and unique aspect to this book.

At the end of the day, this book was about post-war trauma, love, and the power that books have to heal us and bring us together. In a time such as this, this book was a healing balm to my soul. Would 10/10 recommend for all readers!

I have said this possibly a million times, but I love historical novels. I really like Jane Austen and I was intrigued by the idea of people coming together--bonded over their love of books!!--to save Austen's legacy and estate. But this book was not quite what I anticipated, and I already know I'm in the minority.

I really struggled to get past the first few chapters, and I likewise struggled to identify with the characters. The writing and characters themselves felt very flat, and I couldn't for the life of me feel invested in their problems. At a point, it also felt like there were two competing narratives: there was the small town with the schoolteacher and the doctor, and the big American movie star. And honestly, only one really interested me.

As characters bonded over their love of Jane Austen--you know, the whole fun part of the book I was looking forward to--they sounded so . . . pretentious. Listen. I was an English major. I argued obscure points of literature for four years, analyzing and interpreting small lines of text. I probably still do it without realizing. But I don't want to *read* a novel of characters competing to be the biggest intellectual. I wanted to smack every character when they started spouting their interpretation of Emma or Pride and Prejudice.

Sigh. It's definitely a matter of personal taste, but this is a hard pass from me.