The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner~
Being a fan of Jane Austen, I was truly excited to be able to read this. Set in 1945 just after WWII in the very small English Village named Chawton which is non other than the last place where Jane Austen lived before she passed away. The reader is introduced to a number of characters that reside within and outside the village who all come from very different walks of life but have one thing in common, their fascination and love for Jane Austen. When Jane’s home is in threat of being sold off they soon band together to create The Jane Austen Society in an effort to preserve the famous authors legacy.
The little stories that intricately weave within is what I truly enjoyed. Comprised of friendships, love, heartache, sorrow and even a wedding or two. Which is all very familiar in the Austen fashion but still holds something different so as not to be a complete copycat.
Definitely recommend for anyone that of course loves Jane Austen but also to those that love the simple human stories of just living and enjoying your life for what it is or could be.
This book will be published May 26, 2020. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

Following the Second World War, the Knight family, distant relatives of Jane Austen, occupy the diminishing estate in Chawton, England, where Austen spent her final years. With the Knight patriarch on his deathbed, and his having only a daughter to whom he refuses to bequeath his estate, the Austen legacy in Chawton is threatened. A diverse group of Chawton residents who love Austen band together to save it.

For me, there was just too much going on in this book to be entirely enjoyable. I love the premise. But I wish I had had more time to get to know the characters well. Maybe it could have been better for me if the author had focused on one or two of the members of the Jane Austen Society, instead of on all of them. The writing is enjoyable, but I couldn't move past my lack of connection with everyone.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this eARC.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a huge Jane Austen fan and of course I was excited to receive an advanced copy to review. Natalie Jenner did not disappoint The characters and the settings were developed and pulled me into the story. Sharing the passion of Jane Austen’s work amidst some near and dear friends both new and old, makes one look at the meaning behind Austen’s work through different perspectives. Keeping Jane Austen’s work alive via The Jane Austen Society is brilliant. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this lovely book.

THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY--set for publication May 26, 2020--is a quaint read with a writing style that hearkens back to Jane Austen herself. Within the novel, readers learn about the stories of each character and their unlikely friendships (and romances) built around a love of Jane Austen's work. Austen's novels are frequently referenced during the book, but it's not necessary to have a good understanding of her works to enjoy THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY; even so, a familiarity with her characters and novels will add enjoyment to this reading experience as characters often discuss their own understanding of Austen's stories.

There were moments that felt like anachronisms to me while reading THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY, such as some of the dialogue and some of the characters' actions. But, by and large, the novel did have an old-fashioned feel to it, and the writing mirrored that as well. Three stars for a good read that was sweet but not saccharine and a tribute to Austen that all readers can enjoy, even those who aren't exactly die hard fans of Austen themselves. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A review that I read of this book noted that if you liked The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society you would love this book—and it’s true. I loved this book! This is a fictional account of the birthing of The Jane Austen Society in the small English village of Chawton where she last lived, Shortly after the end of World War II and unlikely group of neighbors living in this village put their heart and soul into creating a museum for a memorial to the author they all revere. The author, Natalie Jenner, has brought her characters so fully to life through the development of their personalities and relationships I felt I knew each one of them personally. Through her precise use of prose, I could see the attraction between each character build before they themselves were aware of it, much the same way Jane Austen did. When you are so able to immerse yourself in a book that transports you to the time and place of its writing, that is a good book indeed—and this one does just that. I am so glad I found this book through NetGalley and am pleased to recommend this book.

This story was wonderful! Nicely paced and beautifully written. It was like eating a whole carton of ice cream all to myself... one delicious bite at a time! Well done!

Chawton, England was the final home of the great Jane Austen. It's little more than a bump in the road, but tourists come from all over the world in hopes of finding something of Jane there. 

What is left is the great house, the grounds and the cottage where Jane wrote. In the great house, Frances Knight lives with her ailing and horribly mean father. The house and her father are falling apart and Frances seems unable to anything but wait. With the cook, Josephine and 16-year-old Evie Stone, she makes do.

Evie is scary smart. And for the past two years, she has been staying up all night to catalog the over two thousand books in the library, where she has found quite a few serious treasures and secrets!


In a series of events we end up with an odd group of people, brought together by their love of Jane Austen. An American movie star, a young widow, the village doctor, and a local laborer. There are wonderful supporting characters here as well. While this group at first has only one thing in common, their passion to preserve the legacy of Jane Austen. Ah, literature, the great equalizer of humanity!

Each of them has suffered horrible losses and unimaginable hardships and as they get to know each other in their pursuit of a common goal, they find they aren't so different after all. And I did not see that ending coming! Well Done!

I absolutely adored this mix of fact and fiction! I can't believe this is the author's first published work. The characters were perfection and I will definitely read this one again!

NetGalley/ May 26th, 2020 by St. Martin's Press

The Jane Austen Society is a sweet, heartwarming story about when community members in Chawton, where Jane Austen spent part of her life, join up with a movie star and a solicitor at Sotheby's in their shared love of Jane Austen and a desire to preserve a part of her history in the community. Reading Jane Austen's books isn't necessary to following along with the story, although it does provide additional insight. And in many ways, the book has a characters and storylines that feel plenty Austen-esque, with many of the characters having a personal obstacle to overcome that involves someone they care about. And just like Jane Austen stories there are at least one or two cads that you hope get what's coming to them! I loved all the eight members of the Society, and even though there were moments where several made decisions that drove me crazy, I could ultimately see that it allowed them to have the life they wanted. A wonderful, quick and happy read!

As much as I love Jane Austen and her novels, this book just didn't grab me. The book got off to a good start, but the "Jane Austen Society" they form doesn't come together until well into the book. When it does, the proceedings are rather legalistic.

Overall, this book was good but not great. I really wanted to love it, but it just didn't grab me.

Being a fairly avid Jane Austen fan, I fairly salivated when seeing this title. Assuming the story would mirror the wit and craft of the book's namesake, I eagerly tucked into the book as one would a long anticipated banquet.

Things started out quite beautifully in the village in which Austen had lived. An American tourist searching out the novelist's home and being assisted by a friendly local. One wondered where that thread might lead. As each character is introduced, readers get a hint of a parallel Austin character and will wonder which of the novelist's storylines is playing out in a contemporary setting.

One thing I have appreciated about Austin is that even the nasty characters have a certain amount of decorum and one can read the books without being assaulted with vulgar language or graphic detail of exploits. Upon encountering a cohabitating couple, I was sorely tempted to chuck the book. The obligation to complete a review was the only reason I carried on until the end. And by the time I'd finished, my disappointment had turned to sadness as the book closed on a very un-Austin like note.

I had some nigglings as the book went along with the characterization of a couple characters and their lifestyles. But given their minor role in the story, I plodded on only to be completely blindsided when the book concluded with the final "pairings." I felt as though I'd witnessed the vandalization of a work of art. Sorry, this is one book I will not be recommending.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Jane Austen Society from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed are my own.

From a young age, I have always been fascinated with Jane Austen and her stories. Not knowing the full history of the period in which she lived in at the time, I was at first, drawn to the characters relationships with their families, friends and town  people. Then as I got older, I became more aware of the romantic interests, social aspect and the education and roles of women of that time. That is when I realized how important stories like Austen’s are to society.

Like Austen, my Father was a minister, He’s retired now but the connection on that score and her satirical writing reminds me so much of my own experiences in witnessing all sorts of interesting people growing up in churches and our local communities.

I’ve read all her published stories multiple times and read many re-telling’s of her books, and have seen all sorts of different types of film adaptations. Not one of those has captured my attention like The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner. The author touches on an interesting area about Austen’s life and in such a way, I felt as if the author had read my mind on a few things I thought about growing up. Especially about Austen’s relationship with her sister Cassandra and why maybe she burned many of Jane’s letters…

Jenner’s story brings together people who are different in occupation, and life circumstances but they share a common love of Jane Austen herself and her work. Their passion and goal are to preserve both Jane Austen’s final home and her legacy. What they find in their search touches on a little what I mentioned above- though that is all I will say about that. 

Much like you will find in Austen’s stories, The Jane Austen Society explores human conditions of the heart, love interests, community and enduring friendships.  I felt such an intense connection with the many of the characters in the story, as if they were close friends and family. This story is heartfelt and deeply enduring so much so that I came away with not wanting the story to end and a longing to sit around a fire and have a long conversation with these noble people and the author who told their story. 

When you finish reading The Jane Austen Society, be sure to read the Author notes at the end! 

I’ve rated this book five stars!

Stephanie Hopkins

Layered Pages

A group of people, some of the same local village and others from far, come together over their love of Jane Austen and how her books have uplifted them out of difficult times in their lives. The characters are often poignant yet show great strength. I grew to care greatly for them and felt invested in their struggles and triumphs.

I am a big fan of Jane Austen just like many other people. If I find out the book has anything to do with her, I will read it. Since there are so many books out there related to Jane Austen they can be hit or miss. I think The Jane Austen Society fell somewhere in the middle for me. I liked the story about wanting to turn the house into a museum and that part of the book definitely makes me want to visit the real museum even more than I already did. I did find the story line about the society to be very slow. It as almost half way through the book before it came together. I know some of that was because there were a lot of characters to introduce so I stuck with it. I found the characters interesting but it took me a while to read because I would find myself drifting off due to the slow rolling pace of the book. Despite the slow start, I enjoyed the book and it made me excited all over again about Jane Austen's life work and her hometown. I think most Austen fans would enjoy the book.

Jane Austen fans and others will certainly enjoy Natalie Jenner‘s The Jane Austen Society. Set just after WWII in Chawton, a small, charming English village. We are introduced to a rather unlikely group of characters who turn out to be avid Jane Austen fans. Austen and her family actually were connected to the village and she spent her final years there. This based-in-fact Austen connection gives the work an extra sense of typical Austen irony. The characters include a widowed doctor, the widow of a WWII soldier, a quiet and withdrawn farmer, a successful and newly engaged American actress, an Austen-related spinster, a bachelor lawyer, a young woman working for the spinster, and an expert for an auction house. They are drawn together by their mutual love of Jane Austen’s books and their joy in discussing the familiar novels and characters. They work to preserve Austen legacy and her connection to the village. What’s so much fun is that they become Austen-like characters and we see them evolve as they interact with each other and the world Jenner creates. And we cheer them on and wants things to turn out just like they do in Austen novels. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

The story takes place in the small town of Chawton, Hampshire, where Jane Austen spent her final years. The backdrop is the Great House where the Knight family lived and where Jane’s family members are buried.
It is 1945 when England was just recovering from World War II. A small group of locals who are ardent fans of Austen’s books, decide to form a society to preserve her legacy. The original group includes a doctor who lost his wife to an early death, a young war widow who also lost her child, and a bright farm hand whose dreams of attending university were dashed when his 2 brothers died in World War I. These three troubled people try to find solace in Austen’s books.

The society soon expands to include an American actress whose love of Austen’s works leads her to act in a Hollywood film based on one of Austen’s books, a bright young girl who was forced into service at the Great House when her father became disabled, the Knight family solicitor, an auctioneer from Sotheby’s whose specialty is Austen memorabilia and finally the woman who is the only direct Austen heir besides her dying father.

The members of the group combine their efforts to create a living legacy to Austen despite struggles of their own.

This is a lovely book and a great debut novel. It is not really historical fiction as many of the characters were created by the author and the Great House in the book remained in the Knight family much later than it did in the book.

The author has created characters who are memorable for their struggles as well as their tenacity. The descriptions of Hampshire country and Chawton, are inspiring. I have read very little by Jane Austen but may be reading some of the works discussed in the book in the near future.

I received this ARC from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What a sweet surprising story of a small band of distinct and utterly charming characters who come together over a shared love for Jane Austen.

This book was excellent! I am a huge Jane Austen fan. This book gave you a chance to read the lives of others that are also obsessed with the great writer Jane Austen. I would highly recommend this book.

3.5 Stars

Set primarily in Chawton, a village in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England where Jane Austen spent the last eight years of her life, Chawton has been the home of the Jane Austen’s House Museum since 1946. This debut novel covers the 1930’s through the mid 1940’s, and imagines how this came to be. Still, you don’t need to be a fan of Jane Austen’s books to read this, but if you’re not a fan before you read this, it may entice you to read more of her books.

I loved the setting of this story, and the era, which offers an aura of the time as women were just beginning to refuse to return to a life that offered them more than just life as a housewife following the war. Still, this is a 1940’s view of the beginning of change, as it should be.

I enjoyed this even more than I thought I would, it offered a nice change of pace from the books I read more often. And, for a change, I agree with the “for fans of” recommendation of this to those who enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, as it has that kind of charm, plus some wonderful characters, including an American movie star who is a fan of Austen, her fiancée who is also involved in making movies, a doctor, as well as a descendant of Jane Austen, and a village full of characters who come together to form the Jane Austen Society, in order to preserve her legacy.



Pub Date: 26 May 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press

I absolutely loved this novel. I adore books that are set in England, so check. I enjoy historical novels, so check. I love Jane Austen, so check. I really really enjoy book clubs so check.

This book has an interesting set of characters: they are all different ages, some grieving, and all are in different stations in life, but they all have one thing in common, they love Jane Austen. They all want to keep her works alive and they come together to create the Jane Austen Society. You get background about Jane's stories, about the different ways of dealing with everyday happenings in a small town, with some romantic interplay thrown in. I really loved this book and the richly detailed characters. It really made me want to visit England. I highly recommend this novel!

I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Three stars on Goodreads means "I liked it". I'm going to have to go with the Amazon rating where three stars says "it was okay". I'm not able to say I "liked" the entire book. So let me back up. I love the Jane Austen written word; I love the cadence of her words; I love her vocabulary; I love the way her dialogue lets me know what her character means to convey to someone else; the building of intimacy using nothing but words.

What I did like about The Jane Austen Society was reading the conversations various characters had when discussing the novels. The opinions expressed sometimes took me down paths I had not explored and I liked that. Where the book fell flat for me was when the characters were interacting with each other in their world of 1945 or 1946. Never struck a chord, never raised my interest at all because I just wasn't interested in the characters. None of them. So basically the portions of this novel I liked were the ones which didn't deal with what was happening to the modern characters. That's a pretty big problem.

This is a novel with a large cast of characters and I kept having to hold up my reading to try to remember who this particular person was and why they were appearing on the page. See, they just were not sticking in my mind. Not a book I would want to read again.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-Galley of this novel.