What an absolute treasure trove for an Jane Austen fan! After so long with so many folks thinking there was really nothing else to learn about her! It just goes to show the book, so to speak, is never fully closed on anyone.

I've read only one of the authors mentioned but barely even heard of any of the rest, I'm so incredibly excited to begin the journey to catch up. Other than the actual subject being so interesting, Rebecca Romney's writing style is fantastically readable and the layout of the book is very well done. The many references to pop culture of the time and excerpts from Jane Austen's own letters make this feel like a proper story we're following Romney on, rather than simply a tome of facts. Delightful and frankly life changing for any Austen fan!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A perfect blend of research and storytelling. This book makes such a good case for reading these writers who aren't given their due. And as someone who dreaming of having the kind of book collection Rebecca Romney does, it's a fascinating look at the process. There's so much patience and research that goes into it, and I have the utmost respect for this work. I loved this book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a lifelong Jane Austen admirer, I’ve often wished for just one more novel from her—one more chance to revel in her wit, her sharp social critiques, and, of course, her delightful romances. But Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney offers something just as fascinating: a journey into the books that shaped Austen’s own literary world. This isn’t just a history lesson; it’s a literary treasure hunt, and Romney is the perfect guide.

With the expertise of a rare book dealer and the enthusiasm of a devoted reader, Romney introduces us to the women writers whose works lined Austen’s shelves. From Frances Burney’s Cecilia (which gifted Austen the phrase “pride and prejudice”) to Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (which made Catherine Morland swoon in Northanger Abbey), each chapter is a delightful blend of literary analysis, personal discovery, and a bit of bookish detective work.

Romney’s passion is infectious. She doesn’t just summarize these forgotten works—she makes a compelling case for why they deserve a place back on our bookshelves today. She also delves into why so many of these writers, once wildly popular, have faded from the canon. The result is a book that not only deepens our appreciation of Austen but also inspires us to seek out the novels that influenced her.

Why not five stars? At times, the book leans more into scholarship than storytelling, and I occasionally wished for more of Romney’s personal anecdotes as she hunted down these lost literary gems. But overall, Jane Austen’s Bookshelf is a must-read for Austen devotees and anyone interested in the hidden corners of literary history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. I’ll be making space on my own bookshelf for the authors Romney has so lovingly resurrected!

As someone who took AP Lit in high school and majored in Gender and Sexuality Studies in college, this was exactly my kind of book!!! Jane Austen’s Bookshelf dives into the books that shaped Austen’s writing, and I loved seeing how her influences connected to bigger literary and societal themes. It gave me a fresh perspective on her work and made me want to go back and reread some of her novels with this new context in mind.

That said, some parts were a little dense—understandable for a book like this, but still something to note if you’re looking for a breezy read. Overall, though, it was super insightful and such a fun deep dive for anyone who loves Austen, literary history, or nerding out over what famous authors read.

As an avid Jane Austen fan since high school, I found this book to be completely fascinating. I have read and re-read those novels over the years but gave very little thought to what authors would have help to shape Austen's own writing style and ideas. As part of a college course centered around Austen we did read an Ann Radcliffe novel (Sicilian Romance if my memory is correct) and I found a copy of Mysteries of Udolpho at my local library a few years after that, but beyond that I have not read novels by any of the authors included here. I am not surprised by this considering we barely covered any female authors in high school English classes - not even Jane Austen, I discovered her on my own thanks to the Emma Thompson Sense & Sensibility movie and an 11th grade Brit Lit research assignment that allowed us to write a report on the British author of our choice. It always frustrated me that I didn't get to read many female authors because "boys wouldn't like them" but I still had to suffer through plenty of books by male authors that I did not like. The biggest takeaway from Jane Austen's Bookshelf is a long list of books and plays that I am now searching for so that I can read the work of the authors included this book. Some I have already located on my library's e-book collection (sorry book collectors/sellers). The only aspect I did not like about this book was when the author strayed away from talking about the authors and their works and talked in detail about the antique book business - some of that was interesting but most of the time she would get a little off-topic and I found myself wanting to skip ahead to when she got back to the author for the chapter. As I am sure is the case with just about everyone who reads this book, I found it so frustrating when it was pointed out how many of these female authors have been lost to history because of a group of men with fragile egos who couldn't stand to see a woman succeed or step outside society's very narrow definition of what was appropriate for women. I didn't agree with the author on all of her opinions regarding Austen's work and characters, but that is one of the great things about Austen, there is room in the discussion for everyone's ideas and preferences. As a side note, my favorite Austen novels are Northanger Abbey and Persuasion and I don't dislike Mansfield Park because I find Fanny to be weak, I dislike it because she deserved better than to be Edmund's second choice. I highly recommend this book for high school libraries and wish there were more opportunities for female authors to be included in school curriculums.

“It is natural that novels about women in this era would focus on the most critical point in a woman’s life, one of the few moments where she exercised power: the question of marriage.”

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf investigates Austen’s female literary heroes and recounts the author’s experience reading them and curating her own collection. She digs in to how each writer has been largely forgotten—and it’s not because they were untalented, uninteresting, or unpopular in their day.

The author is a rare book dealer and this reads more like a memoir of reading and collecting these titles rather than a purely academic biographical read of these forgotten writers. This well-researched investigation makes good observations about the criticisms romance books and books written by women and for women, both now and when these authors wrote two hundred years ago.

“A story with a heroine who achieves a happy ending is a symbol of the heroine’s complete victory, of getting both what she wants and what she deserves in a world that works very hard to take that choice from her. Remember, eighteenth-century critics of the novel thought it was dangerous specifically because it encouraged women to be picky about their romantic partners!”

Austen super fans might find sections about her slow, but there is plenty here even for the ones who know the gothic romance reads in Northanger Abbey. And you only think you’re certain where the phrase pride and prejudice came from. A few of the sections felt a little long with her reflections. Those looking for literary critics won’t find much. Those looking to start their journey into women writers of this time period will find a lot to learn.

This is an accessible, fascinating look at a genre once dominated by women, and geared toward women, whose pioneers have been forgotten. Austen was brilliant and has earned her place, but she was not the first.

This book was absolutely lovely. It was super informative about Jane Austen, but also the authors that influenced her. I learned about so many amazing authors that I can't wait to explore further. But also, the author does a great job at recognizing how we as readers don't tend to question the Canon when we maybe should. Who gets to say what is worth reading and what isn't? It was also fun to learn more about the rare book trade in general.

Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster and Marysue Rucci Books for this E-ARC!

Title: Jane Austen's Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney
Genre: Non-fiction, History, Literature
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5 stars rounded up for Goodreads.

Part memoir, part history, Jane Austen's Bookshelf is the story of rare book collector Rebecca Romney's journey in discovering the literature written by women who influenced Jane Austen. Romney paints a vivid picture of what it's like to be a book collector as well as the work that goes into discovering the story beyond the story - the story of the book itself. This book chronicles the history and biographies of 9 women authors from the 1700s, including Jane Austen herself.

While info-dumpy at times, as a lover of literature and history, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Learning about the literary canon and what makes an author or their work impactful enough to be embraced by it was really cool. Rebecca has a matter-of-fact but witty and personable writing style that made this book feel very accessible. You might not know much about 18th century British literature but by the end you will have learned quite a bit.

I think my favorite part about this story was how wholeheartedly Rebecca embraced this passion project as a collector and how encouraging she is throughout the book about readers becoming collectors if they have the itch to do so. If you like classic literature or history, this book just might be for you!

Rare book dealer Rebecca Romney has, like many of us, nurtured a lifelong love of Jane Austen. Much of her works revolves around reading and collecting canonical literature, and for most of her career she assumed that books were in the canon because they were the best of their time period. But eventually she began to question why Austen is one of the few canonical female authors of her time period. To learn more, she embarked upon a project to read the books that most likely would have been on Jane Austen’s bookshelf. Unsurprisingly, she found that many works by female authors of the time period were, in fact, phenomenal.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Everything Romney argues is true and important, and there were a number of authors in this book that I had not heard of. If you are coming from a place of “I love Jane Austen and want to learn more about her influences” this book is fantastic; it is well written with a nice blend of information about the authors plus interesting details about Romney herself. But if you are coming in with a solid academic foundation already in place, this book does not add much to your knowledge bank. My educational background is in feminist criticism of the Victorian period, meaning that much of what she is interrogating are themes I already studied in college 20 years ago. However, this is much more engaging and approachable than many of the titles I was assigned!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 2/18/2025. For me, one of the best indications of a great non-ficgion book is that you close it to find you have an entire list of Further Reading that has miraculously appeared on your scratch pad... and then you actually GO AND FIND THE FURTHER READING. Romney's Jane Austen's Bookshelf nails this in spades. Some of the female authors mentioned were ones I knew. What self-respecting literary dork was unaware of the name Ann Radcliffe, after all? But the fascinating lives and works belonging to the likes of Charlotte Lennox, Elizabeth Inchbald, etc? Those were a complete mystery to me.

Starting from the premise of "I love Jane Austen and surely she cannot have developed her writing in a vacuum and why are there these strange gaps in the canon for those years," Rebecca Romney uses all of her knowledge about books and publishing and literature to search out the mysterious writers who inspired and encouraged and, in some cases, surpassed Jane Austen as a Great Female Novelist. The book is part mystery, part literary critique, part biographies, and all well researched and so much fun to read. It's also aggravating to read because, just like Romney, I found myself hissing at random (mostly male) critics who decided that, while there could be multiple exceptional male authors, there could only be ONE exceptional female at any time and Austen was IT. I imagine Austen herself would have had something brilliant and cutting to say on the topic. So would her favorite authors who I came to meet and admire in this book.

Like I said, the ultimate praise I can give a non-fiction book is that I have a list to go Read More and this one nailed that. In fact, while my head and heart are excited for the trip, my wallet is already starting to groan because, not only did Romney get me excited about new authors but her professional eye and descriptions made me want particular editions. Whoops! Thank you so much. I really mean that.

Well my reading list just got a whole lot longer...

What a terrific read, about the writers who influenced Jane Austen and how they managed to write and get published despite their restricted lives. Within these biographies, we learn about the evolution of the novel, how "the canon" is formed, and why so many women writers have been left out of it (spoiler alert: sexism all the way). Rebecca Romney is an incredible detective, methodically debunking the myth of the lone genius, and at the same time, making the case that Austen's admiration and emulation of other writers takes nothing away from her own achievements and earned spot on reading lists.

I can't wait to start reading the authors portrayed here! This is a book that will keep on giving for a long time.

This book was unexpectedly fantastic and I recommend it to anyone interested in the history of women in English literature.

I requested this ARC because I love Jane Austen, I love women working together, and I love esoteric histories. I got all of that, plus a glimpse into the rare book trade I didn't know I needed.

The format of this book, with the exception of the first chapter and conclusion (which are about Austen and a conclusion) is:
-Intro to a writer who Austen references somewhere in her work or letters
-Discussion of that author's work, life, and critical reception at the time of their life, along with connections to Jane Austen
-Discussion of Romney's experience finding the author's book in historical copies, along with some insights about the rare book trade, how books are described and priced, etc.

The content was super interesting, Romney's writing is approachable, enthusiastic and readable. I found myself caring about rare books and how the industry works, and I ended up reading a lot of other books by the authors that Romney writes about in this book during the time I spent working my way through this one.

I appreciated the way that Romney wove the authors' stories and experiences together and into the modern day to come to common themes and threads. One thing I felt was particularly interesting was that many of the female writers works increased in value because of their association to a man, even if it wasn't directly related to the work itself. You can kind of see that in Romney's bio itself, which references her work on Pawn Stars, a show I haven't seen that seems to be pretty unrelated to this work, but probably makes the title easier to sell.

Anyway if the topic sounds interesting to you I recommend you read it. I am considering buying a physical copy (my ARC was digital) so that I can refer back to it as I continue reading these authors!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Simon Element for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. Jane Austen’s Bookshelf is an investigative work that seeks to learn more about other female authors that Jane Austen looked up to, enjoyed, learned from, etc. — in essence, the authors that populated her bookshelf. This investigative desire stemmed from the author’s realization that while Jane Austen’s work is highly esteemed, the question becomes where are the other female authors from this time period and why have they been excluded from the literary canon? Why are they relatively unknown? With a focus on 8 specific female authors, these are some of the guiding questions of this work and it just absolutely soars from there.

While I was interested in the subject matter at hand for this book, I did not have much background knowledge of other female writers who were publishing at or around the same time as Austen. The author does an absolutely fantastic job at exploring this topic and in building a full narrative around each author explored. At no point does this work feel dry, even as the author introduces each new narrative chapters and as she explores each author’s style, their work, and how they fell off from the literary canon. She raises compelling questions and considerations about the history of the novel, female authorship, and their status/power in society. All of these considerations are so entwined in exploring how these female authors began their career and how it declined, during or after their life. Reading this book further offers context on how the literary landscape has evolved and even how we think of various authors and literary genres today. There was so much here for me to ruminate over and to take back into my own reading life and choices, I cannot emphasize how wonderful and informative this book truly is. Plus, the author’s own commentary on her career as a rare book collector, her own reading life, and her thoughts on these works really added such an element of humanity to this book and made it even more of a joy to read.

If it is not clear yet, I would absolutely recommend this book. It is a great fit for any Jane Austen fan and bibliophile! The information around books as objects to investigate and understand, as products of their time, is something that I think any book lover would appreciate.

This book is just paced so well and is such an enjoyable read, I think any reader would have something to learn from this text and is a very cozy text that I know I’ll be returning to! I can’t wait until this book is in the world for other readers to enjoy.

Have you ever wondered what books Jane Austen read? Wondered what inspired her? Then you might want to pick up this book. Rare book collector Rebecca Romney dives into the authors that shaped Jane Austen. The authors are: Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Charlotte Smith, Hannah More, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth. Romney gives us information about the female writers, how they inspired Austen and then discusses how she goes about tracking down the books and buying them. I found that process really interesting.

I am interested in reading some of these books especially Ann Radcliffe’s because she brings a supernatural element to her gothic novels. Radcliffe inspired many authors such as Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe and Charlotte Bronte just to name a few. I also loved reading about Radcliffe’s life story.

If you are someone who loves finding a special copy of a book, love special editions of books or you are just curious about who Jane Austen was reading then pick up this book!

Thank you Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such an intriguing read about one of my favorite authors. I am blown away that the female authors that inspired her are so unknown. Rebecca Romney is doing incredible work raising awareness to the women who shaped modern day literature.

Even if you haven’t read her books, you know Jane Austen’s name. Millions of people continue to read and fall in love with her work 200+ years after her death, but which female authors did she read? Who inspired her?
You’ve probably heard of some of the men whose books sat on Austen’s shelf, but the same likely can’t be said for the women — Charlotte Lennox or Elizabeth Inchbald, anyone? These women led fascinating lives, illuminated here by rare book collector Rebecca Romney as she goes on a quest to find early editions of their work.
In a time when writing was seen as an inappropriate pursuit for women, these ladies not only pursued it but managed to get published. They deserve to have their names and stories known, so it feels like an honor to read this book and finally help give them the recognition they’ve earned.
For any Jane Austen Lovers or anyone who loves books about books, you can’t go wrong with this one. It also makes the perfect read for Women’s History Month! (Recommendation to be sent to subscribers of Word Smarts newsletter)

4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. As a Jane Austen girlie, I loved getting to learn more about the women who inspired her as an author that have somehow over time dropped from the literary canon. I like many others believed the lie we were fed that Jane Austen was the first great female writer in English, and one of only a handful of enduring female authors in the canon. It was both disheartening to learn that so many other great writers were dismissed from that position but also great to discover so many new voices to read from that may just tickle my fancy the way a good Austen novel does.

Loved this book! Romney does a fantastic of job of weaving different threads together - bios on the different women, what books she collected about them and how she decided, and critical receptions of their books throughout time. (Note, while I used the term 'critical', reviews discussed were both positive and negative). Romney is a fantastic writer, constantly keeping my attention and making me add to my own TBR list with her discussion of different books.
This book chronicles Romney's journey into discovering the women writers who influenced Jane Austen and why/how they disappeared from the modern canon. Each author gets a chapter devoted to her, but I love that Romney was also able to draw out connecting threads between the authors - some of who knew each other and were friends. Romney does a great job of discussion how the canon came to be, different reasons authors "fall off" the list, and how they can be re-added to the list.
Highly recommend this to anyone who likes Jane Austen, female writers, book collecting, or questioning canon. You won't be disappointed!

Thanks to
Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, and NetGalley for the eARC!

If you’re a Jane Austen fan, 'Jane Austen’s Bookshelf' by Rebecca Romney is an absolute treat. Romney, a rare book dealer and Austen lover, takes us on a journey to uncover the women writers who inspired Austen. Turns out, Austen didn’t create her literary genius in isolation. She was heavily influenced by other amazing women writers of her time. Writers like Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, and Maria Edgeworth were big names back then, and their books played a huge role in shaping Austen’s work. Romney explores why these writers were so important to Austen and why many of their books have disappeared from today’s shelves.

I loved how the book felt like a mix of history, personal storytelling, and literary passion. Romney tracks down rare copies of the works of women writers, showing just how much she loves books and studying historical context. Her enthusiasm is contagious! After reading, I felt like I’d learned so much about Austen’s life, her role in her family, and how her writing was influenced by her literary idols who navigated barriers of their own as women in publishing. It gave me a whole new appreciation for her work.

One thing this book made me want to do? Become a rare book collector! Romney makes it sound so rewarding to hunt down old books and piece together the stories of the past. I also left with a whole new reading list, starting with 'Evelina' by Frances Burney, which I’m super excited to read after Romney's analysis.

Another unexpected gem? I learned about Odyssey Books, an indie press from the 1990s that specialized in Black romance novels. That little detail made me reflect on how many incredible stories and voices have been overlooked and forgotten over time.

This book is perfect if you love Austen, history, or just the magic of books. It’s inspiring, insightful, and makes you want to rediscover forgotten authors. If you’ve ever wondered about the women who shaped one of the greatest writers of all time, you’ll love 'Jane Austen’s Bookshelf'.

As a long-time fan of Jane Austen’s novels, as a feminist, and as a reader generally interested in understanding the literary canon, I was eager - but a bit intimidated - to read an ARC copy of rare-book collector Rebecca Romney’s soon-to-be-released work Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend, to be published in mid-February 2025.

Why intimidated? Well. I’m not well-versed in the literary canon, nor am I a rare book collector, and I was afraid the topic might require more knowledge and background than a feminist fan of Jane Austen might bring to the table. But thanks to author Rebecca Romney’s conversational (and definitely not intimidating) writing style, I found I was in good hands and had nothing to worry about.

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf is well-written, highly readable, and thoroughly researched. The work is interesting and fascinating, although it was quite a bit more detailed than a casual reader (like me) might actually . . . need. The author provides brief biographies, historical context, and critical summaries for each of seven women writers whose works would have been read by Jane Austen, as well as for Jane Austen herself. Interspersed throughout are stories from the author about her own life and work as a rare book seller collector.

I’m glad to have waded into this topic, despite my initial intimidation. I learned much about the formation of the literary canon, the fascinating world of rare book collecting, and the lives and works of seven women writers who’ve been cast aside by that literary canon.

(Additionally, the cover is beautiful.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on February 18, 2025.

4 stars.