Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In the style of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, this book is like a heartwarming peek into the lives of the residents of a charming, quiet English town. As a lifelong fan of Jane Austen, I was delighted by the many "easter eggs" in this book and could see the subtle parallels drawn from her novels to the characters in Jenner's book.

This was a truly charming, quiet, character study and makes for a wonderful lazy weekend read!

I’ll admit Historical Fiction is not my favorite genre to read. I feel they are a slow build up and that’s hard for me. I want exciting things to happen within the first few chapters. Hence why I love thrillers.
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I read a few Jane Austen books when I was younger so I’m aware of the writing style and the character development. Going into this book I figured it would be slow and it would take some time to get into it. I stopped and started this book multiple times wanting to give it a chance. Sadly I just couldn’t make a connection. It’s not that I didn’t like it, it just wasn’t the book for me. I felt the whole book was slow, kind of confusing and I never really got anything out of it. I finished it, sat there for a moment and thought....that’s it? I just needed to feel more from it.
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With that said, if you love Historical Fiction and Jane Austen then I suggest giving this book a chance. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it’s not right for you. More than likely you are going to enjoy it!

The story started after World War II. A group of Jane Austen enthusiast formed the Jane Austen Society. Each one has a story to tell. The struggles of each one, struggles of the society and ultimately how they accomplished their goals were the engaging parts of the story.

I had trouble initially following the book/story due to introduction of characters. As the story unravel ,each characters story unfolds and it kept my interest. (I particularly loved the story of Dr Gray and Adeline).
I love the way the author mixes some Jane Austen statements in the story.

This is a clean story. Any Jane Austen enthusiast will enjoy reading.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Natalie Jenner, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is lovely, lovely, lovely!! It is just what I need in the "time of COVID".

I cannot believe that this is a DEBUT book! It was just wonderful. The only thing that could have made it better was if I had read any of Jane Austen's books - oh, the horror! If you are not a Jane Austen fan or have not read any of her books, this may make it harder for you, but you can still enjoy this lovely book.

Honestly, LOVELY is the perfect word to describe this wonderful tale. It starts out a little slowly describing and giving the backstory for the main characters which I ALWAYS love - I want to know more about them to make them more real to me! But, once it got going, I could NOT put this lovely book down.

This would be a wonderful book for Oprah or Reese to have and then to make into a LOVELY movie. I would think that it would be amazing!!

Obviously, this is a HIGHLY recommend book. Please read it - you will not regret it!!

Oh, what a lovely book this is! We travel back to post-WWII, to a tiny English village called Chawton. There is a large cast of characters, most of whom live in the village, and one famous American actress, who come together in this novel because of their love for Jane Austen’s books. They are all quite different people who end up banding together for a common cause-to preserve Jane Austen’s final home.

There are many characters in this book, and while it was a bit confusing at first, I read on and began to learn about all of them. And I fell in love with them. This is basically a character-driven story, so it requires you to slow down, curl up with a pot of tea and maybe a furry friend! I was transported to the village, with its rose-covered cottages and rolling fields. If you love Jane Austen, this book is definitely a must-read. But even if you’re not familiar with Austen’s books, this is still a beautiful book for lovers of historical fiction or if you just love a good story. This book was a privilege to read. 4/5 ⭐️

A must read for all Austen fans! The book market has a lot of Austen re-tellings, but this is different. It is about a wonderful eclectic group of people who want to preserve Austen's heritage. While Austen fans will find many references to their favorite stories and characters, Ms. Jenner has penned an original story set in 1940's England. Her prose is wonderfully reminiscent of post-war rural England, hoping to regain the peace and hope that had been missing during the war. The founding of the Jane Austen Society in the tiny village of Chawton, England was the pivotal shift in the lives of its members, urging each to reach for more in their lives. With beautiful insights to her characters' flaws, Ms. Jenner mirrors Austen's wit and message that others can hone us into our better selves.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a very sweet and cosy historical fiction novel that will be appreciated by all of Jane Austen's many fans. Set in Chawton, a village in Hampshire, England - this book follows several years in the lives of people who live and love Jane Austen.

This is the perfect kind of book for those looking for an escape - an escape from the global pandemic of today, an escape from the work from home stress, an escape from trashy tv. It's heart-warming and just....lovely.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Jane Austen Society takes place after World War II, and it weaves together the stories of multiple characters, whose lives become intertwined due to their shared love of all things Jane Austen. Old flames are reignited, and new ones burst to life. I enjoyed each character’s story, and I felt like the multiple points of view were well executed. The book was definitely a slow-paced one, but it really pulled me in during the second half, and I grew to care about all of the characters, who felt like old friends by the end. I’m not a die-hard Jane Austen fan; I’ve only read a couple of her books, but I still found the setting of her birthplace to be an interesting one.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an egalley of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner. This was a delightful read with lots of historical details and really pandered to the Jane Austen nerd inside of me. The romances were cute, the characters were real, the traumas they went through was poignant and emotional, and the writing was lovely. I was only disappointed that the characters weren't based on real people at all, which I didn't find out until the end. Some of the plot lines felt a little far-fetched and maybe too soapy and even drawn out, but overall it was a sweet story that I really enjoyed. Anything about Jane Austen is a win for me.

A satisfying, fictional account of the very beginning of the Jane Austen Society, set mostly in the village of Chawton after WWII. We meet the founding members of the Society: a farmer, a country doctor, a solicitor, a house maid, a school teacher, a Hollywood actress, a Sotheby’s appraiser, and the last living member of the Knight family. Six of the eight members live in Chawton and though they all have different backgrounds, they bond over their love of Jane Austen’s books. Nearly every character is carrying heartbreak and loss, some more obviously than others. The author takes her time divulging their secrets with a writing style that is so engaging that I read this book in less than a day. There were a couple of elements to the story that I could have done without, and they detracted a little from my enjoyment, but much like a Jane Austen novel, nearly everyone gets a happy ending.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary ebook to review. All opinions are completely my own.

Natalie Jenner just warmed my cold, quarantined heart! How did she know that I needed a Jane Austen fix even more than tea and biscuits? Even if you are not an Austen aficionado, this delightful story about the residents of the small village of Chawton after WWII will make you feel alive. Jenner's characters like Dr. Gray and Frances Knight will remind you not only of Elizabeth Bennett and the Crawford siblings as they experience the aftermath of war, hope, love, loss, and change of fortune but make you think of your neighbors and friends. My only hope is that I can join The Jane Austen Society too!

Post WWII, a group of Austen lovers come together to preserve her heritage in the village of Chawton. They create the Jane Austen Society. Each of the members is in their own way traumatized by events of their past and they each find healing through this project. The novel was heartwarming and gives off delightful Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society vibes. Be warned, your Jane Austen knowledge will be tested, so make sure you have a working knowledge of all her novels to best enjoy all the references.

I wanted to like it more but for me it fell a little flat. The characters were a bit bland and the plot was too slow for my taste. If you've read Austen, you'll get extra satisfaction though as a reader in recognizing her timeless themes and characterization. The plot even finishes in a very Austen-esque way. But, for me, I had to make myself keep reading rather than being immersed. However, I would still recommend it to any Austen fan.

Note: I received a free electronic copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher St. Martin's Press, and the author Natalie Jenner for the opportunity to do so.

I love Jane Austen and this book was a charming novel for any Jane Austen fan! The book contained many references of Jane Austen, so if you have not read her books before I would recommend to read them before reading this book to help with context. This book will be wonderful for the niche Jane Austen market, but may confuse others if they start reading it. I enjoyed the romance in the book and that both males and females read Jane Austen.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley!

At the beginning of this book, I was ready to stop reading. It was just so sad! All of these tragic things kept happening, but then it turned a corner. The characters were really interesting, and it was great to see how their personalities meshed as the story went on. The plot didn't quite go how I thought it would, so I enjoyed that. I don't love Jane Austen, so I glossed over some of the parts where the characters went into depth about Austen's characters, but I loved how they learned about themselves through literature. Definitely worth reading!

What a charming story. It is a nice, comforting read for times like this. Curl up with a nice cuppa and enjoy! While knowledge of Austen’s writings may be helpful, you don’t have to be an Austen scholar to find pleasure in this book

Calling all Jane Austen fans! The Jane Austen Society is bursting with facts, references to, and discussions of Jane Austen's novels as well as her life. Even if you are not an avid Austen reader, you will still love the charming story of how some mismatched characters from the town of Chawton, England (Jane Austen's home town) came together to form a society dedicated to preserving her legacy.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book and the parallels between the characters from Austen's time and the people of post WW2 Chawton. Austen's insights remain as true today as they did 200 years ago.
I enjoyed seeing how her books brought characters from diverse circumstances together and helped them move past the difficulties in their lives.

** “You need to fully appreciate how (your loss) has changed you, so that you can indeed move on and live, but as this changed person, who might now want different things.Who might now want different people about them. And, yes, God forbid, different people to love again.” **

Take a step into the post-World War II world of Jane Austen in Natalie Jenner’s “The Jane Austen Society.”

In this novel set for a May 26, 2020, publication, an unlikely group of people come together in the mid-1940s to try to find a way to honor hometown author Jane Austen in the small village of Chawton, England:

Adam Berwick — a farmer inspired by a chance encounter with an actress to start reading Austen;

Mimi Harrison — famous American actress engaged to a Hollywood producer;

Dr. Benjamin Gray — village doctor and widower;

Adeline Lewis Grover — former teacher and now pregnant war widow;

Andrew Forrester — solicitor;

Frances Knight — last known heir to the Knight estate, former familial home of the Austens;

Evie Stone — young housemaid at the Knight estate, with a keen eye for the importance of the estate’s library; and

Yardley Sinclair — of Sotheby’s auction house and friend of Mimi.

As this group comes together to try to save Austen’s legacy, they also learn to find trust for one another while overcoming various adversities.

“The Jane Austen Society” is a lovely historical piece that will delight Jane Austen fans. Throughout the novel, the group’s members discuss Austen’s life, her stories and the development of her characters — particularly “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.”

My only complaint about the story line was a couple of chapters occurring in Hollywood and revolving around Mimi — they were a bit more course in language and sexual innuendos and situations, and I felt they were completely off tone from the rest of the book.

Besides writing a fun historical fiction, Jenner filled “The Jane Austen Society” with several deeper themes, like the impact of remembering and dwelling on the forgotten past; overcoming grief and pain; coping with loss; feeling trapped and desperate; finding the key to those happier worlds we read about in stories; and sometimes all we have is hope.

She also hints at the importance of literature: “Inside the pages of each and every book was a whole other world (one you can disappear into).” Jenner shows us how the characters not only relate to Jane Austen’s characters, but they also feel saved by Austen.

Four and a half stars out of five.

St. Martin’s Press provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

This is a very lovely and enjoyable historical fiction novel. There are several characters introduced in the story and as the story slowly progresses you learn they all have something in common. But don’t think this is a light fluffy novel, some of the characters deal with heart wrenching tragedy and hardships. I found myself comparing their stories with characters in Jane Austen’s novels. I think you will find that the ending comes to a satisfying conclusion just like an Austen novel.

I am a huge Jane Austen fan and the stories of the cottage and glimpses into Jane’s life were so fun to read about. I would love to travel to Jane Austen’s house in Chawton Village, maybe one day. Until then, I am satisfied with this virtual trip around Chawton.

I was lucky enough to have access to the ALC audiobook narrated by the amazing Richard Armitage. I swear, he could read my junk mail and I wouldn’t mind. Sigh...moving on...there are a lot of characters in this book , which can be challenging if you are listening to it on audiobook. I think if you stick with it, you will begin to differentiate between the different characters after a while.

Recommended for Jane Austen fans, historical fiction readers, anyone looking for a lighthearted and heartwarming tale.

4/5