I’m ready to join the Jane Austen society! Natalie Jenner’s debut novel, was extremely entertaining. I’ve already pre-ordered the book for when it’s released so that I can add it to my collection.

I love the way the characters in the become so invested in the lives of Jane Austen’s characters, as if they were people, something we sadly lose far too often once we’re done with school.

Set in the small town of Chawton, Hampshire, where Jane wrote her last 3 books, the town has changed very little since she lived there.

It’s right after WW2 and you feel how their losses in the wars have effected everyone in the town to some degree.
The society is formed by eight very different people, brought together by their love of Austen and her books. It is devoted to the preservation of her memory and their work to create a museum to honor her and her works.

In her novel, Natalie Jenner brilliantly mirrors her characters with that of Jane Austen’s. I was looking forward to reading this book based on its description, what I found was even more than I hoped. I will be thinking about the characters and this book for a long time and I hope to visit Chawton on my next visit to the UK.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGallery for providing this copy.

I loved this! The author obviously really cared about her characters, and so, as a reader, I did too. I felt I was living the story along with them, and all the Jane Austen references were a lovely bonus. It was entertaining and moving. My favourite characters were Dr Grey, Mimi and Frances.

I really want to give it five stars, but there is just one problem - the 'world' of a British village in the 1940s didn't ring true. It was as if a group of modern Americans (very engaging modern Americans!) had been plonked down in that setting. They talk about someone having 'passed' rather than 'died'. (Just after the war in Britain, there would have been no such preciousness about death!) They wear vests rather than waistcoats and 'go see a movie' rather than going to see a film, and say things like 'Because why?' and 'It's like, come on now...'. The village itself also seemed curiously untouched by the war, other than the odd mention of rationing and people having been killed (or 'passed'!).

This was such a shame, as it definitely had the potential for five stars, if only the author had done some research into how people thought, behaved and spoke at that time in that sort of place.

Another tiny niggle - the text of the letter was never revealed. I kept waiting, thinking that the suspense was being heaped up nicely, but then... nothing.

That said, it was a wonderful read and I enjoyed it very much! The ending was very satisfying, although I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters.

I am a very big fan of Ms. Jane Austen.
I enjoy the originals, the retellings [own link], the “inspired by,” all of them.
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
I found myself very frustrated with this book. Overall, it is a good book, don’t get me wrong.
Somewhat reminiscent of Ms. Austen’s works themselves, this book starts with a quick-paced scene to create much interest.
Following that, though was several chapters of introductions of characters and events and I repeatedly found myself thinking, “Why is this important? Where does this fit in? Why do I care?”
We know there is going to be a Society formed – the description tells us so, not to mention the title tells us so. We can safely assume the individual characters we are meeting are going to be instrumental in this society.
But, it took nearly 100 pages to get them all together. That is a lot of character development for reaching a major plot point provided before you even start the book. #frustrating
I will say, this is a good book, but I don’t know if the lead up in the first half of the book is worth it.

Stars: 3.5
Would I recommend? Yes

Loved this book. A story about how people can come together to save something they love and find out it makes them a family. It’s hard to describe this book. You just have to read it!

I really enjoyed Natalie Jenner's novel. The little fictional world she created was cozy, charming, and romantic -- inspired by Austen by not derivative of her work. I found myself captivated by the characters Jenner created. Definitely recommended!

Now this is something to truly to keep on your shelf. Such a truly heartfelt novel. I will give a review later on once released. Just know, purchase this if you are a Jane Austen fan!

I like Jane Austen books, I have read several of her books: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and sensibility…
In her book Natalie Jenner gather a country doctor, a widow, a young maid, a bachelor farmer, a solicitor, a movie star and an auctioneer in the little village of Chawton who have one thing in commun: they love Jane Austen books. They all have their own struggles and reading Jane Austen help them to deal with their pain. They path will cross through different circumstances to create the Jane Austen society and preserve her work and the place where she lived.

This was an interesting story, the characters had different backgrounds but two point in commun their predicaments and their love for Jane Austen, creating that society allowed them to share what they were going through and create a friendship with each other, or deeper relationship for some of them. It was like an open door for healing and new beggining for them.

The Jane Austen Society is a delightful novel, detailing the lives and disappointments of a diverse group of Austen enthusiasts who set up a society to preserve her cultural heritage. In doing so they forge new and rekindle old romances. Their stories are engaging and wrapped in allusions to Austen’s novels. This is a light but deeply satisfying read that I very much enjoyed.

This book is a sweet and charming slice of post-war British life. The plot details the (fictionalized) formation of the Jane Austen society and their attempts to obtain and protect Austen-related properties and memorabilia.
The members go through heartaches and troubles, and ultimately find romance, friendship and success. Rewarding, but a bit predictable. Definitely recommended for fans of Austen and British historical fiction.
3.5 stars

Jane Austen Society
A wonderfully refreshing read about the establishment of the Jane Austen Society in a small town Chawton in England.
A band of unlikely Jane Austen readers decide to form a society on her 150th anniversary as a way of keeping her writing alive and allowing lovers of her books to see where she lived and wrote.
Following WWII the lives of all the Chawton villagers has changed dramatically. There has been many lives lost and families broken but to the members of the society reading Jane Austen heals those wounds.
This is a really lovely read. I loved the characters; they are all so different and they have a story to tell whether it be grief, love or just living.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the copy to read and review. Highly recommend it.

I love Jane Austen. When I read her books it is like I am getting to spend time with an old friend and we are catching up. This book is no different. Some of Jane Austen's relatives are trying to diminish her legacy. To save her home and her place in history a group of people that are as different as night and day band together to save Jane Austen.

What a fun book. People coming together to have a place to share Jane Austin’s history. I loved it.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC!

Do you participate in the Jane Austen extended universe? I dip in and out - I've read some books from most of the big genres: Jane Austen rewrites/sequels/continuations, books wherein Jane Austen is a character, and books where Jane Austen's books bring people together/heal damaged hearts. This title falls firmly into that last category, and I think most readers know if this kind of book is for them.

This is a complete reimagining of the push to create the (real life) Jane Austen museum and to collect Jane Austen artifacts in Chawton. In her author note, Natalie Jenner makes it clear that these are purely fictional characters. This book brings together a Hollywood actress, the local doctor, a solicitor, a farmer, a very precocious housemaid, a Sotheby's employee, and a member of the Knight family (the family descended from Jane Austen's brother), people who are all deeply kind and nice, but damaged, mostly by grief. They all love Jane Austen the MOST, of course, and band together to celebrate her legacy through the powers of Roberts Rules of Order! The society discusses the books a lot , so some pages read like a transcribed book club, which might annoy some readers, The characters are also unfailingly good and kind and hew very strongly to their professional oaths (and talk about how they have to hew very strongly to their professional oaths) - I liked them, but this occasionally meant that the characters didn't feel as multidimensional as they could have.

Clearly, I have quibbles, but this was actually a pretty enjoyable entry into the Jane Austen heals people genre and a nice picture of English village life after the war. If you're into this part of the Jane Austen extended universe, I think you'll like this one.

If you're an Austen fan (and why wouldn't you be?) you will love this book. A set of diverse and sympathetic characters rally together to maintain Austen's legacy in her hometown of Chawton.

A surprisingly delightful story of a small group of villagers who want to preserve any memorabilia concerning Jane Austin and form the Jane Austin society. Each member of the group has their own hardships and joys in their lives, but it matters to them that they preserve their love for Jane Austin. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Netgalley provided me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I usually love Jane Austen stories, but I could not get in to this one. The beginning felt too descriptive for me, and I am more of a character and plot reader. I tend to skim if a writer tells me too much like what kind o shirt, what direction hair is parted, etc. This book didn't go that far I think, but something just didn't grab me at the beginning. I am liking to try it again to see if my attention is better.

Loved this book! I was a little confused with the back and forth, until the storylines began weaving together, but that could have just been me and my attention span. I adored the story and the familiarity of the Austen world, reading about characters that have a common interest of mine!

I finished "The Jane Austen Society" right before the US premiere of "Sanditon" on PBS. There's another good Jane novel coming out this spring, "Miss Austen" by Gill Hornby, and it is certainly a pleasure to transport oneself to another time and place in this day and age!

"The Jane Austen Society" is a charming novel about a bunch of local Chawton people (with one exception) who want to create a place for Jane Austen lovers to visit. It's 1945, and people from all over have been finding their way to Chawton for decades to see that last place Jane lived and wrote. There's a sense of urgency--bits and pieces of Jane's legacy are being discovered and sold all over the world. Jane and her writing are front and center in the little town, with people re-reading her over the winter and stopping to discuss various points in one book or another over tea.

The characters are appealing, and, of course, they're living the stories without realizing it. Everyone has a favorite character, and why is that? The story comes to an end that is not surprising but is very satisfying.

~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader

I liked this book and the characters are well written but felt like I have read the book before - writer's voice is so similar to established authors that maybe the line between similar and replication has been crossed. Cast of characters is so similar to 'Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel' book.
So that said, it was a fun book and the characters were interesting. The book motivated me to read more about Jane Austen and her family, which is a compliment to the author.
Give that this is her debut book, I give 4 stars - hope she strengthens her voice in subsequent books.

Set in an English village just after WWII, this story does a good job of capturing the time and place and the small town nature. With only a few characters whose lives you learn a lot about through the lens of their conversations about Jane Austen's books and characters and their efforts to preserve the author's legacy. Even if <gasp> you're not an Austen fan who can't recite dialogues from your favorite characters, there is a lot to love in this well written, easy paced portrayal, with all the drama, twists and happy endings your heart desires.