A small town that seems to be of no consequence is actually a cultural and historical landmark of the favorite novelist, Jane Austen. A group of people from vastly different backgrounds (a country doctor, an heiress, a movie star) come together soon after WWI to fight their own past and save the family home of their favorite author.

This was my first book of 2020 and my first five star as well. There have been many books that pertain to Jane Austen, but I loved that this was about the love of Jane Austen. You get to know these characters like they are real people and realize that you share a common bond of literature and life's hardships. There were some sweet romances but it didn't overwhelm the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who loves Austen but also loves reading and literature.

#thejaneaustensociety #netgalley

The Jane Austen Society is a group formed through their love of the Jane Austen novels. Based in Charon, UK where Jane Austen wrote her last three novels and the Knight family had their estate, this group decides to retain as much of the Jane Austen artifacts as they can.

The characters. Adeline Lewis, Dr Gray, Adam Berwick, Evie Stone, Mimi Harrison,
Andrew Forrester, and Frances Knight all intertwine to make a most interesting, riveting story of The Jane Austen Society. There is a long history between some of the characters, romances, and secret relationships. Amazing novel all because of the love of Ja e Austen.

A group from a village in England form the Jane Austen Society to collect and create a museum of items belonging to Austen. This amusing story brings together a movie star, a doctor, lawyer, and even a maid, all lovers of the works of Jane Austen. The village contains a manor house and a cottage where Austen relatives reside, but the old man changes his will to spite his daughter, and the society must work together to save the cottage as a museum.

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid”

That is my favorite Jane Austen quote. I love her books. I loved her memorable characters. Elizabeth Bennet is always gonna be one of my favorite literature characters. And thanks to Colin Firth made me re-watch a million times of his version of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy ( When I saw him playing Mr. Darcy at Bridget Jones I just scream cried a lot!)

So of course I got volunteered to read anything about Jane Austen as a tribute of her achievements and amazing works. And I have to admit I enjoyed most part of the books. There are lots of characters (I think they are 12 and it makes you lose your concentration a little bit. Some parts bored me a little bit because of slowing pace and too many unnecessary details about characters’ daily lives) but I think I loved Jane Austen novels’ role and impressions at those characters’ lives more than the characters’ back stories and I loved their discussions about Austen books which were remarkable journey to her books and her unforgettable, well-rounded, splendid characters.

And yes, a movie star got threatened and sexually abused by Harvey Weinstein. (All right, I just want to check, you really read my review! I heard you! Of course Harvey wasn’t born yet andunfortunately there was no #metoomovement at this time) So she bought Jane Austen’s family mention from the auction and as soon as she reached the town, she forms a special literary group to honor this incredible author’s memory. A doctor, a teacher, a farmer and people from different background come together for their love of books and good literature, discussing about the stories, characters and how mush those books shaped their lives and meant for them.

The idea about special Jane Austen club (first rule of the club is only talk about JA books and second rule is the same!) and some of the characters were good. Interestingly when I read Dr. Gray’s part I imagined as Patrick Dempsey in my head. ( Yes, Meredith Grey, Derek Shepherd and those stylish amazing hair popped into my head. I wish my husband had them, too. And this is my cue to stop drinking.) I didn’t find it his and Adeline’s slow burn romance offensive or disturbing. Both of them lost their loved ones and their passion to the books helped them connect easily. They helped each other to ease their pains and fight against their grief. And yes, from the beginning, Dr.Gray saw the engagement ring at Adeline’s finger, it was so obvious that he didn’t like her relationship status.

Overall: Writing is good. At some parts, I lost my interest and wanted to skip some chapters but the parts about Austen books rekindled my love to her writing. The conclusion of characters’ stories are also satisfying. So this book is above the average and I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 and smiling with the memories of those wonderful books.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for sending me this heart felting, beautiful book’s ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. I truly and mostly enjoyed it.

Lovely and reminiscent of Austen, debut author Natalie Jenner draws us into The Jane Austen Society. She takes us back to back to England after War World II in the quiet village of Chawton. We are introduced to 8 separate lives that are as different as night and day, so it seems. Can a beloved author, Jane Austen, be the answer to so many hearts? Each character was well developed and so brilliant in perception of Austen’s books, but so lost in their own ways. The novel brings Jane’s fans from the text and beyond, from years ago and from now, together. Can it be, a well thought out and sweet tribute? It is, I dare say.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not everyone in Chawton is thrilled that Jane Austen had been a resident and people still travel to see where she wrote her last books. Some villagers view the pilgrimage that readers make as a nuisance, after all, the woman has been dead for a very long time. Yet others in the village treasure the works that Austen left behind and band together to memorialize the author by saving her home and restoring it so that future visitors will have something to see.

This is a quaint story that keeps Jane Austen and her works alive for more than just those that live in or visit Chawton. Perfect for the Jane Austen bibliophile and anyone who wants to spend some time in the English countryside.

Light, enjoyable read. The story is a little slow with not much action but with nicely drawn characters and a rich sense of setting. I guess it's like a Jane Austen book, hmm. I enjoyed the book and would love to see this made into a movie. :)

My thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this enough to finish it but it's not something I would go out and buy myself. I think the best way to describe my feeling towards this book is that I would definitely grab it from a library but I wouldn't buy it for myself if I saw it. I enjoyed the writing but the plot just seemed to bore me at times.

The Jane Austen Society was an interesting read, I am an Austen fan who enjoys these 'extra' stories by more modern writers. The characters had personality and life and I could picture the town, buildings and people. The flow of the story wasn't consistent throughout the book. I give this 3.5 stars.

I honestly tried,, but I just couldn't get into this book. You need to be well read on Jane Austen to really love this book. The description said it compared to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Chilbury Ladies' Choir, which I loved, but this book doesn't compare in my opinion.

I loved the premise of this book. I loved the mix of characters and their histories that often entwined. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. However, I did struggle to keep up with who was talking because the author switched point of views without warning. That made it much more difficult to enjoy but it was still worth the read and extra attention.

What a lovely read, and a great break for me from all the crime fiction I read. You probably don't have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy this book, but I certainly am and really liked it a lot!

What a perfectly fitting end to my reading year: Spry-yet warm, Strange-yet familiar, Clever-yet wholesome...enough. Lol

This is a wonderful book for Jane Austen fans. It tells the story of women in England who come together to save Jane Austen's house. It is a nice read and one that will be read again.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

The fascination with Jane Austen continues in Jenner's novel. The premise is interesting, the characterization appealing, and it immediately engages the reader.

I fell in love with the people in this story. Despite disappointments and tragedies they manage to survive and eventually to thrive, thanks to their common love for the works of Jane Austen. I enjoyed watching this story unfold with all its twists and turns. When it was done, I wanted more.

Having never read Jane Austen I was surprised I liked this book as much as I did. A charming tale of Austen fans in a quaint English village who all overcome love and loss by coming together to honor her memory. I want to see the movie!

United by a love of Jane Austen, a group of people come together in the small village of Chawton, the final home of Jane Austen, to preserve Jane’s Austen’s home and legacy. Along the way, they’ll discover friendships, love, and a deep connection to one another that will last a lifetime.

This was such a lovely, lovely book! The characters were wonderful. They were vividly drawn and so strong and unique. They were a group of intelligent, hard working, serious, and introspective people who not only loved to read Jane Austen, but who have internalized her lessons and philosophies.

I loved the parallels drawn between the books and the characters and their relationships. My favorite, as ever, was the Persuasion reference, because I love me some love letters and this book delivered that with a vengeance. While not quite as romantic as Captain Wentworth’s to Anne Elliot, it was a near thing. I also really enjoyed the Emma story line and the interplay between the two characters all the way through. None of the relationships came as a surprise (well, one did, but that’s because I misread a situation early on), but that was fine. Being familiar with Austen and her stories and seeing the parallels made the journey a delight.

This is a very gentle book with an easy flow. Once I started, I didn’t want to put it down. I felt I knew the characters intimately and that I’d be seeing them in real life. I could picture what was happening and felt quite swept up in it. It’s just a wonderful story with beautiful characters and a very satisfying ending.

If you love Jane Austen and like stories about people working together for a common cause, I think you’ll like this story a lot.

Jane Austen did not travel far from her roots, yet her characters have delighted and influenced readers throughout the world. Her insights about relationships are analyzed by critics and fans alike. She has left an indelible mark on literature. Natalie Jenner introduces a small group of such fans who are dedicated to establishing a permanent monument to the woman and her works in the village of her family home. They are a disparate group of post World War II professionals and villagers who share an appreciation of their beloved author and her philosophy. Similar to Austen’s novels, the pace is slow and the characters contemplative. During the course of their project, secrets are revealed about both Jane and themselves. A knowledge of her novels can be helpful, but not required. This novel is a loving testimony to a literary great.

What a good story! Full of endearing characters and an interesting story line, this book was a great read!