‘The Jane Austin Society,’ is written in a similar mannerism as a Jane Austin novel. If you are unsure if you like Jane Austin's novels, you may have liked "Clueless" or "Bridget Jones' Diary," which were modern-day movies based on Jane Austin's novels. The Jane Austin Society was created by a group of local townspeople, to keep the legend of Jane Austin alive in the small town of Chawton, Hampshire. As you read the story, you will eventually learn there is an underlining purpose to the creation of the Jane Austin society. The eight members of the Jane Austin Society are (1) Adam Berwick: the creator of the Jane Austin Society, ironically a quiet and shy handyman that lives in a small cottage in Chawton with his aging mother. (2) Mimi Harrison: a famous Hollywood movie star, whose age is making her more of a Hollywood Legendary, therefore, Mimi escapes to Chawton. (3) Frances Knight: has hidden her whole life behind the walls of the Knight’s mansion. (4) Andrew Forrester: the town’s lawyer, who is intricately intertwined with the Knight family. (5) Evie Stone: the fourteen-year-old chambermaid, who is wise beyond her years. (6) Adeline Grover: a former school teacher, who recently lost both her husband and daughter in the small year. (7) Dr. Gray: the town’s doctor that copes with his wife’s death by taking prescription drugs. (8) Yardley: Mimi’s best friend and solicitor, who becomes a critical member of the Jane Austin society. Other relevant characters are Colin Knatchbull-Hugesson, the heir to the Jane Austin estate. James Knight, the France Knight’s father, a cruel and bitter man. Jack Leonard, Mimi’s finance, a Hollywood producer who would sell his mother to the highest bidder. ‘The Jane Austin Society,’ is a beautiful homage to the late Jane Austin.

A fun, heartwarming story about life in a small town that is perfect for a cold snowy day in front of the fireplace (or a warm sunny beach:) Something about this book and some of its characters reminded me of It's a Wonderful Life - it's a completely different story but it still made me think of that movie. It might be most enjoyable to those who have read Jane Austen's books and have a strong grasp of her characters but even without any prior knowledge of Jane Austen I think this story can stand on its own.

It's a bit confusing in the first few chapters; I was having difficulty following the different characters and timelines but if you keep reading it will all come together and make sense and it will have been well worth your time.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I found this book to be very interesting and captivating. I asked to get an advanced copy because I am a Jane Austen fan, but even those who are not fans of her would enjoy it, I believe, as it mainly centres on the lives of the people in the town of Chawton. It definitely had a lot of similarities to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but not in a bad way at all. My only "complaint" is that a letter was talked about often that one of the characters had found and was written by Jane Austen. As far as I can remember, the contents of the letter were never shared, which was disappointing. Maybe I missed it and it was in there, but to have them allude to this letter and talk about how important it was, only to have it not written out at all (even at the very end of the book as an Epilogue or something) was frustrating. Otherwise I found it very charming and a diverting read.

I simply could not have enjoyed this book more. It’s not a book to be read quickly, but instead one to savor and read slowly with a cup of hot tea in front of a fire. The author’s passion for Austen shines through in the entire novel.

I enjoyed seeing how a group of people in a small English village (and a Hollywood movie star no less) come together over their shared love of Jane Austen to try and save and promote her connection to their village. Not only did I love seeing how Austen affected each of their own lives and how healing her works can be in personal tragedy, I loved seeing the dawning awareness that Jane Austen didn’t just belong to them but to the world. They began embracing the responsibility of that so completely.

I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. This book evoked the feel of reading an Austen novel, and I enjoyed getting to know each character in it. Lovely writing, excellently written characters, and a unique plot make this book one that I think will be very popular once it’s publication date arrives.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital copy.

Taking place after WWII, eight very different people join together to honor Jane Austen in Chawton where she lived for a time. It's a heartwarming story about love, grief and literature. It would be perfect for those who loved Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society as well as those who like Jennifer Ryan.

The Jane Austen Society is a fictionalized account of a group of people coming together to preserve the legacy of one of the world's greatest authors, Jane Austen. The story centers on the formation of a band of unlikely cohorts and their intertwined relationships. Old histories between the villagers is revealed and we watch and anticipate resolutions. One of the members has ties to old Hollywood and we see that cutthroat maneuvering took place then as now. Everyone struggles with life: grief, disappointment, rejection and fear. Their new joint mission provides opportunities for healing and rebirth. That is exactly what a good story gives us.
That being said, I felt a little let down by some of the storylines. The author does a fine job of drawing the characters and their conflicts, but seems to rush through the resolutions. The author also did an incredible job of research and she quotes liberally from Austen's books. However, I struggled to stay interested and was ready for the book to end. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable about Austen would feel differently, but I'm sad to say that while I was very excited to read this book, I ended up liking it, not loving it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fans of Jane Austen's books might well enjoy this story about a group of second world war townsfolk who unite to preserve the small home and monuments that drew many visitors to the small town of Chawton, Jane Austen's final resting place.

I could see elements of Austen's stories played out in this novel. Bits and pieces of the plots of Emma, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice - all lent a hand in developing a few of the several characters' story lines. As I said at the outset, fans of Jane Austen's works might enjoy this decently written walk down memory lane. Many of the characters did not come across as real to me. I felt distanced from them because they were a bit one-dimensional. A fair amount of showing and not telling also was to blame for this, I think. For these reasons, I rate this a 3.5 out of 5.

Charming from the first sentence to the last! A captivating portrait of a town and a little cluster of wonderfully evoked characters enjoined in a mission to preserve something precious. No fan of Guernsey Potato Peel Society--or of Jane Austen--should miss this read.

A delightful book. Austin fans and anyone looking for a delicious read will adore Jenner's story. Other than the modern language, Austin could have written this herself.

*4.5 stars

If you adore Jane Austen, and quiet novels about life than this is perfect for you. This take place during WWII and shortly after, in one of the last places that Jane Austen lived, Chawton, England. You have a motley crew of characters: an American actress, a doctor, a lawyer, a teenage girl, a teacher, a shy field worker, and even a descendant of Jane's. They are all of different ages, wealth, some grieve, some are too shy, and some have big ideas, but they all have one thing in common: they love Jane Austen. They all want to keep her memory and works alive so they come together to forge The Jane Austen Society. You get conversations about Jane's stories, about the different ways of dealing with grief, about everyday conversations that happen in a small town, and maybe even some romance. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. All it does is feed into my love of Austen and desperately wanting to go England.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Exquisitely written historical fiction novel. The Jane Austen Society is a fictionalized account of the formation of the society by the same name and the preservation of the legacy of Jane Austen in Chawton. The novel follows a series of deep and troubled characters through several decades in the early to mid 20th century as they navigate the trials and tribulations of their lives while living in collective awe of their town's most famous former resident, Jane Austen. The lives of these seemingly disparate characters are intertwined by a love of all things Austen and they come together as if drawn, like moths to a flame, to preserve her legacy. The novel has a satisfying ending and will delight Jane Austen fans with the many references to her work. I could see this novel being incorporated into courses on historical fiction and/or Jane Austen.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read the book in exchange for my honest review.

What a totally enjoyable read! Captivating characters, likable characters, beautiful setting that you can envision while reading. The Jane Austin Society has motivated me to now reread Jane Austin’s books. The references, throughout the novel, are so interestingly and intricately woven, into the lives of the characters. A pleasure to read such a well written and absorbing novel. I just loved it! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Imagine 8 very different folks coming together in a small town all because of a shared love for an author. A town doctor, a lawyer, a widowed teacher, a quiet farmer, a servant girl, an actress, an auction expert, and a local recluse begin The Jane Austen Society in the town where Jane spent many of her final years. They seek to preserve her literary legacy and uncover many of her secrets along the way. Their own lives become entangled with each other and with Jane Austen in many surprising, endearing, and entertaining ways.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a lovely story and so clever. The author manages to write a Jane Austen type story that centers around Jane Austen herself. The characters in this book are wonderful versions of some of Austen’s famous heroines and heroes. The author weaves in personal trauma to the characters’ stories which made these people feel so real and relatable. I looked forward to reading this every chance I could and I highly recommend for all Jane Austen enthusiasts and anyone who likes a good story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

This was a very enjoyable book.

The book centers on a small town in England with big ties to Jane Austen. Centering on an American movie star, a doctor, a farmer, a housekeeper, and a teacher, the book weaves together the characters with a love of the author and a desire to better understand her.

The book is historical fiction, set right after World War II, and that makes this an interesting take on what is kind of becoming a literary trope: works inspired by a love of Austen.

The dialogue was entertaining and the plot was interesting. A fun book.

Thanks to NetGalley,com, the publisher and author for my ARC.

Enjoyable historical fiction! I will recommend to patrons looking for content like this - anglophiles, people looking for fiction about books, Jane Austen fans obviously.

The words that come to mind after finishing this book were heartwarming and gentle. In the small village of Chawton a group of people get together and form the Jane Austen Society to preserve Jane's memory and try to keep her memorabilia in the village and open a museum. The characters were wonderful, Dr. Gray who was still grieving his wife, Adeline who lost her husband in the war and then the child she was pregnant with when he was deployed. Adam Berwick was a farmer who wasn't able to go to college because he lost two brothers in the war and was required to work the farm. Evie is a servant girl working in the great house and secretly catalogs the library. Frances is a descendant of Jane's and isn't much interested in life. Throw in the mix a movie star who loves Jane Austen. As they navigate the law trying to save the estate they all face their pasts and try to figure out what the future would be. I took a break in the book to read Emma and once I did I understood more of the conversations and why they loved Jane so much. It was a joy to watch the characters grow into the people they were supposed to be. I would highly recommend this book.

A fun read with some quirky characters. Doesn't matter if you're an Austen fan, you will enjoy the village and the story. Their passion for their community will appeal to many readers.

This was a delightful story of a tiny village, Chawton. Linking the people is their love for the famous author, Jane Austen and preserving her memories. The story was set in the 1940's and full of compassion and the healing power of a tight-nit community. The relationships between various people were fun and sad at the same time.
If your a fan of Jane Austen, you will want to read!


Thank you publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

“Do you ever stop and think how lucky we are, the way we get to live here every day, like Jane Austen did?”

I am not the biggest fan of historical fiction, but I was so incredibly pleased! I am also not the most passionate Jane Austen aficionado (I much rather simpatize with the character of Frances Knight in preferring the Brontës) but I didn’t drown in intertextuality and references as I thought I would – though though there are some cleverly subtle relations between Jenner’s characters and Austen’s.

As superficially as I know Jane Austen’s works, I do feel like this is the perfect homage to her storytelling and style. There was just something in the writing that will captivate Austen’s fans instantly – as well as the common reader.

“I should tell you I am reading Emma again. Every time I find a new clue, something I missed before. It’s like she’s still writing these stories, still giving them life.”

Natalie Jenner’s work is absolutely beautiful. The characters are livid and I found myself missing them when I was not reading (I love them so much I can hardly bring myself to pick favorites, but let’s go with a top 3 with Adeline, Evie and Adam).

This is a wonderful tale about how literature can bring people together, how powerful certain stories can be and how they can resonate with us.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It has been many years since I have read Jane Austen’s books so references to characters and events we not familiar . Saying that I did enjoy the book and the variety of characters with their quirks and problems. The small English village was the ideal setting for these characters to move forward with the challenges they had. This book dealt with complexities in relationships for domineering parents, lost loves, hidden secrets , and possessiveness . A quaint read that engulfs all emotions.