Pack your bags, you're about to visit Clawton, England in 1940. That is the setting for the fictional group of Jane Austen lovers who find a shared friendship, love, prose, and purpose in the works of their favorite author. This eclectic group of five band together to preserve the works and the knickknacks of Jane Austen while learning a lot about themselves and those that share their Austen passion. Ms. Jenner is a fabulous storyteller. Her writing style makes you feel that you too are in England at the time the project is underway. I highly recommend this read. Thank you to the author and publisher, St. Martin's Publishing Group for the ARC.

Interesting subject that comes from the heart and captivates the reader. I love when offers offer a unique perspective.

"The Jane Austen Society" should be a delight to Jane Austen's biggest fans and readers who enjoy slower-paced character development stories. The story follows the lives of separate individuals from varied backgrounds who are ultimately by their deep love of Jane Austen's work. The primary characters include the village doctor and lawyer, the lady of the manor, the young serving girl, a farmer, a movie star, and a businessman. They are each struggling with their own challenges and are ultimately helped by their love of Jane Austen.

I admit that while I finished the book, I did not love it. I found it a bit slow for the first half, and I was expecting a World War II era story in the style of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society." This story did not spend much time on the post-World War II era it is set in, and felt like it could have been set in another time period without changing much of the story. The story was also missing the drama of most novels set during this period. To reiterate, it is much more of a character development story.

It was not lost on me that the character development in this story in some ways echos Jane Austen's work. Perhaps if I had began reading the book with that expectation in mind I would have enjoyed it more. As long as other readers are true Jane Austen fans and looking for a less dramatic read, I think they will enjoy this book.

I went into this book with very high expectations which let me down. I love Jane Austen and all of her books, and I was hoping for something that brought out the atmosphere those books had. This book kind of missed the mark in being a wonderful read. It is a quick read, but it is not overly engaging or overly fascinating. The characters were okay. The plot was fine. There are patrons that I would recommend it to, but it wasn't my favorite which is why I only gave it three out of five stars.

Loved this book. Setting the stage for such elegance. Being able to add on another notch of Jane Austen was so wonderful. I have always loved her stories, and this one just gets me all in the feels.

"Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable."

The blurb sucked me in but I was disappointed by the execution. This was an okay read. I didn't love the narration style and I had a really hard time connecting to any of the characters.

If you love historical fiction and books, be sure to pick up The Jane Austen Society! Following WWII, a group of locals come together to save the legacy of Jane Austen. Throughout their trials and tribulations, this group comes together to work for the common cause. The book is moving and one you will remember.

I couldn’t get into this book at all. The writing was good, but I guess I just wasn’t in the right headspace to try and read it,

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

Set in the village of Chawtown England in the 1940's an unlikely group of people are forged together by they're love of all things Jane Austen. They form the Jane Austen Society just in time to try to save one of Jane Austen's homes (and all that goes along with it).

This was a slow, but charming read for me. So much time was taken for character development that the ending seemed a bit rushed and predictable. Overall this was a good read and I'm thankful I had the chance to review it.

This is a "must-read" for Jane Austen fans. It isn't a biography so we don't get a deep look into Jane's life or learn anything knew- it does feel like at the end of it you've grasped a firmer hold on Jane as a person and understand her deeply and intimately as you would a dear friend. This mirrors Jane's own work and the bonds you form with her beloved characters. The writing at first is winding and jumpy but once this book hit's is stride it REALLY hits its stride.
It's a complex look at relationships that are filled with love, grief, and loss. It's emotional and poignant. Despite the heartache and loss of the characters, it leaves you with a warm feeling just like Jane's work did.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Macmillan and Edelweiss for this ARC.

Gorgeous! Beautifully written, heartfelt and charming. This is a lovely, lovely novel that is sure to please all historical fiction fans.

This book was a pleasant read, but it never really completely grabbed me. I am a big fan of Jane Austen and I really loved how much she meant to the characters, how they read and re-read her works, and they were able to bond with neighbors and strangers due to their Austen love. The setting was interesting - Austen's house - and how it helps guide the story. There were definitely some sweet moments and a lot of guilt and grief displayed by the characters, all of which was touching. However, the characters seemed a bit austere and stoic, even the ones who were involved in Hollywood and you would expect to have a bigger presence. I was never really able to feel like I knew them or connected with them; we learned a lot about each person's past but they kind of still fell flat for me. The storyline also just felt a bit flat and predictable to me; which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but these things did prevent me from getting fully invested in the story. Also, the timeline was a bit confusing to me, there were some times it went back and forth according to the different POVs.

I will admit I grabbed this book, not because I’m a huge Austen fan but because of the feel of the story that reminded me of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. AND a mention of the Chilbury Ladies’ Choir – both books I adored. And there is a bit of ‘getting into the story and meeting the characters - similar to both stories, that let the connections build and unfurl to reveal a lovely sense of the people, their support within the group, and the frequent references to Austen, which often were mirrored in the ‘actions’ of the moment.

Fortunately, a solid basic understanding of Austen is all you need for this story – while those who adore her (in capital letters) will instantly see and remember references from Austen’s work to this one. It is clear that Jenner has a love of Austen and a healthy obsession with Darcy, but the correlations never quite get too confusing or strange. Bringing together a rather unusual group of widows and widowers, lonely hearts and film stars to a time and place just before all of the various adaptions of Austen’s work for the screen was a lovely set of moments: giving each character a chance to shine and allow the little village where Jane lived and wrote in the Kent countryside a tie that is unusual – particularly as we of today still do “Austen tours” - but the people here knew the families (or were the families) who interacted each day.

Once you have the characters fixed in place and see their support of one another, even with some moments that are wholly unexpected, the story is a gentle, book-club appropriate read, perfect for fans of literary critique from ‘amateurs’ and the joy with which they approach their task. One of the highlights of Austen’s works are the timelessness and accessibility: we can see ourselves and those we know in the books – just as the characters do, providing another link to another time long past where people were people and every story and life has the same hopes and dreams. With an ending that circles back to the first character we met some 8 – 10 years before the story really starts in earnest, this is a lovely read and perfect for an afternoon’s escape.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” http://iam-indeed.com/society-natalie-jenner/> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

More than 200 years after Jane Austen’s death, her novels are still read and reread and adapted today. Fans still dream of traveling to the author’s home, to walk through the village that inspired their favorite literary works. And in The Jane Austen Society by author Natalie Jenner, a group of locals work to honor the author’s memory.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery

I would definitely recommend this to any and all Jane Austen fans. You really got a little feel of several of Austen's stories played out in the characters of this book. I did enjoy the story, however I am not a true Austen fan, so others that are may have liked it more that I did. I was not able to connect to the characters as much as I would have liked, they felt a little flat at times to me. I did appreciate the wide variety of personalities/lifestyles/circumstances of all the women. Their common love for Jane Austen novels and desire to preserve her home creates a interesting connection between them all.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Love, love, love!! The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner is an absolute treat to read. I absolutely enjoyed every minute spent with this delightful story. I sat with a huge cuppa, my copy of the book, rain pouring down outside and just lost myself in these characters, their stories, and all things Austen. Talk about a fun time. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Austen and anyone looking for their next great read - you won't help but fall in deep with The Jane Austen Society.

Chawton after WWII, a group of individuals form a special group, the Jane Austen Society. Some are deep in grief following the war, while others have their own struggles to endure; and yet they find comfort in Austen's works and within their group. Upon news that Austen's home and her works are about to be lost forever, the group bands together to save their beloved author's home and legacy. Of course, drama ensues thanks to miscommunications and misunderstandings galore. Talk about elements of Austen. I just LOVED this book to bits! It was so much fun getting to know these unforgettable characters and following them along their journey to save themselves, each other, and Austen's home. I've always enjoyed reading Austenesque stories and Jenner's debut novel, The Jane Austen Society is my new favorite. Its fun, engaging, entertaining, and a real gem of a book. I can't help but look forward to reading more of Jenner's works in the future; and I can't help but want to re-read Austen's works, as well. Talk about a win-win with The Jane Austen Society.

As an Austen lover, I really, really enjoyed this. I loved the characters and how we watched them grow throughout the book. Highly recommend.

Thank you to St Martin's Book for a gifted copy of this book.

If you are a fan of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, you need to pick this one up! I wish I read more Jane Austen because I probably would have loved it even more but since I have only read Pride and Prejudice, some of the plots and characters from Austen's other novels mentioned were over my head. I loved the cast of characters in this book - they all faced trauma but band together for their love for Jane Austen in a small village. Their enthusiasm and love for her work reminds me of myself when it comes to my favorite books and authors.

This story is super engaging and heartwarming, so it doesn't really matter if you are an Austen fan. Just pick it up!

What a lovely, quaint story! This book is perfect for any Jane Austen loving reader/Anglophile such as myself.

There is an interesting cast of characters that I liked and wanted to see how they would grow. Sometimes it was a tad overwhelming having so many main characters but after awhile I got in the groove and it was fine. I really liked Adeline and her story line.
I loved all the discussions on JA and observations on her books. The comparisons and insights that I had not heard or read before were so fascinating to me-Persuasion is thought to be a bit autobiographical???
Is this my favorite JA based book? No, but it is a lovely historical fiction novel based around a mutual love of one of my favorite authors...definitely enjoyable!

I have learned that historical fiction is not for me. I decided not to keep reading this one but hope everyone elese enjoys it. Thank you NeTGalley and publisher for this early copy.