I absolutely love retellings, and ‘Ladies of the House’ by Lauren Edmondson hit the nail on the head with this retelling of Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility.’ It was a refreshing take, and the bond between the sisters stole my heart. Highly recommend!

As a general rule, Austen re-imaginings work best in communities that are still tight-knit and have social rules--LDS, immigrant populations, Beverly Hills, etc. DC just doesn't quite fit the bill here. Absolutely deplorable people continue to hold office and no one shuns their families.

Still, I liked the bonds between the characters--the dynamic was good even in an implausible scenario.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

loved reading this book, it felt like a modern retelling of sense & sensibility. It had a wonderfully done storyline and I loved getting to know the sisters and the rest of the characters.

I found out after choosing Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmondson that it is a retelling of Sense and Sensibility. I am generally not a fan of retellings. That being said, it's been a really long time since I read Sense and Sensibility. So, I can read and enjoy this story independently, without constantly comparing it to the original. I enjoy going along on Daisy's journey. I appreciate the book most for the message about self-discovery and self-definition regardless of family baggage and outside expectations.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/08/ladies-of-house.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

It was a clever retelling of sense and sensibility, and I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters. However it didn’t really grab me. I expected something fun and witty, in Austen’s style, but it was a little too concerned with the dramatic political tensions. Still an enjoyable read however!!

I honestly don't know how I felt about this title. I finished yesterday and have been mulling it over. I liked the general concept, but perhaps not the setting. (I don't get politics so that could be part of it.) I did appreciate the tone, the pacing, and strong sisterly ties. It was a good escape while I was in it, but I don't think it left a very strong impression or urgency to recommend.

Heat Factor: I can neither confirm nor deny any on-page sex
Character Chemistry: So far, our heroine has spent pretty much all her time with her mother and sister, so there’s not really any chemistry to speak of.
Plot: Everyone decides to SHUN THIS FAMILY
Overall: DNF because the premise strained all credulity

Ladies of the House is a Sense and Sensibility retelling. And up to the point where I gave up, I will say that Edmondson was doing a decent job of centering the story on the sisters and their relationship and the different ways they are handling their change in circumstances.

But those circumstances! I just couldn’t buy it.

Here’s the setup: Senator Richardson was an elder statesman, a classic good ol’ boy who everyone liked. He has recently died, leaving behind his sad sad widow and two adult daughters. On the day of his memorial service, the news breaks that he died boinking his mistress…so everyone leaves the service for fear of being tainted by the scandal. What?

And then it comes out that he had his mistress on payroll in kind of a shady way (read: sTeALiNg oUr TaX dOLLaRs!!?!@#Q$), everyone in DC decides that his widow and daughters must be SHUNNED.

Come. The Fuck. On.

Who the fuck cares if a Senator is having an affair? Nobody, that’s who. Matt Gaetz still has all his committee assignments, and he was *trafficking underage girls for purposes of prostitution.*

If the Senator was paying his mistress on the DL, who was more likely to know about it: his wife, or his chief of staff? So who is really complicit in his crimes? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Also, this would be brought up in the Senate Ethics Committee, not result in an immediate raid of the home by the FBI.

Even if his wife was complicit in his shady dealing, would this result in such animosity that:
Someone throws a brick through her window?
She is uninvited to the wedding of an old family friend?
None of her old friends or the senator’s staffers will return her phone calls?

Look, the junior senator from Texas, who is an unmitigated douche-canoe, used the power of his office to force local law enforcement to provide him with an escort after he ran away to the beach during a local state of emergency (https://nypost.com/2021/02/19/houston-police-chief-calls-ted-cruzs-cancun-trip-tone-deaf/). Heidi Cruz was *absolutely* complicit with his fuckery (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-wife-heidi-texts-cancun_n_602f8c2ec5b66dfc101dbbd2), but I’m pretty sure that her friends didn’t SHUN her. And strangers certainly didn’t vandalize their home.

But when a complete stranger on the metro tells our heroine that her dad is trash (for having an affair), I just couldn’t take it anymore. Who would recognize a random Senator’s daughter—even if that Senator had been in the news? Who would then take it upon themselves to talk shit to that daughter, because it’s somehow her fault that her dad was shady—while she is in mourning? No one who is so politically plugged in that they recognize the family members of every single senator cares about some minor ass scandal. (Similarly: why would their bartender be giving them the stink-eye?)

I get it, the author wanted to set up that the Richardson family had fallen on hard times and was desperate because that’s what happens in Sense and Sensibility, but the fall has to be realistic for it to have any emotional ipact.

Sorry I can’t tell you anything about the romance. I was just too irritated by this author not knowing anything about DC or, for that matter, human nature.



I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Really enjoyed this one! A lot of fun and I love stories about women. This would be a great book club selection!

4/5 stars.

I think my favorite thing about this book was the exploration of the effect of someone else's actions (in this case, a man's) on women. I felt like at times the plot was a little meandering and I wasn't sure where exactly we were going to end up; I also wasn't the *biggest* fan of all of the characters, though I did truly love Daisy, Wallis, and Cricket so much. Wallis the most.

I didn't really see Sense and Sensibility all that much in this book; it's more faintly-flavored than fully retelling, in my opinion, but I didn't mind that. It's a book that stands on its own two feet. Even though it's set in modern day, it maintains a kind of timeless quality to it.

I loved reading this book. The author did a great job reimagining the original Jane Austen story but giving it a flair that can relate to modern times. I live in Washington, D.C. and spend a lot of time in Georgetown. It was fun figuring out where the characters were at in this parallel DC.

Would totally recommend!

This was the perfect book to read to forget about what's going on in life. The scandal was perfectly done and I loved the family dynamic.

Pretty good book. I liked the point of view from one sister and the relationship between them. I enjoyed the look into dirty politics, misappropriation of funds, scandal, cheating on one's wife, and unrequited love! How the characters dealt with the scandal with humor and determination to get through it was written well.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I am a huge Janeite and thought this would be perfect for me. Unfortunately, the politics in the book really overshadowed the relationships and I was unable to finish it. I won't be posting a review as I didn't complete it and want to be fair. Thanks again!

I would like to thank the publisher, Harlequin, and #NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful,book, #LadiesoftheHouse in exchange for my unbiased review.

I found this modern classic retelling of Jane Austin’s book, Sense and Sensibility a delightful read..

The story reads well and the characters were quite interesting and the story with the backdrop of Washington DC, sex, lies and corruption, romance and betrayal, family dynamics and sisterly love makes this books is so timely and a fun read.

I highly recommend this book.!

Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels! Whenever I see Austen re-tellings with a modern flair…..I try to be wary. Some are great but others miss the mark and but yet no matter how great or awful the re-tellings are, I still can’t resist them in any form! When I saw that Lauren Edmondson was writing a modern re-telling of Sense and Sensibility, for good or for bad, I was so excited to read it!

But I went into it knowing that nothing will ever live up to the original Sense and Sensibility—nor should it! Austen had her own unique voice and I expected Edmondson to have her own voice as well, but what I did hope was that Edmondson did justice to the Dashwood sisters and the spirit of the original novel.

It’s hard to do a good retelling which is why I have been wary but try and I might, I just can’t resist reading another and another and another to see how well or how poorly it was executed. This one however I think did a nice job at recreating the Dashwood sisters as modern women. While not with out some flaws, the story overall was fun, modern, and a cheeky nod to Sense and Sensibility!

Summary
AN IRRESISTIBLE FAMILY DRAMA SET IN HIGH-SOCIETY GEORGETOWN THAT PUTS A MODERN SPIN ON JANE AUSTEN’S CLASSIC SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

*Named a Best Book of February by Good Morning America, Bustle, Popsugar, BookBub, and Frolic*

“I was absolutely charmed by Ladies of the House. A wonderful debut.” —Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing

No surprise is a good surprise. At least according to thirty-four-year-old Daisy Richardson. So when it’s revealed in dramatic fashion that her esteemed father had been involved in a public scandal before his untimely death, Daisy’s life becomes complicated—and fast.

For one, the Richardsons must now sell the family home in Georgetown they can no longer afford, and Daisy’s mother is holding on with an iron grip. Her younger sister, Wallis, is ready to move on to bigger and better things but falls fast and hard for the most inconvenient person possible. And then there’s Atlas, Daisy’s best friend. She’s always wished they could be more, but now he’s writing an exposé on the one subject she’s been desperate to avoid: her father.

Daisy’s plan is to maintain a low profile as she works to keep her family intact amid social exile, public shaming, and quickly dwindling savings. But the spotlight always seems to find the Richardsons, and when another twist in the scandal comes to light, Daisy must confront the consequences of her continued silence and summon the courage to stand up and accept the power of her own voice. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
When I am reading an Austen novel, it’s hard to reimagine some of the issues that might plague the modern woman, I mean I don’t think the modern woman is really worried about marrying a man who has 10,000 pounds a year anymore right? Or marrying to save their family from social ruin? What I am saying is that often Austen’s surface themes aren’t necessarily relevant to modern women anymore, however when you look deeper the themes are timeless. Marrying someone because it’s what your family wants or finding stability through marriage certainly are not antiquated or outdated issues for the modern woman. Which is what makes Austen novels so classic. What I love about this book is that the author preserves those deeper meanings and brings them to life in this book.

I loved that the author used politics as a way to freshen up the story too. For some the political element and stance in this book might not be for everyone but for me, I enjoyed it and found it relatable for the modern woman. This book definitely touches on the darker side of politics and fortune and I think that’s an important message for readers too. It added a lot of complexity to the characters story that differs from the original Dashwoods. The novel is set in Washington DC and I thought it obviously added to the political climate of the novel in a more relatable and feel more eminent and important than had the father been a governor and the story set in their home state. Hopefully that makes sense. Adding politics into this book was a gamble for the author. I personally felt that it worked for me but I also know that not everyone will agree especially with the current political climate.

For me I felt that Daisy was the stronger character in this book. Wallis and Cricket (the mom) were a little less developed and the focus on them was not as intense as it was on Daisy. I found her resilient and tenacious where as her counterpart, Wallis was for free spirited. Clearly a nod to Sense and Sensibility. I do wish their names had been different. Both names were a little blah for me. I would have liked to have seen something a little stronger to convey their different personalities the way that the classic did. I think where this one fell a little short for me was the underdevelopment of Wallis and Cricket. They felt very one dimensional to me in a way that Daisy didn’t. Daisy was the narrator so a lot of the story is through her perspective but I think Wallis could have added more.

Overall this was a nice read and an enjoyable story with recognizable characters and themes from the classic novel. It has a modern feel and the book was an easy read which flowed nicely. While the political plot might not find favor with some readers, for me it was a fun novel that had a lot of enjoy and unpack while reading.

Book Info and Rating
Format384 pages, Paperback

PublishedFebruary 9, 2021 by Graydon House

ISBN9781525895968 (ISBN10: 1525895966)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Graydon House, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: contempo lit, retelling, romance, chick lit

Ladies of the House is a modern-day telling of Sense and Sensibility, but rather than the English countryside, the book is set in the political hub of US politics….Washington D.C.

When Senator Gregory Richardson died of a heart attack in bed with his mistress, little did his wife Cricket and Daughters Daisy and Wallis know that that nugget was the calm before the storm. But Daisy and her family are determined to survive, even when it cost Daisy her job, Wallis her heart, and Cricket the home she loved and her position in society that she has earned.

The Ladies of the House retelling was was so much more relatable, from the characters to the setting, now as a British woman I’m sure that would be seen as blasphemous, but I absolutely loved this book, and I will admit that when Daisy is crying, I could only picture the Emma Thompson crying scene.

I was very impressed by Laura Edmondson’s debut novel, the retelling of a great novel can be a touchy thing for the Austin readers, but I personally found it a very enjoyable read and I hope this is the start of things to many more great books.

In the middle of Senator Gregory Richardson's memorial service, cell phones throughout the sanctuary begin to ping and buzz for attention, a Times news alert to a breaking scandal about the late Senator's sexual indiscretions and financial crimes. Details of the beloved Senator's secret life are splashed across front pages across the country, humiliating the three women he left behind, his wife, Cricket, and his two daughters, Daisy and Wallis.
Cricket, once a powerful Washington hostess, loses her home and her standing in the political community. Daisy, the oldest daughter, who followed her father into politics, tells the story of the following weeks and months.

The three women begin to cope with the drastic changes in their lives and each one finds an unexpected strength in herself and in each other. More than a Washington scandal novel, Ladies of the House is about family and the lies we tell ourselves about those we love.

What a fun take on an old classic. I loved the twists Lauren Edmonson took in Ladies of the House. It is based on the Jane Austen classic, Sense and Sensibility. I read so many novels based on classic literature. I think it brings out many ideas about our society that we may not realize we shared with Austen's characters until we see it in modern times. What a fun read! #NetGalley

As a huge fan of Jane Austen this is one of the better reimagined versions of Sense & Sensibility. While I know many JA fans hate retellings this one took a fresh and unique spin on a beloved classic.

Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmonson is for anyone who is a fan of romance with a vast array of the current state of politics, as well as sisterly love as back drop of family dynamics. Some may love, while other hate it. But give it a try it may just surprise you.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

LADIES OF THE HOUSE is a readable, engrossing, modern feminist retelling of Jane Austen's SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. I was pulled in from the very first scene and was eager to see how things would play out for the Richardson women.

Daisy Richardson, her mother Cricket, and her sister Wallis are embroiled in scandal when the truth is uncovered about the recently-deceased family patriarch, Gregory. He'd been stealing taxpayer money to line his own pockets, and those of his mistress. Instantly, the Richardson women become social pariahs, and not only are they being shunned by almost everyone they know, they are riddled with Gregory's debts and mired in criminal investigations of his wrongdoing. The novel follows their path to atonement and ascendancy as women in control of their own destinies.

Edmondson has very good turn of phrase and pretty good pacing. I really did get sucked into this story. The characters are believable and fairly likeable. The Richardson women are more than a little bit spoiled, but their desire to "do good" redeems them. This is a smart novel, bordering on pretentious, but I think that description fits well with the DC setting. It was fun to get glimpses behind the curtain of Capitol Hill.

This book rates somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars; I rounded up because I enjoyed it and read it quickly. It doesn't get to five-star territory for two reasons. First, both the characters and the plot embrace drama-for-drama's-sake too often for my taste. I am fully aware that Edmondson is channeling Austen in this respect, but despite my love of Austen, I sometimes feel the same way about her oeuvre. Second, Daisy's feminist awakening - that women too often find themselves apologizing for or excusing the bad behavior of men - was weak and not fully formed. I agree with Edmondson that women stay silent too much, but the book's conclusion felt disconnected from the rest of the book.

Overall, I would recommend LADIES OF THE HOUSE to readers interested in modern US politics, Austen fans, and feminists.