I have never been a fan of the classics but I’ve always been a fan of an adaptation and this was no exception! I am always drawn to a DC setting. This book was perfect for me! The characters were easy to both hate and love in just the right way.

This was a perfect first book of the year for me!

Ladies of the House is described as a modern day Sense and Sensibility. I haven't read the original version so I don't know about that. The characters in this book seemed entitled but, that just goes along with the lifestyle and environment in which they live. I liked the book. I didn't love it.

The current rage appears to be the modern retelling of 18th century English novels. Ladies of the House is a modern remake of Sense and Sensibility. While I have never been an Austen fan, I do like the modern remakes. This novel runs the gamut of emotions: joy, despair, hope, love, and utter ruination. The Richardson women are left to pick up the pieces after the death of the senator, who was embroiled in a huge scandal;. I think the author did a good job of adapting the story to 21st century standards. It was entertaining.

A modern version of Sense and Sensibility. I always read Austen updates; they're rarely good, but the occasional gem makes it worth while. They most frequently suffer from one of two faults: either following the original plot and casting so slavishly that you might as well read the original, or straying so far that you find yourself asking "wait, *which* character from the original was this meant to be?"

This book suffers from the second.

Two well-to-do girls and their mother falling on hard times because of the death of their beloved father (and perfidy of their sister-in-law and weakness of their brother) is a very different story from the same trio suffering (sort of? There's no real urgency felt to their financial situation) because all three knew, to some extent, of the wicked deeds of their politician father and chose to cover it up. While his bad behavior went further than any of them realized, they're not quite blameless here, and that makes them a lot less sympathetic.

Plus, it's 2021. Who in their right mind wants to read about politics, especially corrupt politicians, right now?

I thought this was a great adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. However, while somewhat secondary to the story of the women perservering, the two romances were blah.

Really enjoyed this modern retelling of Sebse and Sensibility.I enjoyed the dialogue the story line.I found the book very entertaining will be recommending the book and the author.#netgalley#harlequinbooks

It took me a while to get into this book. I didn't feel much sympathy for the ladies of the house. I'm sure the author's goal was to reveal the inner strength of Cricket, Wallis, and Daisy, but I thought it was a bit prolonged to keep my interest. This has been such a grueling year for politics. I read to escape, and this book just pulled me back into the mud that mades up our government.

I was so excited to read this book but I could not get into it. I love Austen and find her characters to be deeply engaging but that is not how I found this book to be. Instead, the characters just annoyed me. Maybe others will be into this but I couldn't even make myself finish it.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. It is both predictable and full of stereotypes. There were segments I found interesting, but I didn’t think I held up.

The subject of political corruption in DC is very topical now and I liked the way the book focused not on the criminal politician, but how his downfall and discovery affected those he left behind.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

It took me a little to get into “Ladies of the House” but it was worth it. A modern day story of two sisters, Daisy and Wallis and their mother Cricket. Set in Washington DC the book opens with the death of their father/husband who was a beloved senator. Unfortunately mourning isn’t over before scandal breaks. There is a mistress, stolen money and the world the Richardson’s knew crashes around them. Each of the sisters responds differently to the situation but through it all they have each other. The title says it is a modern retelling of “Sense and Sensibility” and in the general sense it is. It doesn’t match character for character but follows the overall path.

This would be a good book for book clubs because there is much to discuss. The sisters reactions and choices. Who do you relate to more? Would you make the same choices as Daisy? The book is also clean for language and sex. I enjoyed the after notes from the author where she talks about her love of the original Austin novel and how she saw this as a book about the women. Just as in S&S the men are often off doing other things and it is the women and their actions that is the mainstay. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was smartly written. Great political dialogue and just overall banter. It was lighter on the romance than I thought it would be so I guess I was a little disappointed in that. Overall, an okay read, but just wasn't doing it for me.

I am normally very skeptical about retellings and this one was just perfect. It was clearly a retelling but if you hadn't told someone that it was, I doubt they would know. Lauren Edmondson is a wonderful writer and story teller. This was was great and I will definitely be buying it when it publishes.

A "ripped from the headlines" tale of political scandal and how it impacts the family of the deceased politician. Nice bit of romance to accompany the family's struggle. A very quick read.

I liked it, I didn't love it. Sense and Sensibility is not my favorite Austen's so maybe that is not a surprise. It was kind of slow, but the message is good.

I did not enjoy this book at all. I was so excited about the premise. A modern retelling of one of my favorite Jane Austen novels? Sign me up! This, however, failed to capture the wittiness and charm of Austen, and, what you're left with, is the story of, particularly, two protagonists that you spend most of your time wanting to shake.

Daisy Richardson's world is shook when, months after his death, she discovers that her revered father, Senator Gregory Richardson, is not the inspirational figure he seemed. Instead, it appears he was dealing in all kinds of illegal trades, leaving Daisy, her mother, and her sister to pick up the financial and societal pieces.

What follows is how the three women try to forge a path in a brand new world, and this is where the story loses its way. The main problem with the plot is nothing much happens, but not for lack of trying. There are several different side stories that had a lot of promise, but the author never delves far enough into any of them to make them interesting. By contrast, I was 60% of the way into this book still waiting on the story to get moving.

This book has an extremely interesting premise, but fails miserably on execution.

This book tells the story of the Richardson family where the father's death reveals secrets that will change the lives of all the women.

Daisy learns that her father, a prominent politician whom she idolized, was leading a deceitful life. She will have to take emotional and financial responsibility for the family in order to pay off the debts her father incurred.

This book was a delightful read; the characters were human with their imperfections and a desire to do the right thing. The story deals with family relationships in a time of crisis but also includes the development of a love story that was very enjoyable to read. Even though the storyline was a little simplistic, I would recommend this book.

I was utterly charmed by this story of two sisters, set in modern-day Washington, D.C. While this is a retelling of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, knowledge of Sense and Sensibility isn't required to enjoy the book. This novel tells a compelling story of how women support each other when the men in their lives have failed them, and how love can sneak up on you when you are busy worrying about something (or someone) else.

Daisy, her younger sister Wallis, and their mother, Cricket, are at their father's funeral when they find out that he (an esteemed Congressman), didn't die alone, but rather with his mistress, and there is evidence that he used public funds to pay to maintain her. Daisy works as a chief of staff for another Congressman, and always thought of her father as her role model for going into public service. In the aftermath, the women have to sell their two homes and figure out new paths forward. They watch "friends" ignore them and have to endure name-calling and worse (a brick through the window) from disillusioned constituents.

Wallis begins an ill-advised relationship with the son of a senator from the opposite party, which not only puts her heart on the line, but Daisy's job as well. Daisy's best friend and secret crush, Atlas, is offered the opportunity to write a piece about her father and his misappropriation of funds, and she isn't sure whether it is better to share it all, or kill the story and save face, at least until another journalist finds out how long he had been embezzling money.

The joy of this book is in the relationships between the main characters. Daisy and Wallis learn to lean on each other (or rather, Daisy learns that it is okay sometimes to lean on Wallis, rather than always be the strong older sister). The descriptions of the sometimes insular life of Washington, D.C. is fascinating, because most of us will never experience it ourselves.

The women find love, but more importantly, they find they are strong, capable, and resilient. All's well that ends well, and this book ends happily for everyone.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy!

Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmondson is a modern retelling of Sense & Sensibility. I truly enjoyed this book- I am a huge Jane Austen fan and a huge fan of Sense & Sensibility so I went into this book very excited to see it done well while also aware that I had very high expectations- but my expectations were certainly met!

There are enough differences and alterations in this book to still make it feel new and interesting- I was surprised multiple times with twists that I certainly didn’t expect and thoroughly enjoyed. I loooooved Daisy with my whole heart and thought Wallis was such a fun and layered character. What I loved about Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility is that it’s about the women of the family forging their own paths and figuring out their own lives, men were secondary. The women developed and grew and blossomed with each other and on their own, and the romance was simply a cherry on the top in Sense & Sensibility, and Ladies of the House remains true to that key aspect. Ladies of the House showcases strong female characters who grow and develop together, which I absolutely adored.

A super solid debut novel- I will most definitely be watching Lauren Edmondson to see what she puts out next!

A big thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Lauren Edmondson for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is difficult to write an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel and do it well.

The Richardsons are a political family in Washington, D.C. After the passing of the patriarch of the family, Gregory Richardson, his wife and daughters are shocked to learn that he has been stealing money for years, not to mention that he was having an affair that they all knew about but never mentioned to the others. As a result, they are left dealing with not only their grief, but having to reconcile the man they thought him to be against the man he was hiding from them.

Readers may find themselves cheering for the Richardson women, but it does not prevent this novel from falling short. This storyline feels as though it has been covered time and again, and this rendition feels tired and flat. The setting and characters are two-dimensional and predictable, and the complete absence of the youngest sister leaves a hole in the heart of Austen fans.

While this is not a terrible book, it is mediocre. Perhaps it was too much to take on as a debut novel.

***I would like to thank Harlequin and Netgalley for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of this book.***

Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmondson is a charming, modern version of Sense and Sensibility. When Senator Gregory Richardson dies in the company of his young mistress, his family will never be the same. His wife, Cricket, is forced to sell her beautiful home and daughters Daisy and Wallis try to deal with the fallout and subsequent shame as best they can.

And that’s not all. Other things about the Senator start to come out that further complicates things for the women he left behind. Cricket, Daisy, and Wallis must gather their strength and confront the challenges of their new life with courage they never knew they needed- or possessed.

Here’s the plot:

No surprise is a good surprise. At least according to thirty-four-year-old Daisy Richardson, a woman of routine, order and careful thought. 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 to this last vestige of their former life. 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, someone Daisy can’t bring herself to trust. 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.

This book is clever, witty, and fun. I was entertained throughout and loved the writing. Jane Austen would approve!

Coming in February! Pre-order here.