Charlotte and Henrietta befriend Jane Austen’s brother via mail and are invited to visit England.

Overall, I enjoyed this one, but it was a slow start. It was very easy to put down until about the last third when things started to pickup.

I wanted to love this book! I really wanted to. I could not finish it. I promise myself that always give a book to page 100 before I give up but I could not get into this. It was boring… and I really tried.

Natalie Jenner’s Austen at Sea beautifully weaves history, literature, and romance into an enchanting voyage of discovery. Set in 1865, this novel follows two pairs of siblings—the ambitious Stevenson sisters from Boston and the Civil War veteran Nelson brothers from Philadelphia—who are brought together by their shared devotion to Jane Austen and an invitation from her last surviving brother, Sir Francis Austen.

Jenner masterfully captures the spirit of the era, blending historical detail with lively characters who each grapple with societal expectations and personal dreams. The story’s charm lies in its celebration of literature’s power to inspire change, connection, and courage, especially for women limited by their times.

The journey across the Atlantic is richly imagined, with a colorful cast including Louisa May Alcott adding layers of depth and warmth. Themes of family, love, and self-discovery unfold gracefully, making the novel a satisfying blend of historical fiction and gentle romance.

Though the pacing is occasionally leisurely and some subplots feel lightly sketched, the overall effect is a heartfelt tribute to Austen’s enduring influence and the transformative power of books. Austen at Sea is perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with literary and historical flair.

This story starts in Boston in 1865. Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, the daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, start a correspondence with Frances Austen, Jane Austen's brother. Along with Nicholas and Haslett Nelson from Philadelphia, they head to England to meet with Jane Austen's brother.

As a lover of all things Jane Austen, I really enjoyed this story. There were numerous discussions about Jane Austen, her life, her beliefs, and her books among all of the characters. Even the Supreme Court justices had a book club discussing Austen's books. I enjoyed all of the characters, especially the girls Charlotte and Henrietta, as they navigated their lives, as well as society's expectations of them as women, woven in with Austen's stories. Also included was Louisa May Alcott, before she was a published author. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to @stmartinspress, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

Austen at Sea takes place in the late 1800’s between Boston and England. The characters are many in this book and at times, hard to follow who was who. I found the beginning slow and it was hard for me to understand everything going on, especially when they found themselves at sea. The being said, while there were many characters, they were all intriguing and even Louisa May Alcott made her way into this story (which felt a bit random actually). The way the story came to a conclusion felt random as well and I suppose this book just wasn’t for me.

That being said, I would definitely try another book by Natalie Jenner, especially The Austen Society which I’ve heard so much about.

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC ebook. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner, author of the Jane Austen Society, is a historical fiction book set in the 1800s.

The story follows 2 sisters, Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson and two brothers, Nicholas & Haslett Nelson, as the journey together on a ship headed to England.

Austen at Sea is so well written that you can imagine yourself on the ship with the Stevenson sisters and the Nelson brothers as they sail to meet Jane Austen’s last living sibling, Sir Francis Austen. There are many discussions of Austen books, and her life.

This is a must read for Jane Austen fans!

This is the third Natalie Jenner book I've read and simply put, I liked it. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as her first two books, but it was still enjoyable. Something about the plot just left me a little lacking. At times I was bored. I think one of my struggles was that I wasn't sure what the main plot point was for a long time. It also felt like I was juggling just one too many characters. Still a good read, just not one I see myself coming back to.

I was eager to jump into this book as I've enjoyed Natalie Jenner's previous books and adore all things Jane Austen. I wish I could say that I loved it, but I didn't. It was extremely hard to get into - I think a case of too much trying to be squeezed together. I almost abandoned several times. It was hard to keep track of the many different characters and figure out who the book was really all about. I must admit that I think the book club scenes could have been cut altogether to help with the character tracking.

Once we were finally on the boat to England, I thought the story would really start moving forward but instead we got a Dickens play and Louisa May Alcott- really made me want to read Dickens!- which felt distracting.

The plot did finally take off around 70%, and I was finally flipping through the pages quickly. I did enjoy one of the romances but did NOT see how the other romance could have overcome the conflict encountered so early in the marriage.

If you're here for the women's rights storyline, you will be very happy because it is a key theme.

Overall, I felt like this book wasn't quite what I'd expected, but I do want to read some Dickens now!

DNF - I was semi-enjoying this read but soon realized that I was not the target reader; I would not forgive the plot for its decisions to flounce around the topics, focusing on the male characters which lead the book to greatly resemble other stories that have seen their day. Ultimately, I cannot say that I disliked this book, leading me to DNF, but rather that I found myself at odds with the story itself.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I'm a fan of Jane Austen and am also interested in other stories that incorporate her or her books into the story. This one take place after the American Civil War following two sisters and two brothers all fans of Jane Austen as they cross the Atlantic to meet with Sir Francis Austen, Jane Austen's last surviving sibling, in England. Sir Francis has enticed both sets of siblings to come to England by sending the sisters an original Jane Austen letter and the brothers with the promise of evaluating a mysterious artifact. The sisters are not allowed to travel on their own so they sneak away onto the ship and meet the brothers as well as Louisa May Alcott and two other characters that will be prominent in the story. This story was a fun way to enjoy Jane Austen through characters that discuss her work and the impact of that work in that time. I enjoyed the characters discussions of her work the most as it was first time I've read a book that used this device to move the story along and learn more about the characters, and possibly what was true about the prominence and affect Jane Austen's work had at that time.

Did Not Finish @30%

I tried y'all. I really, really tried.

Look, I love this author. I read The Jane Austen Society because I absolutely L O V E D the cover [the covers of ALL her books, including this one have been so swoony and fantastic] and then, by chapter 2 I was completely hooked and I waited and then read each new book with the glee that only those who love books [and series books at that] can understand. So when this new book came up, I immediately requested it [and this is MY BAD; I really need to read even a general description of the book, even for authors I love] and jumped for joy when I got the ARC, and then the audiobook ARC [with the narration being done by an British actor that I absolutely adore].

And then, I started it. Sigh. Almost immediately I knew there was going to be issues because HOW many characters are there to keep track of? That was a bit disheartening. Then, the book really gets started and I went....what? Did I miss something? I went back and listened to the beginning and realized that no, I didn't miss anything, and that this was going to be a difficult read.

Y'all, this just didn't work for me. Besides the issue with the characters, the whole story was such a jumble; I mean, I read 30% and I had NO IDEA what was going on [beyond the basics] and then the sisters got on the ship and WE GOT MORE CHARACTERS [including for some odd reason, Louisa May Alcott] and I just shook my head and made the very tough choice to stop reading. I was not enjoying it, there was so little Austen in this I am confused over the title [and WHY when they are on the boat they are going to act out a DICKENS book and not a J A N E A U S T E N book; the title just flummoxed me], and I found, I just didn't care about ANY of the 2700 characters that were roaming through this book. I have been disappointed by books before as any reader has inevitably has, but this one particularly hurts. I wanted to L O V E this book, as I have her previous books, but it was just not going to happen, and I am, days later [its taken me awhile to figure out how to write this], still deeply disappointed. It is always tough when a book doesn't work for you [and I am cheering all the readers that this book DID work for], and even more so when its an author you have previously loved.

And now we come to the audiobook...
I adore Rupert Graves. I have since I first became aware of him in the show "Sherlock", and literally shrieked out loud when I saw he was the narrator for this book.
Unfortunately [sigh], he also didn't work for me for this book. He has such a lovely voice, but I struggled to figure out as to why they picked him for a book filled with women, why they picked someone who was British, as almost everyone is from New England [and his "Boston" was...interesting...], and why he didn't, in my opinion, just read the story and leave the accents and "voices" at home, so to speak. While I can recommend the book [because some people have better working brains than I do LOL], I am hesitant to recommend the audiobook, but again, some people are not nearly as particular [or sensitive] as I am; to each their own right?

Thank you to NetGalley, Natalie Jenner, Rupert Graves - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. This was unfortunately not exactly what I expected. The plot was not quite what I expected, and it ended up not being for me.

There are others who loved this book, so I think it was a me problem this go around.

Thanks for the arc for review!

I've read all of Natalie Jenner's previous books and have enjoyed seeing how she developed new storylines for several of the characters from her first book, "The Jane Austen Society," into her subsequent novels, "Bloomsbury Girls" and "Every Time We Say Goodbye." Her latest, "Austen at Sea," is a departure for Jenner in that it situates a fresh cast of characters into a completely new time period and setting: America and England in 1865. The premise of the story is intriguing: the two well-educated and progressive daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice have struck up an unexpected correspondence with Jane Austen's only surviving brother, Sir Francis Austen, who is now in his 90s and retired from the sea. He, in turn, has been corresponding with two bookselling brothers from Philadelphia, and invites them all to sail to his home in England for a visit that he hopes will lead to happily ever after for the four of them. His plan is complicated, however, by several potential suitors and rivals who also turn up on board the ship--and mayhem ensues.

Unfortunately, however, this one didn't work for me. It is obviously well-researched, but that is part of the problem--there's so much crammed into the book that some storylines get way too much development (the meetings of Jane Austen book club founded by the Massachusetts Supreme Court Justices, for example) and others (the Austen-esque romantic entanglements) are shortchanged, with much of the action occurring "offstage" and only presented to the reader afterwards. Because we don't see these storylines play out in the narrative, the plot keeps whipsawing in unpredictable (and often unbelievable) turns that prevented me from getting invested in the action. And while the inclusion of plotlines involving historical characters such as Louisa May Alcott and Charles Dickens was fun (the shipboard passengers, which include Alcott, stage a production of "Tale of Two Cities" during their Atlantic passage, reminiscent of the ill-fated play in "Mansfield Park") it ultimately prevented Jenner from having the time to fully flesh out her main story--which itself takes another unpredictable turn in the book's final act. There was still much to enjoy in "Austen at Sea" but ultimately I wished Jenner had resisted the temptation to load everything into this one book and instead took her cue from her earlier novels and developed these characters over a series of books.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Natalie Jenner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything Jane Austen inspired and the fact that the events of this narrative are based on a true story only adds to the excitement. I loved the flair of the daughters of the Supreme Court justice they had a flair that reminded me of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Also there's something about an all male Supreme Court discussing the works of Jane Austen that just hits different. I loved it. I wished that was something I learned about in my undergrad degree.

One star off because there were times I found myself a little bit confused/lost as certain chapters and passages felt a little bit long winded.

Natalie Jenner is a must read for me, and this delivered! I love the humanity she gives to her characters and the stories she weaves.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Natalie Jenner for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Austen at Sea coming out May 6, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I read by this author. I’m obsessed with Jane Austen. I really love books surrounding her and her stories. This wasn’t quite what I was picturing. I thought it was dry. I was expecting something different. But I will check out more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Calling all Austen fans! This is the perfect historical fiction for you, and would be a great book club choice.

"Austen at Sea" sets sail slowly, but by the halfway point, it finds its rhythm and becomes an engaging journey through history, literature, and quiet rebellion. Natalie Jenner brings together two pairs of siblings—intellectually curious, Austen-devoted Americans—who are drawn across the Atlantic by the allure of a hidden Austen legacy. At first, I found the pacing sluggish, but once the Stevenson sisters arrive in England, the story gains momentum.

The exploration of women’s history is one of the novel’s strongest aspects. I was especially struck by the nuanced contrasts in property rights and autonomy for women in America versus Britain. Jenner highlights not only the limitations women faced, but also the subtle, meaningful ways they pushed back. The Stevenson sisters’ boldness—sneaking away unchaperoned to England—becomes a quietly radical act that sets the tone for much of the novel.

I was also pulled in by the variety of relationships throughout the story—romantic, platonic, and familial. These connections, too, are shaped by the societal constraints of the time, and it was fascinating to see how the novel’s strong female characters navigated them. The romantic threads are woven with restraint and realism, reflecting the period’s expectations, yet they still offer moments of genuine emotional connection and tension.

Avid fans of Jane Austen will find much to savor here. The references to her work, life, and legacy are lovingly integrated, and the correspondence with her last surviving brother, Sir Francis Austen, adds a clever historical twist.

While the book didn’t fully captivate me at first, its second half made up for the slow beginning. I’d especially recommend Austen at Sea to Austen fans and readers interested in women’s history. It’s a thoughtful, literary voyage with a rewarding destination.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advanced reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own unless otherwise noted.

I loved Natalie Jenner’s "The Jane Austen Society" and "Bloomsbury Girls," so I was excited to get an early copy of her latest novel. As a long-time Jane Austen fan, the book’s description had me eager to read this historical fiction inspired by some real-life stories the author had discovered.

This was not an easy read for me. The writing style is similar to Austen’s novels, so it took me a bit of time to settle into. There are many characters to keep track of, and a few of them have more than one name so I often had to stop in the middle of the page and remind myself who was being referred to. Many of the legal aspects of the court case halted the plot’s action. More than once I considered skimming just to get to the end or even not finishing, but I felt I owed it to the author to actually read the book. Plus I hoped it would get better and all come together as it concluded. That was not to be. Overall the story was difficult to follow. Even after I finished the book I didn’t have a sense of satisfaction and actually thought something was missing. I believe other Jane Austen fans will also feel this way.

I thought the novel was too dense. The story unnecessarily went back and forth in time, and the court case was tedious. Most of the characters were not really likeable or credible and several acted rashly and immaturely. Motivation was sometimes heavy handed and other times unrealistic.

I liked the inclusion of real characters in the novel – Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen’s brother Francis, and Charles Dickens, for instance. I liked the themes of literature, women’s rights and feminism. I was surprised at the number of male characters who were supportive of women’s rights. Most unexpected (and hard to believe) was the two sisters’ father, a Massachusetts supreme court justice running a Jane Austen book club with his fellow justices where they debate the characters in each book – and as another reviewer said, “I can’t see a group of 60-year-old men in the 1800s willingly reading one Jane Austin book, let alone all of them.” Plus discussing them and discovering new aspects, symbolism, and meaning – just like a contemporary English literature university class.

You will be more likely to enjoy this novel if you are an Austen fan and have read "Miss Austen" by Gill Hornby (2020).

Set sail on this austenesque adventure following sisters from Boston, brothers from Philadelphia, notables of the era, all on a ship heading for England. 
Charlotte and Henrietta take charge of their own lives, and against their father's wishes, to go to England to meet Sir Frances Austen. On the ship, they meet brothers Nicholas and Haslett, also with an invitation from Sir Francis, plus Louisa May Alcott, a wealthy debutante, an unexpected chaperone, and a reporter.
They find lots of ways to keep busy on the ship, including creating a play to be performed near the end of their voyage. A battle of wills at times, even a romance and secret wedding happen aboard.
Upon their journey to Sir Frances's home, they are given a tour, shown an artifact, and learn of the last surviving manuscript of Jane Austen, locked away in a desk. They also take another trek with him, his last, and vow to honor his wishes. 
A "stolen" artifact causes problems for the newlyweds, a trip back to Boston, a trial, and more have forever changed the lives of those on the adventure.
This Jane Austen-inspired novel is a wonderful read, whether you love Jane Austen, historical fiction, or a mix, it's sure to please. I loved it.