If you are a Jane Austen fan this book is a must read for you. A tribute to Jane Austen.
I was captivated by this novel. Especially Louisa May Alcott.
A look into relationships, legacies and society.
The story follows two Boston sisters who travel on a transatlantic journey aboard the S.S. China. A voyage that changes their lives. I felt as though I was on that journey with them.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book.

. A very appropriate book from the author of The Jane Austen Society, which I absolutely adored. Its a book by an Austen lover for Austen lovers and a way to make you go deeper in the characters. Loved that supreme judges were doing a jane austen book club, more men need to read Jane Austen I love the takes on Fanny Price and might need to do a reread. It was great that Louisa May Alcott was there but she was a bit insufferable although i learned to love her, but the juxtaposition of two of the best female authors, and ones that I adore was great. Henrietta and Scott came out of nowhere and i was just not into it. I in general didnt love how most of the relationships evolved but that was a bit Austenian. Some of my favorite quotes:

freedom is not about ensuring you get everything you want, but rather becoming the best self that you can be therein lies life’s great reward for us and for those around us
knowledge acquired instead of babies, that was the draconian decision women everywhere were forced to make.But the babies grow up and leave you all the same while knowledge never does.

This is a story about two well to do sisters in 1865 Boston who bemoan the lack of women’s rights, and write fan letters to famous authors, out of boredom. They strike gold with Jane Austin’s last surviving sibling. Though elderly and living in London, he invites them to come meet him. Their father a Mass supreme court justice, is worried sick about them and send another much younger justice on the voyage to chaperone them. In the meantime he runs a Jane Austin book club with his fellow justices where they debate the characters in each book ( that was a serious WTH?? moment for me- I can’t see a group of 60 year old 1800s men willingly reading one Jane Austin book, let alone all of them.) On the sister’s boat are two young book seller( aka love interest) brother, a young girl pursing g them and Louisa May Alcott.
I really wanted to love this book, but I found it incredibly dull. The sisters are sweet, but not compelling characters for me. This was just not my cup of tea. I was DNF at 30%. If you love Jane A’s novels you may love this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Natalie Jenner’s first few books. Her last one didn’t do much for me, but it still felt like it had an underlying story that brought everything together. Austen at Sea, however, felt disjointed and had no characters that were easy for me to connect with. Sisters Harriet and Charlotte are at the center of the story, daughters of the Chief Justice of Massachusetts as the Civil War is ending. The first part of the book is them fan girling over Jane Austen and doing the nineteenth century version of celebrity stalking of her one remaining sibling while bemoaning their lack of rights as women. Thankfully Austen’s brother is more flattered than anything else and invites them to hop on a ship and come see him in England. In a matchmaking effort, he also invites two bookseller brothers that have written to him as well. The second part of the book is on the ship, where the majority of the story is about them along with Louisa May Alcott and several other acquaintances, casting and putting on a play of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities. Yes, Dickens, not Austen. During this journey Harriet does a rash thing that will come back to bite her, and have every reader questioning how intelligent and concerned she really is with the rights of women. The third part is about many members of this group realizing they’re there to meet Frances Austen and then actually meeting him. During this time he bequeathes one of his sister’s letters to Harriet. Which goes into part four, which is all focused on a lawsuit brought against Harriet that bounces back and forth between England and America. Meanwhile the sisters’ father and his fellow judges (minus Nash who jumped on the ship to follow the women) read and debate Austen’s novels. Romantic entanglements come and go with unpredictable and annoying frequency. I found Harriet completely bewildering. It’s hard to describe how her choices could even make sense. It’s unfortunate because this book could have been a really good story about women’s lack of rights, especially once married. And as much as I thought it was wrong for Denham to do what he does to Harriet, she’s a smart woman that’s stupid enough to put herself in the situation. Not many likable characters and way too many tangents make the weak main storyline even harder to follow. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For a big fan of all things Austen, this was quite delightful! It was a different spin on a Jane Austen homage and I enjoyed that. The characters felt well drawn out and engaging and while the story moved a little slowly at times, I was never bored. Recommended!

This was in many ways an intriguing and imaginative book with superb characterizations, centering around widower Judge William Stevenson and his two daughters, Charlotte and Henrietta. The judge had suggested a reading circle at the Massachusetts state supreme court at which he serves, and the author discussed was Jane Austen, also a favorite of his daughters. Since the book except for the Epilogue takes place in 1865, there are periodic mentions of the American Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln.

The Stevenson sisters eventually correspond by letter with Sir Frances Austen, the late Jane’s brother, who lives in Portsdown Lodge, Hampshire., Britain, and ask if they can visit him. This is unknown to their father the judge, who would be totally opposed to such an idea. At length he pursues them to the wharf as they surreptitiously depart and pressures the younger Justice Thomas Nash to board the ship taking them to England as chaperone.

In addition, two brother booksellers of Philadelphia,, Nicholas and Haslett Nelson, also correspond with Sir Frances Austen and travel to see him on the same ship as the sisters Stevenson. Both were the first generation of American men conscripts for war; Haz skirted death and Nick took a bullet to the leg. On the ship is also the intrepid author Louisa May Alcott, who arranges for the women aboard to enact scenes from Dickens.

The novel unfolds from there with many twists and turns on both American and British shores. Some are personal and involve a marriage at sea; another involves a gift from Sir Frances Austen to Henrietta. Multiple pages are devoted to the comparative property rights of British women compared to those of American women. I found such court deliberations interesting but a bit too lengthy sometimes. Similarly the American judges’ literary discussions of Austen books sometimes were a bit too philosophical for me and I suspect most readers.

The evolution of characters was very well done, including that of Judge Stevenson as he kept company with a liberal-minded lady. Similarly, the Stevenson sisters and Judge Thomas Nash evolved, and there was a great deal revealed about women’s rights and societal change in that era.

All in all, I enjoyed the book Austen at Sea and was stunned by the Author’s note that she had written it largely during her own cancer treatment. As a cancer survivor, this fact made me appreciate the book even more.

I loved this book for so many reasons. I wanted to be right there with Charlotte & Henrietta as they went to England to meet with Jane Austen’s brother and as they ventured to Chawton and learned as much as they could about their favorite author. There’s a great cast of characters and some surprising twists, but my favorite is the five Supreme Court justices of Massachusetts discussing Jane Austen’s books!

As an avid Jane Austen reader, I was thrilled at the chance to read this book!
It transported me back to a time when I was reading Pride and Prejudice. The characters gave me a similar vibe of many of those characters. The era felt well-written and it had scenes that made me both smile and tear up.
It was very immersive of the time period, with various struggles and themes present. It moved a bit slow at times but it definitely fit the bill for an Austen themed read!

I tried really hard to get into this book but I felt the writing was daunting, the storyline too slow moving, some of the twists when they were on the ship made no sense from what I had previously gathered in the story and a lot of characters I just felt no connection to. I gave it to ~40% then DNF. I think there is definitely a certain type of reader who will enjoy this, but it isn't me!

This is a must read for every Jane Austin fan! The descriptions of Chawton , the church, and houses are spot on. Jenner channels her “inner Austin” as she writes this fascinating story of two sisters who dare to follow their dreams in a time when women are constrained. I was able to read an ARC on #Netgalley.

I loved this book from start to finish. It is 1865 and sisters Henrietta and Charlotte Stevenson, daughters of a widowed Massachusetts supreme court judge, have grown up reading Jane Austen. They read Jane Austen the way most millennials rewatch episodes of The Office. Austen’s stories provide comfort, context, and stability to their lives. When the sisters decide to write a letter to Jane’s last living sibling Admiral Francis Austen their letter sparks a friendship that sets a series of events in motion that will forever change them. This story is full of whimsy, lovable characters, intelligent dialogue, historical context, and of course Jane Austen. As an extra bonus, the sisters befriend Louisa May Alcott on their voyage across the ocean.
I was so thrilled to receive an advanced reader’s copy of this book and it did not disappoint. Lovers of Jane Austen, make sure you add this to your TBR list! If you are not familiar with Austen’s novels, you could still enjoy the story although I would be surprised if you were not convinced to read them all after finishing this book. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the review copy. 5 stars!

At a time when American publishers could print books by British authors without paying for them and the fight for women's rights, we're introduced to two sisters, Henrietta and Charlotte Stevenson. Keen fans of Austen's work, they write to Sir Francis Austen, Jane Austen's brother. At a time when women held few rights, this book elaborated on a wide range of themes, from votes for women to the property rights of both single and married women. A former lawyer, the author combines these ideas into a court case. Far from being a lot of legalese, the author makes the case interesting from a historical point of view. I appreciated reading the parts relating to Jane Austen (I was curious how she would weave this into the storyline). There were a lot of characters in this book but the plot wasn't difficult to follow. There were some nice surprises thrown in. An unusual storyline that Janeites will enjoy.

Romance, sea voyages, legal challenges, and secret letters together form the foundation of AUSTEN AT SEA. The "Austen" in the title refers to English novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), though she has been dead nearly 50 years when this book begins. Her brother, Admiral of the Fleet Francis Austen (1775-1866), IS a character, as is one of Jane's nieces. But the title’s reference to the famous author is more focused on a group of Jane Austen devotees (like me).

When the book begins it’s April 1865, the final days of the American Civil War (1861-65). In Boston, adult sisters Henrietta and Charlotte Stevenson are living with their extremely protective father, widower William Stevenson, a justice who sits on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Charlotte, the younger and more outgoing sister, longs to act on the stage. Henrietta, the older and more sensible one, is eager to start a family of her own. (Their personalities sound a bit like Elinor and Marianne in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, don't they?)

At the same time, in Philadelphia, two brothers, Nicholas and Haslett Nelson, have recently resumed jointly running their family's rare book shop, following service in the Civil War. By someone's design, the two brothers wind up meeting the two sisters on a transatlantic voyage. American author Louisa May Alcott (1832-88) is also aboard, along with a number of other supporting characters including a British journalist Denham Scott and another Massachusetts Supreme Court justice, Thomas Nash. What happens in the various relationships among these players is the meat of the novel.

On the plus side, I enjoyed author Natalie Jenner’s (same person who wrote the bestselling book THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY) writing style, which reminded me of books written in the 19th century. I learned more about some of the power dynamics of the era, including the differences between how men and women were treated under the law. And as a fan of Jane Austen, I was delighted to have a chance to learn more about her private life through her brother and the author imaginings. I also enjoyed imagining myself among characters who share my love for this brilliant writer - characters who read and reread her books, who compare characters from her six novels, who quote passages in conversation, and who aspire to visit places Austen visited and touch things she touched. These felt like my people.

On the minus side, I felt there was something clunky about the plot. I started out completely engrossed but as the story progressed, my interest waned. While AUSTEN AT SEA is certainly original and unpredictable, the story came to feel a bit farfetched. Nevertheless, I recommend it, particularly for Jane Austen fans.

Let’s start with the gorgeous cover. Women attired in historically appropriate attire and in vivid colors aboard a ship’s deck. Add in the handwritten torn writing framing the book’s edges. The result? A memorable cover that aptly captures the story inside.

Wholly set aboard a ship, there were so many LMA’s references from the play within the story (hello: Little Women) to Austen ones ( nods to her greatest hits). Prose a bit highbrow so not a easy, quick read.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very timely read as it is set shortly after the end of the Civil War and focuses on the early stages of the Women's Rights movement. It was a harsh reminder of what the 'good old days' really meant to many women and the rights we didn't have that we take for granted today.

The story is all plotted around two American sisters who befriend the last remaining sibling of Jane Austen who are given the chance to visit him in England at the same time as two brothers from America. Along the way they meet up with Louisa May Alcott, the writer of Little Women and there is also much discourse in the book about Charles Dickens.

If you enjoyed these authors (and others are mentioned) from the 1800s then you will definitely delight in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I was a big fan of Natalie Jenner’s debut novel The Jane Austen Society. Her next two enjoyable books followed the characters from that novel, but Austen at Sea returns to the theme of her first novel: the story of people who love Jane Austen’s books and want to preserve her legacy.

At the end of the Civil War, American sisters Harriet and Charlotte, daughters of a prominent Massachusetts judge, write to Austen’s only surviving sibling, Francis.

Along with their father, they are readers of Jane Austen. Their father and the other judges gather to discuss Austen’s nearly forgotten books, long before they were taught at Harvard. They consider Mansfield Park as a “treatise on power” and discuss what makes Elizabeth Bennet and Emma attractive.

At the same time, Philadelphia brothers and bookstore owners Nicholas and Haslett write Francis about a first American edition of Emma. Francis invites them both pair of siblings to visit him.

At ninety-five, the retired admiral lives in his large house with an unmarried daughter. They are at cross purposes about what to do with the letters written by Jane which he inherited from Cassandra. Francis wanted them properly preserved, while his daughter believes that Jane wanted them to be burned. Francis hopes the American Austenites will help him determine what to do.

Francis’s matchmaking plans for the siblings is right out of Emma. But, on board the ship with the sisters are two men in love with them. Also, a woman in love with one of the brothers has followed him on board. Among the passengers is also Lu–Louisa May Alcott, still recovering from the illness contracted while serving as a nurse to wounded soldiers.

Nods to Austen’s novels abound, including a shipboard theater presentation organized by Lu.

The siblings meet with Francis. He takes them to Chawton where Jane wrote most of her novels. Francis gifts one of the sisters, Harriet, with a handmade telescope with a secret compartment.

But the law took time–and justice even more so. from Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner

Harriet had married her British newspaperman admirer while at sea, which leads to the legal complications which are central to the climax of the story. With marriage, is she under British law where she and everything she owns is now under her husband’s control? Or Massachusetts law, which recently allowed women to control property given to her?

It was interesting to learn how transitional a time in history it was for women’s rights. Men made the laws, and women were at their mercy. “We women are handed either everything or nothing, based on how much we entice you,” a sister proclaims. But early legal changes addressed the rising demands for women’s rights.

After many twists, losses, and sorrows, the characters are blessed with happy endings. Austen lovers will delight in Austen at Sea.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.

Austen at Sea had the same feel for those who have read her other books, The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. I enjoyed this book, but it took a bit before I was into it. It seemed to start a little slow, but once the characters were established it became more interesting. Two sisters, Henrietta and Charlotte, live with their father who is a widowed supreme court judge in Boston, Massachusetts. Their love for reading Austen's books prompted them to contact Austen's older brother ninety-one-year-old retired admiral Sir Francis Austen who lives in Portsmouth. In the meantime, two brothers who own a bookstore and are also collectors, have also contacted Francis Austen. As he is getting older, Francis invites both sets of siblings to visit (hoping to be a matchmaker for fun). All of them board the SS China for an adventure to meet him. The sisters do without the blessing of their father, but a fellow justice and friend of their father makes it on board to be the girls chaperone. The brothers also make it on board and off they all go to meet Jane Austen's only living sibling. They meet many people on board, there is a marriage, and much happens as they walk in the path of Austen and meet her brother. This story teaches a lot about women's rights at that time and the property they lose as soon as marriage takes place! That is what I learned the most about! Jenner does a great job of Historical Fiction during this time period. I do recommend, especially if you have read the others!

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner is a great story. I enjoyed following the characters mon the adventures they had. I’m a self confessed book nerd, so I love a good story with literary associations and in this case a bit of American history thrown in for good measure. Highly recommend.

If you're looking for a captivating literary journey, "Austen At Sea" by Natalie Jenner is a must-read that might surprise you, just as it did me! Oh, what I would give for a ticket on the S.S. China!

This enchanting novel follows sisters Henrietta and Charlotte Stevenson, daughters of a widowed Massachusetts Supreme Court judge, who are eager to break free from the constraints of society that bind unmarried young women. In their quest for independence, they begin corresponding with Jane Austen's aging brother, Admiral Sir Francis Austen, and ultimately secure passage on the S.S. China headed for Portsmouth to meet him in person.

Onboard, the sisters are joined by an eclectic mix of Americans, including a hesitant chaperone, rare book dealers, a glamorous socialite, and none other than Louisa May Alcott! Alcott’s initiative to organize a charity performance unfolds into a series of delightful and humorous escapades. However, upon arrival, the sisters uncover Sir Francis's true intentions, igniting a gripping conflict centered on a controversial aspect of Austen's legacy, resulting in thrilling transatlantic court battles.

Set against the backdrop of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, this novel brilliantly celebrates the power of literature and the extraordinary lengths we go to protect what we cherish.

Although I typically read quickly, I slowed down to savor "Austen At Sea," appreciating its rich details and intricate layers. It inspired me to revisit Jane Austen's works, which I haven't touched since my youth. I can confidently say that I'll be adding her books to my TBR list for future enjoyment.

A heartfelt thank you to @NatalieJenner, @StMartinsPress, and @NetGalley for providing the ARC that made this delightful reading experience possible. Don't miss out on the chance to embark on this unforgettable adventure!

And this is when Netgalley really needs the ability to rate between 4 and 5 stars. I loved this book! I would definitely encourage Austen fans to read. It's a beautiful story. I loved Francis 'Fly' Austen, the relationship between the sisters, and how Chawton came to life.

I had two small things that kept it from being a perfect 5 star read for me. And both of these are very subjective. Maybe it's because Northanger Abbey is often a love it or hate it Austen, (personally I love it) it's barely mentioned. When it is, some characters are disparaging.

2nd, The Epilogue I don't have that level of forgiveness in me. I'll say no more because I don't want to Spoil. To quote Darcy "My good opinion once lost is lost forever."

Wonderful treat for Austen fans. 4.75 stars for me.