When I saw the synopsis for this book as well as the cover, I knew I had to read this book. I already knew I love this author’s books and Pride and Prejudice so I was very excited to read this Pride and Prejudice retelling.☺️

The Heart of Bennet Hollow was so cozy and enjoyable! The characters were likable and the romance was really sweet. This book captured the essence of Pride and Prejudice beautifully. I thoroughly enjoyed the coziness of the mountain setting as well as watching William Drake and Lizbeth Bennet fall in love.❤️

If you love Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and mountain settings, I think you will really enjoy this book!

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a complimentary copy! All opinions are my own.

I loved this read, and by the end I wanted to adopt a mule, such a page turner of a book.
A classic story, but beautifully redone, and I wanted to continue on in their lives!
A highlight on the rough lives of coal mines, and the young boys that leave school, but also belonging to the company store.
Set in a cozy mountain town in Virginia, and I could picture the family farm, and the two remaining mules. Five girls, all willing to do their share to help!
There is some sweet romance, and of course, things don't always go smoothly, but we are gifted with the journey.
I highly recommend this sweet Christian read!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale House, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow is a sweet, wholesome mish-mash of Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the beauty of the Appalachia.

Reading this book felt like snuggling into a fuzzy blanket by a warm, crackling fire. 🥰 The characters are friends (or enemies 😅) that you'll find in beloved classics. The spin on the timeline and plot was delightful and refreshing!

Content: none :)

I enjoyed this love story. I grew up in Appalachia and so it was a little familiar. The characters were well written, the storyline kept me interested. I would read another book from this author and I will recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy for my honest review.

This is definitely for readers who enjoy Pride and Prejudice. While it has similarities, it does have some different twists. I enjoyed the setting and place in the Appalachian’s.

Learning to trust and find truth sometimes takes time. A great reminder of things are not always as they seem, and sometimes people do change when they learn.

If you enjoy historical fiction with romance, this is a great clean book to read.

This is a clean Christian romance and I saw the words that it was a story like Pride and prejudice and I push that button so I could read this book. Iam not disappointed and I don’t think others will be either . Do your self a favor and read this book !
Thank you NetGalley for the arc

“When it comes to happiness, I’ve had more than a body should, and when it comes to the future and where I’m to give my heart, I promise you – I’ll know it when I see it.”
A sweet retelling of the Pride and Prejudice you know and love. But if you think you know how this story will go, think again. All the familiar characters and quotes are there, but this is a unique take that will find a permanent place in your heart as well as on your bookshelf. Absolutely unforgettable!
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow
by Joanne Bischof DeWitt
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Series: None
Rated: 4
Back of the Book: “New River, Virginia. 1904. Lizbeth Bennet longs to preserve her family’s farm, securing a future for her and her sisters, a difficult task in their Appalachian coal mining town. Money is scarce, and Lizbeth is determined to find a way without giving up treasured pieces of her family’s legacy. But when the mine is put up for sale, it’s clear change is approaching. A contingent of coal barons descends on the town to investigate whether the mine is worth their investment, among them a young man rumored to be a very rich, eligible bachelor.
William Drake arrives focused on business and keeping his distance from the townspeople, especially those living on land entangled with the mine, including a farmer by the name of Bennet. As William digs through legal issues, his struggle to weigh the potential financial gain against what is right for the community grows more complicated when he meets one of the Bennet daughters.
Despite an awkward first meeting, Lizbeth and William continue to cross paths, and soon Lizbeth questions her first impression of the man she believed to be proud and indifferent. But just as their friendship begins to evolve, a revelation shakes Lizbeth’s tenuous trust, and she learns all may not be as it seems. To determine what is true, and step toward a love she’s barely dared dream of, Lizbeth must confront her own prejudices . . . and decide whether the future she’s always imagined is the one her heart truly wants most after all.”

Impressions: It is not easy to rewrite a cult classic, however this was cleverly done. There were differences in names and circumstances to allow something fresh story lines to appear. Overall, this was a lovely clean romance with a warm, nostalgic feel. If you are looking for a feel good, easy read this will be well suited for you.

Quotes: “‘I realized that I’d taken the word of someone I scarcely knew who used charm to mask other traits.’”

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

A huge thank you to author Joanne Bischof DeWitt who actually sent me this arc ecopy herself I truly appreciate it. Now this new release is set to be released in October by Tyndale publishing. The best thing about this novel is that it is a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that is set in Virginia in the early twentieth century. This novel does an excellent job of staying true to the original Pride and Prejudice characters. I will admit that I was impressed with this book when I originally heard about it and the fact that I got the opportunity to read it made my good opinion only stronger.
Now in 1904 we are introduced to Lizbeth Bennett who lives on her family's farm in the coal mining town of New River. However in this day in age money is very scarce and the Bennetts fear losing their land. The fear only gets bigger when the coal mine is put up for sale. Lizbeth is determined to keep her family home from being taken
William Drake happens to be one of the visiting coal barons. He is different from the other barons as he is more focused on the business matters rather than socializing with the town. He realizes that it is going to hard to find a positive financial gain and it gets even more complicated when he meets Lizbeth and the two always seem to be running into each other. Will these two manage to find a compromise with their future.
I recieved an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanna Bischof DeWitt was my first experience reading a story from this author. It certainly won’t be my last. Her writing is so lyrical and inspiring. This retelling of Pride and Prejudice was an absolute delight!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

From the moment I read the first chapter and saw the names Elisabeth, Jayne, and Pemberley...well I knew I was going to be in for a treat! I had actually completely forgotten that this was going to be an Appalachian Pride & Prejudice retelling when I started reading it.

But oh how I ate it up! I just loved how the author wove in tidbits from the beloved Jane Austen classic with her Appalachian way of life. Yes, the names were mostly different, but I found they all still started with the same letters or had deviations on the names. Which made it even better.

The twist at the end with Lydia and the mule was a GREAT way to take the ending of P&P and make it work.

I highly recommend this novel for anyone who is an Austen lover...especially if P&P is your favorite. The messages of faith and trust in God were also very clearly woven throughout.

5 Stars

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGAlley for the ARC of this delightful book. All opinions are 100% my own.

Let me start by saying that one of my all-time favorite books is The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof—if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do! With that in mind, I was excited to dive into this new release, especially since it offers a fresh take on Pride and Prejudice.

However, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and the overall tone of the story. It didn’t quite capture me the way I had hoped. That said, I know every reader brings their own perspective, and I’m sure many others will find much to love here.

An absolutely charming story that captured me from beginning to end!
Fans of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice will especially delight in this romantic tale set in a Virginia coal mining town in 1904.

"Should a man take interest in her, he would have to call louder than the voice of her responsibilities."
Miss Lizbeth Bennet is the focus of the story, but the five sisters with their differing personalities are all represented in unique ways. The bond between Lizbeth and her father Mr. Bennet is done well, with a twist revolving around the caring for their animals and farmland.

"William felt as approachable as a marble statue, which he probably looked like half the time."
From their first awkward meeting to their eventual thaw, the relationship of William and Lizbeth was fun to watch unfold. Also between Jayne and Callum, the lighter pair. All of the elements of the original are cleverly adapted to the unique setting, minus the sexual innuendos, plus bits of added faith. Forgiveness and grace between family members, justice and mercy are shown. Had Jane Austen lived a century later and visited America, she would probably approve.

Highly recommend for readers who enjoy a good, clean historical romance. Fine for teens and up. 5 stars!

Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale House for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. A charming retelling of Pride and Prejudice written in this author's delightful way. The characters were well written and the story well told.

Thank you to the authors Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for an early review copy of this book.

In this turn-of-the-century (20th), Appalachian retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, we meet Lizbeth (Lizzy) Bennet and Willam Drake along with Jayne Bennet and Callum Brydolf. Jayne and Lizzy are the oldest daughters of a geologist turned farmer in a mining community in Virginia. William Drake rolls into town along with his lawyer friend (Callum) to look into buying the mine. The mine comes with some complications. Once William meets Lizzy, he begins to the change his thought process…

This retelling is a story that would be a good read even if you did not recognize it for what it is. It is a great historical romance that has light faith content. DeWitt stays true to the heart of the story of Pride and Prejudice without repeating the story word for word. She makes changes that don’t affect the plot line of the story. Her creativity shines through. There were a just a couple of things that I wish would have been more fleshed out. The George Wickham character and the Lady Catherine de Bourgh character could have used some more detail. As was stated, this is a great story historical romance that takes two people from different backgrounds and shows how they find common ground.

I would recommend this book for Christian fiction readers who love historical fiction, especially if they also love Jane Austen. I would say if a person is looking for heavy faith content then this book is not the one for them or if they don’t like Pride and Prejudice then maybe skip this book.

#TheHeartofBennetHollow #NetGalley

Such a sweet, clean romance ❤️ I love anything Austen, so I had to read It. Loved It!!! Clase enough to the original, different enough to be its own book. Really enjoyable!!

As a fan of this author’s work and of Jane Austen’s, I was excited to read this book. The theme of pride and prejudice was evident in the storyline and character development but the author did a wonderful job of making this a unique story. I enjoyed learning about the use of donkeys in the coal mines and how Lizbeth and William joined forces to bring ingenuity and invention to help save them. Overall this is a well written novel , engaging, wholesome and clean.

Anyone who likes "Pride and Prejudice" will surely like this retelling. As a big fan of Jane Austen's work, I enjoyed reading "The Heart of Bennet Hollow".

Telling their story, Lizbeth and William present their lives at the beginning of the 20th century, in the small mining town of New River. From the first meeting, sparks fly between the two, laced with witty banter that reminds us of the original work.

The story is very well written, easy to read, rich in details and adventures of our favorite main characters.

A quote that was beautifully written and that I liked: "...light is at hand, if she simply turned her mind and heart in that direction. The peace in humility and the healing of new beginnings." I also liked that their story takes place throughout the year, filled with realistic descriptions of two young people falling in love through the seasons - gently.

I give the book a well-deserved 5 stars.

This novel is a romance set in 1904 in Virginia. It's supposed to be a Pride and Prejudice story, but the characters were only vaguely like those in P&P. I would have liked it better if the author had just told her story rather than forced certain events. For example, Mr. Bennet's cousin came to marry one of the 5 Bennet sisters, but no reason was given for him to choose one of them, especially as he had to travel a distance to get there. The author changed many things, like William proposed marriage after only four brief conversations (one of them negative) with Lizbeth, so why keep that?

Mr. Bennet was a geologist who surveyed mines when he accepted land in New River as payment for some work. Only, he stupidly never got the deed signed over to him. Despite his growing family, he gave up outside work and began raising mules to sell to the mine. Then Lizbeth objected, and now they're basically living in poverty and in debt, selling produce from their garden. William thought if he bought the mine, the Bennets would lose their land. Um. Someone's going to buy the mine. You can sign the deed over like should have been done. He finally realized this but believed Mr. Bennet would object to charity. No, William--it's HIS land, payment for his work. This is called 'making things right.' Anyway, William ended up choosing another option even though it made things more difficult.

A lot of situations didn't make sense. Like Lizbeth mourned that she had no brothers to work in the mine, but she's heartbroken over her beloved mules having to work in that same mine. William wanted to better the lives of the miners, but rather than pay better wages and only charge reasonable prices at the company store, he decided to sink a fortune into electrifying the mine so that mules and boys wouldn't be needed anymore. Also, Mrs. Bennet knew William and Callum were going to be walking in a certain area, so she sent Lizbeth and Jayne out to pick up discarded coal. Which meant they were covered in coal dust when they meet the gentlemen. Then William objected to the Bennets (and others) taking the discarded coal when he's not the owner yet and is supposed to care about the locals welfare.

Add to that, the author often didn't use the right words, so I kept having to stop to figure out what she really meant. For example, she used "veiled" when she meant "unveiled." One girl gave darned socks as a Christmas gift, but I assume it was knitted socks. There's a pocket watch made of 'solid gold,' which wouldn't work and would be very heavy, but William's constantly checking the time on it. This is an advanced readers copy, so some of this will hopefully be fixed in the final version.

The basic interactions between the characters were enjoyable enough, though the first proposal scene was very weird. William started taking off pieces of clothing and baring skin while stalking closer to Lizzy as he asked if she would marry him. Kinda creepy. There was no sex or bad language.

A spin-off of Pride and Prejudice, but nicer! The characters in this story are kinder than those in the original story. The story is very similar to Jane Austen's, but enough different to make it fun! There's a very neat twist on Pemberly that I think you'll like!! I am a big fan of Jane Austen's stories, and I don't like all of the Jane Austen spin-off novels, but this one I do like. :)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.