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.

An Appalachian Pride and Prejudice retelling? Yes, please!

The Pride and Prejudice references made me smile from the first chapter. Familiar aspects have been mixed with a new time period and fresh twists. This book is mainly set in a small coal town in 1904–1905, and although many parts are familiar, a reader still wonders how this particular tale will unfold.

Some elements of the story feel amplified, like the differences between their worlds. The chasm between them almost feels insurmountable. Yet, at the same time, some of their “pride and prejudice” appears to be less so than in the original. This leads to interesting scenarios.

Much can be said about this historically rich take on a beloved story. The scenes come alive with details, some of which are difficult to read. Life was far from easy back then. However, these details also convey the gritty spirit of the characters.

William Drake struggles with being socially awkward, endearing himself to the reader with his POV. He’s also a thoughtful hard worker and a man of faith. As for his interactions with Lizbeth, they are lovely. His resistance to his growing affections for her are, as expected, futile!

Lizbeth Bennet is a sweet and caring FMC, but there are differences between her and the original character, most notably in the latter’s witty manner. For me, this Lizzy felt more contemplative and perceptive.

Content:
- Clean/ Wholesome
- Faith themes

Sensitive Content:
- Mention that a young man began working in the mine at age twelve
- The roles of animals, particularly mules, in coal mines during this time period

My thoughts tended to wander at times—I could not pin down the cause—but this snag improved after the thirty-five percent mark. The last fourteen percent was especially interesting.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this imaginative take on the familiar story, smiling often at the clever variations. The ending is sweet and perfect!

*Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing a complimentary eARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Thank you to @netgalley and to Tyndale Fiction for my gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.]

Calling all Pride and Prejudice fans!

The Heart of Bennet Hollow is a 1904 era Appalachian Pride and Prejudice retelling, set in a coal mining town in New River, Virginia.

I love Jane Austen and am pretty picky when it comes to retellings of my favorite classics. I must say: I absolutely adored this title! The author did such a wonderful job bringing familiar characters to life in a way that honored the originals and their stories. The setting of the story was so creative and well researched historically. I was so impressed at how recognizable each character was, even so far removed from the original story’s setting and circumstances. I loved all of the ways the author was able to include aspects of Pride of Prejudice in this story all, while also telling a brand-new story. Well done, Joanne DeWitt!

This is a clean/Christian title.

Highly recommend!

This story is an ode to Pride and Prejudice. It imagines the original story in a new setting with familiar themes. The characters are engaging and thoughtful. It's hard to not compare it to the original. But I'll read anything that pays omage to Jane.

•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•

{𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒕 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘}

“𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛.”

🍂 Release Date: October 7, 2025 🍂
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I was super excited to be given the opportunity to read this Pride and Prejudice retelling, which is written by an author that I throughly enjoy! This story took place in the coal town of New River, Virginia, which turned out to be such a cozy setting! I felt like this book very accurately captured the heart and spirit of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

I found the characters in this book to be very likable, keeping the story both lighthearted and engaging. Beings the year was 1904, the characters did have some pretty heavy mountain drawls, which might be off-putting for readers who struggle to enjoy books with heavy accents.

I did find myself wishing that William Drake, the rendition of Darcy, would be a bit more moody and broody. This story was told in a third person, dual pov, and I think if it had been told in a single pov, it might have given that tension and angst I found missing between the main characters. All that to say, I did find the rest of the characters to be perfect as they were! Honestly, I think I even liked the Mrs. Bennet in this story better than the original 🤭

The romance found in the pages of this book captured some of the sweetest moments between the main characters! I loved the retelling of the scene where Drake (Darcy) spills his feelings to Lizzy, only to be turned down 🤭 I think I will always love this scene, no matter how many times it may be retold! Brydolf as Bingley was literal perfection! He brought his character to life throughout this story, and his relationship with Jayne was just as sweet as can be ♥️

Read it for:
🍂 Pride and Prejudice retelling
🍂 Cozy mountain town setting
🍂 Engaging characters
🍂 The sweetest romance
🍂 Protective MMC
🍂 Close-knit family
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I received a complimentary arc of this book from NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers. All opinions listed are purely my own.

I love Joanne Bischof's writing and her charming settings and characters. This story follows the original very closely, yet remains unique in story and setting due to the mining aspect. However, I just finished a reread of Pride and Prejudice, so that made it very hard to stay invested in a story I already know the ending of. That's why I ended up skimming most of this story, but one day when Jane Austen isn't as fresh in my mind, I will reread this one fully.

If you are looking for a P&P retelling that stays very close to the original beats but with small differences in the plot to match up with the Appalachian coal mining setting, this is absolutely it. I personally had trouble staying engaged from time to time because I already knew what was going to happen, knowing the original story so well. But the last quarter was unique enough and written with Joanne's excellent emotional intelligence that any boredom fled.
A key verse that the main character is stitching into her sampler provides a faith thread woven throughout that is kept central in the reader's mind. Readers of clean romance can enjoy it for not being heavy-handed in that aspect, however.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read an ecopy in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

I really struggled to get into this book but once I did I enjoyed the read. Interesting characters and good depth to the storyline all very interesting to read. Don’t be put off it it doesn’t grip you right from the off I found it a slow burn but an excellent outcome.

I enjoyed this Pride and Prejudice adaptation by Joanne Bischof DeWitt, set in a coal mining town in Appalachia. The characters are very well done – you can tell who fits with whom from Austen’s book, but they have their own unique aspects in this book. There’s good humor, lots of interesting facts about coal mining, romantic tension, and a fabulous train car named The Pemberton! I kept reading until nearly midnight to see how DeWitt handled the end of the story, and it was worth it.

“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." #TheHeartofBennetHollow #NetGalley

As someone who read Pride and Prejudice and awfully long time ago I couldn’t tell you in good conscience that this book is an accurate or good retelling but i can say that it was simply outstanding!

I loved the amount of depth the characters had especially Lizzy and Lacey it was almost as if i knew what they were thinking at some points and what they would do next.

William, William, William, what a dream of a man, these love confessions had be blushing on the bus. I wish we got to see more of their relationship at the end though.

And that leads me to my one complaint: there were a few slight plot holes like West and what happened to him and why he even lied to Lizzy in the first place, and Williams Aunt and Callum’s sister were no longer addressed after some points even though the conflict wasn’t resolved which confused me a tad bit.

All things said i really enjoyed the book especially the first 50% it got slight slow towards the end but that’s the case with a lot of novels

4.25 stars!!

This book is amazing! It was nostalgic for me because it had some Pride and Prejudice references. The storyline was also unique because it is set in the coal town of New River. The Bennett farm is idyllic and picturesque! And The Pemberley, ooh la la, I'd love to travel in that rail car!

The characters are wonderful! By the end of the book, I felt as if they were family. Lizbeth is one of my favorites! She's helpful, loving, and caring. She's kind-hearted, especially towards her mules. William is 😍! I love how he has a change of heart and decides to do what's best for the community and not just himself. Pa Bennett is level-headed and wise! Shout out to Eugene and Sassafras! 🫏

The most intriguing part to me was the description of the coal mine. As the men entered the hoist cage and prepared to go into the bowels of the earth, I inwardly shuddered. But Lizbeth's sampler brought me comfort. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow is utterly charming in every way. I loved this Pride and Prejudice retelling and how both country and city characters had something to offer and something to learn. 5 stars!

Dewitt has written a book with a gentle hand reminiscent of those from an earlier time period that revolved around family and community. The Bennet family with their five girls will win readers over with their devotion to each other and their farm. They don't have a lot of money but are rich in love. The newcomers Mr. Drake and Mr. Brydolf are quite well off and looking to further expand their riches but soon their interests are piqued by attraction and love in small town New River.

I love a good quote but in this instance a Bible verse is front and center,
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."

Joanne Bischof DeWitt has written some fabulous books in the past like The Sons of Blackbird Mountain and The Lady and the Lionheart. The Heart of Bennet Hollow is in the same league and highly recommended. I appreciate Tyndale House Publishers, via NetGalley, making a copy available for review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

This is a new to me author and I enjoyed the retelling of the Pride and Prejudice in this book. Set in the Appalachian coal mining town, the story is told in a way it is easy to envision the coal mines and rail cars. It also draws your attention that the family home will not be given up without a fight as wealthy men come in to buy the land.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

This is a unique retelling of a beloved classic. It is clear where this novel pays homage to Pride and Prejudice, but Bennet Hollow definitely has its differences that set it apart. I appreciated getting more of Drake's (Darcy's) perspective here, and the additional tension of Drake (Darcy's) possibly buying up the Bennet's land in this story added a new dimension to the story. It's also nice to see Lizbeth as an animal lover, and I appreciate the author's knowledge of the intricate workings of coal country, which are dark in more way than one.However, this wasn't quite a five-star read for me. In my opinion, Lizzy’s liveliness and the wit and sparkle that make Pride and Prejudice so special are absent here Caroline Bingley, George Wickham, and Georgiana Darcy are largely missing as well.

This is still an enjoyable, well-written read. I recommend it to others who enjoy clean Christian historical fiction and Jane Austen retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is crossposted to Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram within a week of the book’s publication.