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.