Ladies in Waiting was a joy to read for an ardent Jane Austen fan, and I give it 4.5 stars. The reason it is not 5 stars is that some of the stories were just not as good as the other ones. But overall, I loved the way these authors—some of my favorites—gave voice to minor characters within the Jane Austen novels; I mean, I had never really thought about the fact that, as the author points out, Georgina Darcy does not even speak in the original novel so hearing her "voice" was fun! I particularly enjoyed the focus on my favorite, Pride and Prejudice; what an homage to Jane Austen in this, her 250th year!

My absolute favorite story in this collection is the one about Lydia; I love that she gets a second chance at happiness and love, and the way that Lizzy and Darcy come forth for her. She is brought to life in this short story in a way she is not in the longer novel. My other particular favorites were the Eliza story and the Mary story, and I like how those move in this century, though in different ways. What a fun read, and I do recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Each story was as perfect a mini bite sized treat; some made me laugh out loud, each one was a chance to sit and take a few moments to discover a book full of fresh and new takes on different characters Austen fans have read and wondered over for decades, and every story was fun to read. I read this over a few days and enjoyed this new collection so much.

Recommended for Janeites, JAFF readers, and fans of reimaginings.




Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the DRC

Lovely short stories from side characters in Austen. So many wonderful tales. So many unique perspectives I am always charmed to go back to rediscover a character.

I found it interesting that the subtitle is "Jane Austen's Unsung Characters" and then all those characters were pulled from Austen's three most well-known novels. Were there seriously no authors willing to take on side characters from Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, or Mansfield Park?

Elinor Lipman - We start off with a Miss Bates story. This is cute enough and gave a different perspective on Miss Bates as a person. The combination of existing within the story of Emma and having opinions on Jane Austen was an interesting narrative tool. My only problem with this story was that Emma and Isabella set out to bring Miss Bates and their father together not because they thought it would help her find love but because their father needed someone to keep him company now that they were married and had moved out. It was never really clear if she felt she was settling or if she really wanted to marry Mr. Woodhouse.

Adriana Trigiani - An interesting take on what the Bennet family would be like in modern day NYC. I liked Mary and understood her frustration when her sisters started talking about selling their family home. I loved the scenes between the sisters. The only part that did not completely work for me was Mary's love story. It was cute enough but kind of came out of nowhere. Mary has one conversation with him and then all of a sudden they are falling in love.

Karen Dukess - An interesting take on Georgiana's feelings on what happened with Wickham. In the original novel the entire situation is brushed over and as readers we assume Georgiana saw the error of her ways and was not permanently scarred by what had happened. In this story we get a probably more realistic picture of the conflicted feelings a young woman would carry with her as she moved on from being seduced the way she had been.

Eloisa James - Margaret Dashwood gets her time in the spotlight in this story. I really enjoyed this take on what Margarat would be like as a young woman. She is too young in the original text to get to have much of a personality which allowed this author to basically work with a clean slate. It is also interesting to see how Marianne and Elinor's own romances would influence Margaret's thoughts on the topic.

Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding - Eliza and her mother from Sense & Sensibility get more substance and backstory. I really liked that Eliza made the decision to move to America - I am not sure if that is something Austen would have ever considered for the character but it allowed her to have the chance to really move on and to stay with her baby. The addition of the modern-day Eliza added an extra layer and the most humorous moments in the collection.

Diana Quincy - A new way to consider both Lydia and Elizabeth Bennet. In Pride and Prejudice Lydia is a selfish and spoiled young girl and because of the time in which is was written and the different expectations for marriage in that time it is easy to forget that Lydia was maybe 16 when that story took place. How many high school students do you know that fully think through the consequences of their actions? I loved that this story gives her a chance to grow up and become more mature. It also makes you realize that what we considered a kindness by Darcy (saving Lydia's reputation) also set her up for a lifetime of having to be married to a man who could only make her miserable - and ultimately was a little selfish because it allowed him to also marry Lizzie. This was one of my favorite stories in the collection.

Nikki Payne - Definitely a new take on Caroline Bingley. This character in her original novel is a snob (no question) but this story here kind of gives you more of a reason as to why she would have been that way. If we had been brought up believing we had to be perfect examples of ladies we probably would also take issue with someone who did not follow the same rules but seemed to get everything we had thought we earned. I loved the New Orleans twist here and this is probably the most humorous of all the stories. The ending was not a complete surprise, but I do not read romance for the big twists and turns. This was also one of my favorite stories in the collection.

Sarah MacLean - Another Miss Bates story - if I had to choose my favorite between the two it would be this one. I loved that the author gave Hetty a full backstory to help explain how she became the woman we meet in Emma. I also loved that she got a full-fledged romance and someone how saw more than the overly chatty spinster she had become. This was another favorite in the collection!

3.5/5 stars

Ladies in Waiting is a refreshing anthology that re-imagines Jane Austen’s world through the eyes of her lesser-known characters. With stories spanning both Regency and modern settings, it offers a fun variety while still feeling grounded in Austen’s spirit. Some stories shine brighter than others, but overall the collection is thoughtful, clever, and often surprising.

A must-read for Austen fans who enjoy character-driven storytelling and inventive twists on familiar tales. Not every story is a standout, but the anthology as a whole is charming and satisfying—a lovely celebration of Austen’s enduring appeal.

Why You’ll Love Ladies in Waiting
Ladies in Waiting is not just a tribute to Jane Austen—it’s a fresh, inventive celebration that breathes new life into beloved literary landscapes. With each short story, readers are invited to rediscover familiar worlds through unexpected viewpoints, especially those of characters often left in the margins. This anthology delivers variety without losing its focus, offering a dynamic reading experience that honors Austen’s timeless appeal while pushing beyond convention.

Who Should Read This:
- Devoted Jane Austen fans eager for imaginative expansions
- Historical fiction lovers craving something clever and emotionally rich
- Readers who appreciate depth, subtlety, and character-driven storytelling

Don’t Miss It:
Ladies in Waiting is a thoughtful and captivating collection that masterfully blends nostalgia with innovation. If you’re looking for a read that surprises, resonates, and reminds you why Austen continues to inspire generations—this is it. Highly recommended for anyone who treasures meaningful fiction.

I adored this collection of stories by nine favorite authors who bring splendid HEAs to Austen's lesser known characters. I cheered and guffawed and cried tears of joy, and so will Janeites and fans of histfic and contemporary romance. Hurrah!

I was ecstatic about this anthology since I heard about it. So many great authors were writing for it and who doesn't love Jane Austen inspired stories?

I found this to be a refreshing and a fun take on the Jane Austen stories. It focuses on minor characters which gave the authors leeway to be as imaginative as they liked. I also liked the mix of time period too. Some stories were in Regency era and others modern day. It kept each short story different. I easily escaped into each one and had a lot of fun.

It's hard to choose a favorite since I have adored all these author's works before. I enjoy all their writing styles.

A unique, refreshing and fun Jane Austen anthology. Would recommend to other Janeites!

I'll always pick up a Jane Austen adaptation. I loved this set of short stories about lesser Austen characters. Every story was enjoyable-I don't think I could pick a favorite!

I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of Ladies in Waiting - thank you NetGalley. Austen characters plus favorite authors sounded like a delicious combination.

The reality was…okay. These are very short stories since known characters eliminate the need for a backstory and I think the brevity is hard to overcome. I didn’t find any of the stories compelling which is disappointing since many of my favorite authors contributed to the compilation.