A lovely melding of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and Pepper Basham’s creativity.

Recommended for anyone who loves books by Jane Austen, feisty female characters, or sweet and clean romance.

Huge thank you to Pepper Basham, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to enjoy this well read audiobook!

An adorable book in the style of Jane Austen. Set in 1813, when young women could not venture anywhere unchaperoned, this is a story of romance lost, misunderstandings, and romance found. There are imps, meddlesome relations, gala balls, and status-hungry snobs all in the way of our heroine. She writes under a pen name since it would be as shameful for a woman to be an author as an “actress” (which was once code for a woman with loose morals). I enjoyed her feistiness, the banter, her supportive family, and all the references to Jane Austen — especially "Sense and Sensibility" upon which this novel is based. (Those last five words! My head is still back in the Regency era when everything and everyone must be proper….)
Two excellent, him-and-her narrators made the audiobook quite enjoyable and easy to follow. My thanks to the author, publisher, producers, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #SenseandSuitability for review purposes. Publication date: 14 October 2024.

4.5⭐️

I consumed this book as an ALC….


I absolutely adored the characters in this book

💛 second chance
💛 family interference
💛 banter
💛 regency
💛 fake identity
💛 romcom

Emmeline was jilted by Simon, almost ruining her reputation. Simon is back in town and he’s looking for a wife.

Simon has inherited his family estate which is in desperate need of financial support, so he’s on the hunt for a wealthy wife to secure his families future. Emmeline, while still hurt from his betrayal, harbours a fondness for Simon and his siblings so if she isn’t a suitable match for him, she’ll be his friend and help him find his answer to saving his home.

I really enjoyed this regency romcom. The question of is love worth more than reputation and wealth in a time when appearances were everything.

This is Pepper Basham's first Regency romance and it is delightful! The wit and banter are fun and the love story is so sweet. It's a clean (no spice) sotry about how love can overcome crazy odds and was just so fun to read. I really hope Basham ends up writing more books like this! I absolutely love her writing style! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

Pepper Basham has done it again! This audiobook was delightful from start to finish! The plot was well-paced and the characters were charming and witty. This is definitely one I'll listen to again! The narration was superb!! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Swoonaliciously delightful!!!! Pepper Basham’s versatility as an author astounds me. She does justice to her first foray into the Regency Romance genre and, while I’m not surprised, (she is a fave author for a reason, after all) I am sooooooo impressed! And, mercy, but let Pepper’s bantering talent loose in a Regency drawing room and….blissfully bookish swoons abound. Fainting couches are a must to get through this book unscathed!

The author’s signature humour shines throughout this story. So many laugh out loud moments! Often courtesy of a trio of unruly children, especially the youngest imp and her special frog friend. H-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s.

And the second chance, enemies to more romantic tropes are played out to perfection. Lots of lovely tension and emotional layers. Along with the agonies of societal expectations of the day thankfully punctuated by some truly memorable toe curling scenes! Thud! I do so enjoy an impossible love story that triumphs in the end.

I listened to the audio edition of ‘Sense and Suitability’ (love that pun-y title!) and thoroughly enjoyed the dual narration performed by Fiona Hardingham and Christopher Ashman. The way they delivered all the emotion and humour made for an absolutely brilliant listening experience.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

This was my first Pepper Basham book, and I really enjoyed the way she tells the story, especially as a tribute story to such an outstanding writer.
The story is a mix of enemies to lovers, second chances for love, and forbidden romance. All the relationships between the characters, not just the main ones, are well developed, and everyone plays an important role in the entire development of the story.
The dual narration by Fiona Hardingham and Christopher Ashman transform the story, making the characters almost come out of the pages.

Rating 3.8/5
Emmeline Lockhart comes from a humble farm family, but has gossip around her fraternizing with Simon Reeves two years ago during the social season. When she came to meet him in the garden for a proposal, Simon was nowhere to be found. This disappearing act by Simon had given Emmeline (Emmy) a scarlet letter. In addition to her past romance, Emmeline also hides the fact that she is a gothic writer, as women could not do such a thing during that time. She enjoys writing and also feels a bit of pride being able to earn her own money. Two years post-almost engagement, Emmy sees Simon again for the first time. They both feel that spark like they had all those years ago! However, after several tragedies, Simon is now the head of his household and must take a wealthy woman to be his wife, so that he can continue to care for him and his siblings. Knowing this, Emmy tries her best to stay away, but it is hard to deny true love....

This was a cute audiobook that gave me Bridgerton vibes. I enjoyed the dual perspective aspect of the audiobook, with having two separate performers. This was very little spice, but you could tell the passion that the main characters had for each other through the conversations. Emmy literally could not stay away from Simon. This was a fun audiobook that I would recommend for anyone who enjoyed the Bridgerton series!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

This was my first time reading Pepper Basham’s work, and Sense and Suitability was such a fun and endearing story. I was completely captivated by the main characters, Emmeline and Simon, the moment they were introduced, and I also adored the secondary characters, especially aunt Bean. (She is such a hoot!) Each person in this book plays a crucial role in Emmeline and Simon’s love story, and they are all such special people with their own unique personalities. Pepper’s writing is flawless and beautiful, and the narrators did an amazing job bringing it to life. Fiona Hardingham has quickly become one of my favorite narrators. Her voice is so captivating, soothing, and entertaining. Her portrayal of aunt Bean had me literally laughing out loud more times than I can count. I would highly recommend Sense and Suitability to everyone, especially those who favor a wholesome, clean love story, and I look forward to reading more of Pepper’s work in the very near future. .

4.5 stars
-90.
Thank you so much for this arc!
This is my first regency romance book so l'm excited! I really loved the spin on Sense and Sensibility! | love Jane Austin film adaptations, ik they probably aren't 100% accurate to the books but I love them so i am really excited!
I was allowed both a digital copy and audiobook of Sense and Suitability which I definitely enjoyed! I loved this book so much! The plot was amazing and I loved the characters.
Emmie is a great character, she was witty, smart, and kind and completely lovable! Aside from her being lovable I adored Simon and his siblings. Simon won me over with his love for his siblings and for Emmie. Simon though his reasons for not going through with the engagement with Emmie in the first place definitely had his moments that made me angry but he definitely redeemed himself completely and definitely won me over as well!
The audiobook was so great as well! It was very engaging and immersive! And both voices definitely matched the characters.
The book had so many swoony, banterful, and funny moments with so many amazing characters. This is my first read from Pepper Basham but I definitely hope she'll publish a duet or series following the other characters mentioned in this book, perhaps Emmies sister? I definitely recommend this book and audiobook!

Sense and Suitability is my first read from Pepper Basham and it did not disappoint! Personally, Regency Romance and Rom Com are my favorite genres and I am so glad Pepper has ventured in to them! She nailed it with this book! The narrators did an excellent job! I would highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such a fun clean Regency rom com. I typically don’t like adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels but Pepper Basham did a great job of making the story its own. Hope to see more!

After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she'd found her perfect match in Simon Reeves--charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel—until he vanished from her life without so much as a "farewell" or "my deepest regrets" (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson never fall for a man known for his charm.

Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband--because she's already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?

But fate—or the misfortune of Simon's reckless patriarchs—has other plans. Simon's once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride . . . and a friend.

Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She'll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic—no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.

There's just one small the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she's still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories--especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones--are worthy of a rewrite?

I LOVED this story!!! Emme and Simon are so good together and I’m so happy they got a second chance to make it work. The love was always there, but Simon’s duty to his family and his title along with Emme’s scandalous secret profession keep them apart. Emme is the perfect addition to the family and Simon’s younger siblings adore her. They are not above piracy, bank robbing, or kidnapping in order to help their brother get his girl 💀💀

As the author, I prefer not to write a "review" for myself but wish to give a shoutout to the AMAZING narrators of this story. I enjoyed the delightful flexibility of both Christopher Ashman and Fiona Hardingham. Their ability to help me FEEL the emotions of these characters was superb. I adored writing this book and getting to hear it come to life with such charm and skill was icing on the cake!

3.5/5 rounded down for me. I liked the main characters, and I enjoyed all the little allusions to Austen, but the side characters in this story really shine. I fell in love with the all their younger siblings and relatives. It was cool to have a historical romance where the heroine's glasses are considered cute rather than a flaw! I liked that detail.


Spoilers below!
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The story has a very small cast of characters, which isn't a bad thing, but it felt like we really only saw the characters develop in their very specific 'roles' -- Emmeline grows as an author and mends her relationship with Simon, but we don't see a lot of conversations that don't support those two goals. For example, she talks about novels with a few other characters, but we're really just setting up a later conflict about her being a writer and the scandal of people finding out. All of the husband catching lessons were really just a way to see Emmeline comparing her aunt's commentary to Simon. One exception is her following the sister after stealing some chickens, it was still a plot point to get her to meet Simon and his siblings, but it gave a new dimension to her character as someone who really goes out of her way to make things right. The writing is very 'tell' rather than 'show.' We're told constantly exactly how their opinions of each other change over time.

With all that said, I really did like the book. I will absolutely be recommending it to friends who like clean romances (and anyone who just likes romance period!).

Thanks to NetGalley for the free arc, all opinions are my own.

I liked this story but didn’t love it. I’m a huge fan of the regency and “classic” romance but I felt the constant comparisons and mentions to Jane Austen a bit tiresome after the first few mentions which made it difficult to keep my interest in the story. It’s a pleasant beach read/listen but I probably wouldn’t read the swirls

This book was very fun and charming. The banter was great, the characters were well written- especially the children. Sometimes authors miss the mark on children and they become caricatures instead of Basham did a great job of bringing the children to life.

While I enjoyed the illusions to Austen with the situations the characters got themselves into or the similarities between the Austen’s characters and Basham’s, I didn’t love that Austen and her books existed in this universe. It took me out of the story every time Austen was mentioned. I get why, but it was just something that bothered me a bit.

Other than that, I really did find the story to be charming and an enjoyable read. Thank you!

I have a soft spot for historical romances that involve a second chance. Emme and Simon were captivating from the start, and the narration brought their story to life. Extra points, is you love well-written sibling dynamics and a healthy amount of pining.

I haven’t been in the mood for historical fiction in a long time, especially when it comes to a light, feel-good romance like this, but I have to admit—I really enjoyed this book.

The narration was excellent, and I loved listening to it. The writing style was great; I really like the way Pepper writes. The plot itself was also interesting, and I really liked the characters. The scenes with Simon’s sisters were especially dear to me. The chemistry was definitely there, and I was rooting for Simon and Emmeline to end up together.

I honestly don’t have any real complaints.

So why didn’t I give it a full five stars? It just didn’t completely wow me or move me emotionally, and there were a few moments where my attention drifted a little.

But despite that, I’d absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys no-spice romances.

This is only my second regency novel ever. However, I chose to read it because it’s a Pepper Basham book! I knew it would be heartfelt, funny, and so worth my time. I listened to the audiobook. I gave it 4.25 stars.

The characters are all fantastic. The kids are a hoot! (I’m going to be saying “Blahhhst!” with a British accent like Fia for weeks!). The main female and male characters, Emmeline and Simon, are so likeable and funny. Simon has quite the growth arc and becomes a hero. Sometimes a novel will have a minor character that just “steals the show.” This is one of them. Aunt Bean is The Regency Era’s “Harriet Olsen” with a snooty, British accent. The female narrator absolutely nailed that character - AKA the “large, lavender shadow.” I found myself giggling many times with her lessons to marry off Emme and her younger sister.

The Regency Era was full of practices and traditions that are odd to me but the author brought it all to life. I found myself cheering for the couple to find a way to be together and for Emme’s “scandalous” hidden identity as a gothic authoress to be received well.

I highly recommend this novel in any format. The narration of the audiobook is fantastic and adds nuance to the time period. It is a fun book with such chemistry between the two main characters.

*** Huge thanks to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for an advanced reader copy of this novel. My honest review is in my own words.