I think it time for another Austenesque Top Ten list, don’t you?
Now that we are in the middle June and for many of us the summer season is in full swing, I thought it would fun to do make a list of Austenesque “summer reads!” My definition of “summer reads” are books that are fun to you want to get lost in while you sit next to the pool, on the beach, or while on vacation.
And since that just might be any book in the Austenesque genre, I thought it might be fun to make a list that fit the theme of summertime a little more literally – Austenesque novels that take place during the summer, involve travel, or sand. 🙂
So if you are looking for some summer reads to bring with you on your vacay or trips to the pool, and want to know what novels I’d recommend, check out the list below!
BTW – I think Persuasion and Sanditon are definitely some perfect “summer reads,” don’t you? 😉
* These lists are based only on the novels I have read and are my top ten favorites.
**These lists are subject to change.
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(in alphabetical order)
All Roads Lead to Jane Austen
Author: Amy Elizabeth Smith
Type of Novel: Nonfiction
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
At the Edge of the Sea
Author: Karen Cox
Type of Novel: Austen- Inspired
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
Austentatious
Author: Alyssa Goodnight
Type of Novel: Austen-Inspired
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
.
Brinshore
Author: Ann Mychal
Type of Novel: Sequel
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
.
Echoes of Pemberley
Author: Cynthia Ingram Hensley
Type of Novel: Austen-Inspired
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
.
Find Wonder in All Things
Author: Karen Cox
Type of Novel: Modern Adaptation
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
Pirates and Prejudice
Author: Kara Louise
Type of Novel: Variation
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
.
Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer
Editor: Christina Boyd
Type of Novel: Short Story Anthology
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice/Pemberley by the Sea
Author: Abigail Reynolds
Type of Novel: Modern Adaptation
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
When They Fall in Love
Author: Mary Simonsen
Type of Novel: Variation
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My Review I Add to Cart I Add to Shelf
.
*List updated June 2016
**BONUS: Even though it isn’t an Austenesque novel, it is by an Austenesque author so I thought I’d mention 
that another splendid summer read is A Summer in Europe by Marilyn Brant!
I have read Austenland (have DVD), Pemberley by the Sea and the sequel, Morning Light, Pirates and Prejudice, and can recommend all. Will have to look at the others but have a long list on Wish List…so they may just be added. Thanks for your input – always reliable. Half way through Lizzie Bennet Diaries on line.
I’m glad you enjoyed all those, Sheila!! How are you liking the LBD so far? Such a wonderful series!!!
Yes, it is wonderful and gives my eyes a rest from the small print on my kindle…although I have about 3 books going there, the latest being Darcy’s Beloved Cousin during the reading of which I have sobbed once and cried less wretchedly twice!
Fun list! I’ve only read two of those so I’ll have to check my own list to see what I can add. I would go with Beth Pattilo’s books b/c of the travels to Austen sites, Jane & the Man of the Cloth or Jane & the Madness of Lord Byron by Stephanie Barron for a good seaside mystery solved by Jane herself, Victoria Connelly’s books, Alyssa Goodnight’s Austentatious for summer in Austin, TX, Darcy’s Voyage by Kara Louise, and I would even include a re-read of Mansfield Park for its anniversary year.
Thanks, Sophia Rose! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your faves – I completely forgot about Austentatious taking place during the summer…I’m going to have to make a change in the list, Austentatious definitely belongs in my Top Ten! 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you for including Echoes, Meredith!! 🙂 Hope your summer is going well!
But of course, no questions about it! Such a lovely summer read/coming-of-age story! I wish I could spend my summer in Pemberley too!
Thank you Meredith, I will be by the pool in two weeks. I have read When they fall in love, what a great book. I have not read any of the others but I do own Pirates and Prejudice and Find wonder in all things. I have read all of Abigail’s regency books, maybe its time to move onto the modern 🙂
Ooh! That sounds fun! I hope you get some lovely reading time! 🙂 Definitely bring Pirates and Prejudice and Find Wonder in All Things if you can!! 😉
I like The Keys for Love by Wendi Sotis.
Oohh! That just came out, didn’t it? You can just tell from the cover that it is a good summer read! 🙂
I also read The Keys for Love – saw Robin’s review there.
Robin, how’s your next book coming along? I am watching for it – loved the others.
Thanks for mentioning ‘Find Wonder’ and ‘At the Edge of the Sea’, Meredith! It’s great to be included in such a fun group of books – and I’m all about fun in the summertime 🙂
My pleasure, Karen! They were some of the first ones I thought of! Nothing beats summer romances! 🙂
And your short story Northanger Revisited2015 too in “Sun-kissed” anthology!!!!! Congratulations.
Oo, nice list. Shameful confession time – I think I have all of these books but have read less than half! I should do an Austenesque Reviews top ten summer reading challenge!
LOL! Fun idea! 🙂 I think you will love them.
I think “Pirates and Prejudice” fits perfectly if you spend your holidays by the sea 😉
“Persuasion” is in my list to read in summer because I have to confess…I haven’ t read it yet! It’s a shame, I know, LOL. I watched the BBC film and I liked it but I think it’ s time to read the novel!
Thank you, Teresa! Yes, it is a wonderful read for the beach or for any water-lovers! Persuasion is such a lovely read!!! I’m sure you will adore it! I plan to read it this December, can’t wait!! 🙂 Happy reading!
Wow, Meredith, what an interesting list! I’ve only read “Austenland” and I thought it was very funny and entertaining 🙂 I also watched the movie and I had a lot of fun! JJ Feild is enchanting, by the way 😉 I own some of these books and I’m looking forward to reading them, especially “Echoes of Pemberley” and “Find Wonder in All Things”. Have a lovely summer! 🙂
Glad to hear you are such a fan of Austenland, Maria! I thought the book and movie were both a lot of fun. I hope Shannon Hale continues the series and writes more, I really liked Midnight in Austenland too, have you read it? Those are definitely some terrific, reads!!! Wishing you a beautiful summer!!
Thank you, Meredith! No, I haven’t read “Midnight in Austenland” but it’s been on my list for ages, so I should get to it sometime soon 🙂 Did you like it more than “Austenland”?
I did actually, there is a bit of a mystery so there’s a nice Northanger Abbey feel to it. 🙂
Great! I always love a good Northanger Abbey inspired mystery! 😉
Great list, Meredith!
Of all these I only read ‘Pirates and Prejudice’!
Looks like I’ve got a lot to catch up with 😉
Have a great summer!
Thank you, Joana!! Pirates and Prejudice is the best, isn’t it? This is one of my favorite Top Ten so far, every book is just terrific! 🙂
Great list, Meredith. You have listed some of my favorites and some I want to read! I love anything by Karen Cox and Kara Louise! And I can’t wait to read When They Fall in Love and All Roads Lead to Austen!!
Thanks, Kelli! Glad to hear these books are favorites of yours as well! I think they are all very praiseworthy!! 🙂
All roads lead to Austen is on my wishlist. I’ve read Austentacious, Echoes of Pemberley, Morning Light, Pirates and Prejudice, The man who loved…, and When they fall in love. Hmmm, looks like I have some new ones to add to my list!
All Roads Lead to Jane Austen is wonderful, you virtually travel to 6 Latin American countries and witness other cultures discussions and impressions on Jane Austen! I loved vicariously traveling to those countries! 🙂
Abigail’s ‘The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice’ is a favourite of mine. I still have to buy ‘Morning Light’ but it’s on my wishlist. Also liked ‘ When They Fall In Love’. I read and saw the movie ‘Austenland’ but for some reason I was expecting something more. I just can’t figure out what that ‘more’ is!!
I think you will greatly enjoy Morning Light, Carole, I hope Abigail writes another story from Woods Hole! I would love to visit there one day!
Great list, Meredith! I have read all of these except for At the Edge of the Sea. OH, and I love that you added a bonus of A Summer in Europe! *sigh* Just thinking about that book makes me get all dreamy-eyed, want gelato, and want to pick it up and read it again.
Thanks!
Thank you, Jakki!! That’s awesome that you read so many of these! I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did! A Summer in Europe is so fantastic, isn’t it?? Would love to read it again!!
I own and have read: Austentatious, The Man Who Loved P&P Too Much, Morning Light, Pirates & Prejudice, and When They Fall in Love. My favorite is Pirates & Prejudice–wow–Darcy as a pirate!!
The others I’m checking out on amazon, due, of course, to your high ratings. I already have All Roads Lead to Austen in my shopping cart and will purchase soon (so I can dream of a trip to England)!! I just received Vol. 3 of Memory by Linda Wells, so this will be my first summer read. My second will probably be Dear Mr. Knightly, which I own but have not yet read. I like to reread books that I especially enjoyed when trying to cope with the heat of summer!! Happy Summer everyone!
Oh yes, love Darcy as a pirate! Definitely! Happy summer reading, Catherine! I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
And swinging from one ship to another with a certain damsel in distress in his arms…swoon!
And he has to be a cross between Colin Firth and Johnny Depp!!
Now you’re making me drool!
That’s just brilliant!!! 🙂
Hello Meredith !
I didn’t vist your website since my exams finished I am not yet in a summer mood because I have no real project for summer but favourite novels for summer and the one I want to read are : “Austentaious”, ” Austenland” -I watch the movie version which was hilarious and” All roads lead to Jane Austen”
Hi Mariam! Lovely to hear from you! I hope you did well with your exams!! Those are some great choices! I hope you get to enjoy a nice break with these reads!!! 🙂
sorry I log in with my wordpress, it ‘s Mariam from Facebook and your blog’s for years fan
What a great list! I have read half of these so it looks like I have some catching up to do. I think I will start with find wonder in all things- I love the premise.
Happy summer reading!
Am thrilled that “Sun-kissed” made your list! So honored to be among some of my own favorites!! Thank you. (Btw our #SunKissedRoadTrip across North America continues til July 15. Will you be the last stop?)
Thanks for the mention, Meredith. Glad you enjoyed When They Fall in Love. Whenever I see that someone enjoyed that story, I feel I have to give a shout-out to Jakki Leatherberry, who edited the book. I was really struggling with the story, and she made so many helpful suggestions. I don’t think it would have been published without her.