Oh my goodness, friends! Austenesque Reviews is 1️⃣2️⃣ today!
Running this blog is literally like a second job for me, albeit one I happily do without pay. 😁
And I cannot imagine a better way to spend my time. 💗
The joy of reading these books and connecting with you all is something I look forward to each and every day. 🤗
Thank you so much for visiting, for participating, for sharing your love with of Jane Austen and Austenesque fiction with me. 😘
~ Now let’s celebrate! ~
I thought it might be fun to celebrate by chatting about Austenesque novels and getting to know each other some more. 🤗
I’ve crafted together some questions that I would love to ask you. 🤔
(If you are a long-time reader of this blog, this is a mini-version of the Ardent Austenesque Admirer series from many moons ago.)
Feel free to answer any or all of these questions.
~ Here are my answers ~
- Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken – loved it! Changed my whole perspective on this character, and made me realize much more of Emma’s flaws.
- Nameless by Julie Cooper and A Reason to Hope by Christie Capps. Wonderfully creative gems!
- Variations, Modern Adaptations (especially Modern S&S and Persuasion), Secondary Character stories, Anthologies
- Spending more time in Jane Austen’s world and with her characters. It is a special world she created, full of wonderful and intriguing people, a place where we can retreat to from our busy and modern lives.
- My list is looooong! But some top choices would be, aside from completing Sanditon or The Watsons, a sequel to Mansfield Park or Sense and Sensibility that shows a more satisfying relationship for some, maybe a crossover story between Pride and Prejudice and Emma, and sequels about characters with terrific hero potential like William Price or James Morland.
- The Year in Between by Christina Morland – It is incredible and I think it deserves such a wide readership. It is everything we want for these characters. And The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen by Shannon Winslow – it is brilliant and so beautifully written!
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
This blogiversary needs a proper giveaway, don’t you think? In celebrating Austenesque Reviews turning 1️⃣2️⃣, I am giving away:
3️⃣ Winner’s choice books from Book Depository (winners must choose a book that has been reviewed on this blog)
2️⃣ Austenesque Reviews Mugs (winner’s choice between 5 different Jane Austen Quote Mugs)
1️⃣ A little Janeite Gift Box full of surprise goodies including $20 Amazon Gift Card (open to US residents)
Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter to win the giveaway prizes.
All you have to do is leave a comment.
I hope you all know how much I love hearing from you and am very thankful for your readership and participation on this blog! I’ve been a little slower to read and respond to comments due to work, but I do read and appreciate all you share so much!
- This giveaway is open worldwide for all prizes (except the Janeite Gift Box).
- This giveaway will end September 30th.
Congratulations on 12 years. I was introduced (as I am sure many others were) to the world of JA when I watched the 1995 film version of P&P with Colin Firth. P&P was my first JA novel. I also love Shannon Winslow’s The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen and have an autographed copy which she signed when I met her for lunch while visiting my daughter who lived near Seattle at the time. P&P variations are my favorite. I love angst in mine and like FMS variations. Thanks for the chance to win some prizes and good luck with your continuing labor of love. I do like to read your reviews and all the lists you collect for us.
Thanks so much! What a lovely treasure to have from Shannon!
Congratulations on 12 years!
1. In the Wilds of Derbyshire by Jann Rowland was my first Austenesque book. I loved it and happily dove in.
2. A Gentleman’s Honor by Melanie Rachel was so action packed and swoon worthy. Her “Transforming Mr. Darcy” though had me giggling the whole book through. Heck just go read everything she’s written.
3. I love where they fall in love early and the angst comes from outside sources, ones where Lizzy isn’t a Bennet are fun or where she’s kidnapped or Compromised and they have to work together to find happiness.
4. I love the romance and seeing them work to achieve happiness together. I love happy ever afters.
5. Something fun and light hearted.
6. Regency era-Second Son by Cherith Boardman-full of angst but lord it grabs you by the heart and never let’s go.
Moderns-I didn’t like Moderns until I read the “Headstrong” trilogy by Melanie Rachel, Elizabeth Adams “Swap Meet” was a marvelous short story and the three “Sanctuary” books by Cat Andrews. They will make you love moderns ❤️
Your blog continues to be a highlight of my day with every new post. Thank you for your diligence and hard work, we really appreciate it!
Congratulations on your 12th anniversary. I read P&P in high school as well as Jane Eyre-another favorite. I stepped into the world of ff when I bought “Darcy’s Voyage” by Kara Louise which is still a favorite. My all time favorites are “Fitzwilliam Darcy an Honorable Gentleman” by Brenda Webb and “Promises” by Wendi Sotis. “Second Son” by Cherith Boardman is also high on my list of can’t-put-down variations. I carry an extreme preference for P&P variations is where Elizabeth and Darcy work together fighting the forces of evil, from almost the beginning of the story. I will admit that I seldom read outside of P&P variations and find that immersing myself in the world of Elizabeth and Darcy gives me freedom from my health issues–when i read I no longer have cancer.
Thank you for this blog and the wonderful stories that you recommend.
Congratulations to you, Meredith on your 12th blogiversary! You have provided a valuable service! 🙂
Many happy congratulations on your 12th blog anniversary Meredith! Hopefully you will have many, many more.
I first read P&P in my early teens and later read the other books, although I wasn’t as gripped by those, especially Mansfield Park. I read P&P many times over the years and watched adaptations but wasn’t impressed by any until 1995! I was totally gripped every Sunday while it was on, I bought the VHS tapes and practically wore them out, I now have two copies of the DVDS (just in case). I also love the 2005 film and watch that very regularly, my only quibble being the U.K. version not including the Pemberley balcony scene except as an extra! plus no wedding scenes.
Now for your questions,
1 The first I read was Sharon Lathan – Two Shall Become One (I got this from my book club, checked for more on Amazon and WOW! A whole new world!
2 I have several books I ardently admire and reread many, many times. Favourites are very hard to choose but absolute favourites are Imperative by Linda Wells and Sanctuary by Cat Andrews.
3 My favourite types of story have to be about Darcy and Elizabeth, preferably with an early marriage and even more that they are happy together and fight any troubles as a loving couple.
4 I love most JAFF as long as Darcy and Elizabeth are involved, Regency, Modern, Fantasy …… anything
5 I’d love for Jane herself to write a sequel to P&P
6 There are many books I would definitely recommend to anyone who hasn’t yet read them. My favourites from above plus Twists of Fate by Joana Starnes, An Unexpected Harvest by Cat Andrews & Agony and Hope by Leslie Diamond (I could continue with this answer but I wouldn’t know when to stop)
Thank you for keeping us entertained and for all your fabulous lists, interviews and reviews.
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Third Sister…a story about Margaret Dashwood. I reread PP and Other Flavors and The Other Bennet Sister. Enjoyed Incense and Sensibility. Modern ones for sure. I agree with you about Persuasion ones(a bit of a personal angle long long ago). Oh…visiting the heroines again and again…..A tough question but finishing Sanditon would be outta this world. 🙂 Lol…I’m at 35% In The Year and I agree!!!!!! Also enjoyed The Persuasion of…. I would say try non-P&P ones in general. Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations on achieving 12 years! I look forward to many, many more. My first Austenesque was “Old Friends and New Fancies” by Sybil G Brinton – maybe 15 years ago. My love of the stories has grown and grown. Thanks for your wonderful reviews and book recommendations – you have led me to many hours of happy reading.
Congratulations, Meredith! All of us in the Austen universe are so lucky to have you to help us find and support authors and books in the genre, and there are so many wonderful variations to explore! Many of them I have found through your blog. Thank you.
I found this universe through Pamela Aiden and Linda Berdoll’s books, and then some of the early fanfic sites. I will not name any favorites, but like you, I would love more Emma/P&P crossovers.
Congratulations, and thank you for 12 years of hard work, keeping us supplied with JAFF reading lists! I’m so glad I discovered your blog.
Loved your question number 4. There is something so special about reading all the variations that take us away to a land far, far away…
Happy anniversary!!! Sending you so much thanks for all you and your blog do for the Austensphere!!
Austenverse? Both work for me 😉
My goodness! It has been so long that I have no idea what would be the first one I read. I DO know that Abigail Reynolds’ books were IN the first ones I read. I found my first at the library. Then I started finding JAFF online.
I think my favorites would have to be Forced Marriage.
Congratulations on your 12th anniversary. It’s hard to number just how many stories I’ve been so blessed to find based on your reviews and recommendations alone. Your reviews have helped me find authors I now eagerly follow and tried genres I never thought that I would like. I can’t thank you enough for taking so much of your time to broaden the horizons of fans like myself! Your hard work, time and effort is deeply appreciated.
1) I can’t be sure if it was Linda Berdoll’s “Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife” or the Pamela Aidan Trilogy because they were close together. I think it was in that order, though.
2) I’m in the middle of “Teaching Eliza” by Riana Everly and loving it.
3) I like a good angsty variation or original story based on P&P. I don’t much care for sequels.
4) If I’m not reading about D&E, I’m wondering about what they’re up to and get anxious.
5) I don’t want her to write a variation or a sequel, so I think I’d like her to finish the unfinished novels.
6) “Accusing Mr. Darcy” by Kelly Miller or “Undoing” by L.L. Diamond are faves that I think more should be reading. Both are original fiction based on the characters of P&P. Also, “My Head on the Ten-Pound Note” by Mary Flannery is an unknown novel that made me cry buckets at the end. It’s a time-travel book.
Thanks for the opportunity to tell my list and the chance at those cool prizes, Meredith. Congrats on an anniversary which coincides with the time I’ve been in JAFF.
Twelve years is a real achievement and you continue to provide such a valuable service and resource! I don’t know if there would be an Austenesque community without you.
1. My first was John Coates’s completion of The Watsons, which I read in 1977. It made me believe it could be done better!
2. The latest I ardently loved was The Heiress by Molly Greeley—she really expands the potential of the genre.
3. What I love most about reading Austenesque (and it doesn’t always provide this) is getting more of Austen’s witty and shrewd worldview. I get more of that in modern retellings, so those tend to be my preference. So many period Austenesque get the manners and language wrong, which is a big turnoff for me. I also like more plot-heavy stories, with less focus on physical attraction and more on partnership. Keep the steam away from me!
5. I am always looking at the world through the lens of “What would Jane Austen make of this?” So I would want her to rewrite her novels in the modern day. I also wish she had forged ahead with The Watsons, which would have taken her writing in a whole new direction.
6. I’m always proselytizing for Sonali Dev’s Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors! And I think Pamela Aidan’s trilogy (well, at least the first and third books) retelling P&P from Darcy’s point of view was revolutionary.
Thank you for the reminder to get and read Christina’s book! I have so much respect for her. And thanks for reaching out to us all with these questions. I love reading about what people are thinking.
Happy anniversary!! Your reviews have helped me feed my addiction for Austen variations. I have mourned that she didn’t publish more books since I finished all 6 novels in 2002. Reading her novels spurred one of my vacations while I was living in Scotland: I made sure to visit Chawton on my way to Bath and southern Wales.
I became aware of the world of JAFF when I finished P&P but still wanted more. I found some continuations and I have been reading p&p variations for the past 1.5 years.
I am currently reading “Darcy’s Decision” by Maria Grace and enjoying it but I think my favorite would be “Plots, Ploys and the Art of Matchmaking” by Sarah Courtney because I love a good laugh. 😉
I would love for Austen to have been able to finish “Sanditon” or any of her other unfinished works.
Congratulations on 12 years! I love coming here to find what book to read next 🙂 My first austensque book was either the Diary of Georgiana Darcy or mr.Darcy Vampire. My most recent book that I loved was Blinded by Prejudice by Karalynn Mackrory. I love reading Austenesque novels because Jane Austen was so much about the unsaid play between characters which is brilliant, but it leaves so many avenues for people to explore. I love that people took a look at the classic story and said wouldn’t it be great if…. and ran with it! Since people have come up with so many new and wonderful scenarios we never have to say goodbye to our beloved characters!
Happy Blogiversary, Meredith! As to your questions above, 1) Darcy’s Story by Janet Alymer was my first introduction to the JAFF universe. 2) Twist of Fate by Joana Starnes is the latest book I ardently loved and admired. 3) FMS have probably been my favorite type for years, but I am really loving all of the fantasy versions lately by some very good authors. 4) What I love most about Auestenesque novels is wit, ardent love (not necessarily jumping in bed), and affectionate love for family and friends. 5) I honestly do not know what I would want Jane to write next. Probably finish Sanditon. 6) A Touch of Night by Alyx Silver and Sofie Skapski. It was the first fantasy variation that I really liked. Darcy is a shapeshifter dragon, and the feels are wonderful.
1. Pride Prejudice and Jasmin Field, not a favorite but it gave me the idea to look for more Austenesque books.
2. That’s Miss Darcy’s companion, Joana Starnes => loved it.
3. Period, Modern but pretty clean, Mary Bennet as the heroine, Sense & Sensibility stories, Timetravel…Unoriginal perhaps but yes I would so much like to meet Jane & tell her how the world she created altert my daily happiness !!
4. Escaping loneliness, when with familiar characters or those similar to myself my world gets “bigger” and less empty.
5. I would love to get a complete Sanditon, perhaps a modern one that would be good. I cannot help but wonder what she could have written had she finished it.
6. A Weekend with Mr Darcy, for I dearly love to laugh & this one made me do so from the start 😀
Congratulations on 12 years! You provide such a valuable service to the Austenesque community. Love your blog.
Congrats on 12 years of finding and sharing with us the best Jane Austen inspired stories. As to the questions, my introduction to JAFF was on the forums and the first books I purchased were written by Linda Berdoll. I still love all her books and snap them up the second they are published. A recent book I loved was Twists of Fate by Joana Starnes. My favorite type of story is a FMS and I love reading (and writing) JAFF to escape from the cares of everyday life. I would like Jane to write a sequel to P&P. And what books would I recommend people read? Why mine of course! 🙂 Seriously, there are so many good books out now that I cannot pick just one but I recommend books by two authors who had not published in a long time: Susan Adriani (Misunderstandings and Ardent Love) and Mary Sherwood (3rd book in the Marriage Worth The Earning series). Looking forward to twelve more years, girl!
Congratulations!!! Not easy task to review such wonderful books!!!
Hope soon will be able to read as many as you.
My first JAFF novel was The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke.
Congratulations Meredith! Love your blog!
1. When They Fall in Love: Darcy and Elizabeth in Italy by Mary Lydon Simonsen introduced me to JAFF hundreds (if not thousands) of books ago.
2. Misunderstandings and Ardent Love by Susan Adriani is a recent favorite.
3. Definitely P&P variations and all the fascinating ways in which JAFF authors create Darcy and Elizabeth’s journey to their HEA.
4. I never tire of reading about how D&E grow and change as a result of their love.
5. I wish Austen could have finished Sanditon.
6. Everyone should read P&P. It’s really very radical. The depiction of an intelligent, clever and witty young woman who doesn’t conform to the mores of the time, and yet attracts a wealthy aristocratic man from a much higher class, is itself unusual. But the fact that the man undergoes changes and humbles himself to become worthy of the woman was probably unheard of in Austen’s era.
Woohoo for 12 years, Meredith! That is amazing and especially because it is a big draw of time to blog. Love your site and it is a big sunny spot in my week to visit. Wishing you many more years!
Fun questions and I love reading yours and other commenters answers.
1st Austenesque was either Searching for Pemberley by Mary Simonsen or Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange
Latest Austenesque read, Teverton Hall by Jane Gillespie
Favorite Types of Austenesque: all!
I love exploring Austen’s characters further or the creative ‘what ifs’ authors can explore and that includes ‘what if’ the stories were set elsewhere in place and time.
First, I would love it if Jane Austen could finish Sanditon, but it would be fun to get all new novels- greedy, I know. 😉
I could hurt my head deciding what book would be best to recommend. I’ll pick one I don’t see on other’s lists: Fanny: A Mansfield Park Story by Amelia Marie Logan.
Thanks for twelve wonderful years!
I believe either 1932 or The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy was my first Austenesque novel and they remain two of my favorites. My favorite stories are ones with fantasy/supernatural elements. Also enjoy FMS, stories where gender/fortunes/circumstances swapped, and time loop stories. Happy 12th anniversary!
My first JAFF books were Linda Berdoll’s first two. Most recent your review of Christie Capps. I also read on the forums and write a little between lessons and teaching. My first P&P was Greer Garson followed by the PBS with elizabeth Garvey. I loved that she sang and had big eyes. Before JAFF I found a fat used book of all of Austen’s stories. Great fun!
Congrats Meredith! Happy Blogiversary! A dozen years WOOT, WOOT!
Thanks for the effort you put into the blog, of course it’s a second job!
I didn’t know JAFF until I discover Austenesque Reviews so you have opened my reading universe 😉
Here you have my answers:
1) “The third sister” by Julia Barrett
2) “Being Mrs Darcy ” by Lucy Marin. I’m about to finish reading it but it has become one of my favourite austenesque novels so far!
3) Variations and Second Characters stories. And if you add some magic or mystery touch, I have my cup of tea.
4) The chance to “travel ” to Regency Era and enjoy the good things: spending time in the countryside, attending balls and concerts, visiting London, Bath… and witnessing the love stories of our dear heroes and heroines 🙂
5) “Sanditon” , “The Watsons ” and sequels of P&P with Mary and Kitty Bennet as well as a sequel of “Mansfield Park” because I think Edmund should take more pains to get Fanny’s affection.
6) The Dragon books by Maria Grace: it’s amazing the universe she has created combining Jane Austen’s characters with dragon mythology 🙂
MUCHAS GRACIAS, AMIGA MIA!
And keep enjoying Austenesque Reviews!
Thanks for all you do to support JAFF. Awesome!
Congratulations on your 12th anniversary!!! This is quite an accomplishment!
12 years! Congratulations! I always check out this site for reviews -thats how I choose my next read. And you havent steered me wrong yet! Heres to another 12 years!!!!
Congratulations!!! You have introduced me to an amazing array of authors and books.
Colin Firth was my very first introduction to Jane Austen. I dived into the books from there and never stopped.
Hooray for 12 years, congratulations!
Hmm, my first Austenesque novel was Jane and the Wandering Eye by Stephanie Barron. The latest one I’ve enjoyed was A Murder at Rosings by Annette Purdey Pugh. My favorite Austenesque novels are usually also mysteries. I love reading them because they provide welcome diversion and relief from the norm. If Jane were to write something, I’d be intrigued by any story with new characters, or maybe a prequel to Persuasion. Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G Brinton is a very interesting read. I love the mixture of various characters and considering how certain ones may have been friends.
Happy, happy 12 years! I remember falling in love with Pride and Prejudice and then finding this blog. All the variations it brought into my life! Abigail Reynolds got me through some tough stuff! So grateful for this blog.
Congratulations on your 12th Blogiversary, Meredith!!! WOOT!!! 😀
1) I don’t remember the name of my first Austenesque novel, but it was by Abigail Reynolds and I got it through our library. Once I read one, I used our statewide system of California libraries to order everything I could that Abigail had written. Then I found the blogs Austen Variations and Austenesque Reviews and was a goner in the best way!!
2) The most recent Austenesque book I’ve read is Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment … for the third time!! 😀
3) I love variations and continuations … I especially love what happens after the “happily ever after.” <3
4) I adore both the familiarity and the newness of reading Austenesque novels — they are comfy yet fresh at the same time!!
5) A sequel to Mansfield Park
6) I am sooooo hooked on Maria Grace's Jane Austen's Dragons series and recommend it wherever I go. I also highly recommend Abigail's Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment and Monica Fairview’s Dangerous Magic.
Thank you so much, Meredith, for all you do to encourage the reading of AMAZING Austenesque books!!
With warmest regard and happiest blogiversary wishes,
Susanne 🙂
Happy 12th Blogiversary!
I’m not sure which book was my first Austenesque, but it was about a decade ago.
Recent is Incense and Sensibility.
I like a variety of JAFF.
They are different that the other books I read, but yet they to call to me.
I would read whatever Jane wrote.
Selfishly, Then Comes Winter.
denise
Congratulations on 12 years! I’m a recent reader and wish I’d known about this earlier. I enjoy it a lot. My passionate reads recently have been secondary character stories and also adaptations or continuances, however people wish to refer to them. I’ve enjoyed reading the Mary Bennet and Kitty Bennet stories from Pride and Prejudice recently.
1. The first Austenesque Novel was “Georgiana Darcy’s Diary” (I think…)
2. The latest I ardently admired and loved: “Sons of Pemberley”
3. P&P Variations are my favorite.
4. Love to get to see different caracters of our “dear friends”
5. I would like Janer Austen to write a sequel to P&P
6. There are many I would like others to read. It is hard to pick one! Maybe “Darcy Sails after her” ?
Congratulations Meredith on 12 years doing what you how lucky are you.I don’t I have on your list for more than 3 years but I do enjoy your blog.
What I most like is I see books that may not be in front of the advertising on Amazon all the time I have got some great finds reading your blog.
I fell in love with Jane’s writing in my late teenage years and read P&P every year for about 12 straight years along with all other works but Persuasion would be my most favourite of her books. P&P is my variation fav I have read them steadily for about 5 years now. My was Longbournes mistress by Jann Rowland who remains one of my favourite authors.
One of Favourite book Best Part of Love by Amy Dazario sorry if that’s spelt wrong. Not interested modern and don’t like it when regentency rules are ignored. I reread books often and love them all over again.
So many books so little time I am about to retire so look out kindle.
Anyhow love your blog long may it continue.
Happy, Happy Anniversary, Meredith! I am so thankful and appreciative you do what you do – and as a labor of love!
Pamela Aidan was the very first Austenesque author I discovered; then I stumbled onto Abigail Reynolds and a host of other storytellers online and there was no going back. I just finished reading Julie Cooper’s ‘Nameless’, which I enjoyed so much. My favorite Austenesque stories are low angst and romantic, rich with details and full of happy endings 🙂 I read (and write) because I love the idea of slipping into another place or time, where I can peek into the lives of others for a little while. For me, books break up the monotony of everyday life and provide a happy little sanctuary where I can regroup, not to mention they feed our creativity 🙂
Congratulations on an impressive achievement, Meredith! My introduction to Austenesque novels was Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton. I found a copy in an antique store. After that, Pamela Aidan’s trilogy thrilled me. Then Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange. There is a wealth of talent in this genre, and I love every book for different reasons. Thank you for your tireless devotion to promoting Austenesque books and authors.
12 years already!! Wow! I remember the beginning of your journey .
Congratulations for the amazing feat of not only persisting so long, but also developing the blog in so many different ways. What would we do without your lists and categories?
Thank you for everything!
Congratulations on your 12th blogiversary. Your posts are always a delight to read!
Congratulations and THANK YOU, Meredith – your generosity of time and spirit is a treasure to us all!
My list:
1) The Bar Sinister by Linda Berdoll (reissued as Darcy and Elizabeth) – I was hooked!
2) Rachel Billington’s Perfect Happiness – I needed a dose of Emma!
3) I love the variations, whether they focus on primary or secondary characters.
4) I love JAFF because our so very talented writers “take me away” – as Emily Dickinson wrote, “there is no frigate like a book…”
5) Oh, to be able to put in a Jane Austen request! I would have to ask her to complete Sanditon or do a second volume of Persuasion – …..
6) May I recommend two sets? I would urge the JAFF community to read Laurence Fleming’s three books (The Heir to Longbourn, The Summer At Lyme, The Will of Lady Catherine) – they are gems! Also Barbara Cornthwaite’s two George Knightley, Esquire books – wonderful enrichments to Emma fans!
Congratulations on your anniversary!! I found your blog about 10 years ago when I read my first P&P variation, Impulse and Initiative (now called To Conquer Mr Darcy) by Abigail Reynolds. P&P variations are still my favorite. Blinded By Pride and Nameless were both brilliant. I have so many favorites. I’d also recommend Mr Darcy’s Persuasion for an awesome crossover novel. The Year in Between is on my TBR and I look forward to it. I enjoy your reviews and recommendations so much! Thanks and happy reading!
Congratulations! Well done.
Lovely giveaways, thank you.
Congratulations on your blogiversary!
I’ll have to check out ‘Jane Fairfax’ and ‘The Year In Between’. I am interested in Austen variations that are not P&P.
Happy anniversary, Meredith! Thank for for doing all what you do for us JAFFers.
1. I believe it was called Desire and Duty or something like it. It was published in the early to mid 1990s. It was awful, but this long before JAFF took off and Amazon really didn’t exist yet, so beggars couldn’t be choosers.
2. My latest favorite is Faults of Understanding by Jennifer Altman. Read it this summer and it was fantastic.
3. Steamy moderns with relatable characters that have been through a lot in their lives, but somehow manage to get through it.
4. It has been one of the things that has always been there throughout my entire adult life. No matter how bad and challenging things get in my own life, I will always have JAFF as my little escape.
5. Probably a sequel to Pride and Prejudice or a story about Charlotte Lucas who leaves Mr. Collins and lives a life as an independent woman in regency England.
6. Over the years, I’ve had my non-JAFF reader friends ask me for suggestions. I always recommend anything by Beau North. Her stories are beautifully crafted that, in my opinion, anyone (even those who aren’t really Austen fans) could enjoy.
Agree—anything by Beau North. She is a masterful storyteller.
1. My first was “Mr Darcy Takes a Wife.” I think. It could have been Aiden’s “Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman.” Discovered both at the same time.
2. The latest I loved was Joana Starnes’s “Twists of Fate.”
3. Quick hook, tight writing, believable characters, and swoonworthy moments.
4. They are like a favorite friend I haven’t seen in a while. Within minutes, we settle into a comfort level and catch up. I know what I am getting but surprised by the story arc. Hopefully.
5. I would like Jane to write the story about “The nameless, dateless lover—her own seaside romance. Before the budding lovers could meet again, the young man’s brother wrote to say that he had died suddenly. We know no more about the story. Jane’s letters are missing for many months afterwards—either she was so grief stricken that she was unable to write or her letters were destroyed by Cassandra. We will never know.” https://janeaustensworld.com/2013/04/22/sidmouth-where-jane-austen-found-love/amp/
6. “I Could Write a Book” by Karen M Cox. Austen said she was going to write Emma as a character that only she might like. But I think you will come to adore Cox’s modernized interpretation. It really translates well to 20th century. And her Emma, who ends up getting an undergrad degree in psychology, seems to gain just enough education in the program to think she knows people… But just like in Austen’s masterpiece, boy, does she get it wrong. I believe this is Cox’s best work yet! Despite all Emma’s faults, I believe Cox has written a contemporary Emma that you not only will like but maybe even understand her actions better. Some have compared Emma as the female Darcy. Never have I seen that clearer than in Cox’s “I Could Write a Book”. And her Mr Knightley… Swoonworthy. Set in the 1970s and the horse country of Kentucky, this novel is a smart, emotive, and thoughtful interpretation of Austen’s masterpiece. I hope readers will give this nonP&P novel a chance. I LOVED IT!
HAPPY 12th BLOGIVERSARY!!!! I’m so happy for you. You put so much time and energy into this endeavor. I use your reviews to aid me in finding other novels to read as others have mentioned. To tell you honestly I’ve read so many books the past 17 years or so I don’t feel qualified to answer most of those questions with accuracy.
Happy anniversary!!
As I mentioned in my recent appearance here, Pamela Aidan’s “Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman” trilogy was my gateway drug into Austenesque fiction, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. And of all the Austenesque books I have read in recent years, the one I admire most is Christina Morland’s SEASONS OF WAITING. If I had even one book like that inside me, I would be well pleased with my career as an Austenesque author.
What a great thing you have done here, and continue to do. Thank you for all the heavy lifting. You have brought so much enjoyment to so many people!
Oh yes! I love Christina Morland’s books!
Congratulations! I look forward to reading your newsletter. I feel myself drifting away to the world of Jane Austen and that’s not a bad thing!
There are so many Austenesque novels that I have loved, that to try to pick one or two would be impossible – and unfair to the others. Congrats on your blogiversary – may you celebrate many more of them! Your blog points me to stories that I might not otherwise come across.
Happy Blogiversary, Meredith! Hope you have many many more big blogiversaries and Austenesque novels to read and review 🙂
Congratulations!!! Toasting/cheering for more anniversaries to come!!!
I got hooked into Austeneque stories after watching P & P & zombies. I know after that I acquired P & P variations, I cannot remember which I read first. Later on I started reading based on recommendations from fans/blogsites/JAFF (thus reading other JA variations). There’s a lot of books I would recommend – most are P & P variations with lots of EB & FD romance/banters.
Congrats again. Thank you for your blogsite and this give-away.
I can’t resist a list! So…
1. “The Last Man in the World” by Abigail Reynolds.
2. “Twists of Fate” by Joana Starnes
3. Variations with a lot of angst and interesting secondary characters novels.
4. Each one of Austen’s heroines has distinct yet different kind of strength. No ninnies in Austen, therefore no ninnies in a good Austenesque novel. (Did I mention Mr. Darcy? I like the way he’s evolved in the Austen-universe.)
5. A totally new one! (Whatever she likes, I’m that generous. :-P)
6. “The Year in Between” by Christina Morland. I’m afraid its length may intimidate readers but I never heard a reader not wanting it to be longer!
Happy anniversary and many, many returns!
Congratulations! 12 years is impressive.
I have been a follower from the early days.
I honestly don’t remember my first JAFF. And a look at my shelves was no help. So many books.
I am currently reading Nameless and can’t put it down.
My collection is a hodge podge of JAFF. I have mostly variations but have some moderns that I loved.
I prefer no angst….the real world has enough of that.
Happy Anniversary! and here’s to many more years to come.
Congratulations on 12 years!! I always enjoy reading your blog.
It’s insightful and find new authors and book through your recommendations
I read “Pride and Prejudice” when I was in the fifth grade. I fell in love with Mr. Darcy and might not have had the full meaning of the novel but then again read it in high school and got the jest of what Jane Austen wanted to get across to the readers. I then read her other novels.
Being an avid reader all my life I mostly read historical books, medical nursing pertaining to my job as a registered nurse and then anything I could get my hands on to read.
Then in 2013 I found novels by Linda Berdoll that linked me to P & P variations and I stayed up all night reading her novels, “The Ruling Passion”, ” Darcy & Ellzabeth” & “Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife.”
then I moved on the Linda Well’s novels, “Memory” all three volumes and “Imperative” both Volumes. I was hooked and have been reading P & P variations since then.
I have over 350 hardback and paper novels that I have read more than once. then I ran out of book shelves and now have almost 1000 Kindle novels.
I have my favorite authors that I follow but do read many other authors also.
I especially like novels that involve the children as it brings to reality of a family and love ins involved.
My favorite character is Colonel Richard. In fact in the novel, ” The Events at Branxbourne,” by Caitlin Williams I am a character in her novel and I will cherish that novel forever!
HAPPY Blogiversary!!!! 12 years is so amazing! And thank you for the wonderful giveaway, I’d love to enter 🙂
The first Austen-relaed novel I ever read was Pride by Ibi Zoboi – and I loved it! 🙂
Email for giveaway contact: megan(dot)clarsach(at)gmail(dot)com
Congratulations and Happy Blogiversary!!! Twelve years, wow…that’s so much time, effort and dedication and you deserve a pat on the back. Thank you for sharing all of your reads and opinions with us for so long!
1. Technically, my first JAFF find was Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll back in 200?, but I didn’t really delve into JAFF until years later with Pamela Aidan’s trilogy in 2018.
2. Lord, it seems that new and great JAFF is being released daily, but the most recent that I just LOVED would be Nameless by Julie Cooper and Twists of Fate by Joana Starnes. That said, my To Be Read list is backed up and I’m sure I’ve just not gotten to another fave.
3. My favorite type of JAFF would probably be modern. I know I’m in the minority here, but modern JAFF can take you to places that Regency just can’t. It’s a chance to expand further beyond the source material than ever and I just love finding new, clever approaches to it. Elizabeth Adams’ Green Card comes immediately to mind as do the myriad works of Cat Andrews. Casual by Different Thoughts is also a longstanding fave.
4. What I love most about JAFF is sort of related to my answer to #3 — I love seeing what different people can do with the same source materials. It’s amazing to me how the same cast of characters can still seem fresh and surprising in new circumstances, even 200+ years after they were originally created. JAFF (and fanfiction in general, really) is a testament to the ingenuity, flexibility and creativity of the human mind.
5. If I could have Jane Austen pick her pen back up, I’d want her to write an ending to Sandition and/or The Watsons. I want to know what happens!
6. Haha, I’ve got a nice, LONG list of suggestions of various JAFF subgenres if anyone’s interested. Don’t make me choose!
Congratulations again, Meredith. You have a lot to be proud of here.
Congratulations, Meredith, on Twelve Years! Wow!
1. The first Austenesque novel I ever read was The Bar Sinister by Linda Berdoll. I read it twice before searching and discovering on-line JAFF at DWG and beyond. To this day, I still feel Linda’s Darcy is the most swoon-worthy hottie of all Darcys, excepting Dear Jane’s, of course. 😉
2. At the beginning of the Covid quarantine, I turned to JAFF again since I hadn’t been reading for pleasure but concentrating on completing the last book in my series. I re-read many of my favorite variations, the Journey and so forth, and then purchased, Darcy By Any Other Name. I loved the premise, even though it was so far-fetched. But boy, did Laura Hile deliver, proving that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Elizabeth would have said yes to the bumbling parson in a heartbeat had the none too handsome Mr Collins’ character, abilities, and superiority of mind been akin to Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy’s. This summer I’ve read Silence Implies Consent and Speechless. I plan to read the following soon: Being Mrs. Darcy, A Twist of Fate, Fitzwilliam Darcy An Honourable Man, The Matchmaker, Dangerous Magic, and the list goes on.
3. I’m a keen lover of angst and adore angsty FMS.
4. I love being with all the characters that Jane created and that so many authors have developed well beyond. When immersed in an enjoyable JAFF book, it feels like coming home for the holidays to bask in the love and warmth of dear family and friends.
5. I want Jane to write something completely new – with a slew of new characters — a new hero and heroine for us to meet and admire along with the rest of her brilliant novels.
6. I’ve recently discovered Gentlemen of Gloucestershire. It’s a Northanger Abbey sequel by MichelleRW, and I love it, finding it a lovely change from P&P, which is surprising and refreshing for me. Michelle has me falling in love with Catherine and Henry more and more with each chapter because she adds so much depth of character, and her writing is excellent. She’s posting at her blog, ffn, and DWG:
https://www.dwiggie.com/phorum/read.php?5,129796,129796#msg-129796
Hey, congrats on a DOZEN years! Looking forward to many more! As I do not recall ever seeing this quiz — long or short — before, here are the answers.
1. Four days in April by Maria Grace.
2. The appearance of goodness by Brenda Webb (still in prepub review but publishing shortly)
3. Any story that features Colonel Fitzwilliam!
4. Falling in love with the characters all over again.
5. I would rather she wrote another Austen novel rather than an Austenesque novel.
6. The Appearance of goodness!
Happy Blogiversary, Meredith, and here’s to many, many more! Thanks SO MUCH for creating ‘Austenesque Reviews’ and for keeping the magic going year after year. It’s such a happy place for us all to meet and chat about the world we love. I hope you never get tired of blogging. You spread joy all around, and so does your wonderful blog! Thank you!! (And sorry I’m late to the party as always :)) )
Congratulations on having this blog going for 12 years. I enjoy many Austenesque books. I particularly love moderns.
My 3 favorite JA books are Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. I enjoy it when authors mash up the stories and use many characters from more than one JA book.
The most recent book read was A Longbourn Entanglement by Monica Fairview. I did enjoy her take on Mom and Pop Bennet.
I have many books awaiting to be read.
Happy 12th Anniversary, Meredith! Your blog is a wonderful resource of information, inspiration, and just good fun! Congratulations!!
By chance, I stumbled upon Pamela Aidan’s great series ‘Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman’ in my bookstore’s ‘A’ section (looking for the newest book covers on Austen classics) and my already serious fan-girl love affair with Mr. Darcy was sealed. But it was actually later when I found ‘The Darcy Monologues’ the first of the anthology collections that I read from Christina Boyd, that my JAFF addiction dam broke wide open.The authors in each one of the anthologies continue to be some of my favorites. They lead me to blogs, including AR and Jane Austen Variations, and to websites that were treasure troves of yet more authors, more books and a JAFF community of readers who Iove them as much as I.
It seems impossible to choose from the historical, modern and fantasy stories that I have delighted in since then. I re-read: Joana Starnes, Caitlin Williams, Cass Grafton, Brenda Webb, Nicole Clarkston, Elizabeth Adams, KaraLynne Mackrory, whenever my romantic soul needs a good polishing.
I’d thrill to anything new Jane Austen would write. Maybe to share her thoughts, her musings and process, as our JAFF authors do today when announcing their newest novel or speaking of their lives and interests. I imagine it could be like reading one of her letters with the added bonus of asking questions! Perhaps this one… what IS Colonel Fitzwilliam’s Christian/given name??
MANY more happy years!
Meredith – I love and treasure your blog. It has been fun learning about your Mr. Bingley; sharing in the building of your home; your business; your hikes and camping; end of year lists; and especially your dog and love your book room. Yes, I am a long time blog reader. So…..to answer your questions:
Mr. Darcy Takes A Wife
Nameless
Modern versions
Different plots for Pride & Prejudice
The next Chapter or continuation of Pride & Prejudice
Too hard to answer! Maybe Green Card
Again, congratulations and best wishes for many more blogging years.
Congrats!! Thank you for 12 wonderful years, Meredith!! ♡
Happy Blogiverary Meredith. I’ve put this off because I knew I’d run on and on but I couldn’t forego the chance to congratulate you and wish you the best!
My first Austenesque read was one of Abigail Reynolds, I don’t remember which one! I checked it out from the library, went looking for anything about Austen and ran into fan fiction by happy accident. I didn’t read any Austen until my 50’s, gasp! I owned all the movies and felt ashamed I hadn’t read the books. So, made it a New Year’s resolution sometime around ’05/’06 to read all of her books, bought a boxed set and fell in love. After we were in a motor vehicle accident and I was out of commission for months, my hubby went out and bought everything he could find about Austen including her letters, Deirdre Le Faye’s Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels, and David Shapherd’s Annotated Pride and Prejudice, which I nearly wore out, and the BBC Austen movies produced back in the 80’s. It was after that I discovered FF. I started haunting the few existing used bookstores. And that’s where I found Regina Jeffers, Helen Halstead, Diana Birchall and Sybil G. Brinton. It seems like a longer time since I first discovered Austenesque Reviews in Jan. 2015.
The questions…I have been listening to a lot of audio books, ‘re-visiting’ some I loved and already read and for some these listens were for the nth-time. Because I can’t stay away from Darcy and Elizabeth this is my way of staying in that comfortable fantasy world I love while reading a couple of different sub-genres of the Regency: Romance or mystery.
The book I most recently read and ardently loved was Determination: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, by C. P. Odom. Oh my. P&P var. are my favorites, and it’s hard pinning down which premise I like the best. As long as it’s done really well. I too enjoy the stories based on side characters.
My reasons for loving JAFF has evolved since I first started reading it. At first I was happily shocked that somebody had the vision, the talent, the ideas, and the courage to write variations on Jane’s work. I still feel that way, but now I am just floored that such incredible writers have come forth to offer their writing talents to us when with the same talent they could be making a lot more money in another genre. This is truly a gift to us IMHO.
If Jane could write us a novel right now, I’d like it to be a completely new story. Because I with everyone else wishes she could’ve written more.
The last question is really tough. I picked two authors who have older series. The first is Leo Charles Taylor, and his Pride, Prejudice and Assassinations series with Darcy and Elizabeth who are agents for a secret group of people who defend the crown. The first book starts out at Netherfield, and then moves away from Hartfordshire to London after ODC marry, and the characters there are all new. They are exciting, dangerous, and very romantic. I loved D&E’s relationship. The second author is Karen V. Wasylowski and her series mostly centering around Darcy and Elizabeth, Colonel Fitzwilliam and his wife and their families. I loved these funny, sad, really dramatic characters, the ones we already know and the grown up children who you many times want to spank and often times want to hug.
You mentioned what FF you would like & mentioned two names. I know of one example with one of the two characters you mentioned, James Moreland; Crossed in Love: A Pride and Prejudice/Northanger Abbey crossover by Cassandra B. Leigh, a beautiful story.
Here’s to at least another 12 years, Meredith.
I am late to the party but just wanted to wish you congratulations on 12 years of blogging!
Hello Meredith,
I’m super late to the party but I wanted to stop by nevertheless to congratulate you on such a wonderful journey! Your blog is an incredible source for me and I tend to choose books to read based on your reviews, so thank you for all your hard work and congratulations on keeping it going for so long!
Now, about your questions:
1 – Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife was my first Austenesque novel and at the time I didn’t enjoy it, however, I believe that if I read it today I would enjoy it much more.
2 – The latest I read and loved were Nine Ladies by Heather Moll, Twists of fate by Joana Starnes and Blinded by Prejudice by Karalynne Mckrory.
3 – My favorite are definitely variations, but lately I’ve been loving moderns as well.
4 – I think I love it so much because I love all things regency and especially Darcy and Elizabeth’s characters.
5 – Anything from Austen would be a gift, I would love to read anything from her with new characters that we could love as much as Mr. Darcy, for example.
6 – I’ve been doing that for some time now with The Madness of Mr. Darcy by Alexa Adams, that book is so special! I think it has grown even more on me in the last couple of years, which reminds me that I do need to re-read it.
Again, congratulations Meredith!