Oh boy! The month is almost half over and I am only now getting to post my favorite reads in 2022. 😩
This will really test if anyone is still interested…or if this list is so last year! 😏
But better late than never, right? 😁
These 12 books truly brought me immense delight and I’m so incredibly grateful that they were a part of my year. 📚
Here are my 12 Austenesque Reviews’ Favorites for 2022!
~(drumroll)~
…and the honors go to…
for Favorite Pride and Prejudice Variation
(3 books)
An Affectionate Heart by Heather Moll
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
Thank you, Heather. This story is exquisite in every way, but especially the depth of feeling and romance.
~~~
Faults of Understanding by Jennifer Altman
Thank you, Jennifer. I absolutely loved the compelling and poignant romance you portrayed.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
The Appearance of Goodness by Brenda Webb
Thank you, Brenda. This tale was so wonderfully riveting and inventive. And it made me love Mr. Darcy so much more!
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Austenesque Modern Adaptation
(3 books)
Dance the Tide by Cat Andrews
Thank you, Cat. I was completely swept away by this gorgeous story about love, healing, and emotional well-being.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
Interference by Kay Honeyman
Thank you, Kay. This sophisticated and meaningful Young Adult Austenesque was such a gem.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
The Emma Project by Sonali Dev
Thank you, Sonali. I’m so in love with the Rajes and how brilliantly you pay homage to Jane Austen with these stories.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Austenesque Sequel
(2 books)
A Match Made at Matlock by Jan Ashton, Julie Cooper, Amy D’Orazio, and Jessie Lewis
Thank you Jan, Julie, Amy. and Jessie. This house party was a sensational delight. I hope it is the first of many.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Grey
Thank you, Claudia. I absolutely adored how you brought all these characters together and the intriguing mystery you constructed. And I don’t mind at all that you killed 0ff Mr. Wickham!
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Regency Romance
(2 books)
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
Thank you, Georgette. Frederica, Lord Alverstroke, and each of their family members were just brilliant – comedic gold.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
The Sisters at Sea View by Julie Klassen
Thank you, Julie. I am already in love with these sisters surviving life’s challenges together.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Historical Fiction
(1 book)
The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews
Thank you, Mimi. This romance was the sweetest fairytale imaginable. I could not love Captain Blunt and Julia more.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Reference Novel
(1 book)
The Annotated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and David M. Shapard
Thank you, David. These annotations are an invaluable source of information, and I love how they enhance my appreciation of Jane Austen’s skill and genius.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
And now time to share the Austenesque Reviews Readers’ Choice Favorites!
Thank you to all who voted!
There were 1️⃣0️⃣9️⃣ different Austenesque books nominated in total for this award!!! And a good number received multiple votes.
The top 5 that received the most votes and are specially recognized as Austenesque Reviews Readers’ Choice Favorites are…
The Last House in Lambton by Grace Gibson
Buy the Book I Add to Goodreads
~~~
The Luxury of Silence by Susan Adriani
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
An Affectionate Heart by Heather Moll
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
A Match Made at Matlock by Jan Ashton, Julie Cooper, Amy D’Orazio, and Jessie Lewis
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
A Stronger Impulse by Julie Cooper
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
Congrats to these 5 ardently admired and loved works!
I’ve read 4 and loved them already, and now I cannot wait to read the one remaining!!
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
We admired and honored, now let’s celebrate! I’d like to offer 2️⃣ of you lovely readers a chance to win one of the magnificent books on either of these lists! (winner’s choice from any of the books listed above, paperback, ebook, or audiobook)
All you need to do is comment below and share with us one (or some) of your favorite reads of 2022!
- One winner will be chosen from the comments on the voting post (comment must be left before 1.15.23)
- This giveaway is open internationally.
- This giveaway will end January 23rd.
I see a couple on your list that I haven’t read yet! I must add them to my TBR list. Some of my favorites published in 2022 were Field of Dreams (J. Dawn King), A Proper Introduction (Alix James), The Marriage Bargain (Lucy Marin), A Little Magic (S. Neha), In Essentials (Sue Barr), To Fall for Mr. Darcy (McMann/Hanford)
Your list is so inspiring and I can’t wait to pick up some of these books! I didn’t read many 5 star books in 2022, but the book that stands out the most is The Victorian City by Judith Flanders. I felt transported back in time!
I haven’t read all of these titles (yet), but the ones I have were amazing. Lots of great books this year ❤️
I really enjoyed An affectionate heart and am so glad to see it on the list. Thanks for the giveaway!
Whether anyone is still interested? Of course! Thank you for this list as recommendation! JAFF is so rich that one always finds new treasures. I’m also very glad to see books from various subgenres. There are some authors like Mimi Mathews I haven’t yet read but maybe I’ll give them a chance. Heyer’s Frederica is a true classic, one of my forever go-to comfort reads.
I confess that I was very curious to see the results. I am delighted to see that many of my favorites are also those of other readers. The ones that differed, I haven’t read yet but I’ll try to resolve that in the coming weeks.
I read three of the books you’ve highlighted, but only reviewed two, was slack last year 🙁
My favourite read of last year was Jane and the Year Without a Summer, which is part of the Jane Austen Investigates series by Stephanie Barron
I forgot to say, so glad to see you enjoyed Frederica, it’s one of my favourite Heyers.
I have to.write down several of your choices as I haven’t read them yet and they do look great.
I would love to know the list as U’m sure there are many, many titles I do not know even exist.
There are great reads in the reader’s list, this past year was amazing for me in terms of reading material.
Thank you Meredith for your lists and reviews.
I find in looking at your list that I have read all those available through KU but the ones listed for $9.99 or more I did not read. There are just so many available through KU that I cannot keep up with those so find no need to spend money on others. Thanks for all your hard work compiling these lists and for a chance to win another book. Mr. Darcy Steals a Kiss was a 5-star read for me.
Great list! Have read some and now have others to get to. . What a great year in JAFF.
Meredith – it doesn’t matter when you post your lists, I always find them interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed An Affectionate Heart. It was such a twist from canon. Thank you for the chance to select a book from your list. You have always been so generous.
It is fun every year to cull through the books I’ve read, pull out the ones published that year, and select the top 10. A few from my list made the list here, but there are a few that I still need to read. Thank you for your work on this!
My favorite is of course The Appearance of Goodness, by Brenda Webb. Love this list of favorites!!!!
PS Brenda’s book is currently on Kindle Unlimited.
I’ve read “The Belle of Belgrave Square”, “The Murder of Mr. Wickham”, and “The Sisters of Seaview – all of them wonderful and deserving of your notice.
Happy New Year, Meredith – and thank you for this giveaway.
2002 was a wonderful year for JAFF. I am so excited to see what 2023 brings us.
I would Love The last House in Lambton.
(the only one I don’t have yet 😉
Oy 2022 (smh)
I’m glad to see a couple of my favorites on the list and I still have to read a few more. Thanks for the giveaway.
The only book that is on the least that I have read is Faults of Understanding by Jennifer Altman and I loved it. Many of them are on my growing TBR list. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity to win one of them 🙂
A couple on this list I have not read but will soon. Probably the best was A Stronger Impulse by Julie Cooper. Everything by her is amazing.
I am so humbled that THE APPEARANCE OF GOODNESS is included in your list of favorites along with so many of my favorite authors. Saw two books I have yet to read and hope to accomplish that soon. I am grateful for all you do to promote JAFF!
Having read nearly 500 P&P variations and knowing my strong preference for Regency settings, I’m surprised to realize my favorite was Cat Andrew’s Sanctuary trilogy.
I did also enjoy her Harvest book.
Thanks for compiling these lists. I’m eager to read several mentioned that I’ve not yet had time to read. David Shapard’s annotated P&P prompted me to pursue the wonderful world of JAFF.
What a great list! I’m thrilled to see so many of my favorite authors win Readers’ Choice awards!
I’ve read a few of the books listed and enjoyed them so far. Still quite a few on TBR. Looking forward to them.
I really loved Elizabeth Adams collection of unusual tales novellas. More than a pretty face by Frances Reynolds was also most excellent!
I think my favorite published in ’22 was The Belle of Belgrave Square. I was also very fond of Disability and Determination (Timothy Underwood’s new best book, which I had to buy even though it’s on KU), More Than a Pretty Face (a brilliant debut by Frances Reynolds, co-starring Elizabeth and Jane and their swains), To Fall for Mr Darcy (McMann and Hanford do it again—and with the best Georgiana/Elizabeth interactions ever), and An Accident at Pemberley (a delightful amnesia variation by Emily Russell). If I win, I will have to flip a coin between Belle of Belgrave Square and the Annotated Pride and Prejudice—Shapard shines an absolutely indispensable light into Regency England.
Wow! Thank you for that list! I now have even MORE books to read. But hey, if I am a winner, I can knock one off that list immediately! Thank you!
2022 – It was an excellent reading year. Congratulations to all the authors mentioned. Your Tops were all favourites of mine too.
What a good choice – I would also give Mistaken Identity by J Dawn King an honourable mention,
So many new books to read! Thanks for the list and the giveaway!
Grace Gibson is an author I will buy sight unseen and Last House in Lambton was a truly lovely book. An Affectionate Heart by Heather Moll has left me in tears every single time I’ve read it. Those are both such well written books. I would have added a Lucy Marin book to the list — another author I now buy sight unseen.
My Dearest Miss Fairfax by Jeanette Watts was a favorite in 2022.
Adding the books I have not read to my list.
Wonderful list, Meredith, and I’m happy to see some of my favorite books and authors on your list and on the readers’ list. Mimi Matthews is always wonderful, and I’ve been diving into Heyer this past year too. And David Shephard’s annotated P&P is always within arm’s reach when I edit or write.
I love your lists every year and was so excited to be able to vote for the readers favourites this year as well! My top three this year were 1. An Unexpected Inheritance by Melanie Rachel
2. The Last House in Lambton by Grace Gibson
3. A Match Made at Matlock by Jan Ashton, Julie Cooper, Amy D’Orazio, Jessie Lewis
You have a great listing here, with more than one of my TBRs! One of my favorite reads of 2022 was The Mansfield Trilogy by Lona Manning. I loved how Fanny Price really grew and became her own person in those books and found her true love and happiness on her own terms.
Thanks for a great list, Meredith and everyone else! I was glad to see some of my favorites (Lambton (or anything!) by Grace Gibson and Frederica by Georgette Heyer) included. And I particularly appreciate other posters listing their favorites from 2022, also. Now I’ve got a great list of new books to try, too! My favs read in 2022 were The Other Bennett Sister by Janice Hadlow, Lessons in Honour by Pamela Aidan and The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews. I say keep the lists coming!
Would love to read A Match Made at Matlock. My favorite last year was My Dearest Miss Fairfax.
Hi Meredith,
I haven’t read any of the titles on the Best of lists, but I have Faults of Understanding by Jennifer Altman in my audio library. This year I really enjoyed Nameless by Julie Cooper and The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow, although I think they were both released prior to 2022. I’ve got so many books on my TBR it’s hard to keep up with the newest releases. Thanks, –Leslie
Thank you so much, Meredith, for choosing Dance the Tide as one of your favorites, and for always giving your support to modern Austenesque authors! I truly appreciate it!
What a phenomenal list! I have read 5 of these wonderful books! I got ‘The Last House in Lambton’ as one of my Christmas books,which I hope to read this winter. Thank you for a chance at the giveaway and I am torn as to which book I would like to win…since I have yet to read a Julie Klassen and the premise of ‘The Sisters of Sea View’ definitely intrigues me, plus I know you love her books, I would like to request that one! Happy New Year, Meredith and all your followers!
I’m so grateful that An Affectionate Heart is included on this phenomenal list. Thank you for wonderful support of JAFF, Meredith!
Great list! I do enjoy your lists. Congrats to all the authors. #ILoveBestOfListSeason
I have all the books on your list execpt the hyett book. Totally agree with you on affectionet heart loved it . I find that I am reading more via ku lately after recent changes with kindle app much easier to borrow than buy a book now. Which for me is a shame I like to horde my books to reread through the year. One you did not mention was Old boots not sure that was 21 or 22 but I did love either way.
Thanks Meredith for all your hard work again this year. I particularly like the month finds I aways save those list to make sure I have read them or at least checked them out to see if I want to read them.
I still need to read The Emma Project by Sonali Dev to complete the series.
d
This is a great list. There are a couple I haven’t read yet. I love this blog.
There’s a couple on the list I haven’t read yet. I love this blog.
Agree with the regency P&P in your list, especially “An Affectionate Heart” (Heather Moll) and “The Appearance of Goodness” (Brenda Webb). Also loved “The Last House in Lambton” (Grace Gibson), “An Unexpected Inheritance” (Melanie Rachel), “Disability and Determination” (Tim Underwood), “More Than a Pretty Face” (Frances Reynolds), “To Fall for Mr Darcy” (Renata McMann & Summer Hanford), and “Once Upon a Time in Pemberley” (Summer Hanford). It was a very good year for lovely stories!
Have read and enjoyed many of the books on these lists and look forward to reading several more very soon!
Awesome stories!!! as you mentioned so much more… I am not familiar with interference. Thank you for having thispost and the giveaway
Thank you for the lists! The lists have so many good books and still so many more I would love to read! My personal favorite must be “The Appearence of Goodness”.
Two of my favorites of the year were Threads of Magic, by Monica Fairview and Faults of Understanding, by Jennifer Altman.
Interesting post! (I wish us all a happy 2023!!!)
I knew it but now it’s official : I read very few Austen variations last year. Even though I have most of the books you mentioned I haven’t read them. Among the ones I have read Julie Cooper’s “A Stronger Impulse” is definitely a favorite, a book that stayed with me long after I read it as illness and disastrous yet good intentions are the ultimate villain in the story.
So, inspired by the post, I’m moving two of the books above in my immediate-TBR list. (I have many TBR lists 😉 )
Thank you for the reminder!
I’ve read and enjoyed most of those on your lists. There were so many great books in 2022, it was hard to choose favourites (although Dance the Tide, The Luxury of Silence and Affectionate Heart were definitely three of those)
I also loved Undoubtedly by Design & An Unpleasant Sort of Man by Michelle d’Arcy; That Perfect Someone, An Endeavour to be Worthy & The Peculiarity of Mr Darcy’s Mirror by Leslie Diamond; The Barrister’s Bride by Suzan Lauder; The Marriage Bargain & Her Sisterly Love by Lucy Marin; An Unexpected Inheritance & An Accidental Holiday by Melanie Rachel; Meet Your Mark & The Peculiar Talent of Miss Elizabeth Bennet by Elizabeth Adams; Mr Darcy Steals a Kiss & A Proper Introduction by Alix James; Darcy in Distress by Laraba Kendig; A cleverly (un) Contrived Compromise by Jennifer Joy and A dutiful Son by Kelly Miller.
I’m sure there were many more and some of these have already been reread.
Many thanks to all these wonderful authors.
I absolutely loved An Affectionate Heart, The Last House in Lambton, and A Match Made in Matlock. From last year I also enjoyed Unfairly Caught: A Mansfield Park Variation, Confessions of the Scandalous Mrs Darcy, The Colonel’s Cousin. Older books I read for the first time last year and thoroughly enjoyed included First Impressions: A YA Trist on Price and Prejudice, The Proud and Prejudiced, The Mercy’s Embrace Trilogy,
I love your list and I love seeing what other readers are loving, too. I helps me prioritize my ever growing TBR. There are a lot of titles on here that I haven’t gotten to yet. Looks like I have hours and hours of entertainment before me!
Meredith, there are so many books on your favorites list I loved, too, (and a few I still have on my TBR list) so to see The Luxury of Silence among them is such a wonderful surprise. Thank you for not only supporting JAFF authors, but for loving JAFF as much as we do. Hugs to you and best wishes for a lovely New Year full of brand new favorites!
Thank you for the P&P variation recommendations! Can’t wait to start reading them!
Fantastic list & there are only like two that I have not read yet.
In 2022 I started Don Jacobson’s Bennett Wardrobe Series! Lots of fun!
My favourite austenesque read in 2022 was Pride and Pina Coladas, it was a fun vacation for my brain
One of my favorites was Mr. Darcy Steals a Kiss by Alix James. The sparkling dialogue and humorous situations reminded me of some of the best romantic comedies from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.
This year has been one headache after another and sadly haven’t read as much as I like.
I did enjoy The Luxury of Silence by Susan Adriani, Never Inconstant by Lyndsay Constable and Wentworth”s Christmas Wish by Susan Kay.
I hope to have more time to read soon and would love to add some of these tiltles to my TBR list. Thanks for the giveaway chance to win. Your lists are always so helpful
I was in a slump last year but I did enjoy Tirzah Price’s Sense and Second Degree Murder
I didn’t get to read much and I miss it tremendously. These books all sound great so there is much to look forward too.
I always look forward to seeing your ‘best of the year’ lists. I’m so tickled you loved Frederica. My faves were on the lists this year which is self-gratifying. But I’ve read some amazing books since I submitted my own choices that were impossible to fit in before the end of the year, darn. There were still some on your lists I haven’t read yet and will go on my wish lists if they aren’t already there. I love that you do this for us each year. It’s still hard to narrow it down to 10 books, ha. But better not give us more options. 😀