First we compiled data and analyzed stats… 📊
Now we reflect on those which were our favorites… 😍
In a year filled with terrific reads and fantastic Austenesque, here are the ones I adored the most! 🏆
Here are my 10 Austenesque Reviews’ Favorites for 2024!
~(drumroll)~
…and the honors go to…
for Favorite Pride and Prejudice Variation
(5 books)
A Hopeless Business by Jan Ashton
Thank you, Jan. Mr. Darcy’s love is so patient, so gentle, so unselfish…*swoon!*
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
Mr. Darcy’s Abducted Bride by Julie Cooper
Thank you, Julie. This was a beautiful blend of dramatic and captivating premises – a forced marriage attempt/impetuous rescue/forced proximity..
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
My Dear Friend by Heather Moll
Thank you, Heather. The matchmaking subscription service, the letters, the dual relationships developing – it was all so brilliant!
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
No Less Resentment
Thank you, Nan. This poignant story of adversity, maturity, and finding ones’ path was just incredible
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
Wits & Wagers by Amy D’Orazio
Thank you, Amy. Such sheer diversion. Such amusing antics.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Austenesque Sequel
(1 book)
Mansfield Letters by Paula Atchia
Thank you, Paula. I completely concur with your assertion that Henry deserves to be a hero.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Austenesque Prequel
(1 book)
Finding Jane Fairfax by Robbin J. Peterson
Thank you, Robbin. You made me feel compassion and sympathy for Frank Churchill.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Austenesque Fantasy
(1 book)
Spellbound at Pemberley by Abigail Reynolds
Thank you, Abigail. You conjured up a creative, compelling, and complex fantasy world that is extensive, well-constructed, and eminently enticing.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Austenesque Alternate POV
(1 book)
Mr. Knightley…in his own words by Shannon Winslow
Thank you, Shannon. You created an exceptionally perceptive, well-crafted, and creative augmentation of Mr. Knightley’s character.
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
for Favorite Anthology
(1 book)
Snowdrift and Other Stories by Georgette Heyer
Thank you, Georgette. For sharing these rapid, romantic, and rollicking fun stories with the world!
Buy the Book I Read My Review I Add to Goodreads
~~~
What? No Moderns on this list?!
I read 10 Modern Adaptations this year, but sadly none of them were 5 stars.
So I’d like to give an honorable mention to Relative Strangers and A Pinch of Salt, both of which I really loved for their unique premises and originality.
~~~
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 2024!
- This giveaway is open internationally*
- This giveaway will end January 15th.
*international winners must be able to receive their prize from an Amazon that easily distributes to their country or receive ebooks through Amazon.com
Thanks for a great 2024. Happy New Year, I’m ready for 2025 recommendations!
I appreciate you visiting!! Me too!
It must have been so hard to pick this year. There were so many good ones!
I think my favorite this year was The Bachelor Mr. Darcy by Julie Cooper -it was the final newspaper post that got me. When she talks about Richard as an amazing hero. Also her abandoned at the Altar! And any Melanie Rachel and Alix James that I’ve read.
It always is!
I love hearing about your favorites – especially as two of them are in my TBR pile!
2025 will have to go some to beat 2024, some of which were real standouts.
Can’t wait to see what new stories come our way this year.
Yes! I’m looking forward to seeing what 2025 has in store!
I’ve been out of the Austenesque loop for a while, but slowly coming back, because I miss it! I’ve read Mr. Darcy’s abducted bride and loved it very much and I’m going to check out the ones by Heather Moll and Jan Ashton. They sound very interesting and fresh. Happy new year to you, Meredith and all the others here on the site!
Welcome back, Arjanne! I;m so happy to see you here!
Wasn’t that one so delightful?! I think you would love those two very much!
Happy reading!
I definitely agree that 2024 had some wonderful writing. I finished Amy D’Orazio’s Wits and Wagers over the holidays and I had some laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoyed it so much. I’m looking forward to reading a couple of the above mentioned books. Thank you for the giveaway.
I’m not surprised to hear it! It was such a diverting tale!
I liked Worthy of her Trust by Melissa Anne and Summers at Pemberley by Jennifer Kay
Two I haven’t read! Thanks for the recommendations!
Very grateful to be on this list! Thank you so much for reading My Dear Friend!
Heather – thank YOU for sharing this amazing story with us!
“Darcy’s Struggle” topped my list of favorites this year, though “No Less Resentment” was a close second.
Thanks for all your reviews and recommendations!
The Bachelor Mr Darcy was really amusing and I loved A Pinch of Salt (read it while on holiday in Latvia…)
Fabulous! I’m so happy to hear you loved A Pinch of Salt too!
ooh! Excellent. Thank you for the recommendation! I’ve not read Darcy’s Struggle yet!
Pemberly by Mary Smythe
Excellent! On my TBR pile!
Many great choices and I can’t wait to read all of the ones featuring P&P characters. I just haven’t been able to enjoy ones from other Jane Austen books.
That’s okay! I know you aren’t in alone in that preference!
Bonne année et merci pour toutes ces belles chroniques et présentation d’auteurs <3
Celui qui me tente bien c'est My Dear Friend by Heather Moll
I hope you get to read that one soon, Maria!
I already own copies of each of these P&P variations, except the modern ones listed. I think No Less Resentment and My Dear Friend are my favorites of this list, but they are all exceptional and I will revisit them again from time to time and enjoy them again. Good picks!
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear those were your favorites too!
Thanks for sharing your favorites. I enjoyed Twins for Mr Darcy.
My pleasure! That one looks great!
What a great list! I was working too hard this year to read much Austenesque fiction but would love the opportunity to rectify that omission in 2025. Thank you for your generous spirit and happy new year!
These are all wonderful books. I’ve read almost all of them. I have several favorite JAFF authors and many have put out great books this year…it’s hard to pick favorites so I’m impressed you came up with ten. Looking forward to what comes out this year!
One of my favorites was Saving Jane by AnnaMarie Wallace. I’m also a big fan of Alix James, especially when she writes anything P&P related. I have so many other favorite authors, that it would be impossible to list them all. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to read so many twists on a timeless classic–they never get old!
Thank you for the reviews – we have similar taste so I always enjoy hearing what you thought of books. I particularly enjoyed Heather Moll’s books in 2024.
Your list is great. I’d also like to add The Lady Sleuth of Longborn and The Lake House at Ramsgate. Also, any Laraba Kendig or Tiffany Thomas are fabulous. Looking forward to the offerings of 2025
My Dear Friend and No Less Resentment were two of my favorites this year, too. We were blessed with several wonderful books in 2024!
So many great stories were published this year! My favorites were One Last Chance to Begin Again by AL Ward, The Bachelor Mr. Darcy by J Cooper, and Windswept by JD King. I enjoyed looking back and coming up with my top ten.
Thank you for your reviews as they always make my to read pile grow – haha
My favorite audiobook this year was “I Never Knew Myself” by Melanie Rachel narrated by Harry Frost & Stevie Zimmerman (it also got 1st place in the P&P audiobook FB group). For my favorite in books form, I have no idea as I kept notes on the tons I read but have too many to choose from!
There were lots of great books this year. I don’t know how you were able to choose your favorites! As a long time Heyer fan, I am pleased to see Snow Drift and Other Stories on your list, along with some great JAFF books. I was able to find Mansfield Letters and read it. I thought it ended too abruptly, but it was a good read. I too prefer Henry as a hero.
Looking forward to reading more in the coming new year
Thanks for the suggestions!! I’ve loved everything by Jayne Bamber this year, especially “A quick succession of busy nothings”
Puck and Prejudice was a fun read with a an Austenesque nod.
I love all the moderns you read and recommend! Thank you!
Thank you!
Great list of must-reads! Have read some, but now adding the others to my wishlist!
Thank you! That’s wonderful!
Congrats to all those who made Meredith’s top 2024 reads. Love seeing which books really resonated with you, Meredith. I enjoyed several of those, but still have quite a few to read. Spellbound at Pemberley was a five star for me and I also loved Maria Grace’s Dragons and new to me author MJ Stratton this year.
Thank you for checking out the list, Sophia!
I’m glad to hear what some of your favorites were! Thanks for sharing!
So many, but “Summers at Pemberley” by Jennifer Kay was a favorite.
That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly, Reunited at Rosings by Beatrice Langford,
The Redemption of Lydia Wickham by MJ Stratton, just to name a few I loved this year. So many great authors!
Yes! I greatly enjoyed Murder in Highbury and The Redemption of Lydia Wickham, but I will need to check out Reunited at Rosings. Thanks for the rec!
Sweet to be featured on your list, Meredith! Thank you!
Yes! It was such a great read. Thank YOU for sharing it with us!
Having read so many I can’t pick just one favorite. I did give 5 stars to Journey of Love – A Pemberley Tale and Spells and Shadows: A Fantasy P&P Variation and Fitzwilliam Darcy, Master Spy: A P&P Variation And Rising Courage: all reads from the beginning of last year. Thanks for a chance to win another book.
Excellent! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this list of favorites Meredith, I enjoyed some of those as well. I can’t recall every book that was a favorite this past year but I know I read some good ones especially from Jennifer Joy, Alix James and Summer Hanford to name a few!
That’s a great problem to have – to have so many favorites! I hope you enjoy more from those authors in 2025!
Such a wealth of riches to choose from this past year. Incredible year. I like your choices, although some are still on my TBR. Too many are still on my TBR. Well, that is a gift in itself too.
2024 was a great year for Austenesque stories. I see a lot of your favourites are published by Q&Q, Meredith. Thanks for sharing your favourite reads with your readers. All these will definitely go to my long list of TBR.
Hi Sylvia! Yes, Q&Q has a lot of books coming out every year, and so I do read quite a few myself. It is a testament to their talented authors that so many are my favorites.
2024 was a wonderful year for releasing Austenesque stories. I see quite a lot of them are published by Q&Q, Meredith. Thank you for sharing your favourites reads with us. All these will definitely be added to my ever-growing list of TBR pile.
Sorry for double-posting, Meredith. I didn’t see my earlier comment was posted so I re-type it again.
One of my favorites was Mr. Darcy & the Enchanted Library, by several authors. Also, f we count books read in 2024 vs. published & read in 2024, I loved Mr. Darcy’s Refuge by Abigail Reynolds (read in 2024 but published much earlier).
That one looks so fun! I hope to read it myself! Yes, we definitely can count any books you read this year.
Another gem! I love the premise of Mr. Darcy’s Refuge!
Great list, Meredith! I really enjoyed “Wits and Wagers”…great story! I hope to read the others on your list soon. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for checking out my list! So glad to hear you enjoyed that one too!
I loved reading “Wits & Wagers” and “Mr Darcy’s Abducted Bride”! I want to read “My Dear Friend” soon!
Excellent – I’m glad they were favorites of yours too! I think you will adore My Dear Friend!
My favorites this year have to be “The Measure of Trust” by Alix James and the others in that series. It’s such a compelling story on its own. Adding what we know and love about P&P and its characters brings a whole new dimension to the story!
That sounds wonderful! Thanks for the rec!
I love seeing your favorites and adding more to my TBR! My Dear Friend and Finding Jane Fairfax were my 5 star favorites from 2024.
I’m so glad to hear you loved those two as much as I did!
I’m happy to see we share 3 favorites Meredith! And I have A Hopeless Business on my TBR, so maybe it will be among my favorites next year too!
I hope 2025 will bring you great reads!
That’s wonderful, my friend! I hope you get the chance to read that one soon! Happy reading in 2025!
My Dear Friend by Heather Moll, i loved it !!! Would like to be entered for a paperback copy of the same book. As reading it again & again will be great fun!!!
Brilliant! Excellent choice!
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed No Less Resentment! Thank you for including it on your list; it really made my day, (also week and month).
Thank YOU for writing such a beautiful and unique story for Darcy and Elizabeth – I loved their paths in this one.
Thank you for this post Meredith, I have added some books to my neverending TBR!
I appreciate you checking out my post! I’m glad you found some new books to check out!
I’ve just finished listening to “An (Un)believable Artful Thief” by Jennifer Joy and love it! I have so many favorites that have already been named above. We are so lucky to have so many wonderful writers.
Thanks Meredith, for including me with these other great books!
Your beautiful books deserve all the praise and recognition they receive!
I read over 200 books last year, including many rereads, and it’s hard to pick favourites but I did love books by Melanie Rachel, Heather Moll and Alix James. I know beside those I did love Twins For Mr Darcy by J Dawn King but I would definitely have to check to pick more specific books. Happy New Year
That’s so impressive, Glynis! How wonderful to read so many books! I’m glad to learn about your favorites.
Happy New Year! Last year one of the books I enjoyed was Elizabeth in Italy by Beatrice Langford. I love reading about Elizabeth visit new places.
Ooh! That sounds like one I need to check out!
I absolutely LOVED Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly 😀
I also really enjoyed Elizabeth of East Hampton, and look forward to more of that series.
Excellent choice! I loved Emma as a Regency sleuth – she was marvelous! I hope we see more for both series in 2025!
Here are a few of my favorites
Measures of a man by Alix James
Mr Darcy’s abducted bride by Julie Cooper
From Pemberley to Gretna Green by Laraba Kendig
Favorite modern: Pink Party Punch by Amy D’Oracio from an anthology Affections and wishes
Excellent! Thanks so much for sharing!! I see a couple on your list that I need to add to my TBR pile.
I have read all of the P&P variations you chose and enjoyed and reviewed them on Amazon. I read 4-8 books per week, mostly P&P, and enjoy several authors newsletters.
Some of the books I especially enjoyed were “The Scarred Duchess”, “Doubt Not, Cousin”, “Blended Bennets”, “Abandoned at the Alter”, “The Wager”, “The Scotsmans Ghost”, “The Christmas Heiress”, and “Dragons at Lands End”.
Hi deb,
That’s wonderful to hear!
And of the books you listed, I’ve read zero (so far). So I definitely need to check them out.
Wow! The email for this post just hit my inbox today for some reason, or I would have responded sooner. I’m thrilled and honored to have “Mr. Knightley in His Own Words” named among your favorites this year, Meredith! Thank you so much. Captain Wentworth is next up!
Wow, I’m so honored that you chose Spellbound at Pemberley as one of your favorites! I totally missed this until Shannon pointed it out to me. What a wonderful surprise! Thanks, Meredith!