“Ah! there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort. Nobody can be more devoted to home than I am.” – Emma
I wish I could tell Jane Austen just how much this quote rings true this summer—and that readers have been turning to her for comfort when life feels heavy. When I need a dose of Austen, I also reach for books that beautifully illustrate her stories, teach me something new about her life, or adapt my favorite Austen novels with a modern flair.
Today I’m sharing 30 titles that celebrate the vibrant wit and dependable comfort of Jane Austen in a round-up of my favorite retellings, adaptations, and Austen-inspired books for Janeites of all ages.
Join us for Austen in August
The Austen-fest doesn’t stop there: Book Club’s tradition of Austen in August continues. We have a wide variety of events for readers to enjoy, whether you’ve been an Austen fan your whole life or you’re picking up her work for the first time. Join us for book talk, author interviews, and delightfully nerdy deep dives.
30 Jane Austen-inspired books to delight and comfort contemporary readers
Some links (including all Amazon links) are affiliate links. More details here.
Adaptations & Retellings
Unmarriageable
Ayesha At Last
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Recipe for Persuasion
Longbourn
If I Loved You Less
Dear Mr. Knightley
His Good Opinion: A Mr Darcy Novel
Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling
Jane of Austin: A Novel of Sweet Tea and Sensibility
Heartstone
Pride
Jane-Inspired Stories
First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen
The Jane Austen Project
The Austen Playbook (London Celebrities)
The Jane Austen Society
This charming debut is sure to delight Austen fans. Jane Austen lived out her last days in the sleepy village of Chawton, and in the days just after World War II, her legacy still looms large. Times are hard, and we meet several villagers burdened with their own private sorrows, who are doing what they’ve always done: turning to the works of Austen for solace. When a local business attempts to buy the Austen property and raze her cottage, the villagers band together to preserve her legacy. At one point, a character muses that Austen’s works present “a world so a part of our own, yet so separate, that entering it is like some kind of tonic.” The same can be said of Jenner’s wonderful book. Don’t miss Jenner’s 2022 novel Bloomsbury Girls, out May 17; audiophiles should know Juliet Stevenson narrates. For fans of Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Charlie Lovett’s The Last Book of the Grail.
More info →Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery (Being a Jane Austen Mystery Book 1)
The Next Great Jane
Nonfiction for Janeites
The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things
Jane Austen at Home: A Biography
Jane Austen: A Life
Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom
Jane Austen’s Letters
Austen Years: A Memoir in Five Novels
For Little Austen Fans
Emma (Cozy Classics)
Goodnight Mr. Darcy
Bedtime classic Goodnight Moon gets an Austenite twist in this adorable board book. Our beloved Pride and Prejudice characters appear at the Netherfield Ball in a cute parody. "In the great ballroom, there was a country dance, and a well-played tune, and Elizabeth Bennett; and Mr. Darcy surprised, by a pair of fine eyes ... And don't forget Jane with a blush and Mr. Bingley turned to mush, and a gossiping mother and father saying hush."
More info →Where’s Jane?
Little Miss Austen: Sense and Sensibility
Little People, Big Dreams: Jane Austen
Do you have a favorite Austen adaptation? We’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments. (Go ahead and share your favorite original Austen novel, too!)
P.S. When you run out of Austen-inspired novels, enjoy these 10 comforting classics, and if you need an Austen-inspired gift for a friend (or yourself), check out the Jane Austen Gift Guide.
79 comments
How does the book version of Bridget Jones Diary compare to the movie? Despite my adoration of both P&P and Colin Firth I somehow hated that movie but I’m willing to try the book if it’s better!
I think the book is very fun – its all written in short diary entries. I have to say epistolary novels are my LEAST favorite style of writing, so its saying a lot that I really love this. Bridget is a bit of an idiot though, so if that is why you didn’t like the movie, you may not love it here.
Bridget Jones Diary is one of the funniest books I have ever read and I often reread it for a pick me up. Better than the movie.
The Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series by Pamela Aiden is THE BEST alternate perspective retelling I have read so far and I’ve read… a lot of Jane Austen retellings and fan fiction.
Yes!! I re-read Aidan’s trilogy as often as P&P itself. Love it!
Yes! This is what I came here to say, too!
I wish she would tell Brougham/Georgiannacs story…I’ve been waiting years for that!
I am constantly looking to see if she has written it yet because I want that story SOOO badly!
Just finished re-reading A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz. I love this book.
Yes, A Jane Austen Education is one of my favorite books ever! It really made me think and also want to read all of Jane Austen’s books!
I know Anne loves A Jane Austen Education, too, so I was surprised not to see it here. It’s the best, I adore it!!
I loved this book as well. Found myself social media stalking the people in this true story! My daughter gave this book to several young men she has dated. Such a testimony to the power of good writing.
Agreed! Should definitely be added to this list!
I have read (a lot) of ‘after’ stories about Lizzy and Darcy’s life after the book ends. I really enjoyed most of them! Are there any ‘after’ stories about Emma and Knightley??
You are right, where are the retellings of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey?? And where are the After Books on them? Would love to read about Emma and Mr Knightley, my favorite couple, AFTER!
The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray is a wonderful Jane Austen retelling. It has practically all of her best characters, plus a few new ones!
I love What Matters in Jane Austen? By John Mullan for a nonfiction pick- there’s so much detail that a modern reader might miss.
I love “What Matters in Austen” too and also “What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew” by Daniel Pool. Both books are entertaining and give fascinating insights into the social customs of the time and have deepened my pleasure when reading 19th century novels.
I love The Jane Austen Project and would be thrilled to see a Netflix series based on the book. I had actually written to the author several years ago when I finished the novel to ask her if there were any plans to bring her story to the screen. She generously responded and we had an enjoyable email chat!
Where is The Other Bennet Sister? I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Absolutely! I just came on here to recommend that one. I’m currently listening to it on audio and I have to say it is excellent. Really like the alternative viewpoints to events from P&P as well as the what-happened-next element. I’ve had a go at a few before but they’ve never seemed to hit the mark – too much about the romance and not enough about society maybe? This is is fab though.
I just finished this interesting book on Mary, the unpopular and rather pedantic sister. It covers her coming of age and psychological development until she finds happiness. Such a good read.
My favorite Jane Austen novel is the one I:
a) am currently (re)reading
b) the one I just finished (re)reading
c) the one I will (re)read next
d) ALL OF THEM!
Oh, my goodness! I feel the same way! It’s hard to pick a favorite but I do find myself rereading P&P more frequently than the rest.
What would be a good Jane Austen book for a 10 yr. old girl ? Thanks
Not “just” Austen, but my girls loved The Mother Daughter Book Club. One of the books is about them reading Pride and Prejudice. Othe novels they read throughout the years (each book in the series is one year and one book club book) are Little Women, Daddy Longlegs, Betsy Tacey,Jane Eyer). Fun idealic tween/teen series that remains clean. It takes them from 7th grade to 11th.
It also seems from the plot summary above that Dear Mr Knightley is actually an adaptation of Jean Webster’s Daddy Long Legs
I really like the Jane Austen mystery series. I know a lot of people complain that it’s nothing like Jane Austen, but I thought they were well done and utilized Austen’s ability to closely observe the world around her well.
Also, Dear Mr. Knightley sounds kind of like a modern version of Daddy Long Legs. That’s definitely going on my tbr list!
It is 100% a retelling of Daddy Long Legs! (Almost felt a bit like plagiarism when I read it…)
That’s what Pride and Prejudice and Zombies felt like to me. Almost identical except with the add on of zombies.
I always think that the Joan Aiken ‘Sequels’ are little overlooked. They are both faithful and accessible. Not to mention completely delightful.
I absolutely loved the Jane Austen Society! It was different and charming.
I enjoyed Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron by Stephanie Barron for a different take on Jane as well as Cedar Hollow Farm by Amanda Schwantes. It doesnt say so in the description but it must be based on Persuasion.
Just finished Miss Austen by Gill Hornby- well written and made the Austen family seem more “real” as opposed to just historical figures
I AGREE! I just finished listening to this last month. I think the author did a superior job of giving quirks to the real Austen family members that you can easily align them with her fictional characters. In my good reads review I said this the best imitation of an Austen novel that I’ve read.
I need some help. I have some beautiful editions of all the Austen novels and own all the books on my kindle. However, I would like to buy all the books in paper form that I could actually read repeatably and be able to see with my 56 year old eyes. Does anybody have a good suggestion? I thought this would be the perfect group to ask!
I also really enjoyed The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler.
For those who enjoy mysteries and are looking for “after” stories of Darcy and Lizzie, the Mr. & Mrs Darcy series by Carrie Bebris takes the reader through each Austen book/setting, but with the Darcys solving whatever mystery is posed. It even includes a book based on Sanditon, the unfinished Austen work recently adapted for television.
Thank you for this list!! I re-read Emma this spring as I needed something comforting to enjoy and this list is EXACTLY what I need as these tense, uncertain times continue! I’m off to put in some library requests! 🙂
So many books inspired by the works of Jane Austen! My favorite is definitely Sense and sensibility, but I liked Persuasion a lot also. I hated Emma though 😅
For a quirky spin on what it might look like if Jane were alive now, I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Thomas Ford’s Jane Bites Back. Jane is a vampire running an indie bookstore.
Anne, you outdid yourself with this blog post! So much comforting goodness!!! Austen in August just became my new favorite thing. Thank you!
Old Friends and New Fancies (by Sybil G. Brinton) was the first Jane Austen sequel, and it smashes up the characters from all her novels. It ties up some loose ends very enjoyably!
Oooh, that sounds fun! Let me write that down!
I do the Around the Year book challenge and last year 4 books was to read “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”. So I read old = Pride and Prejudice; new = Pride; blue = Unmarriageable (with the blue cover); borrowed = Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe. (I also read Emma and Emma by Alexander McCall Smith for two books with the same name.)
So next year they are doing 3 books related to past, present and future. I was thinking The Jane Austen Society for present and The Jane Austen Project for future. Does anyone have suggestions on what would work better?
Kind of feel like Austenland by Shannon Hale deserves to be in this mix, not because it’s so good (I’d give it no higher than three stars out of five), but because the movie it inspired is the perfect late night with girlfriends ridiculous but so fun guilty pleasure kind of watch. And also, because I kind of want Austenland to be a real thing.
Yes Suzanne, Austenland is a great one! Did you read the next one, Midnight in Austenland?
I recently read The Clergyman’s Wife, which continued the story of Charlotte Lucas once she married the ghastly Mr. Collins. I loved it because I always found her to be so interesting- after all, who marries him by choice?
I very much enjoyed A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz. It’s rare to hear from a man on Jane Austen and even rarer to have someone write what they learned about themselves through reading through each of Austen’s novels.
Who could omit PAMELA AIDAN’S marvelous, well-written FITZWILLIAM DARCY, GENTLEMAN Trilogy , consisting of:
1) “An Assembly such as This ”
2) ” Duty and Desire”
3) “The Three Remain
Jane Austen’s classic novel of PRIDE & PREJUDICE is beloved by millions, but little is revealed in the book about the mysterious and handsome hero, Mr. Darcy. And so, the question has long remained: Who is Fitzwilliam Darcy? Pamela Aidan finally answers this. Setting the story vividly against the colorful historical and political background of the Regency.
P.S. to my email of 8/6/20— This trilogy by Pamela Aidan is also one of the most well-written of “the peripheral Austen books” and extremely well-researched. Top notch!
In the YA genre, I enjoyed Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnick, a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, as well as the Jane Austen Diaries by Jenni James. Not high literature, but fun teen retellings.
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife!!
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow is an excellent read.
It focuses on Mary’s story but ties in with other loved characters too.
I have this one on my shelf right now!
The Other Bennett Sister! So, so good.
Austenland! The characters are hysterical- still has the romance etc, but over the top slapstick.
Thanks, Anne. I’m a Janeite and a children’s librarian, so I just ordered “The Next Great Jane” from your link.
I hope you enjoy it!
No Austenland? (by Shannon Hale). lol Book and movie both are fun. Miss Austen Regrets [movie] is my favorite Jane-ish thing. I love Bridget Jones and Unmarriageable which I read and reviewed not long ago. I’m so happy you included the shout-out to Louisville’s own! It’s such a fun conference and the vital one was just amazing! Alexander McCall Smith has done a version of Emma, Joanna Trollope did Sense/Sensibility in a re-telling series, too, I wasn’t thrilled with either though I love both authors. Here’s a link to my thoughts if interested https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2016/04/26/what-ive-been-reading/
I have an ARC right now that after reading this post, I will have to move to the top of the queue, called Jane in Love. Love reading all of the other suggestions, so many I didn’t know of!
Have you seen/read this: Excerpt of In Plain Sight: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, by Don Jacobson
https://austenprose.com/2020/08/07/a-preview-exclusive-excerpt-of-in-plain-sight-a-pride-prejudice-variation-by-don-jacobson/
The best book I’ve read on Jane Austen herself was “Parson Austen’s Daughter” by Helen Ashton. I really enjoyed it.
This list is excellent. Thank you! I’ve added so many books to my “To Read” list. A few years ago I read “By the Book” by Julia Sonneborn. It’s is a really faithful adaptation of “Persuasion” but set at a university where a professor working towards tenure finds out that her lost love is now the president of the university.
Loooooved Ayesha at Last. A retelling and yet an original story all on its own.
One of my favourite blog posts of the year, thank you. I have added several to my must read list. Jane Austen is my all time favourite writer and my absolute top book is Persuasion followed by Sense and Sensibility. I did my dissertation on Austen at university (obviously) and still have it in the loft somewhere. She is one of my comfort authors and most years I will do a reread through all of her books. I keep telling myself that I should buy myself some beautiful copies too instead of my old paperbacks which are full of university notes. I love the posts where the comments have some good suggestions as well as the actual post an you have token coming back to the post over a couple of days for extra recommendations. x
Love this list- thank you!
Have you ever read “The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen” by Syrie James? It’s a beautifully written fictional story of a clandestine romance. James also wrote “The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen” and “The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte.” It’s been years since I read these (maybe a decade??) but they sit in places of honor near the Austen, Bronte and Gaskell books on my shelf. 🙂
The best of many P&P variations I’ve read is Seasons of Waiting by Christina Morland – wonderful interpretations of all of the characters and a beautiful, slowly unfolding reunion of E and Mr. D after 25 years of separation with detailed, dense flashbacks of key periods in those seasons apart. Also loved the movie Becoming Jane and enjoyed the first season of Sanditon.
Thank you for the list of wonderful books to explore. I read Dear Mr. Knightley a few years ago and loved it!
Thank you for participating in the virtual Jane Austen Festival this year. Not as good as the real thing but definitely worth watching and listening to!
After recently finishing “Emma” ,I have now decided that is my favorite Jane Austen book. I am almost finished reading “Lizzy & Jane” by Katherine Reay/ Than You for the list.
Marilyn
I just finished Gill Hornby’s “Miss Austen” more about Cassandra Austen.
All of these are good books, but my favourite variant so far has been the book Charlotte by South African author Helen Moffett. As the name suggests, this is focused around Charlotte Lucas. The book starts with Charlotte’s take on what happens in P&P, then follows her story in Kent.
What this author achieves hit me like an atomic bomb, and I will never judge a book (person) by its cover ever again….strength and character is not always of the same flavour. A masterpiece.
I really enjoyed The Pursuit of Mary Bennett by Pamela Mingle
Pemberley Shades by
DA Bonovia- Hunt.
The Secret Life of Mary Bennett by Katherine Cowley is a clever continuation of P&P.
Austenland by Shannon Hale is relatable for those who LOVE reading, rereading, watching, etc., P&P.
I know this list is a couple years old, but if it’s ever updated The Bennet Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi deserves a spot. Contemporary, diverse P&P retelling set in a women’s dorm at a northeastern liberal arts college.
What a wonderful resource! Thank you!
I know a lot of people know about Ayesha At Last, but a lesser know even better modern Muslin retelling is Sofia Khan is Note Obliged. It was laugh-out-loud funny but still kept the original bones of Pride & Prejudice. I’m also a big fan of Death Comes to Pemberley and I’m excited to read The Murder of Mr. Wickham.
There is a German language book, unfortunately not (yet) translated into English, “Miss Lucy Steele” by Ruth Berger. An homage to Jane Austen, rolling out the fictional/possible story of Lucy Steele fron “Sense and Sensibility”. It is great and I’m hoping it will be available in English one day.