The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite thing about fall?  I love when the temperatures get crisp and the leaves turn beautiful colors.  We may be at peak colors where I live, my town and the countryside look beautiful.

In New River Virginia in 1904, Lizbeth Bennet lives on her family’s farm on the outskirts of an Appalachian coal mining town.  Together with her parents and four sisters, they work to make the ends meet.  As the mine in New River goes up for sale, coal barons arrive in town to size up the mine and make offers. The deluxe private train car, the Pemberly, arrives with its mysterious owner William Drake who is evaluating the mine for purchase.  Callum Brydolf, Drake’s best friend and lawyer, quickly finds himself smitten with Lizbeth’s oldest sister, Jayne.  Will true love find its way between the wide gap in classes between them?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The cover is absolutely beautiful.  I love the fall colors.

·       I thought this was a unique and inventive retelling of the Pride and Prejudice story.  I really loved the Appalachian setting and the fact that Pemberly was now a deluxe train car.

·       I enjoy reading stories about mining, so I loved the coal mining details in this book, although I kept thinking about the poor mules who lived underground in mines. 

·       The romance was delightful between Lizbeth and Drake and Jayne and Brydolf.  The story remained true to the original but gave new aspects to the characters in their new time and setting. I enjoyed it.

·       I loved the Mr. Bennet was a geologist who worked for the mine, while also farming on the side.

·       Having the ball become a barn dance was a lot of fun.

·       The story was told through a dual point of view from Lizbeth and William’s perspective.  I enjoyed the story being told in this fashion.

·       This is a clean read and a sweet romance.

·       There is a great afterward that describes how the author was inspired to write this novel through her love of the original Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

·       The novel also included fun book club questions.

Overall, The Heart of Bennet Hollow is a charming historical romance that retells the story of Pride and Prejudice in a new and delightful way.  It’s been a hectic month for me at work and in life, and this cozy read was a nice way to end my day and relax.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @joannebischofdewitt @tyndalehouse @austenprose for a review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.