9 Delightful Books like The Other Bennett Sister 

It is a fact universally acknowledged that Jane Austen was a sharp observer of the Victorian gentry and drew upon the experiences of family members or friends she knew to create larger-than-life characters who continue to live on in our minds and hearts. 

One of those people includes Jane Austen’s cousin, Countess Eliza de Feuillide, who inspired several of her works, including Lady Susan and Mansfield Park. 

Jill Pitkeathley’s book is a fictional biography of Eliza’s remarkable life, using real correspondence among members of the Austen family and adding an extra dimension to Austen’s works. A fun and lively read, told in journal entries. 

Gill Hornby’s marvelous book focuses not on Jane Austen (as one may assume from the title), but on her elder sister, Cassandra. 

Following Jane’s death, it was Cassandra who took charge of her sister’s literary estate and legacy, protecting her image. 

Through letters and memories in Miss Austen, we get a glimpse into Cassandra’s fascinating life, though tinged with grief and hardship, painting an illuminating portrait of the struggles women faced in Victorian society. 

Most readers of Pride and Prejudice end up falling in love with Mr. Darcy, sooner or later, especially as he learns from his mistakes and proves himself a worthy partner to Elizabeth.

Juliette Shapiro’s novel is a sequel, focusing on the first year of married life for the happy couple. It retains Austen’s signature wit and charm, while weaving a compelling tale set in the same universe. 

If you’ve always wanted to live the life of a heroine from a Jane Austen novel, Cindy Jones’ debut novel delivers on that promise. 

It follows Lily, a devoted Janeite who gets the chance to act in a production of Mansfield Park and meet her one true love, even as she learns to navigate setbacks and grow as a person. 

Another sequel to Pride and Prejudice, this one focuses on Georgiana Darcy. It’s her turn to debut, and she needs all the powers of discernment if she’s determined to land a worthy match at the marriage mart. 

Delightful and engaging, it offers readers the chance to spend more time with beloved characters while immersing themselves in the familiar world of Victorian matchmaking and debutante balls. 

If you love the quaint Victoriana in Austen’s works, accompanied by a heady dose of Gothic horror and mystery, you’ll probably have a good time with Charles Palliser’s Rustication. 

The story follows an unreliable narrator, “rusticated” from Cambridge, who takes refuge in a crumbling mansion and becomes a chief suspect in a series of grisly crimes. Creepy and moody, Rustication is a fantastic read. 

If you’re in the mood for a YA historical romance novel set during the Regency era, you can’t go wrong with Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey. 

This one follows Imogene, an aspiring artist whose suitor joins her family for the summer—but she finds herself drawn closer to his younger brother, Ben. 

A classic set-up told in a light-hearted manner, Suitors and Sabotage is a quick and fun read. 

Those who are getting a little tired of the England setting can opt to experience the fun shenanigans going on in Gilded Age New York high society, with cameo appearances by Edith Wharton and Oscar Wilde, among other delightful surprises in Joy Callaway’s The Fifth Avenue Artists Society. 

It’s a love story, a family saga, and a charming novel of manners, all rolled into one. 

Finally, readers who want a mix of real-life rom-com with escapist fantasy will definitely enjoy the timey-wimey adventure detailed in The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen. 

It’s the brilliantly witty sequel to The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen that first introduced us to the concept of a time-traveling Jane Austen. 

Packed with humor, mischief, and drama, The Unexpected Past of Miss Jane Austen manages to be an unexpectedly refreshing read.