Lady Susan by Jane Austen

 

Lady Susan by Jane Austen.

This edition published 25th August 2022 by Penguin Classics.

Originally published 1815.

Audio book narrated by Emilia Fox.

From the cover of the book:

Recently widowed, the unscrupulous and beautiful Lady Susan Vernon is determined to scheme her way through high society in the hope of a profitable new match - all while trying to marry off her unfortunate daughter. 

Told through a series of letters, Jane Austen's magnificent first novella is as subversive as it is charming.

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Lady Susan is an early work by Austen, written in 1794, but not published until 1871 long after her death.

This is an epstolary novella (with a short conclusion tying up the ends of the story) about the recenty widowed Lady Susan Vernon. Charming and beautiful, but short of funds and encumbered with a sixteen year old daughter (Frederica) she cannot wait to be rid of, Lady Susan enjoys playing the coquette.

Having caused trouble by overstaying her welcome with the Mainwaring family, by wresting the affections of Mr Mainwaring from his wife, and those of Sir James Martin from the young lady he had been wooing, Lady Susan arrives at Churchill - home of her late husband's brother and his wife Catherine. Her reputation precedes her, but she is on her best behaviour until Catherine's brother Reginald De Courcy comes to stay, who she cannot resist amusing herself with.

Ructions within the house are soon increased by the arrival of shy Frederica who has run away from school, and idiotic Sir James, who Lady Susan intends for her daughter - much to Frederica's distress. In close order, Frederica falls in love with Reginald, and Lady Susan's capricious nature gets the better of her (mostly through jealousy and spite). Suffice to say Lady Susan wears out her welcome once more, and leaves a trail of trouble in her wake... 

For a book told (almost) entirely through letters between Lady Susan and her friend Alicia Johnson, and Catherine and her parents, with occasional additions to/from Reginald, this works incredibly well as a novella. The story is thoroughly absorbing, and Lady Susan's behaviour is scandalous. I like to think of her as Austen's Becky Sharp, as she displays just the same narcissitic behaviours and doesn't give two hoots for anyone but herself. Love her, or loathe her, she is certainly audacious!

There is some nice comedy in this one, and Austen's wit has a ball with the male characters who make fools of themselves throughout over a pretty face and strategically batted eyelashes. Lots of fun!

Lady Susan is available to buy now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Jane Austen, the daughter of a clergyman, was born in Hampshire in 1775, and later lived in Bath and the village of Chawton. As a child and teenager, she wrote brilliantly witty stories for her family's amusement, as well as a novella, Lady Susan.

Her first published novel was Sense and Sensibility, which appeared in 1811 and was soon followed by Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma.

Austen died in 1817, and Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously in 1818.

Emma by Jane Austen

 

Emma by Jane Austern

This edition published 1st October 2009 by Penguin Classics. 

Originally published 1815.

From the cover of the book:

Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage.

Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protégée Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected.

With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work.

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Emma was published in 1815, and is a comedy of manners set in the fictional village of Highbury. Emma Woodhouse, the eponymous heroine of the novel, is the mistress of Hartfield (seat of the principal family), where she lives with her widowed father. With her governess just married to neighbour Mr Weston (a happening Emma likes to take credit for), Emma is lonely. Her beloved father, a terrible hypochondriac, is not good company for her, so she decides to take an interest in one Harriet Smith, a young lady of doubtful parentage who lives as a border at the local school for girls - against the advice of her brother-in-law, Mr Knightley.

Convinced her powers as matchmaker can bring about the marriage of Harriet with local clergyman, Mr Elton, Emma does her utmost to bring them together. Meanwhile, Frank Churchill, the prodigal son of Mr Weston who the whole village are preoccupied with (despite not having seen him) is expected any moment. Independent minded, and independently fortuned, Emma, has sworn off marriage herself, but feels the prospect of romance appoaching - especially since many in Highbury expect them to wed.

In a tangle of misconceptions, and dawning realisations, this tale involves just about every genteel family in the village to great comic effect, and the characters are delicious. Emma herself divides the crowd, as she is a bit full of herself, and has a tendency to meddle where she really should not - especially in empty-headed Harriet's affairs. I rather like her though, she is far from obnoxious, learns some lessons about herself, and has a good heart. 

Talking of obnoxious... smarmy Elton and his social climbing wife are definitely awful; and as for that player, Frank Churchill, I never can abide him... 🤣

I really enjoyed my revisit to Emma. It truly is comedy gold, with a lovely slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance. It has some really thought provoking reflections on class, and the dependency of women in Regency England too.

Emma is available to by now in multiple formats.

About the author:

Jane Austen, the daughter of a clergyman, was born in Hampshire in 1775, and later lived in Bath and the village of Chawton. As a child and teenager, she wrote brilliantly witty stories for her family's amusement, as well as a novella, Lady Susan.

Her first published novel was Sense and Sensibility, which appeared in 1811 and was soon followed by Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma.

Austen died in 1817, and Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously in 1818.

The Nightingale Dilemma by Katy Moran

 

The Nightingale Dilemma by Katy Moran.

Published 3rd July 2025 by Apollo, Head of Zeus.

From the cover of the book:

**PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS MY LADY'S SECRETS**

1812...

Following the drum in Spain, rebellious aristocrat Cressida Nightingale has put her tumultuous past far behind her, and with it her short-lived marriage to Lord Greville.

Having escaped the constraints of her previous life and now scorned by society, Cressida has spent years surviving as a spy for her government. Whilst this is a hard life, it's hers and she will fight to keep it. Then her world comes crashing down when she is caught behind enemy lines by none other than her estranged husband.

Betrayed by those who have willingly taken the information she offered, Cressida is offered a deal. Entrap her childhood friend, Lord Byron, now the most famous man in England and one who is suspected of treason, or pay the ultimate price for her own treasonous acts.

Can this nightingale escape the shackles of her past, and what price will she pay for it is she can't?

***********

1812. Aristocrat Lady Cressida Nightingale has spent years following the drum in Spain, in the heat of battle of the Peninsular War. Secretly, she has spent much of her time spying for the government, but now she has been caught behind enemy lines by her estranged husband, Lord Greville, an officer in the Rifles - the man she has been pointedly avoiding since the collapse of her high society marriage in a flurry of scandal.

Arrested as a traitor, and brought back home in disgrace, Cressida has been betrayed by those who have made use of the information she has supplied. The only way she can save her skin is by taking on a another delicate mission - entrapping her friend Lord Byron, who is suspected of treasonous acts on British soil...

I am a big fan of Katy Moran's writing, having loved her Lamorna Family trilogy, and could not wait to get stuck into The Nightingale Dilemma for more of her gorgeous settings, compelling characters, and slow-burn story-telling rich with luscious detail of time and place.

This stand-alone novel is told from the perspectives of rebellious Cressida and her estranged husband Greville. Driving the story, Cressida's fight for survival gets her into a number of sticky situations that keep you firmly on your satin-slippered toes as she is required to reconcile with family and friends post-scandalous exit from the haut ton, and fight her way out of danger, not to mention negotiate a relationship with Greville that veers wildly between fiery sexual attraction and seething hate. Meanwhile, Greville has to wade through pretty much the same level of family difficulties, scandal, and attempts to decide out how he feels about seeing Cressida again too.

There is a fair amount of backstory to take-on-board about complicated family situations on both sides; their short tempestuous marriage; political unrest; and significant moments from the war, before you can understand quite what is happening in the book - but hold onto your fine-linen shifts and tattered shakos, because all this detail pays dividends once the action really gets going in Scotland. It does help if you know a little about the Peninsular War before embarking on the story as this has major bearing on Cressida and Greville's motives and relationship.

Lush plotlines revolve around political scheming, rebellion, betrayal, blackmail, smuggling, slavery, and the gulf between rich and poor, which show off Moran's skill when it comes to filling out her books with historical context and oodles of social history, and she also knows how to weave in romantic suspense and red-hot passion to stir your emotions. The resulting novel sits nicely somewhere between Bernard Cornwell's excellent Sharpe series (with a lovely nod to the green-jacketed Rifles through swoon-worthy Greville), Regency society yarn, and atmospheric Du Maurier mystery, which makes for a delicious combination. The inclusion of mad, bad, and dangerous to know Lord Byron also provides a lot of salacious fun, and touches on aspects of sexuality in Regency Britain that are quite thought provoking.

Just my kind of spellbinding historical adventure, with a love story between Cressida and Greville that is enemies-to-lovers gold. Another winner from Katy Moran!

The Nightingale Dilemma is available to buy now in paperback, and ebook formats.

Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Katy Moran writes romantic historical fiction filled with adventure, passion and political intrigue. Her books are set in an alternate history just a step away from our own. She lives in the Welsh borders with her family and four miniature sheep.

All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain

All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain.

Published 11th September 2025 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

In Wynbridge, the scent of autumn is on the breeze and love is in the air…

Clemmie Bennett has been renovating beautiful Rowan Cottage on the outskirts of the small town of Wynbridge, for eighteen months following a very public heartbreak back in her childhood hometown. The popular Instagram influencer, lost her husband, sold their home, and has been cosied up the Fens and living a very private life, but now she feels it’s time for a change.

A chance encounter with co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café, the bubbly Lizzie Dixon, pulls her into organizing Wynbridge’s first-ever Autumn Festival, and her once quiet life is soon a distant memory. With the whole town rallying behind the event, she discovers a new sense of purpose.

And when local vet Ash falls hard for Clemmie, she begins to wonder if she’s ready to move even further on from her past and fall in love again…

This autumn, cosy up with Heidi and this perfect seasonal romance.

***********

Three years ago Clemmie Bennet's life fell apart when her husband, Callum, died in a tragic accident. Broken-hearted she sold the house they had been doing-up together, closed the popular Instagram account where they had been posting about their renovation project, and moved to the Fenland town of Wynbridge for a new start.

For the last eighteen months Clemmie has kept herself to herself, anonymously sharing pictures of her autumnal colour schemes and designs on Instagram, as she transforms Rowan Cottage into a cosy haven where she can deal with her grief in her own quiet way. She now feels ready to dip her toe in Wynbridge life for the first time.

Lizzie Dixon, co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café, and handsome vet Ash become her first tentative friends. Encouraged by Lizzie, who recognises her talents, Clemmie agrees to organise Wynbridge's first Autumn Festival with Ash's help, despite her reservations. She and Ash are soon the best of pals, especially once he persuades her to adopt Pixie, a little dog who is suffering from the loss of her elderly owner.

Clemmie settles in to make this a festival to remember, but her confidence is knocked when some in the community are loudly unhappy about an outsider heading up the project. Her anxiety rises when she begins to suspect that Ash might want to be more than good friends. Can Clemmie overcome the challenges she faces, and open up her heart to love once more?

Heidi Swain's first Autumn book, All Wrapped Up, is set in her thriving community of Wynbridge, and follows the heart-warming tale of new character Clemmie. More than a few familiar faces make an appearance too, giving you a chance to catch up with the lives of the Wynbridge residents you have come to know and love.

Clemmie is a young widow, having undergone the tragic loss of her husband. Overwhelmed by grief, Clemmie has sworn off love and hidden herself away while renovating Rowan Cottage. She now feels ready to slowly discover the delights of Wynbridge, but this little Fenland community has other ideas... soon she has a lot more on her plate that she anticipated as she organises a festival, negotiates new friendships, and welcomes a special canine companion into her home.

The festival arrangements turn out to be problematic, but the fabulous community pulls together to save the day - and Clemmie eventually makes unexpected friends from the nay-sayers as well. Along the way, Swain weaves a gorgeous, gentle romance between Clemmie and Ash, with lots of will-they-won't-they suspense and Pixie playing cupid. Ahh!

With lashings of seasonal content, crisp forest walks, and super cosy settings, Swain makes the most of the atmospheric autumnal vibes. Her favourite themes of friendship, family, and community run through the story, and she touches deftly on relationships, loneliness, and dealing with loss in the heartfelt way she has.

I loved it. Perfect reading now we are into the season of mist and mellow fruitfulness! 

All Wrapped Up is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to take part in this Books and the City blog tour.

About the author:

Heidi Swain is a Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author who writes feel good fiction for Simon & Schuster. She releases two books a year, and the stories all have a strong sense of community, family and friendship. She is currently writing books set in three locations - the Fenland town of Wynbridge, Nightingale Square in Norwich and Wynmouth on the Norfolk coast, as well as summer standalone titles. 

Heidi lives in beautiful west Norfolk. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside, collecting vintage paraphernalia and reading. Her tbr pile is always out of control!

 

 August 2025 Reading Round-Up

I managed to squeeze in a very healthy fourteen books in August, and there are at least two contenders here for my book of the year! You can find my reviews of these gems by clicking on the pictures below...

The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

We Live Here Now by C.D. Rose

Home Before Dark by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir

The House At Devil's Neck by Tom Mead

The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone

Watching You by Helen Fields

The Cut by Richard Armitage

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

Second Act At Appleton Green by Kate Forster

The Forest Hideaway by Sharon Gosling

Yours For The Season by Emily Stone

L.A. Women by Ella Berman

Heroes by Stephen Fry

September is off with a book to get you in the autumn mood,,, watch this space for more!

Heroes by Stephen Fry

 

Heroes: The myths of the Ancient Greek heroes retold: 2 (Stephen Fry’s Greek Myths, 2).

Published 1st November 2018 by Michael Joseph.

From the cover of the book:

Few mere mortals have ever embarked on such bold and heart-stirring adventures, overcome myriad monstrous perils, or outwitted scheming vengeful gods, quite as stylishly and triumphantly as Greek heroes.

In this companion to his bestselling Mythos, Stephen Fry brilliantly retells these dramatic, funny, tragic and timeless tales.

Join Jason aboard the Argo as he quests for the Golden Fleece. See Atalanta - who was raised by bears - outrun any man before being tricked with golden apples. Witness wily Oedipus solve the riddle of the Sphinx and discover how Bellerophon captures the winged horse Pegasus to help him slay the monster Chimera.

Filled with white-knuckle chases and battles, impossible puzzles and riddles, acts of base cowardice and real bravery, not to mention murders and selfless sacrifices, Heroes is the story of what we mortals are truly capable of - at our worst and our very best.

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I absolutely loved Stephen Fry's first foray into the world of Greek mythology, Mythos, and have been dipping into this second volume, Heroes, on and off for quite some time. However, no book by Fry is complete without taking in his expressive dulcet tones in the audio book version too - which I had the pleasure to listen to last month.

In this second volume, Fry concentrates on the fascinating adventures of a number of mythical Greek heroes, bringing alive the tales of Perseus, Heracles, Jason, Oedipus, Bellerophon, and Theseus, with the pleasing addition of Atalanta... and a few asides to related stories.

I thought I knew many of these myths well, but Fry proved that there was a lot more to discover about these famous characters, as he delves into their death defying feats of bravery, their monstrous foes, their loves, their motivations, and their tragic missteps. I have also never realised before quite how much the stories of the different heroes overlap and connect with each other, which was a bit of a revelation. Alongside the stories, Fry adds lovely snippets about language, repeating themes, motifs that echo through history, and how the significance of the acts of the heroes on how the modern world came into being.

This was just as entertaining as I was expecting, and a fabulous vehicle for Fry's prodigious wit, warmth, and accomplished storytelling talents. I cannot wait to devour book three next, Troy, which has been sitting on the shelf for far too long.

Heroes is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.

About the author:

Stephen Fry is an award-winning comedian, actor, presenter and director. He rose to fame alongside Hugh Laurie in A Bit of Fry and Laurie (which he co-wrote with Laurie) and Jeeves and Wooster and was unforgettable as General Melchett in Blackadder.

He has hosted over 180 episodes of QI and has narrated all seven of the Harry Potter novels for the audiobook recordings. He is the bestselling author of four novels - The Liar, The Hippopotamus, Making History and The Stars' Tennis Balls - as well as three volumes of autobiography - Moab is My Washpot, The Fry Chronicles and More Fool Me. Mythos, Heroes, Troy, and Odyssey, his retelling of the Greek myths, are all Sunday Times bestsellers.

L.A. Women by Ella Berman

 

L.A. Women by Ella Berman.

Published 5th August 2025 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

After a steady descent from literary stardom, Lane Warren is back. She's secured a new book deal based off the life of her sometime friend and, more often, rival Gala Margolis. Lane's only problem is that notorious free spirit Gala has been missing for months.

Ten years earlier, Gala was a charming socialite and Lane was a Hollywood outsider amidst the glittering 1960s L.A. party scene. Though they were never best friends, Lane found Gala sharp and compelling. Gala liked that Lane took her seriously. They were both writers. They were drawn to each other.

That was until Gala's star began to rise, and Lane grew envious. Then Lane did something that she wouldn't ever be able to take back, changing the trajectories of both their lives.

Bold, dazzling, and crackling with tension, L.A. Women plunges readers into the legendary parties and unparalleled creativity of iconic Laurel Canyon, while exploring the impossible choices women face when ambition collides with intimacy. At what cost does great art emerge? And who pays the price?

***********

New Year's Eve, 1965/66. Journalist Lane is introduced to sparkling socialite Gala Margolis at an L.A. party. Outsider Lane is drawn to Gala, and although they never become quite what either would describe as friends, their lives touch time and time again over the years. Lane eventually makes the big time as a novelist, and when she discovers Gala has a talent for writing too, she decides to help her career along. But as her own star begins to wane, and Gala's rises, Lane's jealousy makes her do something that changes the direction of both of their lives.

1975, Los Angeles. Former literary icon Lane Warren's life has taken a downward turn. Struggling with the demands of motherhood, and marriage to a man who has failed to provide the stability he promised her, she hopes to pull herself out of a rut with a brand new book about her friend (and sometimes rival) Gala Margolis, whose life has been derailed following the death of her rock star boyfriend. But when Gala disappears, Lane is paralysed with writer's block, plagued with guilt about her possible part in Gala's decision to walk away from her life. She becomes consumed by the need to find out what has happened to Gala.

I absolutely loved Ella Berman's previous novel, The Comeback, which rings with delicious echoes of the late great Eve Babitz, so I was delighted when the Babitz vibe sparked again with the title of her new novel, L.A. Women! This time, my love affair with Berman's writing continues with a sharp and punchy novel set in L.A. of the 1960s and '70s.

The story unfurls via narratives from Lane and Gala in sections of Then story, exploring the history of their spiky relationship; and from the perspective of Lane in the Now, as she struggles with many aspects of her life in the wake of Gala's disappearance. From their fateful meeting, the two women develop an unconventional friendship that swings between moments of intimacy and disharmony, until it descends into bitterness when their careers as writers tip them into fierce rivalry.

Berman does an incredible job delving into the complexities of Lane and Gala's relationship, examining the legacy of the trauma Lane carries from her dysfunctional childhood, and how Gala's tragic love affair with a young rock star pulls her in and sends her off the rails. Both characters learn hard lessons about themselves, and the things expected of them, especially when it comes to how 'difficult' women are perceived. On the side-lines, Lane's friendship with music producer Charlie, a man who feels the need to keep his homosexuality under wraps in a city where his choices would destroy him, is intense too.

This book thrums with fabulous vibes of time and place, immersing you in the schizophrenic nature of L.A. of the era, veering between its heady permissive side, and the cynicism beneath the glamour. Berman hits her stride in an addictive story that reveals its secrets slowly, before gut-punching you with shocking twists and turns about the sad history of the rise and fall of Lane and Gala, and she still manages to finish this novel on a hopeful note. 

Fabulous from start to finish, with lashings of story that will appeal to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid. Easily one of my novels of the year. 

L.A. Women is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Aria for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Ella Berman grew up in both London and Los Angeles and worked at Sony Music before starting the clothing brand London Loves LA. She lives in London with her husband, James, and their dog, Rocky. He previous novels are Before We Were Innocent and The Comeback.