I am here once again to give the final readalikes for The Austen Connection’s The Great Jane Austen Read Along as the Read-Along librarian, giving you great book recommendations that perfectly match with the Austen novels you read during this read-along! I had so much fun coming up with these book lists, and I hope you received enjoyment from these recommendations, now and beyond. And now, without further ado, onto the readalikes…
It is fitting to end this Austen readalong with the novel that I feel if Austen lived long enough, we would have seen more of her talent and genius. Persuasion beautifully demonstrates her writing maturity, but also how eloquently Austen depicts the story of yearning and second chances. Persuasion may have been Austen’s swan song, but I believe it cemented her legacy for years to come.
It is hard to come up with recommendations that matches the style of Persuasion, but I believe that I came up with some perfect readalikes that will perfectly match up with emotional ambiance that this timeless novel conveys. After you finish Persuasion, you may want to give these following titles a try:
Camilla by Frances Burney
A string of misunderstandings and mistakes…romance and hardship…this classic novel by the writer by the author that inspired Austen’s writing, is a great a readalike for readers who are looking for a novel that eloquently explores the matrimonial concerns of young people. This huge tome is great to snuggle up with during the winter months.
First published in 1796, Camilla deals with the matrimonial concerns of a group of young people-Camilla Tyrold and her sisters, the daughters of a country parson, and their cousin Indiana Lynmere-and, in particular, with the love affair between Camilla herself and her eligible suitor, Edgar Mandlebert. The path of true love, however, is strewn with intrigue, contretemps and misunderstanding. An enormously popular eighteenth-century novel, Camilla is touched at many points by the advancing spirit of romanticism. As in Evelina, Fanny Burney weaves into her novel strands of light and dark, comic episodes and gothic shudders, and creates a pattern of social and moral dilemmas which emphasize and illuminate the gap between generations.(Credit: Oxford World’s Classics)
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Memoirs of Emma Courtney by Mary Hays
I always enjoy highlighting underrated classics. And I want to take the time to highlight this one. As Anne’s passions are more reserved, Memoirs of Emma Courtney in depth explores the female’s passion, which might be of interest to readers who enjoy the subtle exploration in Persuasion.
First published in the turbulent decade following the French Revolution, Memoirs of Emma Courtney is based on Mary Hays’ own passionate struggle with romance and Enlightenment philosophy. A feminist and ardent disciple of Mary Wollstonecraft, Hays reveals the lamentable gap between `what women are’ and `what woment ought to be’.
The novel is one of the most articulate and detailed expressions of the yearnings and frustrations of a woman living in late eighteenth-century English society. It questions marital arrangements and courtship rituals by depicting a woman who actively pursues the man she loves. The novel explores the links between sexuality, desire, and economic and social freedom, suggesting the need for improvement in the laws of society which `have enslaved, enervated, and degraded woman’. (Credit: Oxford World’s Classics)
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The Inheritance by Louis May Alcott
The Inheritance, set in an English country manor, is the story of Edith Adelon, an Italian orphan brought to England by Lord Hamilton as a companion for his children. With a charm reminiscent of Jane Austen’s novels, Alcott’s plot sets love and courtesy against depravity and dishonor — and with the help of a secret inheritance, allows virtue to prevail.In their Introduction, Joel Myerson and Daniel Shealy relate their fortuitous discovery of Alcott’s manuscript draft of The Inheritance (preserved at the Houghton Library of Harvard). They explore the forces — both literary and personal — that shaped the novel, and study how it foreshadowed Alcott’s later work. (Credit: Penguin Classics)
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Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
‘The name of governess, I soon found, was a mere mockery … my pupils had no more notion of obedience than a wild, unbroken colt’
When her family becomes impoverished after a disastrous financial speculation, Agnes Grey determines to find work as a governess in order to contribute to their meagre income and assert her independence. But Agnes’s enthusiasm is swiftly extinguished as she struggles first with the unmanageable Bloomfield children and then with the painful disdain of the haughty Murray family; the only kindness she receives comes from Mr Weston, the sober young curate. Drawing on her own experience, Anne Brontë’s first novel offers a compelling personal perspective on the desperate position of unmarried, educated women for whom becoming a governess was the only respectable career open in Victorian society.(Credit: Penguin Classics)
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Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
‘Frank has but one duty before him. He must marry money.’
The squire of Greshamsbury has fallen on hard times, and it is incumbent on his son Frank to make a good marriage. But Frank loves the doctor’s niece, Mary Thorne, a girl with no money and mysterious parentage. He faces a terrible dilemma: should he save the estate, or marry the girl he loves? Mary, too, has to battle her feelings, knowing that marrying Frank would ruin his family and fly in the face of his mother’s opposition. Her pride is matched by that of her uncle, Dr Thorne, who has to decide whether to reveal a secret that would resolve Frank’s difficulty, or to uphold the innate merits of his own family heritage.
The character of Dr Thorne reflects Trollope’s own contradictory feelings about the value of tradition and the need for change. The lively introduction included considers the novel’s main themes, Trollope’s attitude to class and traditional values, and his comic skill as he develops the plot. His subtle portrayal, and the comic skill and gentle satire with which the story is developed, are among the many pleasures of this delightful novel. (Credit: Oxford University Press)
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Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
In Thomas Hardy’s first major literary success, independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, the soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy, and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. One of his first works set in the semi-fictional region of Wessex, Hardy’s novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships. (Credit: Penguin Classics)
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And if you are looking for either retellings or contemporary titles, why not give these a try:
Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards
It’s nice to see an author go in a different direction and choose a retelling for a novel that should get more attention, like its predecessors. Author Melodie Edwards does a wonderful job capturing the essence of Persuasion and bringing the story into the 21st century. Instead of trying to mimic Austen’s wit and humor, the book tells a story on its own merit but still captures the essence and enjoyment of Persuasion.
When Anne Elliott broke up with Ben Wentworth, it seemed like the right thing to do . . . but now, eight years later, she’s not so sure.
In her scenic hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Anne is comfortable focusing on her successful career: filling her late mother’s shoes as town councilor and executive director of her theater company. She certainly keeps busy as the all-around wrangler of eccentric locals, self-centered family members, elaborate festivals, and the occasional attacking goose. But the more she tries to convince herself that her life is fine as is, the more it all feels like a show—and not nearly as good as the ones put on by her theater company. She’s the always responsible Anne, always taken for granted and cleaning up after other people, and the memories of happier times with Ben Wentworth still haunt her.
So when the nearby Kellynch Winery is bought by Ben’s aunt and uncle, Anne’s world is set ablaze as her old flame crashes back into her life—and it’s clear he hasn’t forgiven her for breaking his heart. A joint project between the winery and Anne’s theater forces both Ben and Anne to confront their complicated history, and as they spend more time together, Anne can’t help but wonder if there might be hope for their future after all. (Credit: Berkley)
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The Mis-Arrangement of Sana Saeed by Noreen Mughees
Thirty-three-year-old hijabi Sana Saeed has put away her childhood dream of ishq—an all-consuming, sweeping love. The arranged dates she’s agreed to have failed time after time, and she has responsibilities to consider—namely her sweet, autistic younger brother, Zia. Sana and Zia are a package deal, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But their traditional mother won’t allow Sana to be named as his future guardian . . . unless she’s married.
When Daniel Malik walks into Sana’s office at the Department of Environmental Conservation, she’s astonished—their childhood friendship has been a cherished memory ever since a feud between their families put an end to it eighteen years ago. But there’s no chance of them becoming close again; Daniel may be as hot as a Bollywood heartthrob, but not only is he Sana’s new boss, her mother would disown her if she ever brought him home.
With the clock ticking, Sana agrees to a marriage arranged by her family. She’s seen plenty of arranged marriages grow into love; maybe that will happen for her too. But when a high-stakes case at work forces Sana and Daniel to team up, they find themselves less able—and willing—to play their parts of “good desi children.”
Now Sana must make a choice: family and security, or the one man who claimed her heart long ago. (Credit: Alcove Press)
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Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a
complete screw up? When she’s asked to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars, the latest hit reality show teaming chefs with celebrities, it seems like just the leap of faith she needs to put her restaurant back on the map. She’s a chef, what’s the worst that could happen?
Rico Silva, that’s what. Being paired with a celebrity who was her first love,
the man who ghosted her at the worst possible time in her life, only proves
what Ashna has always believed: leaps of faith are a recipe for disaster.
FIFA winning soccer star Rico Silva isn’t too happy to be paired up with Ashna either. Losing Ashna years ago almost destroyed him. The only silver lining to this bizarre situation is that he can finally prove to Ashna that he’s definitely over her.
But when their catastrophic first meeting goes viral, social media becomes obsessed
with their chemistry. The competition on the show is fierce…and so is the
simmering desire between Ashna and Rico. Every minute they spend together rekindles feelings that pull them toward their disastrous past. Will letting go again be another recipe for heartbreak—or a recipe for persuasion…? (Credit: William Morrow Paperbacks)
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Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin
Nada Syed is stuck. On the cusp of thirty, she’s still living at home with her brothers and parents in the Golden Crescent neighbourhood of Toronto, resolutely ignoring her mother’s unsubtle pleas to get married already. While Nada has a good job as an engineer, it’s a far cry from realizing her start-up dreams for her tech baby, Ask Apa, the app that launched with a whimper instead of a bang because of a double-crossing business partner. Nothing in her life has turned out the way it was supposed to, and Nada feels like a failure. Something needs to change, but the past is holding on too tightly to let her move forward.
Nada’s best friend Haleema is determined to pry her from her shell…and what better place than at the giant annual Muslim conference held downtown, where Nada can finally meet Haleema’s fiancé, Zayn. And did Haleema mention Zayn’s brother Baz will be there?
What Haleema doesn’t know is that Nada and Baz have a past—some of it good, some of it bad and all of it secret. At the conference, that past all comes hurtling at Nada, bringing new complications and a moment of reckoning. Can Nada truly say goodbye to once was or should she hold tight to her dreams and find their new beginnings? (Credit: Berkley)
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Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything. It couldn’t save their marriage.
Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.
Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another … and then more. It’s hot. It’s illicit. It’s all good–until old wounds reopen.
Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they be even better, the second time around? (Credit: Forever)
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