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Historical adventure fiction

AUSTEN AT SEA

Natalie Jenner

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen in 2025, Natalie Jenner's newest novel, AUSTEN IN AMERICA, brings her readers full circle from the success of her internationally bestselling debut novel, THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY.

Two pairs of siblings, devotees of Jane Austen, find their lives transformed by a visit to England and Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother and keeper of her memories and surviving artifacts. In Boston, 1865, Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, have accomplished as much as women are allowed in those days. Chafing against those restrictions and devoted to the works of Jane Austen, they start a secret correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother, now in his nineties. He sends them an original letter from his sister and invites them to come visit him in England. In Philadelphia, Nicholas & Haslett Nelson?brothers, veterans of the recent Civil War, and rare book dealers, are also in correspondence with Sir Francis Austen. Bachelors both, they two are invited to visit Sir Francis in England, with the promise of a never-before-seen, rare Austen artifact to be evaluated. The Stevenson sisters sneak away without a chaperone to sail to England. On their ship are Nelson brothers, writer Louisa May Alcott, Sara-Beth Gleason ?wealthy daughter of state senator with her eye on the Nelson brothers, and a would-be last-minute chaperone to the Stevenson sisters, Justice Thomas Nash. It's a voyage and trip that transforms each of their lives in ways that are unforeseen, with the transformative spirit of the love of literature and that of Jane Austen herself. NATALIE JENNER is the author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, The Jane Austen Society was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller, and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. Visit her website to learn more.

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Book Published 2025-05-06 by St. Martin's Press

Comments

Natalie Jenner has taken herself to new heights with AUSTEN AT SEA. With an amazing cast of characters inhabiting the world we love to spend time in, AUSTEN AT SEA gives readers everything they could want in a novel. I loved every single page. Don't tell her other books, but this novel is my new favorite. It is a triumph and a gift to Austen fans!

Austen at Sea is an utterly immersive novel set just after the Civil War as a handful of American book-lovers journey to England by sea to meet Jane Austen's last remaining sibling, an aging sea captain now in his 90s who is hoping to preserve his sister's legacy before he passes away. Unexpected friendships form, romance blossoms, and deception lurks in this heartfelt story that Austen herself would certainly have loved. I was so convinced by author Natalie Jenner's skillful plotting and command of the time period that I paused several times to look up characters and eventsonly to realize that some of those I loved most existed only on the page, despite much of the novel being heavily based on real events and research. The fact thatas Jenner says in her author's noteshe wrote this novel while in treatment for cancer makes the finished product even more astonishing, given its breadth and scope. You'll find yourself rooting for siblings Henrietta and Charlotte as they fight for the right to be themselves in a nineteenth century world that does not favor womenand you'll fall in love with the colorful cast of characters they meet along the way. If you've ever found sustenance in a Jane Austen novelor sought meaning in your own life through the power of booksthis is the novel you've been waiting for. Full of heart, hope, and history.

From post-Civil War America, an intrepid group of Jane Austen's ardent admirers traverse the Atlantic to visit Sir Francis Austen, the last surviving sibling of the esteemed authoress. In search of insights into Jane's writing and life, what they discover is much more than the knowledge they soughtmeeting heroes and villains, passion and purpose. Jenner again reveals her skill as a master storyteller whose astute observations of human nature rival Austen's own. Readers will be delighted by her charming characters, engaging plot, and sensational denouement.

B&H: UK, translation.

Jane Austen fans will adore the spontaneous Stevenson sisters of Boston, Charlotte and Henrietta. When their correspondence with Jane's retired brother, Admiral Sir Frances Austen, sets in motion a madcap transatlantic adventure to protect the secrets of his famous sister, it is the admiral's own spark of mischief that may ignite romance. With a deep understanding of Jane Austen history and a whip-smart sense of plot and pacing, this is a comedy of manners in the true Austen tradition.

Save your money on that Jane Austen Festival and buy this book instead! Jenner has crafted the ultimate literary adventure with historic characters and events so artfully rendered that you'll find yourself wondering if this isn't exactly what happened or should have. Henrietta and Charlotte, daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, navigate turbulent legal waters on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean while simultaneously inspiring the women in their path, including those of us reading their story. A novel of remarkable heart. Jane Austen would be proud!

No one writes about the power of literature quite like Natalie Jenner. In Austen at Sea she has returned to her roots, drawing threads of wisdom from Jane Austen's work and with them spinning a wholly original tale of life, loss, and the fight for women's rights. History lovers will appreciate Jenner's meticulous attention to historical detail, while fans of classic literature are sure to be delighted with cameos by Louisa May Alcott and Jane Austen's sea-faring brother. But it is Jenner's deft weaving together of the light and comforting with the profound that truly shines in this stirring, thoughtful gem of a novel.

This brilliant, sparkling novel, with unforgettable characters inspired by Jane Austen's legacy and family, grapples with how to honor history's remarkable women, safeguard what they make, face injustice, and choose love. Natalie Jenner has done it again with Austen at Sea.

Austen at Sea is a delightful novel and a brilliant tribute to pioneering writers like Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott. Jenner's irrepressible heroines stand shoulder to shoulder with Elizabeth Bennet and Jo March, women fighting to find love and meaning in a world that often refuses to acknowledge their humanity.

Jenner's Alcott is so perfectly herself, in all the most poignant and fierce ways, and centering her in a story about sisters trying to balance love and personal autonomy is genius." Long: "A poignant and insightful story about two sisters on a transatlantic crossing making a bid for independence and finding love and personal freedom. Jenner brings Louisa May Alcott to vibrant life with her vivid cast of lovers and book lovers caught up in the struggle for women's rights and literary legacy. Alcott and Austen fans, rejoice!" Shorter: "Jenner brings Louisa May Alcott to vibrant life in this richly layered story of lovers and book lovers caught up in the struggle for women's rights and literary legacy. Alcott and Austen fans, rejoice!

Step into history with Austen at Sea, a fascinating literary treasure hunt and a transporting ride through one of the most pivotal periods of American and British history. When two daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court justice begin a correspondence with Jane Austen's brother, lives are upended, court cases ensue, and a mystery unfolds. With vivid historical detail and a wild and wonderful cast of characters from Louisa May Alcott to theatre impresarios, suffragists, and fortune tellers, Austen at Sea is an utterly engrossing novel. Jenner's characters remind us of the truth that woman have the will and ability to forge their way with the strength of story and an author has the subversive power to change lives and the world. With an intriguing cast of characters, powerful messages of hope, and a clever story, Natalie Jenner does it again she brings us into the life of Jane Austen with a fresh eye and a dazzling story."

Austen at Sea swept me away (pun intended) as I too jumped on board the SS China and was drawn into the lives of all of Jenner's characters. As Jane's brother Francis himself might note, Natalie Jenner writes 'with such an overarching love for Jane' that I saw my own love of Austen's literature and life mirrored and reflected back at me in this unique and multi-layered story. I drew so much comfort and joy from her inter-generational and international tale, and if, as the Admiral believes 'only the things we make will last' then Natalie has made a truly beautiful piece of art which will be savoured again and again by Janeites everywhere.

As with her earlier novel The Jane Austen Society, this new book is very much a love letter to the great author by a writer whose affection for her subject shines right off the page.

Austen at Sea is a book lover's dream! From Boston to the high seas to rural England to courthouses on both sides of the Atlantic, Jenner takes readers on a delightful bookish adventure that is certain to charm.

Jenner has assembled an eccentric, endearing cast of shipmates who become fast friendsthanks to the legacy of Jane Austenin this heartwarming story that's sure to delight book lovers. The plot is chock full of romantic yearnings and unexpected twists, while at the same time offering up sly winks to Austen's novels. An absolute winner.

I could not love this novel more! From the glorious opening courtroom scene where six Massachusetts Supreme Court Justices debate which of Jane Austen's novels best exemplifies her genius, to the brilliant and intrepid Stevenson sisters whose journeys, both outward and internal, are as bold and original as that of our most renowned fictional heroines, to the wonderfully whimsical cameo appearances of real-life literary legends such as Louisa May Alcott and Charles Dickensthis is a story so beautifully conceived and so full of lush Victorian ambiance that I found myself stopping every few pages just for the pleasure of reading it out loud. Austen at Sea is more than a charming comfort read for Austen enthusiasts. It is a masterfully crafted literary world and a dazzling commentary on female empowerment which will not only captivate but educate and inspire. Jenner's fourth novel is an absolute triumph!

Austen at Sea offers a pitch-perfect mix of mystery, travel adventure, and book club fun. Romantic, uplifting, and charming, I loved this smart story that featured several of my favorite historical figures and introduced me to a few new ones.