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clairesreading 's review for:

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
5.0

I loved this book so much I’ve had to re-write this review a bunch so I could stay within the character limit. It made me so happy and gave me such a massive book hangover.
This book explores the life of the shy Bennet Sister, Mary, in three different parts: a little during the events of Pride and Prejudice, sometime after her father’s death, and the third…well I won’t ruin the surprise ;)
 
I loved everything, from the writing style that remained faithful to Jane Austen’s style while making it a lot more fluid; to the nostalgia of re-discovering the characters; to the guaranteed happy ending played well enough that even the miscommunication trope did not bother me too much. I liked to see Mary evolve from an overly serious girl trying to make up for her mother’s severity to a blooming young woman falling in love under the care of kinder family.
 
There was something so soft and sweet, and immensely well-paced about Mary’s adventure, and while it does have a love story, it’s also a wonderful adventure of self-discovery. I loved seeing old characters under a new, kinder light (Mr Collins was oddly touching, a positive surprise)
Also the love story made me squeal with delight and I still have butterflies in my stomach when I think of it.
 
If you enjoyed Jane Austen and want a fluffy, feel-good romance that is also brilliantly written, please, please give it a go so I can finally have someone to talk to about it.
Also it’s my greatest tragedy that Janice Hadlow has not written more regency fiction.