Longbourn

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK 'Utterly engrossing' Guardian It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah's hands are chapped and raw. Domestic life below stairs, ruled with a tender heart and an iron will by Mrs Hill the housekeeper, is about to be disturbed by the arrival of a new footman, bearing secrets and the scent of the sea. What readers are saying: 'A novel to be savoured' 'Highly recommended' 'Very enjoyable exploration of the background to Pride and Prejudice'

South Carolina, 1948 - Elizabeth Bennet is looking forward to a life of few surprises on her family's farm. Longbourn is a place of comfort and quiet security, a haven from the heartache of her past, where she can sing to heart's content, comfortable in the cage she¿s built for herself. When Charles Bingley buys the property neighboring Longbourn Farms, his best friend Will Darcy sees an opportunity he can't miss. The postwar economy is booming, and the young, ambitious tycoon is determined to reap the benefits...until a chance encounter in the Netherfield woods changes everything, making him question the man he is, and the man he wants to be.If Will can look beyond his own rigid expectations, can Elizabeth learn to forgive and live fully, free from her cage? Longbourn¿s Songbird is a vivid reimagining of Jane Austen¿s Pride & Prejudice, shining a spotlight on the opportunities and injustices of postwar America, a spellbinding tale of loss, of love, and of letting go.

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK 'Utterly engrossing' Guardian It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah's hands are chapped and raw. Domestic life below stairs, ruled with a tender heart and an iron will by Mrs Hill the housekeeper, is about to be disturbed by the arrival of a new footman, bearing secrets and the scent of the sea.

From the much-buzzed-about author of THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB (already blurbed by Stephenie Meyer, Lauren Myracle, and Jen Calonita), a prom-season delight of Jane Austen proportions.It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date. After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn't interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be - especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London. Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles's friend, Will Darcy, who's snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn't seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it's because her family doesn't have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk - so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Named in many surveys as Britain's best-loved work of fiction, Pride and Prejudice is now a global brand, with film and television adaptations making Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy household names. With a combination of original readings and factual background information, this Companion investigates some of the sources of the novel's power. It explores key themes and topics in detail: money, land, characters and style. The history of the book's composition and first publication is set out, both in individual essays and in the section of chronology. Chapters on the critical reception, adaptations and cult of the novel reveal why it has become an enduing classic with a unique and timeless appeal.

Elizabeth wins Darcy, and Jane wins Bingley - but do they 'live happily ever after'? Emma Tennant's bestselling sequels to Pride and Prejudice ingeniously pick up several threads from Jane Austen's timeless novel, in a lighthearted and affectionate look at the possible subsequent lives of all the main characters. Pemberley tells of Elizabeth's failure to produce a child; while An Unequal Marriage continues the story of the Bennets and their wider circle into the next generation. Sparkling, stylish and ironic, with imaginative insights into the emotions and mores of eighteenth-century English high society, these are elegant and diverting social comedies by a master of the genre.