“The county of Kent was a mystery to her. Why would one live here, so far from the world?”
I’ve visited Godmersham Park and walked around the estate a few times due to my love of Jane Austen’s writing and also living nearby. Therefore I was immediately intrigued to read Gill Hornby’s second fictional foray into the Austen family.
Using diary entries and letters, the author is able to bring to life the world of 18c Godmersham Park and its inhabitants. The narrative focuses on the life of governess Anna, who became a life-long friend of Jane and the rest of the family.
The dynamics and tensions between the different layers of household is depicted well and the themes of position, conduct and a woman’s place echo Jane Austen’s own. When Jane herself appears in the story, the text sparkles and Hornby is able to convey her wit and amiability very convincingly.
An essential read for Austen lovers

There's a lot of books about Jane Austen but this one is about her family and Anne Sharp, the former governess and a dear friend of Jane.
It's a fascinating book that describes the life of a governess at the end of XVIII century and how Austen family worked.
Anne is a strong character and I loved her.
The author is a talented storyteller and this story kept me hooked.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved this book!

Such a great read containing real characters, places and events from the life of Jane Austen and interspersed with fictional events.

A total joy for fans of perios dramas and any fan of Jane Austen.

Miss Austen, a fictionalised biography of Jane Austen’s beloved sister, was one of the stand-out literary events of 2020 – a very bright spot in a dismal year. This time, Gill Hornby has turned her attention to the life of Anne Sharp, governess to Jane’s niece Fanny, at the Edward Austens’ grand home in Kent: the eponymous Godmersham Park. Once again, she creates a thoroughly absorbing narrative, based on the known facts about Anne’s life with the Austens.
Thanks to the diaries kept by Fanny Austen, there are quite a lot of facts to draw upon –Fanny was an enthusiastic and witty chronicler of daily life at Godmersham. She also had a great affection for her governess, showing tender concern for her health (Anne suffered from crippling headaches throughout her life) and happiness. Fanny also had a very close relationship with her “favourite aunt” Jane, and witnessed the friendship that grew up between the novelist and the governess. It was a friendship that lasted until Jane’s death and afterwards Anne continued to correspond with Cassandra Austen, even though the relationship between the two always seems to have tended towards coolness.
From these strands, Gill Hornby weaves a touching and convincing story: a romance, a mystery, a life of many disappointments and some episodes of triumph and joy. That makes it sound rather gloomy and pitiable: far from it – Godmersham Park is full of humour and energy, and Austenian authenticity. Anne herself could be a character in one of Jane’s novels – an early life of privilege and ease snatched away at the death of her mother, forced into the world to earn a living in that most compromising profession, governess to a wealthy family, equally ill at ease in the servants’ hall and at the family table.
Terrifically readable and very satisfying, with a particularly illuminating Afterword, this is a novel to read, re-read, pass on and share. More, please!

This book is a novel but is based on real people and events in the life of Jane Austen, and it centres around a friend of Austen, Anne Sharp, who was governess to Jane’s niece Fanny Austen, at Godmersham Park in Kent, for a space of two years. The real version of Fanny kept a diary, and it is this as well as letters that the novel is built around. In this novel version, Anne has become a governess because her father has decided not to support her anymore, following the death of her mother. This background is partly a mystery element throughout the novel as Anne herself struggles to work out why she has been cut off; however highlights the real plights of many governesses of the period, who were forced into the work by the fact that there were scant other options available for them. Anne is in a strange limbo between servant and family, unused to the countryside, but soon finds her feet as she is embroiled into the Austen family life, and soon meets Jane’s charismatic brother Henry, who doesn’t ignore her quite as he should. When Jane, Cassandra and Mrs Austen visit the household, finally things turn on an upward note for Anne, with the formation of a friendship that would become dear to both women. I had expectations of a sort of novel similar to those of Austen herself, and this sort of does read a bit like one, but it also reads as much more modern and feminist, which I’m not sure entirely worked for me. I did like that the author worked the real facts into an ending that felt like a good resolution to this story and I felt quite a clever one, as it obviously couldn’t end quite with the heroine’s usual story. It is always nice to read a book centering on friendship as the main driving force. It was also fun that they went to Worthing for their sea break - always fun to see a place you know well pop up in a book!

My thanks to #NetGalley and Cornerstone for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thoroughly enjoyable read.
set historically in the days of the austen family.
well written and interesting throughout.

In 'Godmersham Park' Gill Hornby tells the story of Anne Sharpe, a 31yr old spinster who following the death of her mother is offered a very small annual sum by her absent father and as a result must take up work as a governess to Fanny Austen, the niece of Jane Austen. Neither a servant or someone of authority, Anne struggles to find her place in the household. However, she never regrets not having taken up the offers of marriage in her past and prizes her independence.

Aspects of this novel are taken from diary entries of the real Anne Sharpe and Hornby cleverly interweaves in letters sent to Fanny from their favourite aunt Jane. There is a strong sense throughout the novel of people being constrained by their position, including the men, and there is a tension between marriage/money buying safety, and independence of thought perhaps securing more happiness. My only regret is that Hornby didn't add in more humour or irony as Austen would have done.

Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this.

Gill Hornby has taken a minor character from the real life of Jane Austen, and used her to explore a number of aspects of early 19th century life. Anne Sharp is a governess in Jane's brother's household. She had higher expectations than this, but they were not to be.

Being a governess is tough. You're a servant, but not a servant. You're in a position of authority that can be undermined at any times. You have to be visible and invisible...Anne plays the part well, but that means suppressing aspects of herself.

In telling Anne's story, Hornby is able to explore the life of an ordinary woman. Anne is a strong, independent woman - who is utterly dependent on being liked by strangers, unable to depend on a family of her own. She's lucky to be able to work. It made me think of Austen's work in a new light - her heroines lived charmed lives. Anne's life is the life Jane Fairfax would have led. She narrowly escapes the life of Miss Bates. These unattached women had vanishingly few choices.

It's a great read - especially if you are an Austen fan. I'm going to look out Hornby's previous book, Miss Austen, now.

We meet Anne Sharpe in 1804 as, cut off by her father at the age of 31, she takes up the post of governess to a young girl, Fanny Austen. Coming to terms with her new situation is tricky for Anne, but is made easier when she begins corresponding with, and eventually befriending, Fanny’s aunt Jane. However, she is less enamoured with Jane’s brother Henry Austen, and what starts as an irritation blossoms into something more, which could threaten Anne’s position as governess.

I love Jane Austen, so learning more about real people and events in her life was always going to be of interest to me. I enjoyed learning more about the life of a governess at this time, and the characters were great.

However, not an awful lot really happened… I appreciate that, since the author is being led by true events, we weren’t going to have an all-out Regency romp, but I thought we might have a little more action than we ended up with. Overall, it was still an enjoyable read and I would read more by the author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

Austen fans would love this book. The book is styled in a diary journal manner which consists of diary entries of Anne, a governess to the niece of the famed Austen. The premise of the book is so beautiful and lovely. Very immersive read.

This was such a fascinating story, all the more so to understand that a large amount of it was based on diary entries from the time. Sharpy’s independence was inspirational- she so easily could have taken the “easy” way out but knew that meant submitting to a man who might not look after her properly so she looked after herself!
The Austen connection was fascinating and also humbling to see those women so vulnerable and at the mercy of brothers “doing the right thing” by them. Such an unsettling way to live!
Beautifully written and very enjoyable.

I have never loved a book so much! I picked this up after reading nothing but thrillers and crime and wanted a change. This was such a welcome difference. I felt like I was in an Austen novel and just loved it.

An enjoyable read about a part of the Austen family that you might not be so familiar with. In the early 1800s, Anne Sharpe becomes Governess to Fanny, niece of Jane Austen. Set at Godmersham Park, many of the incidents that happened in the book were real, based on Fanny's diaries she kept at the time. It does read like a book by Jane Austen but it somehow skips over some of the minor trivialities that Austen is so famous for. What we do have is a wonderful friendship that flourishes between Anne and Jane, through letters and later in person.

Due to reduced and unexpected circumstances Anne Sharpe becomes governess to Fanny, the eldest daughter of Edward Austen, Jane Austen’s brother. The change in her fortune is something of a shock, and it takes time for Anne to settle into her new role.

This is a partly true story of the friendship between Anne Sharpe and Jane Austen. Whilst the early days of Anne’s life is subject to supposition, there is enough documentation available for the rest to be a matter of record.

As a Jane Austen enthusiast, I was unsure of how this book would deliver, as some previous attempts on the life and times of JA have been a pretty mixed bag. However I was more than pleasantly surprised. The setting and the era are depicted so well, and the style of writing is very much of the period, but with a more modern slant which may make it more readable for todays readers. I’m sure that there will be rumblings from the Austen aficionados, but I really enjoyed it, and think the author did an excellent job. The authors note was also a nice addition, and gave further insight into the rest of Anne Sharp’s life.

Thank you NetGalley.

This is a very well-researched and well-written story of Anne Sharp, who was a close friend of Jane Austen and who worked for some time as governess to Jane's niece, Fanny. The story itself is part fiction, particularly her early life, but partly based on the accounts and letters that have survived in the Austen family.

You really feel for Anne and her precarious position as a governess, and particularly uncomfortable reading is the various 'cures' that were tried for her 'headaches' - it makes me very grateful for how far medicine and women's rights have come!

It is an interesting read and more so to read the author's note which helps to give closure to Anne's story.

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

This novel is based on Jane Austen's family who lived at Godmersham Park during her lifetime. The story centers around their Governess Anne, who is employed to teach the oldest daughter Fanny. It is written with Jane in mind as from letters and diaries kept by family members she and Anne were friends. As with all Jane Austen books this constantly reminds us of everyone's position in society.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advance copy of this book.

In 1804, following the death of her mother, Anne Sharpe is forced to leave the life she knows and to support herself financially.
She takes a position as a governess to the Austen family in Kent – the head of this family being the brother of Jane Austen.
The life of a governess is neither upstairs with the family nor downstairs with the house staff. We follow Anne as she struggles with this, learning who she is and where she’s come from, and making unexpected lifelong friendships along the way.

I am a particular fan of a back story, whether partly fictional or not, so I was looking forward to this one.

The novel ended a little abruptly for me but I did enjoy the author’s note at the end (I implore you not to skip this bit because it does provide closure) which did give more insight into how the relationships progressed and wrap things up a little.

I really enjoyed the subtle nods to Austen’s novels throughout, little quotes peppered innocuously made me smile.

Any feminist reading this book is going to struggle with the constant reminder of class, station in life, and how all female's position in life is reliant on a male. But, we must remember that this was how things were at the time and for Hornby to write differently would be untrue. If the struggle is real with this, I suggest it’s not the book for you.

If you are looking for a gripping plot look elsewhere, this certainly isn’t fast paced. But if you are interested in sweeping yourself to a different time period and just immersing yourself in the class issues of the day, this is a lovely gentle read that is perfect for you. It is particularly a comfort if you are suffering from #Bridgerton withdrawal symptoms.

A really interesting angle on a family that's already had pretty much every angle of their lives fictionalised. Well written, it feels incredibly authentic to the story it's telling. This really was a charming read and felt like a window in. At the same time, I sympathised with Anne who struggled to find her place. Not quite with the staff or the family. A gentle story that should suit any Austen fan.

It is such a clever idea to take a character who was known to be a friend of Jane Austen and write a novel about them. Anne Sharpe was governess to Jane's niece. Using letters and correspondence from the time as her research, Gill Hornby has created a delightful novel exploring how Anne ended up as a governess and how her friendship with Jane and her siblings came about and developed. More widely it effectively reflects on the position of educated unmarried women in society at the time..
As a Jane Austen fan who has read a lot of novels exploring the lives of the characters in her books, I really like Gill Hornby's books which are based on the real life of Jane and her circle. Godmershan Park is well written and an excellent addition to my collection. Thank you.

Ok so I intensely resent this trend of authors scraping every detail from Jane Austen’s life and books and rewriting or framing a story around it, often without actually understanding anything about her work, her life of the history of the time. BUT I can never stop myself from reading the results. Most of the time I’m angry and disappointed, but sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised. I was the latter with this one. It was an interesting angle and Jane and Anne’s friendship was well known – and disapproved of by Jane’s relatives since there may have actually been a romance going on! This was a quiet enjoyable read.