The Elopement by Gill Hornby. What the actual fuck is the plot of this book? Fanny is a wet wipe and and she’s married a man with kids and she’s horrible to everyone and no one likes anyone else. I don’t know what the plot is. I like a mindless plot but no.

I adored this book. It’s based on period research, added to by the author’s fabulous imagination. I’m very much looking forward to reading other books by this author.

I have never been so confused by a book before. Half of the I was not sure what was happening and who are they talking about. And don't get me wrong I love Jane Austen and similar books but the struggle I endured with this book was great and I'm not saying this lightly, believe me. This was one of the books I wanted to like but alas it was not meant to be.

It is 1820, and Mary finds her strict widower father's remarriage to Miss Fanny Knight opens up a new and delightful world to her, utterly transforming her life. Now she has access to all the new and interesting people that any young woman could wish for!

Unsurprisingly, in the process of exploring her new social circle Mary falls in love with an eminently eligible man. And surely no one could object to their union? But it seems otherwise...

This is a delightful Regency romance that brings alive the attitudes and social activities of the era to great effect, managing to imbue it with humour and charm. Worth reading, it gets 3. 5 stars.

Thank you for giving me the chance to read this book. I had recently watched the Miss Austen series on television and thought that I might enjoy this book. It is based upon the extended family of the Austen's and is love story set in the 1800's. Fanny Knight marries a local widower and takes on the role of stepmother to Mary Dorothea and her younger brothers. The relationships are not easy. Mary Dorothea also has a difficult relationship with her father, which is very different from the relationships within the Knight family children. The story details the times very well and the experiences of the different treatment of male and female children and even wives. It takes time to get to the point of the books title, which I found slow and tedious at times. Gill Hornby writes the characters well, but it is perhaps not the usual genre for me to read. I am sure that those who enjoy period books and love stories will find this an entertaining book.

This book is a work of fiction based on Jane Austen's niece, and written in a style similar to Jane Austen. It's a standard love story, underpinned with the social norms and expectations that you would expect from that time and from a book inspired by Jane Austen. However, I found it a really slow read - the plot seemed to move incredibly slowly, and while I enjoyed it, reading it did feel like a chore as the storyline didn't grip me. I have read others by Gill Hornby and enjoyed them, so this wouldn't put me off reading other books by this author.

Thanks to Gill Hornby, Penguin and NetGalley for this ARC, in return for an honest review.

DNF at 35%.

I requested this book because I had seen adverts for the TV mini series Miss Austen which had intrigued me and the blurb looked interesting.

Sadly, I am 35% through the book and I can't decide if it is intended to be funny (because it isn't), or who is supposed to be the main character. Indeed, I have just read the blurb as I start to write this review and I have discovered that the FMC is still a thirteen year old child, so far most of the book has been from the POV of her stepmother.

Anyway, I'm over a third through the book, none of it resembles the blurb, and I don't like the writing tone so I am giving up. Also, having downloaded the series I gave up after about 30 minutes of Miss Austen.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a wondeful story of Jane Austins extended family. It deals beautifully with the trauma of Fanny's marriage and the integration of her new children. It demonstrates clearly what life was like back in the early 1800's and how men were superior , not to be botheeed with incidental affairs and women knew exactly jow to behave. Oh so different to today which made this book so appealing as it puts the society differences over in a lovable family way. Fanny had to face many trials and tribulations having the two families and none of which she could share with anybody.
A beautiful story set in a very elegannt society.

Thank you NetGalley for my copy in exchange for a review:

I want to start the review by stating I really enjoyed the writing and the premise of stepping into Austen’s world and I adored the setting.

it was an easy read for me and I enjoyed the emotional threads throughout the story but at times I struggled with the characters particularly Fanny who came off as unsympathetic but I really enjoyed the switching between her and Mary’s pov.

I look forward to checking out Hornby’s other works.

Mary Dorothea is navigating life since the death of her mother as best she can but then her father remarries. Suddenly she has a new mother and its taking some getting used to. She does however come from a large family leading Mary to new friends and maybe even a new love interest but would it be accepted by her father?

Aww this was such a good if somewhat sad at times read. I would rate it higher but I didn't like the ending. That's just my personal opinion though and the ending does very much fit the story and the times. I just wanted something else. That being said the story is well worth a read if you like Jane Austen and those style stories. I found the plot interesting and detailed. Mary really grew on me throughout the story but I loved Cassandra Austen the most. She played such a role in this helping everyone. Another great Austen family story.

The Elopement is a charming and witty peek into the Regency era. It’s based on real people (which somehow makes it more fascinating and more heartbreaking - how people treated their own family!), and you can definitely feel the tension and social drama. The characters are mostly warm and well done, and I loved how Hornby mixes in her usual cleverness and humour.



I went in thinking it was going to be a sweet love story, but real-life swoops in. Still, that’s what makes it stick with you. Even though it’s sad, it feels real and relatable.



So, worth a read if you’re into period drama, but brace yourself for a bittersweet finish.

Mary Dorothea Knatchbull lives with her strict father, for whom she is indispensable. When her stepmother, Fanny Knight (Jane Austen's niece), arrives, Mary finds friendship and love with a Mr. Knight. However their expected marriage faces unexpected opposition.

The story explores societal expectations and forbidden love in Regency England. Whilst it is obviously well researched, the narrative occasionally feels more like a detailed historical account than a compelling story.

Fanny Knight, apparently indispensable to her widowed father and her younger siblings, is married for convenience to a local widower, Sir. Edward Knatchbull . She lives her life estranged from Sir Edward’s eldest daughter Mary and has little to do with the younger brothers who are dispatched to boarding schools and family friends in the holidays. She fervently believes that she is central to both families although there is slow and gradual realisation that she is excluded from their thoughts and activities.

The story is told through Fanny’s experiences and those of her stepdaughter, Mary. The two views providing insight into the social customs, traditions, and concerns of English Georgian society and in particular the dangers and risks of pregnancy and child birth.

This is a well researched and beautifully written period drama. The historical detail is a particular strength of this story.

Fanny Knight feels fulfilled as the eldest sister running her father's household but when a local baronet asks for her hand Fanny is thrust into marriage and stepmotherhood. Mary was packed off to school at an early age and does develop a relationship with her cold, distant stepmother but loves her family. When Fanny's brother Ned develops an attachment to Mary disapproval leads to scandal.
This is the next instalment of Hornby's novels based around the family of Jane Austen and its a cracker. What Hornby does so beautifully is that she takes the facts about the family, weaves a story out of them and then writes it as though it were a Jane Austen plot. This could be awkward, or too reverential, but it's not, just a lovely novel of manners, duty and love that is gossamer light. It's a homage on one hand and a lovely piece of summer reading on the other!

An interesting read with flashes of dry wit reminiscent of Jane Austen herself. I found the depictions of Fanny, Mary Dorothea and Cassandra engaging, and the book brought to the fore how dangerous marriage could be for a woman in the past. Motherhood was a harsh physical trial, all too often fatal, and if a wife kept her life she might have to suppress her own personality and needs to suit the whim of her husband.
I felt the title was a little misleading, given how late the elopement occurs and how relatively small an incident it was in the broader sweep of the narrative. However, it was an enjoyable read, and will no doubt appeal to Hornby’s previous readers.

This was a slow starter for me, with the build up to the actual elopement in the title taking over half the book - I think it actually left the ending feeling a little rushed. I felt bought in to the romance, so I would have liked more time to explore it, rather than focusing on the relationship between daughter and step-mother.

That being said, I did rattle through this book at a quicker pace than I anticipated, and very much enjoyed the exploration of the wider extended family dynamics. I particularly liked that all of the characters were flawed in some way - there was no black and white thinking in who was "right" and who was "wrong". Each character had something that made them likeable and something that made them hard to root for at times.

The ending caught me off guard a little and left me feeling a little bereft at the end of what was ultimately a beautifully written story.

1820. Mary Dorothea Knatchbull is living under the sole charge of her widowed father, Sir Edward – a man of strict principles and high Christian values. But when her father marries Miss Fanny Knight of Godmersham Park, Mary’s life is suddenly changed. Austen Her new stepmother comes from a large, happy and sociable family and Fanny’s sisters become Mary’s first friends. Her aunt, Miss Cassandra Austen of Chawton, is especially kind. Her brothers are not only amusing, but handsome and charming. And as Mary Dorothea starts to bloom into a beautiful young woman, she forms an especial bond with one Mr Knight in particular.
Another well written & researched book which drew me in from the start & I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters have lovely depth, the pace is good & it felt true to the era. This is the first book I’ve read by the author but it won’t be the last, I did see & loved the TV adaptation of Miss Austen which drew me to this book
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Full Review: https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2025/05/19/the-elopement/

This was another book tied into Jane Austen's family members and I really enjoy historical fiction when it's connected to real people but not as well known as say Jane herself. Though it's brilliant we do have instances of Jane Austen in books; it's nice to know more about those that were around her or her peers.

Edward has a happy family and they are quite content at Godmersham. His eldest daughter Fanny has gone off to marry Sir Edward Knatchbull and though it's not a marriage of love it is one that develops into some good affection. She has five step children and Mary Dorothea is the eldest.

The pacing is a bit off on this one compared to her first book. I have to see this one did not hold up as well as the first. I don't mind that we weren't particularly meant to like Fanny Knight but I did feel as if this book had her in it too much because it never truly felt like Mary's book. More Mary and Fanny's and it was disjointed because of that. The prose is still well written and engaging and the characters were quite interesting, making me invested in their outcomes.

There we have it, this beautiful book will be out on shelves May 22 (2025) and I cannot wait to own my physical copy in my hands.

3.5/5 Cups of coffee from me. Thank you so much to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars rounded up

1820: Mary Dorothea Knatchbull is living under the safe charge of her widowed father, Sir Efward - a man of principle and high Christian values. But when her father marries Miss Fanny Knight of Godmersham Park, Mary's life is suddenly changed. He new stepmother comes from a large, happy and sociable family, and Fanny's sisters become Mary's first friends. Her aunt, Miss Cassandra Austen of Chowton is especially kind. Her brothers are not only amising, but handsome and charming. And as Mary Dorothea starts to bloom into a beautiful young woman, she forms a special bond with one Mr Knight in particular. Soon, they are deeply in love and determined to marry. They expect opposition. After all, each is from a good family and has known each other for years.

Jane Austen's niece, Fanny Knight, married Sir Edward Knatchbull and became stepmother to Mary Dorothea. The story is told from Fanny and Mary Dorothea's perspectives. It's based on the diaries of Fanny Knatchbull. The characters are well rounded, and it's told in four parts. It's an emotional read. My only complaint - the chapters were far too long.

Published 22nd May 2025

I would like to thank #NetGallley #RandomHouseUK #Cornrstone and the author #GillHornby for my ARC of #TheElopement in exchange for an honest review.

Another book from the author of Miss Austen and very much in the literary style of Jane Austen. This book follows some years later after the event of Godmersham Park, in which we are introduced to Fanny (referred in this and the previous book variously Fanny Austen, Fanny Austen Knight and Fanny Knight). Fanny, now the eldest daughter of the Austen Knight brood at Godmersham Park, is wed to Sir Edward Knatchbull at a relatively early stage in the book. Initial feelings of sympathy to Fanny for her marriage to that widower changed as the book progresses with Fanny often portrayed in a less than sympathetic light. The book reveals much about the expectations of families in this era - marriage for status and development of family connections and the importance of marriage to ones equals or betters was a strong theme just as the competing ideal of marriage for love is emphasised... harking to ideas also evident in Austen's own texts. Again, this is a book that takes some time to read and appreciate. Not my usual type of book but nonetheless an engaging read, delving into Austen era life and which I suspect lovers of Austen's works will again enjoy. With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.