Sense and Sensibility: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen's Classic (The Amish Classics, #4) in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

Feb 24, 2016 Sophia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: jane-austen-austenesque, inspirational-fiction, net-galley-reads

I saw this blend of Amish Romance and a Classical story retelling and I just had to read it as I love both. It was fascinating and a very strong story when all is said and done.

A mother and three sisters are forced out of their family home by the son, John of the first wife and his greedy wife, Fanny. Only a distant cousin's generosity allows them a chance to start fresh if a little on the precarious side financially. Oldest daughter, Eleanor, is calm, steady, thoughtful and practical. She carr I saw this blend of Amish Romance and a Classical story retelling and I just had to read it as I love both. It was fascinating and a very strong story when all is said and done.

A mother and three sisters are forced out of their family home by the son, John of the first wife and his greedy wife, Fanny. Only a distant cousin's generosity allows them a chance to start fresh if a little on the precarious side financially. Oldest daughter, Eleanor, is calm, steady, thoughtful and practical. She carries a secret love for Fanny's brother, quiet Edward Fischer who is promised to another. And the opposite of her older sister is Mary Ann who is emotional, impulsive, and wears her heart on her sleeve while falling for a bold, dashing man living in the neighborhood and spurning the quiet, mature man who remains steadfast, but inobtrusive. Through heartache, difficulties, and starting a new life, Eleanor, Mary Ann and their family grow and learn in faith and character.

Alright, so this tale of two sisters and their love lives was pretty close to the original as far as description of characters and events. I loved how the Amish background meshed so well with the classical style and elements so that even though this is a modern retelling of Austen's Sense & Sensibility, it fit well into the Amish world where some of the cultural moors of Jane Austen's day were a lot like those of the Amish.

The story is told from Eleanor's observant and level-headed perspective. She was practically a saint as at first she tried to keep the peace between her mother and sisters and with her older half-brother and his wife while the family was still on the farm and then later she held it together when Mary Ann was pretty cruel as Eleanor tried to get her to be more circumspect and cautious. And then Eleanor had to endure the cruelty of Edward's fiancee taking particularly delight in making Eleanor her confidant.

Mary Ann, the secondary heroine, needed a thumping. First she ran wild and then she went all dramatic. She was mean to her sister when Eleanor was trying to save her from the sorrow that did eventually come. Now, Mary Ann takes a hard knock or two and it finally sets her on a good path so she redeemed herself and became a loving sister and gets her own chance of happiness.

I really adored Christian who was quietly in love with Mary Ann even when she wouldn't give him the time of day and was running around with the rakish John who had a reputation. This man was selfless and showed true heroism. Eleanor's love interest, Edward, well, I respect him a little for keeping his word, but he didn't get much page time until the end. When the truth came out, I felt badly for him and then happy for how it ended for him and Eleanor.

The setting of the Amish community was well drawn. It felt authentic. I had a good time with how even without all the modern conveniences and a devout faith, the gossip vine and the tight-knit community of folks all up in each other's business was still present.

To summarize, this was a delightful story. I will definitely go back for more of the author's Amish Classics series and her other books. There is a strong inspirational theme without preachiness. I would recommend this to those who enjoy Amish romance, but also those who enjoy classic retellings.

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Apr 02, 2016 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it really liked it

Shelves: jane-austen, sense-and-sensibility

A Wunderbar Homage to Jane Austen!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Sarah Price, best-selling and popular author of over 30 novels, has just released her latest novel in The Amish Classics Series – a series that comprises of Amish retellings of Jane Austen’s novels (and possibly others). The previous books in this series include:

- First Impressions: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (2014)
- Matchmaker: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma (2015)
- Second Chances: An Amish Retell A Wunderbar Homage to Jane Austen!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Sarah Price, best-selling and popular author of over 30 novels, has just released her latest novel in The Amish Classics Series – a series that comprises of Amish retellings of Jane Austen’s novels (and possibly others). The previous books in this series include:

- First Impressions: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (2014)
- Matchmaker: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma (2015)
- Second Chances: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion (2015)

In her fourth book of The Amish Classics Series, Sarah Price retells the story of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility in a present-day Amish community. With sons inheriting farms, strict courtships practices, and an emphasis on a rural and simple lifestyle, it is easy to see how much is in common between the Amish culture and Jane Austen’s time. In this retelling, readers meetthe Detweiler sisters who must leave their home farm after their father’s death and adjust to life in a smaller cottage in a new community. While making some new acquaintances, both Eleanor and Mary Anne fall in love, but one does so quietly and privately while the other does it openly and unreservedly…

This is my first book by Sarah Price and my first Amish romance period. That’s right, I’m totally new to Amish fiction and I couldn’t be happier that my first experience in this sub-genre is a Jane Austen retelling of Sense and Sensibility by Sarah Price! I was greatly impressed with how faithful the story was to Jane Austen’s classic. The parallels were clearly drawn and the characters and events of the story seemed true, not only to Jane Austen, but to the Amish way of life. These representations of Jane Austen’s characters and stories felt very authentic in such a setting. I think Sarah Price is very skilled at illustrating how well Jane Austen’s world can translate to Amish culture in her stories.

One thing I appreciated most about this retelling was the emotional development depicted for both Eleanor and Mary Anne. Reading of Eleanor’s heartache and torture made me feel her pain anew right alongside her. But I mostly enjoyed witnessing how Mary Anne came to fall in love (SPOILER ALERT!!) after having her heart broken. I have often seen readers express discontent about Jane Austen’s Marianne and Colonel Brandon – that their closure and HEA felt rushed, unlikely, and just plain unsatisfying. This most definitely wasn’t the case with this story! I loved seeing Mary Anne become aware of what the reader and all her family already knew – that there was this compassionate and honorable man watching her and loving her in silence all along. And I greatly enjoyed seeing how that awareness changes her before our very eyes. Well done, Ms. Price!

As someone who is brand-new to Amish fiction I was fascinated by all I learned about the lifestyle and practices of the Amish community. And I am definitely interested in learning more as some aspects of Amish life are still a little unclear for me, such as kneeling vows, rumschpringe, and shunning. However, I think readers who have some prior understanding of Amish customs will pick up on these practices much quicker than I did. I look forward to reading more novels in this series – and I’m glad to see that Sarah Price will be adding another novel to it real soon! It looks like Mount Hope: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park is scheduled to release in August of this year! ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2016 Teresa rated it it was amazing

This is the first book I've read by this author and it certainly won't be the last. I totally enjoyed this book. I loved the way she kept in line with the original Sense and Sensibility while writing it in the Amish tradition.
If possible, Mary Ann, (Marianne), was even more selfish than the original. I really did want to shake her. Eleanor was much the same, stoic and proper. And Margaret lightened the mood as usual.
I've read Amish novels before and I enjoy learning about their way of life. Th ...more

4 likes · Like · see review