An Appalachian farmer’s daughter and a wealthy businessman find a surprising love but must reckon with what divides them in this retelling of Jane Austen’sPride and Prejudice by the award-winning author ofThe Lady and the Lionheart .
New River, Virginia. 1904. Lizbeth Bennet longs to preserve her family’s farm, securing a future for her and her sisters, a difficult task in their Appalachian coal mining town. Money is scarce, and Lizbeth is determined to find a way without giving up treasured pieces of her family’s legacy. But when the mine is put up for sale, it’s clear change is approaching. A contingent of coal barons descends on the town to investigate whether the mine is worth their investment, among them a young man rumored to be a very rich, eligible bachelor.
William Drake arrives focused on business and keeping his distance from the townspeople, especially those living on land entangled with the mine, including a farmer by the name of Bennet. As William digs through legal issues, his struggle to weigh the potential financial gain against what is right for the community grows more complicated when he meets one of the Bennet daughters.
Despite an awkward first meeting, Lizbeth and William continue to cross paths, and soon Lizbeth questions her first impression of the man she believed to be proud and indifferent. But just as their friendship begins to evolve, a revelation shakes Lizbeth’s tenuous trust, and she learns all may not be as it seems. To determine what is true, and step toward a love she’s barely dared dream of, Lizbeth must confront her own prejudices . . . and decide whether the future she’s always imagined is the one her heart truly wants most after all.
My Review:
Joanne Bischof DeWitt always provides an immersive reading experience and ‘The Heart of Bennet Hollow’ is no exception. In fact I’m a little tongue-tied (or finger-knotted?) over trying to write this review. Yes, it’s that good!
First off, DeWitt’s wordsmithing captures the essence of each character, fleshing them into living, breathing people a reader can happily either love or…dislike strongly! And the way she brings the Appalachian culture and setting to life is delightful. I really grasped the sense of community in the coal mining town. Admired it too! So, I was already transported into an otherworld kind of fictional charm, and then to add in all the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ twists, well that just elevated the storytelling that much more.
Here’s where I should say that, while I am not an ardent Austen fan, I have read most of her books, watched multiple movie adaptations and have definite opinions on who played the ‘true’ Mr. Darcy. However, I’m not the avid reader who can spew quotes, name every secondary character in every book and match previously mentioned quotes to the right characters. Even so, I thrilled to the clever ways DeWitt melded her unique story with the familiar twists of this Austen classic. And that’s one of the things I love about reading a retelling! Because, despite knowing the ultimate outcome of the story, I know it will be an interesting reading time getting there!
You might think the world didn’t need another ‘Pride and Prejudice’ reimagining but you’d be wrong. My library is definitely better for adding ‘The Heart of Bennet Hollow’ to its shelves. A wonderful blend of familiar and distinctively new made this an unputdownable, keeper shelf kind of read.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
US – paperback or ebook copy — winner’s choice
Canada ebook (in form of an Amazon gift card) or audible.ca audio book – winner’s choice
International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account
If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Heart of Bennet Hollow, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 13 2025
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