Happy New Year everyone!
2021 is finally here and as usual my first post of the year is the one where I share with you my favorite reads of the past year. This is one of my favorite posts but it can also be one of the hardest to write. Some years, such as last year, it is easy to choose my favourites, but in other years, like this one, it is very hard to narrow down my favorites to only a few, especially when the number of books read is high.
2020 was an atypical year for everyone, some couldn’t focus as much to read, and others found solace in the company of our dear characters. I am part of the last group and with the extra time I had due to remote working and long confinement periods, I was able to read/listen to 68 books. That was a record for me, but it also made my life harder when I decided to pick my favorites. I ended up with a list of 12 favorite books and 1 favorite novella.
I’m only considering for this list the books I read in 2020, regardless of their publication date, which means some were published in previous years but only read this year (well, it’s only one actually). Looking back at my list I find it curious to see a huge diversity of genres because it is in line with my latest trend. I am trying to read more diverse books with either secondary characters, unique approaches or other Austen Novels, and I guess that was reflected in my preferences this year. But let’s move along to what matters, in no particular order, here is my list of 2020 favorite read books:
Find Wonder in All Things – Karen M Cox
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 280
Sub genre – Persuasion Modernisation
What I loved about it – The southern small town feeling, Laurel (Anne Elliot) and the involvement of arts in the plot.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – No
Available in Audible – No
Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl – Edited by Christina Boyd
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 419
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Anthology
What I loved about it – The diversity, I loved all the many different Elizabeth’s in so many different settings and stages of life found in this anthology.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
The Rogues’s Widow – Nicole Clarkston
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 164
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The writing style, Darcy and Elizabeth’s strong and intimate relationship, and the surprise effect.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Pride & Pyramids – Amanda Grande & Jacqueline Webb
Publication year – 2012
Number of Pages – 312
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Sequel
What I loved about it – The innovation, the setting, the adventure, the secondary characters, the paranormal effect. I mean, there wasn’t really anything I didn’t love about in this book 🙂
My review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – No
Available in Audible – No
Fortune & Felicity – Monica Fairview
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 309
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – Having older versions of Darcy and Elizabeth, the cozy feeling, the romance, the pace, the mature relationship that was developed, and the writing style 🙂
My review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – No
The Most Interesting Man in the World – Jan Ashton & Justine Rivard
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 134
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Different POV
What I loved about it – The humour, the bromance and Mr. Bingley’s brain 🙂
My review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Disenchanted – Kara Pleasants
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 250
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The mystery, the adventure and excitment, and a strong Elizabeth.
My review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
A Timely Elopment – Joana Starnes
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 192
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The writting style, the interruption at Hunsford, Darcy’s jealousy and the romance.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
So This is Love – Laura Hile
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 327
Sub Genre – Secondary Character
What I loved about it – Captain Jack Blunt the setting, the dialogues and the intensity of their love…oh did I mention Captain Jack Blunt? This book was PERFECT!
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – No
Being Mrs Darcy – Lucy Marin
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 464
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The character development, the approach to Georgiana Darcy, the dialogues, and I have to mention the character development once more, it was over the top! This book is epic!
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
A Wilful Misunderstanding – Amy D’Orazzio
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 394
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The premise, the pace, the different type of angst, the many topics it approaches such as trust and abandonment and the fact that it is unputdownable.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Love Unsought – Kay Bea
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 272
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – Even though I had a few quibbles with this one in the end, the beginning was so compelling it had to be in this list. I loved the romance, the different relationships that were developed, the action, intrigue and Elizabeth’s rival.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
When the Sun Sleeps – Alix James
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 94
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The premise, the dialogues, Darcy’s vulnerability, and the intensity of their emotions.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Do you share any favourites with me? Have you read all the books that are on my list? If you haven’t, I really recommend them 🙂 And is there any book that is missing on this list you would recommend? I am sure there were many other books released in 2020 that have a lot of potential, but I’ll have to catch up on those in 2021. You know…so many books, so little time.
This year I had a few recurring authors on my favorites list, but also many new to me authors, I am curious to see how this will be next year considering I want to read more older books.
If you’d like to check my favorites from previous years you can find them on the links below, and you’ll see what I mean by recurring authors 🙂
2015 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favourite books
2016 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favourite Books
2017 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favourite Books
2018 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favourite Books
2019 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favourite Books
Wishing you all a lovely 2021, full of books and reading hours 🙂
From Pemberley to Milton 
Thrilled and honoured to see Fortune & Felicity on your list, Rita, and in such good company! Many thanks! 🙂
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It was an excellent read Monica, I am looking forward for your next books 🙂 I know they’ll be as good as this one 🙂
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I’ve read all but two of these and loved them all! I totally agree with your novella choice as I’ve read it several times and it always brings me to tears.
As you know I’ve just read Pride and Pyramids myself and really enjoyed it. I do love anything written by Joana so A Timely Elopement was brilliant. I first read Being Mrs Darcy before it was published and have since bought this copy, it made me feel so sorry for Elizabeth, but once Darcy realised his feelings I loved the way he dealt with them!
But my favourite fir the year isn’t on your list, it’s the Sanctuary series by Cat Andrews. I loved it so much that I’m now on my fourth read!
Good luck with your goals for 2021 and I do hope you’re able to finally travel safely at some point.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas.
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I’ve heard nothing but good things about Sanctuary Glynis but I haven’t read it yet. I’m hoping to start reading it in January, so maybe it will be on next years favorite list 😉
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So glad you had a good reading year Rita! We chose some of the same books but I will have to check out the ones you listed that I haven’t read yet. Happy 2021, I wish you good health, good luck and good reading 🙂
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We do have a lot of favorites in common Ceri, but I also need to read some you have on your list, namely Sanctuary 🙂
Happy New Year and Stay Safe 🙂
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Thank you so much for including my book on your list, Rita. I’m absolutely delighted. You’ve made my day!
Congratulations to everyone mentioned. I’ve read most of the books on the list, and I know they all deserve a spot on the list.
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Your book was truly epic Lucy, it had to be here 🙂
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Thank you so much! How exciting to make your list!
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It is well deserved :))))
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Great list! There are a few I haven’t read yet. I’ll be adding them to my TBR.
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I trully recommend all of them Melissa 🙂
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Love your list, Rita. Reading the other comments, I went and checked out The Sanctuary series. The price is reduced until Jan 4th If you want to check it out. Hopefully I will have more time to read this year. I have volunteered to take my neighbor for radiation treatments and will sit in the car and wait for her.
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Sanctuary is on my TBR pile and it is one I will definitely be reading soon. Everyone who has read it has recommend it so I am sure it will not disappoint. Maybe it will be on my favorites list next year 😉
That is so kind of you Shelley! I wish more people were like you, the world would be in a better place 🙂 I hope all goes well for your neighbor.
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Hi Rita,
Thank you for sharing your best of selection.
I just confess to not having read most of them as I seem to have
lost my P&P mojo plus I’m suffering from a severe dose of bookitis at
the moment!
Happy New Year,Rita. Wishing you health andhappiness and a
more normal world in which to enjoy books 📖.
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I was like you last year Mary because I had also lost a bit of interest in JAFF, but since I started reading more books about secondary characters ond other Austen novels, I’ve regained my interest, I hope it continues that way, but I am also sure I will need to read other things too.
A Happy New Year to you and stay safe 🙂
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It is such an honor to be on your list! Congrats to all!
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This is a heady feeling to have “Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl” named as a Favorite Read amongst so many of my longtime favorite authors like Joana Starnes, Karen M Cox, and Laura Hile plus other great authors I’ve had the good fortune to work with via my Quill Collective anthology series like Nicole Clarkston and Amy D’Orazio. I am proud of this anthology and all who contributed stories and our talented voice actress too, Elizabeth Grace. Over the moon to see the second edition of “Find Wonder in All Things” and “Love Unsought” honored too because I was involved in the editing and know well how much the honor must mean to those two authors. Congratulations to all the authors in your Favorites list, and again, Rita, many thanks for all your blogging efforts to read and review as you shine your light on JAFF. x
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Thank you so much for your kind words and encoragement Christina, the JAFF world wouldn’t be the same without you, and you also deserve to be complimented for being involved in so many of these books 🙂
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I have read all those stories, some more than once. Thanks for sharing.
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Hi Sheila, were some of them your favorites too?
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Absolutely. Being Mrs. Darcy is one that I read twice in full and parts several more time. There are several others that are favorites also.
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Fabulous list, Rita! I’ve read 7 of them and fully agree with you that they are wonderful stories!
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Hi Katie, any other you would recommend?
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I highly recommend Tempted by Nicole Clarkston.
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What a thrill to see both Widow and When the Sun Sleeps on your list, Rita! Thank you so much for all you do to support JAFF readers and authors. This is an amazing list you have!
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Thank you Nicole! I couldn’t cut any of them, both were very special for different reasons. I hope we continue to see novellas from Alix James coming in very frequently…and maybe a North and South one will pop up too 🙂 Taking any fan requests?
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Yay for hitting an all-time reading high this past year, Rita. I read and loved four of those and have two more on my reading pile still.
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Thank you Sophia! I was super happy with this number, but I think I won’t be able to read as much in 2021…let’s see. Maybe I’ll find encouragement in your Austen Lovers GR group 🙂
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Thank you for including Find Wonder in All Things! I will always have a soft spot for this couple. They show us love conquers all 🙂 Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year Karen! I was very happy to get to the end of the year and finding this book among my favorites because it means that it’s not just P&P or Darcy and Elizabeth that reach our hearts. I mean, my favorite books are usually about them, but sometimes books about other characters are just as good 🙂
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Fantastic list, Rita, with some amazing choices. I haven’t read them all but I have always been a fan of The Most Interesting Man in the World – it’s such a fun and unique story. Thanks for supporting the Austenesque community with your blog!
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Thank you so much Jessie! I agree with you, the uniqueness of The Most Interesting Man in the World was what sold it to me. I didn’t find the premise irresistible but I was completely rendered to this book when I listened to the audiobook. The way it is writting and the approach is incredible. That book is a gem 🙂
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Love seeing The Most Interesting Man in the World on your list, Rita! Your review when the audiobook came out was so sweet and uplifting; not everyone loves a good Darcy-Bingley bromance or a goofy but sly Bingley, but you truly got the humor in our story! Thank you for this place of honor on your list!
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This book is a gem Jan. Like you said not everybody will be compelled by the story because it’s not a romance focused on Darcy and Elizabeth, but that should not prevent people from reading it, I’m sure that those who do decided to read it will love it! It’s such a fun and refreshing story! I keep recommending it to all my friends 🙂
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Congratulations to the winners!
denise
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Thanks so much, Rita!!! I’m SO happy you liked it! Congrats to all the authors, and Happy New Year, everyone! I think we deserve a good one for a change 😉
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I didn’t like it Joana, I loved it 🙂 Happy New Year! let’s hope this one is much better then the last 🙂
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Hello everybody, we will soon give you the results of the giveaway, and thank you all for the thoughtful comments about my book! Thank you also so much to Rita for being the perfect hostess of this wonderful blog… 🙂
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Rita, it has to be almost impossible to make these lists. My list includes a different Nicole Clarkston and a different Alix James book than you’ve listed, showing how good that author is. I’d have included Undoing by L.L. Diamond and Silver Buckles by Grace Gibson, both an early and a late entry in the year, which are often missed in the mix. How you manage to settle yourself to just these books baffles me with so many good books, but this is an amazing mix of great JAFF. Congratulations to all!
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