Review: Sense and Sensibility: A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Which is the key to love—passion or sensibility? Sensible Elly and romantic Maren are sisters trying to hold their family together in the wake of their father’s bankruptcy and death. As both unexpectedly encounter the madness and misadventures of love, they find out what true happiness means. This modern reimagining of the Jane Austen favorite will capture your heart all over again.

My Review

What a fresh retelling of Sense and Sensibility! The author did a great job translating the trials of 19th century England to some that readers could definitely relate to in our day. Maren's mental instability was fascinating to read, how she coped with her depression in different ways and her perspective of the professional help she received. Elly's developing relationship with Ethan was sweet, but frustrating since he was not committing 100%. The youngest sister in this version is not a child but a young woman with autism. Something that I appreciated was the addressing throughout the novel of the very real grief that the girls felt over the death of their father. The settings and dialogue were realistic and contemporary, yet the Austen-esque storyline was definitely recognizable, and it was fun making comparisons between the two. The characters are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as Mormons), but the references are very basic and it has the same feel as other Christian fiction novels. I'd feel comfortable recommending it to members of any denomination.

(Thank you to Cedar Fort Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)