Review: Ladies of the House

I'm a Jane Austen fan who enjoys reading (and watching) adaptations of Austen's work. Not everyone does, and that's OK. (I'm more forgiving of adaptations in general than some readers, I find.) So, I figured I'd have a good time reading Lauren Edmondson's debut novel, Ladies of the House, which is a modern day retelling of Sense and Sensibility. I was wrong. I had a great time reading it. It might be my love of Austen influencing me but I absolutely adored this book from start to finish.

Here's the description:

No surprise is a good surprise. At least according to thirty-four-year-old Daisy Richardson. So when it’s revealed in dramatic fashion that her esteemed father had been involved in a public scandal before his untimely death, Daisy’s life becomes complicated—and fast.
For one, the Richardsons must now sell the family home in Georgetown they can no longer afford, and Daisy’s mother is holding on with an iron grip. Her younger sister, Wallis, is ready to move on to bigger and better things but falls fast and hard for the most inconvenient person possible. And then there’s Atlas, Daisy’s best friend. She’s always wished they could be more, but now he’s writing an exposé on the one subject she’s been desperate to avoid: her father.
Daisy’s plan is to maintain a low profile as she works to keep her family intact amid social exile, public shaming, and quickly dwindling savings. But the spotlight always seems to find the Richardsons, and when another twist in the scandal comes to light, Daisy must confront the consequences of her continued silence and summon the courage to stand up and accept the power of her own voice.

Like with any adaptation, Edmondson cut some characters and combined others. Some storylines were removed and adjusted to fit the flow of a modern story. It's been a few years since I've read Sense and Sensibility (and about as long since watching Emma Thompson's excellent movie adaptation), so I could only really recall the broad strokes of Austen's novel anyway. And those were the strokes that Edmonson made sure to make. Her Willoughby was perfection and Beau (aka Colonel Brandon) was wicked smart and an absolute sweetheart, just as he should be. The relationship between the sisters (only two - no youngest sister to be found in this story) and their mother was much better and healthier than I think Austen had ever written - but I loved that. Give me a great sister story and I'm happy - even happier when they get along well with their mother. There was a great scene in this story when Daisy and her mother, Cricket, wander around the National Gallery of Art. She says that she'd forgotten her mother was her ideal museum companion, since her father didn't care and her sister, Wallis, always zoomed through. I can't remember the last time I would have been at an art museum with my mom, certainly not as an adult, but the scene struck me so deeply and I wished the world wasn't locked down so I could go on an art adventure with my mom.

Speaking of the National Gallery of Art, there were a few scenes sprinkled throughout the story that would appeal to those wishing to do a bit of armchair traveling. The majority of the Washington, D.C. the reader gets is very political (which I enjoyed a lot) but there are a few moments where the reader, if they've visited the city like I have, will recognize attractions and be able to exactly picture the setting. 

The story, separate of all things Austen, is a gem. It is smart and amazingly feminist. I loved that Daisy was just a year older than me and absolutely killing it on the Hill. (Equally great was that the story wasn't super bogged down in politics.) I also freaking adored that she took no bullshit from Blake (aka Willoughby) at the end of the novel when he was trying to wrangle an apology out of her simply because his white frat boy self thought he deserved one. The epilogue gave me chills and I think I'm going to have to reread it a couple more times because of how powerful I felt it was. (No quotes here because 1. it's the epilogue and therefore the very end of the book and 2. I only have an advanced copy and can't confirm the finished text.) Wallis and Daisy had such a great sisterly relationship and I wished I could be their friend. 

You don't have to be a fan of Jane Austen to love Lauren Edmondson's debut novel - though Janeites will enjoy the nods to Sense and Sensibility. Ladies of the House is smart, entertaining, heartwarming, and feminist. I loved reading it and I think a lot of others will too. I can't wait to read what she writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Graydon House/Harlequin, via NetGalley, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*