New Jane Austen Retellings of 2025: Must-Read Romance Books Inspired by Austen

Romance readers, get ready—2025 is bringing an irresistible lineup of Jane Austen retellings you won’t want to miss. From new romance books inspired by Pride and Prejudice to must-read Austen-inspired romances based on Emma and Persuasion, this book list has something for every fan of classic love stories with a modern twist. These upcoming releases blend witty banter, swoony slow burns, and heartfelt happily-ever-afters, making them the perfect picks for your 2025 romance TBR.

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New Austen Retellings of 2025

The Austen Affair
by Madeline Bell

Tess Bright just scored her dream role starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. It’s not just the role of a lifetime, but it’s also her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress (no easy feat after being fired from her last TV gig) and more importantly, it’s her opportunity to honor her mom, who was the biggest fan of Jane Austen ever. But one thing is standing in Tess’s way—well, one very tall, annoyingly handsome person, actually: Hugh Balfour.

A serious British method actor, Hugh wants nothing to do with Tess (whose Teen Choice Awards somehow don’t quite compare to his BAFTA nominations). Hugh is a type-A, no-nonsense, Royal Academy prodigy, whereas Tess is big-hearted, a little reckless, and admittedly, kind of a mess. But the film needs chemistry—and Tess’s career depends on it.

Sparks fly, but not in the way Tess hoped, when an electrical accident sends the two feuding co-stars back in time to Jane Austen’s era. 200 years in the past with only each other to rely on, Tess and Hugh need to ad-lib their way through the Regency period in order to make it back home, and hopefully not screw up history along the way. But if a certain someone looks particularly dashing in those 19th century breeches…well, Tess won’t be complaining.

Give Me a Reason
by Jayci Lee

For ten years, Anne Lee told herself that Frederick Nam was her past. To save her father from bankruptcy, she dropped out of UC San Diego to pursue an acting career in Korea. Anne had to stop Frederick from following her and ruining his future. Breaking up with him was the best way she could love him.

After Anne left him, Frederick spent years loving her, missing her, and hating her until he decided to live his life for himself. He followed his dream and became a firefighter in Culver City. He didn’t need romance. He had his work and his friends.

When she returns to Los Angeles, Anne and Frederick find themselves in the same wedding—she as her cousin’s bridesmaid and he as his friend’s groomsman. Even though he is cold and distant with her, Anne can no longer deny that she never got over him. Not even close. As for Frederick, needing to take care of Anne is a habit he can’t seem to kick, but that doesn’t mean he has to forgive her.

My book review of Give Me a Reason.

Sense & Suitability
by Pepper Basham

After two failed social seasons, her family may think the third time will be a charm, but Emmeline Lockhart just wants to survive with her dignity (and singleness) intact. She thought she’d found her perfect match in Simon Reeves–charming, handsome, a veritable hero from a novel–until he vanished from her life without so much as a “farewell” or “my deepest regrets” (or even a vague apology scribbled on the back of a calling card). Lesson learned: never fall for a man known for his charm.

Fortunately, and unlike many of the other eligible young ladies of the ton, Emmeline has no need for a husband–because she’s already found success in her scandalous (and very anonymous) profession as an author. Why bother with matrimony when she can make her own fortune and write men exactly the way she wants them?

But fate–or the misfortune of Simon’s reckless patriarchs–has other plans. Simon’s once-proud estate is in shambles, his family fortune has been gambled away, and the younger impressionable siblings in his care are running wild across his estate (and possibly across all of England). Simon is in desperate need of a wealthy, prestigious bride . . . and a friend.

Emmeline may not fit the role of heiress, but she can certainly be a friend. Just a friend. She’ll help him find a suitable match, ensure his reputation remains intact, and keep things strictly platonic–no matter how dangerously appealing his new-and-improved sincerity and regret may be.

There’s just one small problem: the undeniable chemistry that still smolders between them. Can Emme play matchmaker for the man she’s still in love with without losing her heart all over again? And is it possible that some love stories–especially the messy, inconvenient, impossible ones–are worthy of a rewrite?

Anne of Avenue A
by Audrey Bellazza and Emily Harding

Eight years ago, Anne Elliot broke Freddie Wentworth’s heart when she refused to give up her five-year plan for the sake of adventure. But despite big dreams, Anne, now thirty, is still living at home with hardly a plan in sight. Anne tries to be optimistic—she knows better than anyone that regret will get you nowhere—but that goes out the window when, thanks to her father’s bad spending habits, her childhood apartment is rented out to the very man still living in her head rent-free.

Freddie Wentworth never thought he would see Anne Elliot again after she dumped him for accepting a job overseas. He spent years trying to forget her, and he’s been mostly successful. So when a job opportunity takes him back to New York, he’s shocked to find out that Anne is not only his new neighbor, but also the former resident of his new Greenwich Village penthouse.

Nearly a decade after Anne and Freddie’s fateful romance, the only thing they still have in common is a desire to leave their relationship firmly in the past. But between a disastrous off-Broadway show and a drunken Thanksgiving dinner, nosey neighbors, and flirtatious friends, Anne and Freddie suddenly find their lives more intertwined than ever before. When old feelings start rising to the surface, they must decide whether to put their hearts on the line or walk away all over again.

Check out my book review of Anne of Avenue A.

Influence
by Ruth Mitchell

There are some perks to being a rock star. The money, the adoring fans, the grammy—rubbing it in my ex’s beautiful face.

Five years ago, April Rain dumped me after her celebrity father convinced her I wasn’t rich or famous enough to date a pop star. Now everything has changed. She’s left the spotlight and I’ve made a name for myself.

I don’t mind watching her squirm as I flirt with her friends at my beach house or catching her sneakily check me out when she thinks I’m not looking.

The only drawback? We’re expected to sing a duet at my best friend’s wedding. How am I supposed to write a love song with the woman who broke my heart? How do I keep pretending that I’m over her?

Tolerable
by Ruth Mitchell

When I receive a Thank You note from my client Mr. Darcy, I picture a genteel white-haired gentleman. Then I Google him. Turns out, Mr. Darcy is HAWT! And much younger than I expected. Thirty-one and head of an almond empire, here I am 26, working two jobs and barely scraping by.

I must admit, after seeing his photo,I dress a little nicer when I go to Pemberley offices.

When I finally do meet Liam Darcy, he’s a HUGE disappointment. Sure, he’s just as tall and handsome as his photos. But he’s rude and awkward. And that’s before I overhear him telling his friend that I’m barely “tolerable!”

The first time I met Lettie Benson I called her tolerable. Oof! And she will NEVER let me forget it. She says I’m the last man she’d ever kiss. I’m hoping she means that as much as I meant it when I said she was tolerable.

Potions & Prejudice
by Tee Harlowe

Elspeth Moonflower just wants to cast a spell. Unfortunately, that’s impossible due to a curse her grandmother cast that forces every witch in her family to marry before using magic. As a result, Elspeth and her sisters are outcasts, helping their mother run her traveling apothecary shop—while she complains that her daughters are all magicless spinsters.

When their cart breaks down and strands them in the charming village of Thistlegrove, Elspeth’s older sister meets a handsome warlock who’s smitten. If only the warlock’s best friend wasn’t completely insufferable. Draven Darkstone is broody, arrogant, wealthy—a perfect example of why Elspeth never wants to marry. But for the sake of her sister, she needs to be nice.

Which is hard when all Draven does is glower at her. It’s even harder when the glowering turns to longing glances. It’s downright impossible when he kisses her.

Little does Elspeth know, the line between love and hate just got thinner.

The Earl That Got Away
by Diana Quincy

American Naila Darwish always regretted calling off her engagement to the man she loved because he wasn’t successful enough for her family. Eight years later, she travels to England for her sister’s wedding and gets the shock of her life when she runs into Basil again. Overjoyed, she wonders if the fates have given her a second chance at love.

But Basil Trevelyn is not the same carefree young man Naila rejected all those years ago. Having unexpectedly inherited a noble title, he is now the Earl of Hawksworth, one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Still bitter after Naila’s heart-wrenching rejection all those years ago, Hawk is cold and distant, suspecting Naila is after his money and position.

When the two lost lovers are repeatedly thrown together, they discover that the chemistry between them burns brighter than ever and that some feelings are too strong to deny. Will they allow pride and lingering resentment to keep them from seizing their last chance at happiness?

More New Romance Books if You Love Jane Austen

Desperately Seeking Mr. Darcy
by Becky Monson

She just wanted a Mr. Darcy… not her best friend’s brother in breeches.

“Didn’t see that coming” could be my life’s motto. I mean, I certainly didn’t foresee my roommate stealing my boyfriend—an unfortunate turn of events that led to me moving in with my best friend and her infuriatingly attractive brother. Oh, and speaking of the brother? I might have once confessed my love for him, only to be met with soul-crushing, dignity-shattering unrequited feelings. Fun times, indeed.

But in this series of unexpected disasters, one surprise actually worked in my favor: winning a trip to Pride and Prejudice Park, where I get to play my literary hero, Elizabeth Bennet. Sounds like a dream, right?

Well, even that plan goes off the rails. The trip takes such a wild turn that Zane—my best friend’s brother—ends up tagging along and playing Mr. Darcy. And here’s the biggest shock of all: suddenly, all this pretending starts to feel incredibly real. Could Zane actually be the Mr. Darcy I’ve been searching for my entire life? Or will my Pride and Prejudice dreams remain just that—a dream?

The Rules of Falling for You
by Mollie Rushmeyer

The perfect match can’t be far–certainly not at a Regency-themed singles’ retreat–or so podcaster Zoe Dufour believes. After years of creating content for her relationship podcast inspired by Regency etiquette and era-appropriate rules for romance, she knows her listeners have anticipated this retreat. But she also attends with expectations of her own: finding the ideal modern-day gentleman who can meet every one of the nonnegotiables on her checklist.

Harrison Lundquist, Zoe’s podcast producer and best friend’s brother, reluctantly agrees to tag along on the retreat to capture footage while seeking a career-advancing promotion. He views the retreat as ridiculous. And Zoe’s methods for finding her real-life Mr. Darcy? Downright absurd! But as he films her whirlwind dates, his growing feelings for her are sidelined by suitors vying for her attention. When Zoe realizes her checklist for the man of her dreams might be holding her back, she must decide if she’s willing to rewrite her rules and take a chance on the person who has been there all along.

Ladies in Waiting
by Multiple Authors

In honor of her 250th birthday, eight authors have come together with wildly imaginative reboots of the lives of several of Jane Austen’s minor characters. Written with plenty of love and wit, these clever stories star everyone from Pride and Prejudice’s snobbish Caroline Bingley to the modern descendant of Sense and Sensibility’s Eliza Williams and much more. Blurring genres and taking us across the oceans, Ladies in Waiting is a heartfelt celebration of Jane Austen and her timeless masterpieces.

Related Book Lists:

• Best Pride & Prejudice Retellings

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