The Heart of Bennet Hollow

De: Joanne Bischof DeWitt

Narrado por: Caroline Hewitt

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’s Pride and Prejudice by the award-winning author of The 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.

• An inspirational historical romance retelling of Pride and Prejudice for fans of Julie Klassen, Sally Britton, and Sarah E. Ladd
• A clever, clean love story
• Southern historical fiction in the vein of Michelle Shocklee and Pepper Basham
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

©2025 Joanne Bischof DeWitt (P)2025 Tyndale Fiction

beautiful storytelling

Perfectly nuanced narration of a wonderful.story. I loved how the narrator captured and brought to life each character, the setting and story line. it is so well done!

Clean inspirational historical romance

This sweet Appalachian retelling of Pride and Prejudice was absolutely delightful. I loved the creative and insightful ways the story diverged from the original - while maintaining the essence and beauty of the classic I love.

This story is set in New River, Virginia (a coal mining town) in 1904, which added new layers of southern charm while presenting more challenges for the characters. The story was so cleverly crafted that I was genuinely curious about what would happen next in the plot. I can’t give spoilers but wow, there are some parts that made me extra happy! 👏

I absolutely adored how the author wrote Mr. Drake (Mr. Darcy). The insights into his thoughts and feelings added a new depth to his character and I appreciated the new perspective. My respect and admiration for him as a character continued to grow throughout the story.

If I had never read Pride & Prejudice, I would still be blown away by this beautifully written historical romance. The characters felt so human in their flaws and yet so very lovable. The rich descriptions of their lives made this period of history come alive for me in a way I’ve never experienced. This book is remarkable in its own right as a masterful work of inspirational fiction.

I highly recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy clean historical romances. ❤️

Chaste kisses only, no profanity, no violence.
Appropriate for YA readers too!

PS- The narrator did a great job with all the voices and accents!

Lizzie’s accent!

I read the first few chapters on Kindle and was surprised by Lizbeth’s drawl when I switched to Audible. It grew on me quickly and I’m glad I gave it a listen.

So endearing and sweet. I enjoyed unearthing the parallels between Joanne’s reimagining and the original.

A beautiful retelling

A truly unique retelling of pride and prejudice. I’m sure it took a lot of courage to jump into this, but then this author has lots of that. It’s a beautiful story that I grew to love more and more as I made my way through, listening to the audiobook.

A Perfect Adaptation!

The Heart of Bennet Hollow is a lovely adaptation that meshes an original storyline with the “feels” of P&P. Well done!

The setting—
A small coal mining town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia during a favorite time frame-1904. This book was well researched (as are all of Bischof Dewitt’s books) so I enjoyed learning from this historical perspective.

The MCs—
I dare say Mister Drake is as swoonworthy as Mister Darcy in both character and respectability, while Lizbeth possesses the heart of Lizzy Bennet when it comes to family, the down trodden and innocent. Their assumptions and misconceptions lead them to butt heads more than once. Perfectly written!

Thank you, thank you—
I was glad that Bischof Dewitt kept most of the story to Lizbeth and William and for the most part, of which I am not a fan, left out a lot regarding Lizbeth’s younger sister. She is still annoying, immature and headstrong (bravo) but there are not too many pages wasted on her.

Again, Caroline Hewitt is a go-to for southern fiction. The accents are authentic and the characters distinct. Another enjoyable listen.

This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review. I also purchased the audiobook.