The Heart of Bennet Hollow

By Joanne Bischof DeWitt and Joanne Bischof

Book Overview

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. LaddA clever, clean love storySouthern historical fiction in the vein of Michelle Shocklee and Pepper BashamIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0DYYP4QZY
• ISBN13: 9798400502248
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
• Length: 368 Pages

Customer Reviews

lovely historical romance

"I suppose this life is less about being right in my own eyes and more about bein' gracious to see that others have perspectives that matter." In this Pride and Prejudice retelling, Lizbeth and William navigate the fascinating culture of a small Virginia coal-mining town in 1904. Lizbeth, one of four daughters to a geologist employed by the coal mine, is frugal, practical, loyal, and hard-working. Her sensible ways keep her grounded and the way she always thinks about her family first is endearing. William is socially awkward but brilliant at business, stoic but compassionate and loyal, faith-filled, just and fair. Coal dust meets lavishly appointed Pullman car when Lizbeth and William's worlds collide. Their relationship remains true to the original book's. Older sister Jayne and William's friend Callum have a sweet relationship. The book highlighted the disparity between the poor coal miners and the extremely wealthy coal barons at the turn of the century. I learned quite a bit about coal mining and the coal mining towns that popped up around the mines. The romance was lovely and the writing easy to read. The plot slowed down at different points and felt a bit too slow at times. I really liked both of the main characters; however, Lizbeth's constant worry of their finances and distaste for William chafed after a while and William's obsession over bringing electricity to the mines and fulfilling his duty to the people was a bit over the top. But the generous and compassionate hearts underneath these thoughts and actions shined through to make them truly likable. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Tyndale Publishers via Interviews and Reviews and NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.