Byrne gives us perhaps the finest Jane Austen fiction has provided. Her Jane seems so like the person we find in the letters and novels, with quotes seamlessly quilted into the novel, that we feel at home in this serious romance. Byrne has also built an entirely believable story from the bit of information Cassandra Austen shared with her niece. Immersed in literature, art, the Austen family, the seaside resort town, the reader will fall in love with Jane Austen all over again. Byrne, a favorite among Jane Austen fans for her deep knowledge in previous books The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things, The Genius of Jane Austen,  and Belle, has given us a historical novel to cherish.  Pegasus Books. 2025. Hb, Dj. NEW. $25