The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof Dewitt Review

 Good Morning Sweet Friends :)

I pray that today finds you all doing well, and that you're all looking forward to the weekend.

This week has been a little crazy around here, so I'm hoping to have some time to go for a walk and read this weekend, as I'd love the chance to relax a bit.

Are any of you guys also dealing with the insane summer temperatures that just don't want to go away this year? It doesn't feel like fall at all yet where I live, and that makes me sad because fall is always my favorite season.

Hopefully we'll see that change soon, but in the meantime I have a fun book review to share with you all.

I hope you'll all keep on reading down below, and join me for today's full review.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischoff Dewitt:

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Tyndale Fiction

Publication Date: October 7th, 2025

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction/Jane Austen Retelling

Synopsis:

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 story. Southern historical fiction in the vein of Michelle Shocklee and Pepper Basham. Includes discussion questions for book clubs

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof Dewitt is one of my all time favorite books, and ever since reading (and loving) that one, I've enjoyed getting to pick up her new titles. In fact, I actually had no idea what this one was about before picking it up, I simply saw the author and that was all I needed to know. It came as a pleasant surprise that this ended up being a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the early 1900's in an Appalachian coal town. 

This author has a wonderful way of drawing the reader into her vivid settings and vibrant plots, and she definitely put an original spin on the timeless classic story. A lot of similarities exist with the original, with a few fun twists along the way. One of my favorites was the fact the Pemberley was a luxury private train car owned by Mr. Darcy, as it was such a fun and unexpected detail.

Obviously, as someone who is such a huge fan of the original story, a lot of what happened in this one along the way wasn't unexpected, but it also wasn't a carbon copy of the original. Most of the characters are portrayed slightly different, and I especially enjoyed how Mrs. Bennett was much less obnoxious than she is in the classic. I also enjoyed the timeline of the romance that develops between Lizbeth and Mr. Drake, as there were so many swoon worthy and heartwarming moments along the way. The faith element was blended in so seamlessly, and I loved how the family seemed so authentic about their faith.

When you combine a retelling of one of my all time favorite books with the writing style of one of my all time favorite authors, it's no surprise I ended up enjoying this one. However, it was well on its way to being a five star read for me, but I didn't end up enjoying the last fifty pages or so. The story went in a bit of a weird direction, and I wasn't personally a fan. I loved it up until that point thought, and I'd still highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys clean historical fiction and/or Pride and Prejudice retellings.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Tyndale Fiction for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Tyndale Fiction) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your weekend :)