The first novella in the Austen in Austin collection, based on Jane Austen's Emma Hotel heiress Emmeline Travis knows true love. After all, thanks to her, her former governess is now happily married to the livery owner who works next to her father’s hotel. Austin banker Noah Whitley knows Emmeline. He has no qualms with insisting that his best friend’s matchmaking skills are more coincidence than reality. While Emmeline is determined to prove him wrong by matching her lovelorn protégé with someone besides the local beet farmer, Noah realizes telling her to do something is one thing. Stopping her is another. When Emmeline’s schemes implode and her own heart is broken, Noah knows confiding the depth of his feelings to her would be far easier . . . if he loved her less.

This third Austen in Austin novella is based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Urged by her family to marry for the sake of their dwindling finances, Eliza Branch prefers to pay for the remainder of her time at the Austen Academy by writing for the local paper. There’s plenty to write about now that railroad baron William Delacourt has come to Austin. His proposed northbound line may be good for local business, but she’s still stinging from his terrible first impression. If the rumors about William are true, then he deserves to be skewered in print. But when Eliza’s pen gets ahead of her conscience, it’s William who makes everything right—and the reasons behind his sacrifice just might be the story of Eliza’s lifetime.

This fourth Austen in Austin novella is based on Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey As travel companion to her condescending cousin, Philadelphian Kathryn Morton dreamily anticipates a week in the Wild West as the best cure for meekness. After a long rail journey and a steady diet of gothic dime novels, she shivers, despite the Texas heat, at the ghastly tales of the Austin Axe Murderer. Kathryn has little time to fret, given the competing attentions of quiet rancher Harmon Gray and elegant gentleman Jonathan Wellington. With her new-found confidence and her boundless imagination, she sets out to solve the mystery of Hyde Park Cemetery before another student flees Austen Abbey. Only then can she return home to her English-born parents as an independent American woman. A woman in love. But on the stormiest of nights, Kathryn learns that solving the mystery may destroy a future with the man she’s fallen for in a big Texas way.

Four Texas-Set Novellas Based on Jane Austen's Novels Discover four heroines in historical Austin, TX, as they find love—Jane Austen style. Volume 2 includes: Simply Lila by Suzie Johnson, based on Lady Susan Yearning to find a real-life hero, a wallflower must learn to live outside the pages of an Austen novel. Fully Persuaded by Niki Turner, based on Persuasion A brokenhearted artist struggles with the shame of her family s bankruptcy and the return of her first love whose proposal she d spurned because he was poor. Mansford Ranch by Dina L. Sleiman, based on Mansfield Park An aspiring novelist with a keen eye for character must determine who is worthy of playing her own leading man. Sense and Nonsense by Lisa Karon Richardson, based on Sense and Sensibility A would-be missionary is determined to make it to Ceylon, but when her funds disappear, she has to accept help from the man she most wants to avoid. Don't miss the first four exciting novellas in volume 1!

Living in the shadow of her mother has always been part of Lila Wentworth’s everyday life. Filled with self-doubt and uncertainty, Lila seeks solace among the pages of Jane Austen’s captivating novels; she even identifies with one of Jane’s characters. But when handsome engineer Kirby Ross, rescues her from the path of a runaway trolley car, Lila wishes she had just an ounce of her mother’s wit and beauty. Frustrated that the shy Miss Wentworth avoids him, Kirby aims to be the one to show her life can be far more interesting than fiction and that her inner-beauty is far more desirable.

Annie Ellis fell in love with Ford Winters at the tender age of 19, but her family persuaded her to end the relationship. Eight years later and still alone, Annie is resigned to life as a spinster. She pours her frustrated passion into teaching art at Austen Abbey. When Annie's spendthrift father and sister nearly bankrupt them, an unknown investor's offer to lease the family's ranch is their only hope. The investor is none other than Ford, who made his fortune in Colorado's silver fields and has returned to Texas to show the woman who broke his heart she made a terrible mistake. But when her family tries to manipulate Ford, he realizes Annie didn't stand a chance against their scheming ways. Now Ford must prove to Annie that true love needs no persuasion, only faith.

As an aspiring novelist, Franny Sue Price prides herself in being a student of human nature. When dashing Hank Crawfield returns from his studies back East, he sets his Stetson on wooing her. Although he melts her with his charm and sophistication, Franny fears something is amiss. She and her longtime friend, cowboy Eddie Mansford, devise a series of challenges to test Hank’s true character. As Hank’s crooked nature comes to light, Franny realizes that the hero she’s looking for may have been under her upturned nose all along.

Super serious Evangeline Bennett has no time for frivolities like courtship. Besides, she tried it once and doesn’t intend to lay her heart open to that sort of pain again. Now she has her sights set on a higher goal. She’s going to be a missionary to Ceylon. But when her plans go awry, only James Ferris, the son of the missionary board’s chairman, can hope to set things right. Too bad he’s the very man she’s sworn to never see again.