Romance, drama, a strong female protagonist, and a brooding romantic interest

The New York Times reviews Margot Livesey’s new novel The Road From Belhaven. The writer's previous work includes The Flight of Gemma Hardy, a retelling of Jane Eyre.

Lacking intensity or suspense, Livesey’s novel is most accomplished in its presentation of history. The story brims with vivid observations of 19th-century Scottish life. A skilled draftswoman, Lizzie finds work as a locomotive tracer. There’s also a rich evocation of the era’s cultural tapestry, including the local Celtic-Rangers rivalry and the influence of literature such as “Kidnapped” and “Jane Eyre.” Yet there’s a sense that the novel’s deluge of historical detail is present to compensate for the lack of drama or atmosphere. (Daisy Lafarge)

Elle has a bookish conversation with writer Tia Williams.

The book that: [...]

...shaped my worldview:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Sadly, Heathcliff and Cathy’s twisted love had me crushing on far too many tormented anti-heroes in my teens. (Riza Cruz)

News (Australia) has picked the '51 best books to read in 2024' and the list includes

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Read and Reviewed by Stephanie Yip, eCommerce Travel Writer

This is one of the few novels I’ve re-read over the years and I still never tire of it. It follows the story of Jane Eyre who is taken in by her cruel aunt. She eventually breaks free and becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall where she meets Mr Rochester whom she eventually falls in love with. As a period drama it has it all: romance, drama, a strong female protagonist, and a brooding romantic interest. [...]

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Read and Reviewed by Stephanie Yip, eCommerce Travel Writer

Whether you love classics, fan fiction or are a bit of a grammar nerd, you’re bound to appreciate this fantasy novel. It’s the first in a series of four about Thursday Next, a literary detective who is out to capture criminals that are jumping through famous novels, causing havoc and generally threatening to change their plots. For a debut novel it’s incredibly well-written, witty, and imaginative.

Evening Standard highlights 'some of the best book to film and TV adaptations' including

Wuthering Heights

Director Andrea Arnold’s take on Emily Brontë’s masterpiece is a real thrill: raw, heady, strange, and beautiful. A very different beast to previous adaptations, it divided critics upon its release, but it is now widely viewed as the Gothic novel’s most electrifying reimagination. (Elizabeth Gregory)

The Times reviews comedian Frank Skinner's show 30 Years of Dirt.

Instead, alas, he’s on the form of his life. One story about a giant of musical theatre is so gorgeous it felt as if laughing serum is being injected into your skin through tiny syringes in the armrests. His lovely little surprises skitter from Tom Kerridge to Wuthering Heights to — with a respectful nod to the health of the King — Kate Middleton to Simon Cowell to dog turds to oral sex to …(Dominic Maxwell)