"The Family Fortune" by Laurie Horowitz is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Persuasion" but it's a delightful read whether you are an Austen fan or not, or familiar with "Persuasion" or not.

Jane Fortune is a Boston woman in crisis. She's pushing 40 (38, in fact), she's unmarried with little prospects, her family fortune appears to be in serious jeopardy and her first love, author Max Wellman, is back.

Jane edits a literary journal, which she founded, and while she has great satisfaction from finding the next literary genius, she years for true love. The first great literary genius she found, Max Wellman, went on to become a successful novelist. She still pines for Max, who she left 15 years earlier on the advice of her mother's oldest friend, Priscilla.

To further complicate matters, the family finances are in peril - - a fact which Jane's father Teddy can't understand and Jane's older, and unmarried, sister Miranda refuses to understand. Jane's younger sister Winnie is too busy suffering from her own ailments to concern herself with her family's troubles, and that includes her husband and her own sons.

"The Family Fortune" is told from Jane's point of view and what makes the book such an enjoyable read, besides the obvious Austen connection, is Jane's likability. You root for her and you want her to succeed, feeling that she deserves a better fate than being treated as little more than a servant by her own sisters and father. Jane isn't stupid, she's merely sold herself short for far too long.

My only complaint, if you can call it that, with this book is that I don't believe the character of Max was developed enough. I wish we could have seen more about why Jane fell so madly in love with him.

Regardless, "The Family Fortune" was well worth the time spent to read it - - less than six days for me (not bad, revolving around my full time work schedule and family). I would definitely recommend it to any Austen or romance fan.

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Laurie Horowitz’s brilliant debut novel began as an exercise, as Horowitz, a Jane Austen enthusiast, thought she needed more practice writing the dialogue of mean people. The result is a witty social commentary on the old rich, interwoven with a love story that will make readers sigh.

Technically, THE FAMILY FORTUNE is a retelling of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION. However, it’s interesting to see how Horowitz places the story in modern times. Practical Jane Fortune is 38 years old and perpetually single. She lives in the Fortunes’ old family home with her father, Teddy, and older sister Miranda, neither of whom know the meaning of the word “budget.” Jane spends most of her time either reading books or working for her family’s philanthropic organization, which publishes the literary magazine the Euphemia Review and, every year, grants a promising new writer a place to stay to write his or her novel.

When their family is forced to move due to their financial crisis, Jane stays with her sister Winnie’s family for a while. Unfortunately—or luckily, whatever you call it—this means she crosses paths again with Max Wellman, the first recipient of the Fortune Foundation’s literary grant. Max was her first love, but their relationship was stopped by Jane’s disapproving family, who didn’t want her to be with a struggling artiste. Fifteen years later, Max is successful writer with a womanizing reputation, and Jane is still the same as ever. Go figure.

Circumstances seem to make it impossible for Max to fall in love with the still-besotted Jane again. Meanwhile, Jane struggles to make an identity for herself, separate from the one her ridiculous family gives her. Maybe it’s only after she learns to love herself that Jane can be open to making her own decisions about her life, and her love.

THE FAMILY FORTUNE is a wonderfully told story of the absurdities of high society and the growth of a sensible woman. The romance part of the story left me a bit disappointed, but I appreciated this remarkably successful Austenian-type novel. ( )

Ah, a lovely, modern retelling of my second favorite Austen novel. Very well told. This was a great read, perfect for the trip that I was on, very diverting. I wish I could rave more, but it's been awhile between reading it and writing this. It's definitely one of those books I'll read again and that's really saying something. ( )

Thoroughly enjoyed. Light read. Contemporary renewal. ( )