Manning has still kept the rhythm of Austen’s prose and the feel of Austen’s world, and the romantic tension between Fanny and Edmund will still keep you turning the pages. It’s more of an historical novel than just a variation on Mansfield Park. But I feel it differs from Jane Austen’s work more than A Contrary Wind. 'It’s the sort of complex book in which you can get submerged and then hate to find you’ve come to the end. I admit I was perplexed by the excessive use of commas, but then I did read Mansfield Park, and a couple more of Austen’s books, which gave me an even deeper appreciation of what Lona Manning had done.' No, I found this book when I was exploring Kindle Unlimited, especially focusing on books published by their authors, and A Contrary Wind outshone all the others I found for the smoothness of its prose, the compelling characters, the captivating plot, and the general tightness of the writing-I never skipped ahead wishing someone had told the author to please cut some. And unlike most of the other reviewers here, I didn’t come to it because I’m a fan of Jane Austen.

'Thi s is a beautifully written book with such an absorbing story I could hardly put it down.

Lovers of Jane Austen and historical fiction alike will enjoy this book.' Callista Hunter, author of Goddess Manning is a fantastic writer and researcher who has used her considerable talent on Austen's beloved characters. In addition, nothing is predictable about Manning's work, and I was in suspense about how the story would end through the very last chapter. Her use of historical detail is never gratuitous or forced, and serves to further the development of all Austen's characters as they move along in this alternate storyline. Manning's writing is so entertaining that, while you're learning about the history of the period, you're having too much of a good time to notice. I enjoyed this book so much as a work of historical fiction, and not just as a Jane Austen spinoff. She also situates Austen's characters in historical context, and A Different Kind of Woman continues that theme. 'In the first two books of this trilogy, Lona Manning has already demonstrated both her absolute mastery of Austenesque language, and her deep understanding of Austen's characters and their motivations.

A Contrary Wind by Lona Manning