About the Book: Set in 1820, The Elopement is a richly imagined historical fiction and family saga inspired by the world of Jane Austen. Mary Dorothea Knatchbull’s life changes when her widowed father marries Fanny Knight, bringing her into the lively and affectionate Austen family. As Mary falls deeply in love with one of Fanny’s brothers, their seemingly perfect match faces unexpected opposition. Blending romance, family drama, social comedy and meticulous Regency-era detail, Gill Hornby explores love, marriage, family loyalty and the social expectations of the nineteenth century. A witty, moving and atmospheric novel for fans of Jane Austen and historical romance.