A well-researched, informative book that will be a fine addition to the library of any Jane Austen fan, or even of history buffs in general.
The scarcity of source material does make the subject difficult to research and to actually prove the affection and longtime friendship between Anne Lefroy and Jane Austen. The most important indication of their connection is provided by Jane Austen’s poem/eulogy mourning Anne, though written several years after the other woman’s passing. They hardly mention each other in letters or journals and when they do it’s not with any particular warmth. Anne Lefroy might very well have been an inspiration to Jane Austen as the title suggest, but unfortunately, this stays mostly conjecture as there simply isn’t enough factual evidence to truly attest to this interesting theory.
To me the worth of this book is therefore not so much the connection to Jane Austen, but Anne Lefroy herself, her life and times because the author offers us a lot of historical background and interesting insights and tidbits about life in the 18th and early 19th century as well as into Anne’s character and family life.
It takes awhile to get there though, because for almost the entire first half of the book the author leads the reader to faraway times and people that are hardly relevant to the actual subject of this biography. Again, her musings and insights are valuable, but perhaps not entirely in their proper place in this specific book.
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