Jane Austen turned 250 this year, and I celebrated her quietly—very quietly—at home in Washington State, while rain poured steadily outside. Though floodwaters rose in many areas here in Western Washington, from the safety of my home, the rain seemed suited for reflection and long glances out the window. I didn’t attend a ball or host a tea (confession: I didn’t drink tea at all). Instead, I brewed coffee, indulged in pastries, and settled in for an all-day Austen movie marat

Guest review by Sophia Rose: Mr. Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be is the previously untold story of a young man who unwittingly uncovers...