The
Jane Austen Book Club is the brainchild of fiftysomething six-time divorcée Bernadette, who develops the idea when she meets Prudie, a prim, married high school French teacher in her mid-20s, at a Jane Austen film festival. The plan is to have six members discuss all six of Austen's novels (
Pride and Prejudice,
Sense and Sensibility,
Emma,
Persuasion,
Mansfield Park, and
Northanger Abbey), with each member hosting the group once a month. Also inducted into the club are Sylvia, a librarian recently separated from her philandering lawyer husband Daniel after over two decades of marriage; her twentysomething lesbian daughter Allegra; Jocelyn, a happily unmarried control freak and breeder of
Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Sylvia's friend since childhood; and Grigg, a science fiction fan invited into the group by Jocelyn with the hope to match him with Sylvia. As the months pass, each of the members develops characteristics similar to those of Austen's characters. So, they react to events in their lives similarly to their fictional counterparts. Bernadette is the matriarchal figure who longs to see everyone find happiness. Sylvia clings to her belief in steadfast love and devotion (eventually reconciling with Daniel). Jocelyn denies her own feelings for Grigg while playing matchmaker for him and Sylvia. Prudie is encumbered with her inattentive husband Dean, and free-spirited,
marijuana-smoking, aging
hippie mother Mama Sky, who dies in a car accident. Prudie also finds herself desperately trying to resist her feelings for seductive student Trey, meanwhile accusing Dean of coming on to her high-school acquaintance at Mama Sky's funeral. Allegra, who tends to meet her lovers while engaging in death-defying activities, feels betrayed because her partner, aspiring writer Corinne, uses Allegra's life as the basis for her short stories. Grigg is attracted to Jocelyn and mystified by her seeming lack of interest in him, marked by her failure to read the
Ursula Le Guin novels he hoped would interest her. He also serves as the comedic
foil to Jocelyn's and Prudie's very serious takes on the books. The last book club meeting is held on the beach. Daniel wants to join the book club after reading
Persuasion with Allegra at the hospital after she has suffered a
concussion from an
indoor climbing accident. So, Sylvia lets Daniel into the book club. Grigg brings his elder sister Cat Harris, who persuades Jocelyn to take a chance on him because he loves her. As a date, Allegra brings Dr. Yep, who treated her concussion. Prudie, the scheduled host, does not attend. Instead, she goes to meet Trey, but reconsiders after considering what Jane Austen would do. Prudie goes home to Dean and reads
Persuasion with him, helping them rediscover their love. Daniel leaves a letter for Sylvia at her doorstep. Upon reading it, she accepts Daniel back. Jocelyn finally reads the books Grigg gave to her and is surprised to find that she loves them, cannot sleep, so finishes them in a single night. She drives to his house, realises the very early time, and snoozes in her car. When Grigg exits his house, he sees Jocelyn's car and knocks on her window. Jocelyn finally gives in to her feelings and they kiss passionately. One year later, the book club meets at Sylvia's library charity dinner. Grigg and Jocelyn are together, Sylvia and Daniel have reconciled, Prudie, who is pregnant, attends with Dean (who appears more enthusiastic about Austen), and Bernadette introduces her (seventh) husband. ==Cast==