If you’re like me, you’re constantly looking for book recommendations and if you love Jane Austen, I have one for you! From the brilliant woman who gave us "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility" came an earlier work that went unpublished until after her death and since then has gone unappreciated. These are the 7 reasons why you should watch "Northanger Abbey."

1. Catherine Moreland is the most #relatable of Jane Austen’s heroines.

 

Jane Austen introduces her readers to Catherine by explaining that "anyone who had seen Catherine Moreland in her infancy would never had guessed that she would be destined to be a heroine." Catherine loves to read, has an often overactive imagination, and is the most trusting (at times naïve) in Austen's stories, all she wants is her own adventure like those she reads in her novels. She isn’t headstrong like Elizabeth Bennett or a matchmaker like Emma but she is kind, clever and above all the most down-to-Earth of Jane's impressive list of heroines.

2. Henry Tilney is the best of Austen’s men.

 

Henry Tilney, pictured above portrayed by J.J. Field, is an intelligent young man who loves Catherine, even at her silliest. He is awkward with sharing his feelings at times and compensates with dry humor, but he has a happy nature and a good heart as seen in the way he protects his older sister from having her heart broken. As a bonus he knows all about the importance of dresses and clothing.

3. Jane Austen wrote "Northanger Abbey" as a satire and it is actually hilarious.  

Though this was the first full novel she wrote, Jane Austen would not live to see it be published. The themes of the over-the-top Gothic literature, beloved by Catherine, was Austen’s way of expressing annoyance with the way novels were viewed within the society she lived. Austen, as a novelist by trade, saw humor in her counterparts’ writings but also sought respect for the profession that brought her so much joy.

4. All the female characters are well-read in an era when women's literacy was considered rare.

All the women within "Northanger Abbey" are well-read and are often seen discussing popular novels of the day. From Catherine to Isabella Thorpe to old Mrs. Allen, it seems that Jane Austen intended to present to society a cast of women who enjoy a good novel!

5. Catherine makes mistakes but she learns from them.

Catherine’s admiration for the drama of Gothic novels spills over into her everyday life and causes her to make a few mistaken assumptions that almost lead to her losing her relationship with Henry and his sister. She has an overactive imagination that at times while endearing ultimately leads to one of the major conflicts of the novel. Catherine, unlike Elizabeth Bennett, has obvious flaws but it is her ability to recognize and learn from them which gives her a charm all her own.

6. Henry and Catherine are the most awkward but loving couple in Austenland.

They don’t face as much heartache as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth from "Persuasion" or have the fiery communication issues of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy but what they lack in drama they makeup for in genuine love and affection. They spend the entire novel being grossly in love with one another and expressing it through dancing, carriage rides, and book discussions. In short Catherine and Tilney are just your everyday awkward girl and boy next door who wear period drama outfits.

7. You can never have too much Austen in your life!

 

I mean, come on. Who doesn’t need some more Regency Era on their bookshelves and in their lives? Plus, look how cute Mr. Tilney is!