Rules of the Heart
Published on 4. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
480 pages
978-1-5098-4199-8 (ISBN)
Description
'Entertaining historical fiction with Jane Austen vibes' - Good Housekeeping
Inspired by the true story of Countess Bessborough, Rules of the Heart is the sweeping novel from the bestselling author of The Other Bennet Sister, Janice Hadlow.
When I love at all, it is with my whole soul - my heart must be torn to pieces before it can forget . . .
England, 1794. Lady Harriet Bessborough seemingly has it all: wife to a lord and sister to a duchess, she is welcomed in the most fashionable circles. Yet she yearns for something her marriage has failed to offer: true love.
When she meets the captivating Lord Granville, twelve years her junior and a famous heartbreaker, she at first dismisses his advances as opportunistic flattery. But then she sees another side to him - a side she realizes she cannot resist.
As she plunges into an all-consuming affair, Harriet finds herself torn between her duty and her deepest desires. For, in a world where appearances are everything, each anxious but besotted step she takes leads her ever closer to scandal and ruin . . .
Praise for The Other Bennet Sister:
'Immersive and engaging' - The Guardian
'It's difficult not to race through those final pages' - Jo Baker, bestselling author of Longbourn
'A novel that will delight Pride and Prejudice fans' - Independent
Inspired by the true story of Countess Bessborough, Rules of the Heart is the sweeping novel from the bestselling author of The Other Bennet Sister, Janice Hadlow.
When I love at all, it is with my whole soul - my heart must be torn to pieces before it can forget . . .
England, 1794. Lady Harriet Bessborough seemingly has it all: wife to a lord and sister to a duchess, she is welcomed in the most fashionable circles. Yet she yearns for something her marriage has failed to offer: true love.
When she meets the captivating Lord Granville, twelve years her junior and a famous heartbreaker, she at first dismisses his advances as opportunistic flattery. But then she sees another side to him - a side she realizes she cannot resist.
As she plunges into an all-consuming affair, Harriet finds herself torn between her duty and her deepest desires. For, in a world where appearances are everything, each anxious but besotted step she takes leads her ever closer to scandal and ruin . . .
Praise for The Other Bennet Sister:
'Immersive and engaging' - The Guardian
'It's difficult not to race through those final pages' - Jo Baker, bestselling author of Longbourn
'A novel that will delight Pride and Prejudice fans' - Independent
Reviews / Votes
Hadlow follows the stunning The Other Bennet Sister with another richly detailed historical novel . . Rules of the Heart is a treasure . . . Fans of well-researched historical fiction will be transfixed * Booklist * Sweeping and gorgeous tearjerker of a historical romance . . . a stirring portrait of a woman driven by her heart instead of her head. Readers should have tissues at the ready * Publishers Weekly * Within the first few pages I was captivated by Harriet's plight . . . this novel is compelling and absorbing -- Stephanie Butland, author of <i>Lost For Words</i> Entertaining historical fiction with Jane Austen vibes * Good Housekeeping * Impeccably researched, this lifts Mary from obscurity, as she breaks out of her mother's world and follows her own path -- <i>Daily Mail </i>on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i> Immersive and engaging -- <i>The Guardian </i>on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i> A novel that will delight Pride and Prejudice fans -- <i>The Independent </i>on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i> It's difficult not to race through those final pages -- Jo Baker, author of Longbourn, on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i> I absolutely love this novel - as will any young woman who has felt herself plain, shy, bookish and crushed -- Amanda Craig, author of <i>The Three Graces, </i>on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i> This gorgeous book pays homage to Pride and Prejudice - and follows Mary Bennet, the overlooked middle Bennet sister. It's a wonderfully warm, comforting read - perfect on a winter's night -- <i>The Sun </i>on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i> Puts Mary front and centre stage exploring why she was so heartbreakingly sidelined by Mrs Bennet and gives humour and sensitivity to the most overlooked of the sisters -- <i>Stylist </i>on <i>The Other Bennet Sister</i>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
324 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5098-4199-8 (9781509841998)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Janice Hadlow
Rules of the Heart
The Unforgettable Regency Romance From the Author of the Major BBC Series, The Other Bennet Sister
E-Book
08/2025
Mantle
€6.99
Available for download
Person
Janice Hadlow was born in London and studied history at university. After a few years working for the House of Commons, she joined the BBC and became a television producer. She was the recipient of a number of awards and is a fellow of the Royal Television Society, as well as of King's College, University of London. Her first novel, The Other Bennet Sister, is soon to be a BBC TV series. Rules of the Heart is her second novel.