What do you think?
Rate this book
Janice Everet: a southern gothic Jane Eyre retelling
What if Jane Eyre were blind and lived in the rural South during the Great Depression, World War II and the 1950’s? This inverted story, inspired by a beloved classic, explores these questions and many more.
Growing up in the oppressive home of her Aunt Richards, Janice is stifled by condescending attitudes and flagrant disregard. She finds solace helping the household servants as they, too, are belittled. Janice especially enjoys the company of Gustav, her aunt’s servant, who is often mistreated because of the color of his skin.
When a harrowing event forces Janice to take an unexpected journey, doors are opened and opportunities are revealed. As Janice navigates school years of both triumphant and tragic times, helps with the war effort and makes both friends and enemies, her dark past lurks in the shadows.
When Janice accepts a position to teach a precocious and rambunctious little girl who is also blind, the malevolent events of her past prove to have shocking connections with her brusque and mysterious employer. Hidden passions, danger and self-discovery await in this account of a strong woman who will stop at nothing to protect the ones she has grown to love. Yet true love often means letting go. A story of confronting adversity, hidden secrets and forbidden love, Janice Everet will make you see Charlotte Bronte’s classic with new eyes.
This book is the adult debut of the author. The story contains mature sexual content as well as some mild profanity.
Growing up in the oppressive home of her Aunt Richards, Janice is stifled by condescending attitudes and flagrant disregard. She finds solace helping the household servants as they, too, are belittled. Janice especially enjoys the company of Gustav, her aunt’s servant, who is often mistreated because of the color of his skin.
When a harrowing event forces Janice to take an unexpected journey, doors are opened and opportunities are revealed. As Janice navigates school years of both triumphant and tragic times, helps with the war effort and makes both friends and enemies, her dark past lurks in the shadows.
When Janice accepts a position to teach a precocious and rambunctious little girl who is also blind, the malevolent events of her past prove to have shocking connections with her brusque and mysterious employer. Hidden passions, danger and self-discovery await in this account of a strong woman who will stop at nothing to protect the ones she has grown to love. Yet true love often means letting go. A story of confronting adversity, hidden secrets and forbidden love, Janice Everet will make you see Charlotte Bronte’s classic with new eyes.
This book is the adult debut of the author. The story contains mature sexual content as well as some mild profanity.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2026
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Meredith Leigh Burton
12 books22 followersMeredith Leigh Burton was born on July 4, 1983. As a result of a premature birth, she was placed under oxygen to develop her lungs. The three month's exposure to the oxygen led to the development of retinopathy of prematurity. Meredith attended the Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville, where she enjoyed choir, theater classes, and participating on the forensics team. After high school, Meredith attended Middle Tennessee State University where she received her Bachelors' of Arts Degree in English and theater. She is a certified English teacher for grades 7-12.Meredith loves assisting with church activities, spending time with family and friends, and reading any book she can get her hands on. She is a chocoholic and Mexican food fanatic. She has always devoured allegorical books, and was first introduced to the fantasy genre by a teacher who whetted her appetite by taking her to the Narnia books in the elementary school library. "The kids in these stories go to another world," the teacher whispered enticingly. That was just the hook Meredith needed. Her favorite fiction book is To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, and her favorite nonfiction book is The Holy Bible. Meredith lives in Lynchburg, Tennessee with her parents and an adorable tabby cat named Simba. She has two precious nieces, Aliya Davine and Tristyn Layla.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Read
February 5, 2026Unfortunately a DNF at 40% for me, Chief.
March 10, 2026
Janice Everet is a retelling of Jane Eyre with a twist. Janice is born blind, yet she refuses to let that diminish her curiosity or spirit. Her courage and determination lead her to an opportunity to become a teacher to a precocious little girl. But what happens when the painful parts of her past catch up with her?
Burton beautifully explores a range of themes, creating something truly memorable. From heartbreaking moments to hidden passions, she brings the characters vividly to life. I found this book deeply thought-provoking, and I especially admired how Janice stood tall despite every adversity she faced. I appreciated the novel most for its strong-willed female protagonist, someone who refuses to let others define or dismiss her because of her blindness.
Having never read Jane Eyre, something I’m almost ashamed to admit as a literature lover, this retelling made me want to finally pick it up. The book also addresses dark and sensitive topics, which the author handles with respect and unflinching honesty. Some of my favorite moments, though, were the quieter ones; going for walks, having tea, and the conversations between Janice and Edwin. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy romance and are open to themes of trauma, resilience, and disability representation.
Burton beautifully explores a range of themes, creating something truly memorable. From heartbreaking moments to hidden passions, she brings the characters vividly to life. I found this book deeply thought-provoking, and I especially admired how Janice stood tall despite every adversity she faced. I appreciated the novel most for its strong-willed female protagonist, someone who refuses to let others define or dismiss her because of her blindness.
Having never read Jane Eyre, something I’m almost ashamed to admit as a literature lover, this retelling made me want to finally pick it up. The book also addresses dark and sensitive topics, which the author handles with respect and unflinching honesty. Some of my favorite moments, though, were the quieter ones; going for walks, having tea, and the conversations between Janice and Edwin. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy romance and are open to themes of trauma, resilience, and disability representation.
March 12, 2026
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author. The following review is my honest opinion.
I have read several of Meredith Burton’s books at this point, which have all been YA fantasy, so when she offered me a chance to listen to her adult debut, which is a historical Jane Eyre retelling set in the rural South, I was very interested since I love retellings.
I want to get something out of the way quickly before I continue, which is that Audible has incorrectly categorized this as “Erotica.” This is NOT accurate. This story does deal with mature adult themes that are meant for ages 18+, as the author herself states at the end of the synopsis, and at the beginning of the book itself. But it is never at any point written for the arousal of the reader. It is intended to shine a light on the real life struggles of sexual abuse and trafficking, and give a redemptive, Christian response to them. I would compare it to the book “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan Henry in its tasteful handling of some difficult topics.
That said, I thought it was very well done. While the writing is for an older audience, it is still Meredith’s familiar voice and heart. There are few authors whom I would trust to handle a story with these themes in a tasteful manner, but Meredith is one of them, which is why I accepted the offer of a free copy of the audiobook. I know that not even every adult Christian reader will be the right audience for this book due to the difficult themes, but I think that people who have been through anything like what Janice went through may see themselves in her and see that there is help, hope, and healing to be found. I have not been through such things, thank God, but my mother is a retired social worker and I have long been aware of the fact that some people do experience abuse and how damaging it is to people in the long term. I am also a Sunday school teacher who has taken required sexual abuse awareness trainings as my church actively works to be a safe refuge for children, so nothing here was shocking to me. When we refuse to talk about these topics, we allow to these things to keep happening in the dark. We need books like this to shine a light, reveal what is happening, and let people know that there is another way.
As for the retelling side of things, I have not actually read the original Jane Eyre yet, but I’ve become familiar enough with its general plot over the years to recognize the beats in this retelling. Like “Jane Eyre,” “Janice Everet” covers Janice’s story from her youth through her adulthood, going from her aunt’s house, to a boarding school (in this case, it’s a school for the blind because Janice is blind), to her becoming a teacher of a blind little girl in a mansion, where she starts to fall in love with the girl’s father, only to discover that not everything in the home is as it seems.
Some of the biggest changes are the setting, the fact that Janice is blind, and the themes of combatting sexual abuse and trafficking. (It is an instance of sexual abuse that causes Janice to be sent away to the school for the blind for her own well being.)
I’ll note that it also takes a much healthier approach to Janice’s relationship with Edwin than the original classic did with Jane with Rochester. As an adult, Janice struggles with trauma from her abuse, but even then, she doesn’t have to be stopped by someone else from marrying an already-married Edwin. She does start to fall in love with Edwin before knowing about his wife, but she finds out and then makes the decision herself to reject his proposal because that would be morally wrong. In fact, she completely removes herself from the situation so she isn’t just sitting in temptation, and during her time away, she’s able to get help for her traumas and become a healthier person in general, which I really appreciated. This retelling also takes a much more sympathetic handling of Edwin’s wife, showing that there’s a reason for her mental problems and allowing her life and hope at the end of the story rather than killing her off. Even the villain is acknowledged as having become an abuser because of the abuse he himself experienced. It’s not meant to be an excuse for his evil, but it is a sad truth that many real life abusers turned out that way because they themselves were harmed and never got help.
While some of the themes are difficult, I appreciated so much that Meredith never let the story sit in despair, nor does it wallow in the problems. She was realistic about Janice’s abuse experience and the struggles caused by it, but there were very beautiful moments of light to combat the dark. I particularly loved Janice’s positive relationships with her aunt’s household staff who uplifted and protected her as much as they were able, and the chapters where Janice was at the school for the blind, finding new friends, learning how to care for herself, and become a teacher. Music was a big theme in Janice’s life as well, and I loved that the audiobook narrator sang the songs. I also loved Janice’s relationship with her young student, and the way that Meridith changed the romance so that, while it has issues at first, to reflect the issues of the original story, Janice and Edwin both become healthier people before they actually marry. And God is the reason for mercy, justice, and healing that is seen throughout.
Overall, this can be an intense read, and it deals with mature subjects, but it is one that ultimately points everything to God and ends with the light of hope and healing shining bright. Recommended to adult fans of Jane Eyre.
Content Advisory:
This book is Meredith Burton’s adult debut and intended for readers ages 18+.
Language:
Three mild profanities in the entire book. One mention that someone swore, without the word being written out.
Sexual/Romance:
This book addresses some serious adult subjects in this area, so I just want to reiterate before moving forward that it is written for adults and not intended for children or teens.
One scene indicates that a man named Arnold (Janice’s aunt’s son) sexually assaulted young Janice after her aunt made Janice sit for him for a portrait. The actual scene of assault from young Janice’s perspective is not extremely described. No body parts are named, and the scene is brief, but you know what Arnold did and that Janice experienced great fear and pain. Later, after Janice grows up, she deals with trauma caused by the incident, including a couple flashbacks and a nightmare where this event is described in a little more detail as she remembers her terror and pain. No body parts or specifics are named in any of these scenes, but they are emotionally intense and you know that what the man did was awful and wrong.
As the story goes on, Janice’s trauma and the realistic issues it has caused her continue to get revealed. One scene uses veiled language to reveal that adult Janice sometimes self pleasures. Again, this is NOT written for the arousal of the reader, nor is it included without reason. It is meant to address a real life issue, and Janice herself admits that this is only a temporary balm, ”like drinking a ginger beer that has lost its fizz,” and does not truly satisfy her deep loneliness, nor does it remove her fear, caused by her assaulter’s cruel words, that no one will love her as she is. Later still, she has a sensual dream about Edwin. No body parts are named, but there's mention of nudity, briefly described kissing and barely described sensual touching. This dream then morphs into a nightmare where Edwin is replaced by the man who assaulted Janice, and the assault plays out again in her mind. When she has the dream/nightmare a second time (not described again) she prays to God for help and the Lord brings to mind more positive things, allowing her to sleep peacefully. Toward the end of the book, Janice seeks counseling to help with these issues, and she begins to heal.
Adult Janice learns that her abuser has since targeted more children (including two other children who were living in her aunt’s household) often using his so-called art business as a coverup to gain access to them and create disturbing paintings to sell to other perverts. No specific details about what he did to these other children and, when Edwin figured out what Arnold was doing, he started doing everything within his power to thwart Arnold and warn people about this so-called “business.” We also learn that Arnold once assaulted an adult singer and impregnated her. Again, no details, only statements of fact.
Like in Jane Eyre, Edwin has a wife who is mentally unsound to the point of being a danger to others because she'll hit and cut them when she loses control. She is kept in a separate part of the house from everyone else. When Janice finds out about it, Edwin explains that his wife was abused (no details) by a supposed medical professional, and that was the start of her mental problems. It's stated that she became physically and verbally abusive towards Edwin. When Janice sees the wife for the first time, the wife, in her unhinged ravings, is implied to say some things to Edwin that are sexual in nature, but these things are not actually written out.
Edwin and Janice kiss passionately once (somewhat described) , but then she realizes it's wrong for them to have a relationship when he's still married, so she leaves. They stay apart for a time and only come back together after both of them have them have done some healing, and the situation in Edwin's home has changed for the better via his wife leaving to get help, and the two of them mutually agreeing to divorce. Even then Janice and Edwin wait to marry until two years after the divorce.
Violence/Scariness
After young Janice is assaulted, she throws things to get Arnold away from her (he ends up with a cut) and cries out for help, and someone comes to her defense. (There’s a scuffle between the man and her rescuer, but nothing graphic.) A medical examiner finds bruises on Janice. It is not stated exactly where.
Someone punches someone else.
A little girl gets cut on the arm by a mentally unsound person and faints. (We learn later that the person didn't mean to harm a child and regrets it, and someone else set the person up to get in trouble by smuggling the knife to them in the first place.) The actual event isn’t described in detail because Janice was not present when it happened, and the reader only learns what happened when she does. Brief mentions of blood as the child gets tended to.
During the big climax, SPOILER:
Janice wakes up in the middle of the night having had a dream that her young student was in trouble. As she searches for the girl, she can hear the villain, Arnold, talking through the walls, and it becomes apparent that he has the girl locked in a room, tied up, and is likely going to assault her soon as she hears him insist the girl eat a piece of candy that is probably drugged. Janice intervenes so that he is unable to assault the girl. He briefly captures Janice in the room too, and implies at one point during his rantings that he was abused repeatedly by his own father. No details given about the exact nature of this abuse. He then reveals he has a terminal illness and is in great pain, but he's using this as an excuse to keep doing whatever he wants. Janice is able to escape him and get help to rescue the child, and Arnold ends up non-fatally stabbed by Edwin’s wife and hospitalized and imprisoned. No visual description of this since Janice is blind. Janice is told by a friend near the end of the book that Arnold died in agony in prison.
END SPOILER
Spiritual:
Strong Christian faith themes throughout, including many instances of singing hymns, quoting Scripture, and praying in times of trouble.
A girl that Janice knew in her youth dies from lung problems that she was born with. This scene is sad, but touching and tastefully handled. As the girl dies, she and Janice both believe they hear God singing over her, just like the girl always said she believed that God did.
A few times, Janice has dreams that seem to be of a spiritual nature. One is divine intervention that warns her (and Edwin) that the little girl she’s been teaching is in great danger. Another, toward the end of the story lets her know that things at Edwin’s house have started to change for the better.
Other:
Some people are kind to Janice during her life, while others are cruel. Her aunt verbally puts her down a lot in her youth, calling her unattractive and slow, and a financial burden. She also doesn’t believe Janice when Janice tells the truth the she was assaulted by her aunt’s son. By contrast, her aunt’s employees are kind and try to combat the cruel words, and they believe Janice about the assault and encourage her to leave for a better and safer place.
Some people unkindly say that Janice looks like a frog because of the way that the scarring from the condition that caused her blindness makes her eyes bulge. (Her aunt’s son cruelly paints her as a “frog princess” before the assault.) Others acknowledge that yes, her eyes bulge, but it has nothing to do with her value as a person, nor does it make her ugly.
Mild instances of unkind words from some other students at the school for the blind, but they’re called out for it and made to apologize.
The villain admits that ever since Janice fought back against him, he drugs his intended victims. (Not described, only stated.)
I have read several of Meredith Burton’s books at this point, which have all been YA fantasy, so when she offered me a chance to listen to her adult debut, which is a historical Jane Eyre retelling set in the rural South, I was very interested since I love retellings.
I want to get something out of the way quickly before I continue, which is that Audible has incorrectly categorized this as “Erotica.” This is NOT accurate. This story does deal with mature adult themes that are meant for ages 18+, as the author herself states at the end of the synopsis, and at the beginning of the book itself. But it is never at any point written for the arousal of the reader. It is intended to shine a light on the real life struggles of sexual abuse and trafficking, and give a redemptive, Christian response to them. I would compare it to the book “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan Henry in its tasteful handling of some difficult topics.
That said, I thought it was very well done. While the writing is for an older audience, it is still Meredith’s familiar voice and heart. There are few authors whom I would trust to handle a story with these themes in a tasteful manner, but Meredith is one of them, which is why I accepted the offer of a free copy of the audiobook. I know that not even every adult Christian reader will be the right audience for this book due to the difficult themes, but I think that people who have been through anything like what Janice went through may see themselves in her and see that there is help, hope, and healing to be found. I have not been through such things, thank God, but my mother is a retired social worker and I have long been aware of the fact that some people do experience abuse and how damaging it is to people in the long term. I am also a Sunday school teacher who has taken required sexual abuse awareness trainings as my church actively works to be a safe refuge for children, so nothing here was shocking to me. When we refuse to talk about these topics, we allow to these things to keep happening in the dark. We need books like this to shine a light, reveal what is happening, and let people know that there is another way.
As for the retelling side of things, I have not actually read the original Jane Eyre yet, but I’ve become familiar enough with its general plot over the years to recognize the beats in this retelling. Like “Jane Eyre,” “Janice Everet” covers Janice’s story from her youth through her adulthood, going from her aunt’s house, to a boarding school (in this case, it’s a school for the blind because Janice is blind), to her becoming a teacher of a blind little girl in a mansion, where she starts to fall in love with the girl’s father, only to discover that not everything in the home is as it seems.
Some of the biggest changes are the setting, the fact that Janice is blind, and the themes of combatting sexual abuse and trafficking. (It is an instance of sexual abuse that causes Janice to be sent away to the school for the blind for her own well being.)
I’ll note that it also takes a much healthier approach to Janice’s relationship with Edwin than the original classic did with Jane with Rochester. As an adult, Janice struggles with trauma from her abuse, but even then, she doesn’t have to be stopped by someone else from marrying an already-married Edwin. She does start to fall in love with Edwin before knowing about his wife, but she finds out and then makes the decision herself to reject his proposal because that would be morally wrong. In fact, she completely removes herself from the situation so she isn’t just sitting in temptation, and during her time away, she’s able to get help for her traumas and become a healthier person in general, which I really appreciated. This retelling also takes a much more sympathetic handling of Edwin’s wife, showing that there’s a reason for her mental problems and allowing her life and hope at the end of the story rather than killing her off. Even the villain is acknowledged as having become an abuser because of the abuse he himself experienced. It’s not meant to be an excuse for his evil, but it is a sad truth that many real life abusers turned out that way because they themselves were harmed and never got help.
While some of the themes are difficult, I appreciated so much that Meredith never let the story sit in despair, nor does it wallow in the problems. She was realistic about Janice’s abuse experience and the struggles caused by it, but there were very beautiful moments of light to combat the dark. I particularly loved Janice’s positive relationships with her aunt’s household staff who uplifted and protected her as much as they were able, and the chapters where Janice was at the school for the blind, finding new friends, learning how to care for herself, and become a teacher. Music was a big theme in Janice’s life as well, and I loved that the audiobook narrator sang the songs. I also loved Janice’s relationship with her young student, and the way that Meridith changed the romance so that, while it has issues at first, to reflect the issues of the original story, Janice and Edwin both become healthier people before they actually marry. And God is the reason for mercy, justice, and healing that is seen throughout.
Overall, this can be an intense read, and it deals with mature subjects, but it is one that ultimately points everything to God and ends with the light of hope and healing shining bright. Recommended to adult fans of Jane Eyre.
Content Advisory:
This book is Meredith Burton’s adult debut and intended for readers ages 18+.
Language:
Three mild profanities in the entire book. One mention that someone swore, without the word being written out.
Sexual/Romance:
This book addresses some serious adult subjects in this area, so I just want to reiterate before moving forward that it is written for adults and not intended for children or teens.
One scene indicates that a man named Arnold (Janice’s aunt’s son) sexually assaulted young Janice after her aunt made Janice sit for him for a portrait. The actual scene of assault from young Janice’s perspective is not extremely described. No body parts are named, and the scene is brief, but you know what Arnold did and that Janice experienced great fear and pain. Later, after Janice grows up, she deals with trauma caused by the incident, including a couple flashbacks and a nightmare where this event is described in a little more detail as she remembers her terror and pain. No body parts or specifics are named in any of these scenes, but they are emotionally intense and you know that what the man did was awful and wrong.
As the story goes on, Janice’s trauma and the realistic issues it has caused her continue to get revealed. One scene uses veiled language to reveal that adult Janice sometimes self pleasures. Again, this is NOT written for the arousal of the reader, nor is it included without reason. It is meant to address a real life issue, and Janice herself admits that this is only a temporary balm, ”like drinking a ginger beer that has lost its fizz,” and does not truly satisfy her deep loneliness, nor does it remove her fear, caused by her assaulter’s cruel words, that no one will love her as she is. Later still, she has a sensual dream about Edwin. No body parts are named, but there's mention of nudity, briefly described kissing and barely described sensual touching. This dream then morphs into a nightmare where Edwin is replaced by the man who assaulted Janice, and the assault plays out again in her mind. When she has the dream/nightmare a second time (not described again) she prays to God for help and the Lord brings to mind more positive things, allowing her to sleep peacefully. Toward the end of the book, Janice seeks counseling to help with these issues, and she begins to heal.
Adult Janice learns that her abuser has since targeted more children (including two other children who were living in her aunt’s household) often using his so-called art business as a coverup to gain access to them and create disturbing paintings to sell to other perverts. No specific details about what he did to these other children and, when Edwin figured out what Arnold was doing, he started doing everything within his power to thwart Arnold and warn people about this so-called “business.” We also learn that Arnold once assaulted an adult singer and impregnated her. Again, no details, only statements of fact.
Like in Jane Eyre, Edwin has a wife who is mentally unsound to the point of being a danger to others because she'll hit and cut them when she loses control. She is kept in a separate part of the house from everyone else. When Janice finds out about it, Edwin explains that his wife was abused (no details) by a supposed medical professional, and that was the start of her mental problems. It's stated that she became physically and verbally abusive towards Edwin. When Janice sees the wife for the first time, the wife, in her unhinged ravings, is implied to say some things to Edwin that are sexual in nature, but these things are not actually written out.
Edwin and Janice kiss passionately once (somewhat described) , but then she realizes it's wrong for them to have a relationship when he's still married, so she leaves. They stay apart for a time and only come back together after both of them have them have done some healing, and the situation in Edwin's home has changed for the better via his wife leaving to get help, and the two of them mutually agreeing to divorce. Even then Janice and Edwin wait to marry until two years after the divorce.
Violence/Scariness
After young Janice is assaulted, she throws things to get Arnold away from her (he ends up with a cut) and cries out for help, and someone comes to her defense. (There’s a scuffle between the man and her rescuer, but nothing graphic.) A medical examiner finds bruises on Janice. It is not stated exactly where.
Someone punches someone else.
A little girl gets cut on the arm by a mentally unsound person and faints. (We learn later that the person didn't mean to harm a child and regrets it, and someone else set the person up to get in trouble by smuggling the knife to them in the first place.) The actual event isn’t described in detail because Janice was not present when it happened, and the reader only learns what happened when she does. Brief mentions of blood as the child gets tended to.
During the big climax, SPOILER:
Janice wakes up in the middle of the night having had a dream that her young student was in trouble. As she searches for the girl, she can hear the villain, Arnold, talking through the walls, and it becomes apparent that he has the girl locked in a room, tied up, and is likely going to assault her soon as she hears him insist the girl eat a piece of candy that is probably drugged. Janice intervenes so that he is unable to assault the girl. He briefly captures Janice in the room too, and implies at one point during his rantings that he was abused repeatedly by his own father. No details given about the exact nature of this abuse. He then reveals he has a terminal illness and is in great pain, but he's using this as an excuse to keep doing whatever he wants. Janice is able to escape him and get help to rescue the child, and Arnold ends up non-fatally stabbed by Edwin’s wife and hospitalized and imprisoned. No visual description of this since Janice is blind. Janice is told by a friend near the end of the book that Arnold died in agony in prison.
END SPOILER
Spiritual:
Strong Christian faith themes throughout, including many instances of singing hymns, quoting Scripture, and praying in times of trouble.
A girl that Janice knew in her youth dies from lung problems that she was born with. This scene is sad, but touching and tastefully handled. As the girl dies, she and Janice both believe they hear God singing over her, just like the girl always said she believed that God did.
A few times, Janice has dreams that seem to be of a spiritual nature. One is divine intervention that warns her (and Edwin) that the little girl she’s been teaching is in great danger. Another, toward the end of the story lets her know that things at Edwin’s house have started to change for the better.
Other:
Some people are kind to Janice during her life, while others are cruel. Her aunt verbally puts her down a lot in her youth, calling her unattractive and slow, and a financial burden. She also doesn’t believe Janice when Janice tells the truth the she was assaulted by her aunt’s son. By contrast, her aunt’s employees are kind and try to combat the cruel words, and they believe Janice about the assault and encourage her to leave for a better and safer place.
Some people unkindly say that Janice looks like a frog because of the way that the scarring from the condition that caused her blindness makes her eyes bulge. (Her aunt’s son cruelly paints her as a “frog princess” before the assault.) Others acknowledge that yes, her eyes bulge, but it has nothing to do with her value as a person, nor does it make her ugly.
Mild instances of unkind words from some other students at the school for the blind, but they’re called out for it and made to apologize.
The villain admits that ever since Janice fought back against him, he drugs his intended victims. (Not described, only stated.)
Read
March 1, 2026I make it a rule not to give star ratings to books that I helped to edit, but I wanted to say a few things about this book. I had the privilege of working with Meredith on a developmental edit/manuscript critique of an early draft of this story, and I was so intrigued by her retelling of Jane Eyre that I purchased the audiobook version when it came out to see what the final version was like.
Meredith took her own experiences at the Tennessee School for the Blind and wove them beautifully into the Jane Eyre framework, turning the original story upside down and into a southern gothic tale. Without realizing it, readers will learn a lot about daily life for blind people as they follow Janice's story--I say without realizing it, because you'll probably be too caught up in the drama as it unfolds to be aware that the story is challenging your assumptions. I love it when retellings are so unique that they don't feel like retellings, and this fits the bill. The audiobook narrator also does a fantastic job and has a lovely singing voice, which is relevant to the story.
Meredith took her own experiences at the Tennessee School for the Blind and wove them beautifully into the Jane Eyre framework, turning the original story upside down and into a southern gothic tale. Without realizing it, readers will learn a lot about daily life for blind people as they follow Janice's story--I say without realizing it, because you'll probably be too caught up in the drama as it unfolds to be aware that the story is challenging your assumptions. I love it when retellings are so unique that they don't feel like retellings, and this fits the bill. The audiobook narrator also does a fantastic job and has a lovely singing voice, which is relevant to the story.
November 1, 2025
I am thrilled to reveal this new book to the world!
Classics make us contemplate ideas and introduce unforgettable characters, which is why they stand the test of time. I love when authors explore the classics from their own experiences, which is why this idea that was given to me by my editor has proven to be a momentous writing adventure. Delving into Bronte's story and exploring it from another perspective was both surreal and cathartic. I often sought to find someone like me in books, and it is a true blessing to have the privelege of giving the often silenced a voice. Physical blindness is a gift if a person is given the correct training and tools to survive. Spiritual blindness is a curse.
It is an honor to present a heroine who does not allow her disability to hinder her but instead uses her differences to try and help those she has grown to love.
I never dreamed I would tackle a romance novel, especially one as controversial as Jane Eyre. However, it was a true blessing to delve into uncomfortable territory and explore disability through this lens. Anyone who has ever felt alone and unimportant, and anyone who loves stories where the often misunderstood and belittled prove to be more than they seem will love getting to know Janice, Edwin, Adelaide and many other friends.
This story explores some dark material, but as with all of my books, redemption is a prevailing theme. For those who enjoy hidden passion, forbidden love and journeys of self-discovery, Janice Everet will make you see Bronte's classic with new eyes.
Classics make us contemplate ideas and introduce unforgettable characters, which is why they stand the test of time. I love when authors explore the classics from their own experiences, which is why this idea that was given to me by my editor has proven to be a momentous writing adventure. Delving into Bronte's story and exploring it from another perspective was both surreal and cathartic. I often sought to find someone like me in books, and it is a true blessing to have the privelege of giving the often silenced a voice. Physical blindness is a gift if a person is given the correct training and tools to survive. Spiritual blindness is a curse.
It is an honor to present a heroine who does not allow her disability to hinder her but instead uses her differences to try and help those she has grown to love.
I never dreamed I would tackle a romance novel, especially one as controversial as Jane Eyre. However, it was a true blessing to delve into uncomfortable territory and explore disability through this lens. Anyone who has ever felt alone and unimportant, and anyone who loves stories where the often misunderstood and belittled prove to be more than they seem will love getting to know Janice, Edwin, Adelaide and many other friends.
This story explores some dark material, but as with all of my books, redemption is a prevailing theme. For those who enjoy hidden passion, forbidden love and journeys of self-discovery, Janice Everet will make you see Bronte's classic with new eyes.
March 21, 2026
The perspective on life is viewed differently by everyone, as no two people experience life in quite the same way. We are all given special gifts and abilities, whether or not we were born differently; handicaps do not lessen the value of a person’s life.
In “Janice Everet,” author Meredith Leigh Burton guides readers through the life experience of Janice, a blind girl, who was treated like a charity case by her Aunt Edith since she was 10 years old, simply for being born different.
Observing Janice’s growth after being sent to Pembrook School for the Blind showcased a life full of joy in comparison to anything she experienced while living with an aunt who didn’t want her. One would be happy to witness that a change of environment, plus the benefits of learning how to be more independent, became her greatest strength. She developed a sense of freedom through her newfound independence. With blindness not used as a crutch or excuse, readers gain a better understanding of how blind people were capable of doing average things that “sighted” people can. It was a learning opportunity in uncovering how blind people can sort clothes to do laundry, how to walk with a walking cane, and how braille is made.
Not only are you reading a wonderful retold story about a blind girl growing up to become an instructor to another talented blind girl through shared experiences, but Janice also ensured the safety of Adeline from the cruel world. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as learning life from a blind person’s perspective is eye-opening, pun intended.
In “Janice Everet,” author Meredith Leigh Burton guides readers through the life experience of Janice, a blind girl, who was treated like a charity case by her Aunt Edith since she was 10 years old, simply for being born different.
Observing Janice’s growth after being sent to Pembrook School for the Blind showcased a life full of joy in comparison to anything she experienced while living with an aunt who didn’t want her. One would be happy to witness that a change of environment, plus the benefits of learning how to be more independent, became her greatest strength. She developed a sense of freedom through her newfound independence. With blindness not used as a crutch or excuse, readers gain a better understanding of how blind people were capable of doing average things that “sighted” people can. It was a learning opportunity in uncovering how blind people can sort clothes to do laundry, how to walk with a walking cane, and how braille is made.
Not only are you reading a wonderful retold story about a blind girl growing up to become an instructor to another talented blind girl through shared experiences, but Janice also ensured the safety of Adeline from the cruel world. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as learning life from a blind person’s perspective is eye-opening, pun intended.
February 19, 2026
Janice Everet is a wonderful Southern Gothic retelling of the classic story Jane Eyre. It has been over a decade since I read Jane Eyre with my book club. But the characters are unforgettable. What a treat it was to revisit them in this way!
I stayed up late to finish this one. The author, Meredith Leigh Burton, did an amazing job putting a new twist on this classic story. It takes place in the first half of the 20th century. The setting and characters are beautifully deep, and I was swept up in the emotions.
In this romance story, the main character, Janice, is a resilient young woman who happened to have been born blind. Janice faces many obstacles and some evil in the world. She does not let it take away her kind nature or her heart for teaching children. I found her story inspiring.
I learned way more than I had anticipated about how someone who is sight-impaired lives life. I enjoyed the sections in the book where I learned about a cane, Braille, and other things Janice and her friends and students had.
This book does have some sexual abuse and racism in it, but the subjects are not taken lightly or glorified. What a great read for anyone who loves an emotional Southern Gothic romance, or someone interested in retellings of great classics.
I stayed up late to finish this one. The author, Meredith Leigh Burton, did an amazing job putting a new twist on this classic story. It takes place in the first half of the 20th century. The setting and characters are beautifully deep, and I was swept up in the emotions.
In this romance story, the main character, Janice, is a resilient young woman who happened to have been born blind. Janice faces many obstacles and some evil in the world. She does not let it take away her kind nature or her heart for teaching children. I found her story inspiring.
I learned way more than I had anticipated about how someone who is sight-impaired lives life. I enjoyed the sections in the book where I learned about a cane, Braille, and other things Janice and her friends and students had.
This book does have some sexual abuse and racism in it, but the subjects are not taken lightly or glorified. What a great read for anyone who loves an emotional Southern Gothic romance, or someone interested in retellings of great classics.
January 10, 2026
interesting
This book is unlike any book I have ever read before. It is so unique and intriguing and hard to put down. The characters were relatable. The plot was interesting and I really had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed it and I really like the author.
This book is unlike any book I have ever read before. It is so unique and intriguing and hard to put down. The characters were relatable. The plot was interesting and I really had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed it and I really like the author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Janice Everet is a Southern gothic historical romance that retells Jane Eyre through the perspective of a blind heroine growing up in the 1930s American South. We follow Janice from a childhood shaped by cruelty and neglect, through her years at a school for the blind, and into adulthood as she becomes a teacher and finds both purpose and love. The book mirrors the familiar arc of Jane Eyre but transforms it, rooting the story in disability representation, trauma survival, and the complicated social dynamics of its time.
As I read, I kept returning to how intimate Janice’s voice feels. Burton writes her with a sensitivity that made me slow down, especially during the painful early chapters. The scenes with Arnold, in particular, are hard to take. They’re written with an unflinching honesty that makes Janice’s fear almost tactile, and moments like the doctor noticing the bruising around her eyes and gently explaining her retinal damage hit me right in the chest. The book doesn’t sensationalize the abuse; instead, it sits with the emotional fallout and lets Janice carry both her pain and her stubborn resilience. I liked that the writing never turns her blindness into a metaphor or punishment. Burton even says in her author’s note that she wanted to challenge that trope directly, presenting blindness not as a tragedy but simply as part of Janice’s life and identity. That intention really comes through.
What surprised me most was how naturally the story shifts from gothic tension to warm, character-driven romance. The scenes with Edwin feel like stepping into sunlight after a long walk in the dark. Their relationship grows slowly, with a gentleness that contrasts with everything Janice has survived. I found myself appreciating the quieter moments: shared meals, woodworking, guiding each other through unfamiliar emotional terrain. Even the small exchanges with side characters, like Janice reading a story to a child on the bus or meeting friends at Pembrook, widen the world and keep the novel from sinking into despair. Burton’s choices here make the story less about escaping the past and more about claiming a future. And because the book is a romance, the emotional payoff lands in a satisfying, comforting way.
By the time I reached the end, I felt like I’d traveled with Janice rather than just observed her. The blend of Southern gothic atmosphere, historical detail, and classic romance gives the book a distinct flavor. It’s not a light read; some chapters sit heavily, especially for readers sensitive to themes of assault, trauma, and systemic prejudice. But the heart of the story is hopeful. It’s a journey toward dignity, connection, and the quiet courage of choosing joy after years of being told you don’t deserve it.
If you enjoy character-centered stories, historical romance with emotional depth, or retellings that genuinely reimagine their source material, this book will speak to you. Fans of Jane Eyre who have wondered what that story might look like with a heroine whose challenges aren’t tied to beauty or sight but to agency and survival might find this version even more resonant. I’d recommend Janice Everet to readers who appreciate Southern gothic atmosphere, nuanced disability representation, and a romance that feels earned and tender.
As I read, I kept returning to how intimate Janice’s voice feels. Burton writes her with a sensitivity that made me slow down, especially during the painful early chapters. The scenes with Arnold, in particular, are hard to take. They’re written with an unflinching honesty that makes Janice’s fear almost tactile, and moments like the doctor noticing the bruising around her eyes and gently explaining her retinal damage hit me right in the chest. The book doesn’t sensationalize the abuse; instead, it sits with the emotional fallout and lets Janice carry both her pain and her stubborn resilience. I liked that the writing never turns her blindness into a metaphor or punishment. Burton even says in her author’s note that she wanted to challenge that trope directly, presenting blindness not as a tragedy but simply as part of Janice’s life and identity. That intention really comes through.
What surprised me most was how naturally the story shifts from gothic tension to warm, character-driven romance. The scenes with Edwin feel like stepping into sunlight after a long walk in the dark. Their relationship grows slowly, with a gentleness that contrasts with everything Janice has survived. I found myself appreciating the quieter moments: shared meals, woodworking, guiding each other through unfamiliar emotional terrain. Even the small exchanges with side characters, like Janice reading a story to a child on the bus or meeting friends at Pembrook, widen the world and keep the novel from sinking into despair. Burton’s choices here make the story less about escaping the past and more about claiming a future. And because the book is a romance, the emotional payoff lands in a satisfying, comforting way.
By the time I reached the end, I felt like I’d traveled with Janice rather than just observed her. The blend of Southern gothic atmosphere, historical detail, and classic romance gives the book a distinct flavor. It’s not a light read; some chapters sit heavily, especially for readers sensitive to themes of assault, trauma, and systemic prejudice. But the heart of the story is hopeful. It’s a journey toward dignity, connection, and the quiet courage of choosing joy after years of being told you don’t deserve it.
If you enjoy character-centered stories, historical romance with emotional depth, or retellings that genuinely reimagine their source material, this book will speak to you. Fans of Jane Eyre who have wondered what that story might look like with a heroine whose challenges aren’t tied to beauty or sight but to agency and survival might find this version even more resonant. I’d recommend Janice Everet to readers who appreciate Southern gothic atmosphere, nuanced disability representation, and a romance that feels earned and tender.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews