About the Book

Book: Not So Very Sensible (The Silver Teapot Series Book 3)

Author: Carolyn Miller

Genre: Christian Romance

Release Date: October, 2026

Two Sisters Navigate the Minefield of Modern Dating

Elinor and Katie Bennett are as opposite as sisters can be: Elinor loves structure, planning and design, while Katie’s head is in the clouds as she chases fanciful, romantic dreams. A college graduation trip to the Blue Mountains sees them staying at the Hydro Grand hotel for a murder mystery weekend. There, they end up meeting two men who just might hold the keys to their hearts—taking the sensible Elinor Bennett by surprise while crushing the romantic Katie’s hopes. . .and proving that the path of love doesn’t always follow one’s plans or dreams.

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My Thoughts:

This is another great addition to the Silver Pot Tea series. These modern stories follow Jane Austen stories well, though they are not straight up retellings. They follow a group of sisters, the Bennett's, from Australia as they navigate the modern world's finding of true love.

This is the story of Ellie and youngest sister Katie's romances, as their story follows along the same path of Sense and Sensibility. Again, like with their older sisters' romances, I have enjoyed visiting Australia through these stories. I also have really enjoyed how these sisters and their Austen obsessed mother follow along with similar paths.

All of the important Austen characters were present as they played their part. This is the third book in the series but can be read as a standalone, though reading them all you really get the feel for the Bennetts who are different enough than their counterparts. Throw in a mystery murder weekend meet and you have a story that really makes for a fun weekend read.

I don't know what more to say but that I found this series unique and enjoyable. I have read plenty of retellings and I have enjoyed how author Miller has given a new and fresh look at the stories. I am looking forward to Cousin Annabelle's story next. I hope we get a full set of Austen inspired stories in this series; I am quite curious how some of the less famous ones could be retold.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Carolyn Miller is an inspirational Regency and contemporary romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband, she has pastored a church for ten years and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

More from Carolyn

Do you have a favourite ‘classic’ book?

Many people claim Anne of Green Gables or Pride and Prejudice to be among their favourites. And while I love both of these books I chose a different one of Jane Austen’s works to be the focus of my new book Not So Very Sensible.

Jane Austen fans will recognise the link to Sense and Sensibility, a tale of two sisters and their challenges with finding real love. And while in Not So Very Sensible we have two sisters who are the focus of this story, they have two older sisters as well who have been the focus of the other books in The Silver Teapot series, Not Exactly Mr Darcy and Not Precisely Mr. Knightley.

In Not So Very Sensible it was fun to look at the dynamics between Ellie (the sensible sister) and Katie (the more ‘sensitive’ one inclined to passion and emotion). I have a younger sister, and our relationship is pretty good, but some sisterly relationships aren’t always easy. Ellie often feels like she has to look after her younger sibling who is far more prone to following her heart and wearing her emotions on her sleeve—while Ellie can’t think of anything worse. Ellie and Katie love each other, but their challenges to be honest with each other provide one of the fascinating strands of tension in this book.

One of the things my sister and I love to do is to visit historic homes, which is a lot easier for her because she lives in England. Here in my corner of Australia we have some heritage places, and it was really fun to set this book in an iconic heritage hotel in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. This hotel (which had its name changed for the purpose of my story) has hosted famous people like Arthur Conan Doyle, so it was wonderful to include lots of the hotel’s details in my story’s setting.

My husband and I visited the hotel last year and enjoyed a special high tea to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and a picture of us there became the inspiration for the cover of Not So Very Sensible. I took lots of other pictures (which you can see on my website) so I hope readers enjoy the lengths I go to for the sake of research!

If you enjoy books with heart, hope and humour then I hope you’ll enjoy reading Not So Very Sensible – happy reading awaits!