The Colonel — Chris Webster

Jane Austen's first romantic novel, Sense and Sensibility, lacks a leading man like Darcy, who makes romantic readers revel in Pride and Prejudice. Its hero, Willoughby, is never tamed, and lovely Marianne is claimed by a boring anti-hero, the ageing failure, Colonel Brandon. But this verse novel shapes him up to shine above that callow pup; a dashing blade, worthy to stand on equal terms, as you will read, with any other romantic lead.