Persuasion is the last completed novel written by Jane Austen, finished about a year before her death. It follows the story of the Elliot family—Sir Walter and his three daughters: Elizabeth, Anne, and Mary.

After the death of his wife, Sir Walter gradually loses control of his extravagant spending and is eventually forced to give up his luxurious lifestyle. Due to mounting expenses and having two unmarried daughters, he is advised to rent out the family estate, Kellynch Hall. He moves to Bath with his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, while Anne, the middle daughter, remains for a time in Kellynch village with the family friend Lady Russell. She also visits her younger sister Mary, the only married daughter, who has two children.

Admiral Croft and his wife, the new tenants of the Kellynch estate, soon move in, bringing new energy and social activity to the area, increasing visits and curiosity among the local community.

Anne soon discovers that Mrs. Croft is the sister of Captain Wentworth—the man she had been engaged to seven years earlier but was persuaded to leave in order to please her family.

The novel offers a detailed portrayal of the lives of characters belonging mainly to the rural gentry, highlighting the social position of women while also providing a subtle critique of the rigid class system of the time.