Definitely Not Mr. Darcy

by Karen Doornebos

There's no place for pride in this Austen misadventure. Chloe Parker was born two centuries too late. A thirty-nine-year- old divorced mother, she runs her own antique letterpress business, is a lifelong member of the Jane Austen Society, and gushes over everything Regency. But her business is failing, threatening her daughter's future. What's a lady to do?

Why, audition for a Jane Austen-inspired TV show set in England, of course.

What Chloe thinks is a documentary turns out to be a reality dating show set in 1812. Eight women are competing to snare Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a gorgeous estate, along with a $100,000 prize. So Chloe tosses her bonnet into the ring, hoping to transform from stressed-out Midwest mom to genteel American heiress and win the money. With no cell phones, indoor plumbing, or deodorant to be found, she must tighten her corset and flash some ankle to beat out women younger, more cutthroat, and less clumsy than herself. But the witty and dashing Mr. Wrightman proves to be a prize worth winning, even if it means the gloves are off...

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2011

About the author

Karen Doornebos is a fiction author published with Penguin Random House and contributor to The New York Times with a Tiny Love Story about her Ukrainian grandmother.

Her new children's picture book THE PLUCKY UKRAINIAN SUNFLOWER received an "OUR VERDICT √ GET IT" award from Kirkus Reviews. 100% of the profits will be donated to Save Ukraine, a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to helping children affected by war. The book is illustrated by her 85 year old-artist mom Judie Anderson.

One of Doornebos' novels, DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY, garnered a Starred Review from Publisher's Weekly and was also published in Germany and Poland. Both of her novels were inspired by living and working in London in her early 20s. Her books have been featured on the BBC's The One Show, in The Chicago Tribune, The New York Journal of Books, and more.

She lives in Chicago with her Dutch husband and has two adult kids who live in cool cities to visit. She loves history, travel, and just like you: books!

Reviews

[Heidi (can’t retire soon enough) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, cute read but a good hundred pages too long... and I hate guessing the ending a few chapters ahead of the heroine.

That said, there were some nice Regency-era swoon-worthy moments... as to be expected with Jane Austen fan fiction.

(reviewed 3/20/17)

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, this book came to my attention through our newsletter. I got it through my local library and felt an immediate feeling of doubt when it arrived with the little heart sticker on the spine that indicates that it is part of the library's "romance" collection.

I'm no longer a young girl that thrills with romantic novels, but the Austen-inspired plot pulled me into the book anyway. There was an interesting twist: the main character thinks she's going to England to enter a Jane Austen trivia contest for badly needed funds to salvage her failing business. After she arrives, she learns that the show is actually a version of "The Bachelor" set in Regency times.

I'm guessing that the author is a bit of a Regency buff with a lot of otherwise useless trivia rattling around in her head, so putting it on paper in a novel (rather than a text book) was an innovative way of sharing that information. Learning all of those things about life during the Regency period was actually my favorite part of this book. Beyond that, I have to agree with the other negative reviews. The 39-year-old heroine acts like she's bi-polar a good bit of the time (I'm sure it was intended to appear "mad cap"), the 'surprise' in the story was easy to guess about 1/3 of the way through the book, the structure of the "competition" was ludicrous, and the introduction of the cook toward the end was just plain ridiculous.

Again, though, I enjoyed learning about customs during the Regency era and it really did make me think. The 1995 BBC Production of Pride & Prejudice is near and dear to the heart of any Austen fan, and I think we've all wondered what it would have been like to have been Eliza Bennett. I can now say that life during that time period would have been far from the romantic idyll portrayed in movies. Like the heroine of this book, I would miss my 21st century luxuries -- including my DVD collection of Austen-inspired movies that I can watch in the comfort of my home whenever I feel the need to revisit that gentle period.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A divorced, middle-aged woman with a failing business, little girl, and fading dreams needs to catch a break, but is the prize money from winning her 'Mr. Darcy' really the way to do it? Chloe Parker is about to find out when the Jane Austen documentary she thought she signed up for becomes another animal entirely. She's a challenger to win the hand of the wealthy Mr. Wrightman in a Reality TV show challenge. Too bad her eye strays toward the wrong Mr. Wrightman.

I had a good time with this standalone chick lit. The scenario of a game reality show with points for how well the ladies do at Regency Era accomplishments, deportment, fashion, and winning the eligible gentleman was too delicious for words. Of course there was the requisite conniving mean girl type and a host of mishaps for Chloe as she fumbled and bumbled her way through as modern woman trying to adjust to living two hundred years in the past. She does manage to catch the eye of both Wrightman brothers, but only the ineligible one for the prize stirs her.

Chloe has been a dreamer and left looking for something more most of her life. She believes in romance, Mr. Darcy, and the dream of living in a genteel Austenesque world, but the story shows her the stark reality when she gets to have what she's always wanted. You know what they say about getting what you want... She's an engaging heroine and I was rooting for her to win, but at the same time, I wanted her to open her eyes and really see what was going on rather than the illusion. It was obvious to the reader for a long time what the real deal was with the situation, but Chloe was on a journey of the heart and had to find her own way.

There are reflective times, humorous moments, sweet moments, and sad ones. I did feel that the story dragged in the middle and I just wanted to get on with the heart of the conflict which did happen in the latter section. I also wanted a little bit more at the end, but that was because I wanted to see more romance after all the earlier misunderstandings.

The author provided some fun side characters around Chloe and totally convinced me that I might enjoy a visit to Regency times, but I definitely am glad I don't live there. I found this a perfect light, summer read and can definitely recommend it to those who want a modern story not necessarily focused on romance with some humor and heartwarming along with the soul searching moments.

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave it 74 pages, and I think that's fair.

It's a cute premise - Austenite (and single mom with money troubles) Chloe Parker goes on a Regency-themed reality dating show. And I almost like the writing, but I just don't find it quite funny. Real Austen fans may feel talked down to (do you really need to explain that a joke about coming out of a lake with a wet shirt refers to Colin Firth in the BBC Pride and Prejudice? To an Austen fan? I think not).

Plus, I just don't identify with Chloe, for reasons which I will present to you now in the form of a mocking impression.

"Hiii, I'm Chloe, and I love the Regency era and don't like the modern one! I'm kind of proud of knowing carriages better than cars and needing my eight-year-old daughter to handle the Internet for me! Can't imagine why my letterpress business is doing badly, can you?

"But surely going on this Jane Austen-themed show will fix it! I'll win the grand prize of one hundred thousand dollars, and my whole life will be excellent! Plus, living in authentic Regency conditions in England will be a dream come true!

"What do you mean, I can't have my cell phone?

"I NEED my cell phone.

"What do you mean, this is a dating show? I thought it was a documentary where we all did Jane Austen trivia contests! I thought it would be all classy! You have to get the guy to propose to you to win? Well, sure, I got all the paperwork you sent me, but isn't it totally understandable that in my Austen-y excitement I skimmed it so lightly as to have NO IDEA how one goes about actually winning the money that I'm completely counting on taking home? Doesn't that totally make sense, and not indicate that I'm a complete idiot? Now la, watch me go off and interact in weird and obnoxious ways with other people, just in case you were still thinking of sympathizing with me.

"Also, I'm a Regency expert, but have never heard of a ha-ha. That's not weird, right?"

[Cyndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I mean; I'm a major Austenphile, so I rarely pass by a book based on them, and equally rarely find any of them worth reading. But hope springs eternal so I keep trying. The characters never quite grasped their roles and it was hard to 'see' the scenery.

[Breanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out with a lot of potential, and then it ended up just being... blah. I enjoyed a lot of the historical detail because she describes a lot of things that are usually hard to imagine, like what a pelisse is or how ladies avoided getting their ballroom slippers muddy. There was also a sort of charming sprinkling of Austen references at various moments. But the real drive of the book - the romance - really dragged on and then culminated in a scene that kind of horrified me... and then deflated into a sort of ridiculous ending where our heroine is idiotically mad at the leading man (I HATE when they HATE the guy for a really stupid reason. Hate it.), until, finally... she isn't mad anymore. BLEHH. Sorry. I mean, I didn't hate this book. But it became really disappointing after a very promising beginning.

One other irritant was the lack of rational, plausible explanation for some of the groundwork. The girls were voted for online each week, but the episodes didn't air until a few weeks after she leaves? What? It was really unclear how the filming was being relayed to the outside world and certain timing things were confusing. I think the ending needed to be re-worked. I would almost enjoy reading an alternate ending... without maybe half of the book beforehand.

Closing thoughts:
This was kind of like a mix of Austenland, which I liked, and Confessions of a Jane Austen addict, which I hated, and both for the same reasons. I loved the time-travel type of immersion experience you get with Austenland (and also some of the romance), and I hated the inconsistency and modern-day whinyness/lewdness of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict (not to mention how that supposed Jane-ite knew practically nothing about the Jane Austen era). Chloe certainly knows more about Austen, and tries much harder to enjoy her experience, but ultimately still succumbs to being driven out of her mind by not being able to take a shower and also somehow ends up with a man with his pants down, which I feel pushes any sense of Austen away with a 10-foot pole. I'm not normally prudish, but if we're paying homage to Austen, let's have a little sense of propriety here. Rant off..

Here are my issues with the ending and suggestion of a better one:
Wouldn't it have been better if rather than being mad at Henry for "lying" to her the whole time (hello, has she ever even watched TV? I saw that coming from the beginning), she could have been so embarrassed at her own behavior that she feels she can't repair her relationship with him? And that's the source of romantic tension at the end, as opposed to her being so irrationally angry to discover that the kinder, more gentlemanly man with whom she has more in common is -surprise!- the man who is actually fabulously wealthy and honorable, who sincerely adores her? Then all we have to wait for is for her to build up her self-respect -probably by building up her business as she does and resolving her custody issues- and maybe a little romantic reassurance from him that he loves her and badda bing badda boom - much better ending.

[Nichola · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please save me from the urge to read every Austenesque book that comes my way. This one had way too many things going on and rarely were they things I want to read about. The plot is not remotely believable for starters, Chloe is a single mother who prefers the ways of the past and is trying to save her business and raise her young daughter. So she leaves America to be in an 'immersive historical documentary' in the English countryside, which she has not really investigated well, and (surprise!)turns out to be a Regency dating reality show.

The narrative shows a real naivete about reality shows- it seems unlikely Chloe would go through all this for a chance at money, but no other renumeration (she has even paid for her own plane tickets). There is too much yucky detail about Regency living- one charcter's entire purpose in the book seems to be to teach the reader that women who were menstruating were locked into their bedrooms for days at a time. I know this is what happened back then, but it would not happen to real women today on a show, when it happened back then they didn't complain, and wouldn't talk about it. And the scene where the Chloe is filmed taking her first bath in a week (after sweating, mud and horseback riding) in water that has been used by 4 or 5 other ladies is similarly unnecessary, unbelievable, and silly. She snubs at every turn the appropriate food being served, but rarely seems to make up any meals. Meanwhile the men are all clean and given use of technology after hours, but must chew cloves instead of using aspirin for a toothache. The relationships with the servant actors is very muddy- sometimes she learns about their real life, sometimes she helps them with duties, and sometimes accepts what they say about her role's limitations. I can't even bear to go into the pregnant chaperone who wishes to have her baby in the style of Regency childbirth (with Chloe as an assistant). There also seems to be a real time aspect, such that friends at home can see her videos and read the male lead's blog/tweets, but the show surely cannot be produced, edited, and broadcast while it is being lived. There seems to be no particular timeline for the show, it has been going on for weeks before she arrived, but she somehow hasn't heard of it or seen what it was really about. And finally she is somehow surprised at the end when things are revealed to be different from how they were represented. I want to tell her- they are all actors making a TV show dear.

Other than the historical stuff, I was bothered by the antagonistic bent she shows toward her exhusband, and father of her daughter. She seperated from him because he was too distant and yet much of her distress is about his attempts to spend more time with her- evenings out and readjusted custody arrangements. And finally the message about technology is unclear. She overstates Chloe's wish for the ways of the past, and at the end she decides that the internet will help her increase her business, but the fact that she freaks out when giving up her mobile phone and texting muddies this too. I don't know what editors and publishers are up to these days.

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe Parker, a thirty-nine year old divorced mother of one, is elated to be participating in a three week immersion documentary about Jane Austen! A master at Jane Austen trivia and Regency etiquette, Chloe expects to win this competition and walk out with a $100,000 prize that will save her failing antique letterpress business and ensure that her daughter continues to receive the best education possible. The only problem is....Chloe didn't sign on for a Jane Austen public television documentary...she signed on to be contestant in a reality dating show titled How To Date Mr. Darcy!

Even though Chloe is not thrilled by this unforeseen development, and thinks the whole idea is ludicrous, she decides to remain in the competition. Who knows, maybe she will win the prize money and a man! Chloe enters the Regency Marriage Arena prepared for all the elements of reality dating shows such as: elimination ceremonies, group activities, a d one-on-one dates. Yet she is woefully unprepared for the new Regency Era twists such as: earning Accomplishment Points, surrendering her cellphone, and living according to Regency Era norms for three weeks (even when the cameras are off!) Does Chloe have the right arts and allurements to attract the wealthy and charming Adonis, Mr. Wrightman? Will she be able to endure these next three weeks with limited privacy, fewer freedoms, and deplorable hygiene?

To continue reading, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...

[Kaitlyn Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ahhh! I was so dissatisfied with this book, especially the ending! There was no character progression, until the very end, which felt forced and rushed. The MC, Chloe is this confused and immature 39 year old woman who acts like shes an irresponsible 20 years old, and stays that way throughout. Then all of a sudden at the end she's all "I am woman hear me roar!" Anyway, she was not the brightest bulb in the bunch. She was supposedly a die hard Austen fan, but couldn't recognize the most classic signs of a Wickham/Willoughby. Also, I lost count of how many times I rolled my eyes at the dozens and dozens and DOZENS of references to revealing cleavage and tight breeches. Seriously, we get it, the gowns were low cut...we get it, the pants were tight...we get it, the men were perfectly muscled...WE GET IT! Also, the worst thing was when a quite beautiful moment, which was an allusion to Mr. Darcy's failed proposal (ardent admiration and all that, every Darcy lover knows the line :) was ruined shortly afterword by some crass and crude reference to what? Tight pants. The ending felt incomplete and left me un-sated (spell checker is asking me if I mean "nauseated", seems fitting, as the bulging pants references went on ad nauseum), wanting more, but not in the good way. Now with all that negativity, here are some positives: Despite my many annoyances, I couldn't seem to put the dang book down, the premise was intriguing, albeit as full of holes as a gangster on St. Valentine's Day (yeah...tasteless pun..deal with it). I enjoyed the Darcy-like character, even though he wasn't as great as he could have been. Bottom line...if you love all things Austen, read the book, It won't be your favorite, but the history and detail in the book of the Regency Era itself makes the book worth a read.

[Lisa Wolf · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about a single mother whose brilliant idea for saving her failing business is... to go on a Regency-themed dating show and win the grand prize? If that concept strikes you as just plain dumb... well, that gives you a pretty good picture of the entire book. The plot doesn't make sense, the Regency competition has odd rules and plenty of inconsistencies, there are slapstick moments that just aren't funny, and the main character makes decision that are just downright baffling. I picked up a copy of this book at a used book sale and finally picked it up off my shelf on a whim. Can't say I actually recommend it.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was extremely excited to receive my copy of Definitely Not Mr. Darcy as a Goodreads giveaway. It is a novel that I would have looked at in the bookstore, but may not have bought for myself. My reasons for wanting to read it are purely self indulgent as a confirmed Jane Austin fanatic. The novel, while referring to Austin's novels, is not a reboot or even a parody of the classic Austin novels we all know and love. It is set in a modern day reality show, but with a twist: the contestants must pretend like they are in the world of Jane Austin and everything is as authentic as possible, including bathing only once a week. The reason I enjoyed this novel so much is not based on a complicated plot (it's actually a pretty light read and the plot is somewhat predictable), but its homage to Austin and her work. I enjoyed being on the inside of little jokes and references to her literary works. Despite the predictable plot (at least to me) and the fact that at times I wanted to shake the main character because she couldn't work out things quick enough for me, I still found myself immersed in the book. It did give me new perspective on Austin's novels because like the main character I too have been guilty of over-romanticizing her works. We all think we would like to be a Jane Austin heroine until we realize we can't take a bath for a week and or can't talk a walk unchaperoned. (Women's lib? What's that?) I do recommend reading this if you are a fan of any of Jane Austin's novels or have seen the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice (the fact that the main character mocks the Keira Knightly version made me like the book even more). It is a fantastic weekend or beach read.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, and it had it's moments of brilliance. What I wish is that authors would find someone with an ounce of logic in their brains and actually bounce their ideas off of them.
The premise of this story is a heroine that is a fanatic of anything and everything Jane Austen. She is a life long member of the Jane Austen Society, that should tell you everything about her passion. Yet as she enters this contest we are to believe that she doesn't know the basic details of life in the Regency era? Now me, I could get not know this stuff. I enjoy Jane Austen's stories, but I haven't extensively researched the era. This is woman that has won competitions galore and she doesn't get it. This to me is logic error number 1. Make her a woman that enjoys Jane Austen, someone like me that enjoys the books, likes some of the movies, and knows a bit but not too much so everything is a shock to the system. At one time she states she has read Sense and Sensibility 4 times. WHAT? I have read it 4 times, I would expect a true fanatic to have read it so many times they can't count it.

Okay, logic problem number 2, this woman is supposed to be a 39 year old single mother, with a failing business. I love her business, it works, what doesn't work is her persona. I could never decide if I wanted to love or hate her. Since there was a true antagonist you can't completely hate her, but her moods are off the wall. How could the hero fall in love with that? He loved her for her entry, she loved him for his bio, there is nothing real beyond that. I never could decide on the age of her daughter, sometimes I felt like she was a 4 or 5 year old or younger, but she could text on the phone. It never was made clear and often this woman acted like the child would be a disaster if she was out of her care for any length of time.

Now this leads to logic problem number 3. Why is she so upset about her ex wanting visitation over summer and weekends. As far as I could tell in the story, he really wasn't a bad sort. A workaholic and not in the marriage and really not in the child's life, but in today's society I'm surprised that he didn't have that degree of visitation to begin with. If he was suing for full custody, I would get it, but visitation rights, not. I respected that she didn't say anything bad about him to her daughter but her reaction was a bit startling to me.

Logic problem number 4, why doesn't the antagonist know who the owner of the property she is trying to win is? If is was in her family, and lost it and she was trying to get it back wouldn't she have known that little tidbit?

Those are just a few small problems in the book. I didn't care for the method of the competition, or the Heroines over reactions. Why was she fainting all the time? Why was she always caught in a rainstorm? So many little things that got redundant. I don't mind her indecision with the two brothers for me that works since she was a divorcee, and really not prepared to be thrown into the situation she was. I could go on and on, but one more thing. NOT every woman delivering a baby in this day and age gets an epidural. Some of us actually don't want one, and that was actually rather inappropriate to even suggest such a thing. Research, research, research.

Oh, one more thing, although it would be hard for us to live in the conditions of the 1800's or earlier, and even into the 1900's, for those living in that time it was life. They don't have the things to compare to that we do. So as much as we might find it difficult, hard, and horrible, for them it was a way of life and normal.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book did absolutely nothing for me. There was no buildup, no tension, no nothing. The main character, Chloe, was completely wishy-washy and had no consistent characterization. One day she's a regency genius and the next she has no idea what went on in the 19th century. She's supposed to be 39 but read a lot younger (and honestly, this book would have been better if she actually were a lot younger). This immaturity made her really hard to like. She made decisions and got upset by things I just didn't understand. For example: her business is failing and she's worried about her kid's future so her solution is to spend all her savings to fly to England and participate in a contest she MIGHT win? She's mad that her ex-husband and the father of her kid (who doesn't seem like a bad guy just not the guy for her) wants more time with their kid?

That brings me to a big problem with this book: There was no real plot. I mean, yes, there was a "plot," but it was so haphazard and all over the place. There were elements, such as the custody issue, that could have been eliminated, or Chloe's issues with her parents etc. Things that didn't add to the book and instead just made it seem random.

This book just didn't go anywhere. It was entirely about a romantic plot. It wasn't about a character finding herself, because she was the same when she left as when she got there. It wasn't about discovering that maybe regency life isn't the be all end all. It was about Chloe finding a guy, but we got no payoff on that front. A great ending could have made it all worth it. Instead, after an entire book of her panting after two men and not being able to make a decision, we get her big I Am Woman moment (which in itself was lame) and then a paragraph of her deciding ok, maybe she isn't Woman after all. I don't need three chapters on a Happily Ever After, but there needed to be a resolution and there wasn't one.

Overall, this book was just plain sloppy. I bought it on my nook by accident when trying to get a sample (I am still so nook incompetent) and I really wish I hadn't paid money for it. Then again, maybe I shouldn't be so upset. This book's title makes it clear what it is: Definitely not Mr. Darcy. Alas.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Chloe Parker. She is a 39 year-old, divorced mother of one running her own antique letterpress business in Chicago. She also eats, sleeps, and breaths anything Jane Austen related. She thinks she is going to be in a documentary/competition where everyone is dressed in regency style and answers questions about Austen.

Meet Mr. Wrightman. He is an elegible bachelor owning one of the largest estates in England. He loves history, science, and bird watching. Also, women constantly fall at his handsome feet wishing to be the object of his desire. A friend of his helps him sort through the cleavage by creating a dating show where all regency customs and attire are followed to the letter.

Chloe has no idea what she's in for until she lands on the set in the lavish English countryside. If it weren't for the prize money that would help save her business, Chloe would leave for home in a rush of disgust and disappointment. She decides to stay on the show filled with beautiful, talented 20-somethings with stubborn determination.

Chloe discovers that it is not so easy being a woman of leisure in the 1800's. She finds needlepoint, riding sidesaddle, and breathing in corsets to be much harder than she originally thought. What she wouldn't do for a hot shower!

And the men! The incredibly hot, Colin Firth-style Mr. Wrightman could sweep any girl off her feet. He's the tall, dark, and handsome man of every girl's dream. Then there's his younger nerdy brother Henry. This incredibly gentlemanly (and kinda cute) doctor gets ignored by most of the contestants, but to her frustration, Chloe ends up bumping into him constantly instead of his prize of a brother.

What starts out as a business venture ends up being so much more. Follow Chloe through the last heart-pounding episode. Will she be as cutthroat as the younger contestants? Or will she discover something more valuable than the prize money?

If you enjoyed Austenland by Shannon Hale, you'll love this book. It is a perfect mix of the modern and regency worlds. You get all the romance and atmosphere that you find in Jane Austen novels with a modern twist that you can relate to. Pick it up now!

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

After thinking this through, I changed my rating to 2 stars - more like a 2 1/2. I received this free through Goodreads (thank you) and while I enjoyed most of it, the ending left me cold.

Chloe has unwittingly signed up for a reality dating show - that's what happens when you don't read the fine print. She thought it would be more trivia, but it turns out to be a Regency date show. I don't think I'm giving too much away (since it happens in the first 50 pages), she discovers that there is one prize date, the wealthy older Mr. Wrightman for which she will receive $100,000 for a proposal from him, and his penniless younger brother. She soon finds herself falling for both of them, although its the younger one, Henry, who she really gets to know. Will Chloe win the man of her dreams, the money or both?

This was a lot of book for a fluff chick-lit book - 373 trade paperback pages. I would have given it a strong 3 or 3.5 if the ending would have offered a better resolution. We read these types of books for the HEA. It was definitely not concrete enough. The hero was sweet but towards the ending became unbelievably so - no real man would ever act like that. Also, I'm not sure if I actually liked Chloe. As a former single mom myself, I found it hard to have too much sympathy towards a woman who was flipping out because after having her daughter to herself for four years was facing the possibility of having to share her with her ex for summers and holidays. Really? It's 2011. Many dads want to be with their kids. And yes, it sucks that it happens a lot of times after they get remarried because that's when they have more time for their kids, but you can't deny your kid their other parent. Like I said, it made it difficult for me to really like her.

All in all, an ok read with potential. It would have been good if it had an epilogue.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars, really--and that's really just based on the very beginning and end. All throughout the middle this one was a solid two...which is sad, really, because I was so looking forward to reading this one. The blurb sounded great. The reviews were pretty decent. My favorite t-shirt is my "It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen kicks ass" one. All the signs were good. This book should have been a four or five star one for me--but it wasn't. Mostly it was Chloe--I just couldn't stand her most of the time, and really didn't care all that much what happened to her whiny self. For the last third of the book, she was amazed at least once per chapter that--oh, my gosh!--she was falling for Sebastian! No, for Henry! No, for both of them! That was not supposed to happen! My goodness! I kept reading mostly because I had waited for it from the library for so long (thank goodness I didn't buy it!) and because I really hate to give up on a book. It did get marginally better at the end--I have to admit, though I did have the feeling that something wasn't right, I didn't know what exactly it was until it was revealed--but honestly, the best part of the ending was that now I could read something else without the guilt of leaving a book unfinished.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book combined a reality TV show, like the Bachelor, with a Jane Austen period lifestyle. It was a cute story

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una Janeite a Uomini e Donne

Confesso di essere partita un po' prevenuta quando ho letto la trama di questo romanzo: ero troppo scottata dalla delusione cocente di Austenland, un libro ben congeniato sulla carta, che però alla fine si è rivelato più una 'sinossi' che un romanzo vero e proprio, con una protagonista non all'altezza della situazione e ― soprattutto ― lontana anni luce da Jane Austen e dalle sue eroine. E la trama di Definitely Not Mr Darcy sembrava pericolosamente simile!

Invece Chloe Parker si rivela da subito ben diversa da Jane Hayes, la protagonista di Austenland. Chloe è una vera Janeite, che ha familiarità con le opere di Jane Austen e con i suoi insegnamenti, tanto che viene selezionata dalla sua sezione della JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America) per partecipare a questo programma televisivo, in cui bisogna conoscere a menadito i costumi del periodo Regency.

Chloe crede che si tratti di un quiz a premi e invece... si trova invischiata in un dating-show, ovvero un reality show in cui uno scapolo in possesso di una cospicua fortuna è alla ricerca di una moglie. Una sorta di Uomini e Donne di Maria De Filippi, insomma, con la differenza di essere completamente calato nel 1812, arretratezza tecnologica inclusa.

La prima reazione di Chloe è di scappare via: dopotutto è una Janeite seria, che mal si presta a giochi e bambinate e non ha nessuna voglia di cercare un uomo ― soprattutto non in un reality show ― per quanto somigliante a Mr Darcy!

Chloe è divorziata e ha una figlia, Abigail, di otto anni, che ha bisogno di lei. L'ex-marito Whintrop, inoltre, ha una nuova compagna e ha appena chiesto di riaprire le pratiche dell'affidamento di Abigail: per Chloe non ci sarebbe un momento più sbagliato per stare lontana da casa per tre settimane!
Ma poi sbuca la questione economica: la vincita del concorso comporta un premio in denaro (oltre allo scapolo abbiente e piacente) e Chloe è in un periodo di grave crisi con l'attività di tipografa vecchio-stile, tanto che gli ultimi soldi che aveva li ha spesi per il biglietto aereo per l'Inghilterra.

E, per una volta nella sua vita, nasce in Chloe il desiderio di portare a termine qualcosa, lottando a denti stretti, sostenuta da Mrs. Crescent, la sua chaperone che, in caso di sua vincita, riceverebbe un bel gruzzoletto che l'aiuterebbe per le cure mediche del figlio William, che si deve operare per un nodulo al collo. Insomma, vuoi per il suo buon cuore, vuoi per le scarse alternative finanziarie, Chloe è costretta, suo malgrado, a immergersi nell'Inghilterra di Jane Austen.

Si trova subito in difficoltà, perché Chloe è più o meno consapevolmente drogata di tecnologia e di internet. Non riesce a credere di non poter sentire Abigail al cellulare e di dover comunicare con lei tramite lettera. La Doornebos mette in evidenza l'enorme differenza dei due mezzi: se è vero che l'e-mail è poco romantica, tanto da essere uno dei motivi di distacco nel matrimonio fra Chloe e Winthrop (lei ricorda che ricevere le sue mail al posto delle chiamate quando lui lavorava fuori per molti mesi, le aveva quasi fatto dimenticare il suono della voce del marito), è anche vero che è un mezzo di comunicazione immediato: si preme 'invio' e il destinatario può subito leggere le nostre parole.

Tantissimi altri progressi che il genere umano ha fatto in duecento anni vengono analizzati e celebrati da chi è costretto a farne a meno, dopo averli dati per scontati per tutta la vita. In questo Definitely Not Mr Darcy richiama molto il primo romanzo delle Austen Addict di Laurie Viera Rigler, Shopping con Jane Austen, con approfondimenti più dettagliati sulle abitudini di pulizia e igiene personale e sui rapporti con la servitù. Geniale anche l'introduzione di un parto in stile Regency, per farci vedere quanto questo evento naturale sia stato migliorato dalla scienza (sebbene, Mrs. Doornebos, le confesso che anch'io, come Mrs Crescent, sono stata contentissima di partorire senza l'epidurale!).

I personaggi sono molto ben delineati: in ciascuno di essi si può scorgere un richiamo a Jane Austen. C'è Miss Bingley, nella persona di Lady Grace, che rappresenta anche la Janeite dell'ultima ora, quella che si è innamorata di Matthew Macfadyen o di Colin Firth e non ha neanche letto i romanzi di Jane Austen, essendo interessata a tutt'altro. Lady Grace rappresenta, inoltre, la classica inglese gelosa di tutto ciò che è britannico, che considera una sua proprietà, pur rivelando di non essere degna di tenerlo per sé!
C'è Mr Darcy, che si rivelerà diverso da quel che Chloe/Elizabeth credeva. C'è anche Wickham! Ma non voglio rivelare troppo.

Dunque mi limiterò a dire che Karen Doornebos ha rappresentato una Janeite dei giorni nostri non più giovanissima, in cui tutte possiamo immedesimarci, a prescindere dall'età; possiamo vagheggiare l'epoca Regency, ma in realtà non potremmo fare a meno dei nostri cellulari, della doccia calda (e con acqua pulita) tutti i giorni (noi italiani anche di un altro sanitario indispensabile, di cui non faccio ulteriore menzione), di internet e della sua connessione interplanetaria immediata, della luce elettrica, ecc., insomma di duecento anni di conquiste che diamo per scontate e di cui ormai non potremmo fare a meno.

Nonostante non sia originalissimo, Definitely Not Mr Darcy si legge con partecipazione e curiosità, grazie a uno stile incalzante e a una protagonista travolgente (c'è anche tanto di Bridget Jones in lei, come in ognuna di noi!).

Volete sapere se Chloe vince il reality show? LEGGETELO!

Potete leggere la recensione completa QUI

[Susannah Carleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. An interesting and intriguing story of a divorced American single mom who loves Jane Austen and is selected as a cast member for a reality TV show set in 1812. She joins the rest of the cast after about three weeks of filming, and she’s surprised to discover how realistic the show is, with all the prospective brides and their chaperones and servants living as they would have lived in 1812. The bachelor is attractive and wealthy, but the American is as attracted to his brother, a doctor.

A fierce rivalry ensues between the American, Chloe, and one of the younger, British girls, who resorts to trickery to try to get Chloe thrown off the show for violating the rules. Will Chloe win or lose when the bachelor makes his choice?

[Hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was cute!!! lowkey disliked the ending. will warn first 50 pages were kind of rough. after that it gets good.

[Marilyn Rondeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chole Parker is a thirty-nine year old divorced mother who runs her own antique letterpress business as well as being a lifelong member of the Jane Austen Society. At the moment Chloe’s business is failing which in turn threatens her daughter’s future and rumors that her ex is getting ready to wage a new battle for custody over their daughter. When the chance to audition for a Jane Austen inspired documentary show presents itself Chloe is absolutely ready to throw her hat in the ring even if it means being away from her daughter for three weeks. The only problem is what she thought was going to be a documentary turns out to be a reality dating show set in the Regency 1812 period with the women trying to win over Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a gorgeous estate along with a $100,000 prize. Well, what the heck – Chloe is in, even though she will be competing with much younger and less clumsy women than herself.

*** The whole premise of the this book really appealed to me and although not an official member of the Jane Austen society – I should be – as I know I was born in the wrong era! Chole was wonderfully characterized by today’s standards – a woman who is divorced, stressed, and trying to eke out a living while supporting her daughter. Chole having a particular love of all things Regency (and who is trying to make a success of her own antique letterpress business) knew that with her knowledge of Jane Austen – doing this would be a walk in the park. However, when the reality sunk in of having no contact with the outside world with her cell phone taken away, along with all things electronic. And having to live a passive life doing embroidery, painting, archery and a myriad of other lady-like accomplishments for points in order to obtain a smidgeon of time with the very hot Mr. Wrightman; and competing with much younger and prettier contestants; the predicament she had walked into became too real!

Ms. Doornebos – put together a very enjoyable scenario, in that their were two Mr. Wrightman’s – Sebastien the heir, and Henry the conservative (yet equally hot) younger son and doctor. The point system was the bane of Chloe’s existence for every time she was about to get something accomplished either the good doctor seemed to show up and threw her off kilter, or the other contestants including Lady Grace, who was determined to win by any method she could conceive be it foul or fair, made for some interesting and laugh out loud moments.

Bottom line: DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY is an amusing and very well researched book where I myself learned a few more of the not so romantic parts of living in the Regency period. Did you know what was used for deodorant during that time? Read the book and find out! Very well written debut book I can highly recommend!!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

[Anna]

Definitely Not Mr. Darcy is a fun novel for any Jane Austen fan who ever dreamed about living in Regency England and finding her own Mr. Darcy. Chloe Parker, an Anglophile, divorced mom, and struggling business owner, leaves her young daughter behind in Chicago to appear on what she believes is a documentary set in Mr. Darcy’s Derbyshire that will enable her to show off her knowledge of all things Austen, win $100,000, and solve all her problems.

She’s a bit horrified to learn that she’s actually been cast in a reality show in which she and several women much younger than herself will compete to win the affections of the wealthy Mr. Wrightman. All she has to do is assume the role of an American heiress, live like it’s 1812, stay in character at all times, and get Mr. Wrightman to propose. Although she’s not interested in finding love, Chloe desperately needs the prize money. Enamored of leaving the present behind for a simpler, more romantic way of life, Chloe jumps headfirst into the game.

She soon learns that Regency life wasn’t all that romantic nor as fun as she’d imagined. She’s not just giving up her cell phone and e-mail; she also says goodbye to underwear, deodorant, daily baths, and toilets. She has to learn needlework and how to make ink. Worst of all, she has to give up the freedoms she enjoys as a modern woman and can no longer speak her mind or be alone with a man. Chloe not only struggles with the loss of modern conveniences, but she must also deal with bad news from home, her conflicted feelings for the Wrightman brothers, and the conniving Lady Grace – a rival contestant who would stop at nothing to send Chloe back home.

In Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, Karen Doornebos has crafted a hilarious novel with a spirited heroine who would make Jane Austen proud. Readers will enjoy watching Chloe navigate the challenges of the game and come alive in a way she hadn’t been since before her divorce. It’s easy to relate to Chloe and her desire for a simpler life, and you can’t help but cheer her on as she blunders her way through archery tournaments, tea parties, and balls. So much for a simpler life — no matter how hard Chloe tries, she’s always getting her gowns dirty and running afoul of the Regency rulebook, which makes for plenty of laughs.

Definitely Not Mr. Darcy is a lighthearted look at the customs of Jane Austen’s time that gives readers a new respect for her beloved heroines.

Review posted on Diary of an Eccentric

I received a free copy of this book for review.

[Elisabetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quando inizi a leggere un libro e dopo poche pagine riesci ad indovinare, non solo l'evolversi della vicenda, ma anche gli aspetti "più rivelatori", il libro in questione non può che rappresentare una delusione.
Eppure le idee per un buon libro c'erano.
La scrittrice ha ideato un reality-dating show ambientato nell'epoca Regency, dove la protagonista, la nostra Chloe Parker, partecipa perché da sempre innamorata dei romanzi di Jane Austen e di quegli ambienti romantici dove gli uomini si inchinano al cospetto di una donna, sono sempre cortesi e semplicemente irresistibili.
Diciamolo chiaramente, dove gli uomini sono Mr. Darcy, almeno nel nostro immaginario.
Chloe dovrà affrontare diverse prove e difficoltà, mentre compie la sua avventura in tipico stile Regency, ma tutto, e dico proprio tutto, è talmente scontato da farmi perdere l'attrattiva e spesso mi sono chiesta perché continuare a leggere..

Una volta concluso però non posso non considerare altri aspetti che mi fanno dare un giudizio intermedio a tutto il romanzo.

Iniziando dalla protagonista, Chloe è una mamma divorziata trentenne con un attività in fallimento. è simpatica, tenace e competitiva al punto giusto e la sua capacità di cacciarsi continuamente nei guai l'ha resa una divertente e ottima protagonista

Lo stile infine è scorrevole e semplice, cosa che mi ha garantito una facilità di lettura.

L'ultimo commento che mi sento di fare su questo libro e che ha decisamente alzato il mio voto è sullo stile Regency descritto.
Mi sono piaciute le nozioni che ho appreso sul periodo e voglio riportare un piccolo pezzo del libro che, secondo me, rappresenta perfettamente il fatto che spesso ci innamoriamo del lato romantico dei romanzi di Jane Austen, ma altrettanto spesso ci dimentichiamo delle condizioni della donna in quel periodo (per non parlare dell'assenza di comodità!)
"Regancy life was grim for women, very grim, and this, too, had ben one of the Austen's messages just not the one Chloe had wanted to acknowledge"

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should really stop reading these 'Austen-inspired' books.

The premise is kind of entertaining -- I view reality TV as a series of train wrecks waiting to happen, but the idea of an Austen-based show is fun.

The book stretches the bounds of believability too far, though. The writing is fine, if a bit overdone in places, but I just cannot believe that 1) anybody could sign on to do a reality show while thinking that it was actually a documentary or that 2) they would be such sticklers for historical accuracy. I can't judge how accurate the things they describe are -- I'm hardly a Regency expert -- but I don't think that unwashed and un-made-up 'actors' make for great ratings, and I have a hard time believing that the production company could get away with denying those same 'actors' things like medication and having Sebastian and Henry and their household continue the not-in-the-21st-century charade even when there are no cameras anywhere nearby. And the whole 'Accomplishment points' thing was pretty pointless -- in fact, pointless enough that the book admitted it.

Chloe's not exactly TSTL, but she gets pretty irritating. I appreciate, to an extent, that she's not the feisty 20-something heroine of a lot of these books, but at the same time, a lot of the things that defined her character were underutilised. (As for who she ended up with -- yeah, who didn't see that one coming?)

Again, the writing is fine, and it's a pretty quick read. More of a 2.5-star book than a 2-star book. It just strains the limits of plausibility a bit too far.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich gestehe das niedliche Cover und die Worte 'Mr Darcy' haben mich sofort angesprochen.

Die TV-Sendung 'Der Bachelor' trifft auf das Jahr 1812 ... Das ist interessant und hört sich nach etwas Neuem an (zumindest hatte ich so etwas noch nicht gelesen). Frauen, die in einer neuen Reality Show um ihren persönlichen Mr Darcy kämpfen. Alles unter dem Deckmantel und Regeln der Regency. Spannend! Und das obwohl ich um Reality TV eigentlich einen großen Bogen mache.

Die Besonderheit dieses Buches liegt darin, dass es zwar versucht die Kerzenscheinromantik aufrecht zu erhalten, dass jedoch ebenso die Schattenseiten es Lebens damals in den Mittelpunkt rücken. Viele Passagen sind Erklärungen des damaligen Lebens und handeln von all den Dingen, die uns Jane Austen ebenso wie BBC Verfilmungen vorenthalten. Da sie noch dazu in einem belehrenden Ton daher kommen, könnten diese Passagen abschreckend und langatmig wirken, wer sich für das Leben im Jahr 1812 jedoch interessiert, wird Freude daran haben können.

Das Herrenhaus & Park Setting, dass ich in den Jane Austen Verfilmungen so liebte, war auch hier fester Bestandteil. Die Charaktere führten locker durch die Handlung, auch wenn mich die Protagonistin aufregen konnte (zeigt, aber auch, dass ich wirklich eintauchte in die Geschichte).

Letztlich war es für mich kein richtiger/klassischer Liebesroman. Dafür war alles zu durcheinander und es hätte meiner Meinung mehr Szenen von dem letztlichen Paar selbst geben können. Ein bisschen 'Austenland' und ein bisschen 'Lost in Austen'.

Ich habe es jedoch sehr gerne gelesen.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!! I definitely didn’t want it to end! Those were the first words out of my mouth when I finished the book!

Chloe Parker thinks she is going to London to do a documentary about life in 1812 England. What she discovers after arriving is that is not a documentary at all, it’s a reality TV show! She and several other women are competing to win a proposal of marriage from Mr. Sebastian Wrightman and a $100,000 prize. They have to live like people did 200 years ago. Everything had to be authentic, everything from what they wore, ate, to how they bathed. There was no cell phones, no internet, no electricity, no plumbing (she had to go in a chamber pot, with the embarrassment of the chambermaid caring it out and disposing of it! Yuck!) No Deodorant, no make up except a little strawberry rouge. It was all very interesting to read about!

I loved how they had to earn accomplishment points by learning how to needle point, make ink, mend a pen, etc. And the women were not always that nice in their endeavors to win the man and the money.

Karen Doornebos did a fantastic job on this story! It was fun to read. It made me realize, I’m glad I wasn’t born 200 years ago. With my luck, I probably would have been a chambermaid! This is a must read!

[Cindy Vitek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so happy to receive an ARC of this book to read. I am a huge fan of Jane Austen and the regency period so I was thrilled to begin reading. Chloe is a terrific heroine...she is flawed and imperfect and makes mistakes just like the rest of us. She is not model perfect in any way (which makes her a perfect character for me). The author obviously spent a lot of time researching the Regency period because thee was no detail missed in the descriptions. I liked the characters; I liked the surprises and I liked the twists and turns. I was so sorry to see it end; I was anxious to finish it, but wished I could have read more. I look foward to reading more from this author and maybe we'll see a Regency-era reality show in the future...someone should send a copy to Mark Burnett.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Definitely Not Mr. Darcy and didn’t want to put the book down. Thirty-nine-year-old Chloe Parker is a divorced mother from Chicago who thinks she’s auditioning for a Jane Austen historical-recreation TV show and finds herself instead in a Regency-era version of The Bachelor. It’s a great premise that more than pays off in this debut novel. Chloe finds herself in over her head more than once and discovers that living in the past isn’t all she expected. I enjoyed this book even more than I thought I would. It’s funny, insightful, and ultimately very satisfying.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I enjoyed the most about this novel was the fact that it wasn't just a modern retelling of a Jane Austen classic. I enjoyed reading about the less-than-glamorous aspects of Regency life, even if it is under the spotlight of a reality show.

In terms of the romance, it was obvious who the best choice was, and I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

I did have some issues with the details of the shows. Part of the fun for viewers would have been to hear the contestants complain about the 21st century amenities that they missed. I also don't know why the servants had to be in character when not around contestants.

All in all I was pleasantly surprised with this novel!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one day... couldn't wait to find out how it would end and then once it did, I wished it wasn't over. To me that's the sign of a pretty good book. It was pure fun.