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Longbourn's Angels
Elizabeth and Jane Bennet have their very own guardian angels in the form of elder twin brothers, Michael, and Gabriel, who are on high alert when Meryton is suddenly flooded with eligible gentlemen. One is honorable although a tad too proud, one is a known flirt always on the lookout for his next ‘angel,’ and one is a garrulous bore. All of them have their eye on a Bennet sister.
The brother’s protective instincts are further heightened when a dangerous predator arrives in their sleepy village, and more than one lady learns that evil can appear in the guise of a handsome man.
Where there is no wood, the fire goes out.
In this retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, new and old friendships are forged in bonds of steel while others are lost in the waves of gossip.
The brother’s protective instincts are further heightened when a dangerous predator arrives in their sleepy village, and more than one lady learns that evil can appear in the guise of a handsome man.
Where there is no wood, the fire goes out.
In this retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, new and old friendships are forged in bonds of steel while others are lost in the waves of gossip.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2023
103 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Sue Barr
18 books93 followers“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” ~ Jane Austen
I love all things Regency and sometimes a wee Highlander story. I also have a weakness for Alpha males and feisty heroines, who keep them on their toes.
I love all things Regency and sometimes a wee Highlander story. I also have a weakness for Alpha males and feisty heroines, who keep them on their toes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 9, 2026
Ah, to have sons…
An interesting premise. The Bennets have five children; two are twin sons, so there’s an heir and a spare. There is no Mary and no Kitty. What a difference a son makes. The Bennets are more well off, have connections, and Mr. Bennet is less indolent. Mrs. Bennet, while somewhat flightly, isn’t as bad as usual. I enjoyed the family dynamic very much.
Darcy and Bingley don’t leave a great impression on Meryton, as usual. In this variation, Elizabeth’s brothers, Michael (the heir) and his twin, Gabriel, come to her defense when she receives Darcy’s insult. Caroline and Darcy influence Bingley to leave Netherfield, but this opens the way for Jane to find a new love. Caroline’s infamous letter she writes to Jane upon departing Netherfield comes back to bite her in the butt. This part of the story was a highlight for me.
Wickham becomes part of the story and Lydia succumbs to his charms. I could see this included if her guardian angel brothers would have been the ones to resolve her situation, but ultimately, it is still Darcy who takes care of the miscreant. Thus, not sure Wickham and Lydia had to be included at all. I’m not a Wickham fan, and in fan fiction, I think it’s perfectly fine to leave him out if he’s not relevant to the plot. In this case, I didn’t think he was.
One thing I wanted to know but wasn’t included in the writing, was the detail regarding the ages of the siblings. Unless I completely missed it, we are never told the order of birth. Is Jane still the oldest? The sons? Lydia is aged 14 and the only age the reader is told. This was too young for Wickham… kinda creepy really.
I still really enjoyed this book. The author came up with some good, likeable non-canon characters too—Jane’s new love interest, and the Bennets’ (primarily Elizabeth’s) friends and connections.
Clean content, with kisses only. Book contains some errata.
Recommend.
February 7, 2026 - Audiobook
This book sails very well into audio with Harry Frost at the helm. With many male characters in this story, he meets the challenge of making each one sound uniquely different. It’s no surprise why he is a favourite of many, myself included.
My favourite part of this alt-universe setting is the Bennet family dynamic with two very protective and loving older brothers and a Mr Bennet who is less indolent and a better family head.
Recommend.
An interesting premise. The Bennets have five children; two are twin sons, so there’s an heir and a spare. There is no Mary and no Kitty. What a difference a son makes. The Bennets are more well off, have connections, and Mr. Bennet is less indolent. Mrs. Bennet, while somewhat flightly, isn’t as bad as usual. I enjoyed the family dynamic very much.
Darcy and Bingley don’t leave a great impression on Meryton, as usual. In this variation, Elizabeth’s brothers, Michael (the heir) and his twin, Gabriel, come to her defense when she receives Darcy’s insult. Caroline and Darcy influence Bingley to leave Netherfield, but this opens the way for Jane to find a new love. Caroline’s infamous letter she writes to Jane upon departing Netherfield comes back to bite her in the butt. This part of the story was a highlight for me.
Wickham becomes part of the story and Lydia succumbs to his charms. I could see this included if her guardian angel brothers would have been the ones to resolve her situation, but ultimately, it is still Darcy who takes care of the miscreant. Thus, not sure Wickham and Lydia had to be included at all. I’m not a Wickham fan, and in fan fiction, I think it’s perfectly fine to leave him out if he’s not relevant to the plot. In this case, I didn’t think he was.
One thing I wanted to know but wasn’t included in the writing, was the detail regarding the ages of the siblings. Unless I completely missed it, we are never told the order of birth. Is Jane still the oldest? The sons? Lydia is aged 14 and the only age the reader is told. This was too young for Wickham… kinda creepy really.
I still really enjoyed this book. The author came up with some good, likeable non-canon characters too—Jane’s new love interest, and the Bennets’ (primarily Elizabeth’s) friends and connections.
Clean content, with kisses only. Book contains some errata.
Recommend.
February 7, 2026 - Audiobook
This book sails very well into audio with Harry Frost at the helm. With many male characters in this story, he meets the challenge of making each one sound uniquely different. It’s no surprise why he is a favourite of many, myself included.
My favourite part of this alt-universe setting is the Bennet family dynamic with two very protective and loving older brothers and a Mr Bennet who is less indolent and a better family head.
Recommend.
March 12, 2026
Loved the first half!! The addition of the oldest Bennet siblings - twin males: Michael and Gabriel - the Angels of Longbourn, make for a fabulous dynamic.
The dialog is great and the interactions between the siblings Elizabeth, Jane and 14 year old Lydia (no Mary or Kitty) is realistic.
An added shift, is the daughter of a Duke Lizzy saved from certain drowning when they were children. This had a huge impact on Elizabeth's and Jane's lives, as the Duke and his family treated them like family.
Michael and Gabe seem to be the adults of the manor. Mr. Bennet is present and obviously made a huge effort to work for his family. Plus Netherfield was willed to Gabe the younger twin, by their aunt who married an earl.
However - and this brings me to the one point I didn't like- between him and Mrs. Bennet, one wonders who was bothering to raise Lydia. Answer- they weren't, at 14 she was a huge brat!
I guess setting up for what comes later in the story. My problem is twofold: With so much changed from canon did the Lydia/Wickham have to happen? Another out of canon idea couldn't have been written in instead?
Two- the ick factor of her being 14. I have made this point before and received responses that girls did marry very young in regency, yada yada. Well if that is the case, at least leave her at 15, could even have made her 16. Did the author try to up the Wickham nastiness by showing an even uglier side of him?
I realize the world has become desensitized, but I live in a sensitized society and if I had known, I may have chosen not to read this one.
This author uses her signature modern language and the dialog really is Very enjoyable.
Seeing Jane get a wonderful end and ODC have the chance to connect well at Kent was sweet.
Clean aside from kisses, we are spared details from the L/W debacle, thank G-d!
The dialog is great and the interactions between the siblings Elizabeth, Jane and 14 year old Lydia (no Mary or Kitty) is realistic.
An added shift, is the daughter of a Duke Lizzy saved from certain drowning when they were children. This had a huge impact on Elizabeth's and Jane's lives, as the Duke and his family treated them like family.
Michael and Gabe seem to be the adults of the manor. Mr. Bennet is present and obviously made a huge effort to work for his family. Plus Netherfield was willed to Gabe the younger twin, by their aunt who married an earl.
However - and this brings me to the one point I didn't like- between him and Mrs. Bennet, one wonders who was bothering to raise Lydia. Answer- they weren't, at 14 she was a huge brat!
I guess setting up for what comes later in the story. My problem is twofold: With so much changed from canon did the Lydia/Wickham have to happen? Another out of canon idea couldn't have been written in instead?
Two- the ick factor of her being 14. I have made this point before and received responses that girls did marry very young in regency, yada yada. Well if that is the case, at least leave her at 15, could even have made her 16. Did the author try to up the Wickham nastiness by showing an even uglier side of him?
I realize the world has become desensitized, but I live in a sensitized society and if I had known, I may have chosen not to read this one.
This author uses her signature modern language and the dialog really is Very enjoyable.
Seeing Jane get a wonderful end and ODC have the chance to connect well at Kent was sweet.
Clean aside from kisses, we are spared details from the L/W debacle, thank G-d!
June 5, 2023
London is for lovers
Excellent story. My favorite JAFF stories are situated in London. So many places to visit, so many people to accidentally run into. Lots of new characters. Two Bennet brother, no Mary or Kitty.
No more spoilers from me. A great page turner.
Excellent story. My favorite JAFF stories are situated in London. So many places to visit, so many people to accidentally run into. Lots of new characters. Two Bennet brother, no Mary or Kitty.
No more spoilers from me. A great page turner.
May 1, 2023
Divine
An absolutely fantastic and fraught variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Sue Barr. I enjoyed it very much. It would be even better if she wrote stories for Michael and Gabriel too *hint, hint*.
An absolutely fantastic and fraught variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Sue Barr. I enjoyed it very much. It would be even better if she wrote stories for Michael and Gabriel too *hint, hint*.
June 3, 2023
In this story there are still five Bennet siblings but there is no Mary or Kitty/Catherine. Rather we have twin brothers, Michael and Gabriel. The brothers' ages are not given; however, they have attended university. It was there they met various people; one of whom is Wickham. Thus, as they witness him trying to charm Elizabeth, they warn their sisters about his habits and reputation.
Bingley leases Netherfield and with him come his family and Darcy. What Bingley doesn't know is that it is one of the Bennet twins who owns Netherfield. The story here is that of canon. However, at the Assembly Darcy is challenged by one of the Bennet brothers when he issues his insult and Darcy does apologize. The party departs Netherfield and doesn't come back. Darcy's contribution is that his opinion, again, is that Jane does not feel as deeply for Bingley as Bingley seems to care about her.
In this story Elizabeth has a dear friend whom she rescued from drowning when the two were quite young. And so it is that Jane and Elizabeth have made yearly visits to this Lady's home and her family...their entry to the ton. This plays a part later after Caroline and Louisa have cut Jane when she makes a call on them in London.
I especially enjoyed Jane meeting and befriending another man whose status is kept secret from Jane for some time. He doesn't want to be judged by his title nor by his wealth and/or connections...sound familiar.
The Wickham/Lydia debacle is part of this story and here, Darcy plays a familiar role. Although the consequences from that affair are different.
The Colonel is part of this story. And it is in Kent that Elizabeth and Darcy finally connect. Anne de Bourgh is not left out.
I enjoyed this story.
Bingley leases Netherfield and with him come his family and Darcy. What Bingley doesn't know is that it is one of the Bennet twins who owns Netherfield. The story here is that of canon. However, at the Assembly Darcy is challenged by one of the Bennet brothers when he issues his insult and Darcy does apologize. The party departs Netherfield and doesn't come back. Darcy's contribution is that his opinion, again, is that Jane does not feel as deeply for Bingley as Bingley seems to care about her.
In this story Elizabeth has a dear friend whom she rescued from drowning when the two were quite young. And so it is that Jane and Elizabeth have made yearly visits to this Lady's home and her family...their entry to the ton. This plays a part later after Caroline and Louisa have cut Jane when she makes a call on them in London.
I especially enjoyed Jane meeting and befriending another man whose status is kept secret from Jane for some time. He doesn't want to be judged by his title nor by his wealth and/or connections...sound familiar.
The Wickham/Lydia debacle is part of this story and here, Darcy plays a familiar role. Although the consequences from that affair are different.
The Colonel is part of this story. And it is in Kent that Elizabeth and Darcy finally connect. Anne de Bourgh is not left out.
I enjoyed this story.
May 21, 2023
I really wanted to like this but ...
2.5*.
I liked the plot - there are very few books where there are older Bennet brothers, the Longbourn Angels of the title. It makes for an interesting twist as Mrs Bennet won't keep obsessing about the hedgerows and forcing her daughters in front of any suitable man. Except .... she still did. This was despite the presence of two adult sons and despite the fact that the entail had been broken when the oldest son reached the age of 21. It made no real sense to me. Her entire family, daughters included, would have had to be wiped out for Mr Collins to inherit.
The second major negative point for me was behaviour of Mr Darcy.
Other reviewers have mentioned the Lydia/Wickham situation so I won't expand on it here other than to say it was totally out-of-order for me and should not have been included as written.
There are a number of incorrectly used words and grammar misses as well as rather too much over explaining.
A clear miss for me.
2.5*.
I liked the plot - there are very few books where there are older Bennet brothers, the Longbourn Angels of the title. It makes for an interesting twist as Mrs Bennet won't keep obsessing about the hedgerows and forcing her daughters in front of any suitable man. Except .... she still did. This was despite the presence of two adult sons and despite the fact that the entail had been broken when the oldest son reached the age of 21. It made no real sense to me. Her entire family, daughters included, would have had to be wiped out for Mr Collins to inherit.
The second major negative point for me was behaviour of Mr Darcy.
Other reviewers have mentioned the Lydia/Wickham situation so I won't expand on it here other than to say it was totally out-of-order for me and should not have been included as written.
There are a number of incorrectly used words and grammar misses as well as rather too much over explaining.
A clear miss for me.
August 1, 2023
What a story, I loved those brothers
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
Rating: M: mature discussions of an adult nature.
Angst Level: Wear a seatbelt and strap in... this was a bumpy ride.
Source: Borrowed KU 6-26-23. I volunteered to post a review. The views and opinions expressed are my own. 30-chapters
Fan Points: Swoon-worthy scenes left me reaching for my fan. I didn’t break it but it was close. Whew! I love those scenes.
Trope: [1] Bennet brothers (no Mary or Kitty) [2] Alternate HEA for Jane who had a backbone in this story [3] The Bennet family had more wealth than was known in the community and higher connections [eat crow, Caroline Bingley]
I absolutely loved the Bennet brothers, Michael and Gabriel. Oh-My-Gosh! They were amazing. The insulting words had not died on the lips of Fitzwilliam Darcy when he was face-to-face with the avenging angels of Longbourn. Oh, dear. Elizabeth quickly ran into the fray before there was bloodshed. The brothers did not take well to their sister being slighted and insulted by anyone. Yeah, that was good.
There wasn’t an epilogue so I have no idea what happened to several characters. I have an idea but I would have liked to see what the author chose for their fate. Elizabeth Bennet was a pistol fully loaded and Fitzwilliam Darcy did not know what hit him. Once they resolved their pride and prejudice, it was full-on. FAN points.
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
Rating: M: mature discussions of an adult nature.
Angst Level: Wear a seatbelt and strap in... this was a bumpy ride.
Source: Borrowed KU 6-26-23. I volunteered to post a review. The views and opinions expressed are my own. 30-chapters
Fan Points: Swoon-worthy scenes left me reaching for my fan. I didn’t break it but it was close. Whew! I love those scenes.
Trope: [1] Bennet brothers (no Mary or Kitty) [2] Alternate HEA for Jane who had a backbone in this story [3] The Bennet family had more wealth than was known in the community and higher connections [eat crow, Caroline Bingley]
I absolutely loved the Bennet brothers, Michael and Gabriel. Oh-My-Gosh! They were amazing. The insulting words had not died on the lips of Fitzwilliam Darcy when he was face-to-face with the avenging angels of Longbourn. Oh, dear. Elizabeth quickly ran into the fray before there was bloodshed. The brothers did not take well to their sister being slighted and insulted by anyone. Yeah, that was good.
There wasn’t an epilogue so I have no idea what happened to several characters. I have an idea but I would have liked to see what the author chose for their fate. Elizabeth Bennet was a pistol fully loaded and Fitzwilliam Darcy did not know what hit him. Once they resolved their pride and prejudice, it was full-on. FAN points.
May 14, 2023
As always with this author needs either a proofreader or editor. There were important missing words, plural possessive incorrect and possessive when a simple plural is meant.
Lots of modern language including scrub, input (ugh) and Darcy talking about diversifying his income portfolio like a Wall Street investment consultant.
This changed the story so much it’s really just an historical novel using Pride and Prejudice names.
How would 14 yr old Lydia, who was not out even meet Wickham?
Lots of modern language including scrub, input (ugh) and Darcy talking about diversifying his income portfolio like a Wall Street investment consultant.
This changed the story so much it’s really just an historical novel using Pride and Prejudice names.
How would 14 yr old Lydia, who was not out even meet Wickham?
March 28, 2024
Loved Longbourn's angels
And I also enjoyed the story, but I would have liked for it to give more details about Michael and Gabriel.
And I also enjoyed the story, but I would have liked for it to give more details about Michael and Gabriel.
May 17, 2023
I loved this book. When I read the title, I thought, "Charlie's Angels?" Not at all, but I loved the twins.
March 10, 2026
Always a fun read from this author!
May 22, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up for this middle of the road feel-good book. I feel bad giving it more than three stars because the editing was so terrible, yet I feel bad rating it so low because it was such a charming little book.
I won't give a synopsis and there will be little in the way of subjective storyline analysis since I write technical reviews.
- The plot was hard to discern since the book was more like several rather classic JAFF stories intertwined, each with an HEA. There were cameos for the title men only, and they did not play as big a part as expected.
- Flow was linear and pacing was good, neither fast nor slow, due to a good balance of narrative and dialogue. A few redundancies slowed the book down a little, but not too bad.
- Point of view was third person multiple without specific clear section breaks to show changes in POV, yet the book didn't have too much of a sense of head-hopping for the most part.
- Showing and telling are equally utilized, and some filter words (telling) are seen. It would be better if more showing was evident.
- Language shows an intention to avoid non-Regency words in places, yet the author uses blatant modern language in others. Phrases like "put space between," or "put his foot in it," or "no accounting for some people's tastes," or "an alternate universe," and the 32 non-Regency words or phrases (the average JAFF novel has 6-8) all pulled the reader out of the Regency. Of the 32, many were repeated (how many times can you say "boring" and still have an interesting book?). This shows the author didn't even think to avoid 20th century words or phrases such as "your type," never mind the ones that seemed questionable for the Regency considering discussions on Facebook and availability of lists of non-Regency words these days. In addition the author used seven Americanisms (some repeated) and 22 words or expressions that were misused or misspelled. The only contractions were in the mouths of lower class and silly people, as Austen did, which is a good Regency writing practice.
- Structure was odd, where instead of use of a comma for phrasing, the author went full stop in eleven places, leaving a sentence fragment following a proper sentence.
- 23 punctuation errors were found, of which 15 were either missing or extra commas. The author needs to educate herself on comma use, including that for appositives.
- Were there some pages missing? We went from Mrs. Bennet chastizing Collins to Elizabeth playing chess with him.
- Factual errors were at least 5x more than in the average JAFF book. Regency gowns did not have pockets--that's why ladies had reticules. Food is not arranged on the plate before the eater; people helped themselves to what was closest from large platters. Port is not brandy, it is a fortified wine. Brothers and sisters never dance together since dancing was considered part of the courtship ritual and dancing together went against the rules of consanguinity. Rolling of eyes was considered sexual in nature. It was considered a disgrace to the family to have a child under 17 at a ball. "Miss Darcy is nearly the same age as Lydia"--they are two years apart--in my book, nearly is not two years. Cotton muslin is not a correct terminology--it's a sort of redundancy. Houses in the Regency were not insulated in the way that modern houses are. The sender does not pay postage, the receiver does. There was not any such thing as adoption yet by the Regency. The expression was "set my cap at" someone. A lady would never snort. "The route they took is unknown"--they would have taken the Great North Road to Scotland; everyone would know that and there would be almost no alternatives without going significant distances out of their way. The Marquis was introduced to Collins and due to precedence, it should have been the other way around. No one asked permission for a courtship: the gentleman politely called on the lady and showed his interest until he was ready to ask for an engagement. Carriages were not large enough to fit any more than four people due to the width of the roads, which limited the distance the wheels were apart, and therefore there was only so much space for the passenger compartment.
- P&P canon errors included the fact that Netherfield is three miles from Longbourn, not five. Austen never said "break your fast" she said "breakfasted." Who is Griggs? Hill was the Longbourn butler.
Meryton is not a village, it is a town. The Gardiner children are two girls of six and eight and two younger boys in canon, not an 11-year-old boy from a family of three children. No one would call Lady Catherine by the name Aunt Catherine--the informality just was not a Regency thing.
- The book had very little in the way of scene-setting, something the author could consider to up her game.
- The development of romances was well done and paced appropriately for a romance novel.
- Characterization of the canon characters was a bit heavy-handed, as was that for the twin brothers. However, no characters came off as as caricatures, so any exaggeration was a small one. New characters were well-sketched for their time on the page. The comeuppance for the negative characters was clever and well executed.
- The cover is pretty and well-balanced. It's unique enough for a reader to have a second look at it when mixed in with all those covers that look the same.
Overall impressions: Due to the title, I was disappointed at the short shrift given to Michael and Gabriel, but I enjoyed them when they showed up. The book was light and simple in its pleasure, very readable. If one doesn't get grated on by the errors in language, punctuation, and historical accuracy, one might even be enamoured by the story line in its simplicity. But light and simple often means it's not memorable, and that's what I'd worry about the most. The most memorable story line was not the E&D story, it was a side character and a new character.
All in all, I have to say, why oh why do you persist in not getting a good editor, Sue? This type of book is why self-published JAFF gets a bad reputation for poor editing.
Disclaimer: I'm a JAFF author, and some might claim this review is a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are honest and impartial. I write them for the benefit of the reader and the author. I consider Sue Barr a friend.
I won't give a synopsis and there will be little in the way of subjective storyline analysis since I write technical reviews.
- The plot was hard to discern since the book was more like several rather classic JAFF stories intertwined, each with an HEA. There were cameos for the title men only, and they did not play as big a part as expected.
- Flow was linear and pacing was good, neither fast nor slow, due to a good balance of narrative and dialogue. A few redundancies slowed the book down a little, but not too bad.
- Point of view was third person multiple without specific clear section breaks to show changes in POV, yet the book didn't have too much of a sense of head-hopping for the most part.
- Showing and telling are equally utilized, and some filter words (telling) are seen. It would be better if more showing was evident.
- Language shows an intention to avoid non-Regency words in places, yet the author uses blatant modern language in others. Phrases like "put space between," or "put his foot in it," or "no accounting for some people's tastes," or "an alternate universe," and the 32 non-Regency words or phrases (the average JAFF novel has 6-8) all pulled the reader out of the Regency. Of the 32, many were repeated (how many times can you say "boring" and still have an interesting book?). This shows the author didn't even think to avoid 20th century words or phrases such as "your type," never mind the ones that seemed questionable for the Regency considering discussions on Facebook and availability of lists of non-Regency words these days. In addition the author used seven Americanisms (some repeated) and 22 words or expressions that were misused or misspelled. The only contractions were in the mouths of lower class and silly people, as Austen did, which is a good Regency writing practice.
- Structure was odd, where instead of use of a comma for phrasing, the author went full stop in eleven places, leaving a sentence fragment following a proper sentence.
- 23 punctuation errors were found, of which 15 were either missing or extra commas. The author needs to educate herself on comma use, including that for appositives.
- Were there some pages missing? We went from Mrs. Bennet chastizing Collins to Elizabeth playing chess with him.
- Factual errors were at least 5x more than in the average JAFF book. Regency gowns did not have pockets--that's why ladies had reticules. Food is not arranged on the plate before the eater; people helped themselves to what was closest from large platters. Port is not brandy, it is a fortified wine. Brothers and sisters never dance together since dancing was considered part of the courtship ritual and dancing together went against the rules of consanguinity. Rolling of eyes was considered sexual in nature. It was considered a disgrace to the family to have a child under 17 at a ball. "Miss Darcy is nearly the same age as Lydia"--they are two years apart--in my book, nearly is not two years. Cotton muslin is not a correct terminology--it's a sort of redundancy. Houses in the Regency were not insulated in the way that modern houses are. The sender does not pay postage, the receiver does. There was not any such thing as adoption yet by the Regency. The expression was "set my cap at" someone. A lady would never snort. "The route they took is unknown"--they would have taken the Great North Road to Scotland; everyone would know that and there would be almost no alternatives without going significant distances out of their way. The Marquis was introduced to Collins and due to precedence, it should have been the other way around. No one asked permission for a courtship: the gentleman politely called on the lady and showed his interest until he was ready to ask for an engagement. Carriages were not large enough to fit any more than four people due to the width of the roads, which limited the distance the wheels were apart, and therefore there was only so much space for the passenger compartment.
- P&P canon errors included the fact that Netherfield is three miles from Longbourn, not five. Austen never said "break your fast" she said "breakfasted." Who is Griggs? Hill was the Longbourn butler.
Meryton is not a village, it is a town. The Gardiner children are two girls of six and eight and two younger boys in canon, not an 11-year-old boy from a family of three children. No one would call Lady Catherine by the name Aunt Catherine--the informality just was not a Regency thing.
- The book had very little in the way of scene-setting, something the author could consider to up her game.
- The development of romances was well done and paced appropriately for a romance novel.
- Characterization of the canon characters was a bit heavy-handed, as was that for the twin brothers. However, no characters came off as as caricatures, so any exaggeration was a small one. New characters were well-sketched for their time on the page. The comeuppance for the negative characters was clever and well executed.
- The cover is pretty and well-balanced. It's unique enough for a reader to have a second look at it when mixed in with all those covers that look the same.
Overall impressions: Due to the title, I was disappointed at the short shrift given to Michael and Gabriel, but I enjoyed them when they showed up. The book was light and simple in its pleasure, very readable. If one doesn't get grated on by the errors in language, punctuation, and historical accuracy, one might even be enamoured by the story line in its simplicity. But light and simple often means it's not memorable, and that's what I'd worry about the most. The most memorable story line was not the E&D story, it was a side character and a new character.
All in all, I have to say, why oh why do you persist in not getting a good editor, Sue? This type of book is why self-published JAFF gets a bad reputation for poor editing.
Disclaimer: I'm a JAFF author, and some might claim this review is a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are honest and impartial. I write them for the benefit of the reader and the author. I consider Sue Barr a friend.
May 30, 2023
Elizabeth and Jane Bennet have older brothers and great connections! Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley have a lot to prove and overcome if they want to find their heart’s desire. The sibling banter is the best part of this story.
May 6, 2023
An interesting brothers variation
The premise is that the eldest children of the Bennetts are twin boys, followed by Jane, Elizabeth, and Lydia. First, I missed Mary and Kitty. The boys have basically taken over the running of Longbourn and the family is silently wealthy. The causing shows how the addition of the boys would change events throughout the original book. I really liked the boys but I honestly would have liked to see more of them. They felt like secondary characters instead of the main focus as the title implies. I particularly liked Jane's or line in this story. I wasn't as keen on how Darcy completed his reform without much of a set down from Lizzy. I'm hoping there is a sequel that focuses on the boys more.
The premise is that the eldest children of the Bennetts are twin boys, followed by Jane, Elizabeth, and Lydia. First, I missed Mary and Kitty. The boys have basically taken over the running of Longbourn and the family is silently wealthy. The causing shows how the addition of the boys would change events throughout the original book. I really liked the boys but I honestly would have liked to see more of them. They felt like secondary characters instead of the main focus as the title implies. I particularly liked Jane's or line in this story. I wasn't as keen on how Darcy completed his reform without much of a set down from Lizzy. I'm hoping there is a sequel that focuses on the boys more.
May 7, 2023
Light hearted story
I enjoyed this light version, most variations are so full of drama more like a soap opera. Caroline played a good part and behaved in a way we all love to hate. Collins was briefly involved.
The storyline while not unique was written in a way different from the rest.
You will not be disappointed.
I do not want to spoil the story so will just say I will be recommending this to my friends.
I did not see any editing errors, misspellings, bad grammar.
I enjoyed this light version, most variations are so full of drama more like a soap opera. Caroline played a good part and behaved in a way we all love to hate. Collins was briefly involved.
The storyline while not unique was written in a way different from the rest.
You will not be disappointed.
I do not want to spoil the story so will just say I will be recommending this to my friends.
I did not see any editing errors, misspellings, bad grammar.
May 8, 2023
Longbourn’s Angels is the best read!!!
The book was interesting from beginning to end. I loved how the Bennet connections kept coming out of the woodwork.
Caroline was a flaming Shrew in this, but she gets a nice come-uppance!
This is a must read. It goes quickly and will be a feel good story to revisit!
The book was interesting from beginning to end. I loved how the Bennet connections kept coming out of the woodwork.
Caroline was a flaming Shrew in this, but she gets a nice come-uppance!
This is a must read. It goes quickly and will be a feel good story to revisit!
May 5, 2023
100% Worthy of Sleep Deprivation!!!
Far to great to put down for a single moment. The dynamics created by this Reimagined Bennet family & the new and old friends is truly a gift from the author to we readers!
Far to great to put down for a single moment. The dynamics created by this Reimagined Bennet family & the new and old friends is truly a gift from the author to we readers!
May 2, 2023
Attention keeping.
I loved this. Kept my attention all the way. Loved her brothers. Good for Jane.
Only one dislike...what happened to Lydia? Wanted to know more about her outcome and possibly of the Bingley's.
I loved this. Kept my attention all the way. Loved her brothers. Good for Jane.
Only one dislike...what happened to Lydia? Wanted to know more about her outcome and possibly of the Bingley's.
May 26, 2023
Entertaining
A P&P re-imagining in which the Bennetts have twin sons, a situation that, of course, changes a lot. There's the two sons, Jane, Elizabeth, and a much younger Lydia. Mr Bennett is a somewhat better father, but the sons are the "avenging angels" of the title, always looking out for their younger siblings. Elizabeth, at eight years of age, saves the life of the daughter of a duke, and the Duke's family more or less adopt the two oldest Bennett girls as honorary family. Also, Mr Bennett's sister is married to an aristocrat. The result is that the Bennetts have connections to important people, but they don't advertise that fact.
Into these altered circumstances come the Bingleys and Darcy when Bingley leases Netherfield. Darcy delivers his infamous insult at the Meryton assembly, and the two Bennett brothers take him to task, followed by Darcy apologizing. The brothers are a little familiar with Bingley's reputation as a flirt, so although Jane likes him, she's cautioned by her brothers. These Bennett brothers are ready to pick a fight at the drop of a hat if anyone so much as crosses their eyes at one of their sisters.
This book was fun to read because the Bennetts are in a position to hand comeuppances to some of the more annoying characters. I deducted two stars for a couple of reasons. One is the need for editing. There's a lot of missing words, small connective words like "the" , "and" , or similar. There are many instances of incorrect word usage. For example, "exasperate" is used instead of "exacerbate" , "translucent" is used instead of "transcendent" , and these are just two examples. There are several others. There was enough of these errors to be noticeable.
The other reason is what I call the "ick factor" . In this version, Lydia is fourteen years old, but she still has the obsession with men, and she still gets into trouble with Wickham. Wickham seducing a fourteen year old is just icky, and what becomes of her is ickier still. I don't know why the author made her younger than canon, but I didn't like it. Still, it's an interesting story, and I recommend it.
A P&P re-imagining in which the Bennetts have twin sons, a situation that, of course, changes a lot. There's the two sons, Jane, Elizabeth, and a much younger Lydia. Mr Bennett is a somewhat better father, but the sons are the "avenging angels" of the title, always looking out for their younger siblings. Elizabeth, at eight years of age, saves the life of the daughter of a duke, and the Duke's family more or less adopt the two oldest Bennett girls as honorary family. Also, Mr Bennett's sister is married to an aristocrat. The result is that the Bennetts have connections to important people, but they don't advertise that fact.
Into these altered circumstances come the Bingleys and Darcy when Bingley leases Netherfield. Darcy delivers his infamous insult at the Meryton assembly, and the two Bennett brothers take him to task, followed by Darcy apologizing. The brothers are a little familiar with Bingley's reputation as a flirt, so although Jane likes him, she's cautioned by her brothers. These Bennett brothers are ready to pick a fight at the drop of a hat if anyone so much as crosses their eyes at one of their sisters.
This book was fun to read because the Bennetts are in a position to hand comeuppances to some of the more annoying characters. I deducted two stars for a couple of reasons. One is the need for editing. There's a lot of missing words, small connective words like "the" , "and" , or similar. There are many instances of incorrect word usage. For example, "exasperate" is used instead of "exacerbate" , "translucent" is used instead of "transcendent" , and these are just two examples. There are several others. There was enough of these errors to be noticeable.
The other reason is what I call the "ick factor" . In this version, Lydia is fourteen years old, but she still has the obsession with men, and she still gets into trouble with Wickham. Wickham seducing a fourteen year old is just icky, and what becomes of her is ickier still. I don't know why the author made her younger than canon, but I didn't like it. Still, it's an interesting story, and I recommend it.
June 1, 2023
There is no Kitty or Mary in this tale, instead Jane, Elizabeth and Lydia have two brothers, Michael and Gabriel. The future looks more secure as the Bennets are more prosperous and also better connected. Lydia is still a bit feral regardless of the brothers' role as guardian angels. The Bennets own Netherfield Park, the older girls have been educated in a select establishment, and Elizabeth and Jane are friends with a duke's daughter. But when the Bingleys lease Netherfield, the Bingley sisters as well as Darcy, to some extent, insist on looking down upon the Bennet family, despite evidence to the contrary. Mr Bingley knew about the Bennet brothers from Cambridge and as far as I can tell they don't really have reasons to believe that the Bennets are penniless and mercenary but they do, despite knowing the Bennets are the largest landowners in the area. Bingley dances three sets with Jane at the ball but then they decamp, and Darcy sees nothing wrong with it.
I liked the general flow of the story and the addition of the brothers bringing other changes for the better, and how Jane was able to upgrade from Bingley. Some of the dialogue in the beginning comes across as info dumps, and there were minor continuity issues.
Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance for the supper set at the Netherfield ball, but they walk away from each other after the dance. However, later when the ball comes up it sounds like they sat together for supper, somewhere near Mrs. Bennet. Jane meets a gentleman and he comes to call the next day, but later they discuss the meeting like it happened several days ago. Mr. Collins somehow believes that he is the heir of Longbourn and this made little sense to me. It is explained that he was unaware that the entail has been broken because his father's documents had been destroyed. But still, since the current owner has two living sons a cousin wouldn't have been likely to inherit in any case, even if the entail was still in place. Charlotte Lucas has a brother named Jonathan or Jonathon. Michael says he's never met Wickham personally but later he recognizes him at first sight. Elizabeth tells Darcy that she's leaving Kent the same afternoon but later she laments when she hears that Darcy is leaving as well, thinking he must be avoiding her.
The author uses "loathed" synonymously with "loath" but I always thought that "I am loath" and "I am loathed" have a somewhat different meaning.
I liked the general flow of the story and the addition of the brothers bringing other changes for the better, and how Jane was able to upgrade from Bingley. Some of the dialogue in the beginning comes across as info dumps, and there were minor continuity issues.
Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance for the supper set at the Netherfield ball, but they walk away from each other after the dance. However, later when the ball comes up it sounds like they sat together for supper, somewhere near Mrs. Bennet. Jane meets a gentleman and he comes to call the next day, but later they discuss the meeting like it happened several days ago. Mr. Collins somehow believes that he is the heir of Longbourn and this made little sense to me. It is explained that he was unaware that the entail has been broken because his father's documents had been destroyed. But still, since the current owner has two living sons a cousin wouldn't have been likely to inherit in any case, even if the entail was still in place. Charlotte Lucas has a brother named Jonathan or Jonathon. Michael says he's never met Wickham personally but later he recognizes him at first sight. Elizabeth tells Darcy that she's leaving Kent the same afternoon but later she laments when she hears that Darcy is leaving as well, thinking he must be avoiding her.
The author uses "loathed" synonymously with "loath" but I always thought that "I am loath" and "I am loathed" have a somewhat different meaning.
August 25, 2023
I am so angry. I cannot believe this has 4.5 stars. Darcy is awful, often bordering on cruel, throughout the first half of the novel.
*spoiler-ish*
After all of the awful things Darcy has said and done, the last confrontation is with the bennet siblings coming to Darcy’s home to give him Miss Bingleys letter. During this visit, Darcy screamed at them to get out of his home, yelling that Jane had come to gloat over her sisters ruin (remember that it was Miss BINGLEY who wrote the letter). This was followed by their brother telling Darcy that he “will not forget this” and that if he ever sees him, he better cross the street. Elizabeth has the final word and speaks to him after her siblings step away. He calls Jane mercenary and is extremely rude. What happens over the next couple pages? He decides he loves her, meets her at the ball, and apparently, everyone has amnesia. There is ZERO talking, Darcy congratulated himself on his dimples and handsomeness, and then is rude AGAIN when Elizabeth says she can’t go ride with him. She then grabs his hand. I could puke. This is the laziest writing. Why make us hate the so-called “hero” of the novel? He is absolute scum and he never changes. If you are going to write Darcy like this, it needs to be done skillfully. If he is going to ascend these insane heights of arrogance, disdain, rudeness, and near cruelty in his interactions, then you need to humble him and bring him to his knees. All he did was talk about the weather and Elizabeth is ready to marry him. I’m not kidding. No apologies, nothing. Maybe they come later but I’m not going further than what I’ve read. There is zero possibility this “novel” can be redeemed. This is disgusting. The author wrote an Elizabeth who has zero self-respect, apparently. Not only lacking in self-respect but apparently also not caring about the awful way he has conducted himself with all her family and friends. Is ridiculous. I’m so angry. I cannot believe there are idiots out here giving this such a high rating. How anyone could possibly think this is okay is completely beyond my understanding. Lazy, poor writing. Adding author to my “never” list.
*spoiler-ish*
After all of the awful things Darcy has said and done, the last confrontation is with the bennet siblings coming to Darcy’s home to give him Miss Bingleys letter. During this visit, Darcy screamed at them to get out of his home, yelling that Jane had come to gloat over her sisters ruin (remember that it was Miss BINGLEY who wrote the letter). This was followed by their brother telling Darcy that he “will not forget this” and that if he ever sees him, he better cross the street. Elizabeth has the final word and speaks to him after her siblings step away. He calls Jane mercenary and is extremely rude. What happens over the next couple pages? He decides he loves her, meets her at the ball, and apparently, everyone has amnesia. There is ZERO talking, Darcy congratulated himself on his dimples and handsomeness, and then is rude AGAIN when Elizabeth says she can’t go ride with him. She then grabs his hand. I could puke. This is the laziest writing. Why make us hate the so-called “hero” of the novel? He is absolute scum and he never changes. If you are going to write Darcy like this, it needs to be done skillfully. If he is going to ascend these insane heights of arrogance, disdain, rudeness, and near cruelty in his interactions, then you need to humble him and bring him to his knees. All he did was talk about the weather and Elizabeth is ready to marry him. I’m not kidding. No apologies, nothing. Maybe they come later but I’m not going further than what I’ve read. There is zero possibility this “novel” can be redeemed. This is disgusting. The author wrote an Elizabeth who has zero self-respect, apparently. Not only lacking in self-respect but apparently also not caring about the awful way he has conducted himself with all her family and friends. Is ridiculous. I’m so angry. I cannot believe there are idiots out here giving this such a high rating. How anyone could possibly think this is okay is completely beyond my understanding. Lazy, poor writing. Adding author to my “never” list.
May 19, 2023
3.5 Stars
- This story had a lot of potential. I felt like it could have been fleshed out more. - -There were some interesting characters I want to know better.
- I hope Barr decides to write other stories with her original characters, Gabriel and Michael Bennet. They are the reason for tip to 4 stars instead of 3.
What I liked:
- Michael and Gabriel were by far my favorite characters- that's saying something, considering I'm a Darcy and Elizabeth hog.
What I wished for:
- More scenes with the brothers. Also, I'm curious about Aunt Poppy and Harding. I wanted to see how their connections gave The Bennets consequences.
- We have Michael and Gabriel, a Duke and two lords. It would have been nice to see someone besides Darcy bring Wickham down. Preferably the guardian angels.
Headscratcher:
- Darcy said he proposed to Elizabeth five times 😮. When did this happen? I only recall one proposal 🤔
- Darcy badmouthed the Bennets throughout the story, until he didn't. On the last two occasions, he basically told Elizabeth to stay out of his business. The next time, he kicked the Bennets out of his home. Not long after that, he saw Elizabeth at a ball. Darcy smiled at her, and all was good from there. There was no transition period for Darcy or a setdown from any Bennet. Darcy went from belittling the bennets to respecting them in a blink.
- Darcy also downplayed his cruelty afterward concerning the Bennets. He painted himself as the concerned friend instead of the bitter and prejudiced jerk that he truly was.
- This story had a lot of potential. I felt like it could have been fleshed out more. - -There were some interesting characters I want to know better.
- I hope Barr decides to write other stories with her original characters, Gabriel and Michael Bennet. They are the reason for tip to 4 stars instead of 3.
What I liked:
- Michael and Gabriel were by far my favorite characters- that's saying something, considering I'm a Darcy and Elizabeth hog.
What I wished for:
- More scenes with the brothers. Also, I'm curious about Aunt Poppy and Harding. I wanted to see how their connections gave The Bennets consequences.
- We have Michael and Gabriel, a Duke and two lords. It would have been nice to see someone besides Darcy bring Wickham down. Preferably the guardian angels.
Headscratcher:
- Darcy said he proposed to Elizabeth five times 😮. When did this happen? I only recall one proposal 🤔
- Darcy badmouthed the Bennets throughout the story, until he didn't. On the last two occasions, he basically told Elizabeth to stay out of his business. The next time, he kicked the Bennets out of his home. Not long after that, he saw Elizabeth at a ball. Darcy smiled at her, and all was good from there. There was no transition period for Darcy or a setdown from any Bennet. Darcy went from belittling the bennets to respecting them in a blink.
- Darcy also downplayed his cruelty afterward concerning the Bennets. He painted himself as the concerned friend instead of the bitter and prejudiced jerk that he truly was.
September 1, 2023
Wonderful adaptation
This adaptation has the essential elements except instead of Miss Mary and Miss Catherine Bennet, we have Michael and Gabriel ( both older than Jane). It's a small change that mixes everything up and provides the reader with a different take on the events. Elizabeth and Jane have 2 avenging angels that step in to protect them. Additionally we have peers on Mr Bennet's side as his sister was married to an Earl. At age 9 Elizabeth saves a Duke's only daughter from drowning which earned her a second family! The Bennet family is wealthier than in previous adaptation so the 3 women have a much larger dowry. In fact Darcy tells Charles that Longbourne brings in more annual income than even Charles has.
We unfortunately see little of Lady Catherine but far too much of Caroline Bingley who is at her worst!
I was a bit disappointed that Captain Wentworth didn't make an appearance when Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were pressing Wickham into the Navy as punishment for his crimes! I never understood why writers don't add more of Miss Austens other characters into their adaptations.
This adaptation has the essential elements except instead of Miss Mary and Miss Catherine Bennet, we have Michael and Gabriel ( both older than Jane). It's a small change that mixes everything up and provides the reader with a different take on the events. Elizabeth and Jane have 2 avenging angels that step in to protect them. Additionally we have peers on Mr Bennet's side as his sister was married to an Earl. At age 9 Elizabeth saves a Duke's only daughter from drowning which earned her a second family! The Bennet family is wealthier than in previous adaptation so the 3 women have a much larger dowry. In fact Darcy tells Charles that Longbourne brings in more annual income than even Charles has.
We unfortunately see little of Lady Catherine but far too much of Caroline Bingley who is at her worst!
I was a bit disappointed that Captain Wentworth didn't make an appearance when Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were pressing Wickham into the Navy as punishment for his crimes! I never understood why writers don't add more of Miss Austens other characters into their adaptations.
June 12, 2023
Longbourn’s Angels
What a perfect Bennet family, well except for Lydia, oldest twins, Michael and Gabriel, then the perfect daughters, Jane and Elizabeth. What did surprise me was that Mrs. Bennet was still nervous and somewhat vulgar. These twin brothers were very protective of their sisters, and when Fitzwilliam Darcy let’s his snide remark about Elizabeth out of his mouth at the Meryton Assembly, he almost met with fisticuffs from her protective brothers. Put in his place early. Caroline Bingley was her obnoxious self and was destined to commit social suicide, not once, but three times. Her letter to Jane backfired right in her hate filled face! Jane finds a new love in London who’s a real man complete with a backbone unlike the puppy dog, spineless Bingley. He won Jane’s heart. Still had to deal with Wickham and Lydia, but he got his comeuppance in the end. Darcy eventually won the heart of his fair maiden through all their trials and tribulations. HEA for ODC and nowhere a Bingley in sight. Real surprise was Richard Fitzwilliam and his surprise of surprises!
What a perfect Bennet family, well except for Lydia, oldest twins, Michael and Gabriel, then the perfect daughters, Jane and Elizabeth. What did surprise me was that Mrs. Bennet was still nervous and somewhat vulgar. These twin brothers were very protective of their sisters, and when Fitzwilliam Darcy let’s his snide remark about Elizabeth out of his mouth at the Meryton Assembly, he almost met with fisticuffs from her protective brothers. Put in his place early. Caroline Bingley was her obnoxious self and was destined to commit social suicide, not once, but three times. Her letter to Jane backfired right in her hate filled face! Jane finds a new love in London who’s a real man complete with a backbone unlike the puppy dog, spineless Bingley. He won Jane’s heart. Still had to deal with Wickham and Lydia, but he got his comeuppance in the end. Darcy eventually won the heart of his fair maiden through all their trials and tribulations. HEA for ODC and nowhere a Bingley in sight. Real surprise was Richard Fitzwilliam and his surprise of surprises!
June 3, 2023
A Must Read
Okay so I skipped reading this because I am stubborn. I thought “What? This is ridiculous.” I WAS SO WRONG! The brothers are written just as brothers souls be protective, loving, and fiercely loyal. This family dynamic was so enjoyable because it was down to Earth and read as a truly loving family.
The characters were the same. Jane and Bingley parted ways, which I was happy to see. Someone so kind, generous, and loving deserves the same treatment from all in her sphere.
This was about Elizabeth and Darcy developing and growing up. This was also about Jane becoming a woman in her own right.
The side characters of Caroline. Collins, LadyDB, and Wickham were all in this and dealt with in an honorable way. I love this story and the twins gave it so much more depth and humor. By no means were they the butt of jokes.
I highly recommend this read!!!
Okay so I skipped reading this because I am stubborn. I thought “What? This is ridiculous.” I WAS SO WRONG! The brothers are written just as brothers souls be protective, loving, and fiercely loyal. This family dynamic was so enjoyable because it was down to Earth and read as a truly loving family.
The characters were the same. Jane and Bingley parted ways, which I was happy to see. Someone so kind, generous, and loving deserves the same treatment from all in her sphere.
This was about Elizabeth and Darcy developing and growing up. This was also about Jane becoming a woman in her own right.
The side characters of Caroline. Collins, LadyDB, and Wickham were all in this and dealt with in an honorable way. I love this story and the twins gave it so much more depth and humor. By no means were they the butt of jokes.
I highly recommend this read!!!
September 30, 2023
What if Lizzy had twin older brothers?
In this variation of Pride and Prejudice, Mary and Kitty are swapped out for twin older brothers Michael and Gabriel. These protective older brothers immediately rebuke Darcy for his insult to Lizzy at the Meryton assembly, and things proceed from this point.
It was interesting seeing the differences in Mr and Mrs Bennet's characters when they have not one, but two sons cutting off the entail. Instead of having to worry about marrying five daughters before Mr Bennet dies, and they are ousted from their home, Mrs Bennet can take a chill pill. This version contains a more attentive version of Mr Bennet, which was rather nice.
That being said, Jane gets a new love interest, Elizabeth has a connection with the aristocracy, and there is the usual drama with Wickham and Lydia to be resolved before ODC can get their happily ever after.
In this variation of Pride and Prejudice, Mary and Kitty are swapped out for twin older brothers Michael and Gabriel. These protective older brothers immediately rebuke Darcy for his insult to Lizzy at the Meryton assembly, and things proceed from this point.
It was interesting seeing the differences in Mr and Mrs Bennet's characters when they have not one, but two sons cutting off the entail. Instead of having to worry about marrying five daughters before Mr Bennet dies, and they are ousted from their home, Mrs Bennet can take a chill pill. This version contains a more attentive version of Mr Bennet, which was rather nice.
That being said, Jane gets a new love interest, Elizabeth has a connection with the aristocracy, and there is the usual drama with Wickham and Lydia to be resolved before ODC can get their happily ever after.
June 15, 2023
Epilogue?
Everything I like in JAFF variation was a part of this storyline. Jane does not marry Bingley; Caroline gets her due in full; Lady Cat deB is a fleeting subplot; Mary and Kitty are replaced with twin older brothers; Mrs Bennet has some sense and Mr Bennet is much less indolent. What I didn’t like: the author incompletely dropped the storyline of the pregnant Long girl who was dumped by Wickham and tried to kill herself; the twins were less prominent than anticipated (no avenging ever happened in the story); Lydia was even more reckless given her restraints and most importantly; what happened to the epilogue? A glimpse into ODC and their HEA, did Gabriel marry Lady Susannah; a view into the result of Lydia’s idiocy is greatly missed.
Everything I like in JAFF variation was a part of this storyline. Jane does not marry Bingley; Caroline gets her due in full; Lady Cat deB is a fleeting subplot; Mary and Kitty are replaced with twin older brothers; Mrs Bennet has some sense and Mr Bennet is much less indolent. What I didn’t like: the author incompletely dropped the storyline of the pregnant Long girl who was dumped by Wickham and tried to kill herself; the twins were less prominent than anticipated (no avenging ever happened in the story); Lydia was even more reckless given her restraints and most importantly; what happened to the epilogue? A glimpse into ODC and their HEA, did Gabriel marry Lady Susannah; a view into the result of Lydia’s idiocy is greatly missed.
May 15, 2023
Almost really good
In a way enjoyable, but needs some editting attention. A missing word or question mark here and there but more than that, I found a few sentences and plot points confusing. Haberdashery vs millinery. How could an educated man think he was the heir of a man with sons in spite of his father's words? Bingley still had not left for Scarborough weeks after the theater incident? Things like that were bothersome. However, this was another story portraying Darcy as so unbendable, one hopes he does not end up with Elizabeth. Has to change course and tone completely to get them together.
In a way enjoyable, but needs some editting attention. A missing word or question mark here and there but more than that, I found a few sentences and plot points confusing. Haberdashery vs millinery. How could an educated man think he was the heir of a man with sons in spite of his father's words? Bingley still had not left for Scarborough weeks after the theater incident? Things like that were bothersome. However, this was another story portraying Darcy as so unbendable, one hopes he does not end up with Elizabeth. Has to change course and tone completely to get them together.
July 8, 2024
sweet but incomplete
I really enjoyed most of it. Darcy was more nasty than the usual and Elizabeth forgave him far too quickly. In fact I wonder how she managed to fall in love with him in the first place. The angels aka the brothers, did not do a very good job of protecting their sisters since Lydia still recked havoc as usual and nearly ruined everything.
But the actual disappointing part is the lack of ending. It seems as if the author ran out of either ideas or patience.
One day soon, I hope Sue picks up this book and say, “ok, I’m going to complete this thing.”
I usually really love what you write and I’m looking forward to your next one. Cheers.
I really enjoyed most of it. Darcy was more nasty than the usual and Elizabeth forgave him far too quickly. In fact I wonder how she managed to fall in love with him in the first place. The angels aka the brothers, did not do a very good job of protecting their sisters since Lydia still recked havoc as usual and nearly ruined everything.
But the actual disappointing part is the lack of ending. It seems as if the author ran out of either ideas or patience.
One day soon, I hope Sue picks up this book and say, “ok, I’m going to complete this thing.”
I usually really love what you write and I’m looking forward to your next one. Cheers.
April 12, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
A entertaining story of what could have happened if the Bennets sisters have had brothers and Mr Bennet had been prudent and cared well for his estate. Michael and Gabriel (Longbourn angels) take the place of Mary and Kitty, but being the eldest of the Bennet siblings.
Mr Bingley still leases Netherfield and brings Mr Darcy and his sisters to Meryton. Mr Darcy still manages to insult Elizabeth, but is made to apologize right away. Miss Bingley still acts superior and insulting because the Bennets have chosen not to flaunt their wealth, dowries and excellent connections.
The story is low angst though Wickham is still up to his usual tricks. I throughly enjoyed it
A entertaining story of what could have happened if the Bennets sisters have had brothers and Mr Bennet had been prudent and cared well for his estate. Michael and Gabriel (Longbourn angels) take the place of Mary and Kitty, but being the eldest of the Bennet siblings.
Mr Bingley still leases Netherfield and brings Mr Darcy and his sisters to Meryton. Mr Darcy still manages to insult Elizabeth, but is made to apologize right away. Miss Bingley still acts superior and insulting because the Bennets have chosen not to flaunt their wealth, dowries and excellent connections.
The story is low angst though Wickham is still up to his usual tricks. I throughly enjoyed it
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