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Overlooked
When Miss Elizabeth Gardiner, in London to enjoy her first Season, meets the widower Fitzwilliam Darcy, the Duke of Farleigh neither realise how much they will change each other's lives. Whilst their families and friends all overlook the possibility of a romance between them, Elizabeth and Darcy quietly fall in love and discover that, despite their apparent differences, they are perfect for one another.
Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Overlooked is an original story of love, acceptance and finding happiness in unusual places.
Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Overlooked is an original story of love, acceptance and finding happiness in unusual places.
557 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 28, 2013
I chose this one quite out of the blue when it caught my eye and I read an excerpt. I was in the right mood for something that both touched on the Pride and Prejudiced story, but also did very liberal and creative things to it. This is not one I would recommend to those who are purists or need their variations to stick really close to the original storyline or tightly to the nature of the original characters.
This one delighted me from the beginning. It was like reading a Wonderland version in which I fell down the Pride and Prejudice rabbit hole and this was what I got.
Lizzy is a Gardiner instead of a Bennet. She still lives at Longbourn, but grows up with an eccentric and distant Viscount for a father. Jane is a much older long married sister who is still married to Charles Bingley, but he is a knight or a baronet and not the son of a man from trade. The Bennets are the comfortable and fashionable relations in London that she goes to when her aunt wants her to enjoy the Season and Aunt Bennet determines to get her a good match.
Darcy is a widowed Duke with two lovely children. He is older and his arranged marriage with his cousin Anne is behind him. Georgiana is older than Lizzy and married to a retired Col. Fitz and has three children of her own. Biggest shocker is that Wickham is their endearing, but poor rakish cousin on the Darcy side and he has set his sights on Lizzy and is her aunt's choice for a strong suitor.
Darcy is strong armed into coming up to London for the Season and to bring along his children to be with his sister's children and his friend Bingley's children. He has no desire to parade himself about as a prospect for a wife. It is there that he and Lizzy Gardiner first meet. Lizzy is charmed by the duke's children and how he is such a wonderful father unlike her own. They encounter each other everywhere both at family gatherings and social events.
He is a widower who is old enough to be her father and thinks the vivacious and full of life Lizzy won't even look at him twice amongst all the other handsome gentlemen buzzing around her that are nearer her age. Lizzy thinks a duke and man of sense who has no interest in society is only being nice to her because of their connections through friends and family, but she can dream.
But inspite of what they imagine as the barriers to standing a chance with each other, fate finds a way with the help of a pushing matchmaker set on a different match, a foolish suitor, Darcy's children and a carpe diem moment. And that is only the beginning as they discover that marriage, family and life can be an even bigger challenge. This story continues on and shows what life after the kiss and wedding can throw at them.
So, if you are familiar with the P&P story, you'll note from my summary that things are wildly different from just a slight variation or retelling. Instead of being put off, I found myself quite intrigued. Lizzy is the only character who is young and it was interesting having the other players much older.
Darcy is more mellow from age and experience, but admits that he was very proud as a younger man.
Bingley and Jane are an interesting blend of appearing nice and handsome when they are pretty self-absorbed in this one.
Georgiana is still sweet, but she's an older and happier wife and mother of three. The Colonel was a lively and engaging character that lit up any scene he was in.
The Bennets are childless and a milder version of themselves. Lizzy and Jane's father has a touch of the familiar Mr. Bennet to him, but he's a new creation as well.
Wickham was his charming self without the evil in him. He still gets around as a rake of sorts, but he's just shallow and flirty instead of truly bad. Mr. Collins, Charlotte and even Caroline make an appearance and they are versions of the originals.
I think that other than the lovely courtship and relationship between Darcy and Lizzy that the best part of the book were Darcy's children, James and Catherine, and his Great Dane, Agatha. The family moments were so heartwarming. I also loved yet another new creation, Darcy's best friend, The Duke of Bellam. That storyline was compelling and I felt a few tears there.
So why did I score it as average? This book just ended mid-note. I was reading along with a few plot threads still open so I didn't even see it coming. It just stopped. Now if I ever discover that there is a sequel that continues the story, I will be happy to come back and bump up the rating, but as it stands...there is too much left open and incomplete.
Do I think it is still worth reading? Absolutely. It is a lovely gentle romance that hints at the passion in this love affair and marriage without getting explicit and it tells of people with both shining traits and flaws. I loved it and recommend it to others who enjoy gentle historical romances or Austenesque lovers who can tolerate their P&P being turned upside down and inside out.
This one delighted me from the beginning. It was like reading a Wonderland version in which I fell down the Pride and Prejudice rabbit hole and this was what I got.
Lizzy is a Gardiner instead of a Bennet. She still lives at Longbourn, but grows up with an eccentric and distant Viscount for a father. Jane is a much older long married sister who is still married to Charles Bingley, but he is a knight or a baronet and not the son of a man from trade. The Bennets are the comfortable and fashionable relations in London that she goes to when her aunt wants her to enjoy the Season and Aunt Bennet determines to get her a good match.
Darcy is a widowed Duke with two lovely children. He is older and his arranged marriage with his cousin Anne is behind him. Georgiana is older than Lizzy and married to a retired Col. Fitz and has three children of her own. Biggest shocker is that Wickham is their endearing, but poor rakish cousin on the Darcy side and he has set his sights on Lizzy and is her aunt's choice for a strong suitor.
Darcy is strong armed into coming up to London for the Season and to bring along his children to be with his sister's children and his friend Bingley's children. He has no desire to parade himself about as a prospect for a wife. It is there that he and Lizzy Gardiner first meet. Lizzy is charmed by the duke's children and how he is such a wonderful father unlike her own. They encounter each other everywhere both at family gatherings and social events.
He is a widower who is old enough to be her father and thinks the vivacious and full of life Lizzy won't even look at him twice amongst all the other handsome gentlemen buzzing around her that are nearer her age. Lizzy thinks a duke and man of sense who has no interest in society is only being nice to her because of their connections through friends and family, but she can dream.
But inspite of what they imagine as the barriers to standing a chance with each other, fate finds a way with the help of a pushing matchmaker set on a different match, a foolish suitor, Darcy's children and a carpe diem moment. And that is only the beginning as they discover that marriage, family and life can be an even bigger challenge. This story continues on and shows what life after the kiss and wedding can throw at them.
So, if you are familiar with the P&P story, you'll note from my summary that things are wildly different from just a slight variation or retelling. Instead of being put off, I found myself quite intrigued. Lizzy is the only character who is young and it was interesting having the other players much older.
Darcy is more mellow from age and experience, but admits that he was very proud as a younger man.
Bingley and Jane are an interesting blend of appearing nice and handsome when they are pretty self-absorbed in this one.
Georgiana is still sweet, but she's an older and happier wife and mother of three. The Colonel was a lively and engaging character that lit up any scene he was in.
The Bennets are childless and a milder version of themselves. Lizzy and Jane's father has a touch of the familiar Mr. Bennet to him, but he's a new creation as well.
Wickham was his charming self without the evil in him. He still gets around as a rake of sorts, but he's just shallow and flirty instead of truly bad. Mr. Collins, Charlotte and even Caroline make an appearance and they are versions of the originals.
I think that other than the lovely courtship and relationship between Darcy and Lizzy that the best part of the book were Darcy's children, James and Catherine, and his Great Dane, Agatha. The family moments were so heartwarming. I also loved yet another new creation, Darcy's best friend, The Duke of Bellam. That storyline was compelling and I felt a few tears there.
So why did I score it as average? This book just ended mid-note. I was reading along with a few plot threads still open so I didn't even see it coming. It just stopped. Now if I ever discover that there is a sequel that continues the story, I will be happy to come back and bump up the rating, but as it stands...there is too much left open and incomplete.
Do I think it is still worth reading? Absolutely. It is a lovely gentle romance that hints at the passion in this love affair and marriage without getting explicit and it tells of people with both shining traits and flaws. I loved it and recommend it to others who enjoy gentle historical romances or Austenesque lovers who can tolerate their P&P being turned upside down and inside out.
Read
February 21, 2018I have only read half of this story before giving up...
The premises was interesting as all the characters had elevated in rank compared to canon. The relations between the characters was a bit topsy turvy and ODC had an early understanding without the usual misunderstandings.
If you are looking for a sweet love story with some clever banter that is easy to put down, this might be it.
I like my reads to be captivating and engaging which this book was not. It was dry and to heavy on the sugar. I tried for days to read it but it just did not hold my attention for more than a few sentences, so eventually I gave up.
The premises was interesting as all the characters had elevated in rank compared to canon. The relations between the characters was a bit topsy turvy and ODC had an early understanding without the usual misunderstandings.
If you are looking for a sweet love story with some clever banter that is easy to put down, this might be it.
I like my reads to be captivating and engaging which this book was not. It was dry and to heavy on the sugar. I tried for days to read it but it just did not hold my attention for more than a few sentences, so eventually I gave up.
December 3, 2013
This is neither precisely a P&P variation nor a P&P sequel but rather a topsy-turvy hybrid of the two. I truly enjoyed this book and would rate it as one of my favorite Pride and Prejudice ‘variquels’
What keeps the book from getting a full 5 stars are two facts; first it ends so abruptly and secondly it bogs down toward the last 10%.
As I said this is not a typical P & P book. The characters have been significantly altered, mostly in a good way. Lizzy is a Gardiner, daughter of a Viscount, with one 9 year older sister. The Bennets are her childless aunt & uncle who host her for a season. Darcy is the Duke of Farleigh, a 38 year old widower with two children. Bingley is a Lord and Jane is kind of bitchy. Wickham is Darcy’s cousin and while rakish not a predator.
This is a book of essentially no pride and no prejudice. Yes there are problems but the miscommunications and stubborn resentment never occur. The book is totally clean. With the addition of Darcy’s children we get to see Lizzy as a mother without years of passing.
I recommend this book to everyone.
What keeps the book from getting a full 5 stars are two facts; first it ends so abruptly and secondly it bogs down toward the last 10%.
As I said this is not a typical P & P book. The characters have been significantly altered, mostly in a good way. Lizzy is a Gardiner, daughter of a Viscount, with one 9 year older sister. The Bennets are her childless aunt & uncle who host her for a season. Darcy is the Duke of Farleigh, a 38 year old widower with two children. Bingley is a Lord and Jane is kind of bitchy. Wickham is Darcy’s cousin and while rakish not a predator.
This is a book of essentially no pride and no prejudice. Yes there are problems but the miscommunications and stubborn resentment never occur. The book is totally clean. With the addition of Darcy’s children we get to see Lizzy as a mother without years of passing.
I recommend this book to everyone.
May 22, 2022
Wouldn’t really call it a P&P variation but it is a pretty sweet story. It’s ends rather abruptly though :(
January 27, 2024
This was published but now not.
April 3, 2023
my second read was better
I read this book when it came out and enjoyed it, however my second reading was so much better. After reading a lot of JAFF I have come to appreciate the writer’s efforts in coming up with a plot that not only gives me Elizabeth and Darcy but gives me a new perspective.
Elizabeth’s life is so different and she is younger in this story. Jane, Bingley and Darcy are older. Mr Gardiner is her father and the Bennets are her aunt and uncle. There are titles involving the group sorry I won’t be typing them out. Elizabeth come to London for a season and falls in love with an older Darcy who has two children. Elizabeth’s father is unconcerned and yes I dare say unlovable. Jane is not as “nice” but not horrible. I will say she is selfish and does care about being complimented on her looks. Bingley is not much better as an older man but does care for his family.
I will be putting this book in my favorites. If you have not read it I would recommend it. It is a great read.
I read this book when it came out and enjoyed it, however my second reading was so much better. After reading a lot of JAFF I have come to appreciate the writer’s efforts in coming up with a plot that not only gives me Elizabeth and Darcy but gives me a new perspective.
Elizabeth’s life is so different and she is younger in this story. Jane, Bingley and Darcy are older. Mr Gardiner is her father and the Bennets are her aunt and uncle. There are titles involving the group sorry I won’t be typing them out. Elizabeth come to London for a season and falls in love with an older Darcy who has two children. Elizabeth’s father is unconcerned and yes I dare say unlovable. Jane is not as “nice” but not horrible. I will say she is selfish and does care about being complimented on her looks. Bingley is not much better as an older man but does care for his family.
I will be putting this book in my favorites. If you have not read it I would recommend it. It is a great read.
December 13, 2015
First of all, let me start by pointing out that this book does not seem like a P & P variation to me but an altogether different regency story starring many of the same characters from Austen's P & P. Reading the book in that light, i find the story to be enjoyable. It is a lengthy book, but it flowed quite nicely, the whole time I felt like i was watching a tv series. The problem is, the ending is missing. I kid you not, the story just stopped, it actually made me go back & forth checking the page numbers & trying to figure out whether my Kindle malfunctioned. This book needs an ending, or at least an epilogue. Too many lose ends, i am anticipating a sequel.
December 28, 2013
I love the Jane Austin style of writing, but his was so cheesy it made me crazy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews