Not Quite Mr. Darcy

Not Quite #1

by Kim Griffin

Many a young woman has spent years looking for her perfect Mr. Darcy, but Kate Thomas knows better. A 29-year-old recently widowed southerner, Kate sets off to find herself on the other side of the ocean in the very country where Mr. Darcy’s life was penned. Looking only to escape reminders of her heartache, Kate journeys to places she never thought she’d go—finding faith, love, and family along the way.

Not Quite Mr. Darcy is not a P&P retelling but the story of a woman’s journey to discover what real love is.

An ocean … it’s vast and powerful. The water that fills it can bring death, or offer life. Kate Thomas moves her life across an ocean to conquer the hold of her past and find new life for her future.

Not Quite Mr. Darcy is women’s fiction with clean romance (kisses only). It tackles forgiving the seemingly unforgivable and the disillusionment many a woman has faced upon realizing that the perfect husband they’ve been raised to look for doesn’t exist. Kate, a recent widow, leaves her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Seeking distance from her past she takes a job in Kingsdown, England, working with a dementia patient in a cottage overlooking the English Channel. What she finds there is much more than she anticipated. Kate learns to find joy even in the hardest circumstances.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Christian

397 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2023

About the author

Kim Griffin is a former interior designer and homeschool mom who has been leading Bible studies for over 35 years and working in Women's Ministry for over 25.  Several years ago, God led her to begin writing words of hope.  She writes Christian women's fiction with clean romance and devotionals/Bible studies. Her desire is that her books will draw readers closer to the God who sees all of their imperfections and loves them still. 

Reviews

[Nicole Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. The gospel message seeps from the story of overcoming your past! Great illustration of how God can use the bad and turn it into good. Loved it.

[Latisha Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut is a thoughtful look at grief, betrayal, anger, hurt, grace, forgiveness, and love. As the story unfolds, you find yourself fully immersed in all aspects of the characters' lives, including their pain. The England backdrop adds a beautiful setting as Kate learns to heal from her grief and to put her trust in the Only One who can mend her broken heart.

Declan was such an amazing hero. His steady presence in Kate's life made me tear up more than once as he constantly brought her to prayer and to Scripture. He never failed to remind her of the Truth and God's love for her.

If you're a fan of The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip and the works of Nicole Deese, then you will love this book!

*I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

There were a lot of emotions in this book. I felt it dragged on a little bit towards the middle and end especially with Kate’s past and husbands drama. The author did a good job with the faith aspect especially about forgiveness. There were alot of lessons and important points that could be talked about after reading this story.

I was given a copy of this book from the author and was not required to write a review.

[Heidi Sjostrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Quite Mr. Darcy was a wonderful debut novel. This story weaved together many difficult topics..betrayal, grief, dementia of a loved one, and forgiveness. Kate has suffered a heavy blow with her marriage and death of her husband. To deal with her grief she takes a job in England caring for an elderly woman recently diagnosed with dementia. There Kate learns to heal her broken heart through the love of Christ.

I loved that this book was filled with scripture. And how often Declan brought Kate’s focus and perspective back to Christ through scripture and prayer. As you watch Kate grow in Christ, you are reminded how through Him the unthinkable can be redeemed to bring glory to His name. The final thought of “more Jesus” was a beautiful wrap-up of all the themes within its pages and a very personal touch by the author.

I voluntarily reviewed a ARC from the author. No positive review was required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Faith Ijiga · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice debut. Highly recommend for fans of Christian romance.

[Dawn Stubing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Quite Mr. Darcy was such a delightful read!
Kate has experienced some distressful times. In an effort to clear her head and start fresh she accepts a position as nurse/companion to a gentle older woman in England. Almost immediately she becomes part of a loving, close, Christian family. Kate was raised attending church and thought herself a Christian but she finds its more than going to church.

This book is well written, has some interesting twists and introduces the Christian message naturally and seamlessly. It’s a book about hope.

I recommend this book and look forward to more from author, Kim Griffin.

I received an Arc from the author/publisher. The opinions are my own.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a phenomenal book! The story follows Kate on a journey that she takes physically, mentally, and emotionally. So many topics are touched upon in this book. Marriage difficulties, unfaithfulness, dementia, loss, forgiveness, faith, and love!

I was very impressed with all of the scripture that was included in the book. I also liked that several people came to know Christ as their Savior. It reminded me that people are lost and that my life and faith can be an example to them. Thank you, Kim Griffin, for not skimping on faith topics!

The love story is complicated as Kate had a difficult previous marriage. Declan has also had difficulties. I liked how they made time to get to know each other and made allowances for misunderstandings. The ending is perfect; it ties everything together!

I was provided a copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third Christian fiction in the last month or so, rare for me. I found this novel to be theologically sound, with heavy themes woven through the romantic story. It was far more genuine and rich than I had expected. It’s not a frivolous ‘I can see exactly what’s going to happen’ plot. And each time I thought a character was going to be someone I couldn’t get behind, it turns out they weren’t. I was really glad to have read this and will probably think about it for a while. Definitely keen to read other works by this author. Only thing is the Christian journey side is very prevalent and I couldn’t recommend it to readers who are hostile to or very much not interested in things of faith.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW !!!!! I loved this book. So much about it gave me hope, pulled at my heart, made me fall in love with the characters. I would 100% read this book again and recommend it to anyone looking for clean romance, actual character growth, and characters growing spiritually through hard and good times, and real life hard topics. The relationships in the book will make you believe in true love, best friends, compassionate and selfless giving. The main character grows and changes throughout the story with the help of those around her. She begins the story by running from her problems and not wanting to face them head on (and after reading about the depths of her problems, I get it.) However what she finds is that in her running away God has called her to Him. God has called her to confront her problems, fears, and tear down the walls and hurt she had built up. This story is a beautiful story of love, first and foremost from God, but also, friends, family, and a love interest. This story hits hard topics with grace, and truth, and doesn't shy away from real life problems. The author did a remarkable job of speaking the Gospel in love and not being pushy, but also speaking the Gospel during hard times, especially when it is not the easiest thing to do. One of my favorite things was how the author showed that growing in the relationship that one has with Christ brings you to a full dependance on Him. We see through the ups, downs, times of joy, times of confusion, loneliness, and even when faced with hard things that you had no idea that would even be a part of your story, God is part of it and is beside you each step of the way. I cannot wait to read more from this author. A fantastic first book!!! Well done!!

*** This book is so very clean in the romance department. There is flirting, and a few brief hugs and hand touches throughout the story. Only 2 kisses (one was a peck right after a first kiss). But it was handled perfectly, not erasing the human desire for physical intimacy, but also being respectful of what the value of each person is in regards to their own personal physical body.***

[Charity Ragland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book releases on Wednesday and I was blessed to be able to be on the pre release team. This book was a sweet reminder of God’s grace in our lives and how He brings people into our lives to draw us to Him. He is an ever present comforter in our darkest days.
The author does a great job of keeping the plot going and interesting. If you love Christian fiction- this book is a sweet treat and an easy read!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book illustrates over and over again how God uses people and situations that seem impossible that any good could come from them. God cares about the details and wants us to pay attention to what we can learn from these people and situations. England and (Paris) France are my top two favorite places and I was excited to see them both represented in this well written story with so many important themes.

[Praise Abraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Quite Mr Darcy is a fantastic debut. I loved every page and how clean this romance story was. The transition of the main character from her past to her future was so relatable.

It was obvious that the author had a great deal of knowledge about architecture and historical buildings as was seen in the detailed and vivid descriptions of locations in England. Though I have never been there, neither have I read Pride and Prejudice, I fell in love with the descriptions in the story.

The Characters were amazing. I loved how each of them were well developed. Their complex relationships and lifestyles enriched the story in a unique way.

The story is one of faith and hope. At the end of every tunnel, the light of love shines bright.

The author and I connected via Wattpad. She is a wonderful woman and her stories have the sprinkle of heaven on them. When I decided to join her ARC team, I was excited to begin an amazing journey in her first officially published story.

Who should read this book? Every believer who believes in true love is eligible to read this story. Especially my ladies who have lofty dreams for your happily ever after.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgiveness after betrayal, new beginnings with learning to trust, moving past anger and grief with scripture and prayer.
Great story involving so many emotions from Kate’s past that she has to work through to get to a life she wants. This book is filled with scripture, prayer and showing that with God’s help we can make it in this thing called life that throws us so much.
This book did seem a little slow paced to me.

[Kim Cabeza · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When you find someone who is there for you, caring for you, in the good times and the bad, don't let them slip away."

What a wonderful story of love, loss, faith and forgiveness! This is my first novel by Kim Griffin, but it will not be my last.

I received an ARC, but this opinion is my own.

[Marla R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Quite Mr. Darcy is a sweet, clean book that has a pretty big twist about half way through. I love that it sprinkles references to Pride and Prejudice, since I so love that story also. It will make you smile, and may even cry a little. It's theme is one many of us can relate to of being hurt and the walls we put up because of that hurt. This author addresses it with the hope we have in Christ.

[B.M. Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Lindsay Lemus · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

[Lori Hooten · Rating 5 out of 5]

What anexpected surprise lay inside this story! One of hope amidst disaster, hurt, and heartache. One of the only true love that exists - that of God.

I found this delightful story accidentally and picked it for the title alone. I am so glad I did. Moving abroad to find healing, Kate found so much more. She found healing in a way she never anticipated and it was better than she could imagine. Finding friends she could confide in led to finding God. And finding God led to the most amazing reconciliation on earth. A beautiful story of hope and healing that everyone should read.

[Melanie Beland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am part of a group on Facebook called Avid Readers of Christian Fiction. A few weeks ago, I saw a post there by author, Kim Griffin, offering an ARC of her upcoming book release, Not Quite Mr. Darcy, in exchange for posting a review. I will confess that I had to Google what an ARC was; and discovered that it stood for Advanced Reader Copy. Free book? Sign me up! (Side note: I need to figure out how to get more of these ARCs!) I received the email with the book, sent it to my Kindle, and started reading. I quickly discovered that Kim is a gifted author and I stayed up far too late two nights in a row reading.

The story revolves around recently widowed, twenty-nine year old, Kate. Hoping to get a new start, Kate leaves her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, and heads across the ocean to Kingsdown, England, to take a job working with a dementia patient. While she was seeking distance from her past-things she had not told anyone; she discovers faith, love, and family. in England. Not Quite Mr. Darcy tackles forgiving the seemingly unforgivable and the disillusionment many a woman has faced upon realizing that the perfect husband they’ve been raised to look for doesn’t exist. Kate learns to find joy even in the hardest circumstances as she discovers what real faith in Jesus Christ is. And, while this book carries the name Not Quite Mr. Darcy, it is not a replica of the Pride and Prejudice story, but rather contains references to the age old classic; yet keeps true to the same gentle, sweet type of romance as the movie (translation=no trashy romance).

What I really enjoyed about this book was the mesh of real life with the author showing how Jesus wants to make a true difference in the midst of situations where we feel there is no hope. I hope you will take the time to check this book out and enjoy it as much as I did. The best part is it is only $3.99 on Kindle! The book will be released this Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

[Mariah Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

A soul refreshing book! Kate's journey is intriguing from start to finish. She has grit that carries into a deep level. It's beautiful to watch unfold.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars/5
Wow! This was an emotional, moving, and touching story of one woman's struggle with grief, journey to faith in Jesus, and moving on from an emotionally toxic relationship and infidelity. Kate was so strong, loving, and caring, and I loved the personal touch that the author put on this story. It brought me to tears at times, as I read about Kate's struggle to believe that she could be loved after her emotionally abusive marriage and grappling with inferitlity . Declan was such a romantic, swoonworthy, Christ-centred hero. I loved how he gave her gifts of her favourite books with such lovely annotations written in them. The Alzheimer's aspect of the story was also deeply moving and inspiring. This was a wonderful, Christ-centred, romantic book that brought me to tears.

Thank you to the author for my ARC; all opinions are mine

Minor issues: For most of the book, we are led to believe that Declan is affianced to someone else and has only recently broken up with her. So in that sense there is some other woman drama. The book also felt slightly preachy at times

[Candy Asmus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful, authentic book. I loved the depth of the characters & how Scripture was laced throughout the entire story. The Gospel was presented truthfully and the truth of God’s love & His grace were so wonderfully written. The author takes readers and the characters through some pretty tough issues, but it all felt very real and very current.

[Erin Mullins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had planned to start this book one afternoon and take my time reading it. But, as soon as I started I could not and did not put it down until I finished it. It surpassed all of my expectations. What a beautiful story of taking risks, found family, heart break, healing, accepting Christ, and falling in love. I didn't realize how much I would have in common with this book. I have worked with the Elderly most of my nursing career and many with dementia, so I understood all the trials and heartache that the FMC was experiencing. This book does a great job of telling the story of a person with dementia. It is also such a wonderful story of someone forming a lasting relationship with Christ. Plus, it was all tied together with a beautiful love story that kept me reading to see what happened next.

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great forgiveness theme! Not unrealistic though, which was important to me.
Well written characters who face some really difficult challenges. I enjoyed the quoted verses and how the characters learned to depend on God to meet said challenges.
This books handles multiple hard topics and the author did a great job with each one.
*I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story..,

This book had hints of heavier topics with a broken marriage and death being a part of the topics covered. It was fairly light, without so many details, but plenty of emotional angst to get you moving through the story.

[Kriste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the 2 families and location descriptions :) I loved the faith elements and forgiveness. I found some of issues drawn out.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love most about doing a book review blog is the book reviewer and author community I have found on Facebook and how it has introduced me to new author’s and books I never would have found otherwise. That’s how I came across Kim Griffin’s novel Not Quite Mr. Darcy. Not Quite Mr. Darcy tells the story of Kate, who is reeling from the tragic death of her husband and learning that their marriage wasn’t all it she thought it was. Coping with her grief, Kim who is a nurse that specializes in Dementia care, accepts a job in England to help a family take care of their matriarch, Margaret, who is in the throws of Dementia. While in England, Kate falls in love with the country and seeks opportunities to see the England she learned about in her favorite Jane Austen novels. Always believing she was a Christian, Kate starts to wonder if she ever knew Jesus at all through conversations she has had with Margaret and her grandson Declan (or Corbyn as his family calls him). Kate automatically falls in love Margaret and her family, eventually asking Jesus into her heart. As Kate grows closer to the Lord, she grows closer to Declan as well, until skeletons from her husband’s life start haunting her life in England before it even had a chance to begin.

I was drawn to Not Quite Mr. Darcy because of how the main character, Kate is from Memphis (I’m from Nashville) and she follows her dreams to go and work in England (I’m still working on my dream). Kim Griffin is an excellent writer. Ms. Griffin weaves words together in such a way that you are given a very picturesque view of what is going on not only scenery-wise, but with each of the characters as well–like you were walking along with the characters as the story is unfolding. I love how soaked in Biblical Wisdom Not Quite Mr. Darcy is and how Ms. Griffin does not shy away from Biblical Truth. I also love how Ms. Griffin doesn’t shy away from sharing the Bible verses that go along with what the characters are talking about. I also love the depth and how real each of the characters are. I love how Kate’s character evolves and how Ms. Griffin paces out how Kate evolves. I love how Kate and Declan’s relationship is also paced out. The way Ms. Griffin paces out each character adds an essence and depth to the book you didn’t know you needed. Not Quite Mr. Darcy was just the escape I didn’t know I needed and I did not want it to end. I highly recommend Not Quite Mr. Darcy for the way it sweeps you up into a beautiful story, woven together with God’s Truth and Love. Go ahead and read Kim Griffin’s Not Quite Mr. Darcy! You won’t regret it!

I would like to thank Kim Griffin for giving me a copy of Not Quite Mr. Darcy to review and for assisting me in getting information for this post. It was a joy working with her and I hope we can do it again! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review is also on Amazon and my blog, Leslie's Library Escape.

[Iola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grieving widow Kate Thomas has moved from her US home to Kent, England, to take a role as an in-home nurse for a lady with Alzheimer’s. Kate thinks she’s a Christian when she arrives in England, but soon realises there’s a difference between the faith she’s grown up with and Margaret’s faith.

I enjoyed seeing Kate’s journey to Christian faith, as that’s something I don’t think we see enough of in Christian fiction. I also enjoyed seeing Kate’s faith develop as she was faced with some difficult situations and calls to forgiveness. This spiritual depth was one of the strengths of the novel. Kate is put in some difficult situations and has to call on her newfound faith to guide her.

There are shades of The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs Kip in Not Quite Mr Darcy, although Mr Darcy doesn’t have the same level of polish. In particular, I found some of the dialogue overly formal to the point of being awkward, and not at all how people from London or Kent speak. I did enjoy reading about the location, as my grandmother was born only a few miles up the road.

Not Quite Mr Darcy is Kim Griffin’s first published novel, which she describes as women’s fiction with romance.

That fits the story well. It certainly starts as women’s fiction, as Kate arrives in England and settles into her new role. The romance was also present from early on, but I was less impressed with the romantic aspects. I am not a fan of the “other woman” plotline, particularly as it seemed like it was an issue that could have been solved with a simple conversation. (It was, but far too late in the plot for my taste.) I had the same misunderstanding as Kate (not surprising, as the whole story was told from her point of view). That meant I misjudged one of the characters, to the detriment of my enjoyment of the story.

Overall, Not Quite Mr Darcy was a solid first novel, recommended for readers looking for Christian women’s fiction which considers tough issues like infidelity and Alzheimer’s.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

[Anna |This Curly Girl Reads| · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure what I expected, but this book was so much deeper than I could have imagined. It’s definitely gritty at times (for lack of a better term), but has its light sweet moments as well. I really enjoyed Kate’s journey to Christ, forgiveness, and redemption.

I love finding new authors, and this debut was spectacular. The characters were believable and likeable. Really appreciated the memory care thread, which is clearly near and dear to the authors heart, as well as all the British culture. There are definitely nods to P and P though I didn’t think it felt like a retelling really. I was super impressed and encouraged by all the faith content! It was natural but not glossed over. If you enjoy stories where characters grow in the Lord, you’ll enjoy this one!

There were some misunderstandings and lack of communication (that trope kind of drives me nuts) and maybe 3/4ths in I felt the story dragged a bit, but things resolved fairly quickly and I enjoyed the ending so it was a minor thing for me.

In many ways this book made me think of a few other books I read all mashed together (and I don’t mean that the author copied them! Just it made me smile because I likes those stories, too). The three books I thought of most were The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese, Mind the Gap by Erynn Mangum and the Melissa Tagg’s Muir Harbor Series.

I definitely want to continue this series!

Content: death of a loved one, Alzheimer’s, infertility, marital infidelity (lots of convos about this and marriage. For that reason I don’t recommend this book for teens at all.)

[Carol Ackerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read the book about Mr. Darcy by Jane Austin so I don't understand the references to it. But that really doesn't matter. This book was SO good! I especially loved how the author explained the plan of salvation and included so many scripture verses in her story. Most readers should not find this book overly preachy but should accept the scriptural references as part of the characters' personalities and lifestyles.

After being married to the same man for almost 50 years I truly believe there is no such thing as "the perfect man" which this story shares very well. Lack of communication and trust is often a stumbling block to any good relationship which this story shows quite well. Given a chance, love and commitment should make any relationship withstand the trials and temptations life throws at it. Honesty, trust, and a sense of humor also help quite a bit!

The author took what could have been a very sad tale and created joy and love for the main characters. Kate forgiving Brittany and then learning to trust God so completely that He was able to heal Kate's hurt are lessons every Christian should learn and live out. I also enjoyed how the author shared Margaret's story of dementia. When she could no longer speak her caregivers were blessed and encouraged just by her sweet smiles. That proves Matthew 12:34.

I received an advance reader copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All comments are my own.