Love at Rosings: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Hailey Jones

What if Mr. Collins asked Mary Bennet to marry him instead of Elizabeth? And what if Mary accepted?

Thus begins Love at Rosings...

Elizabeth is visiting Kent, but it's not her friend Charlotte who is Mrs. Collins—it's her sister Mary. Visiting the new Mrs. Collins along with their other sister Kitty, Elizabeth is thrown into Mr. Darcy's path once more, along with his much more amiable cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam.

While Lady Catherine desires Darcy to propose to her daughter Anne, it turns out Miss de Bourgh has her own plans which don't involve marrying Darcy at all. And while Darcy tries to win Elizabeth's hand, Colonel Fitzwilliam attempts to reconcile his burgeoning feelings for Miss Kitty with his need to marry an heiress...

All of this ensues under Mrs. Collins's watchful eye, and perhaps, now as a married woman, she has grown to take an interest in seeing her sisters find good matches...

Read on to see how everyone finds their happy ending in Hailey Jones's Pride and Prejudice variation novella Love at Rosings.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Regency

137 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 19, 2024

Reviews

[Sophia]

Love at Rosings is the second standalone novella in The Rosings Collection which features P&P variations all set around the characters who can be found at or near Rosings Park. In this case, the author ponders the possibility of how things change when Mary is the object of Mr. Collins' interest, they marry and return to Hunsford where Mary becomes friends with Anne deBourgh and they do a bit of matchmaking among their sisters and cousins.

Interestingly, Mary's thoughts on being chosen out of all her sisters, early days of marriage and adjusting to being away from her childhood home and running Hunsford, forming new acquaintance and friendship are as forefront as her observations about her older sister Lizzy and Darcy, and younger sister, Kitty and Colonel Fitzwilliam. She even spares a moment of silent triumph to have scored one over her youngest sister, Lydia who had a tendency to pick on Mary at home.

This one is very lighthearted with Anne and Mary working to bring about matches, keep Elizabeth from getting in her own way, and showing Elizabeth the worth in her quiet, serious middle sister. Darcy and Fitzwilliam have to work through Darcy's early mistakes and Fitzwilliam's feeling that he should follow the family's prescribed plan to marry for money.

Love at Rosings is a novella and has rapid progression and trips lightly along the plot scenes. I was prepared for it after reading an earlier story in the series. I didn't seem to mind it as much in this one. It has its place in storytelling style that is light and doesn't dig deep- just what I want in a light afternoon read.

[edie scott]

Walk walker, walking

Except for those 3 words used in excess, especially at the beginning, this was fairly well edited.
It's a cute story with no angst.

[Maria Escarda]

Sweet, short and satisfying

This is a quick read with low angst and surprising twists and alterations from Canon. There are other heroines here other than Elizabeth Bennet, as well as romances for all Bennet daughters save for one.

Per advice of his cousins, Fitzwilliam Darcy realizes that he is wrong about Elizabeth Bennet’s supposed feelings for him, and therefore learns the hard way what a fool he had been in having doubts as to her suitability. Given plenty of opportunities for walks, Mr. Darcy realizes he has a lot of work to do to gain the respect, esteem and affection of the only lady he holds dear to his heart. He works relentlessly to win the heart and hand of Elizabeth Bennet, with the help of his family and friends.

What caused the star deduction is how less focus is put on the Darcy-Elizabeth love affair and more highlight is given on the secondary characters. Although their romance was neatly done and their burgeoning feelings (especially on the part of Elizabeth) well-established, it wasn’t satisfyingly enough.

However, it was good to read for once romances for the other Bennet sisters, as well as Darcy’s vulnerability, with him being less perfect since others were tasked to advise him of what he does wrong regarding Elizabeth Bennet.

[Arlene Harris]

This is #2 in the Rosings Collection.
1 Charlotte's Wisdom
2 Love at Rosings
3 The Truth About Jane
4 The Courtship
5 Lady Catherine's Nephew
6 A Most Surprising Revelation
7 Mr Darcy's Determination
8 To Have Her Consideration
9 A Stormy Hunsford Evening
10 An Invitation for Jane and Eliza
11 Warned Away at Rosings

This is an interesting variation on the P&P story. Instead of Charlotte, Mr Collins proposes to and marries Mary Bennet. I like this idea. I always thought they'd make a good match.

Elizabeth and Kitty are there at the parsonage for a visit. Mary is the only one of the sisters married.

Lady Catherine wants Darcy to marry her daughter, Anne. But Anne does not want to, she has her own plans.

Darcy and Col Fitzwilliam are visiting their aunt. Col Fitzwilliam finds he is developing feelings for Kitty; but this is a problem since financially, he needs to wed an heiress and Kitty is not one. Darcy is trying to convince Elizabeth to marry him.

Since Mary is married, she now understands more and wants her sisters to become securely and happily married. She is becoming more and more interesting in her sisters making good matches for themselves.

Audiobook: 2h 40m

[J.C. Plummer]

2.5-stars rounded up. Pleasant and short but aspects of the story didn’t quite work for me.


So many plot holes that it was nonsensical at times. Shouldn’t Mr. Bennet have accompanied Elizabeth and Kitty to Hunsford for propriety’s sake? (Like Sir William in canon.) It’s never resolved how will Richard support his wife and future children. Also, Kitty is much younger than Richard, and that is ignored. There was no real basis for the Richard/Kitty romance except love-at-first-sight. Collins was something of a ghost in the story who was rarely at home during the story. It’s not that I wanted him in every scene, but it wasn't believable that he was always gone. Why didn’t Collins go on the picnic with them? How was it possible that Rosings owns THREE curricles?

[Angela Secondino]

Sweet Short Read

This is mostly a story about Elizabeth getting over her dislike of Darcy and eventually falling in love but it does also have romance for Kitty and eventually falling a bit for Mary. It is a low angst story that can be read in a couple of hours.
I really enjoyed this book as I have most of Hailey’s work. I’m looking forward to reading more by her.

[Camille Fiore]

Nice Love Story

Yes, this is an interesting story. This time the Hunsford proposal is not completely insulting and the explanations that followed the proposal in canon, preceded it here.

There are several editing errors which I find distracting, but overall, this is a nice love story.

[Liz H]

I enjoyed seeing Kitty blossom away from Lydia, and Mary come into her own as Mrs. Collins. Darcy and Elizabeth's slowly unfolding relationship was very satisfying. This is a cozy, quick read I'm happy to recommend. It is well-written and well-edited.

[Lisa]

Enjoyable

[gwen christensen]

A soft read

Short but a pleasant read, enjoyed this simple well written story needed this very much today. Will enjoy reading again

[Diane]

Sweet, low angst short story. Mary comes into her own, and both Kitty and Anne de Bourgh are nice surprises.

[readundancies]

1.25 stars

this was A pride and prejudice variation

…

(because my parents always taught me that if you have nothing good to say, then just don’t bother saying any of it at all)

[Maria Maderi]

Low angst

Low angst read one needs after so many other turbulent readings. Though I do love an angst read. And having Mary and kitty doing well also is a delight to read.

[Lou]

~3.5