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Preference & Neglect: A Darcy & Lizzy Pride & Prejudice Variation in Sanditon
Darcy and Elizabeth's fake courtship is so believable that all of Sanditon is wondering...will they or won't they?
On the heels of an unusual sort of heartbreak, Elizabeth Bennet finds contentment in her new life - assisting her uncle, Sir Edward Gardiner, at his luxurious new hotel in Sanditon. Elizabeth is looking forward to an eventful summer with her friends, but her plans turn into schemes when she decides to come to the aid of a new visitor in her idyllic seaside Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Though the gentleman insulted her on the one occasion they met, nearly two years prior, Elizabeth is charmed by his lovable sister Georgiana Darcy and his mischievous cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, and moved by the pitiful circumstances of his arrival. As a friendship forms between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, her compassion for his own recent heartbreak and a healthy dose of contempt for his estranged fiancée tempt her into helping him in a ruse engineered by his impudent cousin. Together, Elizabeth repels an unwanted suitor and Mr. Darcy endeavors to rekindle a romance with the woman who has forsaken him for a rakish and frivolous fortune hunter.
While Elizabeth refuses to repeat the heartbreaking mistakes of her past, and Mr. Darcy desperately clings to what once was, his friends and her own all wait with amusement and anticipation for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s feigned courtship to grow into something genuine. In the meantime, Lady Catherine has her own decided opinions to shout at Darcy, Charlotte - now Lady Parker - is intent on solving a minor mystery, Georgiana hides a dark secret while Richard seeks an heiress to woo, and Austen heroines Emma Knightley and Marianne Dashwood arrive in Sanditon to play their own roles in a romance that captivates all of Sanditon with one will they or won’t they?
A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation with Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgianna Darcy, Uncle Gardiner, and Charlotte Lucas. Although the story takes place at Sanditon, readers need not be familiar with the story, or any of the characters to follow the narrative.
On the heels of an unusual sort of heartbreak, Elizabeth Bennet finds contentment in her new life - assisting her uncle, Sir Edward Gardiner, at his luxurious new hotel in Sanditon. Elizabeth is looking forward to an eventful summer with her friends, but her plans turn into schemes when she decides to come to the aid of a new visitor in her idyllic seaside Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Though the gentleman insulted her on the one occasion they met, nearly two years prior, Elizabeth is charmed by his lovable sister Georgiana Darcy and his mischievous cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, and moved by the pitiful circumstances of his arrival. As a friendship forms between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, her compassion for his own recent heartbreak and a healthy dose of contempt for his estranged fiancée tempt her into helping him in a ruse engineered by his impudent cousin. Together, Elizabeth repels an unwanted suitor and Mr. Darcy endeavors to rekindle a romance with the woman who has forsaken him for a rakish and frivolous fortune hunter.
While Elizabeth refuses to repeat the heartbreaking mistakes of her past, and Mr. Darcy desperately clings to what once was, his friends and her own all wait with amusement and anticipation for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s feigned courtship to grow into something genuine. In the meantime, Lady Catherine has her own decided opinions to shout at Darcy, Charlotte - now Lady Parker - is intent on solving a minor mystery, Georgiana hides a dark secret while Richard seeks an heiress to woo, and Austen heroines Emma Knightley and Marianne Dashwood arrive in Sanditon to play their own roles in a romance that captivates all of Sanditon with one will they or won’t they?
A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation with Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgianna Darcy, Uncle Gardiner, and Charlotte Lucas. Although the story takes place at Sanditon, readers need not be familiar with the story, or any of the characters to follow the narrative.
- GenresFiction
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 14, 2026
When Sanditon meets Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's classics go on an unforgettable holiday by the sea. Jayne Bamber writes entertaining mashups bringing characters and storylines together with fun and outrageous results.
Sanditon is fast becoming a rival to other seaside resort communities as high society comes for their seaside holidays. Elizabeth Bennet's uncle and his partners have invested heavily in making Sanditon a success. Sir Edward Gardiner shares grief with his niece as she came to him after their shared loss of her mother who was his sister and her aunt who was his wife. Sir Edward's hotel is now very popular and becoming more so with Elizabeth's help. She loves the life by the sea and helping her uncle and its even better with her best friend Charlotte married to her uncle's business partner, Sir Thomas Parker. Charlotte wants Lizzy to be as happy in marriage as herself, but knows her friend is getting past a romantic disappointment. With Charlotte's instigation, Lizzy had taken on an anonymous job to correspond for a lady with her fiance. Elizabeth fell in love with 'Mr. Penny' the man behind the letters and was devastated when the lady ended the job and Elizabeth knew that the man of the letters had married his lady.
To Sanditon comes a plethora of guests including Sir Thomas' rakish brother Sydney and his party of wild London friends. Elizabeth is startled that a snobbish lady with wealth and connections is attached to Sydney particularly when her domineering mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh opposes the courtship. It gets even more complicated when Anne de Bourgh's jilted fiance, Mr. Darcy arrives with his sister and cousin to make her change her mind. Elizabeth ends up adoring young Georgiana Darcy and finding herself attracted to the brooding Mr. Darcy so she says yes to a scheme to 'fake court' with Mr. Darcy to make Anne jealous.
A town full of Denhams, Parkers, deBourghs, Darcys, and more with holiday activities and the sea as the backdrop make for a romp of a good time. But, when all is said and done- when the fake courtship becomes all too real- will the pair find a way to happy or will a dastard plot destroy the happiness of several people.
Preference and Neglect was entertaining particularly for readers familiar with the characters of several Jane Austen works particularly Sanditon the TV adaption and Pride and Prejudice characters. Fans of mashups and romcoms are the target audience.
Sanditon is fast becoming a rival to other seaside resort communities as high society comes for their seaside holidays. Elizabeth Bennet's uncle and his partners have invested heavily in making Sanditon a success. Sir Edward Gardiner shares grief with his niece as she came to him after their shared loss of her mother who was his sister and her aunt who was his wife. Sir Edward's hotel is now very popular and becoming more so with Elizabeth's help. She loves the life by the sea and helping her uncle and its even better with her best friend Charlotte married to her uncle's business partner, Sir Thomas Parker. Charlotte wants Lizzy to be as happy in marriage as herself, but knows her friend is getting past a romantic disappointment. With Charlotte's instigation, Lizzy had taken on an anonymous job to correspond for a lady with her fiance. Elizabeth fell in love with 'Mr. Penny' the man behind the letters and was devastated when the lady ended the job and Elizabeth knew that the man of the letters had married his lady.
To Sanditon comes a plethora of guests including Sir Thomas' rakish brother Sydney and his party of wild London friends. Elizabeth is startled that a snobbish lady with wealth and connections is attached to Sydney particularly when her domineering mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh opposes the courtship. It gets even more complicated when Anne de Bourgh's jilted fiance, Mr. Darcy arrives with his sister and cousin to make her change her mind. Elizabeth ends up adoring young Georgiana Darcy and finding herself attracted to the brooding Mr. Darcy so she says yes to a scheme to 'fake court' with Mr. Darcy to make Anne jealous.
A town full of Denhams, Parkers, deBourghs, Darcys, and more with holiday activities and the sea as the backdrop make for a romp of a good time. But, when all is said and done- when the fake courtship becomes all too real- will the pair find a way to happy or will a dastard plot destroy the happiness of several people.
Preference and Neglect was entertaining particularly for readers familiar with the characters of several Jane Austen works particularly Sanditon the TV adaption and Pride and Prejudice characters. Fans of mashups and romcoms are the target audience.
June 22, 2025
P&P rewrite. Not this author's best work, though I enjoyed parts of it, and I liked it overall just enough to finish, to find out how it ended. The idea is good. But it contains a few of my pet peeves in JAFF, such as forms of address used wrong, and has a convoluted, wandering plot, back and forth through time, done in ways that were sometimes confusing. It felt as if it was written without any planning, and there's no problem with that, but it needed editing afterward that it didn't get enough of.
As for the content of the story, while the romance is there, it seems as if everyone is breaking the proprieties of the era, or the author forgot what era they were writing about. And there were way too many coincidences, enough to make the addition of Austen characters from stories other than P&P seem to add to that. The villains of the story seemed to get off too, too easily, especially LC, who belonged in Bedlam, in my opinion. Finally, at the end there were loose ends left hanging. Disappointing.
As for the content of the story, while the romance is there, it seems as if everyone is breaking the proprieties of the era, or the author forgot what era they were writing about. And there were way too many coincidences, enough to make the addition of Austen characters from stories other than P&P seem to add to that. The villains of the story seemed to get off too, too easily, especially LC, who belonged in Bedlam, in my opinion. Finally, at the end there were loose ends left hanging. Disappointing.
May 29, 2025
Entertaining
Darcy comes as per usual to Hertfordshire, delivers the infamous insult at the assembly, but is compelled to leave immediately after. Two years later, Mrs Bennett is dead, Mr Bennett is remarried, Jane and Bingley are married, and Elizabeth is in the seaside resort town of Sanditon with Uncle Gardiner, who is a widower with four children, and who owns a premier hotel. Elizabeth, blaming herself for her mother's death, throws herself into helping her uncle with the children and with the hotel. While grieving for her mother, Charlotte gets her involved in a lark, an advertisement in the paper seeking help which involves Elizabeth composing love letters for a stranger. She gets caught up in the emotions of the letters and their responses, and finds herself falling for her respondent, sight unseen.
Meanwhile, Lady Catherine blackmails Darcy into getting engaged to Anne Debourgh, since she's learned that not only was Georgiana convinced to elope with Wickham, but he also got her pregnant. Anne isn't happy about the betrothal, and seeks for ways to avoid marriage until her twenty-fifth birthday when she officially inherits. Anne ends up in Sanditon, recklessly pursuing a debauched rake, just to upset her mother.
This is certainly an original premise, and I like this author. She's an automatic purchase for me. The change of location is refreshing. Many of the usual annoying characters are missing, while the story is populated with many new and wonderful ones. The author has also managed to work in characters from a lot of other Austen works, which is fun. The only real villain is Lady Catherine, and she's a doozy. My reservation with the story is the idea of both Elizabeth and Darcy falling in love with people (not each other) based only on the strength of correspondence. Elizabeth in particular falls in love with a man she's never met, and that doesn't sound to me like our sensible and smart Elizabeth. Darcy falls for who he believes is Anne Debourgh, but without any contact with her for many months. Seems unlikely and kinda stupid, and I don't like ODC to look stupid.
However, the book is well written. It could use a little editing clean up. I recommend it for an engaging and romantic tale with a lot of great characters.
Darcy comes as per usual to Hertfordshire, delivers the infamous insult at the assembly, but is compelled to leave immediately after. Two years later, Mrs Bennett is dead, Mr Bennett is remarried, Jane and Bingley are married, and Elizabeth is in the seaside resort town of Sanditon with Uncle Gardiner, who is a widower with four children, and who owns a premier hotel. Elizabeth, blaming herself for her mother's death, throws herself into helping her uncle with the children and with the hotel. While grieving for her mother, Charlotte gets her involved in a lark, an advertisement in the paper seeking help which involves Elizabeth composing love letters for a stranger. She gets caught up in the emotions of the letters and their responses, and finds herself falling for her respondent, sight unseen.
Meanwhile, Lady Catherine blackmails Darcy into getting engaged to Anne Debourgh, since she's learned that not only was Georgiana convinced to elope with Wickham, but he also got her pregnant. Anne isn't happy about the betrothal, and seeks for ways to avoid marriage until her twenty-fifth birthday when she officially inherits. Anne ends up in Sanditon, recklessly pursuing a debauched rake, just to upset her mother.
This is certainly an original premise, and I like this author. She's an automatic purchase for me. The change of location is refreshing. Many of the usual annoying characters are missing, while the story is populated with many new and wonderful ones. The author has also managed to work in characters from a lot of other Austen works, which is fun. The only real villain is Lady Catherine, and she's a doozy. My reservation with the story is the idea of both Elizabeth and Darcy falling in love with people (not each other) based only on the strength of correspondence. Elizabeth in particular falls in love with a man she's never met, and that doesn't sound to me like our sensible and smart Elizabeth. Darcy falls for who he believes is Anne Debourgh, but without any contact with her for many months. Seems unlikely and kinda stupid, and I don't like ODC to look stupid.
However, the book is well written. It could use a little editing clean up. I recommend it for an engaging and romantic tale with a lot of great characters.
January 3, 2026
Original and inspired
Some changes in the circumstances of the story created the seed for this interesting plot. The known characters keep their traits, and a host of original ones create an engaging background, along with the incredible location of the tale.
Some changes in the circumstances of the story created the seed for this interesting plot. The known characters keep their traits, and a host of original ones create an engaging background, along with the incredible location of the tale.
December 21, 2025
Apologies for the lazy review. I had a hard time loving this one. I did not like Darcy’s early weepy portrayal at all as he believes he’s broken-hearted for Anne after she cries off their engagement. Thankfully that improved. The story idea had merit, but it rambled on much too long, and there wasn’t enough comeuppance for Lady Cat. This was one instance where someone should have demanded, “Off with her head!”
January 4, 2026
wonderful!
I truly loved this book! The witty dialogue between Mr Darcy and Lizzy was adorable. I felt that the characterizations of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana was on target and I adored them. It was clever how the author weaved in some of Ms. Austen’s other books’ characters into the story such as the Knightleys, the Dashwoods and the Parkers. Charlotte is not married to the odious Mr Collins (who is only mentioned a few times in the story) and is living a contented life which made me happy. Contrary to a negative review I read that complains of a gay character that is living life openly in such a way that is contrary to the time period, that is untrue. I kept reading waiting for this character to show up and when I finally realized which character it was, they were living a secretive life with the person they loved that would have been a reality for that time period. Contrary to what some people want to believe, although it was not openly talked or written about in the regency period, there were closeted gay people and the story line of this character was important to how lady Catherine was able to keep her evil hold over people. The fact that when some of the characters are made aware of the relationship and just accept it easily I believe has more to do with relief of how it will affect others and also due to the pity they feel for that character. I agree with another reviewer that I wish the epilogue had been longer! It was such a lovely story and I did not want it to end!
I truly loved this book! The witty dialogue between Mr Darcy and Lizzy was adorable. I felt that the characterizations of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana was on target and I adored them. It was clever how the author weaved in some of Ms. Austen’s other books’ characters into the story such as the Knightleys, the Dashwoods and the Parkers. Charlotte is not married to the odious Mr Collins (who is only mentioned a few times in the story) and is living a contented life which made me happy. Contrary to a negative review I read that complains of a gay character that is living life openly in such a way that is contrary to the time period, that is untrue. I kept reading waiting for this character to show up and when I finally realized which character it was, they were living a secretive life with the person they loved that would have been a reality for that time period. Contrary to what some people want to believe, although it was not openly talked or written about in the regency period, there were closeted gay people and the story line of this character was important to how lady Catherine was able to keep her evil hold over people. The fact that when some of the characters are made aware of the relationship and just accept it easily I believe has more to do with relief of how it will affect others and also due to the pity they feel for that character. I agree with another reviewer that I wish the epilogue had been longer! It was such a lovely story and I did not want it to end!
April 27, 2025
This is a really entertaining (and a bit irreverent) variation with a bit of a mash up of “Sense & Sensibility” and “Emma.” The entire story takes place in Sanditon where Elizabeth’s recently widowed and knighted uncle Gardiner is the proprietor of a premiere resort inn. Elizabeth lives with him, after her mother’s death, helping him run the hotel and care for his children. Off scene Mr Bennet has remarried the widow Dashwood and they have an infant son.
Meanwhile, following Elizabeth’s denial of his proposal in Kent, Darcy is blackmailed by Lady Catherine into a betrothal with Anne. Due to various reasons Darcy and Anne could not marry for several years and, at Darcy’s insistence, have been corresponding while being apart. Darcy falls in love with Anne through their correspondence and is heartbroken when she severs their betrothal. He follows her to Sanditon where she is cavorting with a disreputable rake.
Darcy is hoping to reunite with Anne and he and Elizabeth, who is nursing her own heartbreak, agree to a faux courtship to make Anne jealous. So many favorite characters make an appearance in this story as well as several new ones. I was highly entertained while I waited for ODC to realize who they really cared for.
The story does touch on a homosexual relationship so those who are offended by that may want to give this story a pass.
Meanwhile, following Elizabeth’s denial of his proposal in Kent, Darcy is blackmailed by Lady Catherine into a betrothal with Anne. Due to various reasons Darcy and Anne could not marry for several years and, at Darcy’s insistence, have been corresponding while being apart. Darcy falls in love with Anne through their correspondence and is heartbroken when she severs their betrothal. He follows her to Sanditon where she is cavorting with a disreputable rake.
Darcy is hoping to reunite with Anne and he and Elizabeth, who is nursing her own heartbreak, agree to a faux courtship to make Anne jealous. So many favorite characters make an appearance in this story as well as several new ones. I was highly entertained while I waited for ODC to realize who they really cared for.
The story does touch on a homosexual relationship so those who are offended by that may want to give this story a pass.
April 29, 2025
Terrific mash-up
This novel has it all! It basically starts with the death of Mrs. Bennet (apoplexy because Lizzy rejected Mr. Collins), but all is not lost! It jumps around in time between 1811, 1812, and 1813 (the present of the story), but mostly takes place in Sanditon, where Charlotte has become Lady Parker, step-mom to the Parker children, but has a baby girl of her own.
Lizzy has had a passionate correspondence with "Mr. Penny" as a covert paid ghost-writer for the unknown fiancée, but she is heartbroken when "Mr. Penny" apparently marries his fiancée. Oh, and Mr. Bennet marries the Widow Dashwood, who promptly births a baby boy, plus gives Lizzy three new step-sisters, the S&S girls, of whom only Elinor is married thus far.
Everybody comes to Sanditon. Darcy is trying to win back Anne deBourgh, who has jilted him. Lady Catherine is super-evil, as we learn more and more of her horrendous deeds while the book progresses. Emma and Knightley are married, and in Sanditon of course. Georgiana and Lizzy (and Marianne) become best friends. Lizzy agrees to a two-week fake romance with Darcy to help him win back Anne. The Fitzwilliams are there, everybody has secrets and grudges, but in the end all the deserving characters have their HEA.
A tour-de-force!
This novel has it all! It basically starts with the death of Mrs. Bennet (apoplexy because Lizzy rejected Mr. Collins), but all is not lost! It jumps around in time between 1811, 1812, and 1813 (the present of the story), but mostly takes place in Sanditon, where Charlotte has become Lady Parker, step-mom to the Parker children, but has a baby girl of her own.
Lizzy has had a passionate correspondence with "Mr. Penny" as a covert paid ghost-writer for the unknown fiancée, but she is heartbroken when "Mr. Penny" apparently marries his fiancée. Oh, and Mr. Bennet marries the Widow Dashwood, who promptly births a baby boy, plus gives Lizzy three new step-sisters, the S&S girls, of whom only Elinor is married thus far.
Everybody comes to Sanditon. Darcy is trying to win back Anne deBourgh, who has jilted him. Lady Catherine is super-evil, as we learn more and more of her horrendous deeds while the book progresses. Emma and Knightley are married, and in Sanditon of course. Georgiana and Lizzy (and Marianne) become best friends. Lizzy agrees to a two-week fake romance with Darcy to help him win back Anne. The Fitzwilliams are there, everybody has secrets and grudges, but in the end all the deserving characters have their HEA.
A tour-de-force!
May 22, 2025
A most satisfying novel
Bamber creates a tremendous sense of place in Sanditon, and she does so, not with extensive description, but by letting us experience it through the eyes of her (mostly) delightful characters. The love story of Lizzy and Darcy is enchanting, if at times painful, and a palpable sense of joy is created by the culmination of their HEA celebration. The angst in the story is created by a villain whose malice cannot be fathomed until it is finally exposed. A trip to The Tremont in Sanditon is highly recommended.
Bamber creates a tremendous sense of place in Sanditon, and she does so, not with extensive description, but by letting us experience it through the eyes of her (mostly) delightful characters. The love story of Lizzy and Darcy is enchanting, if at times painful, and a palpable sense of joy is created by the culmination of their HEA celebration. The angst in the story is created by a villain whose malice cannot be fathomed until it is finally exposed. A trip to The Tremont in Sanditon is highly recommended.
September 3, 2025
Preference and Neglect
I should have read through more reviews before reading. It us not badly written and has pretty decent story line. And I know, that there is really nothing new, really. But I don't like how authors feel they need to show inclusiveness to show they are ok. Really, back then, it was definitely not just another thing, and it becomes overwhelming in the good of the story.
I should have read through more reviews before reading. It us not badly written and has pretty decent story line. And I know, that there is really nothing new, really. But I don't like how authors feel they need to show inclusiveness to show they are ok. Really, back then, it was definitely not just another thing, and it becomes overwhelming in the good of the story.
August 19, 2026
P&P mashed with S&S
I admit, I struggled with this book a bit more. I really do love this author’s other books. The hard part is is I can’t pinpoint what specifically I struggled with. Maybe it’s just the mood I’m in; I don’t know. One of the things that for me helped was Benjamin Fife did a good job narrating the audiobook. I do have to say that toward the end of the book I became more invested in seeing how things came together for the happiness of all.
I admit, I struggled with this book a bit more. I really do love this author’s other books. The hard part is is I can’t pinpoint what specifically I struggled with. Maybe it’s just the mood I’m in; I don’t know. One of the things that for me helped was Benjamin Fife did a good job narrating the audiobook. I do have to say that toward the end of the book I became more invested in seeing how things came together for the happiness of all.
April 26, 2025
Enjoyable
I can best describe this as a very well written mashup of Cyrano de Bergerac told through a mashup of Sense and sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Without a doubt my favorite person in this story is the way Georgiana Darcy was portrayed.
I can best describe this as a very well written mashup of Cyrano de Bergerac told through a mashup of Sense and sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Without a doubt my favorite person in this story is the way Georgiana Darcy was portrayed.
July 12, 2025
Goof and Bad
I loved the story line, mostly. When we found out that one of the main characters was gay, was bitterly disappointing!!
what, you just had to add the gratuitous sex thing!?.. poor choice!!
I loved the story line, mostly. When we found out that one of the main characters was gay, was bitterly disappointing!!
what, you just had to add the gratuitous sex thing!?.. poor choice!!
July 4, 2026
3.25 stars. I liked the banter, found the plotting fairly unbelievable, and hated the way a usually unpleasant character was turned into an utter villain -- and then the author didn't bother to include a scene of the confrontation and their downfall.
April 20, 2025
This was so fun. Thank you for another amazing JAFF mash-up
May 10, 2025
Wonderfully Different
Lady deBourge is worse than ever, in this conviluted u tale of our Lizzy & Darcy. Love is raging, but not as we expect it to happen. Enjoyed Immensley!!
Lady deBourge is worse than ever, in this conviluted u tale of our Lizzy & Darcy. Love is raging, but not as we expect it to happen. Enjoyed Immensley!!
June 5, 2025
great
One of the best i have read. Loved having characters from other books included. Especially Marianne Dashwood. Thanks so much.
One of the best i have read. Loved having characters from other books included. Especially Marianne Dashwood. Thanks so much.
July 28, 2025
Characters are nothing like in the original (not even a bit similar)... Darcy crying over his love interest, Georgiana action ... nope.
I really think it's AI
I really think it's AI
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