After Darcy

by Joanna Nadin

It is a truism, frequently invoked by the members of the Meryton Women's Guild, that one is only ever as happy as one's unhappiest child. So, with five daughters and four grandchildren, it was a miracle Mrs Hester Bennet ever raised a smile. At best, she was only ever tentatively pleased, and even then understood that her contentment rested on the edge of a gaping precipice into which she would inevitably tumble the second Kitty or Lydia (it was almost always those two) messaged in the clutches of yet another existential crisis…

Lydia, home from Paris on New Year's Day in a welter of hangover and humiliation, finds herself swearing off drink, drugs and sex for the next 12 months. Through her unfamiliar sobriety, she'll see a landmark year for all the Bennet sisters, including a disruptive 40th birthday, an engagement and a and, maybe, coming to terms with the results of a run-of-the-mill run-in with a jackknifed lorry on a wet stretch of the M1…

A sharply funny and unexpectedly tender modern sequel to Pride & Prejudice, this is a story of sisterhood, survival, and second chances. For fans of Marian Keyes, Dolly Alderton, and anyone who's ever wondered what the Bennet sisters would be like in the age of therapy, WhatsApp, and wellness trends gone rogue.

'Part sequel, part reimagining, and wholly delightful' Jodi Picoult

'An absolute delight. Funny, moving and filled with heart' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

Genres: Fiction

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2026

About the author

Joanna Nadin is an English author of juvenile fiction best known for the Rachel Riley series of teenage novels Based on Nadin's own childhood, the series follows the comedic narration of a 13-year-old girl.

Nadin has also written several books of juvenile fiction. These include two books for the Oxford University Press "Project X" series designed to encourage boys to read.

Nadin previously worked as a policy writer for the Labour Party (UK).In 2001, she became a special adviser to Tony Blair.

As a child I buried myself in books both at home in Essex and at my grandparents’ houses in Cornwall, where I spent a large part of my time, and where many of my stories are now set. Books and later films were an escape not just from where I was but who I was, which, as I saw it, was pretty much a geek. They gave me the freedom to become someone else, from George in the Famous Five to Velvet Brown winning the Grand National to Baby dancing the Chachacha with Johnny Castle.

Reviews

[Zoë Marriott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern extension of Austen's Pride and Prejudice that gives equal time and importance to all the sisters and develops them in ways which are quite unexpected in some cases, yet feel utterly right. The story follows the whole family through a year of habitual fighting, genuine falling out, making up, health scares, heartbreak, revelations, new love and new resolutions, developing each sister's personality and their relationships with the others in a way that felt deeply satisfying and real. Just as I was snorting with laughter over 'Lizzie Bennet has left the chat' I would find myself struck to the heart by someone else's moment of pathos. Honestly, this book was completely delightful. It fizzes with both insight and humour - rather as if Jane Austen and Helen Fielding got together, drank too much champagne, and had a hilariously sweary baby.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Darcy reimagines Pride and Prejudice for an age shaped by mobile phones, social media, and freedoms associated with feminism in the 21st century. Joanna Nadin transports the Bennet sisters into a modern world full of drinks, drugs, dating apps, and the relentless scrutiny of online culture, all whilst keeping the emotional core of Jane Austen’s characters intact.

The novel opens with a darker twist. Lizzy (Elizabeth) Bennet is recently widowed after Darcy dies in a car accident, a loss (along with the death of Jane’s husband) which casts a quiet shadow over the story. From there, the narrative follows each of the Bennet sisters as they navigate their own chaotic trajectories in the aftermath of Covid, adulthood, and grief. It took me a while to keep up with who’s who in the narrative but Nadin gives each sister space to be flawed, funny, and fully human, and she offers equally sharp insight into Mr and Mrs Bennet, particularly Mrs Bennet who gleefully mines her daughters’ misadventures for material to entertain her local women’s gossip group.

This is a light, engaging read that honours the spirit of Austen while allowing the Bennet sisters to stand firmly in a world where women can choose independence, self‑determination, and lives that don’t hinge on marriage. It’s a contemporary spin that feels affectionate rather than fluffy, and it invites readers to imagine how these iconic characters might thrive, and sometimes flounder, in the complexities of modern life.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant modern take on Pride and Prejudice. Not only does it continue the story of what happens to the sisters after Lizzy marries Darcy but it also echoes and nods to the original in clever and funny ways. Set in the 21st Century with its attendant obsessions with online dating, botox and Farrow and Ball interiors this is genius. If you enjoyed the original you will love this and if you enjoyed Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible this will be a joy. I particularly enjoyed the way it allowed equal air time to the less famous sisters, Mary, Lydia and Kitty who all get their moment here. I didn't want it to end.

[Lou G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lydia Bennet is home from Paris at the start of the year, in full hangover-and-humiliation mode. She’s resorting to a new resolution: no drink, no drugs, and complete abstinence for the next 12 months.

During these 12 months, and her all new, slightly unnerving sobriety, both she and we as readers see a big year unfold for all of the Bennet sisters. The book is split not only into the four seasons, but also into month by month updates. Whilst this gave me a bit of a love hate relationship with the format (and did trigger the ol’ twitchy eye with some long chapters), I did appreciate this touch.

Imagine Jane Austen and Helen Fielding sat in a room together, huddled over a table with a bottle (or two) of plonk, creating their own hybrid story. It definitely has all the feels of Bridget Jones's Diary, with a Pride and Prejudice twist. The writing style hints at that slightly old-fashioned, “fair do’s” English tone, while still feeling modern.

It’s been described as part sequel, part reimagining, and I can agree with that - the sisters are now in their late 30s, living in the 21st century - and it doesn’t centre on just one of them. Over the course of the year, you follow each sister (as well as the whole family) as they navigate grief, health scares, family disputes, heartbreak, new relationships, and celebrations, all the highs and lows.

Each character develops naturally over time, and the storylines feel believable, relatable, and real. I also really enjoyed the modern touches: the narrative is broken up with text exchanges of which even the Bennets can’t escape the dastardly ‘duck’, and Lizzy constantly leaving the chat group? That, I found genuinely funny.

As you read, it is most definitely quintessentially British. Their mannerisms and voices paint a clear picture of that upper class society, but with a modern twist. Instead of balls, banquets, and carriage rides, we get online dating, healthy eating, and interior decorating. There’s even that very real habit of working out people’s ages based on their school year - who doesn’t do that?

One thing that did gripe me slightly: while we know this is a modern reimagining, it felt like the author was constantly reminding us of the setting. There were frequent nods to current cultural references, almost as if we might forget, and at times it became a bit overdone and slightly distracting.
That said, I really liked how the women are portrayed as independent, outspoken, and self-assured. Long gone are the nineteenth-century expectations of relying on marriage or status for security. Here, they are seen and very much heard, with far less scrutiny over their place in society.

The multiple perspectives added a lot of humour and enjoyment. It almost felt like dipping into an episode of a reality TV show — The Bennets of Longbourn or Bickering with the Bennets!

Thank you to Random Things Tours and Joanna Nadin for gifting me a copy and having me on the tour.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a modern day reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. It opens with the sisters on a chat group and Lydia telling them she is coming home. Mrs Bennet is still hoping for them all to be happily married but right now she has more than enough to cope with; a rather henpecked husband, five daughters, four grandchildren and keeping up with the ladies of Meryton’s Women’s Guild. Written over the space of 12 months, and from multiple perspectives, this is a humorous and enjoyable look at a somewhat dysfunctional and needy family.

Briefly, Lizzy’s husband Fitzgerald ’Fitz’ Darcy and Jane’s husband Charley Bingham were both killed three years ago and whilst Jane has moved on, with rather slimey George Wickham, Lizzy is still struggling with her grief and has thrown herself into her work as a gynaecologist writing a message to Darcy every day in her journal. Kitty is divorced from her husband, her daughter Bridget’s biological father, and living with Dave, a postman. Mary still lives at home and seems uninterested in a relationship, with either sex, whilst Lydia, the black sheep of the family, has been living in Paris until a somewhat hasty return to the family home.

There are a lot of issues dealt with including alcoholism, promiscuity, grief, ADHD, pornography and abuse but I didn’t feel they were gratuitous what I did think a bit unnecessary was the brand name tsunami early on in the book. I did find myself getting a bit confused about who as who at first but it soon fell into place and to hear and see the Bennet sisters drinking and having fairly explicit sexual encounters felt very odd indeed. I was getting a lot of Bridget Jones vibes with the book, which is obviously not a bad thing, and I wonder what Jane Austen would have thought about all the shenanigans. All that said this is an entertaining 21st century retelling about family relationships and support. A fun read.

[Becky Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @bedfordsq.publishers for sending me this book and @randomthingstours for having me on tour with them.

~ This is a story of ~
 
• Sisterhood
• Family
• Grief
• Loss
• Starting Over
• Relationships
• Dating (including online dating) 👀
• Making Mistakes
• Parenting

And so much more …
 
A (kind of) sequel that hit all the right buttons!
 
When I had the email for this tour I was a bit unsure whether to sign up because I haven’t actually read P&P (don’t hate me), but I do know the general gist of the story. I’m so glad I was part of this tour because this has been one of my favourite books of 2026 so far.
 
I love a story involving a family and family drama and this book definitely delivered … including plenty of laugh out loud moments, but at the same time this was a deeply moving story.

The writing was engaging, sharp, playful and deeply human. I couldn’t wait to pick this book up every time I had a few minutes free.
 
The story was written over a year and was sectioned into seasons and months, with the odd phone text thread peppered through the pages from the sisters. I loved this aspect of the read and felt it added a fun element.
 
The characters were colourful, unique, complex and so real and I was rooting for every single one. Each sister was quite different in their traits and I loved them all … Even when they made questionable decisions, I still loved them. I adored Mr & Mrs Bennet and their dynamic and I loved how Mrs Bennet was continually trying to marry her kids off.
 
Little nods to the original story were peppered through this story. Even without reading the original (or watching it) I could recognise this - in the dialogue, the characters, their dynamics and the overall tone of the story.  
 
Just so funny, clever and full of warmth and charm. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

[Paterson Loarn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @bedfordsq.publishers and @randomthingstours for giving me a copy of After Darcy by Joanna Nadin, in return for an honest review.
Joanna Nadin has taken up the story of the five Bennet sisters and their mother where Jane Austen left off, at the end of Pride and Prejudice. In order to investigate the personalities of the Bennet family she has transported them to the present day, and sent them out to earn their own livings. Although I did not entirely agree with Nadin’s interpretation of Austen’s original characters, I recommend this novel for perception, insight and lots of laughs.
Lydia’s story creates the pace of the story, because she is the least predictable of the sisters. Much of the plot is taken up with damage limitation, after Lydia pushes the boundaries of what her sisters are prepared to tolerate. In particular, her interaction with their children creates mayhem. As in Pride and Prejudice, there is a marked difference between the two eldest and the two youngest in the family. Jane and Lizzie still seem much more grown up than Kitty and Lydia, even as they all move into their forties. Mrs Bennet’s determination to marry at least four of her daughters off remains key to the action. Mary, the middle child, circles around the others in her own quirky orbit, bewildered by their refusal to be sensible.
I was surprised to find how much I missed Jane Austen’s menfolk. Even the acerbic Mr Bennet is weakened. I wish they had been referred to by their surnames, because that would make them more present. Without their men to bounce off the female Bennets have lost some of their vigour. Perhaps this is Nadin’s point.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nadin takes the characters from pride and prejudice, ages them a few decades, kills off Darcy and Bingley and then brings them into the 2020s.

Only she doesn’t trust the reader to understand the the Bennett’s are really in modern times so spends the first 100 pages mentioning brand names and pop culture references so many times on every page you’re left in no doubt this isn’t Georgian times any more. It got to the point I wasn’t sure if she was being paid to advertise in lieu of an advance.

Nadin also tries too hard to be funny by forcing a joke into as many lines as she can as if she’s trying to get approval from the cool girls in high school. She also takes swipes at more successful stories like Harry Potter which comes off as a bit bitter.

Luckily after the first third of the book is over she remembers she’s writing a novel and a plot starts to emerge. The reader already knows the characters so she doesn���t need to develop them but what happens to them works well and there are some well written passages reminding you that the author of the queen of bloody everything is still there.

Unfortunately she then remembers that she’s borrowed these characters from Austen and gets cold feet about changing their fates so backs away from all the significant plot events and they all turn out to be a false alarm so nothing really changes from page 1 apart from a vibe shift.

This was fun and engaging in parts, it’s just a shame those parts were few and far between.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square for the arc.

[Jolene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

I struggled a bit with rating this book because I had to force myself through the beginning. It wasn’t until about 25% in that I actually started getting into the story and enjoying it.

Let’s start with the positives:
As a die hard Pride and Prejudice fan, I really enjoyed how the characters are written. They feel really true to the original story. The only exception for me was Mary, who sometimes felt a little like a caricature. Her social awkwardness and other quirks came across as quite stereotypically “autistic” and made her child-like.

Once the story got going, I did enjoy it. Each character has their own storyline that is believable and enjoyable. I especially liked Kitty’s struggle with her identity. I think a lot of women in their 30s (especially those with children) can relate.

The negatives:
The constant brand name drops and references to the current zeitgeist felt a bit forced and cringy. Do we need to know the paint was a specific Farrow & Ball colour, or that Jane wears Charlotte Tilbury waterproof Full Fat Lashes mascara? There were also references to things like Marie Kondo, Queer Eye, In The Night Garden, Taskmaster, Andrew Tate, TikTok… I could go on. I’m not sure how well it will stand the test of time - some of the references won’t land in a few months to a year.

The writing style also wasn’t for me, but that’s more personal preference than anything wrong with the book itself.

Overall, it is an enjoyable read and definitely one for Pride and Prejudice fans!

[Pam Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little time to settle in to the world of the Bennets but once I'd sorted them all out in my mind, the story flew by. With wit and humour, the Bennets appear before us, each with their own stories to tell. We are given a 21st century version of the family, with all the pressures of social media, drink, drugs, sex and money. Without giving anything away, the original story has moved on and there have been some traumatic events which have affected everyone. With echoes of Pride and Prejudice, themes and characters are woven together but what emerges loud and clear are the siblings’ feelings for each other. As new characters are introduced, first impressions are once more shown to be misleading.
The book covers a whole year as you follow the sisters through some trials and tribulations. With love, loss and fresh starts, there are plenty of surprises and unexpected happenings. Mr and Mrs Bennet are as dysfunctional as ever but as in the original story, Colin appears as the most unintentionally entertaining. You also get to see the next generation who turn out to be as varied and sometimes outrageous as their aunts. Their doubts and worries are very 21st Century. One striking change is the level of independence which the modern characters have as opposed to their nineteenth century counterparts who rely on marriage to afford them status and security in the world.
In short: old ties and new beginnings
Thanks to the publisher

[Lottie (The Disney Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a stickler for all things Austen and believe Pride & Prejudice is sacred, you might want to give After Darcy a miss. But if you’ve ever wondered what the Bennet sisters would get up to in the modern world then Joanna Nadin’s novel is just what you need.

The story kicks off three years after the deaths of Bingley and Darcy, which sets the tone for a decidedly different sort of sequel. Jane has moved on with Wickham (who, to no one’s surprise, has not aged well), while Lizzy is juggling life as a worn-out doctor and mum to two young kids, still haunted by her late husband. Kitty is raising the funniest Bennet yet, Mary is her usual self, and Lydia is about to have her world turned upside down with a harsh dose of reality.

What really makes this book amazing is seeing the Bennets grapple with very 21st century problems such as ADHD, addiction, online shopping, and more UTIs than you’d expect from the regency family. The addition of the Bennet sisters’ WhatsApp group is genius, hilarious and totally relatable!

Although dramatic (Lydia) and emotional (Lizzy), Nadin’s writing is breezy and the pages fly by, making this a brilliant choice for a relaxed weekend read. If you’ve ever wondered about Jane’s parenting skills with a rebellious teenager, what fate holds for Mary, or what “Lydia in Paris” might look like, then this book delivers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Joanna Nadin for the opportunity to gain an insight into the modern Bennet family.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This teeters dangerously between sacrilegious and a fun romp, so if you're in any way precious about OG Austen, I would recommend that you steer clear! I wasn't quite sure how I felt about this modern-day menopausal Lizzie, with all the sisters dragged into 2026, somewhat older, not at all wiser, and having a lot more sex! You'll need to be okay with no Darcy, and no Bingley, and that the sisters somehow feel a bit like cheaper versions in the modern day. I think I partitioned in my head, tried to forget the real P&P, and just let it all wash over me as it's an easy read. I still got cross (especially with Jane...what the hell was wrong with Jane), and I missed Lizzie being smart and witty - she's just worn out and cross, though to be fair she is a widow with two toddler twins so...
There was something fun about it, though, so I made it to the end. It's fairly obvious where certain storylines are going, but I found that I was most invested in Lydia's story (surprisingly) and there's some nice wrapping up at the end.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy.

[Debbie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a truism, frequently invoked by the members of the Meryton Women’s Guild, that
one is only ever as happy as one’s unhappiest child. Oh how true! And for this Mrs Bennett and her five daughters, and not forgetting the four grandchildren, happiness is certainly a challenging state to find.

I absolutely loved this modern twist on one of our most well cherished classics, Pride and Prejudice. Joanna’s Bennett Family brings everything and more that you could possibly wish for. Our beloved Darcy leaving a gaping hole; love and heartbreak galore; resolutions to be made and broken; and all that you’d expect from five sisters all vying for love, happiness, success and joy. I have literally laughed out loud reading this book - from the WhatsApp group chats to Mr Bennett’s wonderful dry humour to Mrs Bennett’s preening to all the ups and downs of each sister’s situation. I adored them all!

Thanks to @bedfordsq.publishers and @randomthingstours for giving me a copy of this book. It’s been such a joy to read and to be part of the blog tour.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lydia, home from Paris on New Year's Day in a welter of hangover and humiliation, finds herself swearing off drink, drugs and sex for the next 12 months. Through her unfamiliar sobriety, she'll see a landmark year for all the Bennet sisters, including a disruptive 40th birthday, an engagement and, maybe, coming to terms with the results of a run-of-the-mill run-in with a jackknifed lorry on a wet stretch of the M1…

This started off as hugely enjoyable with terrific banter between the sisters but for at least 50% of the book it failed to develop into anything further and got rather tiresome. When the individual stories got going they were very thoughtful and touching but I would have preferred fewer laughs and more character development. All in all it's an easy and amusing read but my preference for a Pride and Prejudice sequel is Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun interpretation of Pride and Prejudice, set in the present day. It follows on from the story of the original P&P book with many modern twists, and the trials and tribulations of living in 21st century Britain - the most funny being what goes down on the sisters' WhatsApp group! Things that weren't covered in the original: online dating, porn sites, ADHD, and what scored Mrs B points at the Meryton WI!

The author captured the sisters and her parents absolutely perfectly - the different context took a little while to get into, but the characters are so familiar from the books and multiple screen adaptations it was a fun easy read once I got into the rhythm.

I'd recommend this to anyone who loved the original Jane Austen books, and the plethora of fan fiction out there!

Thanks to Joanna Nadin, Bedford Square Publishers and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

[A Bookworm Crafts · Rating 3 out of 5]

In After Darcy we follow the Bennet family over the course of a year as they deal with life without Darcy and Bingley and navigate middle age, motherhood, love and identity. Rather than being a straightforward sequel, this is a retelling set in current times.

I found the book a little slow to start but enjoyed how the characters remained true to their original natures, even in a modern setting. I especially liked the sister dynamics and the way the novel shows the messiness of family life. I was a little disappointed though to see Mary once again pushed to the side, particularly after The Other Bennet Sister showed just how interesting she can be. Even so, this ended up being an entertaining and thoughtful modern reimagining.

A recommended read for fans of Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld and Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well what a pleasant surprise this was. Not being my go to genre, I wasn't sure what to expect, but i'm a firm believer that authors should have the perspective of readers who are not necessarily their target audience so I try to read outside of my comfort zone as often as possible and I must say, this was a real delight.

It's part brilliant contemporary take on Austen's Pride and Prejudice, part sequel, that's funny and full of heart.

The Sisters are now in their late 30's in the 21st Century and over the course of a year, we follow each sister as they navigate family problems, health issues, relationships, highs and lows and everything in between.

Most enjoyable.

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Elizabeth Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always up for anything Jane Austen adjacent, so I was intrigued by the premise of After Darcy. It's the story of the Bennet family post Pride and Prejudice - but reimagined for the 21st century.

We follow the family over a year of Bennet family shenanigans, of falling out and making up, of love and loss - and of dealing with all the pressures of the modern age - and middle age. There's a sisters' WhatsApp group and we get to know them all equally as they confront some very real and current issues.

It's fun, it's funny - and it honours the spirit of Austen whilst imagining how each of the Bennet sisters might navigate their way through modern life, each in their own inimitable style.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this modern take of Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice an interesting and entertaining read. Having recently read the original, I knew that I had to read After Darcy. I loved the author's writing style and I enjoyed following the characters in the story. Even though there were some sensitive subjects they were handled with care. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, The author Joanna Nadin and the publisher Bedford Square Publishers for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern day sequel with all of Austen’s witty social commentary.
A year in the life of the Bennet family as they bicker and squabble, cope with health scares, grief and the inevitable pursuit of finding a husband.

Very cleverly done, I loved the family WhatsApp!

A great read for any lover of Pride and Prejudice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review

[Ann Dewar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This modern take on Pride and Prejudice feels more of an updating of Bridget Jones’ Diary than the Austen original and if you approach it from that perspective you’ll enjoy it more.

Darcy and Bingley are both deceased, giving plenty of scope for romantic discussions and disasters. The perspective shifts between all 5 of the sisters, with some time also given to both parents and even a joke alluding to the wet shirt scene from the 90’s tv series. It is irreverent and fun and occasionally filthy. If you know P&P well then you will enjoy the transformation of some of the characters but you’ll probably enjoy it without that.

I’m not entirely convinced that the P&P link really adds anything to what is essentially a chick lit novel about 5 sisters but I probably wouldn’t have picked it up without it.

With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an arc of this book.

[Melanie Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Austen meets Marian Keyes.

‘After Darcy’ continues the story of several characters from Pride a Prejudice but is set now. It’s both clever and funny.

The dynamic of the Bennet sisters, their mum and dad reminded me of the Walsh family in Marian Keyes books.

The book follows the family through a year and we get to find out about each of their lives.

I really enjoyed this book and having not actually read Pride and Prejudice I am going to now go and read the classic and see how these characters were originally imagined by Jane Austen.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square publishers for the advanced copy.

[Janet Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely, I am given the chance to read a book on NetGalley that I love so much I then go and pre-order it ahead of its release. After Darcy was one of those books. This reimagining/sequel to Pride & Prejudice was just pure joy in book form, I loved it. I greatly enjoyed Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible (and reread it often) but for me, this was a superior modern retelling.