My heart is, and always will be, yours-Edward Ferrars, Sense & Sensibility
Two years ago, Elizabeth Bennet walked away from Mr Darcy with a broken heart and no reason to expect their paths would ever cross again. Tragedy, scandal, and loss forced her from Longbourn, and her family now lives in quiet obscurity in Yorkshire—until a chance encounter at a winter ball changes everything.
Still reeling from her father's death and her youngest sister’s disgrace, Elizabeth has no desire to marry—especially not to the sort of gentleman who sees women as ornament and amusement. But when she is reunited with Mr. Darcy, the man she once misjudged and rejected, Elizabeth must confront old regrets and new hopes. He is no longer the proud, aloof stranger she once scorned, but a man whose quiet strength and steadfast love may prove exactly what her heart requires. Fitzwilliam Darcy never stopped searching for the woman who changed him. When he finds her again—wiser, wounded, but no less bewitching—he dares to hope for a second chance. But family pride, painful secrets, and the threat of renewed scandal conspire to keep them apart.
In a house filled with eccentric nobility, absurd relatives, and a meddling aunt or two, can Elizabeth and Darcy find their way back to each other?
Yours is low angst Pride & Prejudice variation of novella length. It is a second chance, friends to lovers romance.
Susan Adriani has been a fan of Jane Austen and her beloved characters for as long as she can remember. Originally from New England, she attended a small art college close to her home, where she majored in illustration. In 2007, after contemplating the unexplored possibilities in one of Miss Austen’s most celebrated novels, Pride and Prejudice, she began to write her first novel-length story, The Truth About Mr. Darcy (previously self-published as Affinity and Affection). With encouragement from fellow Austen enthusiasts she continued, and is currently at work on her second book. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, young daughter, and a very impertinent cat.
Captivating Romance Susan Adriani is one of those authors whose writing truly captures the essence of romance. Her stories grab me by the heart every time, and her expressive prose never fails to move me to tears.
When Elizabeth is called away from Pemberley after Lydia’s elopement, the course of the Bennet family changes forever. Darcy searches for her but cannot find her—until fate intervenes through his aunt, Lady Carlisle. Their reunion, followed a few days later by Darcy’s proposal and expression of his love is pure magic—let the tears begin.
The story also introduces an endearing new character, Mrs Cahill, a Bennet aunt who rescues the remaining Bennets from Mr Collins and gives them a home and support.
A beautifully written, truly romantic novella. I loved every word and highly recommend it. It’s one of those short stories you wish were longer—but it doesn’t need to be, because everything that matters is perfectly captured.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. I also purchased the published version for my Susan Adriani collection.
Two years after Lydia's elopement and Mr. Bennet's death in a carriage accident, Elizabeth, Kitty, Mary, and Mrs. Bennet are living in their father's sister's dower house, in Yorkshire. Jane is married and living in London with her tradesman husband. No one has any idea whatever happened to Lydia.
It was a little confusing that the author changed the Matlocks' name to Carlisle and has them living in Yorkshire, rather than in Derbyshire. Austen never gave him a name, but since most variations call him Matlock, it was a bit disorienting. It might have been the author's way of intentionally hiding their relationship to Darcy at the beginning.
It is through her Aunt Cahill that Elizabeth finally meets Darcy again. He is the ultimate romantic hero, and his thoughts and yearnings are beautifully expressed. I loved this one.
In this variation, an early morning express, giving news of Lydia's elopement with Wickham, smothers the shoots of a rapprochement between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.
A note of regret is sent to Pemberley, but much of the detail is blurred due to water damage. Darcy interprets this as a confirmation that Elizabeth still does not want him.
For Elizabeth, life changes utterly. Scandal makes the Bennet women outcasts. The death of their father leaves Mrs Bennet broken and brings the family under the power of Mr Collins.
Fortunately, rescue comes from a paternal aunt, Mrs Cahill. She sweeps them away to live with her in Yorkshire.
Elizabeth never stops regretting Mr Darcy.
Two years later on a visit to a local family, she is introduced to some of their eccentric, noble relatives. Among them, is Darcy!
This is a lovely third chance for Elizabeth and Darcy. The story has a warmth and positivity. Darcy is loving and tender. There is a wonderful relationship between Elizabeth and her aunt. The mother she should have had.
Mrs Bennet is "off-stage" so we are spared her vexing behaviour
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Gardiners and Elizabeth cut short their visit to Pemberly and Derbyshire when they receive news of Lydia's scandal. When they return to Longbourn they learn that Mr Bennett died in a carriage accident while traveling to try to find Lydia. Mrs Bennett has a breakdown that addles her mind permanently, and Mr Collins arrives to evict them. Mr Bennett's estranged sister, Mrs Cahill, takes them all into her home in Yorkshire. She's a wealthy widow, and good friend of Lady Carlisle, Darcy's aunt and Colonel Fitzwilliam's mother. Meanwhile, Darcy has been trying to find Elizabeth. Two hears pass before he's unexpectedly reunited with her in Yorkshire at his aunt's home. Both Darcy and Elizabeth love each other, but Elizabeth is worried about Lydia's scandal, as she's never been found.
This is a lovely, sweet, and quick read wherein ODC already have feelings for each other. Mrs Cahill is a nice new character, and Mrs Bennett's addled mind removes her from the equation, which is nice since we don't have to endure her awful behavior. Lydia is also removed until her fate is discovered later in the story. The romance is superb, and the book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
What an interesting variation! I really enjoyed seeing Elizabeth and her family embraced by Mr. Bennetts’ estranged sister. So many changes and situation improvements in spite of tragedy! I had to smile at the interesting coincidence that brought Darcy and Lizzy back together as well as all of the fun banter between Darcy and his extended family. As for Lydia, I am not surprised at all as to her part in all of this. Overall, this was an enjoyable quick read.
4.5* This was filled with lots of fun, despite the angst that led up to the start of it - mostly due to the Carlisles (generally know as the Matlocks in the JAFF world). The banter between the Viscount, the Colonel and Darcy are entertaining to say the least. I was only left with one burning question at the end: is Lavendar's Blue the equivalent to Hot in Herre by Nelly played by Keri Russell's character in Austenland?.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Warning: Meant for mature audiences. Contains scenes that would scandalize the ton. Readers of a delicate constitution are advised to keep their fans and vinaigrettes close at hand.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. This is part of the ‘Romantic Pride and Prejudice Variations’ series. All standalone reads and can be read in any order. This is low angst novella, and it is a second chance, friends to lovers romance.
Two years ago, Elizabeth Bennet walked away from Mr Darcy with a broken heart and no reason to expect their paths would ever cross again. Tragedy, scandal, and loss forced her from Longbourn, and her family now lives in quiet obscurity in Yorkshire, until a chance encounter at a winter ball changes everything. Still reeling from her father's death and her youngest sister’s disgrace, Elizabeth has no desire to marry, especially not to the sort of gentleman who sees women as ornament and amusement, but when she is reunited with Mr. Darcy, the man she once misjudged and rejected, Elizabeth must confront old regrets and new hopes. He is no longer the proud, aloof stranger she once scorned, but a man whose quiet strength and steadfast love may prove exactly what her heart requires.
Fitzwilliam Darcy never stopped searching for the woman who changed him. When he finds her again, wiser, wounded, but no less bewitching, he dares to hope for a second chance, but family pride, painful secrets, and the threat of renewed scandal conspire to keep them apart. In a house filled with eccentric nobility, absurd relatives, and a meddling aunt or two, can Elizabeth and Darcy find their way back to each other? So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
There are some pretty massive gaps in this story—the whole issue of the aunt who rescues the Bennet sisters is glossed over, as is Jane’s story. The Gardiners are absent, except for “off-screen,” and Mrs. Bennet is merely mentioned. This feels like the outline of a decent story that requires at least fifty per cent more fleshing out. As it is, it’s too empty and gap-filled to be a satisfying read. But the author has a decent command of the language and does dialogue well. So that much is better than a lot of other fanfiction out there.
This wasn't my favorite by this author. It was more surface-level, so I wasn't drawn in as I had hoped to be. Overall, it was a decent, angst-free read.
There are so many P&P variations out there, I've been trying to get in one a month. This one is included in KindleUnlimited ... alas, I do not have KU at this time, so I didn't have access to the text (only $3, but it is short and I likely would not read it a second time). The audio is included in AudiblePlus, and I went that route.
The standard 3rd person/past tense, but we do get a lot more of Darcy's POV than in the original. Set in the same time period, with the alteration happening as Lizzie leaves to deal with the Lydia incident. Darcy doesn't find out about it (to help) and alas ... (I don't normally recap in reviews, but as P&P variations tend to run together in my mind, I feel I need to remind myself of specific storyline/plot points) SPOILERS ...
... Mr. Bennet is killed in an accident as he attempts to track Lydia down. The family doesn't know what happened with Lydia. Mrs.Bennet hasn't been able to deal. Elizabeth has stepped up to handle family matters, by Collins has taken over Longbourn. Jane has happily married, Mary and Kitty are progressing. Lydia is reconnected (having extricated herself, and ended up in a pretty good position with a wealthy/adoring, if unscrupulous husband). Darcy and Elizabeth haven't gotten over each other, and are eventually reunited and we get to see their marriage and HEA, light bedroom scene, not explicit/steamy, but not closed door.
I would have liked to have the Kindle text - there were a few things I would have looked up (the music Elizabeth was playing, real song? A few phrases). There was a quick "song" which was sung by the narrator in audio (drunken rendition of "Lavender Blue dilly dilly" which apparently was seen as quite inappropriate? The term "making love" was used, which while I know is authentic, still makes me cringe a little when used as general "romancing" in these books. Cacophony ... just another word I notice, it's in 90% of my reads I think!
In this story Darcy is not aware of why Elizabeth and the Gardiner left Derbyshire so quickly and without explanation. And he finds no trace of her as he searches for her.
The Bennets not only suffer the disgrace of Lydia "eloping" with Wickham but also lose Mr. Bennet in a carriage accident when he goes to search of her and then lose their home as Collins steps in to take it over.
Mr. Bennet has a sister in this variation, a Mrs. Cahill, who come to the rescue in providing a home for the Bennets. It is there that two years later Darcy comes back into Elizabeth's life.
And so the story continues as Darcy remains in love with Elizabeth and she, as well, has a changed opinion about him. We have a lovely romance as they spend time together. Darcy also takes on the task of searching for Lydia. There I will not reveal more but, know this, her fate is different from canon.
Overall, I found about 90% of this book to be wonderfully sweet—full of tender moments, heartfelt connections, and the kind of gentle storytelling I enjoy. For potential readers sensitive to content, I did skip a small section (around 2%) because, while technically 'clean,' the wedding night thoughts and discussion were more detailed than I prefer for my personal G/PG-rated comfort level. The antics between the cousins, while diverting, were sometimes peppered with crude comments that readers looking for content warnings may want to be aware of. That said, the book maintains an overall charming, romantic, and positive tone.
* Well edited. No grammar speed bumps or continuity roundabouts that I recall. * I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In this one, Mr B dies while going to London looking for Lydia, Darcy doesn't save the day, Elizabeth and co leave to Mr B's sister's house in Yorkshire, Darcy shows up at his aunt's after two years apart from E and they reunite.
A bit of a zag from the other reviews here: I didn't think there was much substance to this one at all. There were plot changes but those are the only real action in the whole variation. Also, the dialogue was pretty empty, with a full conversation of if everyone at the table likes mutton, weird and unnecessary expository dialogue reiterating stuff any P&P reader would know, forward direct dialogue, Darcy and the Colonel being treated like 10 year olds by their aunt for no reason. All the character additions were bland and there was no conflict at all between E&D. Low angst is one thing, no conflict is another. Middling at best, in my opinion.
What if the Bennet girls had an aunt who was ready to step in and help when the circumstances were bleak.
I love a story of a second chance. This one, though short, has all the elements that speak to me. A change of circumstances, a long passed time, some new faces, and a different part of country, with only the affections and feelings and wishes unchanged and intensified.
Susan always uses the words that are able to paint a picture or a scene right in front of me when reading, and this one is no exception. Better man for Jane always worths one more star. Also a plus that the background being Yorkshire, a place I really like!
We pick up the story two years after Elizabeth’s visit to Pemberley and the worst things happened; Lydia has disappeared, Mr Bennet died in a carriage accident and Mrs Bennet has a mental breakdown. Darcy didn’t know what happened due to the note from her uncle getting wet on the way to deliver it to Darcy. Darcy has searched for her but stumbled upon her by accident at an aunt and uncle’s estate in Yorkshire.
Overall, this is a very sweet, charming, lovely story. The narrator, Erin Evans-Walker, did a good job bringing our favorite characters to life to bring them together. This is one that I will gladly read/listen to again.
This story was interesting. I liked the aunt that helped them after Mr. Bennet's death. What an awesome woman. I felt like the ending was more about sexual desire than finding out what happened to Lydia. I was glad to know about Lydia but did wonder if she was truly happy. I could see the HEA in Darcy and Elizabeth's story but I felt dissatisfied with the ending. Maybe it was just because I don't really care about their wedding night and such. On the plus side, the narration was well done on the audiobook. I was grateful for that.
A well written novella is one of my favourite things, and this is definitely a well written novella. This is charming writing with a lightness that flows throughout the book. It is not angst-free and the Bennet women have experienced difficulties which have left deep and permanent marks on their lives. It is through these difficulties that they have found their true selves.
I really liked this, but how could Mr. Darcy have forgotten Gardiner’s name just a couple of days after meeting him? I also couldn’t believe that Collins didn’t remember the name of Mr. Bennet’s sister, who is also his cousin, or where she lived when the remaining Bennets left to live with her.
Ignoring these contrivances, the romance was lovely.
This story is not very long, but it is lovely, funny, romantic, with a touch of sadness and (at the end) just a hint of sweet sexiness. The author wrote a wonderful story and the only thing that could make it better is about 10 more chapters, lol.
Loved this low-angst romance. Just the kind of audiobook I needed these days. I loved Darcy’s honesty with his feelings and that there wasn’t a lot of contrived tension for the sake of tension. Wonderful happily ever after and heart-fluttering romance by a gifted writer and talented narrator.
While this unique variations was short and sweet, I thoroughly enjoyed it as it gave me a quick fix on ODC. This is well written and brought out such emotion and love which made me tear up. I loved it!
The Lydia and Mr. Collins in this one are both reprehensible. I give the story4 stars for the rest, especially loved ODCs plain speaking, but the lack of justice made me go with one less. At least W gets his comeuppance.
An informative interlude describing what could have happened with a minuscule change in timing, and adding a tragedy. I liked the additional characters and enjoyed several scenes and the way the relationship between our beloved couple takes flight.
Oh my goodness, the only bad thing about this book was that it was too short. So romantic and dreamy! I loved every chapter. Wonderful story and emotion.