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Seducing Mr. Darcy
In the second hilarious and sexy novel from author Gwyn Cready, a divorcée suffering from "carnal deprivation" has a racy one-night stand with one of literature's most irresistible heroes -- and learns that you really can't judge a book by its cover.
Mr. Darcy just isn't Flip Allison's style. She prefers novels with hot sex on the bathroom sink to the mannerly, high-tension longing of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice . That is, until she pays a visit to Madame K, who promises a therapeutic massage with an opportunity to "Imagine Yourself in Your Favorite Book." Somehow, on the way to a sizzling sink-top session with a Venetian Adonis, Flip lands right in the middle of Regency England -- and dangerously close to handsome Mr. Darcy. So close, in fact, that she discovers a side of him even Jane Austen couldn't have imagined.
Waking from her massage, Flip is on top of the world and ready for her upcoming book club -- that is, until she notices a new scene in which Darcy and spunky heroine Lizzy Bennet are arguing over...Flip Allison? Her rapturous liaison with Darcy has had disastrous consequences for Austen's characters -- not to mention millions of Pride and Prejudice fans! Flip has twenty-four hours to put the story back on course, and Magnus Knightley, a sexy but imperious scholar whose brooding good looks and infuriating arrogance are decidedly Darcy-like, is the only one who can help. The only problem is, Flip can't keep her hands off him, either....
Mr. Darcy just isn't Flip Allison's style. She prefers novels with hot sex on the bathroom sink to the mannerly, high-tension longing of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice . That is, until she pays a visit to Madame K, who promises a therapeutic massage with an opportunity to "Imagine Yourself in Your Favorite Book." Somehow, on the way to a sizzling sink-top session with a Venetian Adonis, Flip lands right in the middle of Regency England -- and dangerously close to handsome Mr. Darcy. So close, in fact, that she discovers a side of him even Jane Austen couldn't have imagined.
Waking from her massage, Flip is on top of the world and ready for her upcoming book club -- that is, until she notices a new scene in which Darcy and spunky heroine Lizzy Bennet are arguing over...Flip Allison? Her rapturous liaison with Darcy has had disastrous consequences for Austen's characters -- not to mention millions of Pride and Prejudice fans! Flip has twenty-four hours to put the story back on course, and Magnus Knightley, a sexy but imperious scholar whose brooding good looks and infuriating arrogance are decidedly Darcy-like, is the only one who can help. The only problem is, Flip can't keep her hands off him, either....
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 29, 2008
14 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
About the author
Gwyn Cready
11 books143 followersGwyn Cready is a RITA Award-winning romance novelist. She's been called "the master of time travel romance." She lives in Pittsburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
November 10, 2008
Why, self, why? :(
In a way, I really do only have myself to blame here. There’s no logical reason that I would start reading a book like this actually expecting to like it. But I got so much giddy stupid pleasure out of the BBC’s Lost in Austen, I got greedy and went looking for more. Which means I badly need my own version of the personal opera singer from Scrubs: “MISTAKE!”
The writing here isn’t appallingly awful, but the characterization more than makes up for it. Or whatever the opposite of making up for it is. Not only does Cready butcher Austen’s characters—seriously, did she even read Pride and Prejudice? She seems to think Elizabeth Bennet has only two sisters as opposed to four (poor Mary and Kitty, forgotten again!)—she can’t even do justice to her own. Her bad guys are ridiculously, implausibly vile—idiotic caricatures. She can’t seem to decide if her hero is a proper, prudish, scholarly type or an ass-spanking sex fiend. (Not that I would be opposed to a character who’s both, but this dude rotates on a dime with no explanation. Where’s the fun in that?) And her heroine is named Flip. Flip. Need I say more?
Well, I could—unsurprisingly, I could go on ranting forever. But I’ve probably already wasted enough time on this foolishness.
In a way, I really do only have myself to blame here. There’s no logical reason that I would start reading a book like this actually expecting to like it. But I got so much giddy stupid pleasure out of the BBC’s Lost in Austen, I got greedy and went looking for more. Which means I badly need my own version of the personal opera singer from Scrubs: “MISTAKE!”
The writing here isn’t appallingly awful, but the characterization more than makes up for it. Or whatever the opposite of making up for it is. Not only does Cready butcher Austen’s characters—seriously, did she even read Pride and Prejudice? She seems to think Elizabeth Bennet has only two sisters as opposed to four (poor Mary and Kitty, forgotten again!)—she can’t even do justice to her own. Her bad guys are ridiculously, implausibly vile—idiotic caricatures. She can’t seem to decide if her hero is a proper, prudish, scholarly type or an ass-spanking sex fiend. (Not that I would be opposed to a character who’s both, but this dude rotates on a dime with no explanation. Where’s the fun in that?) And her heroine is named Flip. Flip. Need I say more?
Well, I could—unsurprisingly, I could go on ranting forever. But I’ve probably already wasted enough time on this foolishness.
July 16, 2009
Philippa "Flip" Allison is a recently-divorced ornithologist working at the University of Pittsburgh, competing with her ex, Jed, for a fellowship at Cornell which will allow her to join a team of field researchers looking for a very rare bird. After a playful lunch with her friends where they made naughty innuendoes about the characters in the book they're reading for their book club, Pride and Prejudice, Flip goes for a massage and gets more than she bargained for. The massage comes with the trip of a lifetime, the chance to "imagine yourself into your favourite book". What she really wanted was a trip to the lusty romance novel set in Venice that she's been reading, but her thoughts keep straying to Mr. Darcy.
She finds herself in the Bingley home as a character who never appeared in the novel, Lady Philippa Quillan, months before Darcy meets Lizzie. Her character is well-established and comes complete with backstory, in which she and Darcy are old friends and once, nearly more. One thing leads to another and before you can say "Mr. Darcy!" she is intimately acquainted with the side of Mr. Darcy that we all like to imagine.
Upon returning to the real world, Flip is horrified to discover that the rare first edition of Pride and Prejudice held in the University's library has changed, and continues to change, with the younger editions changing more slowly. During the infamous first proposal scene, Lizzie confronts Darcy about the affair and the bastard child that resulted, and Darcy never apologised - so no wedding. Not only that, but the tone and character of the novel has changed as well, taking on a more licentious tone. And it ends with Lizzie in bed with Wickham.
In order to correct the problem within 24 hours, before the changes become permanent, Flip must discover everything that's changed - which involves getting her hands on that rare first edition, and then going back to Pride and Prejudice-land to ensure that Lizzie and Darcy marry at the double wedding ceremony with Jane and Bingley.
In order to get at the locked-away book, though, she'll have to enlist the aid of the handsome but snobby Magnus Knightley, a visiting Austen scholar with a penchant for lime green socks - without telling him what's she done.
As the two race through time, dodging Flip's egotistical ex, Jed, and his latest under-age girlfriend, the spark between them ignites. But getting Darcy into Lizzie's good graces isn't going to be easy, and they have one shot to make it work before Wickham scales the wisteria to Lizzie's balcony and ruins things forever.
This book totally took me by surprise, on two counts. 1) I've only read about three P&P spin-offs before this one, and hated two of them, so I usually shy away from them (Colleen McCullough's was one I loved); and 2) I confess I don't expect all that much from romance books, contemporary or otherwise. There's just something about the prose that screams "LOW EXPECTATIONS" to me - though sometimes I need to read something light and silly, and they do fine. So, since I was already feeling leery about the P&P side of the book, my expectations weren't high elsewhere either.
In fact, I almost didn't get the book, but on a sudden impulse picked it up again and thought, "Why not."
And I'm so glad I did. This is one rollicking romp! But I don't want to reduce it to just "good fun", though it is that. The prose is sophisticated and almost flawless; it's by turns exciting, sexy and hilarious - sometimes all three at once; I loved the characters; I never once thought "oh, how could she do that to P&P!"; the pacing was fast, the sex tasteful yet sizzling, and my god, there was PLOT! Such wonderful, wonderful PLOT!!
While the premise could have been a bit dodgy - how do you get Mr Darcy to screw a married woman in full view of a road where someone can see them, considering how stuffy he is? - but it was handled so well, the set-up so much better than I anticipated, that it all seemed perfectly plausible.
Flip is great. She's smart but doesn't always handle situations well, and exacts a beautiful revenge on her ex who thinks she doesn't know he screws his girlfriends on her desk. The chemistry between Flip and Magnus was electric, and I loved them both. Don't think I'll ever think of scrabble in quite the same way again.
You also get snippets of Jed and his current girlfriend, Io, that adds to the hilarity and pandemonium. With everything happening in a single afternoon and night, with the pacing so swift and assured, and the different subplots neatly connecting and supporting the main one - it grabbed me and didn't let me go. I was impressed also at her depiction of the historical period, especially the tricky part of staying true to the characters of the book while also incorporating this new lewdness that Flip accidentally introduced. It was very well done.
Many times this book had me laughing out loud - Cready's clearly a fan of Blackadder (both Magnus and Flip watch it, though it's quite old now), and it's certainly infused her humour with irony and what we may as well call "British humour", which easily made a fan of me. It also had great moments of satisfaction, you know the ones, where you can't stop grinning and you want to crow. And I LOVED the scene in the incline car (chapter thirty-four, when you get to it): it was just so EEEEEEE! (Now you know what I sound like, gushing!)
As fast as events moved, there's plenty of time to get to know Flip and Magnus and watch them reassess each other - Cready avoided making them live out a modern-day version of Lizzie and Darcy, which would have been just too corny for words. But there is a parallel, in their temperaments. Jed could be dismissed as merely a caricature, but he was a damn funny one and his scenes often made me laugh at him, vain idiot that he was.
On a side note, this is sort of part of a series, but not one the author's named. Her first book, Tumbling Through Time, is about a woman being summoned back in time by her fictional romance hero character that she's been writing, so I guess there are similarities. The third book is Flirting with Forever (due out in 2010), and the title hints at a continuing theme, but I think they're all unrelated standalone novels.
She finds herself in the Bingley home as a character who never appeared in the novel, Lady Philippa Quillan, months before Darcy meets Lizzie. Her character is well-established and comes complete with backstory, in which she and Darcy are old friends and once, nearly more. One thing leads to another and before you can say "Mr. Darcy!" she is intimately acquainted with the side of Mr. Darcy that we all like to imagine.
Upon returning to the real world, Flip is horrified to discover that the rare first edition of Pride and Prejudice held in the University's library has changed, and continues to change, with the younger editions changing more slowly. During the infamous first proposal scene, Lizzie confronts Darcy about the affair and the bastard child that resulted, and Darcy never apologised - so no wedding. Not only that, but the tone and character of the novel has changed as well, taking on a more licentious tone. And it ends with Lizzie in bed with Wickham.
In order to correct the problem within 24 hours, before the changes become permanent, Flip must discover everything that's changed - which involves getting her hands on that rare first edition, and then going back to Pride and Prejudice-land to ensure that Lizzie and Darcy marry at the double wedding ceremony with Jane and Bingley.
In order to get at the locked-away book, though, she'll have to enlist the aid of the handsome but snobby Magnus Knightley, a visiting Austen scholar with a penchant for lime green socks - without telling him what's she done.
As the two race through time, dodging Flip's egotistical ex, Jed, and his latest under-age girlfriend, the spark between them ignites. But getting Darcy into Lizzie's good graces isn't going to be easy, and they have one shot to make it work before Wickham scales the wisteria to Lizzie's balcony and ruins things forever.
This book totally took me by surprise, on two counts. 1) I've only read about three P&P spin-offs before this one, and hated two of them, so I usually shy away from them (Colleen McCullough's was one I loved); and 2) I confess I don't expect all that much from romance books, contemporary or otherwise. There's just something about the prose that screams "LOW EXPECTATIONS" to me - though sometimes I need to read something light and silly, and they do fine. So, since I was already feeling leery about the P&P side of the book, my expectations weren't high elsewhere either.
In fact, I almost didn't get the book, but on a sudden impulse picked it up again and thought, "Why not."
And I'm so glad I did. This is one rollicking romp! But I don't want to reduce it to just "good fun", though it is that. The prose is sophisticated and almost flawless; it's by turns exciting, sexy and hilarious - sometimes all three at once; I loved the characters; I never once thought "oh, how could she do that to P&P!"; the pacing was fast, the sex tasteful yet sizzling, and my god, there was PLOT! Such wonderful, wonderful PLOT!!
While the premise could have been a bit dodgy - how do you get Mr Darcy to screw a married woman in full view of a road where someone can see them, considering how stuffy he is? - but it was handled so well, the set-up so much better than I anticipated, that it all seemed perfectly plausible.
Flip is great. She's smart but doesn't always handle situations well, and exacts a beautiful revenge on her ex who thinks she doesn't know he screws his girlfriends on her desk. The chemistry between Flip and Magnus was electric, and I loved them both. Don't think I'll ever think of scrabble in quite the same way again.
You also get snippets of Jed and his current girlfriend, Io, that adds to the hilarity and pandemonium. With everything happening in a single afternoon and night, with the pacing so swift and assured, and the different subplots neatly connecting and supporting the main one - it grabbed me and didn't let me go. I was impressed also at her depiction of the historical period, especially the tricky part of staying true to the characters of the book while also incorporating this new lewdness that Flip accidentally introduced. It was very well done.
Many times this book had me laughing out loud - Cready's clearly a fan of Blackadder (both Magnus and Flip watch it, though it's quite old now), and it's certainly infused her humour with irony and what we may as well call "British humour", which easily made a fan of me. It also had great moments of satisfaction, you know the ones, where you can't stop grinning and you want to crow. And I LOVED the scene in the incline car (chapter thirty-four, when you get to it): it was just so EEEEEEE! (Now you know what I sound like, gushing!)
As fast as events moved, there's plenty of time to get to know Flip and Magnus and watch them reassess each other - Cready avoided making them live out a modern-day version of Lizzie and Darcy, which would have been just too corny for words. But there is a parallel, in their temperaments. Jed could be dismissed as merely a caricature, but he was a damn funny one and his scenes often made me laugh at him, vain idiot that he was.
On a side note, this is sort of part of a series, but not one the author's named. Her first book, Tumbling Through Time, is about a woman being summoned back in time by her fictional romance hero character that she's been writing, so I guess there are similarities. The third book is Flirting with Forever (due out in 2010), and the title hints at a continuing theme, but I think they're all unrelated standalone novels.
June 9, 2008
From the moment I saw the title Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready, I knew I had to read this book! Most of us have read Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice more than once. Admittedly, I became a Mr. Darcy fan after watching BBC’s version of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth. He played Mr. Darcy as if the famous character was written specifically for him. Whew! So as you may have guessed, I jumped at the chance to read this book.
Philippa (Flip) Allison is not having a great day. Stressing over the presentation she must give at the University about “Bird Density and the Diversity in Clear-cut Oak Forests” is not going so well. Between having a hard time concentrating on the subject, and knowing she has to re-read Pride and Prejudice for her book club in a few days, she jumps at the chance to meet her friends at the local café to unwind and have some well deserved girl talk.
As Flip begins to relax, the subject of Mr. Darcy comes up. Revealing to her friends that she prefers more down and dirty heroes than the straight-laced Mr. Darcy, they soon begin to discuss Mr. Darcy in ways that would make Lizzie Bennett blush.
Magnus Knightley can not believe what he is hearing. As a visiting scholar of literature and expert on Pride and Prejudice, he is appalled to hear what the ladies a few tables over are saying about his favorite novel. Are those women for real? What are they saying about Mr. Darcy…something about hedges and his nether regions? Frustrated that the women are discussing his favorite subject as if it were some trashy romance novel, he is having a hard time concentrating on the article he is writing.
As the women continue to discuss Mr. Darcy in scandalous ways, Flip soon starts noticing the handsome man sitting not too far from them. When she inquires about him, she discovers about his love of literacy, and his authority on Pride and Prejudice. She decides to introduce herself and invite him to speak at the book club meeting. When Magnus is not overly friendly and turns down her offer to speak on his favorite subject, Flip decides to forget him and his sexy in a straight-laced-kind-of-way self.
Deciding she needs a relief from all of the stress of the day, Flip decides to get a massage. While there, her massage therapist, Madame K tells her she is in for a treat. Instructing Flip to imagine herself in her favorite book, Madame K tells her that she will experience it like never before. Soon, Flip finds herself in the middle of Regency England with the very sexy Mr. Darcy and has a very sensual tryst with him.
When Flip is awakened from her massage and discovers she has altered the course of Lizzie and Mr. Darcy’s relationship as written in the book, she is horrified. Knowing she must right what she has wronged, she reluctantly asks the help of Magnus.
What happens next is a romp full of fun and adventure! I loved this book! I was curious how Gwyn Cready would incorporate Flip and Magnus with the famous characters of Pride and Prejudice. Ms. Cready not only stayed true to the essence of Mr. Darcy and Lizzie but with all of the other characters in Pride and Prejudice as well.
I thought that Flip and Magnus’ relationship was very well written. Although they had a rocky start when they first met, I found myself cheering them on and enjoying the development of their relationship. They have some very funny moments, as well as very sensual ones. ( I will never look at the game “Scrabble” in the same way…whew!)
I quickly read this book in one afternoon. I loved it and it has found a permanent place on my keeper shelf. In my opinion, Seducing Mr. Darcy is a very well written book from start to finish, and I enjoyed every minute of it! For more information on the author Gwyn Cready and her other works her website: www.cready.com
Philippa (Flip) Allison is not having a great day. Stressing over the presentation she must give at the University about “Bird Density and the Diversity in Clear-cut Oak Forests” is not going so well. Between having a hard time concentrating on the subject, and knowing she has to re-read Pride and Prejudice for her book club in a few days, she jumps at the chance to meet her friends at the local café to unwind and have some well deserved girl talk.
As Flip begins to relax, the subject of Mr. Darcy comes up. Revealing to her friends that she prefers more down and dirty heroes than the straight-laced Mr. Darcy, they soon begin to discuss Mr. Darcy in ways that would make Lizzie Bennett blush.
Magnus Knightley can not believe what he is hearing. As a visiting scholar of literature and expert on Pride and Prejudice, he is appalled to hear what the ladies a few tables over are saying about his favorite novel. Are those women for real? What are they saying about Mr. Darcy…something about hedges and his nether regions? Frustrated that the women are discussing his favorite subject as if it were some trashy romance novel, he is having a hard time concentrating on the article he is writing.
As the women continue to discuss Mr. Darcy in scandalous ways, Flip soon starts noticing the handsome man sitting not too far from them. When she inquires about him, she discovers about his love of literacy, and his authority on Pride and Prejudice. She decides to introduce herself and invite him to speak at the book club meeting. When Magnus is not overly friendly and turns down her offer to speak on his favorite subject, Flip decides to forget him and his sexy in a straight-laced-kind-of-way self.
Deciding she needs a relief from all of the stress of the day, Flip decides to get a massage. While there, her massage therapist, Madame K tells her she is in for a treat. Instructing Flip to imagine herself in her favorite book, Madame K tells her that she will experience it like never before. Soon, Flip finds herself in the middle of Regency England with the very sexy Mr. Darcy and has a very sensual tryst with him.
When Flip is awakened from her massage and discovers she has altered the course of Lizzie and Mr. Darcy’s relationship as written in the book, she is horrified. Knowing she must right what she has wronged, she reluctantly asks the help of Magnus.
What happens next is a romp full of fun and adventure! I loved this book! I was curious how Gwyn Cready would incorporate Flip and Magnus with the famous characters of Pride and Prejudice. Ms. Cready not only stayed true to the essence of Mr. Darcy and Lizzie but with all of the other characters in Pride and Prejudice as well.
I thought that Flip and Magnus’ relationship was very well written. Although they had a rocky start when they first met, I found myself cheering them on and enjoying the development of their relationship. They have some very funny moments, as well as very sensual ones. ( I will never look at the game “Scrabble” in the same way…whew!)
I quickly read this book in one afternoon. I loved it and it has found a permanent place on my keeper shelf. In my opinion, Seducing Mr. Darcy is a very well written book from start to finish, and I enjoyed every minute of it! For more information on the author Gwyn Cready and her other works her website: www.cready.com
January 19, 2011
It is a verifiable truth that a Jane Austen addict will read anything and everything related to Jane Austen that they can get their hands on, and I am no exception to this statement. A book like “Seducing Mr. Darcy” is not the type of novel I am customarily drawn to and while I have read novels that include intimate and sexually explicit scenes, it is not the primary thing I look for in a book. It was the fact that this book featured Mr. Darcy and the plot of “Pride and Prejudice” that piqued my curiosity and prompted me to read it despite its suggestive cover.
Flip Allison, a divorced ornithologist experiencing a very rough morning, decides to treat herself to a therapeutic massage. But this is no ordinary massage. Madame K, the proprietor of Looking Glass Massage Therapy, advertises that her clients will imagine themselves in their favorite book. Flip has two books that she has recently been perusing; one is “Pride and Prejudice,” which she is rereading for her book club, and the other is a sexy romance novel that involves a hot encounter on a bathroom sink. Flip intends to visit the romance novel during her massage knowing she will have a more rapturous time there. Unfortunately, she winds up in “Pride and Prejudice” instead, and has an unexpected steamy interlude (very reminiscent of the bathroom sink scene) with Mr. Darcy. When awake from her massage, Flip discovers that the plot of “Pride and Prejudice” has gone catastrophically off course and somehow has been altered by her imaginings. She now has less than twenty-four hours to set the story to rights before the changes are permanent!
In order to repair the damages made to “Pride and Prejudice” Flip begrudgingly enlists the help of Magnus Knightley, an arrogant, brooding, and sexy Austen scholar visiting from England. But is he only interested in the restoration of “Pride and Prejudice?” Or is he developing a soft spot for the impudent yet vulnerable Flip Allison? If he had to choose between the two, which would it be?
Why the two stars you ask? No, it's not because of the time travel, steamy scenes, or the liberties taken with “Pride and Prejudice,” but because I felt it could have been better executed. Writing a story that includes time travel, romance, and the plot of a beloved novel gone awry is a tremendous task and unfortunately, in this case, ended being up too disjointed and difficult to follow. Because there was so much going on in this novel I often felt that some of the story-lines were incomplete and under-developed. Furthermore, the novel's resolution felt hurried and unsettled. I would have liked a more satisfying and complete conclusion rather than assume that all had ended well.
I have no compunction in reading about “Pride and Prejudice” characters in the bedroom, as I have done it before in novels by Abigail Reynolds and Linda Berdoll. However, the romantic scenes in this novel were often a little flat and uninspired. In addition, I sometimes felt that the characters behaved so uncharacteristically that they were unrecognizable. Yes, I can believe that Darcy and Elizabeth would have a sexy and passionate side to them, but for Elizabeth to drink from a flask and be preoccupied with losing her virginity???
While I greatly enjoyed the premise of this book, I walked away disappointed for the book it could have been. It had great potential and merit; the hysterical hijinks often reminded me of the movie “Lost in Austen,” another clever slant of “Pride and Prejudice.” I do not recommend this book to readers who know “Pride and Prejudice” like the back of their hand, as the liberties taken and character distortions may hinder their enjoyment of the novel. Nonetheless, people have varying taste and opinions and this novel may be more to your liking than it was to mine.
Austenesque Reviews
Flip Allison, a divorced ornithologist experiencing a very rough morning, decides to treat herself to a therapeutic massage. But this is no ordinary massage. Madame K, the proprietor of Looking Glass Massage Therapy, advertises that her clients will imagine themselves in their favorite book. Flip has two books that she has recently been perusing; one is “Pride and Prejudice,” which she is rereading for her book club, and the other is a sexy romance novel that involves a hot encounter on a bathroom sink. Flip intends to visit the romance novel during her massage knowing she will have a more rapturous time there. Unfortunately, she winds up in “Pride and Prejudice” instead, and has an unexpected steamy interlude (very reminiscent of the bathroom sink scene) with Mr. Darcy. When awake from her massage, Flip discovers that the plot of “Pride and Prejudice” has gone catastrophically off course and somehow has been altered by her imaginings. She now has less than twenty-four hours to set the story to rights before the changes are permanent!
In order to repair the damages made to “Pride and Prejudice” Flip begrudgingly enlists the help of Magnus Knightley, an arrogant, brooding, and sexy Austen scholar visiting from England. But is he only interested in the restoration of “Pride and Prejudice?” Or is he developing a soft spot for the impudent yet vulnerable Flip Allison? If he had to choose between the two, which would it be?
Why the two stars you ask? No, it's not because of the time travel, steamy scenes, or the liberties taken with “Pride and Prejudice,” but because I felt it could have been better executed. Writing a story that includes time travel, romance, and the plot of a beloved novel gone awry is a tremendous task and unfortunately, in this case, ended being up too disjointed and difficult to follow. Because there was so much going on in this novel I often felt that some of the story-lines were incomplete and under-developed. Furthermore, the novel's resolution felt hurried and unsettled. I would have liked a more satisfying and complete conclusion rather than assume that all had ended well.
I have no compunction in reading about “Pride and Prejudice” characters in the bedroom, as I have done it before in novels by Abigail Reynolds and Linda Berdoll. However, the romantic scenes in this novel were often a little flat and uninspired. In addition, I sometimes felt that the characters behaved so uncharacteristically that they were unrecognizable. Yes, I can believe that Darcy and Elizabeth would have a sexy and passionate side to them, but for Elizabeth to drink from a flask and be preoccupied with losing her virginity???
While I greatly enjoyed the premise of this book, I walked away disappointed for the book it could have been. It had great potential and merit; the hysterical hijinks often reminded me of the movie “Lost in Austen,” another clever slant of “Pride and Prejudice.” I do not recommend this book to readers who know “Pride and Prejudice” like the back of their hand, as the liberties taken and character distortions may hinder their enjoyment of the novel. Nonetheless, people have varying taste and opinions and this novel may be more to your liking than it was to mine.
Austenesque Reviews
October 30, 2008
I must admit that I started "Seducing Mr. Darcy" by Gwyn Cready three or four times before I finally finished it. Obviously it didn't really hold my attention and even though the story was cute with some very funny parts and some very sexy parts (including a very risque game of Scrabble, and that's not something I see too often) but all together, it just 'missed' that extra oomph for me.
In a nutshell, the book selected for the heroine's book club is "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. Our heroine isn't exactly keen on 'literature' and like many of us prefers some heat with her reading. While discussing the lack thereof at a sidewalk cafe, they are overheard by an eminent (and way hot) visiting British Austen scholar. Needless to say, he's not very impressed although he does discretely eye our heroine. There is a side story regarding the heroine's sleezy ex which I think just muddled the story and added pages, but hey that's just me.
Next our heroine heads for a relaxing massage at a parlor recommended by one of her friends and part of the 'service' is imagining yourself in a book and somehow, during the massage, you actually become a part of the story in the book you imagine. Now our heroine manages to imagine herself back in time into Austen's P&P and her actions during her 'visit' cause all the books to begin changing in today's world...beginning with the oldest copies. When she realizes what she's done, she becomes desperate to fix things and here's where our sexy British scholar comes in. I won't give away any more of the plot, but if you are an Austen fan you will either laugh through the rest of the book, or just be pissed. Either way, my biggest issue with the hero and heroine is I just didn't buy their relationship. It seemed to be more about having sex than building a relationship, and even with the short timeframe, it just didn't work for me. But others may feel differently...it's just my opinion!
In a nutshell, the book selected for the heroine's book club is "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. Our heroine isn't exactly keen on 'literature' and like many of us prefers some heat with her reading. While discussing the lack thereof at a sidewalk cafe, they are overheard by an eminent (and way hot) visiting British Austen scholar. Needless to say, he's not very impressed although he does discretely eye our heroine. There is a side story regarding the heroine's sleezy ex which I think just muddled the story and added pages, but hey that's just me.
Next our heroine heads for a relaxing massage at a parlor recommended by one of her friends and part of the 'service' is imagining yourself in a book and somehow, during the massage, you actually become a part of the story in the book you imagine. Now our heroine manages to imagine herself back in time into Austen's P&P and her actions during her 'visit' cause all the books to begin changing in today's world...beginning with the oldest copies. When she realizes what she's done, she becomes desperate to fix things and here's where our sexy British scholar comes in. I won't give away any more of the plot, but if you are an Austen fan you will either laugh through the rest of the book, or just be pissed. Either way, my biggest issue with the hero and heroine is I just didn't buy their relationship. It seemed to be more about having sex than building a relationship, and even with the short timeframe, it just didn't work for me. But others may feel differently...it's just my opinion!
January 26, 2013
I guess if you read Jasper Fforde and thought "hey I would like to see this concept applied exclusively to Pride and Prejudice, but the author should completely change the personalities of every character and make probably half the book about butts (the other half is spanking said butts) and everyone's eyes are now the colour of topaz" then this may be the book for you.
I hated this even more than I hated Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star, so thanks for the recommendation Alyson >:( at least FD,RS made me lol forever. This one just weirded me out. I guess I don't really understand the point of writing around existing characters if you've no intention of retaining even a single one of their defining characteristics.
There are a lot of fireballs in this book, but you will be disappointed if you are hoping (as I was) for anybody to be killed by them.
I hated this even more than I hated Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star, so thanks for the recommendation Alyson >:( at least FD,RS made me lol forever. This one just weirded me out. I guess I don't really understand the point of writing around existing characters if you've no intention of retaining even a single one of their defining characteristics.
There are a lot of fireballs in this book, but you will be disappointed if you are hoping (as I was) for anybody to be killed by them.
September 30, 2018
I am sure that this book is terrific for people who like this genre but it is not for me.
March 11, 2017
This book is not a Pride and Prejudice variation, but rather about two people who crash the story and make it different. A special massage artist can put you in the story you imagine. Flip changes the story and reaches out to a Pride and Prejudice literary expert. The have some serious chemistry/intimacy both in and out of the book. Add an annoying ex/Wickham and the whole story comes together. It is definitely mature rated.
September 30, 2013
3.5 Stars! I'd had this on the TBR for a couple of years, and I'm really trying to work on getting some books knocked out of there that have been languishing for a long time. I thought that this one kinda vaguely maybe fit in for the September Sub-Genre in RLftCI (time travel), so figured that it was as good an excuse as any to get this one read. It's not the type of romance I usually read, I'm mostly a 'historicals only' type girl, but I think I bought it right around the time I watched Pride and Prejudice (Keira Knightley version, not Colin Firth version, I've yet to watch that one, and to be honest (no tomatoes please!) I've yet to even read the book... I know, for shame!), and liked the Darcy idea. Usually, I don't like contemporary heroines or heroes, I like the fantasy of being in the past, the dress code and rules, and all the trappings of the historicals. I didn't think this book was going to be my thing, but I ended up enjoying it very much! I was unsure how I'd like the heroine, Flip, especially in the beginning when she and her friends are all giggly and ditzy at lunch. But I grew to like her, her scatter-brain moments, her humor, her awkwardness. I liked her. I liked Magnus as well, though he seemed like a jerk at first. Mostly, I liked the idea of going into your favorite book. That would be fun. Except when Flip goes into Pride and Prejudice and has amazing, hot sex with Mr. Darcy, it messes up the book for real! No more HEA for Lizzy and Darcy, amongst other changes. Admittedly, a lot of the changes were funny. I found myself laughing quite a few times reading this story. Magnus, luckily, is an Austen expert, and has an especial love for P & P, which leads to him getting roped into Flip's mess adventure. I liked the sparks between them, and despite the short time span of the story, I felt that they had a believable connection. The parts of the book spent in the Pride and Prejudice world were fun, I got my fix for setting and dress, and enjoyed Flip's actions and reactions as a modern girl. Then, throw in Flip's wacky ex-husband and his arm candy girlfriend, and there's more trouble. Jed the ex inspired more than a few laughs on his own just with his personality. I liked how Flip and Magnus eventually got things fixed, and though there was a point where I feared for their happy ending, and felt their sadness, it all worked out. I liked the end, with them together, and how they got there.
All in all, I was very pleased with this book. It was lighthearted and humorous, and I enjoyed the premise a lot. While I didn't get deeply invested in the characters, I still liked them quite well and felt like the author did a good job of letting me get to know them. I didn't feel like the plot ever really dragged, it stayed interesting the whole way through. I found myself eager to get back to it every time I had to set it down. So, it was a good book for me. I'm going to pass it on to my friend to try, along with a DVD of P & P :) 3.5 Stars!
All in all, I was very pleased with this book. It was lighthearted and humorous, and I enjoyed the premise a lot. While I didn't get deeply invested in the characters, I still liked them quite well and felt like the author did a good job of letting me get to know them. I didn't feel like the plot ever really dragged, it stayed interesting the whole way through. I found myself eager to get back to it every time I had to set it down. So, it was a good book for me. I'm going to pass it on to my friend to try, along with a DVD of P & P :) 3.5 Stars!
December 30, 2012
A Bedlam
Leggere questo libro è stato come andare sulle montagne russe, con dei momenti di divertimento sfrenato e dei momenti di nausea assoluta. La copertina già rivela che ci troviamo davanti ad uno di quei libri impregnati di sesso, ma, fin dall'inizio, la storia, se pur non originalissima, è comunque stracarica di colpi di scena e di personaggi molto accattivanti, per cui si legge con molta curiosità.
Durante un massaggio rilassante in un centro molto strano (con una spassosissima Madame K, di origini rumene) la protagonista Flip, un'ornitologa dell'Università di Pittsburgh immagina di entrare in un libro. Il problema è che lei voleva entrare in uno di quei libri pieni di sesso, ma purtroppo a pranzo aveva parlato di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio, perché doveva partecipare ad un gruppo di lettura qualche giorno dopo. Da qui la frittata, perché una delle 2 regole del Centro Massaggi: 'Entra nel tuo libro preferito' è di non immaginare cose che sono IMPOSSIBILI nel libro in cui si vuole entrare (come fare sesso con un personaggio come Darcy), perché si rischierebbe di stravolgere il testo originale dell'opera. Quando Flip esce dal centro massaggi scopre che la preziosissima prima edizione di P&P nella biblioteca dell'università è totalmente cambiata: in particolare la prima dichiarazione di Darcy a Lizzie, nomina un 'bastardo'. Infatti Flip era entrata nel romanzo ed aveva sedotto Darcy PRIMA che questi si recasse a Netherfield ed incontrasse Elizabeth Bennet, producendo così dei risultati evidenti persino sul testo di Jane Austen!
Qui compare uno studioso Inglese di Jane Austen, Magnus - dal carattere e dall'apparenza molto Darcyana - che aiuta Flip a rientrare nella storia e a sistemare le cose.
Ma tutto il romanzo è intriso di sesso, sembra che i personaggi - e l'autrice - non abbiano in mente altro. Ad un certo punto Netherfield sembra diventare una casa di piacere, non si capisce chi è più assatanato: Jane e Bingley bruciano le tappe e si danno alla pazza gioia il giorno prima del matrimonio, Sir William fa il satiro con una servetta, Mrs Bennet si ritira in camera a leggere libri pornografici, perfino Louisa Hurst da lezioni di spogliarello a sua sorella Caroline!!! E' davvero un manicomio ('A Bedlam', come dice uno dei valletti che assiste alle follie dei personaggi di P&P presenti a Netherfield)
Alla vivacità della storia darei più di tre stelle, purtroppo il voto viene abbassato drasticamente dall'eccessiva lascivia dei personaggi, che se può andar bene per quelli del 21° secolo, è davvero disgustosa all'interno del sacro recinto di 'Orgoglio e Pregiudizio'!
Leggere questo libro è stato come andare sulle montagne russe, con dei momenti di divertimento sfrenato e dei momenti di nausea assoluta. La copertina già rivela che ci troviamo davanti ad uno di quei libri impregnati di sesso, ma, fin dall'inizio, la storia, se pur non originalissima, è comunque stracarica di colpi di scena e di personaggi molto accattivanti, per cui si legge con molta curiosità.
Durante un massaggio rilassante in un centro molto strano (con una spassosissima Madame K, di origini rumene) la protagonista Flip, un'ornitologa dell'Università di Pittsburgh immagina di entrare in un libro. Il problema è che lei voleva entrare in uno di quei libri pieni di sesso, ma purtroppo a pranzo aveva parlato di Orgoglio e Pregiudizio, perché doveva partecipare ad un gruppo di lettura qualche giorno dopo. Da qui la frittata, perché una delle 2 regole del Centro Massaggi: 'Entra nel tuo libro preferito' è di non immaginare cose che sono IMPOSSIBILI nel libro in cui si vuole entrare (come fare sesso con un personaggio come Darcy), perché si rischierebbe di stravolgere il testo originale dell'opera. Quando Flip esce dal centro massaggi scopre che la preziosissima prima edizione di P&P nella biblioteca dell'università è totalmente cambiata: in particolare la prima dichiarazione di Darcy a Lizzie, nomina un 'bastardo'. Infatti Flip era entrata nel romanzo ed aveva sedotto Darcy PRIMA che questi si recasse a Netherfield ed incontrasse Elizabeth Bennet, producendo così dei risultati evidenti persino sul testo di Jane Austen!
Qui compare uno studioso Inglese di Jane Austen, Magnus - dal carattere e dall'apparenza molto Darcyana - che aiuta Flip a rientrare nella storia e a sistemare le cose.
Ma tutto il romanzo è intriso di sesso, sembra che i personaggi - e l'autrice - non abbiano in mente altro. Ad un certo punto Netherfield sembra diventare una casa di piacere, non si capisce chi è più assatanato: Jane e Bingley bruciano le tappe e si danno alla pazza gioia il giorno prima del matrimonio, Sir William fa il satiro con una servetta, Mrs Bennet si ritira in camera a leggere libri pornografici, perfino Louisa Hurst da lezioni di spogliarello a sua sorella Caroline!!! E' davvero un manicomio ('A Bedlam', come dice uno dei valletti che assiste alle follie dei personaggi di P&P presenti a Netherfield)
Alla vivacità della storia darei più di tre stelle, purtroppo il voto viene abbassato drasticamente dall'eccessiva lascivia dei personaggi, che se può andar bene per quelli del 21° secolo, è davvero disgustosa all'interno del sacro recinto di 'Orgoglio e Pregiudizio'!
April 18, 2015
Az ember néha elképzeli, mi lenne, ha bekerülne valamelyik kedvenc regényébe, ha ő lenne Rhett Butler vagy Aragorn vágyainak tárgya stb. Itt pont erre építette fel viccesen romantikus regényét Gwyn Cready. Jól kitalálta az alapsztorit és szimpatikus szereplőket választott ki, akiknek csetlése-botlása a való világban kicsit még párhuzamos is a Büszkeség és balítélet hőseinek dolgaival. S nem is próbál meg más lenni, mint amit a címlap ígér: mulatságos, szexi kaland. A jelenben játszódó részek viccesek, helyzetkomikum és lendületes párbeszédek jellemzik. A Büszkeség és balítélet kulisszái között meg kicsit olyan mászkálni, mintha vendégségbe mehetnénk valami celebhez és megnézhetnénk, hogyan is viselkedik természetes közegében, milyen, amikor lejön egy színész a színpadról. Plusz helyzetkomikumra ezeknél a részeknél is akad rengeteg lehetőség. Külön vicces volt, ahogy Flip és Magnus egész másképp próbálják megközelíteni a problémát, a professzor tipikusan férfi ötletekkel, míg Flip, mint nő sokkal jobban belátja, hogy miképp kell egy lányt meghódítani.
Szóval nem egy klasszikus Austen epigon könyv ez, hanem könnyed nyári romantikus kikapcsolódás és lehetőség, hogy újra meglátogassuk Netherfieldet és izguljunk, hogy összejön-e Darcy meg Elizabethet.
Eredetileg: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/20...
Szóval nem egy klasszikus Austen epigon könyv ez, hanem könnyed nyári romantikus kikapcsolódás és lehetőség, hogy újra meglátogassuk Netherfieldet és izguljunk, hogy összejön-e Darcy meg Elizabethet.
Eredetileg: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/20...
February 10, 2012
Entertaining premise of a story, but I'm not sure the execution was all that wonderful. While I very much enjoyed the dialogue and the one-liners, I felt I had to suspend my belief way too much for the parts that took place in the past. I think if the story stayed in the present time it would have been so much better.
Also, I found all the sexual romping unnecessary. It would have been a fine story without all this, especially the uncharacteristic behavior of those from the past, and the ending which read like a manor house comedy of errors which came off as confusing at the best of times. I ended up skimming most of it.
So, while most was entertaining, I just couldn't appreciate all the parts written in the past. I know it is fiction but I find it helps the spirit of the atmosphere if the author writes at least within the limits of the attitude of the time period, not as contemporary people in 19th century clothing.
Also, I found all the sexual romping unnecessary. It would have been a fine story without all this, especially the uncharacteristic behavior of those from the past, and the ending which read like a manor house comedy of errors which came off as confusing at the best of times. I ended up skimming most of it.
So, while most was entertaining, I just couldn't appreciate all the parts written in the past. I know it is fiction but I find it helps the spirit of the atmosphere if the author writes at least within the limits of the attitude of the time period, not as contemporary people in 19th century clothing.
January 15, 2010
The premise for this book was quite imaginative, but extremely unbelievable. Im not saying that I didn't enjoy the book, because I did, in the beginning. The problem lies in the length of the courtship between Flip and Magnus. They knew one another a single day and were hopelessly in love? Really? Sorry, but I don't buy it. No one can form a truly lasting relationship in 24 hours. I somewhat enjoyed Ms. Cready's dalliances in Austenland, so to speak, but I believe she ruined it with all the sex. At least for me. As a fan of Jane Austen, I find it disheartening to see the love story of Pride and Prejudice turned into erotica. I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this book, I guess nothing really, which is exactly what I got.
June 27, 2009
So far not very much about this books is appealing. I'm 100 pages in and it's like a bad version of junior high girls imitating some really awful chik lit. The story is bolstered....what little there is...by references to television shows and movies. The travel into the book sounds like a great idea, but it's not done really well. If the author wanted to write a really good erotica, she should have just gone that route and kept out of the chik lit arena.
This book just got worse and worse. She needed to pick a genre and write it. And not rely so heavily on television shows and movies to get a point across.
This book just got worse and worse. She needed to pick a genre and write it. And not rely so heavily on television shows and movies to get a point across.
January 21, 2009
this is a book i knew going into i would be ashamed to read - just look at the cover, it pretty much sums it up. i liken this to a twinkie - a wallop of sticky titalation, hint of nostalgia but ultimately upon reading nothing but artificial ingredients. weak cartoon like characters and romance novel 101 storyline.
could i really identify with an elizabeth bennet that describes her best "ass"-ets as carmel lollipops?
could i really identify with an elizabeth bennet that describes her best "ass"-ets as carmel lollipops?
March 20, 2018
Yes, I gave it three stars, and I legitimately enjoyed it. The key to enjoying this book is to shed any purist notions about characterization that you have. This is not meant to be an honest, in-character interpretation of the characters, it is meant to be frivolous! If you can not put that aside, don't read the book. It's perfect for readers who would like to deviate from the standard, even just for one book.
October 28, 2009
Hm, traveling into Pride & Prejudice via massage, dopey side story of ex & his girlfriend, waaayyyy too much info on birds for non-ornithologists, pretty much a mess! Darcy is inconstant, Jane is good-natured empty-headed and obsessed with sex with Bingley. I guess my expectations of just more of a steamy P&P were unrealistic.
August 2, 2008
This is a completely funny book. Read it for no other reason than to laugh out loud. However once you begin you will probably fall in love with Magnus. I know I did. Ms Cready has written a great story that is fun and easy to read. I highly recommend it.
March 25, 2019
Seducing Mr.Darcy by Gwen Cready is another reinterpretation of the ole classic from Jane Austen.
In this novel, Flip is our heroine. She has a penchant for racy novels, and when her book club chooses Pride and Prejudice as their weekly reading, Flip plans to just watch the BBC version. (Sacrilege!)
Feeling a little stressed out at work, she visits Madame K for a massage. The flyer promises you'll "imagine yourself in your favorite book!" Flip thinks she'll be in a raunchy romance.
Cut to... a weird prequel to P&P, where Darcy is a total horn dog. Flip enjoys herself and thinks no more of it. Until... her copy of P&P starts reflecting some of the changes Flip made in her imaging.
Now Flip has to go back and make everything right. But each time she revisits Pride and Prejudice, she makes things worse. And on top of that, she has to work with the dreamy yet arrogant Professor of literature, Magnus.
A hilarious return to the classic, I recommend this book to all Austen fiends.
In this novel, Flip is our heroine. She has a penchant for racy novels, and when her book club chooses Pride and Prejudice as their weekly reading, Flip plans to just watch the BBC version. (Sacrilege!)
Feeling a little stressed out at work, she visits Madame K for a massage. The flyer promises you'll "imagine yourself in your favorite book!" Flip thinks she'll be in a raunchy romance.
Cut to... a weird prequel to P&P, where Darcy is a total horn dog. Flip enjoys herself and thinks no more of it. Until... her copy of P&P starts reflecting some of the changes Flip made in her imaging.
Now Flip has to go back and make everything right. But each time she revisits Pride and Prejudice, she makes things worse. And on top of that, she has to work with the dreamy yet arrogant Professor of literature, Magnus.
A hilarious return to the classic, I recommend this book to all Austen fiends.
March 24, 2018
Wonderful, inventive integration of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice in this fantastical romance!
Flip gets a therapeutic massage that includes the opportunity to imagine yourself in your favorite book. Flip's the type to prefer a steamy erotica read to a prim and proper Regency, but somehow she ends up in Regency England in the lap of Mr. Darcy, instead of her planned erotica. A brief affair ensues and then Flip rewakens at the massage parlour.
However, she soon realizes that what she and Mr. Darcy did have repercussions she hadn't anticipated! Somehow she has changed Pride & Prejudice and now has to figure out how to repair the damage in the next 24 hours.
Awesome concept! Fun execution. Well worth a read.
Flip gets a therapeutic massage that includes the opportunity to imagine yourself in your favorite book. Flip's the type to prefer a steamy erotica read to a prim and proper Regency, but somehow she ends up in Regency England in the lap of Mr. Darcy, instead of her planned erotica. A brief affair ensues and then Flip rewakens at the massage parlour.
However, she soon realizes that what she and Mr. Darcy did have repercussions she hadn't anticipated! Somehow she has changed Pride & Prejudice and now has to figure out how to repair the damage in the next 24 hours.
Awesome concept! Fun execution. Well worth a read.
December 14, 2016
Utter rubbish, & not even well-written rubbish. Even if you ignore the butchering of P&P, there's little to recommend it, not even a likeable character. DNF.
Such witticisms as: "...the girl had tits the size of emu eggs. Her nipples were literally in another zip code." Literally? Ah, feminism. Sigh!
Such witticisms as: "...the girl had tits the size of emu eggs. Her nipples were literally in another zip code." Literally? Ah, feminism. Sigh!
January 3, 2019
It's 2019. I have decided that I will read whatever I want, whenever I want. With a TBR full of amazing books, I decided to kick my year off with fluffy smut. Do I feel bad? Hell no. Do I care if someone judges me? No, I don't - they can kiss my pendulous nuts.
Not bad story. So many plot holes I could drive through them, but still somewhat enjoyable. Back to my respectable TBR for now!
Not bad story. So many plot holes I could drive through them, but still somewhat enjoyable. Back to my respectable TBR for now!
May 17, 2019
Esperaba un retelling, pero me ha sorprendido la forma de jugar con los personajes que conocemos de "Orgullo y prejuicio" y la personalidad de los "reales", llegando los "malos" a ser casi caricaturescos en algunos momentos con sus persecuciones, amenazas y planes para enriquecerse. Pero claro, un masaje que te lleve magicamente a tu libro favorito, tampoco es demasiado realista, ¿no?
September 22, 2025
I've read a lot of "clutch and grab" (as my mother calls them) in my time, but this one was verging on pornographic. Not that I have a problem with it, but it just felt really gratuitous, and didn't seem to go with the Austen-ness.
The story itself was a lot of fun. I'll be checking out her other novels.
The story itself was a lot of fun. I'll be checking out her other novels.
June 2, 2017
It was really kinda funny.
April 22, 2018
Whoa, what a clu- er, ::cough:: comedy of errors! Loads of fun, romance of course, and a goodly touch of steam - loved it!
July 5, 2021
2* for the refreshing plot and audacity.
Unfortunately I wasn’t fond of the execution. DNF.
Unfortunately I wasn’t fond of the execution. DNF.
September 6, 2022
Time Travel, Magical Pastries, and lots of Sexy Times. This maybe one of the wackiest Austenesque I've ever read. 😆
January 25, 2011
Reading this reminded me of the books I borrowed from my mother. She's very fond of romance novels and when I began to get interested in reading longer books, I grabbed a book from her shelf. I was quite young then, so imagine a 10-year-old girl reading the romantic misadventures of a Highland heroine - my mother never stopped me from reading, although she would at times get me age-appropriate books, but I like her books better because it's got better vocabulary, but of course the explicit seduction parts I mostly skipped. My mother strictly made me do it.
I got interested by Seducing Mr. Darcy because of the title. Who has never fallen in love with Mr. Darcy at some point while reading Pride and Prejudice? I know I did. And like every female, I wanted to get to know Mr. Darcy's ardent, passionate side. Reading this book, like any romance novel worth its salt, this book enticed you and sucked you into its story. Were it not for the fact that this was a digital copy, I would have finished this in one sitting. As it was, life happens and it's easier to put down your Kindle than putting down an actual print book (take that, ARGH!). But resuming reading, I was even more excited than when I first read it and found myself actually getting into the middle parts in less than an hour.
The story was very fast-paced. Because this happens within one day, you definitely sense the urgency but the details of each scene, the minor specifics were not merely sketched, they were well-drawn and vividly described. The author ensures you never miss a thing, even in the most exciting parts.
Which is what probably brings me to the first issue I had with this book: Because it was full of details, how could this book explain the existence of the masseuse herself? I know that she's essential into making this story work, but no background on her at all? How did she come across such power? No back story on that one? Oh well, you can't have everything, I guess. I don't want to risk running spoilers so I won't cite further examples.
The characters were very romance-novel credible. They are strong, but they need love. I like the fact that each character's voice was very distinct and evokes a specific image in the reader's mind.
I don't think I would agree much that this book is another of those Pride and Prejudice remakes. Sure, this story revolves around that novel, but it's only a setting for an elaborate and outrageous but interesting plot, but if anything, pride was only present, mostly in Magnus Knightley's character. There was no prejudice, nothing of that sort in Flip or any of her friends. Well Magnus was also a bit prejudiced about American women, but my point is that there is no pride in one character and prejudice in another that when combined together could compare with Austen's narration.
One lesson I learned through reading most of my mother's romance novels: Always expect some impossible twists - in this case, the dabbling into the paranormal was of course a bit impractical but it's what held the story up, what made it special and thrilling.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book a lot. I like the simple love story between Flip and Magnus - which is grounded more on sex, but what romance novel wasn't? - and liked the human portrayal of our beloved characters from Austen's book. A lot of sexual references and sex scenes but once you get past that, the story is actually very simple and light. An easy read after reflecting heavily on Pride and Prejudice - and of course, if Mr. Darcy left you hankering for more. :-D
I got interested by Seducing Mr. Darcy because of the title. Who has never fallen in love with Mr. Darcy at some point while reading Pride and Prejudice? I know I did. And like every female, I wanted to get to know Mr. Darcy's ardent, passionate side. Reading this book, like any romance novel worth its salt, this book enticed you and sucked you into its story. Were it not for the fact that this was a digital copy, I would have finished this in one sitting. As it was, life happens and it's easier to put down your Kindle than putting down an actual print book (take that, ARGH!). But resuming reading, I was even more excited than when I first read it and found myself actually getting into the middle parts in less than an hour.
The story was very fast-paced. Because this happens within one day, you definitely sense the urgency but the details of each scene, the minor specifics were not merely sketched, they were well-drawn and vividly described. The author ensures you never miss a thing, even in the most exciting parts.
Which is what probably brings me to the first issue I had with this book: Because it was full of details, how could this book explain the existence of the masseuse herself? I know that she's essential into making this story work, but no background on her at all? How did she come across such power? No back story on that one? Oh well, you can't have everything, I guess. I don't want to risk running spoilers so I won't cite further examples.
The characters were very romance-novel credible. They are strong, but they need love. I like the fact that each character's voice was very distinct and evokes a specific image in the reader's mind.
I don't think I would agree much that this book is another of those Pride and Prejudice remakes. Sure, this story revolves around that novel, but it's only a setting for an elaborate and outrageous but interesting plot, but if anything, pride was only present, mostly in Magnus Knightley's character. There was no prejudice, nothing of that sort in Flip or any of her friends. Well Magnus was also a bit prejudiced about American women, but my point is that there is no pride in one character and prejudice in another that when combined together could compare with Austen's narration.
One lesson I learned through reading most of my mother's romance novels: Always expect some impossible twists - in this case, the dabbling into the paranormal was of course a bit impractical but it's what held the story up, what made it special and thrilling.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book a lot. I like the simple love story between Flip and Magnus - which is grounded more on sex, but what romance novel wasn't? - and liked the human portrayal of our beloved characters from Austen's book. A lot of sexual references and sex scenes but once you get past that, the story is actually very simple and light. An easy read after reflecting heavily on Pride and Prejudice - and of course, if Mr. Darcy left you hankering for more. :-D
October 24, 2011
I loved this book! Let me just start by saying this: Sexiest game of Scrabble ever. This book was time-travel but not, contemporary and historical, funny and sad.
Flip is a bird researcher and is part of a book club that is planning to review Pride and Prejudice. Magnus is a Jane Austen scholar from England currently working at the local college. Flip and her friends are outside a coffee shop one morning, talking and laughing and making ribald remarks about Mr. Darcy, planning their book club meeting the next week. Magnus is sitting nearby, trying to work and not hear their ridiculous remarks about the book. He is a serious scholar and can't believe they're reducing P&P to comments about Mr. Darcy's pants and hedgerows. As she leaves the coffee shop, Flip accidentally bumps into Magnus. She tries to make small talk but he rebuffs her by repeating some of what he'd overheard of their conversation and leaves. Flip gets angry and follows him, planning to tell him off, but ends up distracted and her neck hurts. She sees a flyer for a quick massage and decides, why not?
The massage has a theme - Imagine Yourself In Your Favorite Book. Of course Flip imagines herself in P&P. She falls asleep and wakes up in the book. Her character, Lady Quellin, ends up having sex with Mr. Darcy in a gazebo! She wakes up back on the table, thrilled with the massage, and heads home. The next morning, she sees a copy of P&P at the library - a first edition- and it's different!! Lizzie Bennett does not marry Mr. Darcy, she has a tryst with Wickham and ends up pregnant and alone!!! Uh-Oh. Flip needs to see more to see how bad it is but the book is encased in glass and guess who has access? Yup, Magnus. She goes to him for help (obviously she can't tell him the truth) and he denies her. She leaves in a huff.
He is intrigued by her request and goes to her home to get more information, and a comedy of situations ensues, including the sexy Scrabble game. Magnus sees the changes in the book and is alarmed and confused. Flip ends up back at the massage therapist to try to correct the changes, but it's dangerous because you're not supposed to go back into the same book twice, AND, you only have 24 hours from when you started to correct the changes. Magnus follows her and ends up in the book as well, and the two of them try to get Lizzie and Darcy back together.
This book was great! From the first page I laughed and cheered. The characters were likeable and I really wanted Flip and Magnus together. Flip's ex-husband, Jed, and his girlfriend Io were hilariously awful. I couldn't put it down, this one definitely goes on my keeper shelf! I want to read it again!!!
Flip is a bird researcher and is part of a book club that is planning to review Pride and Prejudice. Magnus is a Jane Austen scholar from England currently working at the local college. Flip and her friends are outside a coffee shop one morning, talking and laughing and making ribald remarks about Mr. Darcy, planning their book club meeting the next week. Magnus is sitting nearby, trying to work and not hear their ridiculous remarks about the book. He is a serious scholar and can't believe they're reducing P&P to comments about Mr. Darcy's pants and hedgerows. As she leaves the coffee shop, Flip accidentally bumps into Magnus. She tries to make small talk but he rebuffs her by repeating some of what he'd overheard of their conversation and leaves. Flip gets angry and follows him, planning to tell him off, but ends up distracted and her neck hurts. She sees a flyer for a quick massage and decides, why not?
The massage has a theme - Imagine Yourself In Your Favorite Book. Of course Flip imagines herself in P&P. She falls asleep and wakes up in the book. Her character, Lady Quellin, ends up having sex with Mr. Darcy in a gazebo! She wakes up back on the table, thrilled with the massage, and heads home. The next morning, she sees a copy of P&P at the library - a first edition- and it's different!! Lizzie Bennett does not marry Mr. Darcy, she has a tryst with Wickham and ends up pregnant and alone!!! Uh-Oh. Flip needs to see more to see how bad it is but the book is encased in glass and guess who has access? Yup, Magnus. She goes to him for help (obviously she can't tell him the truth) and he denies her. She leaves in a huff.
He is intrigued by her request and goes to her home to get more information, and a comedy of situations ensues, including the sexy Scrabble game. Magnus sees the changes in the book and is alarmed and confused. Flip ends up back at the massage therapist to try to correct the changes, but it's dangerous because you're not supposed to go back into the same book twice, AND, you only have 24 hours from when you started to correct the changes. Magnus follows her and ends up in the book as well, and the two of them try to get Lizzie and Darcy back together.
This book was great! From the first page I laughed and cheered. The characters were likeable and I really wanted Flip and Magnus together. Flip's ex-husband, Jed, and his girlfriend Io were hilariously awful. I couldn't put it down, this one definitely goes on my keeper shelf! I want to read it again!!!
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