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A Scandalous Secret: A Pride & Prejudice Variation
A Scandalous A Pride and Prejudice Variation by E Bradshaw
Prepare to be swept into a bold reimagining of Jane Austen’s world, where secrets lurk behind every ornate door at Rosings Park. When Elizabeth Bennet accepts Lady Catherine’s challenge to improve her pianoforte skills, she soon finds herself entangled in a series of misadventures—beginning with a mortifying blunder that lands her in Mr Darcy’s private chambers by mistake. But nothing could prepare her for what she overhears soon a forbidden liaison that will shatter her assumptions about propriety, love, and the people she thought she knew best.
As Elizabeth and Darcy are forced into a pact of silence about the clandestine romance they witness, their mutual prejudices and misunderstandings begin to shift. Beneath Lady Catherine’s watchful eye, hidden desires and loyal friendships are put to the ultimate test.
Simultaneously playful and daring, A Scandalous Secret offers readers a witty, modern exploration of forbidden love, female friendship, and the courage it takes to claim one’s own happiness amidst the relentless expectations of Regency England. Perfect for fans of Austen’s classic and those eager for a fresh, audacious take on the world of Pride and Prejudice.
‘I saw at once that Mr Darcy was enjoying my acute discomfiture, for he folded his arms and leaned casually against the doorframe to the dressing room, and a small, wry smile played across his lips and looked ready to turn into an outright grin when he saw just how mortified I was. And I was mortified – and even more so when I saw the state he was in. I would have been flustered by his unexpected presence anyway, had he appeared in all his customary formality, in his flawless coat and starched shirt, his perfectly knotted cravat and tall, polished boots. But I had evidently interrupted him in the process of washing and changing, for, to my astonishment, he wore no coat, waistcoat, cravat, or boots, and he stood before me in only his shirt, breeches and stockings. Indeed, he’d obviously been washing his face, for his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the neck of his shirt was open in a deep V-shape, exposing a disconcerting portion of his chest to my sight.’
‘A Scandalous Secret’ is a long read at approximately 194,000 words and contains sexual scenes.
Prepare to be swept into a bold reimagining of Jane Austen’s world, where secrets lurk behind every ornate door at Rosings Park. When Elizabeth Bennet accepts Lady Catherine’s challenge to improve her pianoforte skills, she soon finds herself entangled in a series of misadventures—beginning with a mortifying blunder that lands her in Mr Darcy’s private chambers by mistake. But nothing could prepare her for what she overhears soon a forbidden liaison that will shatter her assumptions about propriety, love, and the people she thought she knew best.
As Elizabeth and Darcy are forced into a pact of silence about the clandestine romance they witness, their mutual prejudices and misunderstandings begin to shift. Beneath Lady Catherine’s watchful eye, hidden desires and loyal friendships are put to the ultimate test.
Simultaneously playful and daring, A Scandalous Secret offers readers a witty, modern exploration of forbidden love, female friendship, and the courage it takes to claim one’s own happiness amidst the relentless expectations of Regency England. Perfect for fans of Austen’s classic and those eager for a fresh, audacious take on the world of Pride and Prejudice.
‘I saw at once that Mr Darcy was enjoying my acute discomfiture, for he folded his arms and leaned casually against the doorframe to the dressing room, and a small, wry smile played across his lips and looked ready to turn into an outright grin when he saw just how mortified I was. And I was mortified – and even more so when I saw the state he was in. I would have been flustered by his unexpected presence anyway, had he appeared in all his customary formality, in his flawless coat and starched shirt, his perfectly knotted cravat and tall, polished boots. But I had evidently interrupted him in the process of washing and changing, for, to my astonishment, he wore no coat, waistcoat, cravat, or boots, and he stood before me in only his shirt, breeches and stockings. Indeed, he’d obviously been washing his face, for his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the neck of his shirt was open in a deep V-shape, exposing a disconcerting portion of his chest to my sight.’
‘A Scandalous Secret’ is a long read at approximately 194,000 words and contains sexual scenes.
615 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
83 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 4, 2025
Enjoyable
I liked this. I did get super annoyed with Lizzy at times. Running away from Darcy. Like where was her courage? I can forgive her for being confused. Once ODC talks, they are dreamy and it’s at the 50% mark so they get plenty of page time. Love Lady Catherine in this (nice but still a pain). The beginning secret doesn’t seem to impact the story much though. In contrast to other reviews, this is P&P and it’s not modern. Unless the other reviewer wanted them to react to the secret in a different way, I don’t know what they mean. I liked the characters quite a bit. I didn’t find Darcy to be too much of a horn dog, but there are a few spicy scenes. Overall, I liked it but it is long and not much moves the story forward toward the end. An enjoyable, relatively low angst read.
I liked this. I did get super annoyed with Lizzy at times. Running away from Darcy. Like where was her courage? I can forgive her for being confused. Once ODC talks, they are dreamy and it’s at the 50% mark so they get plenty of page time. Love Lady Catherine in this (nice but still a pain). The beginning secret doesn’t seem to impact the story much though. In contrast to other reviews, this is P&P and it’s not modern. Unless the other reviewer wanted them to react to the secret in a different way, I don’t know what they mean. I liked the characters quite a bit. I didn’t find Darcy to be too much of a horn dog, but there are a few spicy scenes. Overall, I liked it but it is long and not much moves the story forward toward the end. An enjoyable, relatively low angst read.
November 8, 2025
Such an interesting plot original begining to it. I dont tell plots if yiu want to know read the book.
There are bits of this book that I found LOL funny too.
Hope you enjoy it too.
There are bits of this book that I found LOL funny too.
Hope you enjoy it too.
January 12, 2026
Long but fun
The book summary gives a very good synopsis. While visiting Charlotte Collins at Hunsford Parsonage, Elizabeth decides to take Lady Catherine's advice and practice piano in Mrs Jenkinson's room. With poor directions from a scullery maid, she gets lost at Rosings and inadvertently enters Darcy's room while he's washing up. She's embarrassed, he's amused, and tries to take her himself to the correct room. They get waylaid by female voices coming their way, and hide out in an unused room, not wanting to be caught alone together. This starts a chain of events that profoundly shocks both Elizabeth and Darcy, but also begins a change of heart for Elizabeth as she learns that Darcy isn't the uptight and arrogant man that she believed.
The story is written in the first person POV, alternating between Elizabeth and Darcy. The entire book is done with an extremely tongue-in-cheek attitude, with constant witty banter between characters. There are some nice surprises and not much angst or drama. I deducted stars for a couple of reasons. One is the excessive length of the book. Since it's first person POV, we're treated to every thought going through either Elizabeth's or Darcy's head. But I feel this could have been condensed somewhat by not including every single thought, tangent thought, and qualifier thought all the time. Also many of these thoughts were rehashing ideas and events that had already been thoroughly covered. The other reason is the very OOC behavior of both Elizabeth and Darcy. I don't like it when Elizabeth is so much like her mother, being easily flustered, nervous all the time, and being in general a skittish person. Darcy, in this version, is pretty much a randy rogue, reminding me way too much of a Mr Wickham, and someone who takes what he wants even when asked to stop.
The book is well written. I recommend it with these reservations.
The book summary gives a very good synopsis. While visiting Charlotte Collins at Hunsford Parsonage, Elizabeth decides to take Lady Catherine's advice and practice piano in Mrs Jenkinson's room. With poor directions from a scullery maid, she gets lost at Rosings and inadvertently enters Darcy's room while he's washing up. She's embarrassed, he's amused, and tries to take her himself to the correct room. They get waylaid by female voices coming their way, and hide out in an unused room, not wanting to be caught alone together. This starts a chain of events that profoundly shocks both Elizabeth and Darcy, but also begins a change of heart for Elizabeth as she learns that Darcy isn't the uptight and arrogant man that she believed.
The story is written in the first person POV, alternating between Elizabeth and Darcy. The entire book is done with an extremely tongue-in-cheek attitude, with constant witty banter between characters. There are some nice surprises and not much angst or drama. I deducted stars for a couple of reasons. One is the excessive length of the book. Since it's first person POV, we're treated to every thought going through either Elizabeth's or Darcy's head. But I feel this could have been condensed somewhat by not including every single thought, tangent thought, and qualifier thought all the time. Also many of these thoughts were rehashing ideas and events that had already been thoroughly covered. The other reason is the very OOC behavior of both Elizabeth and Darcy. I don't like it when Elizabeth is so much like her mother, being easily flustered, nervous all the time, and being in general a skittish person. Darcy, in this version, is pretty much a randy rogue, reminding me way too much of a Mr Wickham, and someone who takes what he wants even when asked to stop.
The book is well written. I recommend it with these reservations.
January 28, 2026
I loved it!
Warning: Meant for mature audiences. Contains sexual 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. Simultaneously playful and daring, this story offers readers a witty, modern exploration of forbidden love, female friendship, and the courage it takes to claim one’s own happiness amidst the relentless expectations of Regency England. Perfect for fans of Austen’s classic and those eager for a fresh, audacious take on the world of Pride and Prejudice.
Prepare to be swept into a bold reimagining of Jane Austen’s world, where secrets lurk behind every ornate door at Rosings Park. When Elizabeth Bennet accepts Lady Catherine’s challenge to improve her pianoforte skills, she soon finds herself entangled in a series of misadventures, beginning with a mortifying blunder that lands her in Mr Darcy’s private chambers by mistake. Yet, nothing could prepare her for what she overhears soon after, a forbidden liaison that will shatter her assumptions about propriety, love, and the people she thought she knew best.
As Elizabeth and Darcy are forced into a pact of silence about the clandestine romance they witness, their mutual prejudices and misunderstandings begin to shift. Beneath Lady Catherine’s watchful eye, hidden desires and loyal friendships are put to the ultimate test. 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.
Warning: Meant for mature audiences. Contains sexual 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. Simultaneously playful and daring, this story offers readers a witty, modern exploration of forbidden love, female friendship, and the courage it takes to claim one’s own happiness amidst the relentless expectations of Regency England. Perfect for fans of Austen’s classic and those eager for a fresh, audacious take on the world of Pride and Prejudice.
Prepare to be swept into a bold reimagining of Jane Austen’s world, where secrets lurk behind every ornate door at Rosings Park. When Elizabeth Bennet accepts Lady Catherine’s challenge to improve her pianoforte skills, she soon finds herself entangled in a series of misadventures, beginning with a mortifying blunder that lands her in Mr Darcy’s private chambers by mistake. Yet, nothing could prepare her for what she overhears soon after, a forbidden liaison that will shatter her assumptions about propriety, love, and the people she thought she knew best.
As Elizabeth and Darcy are forced into a pact of silence about the clandestine romance they witness, their mutual prejudices and misunderstandings begin to shift. Beneath Lady Catherine’s watchful eye, hidden desires and loyal friendships are put to the ultimate test. 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.
January 25, 2026
Good story, but...
This book was good. I really liked the way the author wrote Darcy as having a delightful sense of humor and playfulness that is not normally seen. Elizabeth doesn't get into nasty arguments with Darcy over misunderstandings or others whispering poison in her ear. The overdone Wickham/Lydia trope is not here, Lady CdB is a delight and there are no Bingley sisters! There is quite a bit of humor from almost all the characters which made the story more enjoyable. However, be aware there are scenes of a sexual nature sprinkled throughout.
So why did I give it just 3 stars? The constant {and I do mean constant!!} use of the words wry, wryly and rueful. From reading other books from this author, these seem to be her favorite descriptive words. Unfortunately, they appear so frustratingly often that I was grinding my teeth throughout the majority of the book. If I never read a book with those 3 words being used again, it will be too soon! It really is a shame that a good story is overshadowed by the overuse of something so extremely annoying that it has me questioning whether I will read another book by this author. On one hand that would be a shame because she does have really good ideas. On the other hand, I prefer to keep my good mental health.
This book was good. I really liked the way the author wrote Darcy as having a delightful sense of humor and playfulness that is not normally seen. Elizabeth doesn't get into nasty arguments with Darcy over misunderstandings or others whispering poison in her ear. The overdone Wickham/Lydia trope is not here, Lady CdB is a delight and there are no Bingley sisters! There is quite a bit of humor from almost all the characters which made the story more enjoyable. However, be aware there are scenes of a sexual nature sprinkled throughout.
So why did I give it just 3 stars? The constant {and I do mean constant!!} use of the words wry, wryly and rueful. From reading other books from this author, these seem to be her favorite descriptive words. Unfortunately, they appear so frustratingly often that I was grinding my teeth throughout the majority of the book. If I never read a book with those 3 words being used again, it will be too soon! It really is a shame that a good story is overshadowed by the overuse of something so extremely annoying that it has me questioning whether I will read another book by this author. On one hand that would be a shame because she does have really good ideas. On the other hand, I prefer to keep my good mental health.
November 13, 2025
Enjoyable
A good read. Comedy in spots. I gave it four stars because, I found myself flipping through pages because it was dragging on and on on feelings that were repeated In prior statements. The scandalous secret could of been two things, actually. Charlotte's or Elizabeth's?
A good read. Comedy in spots. I gave it four stars because, I found myself flipping through pages because it was dragging on and on on feelings that were repeated In prior statements. The scandalous secret could of been two things, actually. Charlotte's or Elizabeth's?
December 13, 2025
A very fun read!
This is a book I would highly recommend to any P&P fan. A very enjoyable read that I couldn't bear to put down! My only issue is the word 'eloquent' is used way too much, sometimes even twice in the same page! There was a chapter or two where it drove me crazy, all 'eloquent looks' 'eloquent smiles' repeated multiple times. Great other than that.
This is a book I would highly recommend to any P&P fan. A very enjoyable read that I couldn't bear to put down! My only issue is the word 'eloquent' is used way too much, sometimes even twice in the same page! There was a chapter or two where it drove me crazy, all 'eloquent looks' 'eloquent smiles' repeated multiple times. Great other than that.
December 21, 2025
I am in awe
All right, this is my first book by E. Bradshaw and is not going to be the last that’s for sure. I love this version Bradshaw concocted, Darcy and Elizabeth were absolutely fantastic, their sense of humor was amazing. I believe I like this version of Darcy better than anything I have read in the recent past. I absolutely recommend. Happy reading.
All right, this is my first book by E. Bradshaw and is not going to be the last that’s for sure. I love this version Bradshaw concocted, Darcy and Elizabeth were absolutely fantastic, their sense of humor was amazing. I believe I like this version of Darcy better than anything I have read in the recent past. I absolutely recommend. Happy reading.
January 11, 2026
DNF @ 40%
Long and repetitive, found myself skimming large sections. The initial “scandal” changes very little except Elizabeth’s feelings and that doesn’t make sense with Darcy’s behaviour. I didn’t like how he treated her at the proposal, it felt very coercive. The parallels between her discomfort and Georgiana’s situation were strong.
Long and repetitive, found myself skimming large sections. The initial “scandal” changes very little except Elizabeth’s feelings and that doesn’t make sense with Darcy’s behaviour. I didn’t like how he treated her at the proposal, it felt very coercive. The parallels between her discomfort and Georgiana’s situation were strong.
December 8, 2025
This book was so long and delicious I reread it immediately after finishing it. Excellent
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews