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How It Would Be: A Short, Sweet Pride and Prejudice Birthday Story in Celebration of Jane Austen's 250th
Written in honor of Jane Austen's 250th Birthday, "How It Would Be" is a short story of 11,000 words.
As Mrs. Bennet's forty-sixth birthday approaches, her one birthday wish is simple...or so she claims. To see her last unmarried daughter finally wed. With Elizabeth Darcy hosting a splendid garden party in Ramsgate in her mother’s honor, Mrs. Bennet declares it the perfect occasion to double as a wedding breakfast for Mary...if only a suitable groom can be found in time. Unfortunately for Mary, her mother’s idea of “suitable” is the most intolerable man visiting Ramsgate. Mortified by her mother’s schemes, Mary finds herself retreating into unexpectedly easy conversation with the one gentleman she has always found interesting, though she would never admit it aloud. As the summer unfolds, with Mrs. Bennet plotting schemes at a dizzying pace, Mary must decide whether to open her heart. Will the visit end with the sound of wedding bells or another of Mrs. Bennet’s melodramatic sighs? A witty, romantic short story of mistaken intentions, meddling mothers, and a quiet young woman’s discovery that the best love stories are sometimes the ones that bloom under everyone’s nose.
As Mrs. Bennet's forty-sixth birthday approaches, her one birthday wish is simple...or so she claims. To see her last unmarried daughter finally wed. With Elizabeth Darcy hosting a splendid garden party in Ramsgate in her mother’s honor, Mrs. Bennet declares it the perfect occasion to double as a wedding breakfast for Mary...if only a suitable groom can be found in time. Unfortunately for Mary, her mother’s idea of “suitable” is the most intolerable man visiting Ramsgate. Mortified by her mother’s schemes, Mary finds herself retreating into unexpectedly easy conversation with the one gentleman she has always found interesting, though she would never admit it aloud. As the summer unfolds, with Mrs. Bennet plotting schemes at a dizzying pace, Mary must decide whether to open her heart. Will the visit end with the sound of wedding bells or another of Mrs. Bennet’s melodramatic sighs? A witty, romantic short story of mistaken intentions, meddling mothers, and a quiet young woman’s discovery that the best love stories are sometimes the ones that bloom under everyone’s nose.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 17, 2025
Short and sweet
"I knew how it would be...." Mrs. Bennet favorite prideful cry whenever she successfully married off a daughter.
Well successfully in hers eyes.
While it was sad to learn of Wentworth'S first wife. Mary seemed the perfect replacement.
"I knew how it would be...." Mrs. Bennet favorite prideful cry whenever she successfully married off a daughter.
Well successfully in hers eyes.
While it was sad to learn of Wentworth'S first wife. Mary seemed the perfect replacement.
December 17, 2025
What a treat for Jane Austen's 250th birthday! This was a sweet, well-written mash-up of Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. It features my favorite character from P+P...Mary Bennet. It was fun to catch up on characters from both novels and it a happy ending with a surprising and happy epilogue! Thank you to author Caroline Cartier for this lovely little gem!
December 16, 2025
I strongly disapprove of
a certain element of the backstory.
The happiness of a certain character
resulting from that is of paramount importance
to me!
a certain element of the backstory.
The happiness of a certain character
resulting from that is of paramount importance
to me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews