What do you think?
Rate this book
Her Memories, Forged In Fire: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Elizabeth was a very young child when she is discovered outside an inn which was burning, killing all inside. She is found by the Gardiners at an orphanage, where she has not spoken since the fire. The couple adopt her, bringing out the joyous nature we all know in our dear girl. The Gardiners moved to Lambton to aid Mrs Gardiner's father run his shop. Darcy meets her at the mercantile and falls in love. But there is another suitor for Elizabeth. One who does not appreciate her attention to Darcy. They learn more and more about Elizabeth's family and discover a horror which she had narrowly escaped. But the past doesn't want to stay in the past.
This book has been reloaded. Sorry for any inconvenience.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 11, 2025
27 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Schertz
47 books59 followersI am a retired crime lab/crime scene technician, having worked for a local police department for 15 years. Since then, I have become disabled. Forgot to get the extended warranty on the body. In my spare time, I make jewelry, am a photographer, and a full time mom and grandma.
My daughter by birth is Catie, and she is the dearest part of my life. Through her, I have 2 daughters by heart, Heather and Kristina. Through Heather and her awesome man, Stan, I have 4 amazing grandchildren, Purgi, Penne, Myles, and Persephene.
Besides my human family, I have a canine son, who is my service dog, Darcy. I also have 4 feline daughters (Salem, Lizzy, Dagonet, and Freya ). I now have 5 grandpuppies, 2 grandkitties.
Two days after I received my first ever royalty check, I adopted Darcy and Lizzy. Fitting names, I thought. And they resemble the characters. Lizzy is mischievous, yet loving, climbing up high as if she were in a tree. Darcy is extremely protective and loving. He has his shy side, which is clear when around some people, until he comes to know he can trust them.
My daughter by birth is Catie, and she is the dearest part of my life. Through her, I have 2 daughters by heart, Heather and Kristina. Through Heather and her awesome man, Stan, I have 4 amazing grandchildren, Purgi, Penne, Myles, and Persephene.
Besides my human family, I have a canine son, who is my service dog, Darcy. I also have 4 feline daughters (Salem, Lizzy, Dagonet, and Freya ). I now have 5 grandpuppies, 2 grandkitties.
Two days after I received my first ever royalty check, I adopted Darcy and Lizzy. Fitting names, I thought. And they resemble the characters. Lizzy is mischievous, yet loving, climbing up high as if she were in a tree. Darcy is extremely protective and loving. He has his shy side, which is clear when around some people, until he comes to know he can trust them.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 6, 2026
Interesting
A fanciful tale in which Elizabeth is the only survivor of a fire at an inn in Derbyshire when she's six years old. After her trauma she doesn't speak for two years, is an orphan, and is adopted when she's eight by the Gardiners. In Lambton to assist Mrs Gardiner's sick father, Darcy meets nineteen year old Elizabeth helping Mr Gardiner in a shop owned by his father-in-law. Darcy is instantly smitten, and before many weeks have passed Elizabeth accepts his proposal. Subsequent events and circumstances cause Elizabeth to regain her memories that have been suppressed since the fateful fire.
This is a light and fanciful story in which Elizabeth is everything wonderful, and Darcy just has to have her, even though she's working in a shop and her parents are tradespeople. This is, of course, completely OOC for our fastidious and cautious Darcy, but oh well. There are some pretty awful villains in the story, but they're also very peculiar. Mrs Younge, the sinister companion of Georgiana Darcy, makes some weird threats against Elizabeth, but that story thread is never resolved, it's just dropped. I like the premise, it's an original idea. However, the book could really use proofreading. There are a lot of glaring mistakes, such as saying more than once that Darcy graduated from Harvard University. There are many such errors, enough to interrupt the flow of the story. I recommend the book with reservations.
A fanciful tale in which Elizabeth is the only survivor of a fire at an inn in Derbyshire when she's six years old. After her trauma she doesn't speak for two years, is an orphan, and is adopted when she's eight by the Gardiners. In Lambton to assist Mrs Gardiner's sick father, Darcy meets nineteen year old Elizabeth helping Mr Gardiner in a shop owned by his father-in-law. Darcy is instantly smitten, and before many weeks have passed Elizabeth accepts his proposal. Subsequent events and circumstances cause Elizabeth to regain her memories that have been suppressed since the fateful fire.
This is a light and fanciful story in which Elizabeth is everything wonderful, and Darcy just has to have her, even though she's working in a shop and her parents are tradespeople. This is, of course, completely OOC for our fastidious and cautious Darcy, but oh well. There are some pretty awful villains in the story, but they're also very peculiar. Mrs Younge, the sinister companion of Georgiana Darcy, makes some weird threats against Elizabeth, but that story thread is never resolved, it's just dropped. I like the premise, it's an original idea. However, the book could really use proofreading. There are a lot of glaring mistakes, such as saying more than once that Darcy graduated from Harvard University. There are many such errors, enough to interrupt the flow of the story. I recommend the book with reservations.
January 13, 2026
I liked paets of this book others not so much.
It was hit and miss for me.
It was hit and miss for me.
December 29, 2025
Good story, but too many errors…..
If this is the revised version, I would hate to have seen the original.
The good: the basic plot, the interpretations of Darcy, Elizabeth, the Gardiners and Richard, and the non-appearance of the Bennets, Lady C, Mr. Collins and Wickham.
The not-so-good: repetition of quotations (such as “… polluting the shades of Pemberley”), the frequent statements of love and devotion for ODC and from Elizabeth to the Gardiners.
The ugly: the editing! There were incomplete sentences, misspelled words, incorrectly used words and other grammatical errors that significantly disrupted the story and reduced the reader’s enjoyment.
Worth reading if you can overlook the errors for the interesting plot. Suggest KU where possible.
If this is the revised version, I would hate to have seen the original.
The good: the basic plot, the interpretations of Darcy, Elizabeth, the Gardiners and Richard, and the non-appearance of the Bennets, Lady C, Mr. Collins and Wickham.
The not-so-good: repetition of quotations (such as “… polluting the shades of Pemberley”), the frequent statements of love and devotion for ODC and from Elizabeth to the Gardiners.
The ugly: the editing! There were incomplete sentences, misspelled words, incorrectly used words and other grammatical errors that significantly disrupted the story and reduced the reader’s enjoyment.
Worth reading if you can overlook the errors for the interesting plot. Suggest KU where possible.
January 20, 2026
disappointed
This was one of the worse stories I’ve ever read by this author. It was done in a very piecemeal manner. She did not develop the storylines. Example Mrs Younge, Richard’s plan for following through re her antics. There were a lot of misspelled words and discrepancies about how Darcy met Bingley. For example, the author states that Darcy attended Oxford with Jackson character. However, later in the story, Darcy states he attended Harvard with Bingley. What a big error. I was very disappointed with this story. Not at all what I was used to from this author.
This was one of the worse stories I’ve ever read by this author. It was done in a very piecemeal manner. She did not develop the storylines. Example Mrs Younge, Richard’s plan for following through re her antics. There were a lot of misspelled words and discrepancies about how Darcy met Bingley. For example, the author states that Darcy attended Oxford with Jackson character. However, later in the story, Darcy states he attended Harvard with Bingley. What a big error. I was very disappointed with this story. Not at all what I was used to from this author.
December 15, 2025
Interesting
As an author with several books you would think to have your work edited. It throws off the flow. There are sentences with either the incorrect word or missing word. Also the wrong named was used for the child where the boy had climbed out the window.
I haven’t written a review on this issue before with the previous books purchased but by now I would expect improvement not the same issues.
As an author with several books you would think to have your work edited. It throws off the flow. There are sentences with either the incorrect word or missing word. Also the wrong named was used for the child where the boy had climbed out the window.
I haven’t written a review on this issue before with the previous books purchased but by now I would expect improvement not the same issues.
December 18, 2025
Enjoyed
I always have enjoyed reading the books by this author. The storyline is very good and Elizabeth and Darcy have their HEA. Lady Catherine and Wickham was just a mention in the book. But, there was another villain that had to be dealt with. There were some problems with editing but, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. Just keep writing these enjoyable stories and I will keep reading them!
I always have enjoyed reading the books by this author. The storyline is very good and Elizabeth and Darcy have their HEA. Lady Catherine and Wickham was just a mention in the book. But, there was another villain that had to be dealt with. There were some problems with editing but, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. Just keep writing these enjoyable stories and I will keep reading them!
December 16, 2025
INTERESTING
This is a pretty sweet short story. Not as crazy as the author’s other stories. ODC get together early. Darcy is not arrogant. Most of the familiar villains are absent. There are several writing errors but I did find the story a nice read.
This is a pretty sweet short story. Not as crazy as the author’s other stories. ODC get together early. Darcy is not arrogant. Most of the familiar villains are absent. There are several writing errors but I did find the story a nice read.
December 30, 2025
Lovely
Another enjoyable and action packed variation inspired by Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Melanie Schertz. I liked it.
Another enjoyable and action packed variation inspired by Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Melanie Schertz. I liked it.
January 20, 2026
great story
Really no angst! No LcD, no Wickham, no bennets except Jane (at the end). Caroline only has a tiny part in which she’s her usual self, but Jane hits her!
Really no angst! No LcD, no Wickham, no bennets except Jane (at the end). Caroline only has a tiny part in which she’s her usual self, but Jane hits her!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews