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Second Impressions: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Once, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet were foes, then tenuous friends. After Elizabeth discovers Darcy is engaged to another woman, she flees to Boston to seek solace with her cousin, the brash and worldly Emeline Poston. When she returns to England after years abroad. Elizabeth must face the man who shattered her heart. Does she have the courage to seek out the man with whom she fell in love -- whatever the cost? Fitzwilliam Darcy has spent his days regretting what might have been and his nights are tormented by decisions he has made. His life in tatters, he can barely face the once-respectable man in his mirror or the baby girl in Pemberley's nursery. Now that Elizabeth has returned, will he atone for his mistakes and win her heart for good. This alternate path reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice is recommended for adult readers.
- GenresRomance
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 10, 2016
22 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Amy George
21 books5 followersAmy George is a middle-aged woman who hates her "old lady/grown-up" car and refuses to listen to its radio at a reasonable volume, especially when the Beastie Boys or the Violent Femmes are playing. She lives in a town in the middle of the country where the county fair is one of the biggest social events of the season and everything is fried. Her household consists of a dog, a cat, a man, a hermit, and stubborn soap scum.
She has been writing since she was a child and was a frequent contributor to the Hyacinth Gardens, a popular but defunct JAFF site.
She has been writing since she was a child and was a frequent contributor to the Hyacinth Gardens, a popular but defunct JAFF site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 1, 2023
For a relatively short book, this sure has a lot going on! Elizabeth has been living in Boston with her cousin, Emeline Poston, ever since Jane's marriage to Charles Bingley, heartbroken that Mr. Darcy never returned to Longbourn after Lydia married Mr. Wickham. She's now returning to England, accompanied by Emeline, to spend time with Jane during her second confinement and to meet her toddler niece and nephew, Claire and Charles-Thomas Bingley.
The Bennets have fared well in Elizabeth’s absence. Jane has developed an amazing aptitude for matchmaking. Thanks to her efforts, Mary is contentedly married and Kitty is happily being courted. Mr. Bennet is less than pleased now that all his daughters are marrying, leaving him stuck alone with his wife, who continues to be as ridiculous as ever. Jane sets her sights on finding the right gentleman for Emeline and reuniting Elizabeth and Darcy.
When Darcy arrives at a ball the Bingleys host, his broken, haunted appearance shocks Elizabeth. Georgiana married not long after the Bingleys and no longer lives at Pemberley, so he is alone. He has become a reclusive drunk, a widower who feels tremendous guilt for the death of his wife during childbirth, especially since he never loved her. My heart went out to him reading about all his pain. This is a man who had already been orphaned and taken on the responsibility for a huge estate at a young age, was thrust into a world where people always wanted a piece of him because of his wealth, and then finally fell in love but was flatly rejected. The past two years, certain Elizabeth was lost to him forever once she sailed to America, he reluctantly settled for a marriage of convenience, continuing to love Elizabeth throughout his brief marriage, and then felt torn between relief and guilt when his wife died. I can understand how he finally just broke down and that he’s been too shattered to reach out to his little daughter Grace.
Emeline has other problems. She doesn't fit the mold of the sweet, submissive English gentlewoman. Her father (ironically, another widower) raised her alone and brought her with him all over the world. She chafes at restrictive social customs and prefers a more straightforward approach that would repel most British gentlemen. But Jack Dalton, a notorious rake, bumps into her in Lambton and then they are formally introduced (by Jane, of course) at the Bingley ball. They feel an instant attraction since Jack also isn't big on following rules, but Emeline resists because she doesn't want to cause a scandal that would adversely affect her Bennet cousins. However, that's the least of her problems when a man from her past unexpectedly shows up.
I was frankly impressed with how much character development was packed into this little book. Emeline has the largest role here, but Jack, Elizabeth, Darcy, Grace, Jane, Charles, Claire, Charles-Thomas, Kitty, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Jenny West (Emeline's maid), and even Davinia Foster, who has a small role as Grace's nursemaid, all came across as well-defined characters to me. I mean, Mrs. Bennet is only in one scene, but between comments from her family and her behavior when she does appear, you can tell exactly what she's about!
Other reviewers have mentioned that the story felt rushed, and I admit that it moves along quickly, but it did not feel rushed to me. I really enjoyed it, beginning to end, and I appreciated the short length.
The Bennets have fared well in Elizabeth’s absence. Jane has developed an amazing aptitude for matchmaking. Thanks to her efforts, Mary is contentedly married and Kitty is happily being courted. Mr. Bennet is less than pleased now that all his daughters are marrying, leaving him stuck alone with his wife, who continues to be as ridiculous as ever. Jane sets her sights on finding the right gentleman for Emeline and reuniting Elizabeth and Darcy.
When Darcy arrives at a ball the Bingleys host, his broken, haunted appearance shocks Elizabeth. Georgiana married not long after the Bingleys and no longer lives at Pemberley, so he is alone. He has become a reclusive drunk, a widower who feels tremendous guilt for the death of his wife during childbirth, especially since he never loved her. My heart went out to him reading about all his pain. This is a man who had already been orphaned and taken on the responsibility for a huge estate at a young age, was thrust into a world where people always wanted a piece of him because of his wealth, and then finally fell in love but was flatly rejected. The past two years, certain Elizabeth was lost to him forever once she sailed to America, he reluctantly settled for a marriage of convenience, continuing to love Elizabeth throughout his brief marriage, and then felt torn between relief and guilt when his wife died. I can understand how he finally just broke down and that he’s been too shattered to reach out to his little daughter Grace.
Emeline has other problems. She doesn't fit the mold of the sweet, submissive English gentlewoman. Her father (ironically, another widower) raised her alone and brought her with him all over the world. She chafes at restrictive social customs and prefers a more straightforward approach that would repel most British gentlemen. But Jack Dalton, a notorious rake, bumps into her in Lambton and then they are formally introduced (by Jane, of course) at the Bingley ball. They feel an instant attraction since Jack also isn't big on following rules, but Emeline resists because she doesn't want to cause a scandal that would adversely affect her Bennet cousins. However, that's the least of her problems when a man from her past unexpectedly shows up.
I was frankly impressed with how much character development was packed into this little book. Emeline has the largest role here, but Jack, Elizabeth, Darcy, Grace, Jane, Charles, Claire, Charles-Thomas, Kitty, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Jenny West (Emeline's maid), and even Davinia Foster, who has a small role as Grace's nursemaid, all came across as well-defined characters to me. I mean, Mrs. Bennet is only in one scene, but between comments from her family and her behavior when she does appear, you can tell exactly what she's about!
Other reviewers have mentioned that the story felt rushed, and I admit that it moves along quickly, but it did not feel rushed to me. I really enjoyed it, beginning to end, and I appreciated the short length.
August 15, 2016
There were parts of the book I liked and parts I didn't.
Two of the parts I didn't like were Darcy and Lizzy neither of which are very mature nor likeable and in my estimation the more I learn of this dull, desperate, drunken Darcy the less I like him. I didn't find the way the characters reunited believable and I didn't find the setting believable. Yes the story is set in Regency England but most of the characters act and behave like it is 1960s.
These aren't necessarily obvious anachronisms but more of a feeling:
Lizzy notes that Jane's 2 year old daughter looked just like Jane at that age. But Jane is 2 years older than Lizzy so it is extremely unlikely Lizzy remembers what Jane looked like at 2. It is unlike the Bennets had a portrait of Jane made at 2.
Women travel around alone. Lizzy and her cousin traveling to and from the US. Another character traveling 1/2 way around the world.
None of these are story killers but they added to my overall sense of unease regarding the book.
Two of the parts I didn't like were Darcy and Lizzy neither of which are very mature nor likeable and in my estimation the more I learn of this dull, desperate, drunken Darcy the less I like him. I didn't find the way the characters reunited believable and I didn't find the setting believable. Yes the story is set in Regency England but most of the characters act and behave like it is 1960s.
These aren't necessarily obvious anachronisms but more of a feeling:
Lizzy notes that Jane's 2 year old daughter looked just like Jane at that age. But Jane is 2 years older than Lizzy so it is extremely unlikely Lizzy remembers what Jane looked like at 2. It is unlike the Bennets had a portrait of Jane made at 2.
Women travel around alone. Lizzy and her cousin traveling to and from the US. Another character traveling 1/2 way around the world.
None of these are story killers but they added to my overall sense of unease regarding the book.
August 17, 2016
If at first impression you don’t succeed, then try for the second. **Mature audience notice**
This has to be the most beautiful book cover ever. I love the illustration of that baby. When I would read of her in the story I would picture that child from the cover in my mind’s eye. I think it made it more real for me.
Note: I considered giving a star for the cover alone... but decided against it as stars should be awarded on the writing and not the marketing strategies.
This was novella size so we have to know going in that the action will move at warp speed, the drama will intensify, resolutions will come about more quickly, timelines will speed up and questions won’t be answered to our satisfaction. Actually we were dumped right into the middle of the action with little to no explanation as to who, what, when, where or why things were as they were.
There were really parallel stories vying for our attention in this novella.
In the first story, you have Austen’s P&P characters with Darcy and Elizabeth almost as secondary characters. At the center of their story we have everyone pushing the action for their reconciliation, except themselves. You have dialogue from other JA novels making an appearance whether by design or accident. When they started talking about Darcy’s appearance being so altered, I could almost hear the dialogue from Persuasion about Anne Elliot’s altered appearance. By chapter 3 we see Darcy with PTSD-like symptoms as he suffers nightmares caused by horrible memories and experiences.
I thought ODC would never get over their pride and prejudice so they could say what was in their hearts. They kept circling and taking verbal swipes at each other only to then spend the rest of the chapter in grief and despair over their lost love and gripped with fear that they would never be together. The scenes with Darcy, Elizabeth and baby Grace will break your heart. It was so sad at first but then the healing takes place and such tenderness just exudes from the page. Their resolution was hard fought. I did not like this Darcy. I suppose we could call him the dark Darcy. Perhaps the author wanted to show how Elizabeth’s presence made a difference in his life.
Jane was a really strong character in this variation. She and Bingley were the hub that everything else revolved around. Mr. Bennet and Kitty were well represented. Mrs. Bennet was a very minor presence in the story. The other sisters were only mentioned briefly.
The second and central story dealt with Emeline Poston, the Bennet’s American cousin. She was a Thoroughly Modern Millie type of character with modern speech, behavior, actions, and an American attitude that displayed a total disregard for British propriety and rules of the era. She had the audacity to wear britches under her dress and ride astride. The catalyst for our action and drama was in the form of an acquaintance from her past that wouldn’t take no for an answer. The action turned deadly for our couple and their HEA was hard earned.
***There were scenes that were for a more mature audience, with explicit sexual content, and a brief scene of violence.
There wasn’t a lot in the Epilogue; however, it did solve the two wagers that were made earlier in the book. One wager in particular was of major proportions. How cute. It is not wise to wager against Jane.
This has to be the most beautiful book cover ever. I love the illustration of that baby. When I would read of her in the story I would picture that child from the cover in my mind’s eye. I think it made it more real for me.
Note: I considered giving a star for the cover alone... but decided against it as stars should be awarded on the writing and not the marketing strategies.
This was novella size so we have to know going in that the action will move at warp speed, the drama will intensify, resolutions will come about more quickly, timelines will speed up and questions won’t be answered to our satisfaction. Actually we were dumped right into the middle of the action with little to no explanation as to who, what, when, where or why things were as they were.
There were really parallel stories vying for our attention in this novella.
In the first story, you have Austen’s P&P characters with Darcy and Elizabeth almost as secondary characters. At the center of their story we have everyone pushing the action for their reconciliation, except themselves. You have dialogue from other JA novels making an appearance whether by design or accident. When they started talking about Darcy’s appearance being so altered, I could almost hear the dialogue from Persuasion about Anne Elliot’s altered appearance. By chapter 3 we see Darcy with PTSD-like symptoms as he suffers nightmares caused by horrible memories and experiences.
I thought ODC would never get over their pride and prejudice so they could say what was in their hearts. They kept circling and taking verbal swipes at each other only to then spend the rest of the chapter in grief and despair over their lost love and gripped with fear that they would never be together. The scenes with Darcy, Elizabeth and baby Grace will break your heart. It was so sad at first but then the healing takes place and such tenderness just exudes from the page. Their resolution was hard fought. I did not like this Darcy. I suppose we could call him the dark Darcy. Perhaps the author wanted to show how Elizabeth’s presence made a difference in his life.
Jane was a really strong character in this variation. She and Bingley were the hub that everything else revolved around. Mr. Bennet and Kitty were well represented. Mrs. Bennet was a very minor presence in the story. The other sisters were only mentioned briefly.
The second and central story dealt with Emeline Poston, the Bennet’s American cousin. She was a Thoroughly Modern Millie type of character with modern speech, behavior, actions, and an American attitude that displayed a total disregard for British propriety and rules of the era. She had the audacity to wear britches under her dress and ride astride. The catalyst for our action and drama was in the form of an acquaintance from her past that wouldn’t take no for an answer. The action turned deadly for our couple and their HEA was hard earned.
***There were scenes that were for a more mature audience, with explicit sexual content, and a brief scene of violence.
There wasn’t a lot in the Epilogue; however, it did solve the two wagers that were made earlier in the book. One wager in particular was of major proportions. How cute. It is not wise to wager against Jane.
August 14, 2016
3.5 stars
I was disappointed in this book. There was a lot of hype about the cover, which is beautiful, but the reviews were not there when it became available on KU for me. So I bought it and read it in one evening.
There is little background as to when and how Elizabeth realized she was in love with Darcy and then why she fled. The book description tells us E. discovers he is engaged to Anne. Do tell: when and how this happened. Did he cave in to his aunt and/or other relatives? Did he tell Elizabeth he had such an obligation? There are hints she received his Hunsford/Rosings letter as she recognizes his handwriting. So if she received his letter that implies he proposed to Elizabeth.
Subsequently, they never went over how their feelings stayed the same or changed, etc. when they finally met again. Does he explain his nightmares? Does she reveal how she fled to avoid any contact with or even news about him. Even for cousin Emeline her background is not totally explained. At what age was she traveling alone with her father and how did she become educated? There is no mention that she had a governess or even companion. Her history with Talman Nusair was rather vague. Was she just experimenting with hormonal feelings and he took it more seriously? Just why is he using the term “wife”? This woman is an extreme renegade for Regency times. In today’s world she would fit in but then – never. She very much brought to mind Mary Woolstoncraft, whose personal life turned many against her diatribe for Women’s Rights.
Jane’s new characteristic was amusing but filled a role in this story. She has become a matchmaker and, with Bingley, knows more about what is needed by their sister and his dear friend. Darcy’s descent into depression and alcoholism is questionable. So he was engaged to Anne (and I still want to know the ins and outs here.) but obviously it was not a plutonic relationship. So he bedded her and has a child but he forms no relationship with the child. That doesn’t make sense to me. He bedded her to have an heir so then he is in denial about any need for a relationship with said child/heir?
We have three premises in this book: Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s second chance at love, Darcy’s relationship with his offspring and then cousin Emeline Poston’s role in Elizabeth’s life as well as Emeline’s declaration that she will never marry and where that leads the story.
I am not extremely fond of stories in which with Elizabeth or Darcy marry someone else and then perhaps have children. But I will read them. (I won’t read of rape or the selling of one’s body FOR ANY REASON.) This one did not come up to par for me, however, even in that group of JAFF stories.
I was disappointed in this book. There was a lot of hype about the cover, which is beautiful, but the reviews were not there when it became available on KU for me. So I bought it and read it in one evening.
There is little background as to when and how Elizabeth realized she was in love with Darcy and then why she fled. The book description tells us E. discovers he is engaged to Anne. Do tell: when and how this happened. Did he cave in to his aunt and/or other relatives? Did he tell Elizabeth he had such an obligation? There are hints she received his Hunsford/Rosings letter as she recognizes his handwriting. So if she received his letter that implies he proposed to Elizabeth.
Subsequently, they never went over how their feelings stayed the same or changed, etc. when they finally met again. Does he explain his nightmares? Does she reveal how she fled to avoid any contact with or even news about him. Even for cousin Emeline her background is not totally explained. At what age was she traveling alone with her father and how did she become educated? There is no mention that she had a governess or even companion. Her history with Talman Nusair was rather vague. Was she just experimenting with hormonal feelings and he took it more seriously? Just why is he using the term “wife”? This woman is an extreme renegade for Regency times. In today’s world she would fit in but then – never. She very much brought to mind Mary Woolstoncraft, whose personal life turned many against her diatribe for Women’s Rights.
Jane’s new characteristic was amusing but filled a role in this story. She has become a matchmaker and, with Bingley, knows more about what is needed by their sister and his dear friend. Darcy’s descent into depression and alcoholism is questionable. So he was engaged to Anne (and I still want to know the ins and outs here.) but obviously it was not a plutonic relationship. So he bedded her and has a child but he forms no relationship with the child. That doesn’t make sense to me. He bedded her to have an heir so then he is in denial about any need for a relationship with said child/heir?
We have three premises in this book: Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s second chance at love, Darcy’s relationship with his offspring and then cousin Emeline Poston’s role in Elizabeth’s life as well as Emeline’s declaration that she will never marry and where that leads the story.
I am not extremely fond of stories in which with Elizabeth or Darcy marry someone else and then perhaps have children. But I will read them. (I won’t read of rape or the selling of one’s body FOR ANY REASON.) This one did not come up to par for me, however, even in that group of JAFF stories.
June 6, 2021
Nicely written
Reviewed in Canada on May 1, 2019
Oh how I enjoy a book that has been given detail to proper editing. Thank you. Very good story as well.
June 4, 2021 — With my flimsy review above, I need to read this again. I don’t quite remember it.
June 5, 2021
After the re-read, I have to agree with the other reviewers who felt the backstory to Elizabeth’s reasons for fleeing to Boston was lacking, but it’s pretty easy to assume both their pride and stubbornness easily played a role. Later in the story we discover Elizabeth never knew Darcy aided in discovering Lydia, etc. He only married Anne after Elizabeth fled, so I can hardly blame him for feeling hopeless.
I thought the author did a marvelous job in expressing the emotions of the characters. Darcy’s melancholy was heartbreaking to me. Elizabeth’s role in reuniting him with Gracie was moving and emotional. I loved the matchmaker role for Jane, and especially loved Bingley’s strong and mature portrayal in this book. I am a Bingley fan, and am often disappointed in the wimpy portrayal he is often given. I wish more writers would do him justice like this. Recommend.
Reviewed in Canada on May 1, 2019
Oh how I enjoy a book that has been given detail to proper editing. Thank you. Very good story as well.
June 4, 2021 — With my flimsy review above, I need to read this again. I don’t quite remember it.
June 5, 2021
After the re-read, I have to agree with the other reviewers who felt the backstory to Elizabeth’s reasons for fleeing to Boston was lacking, but it’s pretty easy to assume both their pride and stubbornness easily played a role. Later in the story we discover Elizabeth never knew Darcy aided in discovering Lydia, etc. He only married Anne after Elizabeth fled, so I can hardly blame him for feeling hopeless.
I thought the author did a marvelous job in expressing the emotions of the characters. Darcy’s melancholy was heartbreaking to me. Elizabeth’s role in reuniting him with Gracie was moving and emotional. I loved the matchmaker role for Jane, and especially loved Bingley’s strong and mature portrayal in this book. I am a Bingley fan, and am often disappointed in the wimpy portrayal he is often given. I wish more writers would do him justice like this. Recommend.
February 11, 2019
3.5*
Dear Reader,
This story centres around Elizabeth's return from Boston with her cousin,Emmy.
Having fled England after Darcy's proposal, she now comes face to face with the man who has haunted her dreams for the past two years.
The man she encounters is but a shadow of his former proud, and disagreeable self.
Existing in self imposed exile,he too is haunted by the only woman he has loved,the one who got away.
Will ODC realise that they've wasted two years of their lives,lay bare their true feelings for each other and grasp happiness?
What of the little girl residing in Pemberley,is she ever to know her father's love?
And what will befall Emmy,a spirited,rich, fiery and fiercely independent lady?
This was a very short,fast paced,and,at times, quite rushed tale,and while I liked it,I thought the inclusion of both the Lizzy/Darcy and Emmy/Jack threads served to divide rather than unite the plot.
I felt that each was fighting for its share of the limelight,and although I wanted a HEA for both couples,I wanted more page time with Darcy and Elizabeth!
The inclusion of Emmy's other 'love interest' was a little mysterious,and I would love to have known more of their history together. Why,for example,did he call her and consider her his 'wife' and what exactly was the nature of their ill fated affair?
I received a copy of this book from Meryton Press,as I won it on the blog tour.
My thanks to all concerned for such.
Dear Reader,
This story centres around Elizabeth's return from Boston with her cousin,Emmy.
Having fled England after Darcy's proposal, she now comes face to face with the man who has haunted her dreams for the past two years.
The man she encounters is but a shadow of his former proud, and disagreeable self.
Existing in self imposed exile,he too is haunted by the only woman he has loved,the one who got away.
Will ODC realise that they've wasted two years of their lives,lay bare their true feelings for each other and grasp happiness?
What of the little girl residing in Pemberley,is she ever to know her father's love?
And what will befall Emmy,a spirited,rich, fiery and fiercely independent lady?
This was a very short,fast paced,and,at times, quite rushed tale,and while I liked it,I thought the inclusion of both the Lizzy/Darcy and Emmy/Jack threads served to divide rather than unite the plot.
I felt that each was fighting for its share of the limelight,and although I wanted a HEA for both couples,I wanted more page time with Darcy and Elizabeth!
The inclusion of Emmy's other 'love interest' was a little mysterious,and I would love to have known more of their history together. Why,for example,did he call her and consider her his 'wife' and what exactly was the nature of their ill fated affair?
I received a copy of this book from Meryton Press,as I won it on the blog tour.
My thanks to all concerned for such.
August 29, 2016
I liked this book, but it lacked depth in places that I would have really liked it. Darcy and Elizabeth start out the book already in love, and they have to do very little to clear up a couple of things and get together. All the obstacles seem like they should be difficult, but they really aren't. And a large part of the book focuses on Elizabeth's American cousin, Emmeline, and while she was fine, I would have preferred to just have more time with Elizabeth and Darcy. In general, I really enjoy the trope where Darcy is a widower (usually from Anne) with a kid, but there were so many missed opportunities there. So yeah. It was well-written, but rather shallow at times or reliant on quick tells rather than shows.
March 17, 2019
I spotted this one in someone else's list of recent reads and realized that hey, I have that one and haven't read it yet. I was curious again about this second chance romance variation for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice pair.
This one explores the what if premise of what would happen if Elizabeth had an 'ejector seat' from an uncomfortable situation and in the form of a cousin in America and hot-footed it out of things after the Huntsford Proposal?
Well, I now have the answer to that what if and I have mixed feelings about it.
First of all, I enjoy the author's original take on Jane and Bingley. They are a fun, solid couple whom I enjoyed in this after the happily ever after opportunity.
Secondly, while I thought she was a total anachronism, I had a good time with the Bennet's outrageous and outlandish female cousin, Emeline. I liked that side romance she had with other new character Jack.
A Darcy who had lost his chance at love and then underwent a further tragedy broke my heart. I was glad that he got to get his second chance since he tried to change for the woman he loved deeply and she was gone before he could show her that he took her reproof to heart.
It was also entertaining to see what happened with the rest of the gang in the two year period.
But...
Yeah, there are 'buts'. I found this novella, in several places, needed fleshing out. I was left to do a lot of conclusion jumping to understand how things are the way they are in this one particularly with the beginning and how things came to be the way they were. And, I was still hazy on the whys with some plot threads when it was finished. A few things were introduced that maybe shouldn't have been for a book of this length, like the past love interest for Emeline, because it felt like it was just there rather than necessary.
And, here's the big one. I didn't buy Elizabeth's drama-ridden escape across the pond. I am aware that authors writing variations are free to interpret the character and give her/him their own spin and I'm all for it. But, this version Elizabeth left me with no respect and a strong urge to lock her in a closet with Darcy so she can't run and so they can do the grown up thing... talk.
It wouldn't have been so bad if Darcy's two years and what happened to him weren't stacked up against her own. Elizabeth can't deal with her emotions so she races half-way across the world for two years. I waited to see if there was some twist in the story that I was missing just in case he was an ax murderer or something and that hadn't come out yet, but no... she judges, she assumes, she is out of there and won't even hear the man's name mentioned, blocking out even her family. Here again is the underdevelopment or unexplained issue. Where does all this pain, anger, and hidden love come from? Until that letter, the Elizabeth in P&P didn't love or even like Darcy. I can buy that she might not hate him any more after reading the letter and that she was starting to fall for him by the time she's back home, but such a huge alteration that would cause her to be heartbroken and must put a few thousand miles between them? Grab the sal volatile and buck up, Liz.
So, yeah... I liked several things about this story and was engaged emotionally, but a need for the story to be better teased out and my issue with Elizabeth left me moderately satisfied.
This one explores the what if premise of what would happen if Elizabeth had an 'ejector seat' from an uncomfortable situation and in the form of a cousin in America and hot-footed it out of things after the Huntsford Proposal?
Well, I now have the answer to that what if and I have mixed feelings about it.
First of all, I enjoy the author's original take on Jane and Bingley. They are a fun, solid couple whom I enjoyed in this after the happily ever after opportunity.
Secondly, while I thought she was a total anachronism, I had a good time with the Bennet's outrageous and outlandish female cousin, Emeline. I liked that side romance she had with other new character Jack.
A Darcy who had lost his chance at love and then underwent a further tragedy broke my heart. I was glad that he got to get his second chance since he tried to change for the woman he loved deeply and she was gone before he could show her that he took her reproof to heart.
It was also entertaining to see what happened with the rest of the gang in the two year period.
But...
Yeah, there are 'buts'. I found this novella, in several places, needed fleshing out. I was left to do a lot of conclusion jumping to understand how things are the way they are in this one particularly with the beginning and how things came to be the way they were. And, I was still hazy on the whys with some plot threads when it was finished. A few things were introduced that maybe shouldn't have been for a book of this length, like the past love interest for Emeline, because it felt like it was just there rather than necessary.
And, here's the big one. I didn't buy Elizabeth's drama-ridden escape across the pond. I am aware that authors writing variations are free to interpret the character and give her/him their own spin and I'm all for it. But, this version Elizabeth left me with no respect and a strong urge to lock her in a closet with Darcy so she can't run and so they can do the grown up thing... talk.
It wouldn't have been so bad if Darcy's two years and what happened to him weren't stacked up against her own. Elizabeth can't deal with her emotions so she races half-way across the world for two years. I waited to see if there was some twist in the story that I was missing just in case he was an ax murderer or something and that hadn't come out yet, but no... she judges, she assumes, she is out of there and won't even hear the man's name mentioned, blocking out even her family. Here again is the underdevelopment or unexplained issue. Where does all this pain, anger, and hidden love come from? Until that letter, the Elizabeth in P&P didn't love or even like Darcy. I can buy that she might not hate him any more after reading the letter and that she was starting to fall for him by the time she's back home, but such a huge alteration that would cause her to be heartbroken and must put a few thousand miles between them? Grab the sal volatile and buck up, Liz.
So, yeah... I liked several things about this story and was engaged emotionally, but a need for the story to be better teased out and my issue with Elizabeth left me moderately satisfied.
March 12, 2017
You can't judge a book by its cover--English idiom
It you did judge this book by its cover, you would think it was great! That child is in competition for the world's prettiest ever!
I was disappointed in the story though. We never really hear what happened at the Bingley wedding that caused Elizabeth to leave the country or Darcy to marry almost immediately after. The story is resolved with no explanation of the premise.
The story about the cousin seemed to be just an "add-on" without contributing anything to the D-E romance.
It you did judge this book by its cover, you would think it was great! That child is in competition for the world's prettiest ever!
I was disappointed in the story though. We never really hear what happened at the Bingley wedding that caused Elizabeth to leave the country or Darcy to marry almost immediately after. The story is resolved with no explanation of the premise.
The story about the cousin seemed to be just an "add-on" without contributing anything to the D-E romance.
December 2, 2023
I swore I read this one and Kindle had a banner on it that says I did. I even have a bookmark. This may have been one of the books I read prior to giving Goodreads stars? It still did not ring a bell AT ALL on the (2nd?) read.
The story is interesting-ish. Elizabeth runs off to Boston all sad panda when Big D doesn’t come back to Netherfield after the Lydia/Wicky scandal. A year later Big D is a sad panda cuz E ran off and marries his cousin who dies in childbirth but continues to be sad panda about E and gives his daughter E’s middle name. They come together with little drama or fuss
There’s a Bennet cousin - interesting character but her storyline becomes very Days of Our Lives. Jane & Bing have twins who are from my calculation a little over a year old and yet speak in full sentences.
The story is interesting-ish. Elizabeth runs off to Boston all sad panda when Big D doesn’t come back to Netherfield after the Lydia/Wicky scandal. A year later Big D is a sad panda cuz E ran off and marries his cousin who dies in childbirth but continues to be sad panda about E and gives his daughter E’s middle name. They come together with little drama or fuss
There’s a Bennet cousin - interesting character but her storyline becomes very Days of Our Lives. Jane & Bing have twins who are from my calculation a little over a year old and yet speak in full sentences.
August 21, 2016
Jane is the most awesome character in this book, followed closely by their cousin from America. Everyone must come to terms with their love and stay away from Mrs Bennett. There is a bit of mystery and a very quick ending.
November 6, 2024
Status: Read September 19, 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (2.5)
Edition Read:
Second Impressions: A Novella
by Amy George
Kindle Edition, First Edition, 148 pages
Published August 10, 2016 by Meryton Press
ASIN: B01K7T5LPC
[ kindle unlimited ]
Once, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet were foes, then tenuous friends. After Elizabeth discovers Darcy is engaged to another woman, she flees to Boston to seek solace with her cousin, the brash and worldly Emeline Poston.
When she returns to England after years abroad. Elizabeth must face the man who shattered her heart. Does she have the courage to seek out the man with whom she fell in love–whatever the cost?
Fitzwilliam Darcy has spent his days regretting what might have been and his nights are tormented by decisions he has made. His life in tatters, he can barely face the once-respectable man in his mirror or the baby girl in Pemberley's nursery. Now that Elizabeth has returned, will he atone for his mistakes and win her heart for good.
This alternate path reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice is recommended for adult readers.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (2.5)
Edition Read:
Second Impressions: A Novella
by Amy George
Kindle Edition, First Edition, 148 pages
Published August 10, 2016 by Meryton Press
ASIN: B01K7T5LPC
[ kindle unlimited ]
Once, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet were foes, then tenuous friends. After Elizabeth discovers Darcy is engaged to another woman, she flees to Boston to seek solace with her cousin, the brash and worldly Emeline Poston.
When she returns to England after years abroad. Elizabeth must face the man who shattered her heart. Does she have the courage to seek out the man with whom she fell in love–whatever the cost?
Fitzwilliam Darcy has spent his days regretting what might have been and his nights are tormented by decisions he has made. His life in tatters, he can barely face the once-respectable man in his mirror or the baby girl in Pemberley's nursery. Now that Elizabeth has returned, will he atone for his mistakes and win her heart for good.
This alternate path reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice is recommended for adult readers.
June 16, 2021
I vascilated between 2 and 3 on this. The writing was good, but I couldn't get behind the story. I think my expectations were all off on what it was going to be about.
It was pleasant to read such a strong Jane.
It was pleasant to read such a strong Jane.
September 14, 2021
I really loved this story. I recommend it to JAFF lovers provided they read the reviews and decide on their own what they might find enjoyable or objectionable. I thought based on its publication date that it is unique. I also thought it was romantic and sad, but joyous in the end for two couples. I loved the new characters, Emeline Poston, Jack Dalton, Davinia 'Davy' Foster (baby Grace's nurse,) and of course that baby!!, and Emeline's maid Jenny. This was really two romances in one short book, both having their dramatic-for different reasons-moments. I adored this Jane and Charles Bingley. Go Jane! I love a Jane who can still see the good in people but who has matured into a great mother, very competent mistress of her husband's estate, and a couple who have retained their marital love for each other and enabled each others strengths to flourish. This is not a plot review and for that I highly recommend Debbie's excellent review here, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I admit I'm susceptible to peer pressure here, and after reading seven or eight reviews from people I trust for their review talent I changed my 5* to 4*. I happened to like it very much which accounts for my original 5*. I am a pretty sloooow reader and I really read every sentence, repeating a sentence to be sure I got what the author is telling me. Therefore, I do not have the same complaints other reviewers had regarding lack of details. This is a novella; meaning short. Its name assumes you understand what P&P has going on before you read this. Most every complaint (I did not read any reviews before I read this book this time or on the first reading,) other reviewers have is actually NOT missing from this book at all. It's there. It may be only one sentence in the middle of a paragraph but it is there. We're all entitled to our opinions, of course! I do know that volume readers tend to speed through a story. With a true novella you'd better slow down and take in every word or you're likely to miss something the author wanted you to read. Also with a novella comes the ruthless chopping of details that really don't need to be there to convey the story arc. In all this I think the author succeeded, and I hope she will write more JAFF.
In the end I changed my 5* to a 4* because other would-be readers should know that there is controversy over ratings and there was just one small thing I found questionable. That was the age and stage of baby Grace and just how many months old she was and how many months Elizabeth stayed away from England.
I admit I'm susceptible to peer pressure here, and after reading seven or eight reviews from people I trust for their review talent I changed my 5* to 4*. I happened to like it very much which accounts for my original 5*. I am a pretty sloooow reader and I really read every sentence, repeating a sentence to be sure I got what the author is telling me. Therefore, I do not have the same complaints other reviewers had regarding lack of details. This is a novella; meaning short. Its name assumes you understand what P&P has going on before you read this. Most every complaint (I did not read any reviews before I read this book this time or on the first reading,) other reviewers have is actually NOT missing from this book at all. It's there. It may be only one sentence in the middle of a paragraph but it is there. We're all entitled to our opinions, of course! I do know that volume readers tend to speed through a story. With a true novella you'd better slow down and take in every word or you're likely to miss something the author wanted you to read. Also with a novella comes the ruthless chopping of details that really don't need to be there to convey the story arc. In all this I think the author succeeded, and I hope she will write more JAFF.
In the end I changed my 5* to a 4* because other would-be readers should know that there is controversy over ratings and there was just one small thing I found questionable. That was the age and stage of baby Grace and just how many months old she was and how many months Elizabeth stayed away from England.
January 2, 2018
Thrilling and passionate with a good plot.
Would have benefited from a little more depth and I have deducted a star because of it.
Darcy does not follow Bingley back to Hertfordshire after hunting down Wickham.
As a result, Elizabeth flees to her cousin in America to forget the man she once rejected.
Two years passed but Jane's second confinement brings Elizabeth back to English soil with her American cousin.
The Bingley's has relocated to Derbyshire, 3 miles west of Lambton.
Jane takes after her mother as the matchmaker and has her work cut out for her as Darcy and Elizabeth are reunited and her American cousin (who has sworn she will never marry) meets her handsome neighbour but her past catches up with her.
Life has not been kind to Mr Darcy who has secluded himself at Pemberley.
Heartily recommend this book!
Would have benefited from a little more depth and I have deducted a star because of it.
Darcy does not follow Bingley back to Hertfordshire after hunting down Wickham.
As a result, Elizabeth flees to her cousin in America to forget the man she once rejected.
Two years passed but Jane's second confinement brings Elizabeth back to English soil with her American cousin.
The Bingley's has relocated to Derbyshire, 3 miles west of Lambton.
Jane takes after her mother as the matchmaker and has her work cut out for her as Darcy and Elizabeth are reunited and her American cousin (who has sworn she will never marry) meets her handsome neighbour but her past catches up with her.
Life has not been kind to Mr Darcy who has secluded himself at Pemberley.
Heartily recommend this book!
February 10, 2019
Matchmaker Jane
Two stories in one. Lizzy has moved to Boston to live with her cousin Emiline to get away from Darcy when he doesn’t come for her after meeting him at Pemberley on a trip with the Gardiners.
Although the cousin was born in London she is a fullblown world traveling American so she is brash and independent. They both come back to be with Jane who is with child again after having married Bingley.
Janes hobby is finding loves matches for her family and the book is about finding matches for Lizzy and Emiline.
A very well written fun book. I recommend it.
Two stories in one. Lizzy has moved to Boston to live with her cousin Emiline to get away from Darcy when he doesn’t come for her after meeting him at Pemberley on a trip with the Gardiners.
Although the cousin was born in London she is a fullblown world traveling American so she is brash and independent. They both come back to be with Jane who is with child again after having married Bingley.
Janes hobby is finding loves matches for her family and the book is about finding matches for Lizzy and Emiline.
A very well written fun book. I recommend it.
August 30, 2016
This is a fine book if you are looking for a good bodice ripper with very little to no connection to Pride and Prejudice. Yes, there are characters in this book with names like Darcy, Elizabeth, Bingley, etc., but this is not really a Pride and Prejudice variation.
At the point in P&P when Bingley returns and proposes to Jane, Darcy did not return. Elizabeth saw him at the Bingley's wedding, but no further moves were made on either side. Being massively hurt, Elizabeth leaves England to spend a couple of years in Boston with her cousin Emmeline Poston. The timing appears a bit off here somehow, but Elizabeth returns when Jane has toddler twins and is expecting her third child, bringing her cousin along with her. In the meantime, Darcy married Anne de Bourgh who had his child and died. He suffers from terrible guilt and has become a shadow of the man he once was.
I stopped reading when Elizabeth was working her magic to reunite Darcy with his one year old child who is afraid of him and Emmeline's Egyptian lover was coming to England to seek her out. Emmeline has found a new lover, John (Jack) Dalton. Both men are obsessed with her and she cannot keep her hands off of Jack. Jane is congratulating herself on her matchmaking skills.
I threw up my hands and gave up on the book. I am sure it will be enjoyable to many readers, but I find nothing here to remind me of Jane Austen.
At the point in P&P when Bingley returns and proposes to Jane, Darcy did not return. Elizabeth saw him at the Bingley's wedding, but no further moves were made on either side. Being massively hurt, Elizabeth leaves England to spend a couple of years in Boston with her cousin Emmeline Poston. The timing appears a bit off here somehow, but Elizabeth returns when Jane has toddler twins and is expecting her third child, bringing her cousin along with her. In the meantime, Darcy married Anne de Bourgh who had his child and died. He suffers from terrible guilt and has become a shadow of the man he once was.
I stopped reading when Elizabeth was working her magic to reunite Darcy with his one year old child who is afraid of him and Emmeline's Egyptian lover was coming to England to seek her out. Emmeline has found a new lover, John (Jack) Dalton. Both men are obsessed with her and she cannot keep her hands off of Jack. Jane is congratulating herself on her matchmaking skills.
I threw up my hands and gave up on the book. I am sure it will be enjoyable to many readers, but I find nothing here to remind me of Jane Austen.
March 3, 2019
This is a strange one. Firstly, it’s not really a P&P variation as no one is in character. There’s also a lot of unregencylike behaviour, especially the amount of unchaperoned visiting. I did like the character of Jane portrayed here, but she definitely isn’t JA’s Jane. The writing is actually decent, but the shortness of the story and the amount of action crammed in makes the book lack depth & connection between characters/plots. Individual scenes were good but they didn’t join up. The Emmeline storyline didn’t fit in at all, it was jarring and took away from the P&P plot. It feels like the author wanted to write a book about Emmeline but wove it into P&P to make it sell. The Darcy-Elizabeth storyline needs so much more detail to make it believable. On one hand E left England to escape because she thought D didn’t love her, but when she returns she assumes he’s been pining for her for 2 years and then she assumes he named her daughter after her middle name - it makes no sense! Even though both these things are true, why would she go from “he doesn’t love me and I can’t bear to hear his name” to “I’m cruel to have left him because his love transcends time”?!!! It’s also annoying when Emmeline gets kidnapped that her maid, previously described as devoted and clever, doesn’t even come into the story to say she’s gone! Quite a frustrating read because I actually think this author could write something very good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2018
Honestly, I'm surprised that this book is getting so many good reviews. The characters and plot were underdeveloped and there was too little of Darcy and Elizabeth--I have no interest in the love lives of new characters...sorry. Additionally, the timeline was screwy. Elizabeth was supposedly away for two years and in the short time Jane had twins, who can already speak in complete sentences and is pregnant with a third child. The twins could be no more than 15 months old--at that age they would be just starting to talk. I know it is nit picky, but it really bothers me and I think it shows that the author did not properly plan and outline the book before she started writing--the whole book seemed like it was not thought out. Definitely under baked.
August 14, 2016
Second Impressions.
This is a very different version of a path our Beloved Couple have taken. Lizzie left England to visit a very emancipated cousin in America, while Darcy ended up in a short marriage and was left a widower with an adorable baby girl, named Grace. When Lizzie returns, Darcy is a wreck, and not close to his baby girl. Lizzie heals him after getting him together with his daughter! Now, the cousin's adventures go in a different direction and that is a story within a story! A clever read.
This is a very different version of a path our Beloved Couple have taken. Lizzie left England to visit a very emancipated cousin in America, while Darcy ended up in a short marriage and was left a widower with an adorable baby girl, named Grace. When Lizzie returns, Darcy is a wreck, and not close to his baby girl. Lizzie heals him after getting him together with his daughter! Now, the cousin's adventures go in a different direction and that is a story within a story! A clever read.
November 20, 2016
Unsure if this was a shorr story about Darcy and Elizabeth, or Emmaline and Dalton.
This story felt more like an engine for the authors original characters than one about Darcy and Elizabeth. Not a story I would recommend.
This story felt more like an engine for the authors original characters than one about Darcy and Elizabeth. Not a story I would recommend.
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November 3, 2017Check out my review on Diary of an Eccentric
December 2, 2023
This was a quick read in which Darcy didn't propose for a second time and Elizabeth ran off to America soon after Jangley's wedding, to avoid seeing Darcy again. By the time she comes back, Darcy has descended into a bleak grimness, riddled with nightmares, drinking far too much. His daughter fears him. Jane wants to play a matchmaker.
There were sweet romantic passages that made it worth my while but I found it a bit uneven.
The timeline seems a bit fuzzy, mainly because the children involved appear to be a bit older than they should be, by my math. Elizabeth was gone for two years. In that time the Bingleys have had time to get twins, and Jane is already pretty far along pregnant with another child. Assuming the Bingleys didn't get a headstart before their wedding, the twins could be only a year old or so, give or take a couple months, but they speak and act very precociously for that age. In that two years, Darcy had had time to get engaged and marry Anne de Bourgh who then died in childbirth and he also has a child now who is either a baby or a toddler playing with dolls. Had he completed his year of mourning for Anne before remarrying? Maybe not since it is implied that Darcy's child is younger than the Bingley twins as Elizabeth wants them to play together so the twins can get used to the idea of Jane's new baby and it was said that he'd been a father for nearly a year.
In America, Elizabeth stayed with a cousin named Emeline who is an interesting character but her storyline turns into a bit of a soap opera with villains of foreign descent. Did I miss something? I don't think I ever found out why Jack was fleeing from some man when they met.
Maturity level: Some intimate scenes as well as violent content.
Source: A freebie for Kindle without an expectation of a review.
There were sweet romantic passages that made it worth my while but I found it a bit uneven.
The timeline seems a bit fuzzy, mainly because the children involved appear to be a bit older than they should be, by my math. Elizabeth was gone for two years. In that time the Bingleys have had time to get twins, and Jane is already pretty far along pregnant with another child. Assuming the Bingleys didn't get a headstart before their wedding, the twins could be only a year old or so, give or take a couple months, but they speak and act very precociously for that age. In that two years, Darcy had had time to get engaged and marry Anne de Bourgh who then died in childbirth and he also has a child now who is either a baby or a toddler playing with dolls. Had he completed his year of mourning for Anne before remarrying? Maybe not since it is implied that Darcy's child is younger than the Bingley twins as Elizabeth wants them to play together so the twins can get used to the idea of Jane's new baby and it was said that he'd been a father for nearly a year.
In America, Elizabeth stayed with a cousin named Emeline who is an interesting character but her storyline turns into a bit of a soap opera with villains of foreign descent. Did I miss something? I don't think I ever found out why Jack was fleeing from some man when they met.
Maturity level: Some intimate scenes as well as violent content.
Source: A freebie for Kindle without an expectation of a review.
December 14, 2016
Alors déjà je tiens à dire que cette couverture est sûrement une des plus affreuses que j'ai jamais vue... Sur le point de vue du scénario on va dire que l'idée de base est bonne : Elizabeth a fui en Amérique chez sa cousine pendant 4 ans et n'a jamais eu de conversation avec Darcy après Lambton... Pendant ce temps, Darcy a épousé Ann qui est morte en couche : voilà Darcy père célibataire d'une petite Grace. Le moins que l'on puisse dire c'est qu'il le prend mal, décline et vit comme un reclus en picolant. Sauf que Lizzie revient...avec sa cousine américaine (of course hyper libérée). Bon voilà... la suite est assez expéditive... Darcy & Lizzie finissent par tomber dans les bras l'un de l'autre et se marient vitesse grand V . La cousine américaine, célibataire endurcie trouve l'amoooooooooour (après avoir été enlevée, séquestrée bref le classique) le tout est rondement mené par Jane qui s'est découvert une personnalité de marieuse en se mariant (à la place de Bingley, je fuirai... elle commence à ressembler furieusement à sa mère). Le tout est agrémenté de scènes "érotiques" pas du tout adaptées à l'époque et le niveau d'écriture (en anglais) est digne d'une fan fic moyenne.... Alors oui, ça se lit sans grand déplaisir mais sans plaisir non plus d'autant plus qu'il est difficile de reconnaitre les personnages...
Ce que j'aime : l'idée de base, dommage que l'auteure l'ait encombrée d'une cousine américaine complètement inutile et inintéressante
Ce que j'aime moins : l'écriture simpliste, le manque de travail sur le scénario et sur les personnages qui "ne se ressemblent pas". Les scènes "érotiques" absolument pas en accord avec l'époque.
En bref : Pour les romantiques dans l'âme qui cherchent à retrouver un "vague parfum" de Lizzie et Darcy.
Ma note
5/10
Ce que j'aime : l'idée de base, dommage que l'auteure l'ait encombrée d'une cousine américaine complètement inutile et inintéressante
Ce que j'aime moins : l'écriture simpliste, le manque de travail sur le scénario et sur les personnages qui "ne se ressemblent pas". Les scènes "érotiques" absolument pas en accord avec l'époque.
En bref : Pour les romantiques dans l'âme qui cherchent à retrouver un "vague parfum" de Lizzie et Darcy.
Ma note
5/10
January 30, 2025
The P&P characters appearing in this story were there in name only. Insipid Elizabeth and a drunken, bitter Darcy were in the background a lot as the author was clearly more interested in telling the story of Elizabeth’s cousin from Boston. Jane and Bingley were unrecognizable.
The Boston cousin was like a modern character who had time-traveled to the Regency period. She had no idea how to behave, and her goal in life seemed to be to get laid by the owner of a neighboring estate. She was so annoying, that I started skimming whenever the story shifted to her. Which happened a lot, as she was the true focus of the story.
The timeline was incredibly screwed up. Elizabeth was gone two years, leaving after the Bingley wedding. Yet, in that time, Jane gave birth to twins who are now toddling and talking, and she’s about to give birth again. Darcy married a year before Elizabeth’s return, so his daughter should only be a few months old at most. But instead, she seems like she’s a year or more old. Again and again, the author has abandoned any attempt to follow a believable timeline.
I acquired this book when it was free. I will not be keeping it in my library, even though the cover is adorable.
The Boston cousin was like a modern character who had time-traveled to the Regency period. She had no idea how to behave, and her goal in life seemed to be to get laid by the owner of a neighboring estate. She was so annoying, that I started skimming whenever the story shifted to her. Which happened a lot, as she was the true focus of the story.
The timeline was incredibly screwed up. Elizabeth was gone two years, leaving after the Bingley wedding. Yet, in that time, Jane gave birth to twins who are now toddling and talking, and she’s about to give birth again. Darcy married a year before Elizabeth’s return, so his daughter should only be a few months old at most. But instead, she seems like she’s a year or more old. Again and again, the author has abandoned any attempt to follow a believable timeline.
I acquired this book when it was free. I will not be keeping it in my library, even though the cover is adorable.
April 28, 2024
I enjoyed this Pride and Prejudice variation by Amy George. This is the first JAFF variation I've read by Ms. George and it did not disappoint. The story of Pride and Prejudice picks up after the disatrous proposal from Darcy, with Elizabeth living in America with her wealthy cousin Emeline. Mr. Darcy marries Anne and has a child, Jane and Bingley are happily married and Jane has become the matchmaker of the family. This story brings back together Darcy and Elizabeth and also has another story line and romance of cousin Emeline and John. While I enjoyed the story's writing and variation of Pride and Predjudice, I wished it would have been longer and went into more detail. The character's conflicts seem to resolve themselves very quickly. Also, as a personal preference, I generally do not like story lines that have Darcy and/or Elizabeth marrying others.
January 24, 2024
3.75 ⭐️ almost 4 ⭐️ but
Storyline very interesting and plot handled rather well, dialogue moved story along nicely, for my liking, more descriptive incidents to give better context of surroundings would increase readability; but never ever w/be truly content w/PP variants when FD is married prior to HEA w/EB. It’s just cringe for my JAFF sensibilities. Will read more of this author’s work based on overall impression this story; all-in-all a pleasant way to pass a cool, foggy evening
Storyline very interesting and plot handled rather well, dialogue moved story along nicely, for my liking, more descriptive incidents to give better context of surroundings would increase readability; but never ever w/be truly content w/PP variants when FD is married prior to HEA w/EB. It’s just cringe for my JAFF sensibilities. Will read more of this author’s work based on overall impression this story; all-in-all a pleasant way to pass a cool, foggy evening
March 25, 2023
Dry. A retelling (alternate) of what would happen if Elizabeth and Darcy didn’t get together and she ran away to America for solace with a female cousin, coming back to face him once again, with help from match making friends and family.
Some of the original personalities seem to be changed here to suit the new story.
Some of the original personalities seem to be changed here to suit the new story.
January 9, 2024
So sad and funny at the same time
It was more a story of family and their lives. There is explicit sex scenes, kidnapping, and a killing all in side. I struggled with its slow pacing at the beginning. It picked up and kept me reading. I want more from this story. Yes I highly recommend this variation!
It was more a story of family and their lives. There is explicit sex scenes, kidnapping, and a killing all in side. I struggled with its slow pacing at the beginning. It picked up and kept me reading. I want more from this story. Yes I highly recommend this variation!
September 24, 2017
enjoyed this take. A bit of angst, action, romance, and throw a cute little girl in the mix. Liked the new side characters to push the story forward. Would hAve liked it even more if it were longer or if a sequel novel were to follow though..... Hint hint.
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