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One Thread Pulled #2
Constant as the Sun: The Courtship of Mr. Darcy
Elizabeth Bennet’s father imposed a six-month delay to her taking the name of Darcy, requiring a London season in the interim. Unknown to her, a secondary clause could spoil it all: If she is unhappy among the elite, he will rescind his consent to the marriage.
Faced with the expectations of Darcy’s relations and the standards of the le bon ton, Elizabeth is immersed in a whirlwind of change, intrigue, and betrayal that not only threatens to ruin her hopes, but puts the lives of those she loves at risk.
Faced with the expectations of Darcy’s relations and the standards of the le bon ton, Elizabeth is immersed in a whirlwind of change, intrigue, and betrayal that not only threatens to ruin her hopes, but puts the lives of those she loves at risk.
364 pages, Paperback
Published November 27, 2016
33 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Diana J. Oaks
2 books69 followersDiana Oaks is the third of eight children. She grew up in a large and loving home with all of the hi-jinx one would expect with six brothers in the house. She has been known to bemoan the lack of any serious childhood angst to draw upon when writing. She graduated in 1981 from Ricks College in Rexburg Idaho, with an emphasis on Interior Design. She considered changing her major to English, but was told by her English professor that it was a dead-end degree. She has been known to bemoan the lack of any serious sentence diagramming drills to draw upon when writing. Diana has been married to her husband Adam since 1982, and is a mother of three adult children, who are now making her a happy "Nana."
Her debut novel, One Thread Pulled: The Dance with Mr. Darcy, was released on August 14, 2012. She started writing it at the end of 2010, when the economic downturn caused a severe cutback in her work hours. The story developed a large online following prior to publication in print and eBook format, which were posted under the pen names "Artemis Acorn" and "fiveoaks."
Diana currently resides with her husband in Salt Lake City, Utah
Her debut novel, One Thread Pulled: The Dance with Mr. Darcy, was released on August 14, 2012. She started writing it at the end of 2010, when the economic downturn caused a severe cutback in her work hours. The story developed a large online following prior to publication in print and eBook format, which were posted under the pen names "Artemis Acorn" and "fiveoaks."
Diana currently resides with her husband in Salt Lake City, Utah
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 6, 2016
My love is constant as the Sun...
This was book two in the One Thread Pulled series. It was the long-awaited sequel to the 2013 ‘One Thread Pulled: The Dance With Mr. Darcy,’ which was 5-stars for me. I loved it. I have waited patiently for the conclusion of that story. Many threads were left hanging in book one and I was desperate for a conclusion to the love story between Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
I think someone could read this book without having read the first. However, I would suggest you read book one. There are clues that link the first book with what is going on; however, there is a lot that will make you wonder who or what happened. In this second book, it was somewhat confusing as our author introduced long lost relatives to the Darcy family. It was like a ballroom crush and I really had trouble following the characters. This new character provided a serious situation that could throw a wrench in the Darcy inheritance. It seemed Darcy’s father was a second son and this American cousin was the descendant of that elder brother. I wanted to like him. He seemed like a nice guy but, already there are problems brewing.
The Villains:
Lady Catherine: I despise this woman. She was a termagant, an evil vindictive, conniving, scheming, dictatorial, over-bearing— I do not have enough words. She was simply horrid to everyone who got in her way and every evil in her life… she laid at the feet of Elizabeth Bennet. Our dear girl was the cause of the clouds on her sunny day. Man, she was a piece of work.
Caroline Bingley: A family secret was revealed in book one and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst had taken Caroline away for a rest. And now, she had slipped their notice and arrived in London to add her poison to the already crumbling façade of ‘everything was alright’ attitude of our dear couple. I think she was sprinkled throughout the story simply to be a catalyst for our couple.
Mr. Bennet: I don’t like thinking of him as a villain; however, I was very upset with Mr. Bennet in book one. I have tried to understand his reasoning. He had been through a lot with Lydia and Mrs. Bennet, but to impose his restrictions upon Elizabeth was too much. In this installment, he was unchanged. His reluctance to give his consent on her marriage for six-months [she was underage], was really causing problems. Elizabeth even begged him… that was a very emotional scene. For her to lower herself to beg him was out of character for her and to see his harsh ‘you’ll see this is for the best’ attitude was disgusting. He was convinced that their engagement would fail, that the Ton of London society would not accept Elizabeth and she would see reason in not marrying Mr. Darcy. He was so afraid of an unequal marriage for his favorite, that he was willing to punish her by demanding a Season for her in order to prove his point. It was a lose-lose proposition.
Bennet family: That would include Mrs. Bennet and Lydia… in London. OMG!! Neither of these two had any sense or concept of what was required of Elizabeth in her London Season. They were only concerned with shopping and buying a new wardrobe for Lydia… oh, and wedding clothes for Mary, of course. Their lack of understanding was outrageous. Their behavior caused problems and they were completely unconcerned regarding the consequences to their family standing and Elizabeth’s reputation. I was so afraid of what would happen if they were not checked in their behavior. I have a whole new affection for Mr. Gardiner. OMG!!! He was so awesome, I wanted to shout for joy. Way to go Mr. Gardiner!!!
Hidden Villains we have aplenty. There were several factors that were at work. Hidden villains that would spoil the reveal if I mentioned them here. They are, non- the- less, dangerous and should not be overlooked. Every one of them had the potential for evil.
Secrecy: Yes, secrecy was a villain. One or more of our characters were sworn to secrecy, made to promise to not tell, plotted to deceive and/or to hide actions and behavior, whether good or evil. So much trouble was caused due to being held by honor, by stubborn resilience, or by pride. Secrets abounded in this story.
Convoluted story lines/multiple plot lines: I am sorry to say there was simply too much going on. I had trouble tracking who, what, when, where and why. There was treachery, deceit, duplicity, revenge, an assassination attempt, arson, scandal, and all manner of suspense. All roads lead to Rome is a good analogy as all story threads lead to ODC [our dear couple]. We have Lady Catherine vs Anne and Mr. Fellows; the Mrs. Younge - Wickham intrigue, Mr. Bennet vs his marriage consent, Lizzy and Darcy vs the London Ton, Lord and Lady Matlock vs Lady Catherine, our dear Colonel vs his elder brother the Viscount, Robert Darcy vs Darcy inheritance, and it goes on and on… secrets, secrets and intrigues.
What I liked:
I loved Georgiana. Charles and Jane Bingley were in and out of the story. Uncle and Aunt Gardiner were pivotal to the success of their niece. Lord and Lady Matlock attempted to help Elizabeth traverse the Ton, even though they had their moments where I questioned their loyalty. I even liked Sir Vincent of the Bow Street Runners. Of course, our dear Colonel was hilarious in his behavior. He was the comedic relief. I still don’t know about Robert Darcy; he was one of those threads left unfinished. I loved the masters and the joy they brought to the story. I liked the introduction of famous people and writers into Elizabeth’s sphere and how they were so entranced with her. The many ballrooms, soirées, visiting hours, drawing rooms, and parlors, where the Ton matrons scrutinized our dear girl, were hilarious.
Once again, there were threads left hanging and hints of connections and situations that have not been completed. There are several situations where I have no clue what happened. One situation was so convoluted that I don’t know if the person was a good guy or not. The author really messed with my head. Some story threads were wrapped very quickly, almost too quickly. Others came to a natural conclusion and I was so glad it FINALLY came about. I nearly died from sheer joy.
This was book two in the One Thread Pulled series. It was the long-awaited sequel to the 2013 ‘One Thread Pulled: The Dance With Mr. Darcy,’ which was 5-stars for me. I loved it. I have waited patiently for the conclusion of that story. Many threads were left hanging in book one and I was desperate for a conclusion to the love story between Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
I think someone could read this book without having read the first. However, I would suggest you read book one. There are clues that link the first book with what is going on; however, there is a lot that will make you wonder who or what happened. In this second book, it was somewhat confusing as our author introduced long lost relatives to the Darcy family. It was like a ballroom crush and I really had trouble following the characters. This new character provided a serious situation that could throw a wrench in the Darcy inheritance. It seemed Darcy’s father was a second son and this American cousin was the descendant of that elder brother. I wanted to like him. He seemed like a nice guy but, already there are problems brewing.
The Villains:
Lady Catherine: I despise this woman. She was a termagant, an evil vindictive, conniving, scheming, dictatorial, over-bearing— I do not have enough words. She was simply horrid to everyone who got in her way and every evil in her life… she laid at the feet of Elizabeth Bennet. Our dear girl was the cause of the clouds on her sunny day. Man, she was a piece of work.
Caroline Bingley: A family secret was revealed in book one and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst had taken Caroline away for a rest. And now, she had slipped their notice and arrived in London to add her poison to the already crumbling façade of ‘everything was alright’ attitude of our dear couple. I think she was sprinkled throughout the story simply to be a catalyst for our couple.
Mr. Bennet: I don’t like thinking of him as a villain; however, I was very upset with Mr. Bennet in book one. I have tried to understand his reasoning. He had been through a lot with Lydia and Mrs. Bennet, but to impose his restrictions upon Elizabeth was too much. In this installment, he was unchanged. His reluctance to give his consent on her marriage for six-months [she was underage], was really causing problems. Elizabeth even begged him… that was a very emotional scene. For her to lower herself to beg him was out of character for her and to see his harsh ‘you’ll see this is for the best’ attitude was disgusting. He was convinced that their engagement would fail, that the Ton of London society would not accept Elizabeth and she would see reason in not marrying Mr. Darcy. He was so afraid of an unequal marriage for his favorite, that he was willing to punish her by demanding a Season for her in order to prove his point. It was a lose-lose proposition.
Bennet family: That would include Mrs. Bennet and Lydia… in London. OMG!! Neither of these two had any sense or concept of what was required of Elizabeth in her London Season. They were only concerned with shopping and buying a new wardrobe for Lydia… oh, and wedding clothes for Mary, of course. Their lack of understanding was outrageous. Their behavior caused problems and they were completely unconcerned regarding the consequences to their family standing and Elizabeth’s reputation. I was so afraid of what would happen if they were not checked in their behavior. I have a whole new affection for Mr. Gardiner. OMG!!! He was so awesome, I wanted to shout for joy. Way to go Mr. Gardiner!!!
Hidden Villains we have aplenty. There were several factors that were at work. Hidden villains that would spoil the reveal if I mentioned them here. They are, non- the- less, dangerous and should not be overlooked. Every one of them had the potential for evil.
Secrecy: Yes, secrecy was a villain. One or more of our characters were sworn to secrecy, made to promise to not tell, plotted to deceive and/or to hide actions and behavior, whether good or evil. So much trouble was caused due to being held by honor, by stubborn resilience, or by pride. Secrets abounded in this story.
Convoluted story lines/multiple plot lines: I am sorry to say there was simply too much going on. I had trouble tracking who, what, when, where and why. There was treachery, deceit, duplicity, revenge, an assassination attempt, arson, scandal, and all manner of suspense. All roads lead to Rome is a good analogy as all story threads lead to ODC [our dear couple]. We have Lady Catherine vs Anne and Mr. Fellows; the Mrs. Younge - Wickham intrigue, Mr. Bennet vs his marriage consent, Lizzy and Darcy vs the London Ton, Lord and Lady Matlock vs Lady Catherine, our dear Colonel vs his elder brother the Viscount, Robert Darcy vs Darcy inheritance, and it goes on and on… secrets, secrets and intrigues.
What I liked:
I loved Georgiana. Charles and Jane Bingley were in and out of the story. Uncle and Aunt Gardiner were pivotal to the success of their niece. Lord and Lady Matlock attempted to help Elizabeth traverse the Ton, even though they had their moments where I questioned their loyalty. I even liked Sir Vincent of the Bow Street Runners. Of course, our dear Colonel was hilarious in his behavior. He was the comedic relief. I still don’t know about Robert Darcy; he was one of those threads left unfinished. I loved the masters and the joy they brought to the story. I liked the introduction of famous people and writers into Elizabeth’s sphere and how they were so entranced with her. The many ballrooms, soirées, visiting hours, drawing rooms, and parlors, where the Ton matrons scrutinized our dear girl, were hilarious.
Once again, there were threads left hanging and hints of connections and situations that have not been completed. There are several situations where I have no clue what happened. One situation was so convoluted that I don’t know if the person was a good guy or not. The author really messed with my head. Some story threads were wrapped very quickly, almost too quickly. Others came to a natural conclusion and I was so glad it FINALLY came about. I nearly died from sheer joy.
April 10, 2022
My final finished book for the year. I started another but then got the flu midway through reading so this will be it. Loved it, of course. My only problem with this author is that she has too few books to her name. It was everything wonderful as expected.
Reread: Yes, I totally agree with myself, ;)! The author needs to write more or faster. I absolutely love this author. I need more books!
Reread: Have to see if there are any new books by this author now!
Reread: Would love a third book in this series.
Reread: Yes, I totally agree with myself, ;)! The author needs to write more or faster. I absolutely love this author. I need more books!
Reread: Have to see if there are any new books by this author now!
Reread: Would love a third book in this series.
November 24, 2016
This author is blessed with immense writing talent. Lovely Regency-esque prose just flows throughout this book. Sentences come alive with just the right words to paint a picture for the reader, conveying the story vividly.
Ah, but there's where we come to the problem. It's the story itself that becomes too muddled to follow, despite the clarity and beauty of the language.
Ms. Oaks starts with a wonderful premise established at the end of the first book of this series. Mr. Bennet will only grant permission for Darcy to marry Elizabeth after a long engagement, during which Elizabeth must partake of a London Season among Darcy's elite social class. If Elizabeth is unhappy mingling in this society, Mr. Bennet will withdraw his approval. He elicits Darcy's pledge that Elizabeth will not know about this stipulation. This is a unique idea, to my knowledge, and has the potential for numerous plausible obstacles to emerge that the couple would stumble through on their way to the inevitable HEA.
We have the anticipated posturing and snobbishness of the bon ton despite Elizabeth's obvious superiority to them all as well as her determination to augment her education so she will not disgrace her beloved betrothed. She and Darcy are quite the formidable pair, despite their lack of opportunity to share confidences.
Of course, there are obvious difficulties one might expect when Mrs. Bennet and Lydia (as well as Kitty and Mary, who are much better behaved) find their way onto the London scene and are included in some social calls. Mary is getting married at Longbourn to Mr. Timmons, Meryton's rector. Mrs. B. is determined to take advantage of Elizabeth's situation to get the best wedding clothes for Mary and throw her other unattached daughters in the way of Darcy's rich friends. When Elizabeth returns home for the wedding, she confronts her father.
However, there are enough additional secrets, intrigue, revenge and murder plots to fill at least five or six books of the most melodramatic variety, and most of these storylines have little to do with each other aside from the fact that they affect Elizabeth and Darcy. We have a previously unknown cousin from America, Mr. Robert Darcy, who happens to look exactly like Fitzwilliam Darcy and is surprisingly well-connected in London for someone whose country is currently at war with his hosts. Lady Catherine wants to use R. Darcy to strip F. Darcy of his inheritance. Anne finally breaks the chains of her overly-attached mother and connects with Mr. Fellows, a long-lost suitor. Another cousin, Viscount Milton, is Colonel Fitzwilliam's older and profligate brother who suddenly returns home from Ireland with a dark secret agenda. Mrs. Younge flits in and out of the tale with a backstory that links her to Lady Catherine, Mrs. Jenkinson and Mr. Fellows. Caroline Bingley somehow escapes from her banishment at the Isle of Wight and implausibly becomes a house guest of Earl and Lady Matlock.
Sir Vincent Parker is a Bow Street Runner investigating on Darcy's behalf, and he enters at about the 65% mark with a lengthy report. His story (with assistance from others in the room) is difficult enough to follow because of all the convoluted relationships and plots that are exposed, but then the reader discovers at about the 90% mark that part of the information disclosed (which was hard enough to keep straight) was not true after all, and yet more layers are added to the story.
Along with this incomprehensible plot, many of the characters behave more like characitures than believable people. This is especially true for Lady Catherine, Mrs. Bennet and Lydia, but also Elizabeth and Darcy are way too perfect to be believed. For example, here's Elizabeth: She is pretty, graceful, brilliant, musical, perky, witty, honest, loyal, patient, unselfish, intuitive, undaunted by anything, humble and unaffected, able to navigate any difficult social situation, and she has the occasional dream which foretells the future. She even identifies a spy in the household and plants the means to trap the bad guys in the act. I can't identify a single flaw in this Regency goddess. She lacks only a dowry, a title, and a sensible mother.
I would love to see what Ms. Oaks could do with a simple, straightforward plot rather than the layers upon layers of complexities in this book that left me bewildered about what I just read. The style of prose itself really is beautiful, with graceful phrasing and well-written dialogue. It just needs a good story to match.
Ah, but there's where we come to the problem. It's the story itself that becomes too muddled to follow, despite the clarity and beauty of the language.
Ms. Oaks starts with a wonderful premise established at the end of the first book of this series. Mr. Bennet will only grant permission for Darcy to marry Elizabeth after a long engagement, during which Elizabeth must partake of a London Season among Darcy's elite social class. If Elizabeth is unhappy mingling in this society, Mr. Bennet will withdraw his approval. He elicits Darcy's pledge that Elizabeth will not know about this stipulation. This is a unique idea, to my knowledge, and has the potential for numerous plausible obstacles to emerge that the couple would stumble through on their way to the inevitable HEA.
We have the anticipated posturing and snobbishness of the bon ton despite Elizabeth's obvious superiority to them all as well as her determination to augment her education so she will not disgrace her beloved betrothed. She and Darcy are quite the formidable pair, despite their lack of opportunity to share confidences.
Of course, there are obvious difficulties one might expect when Mrs. Bennet and Lydia (as well as Kitty and Mary, who are much better behaved) find their way onto the London scene and are included in some social calls. Mary is getting married at Longbourn to Mr. Timmons, Meryton's rector. Mrs. B. is determined to take advantage of Elizabeth's situation to get the best wedding clothes for Mary and throw her other unattached daughters in the way of Darcy's rich friends. When Elizabeth returns home for the wedding, she confronts her father.
However, there are enough additional secrets, intrigue, revenge and murder plots to fill at least five or six books of the most melodramatic variety, and most of these storylines have little to do with each other aside from the fact that they affect Elizabeth and Darcy. We have a previously unknown cousin from America, Mr. Robert Darcy, who happens to look exactly like Fitzwilliam Darcy and is surprisingly well-connected in London for someone whose country is currently at war with his hosts. Lady Catherine wants to use R. Darcy to strip F. Darcy of his inheritance. Anne finally breaks the chains of her overly-attached mother and connects with Mr. Fellows, a long-lost suitor. Another cousin, Viscount Milton, is Colonel Fitzwilliam's older and profligate brother who suddenly returns home from Ireland with a dark secret agenda. Mrs. Younge flits in and out of the tale with a backstory that links her to Lady Catherine, Mrs. Jenkinson and Mr. Fellows. Caroline Bingley somehow escapes from her banishment at the Isle of Wight and implausibly becomes a house guest of Earl and Lady Matlock.
Sir Vincent Parker is a Bow Street Runner investigating on Darcy's behalf, and he enters at about the 65% mark with a lengthy report. His story (with assistance from others in the room) is difficult enough to follow because of all the convoluted relationships and plots that are exposed, but then the reader discovers at about the 90% mark that part of the information disclosed (which was hard enough to keep straight) was not true after all, and yet more layers are added to the story.
Along with this incomprehensible plot, many of the characters behave more like characitures than believable people. This is especially true for Lady Catherine, Mrs. Bennet and Lydia, but also Elizabeth and Darcy are way too perfect to be believed. For example, here's Elizabeth: She is pretty, graceful, brilliant, musical, perky, witty, honest, loyal, patient, unselfish, intuitive, undaunted by anything, humble and unaffected, able to navigate any difficult social situation, and she has the occasional dream which foretells the future. She even identifies a spy in the household and plants the means to trap the bad guys in the act. I can't identify a single flaw in this Regency goddess. She lacks only a dowry, a title, and a sensible mother.
I would love to see what Ms. Oaks could do with a simple, straightforward plot rather than the layers upon layers of complexities in this book that left me bewildered about what I just read. The style of prose itself really is beautiful, with graceful phrasing and well-written dialogue. It just needs a good story to match.
December 28, 2016
This story is a sequel to one of Elizabeth and Darcy's "courting" and engagement. Elizabeth has been moved to Gracechurch street to participate in the London season. A secret condition of her betrothal is that she must be happy with the experience or her father will withdrawal his consent.
I got lost in this story on a regular basis. There were to many pieces! An evil Aunt Catherine, an evil cousin, a mysterious cousin from America, further information about the evils of George Wickham, etc! In the end it was all tied up with a bow but I did not enjoy the journey that much.
I got lost in this story on a regular basis. There were to many pieces! An evil Aunt Catherine, an evil cousin, a mysterious cousin from America, further information about the evils of George Wickham, etc! In the end it was all tied up with a bow but I did not enjoy the journey that much.
June 1, 2022
A lot to overcome
Why did Elizabeth and Darcy had to wait so long to marry? An interesting story with everything under the sun, intrigue, pretensions, high society, and more, and a very sweet romance.
Why did Elizabeth and Darcy had to wait so long to marry? An interesting story with everything under the sun, intrigue, pretensions, high society, and more, and a very sweet romance.
October 16, 2025
I've made a rookie error in not checking goodreads before reading this, and for the first time ever, I unintentionally read the second book before reading the first. That explain why a few things didn't make sense . No matter, that wasn't my chief criticism of the novel and it was the description of the second part (a P&P alternative timeline continuation) that sparked my interest.
I love Jane Austen, and I love the idea of a courtship novel. I haven't tried a lot of it and it was my interest to read more of it in the past (but then my life drastically changed and I stuck to familiarity), but I've read classics trying to find it (and not finding it, until I looked at Jane Austen's Bookshelf, I've read/looked at bonnet rippers (not to be confused with bodice rippers), I've read/looked at christian romance fiction, and I have explored a bit of modern regency/victorian fiction, (I also wanted to try but never got to regency novels from 60-90 years ago e.g. Georgette Heyer). Yet, I always found something lacking - during Austen era and especially in post-Austen era, despite critical acclaim, courtship novels were largely despised - which is why there aren't many classical courtship novels (except her bookshelf), and I've discovered bonnet rippers to be too amish, christian romance fics to be questionable in many ways, and modern historical fiction to have a giant modernity problem - modern heroines complaining about skirts & corsets, having modern sensibilities, and the relationship dynamics can often be highly imporper - and that's I found while activelysearching for "proper" books and NOT looking at those that are described as steamy).
So, after rereading Pride & Prejudice for the millionth timeactually, it was my 7th time in my lifetime and my 6th in 5 years, I had a thought to try P&P fanfiction - why not? I already know and love all the characters, the tone and propriety should be adhered to, and I'll be finding material that's written by the women who love Pride & Prejudice as much as I do. And thus, I discovered, since copyright laws no longer apply to Austen's words, a lot of what would've been a AO3 or fanfictionnet creation, instead is published as a fully fledged novel.
My only worry was that the language would be too modern, but in all different P&P fics I've tried, it wasn't an issue. No one can quite recreate Austen's wit and overly polite prose, nor is the vocabulary of a modern writer can imitate the prose of the Regency era, but I'd say there're many decent attempts at it out there.
However, this being a fanfic and Elizabeth being an already established character, the author had to fall to telling, not showing. I get it, I really do! I wouldn't be able to do it either. It's very hard to recreate Elizabeth Bennet's natural wit and liveliness she brings to every conversation, so instead the book shows characters thinking how Elizabeth's witty and lively.
I'd also thought that by 40% Elizabeth would be more entrenched with the London society, but so far there's been one ball (where she scarcely interacted with anyone except having 1 short conversation with Lord Byron) and Lizzy joined a morning reception of Darcy's aunt (not Catherine de Bourgh, other aunt) - and there weren't any conversations at that reception. Had the novel taken place further in the year, it might've been more interesting, but the entire "premise" of this fanfic is that Elizabeth should familiarize herself with the high society, and it isn't delivering.
Anne de Bourgh's plotline is fanfic-y. So is Darcy's cousin. It just is. And Miss Bingley! Augh. There's fanfic, and there's fanfic (derogatory). Miss Bingley is the derogatory kind.
I've already talked of how Elizabeth's character is told instead of shown, but I have yet to talk of Darcy, which is where my chief problem lies. Not only he's out of character, his role in the story is to act as a sort-of fairy godmother, it's a wish-fullfilling giddy fantasy. I haven't read a ton of billionaire romances, so I apologize for drawing connection to 50 Shades, but a lot of the novel reminded me of Christian Grey's courting Anastasia, showering her with expensive gifts, proudly displaying her on his arm and professing the wish to give her everything she never had, minus all the "kinky fuckery". (Elizabeth bore gifts better than Anastasia did, so thanks for that). These types of "powerful rich man bestowing gifts on a simpleton woman" is just not my type of a novel. I like the idea of it, but in reality it often turns out to be an overexaggerated wish-fullfillment, and the glitter stuck in my throat after reading all that makes me want to throw up.
Side note on adding fan-fiction to Goodreads
I am no stranger to fanfiction, and have read probably sometime close 20 million of words over the years. I am selective with it (I like my tropes and I don't like anything explicit), it comes and goes in my life, and I am always happy when I find a gem a sea of either garbage or "not interested" pile. I have seen some fanfiction added to goodreads, but I never added it or ranked it myself.
Considering Pride & Prejudice copyright belonging to the public now, I don't mind this existing as a fully fledged novel I can rank on goodreads. It's more alike the original than something like Bridgette Jones diary, but in my mind it's only a bit "worse" than the original works like Fifty Shades of Grey, The Love Hypothesis or After. The copyright does elevate it in my estimation, though.
In my opinion, the only thing that makes works like this morally worse than something like The Chosen and the Beautiful is that it keeps the names. However, with the name-keeping, that makes me wish the characters would be more in-line with the originals and I judge the novels based on that. Unless, ofc, the 'original' premise of the novel is 'what if the character was [different]", then I can blame none other than myself for picking it up.|
And the only difference between this and something like Beautiful Little Fools is the advertising (/publishing house behind it).
I love Jane Austen, and I love the idea of a courtship novel. I haven't tried a lot of it and it was my interest to read more of it in the past (but then my life drastically changed and I stuck to familiarity), but I've read classics trying to find it (and not finding it, until I looked at Jane Austen's Bookshelf, I've read/looked at bonnet rippers (not to be confused with bodice rippers), I've read/looked at christian romance fiction, and I have explored a bit of modern regency/victorian fiction, (I also wanted to try but never got to regency novels from 60-90 years ago e.g. Georgette Heyer). Yet, I always found something lacking - during Austen era and especially in post-Austen era, despite critical acclaim, courtship novels were largely despised - which is why there aren't many classical courtship novels (except her bookshelf), and I've discovered bonnet rippers to be too amish, christian romance fics to be questionable in many ways, and modern historical fiction to have a giant modernity problem - modern heroines complaining about skirts & corsets, having modern sensibilities, and the relationship dynamics can often be highly imporper - and that's I found while activelysearching for "proper" books and NOT looking at those that are described as steamy).
So, after rereading Pride & Prejudice for the millionth time
My only worry was that the language would be too modern, but in all different P&P fics I've tried, it wasn't an issue. No one can quite recreate Austen's wit and overly polite prose, nor is the vocabulary of a modern writer can imitate the prose of the Regency era, but I'd say there're many decent attempts at it out there.
However, this being a fanfic and Elizabeth being an already established character, the author had to fall to telling, not showing. I get it, I really do! I wouldn't be able to do it either. It's very hard to recreate Elizabeth Bennet's natural wit and liveliness she brings to every conversation, so instead the book shows characters thinking how Elizabeth's witty and lively.
I'd also thought that by 40% Elizabeth would be more entrenched with the London society, but so far there's been one ball (where she scarcely interacted with anyone except having 1 short conversation with Lord Byron) and Lizzy joined a morning reception of Darcy's aunt (not Catherine de Bourgh, other aunt) - and there weren't any conversations at that reception. Had the novel taken place further in the year, it might've been more interesting, but the entire "premise" of this fanfic is that Elizabeth should familiarize herself with the high society, and it isn't delivering.
Anne de Bourgh's plotline is fanfic-y. So is Darcy's cousin. It just is. And Miss Bingley! Augh. There's fanfic, and there's fanfic (derogatory). Miss Bingley is the derogatory kind.
I've already talked of how Elizabeth's character is told instead of shown, but I have yet to talk of Darcy, which is where my chief problem lies. Not only he's out of character, his role in the story is to act as a sort-of fairy godmother, it's a wish-fullfilling giddy fantasy. I haven't read a ton of billionaire romances, so I apologize for drawing connection to 50 Shades, but a lot of the novel reminded me of Christian Grey's courting Anastasia, showering her with expensive gifts, proudly displaying her on his arm and professing the wish to give her everything she never had, minus all the "kinky fuckery". (Elizabeth bore gifts better than Anastasia did, so thanks for that). These types of "powerful rich man bestowing gifts on a simpleton woman" is just not my type of a novel. I like the idea of it, but in reality it often turns out to be an overexaggerated wish-fullfillment, and the glitter stuck in my throat after reading all that makes me want to throw up.
Side note on adding fan-fiction to Goodreads
I am no stranger to fanfiction, and have read probably sometime close 20 million of words over the years. I am selective with it (I like my tropes and I don't like anything explicit), it comes and goes in my life, and I am always happy when I find a gem a sea of either garbage or "not interested" pile. I have seen some fanfiction added to goodreads, but I never added it or ranked it myself.
Considering Pride & Prejudice copyright belonging to the public now, I don't mind this existing as a fully fledged novel I can rank on goodreads. It's more alike the original than something like Bridgette Jones diary, but in my mind it's only a bit "worse" than the original works like Fifty Shades of Grey, The Love Hypothesis or After. The copyright does elevate it in my estimation, though.
In my opinion, the only thing that makes works like this morally worse than something like The Chosen and the Beautiful is that it keeps the names. However, with the name-keeping, that makes me wish the characters would be more in-line with the originals and I judge the novels based on that. Unless, ofc, the 'original' premise of the novel is 'what if the character was [different]", then I can blame none other than myself for picking it up.|
And the only difference between this and something like Beautiful Little Fools is the advertising (/publishing house behind it).
jaff-tbr
January 17, 2022Status: unread
*** Giveaway winner via Austen Authors (http://austenauthors.net/) - provided with no expectation of, or promise of a review (favourable or otherwise). ***
Rating:
Review:
My Library Notes:
Constant as the Sun: The Courtship of Mr. Darcy (One Thread Pulled #2)
by Diana J. Oaks
Paperback, First Edition, 356 pages
Published November 30th, 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 1479327204 (ISBN13: 978-1479327201)
*signed by author*
Elizabeth Bennet’s father imposed a six-month delay to her taking the name of Darcy, requiring a London season in the interim. Unknown to her, a secondary clause could spoil it all: If she is unhappy among the elite, he will rescind his consent to the marriage.
Faced with the expectations of Darcy’s relations and the standards of the le bon ton, Elizabeth is immersed in a whirlwind of change, intrigue, and betrayal that not only threatens to ruin her hopes, but puts the lives of those she loves at risk.
*** Giveaway winner via Austen Authors (http://austenauthors.net/) - provided with no expectation of, or promise of a review (favourable or otherwise). ***
Rating:
Review:
My Library Notes:
Constant as the Sun: The Courtship of Mr. Darcy (One Thread Pulled #2)
by Diana J. Oaks
Paperback, First Edition, 356 pages
Published November 30th, 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 1479327204 (ISBN13: 978-1479327201)
*signed by author*
Elizabeth Bennet’s father imposed a six-month delay to her taking the name of Darcy, requiring a London season in the interim. Unknown to her, a secondary clause could spoil it all: If she is unhappy among the elite, he will rescind his consent to the marriage.
Faced with the expectations of Darcy’s relations and the standards of the le bon ton, Elizabeth is immersed in a whirlwind of change, intrigue, and betrayal that not only threatens to ruin her hopes, but puts the lives of those she loves at risk.
September 1, 2019
Very unsatisfying story
Two long books and I can’t believe the ending. Is Viscount Milton who is Frederick Fitzwilliam, getting off totally free? He tried to kill Darcy, force a marriage to Anne and Georgiana and perpetrated maybe hundreds of ruinations on women. Is Darcy going to let this be? How will he be able to keep Lizzie and Georgiana safe in the future? Is this monster going to be the next Earl of Matlock?
And is Mr.Bennet going to suffer at all for what he has done to Lizzie and Darcy?
And is Lizzie’s last word about her father a ringing endorsement of what her father did?
A very unsatisfactory ending. What a sham HEA.
I cannot recommend this book.
Two long books and I can’t believe the ending. Is Viscount Milton who is Frederick Fitzwilliam, getting off totally free? He tried to kill Darcy, force a marriage to Anne and Georgiana and perpetrated maybe hundreds of ruinations on women. Is Darcy going to let this be? How will he be able to keep Lizzie and Georgiana safe in the future? Is this monster going to be the next Earl of Matlock?
And is Mr.Bennet going to suffer at all for what he has done to Lizzie and Darcy?
And is Lizzie’s last word about her father a ringing endorsement of what her father did?
A very unsatisfactory ending. What a sham HEA.
I cannot recommend this book.
January 22, 2017
Courtship
Amazing! This second installment showing the forced courtship with Elizabeth and Darcy during a season was a page turner. Mr Bennet doesn't want Elizabeth to marry Darcy because he feels the ton and Darcy's circles will make her unhappy. So he imposes a 6 mo courtship with the stipulation that they have to do the season and if Elizabeth is at all unhappy they cannot marry. Of course he wants Darcy to keep this secret from Lizzy and so the London season begins.
Loved the new characters, the situations and the intrigue. Plus the villains are numerous even though Wickham is long gone from the first novel.
I enjoyed this even more than the first book and definitely recommend this book series.
Amazing! This second installment showing the forced courtship with Elizabeth and Darcy during a season was a page turner. Mr Bennet doesn't want Elizabeth to marry Darcy because he feels the ton and Darcy's circles will make her unhappy. So he imposes a 6 mo courtship with the stipulation that they have to do the season and if Elizabeth is at all unhappy they cannot marry. Of course he wants Darcy to keep this secret from Lizzy and so the London season begins.
Loved the new characters, the situations and the intrigue. Plus the villains are numerous even though Wickham is long gone from the first novel.
I enjoyed this even more than the first book and definitely recommend this book series.
June 10, 2022
Unsure
Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2019
This author writes well, with just a few minor grammatical issues. I read Book One and really enjoyed it. I felt it ended unsatisfactorily, then realized there was a Book Two. It all just took too long. I would have preferred a wedding, then have ODC battle their way through whatever happened afterwards. Two books to have us come to the last two pages of their finally achieving their wedding was simply too long for me. I liked Robert Darcy. Lady Catherine...ugh. I always knew Caroline was mad.
Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2019
This author writes well, with just a few minor grammatical issues. I read Book One and really enjoyed it. I felt it ended unsatisfactorily, then realized there was a Book Two. It all just took too long. I would have preferred a wedding, then have ODC battle their way through whatever happened afterwards. Two books to have us come to the last two pages of their finally achieving their wedding was simply too long for me. I liked Robert Darcy. Lady Catherine...ugh. I always knew Caroline was mad.
October 5, 2019
It’s more like 3.75 stars. I feel it’s quite as good as the previous book One Thread Pulled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2018
Enjoyable read
Enjoyed this second book much more than 'One Thread Pulled'. It was more believable and hadn't the inconsistencies of the first. I agree with other reviewers that there were some loose ends but not too many to worry about. One reviewer complains about the number of new characters and that she couldn't keep up with them ... I can't understand why, I'm 80 and my memory leaves a bit to be desired but I had no problem keeping up with everybody.
All in all, an interesting story with plenty of twists and turns and a happy ending for ODC
Enjoyed this second book much more than 'One Thread Pulled'. It was more believable and hadn't the inconsistencies of the first. I agree with other reviewers that there were some loose ends but not too many to worry about. One reviewer complains about the number of new characters and that she couldn't keep up with them ... I can't understand why, I'm 80 and my memory leaves a bit to be desired but I had no problem keeping up with everybody.
All in all, an interesting story with plenty of twists and turns and a happy ending for ODC
March 27, 2024
Was joking in the process that now guys should become delusional from something and call for their loved ones. Haha.
Mr Bennet is being unreasonable which I didn't like. I think it would suit him right to
Story is interesting and an easy read, but rising stakes has gone too far I think. Too much drama here.
Mr Bennet is being unreasonable which I didn't like. I think it would suit him right to
Story is interesting and an easy read, but rising stakes has gone too far I think. Too much drama here.
November 24, 2016
PERFECT
I think my title says it all. Yes, my selfish soul didn't want the story to end but the ending to this full-bodied and well-paced story was a perfect beginning to their continuing story.
I think my title says it all. Yes, my selfish soul didn't want the story to end but the ending to this full-bodied and well-paced story was a perfect beginning to their continuing story.
September 16, 2024
Good
A rather gripping and emotional variation inspired by Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Diana J. Oaks. It needs a few more chapters or a sequel for my tastes but I enjoyed it.
A rather gripping and emotional variation inspired by Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Diana J. Oaks. It needs a few more chapters or a sequel for my tastes but I enjoyed it.
February 12, 2017
As l lovely and enjoyable as One Thread Pulled. I highly recommend. Characters
remain true and loyal to the original.
remain true and loyal to the original.
August 3, 2021
3.5⭐️
December 8, 2016
A Rare Gem
I loved One Thread Pulled and was excited to read this novel. The story continues beautifully. There are lots of romantic moments between Darcy & Elizabeth (my favourite parts) as well as lots of drama and intrigue. Introductions are made into society. The ton are critical but also captivated by Elizabeth who handles herself with aplomb.
Caroline makes a comeback. Viscount Milton causes chaos. Long lost relative Robert Darcy is a delightful addition to the clan. A complex and highly entertaining storyline that kept me hooked.
As a longtime lover of Jane Austen and variations of her novels, I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. Start with One Thread Pulled if you haven't read it yet and follow up with this gem. You'll love them! I truly hope there is more to come.
I loved One Thread Pulled and was excited to read this novel. The story continues beautifully. There are lots of romantic moments between Darcy & Elizabeth (my favourite parts) as well as lots of drama and intrigue. Introductions are made into society. The ton are critical but also captivated by Elizabeth who handles herself with aplomb.
Caroline makes a comeback. Viscount Milton causes chaos. Long lost relative Robert Darcy is a delightful addition to the clan. A complex and highly entertaining storyline that kept me hooked.
As a longtime lover of Jane Austen and variations of her novels, I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. Start with One Thread Pulled if you haven't read it yet and follow up with this gem. You'll love them! I truly hope there is more to come.
February 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this book (not quite as much as the first in this series). This one seemed to have some repetitive parts and lots of various plot lines going on at once. It would be nice if those were condensed (or dispensed with altogether since many of them were unnecessary for the story and were not even started in the first story).
November 24, 2016
Loved it
I loved the plot ant the turns and twist it took to get to the HEA. ODC certainly deserved it.
I loved the plot ant the turns and twist it took to get to the HEA. ODC certainly deserved it.
December 8, 2016
3 plus
Entertaining. Ending disappointing. What the heck happened to bad guys? Somewhat convoluted story. Some silly stuff about real and famous persons.
Entertaining. Ending disappointing. What the heck happened to bad guys? Somewhat convoluted story. Some silly stuff about real and famous persons.
October 8, 2021
I enjoyed this book. Not quite as much as the first, but enjoyed it all the same. I'd recommend this to any fan of Austen adaptations.
January 20, 2017
Read this one on Beyond Austen but like it so much wiki also be buying it. There was much intrigue in this second book but enjoyed the way the story played out. Hoping there will be a 3rd.
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