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Darcy and Elizabeth: The Faces of Love
Darcy and Elizabeth is a tribute in the form of a novel to Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice that extends the relationship of the book’s two principle characters beyond the pages of the original into matrimony and childbirth. The arc of their courtship, marriage, and the starting of a family serves as the foundation for a turbulent series of events.As it always is within Austen’s world, there is the familiar carousel of suitors, betrothals, triumphs, and societal disgrace. Many of the familiar characters are on hand, including Mr. and Mrs. Bennet; their daughters Jane and Elizabeth; Colonel Fitzwilliam; and Bingley, who has his eyes on Jane. Also here is the bitter Lady Catherine, as the novel also considers the more ominous social realities of the fondly remembered age.. The handsome but conniving Mr. Wickham seeks to even an old score with his former friend Darcy. False accusations challenge Elizabeth’s love for her new husband, and the novel careens to a violent climax that is the result of society gossip and damaged reputations.
This attention to the consequences of the contemporary mores of the day in the lives of these characters represents a fresh take on this time-honored tale.
This attention to the consequences of the contemporary mores of the day in the lives of these characters represents a fresh take on this time-honored tale.
- GenresHistoricalRegency
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 19, 2023
This is a unique P&P what if. Beginning about the same time frame as the original but is a slightly different world. In this world Darcy is a widower having married his cousin Anne four years earlier. But do not fear that this is a weak willed Darcy, he did it not to kowtow to Lady Catherine but to rescue Anne from her cruel mother. This Lady Catherine is a real gorgon. Bitter, hateful, hate filled and just evil.
When a post mourning Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire he is immediately charmed by Miss Elizabeth and the feeling is mutual. But he is still embroiled in several crises. Lady Catherine wants Rosing and she is determined to get it. Thus she is willing to move heaven and earth; as well as lie, cheat and bribe to try to force Darcy's hand. This means trying to unearth any Darcy secrets and we all know who knows a juicy Darcy secret; yes Wickham.
There is more spying, cheating, blackmail and threats in this story than in a modern American political campaign. And all is not well at Longbourn; Mrs. Bennet first tries to turn Jane toward Darcy as he has so much more money; and when that fails she spends her time huffing about being thwarted. Mrs. Bennet is determined that Lizzy should not get Darcy. (yes you read that right). There is a fascinating back story about how the Bennets ended up at Longbourn and how Mrs. Bennet feels that she was ill used. She and Caroline Bingley are of one mind on this although they never unite forces.
Some characters are improved; like Mr. Collins. There is plenty of angst and drama just none of it between ODC. By the half way point they are married and off to Pemberley where we are introduced to many new characters of the neighborhood and get to see Lizzy take the reins of the estate. Eventually we we learn why Lady Catherine is so evil; Wickham will get his due and the Bingleys will move to Derbyshire.
There are a few typos in the second half of the book but even with a 2/10 deduction it is still a 5 star story.
When a post mourning Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire he is immediately charmed by Miss Elizabeth and the feeling is mutual. But he is still embroiled in several crises. Lady Catherine wants Rosing and she is determined to get it. Thus she is willing to move heaven and earth; as well as lie, cheat and bribe to try to force Darcy's hand. This means trying to unearth any Darcy secrets and we all know who knows a juicy Darcy secret; yes Wickham.
There is more spying, cheating, blackmail and threats in this story than in a modern American political campaign. And all is not well at Longbourn; Mrs. Bennet first tries to turn Jane toward Darcy as he has so much more money; and when that fails she spends her time huffing about being thwarted. Mrs. Bennet is determined that Lizzy should not get Darcy. (yes you read that right). There is a fascinating back story about how the Bennets ended up at Longbourn and how Mrs. Bennet feels that she was ill used. She and Caroline Bingley are of one mind on this although they never unite forces.
Some characters are improved; like Mr. Collins. There is plenty of angst and drama just none of it between ODC. By the half way point they are married and off to Pemberley where we are introduced to many new characters of the neighborhood and get to see Lizzy take the reins of the estate. Eventually we we learn why Lady Catherine is so evil; Wickham will get his due and the Bingleys will move to Derbyshire.
There are a few typos in the second half of the book but even with a 2/10 deduction it is still a 5 star story.
March 18, 2017
“Test a servant in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.” Chanakya
This JAFF was NOT a walk in the park. It was so far off-off canon that it was a whole ‘nother story. It was like everything was high octane or JAFF on crack. I-could-not put it down. I finally crashed after 3:00 a.m. simply because I had to sleep. I desperately wanted to read through the night. I don’t even know where to begin. This story was so powerful.
Darcy: “If I were to remain silent, I’d be guilty of complicity.” Albert Einstein
I love this guy. He was so wonderful, large-and-in-charge, loving and caring. Oh-My-Goodness. Everything we love about this guy was present in this story. I love what he did for Anne. I grieved with him over his shock, hurt and grief over the atrocities of his relations. I adore him in how he handled Elizabeth. I cheered because he was smart and cunning when handling trying times. I laughed when he was victorious and maneuvered around villainous schemes. I love how he worked and interacted with our dear Colonel [love this guy]. They are so good together.
EVIL Personified, let me introduce our villains and villainesses:
Lady Catherine: “Never mind your happiness; do your duty.” Peter Drucker
I have never disliked her so strongly as I did in this story. This lady was one crazy, insane, vengeful, vicious, self-satisfying, I… I don’t have the words to describe her and her behavior and attitude. Poor Anne, I mean… I was nearly in tears over her situation. I cannot imagine her being treated in such a way. Lady Catherine’s reveal was so mind blowing that I am still reeling. Her hate and vitriol was venomous as she struck out against her relations. Her soul was as black as India ink and never to be restored to right. Unrepentant, unforgivable, and unredeemable, she sought her revenge with a heart of stone.
Wickham: “He who is false to the present duty breaks a thread in the loom, and you will see the effect when the weaving of a life-time is unraveled.” William Ellery Channing
This was a low-life-bottom-feeding-slug. As his life spiraled out of control, his outside appearance began to reflect what was in his heart and soul. Oh, I loathe this character. He was despicable. I have never seen him in this light. In actuality, this was probably the best description of an accurate picture of Wickham that I have EVER read. OMG! What he did was unforgivable. I am still shaking.
Caroline: “Ugliness is in a way superior to beauty because it lasts.” Serge Gainsbourg
Oh, my dear… bless your heart. This lady… and I use that term loosely, did not know when to SHUT-IT-UP. She went over and beyond her evil machinations as she went and did it up big. OMG! Wow! Talk about clueless.
The servants: I hesitated in listing the servants among the villains as there were several servants that were most excellent. They risked their lives in their service to the family. Others, due to their seemingly innocent gossip, put the family at risk and threatened the lives of the family as well as their own. Servants within the community caused irreparable harm to the safety and reputation of respected community members. The original gossip, spoken into the right ear, was embellished and repeated with vicious and vengeful ire. Its sole purpose was to hurt, demean and destroy the reputations of those innocent of the charge.
I am so glad the author did not separate this into several novellas. That would have been a travesty. However, there were several story threads to follow and I felt the author masterfully wove them together to create this amazing story.
Problems: yeah there were editing problems and too many to have been over looked by a good edit or beta reader. That was too bad. Also, there was a bit of confusion as to the speaker at times. I felt those continuity problem as a scene was described again that had already been described a few pages prior. That happened several times.
Angst: Yeah, we had angst galore. OMG! Even though we didn’t see Caroline much after the wedding, in Derbyshire there was a Caroline-twin that could give Caroline lessons on snobbery and social disdain, and she had the title to back it up. I loved how Darcy supported his wife and her reputation. There were a lot of societal issues of the day addressed. There are reviews that have done an excellent job of addressing them. I cannot adequately address them and shall leave it to others.
So much went on in this story. I am still shaking my head. I love this Darcy and Elizabeth. They are so good together. The rating was PG-13, as there were a few steamy scenes with the marriage of two passionate people. Otherwise, it was clean.
This JAFF was NOT a walk in the park. It was so far off-off canon that it was a whole ‘nother story. It was like everything was high octane or JAFF on crack. I-could-not put it down. I finally crashed after 3:00 a.m. simply because I had to sleep. I desperately wanted to read through the night. I don’t even know where to begin. This story was so powerful.
Darcy: “If I were to remain silent, I’d be guilty of complicity.” Albert Einstein
I love this guy. He was so wonderful, large-and-in-charge, loving and caring. Oh-My-Goodness. Everything we love about this guy was present in this story. I love what he did for Anne. I grieved with him over his shock, hurt and grief over the atrocities of his relations. I adore him in how he handled Elizabeth. I cheered because he was smart and cunning when handling trying times. I laughed when he was victorious and maneuvered around villainous schemes. I love how he worked and interacted with our dear Colonel [love this guy]. They are so good together.
EVIL Personified, let me introduce our villains and villainesses:
Lady Catherine: “Never mind your happiness; do your duty.” Peter Drucker
I have never disliked her so strongly as I did in this story. This lady was one crazy, insane, vengeful, vicious, self-satisfying, I… I don’t have the words to describe her and her behavior and attitude. Poor Anne, I mean… I was nearly in tears over her situation. I cannot imagine her being treated in such a way. Lady Catherine’s reveal was so mind blowing that I am still reeling. Her hate and vitriol was venomous as she struck out against her relations. Her soul was as black as India ink and never to be restored to right. Unrepentant, unforgivable, and unredeemable, she sought her revenge with a heart of stone.
Wickham: “He who is false to the present duty breaks a thread in the loom, and you will see the effect when the weaving of a life-time is unraveled.” William Ellery Channing
This was a low-life-bottom-feeding-slug. As his life spiraled out of control, his outside appearance began to reflect what was in his heart and soul. Oh, I loathe this character. He was despicable. I have never seen him in this light. In actuality, this was probably the best description of an accurate picture of Wickham that I have EVER read. OMG! What he did was unforgivable. I am still shaking.
Caroline: “Ugliness is in a way superior to beauty because it lasts.” Serge Gainsbourg
Oh, my dear… bless your heart. This lady… and I use that term loosely, did not know when to SHUT-IT-UP. She went over and beyond her evil machinations as she went and did it up big. OMG! Wow! Talk about clueless.
The servants: I hesitated in listing the servants among the villains as there were several servants that were most excellent. They risked their lives in their service to the family. Others, due to their seemingly innocent gossip, put the family at risk and threatened the lives of the family as well as their own. Servants within the community caused irreparable harm to the safety and reputation of respected community members. The original gossip, spoken into the right ear, was embellished and repeated with vicious and vengeful ire. Its sole purpose was to hurt, demean and destroy the reputations of those innocent of the charge.
I am so glad the author did not separate this into several novellas. That would have been a travesty. However, there were several story threads to follow and I felt the author masterfully wove them together to create this amazing story.
Problems: yeah there were editing problems and too many to have been over looked by a good edit or beta reader. That was too bad. Also, there was a bit of confusion as to the speaker at times. I felt those continuity problem as a scene was described again that had already been described a few pages prior. That happened several times.
Angst: Yeah, we had angst galore. OMG! Even though we didn’t see Caroline much after the wedding, in Derbyshire there was a Caroline-twin that could give Caroline lessons on snobbery and social disdain, and she had the title to back it up. I loved how Darcy supported his wife and her reputation. There were a lot of societal issues of the day addressed. There are reviews that have done an excellent job of addressing them. I cannot adequately address them and shall leave it to others.
So much went on in this story. I am still shaking my head. I love this Darcy and Elizabeth. They are so good together. The rating was PG-13, as there were a few steamy scenes with the marriage of two passionate people. Otherwise, it was clean.
March 28, 2017
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
This has multiple stories inside of a story. They're all good and interesting in their own way, although many of them have little or nothing to do with the others.
Let's see... There's Mrs. Bennet's over-the-top dislike of her daughter Elizabeth and surprising resistance to a match between her second daughter and Mr. Darcy. She does everything in her power to push Elizabeth toward Mr. Collins (who is a wonderfully sensible man in this version) in order to keep Longbourn, and then toward Colonel Fitzwilliam, who she believes would be better able to bring her most unruly daughter to heel. We do finally get some explanation of why she resents that her second child was not a son when it doesn't seem like as big a deal in her attitude towards any of her other daughters.
There's Lady Catherine's dislike for her daughter Anne, who did marry Darcy but died in childbirth a year before the events of this book, so he is a widower. Although it's clear that Rosings legally passed to Darcy through Anne, Lady C. insists that SHE should have control of it, which Darcy refuses. This sets events in motion where she tries everything she can think of to gain some leverage over him, including researching why Georgiana's companion was dismissed. I admit to enjoying the big reveal regarding Lady C's motivation, which explains her actions while making them no less reprehensible.
There's George Wickham's certifiably maniacal obsession with Darcy. He's frustrated that he didn't succeed in eloping with Georgiana. His foiled plot went even further than that, as we learn he intended to make sure he eventually got control of Pemberley. Mrs. Younge has gotten wise to him, but she's in too deep to break free. When his "bad luck" continues to go from bad to worse, he cooks up another revenge scheme.
There are various plots surrounding Elizabeth's new surroundings once she gets to Pemberley. Lady Walker-Price is a piece of work in the same mold as Caroline Bingley. She's a mean-spirited gossip who believes herself to be the queen of the local society while her weak-willed husband drinks himself into a stupor rather than deal with his shrew of a wife. Mrs. Ellington is happily married to a former schoolmate of Darcy's, but she's desperate to have another child despite her frail constitution. Mrs. Courtland is wed to a horribly abusive husband, as everyone knows, but all are helpless to do anything to assist her because the laws of marriage essentially make her his property unless he seriously injures or kills her.
Speaking of Caroline Bingley, she has her own little story arc. She's predictably p*ssed when she learns Darcy is planning to marry Elizabeth and throws a hissy fit. It's always nice when Louisa Hurst shows more sense than her sister, as she does here.
Jane and Bingley are around, too, but their romance isn't mentioned all that much aside from the double wedding with Elizabeth and Darcy and the eventual necessity of moving from Netherfield because Mrs. Bennet is such a pain in the arse.
Oh, yes, and somewhere in the midst of all this drama, there are Darcy and Elizabeth falling in love and being a happily married couple. I do acknowledge that at least all of these other storylines tend to be interspersed throughout the book, so there's a little bit of a buildup within each rather than one story following the other in serial fashion. However, this doesn't change the fact that many of them don't have much bearing on what I presume is the primary story, which is the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth.
I do find the author's writing style engaging and I enjoyed reading this. Unfortunately, I had a sense of a lot of stuff all thrown into a pot, stirred, and poured into one book. I would love to see what this author could do with a more cohesive single plot.
This has multiple stories inside of a story. They're all good and interesting in their own way, although many of them have little or nothing to do with the others.
Let's see... There's Mrs. Bennet's over-the-top dislike of her daughter Elizabeth and surprising resistance to a match between her second daughter and Mr. Darcy. She does everything in her power to push Elizabeth toward Mr. Collins (who is a wonderfully sensible man in this version) in order to keep Longbourn, and then toward Colonel Fitzwilliam, who she believes would be better able to bring her most unruly daughter to heel. We do finally get some explanation of why she resents that her second child was not a son when it doesn't seem like as big a deal in her attitude towards any of her other daughters.
There's Lady Catherine's dislike for her daughter Anne, who did marry Darcy but died in childbirth a year before the events of this book, so he is a widower. Although it's clear that Rosings legally passed to Darcy through Anne, Lady C. insists that SHE should have control of it, which Darcy refuses. This sets events in motion where she tries everything she can think of to gain some leverage over him, including researching why Georgiana's companion was dismissed. I admit to enjoying the big reveal regarding Lady C's motivation, which explains her actions while making them no less reprehensible.
There's George Wickham's certifiably maniacal obsession with Darcy. He's frustrated that he didn't succeed in eloping with Georgiana. His foiled plot went even further than that, as we learn he intended to make sure he eventually got control of Pemberley. Mrs. Younge has gotten wise to him, but she's in too deep to break free. When his "bad luck" continues to go from bad to worse, he cooks up another revenge scheme.
There are various plots surrounding Elizabeth's new surroundings once she gets to Pemberley. Lady Walker-Price is a piece of work in the same mold as Caroline Bingley. She's a mean-spirited gossip who believes herself to be the queen of the local society while her weak-willed husband drinks himself into a stupor rather than deal with his shrew of a wife. Mrs. Ellington is happily married to a former schoolmate of Darcy's, but she's desperate to have another child despite her frail constitution. Mrs. Courtland is wed to a horribly abusive husband, as everyone knows, but all are helpless to do anything to assist her because the laws of marriage essentially make her his property unless he seriously injures or kills her.
Speaking of Caroline Bingley, she has her own little story arc. She's predictably p*ssed when she learns Darcy is planning to marry Elizabeth and throws a hissy fit. It's always nice when Louisa Hurst shows more sense than her sister, as she does here.
Jane and Bingley are around, too, but their romance isn't mentioned all that much aside from the double wedding with Elizabeth and Darcy and the eventual necessity of moving from Netherfield because Mrs. Bennet is such a pain in the arse.
Oh, yes, and somewhere in the midst of all this drama, there are Darcy and Elizabeth falling in love and being a happily married couple. I do acknowledge that at least all of these other storylines tend to be interspersed throughout the book, so there's a little bit of a buildup within each rather than one story following the other in serial fashion. However, this doesn't change the fact that many of them don't have much bearing on what I presume is the primary story, which is the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth.
I do find the author's writing style engaging and I enjoyed reading this. Unfortunately, I had a sense of a lot of stuff all thrown into a pot, stirred, and poured into one book. I would love to see what this author could do with a more cohesive single plot.
September 7, 2022
2nd reading: Just as enjoyable!
My Rating: 4.5*
You know you love a story when you regret leaving it sitting on your 'TBR' pile for so long. This is such a one for me. I love various styles of Austenesque stories and 'outside the box' with high drama is one of them. Right from the start, I was sucked in and hated to put my book down when real life and the need for sleep interfered.
Just reading the somber opening chapter, I knew I would not be disappointed. I found the author's writing style atmospheric, and you could just feel the weight it. As the book description states, Lady Catherine is bitter and unbending. Her wrath against Darcy and her own circumstances will leave you stunned.
"Time had revealed the truth beneath the facade; she looked what she had become - a stark, unfeeling parody of womanhood." (quote from the book)
But Lady Catherine is not the only villain. Mr. Wickham is out for revenge, especially after the Ramsgate incident, and his greed knows no bounds.
There are different twists to this variation that I quite enjoyed. There are several story threads to follow, but they do come together at the end...some you know will not end well. However, Caroline Bingley's sentiments are unchanged. She is still obsessed with Darcy. I so enjoyed Elizabeth's quips to Caroline. They were politely rendered but with a definite sting to them. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have their own twists in this tale. Due to this, Mrs. Bennet has a sharper edge to her that is more visible when it comes to Elizabeth.
In this drama, Darcy and Elizabeth do not have the heavy veil of pride and prejudice. Both of them have to deal with others that either try to come between them or cause scandal to tear them apart. Was there more than necessary? Maybe. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
My Rating: 4.5*
You know you love a story when you regret leaving it sitting on your 'TBR' pile for so long. This is such a one for me. I love various styles of Austenesque stories and 'outside the box' with high drama is one of them. Right from the start, I was sucked in and hated to put my book down when real life and the need for sleep interfered.
Just reading the somber opening chapter, I knew I would not be disappointed. I found the author's writing style atmospheric, and you could just feel the weight it. As the book description states, Lady Catherine is bitter and unbending. Her wrath against Darcy and her own circumstances will leave you stunned.
"Time had revealed the truth beneath the facade; she looked what she had become - a stark, unfeeling parody of womanhood." (quote from the book)
But Lady Catherine is not the only villain. Mr. Wickham is out for revenge, especially after the Ramsgate incident, and his greed knows no bounds.
There are different twists to this variation that I quite enjoyed. There are several story threads to follow, but they do come together at the end...some you know will not end well. However, Caroline Bingley's sentiments are unchanged. She is still obsessed with Darcy. I so enjoyed Elizabeth's quips to Caroline. They were politely rendered but with a definite sting to them. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have their own twists in this tale. Due to this, Mrs. Bennet has a sharper edge to her that is more visible when it comes to Elizabeth.
In this drama, Darcy and Elizabeth do not have the heavy veil of pride and prejudice. Both of them have to deal with others that either try to come between them or cause scandal to tear them apart. Was there more than necessary? Maybe. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 12, 2022
Excellent Read
I loved this book. The non-canon storyline kept me turning pages all day long from beginning to end. Others have given detailed reviews so I won’t be repetitive. I will say what I liked especially was the dialogue and the character portrayals of ODC. The usual villains were there, Wickham being especially villainous. I appreciated the absence of Lydia. Very well written with the exception of some proofreading oversights. Highly recommend.
I loved this book. The non-canon storyline kept me turning pages all day long from beginning to end. Others have given detailed reviews so I won’t be repetitive. I will say what I liked especially was the dialogue and the character portrayals of ODC. The usual villains were there, Wickham being especially villainous. I appreciated the absence of Lydia. Very well written with the exception of some proofreading oversights. Highly recommend.
October 14, 2023
I liked the little changes this author made to make up as a whole an alternate P&P.
Well written, with tiny amount of typos.
One continuity issue- when E sees her friend at Hefzibah's it says she will remember in 2 months, but they are in London for over 3 months and were at Pemberley for a month before leaving.
Read this on KU and purchased a paperback to reread.
Well written, with tiny amount of typos.
One continuity issue- when E sees her friend at Hefzibah's it says she will remember in 2 months, but they are in London for over 3 months and were at Pemberley for a month before leaving.
Read this on KU and purchased a paperback to reread.
October 14, 2017
This would be better named "The Faces of Marriage", as we read of infidelity, spousal abuse, May-November match-ups, etc. It was interesting to read of ODC but some of their relations and acquaintances did not have the same reason for marriage.
September 4, 2022
Dull potboiler
Well I give it 3 stars for pretty good writing
Story is dull. Mainly from the lack of emotion I felt for either the good guys or the bad guys. This is not one of those stories where the bad guys are just evil and mean. The bad guys are like rabid dogs. Crazy and ready to rip you to shreds with no warning.
I don’t mind stories like that but I REALLY don’t like the good guys having their hands tied behind their back with propriety, good manners and civility. By the end of the book Wickham is full blown crazy. By all rights he should have come up with a sneaky plan that would have killed someone without being caught since he was out still running around free as a bird.
It’s just by luck and countless coincidences that he is stopped. It was obvious that he should had a bag of rocks tied to his feet and have him dumped in the Thames. Instead, nearly the entire Darcy family was almost lost.
Addition to my review.
I changed my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars. I still think the story drags at the end but the writing is superior.
Well I give it 3 stars for pretty good writing
Story is dull. Mainly from the lack of emotion I felt for either the good guys or the bad guys. This is not one of those stories where the bad guys are just evil and mean. The bad guys are like rabid dogs. Crazy and ready to rip you to shreds with no warning.
I don’t mind stories like that but I REALLY don’t like the good guys having their hands tied behind their back with propriety, good manners and civility. By the end of the book Wickham is full blown crazy. By all rights he should have come up with a sneaky plan that would have killed someone without being caught since he was out still running around free as a bird.
It’s just by luck and countless coincidences that he is stopped. It was obvious that he should had a bag of rocks tied to his feet and have him dumped in the Thames. Instead, nearly the entire Darcy family was almost lost.
Addition to my review.
I changed my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars. I still think the story drags at the end but the writing is superior.
February 8, 2023
Wonderfully crafted. Fast paced, dramatic, showing ODC utterly in love and learning to be a formidable team. Almost completely true to canon. From just before they meet until birth of first child. I want to reread it already. ** Strong trigger warning ** Shows brief episodes of extremely strong physical and verbal spousal attacks at a neighbor's house. Shows alcoholism in two brief episodes. Well worth the read if these are safe topics for you. Chaste, but strong M for the violence.
June 6, 2022
Even though there are enough vicious villains, I would consider this a low angst story because Darcy and Elizabeth have no issues between them. They fall for each other pretty quickly and face all of them together. Very enjoyable!
August 20, 2022
So many really good ideas for a story.
In fact, far too many good ideas.
I could have enjoyed the story with Lady Catherine as the over-the-top villain.
I could have enjoyed the story with George Wickham as the over-the-top villain.
I could have enjoyed the story (expanded a bit) with the abusive husband.
I just couldn't seem to enjoy the story as it was published. It was just too much for me.
In fact, far too many good ideas.
I could have enjoyed the story with Lady Catherine as the over-the-top villain.
I could have enjoyed the story with George Wickham as the over-the-top villain.
I could have enjoyed the story (expanded a bit) with the abusive husband.
I just couldn't seem to enjoy the story as it was published. It was just too much for me.
April 15, 2017
Darcy and Elizabeth: The Faces of Love.
Truly an excellent story, well-thought out with quite a few unusual events thrown in to make it interesting. It starts out that Darcy is a widower, he had married poor Anne DeBourgh whose Mother, Lady Catherine, was so awful to her, Darcy married her out of compassion. Later in the story, we find out why Lady Catherine was so horrible. Darcy meets Lizzie and the Meryton b Dance, but this time he does ask her to dance. I believe being through his wives sad illness, he had dropped the pompous behavior from the original Price and Prejudice and the former an attachment quickly. There is much more in the story, much angst but much love and this is a story that shouldn't be missed. A Great Read!!
Truly an excellent story, well-thought out with quite a few unusual events thrown in to make it interesting. It starts out that Darcy is a widower, he had married poor Anne DeBourgh whose Mother, Lady Catherine, was so awful to her, Darcy married her out of compassion. Later in the story, we find out why Lady Catherine was so horrible. Darcy meets Lizzie and the Meryton b Dance, but this time he does ask her to dance. I believe being through his wives sad illness, he had dropped the pompous behavior from the original Price and Prejudice and the former an attachment quickly. There is much more in the story, much angst but much love and this is a story that shouldn't be missed. A Great Read!!
February 16, 2018
Action filled thriller.
I loved that ODC reach an understanding early on and we follow them in their early marriage. I love to see them happy for a bit.
I am not so fond of when either of them have been married before...
Wickham and Lady C are more vicious then usual but get what they deserve in the end.
Mr B is even less likable.
A bit darker variation which I like very well.
Some new caracters are successfully introduced.
My complaint would be that the understanding and falling in love part feels a little rushed and I miss some events or tender moments between ODC before that is accomplished.
Altogether a worthwhile novel that I will put on my reread list.
I loved that ODC reach an understanding early on and we follow them in their early marriage. I love to see them happy for a bit.
I am not so fond of when either of them have been married before...
Wickham and Lady C are more vicious then usual but get what they deserve in the end.
Mr B is even less likable.
A bit darker variation which I like very well.
Some new caracters are successfully introduced.
My complaint would be that the understanding and falling in love part feels a little rushed and I miss some events or tender moments between ODC before that is accomplished.
Altogether a worthwhile novel that I will put on my reread list.
May 24, 2018
A bright gem amongst the Darcy and Elizabeth stories
The author has produced a delightful story starring Elizabeth and Darcy in which difficulties are discussed and decisions are made. The story does not fade into the sunset with the wedding night but allows the reader to see how the couple deal with the world and each other as husband and wife.
To try to describe the story would give away too much and spoil the reader's enjoyment. But be assured that there is a lot of story here, both comical and tragic. You're bound to be surprised at least once or twice.
30
The author has produced a delightful story starring Elizabeth and Darcy in which difficulties are discussed and decisions are made. The story does not fade into the sunset with the wedding night but allows the reader to see how the couple deal with the world and each other as husband and wife.
To try to describe the story would give away too much and spoil the reader's enjoyment. But be assured that there is a lot of story here, both comical and tragic. You're bound to be surprised at least once or twice.
30
October 2, 2024
A very good book with an interesting and unusual plot
These characters have an authenticity to them which is not often found in this genre. There is often a temptation to make Darcy something of a 'new man' which des not ring true but in this book the author has portrayed the character well, emotionally deep but not too soft.
The main plot is good but is diluted at times by some side plots which do not necessarily add enough to merit their inclusion.
There are a small number of editing errors but these do not really intrude in the reading pleasure.
These characters have an authenticity to them which is not often found in this genre. There is often a temptation to make Darcy something of a 'new man' which des not ring true but in this book the author has portrayed the character well, emotionally deep but not too soft.
The main plot is good but is diluted at times by some side plots which do not necessarily add enough to merit their inclusion.
There are a small number of editing errors but these do not really intrude in the reading pleasure.
May 1, 2017
An angst filled tale revealing one character's determined attempts to oust Darcy and gain control of Rosings,and another's protracted attempts at blackmail sees him plunge to depths previously unheard of,until now.
Darcy and Elizabeth face new challenges from surprising quarters,and we are unfortunately privy to more than one death.
A good story and a surprising tale.
Darcy and Elizabeth face new challenges from surprising quarters,and we are unfortunately privy to more than one death.
A good story and a surprising tale.
July 21, 2018
I debated on giving this book a 3, but it better than a 3, but a 4 is too high for the rating.
The story begins with Darcy visiting the grave of his wife, Anne De Bourgh Darcy. Anne left Rosings Park to Darcy, but Lady Catherine wants it back. He says she can only have the dower house, and he orders her from Pemberley. When Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire, Mrs. Bennet attempts to match Jane with Darcy and Elizabeth with Mr. Collins. The story progresses from there.
There are parts of this that are well written. However, these things bothered me and affected my rating:
A woman could not make a will without her husband's permission. For Anne to will the estate to Darcy, he would have known about it prior to her death.
Lady Catherine is NOT Lady De Bourgh because she can keep her title of "Lady Catherine"as the daughter of an earl. Generally, the higher title would be recognized. De Bourgh was only a baronet, which is not part of the peerage.
Lady Walker-Price cannot be referred to as "Lady." Her mother married a baronet. The mother cannot be "Lady Sylvia." She is "Lady (husband's last name)."
Lady Walker-Price would be "Miss (her father's last name)." The author sometimes calls her "Mrs. Walker-Price" and sometimes "Lady Walker-Price."
The author uses both the names "Agnes" and "Annie" for Mrs. Younge.
One did not address an earl as "Lord Henry." As he is the Earl of Matlock, he is either "Matlock" or "Lord Matlock."
There are numerous split infinitives.
The story begins with Darcy visiting the grave of his wife, Anne De Bourgh Darcy. Anne left Rosings Park to Darcy, but Lady Catherine wants it back. He says she can only have the dower house, and he orders her from Pemberley. When Darcy arrives in Hertfordshire, Mrs. Bennet attempts to match Jane with Darcy and Elizabeth with Mr. Collins. The story progresses from there.
There are parts of this that are well written. However, these things bothered me and affected my rating:
A woman could not make a will without her husband's permission. For Anne to will the estate to Darcy, he would have known about it prior to her death.
Lady Catherine is NOT Lady De Bourgh because she can keep her title of "Lady Catherine"as the daughter of an earl. Generally, the higher title would be recognized. De Bourgh was only a baronet, which is not part of the peerage.
Lady Walker-Price cannot be referred to as "Lady." Her mother married a baronet. The mother cannot be "Lady Sylvia." She is "Lady (husband's last name)."
Lady Walker-Price would be "Miss (her father's last name)." The author sometimes calls her "Mrs. Walker-Price" and sometimes "Lady Walker-Price."
The author uses both the names "Agnes" and "Annie" for Mrs. Younge.
One did not address an earl as "Lord Henry." As he is the Earl of Matlock, he is either "Matlock" or "Lord Matlock."
There are numerous split infinitives.
December 8, 2023
Darcy and Elizabeth
What a different Meryton Assembly took place in this variation. Darcy married Anne de Bourgh to gain her escape from her mother, Lady Catherine. No love lost between these characters at all. Reasons come out way later in the story. Trip to Netherfield comes after his mourning period. Darcy surprised me in this story. Stuck by Lizzy like fly paper. Still had our usual characters filled with hate, malice, and revenge. Mr. Collins was the surprise character seemingly almost normal. Caroline barnacle Bingley was her usual obnoxious self maybe even more nasty, Wickham was more demented than usual and his last deed did him in, Lady Catherine belonged locked up somewhere with the key thrown away, and Mrs. Bennet was her usual hateful self towards Elizabeth. Loved Arthel Cake’s Darcy. Once his mind was made up things happened at a quick pace and to ODC’s satisfaction. Once in Derbyshire, Elizabeth had to deal with an awful person, but when this person’s husband was threatened by Darcy and his neighbor, Ellington, the husband finally stands up to his strong willed wife and they head for London. Interesting story how Elizabeth becomes the much loved and respected Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley.
What a different Meryton Assembly took place in this variation. Darcy married Anne de Bourgh to gain her escape from her mother, Lady Catherine. No love lost between these characters at all. Reasons come out way later in the story. Trip to Netherfield comes after his mourning period. Darcy surprised me in this story. Stuck by Lizzy like fly paper. Still had our usual characters filled with hate, malice, and revenge. Mr. Collins was the surprise character seemingly almost normal. Caroline barnacle Bingley was her usual obnoxious self maybe even more nasty, Wickham was more demented than usual and his last deed did him in, Lady Catherine belonged locked up somewhere with the key thrown away, and Mrs. Bennet was her usual hateful self towards Elizabeth. Loved Arthel Cake’s Darcy. Once his mind was made up things happened at a quick pace and to ODC’s satisfaction. Once in Derbyshire, Elizabeth had to deal with an awful person, but when this person’s husband was threatened by Darcy and his neighbor, Ellington, the husband finally stands up to his strong willed wife and they head for London. Interesting story how Elizabeth becomes the much loved and respected Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley.
December 26, 2017
I would have rated this higher for the P&P aspect of the book, but there were numerous secondary storylines that were unnecessary to the story. They seemed to drag the book down. Darcy and Elizabeth knew pretty early on that they were in love with each other. I felt that this book was more about everyone else. Mrs. Bennet? What a nightmare! Mr. Bennet? He's always been hands-off with raising of his children and keeping his wife in line - this book made it more obvious to me. Wickham? What a snake! Lady Catherine? This woman needs to be locked up in a rubber room...what a nut bar! This book kept my interest pretty much throughout, except for my frustration with the extra people in the book.
April 11, 2021
Needs an editor
Missing words or letters or extra letters are just little annoying edit needs for this book. The timing needs adjustment. Scenes are confusingly repeated later than expected for another point of view. I found it jarring. Scenes are presented one way then later referred to in completely different ways. Darcy basically decided on Elizabeth at the assembly where they met and maybe saw her once before proposing then later it is stated they met frequently? Mr. Bennets discusses the assembly with Elizabeth days later as if it happened thre previous night. One good thing was the Lady Catherine revelation which explained so much.
Missing words or letters or extra letters are just little annoying edit needs for this book. The timing needs adjustment. Scenes are confusingly repeated later than expected for another point of view. I found it jarring. Scenes are presented one way then later referred to in completely different ways. Darcy basically decided on Elizabeth at the assembly where they met and maybe saw her once before proposing then later it is stated they met frequently? Mr. Bennets discusses the assembly with Elizabeth days later as if it happened thre previous night. One good thing was the Lady Catherine revelation which explained so much.
May 22, 2017
Every early Victorian topic possible
Except for Napoleon, this book touches upon every Dickensian topic available, from the ton, to addictive behaviors and substances, to marital abuse and orphanages. Not one of those topics is explored in depth. The only character keeping me reading was Lady Catherine. When she was dispatched in a plot twist I pretty much lost interest. Some nice turns of phrase in the prose and decent proofreading/editing.
Except for Napoleon, this book touches upon every Dickensian topic available, from the ton, to addictive behaviors and substances, to marital abuse and orphanages. Not one of those topics is explored in depth. The only character keeping me reading was Lady Catherine. When she was dispatched in a plot twist I pretty much lost interest. Some nice turns of phrase in the prose and decent proofreading/editing.
March 13, 2019
In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth and Darcy find their way together much sooner and with different complications. Mrs Bennet, Lady Catherine, Wickham, and an annoying neighbor all create the angst for our dear couple.
I enjoy this authors writing style but confess I liked her other works better than this one.
I enjoy this authors writing style but confess I liked her other works better than this one.
April 21, 2024
Like the storyline but the timeline was confusing. Appears to shift back and forth constantly and somethings that require a certain amount of time did not appear to have the time need. Also spelling errors and weird typing errors abounded it was jarring to the story to so often try and adjust the written words to what would actually make sense.
June 5, 2017
I was really into the story, but then about halfway through the book, too many secondary characters were introduced that seemed like they were shoehorned into the story and made the plot drag. It was a real struggle for me to finish this.
February 17, 2018
This Pride abd prejudice variation begings with the death of Darcy's wife, continues with his meeting of Elizabeth and beyond. Angst is mainly supplied with the antics of Lady Catherine and Wickham.
An enjoyable story with interesting subplots
An enjoyable story with interesting subplots
May 28, 2017
A good read!
Takes the story in unusual directions! Rather than having the characters at perpetual odds, tension is created by the other characters.
Takes the story in unusual directions! Rather than having the characters at perpetual odds, tension is created by the other characters.
October 11, 2017
Really 31/2 rating
Very good retelling and continuation by this author. Lady Catherine and Wickham received just desserts, Darcy and Elizabeth love shone.
Very good retelling and continuation by this author. Lady Catherine and Wickham received just desserts, Darcy and Elizabeth love shone.
January 22, 2019
Interesting
Rather interesting variation of author Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. New characters and the story is different but it’s enjoyable
Rather interesting variation of author Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. New characters and the story is different but it’s enjoyable
April 15, 2021
Fun take on Darcy and Elizabeth's love story. I like how Collins is represented.
March 18, 2017
The detail and development of the charactetrs makes this one of my favorite Pride and Prejudice stories. It moves right along and feels almost as if you are living in the story with Elizabeth and William.
I felt I came to understand some of the characters so much more than any of the countless P and P I had read before.
I felt I came to understand some of the characters so much more than any of the countless P and P I had read before.
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