Mistress: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, with Parts Not Suitable for Those Who Have Not Reached Their Majority

by Sophie Turner

Note: Readers of Sophie Turner's more chaste Constant Love series should be aware that this novel contains decidedly adult content at certain parts of the story.

One night, to decide his entire life's happiness.

Chastened by Charles Bingley following Mr. Bennet’s untimely death, Fitzwilliam Darcy determines he will offer marriage to Elizabeth Bennet, but she marries another.

Years later, a widowed Elizabeth is mistress of Longbourn, and has vowed she will never marry again. A house party at Netherfield brings them back together, but Darcy will have to win more than her heart if he is to have any chance at making her mistress of Pemberley.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Romance, Regency

185 pages, Paperback

Published March 6, 2017

Reviews

[Nissa | Of Pens and Pages Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Of Pens and Pages.



The day after the Netherfield ball, tragedy befalls the Bennet household. Mr. Bennet passes away, and so Mr. Collins, who wishes to take a wife, inherits Longbourn. Without even waiting for the Bennet women to go on with their mourning, Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth and plans to have their wedding a while later.

Elizabeth is trapped in this hopeless situation with no choice but to comply. She knows she must marry the man, no matter how odious he is. When Mr. Bingley returns alone to pay his respects, Elizabeth hoped and prayed he'd propose to Jane, but when he didn't, she knew she must sacrifice her happiness to save her family from destitution. So, off to the church they go.

News of Mr. Bennet's death reaches Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, and while Mr. Darcy tries to dissuade Bingley from going back to Hertfordshire, Bingley stands his ground. When he finds out about Darcy and Bingley's sisters' plan to separate him from Jane, he chastises Darcy and ends their friendship. The breach leaves Darcy contemplative, especially since Bingley said some things he's never thought much about before—his pride and selfishness.

Worse, he loses his chance with the one woman who has intrigued him and captured his heart. He sees the news of Elizabeth and Mr. Collins' engagement on the paper, and although he sends a counter-proposal for Elizabeth, he receives no reply. A few weeks later, Elizabeth and Mr. Collins are wed. It is then he vows to change into a better man. A man worthy of Elizabeth's love, even if she is lost to him forever.

Years later when Bingley and Darcy meet again and reconcile, he is invited to stay with the Bingleys at Netherfield. Elizabeth is widowed and coming out of mourning. Darcy sees it as serendipity, and takes his chance to make things right. The two get reacquainted and closer than they ever were before.

Obviously, the story diverted from the canon after the Netherfield ball. Elizabeth's marriage with Mr. Collins was short-lived, but it had a seemingly irreparable damage on Elizabeth. Mr. Collins didn't respect her, didn't listen to her, and didn't care for her. When he died, Elizabeth is sure she never wants to enter another marriage. The emotional abuse she experienced and the pain she felt in the marriage bed were enough to keep her away from wanting to getting married again.

Elizabeth's marriage with Mr. Collins has had an effect on all the remaining Bennets, the worst on Elizabeth. Lydia marries Captain Denny and moves out of the house (mainly because that's just who Lydia is, and there's the benefit of staying away from Mr. Collins). After living with Mr. Collins and seeing what he's been doing to their sister, Mary becomes less severe, and Kitty a little disillusioned with marriage and love. Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth's relationship is more damaged, and even more so when Mr. Collins passed away.

The main thing getting in the way of our beloved characters' happily ever after is Elizabeth's trauma from her marriage and marriage bed. How the two will move past this, it's hard to know. But Elizabeth finds enlightenment from an unlikely source, and she proposes a plan that might help them know if a chance of a happily ever after exists for them.

My heart broke for Elizabeth. Oh to be married to a man like Mr. Collins! I was so proud of her when she stayed strong and good-natured after what she's gone through. Mr. Collins repressed her and took away almost everything that made her who she was. Her books, her will, her freedom.

I felt the love, longing, and absolute devotion Mr. Darcy had for Elizabeth. I was swooning throughout this story because this wonderful, wonderful man would give and give up anything for Elizabeth just to make her happy. During their reunion, courtship, even after their marriage, this man thought of Elizabeth's needs first. Seriously. This man raises the bar for book boyfriend and husbands.

I always thought Mr. Bingley got off the hook easier than I believe he should have in Pride and Prejudice. I wanted Jane to make him beg. After being influenced by his sisters and Mr. Darcy to leave her, I didn't think he deserved her. I wanted someone who had a backbone for Jane. So to see a Mr. Bingley who is not so easily swayed by Mr. Darcy or his sisters, a Mr. Bingley who is sure of his feelings for Jane, it made me feel incredibly pleased. This is the Mr. Bingley I felt 100% deserved Jane. And when he chastised Mr. Darcy for trying to convince him to leave Jane, I wanted to applaud him. You go, Mr. Bingley!

Mistress is a Pride and Prejudice variation told in the third POV. As the title suggests, this book is not for the younger audience. It has mature themes and scenes not suitable for readers under eighteen. Those scenes, although explicit, were written tastefully and with feeling.

My mind and heart were with this story from start to finish. I smiled, giggled, felt heartbroken, and in love with this book's Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Mistress had its fair share of angst and pain, but it also had hope, heat, a second chance at love and happiness, and love.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

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[wosedwew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Men get laid, but women get screwed. ~Quentin Crisp

The sadder-but-wiser girl's the girl for me.
The sadder-but-wiser girl for me.
Lyrics from “The Music Man”

Don’t judge a book by its cover – but do take a minute to study this cover painting.

See Elizabeth crossing her arms protectively over her body — determined to keep her body to herself from this day forward. See the quiet smile, the eyes still beautiful but maybe not so sparkling – a “sadder-but-wiser” girl at 24 than she was at 20. The cover tells you what you need to know about this book.

In “The Music Man” Professor Hill wants a “sadder-but-wiser” girl because he knows it’s easier to score if the girl knows the score.

Darcy wants this “sadder-but-wiser” Elizabeth. He is not Harold Hill however -- he is after the girl for the long haul, not for the quick score.

And that’s a lucky thing because it would be harder to score with Elizabeth BECAUSE she does “know the score!”
She knows sex with Collins was always painful.
She knows sex with Collins was always smelly and loud.
She knows she is barren because Collins blamed her for their childlessness and Mama Bennet seconded that notion.

After a disastrous marriage to the odious Collins, Elizabeth secretly rejoices when his horse proves his ability to jump outweighs Collins’ ability to ride. A fall, a proper mourning period and Elizabeth is FREE!

This woman is a “happy widow” — happy to be a widow, that is!
She has NO desire to re-marry EVER!

_________________________________
I know nothing about sex, because I was always married. ~Zsa Zsa Gabor
_________________________________

Elizabeth had multiple reasons to dislike the odious Collins – but the bedchamber reasons outweigh all others. Her story with Collins is mostly told in her memories: Collins is dead when the story begins (thank goodness – I couldn’t suffer through much of that marriage.)

The story is about sexual problems and does contain sex acts and lots of discussions about sex. That being said, I don’t consider the descriptions overly salacious – this is not pornography. Elizabeth hated being trapped under Collins and Darcy consults his adolescent sex manuals to find alternatives to Missionary. This is a very courageous Elizabeth who is able to talk openly with Darcy about her sexual aversions.

I read this originally as it was posted on a FanFiction site. The author gave me a free copy of the completed work in thanks for several comments on the WIP.

D/E HEA of course – and a PONY!

There's nothing better than good sex. But bad sex? A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is better than bad sex. ~Billy Joel

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a gift from the author with no promise of a review, favorable or otherwise.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

You should take the warning in this title seriously, but it is far from being pornography. The graphic bits are, admittedly, very graphic, but they are integral to the plot development in this deeply moving and well-written tale.

At the opening of the story, our heroine is the widow of Mr. Collins and now Mistress of Longbourn. This came about because Mr. Collins had been at Longbourn, clumsily trying to charm Elizabeth. On the morning after the Netherfield ball, he had every intention of proposing and she had every intention of refusing him if he did.

Unfortunately for her, before that happened, Mr. Bennet suddenly developed chest pain, fell over and died. This shocking event didn't change Mr. Collins' plans in the slightest, and he proceeded with his proposal in the midst of the family's initial shock. It certainly changed Elizabeth's answer, as she had no choice but to accept in order to save her family.

All too quickly (at her betrothed's insistence), she found herself trapped in a horrific, although mercifully short-lived, marriage. During that time, Mr. Collins devalued, disrespected and demeaned her. In particular, he gave her such a revulsion of the marriage bed that she has developed PTSD symptoms whenever she even contemplates repeating the experience.

This is the crux of the obstacle that she must be willing to face and overcome if she is ever to marry again. As the book begins, she has no intention of giving a man such power over her again.

Meanwhile, we have a Mr. Bingley with a very strong backbone. Love this guy! When he learned Jane's father had died, not only did he refuse to stay in London, but he gave Darcy a major smack down for being such a snob and severed their friendship. Mr. Bingley did not get an opportunity to propose until after Elizabeth and Mr. Collins had already wed. He and Jane have been living at Netherfield, which was Elizabeth's only place of escape while under the thumb of her dictatorial husband until an accident killed him.

When Darcy and Bingley see each other in London some years after their break, they reconcile. The timing is perfect, as Bingley invites his old friend to a house party at Netherfield. Darcy, aware that Mrs. Collins is now a widow, plans to make the best of his second chance to win Elizabeth.

Mrs. Collins and her mother are in conflict more than ever, since Mrs. Bennet resents not being able to resume her former position as Mistress and instead must defer to her more practical-minded daughter. Lydia is already married (although not to Wickham), mostly because she was desperate to get out of Longbourn, away from Mr. Collins. Mary and Kitty still live at home, but they are different after observing Elizabeth's emotionally abusive marriage. Mary's attitude is less severe, and Kitty isn't certain that she ever wants to marry.

Elizabeth enjoys having the responsibility of managing the estate and proves to be quite good at it. She is just coming out of mourning at the Bingley's house party, though, and men are sniffing around from all over the area, eager to woo her in order to gain Longbourn (which is now more profitable than either Mr. Bennet or Mr. Collins was able to manage).

Such is the starting point for this unusual and richly-developed premise. Darcy and Elizabeth renew their acquaintance with pleasant banter. He doesn't present himself as a suitor but as a resource she comes to esteem and rely upon for advice about estate management. Most importantly, he demonstrates his respect for her intellect and abilities.

Over time, they move from acquaintance to friendship to romance. Darcy is at his most tender, patient and swoon-worthy. Even after Darcy wins Elizabeth's heart (Oh, c'mon! Not much of a spoiler! This IS a P&P variation!), her past with Mr. Collins hangs like a cloud over their relationship.

Although many may find the subject matter uncomfortable, it is handled with sensitivity and restraint. Details of Mr. Collins' behavior are omitted, as descriptions are of only a more general nature. Elizabeth's experience would not be atypical of marriage for many Regency women... and, sadly, there are many women in our modern world suffering in similarly abusive marriages. Appropriately, the focus here is on how Elizabeth overcomes the emotional barriers that such an experience would create. It's also pretty down-to-earth about how difficult this is for Darcy. (Talk about performance anxiety!!) There's enough humor and romance to keep it from getting too heavy, and it certainly kept my interest throughout.

[Sophie Turner]

I tend to find myself embarking on JAFF projects when I find there aren't enough of the sort of books I want to read out there. "A Constant Love" was borne out of a wish to read more continuations that stayed true to canon (it grew into a series, so clearly I wanted a LOT of continuation).

"Mistress" also treads ground that hasn't been covered as much. ODC reunite years after Darcy's marriage proposal failed for reasons unknown, with Elizabeth as a widow still recovering from a marriage that made her miserable. It changed, I found, the tone of their relationship -- she's older, wiser, and more willing to give Darcy the benefit of the doubt. Darcy, meanwhile, having his Hunsford moment from a different quarter, has spent the time since they last saw each other working on improving his character. That, and wallowing in regret and never managing to get over the woman he believes is lost to him.

Aside from the prologue, which establishes how this all came about, we skip right over marriage number one for Elizabeth. That's not to say we don't learn a bit of what it was like, but I wanted to keep things framed on Elizabeth and Darcy. To that end, because I'm well aware of how Austen's delightful secondary characters like to seize hold and have their own plotlines, I generally tamped them down (and remained deliberately vague about those they married so that Constant Love series readers could feel free to envision they somehow ended up with who they "should"). Georgiana, in fact, had to be banished from the country to help achieve this. Sorry about that, G.

It seems like this should all be smoother sailing, if we have a wiser, less prejudiced Elizabeth and a Darcy who's already dealt with the pride, but that's where the other less-trodden ground comes in. I also wanted to do a story with adult scenes that departed from the usual historic romance formula of the experienced man and the inexperienced young woman. It's much more complex, for these two, and the physical aspect of Elizabeth's marriage was a large contributor to her misery. She's vowed she will never marry again, and Darcy will have to win every aspect of her: heart, mind, soul, and body.

Sex is but one of the themes in the story, but it is decidedly a theme, and it's covered in a far more detailed manner than my Constant Love series has gone into. "Mistress" is a story about two people (neither of whom has had one before) learning whether they can have a healthy romantic AND sexual relationship. It's a story about second chances. It's a story about the depth of love one can feel. It's a story about healing. And I hope readers agree it's the sort of story we could use more of, in this genre.

[Sheila Majczan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a painful and poignant process to read of Elizabeth’s fate when her father dies and none of the Bennet sisters are married nor is there any prospect of such. So when Mr. Collins knocks on her door, she knows what he will be about and she knows her answer. And even more tragic is that he will not allow a period of mourning for her beloved father to pass before the wedding ceremony.

Meanwhile both Charles Bingley and Fitzwilliam Darcy have regrets and then thoughts to make amends for their lapses in addressing the ladies who have touched their hearts. Charles’ delays mean that although Jane’s future is now to be a happy one with the man who holds her heart…it comes too late to be a rescue for Elizabeth. She is married before he declares himself to Jane.

As for Darcy, he reasons that a letter sent in care of her mother explaining that the attached is a proposal, will give Elizabeth a better future than that with Collins, after he reads of their engagement in the newspaper. But his letter with its proposal is never answered. “Was it even received?” he wonders to himself.

Years pass: “Mr. Collins has not been a considerate man anywhere, and the bedchamber had been no exception.” So when he dies Elizabeth is resolved NEVER to give any man power over her in any manner. And Darcy, learning of her hesitations also has a resolve: “…her happiness, her safety, her security – all of these things were more important than his hopes.”

To read with misty eyes of ODC and the history (think of the past) that now keeps them apart was so gripping. Is there a happy ending? Yes, but you must read the lessons learned and applied in this so well written tale…again, one of second chances…after some healing.

BTW: Waverly (the novel mentioned in this book) is free on Amazon for kindle users.

The author gifted me with a copy of this book and I also read this as a WIP.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title clearly states this is a book for adults; and people who want to read mature content in sexual situations. You have been warned. Next it is a book where Lizzy marries Collins; as the excitement of the Netherfield ball apparently induces Mr. Bennet to have a massive heart attack.

Within the first few chapters Mr. Bingley delivers an epic set down to Darcy. It is brilliant, it is scathing, it is dead on. I wanted to reach into the book and hug Bingley for growing a pair.
Alas he doesn't move quickly enough to propose to Jane and Lizzy is married to the odious Mr. Collins. This Mr. Collins is extra odious; he needed someone to come along and explain to him how inheritance etc. was done in polite society and there was no one who had the brains or the balls to do it. Darcy, hiding in London and licking his wounds, writes a letter to Mrs. Bennet and encloses a letter to Lizzy in which he offers for her. The letter is never answered. And Lizzy goes to the altar.

Time passes, eventually Darcy and Bingley repair their friendship and Mr. Collins goes to his just reward [Beelzebub has a devil put aside for he]. Luckily his death or life breaks the entail and Lizzy becomes the Mistress of Longbourn. Darcy returns to Meryton and set out to woo her. And he is just lovely, sweet, caring, careful, thoughtful, kind, adorable Darcy. Alas Lizzy had a terrible first marriage and has vowed never to marry again. Her marriage was childless and she suffered through painful intercourse. Darcy offers her a celibate marriage but she refuses. Then in an echo of Downton Lizzy decides she needs a test drive before she commits to buy. Since Darcy was already planning a house party at Pemberley they decide to have a liaison there.

Darcy studies everything he can get his hands on in order to demonstrate to Lizzy that making love is more than push push sweat. And his work will pay off. And quickly he and Lizzy are engaged, married and expecting.

Excluding Lizzy's unpleasant marriage to Collins and a spot of trouble with a tenant this is a low angst book. This is also a dialogue and discussion heavy book. Most of the stressful events are shown in the rear view mirror as they are revealed and discussed months or years after they happened. There is little problem from Caroline, Lady Catherine never makes an appearance and Lydia has married Denny and is living elsewhere. And Wickham eloped with Mary King and has vanished.

For my taste the book was too talky to be a 5 star but it is very good and very well researched without appearing to be an encyclopedia entry

[J. W. Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” Frederick Douglass

Mr. Collins:
“This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears, he is a protector.” Plato

I do not think I could have endured much page time with that odious man. When Mr. Bennet died, Mr. Collins immediately took advantage of his grieving family and forced Elizabeth to marry him in order to save her family. There was no way for her to do otherwise. I grieved with Elizabeth and with Darcy as their worlds fell apart.

This was a tough read. No one likes seeing our Elizabeth being linked through marriage to Lady Catherine’s sycophant. It is universally distasteful and degrading to even consider linking such a vibrant woman to such an insignificant man.

Rating: MA: Mature Audience: PG->17: This was graphic and sexually explicit in the descriptions of marital relations. First, we have Lizzy being bedded by a man, who not only doesn’t know what he’s doing, but doesn’t care about the feelings and emotions of his virgin wife. Second, we have Mr. Darcy, a man who not only loves and adores his wife, but is more than proficient in the marriage bed. Yahoo!

This is a story about recovery, surviving, rebuilding and restoring a life. Do not go into this unaware. This is the enduring resilience of the human spirit when having to deal with difficult times. The urge to exist and live outweighs all other emotions, and then to finally be free. This was the budding emotional status of several girls that lived under the tyranny of a foolish controlling man.

I loved the chapters at the end that wrapped up everything so nicely. It was a treat to see how Darcy and Elizabeth built a life together on the ashes of her first marriage. It was so good. I just loved this Darcy.

I won this at the Austen Authors website give-a-way with no expectations of a review. These are my honest reflections; I couldn’t do otherwise.

[Anna]

Review originally posted on Diary of an Eccentric

Sophie Turner’s newest novel, Mistress, is a variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in which Mr. Bennet dies of a heart attack the morning after the Netherfield ball and Elizabeth does what she is expected to do to save her family: marry Mr. Collins. When news of Mr. Bennet’s death reaches London, Mr. Bingley rushes back to Longbourn to be with Jane, severing ties with Mr. Darcy upon learning of the scheme with his sister to keep him and the eldest Bennet daughter apart. Upon learning of Elizabeth’s marriage, Darcy is devastated and vows to change his proud and arrogant ways.

Fast forward three years, and Elizabeth is a widow just out of mourning. She and Darcy are reacquainted at Netherfield during a house party thrown by the Bingleys. Darcy’s love for Elizabeth is just as strong as it was the last time he saw her, and Elizabeth notices right away that Darcy is a changed man. However, Elizabeth’s marriage was more than simply unhappy, and she is haunted by the horrible memories, so much so that she has vowed never to marry again. Can Darcy convince Elizabeth that everything about marriage is better with someone who loves and respect you?

Mistress was a thoroughly enjoyable novel from start to finish. My heart hurt for both Elizabeth and Darcy, but I loved watching them reconnect as people who had been through so much, understand pain and longing, and desire to look toward the future. How they go about that was very well done; Turner made it feel true to the characters and their current situation. There were several very detailed, steamy scenes, but they were crucial to the plot and well written. Aside from Elizabeth and Darcy’s story, I enjoyed the heart-to-heart conversations between Elizabeth and Jane and the changes to their younger sisters. I also loved that Bingley was a stronger character in this variation, and his desire to protect Elizabeth was admirable. Most of all, I loved seeing Elizabeth taking charge of Longbourn — and of her fate. This was my first time reading a Pride and Prejudice variation by Turner, but it won’t be the last!

I received a free copy of this book for review.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine,if you will,dear Reader,that your beloved father dies suddenly leaving you, your mother and four siblings bereft.

Not only have you lost a most beloved father,but due to an entail,the place that you call home is now the property of your small minded,sycophantic,overweight,dim yet oddly determined cousin,Mr Collins.

Wasting no time in grieving his late cousin, said Mr Collins offers you a solution to your current homeless state,one that you have no choice but to accept,unsavoury and all as it may seem.

And so,you begin married life with a man that you do not love,hoping that respect,if not love,will grow.
You presume to make decisions as befitting the mistress of a small estate.....except you don't.

You work with your husband,share ideas and a common goal for the betterment of your family,your tenants and the estate itself .... except you don't.

You maintain a healthy respect for this man who treats you as his equal,never once using his power and assumed authority over you or your family in an abhorrent way,never once forcing you to participate in activities that are not to your liking,or worse that are inherently painful .....

And then,dear Reader,freedom in the form of widowhood comes calling and now you are privy to a life of independence,mistress of your own destiny,determined never to marry again.

But fate,as we know has a habit of disturbing our plans and none more so than in the reemergence of a figure from your past,one who holds the promise of love,happiness and support,everything you were deprived of in your first marriage.

Can the nightmares of yesteryear be erased, can their power to destroy be subsumed by the promise of happiness,can your heart, which had fractured into a million tiny pieces now be glued together and most importantly, can you share your most intimate self with this man,creating new memories to forever suffocate those created in another house,by another man,in another bedchamber?

Dear Reader,this was a wonderful story,one that instantly captured my heart and left me totally enraptured.

I enjoyed every minute spent within its covers,loved and admired the conversational tone,the gentleness and patience of a devoted and loving Darcy,the sheer determination and strength of a wounded yet loving Lizzy,the unique slant this story offered and the beautiful,highly descriptive manner in which it was portrayed.

This is one of the best JAFF stories that I have ever read. I simply loved it and cannot but recommend it to like minded Austen fans! I trust you will love it as much as I did!

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Darcy Seizes His Second Chance

TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation, Mature Audiences

TIME FRAME: Begins the day after the Netherfield Ball

SYNOPSIS: It’s the day after the Netherfield Ball and we all know what that means – Mr. Bingley has left Netherfield and Elizabeth is about to receive a very undesirable proposal from her cousin, Mr. Collins. Elizabeth is always quick to give Mr. Collins a firm ‘no’ to his proposal, but what is the one scenario where she would have to say ‘yes?’… After four years of an unhappy and emotionally abusive marriage, Elizabeth is set free by Mr. Collins’s thankfully early demise. And now that Elizabeth is once again free, there is a reserved and ardent suitor hoping to have his second chance. But the question is, does Elizabeth even want to be married again? Even if she falls in love?

WHAT I LOVED:

- A Daring and Realistic Premise: Not many authors like to write about Mr. Collins and Elizabeth (probably because not many readers want to read about such a union!), but in this variation Sophie Turner intrepidly decides to show readers the very real possibility (because in reality…Elizabeth is pretty lucky her parents didn’t force her to accept Mr. Collins’s proposal) of what Elizabeth’s marriage would be like with Mr. Collins. And I applaud Ms. Turner for bravely taking on such a premise! Her depiction of their marriage is realistic, and while it is unpleasant to witness, it is honest. Elizabeth is very different from her friend Charlotte, and since Mr. Collins is now an estate-owner, he is not so easy to manage. (If you really don’t like the idea of seeing Elizabeth married to Mr. Collins, don’t worry, it is mostly referenced in flashbacks.)

- The Evolution of Elizabeth: Sophie Turner looks closely at Elizabeth’s emotional well-being during and after her marriage to Mr. Collins. I felt Ms. Turner did a marvelous job illustrating Elizabeth’s strength and resiliency through all her bleak and traumatic experiences. She is still our Elizabeth who believes in the philosophy: “think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.” And I adored seeing Elizabeth as mistress of Longbourn, a role she fills with great aptitude and integrity.

- The Definition of Ardent: (Can you believe I got this far in my review without mentioning Mr. Darcy?!? Well, here is a whole paragraph dedicated to him!) After four years of regret and longing, Mr. Darcy has his chance to win Elizabeth’s heart. At first, their relationship is one of mentor/mentee as Elizabeth seeks his advice on estate management and tenants. And then it proceeds into friendship with daily phaeton rides and enjoyed companionship. But through it all, Darcy’s heart is determinedly engaged. And knowing that, makes these scenes all the more endearing and heart-melting. But when Elizabeth realizes that her own heart is engaged as well, it poses a conflict because she was intending to never marry again. But Darcy doesn’t want to accept a life without Elizabeth, and proves his fervent devotion by willing to agree to a marriage on any terms. In every scene, action, and speech Ms. Turner illustrates Darcy’s ungovernable admiration and ardent dedication to Elizabeth and her happiness. He is the definition of ‘ardent’ in this story. He personifies it. He is loyal, fervent, and impassioned… *sigh* I loved, loved, loved seeing Darcy portrayed this way. (Be prepared readers, his thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and understanding will touch your heart and make you swoon.)

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

Ahem…that we didn’t get to see more of Mr. Darcy’s additional nights! *blushes*

WARNING: I’d recommend this story for Mature Audiences due to several intimate and romantic scenes (which are very integral to the story and while a bit graphic, are tastefully written.)

CONCLUSION:

Thoughtfully composed and beautifully impassioned, Mistress is a splendidly unique and original Pride and Prejudice variation! I cannot help but praise and applaud Ms. Turner for her skillful and sensitive emotional development of these beloved characters and her daringly honest premise. Very well done!!

Austenesque Reviews

[Claudine DiMuzio / Just Jane 1813]

Today kicks off the blog tour for Sophie Turner's latest release... https://thesecretunderstandingofthehe...

[ana darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published on my blog https://myvicesandweaknesses.wordpres...

Mr. Bennet dies and the Collins is proposing to Elizabeth within the hour. She marries him, she does not have any other alternative because it is the day after the ball at Netherfield and Mr. Bingley has left the area. Elizabeth’s suffering is great indeed in every aspect of her life when married to Mr. Collins.

Darcy was far too late, or to be true, the wedding was far too soon. He has decided to be miserable because he will never love anyone else. However, fate can give you a second chance but not an easy one.

Collins dies and Elizabeth is free and Mistress of Longbourn. She does not need to worry more and she can heal her wounds now. Jane is married Bingley after all but he was a bit too late to save Lizzy.

Darcy goes back to Netherfield and he is a much in love as he was several years ago, he is still single, he cannot think about anyone else. But!! Elizabeth did not have a great opinion of him and it is not going to change easily unless he does something. He tries to help her with her state, giving advise, helping with some tenants, etc. They start a nice friendship but not everything is rainbows and butterflies even when friendship and esteem is on the way to… something more?

Elizabeth does not want to marry again, she suffered too much as a wife, especially the bed duties of a wife and she refuses to try again. However the heart is capricious and love is not rational.

After some time and after both of them have the same heart, Darcy proposes and she tells him a bit more about her marriage to Collins (she confides in him with bits and pieces during their friendship too) and why she will not marry him even if she loves him.

He is devastated, he proposes a “celibate” marriage because he cannot live without her, she refuses but eventually they reach a deal… she will be her mistress once and only once.

A lot happens next but I will not tell you more but just for you to know… spoiler alert!! there is a happy ending but… is it a celibate marriage? can Elizabeth have children because after three years with Collins she was never pregnant? can Darcy be trusted to have her once and that is? can Darcy make her trust him?

I have enjoyed this story and although on the title says that it is not for underage, I have to point out that there are a couple of words that I found a bit tasteless. I can read erotic descriptions and these ones are ok apart from the use of two words to name the male organ that I believe could have been avoided. However generally speaking the story is really good and shows Elizabeth and Darcy in a different light.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, once in a while you read a review and are moved to get a book and read it. Thanks to Debbie I had to get this book. Once I started reading it I could not put it down. This author is a very emotional writer. In the beginning of the book I had a knot in my stomach and felt nausea. You could feel the despair and dread. At the end of the the book I was crying with tissues.
This story begins when Elizabeth is sacrificed to Mr. Collins in marriage. Mr. Bennet dies suddenly of a heart attack the morning after the Netherfield ball. Mr. Collins tells her what books she will read, she is banned from the library, and the dreaded marriage bed. Elizabeth vows during her marriage that no one will have such power over her. While Elizabeth is living life under a black cloud, Jane and Mr. Bingley are married and living at Netherfield. Years later Mr. Collins dies and Elizabeth is the Mistress of Longbourn and a widow. When Elizabeths' year of morning is over Jane and Charles decide to give a house party and Mr. Darcy is invited. Darcy takes this opportunity to have a second chance with Elizabeth and will all he can do not to lose his chance. Can Darcy help Elizabeth heal and feel love? Will Elizabeth give Darcy a chance? Will Darcy and Elizabeth marry? What will happen to Longbourn? This is a beautiful story and a must read. There are beautiful sex scenes in this book.

[Dung · Rating 5 out of 5]

The other reviews do a great job of summarizing the book. Tastefully written, you will love this Darcy.

Devoted to Elizabeth, I loved how caring this Darcy is and the friendship and trust they develop through their reacquaintance.

[James S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Walnut trees are bad

The things you learn reading P&P variations

Great story. I enjoyed the writing the pacing, the HEA, the marriage, the emotions, pretty much everything.

I would have liked more info about the Colonel and Georgiana in the story or the epilogue. But I understand the book wasn’t about them.

I recommend this book highly.

[Carole (in Canada) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This exquisitely poignant tale reunites Mrs. Elizabeth Collins (nee Bennet) and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy at Netherfield where Jane and Charles Bingley are planning on hosting a small house party. One can hardly imagine Elizabeth Bennet married to someone other than Mr. Darcy. But to imagine her married to Mr. Collins immediately after the Netherfield Ball and upon the sudden death of her father, is nothing short of horrific! In this variation of Pride & Prejudice, we have just that. However, we are not subjected to Elizabeth's life with Mr. Collins for he has been dead for almost year now. But the ramifications to Elizabeth, are still impacting her life. The flashbacks she has are enough to set your teeth on edge and your heart to break.

"She shuddered, and turned so she was facing the empty half of the bed. This was how she preferred to sleep, so that if she dreamt of her married life - and she did, often - she would wake and recall that it was over, reassured by the emptiness of her bed."

We all know how much Mr. Darcy was affected by Elizabeth Bennet while he was sojourning with his friend, Charles Bingley at Netherfield. We also know how Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy separated Charles from Jane Bennet. What was quite wonderful in this tale, was how Mr. Darcy let slip that he contrived with Miss Bingley to remove Charles from his angel. Mr. Bingley's reaction was brilliant! The peel he rung over Mr. Darcy's head was the catalyst for Mr. Darcy to re-think his life but at the loss of his dearest friend. Unfortunately, he was too late to win the one who held his heart in her hands.

"No, Elizabeth, it was to return to you - to finally have my second chance after those painful years of heartache, he thought, but did not say."

I highly recommend this mature tale of love lost and second chances. How Mr. Darcy gently woos Elizabeth with infinite patience and ardent love that will leave you breathless and your heart aching for him. It will also have you cheering for Elizabeth as she works to overcome her emotional scars of a marriage that has left her wanting no part of it ever again. The best part is that Miss Bingley will never know the part she played in reuniting them.

[Teresita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

I usually don't like variations where Elizabeth or Darcy are married first to someone else, but this story couldn't have happened without Elizabeth's previous experience. I really loved this portrayal of Darcy!

[Elizabeth Bennet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never thought I'd be able to read a book where Lizzy married Collins and finish it. It is so not normally my taste. What appealed to me was the reviews that talked about how supportive and gentle Darcy was with Elizabeth. It reminded me a bit of Brenda Webb's Fitzwilliam Darcy: An Honourable Man. Elizabeth is trapped in a marriage after the death of her father. In the previous mentioned book Elizabeth is forced into a marriage and the man is vile. The main difference is Collins consummates the marriage where Webb's book the villain could not rise to the occasion.

My biggest fear was knowing from other reviews that the author describes Collin's and Lizzy's intimate times. It happens at about 13% and is not even 2 pages. I skimmed but I saw enough to know the wisest choice the author made was not having a child come from the ordeal. It's not overly descriptive but right at the cusp. Collins was smelly, oppressive, demeaning, fat and as it turns out sterile. He serves no pleasure but his own and upon gaining ownership of Longbourne banishes Lizzy from her fathers library without preapproval and even then it was limited and only a list preselected by Collins was allowed to be read.

Others also brought up the love scenes are graphic and that they felt weird. It was not my experience I felt the frame of mind Elizabeth was in it made sense. Darcy was so sexy to me for the love and devotion he showed to Lizzy. He was so in love with her but in a moment of fear at being rejected he does not personally let Lizzy know his heart. This is the most heart wrenching part for me because Collins exercised his control and kept them apart for two years while he drove the estate down and tried to break Lizzy. Everything Darcy loved and admired about her spirit Collins crushed and subdued. It took 50% before the two confess their feelings and admit they cannot walk away. Lizzy goes through some doubt at ever being able to be the wife Darcy deserves and the two anticipate their vows. It only took Lizzy one time to realize the difference between the men and they instantly become betrothed.

Mrs. Bennet was critical over Lizzy even taking Collins side of things. It is her sisters that see how depressed and sad she became over time. Overall, I was pleased with this read but do need to mention quite a few misspelled words. It is noticeable but not overwhelming. Their is a lovely epilogue at the end that lets us see the Darcy family. Lastly, Darcy reassured Lizzy that had Collins not passed and he would have saw his treatment of her, he would have stepped in and seen that a divorce was granted and I would have loved to see that just so Collins could see that it wasn't the woman but the man calling the shots that was the problem. Enjoy!

[Terri Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my comment below but I love this book very clever plot.

[Barbara K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

August 30, 2022:

I accidentally reread this. I was a few chapters in, when one of Elizabeth's memories of her former husband rang a bell in my mind and I realized I'd read this book before. I was well enough in and interested in the story enough that I continued reading it, and enjoyed it every bit as much the second time around. I won't change my rating, and my prior review (below) stands, except that I'd like to encourage anyone who reads this to also read the author's notes at the end, about the extensive research she did. I wish all JAFF and Regency fiction authors bothered to research the era and the bits of it they write about as well as this. Sophie Turner did an outstanding job here. I didn't mind the sex scenes as much this time around, and they are very well done. But I still thought the end of the story went on for far too long. Still, all in all, highly recommended.

***

October 15, 2020:

This Pride and Prejudice variation is commendable in the attention it gives to domestic abuse, especially the less discussed problem of emotional and mental abuse. While it is not by any stretch of the imagination a chaste story - in fact it states that in the title, so I went in knowing what to expect - some of the sex is necessary to the plot. Some of it, on the other hand, seems excessive to me, but that's me as a reader, nothing the author has done by way of surprising me unfairly. But be warned, if the title isn't fair warning enough for you, that this novel focuses a lot on a sexual relationship. Still, it is a romantic and touching story.

In this variation, just after the Netherfield Ball, and the Bingley and Darcy departures from Hertfordshire, Mr. Bennet suddenly dies of a heart attack, leaving his family in chaos and with Elizabeth the only one who seems capable of dealing with the situation. In a quandary as to what to do for her family, she agrees to marry Mr. Collins out of a sense of duty, which turns out to be a horrible mistake. He reveals himself to be a problem as a prospective husband, soon after their betrothal, when he cuts off her access to her father's library, and allows her only to read religious texts of his choosing.

Darcy has a fallout with Bingley, in London, and a defiant Bingley returns to Longbourn to seek Jane Bennet's hand. Darcy, when he learns of Elizabeth's engagement to Collins, is horrified, and writes a letter offering marriage to himself instead. But he never hears back, and is ostracized from Bingley's life, so it's years before he sees or hears of Elizabeth again.

This is a romantic and angst-driven romance, and I found it compelling, especially the first three-quarters of the book. It goes on too long, I think, towards the end, and most of the epilogue seems unnecessary. But the writing and storytelling are commendable, and I highly recommend it.

[colleen churm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mistress: A Pride and Prejudice Variation.

This book by Sophie Turner was an excellent, very clever story. It is based on what happened when Lizzie had to marry Mr. Collins, because her father, Mr. Bennet, suddenly passed away the morning after the Netherfield ball. It completely changed her decision to refuse him! The choice was taken away from her, and the results of several years of misery for her, married to a wretch like Collins! Meanwhile, Darcy had realized he lived her, and worked on improving himself anyway. As soon as he found out she was a widow he endeavoured to court her. And then the story got interesting! There were issued of sex the had to overcome, but it was tastefully done, as part of the total storyline. Great Read!

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bymaryannon March 20, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
I have come to admire Ms. Turner's writings as I have read three novels within the last week. Her writing is excellent and keeps the reader engrossed in the storyline. Her characters as well as her history lesson along the way, entraps you into the novel as you feel the character's part within the novel.
She shows Darcy to be the man that he really was as a loving, honest and sincere man with deep feelings. She also shows his strength when he tries his best to protect the woman he loves in so many ways.
She shows the strength of Elizabeth and what she did to protect her mother and sisters by marrying someone she didn't love and took his abuse.
However, through her strength, she still remained true to herself and her love her of her family. She showed strength beyond a doubt when she made an agreement with Darcy.
All ends well and love endures. This is one of the best novels I have read and I wish Ms. Turner the best in all her novels and look forward to more from her!

[Sheryl Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating Only- Amazon review error- very odd

[E Brookhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful

I usually read the Kindle Unlimited free books, and by usually I mean always. However this book was recommended in a Facebook group I am in, and I took a leap of faith and purchased it. I am SO very glad I did, because I think it is one of my favorites ever.

This Mr Darcy is the most lovable and yet human Mr Darcy I have read in a long time. His true love for Elizabeth really shines through and brings the reader to a greater admiration for the man than most variations could ever hope to achieve.

I can't say much more, without spoiling a fantastic storyline, so I won't, but I have to say that I heartily recommend buying this with a promise you will not be disappointed.

[abmom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise promised an interesting story, including mature content, and the author nearly delivers on them especially the latter. But it was always my opinion that if a story is to have graphic intimate scenes, they should be short and sweet so that the pace of the story is not affected and repetitive descriptions definitely takes away momentum from the story. That's what unfortunately happened here, at least for me! I loved the initial courtship and Darcy's understanding and support of Elizabeth's traumatic first marriage and also the improved Bingley and the Bennet sisters. Darcy and Elizabeth arevthe prime focus of the story and the other characters are there only in reference to them which was good.

[Madenna U · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth marries Mr Collins to save her family. As a result, she is obligated to live as he wishes her to. An accident frees her from such a life, but she is now in charge of Longbourn (much to her mother's dismay). As Darcy is reintroduced into her life, he must overcome her natural inclination to avoid marriage again.

I think that the title is accurate, yet misleading. I usually think of a mistress as someone that offers services for payment in an arranged situation. That is not the case in this story. Rather it is Elizabeth looking for evidence that she can or cannot be at peace or hopefully happy in love.

[Ree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle version first read May 19, 2019

June 23, 2021- Audiobook
I did not enjoy the audiobook at all. I stopped listening mid way through it and just finished by reading the remainder. The narrator lacked any emotion whatsoever in the reading.

[MichelleH H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously because I gave this book 5 * I loved it. I had this book for a year before finally taking it out of my '18 TBR challenge, waiting so long because of the title. It worried me. But Turner has a new book out and I need to read the previous two in the series first. Then I reminded myself of the fact I had a Turner in my TBR. THIS is the reason to create a TBR challenge for yourself. Self-enforcement.
So glad I made myself read it. Whew!

I'm not going to rehash the plot because so many of my most-saught reviewers have already done a spectacular job. (Garrett, Mayorga, CarolinCanada, wosedwew, Majczan, and Meredith-Austenesque Reviews.)

I loved Darcy's change for the better, humbler, more patient, devoted. Although because of a set-down from a different person, and because of his disappointment in losing Elizabeth because of his delayed actions. His present actions were sigh-worthy. The story is very different from canon and yet the characters we know are there, either more defined themselves or having changed in better ways, but why? It was a natural progression, that Kitty and Mary were negatively influenced by Elizabeth's marriage to Collins, but that saddened me nearly as much as what the bastard did to Elizabeth. And her mother??? Herself, but more so. But, Elizabeth survived. Changed, but to argue with another reviewer, (no spark? I argue a matured spark) she pulled herself up and took on the responsibilities she had wanted and expected from the beginning when she married but had not been allowed. She intelligently worked to restore the estate, treating her tenants the way they should've been treated, and worked to find solutions to their problems. I loved the section of the book where Darcy advised her on some of these problems, and the fact he was using that as an excuse to see her and show her his care.

I loved Elizabeth's heart and courage in this book. Enjoying the freedom gained by her widowhood, didn't mean the years of ugliness and spirit-breaking treatment didn't have lasting repercussions. I think she overcame them admirably. Yes, she was very fearful of the marriage bed, who wouldn't be? But (thanks to Caroline Bingley, ha! would SHE ever be shocked her little nasty dig lead to E&D's 'meeting of the mind') Elizabeth was the one who requested being Darcy's mistress for a short time to test herself and the proposal of marriage.

There was one scene in the book I'm surprised I didn't see coming. It kind of left me with a pain in the gut. That was a brief mention that their deeply embraced happiness might not have been the same if Darcy's letter had been received in time to prevent the years of sadness. The way this was treated wasn't belabored...just briefly touched upon. But bam, it made an impact on me. NO. Okay, it's rather Gothic and it's been used before in many a plot, but in this case it rang so true and yet....I wanted to scream NO! Our dear couple should not have had to go through all this pain. You've got to read this to see how subtle a few sentences written so well made my stomach ache for a bit.

I loved the epilogue. But somehow I wish it had lasted a little longer. The intimate scenes were tenderly executed. Yes, mature audience material. But loving. Highly recommended.

4-20-21 Update. I just listened to the audio version of this book. I still give the story 5* the narration frankly, was fairly disappointing, rounding up to 3*. I dislike being negative but for people who are contemplating an audio purchase they deserve to be made aware. The narrator Verona Westbrook has a lovely speaking voice so I'm not sure listening to a sample to its end would catch my issue. My issue is with inflection. If it was just one instance I would've ignored it, but the word "Oh!" or just "oh," should have at least a BIT of difference read into it from the rest of the sentence. I started counting but stopped, because it was ridiculous. You cannot imagine how many "Oh, Lizzy"-s, how many "Oh Jane"-s, "oh-yes, yes, there, that way," or "Oh you dear man" there were. And it was like "could you please pass the jam."

In the future, I will reread this story but I won't listen to the audio again. It is very worthy story in so many ways, I still highly recommend it. I won't know if the narrator has improved, but I hope she has (because again, she has a lovely speaking voice-a beautiful British accent.)

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hesitant to read this book thinking it depicted more of the "bad" relationship with Elizabeth and Collins. However, I discovered that their relationship is not depicted much and I actually think more of it should have been in order for me to better relate to the Lizzy of this work. The writing is well done and the book flows for the most part.

My issue is with the plot and the relatability of Lizzy's issues. As a modern women, its hard for me to understand what living with Collins would have been like. I suppose if he was more "evil" then it would have made more sense to me. Here, he was dictatorial and appeared to control her life but the details were sparse until the end of the book. Also, the marriage bed was desribed as "painful" but also brief so unfortunately that vague description made it even harder for me to comprehend and understand. Thus, we we have the part where Lizzy is offering to be Darcy's mistress (not exactly what you think that means) and it didn't make sense to me at the time in which I read it. It did make sense as I got more explanation of what happened in her first marriage to Collins later in the book. Thus, I was confused as a reader and struggling to identify with Lizzy, especially when he was offering her a celibate marriage. At that point she trusted him so I was a bit confused why that offer didn't seem to work for her as she claimed to love him.

I loved this Darcy. Even though he made mistakes his care and concern for Lizzy was beautiful to read. I felt sorry for him actually because so much was riding on his performance with her for that one night (read other reviews by my fantastic fellow readers to fully understand this better).

All in all, it's a good story and I'm glad I read it. It just fell flat for me and didn't work. Maybe if I was able to identify with Lizzy sooner it would have been more enjoyable for me.

[Elin Eriksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romantic and very steamy novel.
I don't particularly like when either of ODC has been married before. This story left me with some images of Collins and Lizzy that are unwelcome. On that account I will not reread it, therefore the 3 stars.

Mr Bennet's death the day after the Netherfield ball leaves Elizabeth with little other choice than to marry Mr Collins. Widowed two years later, she is determined to never marry again. Mr Darcy's return to Netherfield changes that somewhat but the horrible experiences in the marital relations with Collins makes her hesitant. It's up to Mr Darcy to change her perceptive of the marital bed...
This is done and written beautifully.

Elizabeth is still left with issues like bad dreams and Darcy never really let go of his anxiety to further harm Elizabeth. This changes their relationship into their future which is natural under the circumstances but does not sit well with me.

Good story, well written, still will not reread