Longbourn and Beyond

by Margaret Lynette Sharp

The Bennets and their extended family find themselves embroiled in a variety of fascinating situations, involving the likes of Miss Austen's original characters of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr Collins and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and introducing newcomers such as the handsome, eligible bachelor, Dr Edward Hodges, and the bearded artist, Mr David King.
Will Mary and Kitty, the remaining Bennet girls, each find compatible husbands for themselves? What will happen to change the lives of both Georgiana Darcy and Anne de Bourgh?
This novel-length collection of related short stories, including the best-seller, 'Longbourn Revisited', is the brainchild of award-winning Australian author Margaret Lynette Sharp, for the especial enjoyment of lovers of Jane Austen Fan Fiction.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2017

About the author

My blog: http://margaretlynettesharp.wordpress...

Margaret Lynette Sharp is an award-winning writer, and the author of over eighty titles, including #1 Amazon Best Seller, 'Longbourn Revisited'. Her work was highly commended during the the 2014 Hurstville Discovery Festival of Community Arts, and published by Hurstville Council in an anthology entitled 'Write Out Loud'. In November 2015 she won a Second Prize, again in the short story section of this same competition, and her title, 'More Than a Mere Bagatelle', has been selected for inclusion in another anthology, 'The Art of Writing'.
She spent her early years in an inner city suburb of Sydney, moving with her family to a leafy, outer suburb at the age of ten.
A self-motivated student who loved to seek out information, she matriculated just before her eighteenth birthday. Her enthusiasm for literature led to further studies, with a particular focus on Short Story Writing
Shortly after the death of her elderly mother whom she cared for, Margaret met and later married Ronald Sharp B.E.M., the creator of the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. She believes that, without doubt, he was her greatest fan and motivator.
Excelling in English himself, Ron had edited much of her early work. He passed away on 21st July, 2021.

Margaret's books have been read and reviewed by readers from Australia, U.S. and India; the vast majority of reviews have been positive.

In addition, she has three blogs on WordPress, which has received many encouraging comments.

Reviews

[Allyson Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot find the words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. It was like reading book 2 of Pride and Prejudice, following all the sisters and other family and friends after Elizabeth and Janes weddings.
It was so well written with the same language and rhetoric, even using the same turn of phrases. Without giving too much away I had to smile when Lady Catherine de Burgh took Kitty for a walk in the ‘small shrubbery’ for a little talk!
I am sure I was smiling all the way through the book. It was brilliant and I highly recommend it for all Pride and Prejudice lovers.

[Les]

I do not know what the people reviewing this on Amazon usually read. Phone Books? 1st grade readers? Picture books?

This is uniquely awful. I couldn't even get through the first story in the book. It is almost all dialogue, inane dialogue. Darcy talks to Lizzy in a weird formal, awkward way. We later learn they have been married 3 years. Mr. Bennet is ill so while Lizzy goes to Longbourn he goes to London. Lizzy is all panting over the new apothecary. Darcy dances with Caroline in London then remains there while Bingley goes somewhere else... it is confusing stupid and annoying

Don't walk, RUN Away from this hot mess

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avid Reader

These short stories were delightful as they eventually led to Elizabeth and Darcy becoming parents. I would have liked a follow-up of Catherine and Colonel Fitzwilliam in wedded bliss.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaret L. Sharp has had a lot of fun imagining life after Pride and Prejudice for the characters. This is a collection of eight short stories continuing on with the lives and loves of the Bennets and their friends, including the Rev. Collins and Lady Catherine deBurgh. Ms Sharp has done well carrying the story on and keeping the main characters more or less true to themselves. The plots are mostly carried by dialogue, which although not having the same sparkle and wit as Austen's (a difficult task to emulate), does have the ring of the period and characters. All in all, a good light read if you enjoy imaging what the Bennets did next.

[Carol Perrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Longbourn and Beyond

Unique story. Lady Catherine was seriously displeased throughout this entire story. The only marriage she approved were that of Mr. Collins. Her family, especially her daughter, married against her wishes. In this story Darcy mellowed significantly after his marriage to Elizabeth Bennet so much so that Georgiana was permitted to make an unequal alliance without any obstacles. There were a few times I had problems with what was taking place in the story. Darcy in London accompanying Caroline Bingley to society balls while Elizabeth was at Longbourn caring for her sick father and Darcy allowing the Wickhams to come to Georgiana's wedding. Both of these happening just didn't ring true given Darcy's convictions about dancing and Wickham. Was a stretch to accept this change in Darcy's feelings.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Longbourn and Beyond is a collection of the eight short stories that make up the Longbourn series, Jane Austin Fan Fiction pieces by Australian author, Margaret Lynette Sharp. It features the characters and settings from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Longbourn Revisited: While Fitzwilliam Darcy is in London on business, Elizabeth Darcy visits her parents and sisters at Longbourn. Her father is unwell, and Elizabeth encounters Mr Bennet’s new young physician, Dr Hodges, who, it turns out, is unmarried. It seems Elizabeth’s younger sister Kitty is already enraptured. Mrs Bennet, indisposed at the stress of Mr Bennet’s illness, becomes rapidly not so at the prospect of a husband for one of her daughters. Meanwhile, during his London sojourn Darcy is enjoined to show kindness to Caroline Bingley, in need of consolation after a failed relationship.


An Encounter at Longbourn: Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are invited to attend dinner at Longbourn. They are exhorted to bring along Fitzwilliam’s sister, Georgiana, whose superior skills on the pianoforte might assist Mary Bennet’s studies. Also invited is Hodges, the physician who has been attending Mr Bennet so capably, and whom Mrs Bennet is eager to impress. The Bennet family is also well aware that Catherine hopes her attraction to him might be reciprocated. But things go in rather a different direction….

A Party At Longbourn: It’s Mr Bennet’s sixtieth birthday, so there’s to be a party at Longbourn. But then a letter arrives, throwing the Bennets into a bit of a tizz. Now a widower, Mr William Collins has been advised by his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, that re-marrying is the sole solution to his current unhappy circumstances. He does, after all, have his infant daughter, Emily to consider. Coincidentally, he plans to arrive on the day of the celebration, to choose a wife from the two as-yet-unmarried Bennet daughters. Kitty is adamant that she will not marry the odious Mr Collins, although her sister Mary seems not averse to the idea, if only Mrs Bennet did not rely on her so. But how will Lizzie and Darcy react to the presence of Mr Collins at this important family gathering? And what will Lizzie think of the prospective match? There’s a good helping of humour in this one.

And From Longbourn, A Wedding Comes: Mr and Mrs Bennet have come around to the idea of their daughter Mary marrying Mr Collins. But Mr Bennet believes that, if the wedding day is to be a truly happy one for all, certain things must happen. To this end, he enlists Mr Darcy’s assistance. On the day, Elizabeth worries about her opinionated sister Lydia’s remarks…

Much Ado At Longbourn: Kitty receives a letter from her sister, Lizzy Darcy, inviting her to a ball at Pemberley at which Colonel Fitzwilliam is bound to want to dance with her. Mrs Bennet is annoyed that Mr Bennet won’t go as Lady Catherine de Bourgh is sure to be there. Indeed she is, and it seems she has plans for her daughter that include Colonel Fitzwilliam. Anne de Bourgh is an heiress, so of course, a much better prospect for the Colonel that Kitty. Is she destined for heartbreak? In this instalment, Mr Bennet stands up to his wife, the gossips are busy and Lady Catherine proves just what a snob she really is.

After The Pemberley Ball: Elizabeth and Darcy are holding a Ball at Lady Catherine’s suggestion. Lady Catherine hopes to expose her daughter, Anne to more suitable gentlemen after seeing off an unworthy suitor, but Anne has other ideas. Meanwhile, Dr Hodges hopes to ask for Georgiana Darcy’s hand. Lizzy and Darcy discuss how they can further the path of true love while maintaining the peace. This instalment involves a certain amount of subterfuge. Someone comes in disguise, and the bombshell ending provokes the expected reaction from Lady Catherine and Mr Collins.

An Auspicious Day in Derbyshire: Some months after Anne de Bourgh has eloped with David King, Elizabeth and Georgiana Darcy are about to discuss plans for Georgiana’s wedding to Hodges when they learn of Lady Catherine’s imminent arrival. Catherine, always and only mindful of her reputation, makes some demands with regards invitees to the wedding. This instalment includes a wedding, news of an engagement and two pregnancies. And Sharp gives Mrs Bennet some wise words to wrap it up.

Expecting The Unexpected in Derbyshire: With barely a month until her expected confinement, Anne King (nee de Bourgh) and her husband David visit xx so that David can Paint Georgiana Hodges. But things take an unexpected turn, and Elizabeth Darcy finds herself trying to convince Lady Catherine to visit Chelmsford House. This instalment includes a birth, a kind offer of baby clothes, a change of heart and a delightful surprise ending.

Sharp easily evokes the style and tone of Austen’s writing, giving the reader a taste of what might have followed in the lives of Lizzy and Darcy and Lizzy’s extended family. Taken in the spirit intended, this is a brief but enjoyable read.
With thanks to the author for this copy to read and review.

[billie young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed quite a bit

I enjoyed the book quite a but. I found the ending unsatisfactory only because I wanted to know more about the future of the characters. I do hope a sequel is in the works. Or even better that there is one that I simply am not aware of.

[Maretha Botha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Well-crafted and an Enjoyable Glimpse into the Regency World.
Margaret Lynette Sharp is an accomplished author when it comes to writing clean, sweet romance and I'm of the opinion that she has improved her style even more since her first attempts at writing Regency Historical Fiction. She certainly has a good feel for the language of that time – in my opinion – and she also knows the Bennets, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy, their cousin, Mr. Collins and even the unbearable Lady Catherine de Bourgh intimately to be able to write further accounts about their lives so convincingly and accurately. This is an anthology which touches on a few scenarios - Mr Bennet is taken ill; Mary must calm Mrs Bennet's insufferable nerves and amidst all this, Lizzy must hold her own and keep the family on an even keel while her sister Jane has a newborn, colicky baby. At this point a new and interesting character is introduced - Dr Hodges, Mr. Bennet's physician - interesting and well done!
Ms Sharp succeeds in building a fair amount of tension between the young Darcys when he goes to London and meet up with Bingley's single sister. Part of the anthology I enjoyed the most, is a new development as far as Mr Collins, the Bennet family’s cousin, is concerned. I won't spoil the plot, but I thought it was a good piece of writing - highlighting his flaws, but showing another side to the man, now that he has a daughter, Emily to think about.
The anthology has a wedding with a guest list which will leave you gaping, especially when you read who is betrothed to who and the outcome of many of these trysts, which includes a blossoming romance for Darcy's sister, Georgiana, which I thought was beautifully done: Kitty’s courtship and the ups and downs associated with this, as was the incessant chatter and still unlikable character of Lizzy's younger sister, Lydia – altogether Jane Austen herself would have liked the way her characters moved about in a world where people are judged by the size of their fortunes, rather than the moral value of their character.
I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology and recommend it to anyone who wants to continue living in this wonderful Regency world created by Jane Austen a few hundred years ago.

[Michelle David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice

An interesting and enjoyable collection of variations inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Margaret Lynette Sharp.