Becoming Entangled: A Sequel to Unravelling Mr. Darcy

Dash of Darcy and Companions Collection #7

by Leenie Brown

Can she scheme her way out of one betrothal and into another?Anne de Bourgh wishes to dance until she is dizzy, walk until she is tired, and marry a particular gentleman who causes her heart to skitter and skip and flutter. There is, however, one thing that stands between Anne and her aspirations -- her mother. Nevertheless, when a young lady is determined, things such as a mother's restraints and a long-standing betrothal are merely impediments to be circumvented. Practical and cautious, Alistair Pratt is smitten with Anne and has been patiently biding his time until he can make his intentions known. However, with his mother's desire to see him married increasing, Alistair, when presented with a scandalous plan, throws caution to the wind to secure his love. But, the course of true love never did run smooth. When a gentleman with a grudge discovers the lover's plans, things become tangled and twisted. Will a love that was meant to be find its happy conclusion, or will it end up as only a tale of what could have been?Becoming Entangled is a sequel to Unravelling Mr. Darcy and is part of Leenie Brown’s Dash of Darcy Companions collection of Pride and Prejudice inspired novellas. If you like well-written, fast-paced, sweet regency romps with a touch of humor, then you will love this story about finding a way to claim your true love, even when the path gets messy.So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of Becoming Entangled, and slip into a world of light-hearted sweet romantic indulgence today.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2017

About the author

Leenie Brown has always been a girl with an active imagination, which, while growing up, was both an asset, providing many hours of fun as she played out stories, and a liability, when her older sister and aunt would tell her frightening tales.  At one time, they had her convinced Dracula lived in the trunk at the end of the bed she slept in when visiting her grandparents!

Although it has been years since she cowered in her bed in her grandparents’ basement, she still has an imagination which occasionally runs away with her, and she feeds it now as she did then ─ by reading!

Her heroes, when growing up, were authors, and the worlds they painted with words were (and still are) her favourite playgrounds!   Now, as an adult, she spends much of her time in the Regency world, playing with the characters from her favourite Jane Austen novels and those of her own creation.

When she is not traipsing down a trail in an attempt to keep up with her imagination, Leenie resides in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia with her two sons and her very own Mr. Brown (a wonderful mix of all the best of Darcy, Bingley, and Edmund with a healthy dose of the teasing Mr. Tilney and just a dash of the scolding Mr. Knightley).

Reviews

[J. W. Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Don’t be drawn into any web of entanglement created by others.” –Steven Redhead, Life Is Simply A Game

This was a quick clean story full of love lost, love found, misunderstandings, betrayals, and lies. This novella is part of the ‘Dash of Darcy Companion Stories’ Collection. Although our dear couple [D&E] are mentioned, they really only have a minimal presence, this story is Anne de Bourgh’s story. This can be read as a stand-a-lone, although there are feelings that you have missed something by not reading prior books. The author expertly sets the stage with a new character Ralston giving the reader the impression that there will be another story to follow this one.

Our hero is Alistair Pratt, son of Lady Metcalfe, Lady Catherine’s friend. He is also his father heir. The story had a sluggish start as our hero was trying to deflect his mother’s machinations as she encouraged him to attend a house party in hopes that he would find a wife. Little did she know that his heart was already engaged. Since the author has used this person’s name before in previous books… it caused a bit of confusion… which may account for the déjà vu feeling that I had. It also made it feel like a side story to the others.

Villain: Like any good love story, we need a villain… Conrad. Payback is a b-witch and Conrad felt he owed Alistair for his interference in Conrad’s scheme to secure an heiress with a hefty fortune the previous year. How does that old saying go? An heiress for an heiress.

This was a fast-paced race to save a reputation. However, it sort of felt too fast and rather incredulous in the timing of the rescue. I was a bit surprised at Anne’s naivete; however, being coddled by Lady Catherine her entire life, I am surprised she did as well as she did. Conrad was a louse.

To have had such a slow start… this ended rather quickly. Even though the angst was resolved within a few pages, I really liked the ending. The book that follows this is ‘Enticing Miss Darcy’ and is scheduled to launch in mid-March 2018.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story in the alternate Pride and Prejudice universe Ms. Brown has created. Her latest companion story focuses on a new and delightful interpretation of Anne deBourgh's character. I have read other books about Anne, and this is better than most.

Anne loves her mother but has been waiting for Darcy to marry someone else so she and her beloved Alistair Pratt can stop hiding their secret courtship. He's considered a "catch" by every other matchmaking mama among the ton-- wealthy, honorable, heir to a title and a future in the House of Lords in Parliament-- but, of course, Lady Catherine is absolutely set on Darcy. Anne thinks she sees her chance now, since she senses Darcy is enamored of the charming Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

Despite her frailty, Anne's a spunky gal with the desire for more adventure than she's been allowed in her oversheltered life. She gets it here. Clifton Conrad manages to wheedle himself into her confidence and charms her into asking him to transport her to Warwickshire, where Alistair is attending a house party at his mother's insistence. Anne believes Conrad is a friend of Alistair's, but he actually is nursing a grudge against Alistair and using her to seek revenge.

I love the contrast between Alistair and his wing man, Jack Ralston, who are chasing the pair. Alistair is very sedate and thoughtful, while Jack is hyperactive and impulsive. Conrad's character is also interesting, as he comes to truly admire Anne and recognize that there's a lot more to her than one might suppose from her fragile-looking appearance.

This novella is a quick read. It's impressive how well developed the characters are, with a fast-paced plot, humor and romance... all in so few pages.

[Carole (in Canada) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What lady sincerely wished to be a duty that must be done?" (quote from the book)

This is Book 2 in Leenie Brown's 'A Dash of Darcy and Companions' trilogy. 'Unravelling Mr. Darcy' is Book 1 and I recommend that you read that first to fully understand all that is going on. While 'Unravelling Mr. Darcy' deals with his and Elizabeth Bennet's story, this one is all Anne de Bourgh with minor glimpses to all the characters.

There are some delightful new characters that have been created by Ms. Brown in this story; mainly, Alistair Pratt and his best friend, Jack Ralston. They are just the type of men who most mothers would love to have for their daughters as husbands. Then there is the rake, Conrad Clifton, who sets himself on a course of revenge against Alistair Pratt.

However, Miss Anne de Bourgh steals the show. This is an Anne you have never seen before! One that even her mother knows nothing about. Anne is a delightful mix of naivete and determination. She is determined to marry Alistair as soon as possible. How she goes about it will leave you breathless. All I kept saying was 'Oh dear', 'Oh no', and Oh Anne'! Though at times I found parts rather incredulous, it still was so much fun!

This is a fast-paced novella with more angst than the first book. So, hang on to your bonnet as you follow these characters, as they chase across the countryside to each other!

[Carol Perrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a Darcy and Elizabeth story except for the fact that Elizabeth has accepted Darcy's proposal freeing Anne de Bourgh to plan her happiness with or without her mother's approval. Enjoyed seeing this feisty Anne de Bourgh. She has been in love with the son of her mother's best friend Lady Metcalfe, Alistair Pratt, and he with her for a long time. He is being sent to a house party by his mother in hopes that he will find a wife, but the two come to an agreement before he leaves. Anne's has him consent to an elopement with her planning to joining him. All sorts of complications arise when Anne puts her trust in the wrong person to help her escape to join Alistair. She is found by her Uncle Matlock and when she finds that Conrad lied to her, she challenges him to a duel. This Anne de Bourgh is full of many surprises - one being that she can fence! Happy ending for Anne who is not as sickly as her mother states.

[mikaela (spinebreaker) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of Anne de Bourgh stories and this one didn't have enough development or enough familiar characters to make it truly stand out

[Jacquelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dash of Darcy and Companions Collection #7
Anne de Bourgh is in love with Mr Pratt, the son of a Lady who is close with Lady Catherine and a frequent visitor Rosings. Accompanying his mother to Rosings for years, he gets to know Anne very well and they fall in love (though they keep it a secret from everyone). I couldn’t give this book more than 2 stars because it’s just so unbelievable, like most of Leenie Brown’s books. She is very talented but she often makes the mistake of not just skirting the proprieties of the time but going way overboard with them. For example, Anne meets Pratt in secluded, wooded areas and he teaches her to, wait for it…fence. Yup. She’s still frail and prone to illness but apparently she’s robust enough to sweat through fencing lessons. She’s so impatient to marry him that she gets him to agree to an elopement. Then he goes to a house party and she is so impatient that she decides to run away and meet him at the house party so that they can head to Scotland and marry. But she’s unbelievably naïve. Unbeknownst to her, a gentleman named Conrad has it out for Pratt because at one point, Conrad was set to marry an heiress who had a lot of money. And, being a lazy aristocrat with a penchant for gambling and women he want’s the heiress’ money. Pratt innocently mentions to this woman that Conrad is pursuing a women for her money, not knowing that he’s talking to the woman who is being pursued. Needless to say, the Lady ends the relationship and Conrad blames Pratt. When he finds out that Pratt is in love with Anne, he figures turn-about is fair play and sets out to ruin Anne. Anne encounters Conrad in the town next to her house as she is often riding in her little curricle (yes, again, despite her frequent illnesses and despite how demanding of propriety Lady Catherine is, Anne is allowed to go out alone in her curricle every single day by herself). He starts flirting with her and she likes it. He tells her he’s friends with Pratt and this gives Anne an idea; since she’s determined to slip away and meet Pratt at the house party but doesn’t know where this house party is, she eventually solicits Conrad’s help. She gets him to agree to take her to the house party. He does but starts to show his true colors whilst they travel in the carriage. When they stop for the night at an inn she is shocked that she’s going to have to share a room and a bed with him. He gets her drunk and she ends up unconscious on the bed. He gets in bed and plans to make her believe in the morning that they’ve had sex (or that he’ll actually have sex with her, can’t remember which). Sure enough, Anne’s uncle, Darcy, Pratt, Pratt’s best friend and Fitzwilliam (or Fitz’s brother, can’t remember) show up in the morning and discover them in bed. Lord Matlock takes Anne away and one of the other men make an appointment to meet in London at the fencing club to “set things right”. Anne tells her uncle everything, by the time they get to London Anne has a sore throat and Pratt carries her to her room to rest. The story becomes choppy and incohesive from the moment she’s discovered. The next morning the whole family is at Matlock house: Lady Catherine, Lady Matlock and her mother-in-law, Fitzwilliam, Fitz’s brother, Darcy, Elizabeth, Bingley, Jane, Pratt’s mother and Pratt’s best friend. He has to explain everything and neither of the mothers are happy. But, of course, the wedding is the outcome of the discussion. Anne knows that Pratt is going to fight Conrad at the fencing club and is put out because she not only wants to be there, she wants to duel Conrad herself! Once she’s better Pratt agrees to take her to the fencing fight and promises to let her fence Conrad after he’s finished fencing with him. At this point in the book I was so glad that it was close to the end because, as usual, Leenie Brown has not done a good job of suspending my disbelief. Pratt beats Conrad and then Anne takes to the floor to fence with Conrad. Does she get into fencing gear? I don’t know because it’s never explained (another one of Leenie Brown’s failings, she jumps from scene to scene leaving big holes in the narrative). Of course she beats Conrad to the cheers and admiration of the lookers-on. Then they marry. The end.

[krow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anne was frustratingly naive, and her intended a bit of a doormat. Their chemistry was not believable; theirs seemed to be more of a lack of exposure to society sort of connection, -- and certainly not deserving the happy ending it got. Both MCs should've been properly scolded and sent to the nursery as they both had some maturing to do before making any sort of serious decisions, much less marrying one another.

[Deb Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful Anne de Bourgh

It is so enjoyable when Anne seems healthy and full of life. When she is feisty...she can accomplish anything. Plus to have her uncle and her grandmother standing behind her decisions really helps her in her plight

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avid Reader

An adorable novella that shows an Anne Debourgh who is determined and possesses the spark required to get her man, Alistair Pratt. Although slightly blindsided by his enemy, Conrad, Anne and Conrad marry.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected, but still pretty good :)

[Pet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always imagined they could be more to Anne than she is portrayed in the book. I liked this story about her and find her even sassier than Elizabeth. Great read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anne de Bourgh has fallen in love and is determined to marry and it is not Darcy that is her intended.
An enjoyable story, with some new characters