What do you think?
Rate this book
Senator Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Contemporary Variation
Liz Bennet, the daughter of an ageing state Senator is looking forward to her father’s retirement more than anything in the world. No more stuffy parties, boring fundraisers, or awkward cocktail receptions, but his retirement is months away, and their search for a new home brings her face-to-face with a young politician on his way up in the world.
When she first meets Congressman Will Darcy, Liz is convinced that he is the rudest and most unpleasant man she has ever encountered, and that was before she had even spoken to him.
In this contemporary Pride and Prejudice variation, set against a backdrop of American politics and southern charm, Senator Darcy explores the complications of family, duty, and friendship, and the discovery of true love in the most unexpected of places.
This Contemporary Variation Novel is a clean romantic tale suitable for all lovers of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
When she first meets Congressman Will Darcy, Liz is convinced that he is the rudest and most unpleasant man she has ever encountered, and that was before she had even spoken to him.
In this contemporary Pride and Prejudice variation, set against a backdrop of American politics and southern charm, Senator Darcy explores the complications of family, duty, and friendship, and the discovery of true love in the most unexpected of places.
This Contemporary Variation Novel is a clean romantic tale suitable for all lovers of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
- GenresFiction
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2018
19 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 5, 2018
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars
I have a lot of trouble picturing the shy, aloof, haughty Mr. Darcy as a politician. This book definitely does not help to convince me this career choice fits him. Instead, this book gives yet more evidence that I'm right.
I don't doubt for a second that he has the intellect or the speech-making ability. What I can't believe is that he has the stomach for the glad-handing at fundraisers and political functions that is necessary to garner support. This Mr. Darcy doesn't suffer fools gladly, as expected, and there are plenty of fools in this book. He still stands around and glowers at cocktail parties instead of mingling and making nice. (I also suspect Mr. Darcy would have difficulty compromising his principles in the dirty world of politics, but since this is a novel that doesn't describe any policy dealmaking, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that subject.)
Another big problem here is that I don't understand why, with Elizabeth Bennet's father a respected member of the U.S. Senate, there's any cause for Darcy and the Bingleys to look down on the Bennet family. They're not trailer trash; they're not even middle class. Darcy himself is a South Carolina Congressman running for the Senate. Wouldn't Senator Bennet, a longtime Senate member representing Vermont, be someone for Darcy and/or Caroline Bingley to WANT to cozy up to? The man is buying a winter home in South Carolina, so he's not strapped for cash. The author tries to sell it as "old money" disapproving of "new money," and Southerners disliking Yankees, but with Mr. Bennet as a reasonably affluent and apparently influential politician, I can't quite buy either argument.
I do admit that Senator Bennet SHOULD have had some political difficulties over the years, considering that his wife is a blathering, drunken fool at society functions. She must be a political liability, so why would he just chuckle and ignore her? The same is true about his constantly misbehaving youngest daughters. However, the author makes it seem that he's held his seat in the Senate without breaking a sweat during elections and is retiring at his own choice rather than being voted out. His family is accustomed to making the obligatory social appearances with him, so apparently he doesn't hide them from the public eye. This really doesn't add up.
In another example of terrible casting, I don't understand how Will Collins could possibly be successful as the pastor of a mega-church making tons of money selling vials of holy water on TV. There's nothing remotely charming about his appearance or his manners, just like Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. I can't imagine this guy being successful at inspiring anyone to attend his church or to buy anything he's selling.
And this Mrs. Bennet may not be living in Regency times, but her attitude belongs there. Elizabeth loathes Collins, but that doesn't matter to Mrs. B. She hears wedding bells as soon as Collins comes around.
Catherine Buchanan is another throwback. Her insistence that Darcy should marry her ward, Annabelle Delmar, is equally strange, especially since poor Annabelle is portrayed as a wraith-like character from a horror movie. Why on earth would Catherine think that kind of wife is more appropriate for her nephew than the daughter of a career politician?
I got the sense, throughout the entire book, that the author essentially tried to squeeze Pride and Prejudice into a political context in the same way Cinderella's evil stepsisters tried to squeeze their big fat feet into the tiny glass slipper. It just does not fit.
The writing itself is actually quite good, although there's one error appearing repeatedly throughout the book. Bennets (plural) is frequently misspelled as Bennet's For example: "...they turned towards the dance floor, leaving the rest of the Bennet's to stare uncomfortably at one another... ." There are also a couple of simple misspellings (too/two, her/here).
Otherwise, I think the author has nice writing chops. Unfortunately, it's those giant holes in the logic of the story itself that prevent me from rating this any higher.
I have a lot of trouble picturing the shy, aloof, haughty Mr. Darcy as a politician. This book definitely does not help to convince me this career choice fits him. Instead, this book gives yet more evidence that I'm right.
I don't doubt for a second that he has the intellect or the speech-making ability. What I can't believe is that he has the stomach for the glad-handing at fundraisers and political functions that is necessary to garner support. This Mr. Darcy doesn't suffer fools gladly, as expected, and there are plenty of fools in this book. He still stands around and glowers at cocktail parties instead of mingling and making nice. (I also suspect Mr. Darcy would have difficulty compromising his principles in the dirty world of politics, but since this is a novel that doesn't describe any policy dealmaking, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that subject.)
Another big problem here is that I don't understand why, with Elizabeth Bennet's father a respected member of the U.S. Senate, there's any cause for Darcy and the Bingleys to look down on the Bennet family. They're not trailer trash; they're not even middle class. Darcy himself is a South Carolina Congressman running for the Senate. Wouldn't Senator Bennet, a longtime Senate member representing Vermont, be someone for Darcy and/or Caroline Bingley to WANT to cozy up to? The man is buying a winter home in South Carolina, so he's not strapped for cash. The author tries to sell it as "old money" disapproving of "new money," and Southerners disliking Yankees, but with Mr. Bennet as a reasonably affluent and apparently influential politician, I can't quite buy either argument.
I do admit that Senator Bennet SHOULD have had some political difficulties over the years, considering that his wife is a blathering, drunken fool at society functions. She must be a political liability, so why would he just chuckle and ignore her? The same is true about his constantly misbehaving youngest daughters. However, the author makes it seem that he's held his seat in the Senate without breaking a sweat during elections and is retiring at his own choice rather than being voted out. His family is accustomed to making the obligatory social appearances with him, so apparently he doesn't hide them from the public eye. This really doesn't add up.
In another example of terrible casting, I don't understand how Will Collins could possibly be successful as the pastor of a mega-church making tons of money selling vials of holy water on TV. There's nothing remotely charming about his appearance or his manners, just like Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. I can't imagine this guy being successful at inspiring anyone to attend his church or to buy anything he's selling.
And this Mrs. Bennet may not be living in Regency times, but her attitude belongs there. Elizabeth loathes Collins, but that doesn't matter to Mrs. B. She hears wedding bells as soon as Collins comes around.
Catherine Buchanan is another throwback. Her insistence that Darcy should marry her ward, Annabelle Delmar, is equally strange, especially since poor Annabelle is portrayed as a wraith-like character from a horror movie. Why on earth would Catherine think that kind of wife is more appropriate for her nephew than the daughter of a career politician?
I got the sense, throughout the entire book, that the author essentially tried to squeeze Pride and Prejudice into a political context in the same way Cinderella's evil stepsisters tried to squeeze their big fat feet into the tiny glass slipper. It just does not fit.
The writing itself is actually quite good, although there's one error appearing repeatedly throughout the book. Bennets (plural) is frequently misspelled as Bennet's For example: "...they turned towards the dance floor, leaving the rest of the Bennet's to stare uncomfortably at one another... ." There are also a couple of simple misspellings (too/two, her/here).
Otherwise, I think the author has nice writing chops. Unfortunately, it's those giant holes in the logic of the story itself that prevent me from rating this any higher.
August 21, 2018
This modern Pride & Prejudice variation takes place in the world of east coast politics. Mr Bennet is a retiring state representative. His girls have spent their entire lives in the spot light supporting their Dad's career. With his retirement, Elizabeth and Jane are looking forward to getting on with their lives.
An invite from Bingley to stay at his estate during a holiday puts the story in motion. Darcy and Elizabeth's dance of misunderstandings, pride and prejudice in a back drop of South Carolina of course works itself into a happily ever after.
I believe the author did a great job with the modern interpretation of the story.
An invite from Bingley to stay at his estate during a holiday puts the story in motion. Darcy and Elizabeth's dance of misunderstandings, pride and prejudice in a back drop of South Carolina of course works itself into a happily ever after.
I believe the author did a great job with the modern interpretation of the story.
November 4, 2022
I never give two stars. Although I only read 45% of this book, it was fairly clear that there was nothing new here. It was too slow and to close to canon without enough variation. Technically poor, with punctuation and word use errors. Assumption that 100% of readership is familiar with US politics. Predictable since it was canon without any attempt at freshness.
May 20, 2020
Modern variation of Pride and Prejudice
A sweet, modern variation that kept close to the timeline of canon, making the story fairly predictable and somewhat implausible.
The setting was a political environment in Charleston. Some modifications were made to fit the modern world.
I particularly did not like Elizabeth. She retaliated when Darcy insulted her but it was a cringeworthy moment, as was when she called out Caroline on her snide remarks at "Netherfield". She did not sound particular astute when she called Caroline out by repeating what she had just said. Elizabeth is usually more subtle in her retaliation, it should be done with such sweetness that an opponent like Caroline did not even understand she had been put in her place. Instead, it was, in your face, rude...
Rated: Chaste
A sweet, modern variation that kept close to the timeline of canon, making the story fairly predictable and somewhat implausible.
The setting was a political environment in Charleston. Some modifications were made to fit the modern world.
I particularly did not like Elizabeth. She retaliated when Darcy insulted her but it was a cringeworthy moment, as was when she called out Caroline on her snide remarks at "Netherfield". She did not sound particular astute when she called Caroline out by repeating what she had just said. Elizabeth is usually more subtle in her retaliation, it should be done with such sweetness that an opponent like Caroline did not even understand she had been put in her place. Instead, it was, in your face, rude...
Rated: Chaste
May 30, 2018
I really really really wanted to like this book. But the list of issues finally became too long. Who are these characters? Liz is such a hot head one minute then a sweet girl the next. She has a job yet is spending the summer in South Carolina? There are way to many weird diction issues (like, "Go get your girl, Charles. It’s about damn time you did.") said by Congressman Darcy. Another Darcy gem:
“Charles, my boy, the point is this: if the Bennet sisters hope to marry anyone in Washington, it’s going to be difficult given their family. That is all your sisters are trying to say, regardless of how cruelly they say it.” I mean, what era are we in? Who talks like that? There was also a hint that caroline pusched Jane down the stairs that nothing was done with. I mean, seriously!! This book was just weird. The plot was soo similar to cannon there were few surprises. I just didn't like this book. There were lots of grammatical issues, missing words, too many words in sentences etc.
I wanted a modern fun read. This was not it. I'd recommend reading Victoria Kincaid's President Darcy over this a thousand times.
Plot: Liz's dad is a congressman from Virginia who is about to retire. Darcy and Bingley are congressmen from South Carolina (darcy is running for a senate seat). The girls all live with their parents though Liz runs a reading program for kids. The rest follows cannon but in the DC/South carolina context. Not much else to say here. Wickham is a creepy near pedophile and Anne is like a scary ghost (seriously, she is described that way).
Sigh, please pass on this unless you really want to torture yourself with what could have been.
“Charles, my boy, the point is this: if the Bennet sisters hope to marry anyone in Washington, it’s going to be difficult given their family. That is all your sisters are trying to say, regardless of how cruelly they say it.” I mean, what era are we in? Who talks like that? There was also a hint that caroline pusched Jane down the stairs that nothing was done with. I mean, seriously!! This book was just weird. The plot was soo similar to cannon there were few surprises. I just didn't like this book. There were lots of grammatical issues, missing words, too many words in sentences etc.
I wanted a modern fun read. This was not it. I'd recommend reading Victoria Kincaid's President Darcy over this a thousand times.
Plot: Liz's dad is a congressman from Virginia who is about to retire. Darcy and Bingley are congressmen from South Carolina (darcy is running for a senate seat). The girls all live with their parents though Liz runs a reading program for kids. The rest follows cannon but in the DC/South carolina context. Not much else to say here. Wickham is a creepy near pedophile and Anne is like a scary ghost (seriously, she is described that way).
Sigh, please pass on this unless you really want to torture yourself with what could have been.
June 19, 2018
The retelling of P&P set in the political scene of American politics. It was okay but I don't think it really worked - for example, how can Mrs Bennet insist Elizabeth marry Collins in this modern setting and Darcy's behaviour is even worse, if possible, than in a Regency setting.
November 11, 2019
Flat
The author tried to be clever and reverse character traits of Darcy and Elizabeth. She was loud almost to the point of being obnoxious, she was blonde. He hated the country and was also blonde. Most importantly, the characters we not interesting and neither was the story.
The author tried to be clever and reverse character traits of Darcy and Elizabeth. She was loud almost to the point of being obnoxious, she was blonde. He hated the country and was also blonde. Most importantly, the characters we not interesting and neither was the story.
November 15, 2018
this is a lovely story - a little bit of southern politics within a cute romance.
May 24, 2019
I didn't like the book, but it have that certain something that makes you keep reading until the end, so I may give it a try to another book from the author.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews