The Assistant: Before Pride and Prejudice

by Riana Everly

A tale of love, secrets, and adventure across the ocean When textile merchant Edward Gardiner rescues an injured youth, he has no notion that this simple act of kindness will change his life. The boy is bright and has a gift for numbers that soon makes him a valued assistant and part of the Gardiners’ business, but he also has secrets and a set of unusual acquaintances. When he introduces Edward to his sparkling and unconventional friend, Miss Grant, Edward finds himself falling in love. But who is this enigmatic woman who so quickly finds her way to Edward’s heart? Do the deep secrets she refuses to reveal have anything to do with the appearance of a sinister stranger, or with the rumours of a missing heir to a northern estate? As danger mounts, Edward must find the answers in order to save the woman who has bewitched him . . . but the answers themselves may destroy all his hopes. Set against the background of Jane Austen’s London, this Pride and Prejudice prequel casts us into the world of Elizabeth Bennet’s beloved Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. Their unlikely tale takes the reader from the woods of Derbyshire, to the ballrooms of London, to the shores of Nova Scotia. With so much at stake, can they find their Happily Ever After? The Assistant is a full-length JAFF novel of about 90 000 words. Praise for Ms. Everly's Teaching "With her thoughtful and skillfully-crafted debut release, Riana Everly has created a most engaging and entertaining tale that is sure to charm ardent fans of Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, and Pygmalion." - Austenesque Reviews "Teaching Eliza by Riana Everly is a variation I did not want to put down. I was delighted by every twist that brought Darcy and Elizabeth together and enjoyed the entertaining paths they took when they were parted." - Savvy Verse Wit "If you’re looking for a historical romance that’s sharp, well-written, and pays homage to two great works while still offering something fresh and new, pick up a copy of Teaching Eliza." - Compulsive Overreader

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2018

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Edward Gardiner, the younger half-brother to Mrs. Frances Bennet and Mrs. Louisa Phillips, and the beloved uncle of Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia Bennet. It's a prequel to Pride and Prejudice that takes place 11 years earlier.

Edward's parents are still very much alive, but the senior Mr. Gardiner has stepped back from his successful London business and given his son the reins. They already own the Gracechurch Street home in Cheapside. The Bennet family does appear in the story briefly, as does the father of P&P's Mr. Darcy, but they are way in the background here.

On a business trip north in Derby, Edward accidentally comes across an injured, hungry, shivering young lad on the banks of a stream, and provides him with medical attention, shelter, a warm fire, and food. The 14-year-old boy is very guarded about providing any personal information beyond his name, Matthew. Once Edward has a chance to speak with him at any length, though, he's astounded at the boy's ability to calculate figures and sums quickly without paper and pen. He proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Matthew agrees to be his assistant. Matthew has good reason to be secretive. Someone is looking for him and wants him dead, so he's in hiding.

Another surprise is in store for Edward when he receives a missive from a Miss Grant, who thanks him for his kindness to her friend Matthew. Edward, intrigued by the tone of her letter, begins a correspondence with the lady and finds himself having warm feelings for her.

What follows is a very engaging tale with a masquerade ball, secret rendezvous between lovers, a demon out to isolate and destroy anyone between him and an inheritance he covets, a hurried trip across the ocean to the colonies in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and an agent of the King (and Mr. Darcy) assisting in a covert investigation.

Edward is a wonderful leading character, being honest and honorable in his dealings with everyone. Matthew is obviously a prodigy and turns out to be an excellent assistant, indeed. Edward's good friend, Frederick Dyson, is a fine chap, and his ladylove, Gwen Lancaster, proves herself to be a valuable friend to the mysterious Miss Grant. Jeremiah Sherrington is a chameleon, as befits an investigator who needs to blend smoothly into any environment. All the characters are three-dimensional and interesting.

The writing flows beautifully with nary an error to be found. (At least, I didn't notice any.)

I will say that I don't find the mystery surrounding Matthew to be that mysterious. I was able to glean one of his secrets within a chapter or two of his appearance and the other one long before the big shocking (to Edward) reveal. I don't know whether I was unusually clever and/or lucky, or whether the reader is intended to decipher the clues long before the principal characters do. I didn't find that it diminished my enjoyment, though, as I kept waiting for Edward to catch on and eager to read what was going to happen next.

It's just a ripping good story!

[Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, not the biggest fan of the book. Very predictable. I read some reviews before buying it and disagree with some of the comments. Again, I feel like I can't say exactly what I feel because people get bent out of shape when you do. I expected a lot more from what other reviewers wrote and I found it lacking. Not one I would pick up and read again though I am sure to give it another try in a year or so.

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

A Dangerous and Romantic Adventure for Mr. Edward Gardiner

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Prequel, Secondary Character

TIME FRAME: Begins around 11 years before Pride and Prejudice

SYNOPSIS: A young Mr. Gardiner comes across an injured boy (named Matthew) in the woods in Derby in need of some aid. After spending some time with the boy and learning his circumstances and remarkable gift with numbers, Mr. Gardiner decides to bring on the young man as his assistant. However, Matthew has some odd quirks about him and offers very little information regarding his past. But what puts Mr. Gardiner perhaps more at ease is when Matthew’s friend Miss Grant sends Mr. Gardiner a letter…and that letter progresses into a relationships of sorts. One that embroils Edward in an unexpected and dangerous adventure!

WHAT I LOVED:

- Featuring the Gardiners!: I love when authors turn to secondary characters and tell readers what happens next, but it is equally as enthralling when they tell readers what happened before. Which I am sure it is a little more challenging because the author doesn’t have full freedom and there is a bit of a spoiled ending (since readers probably know what happens in the future). I read The Courtship of Edward Gardiner just a few months back (and loved it) and I am happy to read another tale that spotlights this dear couple!

- An Admirable Hero: Oh yes, we know he is a doting husband, an intelligent businessman, and affable company, but here is where readers can see Mr. Gardiner as a hero. His kind concern towards others, his selflessness and sympathy, and his honorable integrity are all traits readers see Mr. Gardiner employ in this tale. Edward Gardiner is indeed worthy of our admiration and I very much approved of both his sterling character and his very human reactions to the situations he in which he was placed.

- More to Mrs. Gardiner: In P&P we learn that Mrs. Gardiner is amiable, beloved by her nieces, and a reliable informant about current fashions. But in this story readers encounter someone who is so much more…I loved that Mrs. Gardiner’s character was so unorthodox and spirited! She shares some impertinent and outspoken habits with her niece, but also has some surprising proclivities and abilities of her own. This version of Mrs. Gardiner (before she was Mrs. Gardiner) was an unexpected delight and I think readers will marvel at her unknown history and character.

- An Exhilarating Adventure: I greatly enjoyed all the riveting action in this story! Aside from young Matthew being rescued and the mystery surrounding him, there is a masquerade ball, clandestine meetings between lovers, sinister attacks, and travels overseas to Halifax, Nova Scotia. I greatly appreciate the engaging blend of elements and events. And I was thrilled to take a trip to a new place and learn about its history.

- Senior Mr. Darcy: Those Darcy men cannot help but earn our devotion… Mr. George Darcy is featured quite excellently in this tale. While he isn’t a key player, he takes an active role in investigating some mysterious activity at a nearby estate. Showing us with his determination, just sense of right, and indefatigable attention to duty that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

The only thing I can comment on is that one or two circumstances/relationships in this story are not reflected/don’t tie in to Pride and Prejudice, but that really cannot be helped as I wouldn’t have wanted this story to go any differently.

CONCLUSION:

The Assistant is a fantastic and enthralling Pride and Prejudice prequel that features Jane Austen’s beloved characters, some Heyer-esque and Shakespearean plot twists, and exquisitely detailed backdrops of Georgian England and Nova Scotia. A perfect choice for readers who adore Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner!

Austenesque Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Edward Gardiner's story, the younger half-brother to Mrs Bennet of Longbourn. When Gardiner the merchant is in Derbyshire on business he rescues an injured youth, Matthew, while out walking one day. Little does he know how his life will change as he employs Matthew in his business.
A very enjoyable well-written prequel to P&P with some delightful characters

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

Wow...just wow! I was completely captivated from the first chapter to the last. It pulls you in and you are off on an adventure that even Catherine Morland would love! This book has it all...mystery, villainy, intrigue, secrets, a youth in distress, a worthy and honourable man and a unique and spirited young woman. What's not to love?

This is a beautifully written story, of not only Elizabeth and Jane Bennet's favourite relatives, Mr & Mrs. Gardiner, but because of Jane Austen, ours as well. This delightful tale just gives us even more to love.

Edward Gardiner is such an honest, worthy man and it shines through on every page. There is not a duplicitous bone in his body. Integrity and honour are at the core of everything he does. And when he rescues young Matthew, this only enhances your admiration of him. Matthew is an intelligent youth that soon has him working for Edward as his assistant. From Matthew, he is introduced to the unconventional and witty Miss Grant. Edward is soon lost to her.

"I would say I am besotted with a phantom!" (quote from the book)

We even get to spend a little time with the Bennets in this story! Which was just an added bonus for me. Jane is just a sweet and delightful young girl and Elizabeth is simply precocious and lively as ever!

But this is Edward's and Matthew's and Miss Grant's tale of adventure, as they dance around each other and thwart danger and rocky seas to uncover the secrets that keep them apart. Prepare yourself for a journey that will sweep you away and leave you with a big smile on your face!

I highly recommend this slightly Gothic, highly mysterious, adventurous love story!

[Teresita · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride!

I missed our beloved couple but loved this book! It kept me reading non-stop until I got to the end. A wonderful tale about Mr Gardiner and his wife.

[Catherine Kullmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This intriguing Pride & Prejudice prequel gives us the love story of Elizabeth Bennet’s favourite uncle and aunt, the Gardiners. And a complicated story it is too, featuring a wicked uncle, a missing heir, a mysterious lady, a sinister stranger and a mathematically gifted youth. The action takes us from the woods of Derbyshire to the world of London merchants and across the Atlantic to colonial Halifax, not forgetting a Christmas visit to Longbourn where we meet a precocious Lizzy Bennet.
Riana Everly steers us through her intricate plot with deceptive ease. At the end, all the mysteries are solved except one; why did Mr Gardiner Snr. hand over his attorney’s practice to his son-in-law Mr Phillips and establish himself in London as a merchant specialising in ‘fine local fabrics and exotic goods from around the world’? Perhaps this was due to the influence of his second wife. Who knows? It is as good as explanation as any for Mrs Bennet’s only brother being ‘settled in a respectable line of trade’, as Jane Austen has it.
This little quibble apart, this was a thoroughly engaging story, well-capable of standing on its own merits. It is not necessary to have read Pride and Prejudice to enjoy it, but fans of P&P will appreciate the glimpses of a younger Bennet family.

[Ree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good
A prequel to Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Edward Gardiner, uncle to the Bennet sisters. It is about 11 years before the events of Pride and Prejudice begin. Edward is the half brother of Mrs. Bennet, his mother being the second wife of the senior Mr. Gardiner, who has turned over his business affairs to his son. An adventure and a mystery unfolds when Edward rescues an injured boy, and takes him home after offering him work and shelter.

On the mystery, I am feeling a bit dumb as a rock because I honestly never saw that coming, so I have to say well done in that regard.

I did love this portrayal of Edward Gardiner. It was nice to imagine him this way as a young man. I can’t quite say the same about this Madelyn.

[Alena (Ally) Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining

Interesting storyline with the Gardiner's in the pre-P&P timeframe. It gives a plausible background for Aunt and Uncle Gardiner for Elizabeth who is introduced as a precocious child with more insight than many adults. Enjoy.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was glad to be given this copy of The Assistant when I won it as a prize in a competition I didn’t know I’d entered. I was allowed my choice from Riana Everly’s published books, and I didn’t hesitate before choosing The Assistant.

It’s subtitled Before Pride and Prejudice, a work of Fan Fiction which gives a beautiful backstory to Mr and Mrs Gardiner, the most sensible people in Jane Austen’s classic text. Having said which, it’s comforting to think that Edward Gardiner could be an idiot when young and in love. We see him as an unmarried man in his mid-twenties, worldly and travelled due to his education in Nova Scotia and his growth within his father’s business. He’s balanced and reasonable in his dealings with the world, accepting of the need to go with the flow when a day of festival in Derby delays his business dealings. However, it’s when he’s faced with love, and the complexities of his own particular circumstances in this, that he’s thrown for a loop and acting about ten years younger than he is.

Mrs Gardiner-to-be, when she shows up, proves to be an exceptional young woman, and a perfect match for Edward. The reader can see this, it’s just Edward who needs to be convinced. Before he gets to that point, though, there’s a bit of a mystery to be cleared up, and once again the reader is ahead of poor Edward in working it out. It’s great fun, watching him attempt to grow up emotionally, and we hope he’ll get there and do what’s needed to help him become the finished article, the good uncle who helps resolve the issue of Lydia as well as oiling the wheels for Lizzie.

It’s a well-written, well-flowing narrative, with solid research done by author Riana Everly. She’s on to a winner here, as with her other books, all a worthy extension of Jane Austen’s ‘little bit of ivory’. Recommended.

[Alison Lohans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful read! This novel, set in the Jane Austen era, lays out an intriguing premise that develops after fabric merchant Edward rescues young "Matthew", who has injured an ankle while escaping from a dire fate that's only revealed bit by bit, much later on.

Secrets, a very real danger, and a growing love, are all cleverly developed, layer upon layer, when Edward recognizes Matthew's brilliance and takes him on as his business assistant. Because Edward is a man of his time, he has no inkling of Matthew's true character. But the current-day reader begins to catch on to some of Matthew's idiosyncrasies and secrets soon after the pair have connected, and the mystery builds as we wait for the ultimate "reveal" as the narrative takes its twists and turns, often bringing new surprises as we try to put the various elements together.

The characters, both major and minor, are very nicely developed as we see them play out their roles on an interesting and varied palette. There were times when I wanted to jab Edward and say, "Look deeper than the surface!" - and I imagine other readers will have the same reaction. Because I'm not accustomed to reading Austen-era fiction, at first the somewhat-complex narrative voice slowed me down a bit. However, little by little, the tension is upped in a manner that made the reading ever more compelling once I became better acquainted with the styles of the turn of the 19th century. Line quotes from Shakespeare plays at the head of each chapter provide a really nice touch, forecasting the mood and plot developments of that particular chapter.

This was a fun read!

[lori huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

Another wonderful book from this author. She never disappoints. This fanciful tale about Edward Gardiner, and how he came to meet his future wife, has all the ingredients for a totally engrossing story. There is intrigue, suspense, mystery, and, of course, romance. Edward Gardiner rescues a young boy with a broken ankle, in the town of Derby, while he is travelling for business. The boy is trying to escape a bad man, and Edward decides to help him and take the young boy with him back to London, especially after he learns the boy is a mathematical wizard, and can be an asset to him in his business dealings.

The intrigue and drama to follow can be a bit much, unless you just allow yourself to suspend reason, and to just go with the imaginative. The plot is, to be certain, very fanciful, but when written so well, it can be accepted and greatly enjoyed. The story is populated by many characters that you can care about, and therefore the reader becomes invested in the outcome. We all want Edward to be happy, and to find his future wife, Madelyn.

The Darcy name and Pemberly are mentioned, and are integral to the plot, but only in an indirect way, so a future association is hinted at. Elizabeth and Jane are part of the tale, but they're very young children. This is a wonderful introduction to the Gardiners, two of the most beloved characters in the original P&P.

There were a significant number of editing errors, but not enough to be a distraction. The book is well written. I recommend it highly.

[Jayne Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Edward Gardiner, Lizzie's uncle in Pride & Prejudice. The Gardiners are the two of Lizzie relations "for whom there was no need to blush" and I've always liked them - both in reading P&P and in the TV and film adaptations.
Riana Everly's story cleverly explains how Edward is such a decent, intelligent man who even Darcy is comfortable with, while his sisters (Mrs Bennet and Mrs Philips) are so shallow. The style of writing reminds me of Jane Austen, although some of the plot elements are more like a Georgette Heyer novel.
I have to say I thought Edward was a little slow on the uptake for some things (I won't say more than that here), but that did fit in with his totally honest, straightforward and honourable character.
Recommended, especially for JA fans.

[Celia Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Assistant: Before Pride and Prejudice by Riana Everly is an entertaining read. One thing that makes it unique is that the romance is told entirely from the hero's point of view. He is an ordinary merchant, no dashing pirate or highwayman, but he is honest and caring, and daring and resourceful when he needs to be. What I really enjoyed was how well, even though we were only in Edward's POV, the other characters, including the heroine, were portrayed. You could almost believe you were in their heads, also. The visuals were good and the trip to Canada and the glimpse at some Canadian history was an added treat.
Celia Martin

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avid Reader

This book kept me on my toes from the time Young Mr. Gardenier found young Mathew to the end of the novel. "The Assistant" detailed how Edward Gardiner met his future . Some of the events will leave you with your mouth hanging open concerning the gentry background of the Grant family and how they are betrayed by a vicious uncle who separates them and has them fighting for survival as well as their lives. Edward 's parents are still alive. His mother is the second Mrs. Gardenier. Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips are his half sisters. You will sit on the edge of your seats until the last word.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of The Assistant. I throughly enjoyed the story from start to finish. The Assistant gives us a glimpse into the lives of the Gardiners, Lizzie's beloved aunt and uncle.

The Gardiner's do not have a traditional courtship. Ms. Everly teases the reader, slowly revealing the true story. You won't want to put this book down.

[Beverley Latimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply beautiful!

I loved every page of this book! Beautifully written and heartwarming story.
I too, love Jane Austen's books, and the way the Bennett's were brought into this story was delightful. As was the mention of Mr Darcy.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommended!

[Barbara Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique

A interesting new take on beloved characters. Thoroughly enjoyed this story. An epilogue is needed. But this book is highly recommend.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story filled with adventure, suspense, love, and a bit of deceit. If you like Pride and Prejudice, you”ll enjoy this book very much.

[Pauline Vickers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too predictable but a good story

[krow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could see the 'mystery' from a mile away and so got a bit bored halfway through.