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Headstrong #2
Adapt
Finally, everything is going perfectly for Will Darcy. It doesn't last.The holidays are approaching, and Will has a lot to be thankful for. His cousin Richard is finally coming home from the Marines, his sister Georgiana is flying back from university for a visit, and he’s in love with Elizabeth Bennet. But his well-ordered life is about to be turned on its head.There's a prank war being waged between Elizabeth and Richard, which might be funny if he weren't constantly caught in the crossfire. Georgiana immediately dislikes Elizabeth--how can she have it out for somebody she's never met? And just when Elizabeth is starting to trust Will with the truth about her difficult past, someone from his own reappears to cause trouble. Serious trouble.Strange things are happening all around, and Elizabeth always seems to be at the center of it. Is she involved? A target? Or is she just collateral damage for someone conspiring against Will's own family?This is a full-length P&P modern variation of approximately 96,000 words. Modern, non-canon.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 24, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 3, 2020
Elizabeth and Darcy are in love and spend much time at one or the other's residence.
Major Fitzwilliam has come home and we read of a "brother-sister" relationship between him and Elizabeth. The pranks they play on each other are highly inventive. Then he meets Jane and he's a goner. Richard is part owner of FORGE, Darcy's business, and finding his place in that world takes up part of the story. Part of the story also has to do with hackers trying to breach the patent files at FORGE.
Georgiana comes home. It's the Christmas holidays. Senator Fitzwilliam, and his older son, Oscar, become part of the intrigue. There is a lot going on between politics and the business world. Elizabeth uses her skills, her training to investigate Georgiana's boyfriend, as something does not sit right with what he is telling Georgiana, what he is claiming about his own background. Elizabeth does finally get past Georgiana's cold reception and uses a business interview to accompany G. to California where again we have a ruckus in public. That event has Elizabeth in handcuffs for a short time and the villain gets away although his scheme has been exposed.
Darcy does take Elizabeth away for a two week vacation but they are not out-of-touch with what is going on. Elizabeth's sisters are part of her life and they have had a much more disciplined upbringing than in canon. (K. Gardiner becoming a designer!) We also have a close look at what Mr. Bennet has done and what he did in the past. This is a man we can all loathe! Fortunately his second wife is a different matter.
There continues to be a lot going on and a big part is the migraine headaches and nightmares Elizabeth continues to have to deal with. (They are much worse with what happened back in Brussels.)
Again I highly recommend this series. (Having read all three without stopping to write a review I can only hope I am not mixing up what happened in one book with another.)
Major Fitzwilliam has come home and we read of a "brother-sister" relationship between him and Elizabeth. The pranks they play on each other are highly inventive. Then he meets Jane and he's a goner. Richard is part owner of FORGE, Darcy's business, and finding his place in that world takes up part of the story. Part of the story also has to do with hackers trying to breach the patent files at FORGE.
Georgiana comes home. It's the Christmas holidays. Senator Fitzwilliam, and his older son, Oscar, become part of the intrigue. There is a lot going on between politics and the business world. Elizabeth uses her skills, her training to investigate Georgiana's boyfriend, as something does not sit right with what he is telling Georgiana, what he is claiming about his own background. Elizabeth does finally get past Georgiana's cold reception and uses a business interview to accompany G. to California where again we have a ruckus in public. That event has Elizabeth in handcuffs for a short time and the villain gets away although his scheme has been exposed.
Darcy does take Elizabeth away for a two week vacation but they are not out-of-touch with what is going on. Elizabeth's sisters are part of her life and they have had a much more disciplined upbringing than in canon. (K. Gardiner becoming a designer!) We also have a close look at what Mr. Bennet has done and what he did in the past. This is a man we can all loathe! Fortunately his second wife is a different matter.
There continues to be a lot going on and a big part is the migraine headaches and nightmares Elizabeth continues to have to deal with. (They are much worse with what happened back in Brussels.)
Again I highly recommend this series. (Having read all three without stopping to write a review I can only hope I am not mixing up what happened in one book with another.)
December 25, 2019
A slow-burning page-turner.
The second book in the Headstrong trilogy kept me glued to my screen.
A slow burner with intricate, three-dimensional characters with layers being peeled off, one by one. Deep and thoughtful with surprising twists and turns and yet it has plenty of funny moments as well. Rachel's brilliant wit shines through and had me laughing out loud many times while grinning the rest.
This is a rock-solid read, I cannot fault it.
Heartily recommend this book.
Rated: Chaste
The second book in the Headstrong trilogy kept me glued to my screen.
A slow burner with intricate, three-dimensional characters with layers being peeled off, one by one. Deep and thoughtful with surprising twists and turns and yet it has plenty of funny moments as well. Rachel's brilliant wit shines through and had me laughing out loud many times while grinning the rest.
This is a rock-solid read, I cannot fault it.
Heartily recommend this book.
Rated: Chaste
June 14, 2024
Reviewing all 3 books in the series at once.
I love this series. There is a lot to unpack in this trilogy and every time I've read this I find another nuance that I've missed before. This is a modern, non-canon story. At the beginning, Elizabeth is an active Staff Sgt in the Marine Corp who becomes a hero in a terrorist bombing in Brussels. Over the course of the 3 books, she meets & falls in love with Darcy, deals with the struggles of her not-so-great childhood, the PTSD of the bombing, and so much more.
All the major characters are here. Tricky Wicky is up to no good. Puppy Bingley & his snobby sister Caroline. Collins is only mentioned - no Charlotte/Collins marriage. Lady Cat is written in a new way (love).
I love this series. There is a lot to unpack in this trilogy and every time I've read this I find another nuance that I've missed before. This is a modern, non-canon story. At the beginning, Elizabeth is an active Staff Sgt in the Marine Corp who becomes a hero in a terrorist bombing in Brussels. Over the course of the 3 books, she meets & falls in love with Darcy, deals with the struggles of her not-so-great childhood, the PTSD of the bombing, and so much more.
All the major characters are here. Tricky Wicky is up to no good. Puppy Bingley & his snobby sister Caroline. Collins is only mentioned - no Charlotte/Collins marriage. Lady Cat is written in a new way (love).
January 4, 2023
The first book gave a sense of false security like it is a sweet romantic story but beware this one is full of intrigue and villains and I'm sure the third book is going to be quite thrilling. Have to move on now.
January 25, 2022
Getting intense
I like the way the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth is developing, and the intrigue and danger are thrilling. Thoroughly enjoyable!
I like the way the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth is developing, and the intrigue and danger are thrilling. Thoroughly enjoyable!
January 3, 2020
This is a very entertaining trilogy - lots of edge-of-your-seat action mixed in with the romance. Extremely well written. Each volume contains a specific story arc that resolves at the end, though this one (Book Two) does leave several storylines hanging. Book One could conceivably be a stand-alone, though you won't want to stop reading.
There are some subplots (mostly in Books Two and Three) that don't contribute anything to the primary story and could be pulled without affecting anything else. They’re interesting and don’t detract from the main plot, but it’s an element I always notice when I read a book. I doubt most readers will either notice or care!
I do have to note that when a villain is finally identified in Book Three, the motive is unconvincing. I really couldn't understand the desire for revenge when the target actually had more justifiable reason to be PO'd but never retaliated. After such an excellent build-up, the climactic moment felt unsatisfying.
There are some subplots (mostly in Books Two and Three) that don't contribute anything to the primary story and could be pulled without affecting anything else. They’re interesting and don’t detract from the main plot, but it’s an element I always notice when I read a book. I doubt most readers will either notice or care!
I do have to note that when a villain is finally identified in Book Three, the motive is unconvincing. I really couldn't understand the desire for revenge when the target actually had more justifiable reason to be PO'd but never retaliated. After such an excellent build-up, the climactic moment felt unsatisfying.
December 11, 2019
There's just so much going on in this book! I love seeing Elizabeth Bennet and Will Darcy trying to find the right balance in their relationship amidst press attention and everything else. I love it when "Colonel Fitzwilliam" (in this case, Richard) is a significant character and a fun-loving guy, and this Richard is really perfect. He and Elizabeth have this relationship from the beginning, forged in fire, you might say, but in this book it has really settled into almost an affection sibling relationship. Their prank war is hilarious. The action starts amping up near the end of the book, and I'm anxiously awaiting the release of book #3 (which I hear should be sometime this month!).
December 9, 2019
So good!!!! I'm usually so good about waiting until the whike series is out, but I didn't realize there are three! Now I'm on the book two cliffhanger! Hope book 3 is out soon!🤩
July 31, 2024
Fantastic!
An excellent follow up to the first part of this trilogy. The author has stayed true to Austen’s characters but has seamlessly moved them into the 21st Century. This is filled with adventure, angst, humour and romance. The whole package. The younger Bennet sisters are great fun in this.
I can’t praise this highly enough.
An excellent follow up to the first part of this trilogy. The author has stayed true to Austen’s characters but has seamlessly moved them into the 21st Century. This is filled with adventure, angst, humour and romance. The whole package. The younger Bennet sisters are great fun in this.
I can’t praise this highly enough.
March 15, 2020
Wonderful again
Wow, I can't wait for the next book in this series. Being a modern day variation of P&P, the scenarios are understandably different, and in this case really, extremely different. Certain aspects of the story resemble the original, but not many. The author has created a world with so much excitement crammed into it, and many characters that we can care about.
Ms. Rachel is a master storyteller and a talented writer. She has a wry sense of humor, and knows how to build up suspense in a story. The romance is fantastic, too, without being explicit. The books in this series are not stand alone stories. You must read the first book in order to understand this one.
My only reservation about the book is the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy and the fact that he seems to always be worried about Elizabeth's state of mind. For a tough chick, she sure can be fragile, causing Darcy to kind of tiptoe around her most of the time. I guess this is supposed to be caused by her military experiences.
The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
Wow, I can't wait for the next book in this series. Being a modern day variation of P&P, the scenarios are understandably different, and in this case really, extremely different. Certain aspects of the story resemble the original, but not many. The author has created a world with so much excitement crammed into it, and many characters that we can care about.
Ms. Rachel is a master storyteller and a talented writer. She has a wry sense of humor, and knows how to build up suspense in a story. The romance is fantastic, too, without being explicit. The books in this series are not stand alone stories. You must read the first book in order to understand this one.
My only reservation about the book is the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy and the fact that he seems to always be worried about Elizabeth's state of mind. For a tough chick, she sure can be fragile, causing Darcy to kind of tiptoe around her most of the time. I guess this is supposed to be caused by her military experiences.
The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
March 19, 2020
Volume two of a brilliant story.
If you have read book one: Improvise, in the Headstrong series, you will not be disappointed with this second volume. In my opinion, it is better than the first and that was pretty amazing for a modern adaptation of P&P. Elizabeth goes from strength to strength and both she and Darcy fall more deeply in love. Georgiana has a big part to play and Wickham rears his smooth-talking, criminal head, once again causing heartache and mayhem. Richard Fitzwilliam is Will Darcy's cousin, best friend and confidant and the fact that he knows Elizabeth so well adds a sometimes serious, but most times lighthearted aspect to the story.
Lizzy has a lot of baggage to haul around from a very messed up childhood, but thanks to a devoted uncle and aunt, she escapes what would probably have been a life of idleness and dissipation. Instead, she is strong and brave, clever and quick-witted, but her life is derailed, in a good way, after meeting—in less than auspicious circumstances —multi-millionaire, Will Darcy.
Adapt is a must read, but you must read Improvise first.
Five well earned stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
If you have read book one: Improvise, in the Headstrong series, you will not be disappointed with this second volume. In my opinion, it is better than the first and that was pretty amazing for a modern adaptation of P&P. Elizabeth goes from strength to strength and both she and Darcy fall more deeply in love. Georgiana has a big part to play and Wickham rears his smooth-talking, criminal head, once again causing heartache and mayhem. Richard Fitzwilliam is Will Darcy's cousin, best friend and confidant and the fact that he knows Elizabeth so well adds a sometimes serious, but most times lighthearted aspect to the story.
Lizzy has a lot of baggage to haul around from a very messed up childhood, but thanks to a devoted uncle and aunt, she escapes what would probably have been a life of idleness and dissipation. Instead, she is strong and brave, clever and quick-witted, but her life is derailed, in a good way, after meeting—in less than auspicious circumstances —multi-millionaire, Will Darcy.
Adapt is a must read, but you must read Improvise first.
Five well earned stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
July 1, 2020
I am long overdue for this review of Book 2 in Melanie Rachel's fabulous trilogy!
So much to love - the humor, the growing relationships (especially between Richard and Jane), the prank war (which I won't spoil here), and the action. I wasn't too crazy about Georgiana throughout book 1, she was so distrustful of Elizabeth and not as forthcoming with her brother and cousin as she should have been, but things between she and Elizabeth took a turn for the better in book 2. I won't give it away, but book 2 ends in a way that will have you reaching for book 3 right away!
A very enjoyable modern Pride & Prejudice variation.
So much to love - the humor, the growing relationships (especially between Richard and Jane), the prank war (which I won't spoil here), and the action. I wasn't too crazy about Georgiana throughout book 1, she was so distrustful of Elizabeth and not as forthcoming with her brother and cousin as she should have been, but things between she and Elizabeth took a turn for the better in book 2. I won't give it away, but book 2 ends in a way that will have you reaching for book 3 right away!
A very enjoyable modern Pride & Prejudice variation.
February 7, 2020
2.5
KU read. Starting to get a bit boring; repetitive info from book 1 and quite obvious plot lines. Fair bit of padding. Darcy and Lizzy aren’t quite so cute as their storyline is dragged out and they hit the same issues over again. Found myself easily distracted. Needs to be tightened up. A little more stand alone than book 1, lots of open storylines but doesn’t feel necessary to read book 3.
KU read. Starting to get a bit boring; repetitive info from book 1 and quite obvious plot lines. Fair bit of padding. Darcy and Lizzy aren’t quite so cute as their storyline is dragged out and they hit the same issues over again. Found myself easily distracted. Needs to be tightened up. A little more stand alone than book 1, lots of open storylines but doesn’t feel necessary to read book 3.
September 8, 2020
Still lovin’ it
Book Two is as much a page turner as book one in this continuation of Headstrong. I am really enjoying this well-written modern variation. Georgiana and Elizabeth have a rocky beginning and Wickham joins the story. Looking forward to book three to see how the HEA unfolds.
Book Two is as much a page turner as book one in this continuation of Headstrong. I am really enjoying this well-written modern variation. Georgiana and Elizabeth have a rocky beginning and Wickham joins the story. Looking forward to book three to see how the HEA unfolds.
January 23, 2020
Another great story
This story is a continuation in the Headstrong series. Lots of action, love, familiar characters in a modern setting. A great story. Of course, I’m on to book three. I recommend this series.
This story is a continuation in the Headstrong series. Lots of action, love, familiar characters in a modern setting. A great story. Of course, I’m on to book three. I recommend this series.
September 5, 2020
One of the best modern variations I’ve read!
Book 2 of a 3 part series. This is such a good story! Georgiana is away at college and meets a new guy. Turns out to be a bad guy. This series has a lot of military background.
Book 2 of a 3 part series. This is such a good story! Georgiana is away at college and meets a new guy. Turns out to be a bad guy. This series has a lot of military background.
September 9, 2024
Suspense and romance
I love that we see how Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship continues to grow and all the obstacles they have to work through, and there are many.
Highly entertaining.
I love that we see how Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship continues to grow and all the obstacles they have to work through, and there are many.
Highly entertaining.
January 23, 2025
Headstrong: Book Two: Adapt
Headstrong: Book Two: Adapt
So glad I continued reading. Very exciting, and scary and dear. E rescues G. We do have an evil man and you can guess who it is. Yes definitely need to read!
Headstrong: Book Two: Adapt
So glad I continued reading. Very exciting, and scary and dear. E rescues G. We do have an evil man and you can guess who it is. Yes definitely need to read!
February 18, 2020
It was easier to accept it as it’s own story now that the expectation is set. But I think it would read better tighter, cutting out about half the words in the series.
February 25, 2020
Damn good
Every page she writes just keeps getting better. Her characters are so real you laugh, sigh and grieve with them.
Every page she writes just keeps getting better. Her characters are so real you laugh, sigh and grieve with them.
April 14, 2023
3.75 stars
February 1, 2024
Entertaining
Exciting variation with edge of the seat action to keep the storyline going. Entertaining at every turn of the page. Enjoy!
Exciting variation with edge of the seat action to keep the storyline going. Entertaining at every turn of the page. Enjoy!
September 19, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
The following book contains references to suicide and mental illness/PTSD, underaged drinking, mentions of abuse, suggestive content, LGBT characters, and detailed descriptions of Bay Area traffic
I have a soft spot for Georgiana Darcy, and Rachel turns her into a bit of a brat in Adapt. I understand why and the choice totally makes sense in the context of the narrative, but it was still hard to swallow. Anyway, I say that so you know the book and I didn't get off on the best foot.
The story moves relatively slowly, but I will say that Adapt has more of a plot than the first book. Unfortunately, a bulk of the action happens at the end when everything is kind of sandwiched together and Rachel suddenly decides to throw in some melodrama for whatever reason. I wish the story had been reigned in a little more; the plot is kinda all over the place (I don't know why the prank war is mentioned in the book description because it doesn't necessarily play a huge role in the story, but it is kinda random.) Also, I know it's hard to find a contemporary equivalent for foiled elopement, but the whole Wickham backstory seems too tame to warrant any major antagonism between the two parties. I just didn't buy any of his motivations, and he fell flat as a villain. Darcy is even worse; he comes across as a bit domineering and controlling which doesn't seem very attractive. I know it's meant to be "protective" and the result of his traumatic losses, but I have a hard time imagining someone as obstinate and headstrong as Elizabeth would put up with a relationship with someone like that.
There are still some pretty great things about this book. Richard is my favorite--I might like him better than Darcy and Lizzy combined--especially whenever he's with Ed Gardiner. Jane is more mature and nuanced here, and the Gardiner-Bennet clan is as cute as ever. There are some more allusions to a big bad villain who I'm guessing will be the focus of the finale which should help tighten the plot even more.
Despite all my complaints, this was better than the first book, and if Adapt is any indication, the Headstrong series is headed a promising direction.
The following book contains references to suicide and mental illness/PTSD, underaged drinking, mentions of abuse, suggestive content, LGBT characters, and detailed descriptions of Bay Area traffic
I have a soft spot for Georgiana Darcy, and Rachel turns her into a bit of a brat in Adapt. I understand why and the choice totally makes sense in the context of the narrative, but it was still hard to swallow. Anyway, I say that so you know the book and I didn't get off on the best foot.
The story moves relatively slowly, but I will say that Adapt has more of a plot than the first book. Unfortunately, a bulk of the action happens at the end when everything is kind of sandwiched together and Rachel suddenly decides to throw in some melodrama for whatever reason. I wish the story had been reigned in a little more; the plot is kinda all over the place (I don't know why the prank war is mentioned in the book description because it doesn't necessarily play a huge role in the story, but it is kinda random.) Also, I know it's hard to find a contemporary equivalent for foiled elopement, but the whole Wickham backstory seems too tame to warrant any major antagonism between the two parties. I just didn't buy any of his motivations, and he fell flat as a villain. Darcy is even worse; he comes across as a bit domineering and controlling which doesn't seem very attractive. I know it's meant to be "protective" and the result of his traumatic losses, but I have a hard time imagining someone as obstinate and headstrong as Elizabeth would put up with a relationship with someone like that.
There are still some pretty great things about this book. Richard is my favorite--I might like him better than Darcy and Lizzy combined--especially whenever he's with Ed Gardiner. Jane is more mature and nuanced here, and the Gardiner-Bennet clan is as cute as ever. There are some more allusions to a big bad villain who I'm guessing will be the focus of the finale which should help tighten the plot even more.
Despite all my complaints, this was better than the first book, and if Adapt is any indication, the Headstrong series is headed a promising direction.
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