Mr. Darcy's Perfect Match

by Kelly Miller

A Pride and Prejudice Variation

The methodical world of rich, proud Fitzwilliam Darcy is in chaos: a country lady of modest origins has utterly captivated him.

The knowledge that Elizabeth Bennet is an unsuitable match fails to diminish Darcy’s fascination for her, nor does his self-imposed distance from the lady hinder her ability to intrude upon his thoughts at all hours of the day. What can solve his dilemma?

When circumstances compel Darcy’s return to Hertfordshire in assistance of his friend Mr. Bingley, he must confront his unfathomable attraction to Miss Elizabeth.

In this "Pride & Prejudice" Regency novella, one afternoon spent in company with Miss Elizabeth Bennet is enough to make an indelible and life-altering impression upon Darcy, setting him on a rocky course towards the fulfillment of his desires. Will Darcy attain happiness, or will his ingrained pride be his downfall?

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency, Audiobook, Retellings

415 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2020

About the author

When not writing, Award-winning Regency romance author Kelly Miller spends her free time singing, playing the piano, reading, and amusing her dogs. Like a much loved Jane Austen character, she is an excellent walker.

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Her Austenesque Regency romances have won first place honors from: Chanticleer International Book Awards, Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, Indies Today Book Awards, Incipere Book Awards, and Firebird Book Awards.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two very clever departures from canon here, and Ms. Miller does a great job developing them. The first is that, when Elizabeth comes to Cheapside from Hunsford, she sees how depressed Jane is over Mr. Bingley. After having read Mr. Darcy's letter, Elizabeth knows Bingley isn't aware of Jane's presence in London and certainly won't be finding out from his sisters.

She encourages her uncle to write a note to Mr. Bingley - even though Mr. Gardiner hasn't been introduced to the gentleman, his two nieces have, and Bingley's sisters have visited at Cheapside themselves, so no rules of propriety are broken when Mr. Gardiner writes Mr. Bingley, informs him that Jane is visiting, and invites him call if he so desires. Mr. Bingley is quick to do so, and he works on making amends for having left Hertfordshire as precipitously as he did.

His confrontation with Darcy on the matter wields a different response than he'd expected, and he encourages Darcy to come to the Gardiners' with him. The hurdle to be surmounted is that Darcy and Elizabeth are both wary of imposing on the other, believing they have behaved too rudely to be forgiven easily. I enjoyed seeing Bingley in a more take-charge role here than usual.

The other major variation is the addition of Miss Hester Drake, who has become a good friend to the painfully shy Georgiana. Hester's brother James was at Cambridge with Darcy, her parents are close to the Matlocks, and Lady Matlock feels Hester would be perfect for Darcy - she has the right breeding, wealth, intellect, beauty, and unaffected demeanor. The reader learns early on that Hester is more calculating than she seems. In fact, she set her cap for Darcy a long time ago but has been biding her time, waiting for the right opportunity. She's currently making her move, and she has some backup plans in case he doesn't notice her on his own.

The writing is as engaging as the plot. The romance between Darcy and Elizabeth proceeds along nicely with a few speedbumps, some of which are courtesy of Miss Drake. It is interesting to read how she gathers information and sets up a means to use it, which builds the plot tension as we wonder exactly how and when she's going to strike. I especially love the unique way Mr. Wickham's character is presented here. In the many variations I've read, I never seen him behave this way. Caroline Bingley's part of the story also gets a somewhat unusual twist.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Highly recommend!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful Pride and Prejudice variation picks up after Elizabeth has rejected Darcy’s first proposal and received the letter making her aware of the true nature of Wickham. Georgiana Darcy has undergone not only the recent betrayal of Mr. Wickham’s deception, but has also been “befriended” by quite a few young ladies who really only have eyes for Mr. Darcy and want to use her to get close to him. Her brother Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is fiercely protective of her, is determined to screen all future friends, and is also becoming a bit of a recluse at home himself. Georgiana is one of my favorite characters from the series, so I loved the large role she got in this variation. An original character, Hester Drake, befriends Georgiana, and as Hester is the sister of one of Darcy’s friends and from an esteemed family, is deemed trustworthy, but it is revealed to the reader early on that she also has designs on Darcy. I couldn’t help but pity both Darcy and Georgiana, but also found all the scheming and deviousness delicious to read (I love drama in romance and between Hester and Caroline Bingley, who both seemed determined to make sure the engagement both Elizabeth and Darcy wanted could never happen by sabotaging things through Georgiana, made for a great read.)

This is the second P&P variation I’ve read by Kelly Miller and like the first, it’s perfectly written in period style, very well edited, and I found myself completely immersed as I read. Some favorite moments: a day in the park with Elizabeth’s cousins and Romeo the horse 🐎 doing tricks for carrots (so cute!), all the Elizabeth and Georgiana scenes, the great variation on Wickham’s character—a very cool surprise!, and the changes in Mr. Bennett towards his three youngest daughters and the resulting changes this brought in their outcomes. This was a heartwarming variation I thoroughly enjoyed!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[wosedwew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Respect for the truth is an acquired taste. ~ Mark Van Doren

I admit it – when I began this book, I was vaguely dissatisfied.

I had loved Kelly Miller’s first published JAFF; in a large part because it was so totally different – unique in the Fan Fiction world. As I began this book, my thought was just “another fall-in-love in London” story; probably low-angst and overly sweet. Happily, I was wrong.

After the DHP (Disastrous Hunsford Proposal) Elizabeth travels to London to visit the Gardiners and Jane in Gracechurch Street. With her information from Mr. Darcy in hand, she convinces her Uncle to contact Mr. Bingley directly. A rapid change in Jane’s future ensues as well as a renewal of interest between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

Central to the plot is a friendship between Georgiana and a young lady who has a strong connection to Lady Matlock. Shy Georgiana has always had difficulty making friends and she has suspected many young ladies befriended her only as a way to become closer to her handsome, wealthy brother. How happy Georgiana is with her friend, Hester Drake! A girl can trust her best friend with her darkest secrets, can't she?

Georgiana is also happy to meet the Bennet sisters. But why does Hester disapprove of Miss Elizabeth? Can her accusations possibly be true?

Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world. ~ Thomas Carlyle

The advice above was followed by a cad from canon P&P. Can a leopard really change its spots to stripes? The George Wickham story was a favorite part of the book for me. Wickham is offered a chance to betray both Darcys – a very lucrative chance. Is his reformation really true?

I always like to see culprits receive a comeuppance. Miss Bingley plays a minor role that I had expected would take a different turn than it did. I would have liked a bit of a look-back at Wickham’s life in the epilogue but that is about my only criticism.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5.

[Les · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that takes some risks with the P&P canon but steps into some tropes I find painful.

In this story Darcy takes Miss Elizabeth's comments re Miss Jane Bennet to heart and quickly reunites Jane and Bingley and we all live happily ever after.
Well eventually and don't worry you will find out how EVERYONE gets on because the author gave us an absurdly detailed epilogue.

But before we get to happily every after we must slog through some plot twists that meander about. First we have Georgiana's new friend, who is no friend indeed. Then we have the reform of Mr. Wickham. Which is truly unique but has issues. Then we have ODC quickly resolving their Hunsford differences only to fall into the trap of lies and miscommunications.

I have stated this before I literally hate books where Darcy and Lizzy reunite only for Darcy to distrust and demean her over and over and she forgive him. And that happens in this book because of Georgiana and her nasty friend and then Lizzy forgives Darcy and Georgiana. If my fiancee or boyfriend or even f-buddy accused me of lying and cheating and double dealing all because of a rumor he heard from his 16 year old sister, I would be unable to easily forgive him. If he followed it up with his distrust of the lower classes I would shoot him.

If Lizzy were my friend or my sister I would tell her to run away from this insane man who suffers from a combination of severe lack of self esteem and a God complex. He's nuts. Scary nuts. Dangerous nuts. He imagines that Lizzy will turn from his to his cousin the viscount after one dance and doesn't understand why she is insulted that he think her a fortune hunter.

Most of the book is build on the premise of Fangst© (fake angst) and that wears on me.

[Sheila Majczan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this variation Darcy, after the set down given to him by Elizabeth in response to his Hunsford proposal, withdraws from the social world, worrying his family and close acquaintances. He does, however, try to amend his mistake in separating Bingley and Jane by informing and apologizing to Bingley for his error of judgment as to Jane's affections and her possible motivation in accepting his attentions. And informing him that Jane has been residing in London for months.

When Bingley, visits the Gardiners (Elizabeth visits there on her way home from Kent.), finds Jane's forgiveness and invites Darcy to accompany him on his next visit. Darcy turns him down explaining why as to how Elizabeth "hates" him. However, Bingley is much more forthright here in that he relates Darcy's opinion to Elizabeth and she responds by telling him of her own changed opinion now that she has learned more about Wickham and sees that Darcy corrected his advice to Bingley. Darcy does visit with Bingley and as things progress Elizabeth agrees to accept his attentions.

The fly in the ointment here is Georgiana's new friend, a Hester Drake. Miss Drake has an advantage over many of the other debutantes her attentions to the eligible Mr. Darcy: her mother is good friends with Lady Matlock and Lady Matlock believes she would be a perfect match for Darcy. This young lady has it all over some, such as Caroline Bingley, in her plans to capture Darcy for a husband. She realizes that so many others have been obvious in befriending Georgiana as a way to come into Darcy's company. And so she makes a very successful effort to convince Georgiana that she is there for her friendship, her company, alone. She works slowly but surely and when she finds that Elizabeth is keeping company with Darcy plants doubts in Georgiana's mind as to Elizabeth's motivation. All those reasons which Darcy had explained he had to overcome (in his proposal) are now reasons that Hester gives Georgiana as to why Elizabeth's motives are dubious.

Georgiana explains her doubts to the Colonel, plus his brother, the Viscount, is also let in on the situation. Both find Elizabeth not only innocent in her motivations but also a young lady they would court if the situation allowed.

Wickham, in this story, is totally unexpected: a redeemed man, a man who turns his life around? Is this possible? When Georgiana confides in Hester about her Ramsgate downfall (believing friends confide all in each other) she gives Hester material to force/to blackmail Darcy into marriage. G. has let slip part of Wickham's identity which Hester uses to track down the man and offer him money to write out what happened in Ramsgate.

This is a longer story. I did enjoy it. This Darcy's response to Elizabeth's refusal of his proposal is much more dramatic than in canon. He accepts that he must change but he is not ready to leave the the sanctuary of his home and his study. He is quick to doubt Elizabeth's opinion of him has changed and, again, finds himself on the out with her, having to explain and apologize...again. I recommend this book.

[Ｓｈｉｆｒａ ♕ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It'll do
Synopsis:

Following Elizabeth's fervent rejection, Darcy has ensconced himself away from friends & family, nursing a broken heart.
Darcy:

Lizzy, back in London, manages to persuade Uncle Gardiner to pen a letter to Mr Bingley disclosing the truth of Jane's disappointment. Bingley rushes to resume their courtship, and thus Darcy gets a tentative second shot to court Lizzy, having himself come clean to Bingley on his role in their separation. A walk that clears the air later, and Darcy & Lizzy are shedding their respective pride & prejudice.

Plans are made for dinners, the theatre, and gallivanting about town.

But hold off on calling ODC a carriage, for them to ride off into the Derbyshire sunset just yet- for there is a shrew in their midst: a Miss Hester Drake. She is the proverbial, suitable ton miss who has managed to ingratiate herself with Georgiana in hopes of sabotaging Lizzy, and keeping Darcy- the object of her long-standing obsession- for herself.

She is quite devious and plays Georgie like a fiddle. And who wouldn't be bitter with such a name as Hester? That is her villain origin story right there. Heck, I too would be out for blood if my parents had done me so dirty.

I may have been on edge were she in possession of some charming name like Cecelia, or Belinda- but Hester? How am I to be nervous of someone named Hester? There isn't a dimension where Mr Darcy would second guess Elizabeth for some rando named Hester! Can you imagine? 'Dearest, loveliest Hester!?'

Colonel Fitzwilliam's brother, Viscount Berkeley, also gets a bit of a role as a charming & handsome potential contester for Lizzy's affections. So whilst Hester pesters, Berkeley's flirty- with such distractions will Darcy and Elizabeth manage to keep their eye on the prize and their trust in one another?

What Worked:

♡Prose had its moments.

♡ODC has some nice forthright conversations.

♡I like when Wickham gets to do something different than his old song and dance; read too much JAFF and you are all too keen to see him in new plots or new lights.

♡Very cute when Mr Bingley comes running to Jane after the letter.

What Irked:
✗1/4 way through and you still feel we are getting our ducks in a row- too slow a setup.

✗No big conflict glue, or main narrative.

This is one of those JAFFs where we spend a ton of time in London witnessing cute dates, but there isn't an actual plot or destination for the story, so these cute ODC vignettes are stung together by minor side conflicts that never amount to a true test of character. Hester the pester was brought down by Wickham's honesty and unwillingness to cooperate with her schemes, and Lady Matlock exiling her. Not ODC.

✗I don't see the purpose of the extent of Hester's POV, or the amount of page real estate she received, she is clearly a sub plot, never a valid threat
The funniest aspect for me was her purported time invested, grand plan:

'Winning over first Miss Darcy and then Mr. Darcy would be a long-term, delicate manoeuvre that would take patience, savvy, and dedication.'

Honey, it's been but a month- not a mastermind, long term endeavor by any measure.

But worse, all it takes is those 5 weeks for Georgiana's loyalties to be secured:

'Miss Elizabeth was a new acquaintance, while Hester had been her friend for many weeks now.'

WEEKS IS THE PERTINENT, KEY, SALIENT WORD! TIS BUT WEEKS!!
Me to Georgie:
, and beyond that, why do I have to read so much on someone named Hester? I know- enough with the Hester bashing. Hope no one named Hester reads this review...

The Brass Tacks:
It was pleasant enough, but I felt the pace was slow, the conflict light, and mostly dealt with by secondary characters in subplots that were taken care of before they could touch or challenge the leading characters. It wasn't tense, nor thematically resonant; overall I don't think there is much marked about this JAFF. The work is much too drawn out in proportion to the amount of substance therein. And- perhaps most grievously- much like in my review, Hester was overblown in significance to the story.

📎My favorite Kelly Miller work: Accusing Mr. Darcy
꙳ Spice Scale rating: Belle Pepper Chaste 🌶 /5 ꙳

[Ree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good!
Reviewed in Canada on February 4, 2020
Very enjoyable read and well-written page turner. There is a bit of angst, but for this reader, who stresses out with too much of it, this book didn’t do that—just enough to keep it very interesting. I loved that Bingley got to play a key role. Wickham is a surprise. A new character seemed a female Wickham able to deceive with verbal charm. There is one unfortunate proofreading error that refers to Darcy’s mother, but I believe it should have been his aunt? I highly recommend this book.

December 24, 2021 - Audiobook
Another brilliant performance by the incomparable Stevie Zimmerman. Excellent narration for an excellent book.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exploring alternate paths for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is an enjoyable reading experience for me. Mr. Darcy's Perfect Match offered so many wonderful 'what if' possibilities to the plot, to the characters, and most definitely to the romance. Lovely, inventive, and tension-wrought tale!

Mr. Darcy's Perfect Match is a Pride and Prejudice variation story that starts taking an alternate path from the original classic at the point Mr. Darcy leaves Hunsford after his disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet. Because of this, I do recommend that interested readers have at least a general idea of the P&P story up to that point so earlier actions and character introductions that are somewhat assumed will work out much better. That said, I don't think a reader would have too much trouble just diving in without reading P&P.

As I said, I love exploring alternate paths. In this one, Elizabeth uses the knowledge gleaned from Mr. Darcy's explanation letter to attempt a reunion between her beloved sister and Mr. Bingley while in London. And, Georgiana, Darcy's little sister, plays a stronger role in that she makes a friend of a beautiful, talented young woman who Darcy's aunt is attempting to set him up with. Miss Drake is prepared to further her own schemes to get the wealthy and handsome Darcy in her own way. Elizabeth has a worthy rival, it seems, even as she is just figuring out that she doesn't hate Darcy- quite the opposite, in fact.

I had a good time with this one. Hester Drake was such a schemer and had everyone fooled. I do love a well-drawn villainous character. I also enjoyed the progression of a new attempt at romance between Darcy and Lizzy after they cleared the air. I thought all the characters were engaging and complex as was the gently-paced plot and the setting that always felt authentic and I'm so glad the author did her homework for that because it made it easy to settle into the story.

In summary, I enjoyed this sweet historical romance where two people have to learn to trust each other and find love while a clever schemer has everyone side-eying each other. Light and easy read that I can definitely recommend to Austen lovers and also to those who enjoy authentic, gently-paced Regency Romance.


Original Early Impressions post @ More Agreeably Engaged blog
Without glimpse of cover or blurb, I eagerly accepted Janet’s invitation to share my impressions at the start of Kelly Miller’s latest, a Pride and Prejudice variation story. This will be one that depends on the reader to already be familiar with Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to some extent because it assumes the reader knows what has come before the point when Mr. Darcy approaches a hostile Miss Lizzy in Rosings’ grounds to deliver his fateful letter.

The title told me to anticipate a luscious amount of time with Mr. Darcy and, from the first sentence, I saw this to be true. Darcy is narrating and the reader feels his sorrow and bit of anger at being rejected and the shame for his own previous conduct. He must win back the good opinion of his lady even if he can never hold her heart. So he is prepared to deliver his defense in a letter.
And, this is where the story blazes a new trail.
Right when I anticipated Darcy getting comfort from his cousin, his friend, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Darcy have a falling out over Darcy’s unilateral decision to share Georgiana’s secret with a woman who is the barest of acquaintances to the Colonel.
Next, Georgiana takes the narration in their London home as she excitedly tells her brother about a new friend, Miss Drake, and at the same time notices her brother’s melancholic state.
Miss Drake’s name comes up again when Darcy wisely checks out her credentials with Georgiana’s companion and his aunt, Lady Matlock, who introduced the girls. He does not notice the gleam in Lady Matlock’s eye over his interest quite like the reader does. Look out Darcy, she’s matchmaking.
But, just as the reader believes Georgiana has made a lovely new friend who isn’t cozying up to get to her brother, Miss Drake gets to narrate and we learn that this fresh-faced, pretty mannered lady is no better than Caroline Bingley- merely more cunning and clever. What will she get up to in order to bag her prey? Stay tuned, gentle reader!
Meanwhile, the readers rejoice when Lizzy arrives in London and lands upon a fantastic scheme to bring about her sister, Jane, and Bingley’s happiness. Darcy gave her the intel for what action was needed in his letter. Ouch! Every time she recalls the letter and the letter writer, she feels shame and remorse for her behavior and words. She doesn’t love him and can’t because he was arrogant, but she is well aware that she was no better and possibly worse.
Charles might have come across as wishy-washy in the original, but when he gets all the facts, boy howdy, did the man leap into action to gain his lady love. And, wasn’t that a brazen encounter when he crossed swords with his sisters and came out the winner of that skirmish.
What is this? Oh no, Georgie… spilling secrets and trusting the wrong party!!!!

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What If the Bennet Sisters Reunited with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley in London?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift From Publisher

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: After receiving the confirmation that Mr. Darcy involved himself in Mr. Bingley’s affairs Elizabeth Bennet daringly decides to inform Mr. Bingley of the true nature of her sister’s heart. And since Mr. Darcy once again finds himself in the company of Elizabeth Bennet, he also seizes the second opportunity to properly court Elizabeth and win her heart, but Georgiana’s new friend Hester Drake causes some impediments…

MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed the clever deviations employed in this variation with Elizabeth devising a way to bring together her sister and Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy attempting to court Elizabeth so soon after his first failed proposal. In addition, I also enjoyed the prospect of a new original character who has matrimonial aspirations towards Mr. Darcy, yet masquerades as Georgiana’s dear friend. Seeing Mr. Bingley be assertive and atoning for his errors is always gratifying. And I appreciated the new tension Georgiana and her friend brought to Mr. Darcy’s determined courting of Elizabeth.

What I enjoyed most in this story were Kelly Miller’s creative and skillful character portrayals. She gave fresh new story-lines to Georgiana Darcy, Caroline Bingley, and George Wickham (this one is particularly unexpected). And she spotlights both Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet as strong and active parental figures (I enjoyed seeing Mr. Bennet finally step up to the plate more in this variation). I especially admired and applauded her depiction of Elizabeth Bennet – she is such a devoted and supportive sister to Jane, she beautifully rises above any attempts to intimidate or disparage her, and she acquits herself with such grace, patience, and understanding when dealing with Darcy’s suspicious and wary relations (#TeamElizabeth). And lastly, I must mention that Mr. Darcy and his determination to pursue Elizabeth and his infectious delight when he begins to make success were so very lovely to witness.

I greatly enjoyed the new antagonist of Hester Drake and her less overt tactics of manipulation. She seems to have been harboring a crush for Mr. Darcy for quite some time, and like with most crushes, she may have a skewed notion of reality. I wouldn’t have minded more interaction between her and Mr. Darcy to further fuel her interest in him and to witness how Mr. Darcy would handle or deflect this particular female admirer. My quibble for this story is that perhaps it could use some tightening – there were some moments that felt slower paced and some chapters that meandered a bit. And perhaps the conflict extended just a mite longer than it should have.

Full of delightful twists and satisfying characters developments – Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match is indeed a perfect choice for readers who love seeing an empathetic and resourceful Elizabeth, an adorably smitten and fervently attentive Mr. Darcy, and a most charming courtship take place surrounded by friends, family, and foes in London.

Austenesque Reviews

[Sam H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023
Read this first as a paperback and loved, but the audiobook is even better!
A lovely romance of ODC getting a second chance in London, with just a tad of angst in the shape of a wicked teen of the west, who has her eyes on Darcy. Miss Darcy is put in a difficult position, due to her "new best friend" but other characters offer help and sometimes comedic relief.

2021
Another variation of the classic P&P. I liked the more subtle approach of this "mean" lady. The dynamics between all the characters were well laid out. Yes, there were plenty of paragraphs I skimmed due to over description and over thinking, which definitely did NOT drive the story.
Still, I enjoyed this read.

[Madenna U · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Pride and Prejudice variation starts after the disaster of a proposal in Hunsford. Darcy is broken about Elizabeth's opinion about him and his behavior. While he is trying to figure out how to get over her, his sister is making a new friend with a secret agenda.

Elizabeth, with the help of her uncle, sends a note to Bingley. He finally stands up for himself and visits Jane, who is overjoyed to see him. It takes awhile, but a tortured Darcy learns that Elizabeth doesn't hate him and the rest of the story unfolds from there.

[E.P. Stavs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read for any P&P fan

Picking up after Darcy's notoriously disastrous proposal in Kent, "Mr. Darcy's Perfect Match" then weaves a fun and engaging variation of the original tale which, while remaining true to the heart of the original story, managed to entertain in a whole new way, as well. I would definitely recommend to any fan of the original work!

[Julia M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique storyline but lots heartache could have been prevented if forthcoming conversations would have been considered before all the misinformation and misunderstandings happened. Regardless, I quite enjoyed it. It is a story I will revisit.

[Talia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angst filled!! Loved it. You will want to read it in one sitting so save a chunk of time for it.

[A.C. Merkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This pride and prejudice variation is a great story! Kelly
Sculpts an intriguing tale that I had a blast reading! Listened as an audio book and I highly recommend it. Kelly’s amazing words translate to sound in a way that’s deeply satisfying. Thank goodness she didn’t variate too far! Darcy and Elizabeth are too perfect together!

[Abi Demina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of this book was excellent, some was average, and the ending was disappointing, so overall I rate this a solid three-star P&P vagary.

It kept me wanting to read and find out what happened, which was great. In places it dragged a little and I found myself wanting to hurry things along or skip pages, but fortunately there was always just enough interest to propel me forward rather than giving up entirely and putting the book down (unlike so many JAFFs lately).

Endings that are basically just summaries of who married whom and how many children they each have, are one of my pet peeves in these kind of stories. It's such a limp way to end a novel. It didn't work for me when J K Rowling epilogued Harry Potter, and it certainly doesn't work for me in any of the JAFF I've read.
I've yet to find any author who pulls off a good 'summary of characters' epilogue, so I really think they're best avoided at all costs.

I was also frustrated when Darcy's cousin (not Colonel Fitzwilliam) 'falls in love' with Elizabeth after one dance and one conversation, and then when Darcy asks if she also loves the cousin, she quite rightly tells him he's an idiot because she's only known the guy two days. But why does nobody point out the idiocy of Darcy's cousin when he claims "I love her"? I wanted to roll my eyes, shake the guy and punch Darcy all at the same time. It was weird and unnecessary.

Lizzy sucking Darcy's finger and flicking the tip with her tongue in an erotic way while not understanding how to even kiss as she's so innocent (so doing that by some kind of instinct) was also kind of odd and contradictory for me. I would have happily cut that part out if I was the editor.

Otherwise, this was pretty likeable as JAFF goes, with a unique plot for Wickham that I enjoyed, and if not for the annoying ending and epilogue and some flagging places, I would have rated this higher.

[James S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizzy can marry anyone

Interesting story but very odd in places.

After one dance the Matlock Viscount falls madly in love with Lizzy and goes to Darcy and let’s him know he is wooing her also. What in the world? When Lizzy picks Darcy there seems to be NO ramifications that Darcy’s cousin lost Lizzy and Darcy doesn’t seem to care this oddness occurred.

Nearly the same place in the book Richard thinks to himself should pick neither, he will go after her. At no point after the above is there ANY change in how he feels or interacts with both of his cousins.

I felt like that chapter was some sort of drug induced dream.

The rest of the story was just about a “friend” of Georgiana’s trying to marry Darcy. Very low level of oddness except for the last part of the book where a dance was enough for people to fall in love with Lizzy.

I enjoyed the story but it was unclear if it was a droll satire or something else I didn’t understand.

[Elin Eriksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging book

I found this book hard to put down. Entering after Hunsford, a beautiful, accomplished and well-dowered lady of the ton were vying for Darcy's attention through a friendship with his sister.
While Darcy tried to better himself in Elizabeth's eyes, a strong Elizabeth addressed adversity with the poise she met Miss Bingley's snide remarks with at Netherfield. She kept her calm and good manners through a confused and petulant Georgiana, a snide Miss Bingley, an interrogation from Richard etc.
The story held some surprising twists and turns that enjoyed very much and a cringe-worthy moment towards the end (that might just be me though...)

Recommend!

Rated: Chaste

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half of this book - the second half not so much. Following the disastrous proposal, Elizabeth takes matters into her own hands in terms if reuniting Jane and Bingley. We have a more assertive Bingley who also takes Darcy in hand to get him back on track with Elizabeth... amongst all this is Miss Hester Drake- friend of Georgiana who is conspiring to get Darcy for herself and gets involved in lots of meddling. We also have a reformed Wickham.

There is a lot going in in this book and I really enjoyed it. In the eecond half of the book though Darcy is jealous and insecure and he got on my nerves.

Overall though, I enjoyed this. Set primarily in London it offers something a bit different.

[Tandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that Elizabeth took action and convinced her Uncle Gardiner to write to Bingley to let him know Jane was in town. Mr Gardiner really raked Bingley over the coals & forced him to state his intentions before he would be allowed to see Jane. It was fantastic!

I liked that Darcy allowed Bingley to persuade him that Lizzy didn’t detest him. This Darcy had learned his lesson & was more straightforward in his words to Elizabeth.

Hester was basically a more subtle and cunning Caroline Bingley. I was expecting her to go more Fatal Attraction.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring and Darcy is so insecure and jealous it’s ridiculous. I had it on my probably never shelf and should have left it there.

[Rosava Doshchyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Це, напевно, найкласичніший з точки зору жанру любовний роман з усіх варіацій, що я прочитала, і то добре виконаний.
Після невдалого освідчення Елізабет і Дарсі повертаються до Лондона. Поки Дарсі депресує, Елізабет, озброєна новим знанням, просить дядька Ґардинера написати містеру Бінґлі листа заради Джейн. Останні знаходять порозуміння, і Дарсі щиро перепрошує в друга за хибну пораду. Бінґлі одразу йому вибачає і просить стати активним учасником в цьому щасливому періоді його життя й дружкою на весіллі. На що Дарсі морозиться з причин, що він посварився з міс Елізабет і не хоче створювати для неї незручностей. Бінґлі, будучи собою, цікавиться в Елізабет, чи це справді так. Елізабет, уже разюче розчарована в своїй здатності судити про інших, каже, що це радше Дарсі не хоче бачити її після їхньої "сварки". Бінґлі діє рішуче і мирить їх, відкриваючи їм дорогу до власної романтики.
Поки Дарсі був у леді Кетрін, Джорджіана знайшла собі подругу: вродливу, розумну, впевнену і зацікавлену саме в ній, а не в її братові. Принаймні, так вона вважала. Адже Гезер розумніша за більшість дівчат і діє обачніше, ніж попередні претендентки на роль місис Дарсі. Вона згодовує Джорджіані брехню, що Елізабет полює на гроші Дарсі, і Джорджі, звісно, прагне захистити свого брата. Чи вдасться їй вивести підступ на чисту воду?
Окремий цікавий елемент у цій історії — містер Вікгем, який таки починає нову сторінку свого життя й поводиться чесно й гідно.

[Laura Maybrooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A Mr. Bingley with a backbone; I loved this story alone for that.
Mr. Bingley comments in the story: "I am a grown man and ought not to have allowed myself to be so easily swayed by another, not even a trusted friend whom I have known for years", and I say 'Bravo!'. That's something I've always wanted, and I was well pleased with this story.

So, going from that, I loved the premise/starting point of variation for this P&P story. I think it was well done, and really contributed to my enjoyment for this particular tale. Darcy and Elizabeth were also well characterized and felt a delight to read, as well as Jane & Bingley, the Gardiners and Georgiana. An interesting twist with an antagonist, too! I actually really liked that.

And that Hester Drake - she was just a hateful thing! Disliked her with a passion (so I well enjoyed her last conversation with Lady Matlock!).

Another great P&P read! Read her other book -- Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley -- too, if you already haven't!

[Anya Pavelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a very long time since I read Austen's Pride and Prejudice, so I only have memory of the broad plotlines and happenings. I think that was a good thing because I wasn't comparing this book to Austen's on a line-by-line basis. First off: the author has done a commendable job of writing in a style befitting the early 19th c. Also, the social relationships and attitudes were fitting for the time. This felt like Austen's universe, just from a slightly different perspective. Highly recommended historical read.

[Judy Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is blind!

Love is blind and often stupid! Mr. Darcy believes something and almost loses Elizabeth. Kelly Miller opens us up to the writings of Jane Austen. With each book Kelly pens we get more of the flavor of the characters and the times. This book opens us up to the love that grows between Darcy and Elizabeth. It's such an enticing read.

[S. Behr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A consistent sense of style in writing is hard to achieve but Kelly knocks it out of the park!

[Caron Pescatore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Story

I absolutely loved this story!! I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did an exemplary job of bringing Ms. Miller's story to life. The twists and turns in this book kept me thoroughly engaged. This is a well-written beautiful rendition of the original Pride and Prejudice story! A must-read for all lovers of historical romance and especially those who love Pride and Prejudice variations. Enjoy!

[Eve Koguce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me begin this review with a confession. I am very cross with Ms. Miller, the author of “Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match”, for having written only five books. I’ve already read all of them, and I feel rather bereft not having another elegant Jane Austen variation to look forward to.

Having said that, I hasten to make one more confession. Just like other Kelly Miller’s books, “Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match” doesn’t disappoint. It transports the reader back in time, right into the era of gallantry, propriety rules, titles, and prejudices. With her beautiful prose, the author reconstructs on the book pages the times long gone.

In this “Pride and Prejudice” variation we meet the Darcys and their extended clan, the very same titled and affluent nobility who in the original novel were to be shocked by Mr. Darcy’s choice of a wife. We also get to know Georgiana, Mr. Darcy’s younger sister. I liked the way she is portrayed in this novel. She feels insecure about her ability to make sound judgements about people due to what happened between her and Mr. Wickham. It leads to certain complications in Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationships. Still, societal norms of that time are the ones to blame for misunderstandings between the characters.

The setting of the book – grand mansions, parks and museums of London – was a refreshing change. I do love the Austenesque countryside dearly. It is a picture of bliss with ladies – at least some of them – running freely across the fields covered with spring flowers, lower-key country balls with local gentry gossiping about their neighbours and girls not yet of age to be out dancing with officers of the militia regiment stationed in the neighbourhood. But London holds a charm of its own. Strolling the streets and places, which names have not been touched by passing centuries – Piccadilly, Oxford Street, Bond Street, Hyde Park, Tower of London – together with Darcys, Bennets, and Bingleys, the warm feeling of nostalgia didn’t leave me the entire reading time.

I recommend “Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match” by Kelly Miller to all Austenesque romance lovers. The book has it all. Beautiful setting, charming prose, prudent ladies with passions hiding behind their calm facades, and gallant gentlemen dreaming about finding brides not only with titles and wealth that would satisfy their noble families but such who would excite them and stir their polished outer decorum.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins at Hunsford with the normal unpleasant exchanges of accusations & misunderstandings. Following his rejection, Darcy closes himself off to lick his wounds & begins to recognize some flaws in his character. The biggest detour from canon is an early reunion between Bingley & Jane which comes about when Elizabeth convinces Uncle Gardiner to write to Bingley to inform him of Jane’s presence & the interference of his sisters & friend. This leads to D & E being in company again with the opportunity to begin their acquaintance afresh. Meanwhile, there are other unseen forces at work to thwart their efforts to understand one another better. Georgiana Darcy is an unwitting pawn in this scheme and Wickham takes a surprising role in how things play out. I thought this book was very well written & I really enjoyed the journey our couple took to understand each other better. I found Georgianas situation very plausible & relatable.
I hope Kelly Miller continues writing! I really loved this book as well as Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley and highly recommend both books to any Jane Austen fan out there!!!

[lori huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, but...

The story begins after the disastrous proposal at Hunsford parsonage, when Darcy is presenting Elizabeth with his letter explaining his actions with Jane and Bingley, and his relationship with Wickham. Meanwhile, Georgiana is forming a close friendship with Miss Hester Drake, a young woman with an agenda.

The story moves along nicely, with Darcy trying to become a better man, and Elizabeth with deep regrets about her unfair treatment of Darcy. Things get a little odd, though, when Elizabeth gets an idea that she should contact Bingley and inform him that he was deceived by both Darcy and his sisters about Jane. The concept of doing that seemed strange. However, it did create the situation that eventually led to the reunion of ODC.

Meanwhile, Georgiana 's friend, Miss Drake, turns out to be quite devious. She makes Caroline Bingley look like a harmless kitten. She does some pretty bizarre things in her quest to remove competition for Darcy's attention.

The book is well written, but there are a fair number of editing errors, missing words or misused words. I recommend it.