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Taken
Taken from her home as a young child, Elizabeth Bennet’s sense of self is shaken when the mystery behind her true identity is unraveled. Discovering her place as the daughter of a duke, she confronts reclaimed memories of her brutal abduction while making her way in the alien world of Regency England’s high society. Facing the ton is the least of her concerns as her kidnappers remain determined to keep her from Fitzwilliam Darcy--the man who first professed his love by proposing she become his mistress. Humbled by her refusal, he returns to win her love and respect. Together with her reunited family, Elizabeth faces her greatest challenges to both her life and her heart--reclaiming herself and finding her happiness.This novel is a Pride and Prejudice variation containing the beloved characters of Jane Austen placed into scenarios and situations of the author's imagining.
- GenresRomance
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 20, 2025
"Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops." ~ Arsenic and Old Lace
In the opening paragraphs of “Taken” we are introduced to the insanity of the Fitzwilliam family and it is not nearly as amusing as the family insanity in Arsenic and Old Lace.
Quote from the book: George Darcy was dead, and Matlock’s mind whirled with possibilities. … He looked into the fire, greed filling his heart. “It is but a matter of time before I control Pemberley, steering young Darcy into one or two schemes in which I happen to have an interest!” With a predatory gleam in his eye, he threw another log on the fire. For now—he rubbed his hands together—the boy is mine!
A crime was committed against members of the Darcy family years before – a young girl was stolen from the Darcy home, brutalized, and abandoned to die in the countryside. The child was rescued and has grown into a young lady. When her adopted sister, Jane, marries, Elizabeth Bennet moves to London to live with an aunt and uncle.
Elizabeth still suffers from the trauma of her abduction. Dreams haunt her, especially when she meets Fitzwilliam Darcy who mentions his aunt, Lady Catherine.
Quote from the book: Rivulets of rain ran down her arm as she ran as fast as her young legs could manage. Even though the cloud-ridden night gave no vantage, she continually looked behind her. Fighting the need to cry, she ran faster and tumbled over a large log. She swore, the cackling laugh of her tormentor ringing in her ears as she hit the ground. Her head struck a large rock, and she lost consciousness of where and who she was.
There is always a madness in love. There is however also always a reason in madness. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Darcy falls for a rumor begun by a jealous woman and believes Elizabeth to be living with a much older man as his mistress. He words his proposal with that relationship in mind. When Elizabeth is recognized and restored to her family, the mistake is repeated.
Lord Matlock, Lady Catherine, the Viscount are all criminally unbalanced. Does Anne de Bourgh have a chance to escape the family curse? Brutal people have brutal ends.
“Taken” travels down a number of highways. Some of those highways have a junction with Elizabeth’s road to recovery from kidnapping and abuse and some don’t. The story is long and several scenic routes could have been eliminated.
The stronger section of the book is the first half where Our Dear Couple meets and Elizabeth’s family is discovered. Many of the culprits receive comeuppance in the first 60% of the book but some tales last longer.
For my taste, the story is a bit rough with multiple murders. Be prepared for descriptions of child abuse and questionable sexual practices. But … if you like to see evil-doers who are truly evil … if you like to see punishments to fit the crime … this is the book for you!
I received an ARC of this book with no promise of a review, good or bad.
Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad. ~ Diogenes
In the opening paragraphs of “Taken” we are introduced to the insanity of the Fitzwilliam family and it is not nearly as amusing as the family insanity in Arsenic and Old Lace.
Quote from the book: George Darcy was dead, and Matlock’s mind whirled with possibilities. … He looked into the fire, greed filling his heart. “It is but a matter of time before I control Pemberley, steering young Darcy into one or two schemes in which I happen to have an interest!” With a predatory gleam in his eye, he threw another log on the fire. For now—he rubbed his hands together—the boy is mine!
A crime was committed against members of the Darcy family years before – a young girl was stolen from the Darcy home, brutalized, and abandoned to die in the countryside. The child was rescued and has grown into a young lady. When her adopted sister, Jane, marries, Elizabeth Bennet moves to London to live with an aunt and uncle.
Elizabeth still suffers from the trauma of her abduction. Dreams haunt her, especially when she meets Fitzwilliam Darcy who mentions his aunt, Lady Catherine.
Quote from the book: Rivulets of rain ran down her arm as she ran as fast as her young legs could manage. Even though the cloud-ridden night gave no vantage, she continually looked behind her. Fighting the need to cry, she ran faster and tumbled over a large log. She swore, the cackling laugh of her tormentor ringing in her ears as she hit the ground. Her head struck a large rock, and she lost consciousness of where and who she was.
There is always a madness in love. There is however also always a reason in madness. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Darcy falls for a rumor begun by a jealous woman and believes Elizabeth to be living with a much older man as his mistress. He words his proposal with that relationship in mind. When Elizabeth is recognized and restored to her family, the mistake is repeated.
Lord Matlock, Lady Catherine, the Viscount are all criminally unbalanced. Does Anne de Bourgh have a chance to escape the family curse? Brutal people have brutal ends.
“Taken” travels down a number of highways. Some of those highways have a junction with Elizabeth’s road to recovery from kidnapping and abuse and some don’t. The story is long and several scenic routes could have been eliminated.
The stronger section of the book is the first half where Our Dear Couple meets and Elizabeth’s family is discovered. Many of the culprits receive comeuppance in the first 60% of the book but some tales last longer.
For my taste, the story is a bit rough with multiple murders. Be prepared for descriptions of child abuse and questionable sexual practices. But … if you like to see evil-doers who are truly evil … if you like to see punishments to fit the crime … this is the book for you!
I received an ARC of this book with no promise of a review, good or bad.
Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad. ~ Diogenes
April 5, 2020
“The man beholden to his father’s principles struggled against five years of Fitzwilliam tutelage…” quote from the book.
Chapters: 38 + an epilogue: Rating: MA: physical and sexual violence, adult themes, suggestive thoughts, ‘trigger warnings’ due to the descriptions of physical abuse [beating] of a child, and adult language. This caveat is not to be ignored. Even after some revision, it is still MA. I originally read this as an unpublished story on a fanfiction website. I received an ARC from Q&Q Publishing and the views expressed are my own. I had previously posted a review of the unpublished story [at GoodReads] and after reading the ARC, my opinion and thoughts have only improved from that original review. I highly recommend this thrilling book.
This is a tough story to read of the loss of a four-year-old child and the mystery behind her abduction. After years of searching, we see that mystery begin to unravel when a young woman is discovered and returned to her true family. The reader should be aware that there may be ‘trigger warnings’ as she describes the horror of her abduction and the physical abuse she experienced. The shock and reveal of the identity of her assailant, and the reasons behind the abduction, will stun and horrify. These are not nice people and their actions are atrocious, amoral, and diabolical. I’ve never disliked characters as much as I have these people.
Readers may question the OOC [out of character] behavior of ODC [our dear couple], Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. In order to understand them, I needed to first find out why they were who and what they were, and why they acted in the manner they did. What made them that way and what would it take to bring them back from the brink of disaster? That would be the arc that this story would take.
Darcy: “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” –James N. Watkins
This quote best described ODB [our dear boy], Fitzwilliam Darcy. This was a man tortured as he stood between two opposing viewpoints. On one side, he had the teachings [moral] and principles [honorable] of his father and his Darcy ancestors. On the other, he had the tutelage and influence of his Fitzwilliam relations [Lord Matlock, his psycho-sister Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and her disgusting daughter]. These amoral entities had their sharp talons deeply embedded in the flesh of their victim… em… nephew and were anticipating the kill… em… the success of their evil machinations… em… long term plans. Their aim, to completely consume their nephew, use him and all the influence of the Darcy name for their benefit, and ultimately gain and control the wealth of all his holdings, namely Pemberley. They came to him during a time of weakness, just after his father’s death. They operated on his feelings of family duty, guilt, and obligation for their help and comfort during his time of need. Yeah, they were the Mother Teresa to all his problems. Lord Matlock’s advice and influence were insidious and his suggestions were nearly the end to ODB.
Elizabeth: “I am a stone being excavated by the slow passage of water; I am wood charred by a fire.” –Lauren Oliver, Pandemonium
As our title indicated, Elizabeth had been taken [abducted] when she was four-years-old from the nucleus of a safe and loving family. She was misused and discarded by those who wished her harm. Thankfully, she did not die as intended but was found and nursed back to health. Thus, she grew up in the loving embrace of another family. However, that was not to last. After their death, she was once again mistreated and abused by a woman [Mrs. Fanny Bennet] who should have taken care of her. How that name raises the hackles of any and all who read of her actions toward and against this precious child. Is it any wonder that the behavior of this girl would be altered? The tools needed to navigate the world and its problems were simply not there. Her coping mechanism was damaged and broken. Thus, her behavior when things went south was different. However, if you really think about it, they were appropriate for who she was at that time. Eventually, in the right atmosphere, she would evolve into Elizabeth we all know and love.
When these two damaged people came together, there was a bit of crashing and burning before they got things on the right track. Just keep in mind, at the beginning of their story, they were at opposite ends of the HEA [happy-ever-after] scale and the rest of the story was them working toward each other.
“We are often unaware of the gradual decline and the erosion in our lives but not unaware of the gnawing feeling it brings.” –Eric Samuel Timm, Static Jedi: The Art of hearing god Through the Noise
What I liked: So many new characters that I simply adored. Some of the things that I had not liked in the WIP were tightened up and the story flowed more smoothly and was clearer in its delivery. I really enjoyed this version, in fact, I CNPID [could-not-put-it-down].
Villains: I’m not even going to mention Wickham, the SBRB [scum-bag-rat-bastard], and his pernicious plans to exact revenge against Darcy. OMG! He did not. Oh, yes, he did and you will be shocked to the core.
The Fitzwilliam group as a whole were bat-crap-crazy and behavior, no matter how disgusting or depraved, was beyond them. Their feelings of entitlement were disgusting and their machinations in accomplishing their goals were beyond the pale. They lived a life of depravity and debauchery. Nothing was sacred and no one was of value beyond what they could do for them. The comeuppance for all our villains was beyond anything I could have imagined. I was horrified and shocked at the creative bent this author took. Amazing… simply amazing. OMG!
Let’s not forget Caroline Bingley and evil sister Louisa, another set of villains in this lineup of the usual suspects. Oh, you poor girls. You had no idea who you were trash-talking with your lies and gossip. Our dear Caroline should have known the ton did not appreciate her spreading gossip [outright lies] about her betters. Only she didn’t know that at the time. Caroline and Louisa were about to reap a harvest of magnitude proportion. I’ve never seen this used before in a JAFF. OMG! Wow!
What I didn’t like: Unfortunately, it was… like this review: too long. There seemed to be several stories running concurrently, each vying for prominence. Just whose story was this? It was like driving down the highway and suddenly taking a side lane without explanation. Even though there was quite a bit of trimming of the original story, as we approached the end, there were several places that could have been cut out completely and not been missed. It was a jolt as the reader was pulled from the main story. I would also have appreciated a page break such as a mark, an asterisk or something to indicate the sudden change in locations. I didn’t mind the switching about; I rather liked the staccato style of delivery. I didn’t like having to backtrack and reread so I would understand where I was in the story.
Again, I highly recommend this story.
Chapters: 38 + an epilogue: Rating: MA: physical and sexual violence, adult themes, suggestive thoughts, ‘trigger warnings’ due to the descriptions of physical abuse [beating] of a child, and adult language. This caveat is not to be ignored. Even after some revision, it is still MA. I originally read this as an unpublished story on a fanfiction website. I received an ARC from Q&Q Publishing and the views expressed are my own. I had previously posted a review of the unpublished story [at GoodReads] and after reading the ARC, my opinion and thoughts have only improved from that original review. I highly recommend this thrilling book.
This is a tough story to read of the loss of a four-year-old child and the mystery behind her abduction. After years of searching, we see that mystery begin to unravel when a young woman is discovered and returned to her true family. The reader should be aware that there may be ‘trigger warnings’ as she describes the horror of her abduction and the physical abuse she experienced. The shock and reveal of the identity of her assailant, and the reasons behind the abduction, will stun and horrify. These are not nice people and their actions are atrocious, amoral, and diabolical. I’ve never disliked characters as much as I have these people.
Readers may question the OOC [out of character] behavior of ODC [our dear couple], Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. In order to understand them, I needed to first find out why they were who and what they were, and why they acted in the manner they did. What made them that way and what would it take to bring them back from the brink of disaster? That would be the arc that this story would take.
Darcy: “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” –James N. Watkins
This quote best described ODB [our dear boy], Fitzwilliam Darcy. This was a man tortured as he stood between two opposing viewpoints. On one side, he had the teachings [moral] and principles [honorable] of his father and his Darcy ancestors. On the other, he had the tutelage and influence of his Fitzwilliam relations [Lord Matlock, his psycho-sister Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and her disgusting daughter]. These amoral entities had their sharp talons deeply embedded in the flesh of their victim… em… nephew and were anticipating the kill… em… the success of their evil machinations… em… long term plans. Their aim, to completely consume their nephew, use him and all the influence of the Darcy name for their benefit, and ultimately gain and control the wealth of all his holdings, namely Pemberley. They came to him during a time of weakness, just after his father’s death. They operated on his feelings of family duty, guilt, and obligation for their help and comfort during his time of need. Yeah, they were the Mother Teresa to all his problems. Lord Matlock’s advice and influence were insidious and his suggestions were nearly the end to ODB.
Elizabeth: “I am a stone being excavated by the slow passage of water; I am wood charred by a fire.” –Lauren Oliver, Pandemonium
As our title indicated, Elizabeth had been taken [abducted] when she was four-years-old from the nucleus of a safe and loving family. She was misused and discarded by those who wished her harm. Thankfully, she did not die as intended but was found and nursed back to health. Thus, she grew up in the loving embrace of another family. However, that was not to last. After their death, she was once again mistreated and abused by a woman [Mrs. Fanny Bennet] who should have taken care of her. How that name raises the hackles of any and all who read of her actions toward and against this precious child. Is it any wonder that the behavior of this girl would be altered? The tools needed to navigate the world and its problems were simply not there. Her coping mechanism was damaged and broken. Thus, her behavior when things went south was different. However, if you really think about it, they were appropriate for who she was at that time. Eventually, in the right atmosphere, she would evolve into Elizabeth we all know and love.
When these two damaged people came together, there was a bit of crashing and burning before they got things on the right track. Just keep in mind, at the beginning of their story, they were at opposite ends of the HEA [happy-ever-after] scale and the rest of the story was them working toward each other.
“We are often unaware of the gradual decline and the erosion in our lives but not unaware of the gnawing feeling it brings.” –Eric Samuel Timm, Static Jedi: The Art of hearing god Through the Noise
What I liked: So many new characters that I simply adored. Some of the things that I had not liked in the WIP were tightened up and the story flowed more smoothly and was clearer in its delivery. I really enjoyed this version, in fact, I CNPID [could-not-put-it-down].
Villains: I’m not even going to mention Wickham, the SBRB [scum-bag-rat-bastard], and his pernicious plans to exact revenge against Darcy. OMG! He did not. Oh, yes, he did and you will be shocked to the core.
The Fitzwilliam group as a whole were bat-crap-crazy and behavior, no matter how disgusting or depraved, was beyond them. Their feelings of entitlement were disgusting and their machinations in accomplishing their goals were beyond the pale. They lived a life of depravity and debauchery. Nothing was sacred and no one was of value beyond what they could do for them. The comeuppance for all our villains was beyond anything I could have imagined. I was horrified and shocked at the creative bent this author took. Amazing… simply amazing. OMG!
Let’s not forget Caroline Bingley and evil sister Louisa, another set of villains in this lineup of the usual suspects. Oh, you poor girls. You had no idea who you were trash-talking with your lies and gossip. Our dear Caroline should have known the ton did not appreciate her spreading gossip [outright lies] about her betters. Only she didn’t know that at the time. Caroline and Louisa were about to reap a harvest of magnitude proportion. I’ve never seen this used before in a JAFF. OMG! Wow!
What I didn’t like: Unfortunately, it was… like this review: too long. There seemed to be several stories running concurrently, each vying for prominence. Just whose story was this? It was like driving down the highway and suddenly taking a side lane without explanation. Even though there was quite a bit of trimming of the original story, as we approached the end, there were several places that could have been cut out completely and not been missed. It was a jolt as the reader was pulled from the main story. I would also have appreciated a page break such as a mark, an asterisk or something to indicate the sudden change in locations. I didn’t mind the switching about; I rather liked the staccato style of delivery. I didn’t like having to backtrack and reread so I would understand where I was in the story.
Again, I highly recommend this story.
April 26, 2020
I first read this in 2018 when it was an unpublished story. Subsequently, I was honored to receive an ARC. This is a long story with a lot of intrigue. There is kidnapping, treason, deaths, beatings, threats, blackmail and propositions of an immoral kind as well as certain acts of insanity. There are no sex scenes although we do read of kisses, caresses and embraces and that chemistry which may cause a body to react.
In this story Darcy is torn between the two sides of his family: the Fitzwilliams and the Darcys. While Elizabeth’s story is also about two families, hers will touch your heart as you read of her being taken, whipped with a riding crop and left at the side of the road to die…as a four-year-old child. Although she is found and rescued by Mr. Bennet she suffers from nightmares and, of course, has lost the loving family of which she was a part.
There are family lines which need to be untangled and understood as well as friends who are important to both parts of Elizabeth’s life. Elizabeth has had two Mr. Bennets in her life as well as two Mrs. Bennets. Jane is the daughter of the first Mr. Bennet while Mary, Kitty and Lydia are daughters of the second Mrs. Bennet. The latter three girls are called cousins by Elizabeth.
Unfortunately the second Mrs. Bennet is another cruel person to enter Elizabeth’s life. As a young lady out in society, Elizabeth is taken to reside in London with an Admiral and Mrs. Raleigh. Mrs. Raleigh is the sister to the deceased Gloria Bennet, the first Mrs. Bennet, but as she and her husband moved around with his career that couple was unable to invite Elizabeth to stay with them much of the previous time. Now she and her husband have a great interest in introducing Elizabeth into society (after Jane marries Bingley).
Darcy has seen, has met, Elizabeth and lusts after her…yes, I said “lusts”. He sees her, as in canon, as having no place in society, no connections, no money, but as the Fitzwilliams are manipulating him through blackmail to marry his cousin, Anne, he sees only one way to make Elizabeth part of his life…especially after Caroline Bingley spreads gossip that Elizabeth is “under the protection” of Admiral Raleigh. It seems the Admiral’s wife has been injured and so stays home but insists that her husband and her niece attend a ball to which they were all invited as planned. Thus when the Admiral shows up without his wife and with a beautiful young lady on his arm the gossip sets in.
As the story progresses Elizabeth’s true origins become known. Her connections are a surprise and we learn they also include the Darcy family. However, Darcy has insulted Elizabeth in such a way that she not only did she slap him but her “relatives”, both biological and “adopted”, call him on the carpet. So Darcy has much to rectify. To make matters even more complicated the Darcy side of Fitzwilliam Darcy’s family now insist that they must spread the rumor that Elizabeth and Darcy are engaged in an attempt to protect her. Those from her past are still a danger and if they attempted to kill a four-year-old child, the Darcys are aware that they will not stop now.
This is a very long story with more than just Elizabeth’s place in society and in these families being told. We also learn about some of the intrigue that goes with war, with politics and with family fortunes being lost and the struggles to rebuild such. (Important note: Anyone attacking a person with ties to the crown is under a charge of treason.)
Wickham and Caroline have significant roles in this story which intertwine with the person who wants Elizabeth dead. Anne de Bourgh is totally different from canon, in a surprising way.
Being a lover of intrigue this story was immediately one which drew me in and kept me turning pages. I highly recommend it.
In this story Darcy is torn between the two sides of his family: the Fitzwilliams and the Darcys. While Elizabeth’s story is also about two families, hers will touch your heart as you read of her being taken, whipped with a riding crop and left at the side of the road to die…as a four-year-old child. Although she is found and rescued by Mr. Bennet she suffers from nightmares and, of course, has lost the loving family of which she was a part.
There are family lines which need to be untangled and understood as well as friends who are important to both parts of Elizabeth’s life. Elizabeth has had two Mr. Bennets in her life as well as two Mrs. Bennets. Jane is the daughter of the first Mr. Bennet while Mary, Kitty and Lydia are daughters of the second Mrs. Bennet. The latter three girls are called cousins by Elizabeth.
Unfortunately the second Mrs. Bennet is another cruel person to enter Elizabeth’s life. As a young lady out in society, Elizabeth is taken to reside in London with an Admiral and Mrs. Raleigh. Mrs. Raleigh is the sister to the deceased Gloria Bennet, the first Mrs. Bennet, but as she and her husband moved around with his career that couple was unable to invite Elizabeth to stay with them much of the previous time. Now she and her husband have a great interest in introducing Elizabeth into society (after Jane marries Bingley).
Darcy has seen, has met, Elizabeth and lusts after her…yes, I said “lusts”. He sees her, as in canon, as having no place in society, no connections, no money, but as the Fitzwilliams are manipulating him through blackmail to marry his cousin, Anne, he sees only one way to make Elizabeth part of his life…especially after Caroline Bingley spreads gossip that Elizabeth is “under the protection” of Admiral Raleigh. It seems the Admiral’s wife has been injured and so stays home but insists that her husband and her niece attend a ball to which they were all invited as planned. Thus when the Admiral shows up without his wife and with a beautiful young lady on his arm the gossip sets in.
As the story progresses Elizabeth’s true origins become known. Her connections are a surprise and we learn they also include the Darcy family. However, Darcy has insulted Elizabeth in such a way that she not only did she slap him but her “relatives”, both biological and “adopted”, call him on the carpet. So Darcy has much to rectify. To make matters even more complicated the Darcy side of Fitzwilliam Darcy’s family now insist that they must spread the rumor that Elizabeth and Darcy are engaged in an attempt to protect her. Those from her past are still a danger and if they attempted to kill a four-year-old child, the Darcys are aware that they will not stop now.
This is a very long story with more than just Elizabeth’s place in society and in these families being told. We also learn about some of the intrigue that goes with war, with politics and with family fortunes being lost and the struggles to rebuild such. (Important note: Anyone attacking a person with ties to the crown is under a charge of treason.)
Wickham and Caroline have significant roles in this story which intertwine with the person who wants Elizabeth dead. Anne de Bourgh is totally different from canon, in a surprising way.
Being a lover of intrigue this story was immediately one which drew me in and kept me turning pages. I highly recommend it.
April 18, 2020
Ms. Muchatt is an extraordinarily talented writer. That much is obvious throughout this book. She also has a creative imagination, and her Regency world overflows with an abundance of characters and their respective situations.
Herein lies my reason for not rating it higher. It overflows...and overflows...and overflows.
Too many characters. Too many plots and irrelevant subplots. Too much melodrama. Too many over-the-top evildoers. Villains are captured and storylines resolve, only for the villains to escape and wreak new havoc. In short, it's pulp fiction that's only loosely based on Pride and Prejudice.
This was a very popular story when it was online, and it will attract new enthusiastic readers now that it's published. I must emphasize again that it's extremely well written, which is how it grabs the reader and doesn't let go, no matter how convoluted and absurd the story gets.
I would love to read the results if this author would direct her talents to a single, more believable storyline. This one was just too much for me.
I received an ARC with no promise of a favorable review.
Herein lies my reason for not rating it higher. It overflows...and overflows...and overflows.
Too many characters. Too many plots and irrelevant subplots. Too much melodrama. Too many over-the-top evildoers. Villains are captured and storylines resolve, only for the villains to escape and wreak new havoc. In short, it's pulp fiction that's only loosely based on Pride and Prejudice.
This was a very popular story when it was online, and it will attract new enthusiastic readers now that it's published. I must emphasize again that it's extremely well written, which is how it grabs the reader and doesn't let go, no matter how convoluted and absurd the story gets.
I would love to read the results if this author would direct her talents to a single, more believable storyline. This one was just too much for me.
I received an ARC with no promise of a favorable review.
June 21, 2024
Reread as Audiobook - 4.5 stars. Excellent performance by Stevie Zimmerman and wonderful portrayal of this epic story.
As I was reading this, I couldn't help feeling like I had read it before. While there was some that was similar (reminded me initially of Out of the Shadows by Jann Rowland), when I got to the baddies it was so disconcerting- and vicious and very different!
Plenty of drama in this read, Darcy had felt abandoned by several of his family and learned to lean on less savory members of his family. It takes while for E to be recognized. There are new characters in this one and E's interactions with them was very sympathetic. (Elizabeth's character was made to have a brother.)
The only aspect of this story which was inconclusive and didn't really resolve was Col. F. It's like the author couldn't decide if he was to be a baddie or sympathetic, be punished or rewarded and at the end he kind of disappears without any real resolution.
All in all an exciting read, I didn't love all the flow of the text. However, I am interested in trying this author's other book.
2020-
At times, high drama and angst has its place.
Elizabeth and Jane were not born to the current Bennet's at Longbourn, in fact E is foundling! With Jane set to marry Bingley, E's future is precarious with Mrs B's torturous treatment of her over the years.
Luckily, her godparents insist she live with them from then on. However, being seen about town with the Admiral, together with Caroline's vicious false rumors- Darcy, on the worst part of his Fitzwilliam side, makes her a proposition in Hyde Park!!
Boy, has he stepped in the doodoo, because not only is she a complete innocent, she also happens to be her cousin-kidnapped as a child and long though dead!!!
I loved the family reunion and dynamics, which isn't all smooth. The actions taken to thwart those who wanted a small child dead in the first place. - a very strange addition of a beautiful Russian woman that goes no where - Mrs. Bennet's set down, and the lovely relationship between all the Bennet sisters/cousins.
Loved the writing, it flowed and you can't put it down. Have also listened on Audiobook and you cannot go wrong with Stevie Zimmerman!!
My only hole in the plot-D didn't have an inkling of recognizing E as remotely familiar when he first met her?
As I was reading this, I couldn't help feeling like I had read it before. While there was some that was similar (reminded me initially of Out of the Shadows by Jann Rowland), when I got to the baddies it was so disconcerting- and vicious and very different!
Plenty of drama in this read, Darcy had felt abandoned by several of his family and learned to lean on less savory members of his family. It takes while for E to be recognized. There are new characters in this one and E's interactions with them was very sympathetic. (Elizabeth's character was made to have a brother.)
The only aspect of this story which was inconclusive and didn't really resolve was Col. F. It's like the author couldn't decide if he was to be a baddie or sympathetic, be punished or rewarded and at the end he kind of disappears without any real resolution.
All in all an exciting read, I didn't love all the flow of the text. However, I am interested in trying this author's other book.
2020-
At times, high drama and angst has its place.
Elizabeth and Jane were not born to the current Bennet's at Longbourn, in fact E is foundling! With Jane set to marry Bingley, E's future is precarious with Mrs B's torturous treatment of her over the years.
Luckily, her godparents insist she live with them from then on. However, being seen about town with the Admiral, together with Caroline's vicious false rumors- Darcy, on the worst part of his Fitzwilliam side, makes her a proposition in Hyde Park!!
Boy, has he stepped in the doodoo, because not only is she a complete innocent, she also happens to be her cousin-kidnapped as a child and long though dead!!!
I loved the family reunion and dynamics, which isn't all smooth. The actions taken to thwart those who wanted a small child dead in the first place. - a very strange addition of a beautiful Russian woman that goes no where - Mrs. Bennet's set down, and the lovely relationship between all the Bennet sisters/cousins.
Loved the writing, it flowed and you can't put it down. Have also listened on Audiobook and you cannot go wrong with Stevie Zimmerman!!
My only hole in the plot-D didn't have an inkling of recognizing E as remotely familiar when he first met her?
April 13, 2020
The blurb gives you the basic outline of the story and it lets you know from the start that this is definitely nowhere near approaching a close variation of the canon story we know so well. It has a large cast of characters, both canon and original, some sympathetic and some......decidedly not. Some of the subject material will be hard for some people to contemplate, seeing as how it deals with the subject of child abduction and physical abuse, so this has to be borne in mind when deciding to read this book. There is also the occasional mention of sexual activity, although this isn't overly explicit.
I have to say that the Darcy we meet at the beginning of the story is not someone I'd really want to know. Five years of influence from his Fitzwilliam relatives since the death of his father have basically turned him into an entitled brat. Having met and become enchanted by the woman he's introduced to as Elizabeth Bennet, he thinks that she'd be a good candidate to become his mistress once he's married his cousin, Anne de Bourgh. This is because of his mistaken belief that she's already the mistress of an admiral who just happens to be the man she thinks is her uncle from her adoptive family. That's the sort of man he is at that point. Elizabeth, on the surface, is mostly the girl we already know and love but underneath it all she's quite fragile and obviously suffering from what we now know as PTSD. She still gets occasional flashbacks to her kidnapping and eventual escape and these become a lot worse after his "proposal". She's living with the aforementioned uncle and his wife (her late adoptive mother's relations) when Darcy makes that "proposition". It's also through them that she eventually becomes reunited with her noble blood relations.
Like me, you'll probably love Admiral and Mrs Raleigh (they reminded me of the Crofts from Persuasion) and Elizabeth's birth family (the Duke, Duchess and her brother Viscount Ravensbrook). You'll hate most of the Fitzwilliams, all of the de Bourghs, the Bingley females, Fanny Bennet and, of course, Wickham. If I had to complain about that, I'd say that they were so totally villainous that I'd call them somewhat caricatured, with absolutely no redeeming features. There could also be a bit of confusion in that we have two sets of Bennet adults; the lovely-sounding couple who rescued and adopted Elizabeth and then a related couple who take over Longbourn after their demise. It's the latter Mrs. Bennet who's mentioned above. Darcy's transformation from brat to honorable man seems to come a little too quickly but he has to work rather hard to convince Elizabeth that he HAS changed. Quite right, too! I enjoyed following Elizabeth's transformation from traumatised child to the confident member of the aristocracy that she eventually becomes, although the traumas of the past never completely leave her. You may also be happy to hear that the villains also end up on the receiving end of an assortment of reasonably satisfying comeuppances.
I received an ARC of this book from the publishers at my own request and whilst a review was hoped for, it wasn't a condition that one was posted, or that it would be favourable. The four stars I've given it are my honest opinion.
I have to say that the Darcy we meet at the beginning of the story is not someone I'd really want to know. Five years of influence from his Fitzwilliam relatives since the death of his father have basically turned him into an entitled brat. Having met and become enchanted by the woman he's introduced to as Elizabeth Bennet, he thinks that she'd be a good candidate to become his mistress once he's married his cousin, Anne de Bourgh. This is because of his mistaken belief that she's already the mistress of an admiral who just happens to be the man she thinks is her uncle from her adoptive family. That's the sort of man he is at that point. Elizabeth, on the surface, is mostly the girl we already know and love but underneath it all she's quite fragile and obviously suffering from what we now know as PTSD. She still gets occasional flashbacks to her kidnapping and eventual escape and these become a lot worse after his "proposal". She's living with the aforementioned uncle and his wife (her late adoptive mother's relations) when Darcy makes that "proposition". It's also through them that she eventually becomes reunited with her noble blood relations.
Like me, you'll probably love Admiral and Mrs Raleigh (they reminded me of the Crofts from Persuasion) and Elizabeth's birth family (the Duke, Duchess and her brother Viscount Ravensbrook). You'll hate most of the Fitzwilliams, all of the de Bourghs, the Bingley females, Fanny Bennet and, of course, Wickham. If I had to complain about that, I'd say that they were so totally villainous that I'd call them somewhat caricatured, with absolutely no redeeming features. There could also be a bit of confusion in that we have two sets of Bennet adults; the lovely-sounding couple who rescued and adopted Elizabeth and then a related couple who take over Longbourn after their demise. It's the latter Mrs. Bennet who's mentioned above. Darcy's transformation from brat to honorable man seems to come a little too quickly but he has to work rather hard to convince Elizabeth that he HAS changed. Quite right, too! I enjoyed following Elizabeth's transformation from traumatised child to the confident member of the aristocracy that she eventually becomes, although the traumas of the past never completely leave her. You may also be happy to hear that the villains also end up on the receiving end of an assortment of reasonably satisfying comeuppances.
I received an ARC of this book from the publishers at my own request and whilst a review was hoped for, it wasn't a condition that one was posted, or that it would be favourable. The four stars I've given it are my honest opinion.
March 24, 2021
Choppy flash fiction with an ultimately pointless destination
Synopsis:
Sinister schemes lead to a five year old Lizzy, an innocent caught in the cross hairs of ambitious villains, being targeted
Torn from her birth family, beaten and left for dead, Lizzy is found by Mr Bennet (not the one you know, the elder brother of indolent Bennet). He and his lovely wife, the parents of Jane, take her in. When this Mrs Bennet passes he invites the Bennet's we know- who are parents to Mary, Kitty & Lydia- to move into LB.
The elder Mr B passes when Lizzy is 15 and then Lizzy is left to the whims of the silly & cruel Mrs Bennet who wants Lizzy out of the house after Jane's wedding.
Lizzy is haunted with vague remembrances of her past, nightmares & insecurities instilled by Mrs B- and it eclipses all her other traits
Darcy wasn't part of the Netherfield party, so he meets Lizzy at Jane's and Charles engagement party.
He is instantly inlust beguiled with Lizzy and asks her to dance, but learning she has Cheapside relations, tries to disabuse himself from the sentiment. We have a baser inclined Darcy- as tends to be order of the day when Darcy instantly notices Lizzy- so he is a bit icky and intense.
When irresistible Lizzy arrives in London she is coveted by all
Darcy grows jealous by the attention she receives and decides what he feels is love.
Without a doubt the most incompetent incarnation of Darcy to date. He bends to the will of the Fitzwilliam's and decides he will marry Anne and- taking Caro's gossip about Lizzy being a kept women as fact- he saunters over to Lizzy in a public park and point blank offers her his protection.
It's a bold move to accuse a lady of being a kept women, ask her to be your mistress, then hearing evidence to the contrary, force a kiss on her while she is still reeling from the slander.
That Which Sparked Joy:
❀Lizzy sketches
❀This is one that reels you in, it has this noir stylistic vibe in the beginning with dramatic flashbacks, that is promising but doesn't deliver.
❀Ambitious with so many POV’s and subplots- which is admirable- but it was ill used and led to a cluttered stage
That Which Courted Disdain:
✗ODC ill developed; They hardly have dialogue together, we are told chiefly in summary of their interactions, but I should like to see some repartee. They have no chemistry whatsoever and Lizzy liking him makes zero sense.
✗Darcy super sucks! Nothing about what makes him, well him- or a romantic hero- is in evidence; he is slimy, whinny and I don't comprehend how he earned Lizzy's consideration, there is nothing he did that affected the plot or helped Lizzy.
He was fumbling though most of the story; In the beginning I liked it. I figured the author was trying to display him at his worst so that he may have somewhere to climb up from as in P&P, unfortunately no- he was just a perpetual moron. He isn't even aware that Pemberley is used by the Colonel to parade his mistress! Running a real tight ship there, Darce! He accuses Lizzy twice of being a mistress, for which he was just sort of forgiven and elevated in her esteem by the seal of approval of others- not by any action, effort, or sacrifice that proved him to merit a women worthy of being pleased.
✗Odd dialogue, not much preamble, people just get to it in an inorganic blatantly manufactured manner that takes you out of the story. Conversation were spotty & confusing with holes like moth-eaten fabric, I often backtracked thinking I missed something and nope! Someone needs to shove some silica gel packs up in this musty, frayed tale!
✗Personalities not distinctive enough to warrant so many characters. None of the characters familiar, everyone is flat.
✗A whole lot of vindictive set downs. The playhouse villains are cartoonish; The heroes living saints. Tis weak writing.
✗ Every problem was solved on its own accord either by incompetent self destructive villains or by the plentiful deus ex machinas that were Lizzy's exalted relations.
No effort was exerted or required of our protagonists. Lizzy has quite the safety net, even when she is but a foundling. What is the point of a story if not to witness our heroes tested or at least doing something?
✗ The plot itself was mostly resolved by 50%. I was wondering what the next half would be about, and the answer is nothing worth reading. We are made privy to some entanglements that we could assume the outcome of,
It all left me puzzled, wondering,'Why is this relevant?' It is just delaying the end of the book. Close it! I resorted increasingly to skimming.
The Decree:
➭It is not one to move you; the character lack depth, the romance is ill developed, the dialogue is basic, the prose is bare bones- It's a slip of a plot grossly inflated to drag on longer than prudent. Many events contrived and ill explained.
This is flash fiction, the author was too hasty in wadding out from shallow scene to scene, if she could have stayed on the scenes long enough to flesh it out she could have made this compelling, but the lot of it is an emotional poverty. It is cluttered with characters & sub plots that seemed present chiefly as a viable escape route for the author when focusing on & writing out a scene prove too tedious, rather than for any relevance to the story. When she wasn't sure how to close a scene she would oft resort to having a character swoon dramatically.
I would say that the author shows some promise, some scattered about lines were nice and the premiss had potential. I hope she keeps writing and summons the courage to linger in a scene, streamline the stage, develop the dialogue and include emotive descriptions and prose that may add depth to the characters.
Some of the Cast with spoiler details:
Synopsis:
Sinister schemes lead to a five year old Lizzy, an innocent caught in the cross hairs of ambitious villains, being targeted
Torn from her birth family, beaten and left for dead, Lizzy is found by Mr Bennet (not the one you know, the elder brother of indolent Bennet). He and his lovely wife, the parents of Jane, take her in. When this Mrs Bennet passes he invites the Bennet's we know- who are parents to Mary, Kitty & Lydia- to move into LB.
The elder Mr B passes when Lizzy is 15 and then Lizzy is left to the whims of the silly & cruel Mrs Bennet who wants Lizzy out of the house after Jane's wedding.
Lizzy is haunted with vague remembrances of her past, nightmares & insecurities instilled by Mrs B- and it eclipses all her other traits
Darcy wasn't part of the Netherfield party, so he meets Lizzy at Jane's and Charles engagement party.
He is instantly in
When irresistible Lizzy arrives in London she is coveted by all
Darcy grows jealous by the attention she receives and decides what he feels is love.
Without a doubt the most incompetent incarnation of Darcy to date. He bends to the will of the Fitzwilliam's and decides he will marry Anne and- taking Caro's gossip about Lizzy being a kept women as fact- he saunters over to Lizzy in a public park and point blank offers her his protection.
It's a bold move to accuse a lady of being a kept women, ask her to be your mistress, then hearing evidence to the contrary, force a kiss on her while she is still reeling from the slander.
That Which Sparked Joy:
❀Lizzy sketches
❀This is one that reels you in, it has this noir stylistic vibe in the beginning with dramatic flashbacks, that is promising but doesn't deliver.
❀Ambitious with so many POV’s and subplots- which is admirable- but it was ill used and led to a cluttered stage
That Which Courted Disdain:
✗ODC ill developed; They hardly have dialogue together, we are told chiefly in summary of their interactions, but I should like to see some repartee. They have no chemistry whatsoever and Lizzy liking him makes zero sense.
✗Darcy super sucks! Nothing about what makes him, well him- or a romantic hero- is in evidence; he is slimy, whinny and I don't comprehend how he earned Lizzy's consideration, there is nothing he did that affected the plot or helped Lizzy.
He was fumbling though most of the story; In the beginning I liked it. I figured the author was trying to display him at his worst so that he may have somewhere to climb up from as in P&P, unfortunately no- he was just a perpetual moron. He isn't even aware that Pemberley is used by the Colonel to parade his mistress! Running a real tight ship there, Darce! He accuses Lizzy twice of being a mistress, for which he was just sort of forgiven and elevated in her esteem by the seal of approval of others- not by any action, effort, or sacrifice that proved him to merit a women worthy of being pleased.
✗Odd dialogue, not much preamble, people just get to it in an inorganic blatantly manufactured manner that takes you out of the story. Conversation were spotty & confusing with holes like moth-eaten fabric, I often backtracked thinking I missed something and nope! Someone needs to shove some silica gel packs up in this musty, frayed tale!
✗Personalities not distinctive enough to warrant so many characters. None of the characters familiar, everyone is flat.
✗A whole lot of vindictive set downs. The playhouse villains are cartoonish; The heroes living saints. Tis weak writing.
✗ Every problem was solved on its own accord either by incompetent self destructive villains or by the plentiful deus ex machinas that were Lizzy's exalted relations.
No effort was exerted or required of our protagonists. Lizzy has quite the safety net, even when she is but a foundling. What is the point of a story if not to witness our heroes tested or at least doing something?
✗ The plot itself was mostly resolved by 50%. I was wondering what the next half would be about, and the answer is nothing worth reading. We are made privy to some entanglements that we could assume the outcome of,
➳ The Colonel resining himself to his position as Earl and marriage to a crazy, slutty and super pregnant Anne,
➳ Caro being a wild card
➳ Julian (Lizzy's brother) having this great love affair with some Russian princess that is over as quickly as it's introduced, and another old flame is quickly ushered into the fray to replace her.
It all left me puzzled, wondering,'Why is this relevant?' It is just delaying the end of the book. Close it! I resorted increasingly to skimming.
The Decree:
➭It is not one to move you; the character lack depth, the romance is ill developed, the dialogue is basic, the prose is bare bones- It's a slip of a plot grossly inflated to drag on longer than prudent. Many events contrived and ill explained.
This is flash fiction, the author was too hasty in wadding out from shallow scene to scene, if she could have stayed on the scenes long enough to flesh it out she could have made this compelling, but the lot of it is an emotional poverty. It is cluttered with characters & sub plots that seemed present chiefly as a viable escape route for the author when focusing on & writing out a scene prove too tedious, rather than for any relevance to the story. When she wasn't sure how to close a scene she would oft resort to having a character swoon dramatically.
I would say that the author shows some promise, some scattered about lines were nice and the premiss had potential. I hope she keeps writing and summons the courage to linger in a scene, streamline the stage, develop the dialogue and include emotive descriptions and prose that may add depth to the characters.
Some of the Cast with spoiler details:
March 13, 2022
Bryan Mills: I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you....
This is a variation on a P&P trope that Lizzy is not a Bennet by birth but the daughter of a Duke who was 'taken' from her parents by an evil woman who wanted to prevent a cradle betrothal between the Duke's daughter and Fitzwilliam Darcy.
15 years later Darcy is in Meryton for the wedding of his friend Bingley and a Miss Jane Bennet when he meets the beautiful, brilliant, graceful, clever, practically perfect in every way 'cept for the Foundling part Lizzy Bennet.
Darcy is stirred by her beauty and after she moves to London he makes her an offer of the abhorrent kind basically because Darcy is a MORON in this book. He is as dumb as a box of hammers over and over until you just want to tell Lizzy 'Run, run away'
[ahead there be spoilers ]
August 7, 2020
Well written story. Lizzy has quite a few psychological problem, stemming from many people in her life mistreating her, physically and mentally. Darcy is mental state is just as poor. He seems depressive or bipolar for most of the book. One of the few JAFF stories where both main characters have such a long journey to travel. Our Dear Couple have had such bad life experiences one wouldn’t be surprised if there was no HEA. Trust in anyone is not achieved easily for either of them.
I thought Darcy was a bit gullible. He never seemed to take charge of his interaction with the world until Lizzy shamed him.
The story of their journeys is very tense, very compelling. I only gave it 4 stars because the baddies are so neatly wrapped up it was tough to suspend belief toads the end. Recommended.
I thought Darcy was a bit gullible. He never seemed to take charge of his interaction with the world until Lizzy shamed him.
The story of their journeys is very tense, very compelling. I only gave it 4 stars because the baddies are so neatly wrapped up it was tough to suspend belief toads the end. Recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2020
Unputdownable!
A thrilling, angsty read with one of my favourite tropes: Elizabeth of elevated rank.
I read this as an unpublished work and it held up very well as a reread. I even got goosebumps at one of the revelations. If that isn't a mark of quality... I know nothing!
I particularly liked how Mr Darcy put his foot in his mouth and the insult was fabulous and inventive. His grovelling to get into her good graces even better, especially when her family connection was revealed.
Heartily recommend this book!
Rated: Mature for violence, the steamy scenes were non-graphic/faded out.
A thrilling, angsty read with one of my favourite tropes: Elizabeth of elevated rank.
I read this as an unpublished work and it held up very well as a reread. I even got goosebumps at one of the revelations. If that isn't a mark of quality... I know nothing!
I particularly liked how Mr Darcy put his foot in his mouth and the insult was fabulous and inventive. His grovelling to get into her good graces even better, especially when her family connection was revealed.
Heartily recommend this book!
Rated: Mature for violence, the steamy scenes were non-graphic/faded out.
November 19, 2023
Second time reading this book (this was Audible). This story was so powerful I truly remembered the plot despite the long length of time between reading. Highly enjoyable = plot of love, intrigue, and really really bad people. I recommend if you like a big dose of adventure, mystery and bad guys with your romance. A tad long but still enjoyable and the narrator is fantastic.
April 5, 2020
This is a long book and is a complete reimagining rather than variation. We start with Lord Matlock and Lady Catherine immediately following the death of George Darcy plotting how to get their hands on Pemberley. This sets the tone for the whole book - it's dark with lots of scheming. The following chapter sees us skip forward some 15 years to Elizabeth having nightmares about the night she was kidnapped as a 5 year old child and taken in by the Bennet family of Longbourn. This book looks at Elizabeth being reunited with her birth family and finding out who took her all those years ago, as well as her developing relationship with Darcy.
It's hard to summarise this book further - so much happens!! There is a really large cast of characters in this book, I struggled to keep up with who was who. Everyone was mentioned by name even if they had no real role in the story. Elizabeth's family situation is so complicated - straight away there are two sets of Mr & Mrs Bennet. Almost from the beginning, I was struggling to keep up with who was who. Some of those we are know are here - Jane and Bingley, Wickham, Lady Catherine, Anne de Bough and the Colonel - but no one really behaves as they should. There are also a whole load of new people that means this book just takes off in a direction all of it's own.
This is a pretty dark book - there are lots of lies, deception, fraud, greed, a kidnapping, child abuse and a shocking amount of death. The bad characters in this book are bad. Really bad. Most get their comeuppance, usually in pretty grim circumstances.
I didn't feel this Darcy and Elizabeth were a credible couple - he makes to make such a massive mess of his situation with Elizabeth in a way Mr Darcy just would never do.... so from this point, I didn't really like him. We know he has been manipulated most of his life by his Fitzwilliam relatives, but still... Elizabeth is kind of irritating in her perfection. On the one hand she is funny, confident and carefree - the Lizzy we know and love - but then at other times, she is a nervous wreck as a consequence of the trauma she has experienced. While this is understandable, her behaviour wasn't consistent. It seems she was traumatised when it suited the storyline, and not when we needed her confident and lively. I'm not sure how Elizabeth's feelings changed towards Darcy. It seemed to happen all of a sudden which also made it less credible for me.
Caroline Bingley has a long and involved storyline of her own that I dont think was really necessary and didn't really add anything. Lady Catherine was really awful but just as you think things couldn't get worse for her, they do! In fact by the end I felt a bit too sorry for her. It was too much I think.
This book is pretty well written and, for the most part, has a very traditional English style. However, occasionally some modern American words and phrases find their way in which always grate on me! American readers might not notice but British readers do.
In all, this isn't a bad book. I think it's too long with too many plot lines that are too detailed for some of the secondary characters. This is a work that is so varied from the original that it's almost one of those books I think would be better as an original work rather than a Pride and Prejudice reimagining. It's quite difficult to read - you have to pay attention! There are lots of names and goings on, some have relevance later, some not. There was some good humour early on, but overall this is a very serious book with lots of difficult subject matter. It's not a light or easy read and despite many who deserve it getting their comeuppance, I didn't feel very happy or satisfied with the ending.
It might just be that when I read this, I wasn't in the mood for something as emotionally heavy as this... but I don't think this is one I'd read again.
I received an Adance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book with no promise of a favourable review.
It's hard to summarise this book further - so much happens!! There is a really large cast of characters in this book, I struggled to keep up with who was who. Everyone was mentioned by name even if they had no real role in the story. Elizabeth's family situation is so complicated - straight away there are two sets of Mr & Mrs Bennet. Almost from the beginning, I was struggling to keep up with who was who. Some of those we are know are here - Jane and Bingley, Wickham, Lady Catherine, Anne de Bough and the Colonel - but no one really behaves as they should. There are also a whole load of new people that means this book just takes off in a direction all of it's own.
This is a pretty dark book - there are lots of lies, deception, fraud, greed, a kidnapping, child abuse and a shocking amount of death. The bad characters in this book are bad. Really bad. Most get their comeuppance, usually in pretty grim circumstances.
I didn't feel this Darcy and Elizabeth were a credible couple - he makes to make such a massive mess of his situation with Elizabeth in a way Mr Darcy just would never do.... so from this point, I didn't really like him. We know he has been manipulated most of his life by his Fitzwilliam relatives, but still... Elizabeth is kind of irritating in her perfection. On the one hand she is funny, confident and carefree - the Lizzy we know and love - but then at other times, she is a nervous wreck as a consequence of the trauma she has experienced. While this is understandable, her behaviour wasn't consistent. It seems she was traumatised when it suited the storyline, and not when we needed her confident and lively. I'm not sure how Elizabeth's feelings changed towards Darcy. It seemed to happen all of a sudden which also made it less credible for me.
Caroline Bingley has a long and involved storyline of her own that I dont think was really necessary and didn't really add anything. Lady Catherine was really awful but just as you think things couldn't get worse for her, they do! In fact by the end I felt a bit too sorry for her. It was too much I think.
This book is pretty well written and, for the most part, has a very traditional English style. However, occasionally some modern American words and phrases find their way in which always grate on me! American readers might not notice but British readers do.
In all, this isn't a bad book. I think it's too long with too many plot lines that are too detailed for some of the secondary characters. This is a work that is so varied from the original that it's almost one of those books I think would be better as an original work rather than a Pride and Prejudice reimagining. It's quite difficult to read - you have to pay attention! There are lots of names and goings on, some have relevance later, some not. There was some good humour early on, but overall this is a very serious book with lots of difficult subject matter. It's not a light or easy read and despite many who deserve it getting their comeuppance, I didn't feel very happy or satisfied with the ending.
It might just be that when I read this, I wasn't in the mood for something as emotionally heavy as this... but I don't think this is one I'd read again.
I received an Adance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book with no promise of a favourable review.
May 22, 2020
My Rating: 3.5* rounded up to 4*
My oh my, this is one all encompassing novel. I wouldn't classify this 'what if' as just a variation, but like another reviewer said, 'a re-imagining' and completely outside the box. In my humble opinion, Ms. Mushatt, must have been disappointed with other variations she had read, that she needed to write one her way. Not only did this book have a very in-depth plot(s), but it left no loose threads, especially with the villainous characters...and there were many.
The book description and other reviewers have given a more succinct synopsis of this story, so I wont go into great detail here. I will say there is a lot to 'take in'.
"No, it is better to wait, bide our time, and build young Darcy's confidence in us. Lure him back into the family web as it were, then make our move." (quote from the book)
This is a story of avaricious family, manipulation, kidnapping, cruelty, malicious gossip and insanity. It is also of novel of grief, forgiveness, redemption and comeuppance. No one is 'perfect' in this novel...well maybe in looks when it comes to Elizabeth. What lengths the Matlock's and de Bourgh's will go to to gain the riches of Pemberley is mind boggling. Be prepared for the ugly side of human nature.
Also be prepared for a Darcy that has felt betrayed and abandoned and is being slowly manipulated. He has lost his way and has become even more taciturn, reserved and disdainful of the feelings of others and at times, down right disrespectful. His journey is painful when the scales have been wiped from his eyes. But the reward is worth it.
"...for a man of such sense and education who has lived so well in the world, you truly know nothing of women and the workings of the heart." (quote from the book)
Elizabeth Bennet's journey is even more harrowing. How does a child grow into a confident woman when she knows she is a foundling? Nightmares haunt her. Her fears at times consume her, and rightfully so. With the help of those who love her, she will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes.
The first half of the book is devoted to building the story and was all engrossing. The second half, we are tasked with following and absorbing all of the many resolutions. However, some of the side scenarios seemed to come from left field, and for me, they only cluttered the story and were not really necessary...Julian's in particular. Other characters' resolutions were just a bit drawn out. I love a good long book with lots of detail, this one had it in spades.
Despite my quibbles, this book is well written, engrossing and rather diabolical. I did enjoy it and do recommend it. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Mushatt.
February 6, 2023
This was a good variation but it was way too long. With too many filler scenes and characters for me. Guardians, triple fathers and a horrid unbelievable story of abuse.
Elizabeth's childhood was tortured by nightmares of being beaten and left to die at 4 years old. Enough to make any child anxiety prone and distrustful. But Lizzy has the love of Mr Bennet and her new found sisters to help her grow strong. Even though Mrs Bennet despises her as an unwanted foundling.
Things turn for the better when she goes to live with an aunt and uncle. When Darcy sees her with an older man (uncle) at a get together he and others think she is his mistress. Intrigued with her beauty and bright spirit he can't get her out of his mind. He decides to make an offer for her, of the sordid type! She is horrified and offended which sets off a series of fears and memories of the past she tried to bury.
When her real mother approaches her it is gut wrenching that she has finally found a loving Mother. Unbelievably she is a titled Lady. When Darcy finds out she is his missing cousin he is astounded! But she refuses to see him and her parents chastise him thoroughly! To win their trust he grovels and tries to prove he is not a total cad!
But the evil family who wanted her dead and tried to kill her will try again if her loved ones do not protect her. ThIS sets out many scenarios with Anne de Bourgh,her mother and the Colonel. Elizabeth's brother is interesting but I could have done without him. Lol. Wickham is not in much of the story.
Eventually Lizzy succumbs to Darcy's charms as he really tries so hard to show her he is a decent man.
The second half goes slow and was hard to finish, The writer changes critical scenes without a slight warning time after time. Which was a little off putting. All in all I gave it 4 stars as the story was good though it needed some editing.
Three females get their comeuppance! DELICIOUS!
Elizabeth's childhood was tortured by nightmares of being beaten and left to die at 4 years old. Enough to make any child anxiety prone and distrustful. But Lizzy has the love of Mr Bennet and her new found sisters to help her grow strong. Even though Mrs Bennet despises her as an unwanted foundling.
Things turn for the better when she goes to live with an aunt and uncle. When Darcy sees her with an older man (uncle) at a get together he and others think she is his mistress. Intrigued with her beauty and bright spirit he can't get her out of his mind. He decides to make an offer for her, of the sordid type! She is horrified and offended which sets off a series of fears and memories of the past she tried to bury.
When her real mother approaches her it is gut wrenching that she has finally found a loving Mother. Unbelievably she is a titled Lady. When Darcy finds out she is his missing cousin he is astounded! But she refuses to see him and her parents chastise him thoroughly! To win their trust he grovels and tries to prove he is not a total cad!
But the evil family who wanted her dead and tried to kill her will try again if her loved ones do not protect her. ThIS sets out many scenarios with Anne de Bourgh,her mother and the Colonel. Elizabeth's brother is interesting but I could have done without him. Lol. Wickham is not in much of the story.
Eventually Lizzy succumbs to Darcy's charms as he really tries so hard to show her he is a decent man.
The second half goes slow and was hard to finish, The writer changes critical scenes without a slight warning time after time. Which was a little off putting. All in all I gave it 4 stars as the story was good though it needed some editing.
Three females get their comeuppance! DELICIOUS!
January 26, 2023
3.5 rounded off to 4. I love Elizabeth has better connections/fortune stories. This story starts really well. The villains are extra vicious and their punishments are equally deserving. But some of the threads were unnecessarily expanded that they took my focus away from the main story and thus slowed down what should have been a faster narration. A really good editing would have done wonders for this book.
November 27, 2022
I recently reread this and the story is really good. I think there are a couple of plot lines that should just be eliminated because they don’t really add to the story. Im thinking that we could lose the Russian princess and not miss a thing, especially when the brother seems to quickly forget his heart break when an old neighbor shows up.
April 5, 2020
The book was very well written, but it wasn’t possible for me to get absorbed. The book contains too many stories to stay focussed and Lizzy is too perfect to identify with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
Excellent story. Great Audible book
May 13, 2020
"Taken" is a "Pride and Prejudice" Variation. Although, I would call it a retelling because it is not close to canon. It is its own story containing most, if not all, of the wonderful characters from "Pride and Prejudice".
Elisabeth is taken from her home at the age of four. She was beaten and left on the side of the road to die. Fortunately, she was found by the Bennet’s, not Thomas and Frances, but Thomas’s brother, Edwin. When Edwin’s wife dies, he and his two little girls (Jane and Elisabeth) move to Longbourn to live with Thomas, Frances, and their girls, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. After Edwin dies, Frances has no qualms about disparaging Elisabeth - telling her she will never amount to anything, and no one will ever marry a foundling.
The story begins when Jane is set to marry Mr. Bingley, and Elisabeth will then move to London to live with her Aunt and Uncle (not the Gardiners). She meets Darcy for the first time at Jane and Bingley’s wedding.
I didn’t like Darcy at the beginning of this story. He was influenced too much by his Matlock family. He had only met Elisabeth three or four times before he felt he must have her (much too soon, in my opinion). He, of course, makes a huge blunter and insults Elisabeth. But like Elisabeth, he does become a much better man and earns my trust.
At 476 pages, it’s a long story and has too many plot-lines. The main storyline is good, and I felt like it wrapped up nicely about halfway through the book. The second half of the story had too much going on. The author could have written a separate book for Jillian (Elizabeth’s biological brother) or Caroline Bingley with a happier ending for her. I know we love to hate her, but she could be redeemed.
I did like what happened to Caroline! It was pretty funny, and she got her just rewards. I would have liked to see her grow into a sympathetic person on her grand adventure. (I’m not saying more because...spoilers)
I was sad that Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were not close friends. And I could do without Anne de Bourgh’s storyline altogether.
I did like Mary Bennet. She was very kind to Elisabeth. She and Jane would often protect Elisabeth from Mrs. Bennet.
If you like a story that just keeps on going, "Taken" might be the story for you! Sadly, this story wasn’t for me. I hope if you read it, you will like it much more than I did.
2.5 stars.
FTC Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the story from the publisher for my honest review.
Elisabeth is taken from her home at the age of four. She was beaten and left on the side of the road to die. Fortunately, she was found by the Bennet’s, not Thomas and Frances, but Thomas’s brother, Edwin. When Edwin’s wife dies, he and his two little girls (Jane and Elisabeth) move to Longbourn to live with Thomas, Frances, and their girls, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. After Edwin dies, Frances has no qualms about disparaging Elisabeth - telling her she will never amount to anything, and no one will ever marry a foundling.
The story begins when Jane is set to marry Mr. Bingley, and Elisabeth will then move to London to live with her Aunt and Uncle (not the Gardiners). She meets Darcy for the first time at Jane and Bingley’s wedding.
I didn’t like Darcy at the beginning of this story. He was influenced too much by his Matlock family. He had only met Elisabeth three or four times before he felt he must have her (much too soon, in my opinion). He, of course, makes a huge blunter and insults Elisabeth. But like Elisabeth, he does become a much better man and earns my trust.
At 476 pages, it’s a long story and has too many plot-lines. The main storyline is good, and I felt like it wrapped up nicely about halfway through the book. The second half of the story had too much going on. The author could have written a separate book for Jillian (Elizabeth’s biological brother) or Caroline Bingley with a happier ending for her. I know we love to hate her, but she could be redeemed.
I did like what happened to Caroline! It was pretty funny, and she got her just rewards. I would have liked to see her grow into a sympathetic person on her grand adventure. (I’m not saying more because...spoilers)
I was sad that Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were not close friends. And I could do without Anne de Bourgh’s storyline altogether.
I did like Mary Bennet. She was very kind to Elisabeth. She and Jane would often protect Elisabeth from Mrs. Bennet.
If you like a story that just keeps on going, "Taken" might be the story for you! Sadly, this story wasn’t for me. I hope if you read it, you will like it much more than I did.
2.5 stars.
FTC Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the story from the publisher for my honest review.
March 4, 2021
This book had some wonderful imagery in the beginning and I was settling in for a good read. However, I'm afraid it became a really confusing read. Numerous times I went back and re-read sections to see if I missed something. Nope. Too many conversations fall apart, both in terms of structure and content. Too many explanations lack, well, actual explanations. Sometimes it's not apparent who is speaking. It was not a smooth reading experience.
The characters talk to themselves a lot. Internal thoughts are noted with italics but there are a number of first person, quote blocks as well. Not a fan of that device. It's lazy.
Darcy is too enamored with Elizabeth too soon. He is easily led. Darcy was also a bit of a baby, blaming the Northamptons for abandoning him when they were dealing with their own sh*t. Seriously, you're a grown ass man. Georgiana comes across as more resolute than Darcy. Actually, so does Bingley. At one point, Darcy even reminds me of Mr. Collins.
Elizabeth forgives Darcy more quickly and completely, for making an indecent proposal and twice thinking she's an older man's mistress, than she did when he simply called her tolerable in the original story. Because doesn't every woman's heart just beat a little faster when a handsome man tells her she ignited his senses and talking with her is as easy and satisfying as talking to...HER PARENTS. Smooth talker.
Twice, scenes end with somebody fainting due to surprise (Lady Matlock at the museum and Anne (?) at the modiste) and it's never explained or referred to again. This is problematic because those faints don't really make sense. And there's yet more fainting beyond these incidents.
I threw in the towel at 64%.
The characters talk to themselves a lot. Internal thoughts are noted with italics but there are a number of first person, quote blocks as well. Not a fan of that device. It's lazy.
Darcy is too enamored with Elizabeth too soon. He is easily led. Darcy was also a bit of a baby, blaming the Northamptons for abandoning him when they were dealing with their own sh*t. Seriously, you're a grown ass man. Georgiana comes across as more resolute than Darcy. Actually, so does Bingley. At one point, Darcy even reminds me of Mr. Collins.
Elizabeth forgives Darcy more quickly and completely, for making an indecent proposal and twice thinking she's an older man's mistress, than she did when he simply called her tolerable in the original story. Because doesn't every woman's heart just beat a little faster when a handsome man tells her she ignited his senses and talking with her is as easy and satisfying as talking to...HER PARENTS. Smooth talker.
Twice, scenes end with somebody fainting due to surprise (Lady Matlock at the museum and Anne (?) at the modiste) and it's never explained or referred to again. This is problematic because those faints don't really make sense. And there's yet more fainting beyond these incidents.
I threw in the towel at 64%.
May 15, 2020
I’m not quite sure how I feel about this story... the overall plot is interesting and well written but somehow it just seemed off...
The first 48% of the book moved quickly and was anticlimactic. It was unbelievable how fast Darcy & Elizabeth fell in love, especially with Darcy’s insinuation not once but twice about Elizabeth’s status as someone’s mistress. The situations with all the parties involved were also quickly resolved but not explained in details.
The second half of the book was drawn out and had so many sub plots. The quickness of individuals falling in and out of supposed love with other characters didn’t provide the readers time to build up to a meaningful relationship. Even the epilogue ended abruptly.
The second half of the book could been completely edited out or made into a sequel. I would of love to have extra page time for Darcy and Elizabeth to get to know each other especially since she only recently reunited with her family. Even if there was a bit more page time about the Duke and Duchess and their absence from Darcy’s life. I’m not sure what happened to Lady Matlock (Colonel Fitzwilliam’s mom)after her husband died... we last heard of her after she fainted seeing Elizabeth at the museum...
I felt like there were many unfinished plots that left us hanging and others that were completely rushed and didn’t really make sense. It was hard to be motivated to finish the story towards the end...
I did enjoy Elizabeth’s relationship with Mary & Jane Bennet. I loved that Elizabeth had a brother and she had family that loved her.
2.5⭐️
The first 48% of the book moved quickly and was anticlimactic. It was unbelievable how fast Darcy & Elizabeth fell in love, especially with Darcy’s insinuation not once but twice about Elizabeth’s status as someone’s mistress. The situations with all the parties involved were also quickly resolved but not explained in details.
The second half of the book was drawn out and had so many sub plots. The quickness of individuals falling in and out of supposed love with other characters didn’t provide the readers time to build up to a meaningful relationship. Even the epilogue ended abruptly.
The second half of the book could been completely edited out or made into a sequel. I would of love to have extra page time for Darcy and Elizabeth to get to know each other especially since she only recently reunited with her family. Even if there was a bit more page time about the Duke and Duchess and their absence from Darcy’s life. I’m not sure what happened to Lady Matlock (Colonel Fitzwilliam’s mom)after her husband died... we last heard of her after she fainted seeing Elizabeth at the museum...
I felt like there were many unfinished plots that left us hanging and others that were completely rushed and didn’t really make sense. It was hard to be motivated to finish the story towards the end...
I did enjoy Elizabeth’s relationship with Mary & Jane Bennet. I loved that Elizabeth had a brother and she had family that loved her.
2.5⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2020
I am very interested in stories where Elizabeth is not a Bennet, so Taken was already a book I anticipated reading. But it’s not only about that. Taken is a story about courage, resilience and forgiveness that involves the reader in a plot full of mystery, evil, surprises and also a beautiful love story.
The beginning of the story goes like this: Lady Elizabeth, daughter of a Duke, is kidnapped at the age of 5 and left to die. Mr Bennet finds her and along with his wife and child, Jane, take care of her and love her. After 15 years, she meets Fitzwilliam Darcy and her life as a Bennet will never be the same. There are many new and lovely characters, such as Mrs Releigh (Elizabeth’s aunt), Jullian (Elizabeth’s brother) and the Duchess (Elizabeth’s real mom, whom I really liked in this story). Along with Elizabeth, we get to know these people and love them and see how much her kidnapping devastated not only the life of her immediate family, but also that of her cousins, uncles and aunts. During this journey, we get to discover how Elizabeth’s kidnapping happened, who was the culprit and what were the repercussions. We also get to see Darcy’s transformation, because in a way, in this story, he has way more to atone for than his arrogance and pride. Add to that the intern and emotional journey Elizabeth has to go through, to rediscover herself as the daughter of a Duke and as a woman. It’s a wonderful and fascinating story!
The beginning of the story goes like this: Lady Elizabeth, daughter of a Duke, is kidnapped at the age of 5 and left to die. Mr Bennet finds her and along with his wife and child, Jane, take care of her and love her. After 15 years, she meets Fitzwilliam Darcy and her life as a Bennet will never be the same. There are many new and lovely characters, such as Mrs Releigh (Elizabeth’s aunt), Jullian (Elizabeth’s brother) and the Duchess (Elizabeth’s real mom, whom I really liked in this story). Along with Elizabeth, we get to know these people and love them and see how much her kidnapping devastated not only the life of her immediate family, but also that of her cousins, uncles and aunts. During this journey, we get to discover how Elizabeth’s kidnapping happened, who was the culprit and what were the repercussions. We also get to see Darcy’s transformation, because in a way, in this story, he has way more to atone for than his arrogance and pride. Add to that the intern and emotional journey Elizabeth has to go through, to rediscover herself as the daughter of a Duke and as a woman. It’s a wonderful and fascinating story!
January 2, 2024
This Pride and Prejudice based story has so much going on.
The many lives of Elizabeth Bennet - so much love, hate, conflict, and more love
The struggle of Fitzwilliam Darcy - family duty for selfish reasons or truth to ones self
The second struggle of Fitzwilliam Darcy - attraction, uncertainty, love, unconditional love
Parents - loss of a child, coping, hope, love
Siblings - support, coping, love
Detractors - Mental illness, revenge, jealousy, evil, and intrigue!
The story was an easy read that kept me interested but there were a lot of dead plot ends that left me scratching me head.
The many lives of Elizabeth Bennet - so much love, hate, conflict, and more love
The struggle of Fitzwilliam Darcy - family duty for selfish reasons or truth to ones self
The second struggle of Fitzwilliam Darcy - attraction, uncertainty, love, unconditional love
Parents - loss of a child, coping, hope, love
Siblings - support, coping, love
Detractors - Mental illness, revenge, jealousy, evil, and intrigue!
The story was an easy read that kept me interested but there were a lot of dead plot ends that left me scratching me head.
April 20, 2020
This book was messy and uneven, yet up until about the halfway point I still liked it despite my better judgement. The plot was all over the place but I was entertained and intrigued anyway. Then, a bit past 50% on my kindle the major plot points were mostly tied up and the story inexplicably kept going. I totally lost interest and skimming commenced.
December 27, 2020
What If Elizabeth Had Her Own Peculiar History With the Darcy Family?
In this extraordinarily inventive Pride and Prejudice variation Mary Anne Mushatt takes readers on a journey far off canon that explores what would happen if: Elizabeth was not a Bennet, Darcy had relations that were attempting to control his affairs, and Elizabeth posed a threat to some of his relations’ future plans…Plans they are so desperate to see come to fruition that they carry out some of the most heinous and vicious acts possible!
Many years later after a traumatic abduction, agonizing familial pain, and continued selfish manipulation, the truth begins to be unearthed. Both Elizabeth and Darcy make some startling discoveries about their families, their peculiar connection to each other, and how to combat the forces of evil that are still striving to achieve their nefarious aims. With so many that wish them harm, can Darcy and Elizabeth find their way to security, peace, and happiness together?
As you can tell from the book description, this is one dramatic and enthralling story, and I thoroughly applaud Ms. Mushatt’s creativity and courage to explore such a bold and shocking premise! With recently reading (and loving) books like The Perfect Gentleman, I Never Knew Myself, and Being Mrs. Darcy, I find I am more and more drawn to stories that deviate from the Pride and Prejudice canon. It is interesting to see the variety of compelling premises and possibiilities that can develop when an author expands their purview! I loved exploring the idea of Elizabeth having different parentage and history, and I equally loved seeing a spotlight on various relations in Mr. Darcy’s family circle. This story is much more about the Darcys, Fitzwilliams, and de Bourghs than the Bennets, Bingleys, and Gardiners.
There were several aspects of this exhilarating saga that I greatly enjoyed, such as the new original characters – (especially the Raleighs, the Duke and Duchess of Northampton, and Julian) and Ms. Mushatt’s multi-perspective episodic storytelling style. I enjoyed learning the personalities and natures of these new characters and witnessing their relationships with Darcy and Elizabeth. And I enjoyed being privy to the various scenes and doings with these characters throughout the tale.
But there were also some aspects of this story of which I was not fond, and I think I can sum it by saying that it often felt very disjointed. With so many characters and storylines to follow and a lot of segmented story arcs to piece together, it felt like some cohesion was missing. There were several storylines that came to an anticlimactic resolution and some characters and developments that were introduced without purpose and then abruptly dispatched.
As a whole, the addition of these characters and their storylines sometimes detracted attention from Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s relationship, which while satisfying in some respects, sometimes felt a little briskly paced and under-developed. I would have loved for more time to be spent with Elizabeth (to witness some introspection or emotional processing of all she went through, past and present), Darcy (as his behavior sometimes felt erratic and a bit like a “half-hearted courtship”), and with both of them together (their change of hearts felt sudden and less convincing).
Despite these issues, there is surfeit of tension, excitement, and action in this engaging and entertaining Pride and Prejudice variation that I know many readers will delight in! After reading and enjoying Darcy and the Duchess many years ago, I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to read another story from the pen of Mary Anne Mushatt. I love her dynamic and imaginative approach to these characters.
NOTE: There are some scenes that allude to suggestive content and violence. I’d recommend this story for readers over the age of 14.
Austenesque Reviews
In this extraordinarily inventive Pride and Prejudice variation Mary Anne Mushatt takes readers on a journey far off canon that explores what would happen if: Elizabeth was not a Bennet, Darcy had relations that were attempting to control his affairs, and Elizabeth posed a threat to some of his relations’ future plans…Plans they are so desperate to see come to fruition that they carry out some of the most heinous and vicious acts possible!
Many years later after a traumatic abduction, agonizing familial pain, and continued selfish manipulation, the truth begins to be unearthed. Both Elizabeth and Darcy make some startling discoveries about their families, their peculiar connection to each other, and how to combat the forces of evil that are still striving to achieve their nefarious aims. With so many that wish them harm, can Darcy and Elizabeth find their way to security, peace, and happiness together?
As you can tell from the book description, this is one dramatic and enthralling story, and I thoroughly applaud Ms. Mushatt’s creativity and courage to explore such a bold and shocking premise! With recently reading (and loving) books like The Perfect Gentleman, I Never Knew Myself, and Being Mrs. Darcy, I find I am more and more drawn to stories that deviate from the Pride and Prejudice canon. It is interesting to see the variety of compelling premises and possibiilities that can develop when an author expands their purview! I loved exploring the idea of Elizabeth having different parentage and history, and I equally loved seeing a spotlight on various relations in Mr. Darcy’s family circle. This story is much more about the Darcys, Fitzwilliams, and de Bourghs than the Bennets, Bingleys, and Gardiners.
There were several aspects of this exhilarating saga that I greatly enjoyed, such as the new original characters – (especially the Raleighs, the Duke and Duchess of Northampton, and Julian) and Ms. Mushatt’s multi-perspective episodic storytelling style. I enjoyed learning the personalities and natures of these new characters and witnessing their relationships with Darcy and Elizabeth. And I enjoyed being privy to the various scenes and doings with these characters throughout the tale.
But there were also some aspects of this story of which I was not fond, and I think I can sum it by saying that it often felt very disjointed. With so many characters and storylines to follow and a lot of segmented story arcs to piece together, it felt like some cohesion was missing. There were several storylines that came to an anticlimactic resolution and some characters and developments that were introduced without purpose and then abruptly dispatched.
As a whole, the addition of these characters and their storylines sometimes detracted attention from Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s relationship, which while satisfying in some respects, sometimes felt a little briskly paced and under-developed. I would have loved for more time to be spent with Elizabeth (to witness some introspection or emotional processing of all she went through, past and present), Darcy (as his behavior sometimes felt erratic and a bit like a “half-hearted courtship”), and with both of them together (their change of hearts felt sudden and less convincing).
Despite these issues, there is surfeit of tension, excitement, and action in this engaging and entertaining Pride and Prejudice variation that I know many readers will delight in! After reading and enjoying Darcy and the Duchess many years ago, I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to read another story from the pen of Mary Anne Mushatt. I love her dynamic and imaginative approach to these characters.
NOTE: There are some scenes that allude to suggestive content and violence. I’d recommend this story for readers over the age of 14.
Austenesque Reviews
August 9, 2025
The reader knows from the start that Elizabeth is not a Bennet. This story explores two main threads.
First it explores both the discovery of who Elizabeth really is and the societal and emotional consequences of that discovery. The author carefully reveals the emotional cost to everyone and masterfully exposes the vulnerability of both the victims and the perpetrators.
The second main theme is the more adventurous “whodunnit”, revealing not only those responsible but the knock-on effect of their actions even after Elizabeth has been restored to her family.
On a second reading I have dropped the rating to 4* as I found the side plots too distracting and in need of cutting. The Caroline Bingley story is not needed and the Anne de Bourgh story is just too much.
This book is very different from most variations and I heartily recommend it to all.
First it explores both the discovery of who Elizabeth really is and the societal and emotional consequences of that discovery. The author carefully reveals the emotional cost to everyone and masterfully exposes the vulnerability of both the victims and the perpetrators.
The second main theme is the more adventurous “whodunnit”, revealing not only those responsible but the knock-on effect of their actions even after Elizabeth has been restored to her family.
On a second reading I have dropped the rating to 4* as I found the side plots too distracting and in need of cutting. The Caroline Bingley story is not needed and the Anne de Bourgh story is just too much.
This book is very different from most variations and I heartily recommend it to all.
January 20, 2021
Quite the Tale
Reviewed in Canada on April 14, 2020
There were many pieces to this story. I found it good, but throughout the book, it regularly and quickly jumped from one set of characters to another. While it existed, it didn’t feel so much to be the love story of ODC, as it was in dealing with the characters who did them both wrong and how they all eventually meet their fate. Nevertheless, it held my interest throughout and I thought it was good. I also very much enjoyed the characters who supported ODC.
Reviewed in Canada on April 14, 2020
There were many pieces to this story. I found it good, but throughout the book, it regularly and quickly jumped from one set of characters to another. While it existed, it didn’t feel so much to be the love story of ODC, as it was in dealing with the characters who did them both wrong and how they all eventually meet their fate. Nevertheless, it held my interest throughout and I thought it was good. I also very much enjoyed the characters who supported ODC.
April 23, 2021
Elizabeth is taken as a 4 year old!
Just reading this fabulous story again. Poor Elizabeth is taken as a child by Lady Catherine after beating a four year old with a riding crop! She was dumbed from the carriage, but ended up at Longbourn where she is taken care of. Eventually, in London, she is recognized for who she is, a daughter of a peer of the realm!
Just reading this fabulous story again. Poor Elizabeth is taken as a child by Lady Catherine after beating a four year old with a riding crop! She was dumbed from the carriage, but ended up at Longbourn where she is taken care of. Eventually, in London, she is recognized for who she is, a daughter of a peer of the realm!
May 10, 2020
Really liked the premise of this story, but it was way too long. It dragged on and on and I feel like the author needed to take care of everybody’s loose end. And as a result Darcy and Elizabeth’s happily ever after was way too long in coming.
July 1, 2021
I loved this book. Strong characters, and is showing most of the people the way I always thought their characters are. There is some strong scenes of abuse but they are handled with caring and in flash backs. I will recommend this book to anyone. I received a copy as an arc with no promised review. I will definentley will be buying a copy for my library.
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