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A Test of Fire
When two new eligible bachelors move into the neighborhood, the Meryton Assembly becomes a more exciting harvest celebration than ever before. Couples dance and make new acquaintances, reveling in so many possibilities the evening presents . . . until the shout of "FIRE!" echoes from overhead.
Scrambling for safety separates Elizabeth Bennet from her sister, Jane. Frightened that she might lose the person she loves best in all the world, Lizzy sets aside her fear and rushes back in to the burning building. Overwhelmed by the heat and falling debris, suddenly it's Elizabeth in desperate need of saving!
When the burned out shell of the tavern and assembly rooms are left smoldering in the early morning hours, many families have lost too much. The Bennet family sits vigil over the injured Lizzy, praying that she wakes up. They are joined by another, the very man who carried her out in his arms: Mr. Darcy.
A Test of Fire is a feel-good path of healing and overcoming survivor's guilt for Our Dear Couple. You don't want to miss it!
Scrambling for safety separates Elizabeth Bennet from her sister, Jane. Frightened that she might lose the person she loves best in all the world, Lizzy sets aside her fear and rushes back in to the burning building. Overwhelmed by the heat and falling debris, suddenly it's Elizabeth in desperate need of saving!
When the burned out shell of the tavern and assembly rooms are left smoldering in the early morning hours, many families have lost too much. The Bennet family sits vigil over the injured Lizzy, praying that she wakes up. They are joined by another, the very man who carried her out in his arms: Mr. Darcy.
A Test of Fire is a feel-good path of healing and overcoming survivor's guilt for Our Dear Couple. You don't want to miss it!
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2021
11 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Ann West
40 books142 followersA Jane-of-all-trades, mistress to none! Elizabeth Ann West is the author of 7 novels and 9 novellas, 15 of which are story variations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Her books have won reader conference awards and hit the Historical Bestseller lists on Amazon, Kobo, and the iBooks stores multiple times. A lover of all things geeky, Elizabeth codes websites, dabbles in graphic design, and is always looking for new technology to learn and master. A Navy wife and mother of two, her family has lived all over the United States, currently residing in upstate New York. Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, you can keep up with Elizabeth on Twitter @Eawwrites and on her website, http://elizabethannwest.com where she posts new fiction as she writes it!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 17, 2021
Followed along as a WIP. The story starts out with high emotions following a fire in which quite a few people died and Elizabeth was injured, during the assembly in Meryton.
Bingley makes sure Jane gets out (with major desired repercussions for them down the road).
Darcy goes in for Elizabeth after she tried to go to save Charlotte.
Families are in mourning, Elizabeth's injuries get complicated, and romance is definitely in the air between Netherfield and Longbourn.
It is a sweet story, with the emotional aftermath very well portrayed. The ending was lovely and worth reading through the whole story to get to it!
Bingley makes sure Jane gets out (with major desired repercussions for them down the road).
Darcy goes in for Elizabeth after she tried to go to save Charlotte.
Families are in mourning, Elizabeth's injuries get complicated, and romance is definitely in the air between Netherfield and Longbourn.
It is a sweet story, with the emotional aftermath very well portrayed. The ending was lovely and worth reading through the whole story to get to it!
December 19, 2021
Started strong
This story has a good strong beginning after the infamous insult to Elizabeth when a fire breaks out and Darcy rescues her from the flames. The remainder of the tale is nicely told but a bit flat in my opinion. Some proofreading misses.
This story has a good strong beginning after the infamous insult to Elizabeth when a fire breaks out and Darcy rescues her from the flames. The remainder of the tale is nicely told but a bit flat in my opinion. Some proofreading misses.
December 11, 2021
Lovely
An absolutely emotional and definitely enjoyable variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Elizabeth Ann West.
An absolutely emotional and definitely enjoyable variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Elizabeth Ann West.
December 19, 2021
A completely engaging story. What an interesting way for relationships to develop after a tragedy. This is an original tale that gives our beloved couple the opportunity to reveal their true selves. A very worthy read!
December 21, 2021
Firefighters save hearts and homes. ~ Author unknown
I have read several stories of fires at Longbourn, Netherfield, Pemberley, and once at the Bingley townhouse. This is the first story I have read about a fire at the Meryton Assembly.
The entire village is gathered to dance and play cards. Fire spreads quickly and many are trapped. Injuries and deaths affect many families.
Fitzwilliam Darcy finds Elizabeth Bennet within the burning building and brings her to safety.
This is a story of recovery from injury and grief. Is it possible to fall in love in the midst of this devastation?
Firemen never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved. ~ Susan Diane Murphree
I have read several stories of fires at Longbourn, Netherfield, Pemberley, and once at the Bingley townhouse. This is the first story I have read about a fire at the Meryton Assembly.
The entire village is gathered to dance and play cards. Fire spreads quickly and many are trapped. Injuries and deaths affect many families.
Fitzwilliam Darcy finds Elizabeth Bennet within the burning building and brings her to safety.
This is a story of recovery from injury and grief. Is it possible to fall in love in the midst of this devastation?
Firemen never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved. ~ Susan Diane Murphree
January 7, 2022
Just okay
Mr Darcy delivers his infamous insult about Elizabeth Bennett at the Meryton assembly, and a short time later a fire breaks out, causing chaos and taking many lives. Elizabeth is seriously injured in the fire, and is rescued from it by Darcy. He comes to Longbourn daily to check up on her, and to even help with her care, even bringing in his personal physician from London. As Elizabeth begins to recover, she starts to esteem Darcy, but also starts to question his motives for rescuing her.
This is an interesting premise, but it fell flat because of certain problems with the book. Although the storyline is well crafted, the writing is pretty bad, and very confusing. Sentence structure is poor, often forcing me to read a line several times to figure out the meaning. It almost seemed like the book was written in a foreign language, and translated by someone who wasn't very fluent in English.
I like the Darcy character in this version, but not Elizabeth. She's portrayed as a short tempered, argumentative, and sometimes downright rude person, almost Lydia-like in her cattiness. Darcy goes to the trouble of getting his personal physician from London to come stay at Longbourn, and help with Elizabeth's care, and Elizabeth does nothing but gripe and complain, and act rude to the doctor. She's not a very admirable person.
A good idea for a story, but it took a really long time to feel any chemistry between Elizabeth and Darcy. I can't really recommend this book.
Mr Darcy delivers his infamous insult about Elizabeth Bennett at the Meryton assembly, and a short time later a fire breaks out, causing chaos and taking many lives. Elizabeth is seriously injured in the fire, and is rescued from it by Darcy. He comes to Longbourn daily to check up on her, and to even help with her care, even bringing in his personal physician from London. As Elizabeth begins to recover, she starts to esteem Darcy, but also starts to question his motives for rescuing her.
This is an interesting premise, but it fell flat because of certain problems with the book. Although the storyline is well crafted, the writing is pretty bad, and very confusing. Sentence structure is poor, often forcing me to read a line several times to figure out the meaning. It almost seemed like the book was written in a foreign language, and translated by someone who wasn't very fluent in English.
I like the Darcy character in this version, but not Elizabeth. She's portrayed as a short tempered, argumentative, and sometimes downright rude person, almost Lydia-like in her cattiness. Darcy goes to the trouble of getting his personal physician from London to come stay at Longbourn, and help with Elizabeth's care, and Elizabeth does nothing but gripe and complain, and act rude to the doctor. She's not a very admirable person.
A good idea for a story, but it took a really long time to feel any chemistry between Elizabeth and Darcy. I can't really recommend this book.
March 20, 2025
A Test of Fire
A horrible incident at this story’s beginning brings a delightful HEA for ODC. Doubling the delight was there was no Wickham to add any more angst to the story to prevent the much needed healing to the people of Meryton. Unfortunately, the clinging barnacle, Caroline Bingley, clueless Collins, and the ever conspiratorial Lady Catherine de Bourgh were all present in the story. All were written out by the author without much sadness. The heroic action of Darcy saves Elizabeth, but she needs time to heal from not only her burns, but from the town’s loss of many of their own especially family and friends. Excellent story.
A horrible incident at this story’s beginning brings a delightful HEA for ODC. Doubling the delight was there was no Wickham to add any more angst to the story to prevent the much needed healing to the people of Meryton. Unfortunately, the clinging barnacle, Caroline Bingley, clueless Collins, and the ever conspiratorial Lady Catherine de Bourgh were all present in the story. All were written out by the author without much sadness. The heroic action of Darcy saves Elizabeth, but she needs time to heal from not only her burns, but from the town’s loss of many of their own especially family and friends. Excellent story.
December 19, 2021
Fire can destroy much but also provide life saving warmth.
Loved this book. The story had it all: angst, sorrow, growth, friendship and, of course, HEA. The absence of some of the traditional villains and villainy was a refreshing omission.
Only one very minor nit: a few missed errors in an otherwise very well edited book.
Highly recommended. This will go into my read again cache.
Loved this book. The story had it all: angst, sorrow, growth, friendship and, of course, HEA. The absence of some of the traditional villains and villainy was a refreshing omission.
Only one very minor nit: a few missed errors in an otherwise very well edited book.
Highly recommended. This will go into my read again cache.
June 16, 2025
Nobody, absolutely nobody, needs people posing as "authors" who let AI generate "their" "books".
If you can't be arsed to write it, I most certainly can't be arsed to buy or read it.
Bugger off with this shite.
If you can't be arsed to write it, I most certainly can't be arsed to buy or read it.
Bugger off with this shite.
January 26, 2022
Exceptional
Sadness hope caring. So much emotion it holds the readers attention from start to finish. The same beloved characters but in such a different theme.
Sadness hope caring. So much emotion it holds the readers attention from start to finish. The same beloved characters but in such a different theme.
March 23, 2022
In this Pride and Prejudice variation, at the Meryton Assembly a fire breaks out resulting in twenty deads including Charlotte Lucas and Mrs Philips. How will effect the lives of the Bennets.
An enjoyable story
An enjoyable story
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews