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The Montford Cousins #1
An Endeavour to be Worthy
After a long separation, Elizabeth Bennet is off to spend Christmas in London with her grandparents, Lord and Lady Richmond, and her cousins, Nicholas and his sister, Amelia. While her grandmother is determined to see her spoiled with new gowns and the like, Elizabeth would prefer to play chess and shop for books with Nicholas and her grandfather and visit with her grandmother and Amelia. At Lady Vranes’s private art exhibition, Elizabeth happens upon the one person she hoped she would never see again, Mr. Darcy. Not only that, but her grandparents and cousins are well acquainted with him, his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and his young sister, Georgiana. How is she to behave around a man who finds her merely tolerable and made his disdain for her evident during his time at Netherfield? Moreover, what is she to do when he calls at Richmond House as a good friend of the family?
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn. He has just realized that the Elizabeth Bennet he thought so unsuitable in Hertfordshire is, in fact, eminently suitable to be Mrs. Darcy and boasts of connexions that even his uncle, Lord Fitzwilliam, cannot fault. The only problem seems to be his behaviour in Meryton. Now, he must seek her forgiveness and attempt to court the only lady who has ever tempted him beyond reason. Will he be the gentleman who wins her heart? In the end, she will make her choice, all he can do is endeavour to be worthy.
Contains scenes with adult content.
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn. He has just realized that the Elizabeth Bennet he thought so unsuitable in Hertfordshire is, in fact, eminently suitable to be Mrs. Darcy and boasts of connexions that even his uncle, Lord Fitzwilliam, cannot fault. The only problem seems to be his behaviour in Meryton. Now, he must seek her forgiveness and attempt to court the only lady who has ever tempted him beyond reason. Will he be the gentleman who wins her heart? In the end, she will make her choice, all he can do is endeavour to be worthy.
Contains scenes with adult content.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2022
165 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
L.L. Diamond
36 books183 followersAmazon best selling author L. L. Diamond is more commonly known as Leslie to her friends, and Mom to her three kids. A native of Louisiana, she has spent the majority of her life living within an hour of New Orleans until she followed her husband to the ends of the earth as a military wife. Louisiana, Mississippi, California, Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, England, Missouri, and now Maryland have all been called home along the way.
Aside from mother and writer, Leslie considers herself a perpetual student. She has degrees in biology and studio art, but will devour any subject of interest simply for the knowledge. As an artist, her concentration is in graphic design, but watercolor is her medium of choice with one of her watercolors featured on the cover of her second book, A Matter of Chance. She is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. She also plays flute and piano, but much like Elizabeth Bennet, she is always in need of practice!
Aside from mother and writer, Leslie considers herself a perpetual student. She has degrees in biology and studio art, but will devour any subject of interest simply for the knowledge. As an artist, her concentration is in graphic design, but watercolor is her medium of choice with one of her watercolors featured on the cover of her second book, A Matter of Chance. She is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. She also plays flute and piano, but much like Elizabeth Bennet, she is always in need of practice!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 15, 2022
Elizabeth is more connected than Darcy assumed
A quick read. The dynamics between the Montfords and the fun dialog help in that.
I did skim lots of the second half. Not a fan of OOC premarital nooky, especially in regency era.
And I assume the reason we don't get an epilogue is that the other's stories will be told in consequent books.
The Bingley story line was very diffand interesting in it's inventiveness.
A quick read. The dynamics between the Montfords and the fun dialog help in that.
I did skim lots of the second half. Not a fan of OOC premarital nooky, especially in regency era.
And I assume the reason we don't get an epilogue is that the other's stories will be told in consequent books.
The Bingley story line was very diffand interesting in it's inventiveness.
December 28, 2022
Going in we know that this is the first of a series so cannot complain when there are some dangling threads at the end. It is rated MA so be warned and also Bingley is not like the man from canon. I was not happy with that but it is the author's choice.
Elizabeth and Jane are children from Mr. Bennet's first marriage. The second Mrs. Bennet is even more extreme in her dislike of Elizabeth, especially when from the onset E. doesn't want to call her "Mama". The two sisters spent some time with their mother's parents after her death and at the time their surnames became Montford, legally. Collins has come calling and E. seeks refuge from her stepmother's anger over that. So now they are again living with their grandparents although Jane spends some time with the Gardiners.
Surprise, surprise...Darcy is considered to be a member of the family as his father was great friends with Lord Lady Richmond. (Elizabeth and Jane have two cousins, Nicholas and his sister, Amelia living there also.) Thus, Darcy has many chances to be in her company. Of course there is the question of whether it is the news that she has connections and fortune or whether there is true affection. Thus: the title. Darcy's thoughts quickly show that he has true feelings but he does have to prove himself.
There is that second thread: the fact that Darcy helped separate Bingley from Jane. In this story that plays out differently. I am not going to spoil the story by saying more.
I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next two books.
Elizabeth and Jane are children from Mr. Bennet's first marriage. The second Mrs. Bennet is even more extreme in her dislike of Elizabeth, especially when from the onset E. doesn't want to call her "Mama". The two sisters spent some time with their mother's parents after her death and at the time their surnames became Montford, legally. Collins has come calling and E. seeks refuge from her stepmother's anger over that. So now they are again living with their grandparents although Jane spends some time with the Gardiners.
Surprise, surprise...Darcy is considered to be a member of the family as his father was great friends with Lord Lady Richmond. (Elizabeth and Jane have two cousins, Nicholas and his sister, Amelia living there also.) Thus, Darcy has many chances to be in her company. Of course there is the question of whether it is the news that she has connections and fortune or whether there is true affection. Thus: the title. Darcy's thoughts quickly show that he has true feelings but he does have to prove himself.
There is that second thread: the fact that Darcy helped separate Bingley from Jane. In this story that plays out differently. I am not going to spoil the story by saying more.
I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next two books.
October 9, 2025
part 1 of 3 books
Lizzy and Jane are the children of Mr. Bennet’s first wife, one of the Montfords. Bennet remarries without love in hopes of begetting a heir but ends up with 3 more daughters. When Mrs. Bennet tries to marry off Jane and Lizzy to substandard husbands, their grandmother and grandfather take them to live with them. Huge what-if that leads to a great story and about as many new character and plot lines of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 😂
The unfolding story is new and quite the fun time reading it. Looking forward for to part 2. I think most JAFF lovers will enjoy this new epic.
Lizzy and Jane are the children of Mr. Bennet’s first wife, one of the Montfords. Bennet remarries without love in hopes of begetting a heir but ends up with 3 more daughters. When Mrs. Bennet tries to marry off Jane and Lizzy to substandard husbands, their grandmother and grandfather take them to live with them. Huge what-if that leads to a great story and about as many new character and plot lines of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 😂
The unfolding story is new and quite the fun time reading it. Looking forward for to part 2. I think most JAFF lovers will enjoy this new epic.
January 9, 2023
“If you want me, you’ll have to earn me. And, mister, I don’t come cheap.” –Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Fancy Pants
>>SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
>>Rating: Not clean: That’s an understatement. This was hard-core and graphic. Just saying. There was a lot of hanky-panky going on. Lizzy just made it to the wedding intact. Just saying.
>>Angst Level: stress as ODC fought for their HEA against a horrid M/M Bennet: and danger from outside forces looking for a fortune, and deflecting scoundrels and rakes in the ton
>>Source: Borrowed KU [12-21-22] with no expectations of a review. The views and opinions expressed are my own. Book 1 in The Montford Cousins Series
>>Trope: [1] A Bennet dies [2] 2nd Mrs. Bennet [3] Exalted relations with wealth. [4] NSN [not-so-nice] M/M Bennet [5] NSN Bingley [oh, dear]
“You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.” –Stephen Richards, Think Your way to Success: Let Your Dreams Run Free
There were so many changes in this version of our P&P story. Mr. Bennet’s first wife, [Lady] Sophie, died in childbirth, along with their son, when Lizzy was three. Thus, leaving a devastated Mr. Bennet. The grandparents took Jane and Lizzy to live with them for the next two years while Mr. Bennet wallowed in his grief. Once he began to come out of the depths of despair, he wanted his girls back at Longbourn. He had quickly married Fanny Gardiner to mother his girls. She, of course, adored the beautiful Jane and despised Lizzy who was the spitting image of her mother. No one knew that Sophie Bennet had been a Lady, the daughter of an earl. Or, that there were even more illustrious relatives to the girls. Mr. Bennet had always been quiet regarding his connections. Especially where the grasping Fanny Gardiner was concerned. Over the years, Edward Gardiner, hired by the earl, had been quietly growing dowries for the two girls to an amount that would make Caroline Bingley swoon with jealousy.
Years later: Meryton: Dun-da-dun. The new neighbors from Netherfield waltzed into the Meryton Assembly with their noses in the air and their attitudes stuck up… never mind. Yeah. The superior sister and Fitzwilliam Darcy did it up big. He and his company eventually scurried back to London without a by-your-leave. He was hoping that he made it out in time with his heart intact. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Poor Darcy soon discovered that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth had also arrived in London. Only, Bennet was not their true last name. To make the situation worse, he knew all her relatives… all of them. And, now… they ALL knew of his insult and attitude in Meryton and how he had treated their relative. Oh, Dear. DAMAGE CONTROL!
“Love is holy because it is like grace—the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.” –Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
This was a long, LONG, story with all the misunderstandings that could happen to ODC. There were lots of new characters that I absolutely adored. Since there were several cousins introduced, I assume they will be featured in future books in this series.
The Montford Cousins Series:
Book 1: An Endeavour to be Worthy
>>SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
>>Rating: Not clean: That’s an understatement. This was hard-core and graphic. Just saying. There was a lot of hanky-panky going on. Lizzy just made it to the wedding intact. Just saying.
>>Angst Level: stress as ODC fought for their HEA against a horrid M/M Bennet: and danger from outside forces looking for a fortune, and deflecting scoundrels and rakes in the ton
>>Source: Borrowed KU [12-21-22] with no expectations of a review. The views and opinions expressed are my own. Book 1 in The Montford Cousins Series
>>Trope: [1] A Bennet dies [2] 2nd Mrs. Bennet [3] Exalted relations with wealth. [4] NSN [not-so-nice] M/M Bennet [5] NSN Bingley [oh, dear]
“You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.” –Stephen Richards, Think Your way to Success: Let Your Dreams Run Free
There were so many changes in this version of our P&P story. Mr. Bennet’s first wife, [Lady] Sophie, died in childbirth, along with their son, when Lizzy was three. Thus, leaving a devastated Mr. Bennet. The grandparents took Jane and Lizzy to live with them for the next two years while Mr. Bennet wallowed in his grief. Once he began to come out of the depths of despair, he wanted his girls back at Longbourn. He had quickly married Fanny Gardiner to mother his girls. She, of course, adored the beautiful Jane and despised Lizzy who was the spitting image of her mother. No one knew that Sophie Bennet had been a Lady, the daughter of an earl. Or, that there were even more illustrious relatives to the girls. Mr. Bennet had always been quiet regarding his connections. Especially where the grasping Fanny Gardiner was concerned. Over the years, Edward Gardiner, hired by the earl, had been quietly growing dowries for the two girls to an amount that would make Caroline Bingley swoon with jealousy.
Years later: Meryton: Dun-da-dun. The new neighbors from Netherfield waltzed into the Meryton Assembly with their noses in the air and their attitudes stuck up… never mind. Yeah. The superior sister and Fitzwilliam Darcy did it up big. He and his company eventually scurried back to London without a by-your-leave. He was hoping that he made it out in time with his heart intact. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Poor Darcy soon discovered that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth had also arrived in London. Only, Bennet was not their true last name. To make the situation worse, he knew all her relatives… all of them. And, now… they ALL knew of his insult and attitude in Meryton and how he had treated their relative. Oh, Dear. DAMAGE CONTROL!
“Love is holy because it is like grace—the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.” –Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
This was a long, LONG, story with all the misunderstandings that could happen to ODC. There were lots of new characters that I absolutely adored. Since there were several cousins introduced, I assume they will be featured in future books in this series.
The Montford Cousins Series:
Book 1: An Endeavour to be Worthy
December 14, 2022
lovely
An absolutely lovely and quite interesting variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by the talented L.L. Diamond. I enjoyed it very much and read it in one sitting.
An absolutely lovely and quite interesting variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by the talented L.L. Diamond. I enjoyed it very much and read it in one sitting.
January 8, 2023
well…
For me, it was 3 stars. About avg. for the genre.
I appreciated the overall story arc and enjoyed reading it for the most part.
I got the sense in the beginning of the book that the author was rushing to fill us in on the backstory. It made the first third or maybe even half of the book clunky to read. I was sorta rolling my eyes each time another family reminisces would reveal pieces of the backstory amidst (what I felt were) juvenile hijinx that were there to establish - relentlessly - We Are A Family That Has Fun Together, Even Though We Are All Orphans. Oh, and also, as a side note: Thomas Bennet Must Pay for His Sins. After the stories of hijinx, we build toward a rather brisk and inelegant set down-showdown at Longbourn. I had to work really hard to suspend disbelief around this time…
But then things get very interesting with some action and adventure from the Bingley camp. This very creative drama plays out simultaneously with ODC’s three week courtship followed by a three week engagement. Frankly, the Bingley thing was much more interesting than ODC as we kill time NOT anticipating our vows (how DID FD keep his head from exploding?) while all the really interesting stuff that is unique to this novel happens over at Bingley’s on their wedding night.
I think I would have enjoyed book one of this series more if the author had walked us through Jane and Lizzy’s story more slowly- and naturally, more organically convey the complexity of the Monford Dynasty. It just felt like it was forced on us quickly, because the stuff the author was excited about was the Bingley thing and FD losing his mind, bearings, senses to the charms of EB(M). So I guess I’m making a case for two books here - 1 - Here’s the story of the Family Montfort, and 2 - Fitzwilliam and Charles lose their minds.
Just my opinion, FWIW.
Average+ in JAFF.
For me, it was 3 stars. About avg. for the genre.
I appreciated the overall story arc and enjoyed reading it for the most part.
I got the sense in the beginning of the book that the author was rushing to fill us in on the backstory. It made the first third or maybe even half of the book clunky to read. I was sorta rolling my eyes each time another family reminisces would reveal pieces of the backstory amidst (what I felt were) juvenile hijinx that were there to establish - relentlessly - We Are A Family That Has Fun Together, Even Though We Are All Orphans. Oh, and also, as a side note: Thomas Bennet Must Pay for His Sins. After the stories of hijinx, we build toward a rather brisk and inelegant set down-showdown at Longbourn. I had to work really hard to suspend disbelief around this time…
But then things get very interesting with some action and adventure from the Bingley camp. This very creative drama plays out simultaneously with ODC’s three week courtship followed by a three week engagement. Frankly, the Bingley thing was much more interesting than ODC as we kill time NOT anticipating our vows (how DID FD keep his head from exploding?) while all the really interesting stuff that is unique to this novel happens over at Bingley’s on their wedding night.
I think I would have enjoyed book one of this series more if the author had walked us through Jane and Lizzy’s story more slowly- and naturally, more organically convey the complexity of the Monford Dynasty. It just felt like it was forced on us quickly, because the stuff the author was excited about was the Bingley thing and FD losing his mind, bearings, senses to the charms of EB(M). So I guess I’m making a case for two books here - 1 - Here’s the story of the Family Montfort, and 2 - Fitzwilliam and Charles lose their minds.
Just my opinion, FWIW.
Average+ in JAFF.
December 16, 2022
A book with merely a short burst of major angst is a surprise from angst queen L.L. Diamond, yet this book would be a one of those sweet Regency romance JAFFs if it weren’t for the twist at the end. The newness of a cast of characters that apparently leads to a series of stand-alone novels is the draw here.
As usual, my review will be technical, focussed on the items that most reviewers don’t comment on, but leave readers cold and cause them to drop a star.
The plot is a pretty straightforward romance story arc using some new characters and a minor but important change within the canon characters, and the book has an interesting turn of events after the end of the main story arc. There are a number of repeats of canon in the beginning and some redundancy regarding the Austen retelling that could be considered a bit too much by mid-book since there are so many characters to tell the “tolerable” story to. This is a minor point. The story is complete and has a satisfying ending.
The excellent banter leads the pace of the story as a full-on clip, with forward flow that moves and never stalls. There is good problem-solving by the characters that assists this quick forward flow. You won’t be bored reading this book.
The voice is a third person narrative alternating point of view, with the two main characters in deep POV, done well, with no head-hopping or filter words.
Language has an entertaining Regency feel without non-Regency words or Americanisms to distract from the feel of the era. I found no other editing errors. With the awesome beta team Diamond has used on this book, plus her own stickler qualities (I’ve beta’d for her on her early novels but not this one) this is no surprise.
Characterizations were satisfying, especially since Diamond had to go through and introduce a number of new characters for a series. Each of the new characters was fairly consistent and interesting, though a couple of people probably got more air time than they deserved given it was already a lot of new faces. Darcy and Elizabeth had traits that matched up with those Austen offered in canon, while focussing on specifics that suited this particular piece of fiction. We get a slight divergence for Bingley that’s totally believable.
The romance development was realistic and didn’t come too quickly. Rather, the interactions showed the development at a pace that worked, and that magical dialogue that’s trademark Diamond helped the relationship along winningly. The only thing I didn’t care for was some waffling on the part of both protagonists near the culmination, however, it was likely intended to build a little dramatic tension for some readers who appreciate that sort of material in a book (like me). Unfortunately, the repeat of the doubts came off as a redundancy, which would nag some readers.
Where scenic visuals were used, they were very Regency appropriate and made the story even better. The author sneaked in a number of technical and historical concepts and situations to enhance the story and make the reader have an even fuller experience within the novel. These details set this author’s writing apart from the average JAFF novel.
The cover is quite distinctive, which will differentiate it on the shelves or on Amazon. I’m not crazy about the petals at the lady’s shoulder since they look like angel wings. Otherwise, the beautiful main image is so unlike most covers as to make it definitely stand out, and the symbol of the rose is from within the story line--both are winning cover points. Attention to balance and to details such as curlicues show that the cover artist is a trained graphic artist. Diamondback covers are always good ones.
On a final note, even though I found the main story arc of this book to be low angst and an easy read, which is not my typical style of book, I loved the exceptional characters and the distinctive story line that was offered and look forward to the next book in the series. The romance between D&E kept the reader waiting for more and delivered a warm level of passion to keep the reader spellbound. I’d tend to chastise an author for a diversion such as the twist at the end since it’s really not part of the main story line, but instead, a distraction. On the other hand, that plot twist contained the only strong angst in the novel, capturing the imagination within the tension. A highly recommended read.
Disclaimer: I’m a JAFF author, and this review could be considered by some to be a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are all honest and impartial. I write them to benefit both the reader and the author. I’m friends with L.L. Diamond.
As usual, my review will be technical, focussed on the items that most reviewers don’t comment on, but leave readers cold and cause them to drop a star.
The plot is a pretty straightforward romance story arc using some new characters and a minor but important change within the canon characters, and the book has an interesting turn of events after the end of the main story arc. There are a number of repeats of canon in the beginning and some redundancy regarding the Austen retelling that could be considered a bit too much by mid-book since there are so many characters to tell the “tolerable” story to. This is a minor point. The story is complete and has a satisfying ending.
The excellent banter leads the pace of the story as a full-on clip, with forward flow that moves and never stalls. There is good problem-solving by the characters that assists this quick forward flow. You won’t be bored reading this book.
The voice is a third person narrative alternating point of view, with the two main characters in deep POV, done well, with no head-hopping or filter words.
Language has an entertaining Regency feel without non-Regency words or Americanisms to distract from the feel of the era. I found no other editing errors. With the awesome beta team Diamond has used on this book, plus her own stickler qualities (I’ve beta’d for her on her early novels but not this one) this is no surprise.
Characterizations were satisfying, especially since Diamond had to go through and introduce a number of new characters for a series. Each of the new characters was fairly consistent and interesting, though a couple of people probably got more air time than they deserved given it was already a lot of new faces. Darcy and Elizabeth had traits that matched up with those Austen offered in canon, while focussing on specifics that suited this particular piece of fiction. We get a slight divergence for Bingley that’s totally believable.
The romance development was realistic and didn’t come too quickly. Rather, the interactions showed the development at a pace that worked, and that magical dialogue that’s trademark Diamond helped the relationship along winningly. The only thing I didn’t care for was some waffling on the part of both protagonists near the culmination, however, it was likely intended to build a little dramatic tension for some readers who appreciate that sort of material in a book (like me). Unfortunately, the repeat of the doubts came off as a redundancy, which would nag some readers.
Where scenic visuals were used, they were very Regency appropriate and made the story even better. The author sneaked in a number of technical and historical concepts and situations to enhance the story and make the reader have an even fuller experience within the novel. These details set this author’s writing apart from the average JAFF novel.
The cover is quite distinctive, which will differentiate it on the shelves or on Amazon. I’m not crazy about the petals at the lady’s shoulder since they look like angel wings. Otherwise, the beautiful main image is so unlike most covers as to make it definitely stand out, and the symbol of the rose is from within the story line--both are winning cover points. Attention to balance and to details such as curlicues show that the cover artist is a trained graphic artist. Diamondback covers are always good ones.
On a final note, even though I found the main story arc of this book to be low angst and an easy read, which is not my typical style of book, I loved the exceptional characters and the distinctive story line that was offered and look forward to the next book in the series. The romance between D&E kept the reader waiting for more and delivered a warm level of passion to keep the reader spellbound. I’d tend to chastise an author for a diversion such as the twist at the end since it’s really not part of the main story line, but instead, a distraction. On the other hand, that plot twist contained the only strong angst in the novel, capturing the imagination within the tension. A highly recommended read.
Disclaimer: I’m a JAFF author, and this review could be considered by some to be a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are all honest and impartial. I write them to benefit both the reader and the author. I’m friends with L.L. Diamond.
June 3, 2023
Connections and Cousins
This is the first book of a planned series by the author—The Montford Cousins. In Book 1, we learn that Jane and Elizabeth are daughters of the first Mrs Bennet, Sophie, who was daughter to the Earl and Countess of Richmond (Montford). Elizabeth and Jane have been raised by Mr Bennet and the second Mrs Bennet, who has never shown much kindness to Elizabeth. Mr Bennet has really never stopped grieving for his first wife and is as indolent as ever.
Elizabeth has just arrived in London to stay with her grandparents for the season. Jane is currently with the Gardiners. They have two Montford adult cousins who appear in this book—Amelia and Nicholas, now the Viscount Hatton. Their parents were killed in a carriage accident, and they also reside with their grandparents.
Since Darcy’s parents were friends of the Earl and Countess, he is well-known to them and they consider him part of their family. Elizabeth and Darcy cross paths almost immediately upon Elizabeth’s arrival to town and they manage to quickly forgive one another for past bad impressions. A little shoving by the various Montford relations doesn’t hurt.
Elizabeth likes this different away-from-Meryton Darcy—as do I—but still has to understand these new feelings she has for him. Darcy knows he must “endeavour to be worthy” of her and convince her his feelings for her existed before he knew of her connections. There is a lot of page time for the couple. The good dialogue among all the characters flows well throughout the book and makes this a fast moving story—not an over abundance of narrative, which I always prefer. There is a major surprise in this book, at least it was for me. I think I’m still recovering from the shock of it! Ms Diamond often provides a surprise or two—recall Uncle Gardiner in An Unwavering Trust, and Colonel Fitzwilliam in Undoing, as perfect examples.
The non-canon Montford family characters are all very likeable and are lovingly portrayed. I greatly anticipate any future books in the series which I can only guess will feature the cousins’ individual stories in greater detail—and Jane too, I hope.
This is another great read from L.L. (Leslie) Diamond. Highly recommend.
Mature content.
March 3, 2023 - Audiobook
I definitely enjoyed this new-to-me narrator, Deborah Balm. Her narration and performance is very very good. Her cadence and pace is excellent. Highly recommend the audiobook.
June 1-2, 2023 - Another listen.
This is the first book of a planned series by the author—The Montford Cousins. In Book 1, we learn that Jane and Elizabeth are daughters of the first Mrs Bennet, Sophie, who was daughter to the Earl and Countess of Richmond (Montford). Elizabeth and Jane have been raised by Mr Bennet and the second Mrs Bennet, who has never shown much kindness to Elizabeth. Mr Bennet has really never stopped grieving for his first wife and is as indolent as ever.
Elizabeth has just arrived in London to stay with her grandparents for the season. Jane is currently with the Gardiners. They have two Montford adult cousins who appear in this book—Amelia and Nicholas, now the Viscount Hatton. Their parents were killed in a carriage accident, and they also reside with their grandparents.
Since Darcy’s parents were friends of the Earl and Countess, he is well-known to them and they consider him part of their family. Elizabeth and Darcy cross paths almost immediately upon Elizabeth’s arrival to town and they manage to quickly forgive one another for past bad impressions. A little shoving by the various Montford relations doesn’t hurt.
Elizabeth likes this different away-from-Meryton Darcy—as do I—but still has to understand these new feelings she has for him. Darcy knows he must “endeavour to be worthy” of her and convince her his feelings for her existed before he knew of her connections. There is a lot of page time for the couple. The good dialogue among all the characters flows well throughout the book and makes this a fast moving story—not an over abundance of narrative, which I always prefer. There is a major surprise in this book, at least it was for me. I think I’m still recovering from the shock of it! Ms Diamond often provides a surprise or two—recall Uncle Gardiner in An Unwavering Trust, and Colonel Fitzwilliam in Undoing, as perfect examples.
The non-canon Montford family characters are all very likeable and are lovingly portrayed. I greatly anticipate any future books in the series which I can only guess will feature the cousins’ individual stories in greater detail—and Jane too, I hope.
This is another great read from L.L. (Leslie) Diamond. Highly recommend.
Mature content.
March 3, 2023 - Audiobook
I definitely enjoyed this new-to-me narrator, Deborah Balm. Her narration and performance is very very good. Her cadence and pace is excellent. Highly recommend the audiobook.
June 1-2, 2023 - Another listen.
December 25, 2022
Spoilers in review
I enjoyed this but be warned Bingley lovers he is a bad guy here. This is an Elizabeth has higher connections than is known. She technically is a Bennet but her mother is not the current Mrs Bennet.
As many books as this author has written and as many readers/editors she thanks, no one caught all the plural possessive errors. It was ridiculous and distracting.
I do look forward to all of the cousins’ books. See what I did there? Plural possessive. It’s not rocket science.
I enjoyed this but be warned Bingley lovers he is a bad guy here. This is an Elizabeth has higher connections than is known. She technically is a Bennet but her mother is not the current Mrs Bennet.
As many books as this author has written and as many readers/editors she thanks, no one caught all the plural possessive errors. It was ridiculous and distracting.
I do look forward to all of the cousins’ books. See what I did there? Plural possessive. It’s not rocket science.
December 15, 2022
The one in which we burn canon down. Mr & Mrs B? Neglectful and bad. Lydia? 13 & AP spoiled. Kitty & Mary? MIA. Bingley? The new Wicky. Wicky? Dispatched quickly. Lady Cat? Up to her usual. Jane? Very naive.
Honestly I don’t know how I feel about this one. I loved the coming together of ODC. I love the new characters but for now I’m going to wait until I read the rest of the series to decide how I feel about it but this fell a little flat for me
Honestly I don’t know how I feel about this one. I loved the coming together of ODC. I love the new characters but for now I’m going to wait until I read the rest of the series to decide how I feel about it but this fell a little flat for me
December 16, 2022
Absolutely wonderful
I enjoy reading the genre of " Jane and Elizabeth are wealthy heiress " and this one is quite good. Mr Bennet was married to the Earl's daughter who died in childbirth and he jumped into the bottle in grief. The girls were taking by their grandparents until he sobered up and married the " nerves and handkerchiefs waving " present Mrs Bennet. He's never informed her of his first family connections so no one in Meryton knew that the girls have huge dowry or better connections than most of the Ton.
My only complaint is Jane is almost erased from the story. Once she's informed that Bingley has gambled his entire fortune away she is only briefly heard of even though she's sleeping down the hall from Elizabeth at her grandparents house in London.
I enjoy reading the genre of " Jane and Elizabeth are wealthy heiress " and this one is quite good. Mr Bennet was married to the Earl's daughter who died in childbirth and he jumped into the bottle in grief. The girls were taking by their grandparents until he sobered up and married the " nerves and handkerchiefs waving " present Mrs Bennet. He's never informed her of his first family connections so no one in Meryton knew that the girls have huge dowry or better connections than most of the Ton.
My only complaint is Jane is almost erased from the story. Once she's informed that Bingley has gambled his entire fortune away she is only briefly heard of even though she's sleeping down the hall from Elizabeth at her grandparents house in London.
March 27, 2024
I always hesitated, and I don‘t even know why! This JAFF is soo good! And definitely another favorite now!
Readers, I got kind of a „Cinderella“ vibe about few things. (The Bennet‘s family dynamics reminded me of Cinderella.) It was sad how Elizabeth got treated by her family at Longbourn. But she fortunately had more family, living in london which were the best of people.
Darcy and Elizabeth are often, very often thrown together in company due to mutual acquaintances,christmas, balls, etc.. so you can guess also a lot of opportunity to talk and fall in love. Their Love story is so beautifully done.
Really recommend you all the book.
Readers, I got kind of a „Cinderella“ vibe about few things. (The Bennet‘s family dynamics reminded me of Cinderella.) It was sad how Elizabeth got treated by her family at Longbourn. But she fortunately had more family, living in london which were the best of people.
Darcy and Elizabeth are often, very often thrown together in company due to mutual acquaintances,christmas, balls, etc.. so you can guess also a lot of opportunity to talk and fall in love. Their Love story is so beautifully done.
Really recommend you all the book.
December 16, 2022
Not a Bennet or different Bennet family dynamics are one of my favorite tropes. I just can’t help loving that shock that Darcy or Caroline have when they realize what a mistake they have made. Not unexpectedly Darcy realizes he has been a hypocritical ass and Caroline is in denial all the way down her unsurprising spiral. There is a believable journey towards an HEA for Elizabeth, and the new characters the author has created are a likable addition to the story arc.
January 11, 2023
Mediocre
I like the author's ideas but hate the execution. Her character conversations are lectures or weird expository speeches, so you end up with the key plot points being over explained by the characters. It really undercuts any action. And I notice she'll zero in on some descriptive detail and overdo it. In this book it was clothing, but prior ones she focused on restaurant food, or shopping or decorating. The premise was super interesting, but the speeches made for wooden characters.
I like the author's ideas but hate the execution. Her character conversations are lectures or weird expository speeches, so you end up with the key plot points being over explained by the characters. It really undercuts any action. And I notice she'll zero in on some descriptive detail and overdo it. In this book it was clothing, but prior ones she focused on restaurant food, or shopping or decorating. The premise was super interesting, but the speeches made for wooden characters.
October 2, 2025
there're a few variations which I finished and DNFed at halfway I ended up not adding to goodreads cuz they were same-y and typical, this one stands out in a bad way and receives the honor of being added
It's just dumb and idiotic
it's terrible historical fiction
- for some reason Mr Bennet and the Earl are arguing over Wardship of Jane & Elizabeth (Jane has reached majority)
- Richmond family see Darcy&Elizabeth kiss (without even a courtship in place!) and NOT making a deal out of it
- Darcy & Elizabeth are dancing two dances (first and supper!) in London high society. Those two dances would mark clear preference even in the country, in the Ton it would be a big no-no
- Duels are fought between people of different classes.
Without certain historical-fiction improprieties, my first big WTF came when Colonel Fitzwilliam urged Mr Darcy to tell Richmond family of Georgiana's almost-elopment to expose Wickham
That was dumb cuz
1) one of Richmond family members already knew of Wickham's bad reputation
2) Darcy&Fitzwilliam are trusted & would be believed WITHOUT exposing his worst crime against Darcy's family
3) WHY would you expose a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL's secret to the people SO WHOLLY UNCONNECTED TO HER, not only embarrassing her but also expanding the circle of people "in the know". Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead, however since 5 people (colonel, darcy, georgiana, wickham and mrs younge) are SO GOOD at keeping this secret, let's just add 10 more people in the mix and then surely no one will find out.
I have a love-hate relationship with Austen's Mr Bingley. Jane & Bingley are my OTP/Endgame but I can be persuaded to allow Jane a different ending. I accept it when fanfics decide to judge Bingley and I love it when he's given a character development of him finally growing up and becoming his own master. It's acceptable (albeit unpleasant) to see Mr Bingley turned into a total and easily influenced wuss, what's not acceptable is turning him into a gambling rake.
This story functions as a "continuation of P&P after the Netherfield Ball, except Lizzy&Jane are Mr Bennet's daughters from his first marriage to an Earl's daughter". The story DOESN'T want that it changes characters significantly, yet it does it anyway. The OG Bingley is very amiable and happy to offer for Jane in the end, this Bingley is is not persuaded to abandon Jane because of love, but because she's poor & has poor connections.
I'm very inconsistent in allowing or disallowing characters to be very different from the canon no matter what the description promises, and sometimes I accept it as "interesting" (which is better than "boring"!), however there were already so many things I disliked about this, so Bingley's change added fuel to fire.
Jane is not a character in the story. She's sometimes mentioned as "being there", but she is rarely an actual character. Elizabeth is told of her dowry early in the story, Jane finds out she has a dowry only at half-way point. What's even more ridiculous is that at same half-way mark Elizabeth told her that Bingley is not the man they had thought he was and when Jane accused her of not telling her sooner (she really should've!), Lizzie said that she wanted to spare Jane the pain. It sounded like Elizabeth didn't want to tell anything to Jane, period
ELIZABETH! Your sister is IN LOVE with a man who you know to be a GAMBLER, FORTUNE-HUNTER AND(wait, does Elizabeth know of it?) a RAKE! And you want to "spare her pain" and not tell her?
That moment at 54% was the final nail in the coffin that made me DNF
The writing is bad. The characters are flat, you don't feel for them. Most of their emotions are explained in dialogues/long monologues, not in narration. Most of the book consists of dialogues between 2 or more people, often not using enough dialogue markers. You rarely even see "[character] said", let alone any indication of the tone or action that goes with the dialogue.
Darcy thinks of Elizabeth in 18+ way, but it's very brief, rare and (from my memory) NOT that bad, but I wouldn't say his character was overall pleasing. I wish I never knew him, tbh. He is still proud, he needed to be persuaded to save Meryton from Wickham even thought it was revealed to the reader that Wickham is responsible for TWO girls dying (one was in childbirth, second - unclear). He only thinks Lizzie is acceptable because she's an Earl's granddaughter. When he finds out she's Earl's granddaughter, his initial reaction is anger at her connections being hidden from him. He doesn't interact with anyone interesting, his circle here consisted of Richmonds and Colonel.
It's just dumb and idiotic
it's terrible historical fiction
- for some reason Mr Bennet and the Earl are arguing over Wardship of Jane & Elizabeth (Jane has reached majority)
- Richmond family see Darcy&Elizabeth kiss (without even a courtship in place!) and NOT making a deal out of it
- Darcy & Elizabeth are dancing two dances (first and supper!) in London high society. Those two dances would mark clear preference even in the country, in the Ton it would be a big no-no
- Duels are fought between people of different classes.
Without certain historical-fiction improprieties, my first big WTF came when Colonel Fitzwilliam urged Mr Darcy to tell Richmond family of Georgiana's almost-elopment to expose Wickham
That was dumb cuz
1) one of Richmond family members already knew of Wickham's bad reputation
2) Darcy&Fitzwilliam are trusted & would be believed WITHOUT exposing his worst crime against Darcy's family
3) WHY would you expose a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL's secret to the people SO WHOLLY UNCONNECTED TO HER, not only embarrassing her but also expanding the circle of people "in the know". Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead, however since 5 people (colonel, darcy, georgiana, wickham and mrs younge) are SO GOOD at keeping this secret, let's just add 10 more people in the mix and then surely no one will find out.
I have a love-hate relationship with Austen's Mr Bingley. Jane & Bingley are my OTP/Endgame but I can be persuaded to allow Jane a different ending. I accept it when fanfics decide to judge Bingley and I love it when he's given a character development of him finally growing up and becoming his own master. It's acceptable (albeit unpleasant) to see Mr Bingley turned into a total and easily influenced wuss, what's not acceptable is turning him into a gambling rake.
This story functions as a "continuation of P&P after the Netherfield Ball, except Lizzy&Jane are Mr Bennet's daughters from his first marriage to an Earl's daughter". The story DOESN'T want that it changes characters significantly, yet it does it anyway. The OG Bingley is very amiable and happy to offer for Jane in the end, this Bingley is is not persuaded to abandon Jane because of love, but because she's poor & has poor connections.
I'm very inconsistent in allowing or disallowing characters to be very different from the canon no matter what the description promises, and sometimes I accept it as "interesting" (which is better than "boring"!), however there were already so many things I disliked about this, so Bingley's change added fuel to fire.
Jane is not a character in the story. She's sometimes mentioned as "being there", but she is rarely an actual character. Elizabeth is told of her dowry early in the story, Jane finds out she has a dowry only at half-way point. What's even more ridiculous is that at same half-way mark Elizabeth told her that Bingley is not the man they had thought he was and when Jane accused her of not telling her sooner (she really should've!), Lizzie said that she wanted to spare Jane the pain. It sounded like Elizabeth didn't want to tell anything to Jane, period
ELIZABETH! Your sister is IN LOVE with a man who you know to be a GAMBLER, FORTUNE-HUNTER AND
That moment at 54% was the final nail in the coffin that made me DNF
The writing is bad. The characters are flat, you don't feel for them. Most of their emotions are explained in dialogues/long monologues, not in narration. Most of the book consists of dialogues between 2 or more people, often not using enough dialogue markers. You rarely even see "[character] said", let alone any indication of the tone or action that goes with the dialogue.
Darcy thinks of Elizabeth in 18+ way, but it's very brief, rare and (from my memory) NOT that bad, but I wouldn't say his character was overall pleasing. I wish I never knew him, tbh. He is still proud, he needed to be persuaded to save Meryton from Wickham even thought it was revealed to the reader that Wickham is responsible for TWO girls dying (one was in childbirth, second - unclear). He only thinks Lizzie is acceptable because she's an Earl's granddaughter. When he finds out she's Earl's granddaughter, his initial reaction is anger at her connections being hidden from him. He doesn't interact with anyone interesting, his circle here consisted of Richmonds and Colonel.
December 15, 2022
Sweet and sexy
Elizabeth is not a Bennet is an amusing trope in fan fiction because we have such a wide selection of families and non-canon characters to choose from. Here, we have Elizabeth and Jane related to an early and lots of fun watching Darcy realize that he has been an idiot. Witty dialogue, nice romantic scenes, some good setdowns of the baddies, and plenty of sex at the end!
Elizabeth is not a Bennet is an amusing trope in fan fiction because we have such a wide selection of families and non-canon characters to choose from. Here, we have Elizabeth and Jane related to an early and lots of fun watching Darcy realize that he has been an idiot. Witty dialogue, nice romantic scenes, some good setdowns of the baddies, and plenty of sex at the end!
December 16, 2022
Couldn’t put it down! Must read!!
Another amazing book by L. L. Diamond!! Loved the way she showed ODC come to know each other through EB relations. So glad to add this book to my reread collection!!! Bravo!
Another amazing book by L. L. Diamond!! Loved the way she showed ODC come to know each other through EB relations. So glad to add this book to my reread collection!!! Bravo!
December 16, 2022
A Treat
-Plenty of Darcy and Elizabeth.
-Situations are highlighted, not villains.
-Love the Montfords.
-Wickham got his due in the quickest and most sensible way.
-Liked the side story involving Bingley.
-Plenty of Darcy and Elizabeth.
-Situations are highlighted, not villains.
-Love the Montfords.
-Wickham got his due in the quickest and most sensible way.
-Liked the side story involving Bingley.
Read
March 29, 2024DNF at 5%.
I have no idea why I keep trying to read LL Diamond’s books. I just don’t like her writing style, although the blurb of this book sounded great. Many others seem to love it, good for them !
I have no idea why I keep trying to read LL Diamond’s books. I just don’t like her writing style, although the blurb of this book sounded great. Many others seem to love it, good for them !
December 15, 2022
Excellent!
Be tempted to read this more than tolerable book and expect some unexpected surprises🤔
Enjoy yourself!
Be tempted to read this more than tolerable book and expect some unexpected surprises🤔
Enjoy yourself!
March 25, 2023
Really well written great read
Worthy of 6 stars imo.
Worthy of 6 stars imo.
June 10, 2025
4⭐️
This book was a pleasure to read. I like books where Elizabeth isn't a Bennet or in this case not the child of Mrs. Bennet. The romance was very well written and the changes in canon were great to read. As can be attested by my other reviews I like to see Jane paired up with someone other than Bingley, if not that to see Jane and Bingley have a backbone. But the ending was a bit sad for a couple of characters which was a slight downer. But all in all I absolutely adored this book.
This book was a pleasure to read. I like books where Elizabeth isn't a Bennet or in this case not the child of Mrs. Bennet. The romance was very well written and the changes in canon were great to read. As can be attested by my other reviews I like to see Jane paired up with someone other than Bingley, if not that to see Jane and Bingley have a backbone. But the ending was a bit sad for a couple of characters which was a slight downer. But all in all I absolutely adored this book.
January 23, 2023
Just finished my first JAFF of the year!
Lizzy and Jane have their maternal grandparents in London. Lizzy has traveled to the city after the Netherfield ball, getting away from certain circumstances to enjoy Christmas time with her cousins and loving grandparents. The surprise is that she meets someone she never expected, less a friend of her family.
I really enjoyed how the author took a different twist, giving Lizzy and Jane a family that really takes care of them. I was surprised how well the plot works, loved how Darcy is able to win Lizzy's heart, and that this one doesn't end at their wedding but after. Can't wait for the next one to know what's going to happen with the rest of the characters. Thank you for the wedding night scenes!
Lizzy and Jane have their maternal grandparents in London. Lizzy has traveled to the city after the Netherfield ball, getting away from certain circumstances to enjoy Christmas time with her cousins and loving grandparents. The surprise is that she meets someone she never expected, less a friend of her family.
I really enjoyed how the author took a different twist, giving Lizzy and Jane a family that really takes care of them. I was surprised how well the plot works, loved how Darcy is able to win Lizzy's heart, and that this one doesn't end at their wedding but after. Can't wait for the next one to know what's going to happen with the rest of the characters. Thank you for the wedding night scenes!
December 18, 2022
Mr. Bennet's first wife was the daughter of Lord Richmond. She gave birth to Elizabeth and Jane, but died in childbirth, along with the son she delivered. Mr. Bennet remarried, but their stepmother was unkind and treated Elizabeth abominably. She produced the three younger daughters. This story begins in London, where Elizabeth has gone to spend Christmas with her grandparents. Jane is brought from the Gardiners, where she is languishing over Bingley's disappearance. Their grandparents reveal that their surname was legally changed to Montford when their mother died, and that Lord and Lady Richmond are their legal guardians. The sisters will be living with them indefinitely.
Darcy is a close friend of the Montford family, so he immediately comes into contact with Elizabeth and learns of her new reality. They quickly fall in lust. The rest of the book consists of Bingley's bizarre story and the sexual tension between Darcy and Elizabeth, culminating in a series of explicit, voyeuristic scenes.
Darcy is a close friend of the Montford family, so he immediately comes into contact with Elizabeth and learns of her new reality. They quickly fall in lust. The rest of the book consists of Bingley's bizarre story and the sexual tension between Darcy and Elizabeth, culminating in a series of explicit, voyeuristic scenes.
September 5, 2024
I loved this story very much! It was a different taking on several of the characters and some new friends. Jane and Elizabeth have noble connections (that nobody in Meryton knows of), and Mrs Bennet is only their stepmother. Mrs Bennett has treated Elizabeth very ill, but that story is mostly in the past in this book. I don't think you will like Mr Bennett and Bingley either. And it doesn't end well for one of them... The other one I am not so sure about. Maybe we will learn more in the next book in this series.
Darcy has as usual been stupid and needs to apologize. I liked that he soon changes attitude and the romance between E&D is moving fast forward. I love them both in this book! We get a lot of page-time with them, and a lot of love.
I am really looking forward to Book 2!
Darcy has as usual been stupid and needs to apologize. I liked that he soon changes attitude and the romance between E&D is moving fast forward. I love them both in this book! We get a lot of page-time with them, and a lot of love.
I am really looking forward to Book 2!
January 3, 2023
I throughly enjoyed this book, as it centered around ODC courtship & a little into their marriage. I can even forgive the lack of an epilogue telling me what happened to Jane, Lydia, the Hurts’ etc.
September 19, 2024
I loved it!
Warning: Contains scenes with adult content.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. This is the first book of 5 in the Montford Cousins series. After a long separation, Elizabeth Bennet is off to spend Christmas in London with her grandparents, Lord and Lady Richmond, and her cousins, Nicholas and his sister, Amelia. While her grandmother is determined to see her spoiled with new gowns and the like, Elizabeth would prefer to play chess and shop for books with Nicholas and her grandfather and visit with her grandmother and Amelia. At Lady Vranes’s private art exhibition, Elizabeth happens upon the one person she hoped she would never see again, Mr. Darcy. Not only that, but her grandparents and cousins are well acquainted with him, his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and his young sister, Georgiana. How is she to behave around a man who finds her merely tolerable and made his disdain for her evident during his time at Netherfield? Moreover, what is she to do when he calls at Richmond House as a good friend of the family? Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn. He has just realized that the Elizabeth Bennet he thought so unsuitable in Hertfordshire is, in fact, eminently suitable to be Mrs. Darcy and boasts of connexions that even his uncle, Lord Fitzwilliam, cannot fault. The only problem seems to be his behaviour in Meryton. Now, he must seek her forgiveness and attempt to court the only lady who has ever tempted him beyond reason. Will he be the gentleman who wins her heart? In the end, she will make her choice, all he can do is endeavour to be worthy. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. I highly recommend to everyone.
Warning: Contains scenes with adult content.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. This is the first book of 5 in the Montford Cousins series. After a long separation, Elizabeth Bennet is off to spend Christmas in London with her grandparents, Lord and Lady Richmond, and her cousins, Nicholas and his sister, Amelia. While her grandmother is determined to see her spoiled with new gowns and the like, Elizabeth would prefer to play chess and shop for books with Nicholas and her grandfather and visit with her grandmother and Amelia. At Lady Vranes’s private art exhibition, Elizabeth happens upon the one person she hoped she would never see again, Mr. Darcy. Not only that, but her grandparents and cousins are well acquainted with him, his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and his young sister, Georgiana. How is she to behave around a man who finds her merely tolerable and made his disdain for her evident during his time at Netherfield? Moreover, what is she to do when he calls at Richmond House as a good friend of the family? Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn. He has just realized that the Elizabeth Bennet he thought so unsuitable in Hertfordshire is, in fact, eminently suitable to be Mrs. Darcy and boasts of connexions that even his uncle, Lord Fitzwilliam, cannot fault. The only problem seems to be his behaviour in Meryton. Now, he must seek her forgiveness and attempt to court the only lady who has ever tempted him beyond reason. Will he be the gentleman who wins her heart? In the end, she will make her choice, all he can do is endeavour to be worthy. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. I highly recommend to everyone.
December 18, 2022
Wonderful
Jane and Elizabeth are the daughters of Mr Bennett's first wife, who was the daughter of an earl, and was a love match. She died giving birth to a son who died. Mr Bennett marries again to Fanny Gardiner, and she's the silly and nervous Mrs Bennett that we know. Fanny Bennett is mean to Elizabeth, and Mr Bennett loses his will to be a good husband and father with the death of his first wife. Elizabeth and Jane's grandparents, the Earl and Countess of Richmond, decide to intercede after learning of Mr Collins ' proposal and Mrs Bennett's efforts to force Elizabeth into a poor marriage. They bring Jane and Elizabeth to live with them in London, where their cousins, Nicholas and Amelia Montford, also live. Elizabeth and Jane's connection to nobility is not known in Meryton, therefore, Darcy and Bingley were not aware of it during their stay at Netherfield Park. Since Darcy is a friend of the Montfords, he soon learns that Elizabeth, the woman he just can't forget, has both fortune and connections.
I like these scenarios wherein Darcy is appalled to learn that the woman he insulted at the Meryton assembly, and who he subsequently disdained and ignored, is a very good marriage prospect, so he has to try and dig himself out of the hole he made for himself, and do a lot of groveling in order to improve Elizabeth's opinion of him. In this version, however, Bingley is given a much different treatment.
I love the new characters introduced, the grandparents and Montford cousins. Since Mrs Bennett is portrayed as a kind of evil stepmother, it's wonderful to have these loving and sensible relations to make things right, and provide a heartwarming aspect to the story. The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
Jane and Elizabeth are the daughters of Mr Bennett's first wife, who was the daughter of an earl, and was a love match. She died giving birth to a son who died. Mr Bennett marries again to Fanny Gardiner, and she's the silly and nervous Mrs Bennett that we know. Fanny Bennett is mean to Elizabeth, and Mr Bennett loses his will to be a good husband and father with the death of his first wife. Elizabeth and Jane's grandparents, the Earl and Countess of Richmond, decide to intercede after learning of Mr Collins ' proposal and Mrs Bennett's efforts to force Elizabeth into a poor marriage. They bring Jane and Elizabeth to live with them in London, where their cousins, Nicholas and Amelia Montford, also live. Elizabeth and Jane's connection to nobility is not known in Meryton, therefore, Darcy and Bingley were not aware of it during their stay at Netherfield Park. Since Darcy is a friend of the Montfords, he soon learns that Elizabeth, the woman he just can't forget, has both fortune and connections.
I like these scenarios wherein Darcy is appalled to learn that the woman he insulted at the Meryton assembly, and who he subsequently disdained and ignored, is a very good marriage prospect, so he has to try and dig himself out of the hole he made for himself, and do a lot of groveling in order to improve Elizabeth's opinion of him. In this version, however, Bingley is given a much different treatment.
I love the new characters introduced, the grandparents and Montford cousins. Since Mrs Bennett is portrayed as a kind of evil stepmother, it's wonderful to have these loving and sensible relations to make things right, and provide a heartwarming aspect to the story. The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.
January 25, 2025
Premise: A quick, cute take on a "not a Bennet" scenario. Elizabeth and Jane are the daughters of Mr Bennet's first wife, who was the daughter of an Earl. They visit their relations with some regularity, but after their grandfather the Earl hears about Mr Collins (and Bingley, who is not exactly a 'bad' Bingley, but close enough), he insists they stay with him and take their rightful places in society. Oh, their family is also quite close with Mr Darcy's and wouldn't he and Lizzy get along so well?
What I liked: It's mostly a frothy fun Cinderella fairy tale. I do love the moment in these 'secret connections to the ton' stories when the snobs realize the country misses are more well situated than anyone thought.
Characterization: Bingley is into some bad news and way out of his depth. I was startled and saddened by the resolution to his storyline. Mrs Bennet is more OTT. (Not sure why she still likes Jane, though.)
Spice level: Hot. Some heavy pre-wedding 'everything but' making out, and an open door wedding night.
Any non-canon parings: Yes.
Other notes or issues: I would've loved a bigger set-down for Mrs Bennet, and all the cutesy nicknames started to grate after a while.
What I liked: It's mostly a frothy fun Cinderella fairy tale. I do love the moment in these 'secret connections to the ton' stories when the snobs realize the country misses are more well situated than anyone thought.
Characterization: Bingley is into some bad news and way out of his depth. I was startled and saddened by the resolution to his storyline. Mrs Bennet is more OTT. (Not sure why she still likes Jane, though.)
Spice level: Hot. Some heavy pre-wedding 'everything but' making out, and an open door wedding night.
Any non-canon parings: Yes.
Other notes or issues: I would've loved a bigger set-down for Mrs Bennet, and all the cutesy nicknames started to grate after a while.
January 27, 2025
Stopped reading it in the middle of chapter 4.
The reason: Darcy meets Elizabeth in London the winter after the Netherfield party leaves, at an exclusive event, where he finds out she's the granddaughter of an earl, who is a close friend to the Darcy family. Suddenly she's a great wife material, Darcy has the epiphany that his father would be ashamed of Darcy for insulting Elizabeth like he did, and the earl grandfather and the rest of the family are fans of Darcy and in a matchmaking mood. So much so his Meryton insults to Elizabeth are discarded. Which, rightly so, since apparently Darcy is only guilty of saying "she is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me", nothing more. There was no mention of calling Jane the only handsome girl in the assembly, no mention of the "giving consequences part", no mention of the rest of Darcy's Meryton behaviour.
This sort of plot is definitely not my cup of tea.
And as I can only presume based on this that this is going to be one of those stories where Lizzy is a barely more mature and infinitely more vain version of Lydia, I am not interested on ever finishing this story.
The reason: Darcy meets Elizabeth in London the winter after the Netherfield party leaves, at an exclusive event, where he finds out she's the granddaughter of an earl, who is a close friend to the Darcy family. Suddenly she's a great wife material, Darcy has the epiphany that his father would be ashamed of Darcy for insulting Elizabeth like he did, and the earl grandfather and the rest of the family are fans of Darcy and in a matchmaking mood. So much so his Meryton insults to Elizabeth are discarded. Which, rightly so, since apparently Darcy is only guilty of saying "she is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me", nothing more. There was no mention of calling Jane the only handsome girl in the assembly, no mention of the "giving consequences part", no mention of the rest of Darcy's Meryton behaviour.
This sort of plot is definitely not my cup of tea.
And as I can only presume based on this that this is going to be one of those stories where Lizzy is a barely more mature and infinitely more vain version of Lydia, I am not interested on ever finishing this story.
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