What do you think?
Rate this book
Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
When Charlotte Lucas married Mr. Collins in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, she believed herself to be fortunate indeed. Her nuptials gained her a comfortable home and financial security. If she acquired these things at the expense of true love, it did not matter one whit. To Charlotte, love in marriage was nothing more than a pleasant coincidence. As the years of her marriage dragged by, Charlotte began to question her idea of love as she suffered continual embarrassment at her husband’s simpering and fawning manners. When Mr. Collins dies, finally relieving everyone of his tedious conversation, she must work feverishly to secure her income and home. She gives no further thought to the possibility of love until her flighty sister Maria begs her to act as her chaperone in place of their ailing parents. Hoping to prevent Maria from also entering an unhappy union, Charlotte agrees, and they are quickly thrust into a world of country dances, dinner parties, and marriageable gentlemen. But when an unprincipled gentleman compromises Charlotte’s reputation, her romantic thoughts disappear at the prospect of losing her independence. As she struggles to extricate herself from her slander, her situation reveals both the nature of each gentleman and of true love. Other Works in the Personages of Pride & Prejudice Collection "Maria Lucas" (A Short Story) Caroline Bingley (A Novel) Mary Bennet (A Novella)
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2010
108 people are currently reading
2253 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
December 30, 2016
This is my first Jane Austen fan-fiction, or whatever you call it when an author writes a new story with a new plot, but using the characters and setting created by another author, and sells it for money. Is it only fan-fic when it's posted on the internet for free with the standard disclaimers about not owning the imagined world or characters?
As a conventional romance, it was mildly entertaining. However, the characters of Charlotte and Maria were not at all consistent with the original characters from Pride and Prejudice that they were supposedly based on.
Audiobook version, adequately read by Anne Day-Jones.
As a conventional romance, it was mildly entertaining. However, the characters of Charlotte and Maria were not at all consistent with the original characters from Pride and Prejudice that they were supposedly based on.
Audiobook version, adequately read by Anne Day-Jones.
March 27, 2017
“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.” William Shakespeare
Poor Charlotte, married a fool and then he died on her.
“Never, ladies, marry a fool. Any husband rather than a fool. With some other husband, you may be unhappy, but with a fool you will be miserable.” Daniel Defoe
Thank goodness, Charlotte requested/demanded a jointure in her marriage settlements, otherwise she wouldn’t have an income. She was always smart like that. She was renting a cottage on the edge of Rosings Park and Maria had come to stay with her for a season as their parents were too elderly to chaperone Maria to all the activities a young girl would need to attend as she looked for a husband.
Maria, lawd, that girl, had all the wisdom of a door stop and even then, she couldn’t see where she offended and embarrassed herself, her friends, her sister, the neighbors, the beau standing with her as she was making eyes at another man. Yeah, not the brightest bulb in the box. Plus, she simply did not understand what happened that caused everyone to shun her. I mean… yeah, she refused a marriage proposal, but she was, after all, in love with someone else… I mean really, what could the girl do? Clueless had a new name, and that name was Maria Lucas.
Maria set her cap for a visiting American and refused the hand of a perfectly amiable gentleman. He told the gossips of her refusal and she was fodder for the mill and subsequently shunned by her friends and neighbors. Yeah, it was bad. Charlotte decided to visit relations in London in order to get her out of town in hopes that the gossip would in time settle.
This was a very confusing story. I couldn’t get a handle on it because there seemed to be an attempt to parallel P&P. You had the good guy type, then a Wickham type, and you had to figure out which was the bad guy and wonder if he would attempt to ruin a reputation. I began to see that it was similar to the P&P story line only with different names. I slowly began to grasp what was going on. You had one guy who had the appearance of good, but was evil… and… the other… yada, yada.
“Your reputation is in the hands of others. That’s what the reputation is. You can’t control that. The only thing you can control is your character.” Wayne W. Dyer
So, we had blackmail, an elopement to Gretna Green, gossip, scandal, dashed hopes, ruined dreams, and social outcast. First Maria was shunned and then Charlotte was ruined by a cad. Good grief, society was one fickle creature waiting for the next tidbit of gossip and willing to believe a lie before the truth. I think the story fell apart here. It just died… like the author couldn’t decide how to end it. Was the character of Charlotte so bland that there wasn’t anything to write about? Some secondary or even tertiary characters are hard to make interesting.
After following one thread, the story meandered along and then just seemed to stop. Then, we followed another thread and it didn’t end until the epilogue. It felt disjointed and jerky. The transitions were not fluid and smooth. The evolution of the story became muddy as the story lines [between the sisters] became entangled and knotted. I don’t know how else to describe it. It could have been developed better. It seemed like two stories jammed together. And then I find out there is another short story titled ‘Maria Lucas’ that goes along with this one. I don’t think the story for Charlotte did her justice. I think Maria overpowered her sister’s story.
It was a clean, quick read… just lacking.
Poor Charlotte, married a fool and then he died on her.
“Never, ladies, marry a fool. Any husband rather than a fool. With some other husband, you may be unhappy, but with a fool you will be miserable.” Daniel Defoe
Thank goodness, Charlotte requested/demanded a jointure in her marriage settlements, otherwise she wouldn’t have an income. She was always smart like that. She was renting a cottage on the edge of Rosings Park and Maria had come to stay with her for a season as their parents were too elderly to chaperone Maria to all the activities a young girl would need to attend as she looked for a husband.
Maria, lawd, that girl, had all the wisdom of a door stop and even then, she couldn’t see where she offended and embarrassed herself, her friends, her sister, the neighbors, the beau standing with her as she was making eyes at another man. Yeah, not the brightest bulb in the box. Plus, she simply did not understand what happened that caused everyone to shun her. I mean… yeah, she refused a marriage proposal, but she was, after all, in love with someone else… I mean really, what could the girl do? Clueless had a new name, and that name was Maria Lucas.
Maria set her cap for a visiting American and refused the hand of a perfectly amiable gentleman. He told the gossips of her refusal and she was fodder for the mill and subsequently shunned by her friends and neighbors. Yeah, it was bad. Charlotte decided to visit relations in London in order to get her out of town in hopes that the gossip would in time settle.
This was a very confusing story. I couldn’t get a handle on it because there seemed to be an attempt to parallel P&P. You had the good guy type, then a Wickham type, and you had to figure out which was the bad guy and wonder if he would attempt to ruin a reputation. I began to see that it was similar to the P&P story line only with different names. I slowly began to grasp what was going on. You had one guy who had the appearance of good, but was evil… and… the other… yada, yada.
“Your reputation is in the hands of others. That’s what the reputation is. You can’t control that. The only thing you can control is your character.” Wayne W. Dyer
So, we had blackmail, an elopement to Gretna Green, gossip, scandal, dashed hopes, ruined dreams, and social outcast. First Maria was shunned and then Charlotte was ruined by a cad. Good grief, society was one fickle creature waiting for the next tidbit of gossip and willing to believe a lie before the truth. I think the story fell apart here. It just died… like the author couldn’t decide how to end it. Was the character of Charlotte so bland that there wasn’t anything to write about? Some secondary or even tertiary characters are hard to make interesting.
After following one thread, the story meandered along and then just seemed to stop. Then, we followed another thread and it didn’t end until the epilogue. It felt disjointed and jerky. The transitions were not fluid and smooth. The evolution of the story became muddy as the story lines [between the sisters] became entangled and knotted. I don’t know how else to describe it. It could have been developed better. It seemed like two stories jammed together. And then I find out there is another short story titled ‘Maria Lucas’ that goes along with this one. I don’t think the story for Charlotte did her justice. I think Maria overpowered her sister’s story.
It was a clean, quick read… just lacking.
February 3, 2011
What a wonderful story for Charlotte Collins! I was constantly drawn away from my chores, trying to sneak a few more lines of this delightful story. Mrs. Becton did a wonderful job in detailing the scenes, with an economy of words, that made the reader feel as if she were near Charlotte - or was Charlotte - and experienced them personally.
The twists were also very nice, and helped to flesh out the story. There were those characters you wanted to smack, for being so odious, and there were times you found you were holding your breath, waiting to see what would happen!
It was nice to see Charlotte Collins blossom after her husband's passing. She still had many things to learn about the world, but she faced them, at times with someone beside her helping, and moved forward.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed P&P and wants to know what happened with Charlotte Collins. I would also recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written story, in which characters can be discerned by their speech and actions. It truly was a wonderful story!
The twists were also very nice, and helped to flesh out the story. There were those characters you wanted to smack, for being so odious, and there were times you found you were holding your breath, waiting to see what would happen!
It was nice to see Charlotte Collins blossom after her husband's passing. She still had many things to learn about the world, but she faced them, at times with someone beside her helping, and moved forward.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed P&P and wants to know what happened with Charlotte Collins. I would also recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written story, in which characters can be discerned by their speech and actions. It truly was a wonderful story!
February 6, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up
Charlotte Lucas Collins is now a widow after only 8 years of an unhappy marriage. She should feel free and happy, yet straightened circumstances and the ill health of her parents mean she must be content with what she has. Charlotte makes the most of her life in the village of Westerham living in a small cottage generously leased from Lady Catherine. Charlotte has her garden to keep her occupied and dutifully observes mourning for two years before the arrival of her younger sister Maria forces her back into society. In her early 20s and still unwed, Maria Lucas is ready to fall in love and be married. She hopes Charlotte will introduce her to some eligible gentlemen. Maria's best friend, Jonas Card is interested but Maria's attention turns to a newcomer to the village, a handsome American traveling with his uncle. Mr. James Westfield seems quite taken with Maria but his uncle, Mr. Basford, has shockingly rude manners. Charlotte thinks him an uncouth American at first and is drawn to the flirtations Lewis Eddington. When shocking rumors fly around the village, Charlotte and Maria must figure out who their true friends are.
This darker version of Pride and Prejudice is interesting. It illuminates the consequences of an unequal marriage and describes what happens to a woman in straitened circumstances once her husband is dead. The characters ponder questions about love matches vs. marriages of convenience, the true nature of love and whether first impressions are the correct ones. The author does a good job of replicating Pride and Prejudice without copying it. She stays true to Austen's text for the most part and also writes in a voice that while not Austen's, feels more period correct than most of the Regency set novels out there. The author has a good grasp of what country village life was like for women and the etiquette of the day. The last third of the book is the most exciting in terms of plot and I wondered how or if Charlotte would ever achieve happiness.
My only real quibbles with the novel come from the characters. It's plainly obvious that some of them are patterned after characters in Pride and Prejudice so the reader will know which ones to trust. I find it hard to believe that the self-assured woman of Pride and Prejudice would become so hesitant and unsure of her actions. I do understand that marriage to Mr. Collins was difficult and she regrets her decision, but at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Now she questions many of her decisions, especially regarding men. I can only wonder at how Charlotte can not have learned anything from Lizzie's first impression mistakes! At the very least I would have thought Lizzie would counsel Charlotte on how to spot a villain a mile away. Lizzie would have been quick to pick up on behaviors and personality quirks Charlotte fails to notice. In the original text Charlotte and Lizzie remain friends despite Charlotte's marriage to Collins. Here, they seem to have been estranged. Also, in this novel Sir William and Lady Lucas are elderly, in failing health and poor. This novel picks up only 8 years later and that seems like a short amount of time for all those changes at Lucas Lodge. In the original novel they are not poor, but rather they have a large family and Charlotte, as a spinster, finds her lot in life will be to stay with her parents forever and then her brother/s as an unpaid servant or a permanent guest in someone else's home. Marriage to Mr. Collins provides her with the opportunity for a home of her own and a family. She manages Mr. Collins quite well.
Charlotte needs more Lizzie in her life. Charlotte is about as priggish as Fanny Price. She is a high stickler for morals and as a clergyman's widow she needs to appear above reproach in her own behavior but she is also quick to condemn others who do not meet her high moral standards. Lizzie would have told Charlotte that in society affairs were common and not considered immoral and that relaxed behavior is not necessarily an indicator of a villain. Still, Charlotte is steadfastly loyal and kind to those who deserve it.
Maria is annoying, whiny, self-centered and bratty. She's old enough to know better and not behave like a spoiled teenager. Maria's character development is pretty good but the changes happen because of external factors and not internal ones. I was surprised at the direction her plot took and surprised to find myself wanting her to be happy.
Charlotte has two devoted employees to whom she is kind and generous. Mrs. Effington, like Charlotte, is a widow in straitened circumstances. Unlike Charlotte, Mrs. Eff did not receive a jointure from her late husband and she is reduced to employment as a maid/cook/housekeeper. She has a 14-year old son to support and while he is old enough to work and does work, he is cognitively slow and will never be able to function as an adult. These characters show Charlotte's softer side and remind her how fortunate she is that she pushed Mr. Collins into giving her a jointure. The author does a great job of reminding the reader how difficult life was for women in the 19th-century. It wasn't all balls, parties and courtship. Mrs. Effs's tendency to gossip annoys Charlotte and myself but it's the only way Mrs. Eff can socialize in the narrow confines of servitude in a country village. It's clear she misses the excitement of her old life "above stairs" but is pragmatic about her situation.
The neighborhood includes a few gentry families with whom the Lucas ladies socialize. Colonel and Mrs. Armitage are one of the leading couples in the village. He's jovial and kind but clueless and Mrs. Armitage disappears and I completely forgot she existed! Old Mrs. Farmington is not Charlotte's favorite person. The woman dotes on her beautiful granddaughter and likes to gossip. Constance Farmington is your typical mean girl. She's Maria's best frenemy! 'Nuff said. Jonas Card is the wealthiest man in the village. Young and romantic, he's been in love with Maria forever. He is likable at first, friendly and energetic like a puppy. Then he becomes rude and obnoxious because HE failed to read someone's body language that resulted in embarrassment and wounded pride. His mother is a nightmare. Judgemental, proud, rude and gossippy, she's modeled after Lady Catherine but not quite as bad.
Newcomers to the village include Mr. James Westfield, a handsome young American from Savannah. He is very good looking and very rich so therefore, every lady wants to marry him. I don't really trust him as he gives off a Frank Churchill vibe to me. His uncle, Mr. Basford, is more my type. Mr. Basford cares little for the stuffy rules of propriety he finds in England. He cares little if his cravat is rumpled or he tips back his chair legs when he sits. He'd rather use first names to get to know someone than be formal. Mr. Basford also seems to have a sense of humor, which Charlotte lacks, so of course she misunderstands him. I like how he teases her and gets her to loosen up. He's very kind and devoted to those he cares about. I really like him and can see my way to falling in love with him if I were Charlotte. However, Mr. Basford has a rival. A Mr. Lewis Eddington, relative of the late Sir Lewis de Bourgh (and Lady Catherine), he is dazzling and flirtatious. Some may find his charming as Charlotte does but I find his resemblance to a certain character in Pride and Prejudice unnerving and my head keeps screaming for Charlotte to avoid him.
If you're looking for something "light, bright and sparkling" look elsewhere but if you want a decent spin-off of Pride and Prejudice and want to learn what life was really like for women like Charlotte and Maria Lucas, you will enjoy this novel. It is not necessary to read Pride and Prejudice beforehand. This works as a standalone Regency novel too.
Charlotte Lucas Collins is now a widow after only 8 years of an unhappy marriage. She should feel free and happy, yet straightened circumstances and the ill health of her parents mean she must be content with what she has. Charlotte makes the most of her life in the village of Westerham living in a small cottage generously leased from Lady Catherine. Charlotte has her garden to keep her occupied and dutifully observes mourning for two years before the arrival of her younger sister Maria forces her back into society. In her early 20s and still unwed, Maria Lucas is ready to fall in love and be married. She hopes Charlotte will introduce her to some eligible gentlemen. Maria's best friend, Jonas Card is interested but Maria's attention turns to a newcomer to the village, a handsome American traveling with his uncle. Mr. James Westfield seems quite taken with Maria but his uncle, Mr. Basford, has shockingly rude manners. Charlotte thinks him an uncouth American at first and is drawn to the flirtations Lewis Eddington. When shocking rumors fly around the village, Charlotte and Maria must figure out who their true friends are.
This darker version of Pride and Prejudice is interesting. It illuminates the consequences of an unequal marriage and describes what happens to a woman in straitened circumstances once her husband is dead. The characters ponder questions about love matches vs. marriages of convenience, the true nature of love and whether first impressions are the correct ones. The author does a good job of replicating Pride and Prejudice without copying it. She stays true to Austen's text for the most part and also writes in a voice that while not Austen's, feels more period correct than most of the Regency set novels out there. The author has a good grasp of what country village life was like for women and the etiquette of the day. The last third of the book is the most exciting in terms of plot and I wondered how or if Charlotte would ever achieve happiness.
My only real quibbles with the novel come from the characters. It's plainly obvious that some of them are patterned after characters in Pride and Prejudice so the reader will know which ones to trust. I find it hard to believe that the self-assured woman of Pride and Prejudice would become so hesitant and unsure of her actions. I do understand that marriage to Mr. Collins was difficult and she regrets her decision, but at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Now she questions many of her decisions, especially regarding men. I can only wonder at how Charlotte can not have learned anything from Lizzie's first impression mistakes! At the very least I would have thought Lizzie would counsel Charlotte on how to spot a villain a mile away. Lizzie would have been quick to pick up on behaviors and personality quirks Charlotte fails to notice. In the original text Charlotte and Lizzie remain friends despite Charlotte's marriage to Collins. Here, they seem to have been estranged. Also, in this novel Sir William and Lady Lucas are elderly, in failing health and poor. This novel picks up only 8 years later and that seems like a short amount of time for all those changes at Lucas Lodge. In the original novel they are not poor, but rather they have a large family and Charlotte, as a spinster, finds her lot in life will be to stay with her parents forever and then her brother/s as an unpaid servant or a permanent guest in someone else's home. Marriage to Mr. Collins provides her with the opportunity for a home of her own and a family. She manages Mr. Collins quite well.
Charlotte needs more Lizzie in her life. Charlotte is about as priggish as Fanny Price. She is a high stickler for morals and as a clergyman's widow she needs to appear above reproach in her own behavior but she is also quick to condemn others who do not meet her high moral standards. Lizzie would have told Charlotte that in society affairs were common and not considered immoral and that relaxed behavior is not necessarily an indicator of a villain. Still, Charlotte is steadfastly loyal and kind to those who deserve it.
Maria is annoying, whiny, self-centered and bratty. She's old enough to know better and not behave like a spoiled teenager. Maria's character development is pretty good but the changes happen because of external factors and not internal ones. I was surprised at the direction her plot took and surprised to find myself wanting her to be happy.
Charlotte has two devoted employees to whom she is kind and generous. Mrs. Effington, like Charlotte, is a widow in straitened circumstances. Unlike Charlotte, Mrs. Eff did not receive a jointure from her late husband and she is reduced to employment as a maid/cook/housekeeper. She has a 14-year old son to support and while he is old enough to work and does work, he is cognitively slow and will never be able to function as an adult. These characters show Charlotte's softer side and remind her how fortunate she is that she pushed Mr. Collins into giving her a jointure. The author does a great job of reminding the reader how difficult life was for women in the 19th-century. It wasn't all balls, parties and courtship. Mrs. Effs's tendency to gossip annoys Charlotte and myself but it's the only way Mrs. Eff can socialize in the narrow confines of servitude in a country village. It's clear she misses the excitement of her old life "above stairs" but is pragmatic about her situation.
The neighborhood includes a few gentry families with whom the Lucas ladies socialize. Colonel and Mrs. Armitage are one of the leading couples in the village. He's jovial and kind but clueless and Mrs. Armitage disappears and I completely forgot she existed! Old Mrs. Farmington is not Charlotte's favorite person. The woman dotes on her beautiful granddaughter and likes to gossip. Constance Farmington is your typical mean girl. She's Maria's best frenemy! 'Nuff said. Jonas Card is the wealthiest man in the village. Young and romantic, he's been in love with Maria forever. He is likable at first, friendly and energetic like a puppy. Then he becomes rude and obnoxious because HE failed to read someone's body language that resulted in embarrassment and wounded pride. His mother is a nightmare. Judgemental, proud, rude and gossippy, she's modeled after Lady Catherine but not quite as bad.
Newcomers to the village include Mr. James Westfield, a handsome young American from Savannah. He is very good looking and very rich so therefore, every lady wants to marry him. I don't really trust him as he gives off a Frank Churchill vibe to me. His uncle, Mr. Basford, is more my type. Mr. Basford cares little for the stuffy rules of propriety he finds in England. He cares little if his cravat is rumpled or he tips back his chair legs when he sits. He'd rather use first names to get to know someone than be formal. Mr. Basford also seems to have a sense of humor, which Charlotte lacks, so of course she misunderstands him. I like how he teases her and gets her to loosen up. He's very kind and devoted to those he cares about. I really like him and can see my way to falling in love with him if I were Charlotte. However, Mr. Basford has a rival. A Mr. Lewis Eddington, relative of the late Sir Lewis de Bourgh (and Lady Catherine), he is dazzling and flirtatious. Some may find his charming as Charlotte does but I find his resemblance to a certain character in Pride and Prejudice unnerving and my head keeps screaming for Charlotte to avoid him.
If you're looking for something "light, bright and sparkling" look elsewhere but if you want a decent spin-off of Pride and Prejudice and want to learn what life was really like for women like Charlotte and Maria Lucas, you will enjoy this novel. It is not necessary to read Pride and Prejudice beforehand. This works as a standalone Regency novel too.
April 16, 2024
A charming continuation of Jane Austen’s P&P. I’m a fan of secondary characters getting their own “spin-offs” and this was an enjoyable one.
September 23, 2010
“Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar before-hand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always contrive to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.” - Chapter 6 Pride and Prejudice
What a bleak and unromantic view of marriage Charlotte Lucas had! Did marriage to Mr. Collins refute or support her conviction? Did seeing the blissful and affectionate marriages of her dear friends Jane and Elizabeth Bennet alter Charlotte's opinion on marital felicity? Is love and happiness in marriage more important than financial security and a home of your own?
In Jennifer Becton's beautiful Pride and Prejudice sequel, Charlotte Collins receives the opportunity for a second chance in love. After seven exasperating and tedious years of marriage, Mr. Collins passes away in an unfortunate carriage accident. Charlotte, now in her mid-thirties, enjoys a life of independence and solitude as she lives off the jointure Mr. Collins begrudgingly set up for her. Charlotte's peace and quiet is soon interrupted when her younger sister Maria becomes a permanent house guest and coerces Charlotte into being her chaperone. Charlotte finds herself revisiting the world of balls, beaus, and romance as she assists Maria in finding a felicitous match. It soon becomes apparent though, that Maria is not the only one who has romance on the mind...
To continue reading my review, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
What a bleak and unromantic view of marriage Charlotte Lucas had! Did marriage to Mr. Collins refute or support her conviction? Did seeing the blissful and affectionate marriages of her dear friends Jane and Elizabeth Bennet alter Charlotte's opinion on marital felicity? Is love and happiness in marriage more important than financial security and a home of your own?
In Jennifer Becton's beautiful Pride and Prejudice sequel, Charlotte Collins receives the opportunity for a second chance in love. After seven exasperating and tedious years of marriage, Mr. Collins passes away in an unfortunate carriage accident. Charlotte, now in her mid-thirties, enjoys a life of independence and solitude as she lives off the jointure Mr. Collins begrudgingly set up for her. Charlotte's peace and quiet is soon interrupted when her younger sister Maria becomes a permanent house guest and coerces Charlotte into being her chaperone. Charlotte finds herself revisiting the world of balls, beaus, and romance as she assists Maria in finding a felicitous match. It soon becomes apparent though, that Maria is not the only one who has romance on the mind...
To continue reading my review, go to: http://janeaustenreviews.blogspot.com...
March 10, 2014
Poor Mr. Collins has met his maker in a horse and wagon accident leaving Mrs. Collins to fend for herself as best she can. Because her parents are in poor health and strapped for funds, Charlotte's lively young sister Maria had come to live with her and Charlotte attempts to launch her into polite society.
This is a quiet story, much in the style of Jane Austen, that accentuates the relationships between men and women of that era and especially the fragile behavior that women were subject to regarding their 'virtue' and public reputation.
Charlotte is all that is prim, proper, and cautious concerning polite society while younger sister Maria is exuberant, lively, and optimistic about her prospects.
Sure enough, both women attract men into their lives but first impressions are not to be trusted. In spite of Charlotte's strict and unbending rules for widows and single ladies, she is caught up in an unscrupulous attempt to blackmail her into sexual favors. Each lady has her own "hero to the rescue" but can even they be trusted?
It is such a beautiful story of love, friendship and the destructive and vicious nature of gossip which seeks to destroy Charlotte's innocence thereby making her an outcast even in her own community.
This is a quiet story, much in the style of Jane Austen, that accentuates the relationships between men and women of that era and especially the fragile behavior that women were subject to regarding their 'virtue' and public reputation.
Charlotte is all that is prim, proper, and cautious concerning polite society while younger sister Maria is exuberant, lively, and optimistic about her prospects.
Sure enough, both women attract men into their lives but first impressions are not to be trusted. In spite of Charlotte's strict and unbending rules for widows and single ladies, she is caught up in an unscrupulous attempt to blackmail her into sexual favors. Each lady has her own "hero to the rescue" but can even they be trusted?
It is such a beautiful story of love, friendship and the destructive and vicious nature of gossip which seeks to destroy Charlotte's innocence thereby making her an outcast even in her own community.
August 3, 2018
Life gave her another chance
I always thought that Charlotte deserved a shot at happiness, and this interesting story gives it to her. Highly recommended!
I always thought that Charlotte deserved a shot at happiness, and this interesting story gives it to her. Highly recommended!
April 9, 2011
I was glad to see another continuation of Charlotte Collins’s story. My own,
An Unlikely Missionary, was published in 2009, and I wondered at the time if anyone but me would care about the fate of this plain friend of Elizabeth Bennett. I realized that Charlotte may never be of as much interest to general Pride and Prejudice fans as she is to me: I have observed that my earlier novel Conviction: a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, which focused on Georgiana Darcy, continues to outsell my version of Charlotte’s story, despite being two years older, and a search of P&P sequels will find precious few focusing on Charlotte. Yet I have always felt Mrs. Collins deserved to have a fair shake and a story of her own, so when I saw this book, and at the very reasonable Kindle price of just $2.99, I had to purchased it.
I admit that when I read the blurb describing the book, it did not sound particularly exciting – the drudgery of a boring marriage, followed by a death, followed by feverish work to secure one’s livelihood – but, as a writer, I also realize authors typically do not get to write their own blurbs. So I gave it the benefit of the doubt and plowed in. In fact, though the description led me to believe I might be subject to many scenes of tedious married life, the novel opens on the funeral of Mr. Collins and moves at a decent pace from there, and Charlotte’s quest to secure her livelihood is not a focus. We are almost immediately treated to a ball and amusing flirtations, and from there romance and conflict unwinds.
The book is somewhat predictable and formulaic, but this is true of most Regency romance, and so I do not really fault it for this; one expects to be surprised by a mystery or a thriller, but not so much by a romance. The book held my interest, which is the key, and I gulped it down in a single day. There were moments of wit here and there that made me smile. This was gratifying because I always enjoy a touch of humor in Regency romance and find it is too little present. No, it doesn't arise to the level of Austen; it is funny rather than satirical, but one cannot really expect sequels to equal the classic original in that regard.
There were elements of the risk to Charlotte’s reputation that I did not find quite plausible, but to avoid spoilers I will not discuss that here. Suffice it to say that, despite any implausibility, this risk functioned well as a plot device, created tension, and kept the story rolling. While the book does not have a great deal of thematic depth and meaning, I did not feel it needed to nor pretended to - it is simply a fun, light read that moves quickly, and therefore one of the better P&P sequels I have attempted.
An Unlikely Missionary, was published in 2009, and I wondered at the time if anyone but me would care about the fate of this plain friend of Elizabeth Bennett. I realized that Charlotte may never be of as much interest to general Pride and Prejudice fans as she is to me: I have observed that my earlier novel Conviction: a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, which focused on Georgiana Darcy, continues to outsell my version of Charlotte’s story, despite being two years older, and a search of P&P sequels will find precious few focusing on Charlotte. Yet I have always felt Mrs. Collins deserved to have a fair shake and a story of her own, so when I saw this book, and at the very reasonable Kindle price of just $2.99, I had to purchased it.
I admit that when I read the blurb describing the book, it did not sound particularly exciting – the drudgery of a boring marriage, followed by a death, followed by feverish work to secure one’s livelihood – but, as a writer, I also realize authors typically do not get to write their own blurbs. So I gave it the benefit of the doubt and plowed in. In fact, though the description led me to believe I might be subject to many scenes of tedious married life, the novel opens on the funeral of Mr. Collins and moves at a decent pace from there, and Charlotte’s quest to secure her livelihood is not a focus. We are almost immediately treated to a ball and amusing flirtations, and from there romance and conflict unwinds.
The book is somewhat predictable and formulaic, but this is true of most Regency romance, and so I do not really fault it for this; one expects to be surprised by a mystery or a thriller, but not so much by a romance. The book held my interest, which is the key, and I gulped it down in a single day. There were moments of wit here and there that made me smile. This was gratifying because I always enjoy a touch of humor in Regency romance and find it is too little present. No, it doesn't arise to the level of Austen; it is funny rather than satirical, but one cannot really expect sequels to equal the classic original in that regard.
There were elements of the risk to Charlotte’s reputation that I did not find quite plausible, but to avoid spoilers I will not discuss that here. Suffice it to say that, despite any implausibility, this risk functioned well as a plot device, created tension, and kept the story rolling. While the book does not have a great deal of thematic depth and meaning, I did not feel it needed to nor pretended to - it is simply a fun, light read that moves quickly, and therefore one of the better P&P sequels I have attempted.
February 17, 2013
I was enchanted by the idea of reading the story of one of Pride and Prejudice's most prosaic and practical secondary characters. What would it be like for Charlotte Lucas Collins to set aside her notions and follow the path of love? More fascinating still, who would induce her to pursue love?
Not that I am a purist by any means when it comes to my enjoyment of Austenesque stories, but I did find the writing style, adherence to the characters that Jane Austen wrote, and the authentic feel of the backdrop for this story very well done and that this added to my enjoyment of the story.
The story begins with the death of Mr. Collins and what transpires after this for Charlotte Collins. She is satisfied to take up a simple, quiet life in a small cottage on Lady Catherine's estate, but soon is forced to revise her plans a bit to accommodate the descent of her younger sister, Maria who wants to enter the local society and needs a chaperone. Maria has her eye on the handsome American relation of Colonel Armitage and doesn't seem to notice the esteem of the quiet Mr. Card.
So into society go Charlotte and Maria. Charlotte tries to govern Maria and notes with disapproval the informal ways of Mr. Westfield's chaperone, his uncle, Benjamin Basford. Mr. Basford disconcerts her, but he is not the only man to show interest in Charlotte. Suddenly, Mr. Edgington a relation of Lady Catherine's begins to pay her some heed too.
Charlotte soon learns that she might have been just as blind to circumstances as Maria when the unthinkable happens and her reputation is compromised right about the time that Maria is dealt a hard blow to her heart. When things look their worst, that is when Charlotte learns where true friendship lies though will she be courageous enough to grasp her opportunity when it comes for her own happiness?
As I said, I enjoyed this story and found that I really found Jennifer Becton's Charlotte a remarkable and sympathetic heroine. She is still true to the nature of the original Charlotte even though she undergoes a strong change of heart and opinion about what to hope for in a marriage. I found the newly created characters quite enjoyable too.
I can heartily recommend this story to those who enjoy Austenesque stories and to those who like sweet historical romance.
Not that I am a purist by any means when it comes to my enjoyment of Austenesque stories, but I did find the writing style, adherence to the characters that Jane Austen wrote, and the authentic feel of the backdrop for this story very well done and that this added to my enjoyment of the story.
The story begins with the death of Mr. Collins and what transpires after this for Charlotte Collins. She is satisfied to take up a simple, quiet life in a small cottage on Lady Catherine's estate, but soon is forced to revise her plans a bit to accommodate the descent of her younger sister, Maria who wants to enter the local society and needs a chaperone. Maria has her eye on the handsome American relation of Colonel Armitage and doesn't seem to notice the esteem of the quiet Mr. Card.
So into society go Charlotte and Maria. Charlotte tries to govern Maria and notes with disapproval the informal ways of Mr. Westfield's chaperone, his uncle, Benjamin Basford. Mr. Basford disconcerts her, but he is not the only man to show interest in Charlotte. Suddenly, Mr. Edgington a relation of Lady Catherine's begins to pay her some heed too.
Charlotte soon learns that she might have been just as blind to circumstances as Maria when the unthinkable happens and her reputation is compromised right about the time that Maria is dealt a hard blow to her heart. When things look their worst, that is when Charlotte learns where true friendship lies though will she be courageous enough to grasp her opportunity when it comes for her own happiness?
As I said, I enjoyed this story and found that I really found Jennifer Becton's Charlotte a remarkable and sympathetic heroine. She is still true to the nature of the original Charlotte even though she undergoes a strong change of heart and opinion about what to hope for in a marriage. I found the newly created characters quite enjoyable too.
I can heartily recommend this story to those who enjoy Austenesque stories and to those who like sweet historical romance.
February 24, 2013
Jennifer Becton réalise l'un de nos voeux: Mr Collins est mort! Voilà un livre qui commence plutôt bien! Par la suite, il y a eu quelques petites déceptions, de bonnes surprises, de l'émotion, de petites incohérences...
Commençons par ce qui m'a un peu moins plu. Nous retrouvons Charlotte et sa soeur Maria, deux ans après la mort de Monsieur Collins. Les autres personnages austeniens n'apparaîtront pas ou seulement dans un éclair, autant dire que si on nous avait parlé de deux soeurs sans lien aucun avec Jane Austen, cela n'aurait pas fait de différences. Je suis également un peu chagrinée par la description qui est faite de Charlotte qui est passée de pragmatique à cynique et qui pense à sa soeur comme à une sombre idiote. Mais bon, je veux bien croire que sept années de mariage avec Mr Collins peuvent vous transformer, et pas en bien...
Mais ensuite, on entre dans l'histoire, on s'attache aux personnages, on tremble pour la réputation de ses deux soeurs qui va être mise à mal! Et même si j'aurais pu vous dire au bout de dix pages qui allait épouser qui, je me suis prise facilement au jeu!
J'ai beaucoup aimé la fin également pour plusieurs raisons que je vais essayer de vous exposer sans vous spoiler! D'abord, pour Maria qui révèle toute sa bonté et sa noblesse d'âme et son amour pour sa soeur. Charlotte aurait plutôt mérité une soeur comme Lydia après avoir si souvent pensée que Maria était une idiote mais je suis contente que ce ne soit pas la cas! Ensuite, pour les actions de Charlotte qui vont à l'encontre des conventions tout en étant très romanesques (rien à voir avec les soeurs Darcy qui couchent avec leurs prétendants pendant les bals, je vous rassure!). Et enfin, pour une scène magnifique qui transforme deux mains qui s'effleurent en acte particulièrement sensuel! Pas besoin d'en décrire 50 nuances si vous voulez mon avis!
Alors certes, il y a de nombreux schémas narratifs austeniens reproduits là où on aurait préféré que se soit les personnages qui le soient, mais j'ai quand même bien appréciée cette histoire et je suis heureuse que Charlotte ait enfin droit à un peu de bonheur!
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
Commençons par ce qui m'a un peu moins plu. Nous retrouvons Charlotte et sa soeur Maria, deux ans après la mort de Monsieur Collins. Les autres personnages austeniens n'apparaîtront pas ou seulement dans un éclair, autant dire que si on nous avait parlé de deux soeurs sans lien aucun avec Jane Austen, cela n'aurait pas fait de différences. Je suis également un peu chagrinée par la description qui est faite de Charlotte qui est passée de pragmatique à cynique et qui pense à sa soeur comme à une sombre idiote. Mais bon, je veux bien croire que sept années de mariage avec Mr Collins peuvent vous transformer, et pas en bien...
Mais ensuite, on entre dans l'histoire, on s'attache aux personnages, on tremble pour la réputation de ses deux soeurs qui va être mise à mal! Et même si j'aurais pu vous dire au bout de dix pages qui allait épouser qui, je me suis prise facilement au jeu!
J'ai beaucoup aimé la fin également pour plusieurs raisons que je vais essayer de vous exposer sans vous spoiler! D'abord, pour Maria qui révèle toute sa bonté et sa noblesse d'âme et son amour pour sa soeur. Charlotte aurait plutôt mérité une soeur comme Lydia après avoir si souvent pensée que Maria était une idiote mais je suis contente que ce ne soit pas la cas! Ensuite, pour les actions de Charlotte qui vont à l'encontre des conventions tout en étant très romanesques (rien à voir avec les soeurs Darcy qui couchent avec leurs prétendants pendant les bals, je vous rassure!). Et enfin, pour une scène magnifique qui transforme deux mains qui s'effleurent en acte particulièrement sensuel! Pas besoin d'en décrire 50 nuances si vous voulez mon avis!
Alors certes, il y a de nombreux schémas narratifs austeniens reproduits là où on aurait préféré que se soit les personnages qui le soient, mais j'ai quand même bien appréciée cette histoire et je suis heureuse que Charlotte ait enfin droit à un peu de bonheur!
http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...
February 13, 2019
2.5 stars
October 11, 2013
J'ai été désolée dès le début... on ne lit rien de la vie de Charlotte et de Collins, hormis la mort de leur fille :( . Cependant, j'avoue que Collins n'a jamais été très glamour et que l'auteure n'aurait sans doute pas eu grand chose à dire sur leur mariage. Et j'ai trouvé l'enterrement de Mr Collins très réussi, j'ai aimé aussi les remarques sur Darcy et la réplique d'Elizabeth à Charlotte... Après le prologue, on a une ellipse de deux ans ... qu'a fait Charlotte pendant tout ce temps ? Mis à part ce détail, la suite est très plaisante. Alors bien entendu, on se doute rapidement du tour que va prendre l'histoire. Mais c'est bien écrit et on se plait à découvrir et à apprécier cette Charlotte Collins (même si elle ne correspond pas entièrement à l'idée que je m'étais faite du personnage). Le milieu dans lequel elle évolue m'a un peu rappelé le contexte d'Emma de Jane Austen et j'ai apprécié ces moments. On suit l'évolution de Charlotte et on la voit basculer dans le romantisme, je trouve que parfois l'auteure en fait un peu trop dans la surenchère du couple romantique ( trop d'exemples de mariage d'amour autour d'elle, un peu lourd) par contre les raisons Collinsiennes sont bien amenées ( c'est vrai quand on y pense... être mariée à Mr Collins) Le personnage de Maria est aussi bien caractérisée, toute en rêve et en fougue ( on plaint sincèrement Card quand elle le repousse... un peu moins ensuite). J'ai été surprise par quelques rebondissements cependant, je ne pensais pas que ça irait "si loin" mais j'ai apprécié de retrouver notre Lady Catherine toujours aussi imbuvable. La fin est tout ce qu'il y a d'attendu pour Charlotte mais elle est très jolie. L'auteure a sans doute aussi puisé son inspiration dans Raison et Sentiments, ce qui m'a gênée par moments, cependant, elle a donné une vraie consistance à Maria donc je l'excuse.
Ce que j'ai aimé : La description rapide et efficace des relations entre Charlotte en Mr Collins. La manière dont Mr Collins est caractérisé, les meilleurs passages selon moi. J'aime bien les nuances apportées à l'histoire et la façon dont l'auteure reprend l'hypocrisie de la société de Hunsford ( par exemple l'histoire Maria/Card ). L'intervention de Lady Catherine, la description de Mr Darcy à la fin du livre
Ce que j'ai moins aimé : Un peu simpliste parfois, on est un peu dans le "comment une personne pratique devient romantique". Un peu trop ressemblant à Raison et Sentiments sur beaucoup d'aspects et l'histoire en devient ttendue
En bref : Encore un très bon moment passé avec Jennifer Becton. Certes son histoire n'a rien de révolutionnaire mais elle est assez bien écrite pour faire oublier les ressemblances avec d'autres romans de Jane. J'ai quelques doutes sur le "in character" de Charlotte mais finalement pas sur tout et celle ci m'a assez séduite pour que j'oublie de pinailler. A lire
Ma note : 8,5/10
Ce que j'ai aimé : La description rapide et efficace des relations entre Charlotte en Mr Collins. La manière dont Mr Collins est caractérisé, les meilleurs passages selon moi. J'aime bien les nuances apportées à l'histoire et la façon dont l'auteure reprend l'hypocrisie de la société de Hunsford ( par exemple l'histoire Maria/Card ). L'intervention de Lady Catherine, la description de Mr Darcy à la fin du livre
Ce que j'ai moins aimé : Un peu simpliste parfois, on est un peu dans le "comment une personne pratique devient romantique". Un peu trop ressemblant à Raison et Sentiments sur beaucoup d'aspects et l'histoire en devient ttendue
En bref : Encore un très bon moment passé avec Jennifer Becton. Certes son histoire n'a rien de révolutionnaire mais elle est assez bien écrite pour faire oublier les ressemblances avec d'autres romans de Jane. J'ai quelques doutes sur le "in character" de Charlotte mais finalement pas sur tout et celle ci m'a assez séduite pour que j'oublie de pinailler. A lire
Ma note : 8,5/10
April 28, 2023
A few years ago I picked up this auth0r's Caroline Bingley and dropped it, having found five elementary school errors in grammar in as many pages. Things like subject-verb agreement. It was with some trepidation, therefore, that I looked into this one.
It's a "clean" romance novel, a kind of mashup between Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. So far, so followon fanfic standard. It was predictable from page one, but there's a market for that, or so they tell me. I had hoped to see something of the Collins' marriage, possible children, how Charlotte felt about her bargain after she'd opened the unprepossessing wrapper of her surprise package. This is, after all, the cool woman who told Lizzie Bennett that is best for the couple to know as little as possible about each other before the marriage! But no. Mr Collins is already dead and in the process of being buried on page one, which gets him out of the way and leaves the authoress free to do as she likes.
My problem was still with the lack of an intelligent proofreader with a reasonable vocabulary. It's not just the modern usage in early 19th mouths (the dreaded "I'm fine" rears its ugly anachronistic head). It's also misuse of words and phrases that the authoress doesn't seem to know the meaning of. She speaks of Charlotte "going below stairs" to mean from her upstairs bedroom to the main floor of the house. Anyone with any knowledge of 19th century English knows that "below stairs" refers always and only to the kitchens, servant's hall, and other basement offices. At another point Charlotte thinks that Maria will "certainly make a cake of herself by chattering." Excuse me, what? That doesn't make sense even today. Becton is apparently unaware that being "struck dumb" and "mute" mean the same thing, as she uses both words in the same sentence. She also doesn't know that "extraneous" and "extenuating" mean two completely different things; she uses them as synonyms. The same is true when she speaks of Maria using a "well-moderated" voice when the context clearly requires "modulated". Charlotte goes around seeing things "in her eyes' mind" instead of her mind's eye, like normal folks.
My middle school English teacher used to tell us never to use words we couldn't spell or define correctly. Shame Becton missed Miss Riedler's class.
It's a "clean" romance novel, a kind of mashup between Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. So far, so followon fanfic standard. It was predictable from page one, but there's a market for that, or so they tell me. I had hoped to see something of the Collins' marriage, possible children, how Charlotte felt about her bargain after she'd opened the unprepossessing wrapper of her surprise package. This is, after all, the cool woman who told Lizzie Bennett that is best for the couple to know as little as possible about each other before the marriage! But no. Mr Collins is already dead and in the process of being buried on page one, which gets him out of the way and leaves the authoress free to do as she likes.
My problem was still with the lack of an intelligent proofreader with a reasonable vocabulary. It's not just the modern usage in early 19th mouths (the dreaded "I'm fine" rears its ugly anachronistic head). It's also misuse of words and phrases that the authoress doesn't seem to know the meaning of. She speaks of Charlotte "going below stairs" to mean from her upstairs bedroom to the main floor of the house. Anyone with any knowledge of 19th century English knows that "below stairs" refers always and only to the kitchens, servant's hall, and other basement offices. At another point Charlotte thinks that Maria will "certainly make a cake of herself by chattering." Excuse me, what? That doesn't make sense even today. Becton is apparently unaware that being "struck dumb" and "mute" mean the same thing, as she uses both words in the same sentence. She also doesn't know that "extraneous" and "extenuating" mean two completely different things; she uses them as synonyms. The same is true when she speaks of Maria using a "well-moderated" voice when the context clearly requires "modulated". Charlotte goes around seeing things "in her eyes' mind" instead of her mind's eye, like normal folks.
My middle school English teacher used to tell us never to use words we couldn't spell or define correctly. Shame Becton missed Miss Riedler's class.
August 11, 2018
I've been rewarding myself when I exercise by letting myself listen to light fluffy books. This was a light fluffy book, fo sho.
First... the name pronunciation in regency England is Mar-I-ah not Mar-ee-ah. There was a vowel shift in the late 19th century. Good god, people.
Second... why are there no strong female characters? Everybody is either a gossip, a prude, malicious, or stupid. I get that Jane Austen wasn't always kind to her sex, but Pride and Prejudice had it's fair share of strong women... Mrs Gardner, Lizzy, even Jane was strong in her own way.
Finally, sometimes the dialogue was a little absurd. Like a caricature of people instead of actual people.
With all that said, the story line isn't terrible in itself.
First... the name pronunciation in regency England is Mar-I-ah not Mar-ee-ah. There was a vowel shift in the late 19th century. Good god, people.
Second... why are there no strong female characters? Everybody is either a gossip, a prude, malicious, or stupid. I get that Jane Austen wasn't always kind to her sex, but Pride and Prejudice had it's fair share of strong women... Mrs Gardner, Lizzy, even Jane was strong in her own way.
Finally, sometimes the dialogue was a little absurd. Like a caricature of people instead of actual people.
With all that said, the story line isn't terrible in itself.
February 16, 2024
This was one of the first few Jane Austen variations I read when I ventured into the genre back in 2015. I confess that I was kind of a snob about fan fiction at the time, and I didn't value fresh variations on Jane Austen's stories nearly as much as I do now, even though I gave this one a 5-star rating at the time. I've since come to love the genre beyond all reason. I especially loved revisiting this one.
The story begins seven years after Pride and Prejudice left off, in 1818, after the death of Mr. Collins. Charlotte Collins (nee Lucas) is now widowed, but finds a way to live on economically on what little she insisted in her marriage settlement that her husband put aside for her, and in a small cottage that is let to her at a charitable discount by her husband's former patroness, Lady Catharine de Bourgh. Her younger sister, Maria Lucas, comes to live with her, hoping that her older, wiser sister can help her better than her aging parents are able, to be out socially and find a husband. She requires a chaperone. Maria thinks Charlotte has been mourning too long a husband she barely tolerated when he was alive, and hopes to get her sister to be out among people again as well.
The feeling and tone of Jane Austen's stories is captured here, as well as the manners of the period in question, a time when propriety and social skills, even for a woman lucky enough to be born the daughter of a gentleman, could mean the difference between a life of comfort, or ruin and destitution.
I have always loved that Jane Austen made a point of clarifying the risk that women lived under in her time, and portrayed so well the sagacity required of women of the era, a quality completely undervalued by the patriarchy of the time.
I enjoyed rereading this novel quite a lot.
The story begins seven years after Pride and Prejudice left off, in 1818, after the death of Mr. Collins. Charlotte Collins (nee Lucas) is now widowed, but finds a way to live on economically on what little she insisted in her marriage settlement that her husband put aside for her, and in a small cottage that is let to her at a charitable discount by her husband's former patroness, Lady Catharine de Bourgh. Her younger sister, Maria Lucas, comes to live with her, hoping that her older, wiser sister can help her better than her aging parents are able, to be out socially and find a husband. She requires a chaperone. Maria thinks Charlotte has been mourning too long a husband she barely tolerated when he was alive, and hopes to get her sister to be out among people again as well.
The feeling and tone of Jane Austen's stories is captured here, as well as the manners of the period in question, a time when propriety and social skills, even for a woman lucky enough to be born the daughter of a gentleman, could mean the difference between a life of comfort, or ruin and destitution.
I have always loved that Jane Austen made a point of clarifying the risk that women lived under in her time, and portrayed so well the sagacity required of women of the era, a quality completely undervalued by the patriarchy of the time.
I enjoyed rereading this novel quite a lot.
June 19, 2024
This is the second variation of P&P I’ve read. I have to say that I didn’t enjoy this one near as much as The Forgotten Sister: Mary Bennet’s P&P by Jennifer Paynter. However, Charlotte Collins… is a charming story in its own right (for the most part).
In this novel Charlotte is a widow and living in a small cottage when her younger sister, Maria, comes to live with her so she can go out into society in hopes of catching a husband (not to mention Charlotte; is she too old to catch a husband herself?).
There are ups and downs in relationships, and, of course, controversies regarding the two sisters in society. Maria’s story is somewhat a coming-of-age story, and the rest focuses on how they deal with life, without husbands, nor with dowries in order to obtain one. They also experience the tenuous thing of maintaining a reputation of upstanding character.
There are more ups and downs, and sometimes you want to slap Maria for being a juvenile, spoiled brat, but you get over it quickly because do you really care about her? About Charlotte?
This story does not do P&P justice in terms of writing whether its style, voice, or character development. It reads more like fan fiction, than it does an attempt as a “spin-off” of a much-loved story.
If you really like P&P variations, then you may like it, but it was just an okay story for me. It was a nice distraction for a little bit, but that’s about it. 3***
In this novel Charlotte is a widow and living in a small cottage when her younger sister, Maria, comes to live with her so she can go out into society in hopes of catching a husband (not to mention Charlotte; is she too old to catch a husband herself?).
There are ups and downs in relationships, and, of course, controversies regarding the two sisters in society. Maria’s story is somewhat a coming-of-age story, and the rest focuses on how they deal with life, without husbands, nor with dowries in order to obtain one. They also experience the tenuous thing of maintaining a reputation of upstanding character.
There are more ups and downs, and sometimes you want to slap Maria for being a juvenile, spoiled brat, but you get over it quickly because do you really care about her? About Charlotte?
This story does not do P&P justice in terms of writing whether its style, voice, or character development. It reads more like fan fiction, than it does an attempt as a “spin-off” of a much-loved story.
If you really like P&P variations, then you may like it, but it was just an okay story for me. It was a nice distraction for a little bit, but that’s about it. 3***
July 1, 2019
Oh dear.
I was encouraged by the opening chapters, this seemed quite promising. But it soon developed into boring. Plus points, the author has a reasonable sense of period, and makes a creditable attempt at Jane Austen’s style....but totally missing are the irony,the lightness of touch, the sense of humour. This is particularly obvious as she develops the character of Charlotte. Heavens, what a humourless prig she becomes in the hands of Ms Becton! Such a woman could never have been the close friend of Elizabeth Bennet. Also, the hero is underdeveloped to the point of invisibility, and the plot line of the stolen glove is frankly silly. I skim read to the end , with very little interest in how Charlotte reached her happy ending (not by any common sense or deserved good luck on her part, you may be sure! ), and will not be reaching for another by this author.
Only good point, reading a bad Jane Austen continuation sent me back to one of the better ones...Anna Elliott has written several good stories around Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet, Margaret Dashwood. She too is no Jane Austen, but then she doesn’t aspire to be, settling instead for believable plot lines, likeable characters and a pleasant narrative style. I recommend Georgiana's Diary as a starting point.
I was encouraged by the opening chapters, this seemed quite promising. But it soon developed into boring. Plus points, the author has a reasonable sense of period, and makes a creditable attempt at Jane Austen’s style....but totally missing are the irony,the lightness of touch, the sense of humour. This is particularly obvious as she develops the character of Charlotte. Heavens, what a humourless prig she becomes in the hands of Ms Becton! Such a woman could never have been the close friend of Elizabeth Bennet. Also, the hero is underdeveloped to the point of invisibility, and the plot line of the stolen glove is frankly silly. I skim read to the end , with very little interest in how Charlotte reached her happy ending (not by any common sense or deserved good luck on her part, you may be sure! ), and will not be reaching for another by this author.
Only good point, reading a bad Jane Austen continuation sent me back to one of the better ones...Anna Elliott has written several good stories around Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet, Margaret Dashwood. She too is no Jane Austen, but then she doesn’t aspire to be, settling instead for believable plot lines, likeable characters and a pleasant narrative style. I recommend Georgiana's Diary as a starting point.
September 23, 2010
The cover touts the book as "a continuation of Pride and Prejudice". This is not really true. The main character is Charlotte Colin and that is where the comparison ends. The characters are not well developed. Jane Austin's wit and unique observations of people and the culture of her time period are totally missing from this book.
After saying this, I will say that this book was a pleasant read for a raining Sunday afternoon.
After saying this, I will say that this book was a pleasant read for a raining Sunday afternoon.
Want to read
February 14, 2012Currently free on Amazon! (Kindle edition)
October 10, 2014
Jennifer Becton has a new fan. This was a lovely, well thought out, beautifully written book. A noble addition to Miss Austen's characters.
September 17, 2015
At first I thought this was mediocre fanfic (not that there's anything wrong with that) but I don't think it was even mediocre.
January 27, 2022
Though the couple had been married for very nearly five years, Charlotte could tell that they still enjoyed each other’s company very much indeed, and she was quite certain that while not in company, they often sat much more closely. Charlotte’s observations were both encouraging and somewhat depressing, for she had never experienced such things. She had always sat as far from Mr. Collins as propriety would allow and looked on him as little as possible.
Who could have predicted this would be the first book in 2022 to keep me awake to finish?
This is for anyone who understood Charlotte's practicality give her circumstances, but wanted a little more for her. I think the general tone is in keeping with the source material, while also respecting a modern day readership.
The first half is interesting, but placid. Widow Collins doesn't have the means to live particularly well, but she does have a cottage, her sister, and is well-regarded. She plays chaperone for her sister, but has no expectations for her own romantic prospects. She now sees marriages can be grounded in love, but doesn't see herself as having a second chance.
However, 2 prospects present themselves, although she is reluctant to view them in this light -- as prospective suitors. As in P&P, first impressions are revealed to be unreliable.
In the second half, Charlotte -- practical, settled, well-mannered, cognizant of the opinions of society -- finds herself at the center of a major scandal, and at the edge of ruin. Which is why I had to FIND OUT!
Being in the style of Austen, there's no sex, and a lot of chaperoning. Let me tell you though, but the time she held hands with her man, that hand clasp registered as pretty steamy.
Not a lot of P&P character interactions, but we do have some time with Lizzy.
Who could have predicted this would be the first book in 2022 to keep me awake to finish?
This is for anyone who understood Charlotte's practicality give her circumstances, but wanted a little more for her. I think the general tone is in keeping with the source material, while also respecting a modern day readership.
The first half is interesting, but placid. Widow Collins doesn't have the means to live particularly well, but she does have a cottage, her sister, and is well-regarded. She plays chaperone for her sister, but has no expectations for her own romantic prospects. She now sees marriages can be grounded in love, but doesn't see herself as having a second chance.
However, 2 prospects present themselves, although she is reluctant to view them in this light -- as prospective suitors. As in P&P, first impressions are revealed to be unreliable.
In the second half, Charlotte -- practical, settled, well-mannered, cognizant of the opinions of society -- finds herself at the center of a major scandal, and at the edge of ruin. Which is why I had to FIND OUT!
Being in the style of Austen, there's no sex, and a lot of chaperoning. Let me tell you though, but the time she held hands with her man, that hand clasp registered as pretty steamy.
Not a lot of P&P character interactions, but we do have some time with Lizzy.
May 17, 2021
Interesting life in Kent
Mr Collins is dead, Charlotte a widow in gentile poverty, and her sister Maria is with her. The entire story is full of new characters around Kent that we never knew. Charlotte doesn't go back to Meryton because her parents are elderly and quite feeble, they can't support her. Renting a cottage from Lady Catherine, the two women make a quiet life for themselves until two Americans come. Maria falls in love immediately and is beyond obnoxious over this. Charlotte has her hands full trying to reign her in with little success. Maria thoughtlessly refuses an offer of marriage from a wealthy young man and her reputation is ruined. Charlotte spent a few minutes talking to a family member of Lady Catherine and he ruins her reputation in an attempt to have her as a mistress. It's beyond ridiculous that a person can live in a place for years and then have their reputation ruined over whispers.
I did enjoy reading this even with minimal evidence of Elizabeth or any other characters ( besides Lady Catherine who only made one memorable appearance).
Mr Collins is dead, Charlotte a widow in gentile poverty, and her sister Maria is with her. The entire story is full of new characters around Kent that we never knew. Charlotte doesn't go back to Meryton because her parents are elderly and quite feeble, they can't support her. Renting a cottage from Lady Catherine, the two women make a quiet life for themselves until two Americans come. Maria falls in love immediately and is beyond obnoxious over this. Charlotte has her hands full trying to reign her in with little success. Maria thoughtlessly refuses an offer of marriage from a wealthy young man and her reputation is ruined. Charlotte spent a few minutes talking to a family member of Lady Catherine and he ruins her reputation in an attempt to have her as a mistress. It's beyond ridiculous that a person can live in a place for years and then have their reputation ruined over whispers.
I did enjoy reading this even with minimal evidence of Elizabeth or any other characters ( besides Lady Catherine who only made one memorable appearance).
November 8, 2022
I quite enjoyed this fanfic of how Charlotte Collins finds love after Mr Collins' death. However, I have a feeling that the author needs some assistance with her numbers as some of the dates made little sense to me. For instance, if Charlotte married Mr Collins at 27, they were married for 7 years, he has been dead for 2, then how come Charlotte is 35? My maths say she should be somewhat... older. And her younger sister Maria is just a debutante? I may have some memory issues, but I recall Maria being Kitty or Lydia's age and that should make her about 10-12 years Charlotte's junior, not 15-17... but maybe it's just my memory playing tricks on me. :D
Read
November 10, 2019I'm a Pride and Prejudice fan: by the time I'd graduated high school, I'd read it at least four times. I've seen some movies and series, of course. I like the BBC Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle series because I think it best represents the book. However, I was surprised that I also liked throwing zombies into the mix! Anyway... I think this book by Becton is the best continuation of Pride and Prejudice I've read to date. The prose, issues, and settings feel like Austin, although the conversational wit can't quite measure up (haven't found any author who CAN measure up to Austin in wit yet).
August 12, 2023
Twists of woe and woeful tidings. It is one unfortunate thing after another with this tale, and a lot to suffer after suffering Mr. Collins and a loss of a child. Is her hero worth all that in the end, sure, but did that make the miserable turns worthwhile? I'm uncertain. However, the wonderful way it was contrived, the interesting additions, and the careful attention to the hundreds of details for all the many new characters was an intricate web of a fanciful tale.
September 13, 2025
Way to go, Charlotte!!!!! I am so glad to have found a continuation story of Charlotte Collins (Lucas). The story was engaging, enjoyable and entertaining. Just adored it.
“Perhaps they had come simply to verify that Mr. Collins had well and truly departed for the mansions of heaven, which undoubtedly had as many fine windows as Rosings Park, and to ensure that he would never again bore them with his tedious conversation.”
“Perhaps they had come simply to verify that Mr. Collins had well and truly departed for the mansions of heaven, which undoubtedly had as many fine windows as Rosings Park, and to ensure that he would never again bore them with his tedious conversation.”
Read
May 18, 2023A Delightful Return to Austen Land
I'll not summarize the novel; you need . . to read it for yourself. Suffice it to say that it carries on from P&P with what Jane might have written about Charlotte. I enjoyed it very much, and am looking forward to Maria's short story to finish the excursion into post P&P.
I'll not summarize the novel; you need . . to read it for yourself. Suffice it to say that it carries on from P&P with what Jane might have written about Charlotte. I enjoyed it very much, and am looking forward to Maria's short story to finish the excursion into post P&P.
Read
November 24, 2024The charachters are very intriguing. Some I really disliked and others I didn't. I actually read this one on a website called booksreadfree or something along that line now I'm going to try to read the Maria Lucas Story then the last two of her variations. I also like how they all get happily ever afters. This is my way of not spoiling the book by the way. Also it took me a while to finish it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews