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Dull, unsatisfying wrap-up, after much angst and turmoil, what is so thoroughly broken can’t be mended by a few laughs and manufactured “cheer”.

Many of Mrs. D’Orazio’s stories have a sordid, very toxic twist, disguised as angst or stretching the limits of JAFF.

I find myself disgusted in a way on which one starts to question if Lizzy & Darcy’s love-arc is also spoiled or tainted beyond repair. That’s not what I look for in this genre…

There is a whole section on which “Lord Matlock” is typed-in, but it should read “Lady Matlock” instead, because the situation describes a HER, and the context gives away that’s it’s meant to be Lady Matlock all along [ eye roll ]

Everyone keeps performing actions [VERB] WITH THE [NOUN] of a man/woman + [insert second Verb plus a second comparative phrase]

The performative sentence structure became ridiculous a huundred pages ago!

This is why people start suspecting it’s all AI, because every other sentence follows the exact same grammar pattern and it sounds inauthentic — red flag !

Darcy’s connection to Mrs. Gardiner has been explained in 7 different iterations, to different people or internal recaps… meanwhile, there’s Mr. Bingley suddenly installed for tea at the Bennet’s parlor with no explanation to his arrival, his reason for being in Hertfordshire, since when, why, what for ???

Twice Elizabeth has arrived home after a sea-side stroll, to find the exact same scene described almost word for word, with very little adjustments — lazy and sloppy !

The set up is convoluted ; Mrs. Gardiner is somehow related to the Fitzwilliams & the Darcys, OK — but then Elizabeth (who is said to spend months with the Gardiners in London every year) did not know of the connection with the Earl.

In the same vein, while Lizzy is supposed to be considered a consistent part of the family by the G children, she had not met Mrs. Gardiner’s mother who lives near-by ! HOW ??

There is a big ball in London, one minute Elizabeth is a coveted heiress chased by every matchmaking mama with an eligible son, the next she is back to country nobody from Hertfordshire and “the ton” seems to know ALL about her wild walks about the countryside, her muddy hems, and her young sisters’ behavior (who are still back at home and haven’t met these people at all !)

This is one example of HOW this doesn’t make any sense !! Deep logical flaws that go against common sense [ red flag ] >>

“… the ton remembered what the ton had witnessed last winter: a tradesman’s son paying court at Netherfield, disappearing without explanation, his sisters calling nowhere near Gracechurch Street despite Jane’s visit, and now this same man reappearing at Jane’s elbow…”

This story seriously doesn’t make any sense !!!

A rich London Lady leaves an “inheritance” to Elizabeth *very randomly*, but it’s not really an inheritance because the Lady is still alive (??), so while she has never meet Lizzy, she is giving away her home (in which she still lives in) to a random girl from Hertfordshire PLUS £15,000 per annum — right!

Sentences make no sense, many weird literary turns

Everybody knows things they shouldn’t (not explained on the text), and people are unaware of things they should very much already know !

Contrived, convoluted, and too many errors & miscommunications.

I have my own list of pet-peeves in Austenesque or Hist Romances. The use of woman/women instead of “ladies” is one ; the period-inaccurate use of “bully” is another !

Bully had different meanings in the late 18th to mid 19th Century; it went from loud/quarrelsome, brash or violent, to even used as a synonym for “pimp” (!). To bully as a verb for intimidation, or a playground bully are modern additions.

Is this a re-release ?? Why the separate listing ?

The starting plot is original and promising, but the execution is very confusing !

The narrator point of view changes without warning, Elizabeth & Jane refer to their aunt as Mrs. Gardiner in a private setting, Darcy calls Miss Bennet “Jane”, and a particular girl who is said to be the daughter of an Earl is called “Miss” instead of Lady [First Name].

Surprising emotional complexity.

So far, this is Mary’s story in which she finds love with her childhood bully…

Meanwhile, Lizzy has been “blessed” with a fabulous random inheritance for no reason.

< “So, I am now the owner of three mansions, a townhome, and a great deal of investments. Is that accurate?” > NEED I SAY MORE ??

I thought it would be. Fangasy/Magical retelling.

Instead, I find myself with a Nickelodeon style (90’s cartoon-esque) comedy in my hands…

Another pet peeve of mine >> “My thoughts exactly”

Whickam is too sleek and too insidious — pity ! He could have been a great character…

Too many characters on this story set in too close quarters; the author doesn’t have the skill to manage such a wide cast and keep taba on everyone with coordinated coherence.

Is George Wickham the good guy ??

While Lydia is supposed to be in London waiting to be married to Wickham, at Netherfield, there is a large “family” dinner taking place…

< Jane guided Kitty and Lydia to a place beside Lady Matlock >

Seriously ???

< Richard said, “Darcy has spent thousands of dollars covering his debts over the years.” >

JAFF tends to insert distinct phrases or expressions used by Austen; sometimes it’s natural, sometimes it’s forced (“whatever for?”, “I shall go distracted!”)

Here, we have a maid describing a guest at Rosings saying “her daughter, as was” when the lady still very much IS — the original expression was meant for a newlywed lady who had changed her name, that’s not the situation on this story

No one has any discretion or verbal continence !!

This one is cleary a hurt/comfort story. It can be super romantic, or very creepy, depending on your preferences and viewpoint :)

<< “I see dead people,” she said. >>

After all the buildup, after all the promises to talk to her husband and Elizabeth’s convoluted reluctance; at the worst possible moment, at the cusp of expectation ahead of a well attended ball at Pemberley, Elizabeth’s BIG CONFESSION is a total let-down.

Elizabeth is married to Pemberley’s secrets, not to a husband; she spends zero time with Darcy, they are never alone, they don’t speak, don’t have any affection or intimacy, and apparently they seldom meet at night — Elizabeth has been avoiding telling him “her secret”, and from one failed attempt to do it, days and days pass by without any opportunity to resume a conversation. Incredible !

At any point if something happens, a talk, a revelation, whatever might be, the subsequent chapter consists of Elizabeth pondering, rehashing, recalling and paraphrasing — it’s redundant and it slows the narration considerably.

Some repetition from the start >> how Elizabeth has been seeing ghosts all her life, it’s revisited 100 times in different phrasings; then the oppressive feeling of an angry ghost at Pemberley, a bit tedious…

And the worst repetitive part of all; how Elizabeth wants to tell her secrets to her husband, but she CAN’T for several made-up reasons [ eye roll ] — it becomes boring quickly !