Tag Archives: Mary Lydon Simonsen

#115 A Review of Mr. Darcy Bites Back by Mary Lydon Simonsen

mrdarcybitesbackOctober of 2011 marked my introduction to Mr. Darcy’s Bite by Mary Lydon Simonsen.  I remember being so impressed by Simonsen’s ability to stay true to Austen’s characters even after changing one of them into a werewolf!  I also remember writing Mary an email after finishing the novel begging her to write more of this particular story.  I’m happy to tell you that a year later she has!  Introducing the answer to my begging, Mr. Darcy Bites Back!

From Goodreads:

Someone or something is lurking in the woods of Pemberley.

As Mr. and Mrs. Darcy approach the first anniversary of their marriage, they look upon their life together as very much an idyll. With one exception. Their lives will always be ruled by the lunar cycle as the Master of Pemberley is a werewolf.

As Darcy prepares his pack for nightfall, an unsettling rumor is being spread in the village that a phantom Ghost Buck has appeared in Wentside Woods on the Darcy estate. Because Darcy does not believe the stag exists, he wants to know who started the rumor. Is it possible that someone knows of his darkest secret and is trying to draw him out?

I’m going to start out by saying that Mr. Darcy’s Bite is my favorite paranormal JAFF novel out there. (No joke I reread it like 3 times a year)  The Darcy and Elizabeth that grace the pages of that novel are truly wonderful representations of Austen’s original characters.  Fortunately, the same is true in Mr. Darcy Bites Back!  Simonsen is a pro at writing these two characters.  With almost a dozen novels to her name that have Darcy and Elizabeth included in some way, it’s no surprise that Simonsen has created two characters that have gotten better with time.  It’s as if they’re old friends now, and their story is comfortable and fun.  Fortunately there are still plenty of surprises left up Simonsen’s sleeve, adding enough twists in the plot to keep me intrigued to the end.  I hope that Simonsen continues with these particular novellas.  Adventures with werewolf Darcy and his pack would keep me entranced and coming back for more.

Mr. Darcy Bites Back has everything you’d want in a fun novella, all in a bite sized portion (no pun intended!)  It was a quick and refreshing read that recharged my reading batteries.  I can only hope that Simonsen can have a quick turnaround and come out with another great story featuring Elizabeth and Darcy soon!  This is definitely a great addition to your shelf and a fun pick-me-up.

5 out of 5 Stars

Mr. Darcy Bites Back by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Quail Creek Publishing, LLC (2012)
eBook: 301 pages
ISBN: 2940015752908

Special thanks to Ms. Simonsen for my review copy

Playing Catch Up: Novella Edition

Continuing on with my trend of catching up on reviews, I present the novella edition!  A lot of the books/series I’ve been reading lately have had novellas attached to them, helping me increase my total reads for the year.  Even though they’re shorter in length I still believe they deserve to be counted towards my total goal.  (Some of them are really freaking good!) So, without further ado….

#70 Once Upon A Winter’s Eve (Spindle Cove #1.5) by Tessa Dare – summary from Goodreads:

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren’t beating down her door.  Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet’s feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He’s wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.   Only Violet understands him. And she knows he’s not what he seems.  She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable… Love.

The amazing thing about Tessa Dare’s Spindle Cove series are the heroines.  At first glance they are a mish-mosh of odd women.  They’re shy wallflowers and women interested in science; they’re the women that don’t fit into “normal” society.  Dare gives these women a safe place (Spindle Cove) to come into their own, heal from the pain of being outsiders from society, etc.  It’s her use of the unusual heroine and their creative backstories that make this series so special.  Dare’s superb writing style is also something to note here.  This novella runs at an extremely fast pace, but Violet’s story is so enchanting that you don’t mind.  I can’t tell you about the hero of the story, as it’ll ruin the surprise, but suffice it to say he’s proof that the cards life deals to us aren’t always what we expect.  But, with time and an open mind and heart, we can learn lessons from each instance and grow.

Final thoughts: Add this novella AND this series to your to-read list. (Book one is A Night to Surrender and book two is A Week To Be Wicked)

5 out of 5 Stars

Once Upon A Winter’s Eve by Tessa Dare
Samhain Publishing, Ltd (2011)
eBook: 233 pages
ISBN: 9781609288822

#71 Forevermore (Jewel Trilogy #2.5) by Lauren Royal – summary from Goodreads:

England, 1667

Sensible Clarice Bradford is content in her widowhood. She has a pretty one-room cottage and a lovely little daughter, and the last thing she wants is another husband. Until one fairytale evening when she’s invited to a wedding at a castle…

Scottish gentleman Sir Cameron Leslie is smitten with the shy, English beauty at first sight. He’s fiercely drawn to the very strength and independence that make her unwilling to throw caution to the wind and bestow her heart on a younger man. Though passion flares between them, it will take everything Cameron can muster to reawaken Clarice’s long-forgotten dreams of true love…

Forevermore is part of Lauren Royal’s Jewel Trilogy.  The events take place after books one and two (Amethyst and Emerald) but before book three (Amber). Royal, as we’ve come to expect from her, gives us amazingly tortured characters that we can’t help but fall in love with.  

Clarice is a woman who was dealt difficult blows in her life.  She was married at the tender age of 15 to a man who was almost three times her age.  Not only was he much older than her, but you’re lead to believe he was physically and verbally abusive.  Years after his death Lord Cainewood (of Emerald) brings her a little girl who is need of a home.  Having always wished for children she takes the little girl in, vowing it will be the start to a happier life for herself.  It’s been a year since she adopted Mary and her life has never seemed happier.  Cameron, on the other hand, has led a sort of charmed life, living in Scotland and caring for his family’s ancestral lands.  Until seeing Clarice at his cousin’s wedding he realizes he’s never been in love (how sad!!).  Watching him try to win Clarice’s heart and squash her fears with his tenderness and kindness was joyful.  His scenes with little Mary were beautiful and made me love him even more!

Final Thoughts: If you haven’t yet added this series to your to-read pile you’re seriously missing out.

4 out of 5 Stars

Forevermore by Lauren Royal
Novelty Books (2012)
Paperback: 185 pages
ISBN: 2940014071192

#72 Darcy and Elizabeth: The Language of the Fan by Mary Lydon Simonsen – summary from Goodreads:

While Jane Bennet is recuperating at Netherfield Park, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are frequently thrown into each other’s company. Despite initial resistance, the pair find that their first impressions are changing, especially after Lizzy overhears a conversation between Darcy and Charles Bingley using the language of the fan. Darcy and Elizabeth: The Language of the Fan is a short story showing how two people come together through a series of comical miscues.

Those following the blog are well aware of the fact that I’m a huge fan of Simonsen’s writing.  She always comes up with new and creative ways to make us fall in love with Darcy and Elizabeth’s story.  Having read many Regency novels that employ the use of fans by ladies of respectable status, I’ve been curious about what all the motions of these fans meant.  It was really fascinating to have the “rules of the fan” interjected throughout the story as a plot device.

Once Darcy and Elizabeth become “friends”, they get on a conversation about tombstone markers.  Elizabeth tells him that Mr. Bennet enjoys walking through cemeteries looking for the most unique ones.  Reading the tombstone markers (that Simonsen later told me actually exist) were really funny, and they added a quirky humor to the story.

Final thoughts: Simonsen always leaves me wanting more, and that’s exactly how I felt upon completing The Language of the Fan.  Click here for more of my reviews of Simonsen’s books!

4 out of 5 Stars

Darcy and Elizabeth: The Language of the Fan by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Quail Creek Publishing (2011)
eBook: 25 pages
ISBN: 2940012938916

#73 Seven Day Loan (The Original Sinners #.5)  by Tiffany Reisz – summary from Goodreads:

A trained submissive, Eleanor will do whatever her master commands…even spend a week with a stranger. Daniel has been a recluse since his wife’s death, and Eleanor’s lover thinks spending time with her will be therapeutic–especially since Daniel is also a Dom.  Despite her defiant streak, Eleanor can’t resist giving in to Daniel’s erotic demands. But while she’ll let him have her body, she’s determined to keep a guard around her heart. Even if Daniel wants to make Eleanor his permanently….

Seven Day Loan is a prequel to Reisz’s The Siren , a prequel that I of course would read AFTER reading The Siren (oh well).  The biggest “OMG” moment of The Siren is when you find out what Soren’s profession is.  His profession is discussed in Seven Day Loan hence why I suggest reading it after, making the reveal in The Siren more of a surprise.

ANYWAY – Seriously, you must read this. Daniel is heavenly.  The time he and Nora spend together is HOT and it definitely helps us get to know Nora just a bit more.  She is an enigma of a character, one that I’m anxious to keep learning about.

As expected Reisz’s writing style is exquisite and leaves the reader wanting more.  I can’t get enough of her stories and am greatly looking forward to the publication of book two in The Original Sinners series, The Angel, in September.  Reisz has a number of sequels to Seven Day Loan, as well as The Siren posted for FREE on her website.  Click here to read them!

Final thoughts: Read it. No, seriously. Read it.

5 out of 5 Stars

Seven Day Loan by Tiffany Reisz
Harlequin (2010)
eBook: 34 pages
ISBN: 9781426851599

#74 Bargain with the Devil by Enid Wilson – summary from Goodreads:

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy learns of the debacle involving Elizabeth Bennet’s sister several months after he was rejected by Elizabeth, and volunteers to help find her sister, of his own accord.  But what if Miss Elizabeth had requested Mr. Darcy’s aid in just a few days after the disastrous proposal at Hunsford, and he was still very angry with her refusal? What if he decided to be ungentlemanly, and demanded a very particular reward from her in exchange for his assistance?  This steamy, funny Pride and Prejudice what-if short story explores that scenario with wit, emotion and intriguing plot twists that take this perennial favorite to another direction.

Oh man. Where are Austen’s characters that I fell so in love with? Elizabeth? Darcy? Hello? Are you out there? I ask because they were definitely not present in this novella.  For example, there was the inclusion of Elizabeth dressing up as a man to follow Darcy, who teaches her how to “scratch” herself like a man. The entire situation was odd and awkward.  Not only that, but the storyline with Caroline Bingley and black magic was off the wall.

The back and forth between first person and third person narrative made for choppy and somewhat confusing reading.  The actual writing has potential, with the help of some strong editing.  I kept wanting to break out my red pen, but that wouldn’t really help on a nook.

Final thoughts: Skip it.  Try reading Wilson’s Fire and Cross instead.

1 out of 5 Stars

Bargain With The Devil by Enid Wilson
Lulu Press (2011)
eBook: 73 pages
ISBN: 9781447530657

So, there you have it.  The second installment in my “playing catch up” posts.  I hope you enjoy reading these blurbs as much as I enjoy writing them!  Reading and reviewing these novellas has definitely expanded the variety of my reviews this year.  They are fun ways to experience a quick story that is great for those who don’t have the time for a full novel.  I definitely recommend that you add some of these to your “to read” piles at home.

As always, happy reading!

#6 A Review of Becoming Elizabeth Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Becoming Elizabeth DarcyAll too often it’s easy to get caught up in the romanticism of the Regency era.  Jane Austen’s novels make us crave for a time filled with proper manners, fancy ball gowns, and stolen kisses in the moonlight.  Getting lost in this time period makes it easy to forget all of the modern marvels that would not have been available back then.  In Becoming Elizabeth Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen, we get to see what happens when a modern woman is thrown into Austen’s era, and how these modern marvels changed people’s lives when they were introduced.

Elizabeth (Beth) Hannigan has the swine flu, and a fever so bad it’s caused her into fall into a coma.  It is in this state that she follows a boy through a bright tunnel, awakening in the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy.  She is at first astounded that she’s somehow time traveled to Pemberley, and secondly scared that she’ll never return.  When Darcy comes home from a weekend hunting trip, she quickly realizes that all is not well with her favorite literary duo and that helping them solve their marital woes might be her ticket out of the Regency era.  Beth realizes she must convince Darcy that she is not his Elizabeth in order to begin solving the problems of the Darcy marriage; problems that her modern-day knowledge of medicine can help with.  After speaking with Darcy, Beth learns of the multiple miscarriages Elizabeth has suffered and her depression caused by the unfortunate death of their only child.  Will Beth be able to give Darcy the knowledge he needs to save his marriage to Elizabeth?  Will Beth be able to get back to 2010 and beat the swine flu?

Becoming Elizabeth Darcy is the darkest JAFF novel that Simonsen has written to date, but that does not mean it is in any way diminished from her other works.  On the contrary, it is better than ever!  Simonsen gives us a believable scenario in the sense that even the happiest of marriages can go through extremely dark times.  After reading so many JAFF novels that picture Elizabeth and Darcy in the happiest of circumstances, it was refreshing to read a novel unafraid to tackle such dark issues as depression and postpartum.

Simonsen’s humor does however still get an opportunity to shine through as she opens our eyes to the reality of what the Regency era was like.  The lack of flushing toilets, absence of anti-bacterial soap, and prevalence of unhygienic situations, offer Beth’s character ample amount of material to freak out over, making us laugh.  These satirical sections of the novel help to level out the darker and more complex remainder of the storyline.  That being said, I feel that Simonsen has a great balance between these themes of humor and seriousness, and this makes the novel an exciting and fulfilling addition to he fan fiction world.  Simonsen has once again shown that she can tackle any JAFF genre and is a force to be reckoned with.  I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

4 out of 5 Stars

This is my fifth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Becoming Elizabeth Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Quail Creek Publishing (2011)
Paperback 324 pages
ISBN: 9780615568676

Special thanks to Mary for sending me my review copy!

SUCCESS!

It is with GREAT pleasure that I announce I’ve succeeded in completing my goal of reading 100 books this year!  I’m a bit behind on posting my reviews, but I promise you within the next week I’ll complete them and get on track for the new year! Since I’ve completed my goal of 100 for the year I’ve thought about increasing my goal for 2012 and am thinking of upping the goal to 110.  I’ll post my definite plans tomorrow in my kick-off post, similar to what I did last year.

2011 has been a pretty amazing year of reading for me.  Looking back I’ve read some fascinating memoirs, heartbreaking fiction, and  suspenseful mysteries among other things.  My top ten for the year with links to their reviews are as follows:

  1. Jane Eyre
  2. One Day
  3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
  4. The Hunger Games
  5. Stardust
  6. The House At Riverton
  7. Lunch in Paris
  8. A Wife For Mr. Darcy
  9. Eat, Pray, Love
  10. Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian/The Silent Governess

It was SO difficult to come up with a top ten for the year; I have to pat myself on the back for choosing such a wide array of excellent reads.  I do hope that you’ll tell me what you’ve enjoyed reading this year! There is no better recommendation to read a book than a recommendation from a fellow reader!

In terms of the challenges I signed up for this past year I completed the Historical Fiction Challenge and the Page to Screen Challenge with flying colors.  The Chunkster Challenge continues through January 31, 2012 so I still have a month to finish my last two “mega-chunkster” books.  My Austen challenges I did not do so well on.  I only completed 2 of the Jane Austen mystery novels, and completed 50% of the Sense and Sensibility Challenge.  I’m disappointed that I did so terribly on them, but I guess the light at the end of the tunnel is that I still completed my 100!  I’ve already begun to sign up for 2012 challenges, so make sure you head over to my challenge page to track my progress.

I hope that you will all enjoy the holiday today, checking back in tomorrow to join me on my journey of reading in 2012.

Happy New Year, and happy reading!

#68 A Review of Anne Elliot, A New Beginning by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Cover Image

Every time I read Persuasion one thought always pops in my head,  “I wish Anne had more confidence.”  Mary Lydon Simonsen makes my dream come true in Anne Elliot, A New Beginning.  Simonsen takes our beloved Anne and breathes new life into her meek  personality that prevailed in Austen’s original work.  This new and fresh look at one of my favorite Austen characters was too good to pass up, and the pages flew by as I got to witness a new and exciting chapter in Anne’s life as a liberated woman.

Anne Elliot is an old maid.  She is a spinster.  She is 25 years old and feels oddly liberated in this new status her family has given her.  With this new-found freedom she begins running.  Yes, you read that right, running.  To her delight, this new activity makes her more confident and secure in herself than ever before, and she is ecstatic when Captain Wentworth happens upon her company eight years after their initial tumultuous courtship.  Sound to good to be true?  Of course it is, nothing in life is ever this easy!  William Elliot, the heir to Kellynch (the Elliot estate), has come back from a long separation from Anne’s father following a disagreement long ago.  Now that he is back he finds Anne just as attractive as Wentworth does, and he attempts to gain her courtship.  Not is all as it seems, as Anne senses that William may have some tricks up his sleeve.  Will she be able to unite with Wentworth or will William become an insurmountable obstacle?  How will Wentworth react to her running when he finds out?

As I said in my opening, I’ve always wished that Anne had more confidence.  She finds all of this confidence running. WHAT a change confidence makes.  Anne is unafraid to speak her mind, and frequently does so, much to the displeasure of Lady Russell.  She stands up to Mary and makes her stop being such a hypochondriac, forcing  Mary to do something positive with her life instead of wasting it away worrying.  Anne helps the characters change their ways, while also forcing them to give her the respect she has deserved all along.  (All of this is done with hints of humor along the way).

I think you can tell by now that Anne Elliot, A New Beginning is a satirical retelling of  Persuasion. I’m usually really nervous about reading satirized versions of Austen’s novels because either a novelist takes it too far and makes it borderline ridiculous (see here), or they don’t change enough of the story to make it a satire.  Simonsen found the perfect blend between the two by infusing pop cultural references into the story that actually worked.  Anne is all about running, so the references to Nike and other modern running related items makes sense in the context of the story.  Also making Mary turn from a hypochondriac into a nurse was hysterical.  She goes from being afraid of everything to suddenly making sure there are always bandages around and proper first aid techniques in use.  It was a very humorous personality switch. 

 As usual Simonsen has given us a fresh take on an Austen classic.  It was refreshing and exciting to see her new iteration of Anne as a confident and determined individual.  All in all, I truly enjoyed Simonsen’s work and was happy to root for Anne and Wentworth until the end!

4 out of 5 Stars

This is my twenty-ninth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Anne Elliot, A New Beginning by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Quail Creek Publishing LLC (2010)
Paperback 229 pages
 
Special thanks to Mary Lydon Simonsen for sending me my review copy!

An Interview With Mary Lydon Simonsen; Author of Anne Elliot, A New Beginning

Very good friend of the blog, Mary Lydon Simonsen, recently gave me some time out of her busy schedule while promoting Mr. Darcy’s Bite to do a little interview (you can find my review here).  I recently started writing some “getting to know you” questions at the beginning of each of my interviews.  It gives readers a chance to get to know the author as a person as well as an author! 

If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Lonesome Dove.  It’s a wonderful epic adventure of the closing days of the American frontier.  The characters are so perfectly drawn that you care about all the good guys and hate all the bad guys and are ambivalent about everyone in between.  It’s the American equivalent of Homer’s Odyssey.

If you had to describe your writing with a color, what color would you choose? Why would you choose that color?

I would choose a soft yellow because I think that color makes you smile, and I like to have people laugh or chuckle or smile at some point while reading my stories.

If you had all the money in the world and could only travel to one place, where would it be? Why?

This one is easy.  I would go to Italy.  I’ve been twice, and it’s addictive.  I love the architecture, art, history, language, people, food, and, most especially, the gelato.  I once stood outside a church built over a Roman temple dedicated to Minerva with a Michelangelo sculpture inside behind the Pantheon facing an Egyptian obelisk on a Bernini pedestal.  Where else in the world could that happen?

If you could meet one person dead or alive, who would it be and why?

George Washington.  He put everything on the line when he took command of the Continental army.  After the war ended, he could have seized power and made himself an emperor, but, instead, he served his country and then retired like Cincinnatus and not Napoleon.

On to your books!!

I’ve read almost everything you’ve written, and see that you’ve written a multitude of different genres from historical fiction, to Jane Austen fan fiction, and now with your newest book, a paranormal romance.  What would you say was the most fun genre for you to write?  What genres have you not written yet that you’d like to try your hand at?

I love writing parody.  The most fun I’ve had as an author was writing Anne Elliot, A New Beginning.  All the rules went out the window on that one.  Despite the comedy, Anne and Frederick stay true to their basic characters. 

Next up is a British procedural mystery.  I’m nervous about this because it requires that I write an outline.  I’m a writer who usually flies by the seat of her pants.  You can’t do that with a mystery.

You and I have talked about the inspiration behind some of your novels.  Would you care to share with our readers which inspirations have been the most influential?

Writing historical fiction is my greatest love.  My first novel, Searching for Pemberley, was very personal because its roots are in the little coal-mining town where my parents grew up during the Depression and their experiences during World War II.  I admire people who pull themselves up by their bootstraps or, in the case of Elizabeth Bennet, someone who will not compromise on her core beliefs, even if it costs her Mr. Darcy.

I think it’s safe to say that you’re a widely popular/successful author in the world of Jane Austen fan fiction.  What type of JAFF is your favorite to write?  Which of Austen’s original books do you most enjoy writing about?

Oh my goodness!  Thanks for the compliment!  In my Jane Austen re-imaginings, I like to keep it light, and that is why I introduced the character of Antony, Lord Fitzwilliam, Earl of Stepton, Darcy’s bad boy cousin.  He can break all the rules and get away with it.  We all love a rascal.  We just don’t want to be married to one.  As for my favorite Austen book, it’s a tie. I have loved Pride and Prejudice since I was a teenager in the 1960s, but as I have grown older, I have fallen in love with Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth’s much more mature love story in Persuasion.  I have a novella coming out in November, Captain Wentworth: Home From the Sea.

What can you tell us about your upcoming works?  (I hope you tell us that you’re working on a sequel to Mr. Darcy’s Bite)

After the Persuasion novella, I will have a time-travel P&P romance coming out in December titled Becoming Elizabeth Darcy. This one will be somewhat controversial because a modern woman from New Jersey goes back to Darcy’s Pemberley and ends up in Elizabeth Bennet’s body. Although there are lots of light-hearted moments, it is my most serious work since Searching for Pemberley.

As for Mr. Darcy’s Bite, so many people have contacted me about a sequel that I think I might just do it.  It would take place early in the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth.  Wickham may be back!

Thanks for taking the time to discuss your work with us!

Thank you for having me.  It’s always a pleasure to visit with you.  This was fun!

Make sure you check back in tomorrow for my review of Anne Elliot, A New Beginning!  For more information on Mary and her novels check out her website here.  Check out my reviews for her other novels: A Wife For Mr. Darcy, The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park, and Darcy on the Hudson.

#63 A Guest Review of Mr. Darcy’s Bite by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Another day, another review!  My newest guest review for the Austenprose blog was posted today; It’s on Mary Lydon Simonsen’s newest book, Mr. Darcy’s Bite.  The novel takes us on a paranormal journey with Elizabeth, Darcy, and werewolves. 

Darcy has been courting Elizabeth for months and still there is no sign of a marriage proposal.  He shows up at Longbourn one day begging Elizabeth to make the journey to Pemberley with him as he has a secret he needs to share.  If she doesn’t run from him after hearing this secret, then he’ll have a certain question he’d like to ask her.  Elizabeth is at first nervous about what he is hiding, but agrees to head to Pemberley.  What secrets are lurking there?  Will their love be strong enough to overcome Darcy’s deep secret?

Check out the rest of my review here!

Congratulations to, Mary on yet another fabulous book!

This is my twenty-seventh completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

#57 A Review of A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Mary Lydon Simonsen has cemented herself as one of the most creative Jane Austen fan fiction authors out there.  Each new novel and/or novella takes us on a new journey with the characters we know and love from Austen’s works.  A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park is a treat for Pride and Prejudice fans, as we’re presented with two short “what-if” stories about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.  As you know, I am a big fan of the “what-if”s” already, but A Walk in the Meadows made me excited and anxious to read what would happen to Lizzy and Darcy all over again!  I happily turned the pages of these two-stories-in-one as I followed Lizzy and Darcy through alternative plots that very well could have happened.

The titular story poses the question: what if Mr. Darcy left Meryton the day after the assembly in which he makes his disastrous “not handsome enough to tempt me” statement, and never met Elizabeth again until her visit with the Collins’ in Kent?  Upon finally meeting again Darcy finds the words he so erroneously spoke about her are still on the tip of Elizabeth’s tongue.  Darcy is taken aback, realizing simultaneously how much he loves her and how much he hurt her at the same time.  Thus, they begin to rekindle their relationship with a walk in Rosings Park.  With the help of his cousin Anne, Darcy comes up with a plan that will hopefully have him winning Lizzy’s heart.  Will the feelings of Elizabeth’s heart be able to overcome the doubts in her head?

The second (bonus!) story by Simonsen is entitled Darcy Steps In, and asks: “what if Darcy finds out that Mr. Collins wants to propose to Elizabeth?  Darcy is unsure as to what Elizabeth’s response would be if a marriage was proposed between Collins and herself, due to the entail on the estate.  He begins to feel nervous and jealous, which thrusts him into action.  He decides that he must have a chat with Collins that will hopefully give all parties their desired wishes in the end.  Will Darcy’s plan work, or will Elizabeth’s feelings of duty outweigh those of her heart and mind?

As always Simonsen injects her subtle humor into the stories, especially as these stories include none other than that ridiculous oaf Mr. Collins!  It’s these subtleties that always make me enjoy her writing.  She has a way of writing a more playful Darcy, and really who doesn’t want to read how their relationship would play out with that kind of Darcy?  Simonsen’s Darcy freely teases Lizzy for her impertinence, and is honest about his opinions and feelings.  (Not opinions and feelings like “oh you’re terribly wrong for me but I’ll make you an offer of marriage anyway”)  Darcy himself is humorous and it’s watching Lizzy fall in love with that man that makes Simonsen’s work a favorites of mine time and time again.

Both short stories were wonderfully imaginative and could definitely have the potential to become full-fledged novels on their own.  Both had a well-developed plot that could have easily carried the story through many more pages.  However, she was able to take these stories and move them along quickly so that we got right into things without further ado.  I feel that this definitely worked to her credit, and made both stories exciting and a quick read.  These works definitely show her strength as an author, for the strong plot lines Simonsen has imagined easily pulled me into her world of “what-if’s”, and made me glad to follow this latest iteration of the genre she’s mastered so well!  I would highly recommend this novel to those readers who want to cut out the supporting characters in their JAFF works.  With A Walk in the Meadows you’re either with Darcy or Elizabeth the whole time, much to the readers delight!

5 out of 5 stars

This is my twenty-sixth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Quail Creek Publishing (2011)
Paperback, 150 pages
I’d like to thank Mary Lydon Simonsen for my review copy of A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park!  As always, it’s so appreciated!

#54 A Review of Darcy on the Hudson by Mary Lydon Simonsen

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If you’ve been reading my blog, then you know that Mary Lydon Simonsen  is one of my favorite Jane Austen fan fiction writers because her writing, her characters, plot, and creativity make her novels an extreme pleasure to read.  When Mary emailed me and gave me the opportunity to read not one, but three of her self-published novels, I immediately jumped at the bit.  Of these three novels, she included her newest installment, Darcy on the Hudson, which is being released today!  It’s different from the other novels of hers that I have read, as it is a re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice, taking place in a heavily Dutch-influenced New York.

After Georgiana’s narrow escape from George Wickham’s sinister plan of revenge, Darcy decides to take her with him and Charles Bingley on their trip to America.  Darcy hopes that the trip will bolster her spirits and boost her confidence, while giving her a new and quiet environment to heal her broken heart.  Bingley’s Uncle Richard offers to play host to the three while in America, introducing them to the Hudson River Valley portion of New York.  Upon their arrival in New York, Darcy meets a young American woman named Elizabeth Bennet.  Just like in the beloved original, Darcy and Elizabeth fall for one another, although this time there are historical and social factors at play, threatening to tear them apart.  Lizzy is just as outspoken as ever, this time about the impending war between America and England.  This makes Simonsen’s decision to make Lizzy an American even more inflammatory, as the obstacles between her and Darcy become even more insurmountable as ever.  Wickham and Caroline Bingley make their appearances as evildoers, and there is even a new love interest for Georgiana thrown into the mix.  One of the most interesting changes that readers will really enjoy is the transformation of Mrs. Bennet.  No longer a hysterical and floundering character, Simonsen makes her a new woman of resolve and wisdom beyond her years.  She helms the ship of her family with grace and power, and really makes a 180 degree turn.  With all these new changes and undertones of unrest, will Darcy and Lizzy be able to find true love?

Simonsen shows a true mastery of the historical fiction genre with the attention she spends on details.  Nothing is too small for her notice whether it be the names of new characters or the types of food being eaten.  Each detail of the novel plays a part in shaping the world she’s creating.  Having grown up in New Jersey for a good portion of my life, it was fascinating for me to read about places in New York that I grew up next to.  It added to my extreme pleasure of the novel by teaching me new things, while still being entertained by my favorite Jane Austen characters.  Not only was it fascinating to learn about the New York region, but the book offers a lot of insight into the Dutch culture and the political reasons behind the War of 1812.  Simonsen even includes a bit of an index in the rear of the book to learn more in-depth about certain people/places/events that she mentions throughout the course of the work.

As I mentioned earlier there are various changes to the characters we know and love.  I can’t tell you what a joy it was to read a Mrs. Bennet who wasn’t obsessed with yelling and carrying about.  She offered prudent advice to her daughters, in the hopes that it would guide them in the decisions they made for themselves, while remaining true to who they each were.  This character change alone made me begin to rethink Austen’s original storyline and wonder how different the younger Bennet girls might have been with a mother who showed a little more restraint and decorum.  Even Caroline Bingley has a bit of a “generous” moment!  It’s these little twists and turns that make Simonsen such a fun author to read.  She takes the readers on an old journey that is full of surprises, making it completely new again.

If you’re willing to keep an open mind with the character changes, and would like see Darcy and Elizabeth thrown into a new location and situation, then I highly recommend Darcy on the Hudson.  The ending alone will have any romantic head over heels in love with Darcy all over again.  

4 out of 5 Stars

This is my twenty-fifth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Darcy on the Hudson by Mary Lydon Simonsen
Quail Creek Publishing (2011)
Paperback, 288 pages
ISBN: 9780615513263
 
My very special thanks to Mary for sending me a copy of Darcy on the Hudson.  It is truly appreciated!!

#42 A Guest Review of A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen

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I recently had the opportunity to review a new Jane Austen fan fiction novel for the Austenprose blog.  The novel was A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen.  The novel is a “what-if” variation of Pride and Prejudice.

The variation asks the question: what if, after Darcy’s realizes Elizabeth overheard the dreadful comments he made about her at the Meryton assembly, he goes to apologize rather than ignore that it ever happened.  After apologizing, Darcy begins to see the playful witty side of Elizabeth that he missed before and begins falling for her.  But when duty and honor come in the way he must decide what is more important: following his heart, or following his aristocratic roots.

For a direct link to my review click here

This is my eighteenth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge