Tag Archives: Pride & Prejudice Influenced

Kim’s Review of Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen (The Man Who Loved Jane Austen #2) by Sally Smith O’Rourke

16064895A bajillion years ago (read: three years) I read The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke.  I was at once fascinated by a story that was able to take time traveling, Jane Austen, traditions of horse farms in Virginia, and newly discovered letters authored by Jane Austen to Fitzwilliam Darcy work.  The main plot followed a young man (named Fitzwilliam Darcy!) from preset day Virginia who ends up traveling back to Jane Austen’s time!  I won’t tell you all the plot details, but suffice it to say Jane and Fitzwilliam shared a brief romance before he headed back to the future, a future in which a woman named Eliza found unread letters from Jane Austen to a Fitzwilliam Darcy in her vanity. Her search leads her to Virginia to try to discover who the inspiration behind the character of Fitzwilliam Darcy was.  Fast forward to a few months ago when I found out that O’Rourke decided to write a sequel! Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen thrusts us back to present-day Virginia, and Regency England and back to the lives of Eliza, Fitz, and Jane to show us that sometimes happily-ever-afters take some work.

I’ll let Goodreads do the talking for the plot:

Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, Yes! And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms, Virginia is the reason why!

His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?

Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?

Those of you who have been reading my reviews for a while know that I will love most books inspired by P&P, regardless of what form they take.  This series has been no different, for although time travel is in the mix, reading about Darcy still makes the story just as fun and exciting as it was the first time I read P&P.  Add to this though the fact that we get to get inside Jane’s head, as well as see a whole new relationship evolve between Fitz and Eliza and I was drawn in from page one.  I especially loved Jane’s involvement in the whole story, adding in her thoughts and input was a great move that added a complexity to the novel and an alternate point of view that we don’t usually see in P&P inspired novels.  The only two downsides I would have to point out was the fact that Fitz’s character seemed to be all over the map emotionally at times and the fact that Jane’s scenes were a bit confusing chronologically.  Other than these points, O’Rourke should be commended for her strong follow-up work in her The Man Who Loved Jane Austen series.  Between the exciting love story between Eliza and Fitz and the intriguing point of view from Jane’s incorporation in the story, it’s a great read that will make fans of the series eager to move on to the next work!

4 out of 5 Stars

This is my fourth completed review for the Pride and  Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke
Victorian Essence Press (2012)
Paperback 380 pages
ISBN: 99781891437038

Special thanks to Ms. Smith O’Rourke for my review copy!

Kim’s Review of Sons and Daughters (Darcy and Fitzwilliam #2) by Karen Wasylowski

sddfI remember the first time I read Pride and Prejudice and chuckled to myself at the little tongue-in-cheek humor that Austen used.  Elizabeth’s observations and statements (especially about Mr. Collins) regarding those around her were always sure to get a rise out of me.  It’s this memory that makes me so happy that there is an author in the Austen fan fiction world that can continue to make me laugh with these characters.  Karen Wasylowski is this author and it was her first book, Darcy and Fitzwilliam, that really got me laughing.  Between the over-the-top (in a good way) personality of Lady Catherine and the hysterical brotherly relationship between Fitzwilliam and Darcy, I was hooked.  When offered the chance to review book two in the series Sons and Daughters I immediately said yes!  For who would ever turn down a chance to add humor to one’s life? 

From Goodreads:

Sons and Daughters, a sequel to Karen V. Wasylowski’s Darcy and Fitzwilliam (which was itself a continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice), again follows the iconic Fitzwilliam Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. Now we see the two battling best friends as loving husbands and doting fathers, older and a bit wiser, making the sacrifices, the difficult (and frequently unpopular) decisions that men must make for the good of their families and we see their large brood of offspring – the ‘Fitzwilliam Mob’ – grow from childhood to adolescence then on into adulthood. Along the way, Darcy and Fitzwilliam are viewed by their children first as heroes, then as the enemy, but eventually as mortal human beings and the children’s adored champions once again.

I knew from reading book one of this series that I was in for some seriously funny stuff.  Wasylowski is a master at writing humor.  It’s obvious from the title that the Fitzwilliam and Darcy children play a large part in the plot.  Getting the opportunity to see Darcy and Fitz in parental roles was hilarious.  Especially Fitzwilliam! His brood runs roughshod all over him, especially his twin sons who are major practical jokers.  The only detraction I would have to list is the fact that there were so many characters, which caused some of the story lines to feel rushed and incomplete.  It was a little difficult to keep everything straight because of all the new characters, but once I got the hang of it all was well again.  I have to say that this was easy enough to overlook because of how well Wasylowski was able to hold my attention.  The combination of abundant humor and unique storylines was a delight to read and has cemented my interest in this series as a whole.  I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us in the future!

4 out of 5 Stars

This is my eighth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

This is my third completed review for the Pride and  Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge

Sons and Daughters by Karen Wasylowski
CreateSpace (2012)
Paperback 416 pages
ISBN: 9781480002913

Special thanks to Ms. Wasylowski for my review copy!

Kim’s Review of Loving Miss Darcy (Brides of Pemberley #2) by Nancy Kelley

lmdY’all know by now that I love Pride and Prejudice.  You also know that I love reading books that explore the lives of the characters from that wonderful work, and one of my favorite characters to explore happens to be Georgiana.  I always feel bad for her in the P&P fan fiction world, as she is often relegated to being a minor character, and never the heroine.  All this changes with Nancy Kelley’s second work in the Brides of Pemberley series, Loving Miss Darcy (for my review of the first work, His Good Opinion, click here).

Georgiana Darcy is conflicted.  On one hand she is elated that her brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and his lovely bride, Elizabeth, are happily married and fully in love.  On the other hand, her own personal love life is the complete opposite.  After the disastrous events that led her to almost elope with Wickham previously, she hasn’t had the drive to face another Season full of potential suitors in London.  Enter Richard Fitzwilliam, tasked by Darcy to watch over his little sister and find a suitable match for her.  The problem is that Richard feels that no one is deserving of Georgiana, even though they may be a perfectly good match.  Even Richard’s closest friends are no match for his stony demeanor.  Behind this mask, however, a growing attachment is forming, and it seems that Richard is keeping others out in the hopes that he may have a chance, however slight.  Will he give in to this growing attachment?  Will Georgiana return his feelings?

One major item that I have to commend Kelley on is her ability to portray the angst of the teenage mind via Georgiana.  Obviously, Georgiana is a teenager, and with that comes feelings of angst, confusion, and general awkwardness.  Kelley is able to tap into that mindset and describe Georgiana’s unwillingness to enter the Season due to a variety of factors, chief among them her trepidation at what others will think of the “Wickham scandal”.  On the opposite end of the spectrum is Richard, whose mindset is an unsettled war zone of nerves.  He is confused about his feelings for Georgiana, and cannot separate his duties as her guardian from his desire to want to be with her.  He also wonders if he should even voice his innermost feelings for her, as he fears that she will reject him due to the age gap between them, along with several other factors that keep his feelings in check.  Again, Kelley shows that she is in tune with her characters in writing Richard, and together with Georgiana, she made this story one that I couldn’t put down.  I can’t wait to read the story of Elizabeth’s sister, Kitty, next in the series.  If it’s as good as these other two works have been, I’m in for a treat!

5 out of 5 Stars

This is my second completed review for the Pride and  Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge

This is my sixth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Loving Miss Darcy by Nancy Kelley
Smokey Rose Press (2013)
eBook 244 pages
ISBN: 2940016048345

Special thanks to Ms. Kelley for my review copy!

#118 A Guest Review of All My Tomorrows by Colette Saucier

allmytomorrowsMy new guest review is up on the Austenprose blog today!  This time it’s for All My Tomorrows by Colette Saucier.  (You may remember I reviewed her other novel Pulse and Prejudice here) 

All My Tomorrows is a novel filled with all of my guilty pleasures; melodramatic romance novels and a story inspired by Pride and Prejudice.  Filled will all of the drama you’d expect from a story that mainly takes place on the set of a television soap opera, it’s one you are not going to want to miss.

Click here for my entire review.

#116 A Guest Review of Bewitched, Body and Soul: Miss Elizabeth Bennet by P O Dixon

bewitchedMy newest review for the Austenprose blog, Bewitched, Body and Soul: Miss Elizabeth Bennet by P O Dixon is now up!

Bewitched is a what-if variation on Pride and Prejudice that asks the question: what if Elizabeth followed Darcy to London to ask for his help in securing Bingley’s affections for Jane?  As she has shown in the past, P.O. Dixon has done an excellent job in extrapolating the plot of one of our favorite classics and has drawn in many a reader.

For a direct link to my review, click here.

#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

#112 A Guest Review of Goodly Creatures by Beth Massey

My latest guest review is up on the Austenprose blog today!  My newest review is on the controversial Pride and Prejudice deviation Goodly Creatures by Beth Massey.

The events of the beginning of the book take place several years prior to Pride and Prejudice and are extremely dark.  Elizabeth is raped at the tender age of 15 and winds up becoming pregnant.  The dark events that follow lead our beloved characters down roads we could have never imagined.

A direct link to my review is here.

#94 A Review of He Taught Me To Hope by P. O. Dixon

As most of you know, I’m a big fan of Austen-inspired “what if” variations.  What you may not know is that I’m also a big fan of Camelot and Arthurian legend.  So, imagine my surprise when I found that there was a JAFF book  that combined both of these things!  He Taught Me to Hope by P.O. Dixon was just that, a combination of our favorite Austen characters as well as a few from King Arthur’s time.  Sound interesting?  Read on…

Dixon begins her work with something odd: Darcy enjoying himself.  He is in Hertfordshire, and he manages to catch the eye of a Miss Carlton (the widowed Elizabeth Bennet), as well as befriending a young boy named Ben, who believes himself to be Sir Lancelot (and Darcy to be his King Arthur).  Although Darcy feels compelled to return Miss Carlton’s affections, he does not.  We soon discover the reason why, however, when we learn that Darcy believes that Miss Carlton is engaged to Mr. Collins of all people!  Fortunately for him, on his subsequent trip to Kent he discovers that not only is Miss Carlton not engaged, but the young boy he developed a great relationship with is none other than her son .  Although his affections for Elizabeth are growing, he is not completely out of the woods yet.  He still has to contend with Anne, Lady Catherine, and Collin’s brother Geoffrey on his path to win Elizabeth’s affections.

As much as I thought I might enjoy this work, there were a few aspects that I viewed as disappointments that detracted from the story.  For one, Mr. Benett’s relationship with Elizabeth is never completely resolved by the end of the work.  I understand that not everything needs to be resolved (such as the reconciliation of Jane and Elizabeth, which still may happen), but it seemed odd to me.  Additionally, there was no retribution for Mr. Collins’ bashing of Elizabeth, which seemed strange as well.  However, the biggest disappointment for me was the ending.  It felt quite rushed, as if every character in the book suddenly got thrown into the last chapter.  Multiple conflicts from the book are left unresolved unfortunately.

However, despite these detractions, there were still plenty of great moments that kept my attention.  Forget the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth, it’s Darcy’s relationship with Ben that will win over readers here.  His gentleness, compassion, and the friendship that he offers to this young, fatherless boy is beautifully touching.  I think that the inclusion of a son for Elizabeth was an excellent plot point, and one that brought out a completely different side of Darcy.  Dixon should be commended for using it and thinking outside of the box.  Additionally, the book is very well written structurally.  Dixon definitely has a way with creating unique storylines, and I’m excited to see what other interesting plots that she can come up with.

Finally, if you’re in the mood for a slightly different take on a “what if” variation of Austen’s works, give He Taught Me to Hope a try.  Despite certain unresolved plot points, there are still touching moments with Darcy and Ben that make it a worthwhile read.

3 out of 5 Stars

This is my fortieth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

He Taught Me To Hope by P O Dixon
Smashwords (2011)
eBook: 624 pages
ISBN: 2940032810162

#89 A Review of Mr. Darcy’s Refuge by Abigail Reynolds

After reading a good number of Pride and Prejudice variations, I’ve seen everything from a zombie infested Pemberley to Lizzie and Darcy existing as modern rock stars.  So, although interesting, it was no surprise when I read the summary of Mr. Darcy’s Refuge by Abigail Reynolds.  This time, it’s a natural disaster that impedes on their lives, and knowing Reynolds’ work like I do, I knew I was in for a great read!

We begin with Darcy traveling to Rosings Park, his initial disastrous proposal to Elizabeth barely underway when someone bursts into the room, breathlessly telling them that the river has overflowed its banks!  Fortunately for the residents of Kent (and unfortunately for Elizabeth and Darcy), the Hunsford Parsonage of Rosings Park is high enough above the waters for everyone to escape to safety.  Now, Elizabeth and Darcy have multiple unintended witnesses to the aftermath of Darcy’s proposal, which he thinks is successful while Elizabeth thinks otherwise.  Additionally, with the flood forcing them to be together in the Parsonage for three whole days, Elizabeth’s reputation is at stake.  With tensions rising, Elizabeth and Darcy are forced to confront their feelings for each other, while they soon find that Mr. Bennet is furious with the goings on and clashes with his daughter.  What will happen to this powder keg of emotions and activity?  Will Darcy and Elizabeth even be able to look at each other after this is all over?

Reading Abigail Reynolds’ books is always pleasant because of the unique “what if” questions she often asks.  Putting Darcy and Elizabeth into a situation with no escape and a marriage that must be forced due to propriety has to be one of the harder “what if” plots to write.  The flood was an excellent plot device for two reasons: it got Elizabeth and Darcy into a situation that they could not escape, and it cut them off from all of the other essential characters that would have been able to act as chaperones between the two.  This was a great idea because it maximized the drama that was sure to unfold between Darcy and Elizabeth as it gave them literally no way out of the mess they were involved in.  The most intriguing element of this read was the introduction of Col. Fitzwilliam as yet another suitor for Elizabeth.  The conclusion to his story is one that completely shocked me and surprisingly made me happy.  One thing that did disappoint me was the speed at which Darcy’s transformation occurred, as it seemed a bit fast for my taste.  Other than this, however, I got to enjoy the superior writing style and tone that is always present in Ms. Reynolds writing.  As always, it was a wonderful effort that any fan of Reynolds (or newcomer to her books) should add to their to-read pile!

4 out of 5 Stars

This is my thirty-eighth completed review for the Historical Fiction Challenge

Mr. Darcy’s Refuge by Abigail Reynolds
White Soup Press (2012)
eBook: 238 pages
ISBN: 2940015170801

Special thanks to Ms. Reynolds for sending me my review copy!

#88 A Review of Pulse and Prejudice by Colette L. Saucier

Of all the Pride and Prejudice variations that exist, I’ve had mixed success with those dealing with the paranormal.  So far, I’ve read and reviewed Mr. Darcy, Vampyre (which was ok), Vampire Darcy’s Desire (which I liked), and Mr. Darcy’s Bite (which I loved).  All of these turn our beloved Darcy into a paranormal individual, whether it be a werewolf or a vampire.  Upon starting Pulse and Prejudice by Colette Saucier, I wasn’t sure where it would fall along my scale of “paranormal P&P” works.  I’m happy to report that it was a great read which has renewed my faith in the sub-genre.

In this dark and sensual take on Pride and Prejudice, Saucier introduces us to a seemingly typical Fitzwilliam Darcy: arrogant, brooding, and most of all, dismissive of Elizabeth.  His reasons for doing so, however, have nothing to do with any of these haughty traits.  Instead, Darcy repels Elizabeth due to the fact that she awakes an inner hunger in him, a hunger that he fights long and hard to repress for fear that it will rear its ugly head.  In short, Darcy is a vampire!  Saucier takes us through the friendship and eventual courtship between the two, remaining faithful to Austen’s original style but adding a flair for the undead.  Additionally, we get to see more of Darcy’s backstory, which takes us into the less glamorous part of Regency England, all the while introducing Elizabeth to a part of society she never knew existed!

I’m always nervous to read a paranormal adaptation of one of Austen’s works.  Sometimes the blending of the paranormal aspects are difficult to make work in a Regency-era world.  I’m happy to report that Saucier does a wonderful job blending the two elements seamlessly.  Rather then make the paranormal  the focus of every scene, she weaves it in little by little with dark sensual undertones.  She uses Darcy’s emotions as a most effective way of expressing his vampire side.  His dark desire mixed with his haughty personality and shortening temper make him an extremely exciting character to follow.  Once he is rebuffed for his demeanor to Elizabeth and reveals his true self, his demise and subsequent “rebirth” are written to perfection.

I really enjoyed this retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  It’s a testament to Saucier’s abilities as an author when I say that even with the addition of the vampire elements, the true Elizabeth and Darcy are ever-present.  Their constant misunderstandings of the other’s actions etc are all there.  The new paranormal elements just add to the already deeply complex characters.  For those of you that aren’t frightened to experience a darker version of Pride and Prejudice then I recommend adding Pulse and Prejudice to your to-read piles!

4 out of 5 Stars

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

Pulse and Prejudice by Colette L. Saucier
Secret Cravings Publishing (2012)
eBook: 316 pages
ISBN: 2940014422895

Special thanks to Ms. Saucier for my review copy.