December 29th, 2009 — 3.5 Stars, 4 Stars, Book Review, Comedy of Manners, Great Britain, Jane Austen, P-R, Regency
Abigail Reynolds writes Pemberley Variations. For the uninitiated this means that she takes the classic story of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
and plays a what-if scenario. For instance in From Lambton to Longbourn the what-if is what if Darcy and Elizabeth disclosed their feelings before parting ways after Lydia’s fall from grace? The characters in this what-if scenario all bear the same names, and read fairly familiar, but ultimately are recreated and reintroduced. Attraction is played up and scenes Jane Austen would never write appear involving kissing – great kissing, but a staunch Austen fan will probably feel that even this small break in propriety is too much.
Elizabeth finds out to her dismay how deeply in love with Mr. Darcy she is when the news of Lydia’s foolishness breaks. How could she in all good consciousness expose his sister to her family? She worries a lot about Darcy’s good opinion of her and how the current affairs will certainly provide him with enough ammunition to dislike her from hereafter. To her surprise, Darcy is not at all inclined to think ill of her. He wants her to keep correspondence with his sister, Georgiana, as it his only way to communicate with her. He would marry her tomorrow, no today, if only he could be certain of her regard.
Some provocation on both their parts leads to them sharing their first kiss, part comfort, part passion. One kiss melds into the next and then the worst happens – Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle discover them! Elizabeth does not want to trick Darcy into a connection with her family and he is once again unsure of himself in her affections. This happens a lot actually throughout the novel as they go along their tangent journey toward love and ultimate happiness.
Their insecurities are a little over the top, but ultimately are not distracting from the tale. Reynolds has a way with words and I look forward to reading another Pemberley Variation soon.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Buy: From Lambton to Longbourn: A Pride & Prejudice Variation
Originally posted 2008-12-04 09:22:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 2nd, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, 3 Stars, ARC, Business, Friends, Gentry, Great Britain, J-L, Pregnant, Regency
Loving Mr. Darcy is the second novel in a trilogy by Sharon Lathan detailing the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy after their marriage vows. As such, I recommend reading the first novel Two Shall Become One before entering into this novel as it follows directly on its heels.
What I liked:
- Sharon really knows how to make Regency come alive. Her descriptions of people, places, and things suck you in and refuse to let you go.
- I loved her Georgiana, Mary Bennet, and Catherine de Bourgh. Their voices were perfect, and Catherine’s futile anger was fun to read.
- Darcy’s 23 gifts to Elizabeth for her birthday. I want a birthday like that.
- Pemberley Summer Festival. I'd spoil a little here but Sharon's done an excellent job teasing about clowns.
What I disliked:
- The over the top cutesy “Do you know how much I really, really, really love you?” dialogues Darcy and Elizabeth entered into at least once every chapter. It is extremely sickly sweet. I liked it in the first novel, but it was excessive in the sequel. Well at least for me anyways.
- If I had a dollar for how many times Darcy asked Elizabeth “Are you well?” or a similar variation of the phrase, I’d be a wealthy woman. Elizabeth’s pregnant, not an invalid! Trust me Darcy; you’ll know when she’s not doing well.
- There was no real direction for a good chunk of the story at the beginning of the novel. I wanted more conflict...
Like the first novel, this novel unfolds slowly taking it’s time to depict their daily lives. For those who've ever wondered how it would look, Lathan's trilogy is definitely something you want to pick up and devour. In this second novel, Elizabeth is pregnant and recovering from her episode in the last book which has the direct result in making Darcy crazy overprotective and hovering.
In the end I think this was the right novel, but wrong time for me to read it as Lathan's writing is very much a leisure read to be done while relaxing in a bubble bath for hours not while getting small patches of time here and there.
Rating: 2.5-3 Stars
Buy: Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley
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July 30th, 2009 — 4 Stars, A-C, Comedy of Manners, Estranged, Gambling, Gentry, Gothic, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, Jane Austen, Regency
By: Sasha Muradali, guest blogger
Duty & Desire is an interesting addition to the trilogy of Fitzwilliam Darcy: Gentleman by Pamela Aidan. This second installment takes readers through Mr. Darcy’s missing moments in Pride and Prejudice in between his departure for London after the Netherfield Ball and his reemergence at his aunt’s house, Rosings Park.
A decent novel, filled with twists and turns, it’s nothing too extraordinary or special in terms of the storyline.
It has two important qualities however: Mr. Darcy’s relationship with his sister Georgiana and a deeper look into his personality.
Readers familiar with Pride and Prejudice, will know the thoughts swirling around Lizzy Bennet’s head, but were left with presumptions and, often dream-filled landscapes, as to the inner mechanical mind of “the man himself.”
These two facets are the meat of the story. Through Aidan’s novel, readers are exposed to another side of Mr. Darcy they always knew existed, but were ever privy to reading about until the very end of Pride and Prejudice. Darcy’s relationship with Georgiana is beautiful.
To quote Elizabeth Bennet, he’s “an ideal older brother.” From his indulgences of her, patience, kindest endearments and openness, as a girl, you cannot help but love him more. Not only love him more, but have the urge to squeal “awwwwww.”
The best part? He falls asleep on her shoulder one night after he comes back from a horrid escapade with a “pack of vipers.” And yes, the vipers are people, not snakes. No, Pamela Aidan does not take Mr. Darcy into Indiana Jones land. Be not alarmed ladies.
The ability to view Darcy’s love for Georgiana, also enables the reader to delve deeper into, what Aidan interprets, as his inner thoughts. Conflicted and confused between decorum and feelings, duty and desire, this novel is one more way to hold on to the character we all know and love.
Not to mention, that it is, for lack of a better term, simply cute how he pines over Lizzy Bennet
It does fall short of An Assembly Such As This, by not by much.
4 of 5 stars.
Read Keira's review of Duty and Desire.
Buy: Duty and Desire
Find and buy more Pamela Aidan novels.
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April 25th, 2009 — 4.5 Stars, Book Review, D-F, Gardening, Great Britain, Regency, Scarred Hero, Soldier, Virgin Heroine
What makes a perfect hero? Is it his dashing good looks, his heroic deeds, or his charm? Third in the series Lessons in Love by Suzanne Enoch, England’s Perfect Hero, delves into the challenge of defining a hero.
Lucinda and her two best friends, Georgiana and Evelyn, create three separate lists on how to be a gentleman of high caliber. Each one is highly personal and defines what each girl feels about herself and what she looks for in a mate. On Lucinda’s list there are four items she wishes to teach a certain dashing gentleman, also known as Lord Geoffrey Newcombe, about being a gentleman.
Only her lessons are getting the attention of a different man; another soldier and nobleman whose past is a mystery and whose character is mysterious. Robert Carroway, brother to Dare, Georgiana’s husband. All she knows about Robert is this: he was at Waterloo, he came home from war injured, his experiences in war have made him withdrawn and edgy, and her father doesn’t like him.
Robert Carroway for his part has lived in a personal hell for three years. The darkness threatens to claim him, chew him up and spit him out. If only it would kill him so he didn’t have to live in silent agony about what had been done to him. The only ray of pure sunlight in his whole existence is Lucinda whose cheery disposition and sweet nature draw him like a moth to the flame. If helping her snare the husband of her dreams could also pull him from the darkness he would do it, or so he told himself. What he really wanted was to be the husband of her dreams.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Originally posted 2008-08-27 05:01:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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