Reading Reticule Roundup May 3

Well, I’m finally back in the saddle after my surgery last month. Recovery took longer than they expected but I am doing very good. You can read more about it here.

And now, let’s see what books I’ve rounded up for us this week!

*Please note: I use universal links which may require an extra step before going to the site and marketplace of your choice. Some promotions may not be available in all countries.

New Release

A Bearable Love by Kate Barton

With the news that Netherfield has been let out at last, Mrs Bennet has no other concerns than to see one of her five daughters married to Mr Bingley, the large estate’s new master.

And the mother couldn’t be more pleased when her five daughters discover Mr Bingley on the way to Meryton, only to find the man unconscious and recently fallen from his horse.

Mrs Bennet is even more pleased when Mr Bingley is rescued and brought to her home to recover.

Now she can influence one of her daughters to win the affections of Mr Bingley and at long last bring good fortune to her family.

With the unusual introductions with Mr Bingley brings the acquittances of his two sisters and close friend, Mr Darcy.

As Jane gets to know Mr Bingley better by attending to his bedside, Elizabeth will get the opportunity to learn about Mr Darcy’s true character.

Even with the pressure to marry at her earliest convenience, Elizabeth may very well find the opportunity to marry for love.

“A Bearable love” is a sweet and clean Regency Romance of 30 000 words.

Mr. Darcy’s Comedy of Errors (Pride and Prejudice Variations) by Bella Breen

Will their love survive their in-laws?
  
The newlyweds of Derbyshire—formerly Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet—barely have time to enjoy each other’s company before unexpected visitors descend upon Pemberley.
 
To Elizabeth’s horror, her mother and father have invited themselves and their two married daughters  to stay with the Darcys, and their departure date remains as elusive as Mrs. Bennet’s manners. Elizabeth feels torn between her duties as a hostess and her desire to throttle her mother to have a moment’s peace.
 
Worse, the quest to discover the Bennets’ true motives for being there threatens the deep affection she and her husband have for each other. When Mr. Darcy learns the shocking cause of this impromptu visit, he must devise a plan with his wife to save her family from ruin… again.
 
But first, he must save his marriage.

Two Days in November: A Teatime Tales Novelette by Leenie Brown

He loves her, though he doesn’t think he should — until, of course, he must.

Fitzwilliam Darcy’s heart says Elizabeth Bennet should be his wife. His head is not certain his heart is wise. While he is attempting to sort out what he thinks he should do and what he truly wants to do, he comes across a distraught Elizabeth. The conversation they share and the secret he learns about her sister quickly put an end to his inner struggle for there is really only one thing he must do. He must help protect her sister from heartbreak and hope, that in the end, his own heart will not be left in tatters.

Two Days in November is a novelette of just over 10,000 words and is the third installment in Leenie Brown’s Teatime Tales Collection of Austen-inspired quick reads. If you’re looking for an entertaining escape from the everyday, where matters of the heart find welcome friendship with logic and reason, then you’ll love this story about taking up a scheme to help a new acquaintance and finding a happy future along the way.

So put the kettle on, download your copy of Two Days in November, and steal away with Mr. Darcy as he and Elizabeth decipher the code to happily ever after.

~*~

[This story was previously published in a shorter form as part of a Teatime Tales short story anthology. That original short story has now been lengthened into this novelette.]

His Sensible Heart: A Touches of Austen Novel by Leenie Brown

To his father, image is everything. To Miles, it is doing the right thing even if it costs him his heart.

For most of his life, Miles Chapman has only had one purpose: to make his father look good. It was a task that seemed easy enough until he fell in love with a lady who did not meet his father’s expectations. Having chosen his heart over his father’s image, Miles finds himself in troubled waters and struggling to win the lady he loves while keeping her safe from his father’s machinations.

Charlotte Wesley is sensible and proper to her very core. However, no amount of sense, propriety, or truth matters to the gossip mill when a tantalizingly scandalous rumour wafts on the winds of society. Having fled Oxford to avoid the attentions of a frivolous fop, she finds her reputation in danger, and the only solution to save it is to marry the very gentleman she was fleeing.

When Charlotte’s father does not immediately accept Miles’s offer to save Charlotte’s reputation, the two begin a tentative courtship during which Miles will work to prove himself to Charlotte’s father, Charlotte will discover just how noble the heart of a seemingly careless fellow can be, and everyone will learn how far Miles is willing to go to keep those he cares for safe.

His Sensible Heart is the sixth book in Leenie Brown’s Touches of Austen series. If you like sweet romances where the hero and heroine discover truths about both themselves and life while falling deeply in love with each other, then you’ll enjoy this Regency romance about finding and fighting for love.

So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of His Sensible Heart, and join Miles and Charlotte as they discover love may not always take the easiest or most sensible path to happily ever after.

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy: Mrs. Bennet’s Solace by Bridgette Bruce

As the Bennet sisters prepare to simultaneously marry their respective significant others in a simple ceremony, Lizzy begins laying the groundwork to assume her new role as Mrs. Darcy, mistress of Pemberley and Darcy House while Jane busily plans to become Mrs. Bingley.

Amid the frenzied preparations, the sisters must find a way to carve out some semblence of independence while attending family dinners, purchasing wedding clothes, and dealing with their mother’s excessive boasting. When the big day finally arrives, the sisters travel to the church where Mary and Kitty await to assist them with their gowns and flowers as dutiful maids of honour. With Lizzy on her father’s left arm and Jane on the right arm, the young women walk down the aisle to marry their loves, enjoy a wedding breakfast, and open a ball at Netherfield. After Lizzy and Darcy move into Pemberley and Jane and Bingley set up residence at a nearby estate, now only time will tell where life will lead the sisters.

In this imagined sequel to Pride and Prejudice, the fascinating story of Lizzy and Darcy continues, detailing their experiences both before and after they marry the love of their life.

Trouble at Rosings by Lane Cossett

Someone has been duped.

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet share a past but when their paths cross unexpectedly in Kent, they are at pains to hide the fact from their friends and relatives.

However, it’s not long before their past influences the present and the resentment and anger that had previously torn them apart bubbles to the surface.

Accusations of deceit are made even as they realise the love they thought had been lost still exists between them.

With family responsibilities threatening a second chance at love which one of them will be prepared to overcome their pride and admit they want the future, they have both yearned for?

Trouble at Rosings is a 64,000 word clean regency romance novel.

Still Waters by Elin Eriksen

It is not a storm that drives a grown man from reason, but still waters…

In the dark hours of the night, Elizabeth’s most beloved sister succumbs to her illness. The aid of a solicitous gentleman is appreciated until her distraught mother misconstrues the circumstances and creates a situation more intolerable than she could ever have imagined.

Elizabeth is grateful when her betrothed leaves the area to let her grieve the loss of her sister in peace but the gentleman who returns for their wedding is not the same gentleman who left her behind.

She had not expected her life would be easy, moving halfway across the country, married to a man who found her only tolerable, yet Elizabeth is not made for misery. The decision to make the best of what life has given her was easy to make but the follow through breaks her heart as she must fight for her position and accept betrayal too despicable to contemplate.

Warning: Infidelity, betrayal and descriptive sexual encounters that are appropriate for a mature audience only.

From Highbury with Love (Highbury Variation Book 1) by Corrie Garrett

A retelling of Pride and Prejudice and Emma, bringing some of your favorite couples together in unexpected ways!
When Lizzy Bennet spends the winter in Highbury, it will be anything but the dull visit she expects. Particularly with Mr. Darcy visiting his friend Mr. Knightley!

Between dueling with Emma over Harriet Smith’s future and discovering secret love letters to Jane Fairfax, Lizzy is soon invested in her new friends. Then she becomes an unwelcome witness to Lady Catherine warning Emma not to think of Mr. Darcy!

From there it is a carousel of mistaken affections, relentless gossip, repressed emotions, and fateful decisions.
How will the new knots ever be untangled?

Between winter balls, outdoor frescoes, and fireside chats, the Highbury community is in for all the drama their village can hold.

A retelling of Pride and Prejudice and Emma, bringing all your favorite couples together in unexpected ways.

The Bennet Uncle by Florence Gold

Fifty years since he departed England’s shores for a life of adventure and discovery in far-flung lands, Thomas Bennet finally returns home looking for the one thing that was missing in his life—to be part of a loving family.
Finding a warm welcome at Longbourn with his nephew and great-nieces, Uncle Thomas turns their lives upside down, transforming the peaceful existence into a continuous discovery.
Amongst the changes that are wrought in the Bennets’ lives, the one constant remains Jane’s love for the absent Mr Bingley, whilst Elizabeth’s confused emotions over the perplexing Mr Darcy are equally apparent to her uncle. No stranger to heartbreak himself, Thomas’s interference ensures his nieces cross paths with the gentlemen that are foremost in their thoughts. Whilst their road to happiness is not always straightforward, the young people may not be the only ones to find true love at the end of it.

Filled with love, humour and adventure, this novel offers an unexpected beginning to the old Bennet family story we all know and love.

Unconventional: an Austentatious comedy that defies expectations by Amanda Kai

Mr. Darcy is in love with Elizabeth Bennet, but she teases and berates him. Then, Darcy finds himself unwittingly trapped into a marriage with Caroline Bingley. Will Darcy ever be free to pursue the woman he truly loves? Or will he be shackled forever in an unconventional marriage to a woman he detests?

Finding Mr. Darcy by Valerie Lennox

What if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth met when they were young? What if Mr. Darcy had an ambitious, cunning uncle?

Years ago, Mr. William Oliver was a different man. He was raised to inherit Pemberley, as Fitzwilliam Darcy. The summer of his thirteenth year, he spent his time sneaking off to play games with a girl named Elizabeth, who was visiting her aunt and uncle in Lambton, just miles from his home.

But all that changed one tragic day when the boy’s father fell to his death, directly after they’d had a terrible quarrel. His uncle, Simon Darcy, ushered him off, telling him that everyone would believe the boy had killed his own father, and that he must run away and never come back.

And so, for ten years, Mr. Oliver has lived another life with another name, as a foundling in London, dependent on the employment of his friend, Charles Bingley. He accepts an invitation to the country with the Bingleys and accompanies them to a public ball.

Then he sets eyes on Elizabeth, all grown up. He recognizes her immediately, and he is stunned by her beauty.

Also, he is determined that she never reveal who he truly is.

This variation adjusts ages to accommodate the idea that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth could have conceivably been childhood playmates and adds in a few entirely new characters. It could not be termed entirely clean, but there is no consummation until the very end, after our dear couple are happily married.

The Second Mrs. Darcy by Anna Lockhart

This is not at all the start to her marriage that Elizabeth Bennet Darcy had in mind…

After his first wife, Anne de Bourgh, is lost at sea only months after their marriage, Fitzwilliam Darcy is at last allowed to marry for love. Elizabeth Bennet is everything he ever wished for: intelligent, kind, and clever times two. Despite their rocky first meeting, Elizabeth feels the same about Darcy, and her arrival at Pemberley is a breath of fresh air for all who live there…

Especially after their brief and unpleasant time spent in the company of Anne de Bourgh.

But after only six blissful months as husband and wife, a knock on their door one warm summer afternoon throws not only the household into chaos, but the Darcys’ marriage.

Will the surprise arrival ruin everything Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam have built for themselves?

The Second Mrs. Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice variation full of comedic surprises and misunderstandings, with a guaranteed happy ending!

Snowbound with Mr. Darcy by Anna Lockhart

Can a dangerous encounter lead to love for two people who could not stand the sight of one another only a month before?

After becoming lost in the woods during a snowstorm, Elizabeth Bennet is saved from certain death by Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, who has also been caught in the snow. But when the pair find that there is no path home for either of them, they are forced to seek refuge in an abandoned cabin until the danger subsides. It is not long before the two enemies are forced to behave with civility, as the alternative would quickly drive them mad. Yet soon, they find that they have more in common than they ever realized and much to their surprise, could grow to care for one another.

But what will come of them when the storm drifts away? And can they survive in the tiny cabin that long?

Snowbound with Mr. Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice variation set in a wintry Meryton, where bonds are forged, stories are told, and hearts are won on the journey to a happily ever after.

THE BENNET SISTERS QUEST FOR LOVE by Joann Louise

INTRODUCTION

December 1811 found the two eldest Bennet daughters riding to London to do some early Christmas shopping. They would be staying with their Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in Cheapside and also assisting with the children. Things had been boring in Hertfordshire and their mother was always on their case for them to find an eligible man and marry. Fortunately their aunt and uncle had plans for their nieces to attend two balls and had purchased two new dresses for each niece. No doubt the Gardiners believed that their nieces would soon find suitable men they could choose from and then there would be a marriage and all would be well.

Suddenly the sisters feel alive and indeed their lives were about to change, but I digress. This story is a quick read but it lacks the angst usually brought about by the characters cited below. Perhaps we do not need any more angst either. I think we have had enough angst with the Covid 19 and millions of deaths and people going crazy in this pandemic.

Now I wrote this story to provide some fun for readers of Pride and Prejudice variations. Characters gone from this story are some of my least favourite such as George Wickham, Lady Catherine, the Bingley sisters and Mr. Collins. They will not be missed. Also gone is the Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen. This new Darcy has changed his ways and knows he needs to improve and he is on his best behavior as he meets a bright eyed miss and her sister. Suddenly, out of a clear blue sky, he is attracted to this vivacious young woman who turns his life upside down.

I hope you will enjoy this little story for I enjoyed writing it.

The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Lucy Marin

I have no notion who I am meant to be. 

IN 1789 A TERRIBLE CRIME IS COMMITTED, plunging one family into grief as another rejoices in the gift of an unexpected son. Two decades later, a chance meeting leads to the discovery of the lost heir of Pemberley and the man who knew himself as Mr William Lucas is restored to his birthright as Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley. 

DISCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS PAST means leaving behind everyone and everything he has ever known and loved—including his childhood best friend and soon-to-be betrothed, Elizabeth Bennet. Tormented by questions about himself, and his place, Darcy struggles to understand and adapt to his changed identity and his new life. He must contend with a father buried in the shadows of the past and family relationships he does not understand. 

The truth has come out. Some have gained by it, some have lost by it, and I am in the middle. I cannot possibly make everyone happy. No matter what I do, someone will suffer. No matter what I do, I shall suffer.

Somehow, he must find a way to do right by his new and old families, especially if he is to avoid losing Elizabeth forever.

Flaws & Felicity: Pride and Prejudice told Through the Eyes of Jane Bennet (Jane Bennet Trilogy Book 1) by M. Mitt

‘For, it is a truth, seldom acknowledged, that there is more to life than wishing for someone to fall in love with you.’
Jane Bennet, the eldest of the Bennet sisters who live on Longbourn, Hertfordshire, was born the most beautiful of her sisters, and the most likely to make a good match. However, the road to true love and matrimony does not always run smooth. Having already suffered the slings and arrows of disappointed affections, Jane is surprised when a new arrival to Hertfordshire, Mr. Bingley, not only is a pleasant man, but a wonderful romance blooms between the two of them. However… no smooth roads are fully guaranteed. Here comes Book I of the Jane Bennet trilogy, that follows the tale of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ from another heroine’s perspective.

Happiness & Heartbreak: Pride & Prejudice Told from Jane Bennet’s Eyes… With a Touch of Mansfield Park (Jane Bennet Trilogy Book 2) by M. Mitt

‘For often, it is a habit, generally considered, that a woman should never feel love for a man until he has professed it first.’
Mr. Bingley and his party has quitted Netherfield Park, and Jane Bennet is devastated. To add to all this, Mr. Collins has proposed to Charlotte Lucas, Longbourn is lost, Mrs. Bennet is making life difficult for many of her daughters, and the future looks bleak. Wishing to get time away from her mother’s constant mention of Mr. Bingley, Jane goes to London to stay with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. While there, she encounters a new acquaintance, and it develops into a full-fledged friendship. But while Jane Bennet went to London to escape the pangs of heartbreak, a shadow appears from her distant past, and threatens the peace of heart again. Here comes Part II of Jane Bennet’s story… with a mixture of Mansfield Park.

Passion & Prudence: Pride & Prejudice Told Through Jane Bennet’s Eyes (Jane Bennet Trilogy Book 3) by M. Mitt

Home… the place where all roads lead to.
Now that Jane’s relationship with Mr. Ashburn has come to an end, it is the beginning of many separations. Her time staying in London is now winding down to a close, Mary Crawford has to leave and visit friends in Yorkshire, and Jane must return to Hertfordshire, where painful memories still linger. However, Jane has one vital strength that will never abandon her: the will to continue on and not allow anything to weigh her down. However, Longbourn is Longbourn, and there will always be crises on the rise. From Lydia’s invitation to Brighton, to Lizzy discovering something about Mr. Darcy, to Jane’s final fate with Mr. Bingley, here comes the final chapter to the Jane Bennet trilogy!

Doubts & Difficulties: Pride & Prejudice told from Kitty Bennet’s Eyes (Kitty Bennet’s Adventure Book 5) by M. Mitt

‘I am what I choose to be.’
Kitty Bennet is on the move again! She wakes up to a world where her older sister, Mary Bennet, has just gotten married. Being the last single Bennet sister, Kitty is not on the verge of settling down. Right after Mary has found her happiness, there is another marriage on the horizon, Georgiana Darcy needs a friend now more than ever, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are trying to confront their past, and Kitty is recovering from her torn love between two men: Lieutenant Finlay and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Kitty desires to recover and move on. However, life may not let her. Follow the fifth adventure of Kitty Bennet!

A Season of Misunderstanding: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Series by Meg Osborne

All five books in the Season of Misunderstanding series collected into one volume.

A Sister’s Fault
Jane Bennet has been gifted an opportunity and she is not afraid to use it, feigning illness in order that she might remain a little longer under the Netherfield roof, and hopefully move one step closer to securing Mr Bingley’s heart. She doesn’t expect her sister to arrive, bedraggled and covered in mud, ready to spoil everything she is working for!

Fitzwilliam Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth Bennet grows when, out of sisterly devotion, she treks miles to be at Jane’s side and restore her to health. When she is similarly stricken he finds himself emulating behaviour he has all too recently despised in his friend. He cannot help it, and is rapidly developing an affection for the young woman he scorned at the Meryton Assembly. When he overhears a conversation that suggests the illness that kept both ladies at Netherfield was a lie, he realises his first assessment was correct. Elizabeth Bennet and her sister are manipulating their way into marriage, and he is determined to stop them

A Friend’s Betrayal
Intent on avoiding both Elizabeth Bennet and her manipulative sister, Fitzwilliam Darcy whisks Charles Bingley back to London, abandoning Elizabeth to her own obstinacy, convincing himself he cares nothing for her.

Eager to support her sister, Elizabeth finds herself at odds with first Mr Darcy and then her family as her attempts to divert Mr Collins and encourage Jane all come to nought. Her fledgling friendship with Mr Wickham causes her still more isolation and Elizabeth is left wondering if she has put her trust in the wrong people?

An Aunt’s Assistance
Elizabeth Bennet is bound for London – to stay with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner and escape a sisterly feud dividing Longbourn. She knows only one thing will restore Jane’s friendship to her, and is determined to use her time in London to reunite her sister with Mr Bingley, even if that means crossing paths with Mr Darcy once more.

Fitzwilliam Darcy thought that escaping Hertfordshire would mean escaping Elizabeth Bennet, but with his newly-arrived cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, determined to interfere can he ever hope to keep his true feelings hidden?

A Cousin’s Courage
Rushing North with Charles Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam can’t help but acknowledge the absence of such reckless love in his own life. Poised to make a change, how will this new love survive a trial nobody expected?

Left in London, Elizabeth Bennet’s hopes for Jane’s wellbeing rest on the shoulders of her absent friends…until Georgiana Darcy arrives with news of Jane and a plan to match her brother and Lizzy once and for all.

A Husband’s Love
In the wake of his brother’s sudden death, Colonel Fitzwilliam’s life is thrown into turmoil but he is left to weather the gathering storms alone as his key confidante, his cousin, is distracted from helping by his own rapidly changing circumstances.

Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet have finally acknowledged their long-growing affections for one another and plan to marry as soon as possible. Lizzy ought to be completely happy. But with one sister still estranged from her and another whose own happiness looks set to be usurped she has her work cut out in ensuring her whole family – and not just her – might face a happier future.

An Unexpected Ally (Strangers and Second Chances Book 2) by Meg Osborne

Colonel Fitzwilliam is only too pleased to share the good news of his engagement with his cousin until a surprising source suggests that the true reason for Mr Darcy’s sudden return to Hertfordshire might be to stop, rather than celebrate, the match.

Caught between the interests of his cousin and his friend, Mr Darcy seeks assistance from a reluctant Elizabeth Bennet and finds himself invested in more than one couple’s future happiness.

Jane Bennet must choose between Colonel Fitzwilliam and Charles Bingley – but in so doing, will she make a husband of one and an enemy of another?

Book Two in a new series based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Premeditation (Jane Austen Murder Mysteries Book 1) by Tirzah Price

Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit.

When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.

A Murder at Rosings by Annette Purdey Pugh

When Mr Collins is found stabbed to death in Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s garden, simmering tensions are revealed beneath the elegant Regency surface of the Rosings estate.

The prime suspect is Mr Bennet, who was overheard arguing with Mr Collins over the entail of Longbourn in the days before the murder was committed, and who stands to benefit more than anyone from the Rector’s death.

His daughter Mary uncovers a scandalous secret that holds the key to the murder. Can she prove her father’s innocence in time to save him from the gallows?

The Predisposition of Miss Elizabeth Bennet by Hunter Quinn

An insulting proposal without an explanatory letter…how can they possibly reconcile?

When her sister Lydia elopes without a trace, Elizabeth Bennet must put aside her predisposition against Mr. Darcy and plead for his assistance in locating the wayward couple. As a result, they face daunting hurdles with help from well-loved friends and interference from old rivals. Will their struggles result in permanent estrangement or a love match?

A Gentleman’s Honor by Melanie Rachel

Someone wants Elizabeth Bennet dead. It’s all Fitzwilliam Darcy’s fault.

Elizabeth Bennet wants the truth from Mr. Darcy. When she follows him from the ballroom to insist upon it, she becomes an unwilling witness to a scandalous scene. And for once, she cannot blame Mr. Darcy for disdaining his company. Not even when he departs Netherfield in the middle of the ball.

When Darcy returns to London, he leaves both Miss Elizabeth Bennet and his growing infatuation for her behind. Or so he believes. For soon, their paths cross again under the most painful of circumstances.

Elizabeth suddenly finds herself dependent upon Mr. Darcy. With the gradual unveiling of his character, she is surprised by a burgeoning affection for him. Will her heart survive their inevitable parting?

Thrust together out of necessity, Elizabeth and Darcy must discover the culprit responsible for their predicament. But whoever has harmed Elizabeth is still looking for her, and Darcy cannot hide her forever.

Dare to Refuse Such a Man by Mary Smythe

“He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse anything which he condescended to ask.”– Mr Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Volume III, Chapter 17

IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO FITZWILLIAM DARCY that once he had chosen a bride, her father might dare to refuse his consent. When his dearest, loveliest Elizabeth is taken from him with only a curt note of explanation, he determines that, far from accepting her father’s rejection of his suit, he must instead find her again and make his case. After all, a woman worthy of being pleased is also worth fighting for.

SEVERAL MONTHS SHY OF HER MAJORITY, it is not so simple a thing to defy Mr Bennet’s will, but Elizabeth, for the sake of her future happiness, must try. With various allies in her corner, as well as foes standing against her, Elizabeth’s courage must rise against all attempts at intimidation. Even from her own, much beloved father.

Miss Bennet’s Dragon: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling (Jane Austen Fantasy Book 1 by M. Verant

An unforgettable fantasy retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that is romantic, funny, and more relevant than ever.

Elizabeth Bennet is hiding a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. If only Mr. Darcy would stop noticing… and hinting at his own dark secret.

When Elizabeth’s sister falls deathly ill, the cure lies in the mysteries of draca. Elizabeth, aided by her brilliant sister Mary, defies restrictive English society to hunt for lost draca lore. She must hurry. England’s war with France has drawn other hunters, and they have darker goals.

Elizabeth’s search leads her to the fabulous Pemberley estate, home of the entitled and infuriating man whose proposal she scorned. There, Elizabeth’s worlds smash together—protocol against passion, and exultation against the risk of love.

But the stakes are greater than her sister’s life. Elizabeth must test herself against a distant war.

And her enemy is not who she thought.

Mr. Darcy’s Stitch In Time by Charlotte Weatherby

You are cordially invited to a ball at Netherfield Park. Ladies, please sew and bring a matched pair of handkerchiefs, one for yourself, and one for your “secret” partner.

Elizabeth Bennet knows her talents do not lie with the needle. And what does it matter? She only wishes to see her sister Jane joyfully wed to Mr. Bingley.

Mr. Darcy? That’s a pattern best untouched.

Except Elizabeth finds her initial beliefs challenged as sewing fever sweeps over Meryton, leading to misunderstandings, betrayals, and unwanted confessions.

Will a pair of handkerchiefs lead Elizabeth and Jane to their perfect match?

With Mr. Wickham’s machinations and Mr. Collins blundering about, any promise of love may soon be tangled beyond repair.

Unless Mr. Darcy can sew up a stitch in time…

Mr. Darcy’s Stitch in Time is a sweet Pride and Prejudice variation of 29,000 words with happy ending for ODC, guaranteed.

Darcy’s Love by Andrew Zane

“Darcy’s Love” is a Regency “Pride and Prejudice Variation” novella, clean, sweet and romantic. The story is appropriate for all audiences.
While spending a pleasant time in Ramsgate as a companion to her aunt, Elizabeth meets and befriends a young, beautiful and elegant young lady of whom she knows little except that she resides in a nearby cottage. Surprised, Elizabeth observes the restrained girl with delicate manners breaching propriety several times by meeting late at night with a man who seems to hide his identity. Their friendship, although new, is not shallow and when the girl simply disappears one evening—apparently taken away by her brother—Elizabeth can’t help worrying about her and makes efforts to enquire about her health and whereabouts.
Returning home to Longbourn, Elizabeth finds several new arrivals in the neighbourhood: Mr. Charles Bingley, the new master of Netherfield, his family and his friend—Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley. Mr. Bingley’s amiable manners are universally appreciated, in complete contrast to Mr. Darcy’s arrogance and aloofness. When a militia regiment then arrives in town, a certain Mr. George Wickham—handsome and charming—also claims his place in Meryton and Longbourn society.
To her utter joy and complete astonishment, Elizabeth finally receives news about the young lady she met in Ramsgate—and the revelations are astounding.
While struggling with pride, prejudice, misunderstandings and misjudgements, Elizabeth will grow in character and feelings and will slowly discover Darcy’s true character as well as the strength, depths and loyalty of Darcy’s love.

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A Wild Kind of Love by Porta Appleton

She never expected to be afforded such independence…

Much to Elizabeth Bennet’s, and her family’s, surprise, a distant cousin bequeaths her his horse farm in Lambton upon his death, assuming she has married a proper husband. For as long as she could remember, Elizabeth has dreamed of having her own land, her own home, and her freedom. But in order to make that dream a reality, she must find a gentleman willing to marry a woman with a mind and a dream of her own…

He needs to convince his aunt to leave him alone…

Fitzwilliam Darcy was betrothed to his cousin Anne de Bourgh when they were children, but the last thing he wants is to marry the unpleasant, sickly, and humorless young woman. In fact, he is willing to do just about anything to avoid such a miserable fate. So, when he hears rumors that Elizabeth Bennet is searching for a husband, Darcy sees a way that both of their needs can be fulfilled without any danger of uprooting their lives.

But when two people with dreams as wild as the summer wind come together to make those dreams a reality, is it possible to avoid falling in love?

A Wild Sort of Love is a Pride and Prejudice variation with a marriage of convenience, an unexpected friendship, and a guaranteed happy ending!

Some Natural Importance by Jan Ashton

“It is the way of the world, Elizabeth. Men hold power over women, but I am not a man who wants to wield such power. I would prefer a woman who has some power over me.”

Fitzwilliam Darcy already has one arranged marriage in his past. The last thing he envisions for himself is another, yet he has somehow become entrapped in a promise to a dying man. Not only must Darcy overcome his resentment in order to live up to his sense of honour, but when he realises how deeply his heart may be engaged, he must convince Elizabeth Bennet of his true feelings.

Elizabeth never expected the imperious Mr Darcy to become a good friend of an idle gentleman like her father. And she certainly never anticipated they would form a secret pact compelling her marriage to a man she dislikes. She must set aside grief and resentment, as well as her suspicions: Is Darcy using her to avoid another bride pushed onto him by his family, or to gain riches Elizabeth never knew she had?

Or is it possible he loves her?

Choice and Consequence (What Might Have Been Book 2) by Christine Combe

Fitzwilliam Darcy has been chasing after the villainous George Wickham for months, to no avail. In need of respite, he and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam accompany their friend Charles Bingley to Hertfordshire to assess the estate he has leased there. Darcy expects little pleasure in the small town of Meryton, so finds himself surprised indeed to be instantly captivated by the charming–if a trifle impertinent–Elizabeth Bennet.

Elizabeth Bennet swears she has no interest in matrimony at present, and would be happy to see all her sisters well settled before her. That is, until the enigmatic Mr. Darcy came into the neighborhood and upended all her ideals about herself. Both are candid about the reasons a match between would be undesirable, yet the friendship they agree upon inevitably gives way to deeper feelings.

On the very night Darcy and Elizabeth acknowledge their attachment, Darcy’s elusive quarry turns up seeking him. Wickham’s claims of innocence and an inheritance take Darcy to London, where an attempted compromise leads to confrontation with his uncle, the Earl of Disley. Then, as Elizabeth has become a player in the family drama, he explains all before he is drawn away again to Surrey by a letter regarding his sister, Georgiana.

Elizabeth is determined not to allow separation from Darcy to dampen her spirits, and their romance blossoms further through correspondence. Bolstering her happiness is the discovery that a relation she never had chance to meet generously left each Bennet daughter a legacy that greatly increases their prospects. In London for the Season with her sisters Jane and Catherine, Elizabeth is relieved to find acceptance from some of Darcy’s noble relatives, though their notice inadvertently leads her to the very man whose heinous actions already cost one girl her innocence…and whose attempt at escape might just cost Elizabeth her life.

From London With Loyalty (Highbury Variation Book 2) by Corrie Garrett

The Highbury Variation continues!
Lizzy and Jane Fairfax are on their way to London, both resigned to a future quite different than the dreams they’d indulged only a few months ago…

But London has a way of upsetting expectations, for better or worse!

LIzzy’s Aunt Gardiner is everything helpful, but even she can’t protect Lizzy from some of the gossip that follows from Highbury. Lizzy’s quickly ended engagement to Mr. Knightley is not so soon forgotten. Will Mr. Darcy be able to swallow his hurt and need for privacy to help Lizzy in her predicament?

And Jane Fairfax’s employers–a genteel but chaotic family–can’t always protect Jane from the insult of a gentleman’s advances. But is Mr. Bertram of Mansfield actually offering insult or… something more? How could she possibly trust this rakish friend of Mr. Churchill’s?
Join Lizzy and Jane in a hazy, warm, and confusing summer in London.

The Discarded Daughter Book 3: Reunited by Shana Granderson

This is book 3 of a 4-book series.

The Bennets have just discovered their kidnapped daughter and sister. Bennet cannot believe that she is the one that he has been corresponding with, and losing to, in chess by post for almost two years. How will the families move forward? Will Thomas Bennet assert his rights as Elizabeth’s father and demand that she re-joins her Bennet family? What of the Fitzwilliams? Would Lady Elaine be able to endure the loss of her much-loved daughter after the loss of her beloved Reggie? If she is to return to the Bennets how will that influence the growing romance between Elizabeth and William? Many of the above questions are answered in the opening chapters dear readers so you will not be left in suspense for long.

We follow the families as they learn to live with a new reality. We see the reaction of the Ton to the news as well as the villain’s vociferous reactions when they find out that all of their prior assumptions about Elizabeth have been wrong. Mrs. Fitzpatrick (the former Lady Catherine) eventually manages to get one of her men employed at Pemberley.

We are privy to her plans for her ultimate revenge on her former family and at the same time we see what George Wickham has planned and how he intends to double cross his employer after enduring years of abuse at her hands. A new challenge rears its ugly head with an eye on our heroine and making her his by any means before Elizabeth is out at the age of sixteen and we find out how and if he is dealt with.

Book 3 ends at the start of the confrontation between the forces of good and evil. You will know the result of the confrontation in the first chapter of the final book in the series. Book 4 is complete and being edited now. It will be published before the end of May 2021.

**Reminder** This tale is not only about Lady Elizabeth and her interactions with William Darcy, but about those around them whose lives are affected by her presence as well. Thank you for reading my books.

An Impossible Choice by Anna Lockhart

Elizabeth Bennet has gotten herself into quite the mess…

In order to save her family’s home and legacy, Elizabeth Bennet has agreed to marry her intolerable cousin, William Collins. He is not the man she imagined as her husband, but she feels she is obligated to do what she must. But then, one month before her wedding, two men arrive in Meryton, intent on upending all of her carefully laid plans.

Fitzwilliam Darcy and his childhood friend, Lucas Mulgrave, both arrive at Longbourn with designs on Elizabeth, in love with clever and fascinating woman in their own ways. Before she marries, they are intent on convincing her to change her mind, and marry one of them instead. Their sudden appearance in Meryton leaves an already befuddled Elizabeth absolutely bewildered, and unsure which man is the right one for her.

With her wedding fast approaching, Elizabeth must make an impossible choice, one that will change her life, and the life of her family, forever…

An Impossible Choice is a Pride and Prejudice variation full of unexpected surprises and grand gestures, with a guaranteed happy ending!

For the Deepest Love by Mary Anne Mushatt

“After thinking long and hard, I have come to the conclusion that—although it may not be the kind of love my sister and I once had in mind—marrying Mr Darcy would be marrying for a love of the deepest kind.”

RECOVERING FROM THEIR PARENTS’ DEATHS, Elizabeth and Jane Bennet have held their family together, leaning on the support of their uncle, Edward Gardiner, to help them survive.  Thus, when Mr Gardiner is threatened with scandal and ruin, Elizabeth vows to help him.  Hearing of her distress, the scandalous Fitzwilliam Darcy enters her life—offering his aid in exchange for her hand.  Accepting his proposal upends her life in unimaginable ways as she learns of the treachery of the peer courting her, the betrayal and violence committed by her childhood friend, and the threat to her country as it faces another war.  

AS ELIZABETH AND DARCY FACE the turmoil and trials swirling around them, they risk opening their hearts to unexpected passion.  In order to survive challenges from without and fears within, they must summon unknown strengths and forge new bonds to solidify a love of the deepest kind.

An Unequalled Affection (Strangers and Second Chances Book 3) by Meg Osborne

Devastated by his cousin’s betrayal and watching all his hopes of future happiness slip away, Colonel Fitzwilliam calls on assistance from surprising quarters, but involving George Wickham in anything is a recipe for disaster.

Fitzwilliam Darcy tries to stop a duel and find some solution to a problem he helped cause, grateful that he does not have to proceed alone. He has at last acknowledged his love for Elizabeth Bennet and with her by his side, he feels he can achieve anything, even the impossible task of making peace between his cousin and Charles Bingley.

In a fit of confusion and grief, Jane calls off her engagement and refuses to see either gentleman again – but at the very moment her sister’s heart is breaking Elizabeth Bennet’s is coming to life. She is forced to keep her affection for Mr Darcy a secret, though, when his part in Jane’s unhappiness becomes known. Lizzy’s loyalty is torn between her family and the man she loves…

Book Three in a new series based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Fitzwilliam Darcy in His Own Words by Shannon Winslow

What was Mr. Darcy’s life like before he met Elizabeth Bennet? – before he stepped onto the Pride and Prejudice stage at the Meryton assembly? More importantly, where is he and what is he doing all the time he’s absent from the page thereafter? And what is his relationship to a woman named Amelia?

With “Fitzwilliam Darcy, in His Own Words,” the iconic literary hero finally tells his own story, from the traumas of his early life to the consummation of his love for Elizabeth and everything in between.

This is not a variation but a supplement to the original story, chronicled in Darcy’s point of view – a behind-the-scenes look at the things Jane Austen didn’t tell us. As it happens, Darcy’s journey was more tortuous than she let on, his happy ending with Elizabeth in jeopardy at every turn in his struggle between duty and his heart’s desire, between the suitable lady he has promised to marry and the woman he can’t stop thinking about.

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Free Finds

In Want of a Wife (Pemberley House Book 1) by Noelle Adams

He calls her the Annoying One.

Liz overheard him say it to his friend, and that’s just fine. She doesn’t like him anyway. Vince Darcy is cold, arrogant, and detached from genuine feelings, and he’s become her closest rival in the local antiques market. He might be her new neighbor, and Liz’s sister might be falling for his best friend, but that doesn’t mean Liz cares what Vince thinks of her.

Yes, he’s hot. Very hot. Way too hot. It’s another one of his infuriating characteristics. She’s having trouble resisting his hotness, so she might consider a casual fling with him–as long as they keep it a secret and it doesn’t become complicated.

But she isn’t going to like him. He thinks she’s the Annoying One. She can’t fall for a man after that.

Pemberley House is a series of modern reimaginings of Jane Austen novels, and the books are set in a historic mansion in Virginia that has been converted into condos. In Want of a Wife is loosely inspired by Pride and Prejudice.

The Paradise Project by Suzie Andres

Have you ever kept a New Year’s Resolution? Elizabeth Benning hasn’t, but she’s determined that this will be her year. Like Elizabeth Bennet before her, Liz Benning doesn’t work, lives at home, and takes pride in her resourcefulness, but when she resolves on a yearlong project to be happier, it looks like her ambition has outrun her abilities…Enter a love interest more conniving than Wickham, a blonde cold enough to freeze out Caroline Bingley, and Elizabeth’s paradise project is heading for disaster. She’s never been so unhappy, but if she can discover which hero is straight out of her beloved Jane Austen, she might yet take the prize for happiest ever after.

And Then Love: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella (Willow Hall Romance Book 1) by Leenie Brown

She needs a rescue. He’s her only hope.

When Lucy Tolson’s father dies, she must either marry quickly or go to live with her uncle. For Lucy, there is only one choice, and his name is Philip Dobney.

To be presented with an offer of marriage from a long time friend is shocking to be sure! But the thought is not unwelcome. After all, Philip, who has recently received the living at Kympton, is in need of a wife, and Lucy is more than qualified to be a parson’s wife.

However, what seems to be a simple solution soon becomes complicated when Lucy’s uncle and Wickham show up with plans to gain enough money to cover debts and secure the living that Wickham, at one time, refused. Events from the past combined with threats in the present threaten to tear Lucy and Philip apart unless Darcy can help his friends save their blossoming love and rid Lucy of her uncle once and for all.

And Then Love, set in the spring before Darcy goes to Hertfordshire, is a Pride and Prejudice variation prequel and the first book in Leenie Brown’s Willow Hall Romance Series. If you like well-written sweet romance that features ruthless, scheming villains and characters who capture your heart and become your friends, then you’ll love this story about good triumphing over evil and a marriage of convenience that is so much more.

So put the kettle on, grab your copy of And Then Love, and make your first visit to Willow Hall, a place where love is bound to surprise you and which you will wish to visit over and over again.

Finally Mrs. Darcy (Dash of Darcy and Companions Collection Book 1) by Leenie Brown

Separated for Years ~ Reunited at Last

When Fitzwilliam Darcy does not return to Netherfield with his friend, Elizabeth Bennet’s hopes of ever finding happiness with the man to whom she has lost her heart are crushed.

Having confessed to playing a part in separating his friend from the woman he loved, Fitzwilliam Darcy finds himself cast off and ostracized. Uncertain of Elizabeth Bennet’s feeling for him, he chooses to bide his time and hope that his friend will one day forgive him.

As months stretch into years, hope fades and both Elizabeth and Darcy settle into life without each other, expecting that their paths will never cross again ─ until one night at a ball when fate in the form of a new uncle reunites them.
However, as old sparks burst into flames and the truth behind their separation comes to light, will Darcy and Elizabeth’s reunion be perfectly happy or will is always be tainted by betrayal?

Finally Mrs. Darcy is part of Leenie Brown’s Dash of Darcy collection of Pride and Prejudice inspired novellas. If you like well-written, fast-paced, sweet romance, then you will love this story of forgiveness, restoration, and reclaiming of true love by Leenie Brown.

So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of Finally Mrs. Darcy, and slip into a world of sweet romantic indulgence today.

Georgiana Darcy’s Diary: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice continued (Pride and Prejudice Chronicles Book 1) by Anna Elliott

Mr. Darcy’s younger sister searches for her own happily-ever-after…

The year is 1814, and it is springtime at Pemberley. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have married. But now a new romance is in the air, along with high fashion, elegant manners, scandal, deception, and the wonderful hope of a true and lasting love.

Shy Georgiana Darcy has been content to remain unmarried, living with her brother and his new bride. But Elizabeth and Darcy’s fairy-tale love reminds Georgiana daily that she has found no true love of her own. And perhaps never will, for she is convinced the one man she secretly cares for will never love her in return. Georgiana’s domineering aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has determined that Georgiana shall marry, and has a list of eligible bachelors in mind. But which of the suitors are sincere, and which are merely interested in Georgiana’s fortune? Georgiana must learn to trust her heart–and rely on her courage–for she also faces the return of the man who could ruin her reputation and spoil a happy ending, just when it finally lies within her grasp.

Georgiana Darcy’s Diary is Book 1 of the Pride and Prejudice Chronicles and is appropriate for all ages.

The Mystery of the Missing Heiress: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery (Miss Mary Investigates Book 0) by Riana Everly

It is the summer of 1811 and Fitzwilliam Darcy is consumed with worry. His sister and her new companion were expected at Pemberley three weeks ago, but they seem to have vanished into the air. Is Georgiana safe? Is she even still alive? And is Mrs. Younge a victim in some nefarious plan or is she behind the disappearance?

Darcy’s friend Ecclesford tells him of a smart young investigator who might be able to help… and at the same time he might help Ecclesford with a romantic problem of his own.

In this prequel variation to Pride and Prejudice, private investigator Alexander Lyons makes his debut and sets his remarkable intellect to work to help Ecclesford win his bride and to solve the mystery of the missing heiress!

This is a novella of about 19000 words.

Pride and Prosperity by Julia Fellowes

Can a gentleman change his manners and a lady change her mind?

IF it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a great fortune must be in want of a wife, mothers will go to great lengths to see their daughters have a real chance of marrying him.

Pride & Prosperity is a charming novelette inspired by Jane Austen’s highly esteemed story Pride & Prejudice.

Four Days in April by Maria Grace

Sweet, Austen-inspired treats, perfect with a cup of tea.

Full of hope and ripe with possibility, beginnings and new beginnings refresh the spirit with optimism and anticipation.

Four Days in April.

Two letters. Four Days. Everything changes.

After offering a most disastrous proposal of marriage and receiving a rebuke he will never forget, Fitzwilliam Darcy writes Elizabeth Bennet an equally memorable letter.

What if she answers it with one of her own?

An Heir for Pemberley by Jane Grix

Fitzwilliam Darcy has it all – a beautiful, intelligent wife who loves him and she is expecting their first child. But Darcy’s mother died in childbirth and he worries that he could lose it all.

An Heir for Pemberley is a variation to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is a short story sequel, 4000 words long and takes about fifteen minutes to read. It is a quick escape to Pemberley.

Their adventure takes more twists and turns than does the original “Pride and Prejudice,” but the reader will enjoy the devotion displayed by Darcy and Elizabeth as they bring Wickham to the line in Lydia Bennnet’s defense, as well as their working their way through multiple misconstructions and vulnerabilities. Darcy’s final wooing of Elizabeth brings two very private individuals to a very public declaration of their love. considers what will happen if he does not succeed in bringing Mr. Wickham before a magistrate. Will his failure bring an end to their “bargain”? Or will true love prevail?

Coming Up Roses: Inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Bennet Brothers Book 1) by Staci Hart

Bestselling author Staci Hart is back with a brand new romantic comedy and clever spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Meet the Bennet brothers, get to know Longbourne, and fall in love in this steamy enemies to lovers romcom.

Everyone hates parts of their job.
Maybe it’s the paperwork. Maybe it’s the day-to-day grind. Maybe it’s that client who never knows what they want, or the guy who always cooks fish in the microwave.
But not me. I love every corner of the Longbourne Flower Shop, every flower, every petal, every stem. I love the greenhouse, and I love Mrs. Bennet, my boss. I love creating, and I love being a florist. I don’t hate anything at all.
Except for Luke Bennet.
The Bennet brothers have come home to help their mom save the flower shop, and Luke is at the helm. His smile tells a tale of lust, loose and easy. He moves with the grace of a predator, feral and wild. A thing unbridled, without rules or constraint. When he comes home to save Longbourne, I almost can’t be mad at him. Almost.
He doesn’t remember that night I’ll never forget. That kiss, touched with whiskey and fire. It branded me like a red-hot iron. But it meant nothing to him.
Everyone hates part of their job, and I hate Luke Bennet.
Because if I don’t, I’ll fall in love with him.

Pride and Precipitation (Chick Flick Clique Sweet Romantic Comedy #1) by Heather Horrocks

Pride and Precipitation ~ A sweet enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. 

Forecast: Romance with occasional bursts of laughter. 

Breezy Jones is crazy about the weather — rain or shine — which makes her job as the local television station’s meteorologist perfect. She’s even hoping the new buyers of her Aspen Grove station will make some positive changes. 

That’s before she meets the attractive new general manager, Noah Drake, who is determined to repackage everything — including Breezy’s down-home delivery and casual, girl-next-door appearance that seems too Pollyanna for him. He replaces her with a high-powered diva weathercaster and makes Breezy her off-screen assistant. 

With a flood of angry emails from the community, plummeting ratings, and incessant demands from the diva, it doesn’t take long for Noah to see which way the wind is blowing. 

Will the station survive the competitive clash between pride and precipitation? 
More importantly, can their blossoming attraction survive?

Come join the Chick Flick Clique at Candy’s Café for a good serving of friendship, family, films, and flirty sweet romance. It’s the first book in a humorous, heartwarming series set in Aspen Grove. 

Family Portraits: A Dearest Friends Continuation (Austen Inspired Romance Book 2) by Pamela Lynne

In Dearest Friends, Pamela Lynne drew complex and interesting characters who joined Darcy and Elizabeth on their road to happily ever after. But, what happened after the end? Did Lydia survive her time at Rosings? Did Jane find fulfillment as Mrs. Bingley? Did Mary and Sebastian adhere to duty or allow their hearts to lead them? Follow the Fitzwilliams, Bennets, Gardiners and Darcys through portraits of their lives at two, five and ten years after Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage. Their canvas is studded with heartbreaking loss, new beginnings and, through it all, the indelible bond of family.

**Contains scenes suitable for a mature audience.

Perusasion: Behind the Scenes by Various Authors; Edited by Susan Mason-Milks & Maria Grace

You pierce my soul.

Before Jane Austen wrote that romantic letter from Captain Frederick Wentworth to Anne Elliot, she crafted a masterful story of heartbreak and longing that still resonates with readers today.

But what of those scenes that Jane Austen never wrote?  What Persuasion fan doesn’t want to listen in on Anne and Wentworth’s first courtship, laugh at the follies and foibles of the Elliot family, sail along on Captain Wentworth’s harrowing adventures at sea or attend Wentworth and Anne’s wedding.

Twelve authors of Austen-inspired fiction:  Diana Birchall, Marilyn Brant, Jack Caldwell, L.L. Diamond, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Kara Louise, Susan Mason-Milks, Jane Odiwe, C. Allyn Pierson, Mary Lydon Simonsen, and Shannon Winslow collaborated to put this unique collection that fills in “missing” scenes from Austen’s classic work, sure to delight any true Persuasion fan.

Pride and Prejudice:The Other Way Round: A gender switched cover version of Jane Austen’s classic story by Anne Whitewall

What if Mr. Darcy were Miss Darcy? And Elizabeth Bennet were Elijah Bennet?

Elijah Bennet overhears Miss Darcy saying he is “tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me.’

And dislikes her instantly.

Mr. Bennet wants to marry off his sons to any eligible young gentlewoman. Lord Cather de Burgh wants to marry off his son to Miss Darcy. Wickham is up to no good as usual but this time, her victim is Lydior Bennet.

Will Elijah Bennet overcome his prejudice and Miss Darcy her pride?

The story’s the same but the genders are different.

You’ll enjoy exploring a genderswapped cover version of Pride and Prejudice.

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Countdown Deals

To Refuse Such a Man by P.O. Dixon

“The last thing Mr. Darcy expected was to meet the woman whose nearness caused him to entertain ideas of what it would be like to know her as his wife.”

Author’s Note

The first chapters of this titillating Pride and Prejudice ‘what-if’ story recapture some of those essentials from canon during Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s stay at Netherfield Park, largely from Mr. Darcy’s perspective.

The life-changing repercussions of what happened during that time begin to unfold at the conclusion of the Netherfield ball.

Intrigued? If yes, read more.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet must decide whether to accept or refuse a proposal from the last man in the world whom she could be prevailed on to marry.

At least two unhappy alternatives are also before her: certain scandal and her mother’s disapprobation. Is there a path to happily ever after in wake of an alliance born out of such circumstances?

Grab your copy of this arousing Darcy and Elizabeth romance story inspired by Jane Austen’s timeless classic Pride and Prejudice today

Longbourn and Beyond by Margaret Lynette Sharpe

The Bennets and their extended family find themselves embroiled in a variety of fascinating situations, involving the likes of Miss Austen’s original characters of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr Collins and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and introducing newcomers such as the handsome, eligible bachelor, Dr Edward Hodges, and the bearded artist, Mr David King.
Will Mary and Kitty, the remaining Bennet girls, each find compatible husbands for themselves? What will happen to change the lives of both Georgiana Darcy and Anne de Bourgh?
This novel-length collection of related short stories, including the best-seller, ‘Longbourn Revisited’, is the brainchild of award-winning Australian author Margaret Lynette Sharp, for the especial enjoyment of lovers of Jane Austen Fan Fiction.

The Netherfield Fire: An Elizabeth and Darcy Story by Timothy Underwood

Mr. Darcy saved Elizabeth from the fire, but will her infected burns still kill her?

When Elizabeth smelled the smoke and heard the cry of ‘Fire!’ during the Netherfield ball she did not hesitate to run up to the higher floors. A servant who had grown up at Longbourn had broken her leg, and would need help to escape the flames. But as they hurried downstairs they became lost in the thick, roiling smoke. Elizabeth was struck and burned on the face by falling debris.

Just when she began to despair, she heard Mr. Darcy’s hoarse voice cry her name.

Mr. Darcy still disdains Elizabeth’s mother and connections, and the next time they meet will be at Rosings Park under Lady Catherine’s watchful gaze…

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Confounding Caroline: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (Marrying Elizabeth Book 1) by Leenie Brown

He thought his future was bleak, but a well-orchestrated misstep might just bring him the happiness he seeks.

Fitzwilliam Darcy has experienced the sadness that currently resides in the eyes of his friend, Charles Bingley. Determined to see Bingley happy, Darcy confesses his part in creating the despondence his friend now feels and prepares to suffer the separation that will ensue.

However, what he expects and what he gets are very different things. Instead of facing a lonely life filled with heartache, he finds himself standing at the beginning of a path leading to not only his friend’s happiness but his own as well.

It will not, however, be an easy path. There will be obstacles to overcome, but with a little help and scheming, no impediment will be too insurmountable – not even Caroline Bingley.

Confounding Caroline is the first book in Leenie Brown’s Marrying Elizabeth series of Pride and Prejudice inspired stories.  If you like well-written, sweet stories with determined heroes and surprising heroines who are willing to push the bounds of comfort and propriety to claim true love, then you will enjoy this story about out-scheming a schemer in the quest for the chance at a happily ever after.

So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of Confounding Caroline, and slip into a world of unexpected mischief and join Darcy on the first leg of his journey to happily ever after.

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[This book ends with a happy for now, and Darcy and Elizabeth’s story continues in the next book. Confounding Caroline can also be found in Marrying Elizabeth, Books 1-3 Compilation.]  

Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy (Other Pens Book 1) by Leenie Brown

He’s failed before, but with her help, this time, he might just succeed.

Henry Crawford has failed to secure the heart of a good woman before ─ and quite spectacularly so! There are few in town who have not heard of his scandalous affair. While his debacle might have proven great fodder for the gossips, it has left him with a shattered heart and a deep desire to change his ways.

However, change is never easy.

Old habits can die hard, and some friends may wish to see you say as you always were. Thankfully for Henry, there are others, such as Trefor Linton, who will wish to help and will offer his sister as a dance partner to help Henry ease his way into society.

While most girls her age dream of a rich and handsome husband, Constance Linton is looking for more. She wishes for an intelligent gentleman of good character who is not opposed to a bookish lady. But sifting through the dross in a ballroom in search of such a man is no easy task.

A gentleman with Henry’s reputation is not the sort of man for whom Constance seeks, yet she is not opposed to lending him her aid in achieving his desires.

What begins as a single dance will grow into a collaboration that will equip Henry with all he needs to win a woman of worth, while entangling hearts and leaving not only his own heart and reputation but also that of his friend and tutor at risk of being irreparably damaged.

Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy is part of Leenie Brown’s Other Pens Collection of books that pick up the storytelling pen where Jane Austen put it down. If you like well-written stories of sweet redemption, then you will love this story of facing the challenges that reformation can bring and discovering the pleasure that only deep, abiding love can provide.

So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy, and let this sweet romance inspire a hope that even the most reprobate heart can, with care and determination, be transformed into that of a worthy gentleman.

Mr. Bingley Plans a Ball ( A Teatime Tales Novelette) by Leenie Brown

It’s a simple plan: propose, plan a ball, ensure his friend’s happiness. If only simple meant easy.

Mr. Bingley has returned to Netherfield as he promised, and he has come alone. However, he is planning to have guests. First, he will need to secure Miss Bennet’s acceptance of his proposal. Then, he’ll have to rid the area of a particular scoundrel. And then? Well, then, he can work on ensuring his friend’s happiness.

In theory, it seems simple. In practice, it’s going to take some quick thinking and shifting tactics to pull off the happiest Yuletide ball either he or his friend have ever attended.

Mr. Bingley Plans a Ball is a novelette of just over 17,500 words and is the second installment in Leenie Brown’s Teatime Tales Collection of Austen-inspired quick reads. If you’re looking for an entertaining escape from the everyday, where good intentions turn into a somewhat-muddled scheme, then you’ll love this story about the lengths to which one friend will go for another to make certain they are both happily matched.

So put the kettle on, download your copy of Mr. Bingley Plans a Ball, and steal away with Mr. Bingley for a few moments of sweet indulgence while he fumbles his way through planning a happily ever after or two.

~*~

[This story was previously published in a MUCH shorter form as part of a Teatime Tales short story anthology. That original short story is now part of the first chapter of this novelette.]

Christmas in Gracechurch Street: A Darcy and Elizabeth Variation (Sweet Possibilities Book 2) by Leenie Brown

He thought he was escaping temptation not placing himself directly in her path. 

Feeling himself drawn to the enchanting Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy plans an escape from Netherfield. It isn’t until his arrangements are all in place that he discovers Elizabeth has made an escape of her own and is now right where he doesn’t want her to be. When Darcy’s displeased friend finds him in town rather than at Netherfield, Darcy is forced to attend a dinner in Gracechurch Street, the very place where Elizabeth is staying.

For her part, Elizabeth is just as unhappy to be thrust into company with Darcy as he is with her — and for the same reason. She likes him, but she knows she has very little hope of ever attracting a suitor such as Mr. Darcy when he only considers her tolerable.

However, when Darcy accepts an invitation to partake in the festivities of Christmas in Gracechurch Street and when Elizabeth’s sister forms a friendship with Darcy’s sister, Elizabeth begins to hope her feelings of admiration might be returned, while Darcy finds keeping duty ahead of pleasure to be excessively difficult.

Christmas in Gracechurch Street is the second installment in Leenie Brown’s Sweet Possibilities collection of Darcy and Elizabeth variations. If you like Hallmark-style Christmas romances set in the Regency era, then you’ll enjoy this story where duty and love collide.

So, settle into your favourite reading spot, grab your copy of Christmas in Gracechurch Street, and indulge in the sweet romantic possibility of an escape plan gone wrong turning into something that is oh so right.

The Darcy Marriage Series: Books 1-3 by Zoe Burton

One couple. Three attempts to separate them.

When Fitzwilliam Darcy meets Elizabeth Bennet, who is visiting her aunt and uncle, in Hyde Park, he is intrigued. While Elizabeth is not the classic English beauty Darcy is used to seeing, he is drawn to her sparkling personality, not to mention her connections. The more he learns about her, the deeper in love he falls.

Though Elizabeth likes Darcy very much, she is certain that he could have no interest in her. However, despite her certainty of his indifference, Elizabeth falls in love with him.

As they begin courting, become betrothed, and eventually wed, they never consider that others might try to come between them. Nonetheless, that is precisely what happens.

Darcy’s Wife Search Mrs. Bennet has never much cared for her second-born, but when Elizabeth becomes betrothed to Darcy, her dislike blossoms into hatred, threatening to come between Elizabeth and the man she loves forever.

Lady Catherine Impedes Having weathered Mrs. Bennet’s attacks, Darcy and Elizabeth think they are safely married. Despite their belief, not everyone agrees, and a devious scheme is hatched by Darcy’s aunt, her daughter, and Elizabeth’s cousin, with the intent to separate the newly married couple.

Caroline’s Censure Darcy and Elizabeth have already dealt with plenty of people who object to their marriage and would like nothing better than to settle into wedded bliss. However, Caroline Bingley, Darcy’s best friend’s sister, has other plans and will stop at nothing to cause discord between Darcy and Elizabeth.

The Darcy Marriage Series is a three-book bundle of previously published stories by Zoe Burton. If you like catty villains, devoted heroes, and sweet romance, you’ll love this set of Pride and Prejudice novella variations. Purchase The Darcy Marriage Series today.

This bundle of three novellas contains 64,531 total words and is 353 pages in print.

Becoming Lady Darcy by Sara Smallman

As a direct descendant of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, Lady Elizabeth Darcy spent her childhood wandering the halls of Pemberley. Now a tourist attraction under the watchful eye of curator Joyce Hutchinson, every room contains reminders of the timeless love story as it seeps through the history of the great house.

Lizzy has given up trying to find love, but things get tricky once Hollywood director, Matthew Wickham, the father of her daughter Harriet, returns to the Derbyshire estate to begin filming Jane Austen’s classic novel, bringing with him a very famous, very aloof actor, who catches her eye. But Benn Williams has his own secrets, and Lizzy finds that history seems to be repeating itself, despite her attempts to resist it.

Dipping into key events in history, ‘Becoming Lady Darcy’ combines a variety of techniques to tell the story, as we move throughout the timelines of five obstinate headstrong girls who called Pemberley home.

Sophia, the Jacobean courtier, has a clever head and a smart mouth, but when the gaze of the King falls on her, she finds herself embroiled in courtly games and treasonous plotting.

Elizabeth, with her fine eyes, begins her tenure as mistress with the devoted Fitzwilliam by her side, but happily-ever-afters don’t always work out quite as we expect, and being Mrs Darcy proves trickier than she anticipated.

Mabel, only daughter of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth, finds that her privileged upbringing leaves her yearning for adventure and looking for escape in the arms of a handsome gentleman in a seaside town.

Millicent, who lives lots of lives, must navigate the changing world at the turn of the twentieth century, and fight to save Pemberley from an uncertain future.

And then there is Lizzy, who realises that in order to embrace her future, she has to accept her past and realise that sometimes life, and love, have to be experienced without pride and prejudice getting in the way.

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Looks like there’s lots of books to add to my TBR pile! I’d love to hear what you’ve grabbed.

Until next time,

Happy reading!