A Yuletide Dream: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas by Julie Cooper ★★★★☆

Fitzwilliam Darcy’s head has been turned by a beautiful, intelligent, vivacious gentlewoman. However, Elizabeth Bennet is of a lower social status and has an embarrassing family. She has connexions to trade and worst of all her obsequious cousin William Collins, is parson to Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Darcy flees her company before he allows his passion to overcome his sense of duty to his family and status. He also persuades his friend Bingley to join him, to save him from a marriage of unequal affections to Jane Bennet.

Just before Christmas, Lady Catherine dies suddenly, leaving Darcy to oversee her estate, Rosings. He ponders whether he ought to marry his unappealing cousin Anne, to protect her and Rosings for the family.

In a combination of a Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life, Darcy is visited in his dreams by the ghost of Lady Catherine (dragging, not chains but a Rosings fireplace) continuing her lifetime harangue that he should marry Anne.
Then his mother’s ghost appears showing him a heartrending incident from his childhood, when her considerations of rank and status where allowed to come before his happiness. She expresses her regret and encourages him not to place too high a value on rank, duty and status.

Darcy ponders further his poor behaviour in Hertfordshire and his unwillingness to alert the neighbourhood to the threat posed by the rake, George Wickham.
In exasperation he declares he wishes he had never travelled to Hertfordshire or met the Bennet family.
A spiritual guide, in the form of the dreadful Mr Collins, the shows him scenes of what would occur if his wish were granted.

Will Darcy learn from his visions? Will he return to Elizabeth?

An enjoyable story with a delightful ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

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