𝑀𝑦 𝐽𝐴𝐹𝐹 𝑂𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

The retelling of Pride and Prejudice from Darcy’s perspective has been attempted several times before. By its very nature, the book contains a great deal of the text from Jane Austen’s original. The author has woven new elements into the story in a seamless manner. Thus, we are introduced to Darcy’s first love and heartbreak. This does much to explain Darcy’s later suspicion of Jane Bennet as a fortune hunter. Anne de Bourgh is given the opportunity to show a delightful inner world, hidden by her ill health and overpowering mother. Caroline Bingley is as rude as ever but we see how her upbringing influenced her desperation to marry Darcy. There is also a possible chance for redemption. I would not say that this is the best retelling from Darcy’s perspective, but it a creditable effort and a good read. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Amazon review Goodreads review

Charlotte Mayweather, illegitimate daughter of Emily, is left orphaned when her mother dies in Bedlam. Emily’s sister is Ursula, Lady Cotterhugh. Lord John and Lady Ursula Cotterhugh welcome Charlotte to their home, Drymote. She has a happy life until Ursula dies, followed a few years later by John. While grieving the loss of her beloved Uncle, she life becomes unrecognisable. The new Lord Cotterhugh, Albert is miserly, unpleasant and resentful of Charlotte’s presence as a poor relation. He even begrudges her having a flower from the garden. When Edward, the heir of Drymote arrives, his rakish, charming persona seems to confirm the scandalous reputation that preceded him. However, Edward has a great deal more about his than that, together with a burden of demons from his past. The story of Charlotte and Edward’s growing closeness plays out against a gothic background of vengeance, fear, betrayal and paranoia. A pleasing read. The characters are well drawn and you are kept guessing righ

The Longbourn estate is entailed away from the female line. The Bennet family have five daughters and no sons. So when Mr Bennet dies, his cousin Mr Collins inherits. The Bennet sisters were pushed out into Society at an early age. The eldest, Jane married at fifteen, with Mary and Kitty marrying at seventeen. To her mother’s eternal relief, Mary became Mrs Collins, thereby ensuring the security of the family remaining at Longbourn. Unfortunately, Mr Collins is an obnoxious fool and Mary delights in reminding her sisters of her superior status, as Mistress of Longbourn. Elizabeth Bennet had been her father’s favourite. Now she was an unwanted, dependent sister. Treated as a poor relation, she is shuffled from one household to the next. Worse, she has been written off as a spinster despite being only twenty. Fitzwilliam Darcy is living in obscurity to protect his younger sister Georgiana. The consequences of an almost elopement with a fortune hunting rake, have broken Georgiana’s alread

A whistle stop tour through the highs and lows of Regency England. The author touches on the harsh penal system, the poverty and hunger faced by so many. Such a background was the catalyst for radical thinking and action.  Unfortunately, the state and particularly the monarchy were keen to keep the status quo, ensuring brutal repression. The behaviour of the monarchy and particularly the Prince Regent, made them deeply unpopular with the country. Not that they seemed to care. The personal lives of the Royal family, were frequently scandalous. Prinny, the Prince Regent seemed to aim for excess in all areas of his life. We are also given vignettes on the lives of the notorious or celebrated (often the same person). The author combines a witty and sardonic turn of phrase, with beautifully chosen quotes.   When talking about Byron, the first celebrity to get fanmail she writes “Byron’s wife Annabella Milbanke coined the phrase ‘Byromaniacs’for those women who obsessed over her husband” Thi

Viscount Sutherfeld is so concerned about the effect of London Society on his daughters' behaviour, that he relocates the family to an isolated estate in the North. Eldest daughter, Isabel finds life at Rothfield Park tedious. She has to calm her sister Jane, who is convinced that the estate is haunted.  Even more vexing is the announcement that she is to marry a stuffy Colonel. Isabel is independent, intelligent and stroppy! Her parents seek a tutor to give her lessons in propriety and deportment.  Following an argument with the Viscountess, she goes for a reckless gallop through the forest. After she is thrown from her horse, she returns to the house to find a changed atmosphere. Jane has been sent away, the servants shun her and her parents refuse to acknowledge her. Isabel is determined not to succumb to parental pressure. Life is lonely for Isabel, so the arrival of Dougal Weston is an improvement. She doesn’t want a tutor, so having already encouraged several governesses to r

Wow! What a wonderful book ❤️ Mrs Bennet was determined that her daughter Elizabeth, would marry Mr Collins. He is her cousin and heir to their entailed estate. Marrying him would ensure her family’s security, when her father died. Unfortunately, Collins is an obnoxious and repellent creature. Elizabeth refuses to have anything to do with him. He then offers marriage to Charlotte Lucas, spinster and Elizabeth’s best friend. Charlotte is pragmatic about marriage, just happy to have her own home in the parsonage at Hunsford in Kent. Mrs Bennet is outraged at Elizabeth’s refusal and berates her ceaselessly. Elizabeth arranges an escape from her mother, by visiting Charlotte, a few months after her marriage. Hoping for respite, she is shocked to find the Parsonage is a strange and unpleasant place. Mr Collins is controlling and vindictive. She finds Charlotte is changed beyond all recognition. Charlotte has sadly realised that accepting Mr Collins proposal was a huge mistake. Her response

Lady Francine, orphaned daughter of a Duke, is being pressured to marry by her unpleasant Aunt Prudence. Francine is just a few weeks from her majority and has no wish to marry. Her fortune means marriage is unnecessary and she wants her independence. When Aunt Prudence starts introducing thoroughly unpleasant suitors and neglecting her duty as a chaperone, Francine knows she must find a way out. She asks Lord Blakely, a notorious rake, to pretend to be her betrothed. He takes some convincing but money and the offer of a sexual liaison, seal the deal. Blakely is plagued by burdens of responsibility and a frightening secret. What starts out as a business arrangement, flares to a steamy education in debauchery. The book details their growing relationship, set against a background of wicked relatives and savage murders in London. For the most part, the steamy sections are well done. There is a ménage à trois, which I found uncomfortable reading, particularly when I didn’t know how far the