Discretion and Daring: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Amelia Westerly. ★★★☆☆

Fitzwilliam Darcy invites Elizabeth Bennet to a house party at Pemberley. He wishes her to befriend his sister and aid in her recovery from melancholy. 

Although he doesn’t declare it, he wants to test whether his obsession with Elizabeth is just infatuation or real love, that can bridge the social chasm between them. 

Elizabeth does not like Darcy but agrees, providing her sister Jane can accompany her. The goal being time with Mr Bingley, who Jane is in love with.

As the party progresses, Elizabeth finds her opinion of Darcy softening.

Her friendship with Georgiana makes progress but despite disclosing the events at Ramsgate, still more secrets are held back.

A startling visitor reveals the secrets and all must work together to prevent disaster.

This debut from Amelia Westerly is quite pleasing. There are some surprising plot developments, which seem to push propriety but nothing too outrageous. As a novella, there is sometimes a conflict between brevity and necessary depth. 

I look forward to seeing what Amelia Westerly may write in the longer form of a novel.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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