Duty and Desire: A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman
342356
This was the second in a trilogy.  Had a difficult time getting into this one.  Little of this story moved along the story of Elizabeth and Darcy.  Most of this novel took place at Castle Norwycke home of Darcy's college friends. Too many things happening that given Darcy's hate of TON, I doubt whether he would have stayed especially when Fletcher uncovered the evil plans involving Darcy.  So wanted Darcy to confess to Bingley and get his life moving.  I hope the third book reacquaints Elizabeth with Darcy, and the story takes on its usual ending.
52399
If you like Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen you will like this book. When you begin reading just don't want to put the book down until you finish reading it. I have not found one of her book bad yet, they are very creative and loving.
1351760
This book is, in my opinion, the best varietion I have read of Pride And Prejudice.
I love all the twists and turns of the story and how well is was all conected. I did not like that Georgiana Darcy was protrayed not only shy but very wak emotionally.
I strongly recomend this book. I had a blast reading it and I am sure everybody will too.
1169343
I was very pleased with this book.  I did think the language was a bit much, as there is more vulgarity used than I am used to..I have been in the Regency period too long...but I think the word usage was appropriate for  the time and setting.  The hero/anti-hero is exceptional! More action than  I am used to, which was also appreciated.  I think this book is a keeper.
4707068
Julianne Donaldson's Edenbrooke is a novel set in England in the Regency period. It follows seventeen-year-old Marianne Daventry from her grandmother's home in Bath to Edenbrooke, a country estate, where she will meet her twin sister and learn to become a proper lady. At Edenbrooke, she befriends the man of the house, Philip Wyndham, a friendship that is tested once her sister Cecily arrives and declares that Philip is the man she wishes to marry.

Edenbrooke will appeal to those who love Jane Austen and historical fiction, and it is also a great starting place for readers who may have an interest in Regency England but are somewhat daunted by Austen. Edenbrooke is written in more modern language that will help young adult readers relate to Marianne and follow the plot much easier, something that is convenient considering the several side plots that intertwine with the budding romance of Philip and Marianne.

I loved that Marianne wasn't an overly proper young lady. She prefers spending time in an orchard and twirling to sitting inside, something that prompts her grandmother to order her to observe the older women at Edenbrooke and learn how to be proper. Marianne has trouble with this, but it seems to only endear her more to Philip Wyndham.

The romance between Philip and Marianne is sweet and drawn out over the course of the novel. Marianne misunderstands certain events and conversations, causing her feelings to flip-flop almost constantly, but the misunderstandings are quite normal for an innocent girl of her age. In addition to being handsome, Philip is patient and waits for Marianne to come around and realize both his and her true feelings. To draw a comparison to Austen, Philip is Marianne's Mr. Darcy.

Edenbrooke is an easy, light read that will leave the reader wishing for a visit to the English countryside of Marianne's time. Everyone can relate to at least one of the characters, which makes the writing come alive and engage the reader in Marianne's adventures.
 I would definitely give Edenbrooke five stars!

Review by Lauren W., age 17, Mensa in Georgia
3280170
The landed gentry are tremendously important in Austen's novels.  Now you can learn more about them through the historical experience of Austen's own brother, Edward Austen Knight.  What precisely is a manor?  Where did a Regency-era landlord get his money?  What were his familial and community obligations?  Slothouber illuminates these and many more issues in clear, lively prose and well-chosen illustrations.  Using primary sources such as parish records and family letters, she relates Edward's lifestyle to those of Mr. Darcy, Mr. Knightly, Sir Walter Elliot, and other members of the landowning class.  Austen's early readers would have been familiar with this class; Slothouber's accomplishment is to make it wonderfully clear to modern readers that the actions and decisions of those characters show the kind of men they are--and what Austen meant us to know about them.
483685
I enjoyed the book for its description of life among the English aristocrats.  Of course it reminded me of Downton Abbey.  I intend to read the other three books in the series.
3827612
it is a seamless continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and prejudice. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
2300733
This author gave us a Caroline Bingley who was a friend to Elizabeth Bennet.
This author gave us a George Wickham who was a friend to Fitzwilliam Darcy.

And now:
This author gives us a Lady Catherine de Bourgh who is a friend to  EVERYONE!

Lady Catherine befriends the Bennets  all of the Bennets  and in the process
she is also able to befriend her nephew.

The story begins with the Bennet family traveling to Hunsford to meet Cousin Collins
who was unable to visit in Meryton the previous fall.  Lady Catherines nephews
plan their customary Easter visit to Rosings.

SPOILER:  The backstory varies a little from Canon in that Darcy had spent much less time
in Meryton.  He had attended the Assembly (where he makes his usual remarks) and
the evening gathering at Lucas Lodge (where Elizabeth rejects Sir Williams attempt to match ODC in a dance).
Shortly after that, Darcy returns to London.  Bingleys family hosts the Netherfield Ball and leaves town as per canon.
Darcy therefore was not at Netherfield when Jane was taken ill; did not know Wickham was in Meryton
and did not influence Bingley to reject Jane.

Lady Catherine believes Elizabeth would be a good match for her nephew Darcy and
contrives opportunities for them to interact.  This time, its Cousin Anne who holds to the
belief of the cradle betrothal no matter what discouragement she encounters.

Lust is easy. Love is hard. Like is most important. ~Carl Reiner

Bingley  does he have the maturity to actually love?  Lady Catherine believes not.
She has an alternative in mind for Miss Jane.

Lady Catherine also influences the younger sisters for the better as well as being a good friend to Mrs. Bennet!

This is a very low-angst, sweet love story with the only real opposition coming from
Anne de Bourgh and Mr. Collins; although Mother Bennet makes her own confusions.

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same,
and most mothers kiss and scold together. ~Pearl S. Buck
4806135
The story begins nine days after the marriage of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth. Elizabeth has just penned a letter to her parents, much enjoying adding her new signature, Elizabeth Darcy! It brought to memory her mother's vivid voice, `Elizabeth Darcy - oooh, how well that sounds!' Much to her surprise she felt an odd sense of loss rather than her usual annoyance with her mother. Elizabeth found her new townhome very warm and pleasant but it did not feel like home yet. Thus, we are privy to the thoughts and feelings of the newly married Elizabeth.

As we spend time with the Darcy couple we experience with them the felicity of their love and time together. We see Lizzy as she learns to be the mistress of the London townhome and then Perberley. Darcy and Lizzy are true to character and their marriage is much like what I would have expected it to be - happy - yet with a few bumps along the way. Darcy is a loving husband and very attentive and protective of is wife.

The relationship with Georgiana and Lizzy develops slowly as it takes the shy young girl time to relax and enjoy her new sister as she would so like to do. They eventually develop a strong bond and Georgiana loves and confides in Elizabeth.  Lizzy is a good influence on Georgiana and helps her just like Darcy knew she would.

Colonel Fitzwilliam plays a significant role in the story and is the ever loyal and honorable man we know and love. He is injured in the war but does recover with the help of Darcy and Lizzy. I felt much sadness at times for the dear colonel, but will leave my reasons for the reader to discover.

Later in the marriage Darcy and Lizzy experience a difficult time and the author gives us a good bit of insight into their troubles. I experienced the heart-ache shared by both with them. When the problem is resolved, I almost missed it and wasn't even sure it had been resolved until a bit later in the story. I would have liked to there to have been more time spent on the resolution as it was significant to the story. I felt it would have left a more fulfilling conclusion to their trials.

Georgiana's coming out and romance is a delightful addition to the novel. I adored watching the shy girl blossom into an enchanting, more confident woman under Lizzy's tutelage. It was extremely gratifying to witness her courtship and marriage.

Joana Starnes has a wonderful way with details and descriptions. Her first-hand knowledge of the area brings her writing to life. She has written a beautiful love story of the Darcy's of Pemberley. The new characters that Ms. Starnes has introduced are wonderfully written as an integral part of the story. I would be interested in reading more about many of them. At the end of the book, the lives of all characters are brought to a satisfying conclusion.

If you love a story about Darcy and Elizabeth with little angst, then this book is a must read! It is one that any Janeite purist should enjoy. Thank you, Ms. Starnes, for sharing your excellent book with us.

PG Rating for no explicit sex
Originally reviewed at More Agreeably Engaged
214257
I really enjoyed this book.  It was a very good book, especially since I love Pride and Prejudice so much. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.
4041374
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I had previously read Pride and Prejudice and continued to compare them. I enjoyed the main characters and all the twists and turns of the nice and the sordid affairs.
4174177
The reviewers raved about this book, and now I know why.  It was fantastic!  I started it right away, and could not put it down until I finished it!  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is my favorite book.  I have lost count of how many times I have watched the DVD with Jennifer Ehles and Colin Forth.  I hope this book will give you as much enjoyment as it has for me
1275498
Of all the published P & P variations published by Abigail Reynolds, this is one of my favorite! It's fast pace (like the original P & P), and there's quite a bit of character development for both Darcy and Elizabeth. The Darcy portrayed in this book seems more consistent with that in the original Austen novel, in that he showed fierce determination and single-mindedness to be with Elizabeth, even when she was betrothed to another. When he learned that she had ended that engagement, he became even more determined to win her and to marry her, despite her concerns about what marriage to her would do to him on a social level. Darcy stuck to her like velcro to comfort her and to assuage her of the disgrace she felt by breaking her engagement to another. These sections were a bit hard to read but I did find them credible given the norm of the period ... Darcy devised a series of plans to
"persuade" Elizabeth to marry him: put her in a compromising situation, seduce her outright, or involve her family in encouraging her to marry him. I personally found this part of the book to be very interesting and asked myself if Jane Austen's Darcy would do that. Indeed, the Darcy we know was quite clever although stubborn. One always had the feeling that underneath that cool arrogant facade was a man of great passion. Equally interesting to read were the parts when Darcy questioned his own intentions and admonished himself for being selfish...The passion he felt for Elizabeth and the continuous admonition he gave to himself because of his efforts to seduce Elizabeth gives the reader something to consider in the context of "love, allure/sex, marriage..." In the end, the determined Darcy gets the girl!
Hurray!
1323736
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found myself staying up late not wanting to stop reading. I have to admit, I did not like Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy at first. I found him rather cruel and mean to a grieving 15-year-old girl.  He had little to no patience with her and seemed unfeeling about her grieving process.  As the story progressed, I enjoyed watching the development of Elizabeth's character, but we never really saw the changes occurring for Mr. Darcy. In fact, his long absences were skimmed over, and the reader has little idea of what he is thinking or doing.  I enjoyed the development of the relationships between Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam even though they were sketching in many places, but you still had some feel for the growing relationships.  I liked that Elizabeth had some time with the elder Mr. Darcy, but I wish their relationship had been delved into more.  Admittedly, it was already a long book, but flushing out a few areas and making it longer would not have deterred me from reading it because the story kept me interested even though I wished there had more of it in certain instances.
4632149
It seems like a simple statement.  Mr. Darcy, the hero of our novel, simply doesn't have time to write to his overbearing aunt to inform her of his engagement to be married.  But, like most things in Jane Austen, it has more meanings than one.
I will be the first to admit that the plot of the novel is transperent.  Anyone who has read a romance can see from the outset that Darcy and Lizzy (a.k.a. Elizabeth Bennet) will end up with each other.  The only question is how, why, when, and who will be affected.  To find that out, you'll have to read the story.  I don't believe I'm giving anything away by saying that the seemingly sub-human Fitzwilliam Darcy (he's got quite a name, has he not?) will thaw eventually, and that Lizzy will warm to his new, altered state.  For, simply put, the point of the novel is not the story, but the beautiful prose and dialogue.  The deliciously satisfying banter of the newly-engaged Darcy and Lizzy in Chapter 18 of Part Three (some versions are not divided into parts, but I trust you can find this chapter) leaves you tingling with glorious anticipation of their soon to be union.
The reader will thrill when he calls her "Elizabeth" for the first time (as opposed to a cold "Miss Bennet"), and the effect is somewhat heightened by his adding a passtionate "dearest, lovliest" before the name.  For Darcy, despite his reserves, is a deeply passionate man.
Back to my original point.  There is something deeper in Jane Austen's seemingly silly and pointless escapades.  The novel is an examination of human foibles (sp?) and follies, a critical probing of the pitfalls of society.  Austen's points are timeless, for some things never change.  In any case, when Darcy says, in response to Lizzy's inquiry as to when he will find the courage to write to his aunt, the despised Lady Catherine DeBourgh, who greatly opposes his marriage to Lizzy, that he is more likely to want time than courage, it means more than it seems to.  He is saying, subtly perhaps, but he's saying it all the same: he treasures his time with Lizzy, and he hates to darken it with a cloud of impending doom.  Besides which, he loves to talk to his fiance, and wile away hours wandering the country lanes in a state of happiness beyond that which he has ever known.  Why waste the precious minutes writing to that stupid Lady Catherine, anyway?
As you can see, a philosopher like myself can find reams of meaning in a simple sentance of Austen.  If that isn't reason enough to read her novel "Pride and Prejudice", I don't know what is.
--Child of the Burning Heart
1333538
One of the great joys I have as a reader is finding a modern day variation or amplification of the stories of Jane Austen, with my special favorite being books concerning the characters in "Pride and Prejudice".  I have read many such books but the series of novels written by Pamela Aidan are my personal "gold standard" by which all others must be compared.

"An Assembly Such As This", book one in a three book series, begins with the arrival of the Bingley's, Hursts, and Darcy to the ball at Meryton and concludes on the day after the ball given by Bingley at Netherfield when Darcy and Bingley leave for London.  What happens in the time between those two events is a completely faithful expounding of the thoughts and feelings of Fitzwilliam Darcy as he becomes more and more aware of his growing feelings toward Elizabeth Bennet.

Because Jane Austen concentrated so much of her attention on the female characters in Pride and Prejudice there has been an opportunity for other authors to give readers their ideas of what Darcy and Bingley's personalities might have been like if Austen had presented both sides of that story.  This book portrays those men's feelings, thoughts and actions with wonderful sensitivity.  Charles Bingley can often be dismissed as shallow and flighty by some authors trying to create a variation of Pride and Prejudice.  Not so with Ms Aidan.  Bingley is presented in all of his sweet, kind, shy nature with insights into why he defers to Darcy's opinions so often.  Darcy, on the other hand, can often be written as much too haughty and self-assured.  Here we see him wrestling with his own demons; the problem with Georgiana and Wickham as well as fending off the blatant advances from Caroline Bingley.  Darcy was a man of substance, wealth, and prestige.  He had been brought up to consider himself superior and society aided him in those feelings.  Ms Aidan helps readers understand why his feelings of superiority were valid for his times.

I really enjoyed the way Pamela Aidan wrote about the relationship between Darcy and his valet, Fletcher.  She allowed the readers to see a softer side of Darcy there, preparing us for the changes which were about to take place in his life.  The part where the servants had conspired to dress Darcy and Elizabeth in matching colors for Sunday morning church services was just priceless.  I also thoroughly enjoyed how we watched Darcy agonize over how to apologize to Elizabeth for his treatment of her at the Meryton ball.  He came up with one plan after another only to scrap that plan and try to find a better one, just as I have done myself on many occasions.  The problem was, there were events happening in Elizabeth's life of which he was unaware so no matter how hard he tried, the time and place and situation just never happened.

I can honestly say that I love this book.  It satisfies my ideals of what Darcy was like as a person.  It allows me to watch him change and grow and learn about himself.  But most of all, Pamela Aidan uses the characters created by Jane Austen but she doesn't change their basic personalities.  She leaves them formed in the Austen manner, just expanded  for my continued enjoyment.