A Different Impression: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Melissa Anne

What if Darcy had been distracted by an act of kindness and never uttered his insult at the assembly? What if Mr Bennet became aware of his youngest daughter's behaviour and did something about it, and left his book room for a time? What if Caroline Bingley were revealed as a shrew much sooner? What if Darcy was less arrogant and came to realize his attraction to Elizabeth much, much sooner?

Join Elizabeth and Darcy as they pursue their happily ever after. There are still villains at work in this story who desire to see the couple separate, but they are much more easily defeated when our dear couple are working together, without so much pride or prejudice getting in their way.

Genres: Romance, Historical, Fan Fiction

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2023

Reviews

[Sam H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought this was a what if, then fixed all the things that went wrong for P&P characters and started out expecting one path for this story. Boy was I wrong, it got complicated and went in a whole other direction. The surprise of it made it very interesting.

I love the Darcy/Elizabeth relationship and their interactions and dialog.

While I enjoyed the story, it kind of lagged for me in the second half. I also didn't appreciate the writing style.

3.5*

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the assembly, Elizabeth gives Darcy a headache remedy, and they begin their relationship much more amicably while Bennet is persuaded to make some changes in the family. I loved the first half but in the second half it sometimes feels like the HEA goes on forever. There is a murderous subplot that came out of nowhere. Several children are born and several sisters and friends are settled. I had some hope of improvement for the Bennet parents at first but in the end they both prove themselves quite selfish and unable to learn a thing. Minor edits are needed.
Steam level: We know the Darcys are amorous but we are not privy to details.

[Sheila Majczan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the romance between Darcy and Elizabeth had no real rough spots the "bad guys" in this story were mainly Mrs. and Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet overhears Lydia's words about how to get a man to marry you and BING...he finally wakes up and starts to make some definite changes in this family. Mrs. Bennet's treatment of and words about Elizabeth take an even lower path than in canon.

Mr. Bennet's changes last but he, himself, again retreats to his book room and cuts off any relationship with the females in his family.

Wickham and Lady Catherine make their usual appearances. However, Lady Catherine (as in some other stories) conceals to whom her husband's will left Rosings. And beyond that we learn poisoning is now beyond her.

There is romance for the Colonel and for Charlotte; plus Collins finds himself playing a losing role.

Jane's and Bingley's relationship has some of the tones from canon, but we learn that Caroline played a bigger role in his leaving Netherfield without a word of "farewell".

Kitty gets some positive attention while Lydia rebels against the consequence her father metes on her. Mary is a surprise, even as she turns down an offer of relief from Elizabeth.

Despite all of the above, I didn't feel any real tension. This was a very long story which dragged in places for me.

[James S · Rating 4 out of 5]

what-if everything went well

Darcy doesn’t doesn’t insult Lizzie at the assembly. She gives him a powder for his headache. He notices how pretty and intelligent she is. Pretty much everything wrong in Pride and Prejudice isn’t wrong here.

But all the positivity leads to many other moments of angst. Lot of new problems. A good read.

[J. W. Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain ***SPOILERS ***

>>Rating: mature teen: language and an attempted compromise, adult themes discussed, sexual scenes not graphic between a married couple
>>Angst Level: slight to medium but nothing too great
>>Source: borrowed from KU on 6-26-23 and I volunteered to leave a review of my thoughts and opinions. I wrote this without the aid of AI so the errors are mine. I first read excerpts on fanfic. [4 stars] I’ve read this twice now.
>>Trope: [1] AU: Alternate Universe where things are a bit different. [2] Darcy doesn’t insult Elizabeth at the Assembly thus setting them off on the right foot. He was impressed by her kindness and asked her to dance. Was it Love at First Sight? [3] A furious Caroline saw the dance and tried to… yeah, she did. [4] NSN [not-so-nice] Mr. & Mrs. Bennet, Oh-My-Gosh, they were horrid as their family crashed and burned around them.

How do children grow up in a vacuum? In this story that is exactly what happened. This is actually a long story and it feels like there are sections to the drama. In this section, we have the first meeting with Darcy and Elizabeth at the assembly. Then we have Bennet taking control of his household. That was actually quite interesting. Next, were marriages, drama, lots more drama, madness, murder, attempted murder, exile, babies, more marriages, another exile, courting, more drama, marriage, babies, scandal, and a scandal averted. The failure to reform and backsliding into indolent ways and a mean understanding round out the madness and chaos surrounding Longbourn and the Bennet family.

What I liked: I loved the interaction between Darcy and Elizabeth. They were such a team and were the stabilizing point for their sisters. It was through their love and understanding that Georgiana, the Bennet sisters, Anne de Bourgh, and Charlotte Lucas found love, safety, and their chance for happiness. They each had an amazing story.

What I didn’t like: Even though I enjoyed seeing what happened to everyone, it was drawn out way too long. It began to feel like a saga that just kept flowing along. However, I did approve of the pairings. It was like the author wanted to see everyone happy in their situation. I still enjoyed the story.

1st read: [8-1-23 ~ 8-1-23]
2nd read: [10-5-23 ~ 10-6-23] Yes, I read it twice

[Madenna U · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Pride and Prejudice variation takes out all the pride, all the prejudice, quickly exposes and removes evil people, and points out the hypocrisy of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as an extreme.

Elizabeth and Darcy spend their time blissfully engaged with each other as they deal with everyone else's life, setting an example of felicity in marriage.

[Michelle David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful

An absolutely delightful and very entertaining variation inspired by Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Melissa Anne. I hope she continues writing more lovely stories.

[Craftyhj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frustrating

This author has good plot ideas, and this book is no exception, but I find the execution of them very frustrating.

Pantomime villains abounding is the second example with people shouting at each other in deeply unpleasant ways. There is nothing in Austen's work to suggest that Mrs Bennet actively hated Elizabeth but this is the go-to for this author and it gets old, very quickly. Similarly the Lady Catherine is a parody in the extreme.

The over-rapid production of books is very apparent in the lack of quality. I do not like being harsh but I dislike the decline in the genre even more. I find that even with the plot tweaks it feels like I am reading the same book repeatedly.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.

[Justine Cognato · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was painful to get through. It was so slow and nothing happened. As soon as anything possibly interesting may happen the character is sent away. Caroline attempts a compromise? Sent away. Lydia says something foolish? Locked in her room and then sent away. Mrs. Bennet is rude and silly? Locked away. Wickham.. exists? Sent away. Lady Catherine causes a scene? Locked in her room and then sent away. Collins is Collins’s? Sent away.

So incredibly boring, pages on pages about random meals and decorations and little storyline. The author had great ideas but didn’t elaborate on anything and as soon as an issue arises the character is immediately locked or sent away instead of actually elaborating. Wish I would have given up on this instead of continuing to the end in the hope something interesting would happen.

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Darcy never insults Elizabeth and they quickly come to an understanding. Mr. Bennet realizes that his wife and youngest daughters are leading the family to ruin and makes necessary changes, including sending Lydia to school, sending Kitty back to the schoolroom, and banishing Mrs. Bennet to the dower house. Mary's character also improves as her father spends more time teaching her what is needed to run both the household and the estate.

Mrs. Bennet gets what she always wanted: One of her daughters married a rich man who throws the others in the path of other rich men. The care Darcy takes of his new sisters and the friendship between Kitty and Georgiana is the best part of the book.

The most disappointing part of the book, in my opinion, was the resolution of the problems at Rosings. Lady Catherine used arsenic to keep both her husband and her daughter weak so she could rule Rosings. The poison killed Air Lewis and Anne is close to death; Lord Matlock exiles his sister to his estate in Ireland. Meanwhile, the butler, housekeeper, and steward of Rosings hang for embezzling funds. Embezzlement is apparently worse than murder.

Longbourn having a dower house does not make sense. The purpose of a dower house is to allow a widow to continue to live on the estate after the death of her husband. If Longbourn had a dower house, Mrs. Bennet would not fear the hedgerows.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise of the book. In this variation, Mr. Darcy doesn't make the famed insult at the Meryton Assembly, and we get to see what would happen if Elizabeth and Darcy could get to know each other without that moment hanging over their heads. A lot of the details were interesting, the changes in Mr. Bennet's character, the Lady Catherine/Anne subplot, but I felt like there wasn't tension between Elizabeth and Darcy -- their relationship was a little too smooth, too easy.

Also, the dialogue was a little too stilted. There was very little subtext; the characters say exactly what they feel. Too much was said; too little was implied.

Again, the premise of the book was interesting. I also loved how determined Darcy was from the offset (swoon), but I would have loved to see more conflict and more challenging/playful dialogue.

[Krystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

No Plot

There wasn’t any rising/falling action or climax. The conflict was mostly over in the first third of the book. So it was one of the most boring books I’ve read.

[Allison Ripley-Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. What if Darcy had been distracted by an act of kindness and never uttered his insult at the assembly? What if Mr Bennet became aware of his youngest daughter's behaviour and did something about it, and left his book room for a time? What if Caroline Bingley were revealed as a shrew much sooner? What if Darcy was less arrogant and came to realize his attraction to Elizabeth much, much sooner? Join Elizabeth and Darcy as they pursue their happily ever after. There are still villains at work in this story who desire to see the couple separate, but they are much more easily defeated when our dear couple are working together, without so much pride or prejudice getting in their way. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.

[Yvette Stait · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really needs an editor. In one paragraph I read the word 'room' six times. It was jarring. The author needs to think of other ways to describe something.

Then there was the idiocy of putting Mrs. Bennet in the dower house. How can money be saved when the estate is supporting two households? In a small town like Meryton the scandal alone would lead the family to be ostracised.

What was more I was sure I had read snippets in other books. For example, Lizzy hearing noises from the ballroom and finding Darcy and the Colonel fencing. She stands in front of her sisters so they are unable to view the men in shirt sleeves.

Nothing really happens that makes the book worth reading. Sorry.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thoroughly intrigued by the difficulty plot, which meant I couldn't put it down after awhile. I actually loved how the author handled the fates of a few characters.

[Dawn]

DNF. I tried, but I couldn’t keep reading past 30%. This doesn’t resemble P&P or its characters in any way and the more I read, the more annoyed this story made me.

[Nina Bjørnsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out really good but started to drop a bit around the halfway point. I’d give it a 3,5. Overall I enjoyed it, especially in the first half. The other half felt a bit like an add on. It lost the main focus of the book, or mere the Maine plot line, like the author wanted to tell ten stories in the same book, and it just got a bit tiresome in the end.

Every time one problem was solved another magically appeared, and sometimes it could be a problem that had already been solved, but ups, now it’s a problem again.

I think the story could do with a bit more editing and some tough love (as one of my teachers said: kill your darlings). I get that the author had a lot of ideas, and some of them were good ideas, but my problem is that they’re all in one book and happens one after another, it felt repetitive and never ending. Had there been more focus on a couple of plot point or conflicts, they could have been fleshed out and gotten to really lead the story. Instead we got a lot of plot jumping.

I’ll probably return to this book to read the first half because that’s really good and I love how Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s relationship starts and develops (even though it was fast). The story could have been great with 2-3 minor villains/problems and one big conflict, instead we get maybe 6-7 “villains” and so many minor or medium conflicts that had no great impact on our characters or the story in general. They didn’t really help carry the story along, they just happened. In the end I was just waiting for the book to be over. Its really sad because as I’ve said I REALLY enjoyed the beginning.

If you want an instalove with fast burn and some really cute moment between Darcy and Elizabeth, then this book could be a good fix, if you’re willing to deal with all the “eh” that comes after

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plodding

Very long and drawn out story full of boring details. The usual villains showed up for a brief time and were summarily dealt with, except for the Bennets. They were portrayed as severe narcissists. The book also needs editing, as there were many missing words.

[Kristin O'donoghue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 (adding the half star here since I can't above)

This is the first book that I have read by Melissa Anne. Anyone who takes a look at my reviews or my bookstagram knows that I have a special place in my heart for all that is Austen, particularly Pride & Prejudice variations that let readers explore different 'what if' possibilities or 'what came after' scenarios for our favorite literary couple Darcy and Elizabeth.

***Minor spoilers ahead if you have not read the book***

In a Different Impression, readers get to see what happens if Darcy hadn't completely botched things during that first fateful assembly at Meryton and actually allowed himself to open up to Elizabeth, seeing her many good qualities at a very early point in their meeting. I enjoyed seeing a Darcy that came to know his ardent affection for Elizabeth much sooner and who confidently pursued the woman he loves with an almost singular focus. The way that he stands by her and stands up for her not only to his relations but to hers is part of that fierce devotion that we all have come to know and love in this eternal literary hero.

I found the twist with the history of the De Bourgh family an interesting one and it was shocking to learn all that Anne suffered at the hands of her mother. Probably the hardest thing to read as a lover of P&P, was the portrayal of Mr. Bennet in this novel. While Austen fans have always known Mr. Bennet to be a father who loves Elizabeth but refuses to be very involved in the lives of his daughters, in this story the nature of his true feelings for Elizabeth and how they come to light after her marriage to Darcy cause a lot of pain for her and was actually a very tough emotional journey to go on with the character. Of course, Darcy was there every step of the way for Elizabeth but you can't help but feel for the void she feels at the loss Mr. Bennet's role and love in her life.

For me this was just shy of a 4 star read because at times, I thought the story moved a bit slow in its pacing through the various points of the plot and at least in the eBook there were a few places where some words were missing and a few paragraphs were repeated. That said, if you like a P&P variation that is focused on the development of Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship, particularly after they marry, then give this story a read. Just be prepared to heavily dislike the Bennet parents because they will earn every bit of it in this story.

Happy reading!

-KO'D

[Terri Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me a very satisfying read.

[Lesley Barklay]

What if Mr Darcy never insulted Elizabeth at the Meryton Assembly?

What follows is a low-angst version of Pride and Prejudice where Mr Bennet sees the error of his ways, Caroline attempts to compromise Mr Darcy (twice!) and is banished, Mr Bennet hears an off-hand comment from Lydia that causes him to rebuke her and send her off to school, Mr Collins is cast out of Longbourn in less than a day, and Mrs Bennet is confined to her room for much of the book.

The romance between ODC goes fairly smoothly, despite a brief appearance by Wickham (who is swiftly dealt with), and Lady Catherine's usual attempts to interfere. There is quote a long of repetition, which can get a little bit much, especially as the book progresses. (I found myself skimming quite a bit for the last 60%).

Around the 70% mark, the author realises we need to have some kind of villain, and Mr Bennet turns out to be our man. All progress from the earlier part of the book is lost. It turns out he only respects Darcy, because he is a man, and he only favoured Lizzy when she was younger, because there was no better option. There is another somewhat surprising plot point thrown in, in which Lady Catherine poisoned--and inadvertently killed Sir Lewis--and is poisoning Anne in order to keep Rosings. A spanner is thrown in the Bingley/Jane relationship, as he suddenly leaves Netherfield without a word of warning. Colonel Fitzwilliam declares he will never marry, and he doesn't want to leave the army, only to change his mind shortly after meeting Charlotte Lucas.

All the principal characters get their HEA. Even Lydia sees the error of her ways. Mr and Mrs Bennet, and Caroline are basically cut off from their families due to their bad behaviour, and Lizzy and Darcy have multiple babies, and never lose their insatiable passion for one another.

If you want a book where you get to spend lots of time with the main characters, but don't have to worry about misunderstandings between Darcy and Lizzy, you might enjoy reading this variation.

[Maria Escarda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Commendable work but too verbose

There is neither Pride nor Prejudice in this variation; thus, the conflict is left to outside forces, which in this case are insufficient to balance off the overly sweet romance between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Never thought one would say this but a saccharine-sweet quality of Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s love affair as depicted in this story gets too much to be tolerated that at times, this reader wishes the novel would just end; skipping several insignificant parts. Nevertheless, this reader goes on to give respect to the author who seemed to have painstakingly written as a presumably epically endearing romance to end all romances. Unfortunately, it misses the mark.

Furthermore, the characters, especially the leads are mere shadows of their Canon selves. Save Mr. Darcy, who showed his besotted self way early in the story, everyone else is less than what is known of them. Elizabeth is said to be impertinent, but hardly shows it. Sure she challenges Darcy into some debates, which are hardly consequential to raise a real challenge. The secondary characters are hardly used to advantage in terms of characterization, save for two, who are surprisingly presented here in the most negative light. This reader would have rather the author spent more time embellishing the characterization of Elizabeth and others rather than these two. It’s like essential players like Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, Bingley and some others are presented as watered down versions of themselves, with lesser appeal and conviction.

This was rather a disappointing wordy offering given the initial positive impression this reader had of her first read by this author (The Accidental Letter). As much disappointment as this reader feels, a 3 star is warranted given the effort that this author put into this variation.

[Joy M Amelio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read, but incessantly awkward and repetitive

I enjoyed reading this for the same reason I enjoy reading all, or most all, the variations. However, I soon became sick of hearing about Darcy's non-stop passion. I mean, really, was he in a constant state of arousal? Pretty hard to do all the correspondence and estate and business responsibilities he allegedly had. And, was I ever relieved that Darcy and Elizabeth did not "confirm their love" once her childbirth was over!!
I remain skeptical of the aunt who, against the instincts of the rest of the animal kingdom, had overwhelming desire for her husband as her pregnancy progressed. Other females indicate to
their mates, with extreme prejudice, that their attentions are not desired.
The concluding chapters were wesk, as the author turned it into a "happily ever after" tale of all the daughters finding fulfilling roles, and mates, in life, the undesirable characters meeting their ends "as they deserved", and everything squeaky clean in conclusion. Stop trying to bring history to the 22nd century mores, allow personalities to agree with the time period of the story, and make up your mind if you want a character reversal or not.
Sorry. This book had a lot more possibilities than were left to fall flat at the end.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but it was too long. I loved the early part of the book. The relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth was great. They fell in love quickly and it was sweet. Mr. Bennet got off his ass and worked to improve things at Longbourn. There were just a few too many side stories, and the book started to drag not too long after Darcy and Elizabeth got married. Caroline's story was a surprise, but fortunately she was out of the picture soon. Wickham was also thankfully a small part of the story too.

But it just dragged on too much, I think with judicious editing it could be cut by 50 pages or more, resulting in a better book. Some of the logic was unconvincing. Mrs. Bennet was absolutely horrible throughout, so stupid and mean. I went from liking Mr. Bennet when he was reforming things at Longbourn, to gradually hating him by the end. Mr. Collins was just plain stupid and Lady Catherine was completely insane.

I liked that Charlotte had a happy ending, and Anne de Bourgh was also a good character.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is a decent writer, but I didn’t find much to enjoy in this P&P variation. It could have used better editing since I found many missing words and typos. Mr. And Mrs. Bennet are so awful to their children that they are almost unbelievable. Darcy and Lizzy fall in love instantly and are discussing marriage within two weeks. I didn’t find that very believable either. There isn’t any true conflict in the story. Things happen, but they are resolved immediately. I wondered why a 400+ page book was necessary when everything was resolved as soon as it happened. One content warning I would have appreciated before starting this book- the author clearly has a kink around pregnancy and breastfeeding. Nothing was too graphic, but I could have done without a lot of those scenes. Like we get it already- Mr. Darcy really enjoys imagining his wife pregnant. If you prefer clean JAFF then this isn’t the book for you.

[Camille Fiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost Perfect

Quite a sweet variation! Not perfect, I was annoyed that Colonel Forster was renamed Forester, but I loved the very different impression that Darcy and Elizabeth had of each other from the beginning. The way they came together was so very wonderfully written!

The Bennet parents were a selfish pair, but that was not very different from canon. The Gardiners, Matlocks, and Lady Catherine acted in harmony with most other variations, if somewhat more extreme.

The other strange behavior came from Miss Bingley! Oh, she's tried to compromise Darcy in several variations, but she had an excellent reason this time! You should read it to find out what it was. And Mr Collins, Mr Wickham and various villains, or slowly teachable ones, receive their just desserts.

Mostly excellent editing...very important to me!

[Chetana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

I quite liked this version where Darcy and Elizabeth get together quite soon, almost at the start of the book and we see their courtship as well as their marriage for most of the book. It does not end with the wedding as the HEA but for a while after the wedding. While the usual antagonists are present in the story in the form of Lady Catherine and Wickham, they are not the major vehicles for the angst (admittedly low) in the story. In this case that is caused by Mr and Mrs Bennet themselves. IN this story their characters are more indolent and silly/selfish respectively. I appreciated seeing how Darcy supports Elizabeth when she realizes neither of her parents really cares for any of their daughters and how Elizabeth does the same with him by supporting him with estate matters and bringing him out of his shell.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much more harmonious Elizabeth and Darcy

At the assembly, Darcy is prevented from his famous insult and is instead treated with a kindness he didn't expect. This changes the whole dynamic of Elizabeth's and Darcy's relationship, allowing them to court and fall in love much quicker. Mr. Bennet has something of a wake up call and attempts to correct and rehabilitate his wife and youngest daughters. Jane and Bingley's relationship is tougher than normal which was unexpected. Lady Catherine and Caroline were worse than normal but Wickham was not. There was a lot of Elizabeth and Darcy and their relationship but the other characters were built up well. I can't say it was an overly happy book but the main relationship kept things positive.

[RTD · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, but long

- A solid Darcy and Elizabeth story by itself. Four stars for the sweet couple and their life together.

- Including everyone on town outings and family gatherings didn't add anything to this particular story. Charlotte's character felt like it was thrown in so all of Austen's characters would be included.

- Villains came and went. I was happy about that.

- Richard was coupled with Charlotte ( I skipped that part). I know I'm supposed to believe it because it is written, but I can't. I've tried. Poor guy is either marrying sickly Anne, plain and practical Charlotte, or Elizabeth just to be killed off. I want justice for the colonel! 😄