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Blessing or Burden: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

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In this Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth Bennet unexpectedly inherits a large fortune as the story begins. The effects of this surprising situation are, at first, delightful. Elizabeth is able to provide her sisters with suitable dowries as well as a delightful shopping trip in London. As the realities of her situation set in, however, her male friends and neighbors turn into fortune hunters, swamping her with unwanted attention.

After a few dangerous scrapes, Elizabeth decides to try her luck in London, hoping that by keeping her good fortune a secret, she can find a suitable husband to share her burden. Her luck runs out in London when her secret is leaked, and she is once again mobbed by a great deal of unwanted attention. After a few disasters bring her spirit low and eliminates the last shred of respect she has for men in general, Elizabeth decides to forego marriage altogether, and she retires to the countryside.

With Charlotte as her companion, Elizabeth purchases an estate in Derbyshire near her aunt’s hometown of Lambton. There she meets Mr. Darcy, her handsome but reticent neighbor. Over time, Mr. Darcy gradually restores Elizabeth’s faith in men, or at least one man in particular.

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2024

144 people are currently reading
45 people want to read

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Elaine Burkett

19 books3 followers

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5 stars
214 (34%)
4 stars
260 (41%)
3 stars
127 (20%)
2 stars
26 (4%)
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2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Sam H..
1,215 reviews58 followers
June 17, 2024
With a fortune comes great burdens

When Elizabeth inherits a fortune, the reactions triggered are darker than the relief of stability.

Finally hardening her heart against men, she meets Darcy, as an equal.

I loved seeing their friendship grow, then into courtship and love. With most of the strife and angst taking place in the first half of the story, we are nearly all smooth sailing to Happy Ever After.

Another (not so surprising) couple finds love in the north too.

Simply written, it was a quick and easy read.
Profile Image for wosedwew.
1,334 reviews124 followers
June 17, 2024
This is an unusual variation.

Unusual in what way? you ask.

Our hero is not mentioned until 55% of the story is told.
Don't lose faith.
Darcy will show up, eventually.
Profile Image for J. W. Garrett.
1,736 reviews132 followers
June 17, 2024
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain ***SPOILERS***

>>Rating: mature teen as certain adult themes were discussed
>>Angst Level: medium as Elizabeth dealt with the rakes, scoundrels, fortune-hunters, and her cousin.
>>Source: Borrowed from KU [6-17-24]: I volunteered to leave a review of my thoughts and opinions.
>>Trope: [1] AU: Alternate Universe where things are different, [2] Elizabeth has wealth: unimaginable wealth [3] Darcy did not attend Netherfield Park so no assembly

Things are a bit different at Longbourn. Elizabeth’s great-aunt died and left dowries for all her nieces, a special provision for Jane, and a surprise for Elizabeth that shocked everyone. The title comes about as Elizabeth went from a dowerless gentlewoman to an heiress. The sudden wealth was overwhelming and the attention it garnered was even worse. Elizabeth now had to deal with attention from the local men who had never given her any attention.

Elizabeth escaped to London and enjoyed the Season until a jealous harpy ratted her out. Suddenly, she was inundated with attention from every rake, scoundrel, and fortune hunter in London. She lost her confidence in judging character when a man she thought was about to propose turned out to be a gambler, and a cheat at that, and had a mistress.

Another reviewer pointed out that we don’t see Mr. Darcy until later in the book. There was a good reason he did not come to Netherfield. It would be revealed later. I was not surprised. The story continued with Elizabeth now living in Derbyshire. Her nearest neighbor was Pemberley. We get to see Darcy woo Elizabeth. That was cute. It is a quick read.
Profile Image for Mariska.
653 reviews2 followers
June 15, 2024
Very Nice!

I sometimes wonder how I managed to pass all of my creative writing classes; I so often get completely caught up in a good JAFF that when it comes to the end of the story I am left with a mind that is not ready to go back to the present day. So I end up using the same phrases too often during a review. Today I will say.. I liked it a lot, you will too. 😊
Profile Image for James S.
1,424 reviews
July 9, 2024
Lizzy is left a large fortune

Lizzy all of a sudden has a large fortune. So she is rich and there isn’t anyone to teach her how to protect herself. Moral of the story is being rich isn’t easy in Regency England.
Profile Image for Craftyhj.
1,173 reviews
July 31, 2024
3.5*

An interesting and well edited story in which the meeting between Darcy and Elizabeth is delayed and as a result is less acrimonious than in canon.

I enjoyed this book although I did feel that Elizabeth's behaviour, especially with Collins, was somewhat too naive.
Profile Image for Teresita.
1,191 reviews12 followers
August 19, 2024
Different

Even though the characters keep their traits, their circumstances make for a completely new plot. It gives a taste of what dangers stalked women with money of their own at that time. Interesting.
1,171 reviews29 followers
October 13, 2024
Entertaining

Elizabeth is left a huge inheritance by her beloved great aunt, and it takes her a long time to learn to deal with having money. Her uncles and father teach her what they can about investing wisely, and using it to benefit her other sisters. However, the hardest challenge is learning the realities of being pursued by fortune hunters, and the possible dangers they pose. After disillusionment in Meryton and in London, Elizabeth swears off men completely, and buys her own home in Derbyshire. There she meets her nearest neighbor Mr Darcy.

Elizabeth as an heiress is a familiar theme in JAFF. It's handled well enough here. However, the book is more of a narrative exposition, with short bits of dialogue here and there. The first half especially is this way. It isn't until Darcy enters the picture that it becomes more personal and engaging. Even then, though, their romance is way too clinical, and I wasn't feeling the chemistry between them. If you're looking for romance, this isn't the book for it. It's more about the trauma that Elizabeth suffers from her experiences with men.

The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it, but with reservations.
Profile Image for Gratia.
221 reviews6 followers
July 10, 2024
Interesting concept

Elizabeth's character is the same, but her circumstances changed the way others treated her. She is disillusioned by society in Meryton and in London. As a result, she becomes a muted version of canon Darcy. I enjoyed how the author shakes up the characters and events of the Austen original to create this variation.

Profile Image for Lynette Turner.
104 reviews
July 3, 2024
decent story but..

Admire authors, & love authors who write JAFF — BUT cannot abide a STUPID EB in any story!! And here she is (in this variant) with little to recommend her or inspire devotion in the reader. I can tolerate a bitch¥ Lizzy, snarky Lizzy, judgmental Lizzy, amnesiac Lizzy, & even a scared Lizzy but, imo a stupid EB is intolerable for reading satisfaction. So. I skimmed first five chapters, skipped to the middle read 1/2 chapter, and then fully the epilogue. Wish this author would’ve formed by early storyline EB’s personality & lack of inner strength & lack of education, perhaps guide a readers expectations mind what deficiencies EB would have to overcome to deal with her new inheritance; but then personal growth due to burdens of the wealth would’ve been mandatory—didn’t really happen til ODC decided to marry in epilogue. This author shows true potential & will look for more of her work just bc (unfulfilled potential) of this plot shows real promise. Regardless while admire author’s talent this wasn’t a book I will reread & esp with a cuppa afternoon tea.
Profile Image for Bex.
432 reviews
July 23, 2024
I couldn’t get over the fact that the whole premise is contingent upon a lie that for propriety’s sake will likely have to be maintained forever. Felt like there could have been more character development and that the end felt really abrupt.
620 reviews
June 23, 2024
Not a convincing romance

I like that Elizabeth can approach Darcy on equal emotional footing: both having had bad experiences with fortune hunters. But how could Elizabeth have maintained feelings for a proven rake? And the writing did not convince me she learned to trust Darcy.
Profile Image for Ashvini.
197 reviews8 followers
July 4, 2024
I liked the book and the trials E faced due o her fortune initially. I loved this darcy. he is so honest, respectful and kind

What i didnt like much was E still holding on Cutler even after the disclosure. She comes across as naive an a bit vain to be honest
Profile Image for Allison Ripley-Duggan.
1,787 reviews12 followers
October 19, 2024
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. Elizabeth Bennet unexpectedly inherits a large fortune as the story begins. The effects of this surprising situation are, at first, delightful. Elizabeth is able to provide her sisters with suitable dowries as well as a delightful shopping trip in London. As the realities of her situation set in, however, her male friends and neighbors turn into fortune hunters, swamping her with unwanted attention. After a few dangerous scrapes, Elizabeth decides to try her luck in London, hoping that by keeping her good fortune a secret, she can find a suitable husband to share her burden. Her luck runs out in London when her secret is leaked, and she is once again mobbed by a great deal of unwanted attention. After a few disasters bring her spirit low and eliminates the last shred of respect she has for men in general, Elizabeth decides to forego marriage altogether, and she retires to the countryside. With Charlotte as her companion, Elizabeth purchases an estate in Derbyshire near her aunt’s hometown of Lambton. There she meets Mr. Darcy, her handsome but reticent neighbor. Over time, Mr. Darcy gradually restores Elizabeth’s faith in men, or at least one man in particular. So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. I highly recommend to everyone.
461 reviews4 followers
July 10, 2024
Subdued and lackluster characters and romance

Everything seems to be subdued in this variation. Elizabeth Bennet is a shadow of her witty and exceptional nature of Canon. One would have thought that coming into a large fortune will make her more bold and defiant, and never lacking a sense of humor. This Elizabeth is very circumspect, and all that is cautious and scared and boring, and so little of the Elizabeth Bennet the world loves and knows.

Although, many events have made her the way she is by the half of the story; events that can be classified as criminal and traumatic. One cannot blame her for acting the way she does and her reactions due to her negative experiences. Yet, it takes a lot from the character.

Also, there is a change in the relationship between the Darcys and Bingleys that resulted to the Bennets not Mr. Darcy at Hertfordshire. This also creates a huge change in the dynamics of the story.

For all the money that Elizabeth Bennet came into, one can say that it became more a burden to her than a blessing. However, in the end, she did get her happily ever after.
Profile Image for Elizabeth S.
732 reviews16 followers
July 15, 2024
After inheriting an unexpected fortune from her aunt, Elizabeth is overwhelmed by the consequences of becoming a very wealthy heiress. She is besieged, and in a couple of cases, assaulted by fortune hunters in both Meryton and London, where she goes to stay with the Gardiners until her 21st birthday. She seems to suffer from PTSD and gives up entirely on marriage and men.

On a trip to the Lake District with the Gardiners, Elizabeth falls in love with Derbyshire and buys an estate there. A curiously passionless, stiff and formal Darcy doesn't appear in the story until 56% in. I had a bit of trouble caring about their romance. Elizabeth was so out of character, I had to wonder what Darcy saw in her, other than the fact that she wasn't after his money. But he wasn't really himself either. There was no action or drama after the move to Birchcreek, and a bit too much sitting in the parlor. Too little buildup of longing and passion. The plot itself was quite original, but could have been developed a little more. 3.5 stars rounded up
Profile Image for J.C. Plummer.
Author 3 books30 followers
September 8, 2024
I liked the idea of the story, but there were too many things that didn’t add up.

Why didn’t anyone investigate this baronet (Reggie) who was pursuing Elizabeth? He was a liar and a rake, so why is she thinking about him a year later (when she has gained DARCY as a love interest)?

The idea of a wife calling her husband by just his last name (“Darcy”) instead of his Christian name is all wrong. In a story already lacking romance, that was the nail in the coffin.

Spoiler:


The story is full of logic errors and inconsistencies like this.
280 reviews
July 2, 2024
To some, "money is a protection" but for others ? Not so much.

Before their loving Aunt, Miss Elizabeth Snowden, passed away, she made sure her "dear Lizzy" read and understood her "Will ". Aunt Beth had provided funds for neices Jane and Elizabeth Bennet. The true revelation was that the inheritance was far more than even she knew. With such great wealth came great responsibility and much unwanted attention from many fortune hunters. The enormity of it all would prove to be a burden until the right man came along who could see Miss Elizabeth Bennet's true worth. This is certainly a story worth reading. Enjoy!
Profile Image for Nicole Fassett.
6 reviews
July 31, 2024
Very Intriguing

I liked this version because it's so different from any I have read. It kept me on my toes. I felt some nervousness reading it because Elizabeth experiences events and situations she never has as far as I know. I have read a lot of versions, so I feel comfortable in my assessment.
I gave 5 stars because it was entertaining and pleasant to read but with some angst. I would recommend it to young readers and up. There are 2 attempted compromises that are unervering but of short duration and not explicit. I enjoyed it and hope more will read it with this review. I know I read reviews to decide sometimes whether I will read a book.
16 reviews
June 18, 2024
Very low angst but perfect in its simplicity

This is probably the first story of a “rich” Elizabeth that feels truly genuine to her original character. It is not over the top with extreme versions of either her richness, which, in other storylines in this trope means that she approaches a Mary Sue bland type of perfection, or the situations she deals with. I did wish for more romance but I can easily sacrifice that for a plot that celebrates accurate character sketching over identifying Elizabeth’s value and consequence in proportion to her wealth. Five stars!
Profile Image for Alena (Ally) Scott .
487 reviews4 followers
June 17, 2024
Entertaining

Interesting storyline for this variation with Elizabeth gaining an inheritance. Knowing her family, why would she tell them the amount, along with Caroline Bingley? Anyway, this low angst story was entertaining. It has a few typos -- wrong words, but overall nicely done.
725 reviews5 followers
June 25, 2024
Mrs Bennet

Who goes by Mrs? And why?
Money can be a blessing and as title says, A burden. Was wanting Darcy in the story a bit earlier.
Did not like a couple of emotional things, but that is personal. It is well written story.
Profile Image for Carolyn.
61 reviews
July 1, 2024
Very good read!

Once I got started it was hard to stop. I ended up reading it in one sitting. I got a little nervous because it took a while for Mr. Darcy to show up but in the end I loved it.
20 reviews
July 28, 2024
Short and sweet, overall enjoyable

Not read this kind of take on the story before glad i took a chance and read it, only thing i wish to change about it would be for it to have more chapters, i can always hope for a follow up sequel
Profile Image for Shannon Miles.
61 reviews
December 22, 2024
I would round this up to a 3.5 star. The first half just didn’t seem to have much heart. But the second half was much better. Just love Darcy and his patience with Elizabeth and Lydia redeemed her self in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Charlene S. Robinson.
326 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2025
Excellent read

Thank you tor this lovely variant from cannon.
I wish you had reported Wickham as death though.
And Caroline was just shipped off to Scarborough. Not that she didn't deserve it!
518 reviews4 followers
June 22, 2025
Great Retelling

I sure enjoyed reading about how Elizabeth works out her problems of what to do with her inheritance. Also wondered what ever happened to the sale of er aunts property which was to be split between Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. It was never resolved.
Profile Image for Tess.
284 reviews
Read
June 23, 2024
Lizzy inherits and gets attacked by numerous fortune hunters. She buys land next to Darcy and fashions herself as a widow
47 reviews1 follower
June 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this one.

I like the twists and turns. Our dear couple eventually get together, in a less caustic way.

If you like sweet and happy, this ones for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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