What do you think?
Rate this book
All Bets are Off: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Forever was never part of the wager… but neither was losing their hearts.
Elizabeth Bennet prides herself on her sharp wit and clever schemes—so when her best friend bets she can make the haughty Mr. Darcy fall in love with her, she accepts the challenge with confidence. After all, what could be more satisfying than breaking the heart of the man who insulted her at the Meryton Assembly?
For Fitzwilliam Darcy, social niceties are an obligation he tolerates at best—until his affable friend Bingley drags him into a wager to prove he can be charming without creating romantic entanglements. Darcy’s plan is remain polite, keep his distance, and endure the countryside with his dignity intact.
But neither of them anticipates the sparks flying between them—or the escalating comedy of errors as they try to outmaneuver each other. With a meddling cast of neighbors, a smarmy cousin, and an unexpected visit from an old rival, Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves in a battle of wits that could end in disaster—or the grandest love story Meryton has ever seen.
In a world where everyone’s placing bets, the only certainty is that all bets are off.
Elizabeth Bennet prides herself on her sharp wit and clever schemes—so when her best friend bets she can make the haughty Mr. Darcy fall in love with her, she accepts the challenge with confidence. After all, what could be more satisfying than breaking the heart of the man who insulted her at the Meryton Assembly?
For Fitzwilliam Darcy, social niceties are an obligation he tolerates at best—until his affable friend Bingley drags him into a wager to prove he can be charming without creating romantic entanglements. Darcy’s plan is remain polite, keep his distance, and endure the countryside with his dignity intact.
But neither of them anticipates the sparks flying between them—or the escalating comedy of errors as they try to outmaneuver each other. With a meddling cast of neighbors, a smarmy cousin, and an unexpected visit from an old rival, Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves in a battle of wits that could end in disaster—or the grandest love story Meryton has ever seen.
In a world where everyone’s placing bets, the only certainty is that all bets are off.
- GenresHistorical Romance
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 24, 2025
150 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Alix James
46 books121 followersShort and sassy romance for busy readers
Alix James is a best-selling romance author under another pen name. Always on the go as a wife, mom, and small business owner, she rarely has time to finish a whole novel. She loves coffee with the sunrise and being outdoors. When she does get free time, she likes to read, camp, dream up romantic adventures, and tries to avoid housework.
Each Alix James Story is a clean Regency Variation of approximately 20,000 words.
Alix James is a best-selling romance author under another pen name. Always on the go as a wife, mom, and small business owner, she rarely has time to finish a whole novel. She loves coffee with the sunrise and being outdoors. When she does get free time, she likes to read, camp, dream up romantic adventures, and tries to avoid housework.
Each Alix James Story is a clean Regency Variation of approximately 20,000 words.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 2, 2025
As cleverly done as this one was I didn’t enjoy it:(
It was a huge mistake making ridiculous wagers between every resident of Meryton!
It just became too silly to read normally. I found myself skimming pages of drivel that was not interesting or entertaining! But it went on and on.
If you have patience it takes 3/4 of the book to get interesting! Leaving most multiple wagers behind. With only Lizzy,Charlotte,Darcy and Bingley left.
Give this one a pass if you’re wise.
It was a huge mistake making ridiculous wagers between every resident of Meryton!
It just became too silly to read normally. I found myself skimming pages of drivel that was not interesting or entertaining! But it went on and on.
If you have patience it takes 3/4 of the book to get interesting! Leaving most multiple wagers behind. With only Lizzy,Charlotte,Darcy and Bingley left.
Give this one a pass if you’re wise.
January 27, 2025
At 94% this story ended and we are introduced to the first pages in the next in this series. This is an author whose books I read a.s.a.p. when I learn of a new release. This author publishes under two names. (Nicole Clarkston)
I was amused by the fact, in this story, that much of Meryton indulges in making wagers on the simplest things.
The story description does inform us that Elizabeth and Charlotte make a wager about Darcy, who has delivered that insult and seems to think himself above company. Then Bingley makes a bet demanding that Darcy simply act civil, with good manners, and find out if he can still hold off all those ladies who only look to compromise him in some manner.
Both are in for a shock when each learns the motive for the change in behavior in the other...just when it seems Darcy has found Elizabeth to be more than just tolerable!
I was amused by the fact, in this story, that much of Meryton indulges in making wagers on the simplest things.
The story description does inform us that Elizabeth and Charlotte make a wager about Darcy, who has delivered that insult and seems to think himself above company. Then Bingley makes a bet demanding that Darcy simply act civil, with good manners, and find out if he can still hold off all those ladies who only look to compromise him in some manner.
Both are in for a shock when each learns the motive for the change in behavior in the other...just when it seems Darcy has found Elizabeth to be more than just tolerable!
February 24, 2025
Not as fun as I thought
I liked the concept, and loved the results for our dear couple, but I found the betting a little too much and it diminished a little my enjoyment of the story.
I liked the concept, and loved the results for our dear couple, but I found the betting a little too much and it diminished a little my enjoyment of the story.
February 24, 2025
Couldn't finish it
After Darcy's infamous insult at the Meryton assembly, Charlotte wagers with Elizabeth that Elizabeth could change Darcy's mind about her, and earn his regard. Then Bingley wagers with Darcy that Darcy can be civil and friendly to Elizabeth without raising her expectations for marriage. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth want to accept the wagers but are somehow talked into it, so there begins much posturing and deliberately calculated banter designed to achieve their goals.
I got about one quarter of the way into the story, and could no longer endure it. Both Darcy and Elizabeth are awful. Their conversations are exhausting with the constant second guessing and calculated snarkiness. Caroline Bingley is always an annoying character with her continuous jibes and barbs, but in this version Elizabeth is just as bad. Although the book is written well enough, I didn't want to waste another minute on something so unpleasant.
After Darcy's infamous insult at the Meryton assembly, Charlotte wagers with Elizabeth that Elizabeth could change Darcy's mind about her, and earn his regard. Then Bingley wagers with Darcy that Darcy can be civil and friendly to Elizabeth without raising her expectations for marriage. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth want to accept the wagers but are somehow talked into it, so there begins much posturing and deliberately calculated banter designed to achieve their goals.
I got about one quarter of the way into the story, and could no longer endure it. Both Darcy and Elizabeth are awful. Their conversations are exhausting with the constant second guessing and calculated snarkiness. Caroline Bingley is always an annoying character with her continuous jibes and barbs, but in this version Elizabeth is just as bad. Although the book is written well enough, I didn't want to waste another minute on something so unpleasant.
January 25, 2025
A tale of two wagers
After he insults Dizzy at the Meryton assembly, Darcy justifies his behavior by saying that he must be curt and rude to avoid expectations. He enters into a wager with Bingley, who bets that he can be civil and courteous to Elizabeth without creating problems for her reputation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth enters into her own wager with Charlotte, betting that she can get Darcy to fall for her and that she can then reject him. We proceed through many familiar scenes with lots of witty banter, as the two duel for superiority.
After he insults Dizzy at the Meryton assembly, Darcy justifies his behavior by saying that he must be curt and rude to avoid expectations. He enters into a wager with Bingley, who bets that he can be civil and courteous to Elizabeth without creating problems for her reputation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth enters into her own wager with Charlotte, betting that she can get Darcy to fall for her and that she can then reject him. We proceed through many familiar scenes with lots of witty banter, as the two duel for superiority.
June 9, 2025
Crazy, cute, clever, but calamitous premise.
Oh boy, this was sometimes funny and sometimes heartbreaking. As the title implies the story is full of wagers, all good fun. Until someone gets hurt.
If I start to outline the plot I will ruin it for the next reader. Just let me say the ending is wonderful. Totally swoon worthy.
I’m an Alix James Nicole Clarkston fan and I love all of her books, they are always on my reread list, an auto buy audio version when available where they are always on my re-listen list.
I highly recommended this to any romance fan and JAFF readers will love it.
Oh boy, this was sometimes funny and sometimes heartbreaking. As the title implies the story is full of wagers, all good fun. Until someone gets hurt.
If I start to outline the plot I will ruin it for the next reader. Just let me say the ending is wonderful. Totally swoon worthy.
I’m an Alix James Nicole Clarkston fan and I love all of her books, they are always on my reread list, an auto buy audio version when available where they are always on my re-listen list.
I highly recommended this to any romance fan and JAFF readers will love it.
June 10, 2025
To tell the true, I never understood what kind of wager Elizabeth and Charlotte had.
February 6, 2025
Although I usually enjoy this author's books, I barely finished reading this one. Darcy acted so out of character, it was like reading about a different person with his name. I never could figure out why he allowed Bingley to pressure him into making a wager in the first place. I hate to say it, but there are plenty of other good JAFF books out there.
January 29, 2025
3.25 stars
I wanted to like this more than I actually did. And it’s mainly because I didn’t love the execution in terms of how things are concluded between D&E, and I also quite disliked this rendition of Charlotte Lucas.
The premise had promise and the writing was quite good itself but the plot just did not fulfill my expectations I guess.
I wanted to like this more than I actually did. And it’s mainly because I didn’t love the execution in terms of how things are concluded between D&E, and I also quite disliked this rendition of Charlotte Lucas.
The premise had promise and the writing was quite good itself but the plot just did not fulfill my expectations I guess.
Read
May 7, 2025While I enjoyed this author's other two books in this series, this one was a miss for me. Charlotte Lucas felt like a puppet master, behind the scenes, and I found both Darcy and Lizzy quite unlikeable. They both set out to manipulate the other in furtherance of their bets, and they both used other people to help (Collins and Wickham being the most notable examples). This book spent a lot of time telling us how the main characters were feeling, but not much time showing us through their actions. In that sense, it was very slow paced, and quite internal. I thought the premise of the betting would be fun, but constantly having everyone in town betting on everything made all the characters feel like parodies of themselves.
In the end, I finished the book, but this is not one I will be re-reading.
In the end, I finished the book, but this is not one I will be re-reading.
February 27, 2025
Light hearted, and very entertaining.
Mr Darcy is absolutely endearing, and Elizabeth Bennet, even when trying very hard to be mean, is sweet.
Mr Darcy is absolutely endearing, and Elizabeth Bennet, even when trying very hard to be mean, is sweet.
March 20, 2025
Meryton has its own version of White's London betting book. It seems that all the residents are prepared to wager on anything, making it the local sport. When Darcy insults Elizabeth at the assembly, Charlotte makes a wager with her that she can attract his attention and reject him when he proposes. For his part, Bingley wagers with Darcy, betting that he can be civil to the Bennets.
This is the stiffest, most guarded Darcy in all of JAFFdom. He is wound up tightly within the impenetrable concrete barrier shielding his emotional responses. He's almost unrecognizable. He doesn't even like Shakespeare! Elizabeth is also very different in this variation. She feels totally justified in toying with his emotions, all because of her resentment over his insult. In fact, she comes across as somewhat of a villain in the story. She isn't likable.
Of course the truth comes out in the end, with the expected results, and we finally see the couple we're used to seeing. I appreciated the novelty of the plot more than its execution. 3.5 stars
This is the stiffest, most guarded Darcy in all of JAFFdom. He is wound up tightly within the impenetrable concrete barrier shielding his emotional responses. He's almost unrecognizable. He doesn't even like Shakespeare! Elizabeth is also very different in this variation. She feels totally justified in toying with his emotions, all because of her resentment over his insult. In fact, she comes across as somewhat of a villain in the story. She isn't likable.
Of course the truth comes out in the end, with the expected results, and we finally see the couple we're used to seeing. I appreciated the novelty of the plot more than its execution. 3.5 stars
April 13, 2025
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. Forever was never part of the wager, but neither was losing their hearts.
Elizabeth Bennet prides herself on her sharp wit and clever schemes, so when her best friend bets she can make the haughty Mr. Darcy fall in love with her, she accepts the challenge with confidence. After all, what could be more satisfying than breaking the heart of the man who insulted her at the Meryton Assembly?
For Fitzwilliam Darcy, social niceties are an obligation he tolerates at best, until his affable friend Bingley drags him into a wager to prove he can be charming without creating romantic entanglements. Darcy’s plan is simple, remain polite, keep his distance, and endure the countryside with his dignity intact.
But neither of them anticipates the sparks flying between them, or the escalating comedy of errors as they try to outmaneuver each other. With a meddling cast of neighbors, a smarmy cousin, and an unexpected visit from an old rival, Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves in a battle of wits that could end in disaster, or the grandest love story Meryton has ever seen.
In a world where everyone’s placing bets, the only certainty is that all bets are off. 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.
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. Forever was never part of the wager, but neither was losing their hearts.
Elizabeth Bennet prides herself on her sharp wit and clever schemes, so when her best friend bets she can make the haughty Mr. Darcy fall in love with her, she accepts the challenge with confidence. After all, what could be more satisfying than breaking the heart of the man who insulted her at the Meryton Assembly?
For Fitzwilliam Darcy, social niceties are an obligation he tolerates at best, until his affable friend Bingley drags him into a wager to prove he can be charming without creating romantic entanglements. Darcy’s plan is simple, remain polite, keep his distance, and endure the countryside with his dignity intact.
But neither of them anticipates the sparks flying between them, or the escalating comedy of errors as they try to outmaneuver each other. With a meddling cast of neighbors, a smarmy cousin, and an unexpected visit from an old rival, Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves in a battle of wits that could end in disaster, or the grandest love story Meryton has ever seen.
In a world where everyone’s placing bets, the only certainty is that all bets are off. 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.
March 25, 2025
Questo romanzo si dipana praticamente tutto nell'hertfordshire .
Niente Pemberley, niente Rosings
Manca l'intervento importante di Lady Catherine e Wickham non è così incisivo.
Al centro della storia ci sono le scommesse. Sembra che tutti gli abitanti del paese non possano fare altro che scommettere su tutto. Non so se in quel periodo fossero davvero così diffuse, ma qui le scommesse la fanno da padrona. Dopo un inizio alquanto noioso il romanzo si riprende un po' quando ci sono i loro scambi sempre più frequenti, anche se non mi sembra che tutti questi dialoghi siano pieni di arguzia. Boh.... La parte che preferisco é quando Darcy si consuma per amore. L'intervento di Richard è spassoso, mentre Georgiana potrebbe anche non comparire.
Diciamo che l'autrice ha cercato di fare qualcosa di nuovo, ma preferisco di certo altre sue opere.
Niente Pemberley, niente Rosings
Manca l'intervento importante di Lady Catherine e Wickham non è così incisivo.
Al centro della storia ci sono le scommesse. Sembra che tutti gli abitanti del paese non possano fare altro che scommettere su tutto. Non so se in quel periodo fossero davvero così diffuse, ma qui le scommesse la fanno da padrona. Dopo un inizio alquanto noioso il romanzo si riprende un po' quando ci sono i loro scambi sempre più frequenti, anche se non mi sembra che tutti questi dialoghi siano pieni di arguzia. Boh.... La parte che preferisco é quando Darcy si consuma per amore. L'intervento di Richard è spassoso, mentre Georgiana potrebbe anche non comparire.
Diciamo che l'autrice ha cercato di fare qualcosa di nuovo, ma preferisco di certo altre sue opere.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2025
Playing with matches can get you burned
I found myself liking Darcy the most and feeling sorry for him at the same time.
Constantly one-upping each other, the towns people have made an art of wagering. Even if it's to the detriment of their neighbors. However, the witty banter, especially between our dear couple, overshadows the fact that these are really unlikeable people.
For a change, Darcy was the softer half of this duo. Elizabeth was just deceptive and manipulative. And what is the deal with Charlotte? I couldn't tell if she was trying to be funny and cute, or purposely tear our dear girl down.
A very clever read, but I couldn't get invested in the characters.
3.5*
I found myself liking Darcy the most and feeling sorry for him at the same time.
Constantly one-upping each other, the towns people have made an art of wagering. Even if it's to the detriment of their neighbors. However, the witty banter, especially between our dear couple, overshadows the fact that these are really unlikeable people.
For a change, Darcy was the softer half of this duo. Elizabeth was just deceptive and manipulative. And what is the deal with Charlotte? I couldn't tell if she was trying to be funny and cute, or purposely tear our dear girl down.
A very clever read, but I couldn't get invested in the characters.
3.5*
February 5, 2025
Hilarious
Alix has written another gem! This book is so funny that I had to cover my mouth for fear of waking my husband as I read before bed. There are a number of bets being made in this book but the two central ones entangle ODC. I won’t ruin this book for anyone by telling more because it is so wonderful to uncover.
This book is definitely going on my favorites list for reading again. All of Alix’s novels are favorites of mine and many I have reread. Can’t wait for the next novel.
Alix has written another gem! This book is so funny that I had to cover my mouth for fear of waking my husband as I read before bed. There are a number of bets being made in this book but the two central ones entangle ODC. I won’t ruin this book for anyone by telling more because it is so wonderful to uncover.
This book is definitely going on my favorites list for reading again. All of Alix’s novels are favorites of mine and many I have reread. Can’t wait for the next novel.
August 12, 2025
in a Meryton where everyone is more than a little involved in casual wagers, lizzy and darcy, unbeknown to each other, end up in mirroring bets to be nice to the other. I really enjoyed how the constant betting theme was involved in lizzy and Wickham's early interaction.
January 30, 2025
They fancy themselves quite clever here but I was a little confused as to why Darcy went along with Bingley's goading and obvious manipulations.
May 29, 2025
Boring, repetitive
Yet with an extremely unlikely and unsatisfying climax. I generally enjoy the author’s work, but this one is a miss for me.
Yet with an extremely unlikely and unsatisfying climax. I generally enjoy the author’s work, but this one is a miss for me.
January 29, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is a lot of fun. Don’t miss it.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews