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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 9, 2016
The web site where this unpublished modern variation of Pride and Prejudice appears indicates that it was written in 2007, so as I write this review, that was 9 years ago. I am amazed that such an excellent piece of fiction never went into publication - or The Improvement of Her Mind by the same author, for that matter.
Elizabeth Bennet, a Canadian, meets William Darcy while she is in Key Biscayne during a winter vacation from her job as director of the Mood Disorders outpatient clinic of the Barnes Institute. They are immediately attracted to each other. However, when he sees her at a charity fundraising event with an older playboy (Bill Hurst!), William assumes she is a Nursing School graduate with a sugar daddy, and she overhears him saying so to his friend, Charles Bingley. Elizabeth confronts him immediately and sets him straight. William has to do some groveling to get back into her good graces, but for the first time in his life he is willing to do so, and they get past that bump in the road fairly quickly. Elizabeth and William do hook up and sleep together, and one such scene slowly describes a swoon-worthy romantic seduction orchestrated by the super-smooth Mr. Darcy. Interestingly, it's Charles and Charlotte (a former Nursing School classmate of Elizabeth's) that are the other couple during this part of the story.
The course of true love, of course, does not run smoothly, as William is the top lawyer for his family's Pemberley Plastics, which recently won a major lawsuit against Tom Bennet's smaller company, Meryton Plastics (with George Wickham representing the latter). Elizabeth and Darcy become aware of this fairly early on but continue to skirt the issue because they are so compatible, deciding to deal with it later. The two agree that they want to continue their relationship and will keep in touch. However, Darcy is heading for Indonesia on business for six weeks immediately after this break in his schedule and will only have limited communication. Wickham is also a former boyfriend of Elizabeth's and wants to get back into her pants. He hates William, as the lawsuit between the two companies was only the latest acrimonious meeting between the men. He is plotting to position himself within Meryton Plastics to take over when Mr. Bennet retires. The negative relationship between the two companies factors into a major break between Elizabeth and William, as they encounter various obstacles including distance, communication, and, naturally, Wickham.
Most of the major Pride and Prejudice characters appear, although some play different roles than canon. For example, Anne de Bourgh is William's secretary/administrative assistant, Louisa is Elizabeth's secretary, and Mr. Collins is Elizabeth's cat! Caroline Bingley is her usual Darcy-hanging-on self, but she is largely relegated to an off-stage role. Comically, she's not hanging around as much as she'd like because she's suffering side effects from cosmetic surgery. Richard Fitzwilliam is a co-worker of Elizabeth's, one of her best friends, as well as William's cousin. He has been in love with her for a while but never found the right opportunity to try moving their relationship in that direction. William's sister Georgianna is dealing with emotional issues as a result of a traumatic event while dating Wickham. Mrs. Bennet is disappointed in Jane, an elementary school teacher, and Elizabeth because they're older (this modern tale puts them in their 30s) and aren't yet married. While Mary, Kitty and Lydia are also part of the Bennet family, there isn't much story involving any of them except Lydia.
Jane's character is completely different than usual. She is still Elizabeth's best friend and confidante, but she is far more athletic, outgoing and comfortable with her sexuality than Elizabeth. She also has a black belt in karate, which is significant near the end of the book.
I love, love, love all of this. The story is familiar yet unpredictable, the writing is stellar, the romance is sensual, the characters and dialogue are believable, and the climactic scenes (three scenes in a row, actually) where George gets his comeuppance are among the best I have ever read. As a bonus, this talented author sets the tone for most chapters with a famous poem or quotation followed by a recipe for a drink whose name hints at the chapter contents.
WARNING: For those who insist on only clean content, there are graphic sexual scenes in this book.
Elizabeth Bennet, a Canadian, meets William Darcy while she is in Key Biscayne during a winter vacation from her job as director of the Mood Disorders outpatient clinic of the Barnes Institute. They are immediately attracted to each other. However, when he sees her at a charity fundraising event with an older playboy (Bill Hurst!), William assumes she is a Nursing School graduate with a sugar daddy, and she overhears him saying so to his friend, Charles Bingley. Elizabeth confronts him immediately and sets him straight. William has to do some groveling to get back into her good graces, but for the first time in his life he is willing to do so, and they get past that bump in the road fairly quickly. Elizabeth and William do hook up and sleep together, and one such scene slowly describes a swoon-worthy romantic seduction orchestrated by the super-smooth Mr. Darcy. Interestingly, it's Charles and Charlotte (a former Nursing School classmate of Elizabeth's) that are the other couple during this part of the story.
The course of true love, of course, does not run smoothly, as William is the top lawyer for his family's Pemberley Plastics, which recently won a major lawsuit against Tom Bennet's smaller company, Meryton Plastics (with George Wickham representing the latter). Elizabeth and Darcy become aware of this fairly early on but continue to skirt the issue because they are so compatible, deciding to deal with it later. The two agree that they want to continue their relationship and will keep in touch. However, Darcy is heading for Indonesia on business for six weeks immediately after this break in his schedule and will only have limited communication. Wickham is also a former boyfriend of Elizabeth's and wants to get back into her pants. He hates William, as the lawsuit between the two companies was only the latest acrimonious meeting between the men. He is plotting to position himself within Meryton Plastics to take over when Mr. Bennet retires. The negative relationship between the two companies factors into a major break between Elizabeth and William, as they encounter various obstacles including distance, communication, and, naturally, Wickham.
Most of the major Pride and Prejudice characters appear, although some play different roles than canon. For example, Anne de Bourgh is William's secretary/administrative assistant, Louisa is Elizabeth's secretary, and Mr. Collins is Elizabeth's cat! Caroline Bingley is her usual Darcy-hanging-on self, but she is largely relegated to an off-stage role. Comically, she's not hanging around as much as she'd like because she's suffering side effects from cosmetic surgery. Richard Fitzwilliam is a co-worker of Elizabeth's, one of her best friends, as well as William's cousin. He has been in love with her for a while but never found the right opportunity to try moving their relationship in that direction. William's sister Georgianna is dealing with emotional issues as a result of a traumatic event while dating Wickham. Mrs. Bennet is disappointed in Jane, an elementary school teacher, and Elizabeth because they're older (this modern tale puts them in their 30s) and aren't yet married. While Mary, Kitty and Lydia are also part of the Bennet family, there isn't much story involving any of them except Lydia.
Jane's character is completely different than usual. She is still Elizabeth's best friend and confidante, but she is far more athletic, outgoing and comfortable with her sexuality than Elizabeth. She also has a black belt in karate, which is significant near the end of the book.
I love, love, love all of this. The story is familiar yet unpredictable, the writing is stellar, the romance is sensual, the characters and dialogue are believable, and the climactic scenes (three scenes in a row, actually) where George gets his comeuppance are among the best I have ever read. As a bonus, this talented author sets the tone for most chapters with a famous poem or quotation followed by a recipe for a drink whose name hints at the chapter contents.
WARNING: For those who insist on only clean content, there are graphic sexual scenes in this book.
March 31, 2020
Rich perfect characters, with lots of superlatives and adjectives, where the biggest problem was "I love you. You love me. But I don't know if I want to marry you because... reasons".
Not my cup of tea.
Not my cup of tea.
May 12, 2016
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man's lust is exponentially amplified if the object of his desire possesses an elusive, unattainable quality.”
Again as in canon, Darcy does a remarkable job of sticking his foot in his mouth when in Elizabeth’s vicinity this time BUT Elizabeth doesn’t let it go by. She has a quick temper and immediately confronts him.
One more quote from the author highlights a big obstacle in ODC’s moving forward (after meeting in Florida and returning home to Canada) and in allowing another person to erect a wall …“tell her you love her…Because I just can’t…And so, the battle waged on within him – ebbing and flowing – a rhythmical duel between his fear and his logic. Finally, as on every previous occasion – avoidance won its bittersweet victory. He did not call.”
There are many swoon-worthy scenes between our couple. Their sexual attraction, the chemistry that sizzles between them is never in doubt. But as life gets in the way misdirected communication becomes deadly poison. And this author gives us a “situation” which must be faced and shared, one which I have not read in other JAFF.
Elizabeth is a psychiatrist, specializing in PTSD but she can’t seem to figure Darcy out and wonders if she is too close. Georgianna is much more damaged in this story so therapy and medication are an ongoing concern but so far that particular treatment plan hasn’t helped much when we first meet her. Richard Fitzwilliam, (Darcy’s cousin, unbeknownst to Elizabeth) works in a related field, the treatment of adolescent mood disorders and is one of her closest friends. Charlotte (neonatal nurse) and Bingley (pediatrician) are present in the beginning and continue to take part even as their roles, their relationship changes. Mr. Bennet is much more responsible as a bread winner in this story and then in his relationship with Darcy even as their two companies, Pemberley Plastics and Meryton Plastices vie for business.
Jane (elementary school teacher) serves as “I AM WOMAN – HEAR ME ROAR!” in this story. She is not afraid to tell it like it is but it is a good thing in that she is primarily responsible for taking the bull by the horns and pushing a confronting of the issues: the misunderstanding between our two. Wickham never changes but in his lust for women (one in particular), and his lust for power sets himself up for a big fall. You will love those climatic scenes.
Oh, and did I mention that Darcy owns a yacht, Monte Carlo, in this book? It is the setting for more than one scene and sweetly has a cameo role at the end.
Again as in canon, Darcy does a remarkable job of sticking his foot in his mouth when in Elizabeth’s vicinity this time BUT Elizabeth doesn’t let it go by. She has a quick temper and immediately confronts him.
One more quote from the author highlights a big obstacle in ODC’s moving forward (after meeting in Florida and returning home to Canada) and in allowing another person to erect a wall …“tell her you love her…Because I just can’t…And so, the battle waged on within him – ebbing and flowing – a rhythmical duel between his fear and his logic. Finally, as on every previous occasion – avoidance won its bittersweet victory. He did not call.”
There are many swoon-worthy scenes between our couple. Their sexual attraction, the chemistry that sizzles between them is never in doubt. But as life gets in the way misdirected communication becomes deadly poison. And this author gives us a “situation” which must be faced and shared, one which I have not read in other JAFF.
Elizabeth is a psychiatrist, specializing in PTSD but she can’t seem to figure Darcy out and wonders if she is too close. Georgianna is much more damaged in this story so therapy and medication are an ongoing concern but so far that particular treatment plan hasn’t helped much when we first meet her. Richard Fitzwilliam, (Darcy’s cousin, unbeknownst to Elizabeth) works in a related field, the treatment of adolescent mood disorders and is one of her closest friends. Charlotte (neonatal nurse) and Bingley (pediatrician) are present in the beginning and continue to take part even as their roles, their relationship changes. Mr. Bennet is much more responsible as a bread winner in this story and then in his relationship with Darcy even as their two companies, Pemberley Plastics and Meryton Plastices vie for business.
Jane (elementary school teacher) serves as “I AM WOMAN – HEAR ME ROAR!” in this story. She is not afraid to tell it like it is but it is a good thing in that she is primarily responsible for taking the bull by the horns and pushing a confronting of the issues: the misunderstanding between our two. Wickham never changes but in his lust for women (one in particular), and his lust for power sets himself up for a big fall. You will love those climatic scenes.
Oh, and did I mention that Darcy owns a yacht, Monte Carlo, in this book? It is the setting for more than one scene and sweetly has a cameo role at the end.
July 19, 2021
Read this one a long time ago and I still remember how in the first 10% the creepiest and cheesiest Darcy I've ever read sexually assaults Elizabeth while she is sleeping.
That's a Nope. Flounced.
That's a Nope. Flounced.
January 23, 2018
This modern Pride and Prejudice inspired story features two strong willed people who meet while on vacation in Florida. The sparks fly right away as they deal with the Wickham and misunderstandings before finding their happily ever after.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews