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Shadows Over Longbourn
The approaching death of Mr. Bennet threatens to leave his five young daughters at the mercy of the vengeful Mr. Thaddeus Collins. But Mr. Bennet plays one final desperate card before he passes, calling on his distant relatives—the Darcys—to provide his children with a home.
Removing themselves to Pemberley after their father’s death, the girls are protected by the estate’s current master, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, who looks after them as conscientiously as he does his own sister.
When chance takes the Bennets and their Darcy relations to the estate leased by Mr. Bingley, little do they know that their father’s thwarting of Mr. Collins has only fanned the flames of his envy and hatred. He is determined to secure a Bennet daughter as a wife for his son, and he will stop at nothing to accomplish his goal.
Elizabeth has become consumed by love for Mr. Darcy, but since he remains oblivious to her feelings, Elizabeth’s desperation forces her to consider going into service as a governess, if only to obtain some distance from the object of her affection. But Mr. Collins has no intention of letting Elizabeth escape his grasp so easily, and everything finally comes to a head when he meets with her in an explosive showdown.
Removing themselves to Pemberley after their father’s death, the girls are protected by the estate’s current master, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, who looks after them as conscientiously as he does his own sister.
When chance takes the Bennets and their Darcy relations to the estate leased by Mr. Bingley, little do they know that their father’s thwarting of Mr. Collins has only fanned the flames of his envy and hatred. He is determined to secure a Bennet daughter as a wife for his son, and he will stop at nothing to accomplish his goal.
Elizabeth has become consumed by love for Mr. Darcy, but since he remains oblivious to her feelings, Elizabeth’s desperation forces her to consider going into service as a governess, if only to obtain some distance from the object of her affection. But Mr. Collins has no intention of letting Elizabeth escape his grasp so easily, and everything finally comes to a head when he meets with her in an explosive showdown.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 8, 2016
88 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Jann Rowland
87 books192 followersJann Rowland is a Canadian, born and bred. Other than a two-year span in which he lived in Japan, he has been a resident of the Great White North his entire life, though he professes to still hate the winters.
Though Jann did not start writing until his mid-twenties, writing has grown from a hobby to an all-consuming passion. His interests as a child were almost exclusively centered on the exotic fantasy worlds of Tolkien and Eddings, among a host of others. As an adult, his interests have grown to include historical fiction and romance, with a particular focus on the works of Jane Austen.
When Jann is not writing, he enjoys rooting for his favorite sports teams. He is also a master musician (in his own mind) who enjoys playing piano and singing as well as moonlighting as the choir director in his church’s congregation.
Jann lives in Alberta with his wife of more than twenty years, two grown sons, and one young daughter. He is convinced that whatever hair he has left will be entirely gone by the time his little girl hits her teenage years. Sadly, though he has told his daughter repeatedly that she is not allowed to grow up, she continues to ignore him.
Website: http://onegoodsonnet.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/OneGoodSonnetPub...
Twitter: @OneGoodSonnet
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/bol2p9
Though Jann did not start writing until his mid-twenties, writing has grown from a hobby to an all-consuming passion. His interests as a child were almost exclusively centered on the exotic fantasy worlds of Tolkien and Eddings, among a host of others. As an adult, his interests have grown to include historical fiction and romance, with a particular focus on the works of Jane Austen.
When Jann is not writing, he enjoys rooting for his favorite sports teams. He is also a master musician (in his own mind) who enjoys playing piano and singing as well as moonlighting as the choir director in his church’s congregation.
Jann lives in Alberta with his wife of more than twenty years, two grown sons, and one young daughter. He is convinced that whatever hair he has left will be entirely gone by the time his little girl hits her teenage years. Sadly, though he has told his daughter repeatedly that she is not allowed to grow up, she continues to ignore him.
Website: http://onegoodsonnet.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/OneGoodSonnetPub...
Twitter: @OneGoodSonnet
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/bol2p9
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April 11, 2016
Pride, Prejudice, and Stories
Shadows Over Longbourn is a variation in which the Bennet sisters, as distant relatives of the Darcy family, were forced to be under Mr. Darcy's care.
This story obviously deviated from the original, and yes, some of the characters' personalities were not as they were in Pride and Prejudice, but it was what made this story appealing to read. Elizabeth served as her sisters' strong front, Jane and Bingley had a backbone, Mr. Darcy was more congenial (as compared to Darcy before the Hunsford proposal incident in P&P), the younger Bennets improved due to the company they kept, and Georgiana was not as bashful.
I loved Elizabeth and Darcy's companionship. The two always were of like mind, and to see them interacting in such a comfortable air made me ache for Elizabeth more. This time, Elizabeth was the first to realize her romantic feelings, and although Darcy held her in esteem, it took longer for him to realize the strength of his affection for Elizabeth. Oh the woes of unrequited love!
The antagonists were as infuriating as they were in the book, although I have to admit, Thaddeus Collins, father of William Collins, topped the cake for the worst possible human being to live (at least in Shadows Over Longbourn). He had Lady Catherine's stubbornness and air of superiority, Caroline's unpleasantness, and Wickham's cad-like thoughts. This man made me pity William Collins, and I never really liked Collins in P&P.
There were some decisions Elizabeth made that didn't sit well with me. She does not seem the type to be easily influenced by her emotions or the type to do things without thinking of the consequences, but I believe I'll be spoiling you if I expound on it.
All in all, I enjoyed reading Shadows Over Longbourn as much as I enjoyed reading Jann Rowland's other works. I look forward to reading his other works in the future.
Shadows Over Longbourn is a variation in which the Bennet sisters, as distant relatives of the Darcy family, were forced to be under Mr. Darcy's care.
This story obviously deviated from the original, and yes, some of the characters' personalities were not as they were in Pride and Prejudice, but it was what made this story appealing to read. Elizabeth served as her sisters' strong front, Jane and Bingley had a backbone, Mr. Darcy was more congenial (as compared to Darcy before the Hunsford proposal incident in P&P), the younger Bennets improved due to the company they kept, and Georgiana was not as bashful.
I loved Elizabeth and Darcy's companionship. The two always were of like mind, and to see them interacting in such a comfortable air made me ache for Elizabeth more. This time, Elizabeth was the first to realize her romantic feelings, and although Darcy held her in esteem, it took longer for him to realize the strength of his affection for Elizabeth. Oh the woes of unrequited love!
The antagonists were as infuriating as they were in the book, although I have to admit, Thaddeus Collins, father of William Collins, topped the cake for the worst possible human being to live (at least in Shadows Over Longbourn). He had Lady Catherine's stubbornness and air of superiority, Caroline's unpleasantness, and Wickham's cad-like thoughts. This man made me pity William Collins, and I never really liked Collins in P&P.
There were some decisions Elizabeth made that didn't sit well with me. She does not seem the type to be easily influenced by her emotions or the type to do things without thinking of the consequences, but I believe I'll be spoiling you if I expound on it.
All in all, I enjoyed reading Shadows Over Longbourn as much as I enjoyed reading Jann Rowland's other works. I look forward to reading his other works in the future.
August 11, 2025
Could Louis Jourdan play Darcy in this movie?
"... have I been standing up too close or back too far?"
Through most of this book I thought "P&P meets Gigi" but the climax is much more serious and loses the Gigi aspect altogether.
Jann Rowland is one of my favorite authors of these fan fics and I always appreciate his writing if not always the story (still can't believe Caroline Bingley as Elizabeth's friend!)
This work ranks with his best and I recommend it to all JAFF readers.
"... have I been standing up too close or back too far?"
Through most of this book I thought "P&P meets Gigi" but the climax is much more serious and loses the Gigi aspect altogether.
Jann Rowland is one of my favorite authors of these fan fics and I always appreciate his writing if not always the story (still can't believe Caroline Bingley as Elizabeth's friend!)
This work ranks with his best and I recommend it to all JAFF readers.
April 18, 2017
“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” Keri Russell
Our life journey is made up of steps, events and decisions that can have a profound effect on the outcome of our lives. If you alter your route at any point in the journey, the end destination changes… for good or bad. Thus, we have the life journey of the Bennet sisters. Their mother was dead, their father was dying and he was desperately trying to make placement arrangements for their future. On the one hand, they would be divided up between their uncles Philips [in Meryton] and Gardiner [in London]. On the other hand, Mr. Bennet had reached out to a wealthy distant relation in the north. His reasoning was to keep the girls together and that the relation in the north was better able to do that. That relation responded that he would take the girls.
In order to read this clean story, we have to know going in that, as a variation, it does not follow canon and that we can expect OOC [out of character] behavior. With the demise of Mrs. Bennet, nearly a decade before, Jane became the mistress of Longbourn and a mother figure to her younger sisters. Her calm and gentle demeanor did a lot toward the forming of their personalities and the development of their comportment. Elizabeth, reared and educated as the son he never had, helped Bennet run the estate and, with the help of her younger sisters, saw to the care of the tenants.
When Mr. Darcy, of Pemberley, Derbyshire, arrived at Longbourn, he found it in chaos. Mr. Bennet had died and the heir, Mr. Collins, a rude and ignorant man, was already ensconced at Longbourn, making outrageous demands, and insisting that the eldest Bennet daughter marry his son. Let’s just say that Mr. Collins was not happy to see Mr. Darcy, Mr. Gardiner and Major Fitzwilliam enter the parlor. It did not go well.
After the funeral, and with the law on his side, Darcy assumed the guardianship of the five daughters [ranging in age from 19 to 12] of his cousin Bennet. They then took the arduous journey to the north and to Pemberley, where the girls would stay and observe their mourning period.
This story was about choices, decisions, and how life can change circumstances in a moment. The Bennet girls, as we knew them from canon, no longer existed. Their basic personalities were intact, but due to the rules and expectations of a higher society, the younger girls were not out in society, they had a governess, attended studies, access to masters [art, music], went to school, and were able to become all that they could under the guardianship of their cousin Darcy. As time went on, affection developed between characters that resulted in marriages based on love and not convenience. Those were so cute.
Villains: Yeah, there were plenty:
“Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.” Jane Austen
Lady Catherine had to come and declare that the shades of Pemberley were thus polluted. Yeah, yeah, go back to you den she-dragon… and don’t come back. What happened to Anne was sad, but interesting.
“I like to think that my arrogance, impetuosity, impatience, selfishness and greed are the qualities that make me the lovable chap I am.” Richard Hammond
George Wickham paid his visit to Ramsgate and what next occurred happened so fast… I don’t think he was even aware, how it all came about. Lawd, I love our dear Colone… oops, Major Fitzwilliam. That scene was priceless.
“Selfishness, narcissism, being uncomfortable in your own skin, not feeling connected to the world around you, feeling dislocated from family and youth, having a strange relationship with your childhood – all those things feel really true to me.” Jason Reitman
Caroline Bingley… Lawd, you self-centered, narcissistic, social climber… clueless does not even come close as to her behavior. She was completely out of control, demanding to have her way, overbearing, controlling, tried to subvert Jane’s authority in her own house, demeaning to any but those in the highest social circle, disdainful of the neighbors and denizens of Meryton and manipulative of her brother and sister. Oh, I could go on, but have run out of adjectives to describe the most outrageous behavior. I wonder what happened to her?
“The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity and the brute by instinct.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
Collins senior: OMG! Collins senior was just an ignorant bully. He completely dominated his poor son to the point the reader felt sorry for him. He terrorized the tenants and servants, demanding his way or the highway. He ran off most of the tenants and dominated the others. He was then angry because there wasn’t much income and damned the deceased Bennet and Darcy, declaring they had cheated him of what he was due.
Note: he said that a lot. However, I wasn’t really clear in just what way they had cheated him. Perhaps, he was just angry at life and needed to blame someone other than himself. Lawd, he was evil. He drank to excel and surrounded himself with thugs and cronies from his former days. He disdained gentlemen and thought them useless and weak. His aggrandizement was beyond being reasonable and people just shook their heads when he spoke or when he attempted to enter society [behind his back of course].
“Now a slave is not ‘held’ by any legal contract, obligation, duty, or authority, which the laws will enforce. He is ‘held’ only by brute force. One person beats another until the latter will obey him, work for him, if he required it, or do nothing if he require it.” Lysander Spooner
Collins younger: poor man. Somewhere within him was a heart and a soul that could have been nurtured into a half-way decent man. I kept hoping senior would die and younger could become the man he always wanted to be and perhaps Charlotte could be a part of that transformation. He knew what was needed and strove for it, but was beaten down at every turn with demeaning and degrading language that was horrible. The brute force his father used to control any and all situations, that showed him in a lesser light, was degrading and dehumanizing. If the author wanted the reader to have some sympathy for the younger, it was successful.
We get our characters back to Meryton when Charles lets Netherfield. We then have our dear Bennet girls being reunited with friends and former neighbors. It was clear that everyone loved the girls and were so happy to see them visit the neighborhood. All except Mr. Collins senior. He showed up and showed out demanding the hand of the elder Bennet girl. He was outraged at discovering she was married to Bingley and then demanded the second eldest girl. He was determined to have a Bennet girl marry his son. This was painful as Elizabeth had to deal with the attentions of the son and with her own feelings for someone else.
The climax was a total surprise and I’ve not seen it used before. I was horrified and shocked beyond belief. I am sorry it had to happen that way. IMHO [in my honest opinion], I felt the loss was too much. However, authors have total control over the universe they create. I wanted to scream at Elizabeth… don’t do it. This is that part in the movie theater where people yell at the stupid female on the screen, because they know she is about to make a big mistake that will not go well for her.
The HEA was hard won but was fun to watch. The expressions of love, exchanged looks, emotions, thoughts, gestures and actions were so cute. I loved this Darcy… although he couldn’t see what was right in front of him until it hit him in the head. There were several HEAs featured and I loved the pairings. Yeah, it was good.
Our life journey is made up of steps, events and decisions that can have a profound effect on the outcome of our lives. If you alter your route at any point in the journey, the end destination changes… for good or bad. Thus, we have the life journey of the Bennet sisters. Their mother was dead, their father was dying and he was desperately trying to make placement arrangements for their future. On the one hand, they would be divided up between their uncles Philips [in Meryton] and Gardiner [in London]. On the other hand, Mr. Bennet had reached out to a wealthy distant relation in the north. His reasoning was to keep the girls together and that the relation in the north was better able to do that. That relation responded that he would take the girls.
In order to read this clean story, we have to know going in that, as a variation, it does not follow canon and that we can expect OOC [out of character] behavior. With the demise of Mrs. Bennet, nearly a decade before, Jane became the mistress of Longbourn and a mother figure to her younger sisters. Her calm and gentle demeanor did a lot toward the forming of their personalities and the development of their comportment. Elizabeth, reared and educated as the son he never had, helped Bennet run the estate and, with the help of her younger sisters, saw to the care of the tenants.
When Mr. Darcy, of Pemberley, Derbyshire, arrived at Longbourn, he found it in chaos. Mr. Bennet had died and the heir, Mr. Collins, a rude and ignorant man, was already ensconced at Longbourn, making outrageous demands, and insisting that the eldest Bennet daughter marry his son. Let’s just say that Mr. Collins was not happy to see Mr. Darcy, Mr. Gardiner and Major Fitzwilliam enter the parlor. It did not go well.
After the funeral, and with the law on his side, Darcy assumed the guardianship of the five daughters [ranging in age from 19 to 12] of his cousin Bennet. They then took the arduous journey to the north and to Pemberley, where the girls would stay and observe their mourning period.
This story was about choices, decisions, and how life can change circumstances in a moment. The Bennet girls, as we knew them from canon, no longer existed. Their basic personalities were intact, but due to the rules and expectations of a higher society, the younger girls were not out in society, they had a governess, attended studies, access to masters [art, music], went to school, and were able to become all that they could under the guardianship of their cousin Darcy. As time went on, affection developed between characters that resulted in marriages based on love and not convenience. Those were so cute.
Villains: Yeah, there were plenty:
“Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.” Jane Austen
Lady Catherine had to come and declare that the shades of Pemberley were thus polluted. Yeah, yeah, go back to you den she-dragon… and don’t come back. What happened to Anne was sad, but interesting.
“I like to think that my arrogance, impetuosity, impatience, selfishness and greed are the qualities that make me the lovable chap I am.” Richard Hammond
George Wickham paid his visit to Ramsgate and what next occurred happened so fast… I don’t think he was even aware, how it all came about. Lawd, I love our dear Colone… oops, Major Fitzwilliam. That scene was priceless.
“Selfishness, narcissism, being uncomfortable in your own skin, not feeling connected to the world around you, feeling dislocated from family and youth, having a strange relationship with your childhood – all those things feel really true to me.” Jason Reitman
Caroline Bingley… Lawd, you self-centered, narcissistic, social climber… clueless does not even come close as to her behavior. She was completely out of control, demanding to have her way, overbearing, controlling, tried to subvert Jane’s authority in her own house, demeaning to any but those in the highest social circle, disdainful of the neighbors and denizens of Meryton and manipulative of her brother and sister. Oh, I could go on, but have run out of adjectives to describe the most outrageous behavior. I wonder what happened to her?
“The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity and the brute by instinct.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
Collins senior: OMG! Collins senior was just an ignorant bully. He completely dominated his poor son to the point the reader felt sorry for him. He terrorized the tenants and servants, demanding his way or the highway. He ran off most of the tenants and dominated the others. He was then angry because there wasn’t much income and damned the deceased Bennet and Darcy, declaring they had cheated him of what he was due.
Note: he said that a lot. However, I wasn’t really clear in just what way they had cheated him. Perhaps, he was just angry at life and needed to blame someone other than himself. Lawd, he was evil. He drank to excel and surrounded himself with thugs and cronies from his former days. He disdained gentlemen and thought them useless and weak. His aggrandizement was beyond being reasonable and people just shook their heads when he spoke or when he attempted to enter society [behind his back of course].
“Now a slave is not ‘held’ by any legal contract, obligation, duty, or authority, which the laws will enforce. He is ‘held’ only by brute force. One person beats another until the latter will obey him, work for him, if he required it, or do nothing if he require it.” Lysander Spooner
Collins younger: poor man. Somewhere within him was a heart and a soul that could have been nurtured into a half-way decent man. I kept hoping senior would die and younger could become the man he always wanted to be and perhaps Charlotte could be a part of that transformation. He knew what was needed and strove for it, but was beaten down at every turn with demeaning and degrading language that was horrible. The brute force his father used to control any and all situations, that showed him in a lesser light, was degrading and dehumanizing. If the author wanted the reader to have some sympathy for the younger, it was successful.
We get our characters back to Meryton when Charles lets Netherfield. We then have our dear Bennet girls being reunited with friends and former neighbors. It was clear that everyone loved the girls and were so happy to see them visit the neighborhood. All except Mr. Collins senior. He showed up and showed out demanding the hand of the elder Bennet girl. He was outraged at discovering she was married to Bingley and then demanded the second eldest girl. He was determined to have a Bennet girl marry his son. This was painful as Elizabeth had to deal with the attentions of the son and with her own feelings for someone else.
The climax was a total surprise and I’ve not seen it used before. I was horrified and shocked beyond belief. I am sorry it had to happen that way. IMHO [in my honest opinion], I felt the loss was too much. However, authors have total control over the universe they create. I wanted to scream at Elizabeth… don’t do it. This is that part in the movie theater where people yell at the stupid female on the screen, because they know she is about to make a big mistake that will not go well for her.
The HEA was hard won but was fun to watch. The expressions of love, exchanged looks, emotions, thoughts, gestures and actions were so cute. I loved this Darcy… although he couldn’t see what was right in front of him until it hit him in the head. There were several HEAs featured and I loved the pairings. Yeah, it was good.
April 13, 2016
4.5 stars
First, let me say that I love this book’s cover.
In this variation: Fitzwilliam Darcy, with only a couple of years under his wings in inheriting Pemberley and other estates as well as the guardianship of his sister, Georgiana, receives a letter from a dying man, a hithertofore unknown distant relative, one, Henry Bennet, soliciting that Darcy take on the added guardianship of Mr. Bennet’s five daughters upon his nearing death. Mr. Bennet sets out the facts: his wife died upon the birth of their last daughter, the estate is entailed to an ignorant and particularly vengeful man, a Mr. Thaddeus Collins, and the two other relatives to the Bennets, a Mr. Phillips and a Mr. Gardiner, are ill situated to take on the support and rearing of five young ladies with little in the way of finances to support them. Darcy consults both his housekeeper, who seems to have a small bit of awareness of this relative, and also Georgiana, who jumps at the chance to acquire female friendships. Paperwork is completed none too soon and as Darcy with his cousin, Major Anthony Fitzwilliam (although he is referred to as Colonel on one page) travel to Longbourn and upon being admitted find that not only has Mr. Bennet passed away but also his heir is quickly asserting his “Lord and Master” role…assigning Jane to the role of fiancée to his supercilious son.
Darcy does take the young ladies to Pemberley and they make mostly smooth and appropriate transitions in their new location.
Lady Catherine attempts to thwart Darcy’s guardianship and here we meet an Elizabeth whose character is more officious, more presumptive than in canon. Thank goodness Darcy reprimands her rude behavior…even if it was deserved. We see Elizabeth taking on the role of “mother” even though as guardian Darcy should be observing, forming opinions and making decisions. Bingley (and his family) visit. And we hear Georgiana, Kitty and Lydia talking, the latter expresses her opinion that Caroline Bingley should turn to Elizabeth for approval in seeking a proposal from William as “everyone here knows that nothing happens at Pemberley without her express consent.”
To London for a season, several weddings occur, Ramsgate is visited and an extended party takes up residence at Netherfield. At the latter location things come to a head. As the only other review at this date on Amazon states the premise of “standing up too close” is so strong that even Lydia makes comments about her observations while Charlotte Lucas repeats her maxim from canon that a girl must show more of her feelings in order to secure the affections of a man. I am sure others will join me in wanting to shake a certain man. This almost reversal of usual roles assigned to ODC is comical, if painfully prolonged, in this novel. Elizabeth acknowledges her feelings to herself but concludes the societal levels to be too diverse while Darcy is comfortable being friends with Elizabeth, partnering with her to manage the estates and their families and thus only wants her to be as she always has been.
But it is in the fate of the Bennet family estate that closure comes, first in a physical form and finally as one reads of the emotions played upon in a return to Longbourn.
First, let me say that I love this book’s cover.
In this variation: Fitzwilliam Darcy, with only a couple of years under his wings in inheriting Pemberley and other estates as well as the guardianship of his sister, Georgiana, receives a letter from a dying man, a hithertofore unknown distant relative, one, Henry Bennet, soliciting that Darcy take on the added guardianship of Mr. Bennet’s five daughters upon his nearing death. Mr. Bennet sets out the facts: his wife died upon the birth of their last daughter, the estate is entailed to an ignorant and particularly vengeful man, a Mr. Thaddeus Collins, and the two other relatives to the Bennets, a Mr. Phillips and a Mr. Gardiner, are ill situated to take on the support and rearing of five young ladies with little in the way of finances to support them. Darcy consults both his housekeeper, who seems to have a small bit of awareness of this relative, and also Georgiana, who jumps at the chance to acquire female friendships. Paperwork is completed none too soon and as Darcy with his cousin, Major Anthony Fitzwilliam (although he is referred to as Colonel on one page) travel to Longbourn and upon being admitted find that not only has Mr. Bennet passed away but also his heir is quickly asserting his “Lord and Master” role…assigning Jane to the role of fiancée to his supercilious son.
Darcy does take the young ladies to Pemberley and they make mostly smooth and appropriate transitions in their new location.
Lady Catherine attempts to thwart Darcy’s guardianship and here we meet an Elizabeth whose character is more officious, more presumptive than in canon. Thank goodness Darcy reprimands her rude behavior…even if it was deserved. We see Elizabeth taking on the role of “mother” even though as guardian Darcy should be observing, forming opinions and making decisions. Bingley (and his family) visit. And we hear Georgiana, Kitty and Lydia talking, the latter expresses her opinion that Caroline Bingley should turn to Elizabeth for approval in seeking a proposal from William as “everyone here knows that nothing happens at Pemberley without her express consent.”
To London for a season, several weddings occur, Ramsgate is visited and an extended party takes up residence at Netherfield. At the latter location things come to a head. As the only other review at this date on Amazon states the premise of “standing up too close” is so strong that even Lydia makes comments about her observations while Charlotte Lucas repeats her maxim from canon that a girl must show more of her feelings in order to secure the affections of a man. I am sure others will join me in wanting to shake a certain man. This almost reversal of usual roles assigned to ODC is comical, if painfully prolonged, in this novel. Elizabeth acknowledges her feelings to herself but concludes the societal levels to be too diverse while Darcy is comfortable being friends with Elizabeth, partnering with her to manage the estates and their families and thus only wants her to be as she always has been.
But it is in the fate of the Bennet family estate that closure comes, first in a physical form and finally as one reads of the emotions played upon in a return to Longbourn.
August 30, 2016
I am a very impatient reader. After reading for 50 some years, I recognize that I don't have enough time in my life to spend reading books I don't enjoy. So, it surprises me to say I did not really warm up to this book until about half way through. Usually I would not give a book this much time. But, I kept giving this book the benefit of the doubt and found it to be worth my while.
Mr. Bennet is widowed, having lost his wife at Lydia's birth, and is now dying. Jane is 19 years old, compared to 21 in canon, so all of the girls are, obviously, younger and will need guardians once Mr. Bennet passes away. The Mr. Collins who will inherit Longbourn is the father to the William Collins we know - Mr. Thaddeus Collins - and he is not a good man. The girls' uncles, Mr. Gardner and Mr. Phillips could raise the girls, but their lives would not be those of gentlewomen. However, there is another option - a distant cousin, Mr. Darcy. Despite his young age and having only recently inherited Pemberley, Fitzwilliam Darcy agrees to take in the five Bennet sisters as his wards to raise alongside his sister Georgiana.
The first half of the book is mostly about the mechanics of getting the Bennet sisters to Pemberley and getting them situated. There are adjustments and the butting of heads between Darcy and Elizabeth who takes on the "mother" role for her sisters. During this portion of the book I just could not warm to either character, or actually many of the characters. It felt like the readers needed to get past the first half of the book, so the author just went about spelling out the circumstances of initial meetings and marriages, the Ramsgate situation, etc. in a fairly rote kind of way.
About half way through the book, Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, Jane and Charles, take on the property of Netherfield. The Bennets all return to the neighborhood where they grew up and the neighbors they loved. At Longbourn, the nasty Mr. Collins, father and son, resent the loss of Jane to Bingley, as they felt she should have married William Collins, and hold this against the party. Now the story starts to pick up. Elizabeth and Darcy begin their dance of uncertainty in love, and William Collins begins his pursuit of Elizabeth.
Once the story turns to Netherfield, we begin to see the characters blossom and become more three dimensional. It feels almost as if the author should have started the story at this point. We begin to really see the characters come into their own and to feel the romance blossoming. I particularly enjoyed the way the author handled the William Collins character. Through Elizabeth's eyes, we see there is more to the man than the silly character we have known and Elizabeth feels pity for his situation. The actions taken by him at the end of the book make sense and feel realistic given Elizabeth's viewpoint.
I cannot give the book more than 4 stars, and actually should round it down to 3 1/2 given the amount of material we have to wade through to get to the good parts, but I enjoyed the overall book and can recommend it.
Mr. Bennet is widowed, having lost his wife at Lydia's birth, and is now dying. Jane is 19 years old, compared to 21 in canon, so all of the girls are, obviously, younger and will need guardians once Mr. Bennet passes away. The Mr. Collins who will inherit Longbourn is the father to the William Collins we know - Mr. Thaddeus Collins - and he is not a good man. The girls' uncles, Mr. Gardner and Mr. Phillips could raise the girls, but their lives would not be those of gentlewomen. However, there is another option - a distant cousin, Mr. Darcy. Despite his young age and having only recently inherited Pemberley, Fitzwilliam Darcy agrees to take in the five Bennet sisters as his wards to raise alongside his sister Georgiana.
The first half of the book is mostly about the mechanics of getting the Bennet sisters to Pemberley and getting them situated. There are adjustments and the butting of heads between Darcy and Elizabeth who takes on the "mother" role for her sisters. During this portion of the book I just could not warm to either character, or actually many of the characters. It felt like the readers needed to get past the first half of the book, so the author just went about spelling out the circumstances of initial meetings and marriages, the Ramsgate situation, etc. in a fairly rote kind of way.
About half way through the book, Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, Jane and Charles, take on the property of Netherfield. The Bennets all return to the neighborhood where they grew up and the neighbors they loved. At Longbourn, the nasty Mr. Collins, father and son, resent the loss of Jane to Bingley, as they felt she should have married William Collins, and hold this against the party. Now the story starts to pick up. Elizabeth and Darcy begin their dance of uncertainty in love, and William Collins begins his pursuit of Elizabeth.
Once the story turns to Netherfield, we begin to see the characters blossom and become more three dimensional. It feels almost as if the author should have started the story at this point. We begin to really see the characters come into their own and to feel the romance blossoming. I particularly enjoyed the way the author handled the William Collins character. Through Elizabeth's eyes, we see there is more to the man than the silly character we have known and Elizabeth feels pity for his situation. The actions taken by him at the end of the book make sense and feel realistic given Elizabeth's viewpoint.
I cannot give the book more than 4 stars, and actually should round it down to 3 1/2 given the amount of material we have to wade through to get to the good parts, but I enjoyed the overall book and can recommend it.
February 27, 2021
I absolutely loved this the first time I read it and still do.
However, on my second reading, I am unsure of the Mary/Fitzwilliam relationship. It is never really explained how a 30 yo man, looks at a 16 yo and says to himself- that is what I want to pursue. And later in the story we are told they are very happy, but we don't really get a glimpse to know that it is the case.
Also, with all those married couples for at least 2 years and not one person get pregnant?
Still love the story, but a second reading makes me note some points which are contrived.
However, on my second reading, I am unsure of the Mary/Fitzwilliam relationship. It is never really explained how a 30 yo man, looks at a 16 yo and says to himself- that is what I want to pursue. And later in the story we are told they are very happy, but we don't really get a glimpse to know that it is the case.
Also, with all those married couples for at least 2 years and not one person get pregnant?
Still love the story, but a second reading makes me note some points which are contrived.
April 29, 2016
Interesting concept in that Darcy is the guardian of the Bennet girls upon the death of their parents. However, the plot went on and on!
July 2, 2023
This was an interesting story. The Bennets and Darcys are related and on his deathbed, his wife already dead during the birth of their fifth daughter, Mr.Bennet leaves the guardianship of his daughters to Darcy. The book was well written with just one but a major complaint, even with so many pairings, the story didn't have an iota of romance and what little was attempted was lackluster at best.
August 17, 2016
3.5 stars .... for really bogging down in the last 1/3rd
There are some authors whp you just know you are going to adore every letter that flew from their keyboard (Caitlin Williams for example) and there are others who you know won't be tolerable enough to tempt you. Jann Rowland is always a conundrum. I have been struggling through another work for what feels like MONTHS but has been a few weeks... but the plot of this particular tale intrigued me.
Up to about 45% of the book I was firmly in the 5 star camp thinking that having Darcy be the guardian of the Bennet sisters was sheer brilliance and inspired fiction. Then as Darcy & Lizzy began their extended will he or won't he, does he or doesn't he dance I really lost interest.
And it was a real effort to keep reading.
There are some authors whp you just know you are going to adore every letter that flew from their keyboard (Caitlin Williams for example) and there are others who you know won't be tolerable enough to tempt you. Jann Rowland is always a conundrum. I have been struggling through another work for what feels like MONTHS but has been a few weeks... but the plot of this particular tale intrigued me.
Up to about 45% of the book I was firmly in the 5 star camp thinking that having Darcy be the guardian of the Bennet sisters was sheer brilliance and inspired fiction. Then as Darcy & Lizzy began their extended will he or won't he, does he or doesn't he dance I really lost interest.
And it was a real effort to keep reading.
June 2, 2016
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
Shadows Over Longbourn is a Pride and Prejudice variation that strays away from canon. The book starts 4 years before the original story with a widowed and very ill Mr. Bennet contacting a distant cousin to ask him to become the guardian of his daughters, and this way saving them from a cruel fate at the hands of his evil cousin Thaddeus Collins, who is bound to inherit Longbourn. The distant relation that comes to the Bennet family’s aid is none less than our very own Mr. Darcy!
By accepting to become the girls’ guardian, Mr. Darcy is forever changing their fates. Lydia and Kitty are still at a very young age and for that reason it is still very easy to teach them proper behavior, especially as they receive the same education as Georgiana. And their presence will be determinant in the Ramsgate incident. In fact, this variation of the incident was one of the most interesting I’ve ever read. Lydia goes with Geogiana to Ramsgate and she is the one reporting Mr. Wickham’s plan to Elizabeth. One would never say that Lydia Bennet would be the responsible one protecting foolish Georgiana, or that Georgiana would be the impertinent brat refusing to behave properly, but that is precisely what occurs. This scene also impressed me due to Elizabeth’s behavior. She remained true to herself but was not as tolerant as I see characters behave in other variations, and I really enjoyed it because I always feel characters are frequently too forgiving and tolerant towards Georgiana. Usually she is poor Georgiana and Lydia is foolish Lydia when in fact they both considered doing the exact same thing: to elope with a man they believed themselves in love with. Well, this book is a refreshing change in that aspect and Elizabeth was very firm in her reaction to Georgiana.
Jane and Mary’s life’s are also influenced by this change and they soon find their perfect matches. I won’t say too much, but I did enjoy the husband Mr. Rowland found for Mary.
And then…we have Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth whose fates were also changed… Well, not exactly changed because they will obviously have their HEA, but the path they took to achieve it was quite different. I have been a proud member of the “Let’s torture Elizabeth club”, and this was definitely the best book in that area! On this variation Elizabeth will be living with Mr. Darcy at Pemberley since she is 17, so she soon realizes how he truly is, and obviously, falls in love with him. However, he will only see her as his ward, so Elizabeth will suffer from unrequited love for pretty much the entire story (big smile on my face right now), how’s that for a change?
Shadows Over Longbourn really surprised me because I wasn't expecting, based on the premise, that I would love it so much, nor was I expecting to not want to stop reading it since the very beginning, but after chapter one I could not stop. I was not certain that I would love a variation were love between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth would grow very slowly, not that I like the plots with love at first sight, I don't. My favorite books are those that show us why the characters fall in love with one another, that show us why they are so well suited for each other. But still, I wasn't sure I would like to see Mr. Darcy watch Elizabeth grow from a teenager to a grown woman. However, this plot ended up being just perfect! We were given a rare gift, which is to see Mr. Darcy slowly understating how Elizabeth is perfect for him and how she suits him so well, how his life would not be the same without her.
This may seem a bit out of context but I’m sure some of you already know I am a big fan of The X-Files, even more addicted to it than I am to JAFF, and I cannot resist quoting a Dana Scully line (it’s becoming a habit on this blog, I know) because I believe it describes exactly what Jann Rowland transmitted in this book:
“It seems to me that the best relationships-- the ones that last-- are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with” - Dana Scully, Ep. 6x07
Summing up, Darcy and Elizabeth have a complicity rarely seen on a JAFF book and that could only exist after spending so many years together, which makes the premise quite perfect.
Something else I loved about this book was that Jann Rowland took the time to present us all the characters in the book, and to let us know their personality. He was able to characterize them through their speech and actions instead of just describing them himself, and this shows a true literary talent.
I believe the author is quite aware of human nature, of people's characters, their qualities and faults and transmitted them all into this book through the display of a diversity of personalities and reactions. I know some people didn’t like Mr. Collins senior in this book, but to me the most annoying was Miss Bingley, she was the one truly insupportable, but the fact is, there are people like that in the world, and this book just portrayed the human nature in its several variants.
The only 2 things that kept me from rating the book 5 stars were first the long dialogues between characters and the description of their actives, etc. While this was clearly an added value to the story, it also made it a bit slow paced for my taste; and second, I thought Mr. Darcy was not so proud as we would expect when he first met and talked to the girls.
But Shadows Over Longbourn was so far the surprise of the year for me. I loved it and highly recommend it!
Shadows Over Longbourn is a Pride and Prejudice variation that strays away from canon. The book starts 4 years before the original story with a widowed and very ill Mr. Bennet contacting a distant cousin to ask him to become the guardian of his daughters, and this way saving them from a cruel fate at the hands of his evil cousin Thaddeus Collins, who is bound to inherit Longbourn. The distant relation that comes to the Bennet family’s aid is none less than our very own Mr. Darcy!
By accepting to become the girls’ guardian, Mr. Darcy is forever changing their fates. Lydia and Kitty are still at a very young age and for that reason it is still very easy to teach them proper behavior, especially as they receive the same education as Georgiana. And their presence will be determinant in the Ramsgate incident. In fact, this variation of the incident was one of the most interesting I’ve ever read. Lydia goes with Geogiana to Ramsgate and she is the one reporting Mr. Wickham’s plan to Elizabeth. One would never say that Lydia Bennet would be the responsible one protecting foolish Georgiana, or that Georgiana would be the impertinent brat refusing to behave properly, but that is precisely what occurs. This scene also impressed me due to Elizabeth’s behavior. She remained true to herself but was not as tolerant as I see characters behave in other variations, and I really enjoyed it because I always feel characters are frequently too forgiving and tolerant towards Georgiana. Usually she is poor Georgiana and Lydia is foolish Lydia when in fact they both considered doing the exact same thing: to elope with a man they believed themselves in love with. Well, this book is a refreshing change in that aspect and Elizabeth was very firm in her reaction to Georgiana.
Jane and Mary’s life’s are also influenced by this change and they soon find their perfect matches. I won’t say too much, but I did enjoy the husband Mr. Rowland found for Mary.
And then…we have Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth whose fates were also changed… Well, not exactly changed because they will obviously have their HEA, but the path they took to achieve it was quite different. I have been a proud member of the “Let’s torture Elizabeth club”, and this was definitely the best book in that area! On this variation Elizabeth will be living with Mr. Darcy at Pemberley since she is 17, so she soon realizes how he truly is, and obviously, falls in love with him. However, he will only see her as his ward, so Elizabeth will suffer from unrequited love for pretty much the entire story (big smile on my face right now), how’s that for a change?
Shadows Over Longbourn really surprised me because I wasn't expecting, based on the premise, that I would love it so much, nor was I expecting to not want to stop reading it since the very beginning, but after chapter one I could not stop. I was not certain that I would love a variation were love between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth would grow very slowly, not that I like the plots with love at first sight, I don't. My favorite books are those that show us why the characters fall in love with one another, that show us why they are so well suited for each other. But still, I wasn't sure I would like to see Mr. Darcy watch Elizabeth grow from a teenager to a grown woman. However, this plot ended up being just perfect! We were given a rare gift, which is to see Mr. Darcy slowly understating how Elizabeth is perfect for him and how she suits him so well, how his life would not be the same without her.
This may seem a bit out of context but I’m sure some of you already know I am a big fan of The X-Files, even more addicted to it than I am to JAFF, and I cannot resist quoting a Dana Scully line (it’s becoming a habit on this blog, I know) because I believe it describes exactly what Jann Rowland transmitted in this book:
“It seems to me that the best relationships-- the ones that last-- are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with” - Dana Scully, Ep. 6x07
Summing up, Darcy and Elizabeth have a complicity rarely seen on a JAFF book and that could only exist after spending so many years together, which makes the premise quite perfect.
Something else I loved about this book was that Jann Rowland took the time to present us all the characters in the book, and to let us know their personality. He was able to characterize them through their speech and actions instead of just describing them himself, and this shows a true literary talent.
I believe the author is quite aware of human nature, of people's characters, their qualities and faults and transmitted them all into this book through the display of a diversity of personalities and reactions. I know some people didn’t like Mr. Collins senior in this book, but to me the most annoying was Miss Bingley, she was the one truly insupportable, but the fact is, there are people like that in the world, and this book just portrayed the human nature in its several variants.
The only 2 things that kept me from rating the book 5 stars were first the long dialogues between characters and the description of their actives, etc. While this was clearly an added value to the story, it also made it a bit slow paced for my taste; and second, I thought Mr. Darcy was not so proud as we would expect when he first met and talked to the girls.
But Shadows Over Longbourn was so far the surprise of the year for me. I loved it and highly recommend it!
April 8, 2017
An intriguing and very interesting variation by Jann Rowland.
I liked the different plot, where Mrs. Bennett was not around, Mr. Bennett dying, and the Bennett ladies ending up living as wards with Mr. Darcy. Pride and Prejudice alludes to what might happen if Mrs. Bennett outlives her husband so this variation twists canon around into a great story. The characters are as they ever have been, though strong portrayals of Jane and Charles was refreshing to read. Also refreshing was seeing Miss Bingley put in her place. So many times the woman gets away with the most scathing remarks. But this novel proves her victims are not rolling over for the abuse.
Overall a great story.
I liked the different plot, where Mrs. Bennett was not around, Mr. Bennett dying, and the Bennett ladies ending up living as wards with Mr. Darcy. Pride and Prejudice alludes to what might happen if Mrs. Bennett outlives her husband so this variation twists canon around into a great story. The characters are as they ever have been, though strong portrayals of Jane and Charles was refreshing to read. Also refreshing was seeing Miss Bingley put in her place. So many times the woman gets away with the most scathing remarks. But this novel proves her victims are not rolling over for the abuse.
Overall a great story.
October 5, 2017
Interesting plot
The Bennets are related to the Darcys, and that changes a lot of things. A great job of keeping the characters while changing all the circumstances. A really enjoyable read.
The Bennets are related to the Darcys, and that changes a lot of things. A great job of keeping the characters while changing all the circumstances. A really enjoyable read.
June 15, 2016
Shadows over Longbourn
I've read numerous stories from this author and enjoyed them all. Though this is not my favorite, I did enjoy the story a lot.
In this story Mr Bennet is dying,Mrs Bennet having died many years earlier, but there is a relation that is distantly related to the Darcy's. There was a falling out and hence they were estranged. So Mr Bennet decides to contact Mr Darcy and prevail on him a familial duty to become his daughters guardian. The reason doing this is that the heir to Longbourn, Mr Collins senior is mean, ignorant and very violent. In fact he is the true villain in this story and you can't but dislike him in the most vilest way. We still see our fav characters who perform on Que and will divert you excessively.
My only problem was that I felt the story line of Darcy and Lizzy dragged on to long, I started to get bored and a little irritated. But on the whole I did enjoy this story.
I've read numerous stories from this author and enjoyed them all. Though this is not my favorite, I did enjoy the story a lot.
In this story Mr Bennet is dying,Mrs Bennet having died many years earlier, but there is a relation that is distantly related to the Darcy's. There was a falling out and hence they were estranged. So Mr Bennet decides to contact Mr Darcy and prevail on him a familial duty to become his daughters guardian. The reason doing this is that the heir to Longbourn, Mr Collins senior is mean, ignorant and very violent. In fact he is the true villain in this story and you can't but dislike him in the most vilest way. We still see our fav characters who perform on Que and will divert you excessively.
My only problem was that I felt the story line of Darcy and Lizzy dragged on to long, I started to get bored and a little irritated. But on the whole I did enjoy this story.
Read
November 3, 2017Check out my review on Diary of an Eccentric
August 6, 2020
Very Good
I think this is my favorite Jann Rowland book I’ve read so far. I really enjoyed the premise of the story—Darcy of all people becoming the guardian of all five Bennet sisters. An unlikely scenario, but it was very well expressed in the good writing. Definitely recommend it.
I think this is my favorite Jann Rowland book I’ve read so far. I really enjoyed the premise of the story—Darcy of all people becoming the guardian of all five Bennet sisters. An unlikely scenario, but it was very well expressed in the good writing. Definitely recommend it.
May 3, 2016
I am an utter Rowland-ite. Love the style and the darkness inside each character. Good story line although at least one character deserves better.
Read
May 4, 2016Review to come on the 5th.
November 17, 2022
Le doy 1,5 estrellas porque el principio es lindo.
La historia arranca interesante, con un planteo que se aleja bastante del libro original y genera interés por ver cómo puede seguir... hasta el capítulo 6 o 7. A partir de ahí, todo es tremendamente predecible y leeeeeeento. La acción tarda una eternidad en desarrollarse y hay páginas y páginas de diálogos anodinos, ya se sabe cómo va a terminar cada escena apenas empieza, y no hay ningún antagonista ni conflicto que genere un poco de interés, los "villanos" no tienen ninguna injerencia ni poder de decisión, por lo que son rápidamente acallados por los "buenos", y tenemos que leer mil variaciones de una escena que consiste en un bueno retando a un malo por sus malas actitudes. El romance de Darcy y Lizzie también está llenísimo es de escenas todas iguales y prescindibles. Empecé a leerlo en diagonal, más que nada porque no me gusta dejar libros sin terminar, pero aun así se hizo tedioso.
Además, los personajes no sólo tienen una personalidad bastante diferente a la del libro original, sino que son tremendamente anacrónicos: hablan y piensan con términos que no existían en la época, analizan las situaciones con puntos de vista del siglo XXI, no respetan las costumbres de la época... sólo faltaba que tuvieran celulares.
Y por si faltara agregar algo, el texto está salpicado de errores gramaticales y de tipeo. Evidentemente, fue algo escrito a las apuradas y sin cuidado para exprimir algo de dinero de su cercanía a Orgullo y Prejuicio, pero está escrito sin ganas, sin cuidado y sin el menor atisbo de inteligencia.
La historia arranca interesante, con un planteo que se aleja bastante del libro original y genera interés por ver cómo puede seguir... hasta el capítulo 6 o 7. A partir de ahí, todo es tremendamente predecible y leeeeeeento. La acción tarda una eternidad en desarrollarse y hay páginas y páginas de diálogos anodinos, ya se sabe cómo va a terminar cada escena apenas empieza, y no hay ningún antagonista ni conflicto que genere un poco de interés, los "villanos" no tienen ninguna injerencia ni poder de decisión, por lo que son rápidamente acallados por los "buenos", y tenemos que leer mil variaciones de una escena que consiste en un bueno retando a un malo por sus malas actitudes. El romance de Darcy y Lizzie también está llenísimo es de escenas todas iguales y prescindibles. Empecé a leerlo en diagonal, más que nada porque no me gusta dejar libros sin terminar, pero aun así se hizo tedioso.
Además, los personajes no sólo tienen una personalidad bastante diferente a la del libro original, sino que son tremendamente anacrónicos: hablan y piensan con términos que no existían en la época, analizan las situaciones con puntos de vista del siglo XXI, no respetan las costumbres de la época... sólo faltaba que tuvieran celulares.
Y por si faltara agregar algo, el texto está salpicado de errores gramaticales y de tipeo. Evidentemente, fue algo escrito a las apuradas y sin cuidado para exprimir algo de dinero de su cercanía a Orgullo y Prejuicio, pero está escrito sin ganas, sin cuidado y sin el menor atisbo de inteligencia.
May 30, 2023
Very well done JAFF. All characters behave somewhat differently, and it makes sense considering Mrs. Bennet died after Lydia's birth. 12 years later, Mr. Bennet sends a letter from his deathbed requesting his cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy, to become guardian to his 5 daughters. The senior Mr. Collins arrives to take charge of Longbourn before Mr. Bennet is buried.
Almost all of the usual characters improve over the original, with a few notable exceptions. I loved Bingley in this variation, as I am not a fan of the useless pup trope common in JAFF.
There are a few things that do not make sense in terms of propriety, such as Elizabeth living with Darcy while the younger girls are at school and the elder married, without a companion.
The part that made me uncomfortable was the eventual romance between Lizzy and Darcy, as she was not yet of age and he was her guardian. I wondered if either her uncles or her brother in law would be consulted, and the author did not disappoint.
Almost all of the usual characters improve over the original, with a few notable exceptions. I loved Bingley in this variation, as I am not a fan of the useless pup trope common in JAFF.
There are a few things that do not make sense in terms of propriety, such as Elizabeth living with Darcy while the younger girls are at school and the elder married, without a companion.
The part that made me uncomfortable was the eventual romance between Lizzy and Darcy, as she was not yet of age and he was her guardian. I wondered if either her uncles or her brother in law would be consulted, and the author did not disappoint.
May 10, 2022
This is a wonderful book in nearly every way. I loved Darcy in this book, I did, and I know that Elizabeth would be more protective of her sisters than Jane would be given the natures as they are written in canon. I did not appreciate the over-aggressive of her attitude, but the only reason it is a 4 rather than a 5 for me personally is that I expect men, especially a man who has been in the military and seen war, would have DONE something when any of them were threatened, it does not for good "protectors" to do nothing but frown. That was the only point of contention for me. The Colonel would have recognized the real threat, and that he stood by and watched Darcy do nothing I was not all that thrilled about. However, that said, the whole of the book was an enjoyable story from the start of it to the finish!
April 9, 2020
Just okay
I have read a few books from this author and I found I was more engaged in this book (the first 3/4) the other books while I liked them felt like long reads. The drawback for me was I never got caught up in Darcy and Elizabeth, their relationship never came across the pages for me, the potential was there, but then the author moved on to something else. I'm not one who has to have our couple shivering and trembling, but they just came across as boring. The other drawback was the ending...Elizabeth! I admit I blame her for her woes, it's hard to read about hardheaded Lizzy and still feel compassion.
I have read a few books from this author and I found I was more engaged in this book (the first 3/4) the other books while I liked them felt like long reads. The drawback for me was I never got caught up in Darcy and Elizabeth, their relationship never came across the pages for me, the potential was there, but then the author moved on to something else. I'm not one who has to have our couple shivering and trembling, but they just came across as boring. The other drawback was the ending...Elizabeth! I admit I blame her for her woes, it's hard to read about hardheaded Lizzy and still feel compassion.
December 25, 2019
I quite liked this variation. Mrs. Bennet died many years previous and Mr. Bennet dying as Lizzy is 17. He writes his cousin Darcy and the girls live with him in Pemberley. Much changes from that point forward and it was a very likeable change. There were quite a few small typos but they didn't overly take away from the story. I didn't really expect to like it this much but I did. And I was very happy for Mary even. That was a nice surprise.
April 5, 2020
Original Story is worth the purchase!
When I read the summary for this story, I was immediately grabbed by the originality. I was not disappointed. The story has good pacing and the characters are well thought out. My only criticism is the lack of Darcy/Elizabeth dialog and interaction. This story is truly about all the Bennett girls, which is not a bad thing. I highly recommend this one!
When I read the summary for this story, I was immediately grabbed by the originality. I was not disappointed. The story has good pacing and the characters are well thought out. My only criticism is the lack of Darcy/Elizabeth dialog and interaction. This story is truly about all the Bennett girls, which is not a bad thing. I highly recommend this one!
April 11, 2023
Very different variation
I enjoyed this variation partially because it is so different from most others. I liked how the author made Georgiana's character more real. This was a page turner for me, Caroline received her due many times from several people - even, finally, Jane!
I enjoyed this variation partially because it is so different from most others. I liked how the author made Georgiana's character more real. This was a page turner for me, Caroline received her due many times from several people - even, finally, Jane!
April 24, 2023
Well done
Enjoyable variation. Well written, as usual with this author. A different life for our favorite characters, tweaking the family tree in the process. Elizabeth became a little stupid near the end, but undoubtedly necessary for the book to evolve. Enjoy.
Enjoyable variation. Well written, as usual with this author. A different life for our favorite characters, tweaking the family tree in the process. Elizabeth became a little stupid near the end, but undoubtedly necessary for the book to evolve. Enjoy.
November 10, 2024
original
Once I began reading I could not put this variation down.
The Wickham retelling is surprisingly original but still happens in Ramsgate, still has Mrs Young and still has Georgianna as the prize but still there are significant differences.
Once I began reading I could not put this variation down.
The Wickham retelling is surprisingly original but still happens in Ramsgate, still has Mrs Young and still has Georgianna as the prize but still there are significant differences.
April 24, 2019
A fun read.
May 19, 2021
A lovely book. Very interesting story and very well written. The end was sad but satisfactory.
April 10, 2016
A truly wonderful variation to P&P. Among the many differences at the onset to the story, which begins a few years prior to the original, Mrs Bennet has passed a decade before, Mr Bennet is dying, and contacts a distant relative to act as ward to his five daughters on his demise. The relative is none other than Fitzwilliam Darcy! Having lost his own father only shortly before, he fast not yet been turned completely cynical by society, so he agrees. He and his cousin unfortunately arrive only days after Mr Bennet's death, but thankfully in time to save them from the new heir, Thaddeus Collins, and his son William. Elizabeth is, if anything, even stronger in character than her original counterpart, and is quickly seen as not only the mother hen to her sisters, but the magnet which brings the new two families together. As the years progress, both Jane and Mary are happily wed, the younger girls grow closer, even after Georgiana's and Lydia's experience at Ramsgate, saved by Elizabeth and Bingley rather than Darcy. There are subtle changes in each sister's character, but they are entirely believable and supported in their new lives. Even the men are changed by the inclusion of the Bennet girls, Darcy most especially by Elizabeth's presence, though it takes him much longer to realize it.
Bingley inevitably takes the Netherfield lease, bringing them all back to Hertford shire and old dear friends, but also back to the attention of the Collins men. The elder quickly proves to still be a boorish brute, the younger under his thumb, attempting to betrothed himself to Elizabeth. Luckily, Darcy finally sees things clearly and acts on his feelings for Elizabeth.
But here now is my only complaint on the story. With the strength and astuteness shown throughout the story, I had trouble believing Elizabeth would have been naive enough to go to Longbourn alone in the first place, let alone not taken any of the several chances she had to leave before the final confrontation. Yes, she has a great heart, but she also was very intelligent, and her inherent stubbornness, for lack of a better word, should have found her a way out. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I think after a person reads the story they might better understand to what I am inferring.
Overall, I found it a unique variation, very well written and enjoyed it immensely. The author never fails to please.
Bingley inevitably takes the Netherfield lease, bringing them all back to Hertford shire and old dear friends, but also back to the attention of the Collins men. The elder quickly proves to still be a boorish brute, the younger under his thumb, attempting to betrothed himself to Elizabeth. Luckily, Darcy finally sees things clearly and acts on his feelings for Elizabeth.
But here now is my only complaint on the story. With the strength and astuteness shown throughout the story, I had trouble believing Elizabeth would have been naive enough to go to Longbourn alone in the first place, let alone not taken any of the several chances she had to leave before the final confrontation. Yes, she has a great heart, but she also was very intelligent, and her inherent stubbornness, for lack of a better word, should have found her a way out. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I think after a person reads the story they might better understand to what I am inferring.
Overall, I found it a unique variation, very well written and enjoyed it immensely. The author never fails to please.
May 2, 2016
I rated this book a 3 based on its comparably to Mr. Rowland's previous works. While this variation was once again a creative and interesting twist from canon, it lacked the character development, attention to detail, and witty dialogue I've come to anticipate from one of my favorite P&P authors. And while I still enjoyed the story, some of my enjoyment was curtailed by a few easily correctable plot inconsistencies, repetitious lines and grammatical errors also uncharacteristic of Mr. Rowland's typically easy flowing style. If this book is to be your introduction to this author, please start with any other of his previous Pride and Prejudice retellings. Then return here, and you will easily forgive him this lapse. Even now, I look forward to what his reimagining of these beloved characters will produce next.
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