Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Remember, you wanted this: or 'Be careful what you ask for'. A Collection of P&P Variations

Rate this book
Most of the stories in this book are based on the premise of what might have happened if the characters of Pride & Prejudice could get what they thought they wanted at various points in the story.

Whether it makes them happy is another matter.

Each story is independent of the others.

In each I usually changed one character or the circumstances of one character.

Warning: The outcome of some of the changes may not be to everyone’s liking and not all stories have a happy ending.


Mistress at Pemberley
Not so silent service
Never raise expectations
Mrs Bennet’s revenge
A rude awakening
Mrs Wickham
Bingley makes a stand
Lady Catherine triumphant?
Second chance
Caroline’s Compromise

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2020

94 people are currently reading
28 people want to read

About the author

Sydney Salier

25 books91 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
53 (29%)
4 stars
71 (39%)
3 stars
51 (28%)
2 stars
4 (2%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for J. W. Garrett.
1,736 reviews138 followers
March 10, 2023
Rating: MA: mature-reader on several of the shorts: Angst Level: The angst will vary according to the story and the reader’s tolerance for the drama: from low-to-medium with just a bit of tension in others. Source: KU

The secondary title to ‘Remember, you wanted this’ is ‘Be careful what you ask for,' and is quite appropriate as some of the stories vary from Austen’s plot. There are ten [10] short-one-shot stories where things either don’t go as planned or head in another direction completely. Not everyone will be pleased with this work due to, what some call breaking the cardinal rule and pairing D&E with another. Several stories carry the same thread but take it in a different direction. I enjoyed seeing this variation and am glad it was short as some I wouldn’t be able to handle.

1. Mistress at Pemberley: ends at 8%
The key difference between ‘at and of’ in the title is significant. This was hilarious with language that was a bit bawdy. During Jane’s illness at Netherfield, Caroline ignored her brother’s caveat regarding Darcy and his feelings toward her. She attempted the unthinkable and it didn’t go as planned. Elizabeth was down the hall and heard everything. This gave her and Darcy a chance to talk.

2. Not So Silent Service: end at 12%
Mr. Darcy’s Valet told it like it was and boy did that change things for everyone. When you ask someone to tell you the truth, you need to be prepared for that truth. Wait for it as the ending sentence was a shocker and such a delight.

3. Never raise expectations: end at 19%
Collins wasn’t so odious and Darcy couldn’t overcome the difference in his and Elizabeth’s station. It changed his expectations for the future.

4. Mrs. Bennet’s Revenge: ends at 30%
Mrs. Bennet forced a compromise and Lizzy got the final revenge on her family. This was also a [NSNJ] not-so-nice-Jane story. When Mrs. Bennet’s revenge backfired… it was a doozy. OMG!

5. A Rude Awakening: ends at 32%
While stationed in Meryton, Wickham heard the rumor that the Bennet daughters had a substantial dowry. He only heard half the truth.

6. Mrs. Wickham: ends at 40%
Oh, this was horrid. This was the trope where Elizabeth had a dowry and… well, you know how Wickham is when he finds a woman with a dowry.

7. Bingley Makes a Stand: ends at 56%
I love it when Bingley grows a pair. Yep, Caro never saw that coming.

8. Lady Catherine Triumphant: ends at 72%
Oh, my goodness this was a mess. Elizabeth had a dowry no one knew about and when she met the Colonel at Rosings… well, you can imagine what happened next. That decision then set off another string of decisions and choices. Oh, my.

9. Second Chance: ends at 82%
A lot of things happened at Rosings that changed the life-path for several people. This was an amazing twist that I’ve never considered. Wow! How creative.

10. Caroline’s Compromise: ends at 97%
Well, this was certainly different and bawdy as heck [MA for sure]. I suppose she deserved it. LA! What an ending.
Profile Image for James S.
1,437 reviews
September 29, 2020
10 stories

Short stories. Some short, some long, some in between. The theme seems to be same characters as most variations but who has a HEA and who doesn’t seems to be decided by lots of different What-If. I liked most of the stories and it was well worth checking it out on Kindle Unlimited.

Thumbs up.
Profile Image for Madenna U.
2,149 reviews1 follower
November 3, 2020
The collection of short stories was an enjoyable read.
Caroline attempts to compromise Mr Darcy and he will not have it
Darcy knows Elizabeth's feelings about him while staying at Netherfield
Mr Collins is not so odious
Mrs Bennet has it out for Elizabeth but she is able to turn the tables (the best part)
Inherited dowries have an impact on who pursues the Bennet girls x 3
Bingley gets a backbone
Mr Darcy appreciates Charlotte
Caroline attempts a comprise and is "tricked" into other arrangments


Profile Image for Gail Frisby.
471 reviews13 followers
July 9, 2023
Good book

Nice shirt stories, although two of them were not to my liking. I dislike stories where Darcy and Lizzy marry others. The story where Darcy marries Anne and Lizzy marries the colonel was the worse. Then Darcy marries Charlotte nobody can suspend belief that far!
Profile Image for Les.
2,911 reviews1 follower
October 11, 2020
I love 'twist in the tale' stories and these are lovely little snippets of how a minor change can alter the entire story.

Most were new to me but at least one I had read on a FF site.

If you are a Lizzy & Darcy must end up together or I lose my mind you may wish to skip these but there are a lot of clever alternatives.

Profile Image for wosedwew.
1,337 reviews125 followers
October 6, 2020
Story gives people enough space to think for themselves. ~ Annette Simmons

“Remember, You Wanted This” is a collection of short stories — all well-told and interesting. Not all have happy endings for every character — even Elizabeth and Darcy are not always a couple. Some stories have HEA for some of our favorite villains. At least one story is open-ended leaving the reader free to imagine a HEA — or not!

If short stories were all I read, I would quickly become tired of them. But occasionally … something quick to read and quick to conclude is just exactly what I need.

To be a person is to have a story to tell. ~ Karen Christence Dinesen
545 reviews21 followers
February 19, 2023
Some of these were really good though not quite fond of the last two. Though I hate Caroline, it was a bit over the top for her own brother to arrange her compromise with no reference to its results.
762 reviews8 followers
November 27, 2020
Avid Reader

I read some of these short stories on Fan Fiction, but they were more fleshed out here. The story that I enjoyed most was Elizabeth 's marriage to the Colonel, and Darcy 's marriage to Anne.
Profile Image for Talia.
971 reviews4 followers
March 18, 2023
I never knew my couple bias until I read this book! Love how challenging it was for me. Surprisingly, it was C and D that I just couldn't read. And I love C. How strange I am.
Profile Image for Terri M.
211 reviews3 followers
July 8, 2025
Love Sydney Salier but this wasn’t one of my favorites. It’s a collection of short stories…”what ifs” that put our favorite P&P characters in various situations. Several do not have an HEA and some do not end up with our dear couple being…well, a couple. Have to say I decided to skip a few based on the author’s description provided before each story. Maybe I missed the best of them, but they didn’t sound like my favorite cuppa. These are enjoyable with plenty of Salier-style straight talking, just not her best work imo.
1,202 reviews30 followers
October 24, 2020
Entertaining, but....

This author has an interesting style of writing. The plots move along so quickly that it's more like reading someone's summary of the story, rather than a full and polished tale. In these very short stories, the characters make their decisions quickly, and go in directions other than they do in the original P&P. There's very little beating around the bush. The reader knows within a very short time what the outcome will be.

There's a certain amount of satisfaction in reading short stories like these, in which you get the resolution without the investment of a lot of time. However, this collection is dedicated to exploring "what if's," and many of them fly in the face of what we always look for in a P&P variation, and that's a HEA for ODC. We're given fair warning, but nonetheless some of them feel pretty pointless, and kind of sad.

The writing is good, apart from feeling rushed. The editing is well done. I recommend the book for a pleasant diversion, but don't look for much romance.
470 reviews4 followers
October 27, 2020
Short and at times shocking

There are 10 short variations in this offering and this reader commends the author for being able to imagine and come up with so many plausible scenarios and variations revolving around Pride and Prejudice. Save for the first two, majority of these variations does not end up with our beloved couple’s happily ever after. They are shocking and bordering on cruel, depressing, distasteful, humorous and out of character for many of the characters including FD and EB. They are painful reminders to this reader how any variation that does not end up with FD and EB together is abhorrent and unacceptable. The first two variations, although worthy of being elaborately drawn out into full stories, are hurried and unsatisfactorily short. This reader hopes the author ventures into making the premises of the first two as full variations. This is not for the faint of heart Puritan fans of Jane Austen’s work. In fact, I think many of them would think many of these stories as blasphemous.
622 reviews
February 16, 2021
Finally!

I love that Sydney Salier is not afraid to mix and match characters! Sometimes Darcy just doesn't deserve Elizabeth or vice versa. Finally an author who is not afraid to go there, at least not afraid in short stories. Even though I feel this way, one pairing struck me as strange and just wrong, though the story (where evidently Darcy never wore a letter to Elizabeth?) made it all fit just fine. So shame on ne for my prejudices! Thank you, Sydney, for enjoyable what-ifs!
659 reviews
October 5, 2020
Fun short stories

A quick and pleasant read. I truly enjoyed the stories where Darcy refused to be compromised and handled it swiftly (about time.) The only negative is the story Second Chance. I refuse to read any story where Darcy has an HEA with Charlotte. I can't do it, so I skipped that one. I would never ask for that.
343 reviews
August 1, 2021
What if …..? Is answered.

While not as engrossing as other books by this author, it was interesting to see answers (one perspective) to several suggestions for different choices characters could have made. It was also enjoyable to see something other than HEA for ODC in some of the vignettes. Good book that could be read in sections when you have a few minutes to spare.
139 reviews21 followers
October 2, 2021
Warning - I went and checked the ending of each story before reading it fully, because some do not have a happy ending, or wound up with Darcy and Lizzy paired up with someone else. That being said, I enjoyed these stories tremendously. The writing was excellent, and there were lots of creative and intruiging plot twists, along with some highly enjoyable characters.
126 reviews4 followers
October 15, 2021
Great Departure From Canon

This was a very enjoyable, fun book. Multiple stories, all very well written and some with humor, made for a nice twist to several of the scenes from canon P&P. This is a must read for people who don't mind a sharp turn from canon.
Profile Image for Kimbelle Pease.
Author 11 books25 followers
June 18, 2022
What fun was had when I opened this book and just had quick, easy reads that made me laugh and wonder if Ms. Austen perhaps was the one mistaken as I would have thoroughly enjoyed the fun of these twists, but then as she wrote would be here and so it is a circle of maybes!
795 reviews
September 19, 2022
Some of the stories were interesting, but the last one ruined the book for me. Not only was it more graphic than the others, but first Caroline Bingley rapes Darcy, and then Wickham rapes her. Darcy was asleep, and she was drunk, and both instances were rape. Don't waste your time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jeanah.
302 reviews6 followers
January 6, 2024
Some fun and quick what if scenarios. I gave it only 3 stars because many of the scenarios left me disappointed and therefore dissatisfied. I only like certain HEA situations and many were not my cup of tea.
Profile Image for Terri Conley.
1,034 reviews7 followers
November 5, 2020
Ok so I one rule for D& E they end up together in the end that is not the case in this set of short stories so I stopped reading at 70%. I just could not read any more.
Profile Image for Michelle David.
2,558 reviews14 followers
September 24, 2021
Interesting

A rather different and eclectic collection of variations inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Sydney Salier.
Profile Image for Wendy DeWachter.
243 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2022
Difinately different.

The author warns if you prefer stories that stay in line with the original then this book may not be for you. It was well written, just not for me
Profile Image for Diane.
554 reviews
February 3, 2025
I have no other place to leave notes to myself about books, so if you don't like spoilers, do not read this review! This is more a summary of what happens, rather than an actual review.

1. Mistress at Pemberley - Miss Bingley tries to compromise Darcy. Darcy calls her a Cyprian and says, ‘if I were desperate, you might be a mistress at Pemberley, but you will never be the Mistress of Pemberley.’ He also says, ‘At least, Miss Elizabeth is a gentlewoman with intelligence, wit and charm, to enhance her exquisite looks. You have none of those advantages. I would consider it an honour to have Miss Elizabeth as my wife…’. Elizabeth hears it all. Later they talk.

2. Not so silent service - Darcy's valet tells Darcy at Netherfield that he is an idiot and Elizabeth hates him because of his insult and disdainful behavior. Darcy apologizes to Elizabeth & they start over.

3. Never raise expectations - Mr. Collins is a reasonable man & Elizabeth marries him, because of her bad opinion of Darcy, as he made sure not to raise any expectations in Elizabeth. Heh.

4. Mrs Bennet’s revenge - Mrs. Bennet is angry with Elizabeth for refusing Mr. Collins. Mr. Darcy overhears her plotting to compromise him with Elizabeth, because she thinks him odious and wants Elizabeth to suffer. He also realizes that Elizabeth hates him. He talks to Elizabeth and apologizes, then explains that he loves her and wants to marry her. Mrs. Bennet causes compromise at the Netherfield ball. Elizabeth finds that no one in her family, not even Jane, supports her. Darcy & Elizabeth marry early and leave an embarrassing letter for the vicar to read at the time the wedding was supposed to happen.

5. A rude awakening - Wickham thinks all the Bennet sisters have a substantial dowry, so he elopes with Lydia, only to find after they marry that the grandmother did not leave money to Jane or Lydia because they were beautiful, Mrs. Bennet favored them, and therefore would not need the money.

6. Mrs Wickham - Wickham finds out that the Bennet sisters have dowries and woos Elizabeth and marries her. After he spends all their money, he abandons her just before their daughter is born. She makes her way to the Gardiners & becomes their governess for the children. She meets Mr. Darcy in the park and berates him for not being more specific about Wickham's bad character.

7. Bingley makes a stand - Bingley grows a backbone; after Netherfield ball, Caroline closes house so he sends her to Scarborough. He insists to Darcy that Jane is not mercenary. Back in Hertfordshire, they find out that Elizabeth refused Mr. Collins (not mercenary). Bingley proposes, Jane accepts. Darcy apologizes to Elizabeth. She suggests that her father be the one to buy up Wickham's local debts. Darcy & Elizabeth marry with Bingley and Jane.

8. Lady Catherine triumphant? - Elizabeth finds out just before Hunsford she has a dowry & marries Colonel Fitzwilliam. Darcy & Anne have a marriage of convenience so Anne stays at Rosings & Darcy at Pemberley and Rosings. They put Lady Catherine in the Dower house.

9. Second chance - Darcy changes his attitudes after the Hunsford debacle, returns to Rosings the following year to find a big mess from a bad storm, plus Mr. Collins died. Anne becomes mistress of Rosings and Darcy spends time there to help. Charlotte is friend of Anne; living at Rosings. Darcy marries Charlotte a year later, when Elizabeth is still unmarried.

10. Caroline’s Compromise - Caroline sneaks into Darcy's room while he is sleeping and they have sex, though he is dreaming it is Elizabeth. Bingley makes a deal with Wickham to marry Caroline. They are extremely compatible in bed. Five years later, Wickham saves the life of the son of a Duke & is gifted with a small estate in Cornwall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
160 reviews4 followers
April 23, 2024
I may be one of the few who enjoy stories where either Lizzy or Darcy find a happy ending without the other.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.