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A Fortuitous Fall: Expanded Edition: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet find their lives greatly affected by a changed Mr. Collins, when one false step causes startling consequences.Mr. Collins is knocked unconscious while dancing at Netherfield and requires medical care, which prevents the Bingleys and Mr. Darcy from leaving for London after the ball. The situation grows only more complicated when Mr. Collins wakes up ... changed.With a thoroughly odd Mr. Collins at Netherfield recovering from his injuries and Mr. Wickham lurking in the background, love swirls between Jane and Bingley, and Darcy fights desperately against his attraction for Elizabeth.The Expanded Edition combines "A Fortuitous Fall" with the sequel novel, "The Enigmatic Mr. Collins" in one convenient ebook.Mr. Darcy, now happily married to Elizabeth, is honored to be the patron of Mr. William Collins, formerly an idiotic and self-serving flatterer to Darcy’s autocratic aunt, now an eccentric genius. Despite such remarkable abilities and far-ranging pursuits, he works to positively affect the lives and loves of those in his orbit.Lydia Bennet, who had been devoted to self-indulgence and chasing officers, discovers in Mr. Collins a caring teacher who stokes in her a new passion for scientific endeavors and introduces her to a fascinating and handsome young scientist...Her sister, Kitty, struggles with a sense of worthlessness. With poor prospects for marriage, she worries – will she be the only unmarried Bennet sister?Georgiana Darcy longs to pursue her passionate love for music, but a marriage of convenience threatens to dash her dreams...
461 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2021
76 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Laraba Kendig
41 books103 followersI am a scientist by training, but a writer at heart. I have always loved reading with a passion and turned my hand to fanfiction a few years ago. I write stories similar to the ones I enjoy reading. They are interesting but light, romantic but not steamy. I am a super fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and have been having a wonderful time writing P&P variations, exploring how new circumstances affect the beloved characters. So far I have published two novel-length Pride and Prejudice variations plus one short story via Amazon. My books include ‘I am Jael’ and ‘The Blind Will See’.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 10, 2025
An eventful night at the ball when a clumsy man falls during the dance and hits his head alters the path of his life and that of so many other people in a light, warmhearted P&P variation tale. Laraba Kendig comes up with some of the most sweet, amusing, low-angst, inspirational romances and I delight in losing myself in them when I want a comfy, easy read.
A Fortuitous Fall: Expanded Edition is a duet of stories including A Fortuitous Fall and the sequel, The Enigmatic Mr. Collins. I'm glad to get them both together because I felt they were one story broken into two parts.
A Fortuitous Fall quickly introduces Fitzwilliam Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, and Mr. William Collins and a brief summary of their situation at the Netherfield Ball. The story barely gets going when bumbling Mr. Collins takes a hard fall and is knocked out of his senses. Or, erm, more accurately, had the sense knocked into him. He fell down a stupid, sycophantic man giving unwanted attentions to his cousins because his patroness told him to marry one of them and when he woke up, he was a brilliant polymath genius who says it like it is. Darcy is captivated by the changed man and cares for his needs when he is injured when everyone else just wants to get rid of the annoying man. This sets a new chain of events in motion when Elizabeth sees this and realizes that she might have read the man's character wrong.
Mr. Collins ends up advising and aiding everyone he comes in extended contact with to find their life's path, particularly the twisting road to love for several people.
A Fortuitous Fall and its sequel is a family saga with many romances and growing, extended family relationships that are all directly or indirectly resulting from Mr. Collins.
Some variations, anyone can pick up and enjoy as a standalone historical romance. This isn't one of them. For one, there is an assumption that the reader is up to speed on the P&P events that lead up to the Netherfield Ball and up on all the principle characters because these are all quickly and briefly developed. And, I think that those who would enjoy this type of low-angst, more passive-style plot are those who already know and love the story and characters and are fans of Austenesque-JAFF style storytelling. There are blips of mild action moments, but mostly this story duo are a telling of how many people are led to see their skill strengths and find their romance partner sometimes through complicated circumstances.
Though not much action, I found it fascinating to see how the Bennet sisters and their friends find enjoyment in a diverse talents and pursuits. The ladies really shine. One of the Bennet sisters becomes an amateur scientific scholar and another an artist and architectural designer.
So, I enjoyed seeing the interesting romance pairings, friendships, and how one man's genius brings it all about. Again, primary audience are Austenesque fans.
A Fortuitous Fall: Expanded Edition is a duet of stories including A Fortuitous Fall and the sequel, The Enigmatic Mr. Collins. I'm glad to get them both together because I felt they were one story broken into two parts.
A Fortuitous Fall quickly introduces Fitzwilliam Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, and Mr. William Collins and a brief summary of their situation at the Netherfield Ball. The story barely gets going when bumbling Mr. Collins takes a hard fall and is knocked out of his senses. Or, erm, more accurately, had the sense knocked into him. He fell down a stupid, sycophantic man giving unwanted attentions to his cousins because his patroness told him to marry one of them and when he woke up, he was a brilliant polymath genius who says it like it is. Darcy is captivated by the changed man and cares for his needs when he is injured when everyone else just wants to get rid of the annoying man. This sets a new chain of events in motion when Elizabeth sees this and realizes that she might have read the man's character wrong.
Mr. Collins ends up advising and aiding everyone he comes in extended contact with to find their life's path, particularly the twisting road to love for several people.
A Fortuitous Fall and its sequel is a family saga with many romances and growing, extended family relationships that are all directly or indirectly resulting from Mr. Collins.
Some variations, anyone can pick up and enjoy as a standalone historical romance. This isn't one of them. For one, there is an assumption that the reader is up to speed on the P&P events that lead up to the Netherfield Ball and up on all the principle characters because these are all quickly and briefly developed. And, I think that those who would enjoy this type of low-angst, more passive-style plot are those who already know and love the story and characters and are fans of Austenesque-JAFF style storytelling. There are blips of mild action moments, but mostly this story duo are a telling of how many people are led to see their skill strengths and find their romance partner sometimes through complicated circumstances.
Though not much action, I found it fascinating to see how the Bennet sisters and their friends find enjoyment in a diverse talents and pursuits. The ladies really shine. One of the Bennet sisters becomes an amateur scientific scholar and another an artist and architectural designer.
So, I enjoyed seeing the interesting romance pairings, friendships, and how one man's genius brings it all about. Again, primary audience are Austenesque fans.
March 26, 2024
Mr. Collins accident
Mr Collins has an accident and suffers concussion. As he heals, a changed personality leads to many adventures. From dunce to genius.
Interesting story but reads as a madcap history of an unknown genius of regency England. Became a little boring toward the end.
Mr Collins has an accident and suffers concussion. As he heals, a changed personality leads to many adventures. From dunce to genius.
Interesting story but reads as a madcap history of an unknown genius of regency England. Became a little boring toward the end.
August 19, 2023
A Fortuitous Fall
Well it could not be any wonder that the clumsy Mr. Collins would be just that - clumsy! Didn’t even make it through the first set with his poor cousin Elizabeth at the Netherfield Assembly. What was the true wonder was the man that emerged from the fall. The idiotic, groveling parson was not more. Brilliant, but with no tact whatsoever. His brilliance stifled by an illiterate harsh man that was his father, he was thwarted from learning and reading. After a fateful run in with Lady Catherine, Elizabeth changes her views on the proud Fitzwilliam Darcy when he takes Mr. Collins to Pemberley to heal and recover. As Collins devours the library at Pemberley, it becomes clear that he is truly a genius still with little tact. When Mr. Bennet arrives with Elizabeth, Mary, and Charlotte Lucas as a possible bride for Collins, Elizabeth refuses immediately. Mary also realizes that she too doesn’t want to be the man’s wife. Charlotte accepts willingly to marry William Collins. This story and its sequel story, The Enigmatic Mr. Collins, were a delight to read. Wickham is handled rather efficiently, many marriages undertaken including Darcy’s own, children born, and Lady Catherine finally disposed of by her family. Scientific endeavors by Collins and his associates were amazing. Quirky stuff like the shape of his sugar pieces continued to confuse the brilliant man, but eventually he managed to figure out this mystery too.
Well it could not be any wonder that the clumsy Mr. Collins would be just that - clumsy! Didn’t even make it through the first set with his poor cousin Elizabeth at the Netherfield Assembly. What was the true wonder was the man that emerged from the fall. The idiotic, groveling parson was not more. Brilliant, but with no tact whatsoever. His brilliance stifled by an illiterate harsh man that was his father, he was thwarted from learning and reading. After a fateful run in with Lady Catherine, Elizabeth changes her views on the proud Fitzwilliam Darcy when he takes Mr. Collins to Pemberley to heal and recover. As Collins devours the library at Pemberley, it becomes clear that he is truly a genius still with little tact. When Mr. Bennet arrives with Elizabeth, Mary, and Charlotte Lucas as a possible bride for Collins, Elizabeth refuses immediately. Mary also realizes that she too doesn’t want to be the man’s wife. Charlotte accepts willingly to marry William Collins. This story and its sequel story, The Enigmatic Mr. Collins, were a delight to read. Wickham is handled rather efficiently, many marriages undertaken including Darcy’s own, children born, and Lady Catherine finally disposed of by her family. Scientific endeavors by Collins and his associates were amazing. Quirky stuff like the shape of his sugar pieces continued to confuse the brilliant man, but eventually he managed to figure out this mystery too.
September 14, 2022
A lovely take on P&P, very different but as our favourite characters are there it's a lot of fun to read.
January 27, 2024
I loved it!
This 2-in-1 edition of an imaginative P&P variant in which Mr. Collins suffers an accident soon after arriving at Longbourn, which releases a side of him no one could have imagined, is one of the most delightful JAFFs from Ms. Kendig. She is one of my favorite authors, and this "what if?" does a complete turn-around of his character. The scenes involving the de Bourghs/Rosings when they meet the "new" Mr. Collins are a hoot (in both stories), and it was so sweet how the Collins developed a true affection for one another, based on working so well together as a couple. I loved how Lydia changed in a totally different way than expected; her enthusiasm and energy seemed exactly right for exploring her new interests, despite being considered "unladylike." Only Kitty seemed a bit short- changed; her romance and maturing didn't seem to 'flow' smoothly with the overall story arc, unlike Lydia's and Mary's changes. An epilogue wraps up the lives of the HEAs as they move into the early years of the Victorian Age. Highly recommended for all P&P fans! This is another variation that would make an awesome movie or TV series.
This 2-in-1 edition of an imaginative P&P variant in which Mr. Collins suffers an accident soon after arriving at Longbourn, which releases a side of him no one could have imagined, is one of the most delightful JAFFs from Ms. Kendig. She is one of my favorite authors, and this "what if?" does a complete turn-around of his character. The scenes involving the de Bourghs/Rosings when they meet the "new" Mr. Collins are a hoot (in both stories), and it was so sweet how the Collins developed a true affection for one another, based on working so well together as a couple. I loved how Lydia changed in a totally different way than expected; her enthusiasm and energy seemed exactly right for exploring her new interests, despite being considered "unladylike." Only Kitty seemed a bit short- changed; her romance and maturing didn't seem to 'flow' smoothly with the overall story arc, unlike Lydia's and Mary's changes. An epilogue wraps up the lives of the HEAs as they move into the early years of the Victorian Age. Highly recommended for all P&P fans! This is another variation that would make an awesome movie or TV series.
June 1, 2025
This story really shed a much more positive light on Mr. Collins. How very entertaining to consider this “drastic change” in his personality! I really loved how this change had a significant domino effect in the lives and love interests of so many beloved characters. As the story continues to the point the next generation is beginning to “come out”, it showcased longstanding progress, openness to change in ideas, perceptions and even social class expectations while embracing ideas on family, love, health and happiness. Another wonderful story to dive into and enjoy.
March 29, 2023
Another Great Read
I am amazed at how wonderful I found this book. It is expanded so has two novels about Mr. Collins in one. All the characters from Pride and Prejudice are accounted for with more wonderful plots and characters. I so admire Marana Lending and her ability to write such great stories. This one especially with it's scientific turn.
I am amazed at how wonderful I found this book. It is expanded so has two novels about Mr. Collins in one. All the characters from Pride and Prejudice are accounted for with more wonderful plots and characters. I so admire Marana Lending and her ability to write such great stories. This one especially with it's scientific turn.
August 26, 2023
Excellent and innovative plot
This is an excellent P&P variation that spans a time of great discoveries and innovation woven into the story. A definite detour of principle character's personalities from the original. I believe our venerated Miss Jane Austen would even have enjoyed it.
This is an excellent P&P variation that spans a time of great discoveries and innovation woven into the story. A definite detour of principle character's personalities from the original. I believe our venerated Miss Jane Austen would even have enjoyed it.
June 24, 2023
Absolutely wonderful!
I always enjoys her works! Absolutely believable! My favorite parts of any of her works are the extended epilogues. I love seeing how the characters lives play out over many years.
I always enjoys her works! Absolutely believable! My favorite parts of any of her works are the extended epilogues. I love seeing how the characters lives play out over many years.
October 19, 2023
What a delight!
I love this story so much! I will never look at Mr. Collins in quite the same way! I laughed so much during my reading of this book. It is a beautifully crafted reimagining of our beloved Pride and Prejudice. Highly recommended!
I love this story so much! I will never look at Mr. Collins in quite the same way! I laughed so much during my reading of this book. It is a beautifully crafted reimagining of our beloved Pride and Prejudice. Highly recommended!
July 11, 2021
This was super fun
August 12, 2021
Lo amé!!! Hermosa historia
September 10, 2022
As Always, Outstanding
These two books are a delight from start to finish. I absolutely love the author’s version of Mr. Collins. High, high 5!
These two books are a delight from start to finish. I absolutely love the author’s version of Mr. Collins. High, high 5!
October 3, 2023
Enjoyable
A rather unusual and unexpected variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Laraba Kendig. I enjoyed it.
A rather unusual and unexpected variation inspired by author Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice by Laraba Kendig. I enjoyed it.
June 6, 2024
Well, you tweak one character and the story becomes vastly different. It was fun to imagine it all.
March 9, 2025
Excellent work!
I REALLY enjoyed the scientific approach you gave this P & P work! There are so few fiction works that include science. this was wonderful!
I REALLY enjoyed the scientific approach you gave this P & P work! There are so few fiction works that include science. this was wonderful!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews