Darcy and Anne

by Judith Brocklehurst

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Lady Catherine will never find a husband for Anne… When a fortuitous accident draws Anne away from Rosings and her overbearing mother's direct influence, she is able to think and act for herself for the first time ever. In the society of her cousins Darcy and Georgiana, and, of course, the lively Mrs. Darcy, Anne reveals a talent for writing and a zest for life. Meanwhile, Lady Catherine is determined to choose a husband for Anne. But now that Anne has found her courage, she may not be so easy to rule. Anne de Bourgh is a sympathetic character whose obedience and meekness were expected of women in her day. As she frees herself from these expectations, Anne discovers strength, independence, and even true love in a wonderfully satisfying coming-of-age story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Regency, Historical, Historical Romance, Chick Lit

190 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2007

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with low expectations and was delightfully surprised. The entire book is from Anne's point of view and begins after Darcy and Elizabeth are married. Those who only want their JAFF centered around Darcy (and Elizabeth) may be misled by the title. Our favorite couple are among many supporting characters in this imagining, but Darcy is the one who is pivotal in the resolution of Anne's situation; hence the logic for his name in the title (I would assume). The heart of this book is the development of Anne's character from an ill, sheltered and easily-directed little shell of a woman to one who is able to determine what she wants and stand up to her mother regardless of the consequences.

I must emphasize that this is exquisitely written. Not only does it lack any evidence of grammar or spelling or other annoying editing errors, it mimics Regency style convincingly. It also is well constructed, with the reader able to follow the heroine's physical, intellectual and emotional growth along with a clearly defined conflict, climax and resolution. It would fare well even as a stand-alone novel for readers not familiar with Pride and Prejudice.

Thank you, Ms. Brocklehurst, for delivering such a gem to the Austenite-loving public!

[J. W. Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is unlike any story of Anne that I have ever read. This was certainly a side we do not normally see of her and her mother. Wow! I kept saying that as I continued to read.

Rating: clean

Timeline: after the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth. Lady Catherine has decided that since it was Darcy’s fault that Anne was not married… so should the remedy be his responsibility. He should help find her a husband and she was determined to stay with Darcy until Anne married. Lawd!! Lady C packed up and was in route to Pemberley when she encountered a bit of trouble. Oh, Lady Catherine… will you ever learn? What a turn of events. I’ve never seen P&P played out in this manner. Poor Anne.

The rest of the story was Anne dealing with her new-found freedoms and improved health. Lady Catherine was dealing with problems of her own… a daughter with an opinion that differed from her own. How to deal with that? I can’t describe it without giving a spoiler. Man… this was a trip and Lady Catherine pulled the biggest surprise that I have ever seen. It is rare that we go down this road with her. Wow!! [4.5-stars round to 5]

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had had this book languishing on wishlists forever and now I really regret my hesitation. This is a wonderful, imaginative P&P sequel. Set two years after the Darcy's marriage it features most prominently Anne de Bourgh. Lady Catherine determines Anne must marry and failing to find a prospective husband in Kent she decides that the Darcys MUST assist her and they set off for Pemberley. An accident fifteen miles short leaves them stranded in a nearby spa town where Anne meets some friends of her late father's, is told by a doctor that her medicine is deadly and begins to live. When Lady Catherine refuses to be removed Anne journeys to Pemberley with her cousins and truly is resurrected as a fashionable young lady. She blooms without her overbearing mother.

There is more to the story than just Anne but she is star of the show. There are surprises aplenty for the reader and a lovely HEA.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne De Bourgh gets out from Lady Catherine's thumb - and has an adventure!

Originally self published in 2007 as A Letter to Lady Catherine, this Pride and Prejudice spinoff has a surprising new heroine – Anne De Bourgh! Yes, I heard that collective gasp of astonishment. A whole novel devoted to Mr. Darcy’s sickly, unaccomplished, and henpecked cousin? Indeed! Judith Brocklehurst’s novel may have been given a grand makeover with a new title and prettyish new cover by its publisher Sourcebooks, but can its heroine also be transformed from a minor but memorable character in the original novel, into a heroine that readers can identify with and admire?

Destined from the cradle to be Mr. Darcy’s bride, Anne De Bourgh and her domineering mother Lady Catherine never expected any other outcome than the union of two sisters great families: the De Bourgh’s and the Darcy’s. When Mr. Darcy chooses Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman of inferior birth and no importance instead of her daughter Anne, Lady Catherine vows never to speak to her nephew again. Bored with her daughters company, Lady Catherine is determined to find her a husband calling upon all her social connections to introduce her to an eligible bachelor of either noble rank or equal fortune. Even though Anne has a handsome dowry of £30,000, the combination of officious Lady Catherine as a mother-in-law and the unattractive and sickly Anne as a wife sends prospective beaux’s running. After two years and all of the possible alliances with local families have been exhausted, Lady Catherine does the unthinkable. She writes to her nephew and offers a truce, invites herself to Pemberley, and insists that since he has placed her and her daughter in this untenable situation by marrying another, that it is his duty to find Anne a husband.

Dreading this new scheme, Anne and her mother depart for Pemberley – and then – provenance steps in. Along the road, Lady Catherine is injured and Anne must rely upon the kindness of a stranger Mrs. Endicott to assist her in finding a doctor for her mother and shelter in Burley, a health resort. Anne, who has never made a decision for herself in all of her life, let alone her mother, must make many choices in a town where she knows no one. On her own she begins to depend on herself and discover her own capabilities, writing to her cousin Mr. Darcy for assistance, choosing to stop taking medicine that is making her so ill, and meeting a local family the Caldwell’s who were friend’s of her deceased father many years ago. Amazingly, she is gaining her appetite, building her strength, and enjoying walks – something she has never been able to do all her life. When her cousins Miss Georgiana and Mr. Darcy arrive at Burley to take Lady Catherine and Anne to Pemberley, it is only Anne who departs after her mother’s insistence upon staying under the pretext of dutiful care. In actuality, she prefers the prospect of meeting the Duchess of Stilbury due for the social season over the former Miss Bennet the new Mistress of Pemberley.

Anne travels to Pemberley, and under the care of her cousins discovers that life away from the tyranny of her mother is a whole new world, and, she likes it! Not only does her health improve, she discovers that she also has a source of income from her father’s will that her mother has manipulated away for years, and that her prospects for romance look promising with the Caldwell’s son Edmund, a young man with ambition, honor and intelligence, but no title. Her life is happier than she could ever have imagined – until Lady Catherine has her share of the conversation and the other shoe drops.

With so many Pride and Prejudice sequels, retellings, and spinoffs focused on the relationship of characters Lizzy and Darcy, following a minor character like Anne De Bourgh was delightfully refreshing. Brocklehurst fully understands Austen’s original characters and respectfully advances the story with humor, surprise and suspense. Anne De Bourgh may have been timid and pitiable in the original novel, but her makeover by Brocklehurst has given her more than a bit of the true Darcy spirit.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Darcy and Anne,” originally self-published as “A Letter from Lady Catherine” in 2007, is a “Pride and Prejudice” sequel that takes place two years after the Darcy's marriage and identifies Mr. Darcy's sickly and unmarried cousin, Anne de Bourgh, as our heroine. Many readers have often wondered whatever became of Anne de Bourgh after “Pride and Prejudice.” Did she find happiness? Did she ever marry? How did she survive living with Lady Catherine after the marriage of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy?

I, for one, am delighted that authors, such as Judith Brocklehurst, have penned “Pride and Prejudice” sequels that focus more on Anne de Bourgh than Darcy and Elizabeth (other authors include Carrie Bebris and Joan Ellen Delman). I feel a great sympathy for Anne and I believe that there is more to her than being plain and sickly.

The only way for Anne to gain happiness and independence would be for her to escape from the power of her domineering and overbearing mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. On their way to Pemberley (Lady Catherine's attempts to find a husband for Anne at Rosings were not successful so she must search elsewhere) Lady Catherine injures herself and must remain at a hotel 15 miles away from Pemberley until she can travel again. Lady Catherine soon becomes enamored with Burley, the water resort town where she is detained, and enjoys the attention her rank and wealth give her there. She also anticipates the arrival of the Duchess of Stilbury and decides to remain in Burley while Anne travels the rest of the way to Pemberley with Darcy and Georgiana. At last, here is an opportunity for Anne to experience some freedom, happiness, and possibly love...

I enjoyed seeing Anne grow as a person and receive a “makeover;” she transformed into a delightful heroine. However, there were a few things about this book that I did not like, one being the lack of romance. I was very happy to see a couple of hints of romantic interest between Anne and another character, but I was surprised that after a mere week and a few conversations both characters arrived at the conclusion that they were in love. No emotions, no suspense, no tension, just “he loves me, and I love him.” In addition, I frequently felt Lady Catherine's character and actions were very implausible; I don't think she would relinquish her hold over Anne so easily.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Anne de Bourgh and to readers who will not mind the characters of Elizabeth and Darcy being in the background. The title of this novel is a little misleading because Darcy is not a major part of the story, it is mostly about Anne de Bourgh. I didn't mind the lack Darcy and Elizabeth; I found it a refreshing change to have a sequel about Anne de Bourgh even though it did not satisfy me completely.

Austenesque Reviews

[Joelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started out very promising and then it became tedious. The dialogue was shallow and uninteresting.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a DNF, though I did skim the last few chapters.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

I don’t drop books lightly. Because I have an obsessive need to finish a book once it’s started, there are only four, this one included, that I’ve shelved as DNFs. Last year it was The Night Circus , the year before Under the Never Sky and, before that, it was The Time Traveler’s Wife . I’ve trudged through some pretty dreadful books just to be able to mark them as completely read. The common factor between all four books on my DNF shelf? The overwhelming sense of boredom I experienced while reading them.

I didn’t pick up Darcy and Anne expecting a literary masterpiece. At best, I was expecting it to be well-written fanfiction; if not entertaining, then at least mildly enjoyable. But if I hadn’t paid for this, I’d have dropped it much sooner. The point of these types of books is entertainment. They don’t stand on their own, and aren’t desirable outside of their source material. This book exists for readers who enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and found themselves wanting a little something more. And if a book that exists solely to fulfill that need doesn’t, then what is really good for?

I really did try to like Darcy and Anne, but when it wasn’t boring me, it was busy being ridiculous. Rather than endear and reintroduce me to Austen’s sickly Anne de Bourgh, Brocklehurst took a few chapters to completely rewrite the character. Yeah, sure, the point was to show the reader than Anne has the potential to be a distinctive, if not resilient, character – everything she wasn’t in Pride and Prejudice. But I don’t think Brocklehurst really pulled that off here. I never saw anything that looked like a believable transformation in Anne. While it’s interesting that Brocklehurst attempted to make a link between Austen and Anne, like so many other details, it was a little too farfetched to be enjoyed.

I suppose this book comes down to how much you’re willing to suspend your belief. I’m pretty flexible as far as these things go, but Darcy and Anne pushed the envelope. If a book such as this can’t offer me the one thing I ask of it – to be entertained – then I really can’t think of anything else worth sticking around for.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judith Brocklehurst made an excellent choice in writing her Pride & Prejudice sequel about one of the most minor characters, Mr. Darcy's cousin, and "intended", Anne de Bourgh. It was smart because, while Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Georgiana, etc. all make appearances, the story really does focus on Anne. (And thus none of the original story can truly be ruined.)

In Brocklehurst's hands, Anne is a remarkably sympathetic character. She's lonely, supremely lacking in confidence, ill, and dominated by the truly horrible Catherine de Bourgh. Thus, she's a brilliant character to bring out of the shadows and into her own. Watching her gain health, confidence, friendships, and hopefully a good marriage is a great time, and even if the book can't hope to measure up to our beloved Jane's work, it has the spirit right.

If you're looking for a P&P sequel that isn't going to mess too much with your memories of the original, I can recommend this.

[D.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Pride and Prejudice sequel. If you ever wondered what became of Darcy's "sickly and plain" cousin Anne or just have some time to pass, you should definitely pick up this book. I loved "seeing" Anne blossom in the story until she became a fully realized character and not a caricature. The only reason I am not giving this delightful book 5 stars is because I thought the twist at the end with Anne's mother Lady Catherine was not very plausible given what we know of her staunch character. The rest of the book however was lovely. I enjoyed it very much! If you're an Austenite, check it out.

[Madenna U · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Pride and Prejudice variation is the story of Anne after Elizabeth and Darcy's wedding. She is able to leave Rosings and get out from under her Mom's influence due to Lady Catherine's illness. She is welcomed with open arms into the family at Pemberly and meets some of her father's friends. She become healthy in both body and spirit while learning just how evil her mother is. She finds her own happily ever after.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short, sweet story detailing Anne de Bourgh's life after Darcy's marriage (and according to her mother, her failure). I loved seeing Anne blossom and come into her own personality once she was separated from the formidable Lady Catherine. I felt all the characters were written true to Austen, which I appreciated.

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 5 out of 5]

L’indipendenza di Miss Anne de Bourgh

Lady Catherine è decisa a condividere con Mr Darcy l’onere di trovare un marito per Anne: convinta che avrebbe sposato il cugino, la dispotica madre non si è preoccupata di farla debuttare in società, né di presentarla a Corte, come il suo rango le avrebbe consentito. Non le ha permesso di curare il suo aspetto, sebbene il padre, Sir Lewis, le avesse lasciato una bella somma da cui attingere annualmente, proprio in previsione del suo debutto in società. Inoltre l’ha fatta curare dal suo medico (e sappiamo quanto Lady C. sia convinta che le sue scelte siano inappellabili), che ha prescritto ad Anne dei farmaci che, non solo non l’hanno curata, ma l’hanno addirittura debilitata, rendendola perennemente malaticcia ed anche dipendente dalle dosi di laudano somministratole. Non le ha consentito di imparare a suonare il piano, né di fare lunghe passeggiate. Semplicemente non le ha permesso di vivere una vita migliore, visto che aveva deciso fin dalla culla che avrebbe sposato Darcy, pertanto riteneva superflua ogni spesa atta a tale scopo.
Ma quando Anne è costretta a cavarsela da sola, scopre che può farlo egregiamente e che, lontana dalla terribile influenza di sua madre (e soprattutto sotto l’influenza di Elizabeth Bennet in Darcy), può diventare una donna notevole.
Il titolo della mia recensione richiama fortemente il romanzo di Colleen McCullough: L’indipendenza di Miss Mary Bennet, perché in esso ho visto molte affinità con il romanzo della scrittrice australiana: la crescita psicologica - e nel caso di Anne anche il miglioramento fisico. Allo stesso tempo, ritengo questo romanzo un ottimo sequel (al contrario del libro della McCullough, che continua ad essere una delle mie scrittrici preferite, ma non per quanto concerne il suo romanzo austeniano, troppo poco fedele all’originale), per la coerenza dei personaggi con gli originali di Jane Austen e per le soluzioni scelte da Judith Brocklehurst per il loro “futuro”.
Unico personaggio che è stato un po’ troppo esasperato, rivelandosi una sorta di macchietta di se stessa è Lady Catherine de Bourgh, protagonista dell’apertura e della chiusura del libro, con due lettere altamente ironiche e ridicole, del genere che Mr Bennet ama leggere a Lizzie, strappandole sorrisi divertiti.
I personaggi creati dalla Brocklehurst sono attendibili e si inseriscono perfettamente nel racconto. Il suo stile è in sintonia con quello di Jane Austen, a cui spesso fa riferimento con citazioni da Orgoglio e Pregiudizio.
A due romanzi ho pensato mentre leggevo la Brocklehurst: in primo luogo Wives and Daughters di Elizabeth Gaskell, per la somiglianza del suo protagonista maschile, Roger Hamley, con il protagonista di Darcy and Anne, Edmund Caldwell; e, naturalmente, al breve romanzo giovanile di Jane Austen Lady Susan, perché c'è un po' di Lady Vernon nella Lady Catherine de Bourgh dell Brocklehurst... e anche un po' di Frederica in Anne. E non vi svelo di più, o incorrerei nello spoiler!
Una lettura gradevolissima, per una protagonista inaspettata, ma non così insospettabile. In fondo tutti ci siamo chiesti: come sarebbe Anne de Bourgh se non avesse quella madre così tirannica?

Per leggere le recensioni delle altre Lizzies e curiosità relative al libro e all'autrice:
http://oldfriendsnewfancies.blogspot....

[Marnie Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing bad that I can say about this book. The moment I learned it was a continuation of the novel Pride and Prejudice, and focused on the character Ann de Bourgh, the sickly daughter of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, I knew that I could not return it to the shelf. Also the fact that I could once more enter into the world of Austen and Victorian British language didn't hurt in helping me decide. Anne was a character, like Mary, that I was always interested in and curious as to what possibly happened to her after the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth. And Brocklehurst does not fail in meeting and exceeding my expectations. She weaves Anne's tale into one of a unique character that will make us all sorry that she was forced into the backlight of Pride and Prejudice.
What I liked about this sequel/retelling is that Brocklehurst does a wonderful job of doing Austen's characters justice, while skillfully adding to each of their stories and creating new characters that are each unique and strong on their own. Often when reading retellings of Austen's work I find the storyline often following that of one of Austen's stories and/or characters, thus making it predictable with nothing new to bring. But the new characters that are introduced in this book are unique to world of Pemberly, and the storyline that is created has its own twist. Brocklehurst did a fantastic job of honoring Jane Austen's work while also making her own mark in the Austen world. I was left several times pleasantly surprised and ended the final chapters with that warm fuzzy feeling that a good book always leaves you with.
I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this read, or I could just tell you to go read it for yourself!! I would recommend this book to any Jane Austen enthusiast, new or old.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. I always like sequels that focus on some of Austen's side characters, especially ones who get a bit of the short end of the stick in the original. We never get to know Anne de Bourgh much besides as a plot device and I enjoy novels that let her break out from her mother a bit. However, this just wasn't well-written. The author's attempts to mimic Jane Austen's original tone, but mostly just sounds like things no person would ever say. The dialogue is super clunky and repetitive. There's also a habit of stating really obvious facts that the reader (and the characters) already know. For instance, at one point Darcy asks Anne how old she was when something happens and she says "It was ten years ago. I was fifteen. Now I am five-and-twenty." Not only is that not the way a human being would speak, but she's talking to her cousin, who already knows how old she is! (If there's any question about it, he actually states her age in the previous scene.)

Also, and this is a small quibble, but there are small discrepancies in the history as well. At one point a character says how unusual it is for men to not be married by the age of "five-and-twenty". While it's true that that's approaching spinster age for women, at the time it was considered for the best for men to wait until a little older to get married so they would be established in their career (if they had one) and had matured and learned how to be head of a household first. Twenty-five would actually be on the younger side.

It's definitely not a long read, and I have read much worse, so it wasn't a bad way to pass a few hours. I just wouldn't pick it up again.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a historical romance set in the world of Jane Austin's "Pride and Prejudice." It's a "sequel" focusing on Anne de Bourgh's fate now that Darcy is no longer her intended.

The story was not written in quite the same tone as "Pride and Prejudice," but the author stays very true to the characters and timeline of that book. She does occasionally have the characters act in ways I don't think they would, but that's more a difference in opinion about certain character's never-discussed motives than a departure from what was established in "Pride and Prejudice."

"Darcy and Anne" was a sweet and amusing tale with a likable heroine. The world-building was good, though I noticed several minor historical details that were off. Still, it wasn't noticeable unless you're a detail-freak like me.

The pacing was quick; almost too quick, in my opinion. Anne's transformation from sickly, dependent girl to healthy, independent woman came about rather quickly, though it wasn't forced.

There was no sex or cussing. Overall, I'd recommend this novel as good, clean fun to Austin fans.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute continuation of P&P where the focus is on a character we haven't grown fond of yet - Anne De Bourgh. I loved seeing her transform into an independant woman who knew what she wanted out of life instead of being a frail sickly sort of girl. It all starts on their way to Pemberley. Lady Catherine gets violently ill (sounds like food poisoning) and for once in her life Anne must make her own decisions. First off, the doctor that cares for his patient tells Anne she must stop all the various medications she is currently taking, seems the mixes are making her ill versus better and thus starts Anne on the road of recovery from sickly constitution. She develops a relationship with Mr & Mrs Darcy that she never thought possible and she falls in love. I was thrilled with how her life turned about and found Lady Catherine's life worth laughing at LOL. Enjoyable read for those who love clean-regency era novels.

[Chris, the Dalek King · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the idea and intent are something I do like, one can't help but be let down by the reality. Anne herself is well written, and watching her come out of her shell was fun, but the romance and plot were a bit slapdash.

Anne and Edmund's connection is barely in its infancy before they are torn apart. It wasn't even until they were separated that I clued in to the fact they were supposed to be hopelessly in love. Their separation was about as angsty as you can get when the readers are only belatedingly realizing that there is angst to be had.

And every complication in the later half of the book seems to be solved in the blank space between the end of a chapter and the start of the next one. It was all highly unsatisfying.

I do appreciate the attempt to write a story about Anne that doesn't simply kill her off for expediencies sake, but I wish the author had spent more time growing this story out. Especially the last half. It was way too rushed.

[Kayllisti · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up for a quick and easy read to help with the comedown from a long series I has just finished. Though it was so short, I had a hard time finishing it. Well, I had a hard time wanting to finish it.
It lacked so much of the charm I expect from an Austen novel (I know it's not Austen, but still), and I found characters making decisions that seemed utterly against their established personalities. Anne is also difficult to like, because she's too perfect but totally misunderstood...yawn. The ending was completely predictable and disappointing.
Wouldn't recommend. Wouldn't read again.

[Sherry Sidwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another entry in the cottage industry of prequels, sequels, and retellings of Pride and Prejudice, this one finds an angle I've not seen completely done to death in making Anne DeBourgh an actual character beyond the pathetic sickly creature completely cowed by her formidable mother both in the source material and in most of these books.

The start is promising when an accident on the road to Pemberley gives Anne her first brief taste of independence from her overbearing mother and leaves her wanting more. From there it's a mixed bag of husband hunting and learning societal graces and rudimentary finance while interacting with original and canon characters, some of whom are written more in character than others. We're told repeatedly what a loving perfect marriage the Darcys have two years in, but they and Elizabeth especially lack the sparkle of the source book. Lady Catherine, meanwhile, loses all hint of nuance and descends into outright villainy as she does in so many of these books. It ends up being a fun summer afternoon read, but it's not much more than that.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Anne of the title is the daughter of the obnoxious Lady Catherine de Bourgh. They are traveling to Pemberley on an uninvited visit to Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, with the idea of finding a husband for Anne, since Lady C.'s hope of capturing Darcy himself has failed. On the road, the carriage upsets, Lady C. is injured, and they end up in a hotel in a country town. Anne makes some friends locally of whom Lady C. would not approve, since they are not titled. Anne writes to the Darcys when the doctor says Lady C. should not be moved yet, and Darcy and his sister Georgiana eventually come and get her. The rest is about Anne's stay there and the people (and men) she meets, as she develops self-confidence and the capability to withstand her mother's bullying. Very interesting read.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful in depth view of Lady Catherine De Bourgh's relationship with her daughter Anne. I highly recommend it. Was easy to read and the descriptions of ettiquette of that time, the buildings and surroundings was very well done. I loved Georgianna in this story - her sweetness and kindness.
A wonderful book that provides rest in the characters. Highly recommended!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine read

I have loved reading several books written about members of the Darcy and Bennet families. Introductions were made in the original Pride and Prejudice, and I have enjoyed reading about the additional events in so many of their lives.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read! Finished it in one evening. Somewhat predictable, but still lots of fun!

[Shinae Wyckoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute sequel, featuring Anne, in a style honoring Austen, where everyone gets their just desserts. What’s not to like?

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this book waiting on a shelf to be read for years and picked it up on a whim yesterday- and then nearly read it all in one sitting. Lovely, light, and a joy to read. Highly recommended.

[Ellen Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had low expectations, but it was actually quite well-written. It also went a different direction than expected. Also nice.

[Debby Warner-coolbaugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging story. I liked the portrayal of Anne. The book felt a little rushed but overall was very good.

[Marie Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen immediately before this read, and I was glad to have the delightful story continue for me. Judith Brocklehurst picks up the story a few years later, after the Darcy's have settled into their new life. This is not focused on Darcy and Lizzy, though, and is actually about the domineering Lady Catherine's daughter, Anne. We were introduced to Anne in P&P, but we only got to know her as the sickly frail one who was destined to marry Mr. Darcy. Of course, Darcy defied Lady Catherine's plans and now Anne needs to get herself a husband. Since it is Darcy and Lizzy's fault that Anne has no one to marry, Lady Catherine sends Anne to Pemberley and tells the Darcys it is their responsibility to find her a husband now. Preferably someone who Lady Catherine can enjoy pushing around conversing with.

Of course this embarrassing situation is a blessing in disguise for Anne, as she is finally free from the confines of her mother and her 'vinegar-faced' servants after 25 years of her subtle prison at Rosings. She meets new people and has a chance to think for herself and finally begins to feel comfortable in her own skin, and shockingly, healthy! She gets to explore her feelings and her talents and discover things she had never known before.

A whimsical moment that must be shared with Pride and Prejudice fans is the simple fact that Mr Bennet, Lizzy's father, actually goes to an Assembly at the behest of Lady Catherine, when for some twenty years he has refused to do so for his wife. And Georgiana Darcy, the sister to Mr Darcy whom we met briefly in P. & P., is featured in the novel as a companion for Anne as she is also looking for a husband. Lady Catherine's true colors shine through and is the epitome of the character you would love to hate.

Seemingly obligatory for the romance novels that have daughters bickering with their mother, Anne of course falls in love with someone unsuitable for her rank and drama ensues. "Does he love her? He is going to move to Barbados!" And of course Anne fell in love with the first gentleman that crossed her path. It is a wonder if that is truly how it worked in Regency England; there does not seem to be much actual dating, but rather if one got along all right with the other while dancing then the next step most logically was marriage. What happened to you have to kiss a lot of frogs to get your prince? But such was the way it seems in the olden days. How odd that the divorce rate increased after we became pickier.

The storyline may be a bit predictable as a coming-of-age story, although Anne was a bit old to be doing so at age 25, yet the characters involved are still so endearing that it makes the read a worthwhile one. There is some of the Austenian dialogue, though not quite as in-depth as Jane Austen was, but still some conversations were had that certainly had the nuance of the Jane Austen wit and charm. Although the events did not move very fast for the first half of the book, the writing itself is so simple that it makes it an easy read. The story greatly picked up its pace throughout the last half with an ending that tied everything into a neat bow. Brocklehurst's easy style is not nearly the quality of prose of a deeper Austen read, it is actually a bit short at around 200 pages. Yet, Darcy and Anne is still a fun continuation of favorite characters with an outcome that can't be beat.

The author Judith Brocklehurst passed on October 2008, but was delighted when she learned that Sourcebooks was going to reissue her self-published title "A Letter from Lady Catherine" as "Darcy and Anne". Rumor is that her sequel to Mansfield Park is also possible

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice light read. I blew through it in about 3 hours. For those of you who don’t know, Pride and Prejudice “sequels” are all just fanfictions that happened to get published. (Thanks, expired copyright and fair use!) There were no big surprises (especially for a reader of fanfiction), but there were also no big problems.

The basic premise is that Lady Catherine de Bourgh has decided that since Mr. Darcy was a bust, Anne now needs to marry. Since none of the local eligible bachelors will do (especially since they all conveniently are not at home when the de Bourgh’s come to call) Anne and her mother must descend upon Mr. Darcy and his wife at Pemberley to find Anne a husband. And there they will remain until a husband for Anne is found.

Fortunately for everyone, Lady Catherine becomes ill 15 miles from Pemberley and must remain in the small spa town they find themselves near. The doctor that is called for Lady Catherine discovers that the medicines Anne has been taking for her “illness” have in fact been making her ill. So now, without her “medicine” Anne will make an eventual (and speedy) return to health. (This surprises absolutely no one in the 21st century.)

So, Anne can now slip her leash and become her own person. She eventually goes to Pemberley to be with her cousins. The author does a fairly good job of portraying Anne as a girl who is intelligent, but who has been extremely sheltered all of her life. We know who her love interest will be extremely early on, and while it is a bit cliché, the author gives her reasoning for it later in the book through another character. One of the issues I had with her Anne is that she expresses an interest in piano, which she canonically did not do. It doesn’t really seem to serve any purpose, and I feel like it was a bit forced.

There is no grand scandal or kidnapping or any other such major event, only one that is mildly unbelievable. (There is something that some may see as shocking or scandalous, but I called it as soon as the particular characters were introduced!) There are characters behaving badly, but some who also redeem themselves. There are no evil personages (unless you count Lady Catherine, and she’s not really evil, just a selfish bitch!) There is one couple that I didn’t see coming – there was a blink-and-you-might-miss-it moment that I missed, but remembered as soon as the couple was announced. And there is one character who is portrayed as shockingly dumb. Seriously, he can barely speak in complete sentences. It seemed a bit out of place. Also out of place? The title. I mean, Darcy is there. He’s her host, and looks out for her, but I wouldn’t say he has equal screen time as Anne. He’s just kind of… there. But the book is about Anne.

Overall, it was a nice read. Calling it a “sequel” to Pride and Prejudice is a bit much. It’s a fanfiction continuation, but that probably wouldn’t sell any books. And it wasn’t a crazy roller coaster of a ride – there were no tears, no spitting of tea in laughter, no big reactions other than “aww” and “hmm.” We were not on the mega steel coaster that goes upside down and backwards and gives you a bit of a sore neck from all the twists and turns. No, we were on the kiddie roller coaster, the one that might be exciting for those not used to the big coasters, but a nice easy ride for those of us who are.

(2.5 stars for being completely predictable, but being an enjoyable read all the same!)