Side by Side, Apart in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

May 18, 2016 J. W. Garrett rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, jaff-pride-and-prejudice, era-6-regency-1811-1820, source-own

Trying to remember the things she has forgotten: 4.5 stars

First I want to say the cover was most excellent. I mean…I loved it. The art work was exceptional.
Elizabeth Bennet wakes up with a terrible headache and finds out that she has had an accident. She also has forgotten the last eleven years of her life. Not only does she find herself married to the haughty Mr. Darcy, but she is in the advanced stages of a pregnancy and there are several children of various ages that insist on calling her mam Trying to remember the things she has forgotten: 4.5 stars

First I want to say the cover was most excellent. I mean…I loved it. The art work was exceptional.
Elizabeth Bennet wakes up with a terrible headache and finds out that she has had an accident. She also has forgotten the last eleven years of her life. Not only does she find herself married to the haughty Mr. Darcy, but she is in the advanced stages of a pregnancy and there are several children of various ages that insist on calling her mama.

We know the background story of our beloved P&P and all the trouble that Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam went through in their journey toward their HEA. Well, all that is gone as Elizabeth no longer remembers that journey or their HEA. Elizabeth is very confused as to how she was prevailed upon to marry Mr. Darcy when she was so decidedly against him. How on earth do they have all these children? In her mind she was still a virgin. Why do they have Lydia’s children? What happened to her life that placed her at Pemberley?

I loved this Darcy. I’ve never seen him in this light. He was no simpering, fawning, love sick moon-calf. I simply fell in love with him [all over again] just from his actions toward Elizabeth. This must be a painful time for him. He was so controlled and never let on that this had thrown a major wrench into his life and the lives of his/their children. It was painful to watch him quietly and calmly answer all Elizabeth’s questions as she tried to sort out what became of her life and how she arrived where she was.

What changed her mind toward Mr. Darcy? The last thing she remembered was his haughty behavior at Netherfield Park, his separating Jane and Bingley, and his withholding advantages to Mr. Wickham. Nothing made sense and she would get a headache if she thought about it too much.
This was a slow and arduous journey for ODC. The language was most excellent. I enjoyed seeing the parenting philosophy that Darcy reminded Elizabeth that they had established with the children. The way the staff helped as Elizabeth recovered from her accident.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived and caused problems in the Pemberley routine as any visiting grandparent can. Mr. Bennet spent his time in the Pemberley library. Mrs. Bennet minimized Elizabeth’s illness and other than telling her to do her duty, pretty much ignored her second daughter. She spent the majority of her time distracting the children from their studies and practice. It was hilarious how her thinking was so convoluted. That was Mrs. Bennet.

I was disappointed that to the very last chapter we saw very little improvement in Elizabeth’s memory. There was no epilogue and not a lot to bring the conclusion to a smooth end. It was rather abrupt. What the heck happened to everyone?

Note added later: there was a nod to other Austen works in the names of the children and the governess. Try to see if you can find them. Also, the fact the Darcy's had sponsored a nephew in the Navy and had taken in another child was a nod to Mansfield Park. I loved finding those little extras.
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Jun 29, 2017 Talia rated it liked it

Liked and didn't like. Loved the storyline, loved how she woke up, didn't like how everything was left unresolved.

Reread: Elizabeth was a bit useless for me. ...more

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Aug 02, 2018 Teresita rated it it was amazing

Circumstances cause that he has to conquer her twice

After years of a happy marriage they have to start over, with several interesting complications. A very interesting plot that caught me from the first page.

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