The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

May 30, 2016 Sheila Majczan rated it it was amazing

Hooray for Caitlin, she's done it again! This story was so captivating, amusing and in the end, sweetly romantic. Watching "the ugly duckling" change over the course of five years from a skinny tomboy (who frolics with a neighboring farm boy and chops off her hair due to the plans her dear father has arranged for her) to a beautiful, "accomplished" and captivating woman kept me turning pages. The author sure does a swell job! LOL

Being Mr. Bennet's favorite does not mean Elizabeth gets everything Hooray for Caitlin, she's done it again! This story was so captivating, amusing and in the end, sweetly romantic. Watching "the ugly duckling" change over the course of five years from a skinny tomboy (who frolics with a neighboring farm boy and chops off her hair due to the plans her dear father has arranged for her) to a beautiful, "accomplished" and captivating woman kept me turning pages. The author sure does a swell job! LOL

Being Mr. Bennet's favorite does not mean Elizabeth gets everything to go her way. And when Mr. Bennet arranges with an old friend, George Darcy, to take over guardianship of 15-year-old Elizabeth upon his death...well, she is just not going to take that lying down. Why should she? Jane is going to live with the Gardiners and the other sisters are to stay with her mother in Meryton. So Elizabeth bolts in panic. But Fitzwilliam Darcy is not about to let her scamper about the country side. Eventually he finds her and then rescues her from a robbery and worse. But in doing so and in attempting to get them back on the road to Pemberley they are observed by...yes, a lady who has been scorned. And I don't have to tell you how that lady might take the opportunity to wreak her revenge on the man who is responsible. So a word dropped here or there and with gossip columnists having an ear to the ground, Darcy is forced to act with honor.

Darcy finally gets Elizabeth back to Pemberley where his father has returned with Georgiana and her governess. But as the story unfolds Darcy "finds" business to conveniently keep him away, first in Scotland for a year. Then he's back for a short time due to his father's death. Subsequently he is off to the (West) Indies and so asks the Colonel, who is now retired due to an injury, to stay and guard both his sister and Elizabeth. This time he is gone for years. You can imagine how Elizabeth changes during that amount of time.

There is no correspondence between the two; they barely speak when they are in each other's presence. Elizabeth does write her family. But she continues to have her moments of rancor towards him: he has refused to allow her to visit her sister in London. She also overhears remarks (again) by Darcy to Richard about her. Then there was this incident before his departure with some handkerchiefs she had embroidered for him.

While he is away Elizabeth does form friendships with the governess, Miss Temple, and with Richard and becomes a dear sister to Georgiana. Meanwhile Darcy has met and befriended Charles Bingley in the Indies.

It broke my heart to read of the maidservants gossiping about her wardrobe. Darcy had no thought about that and it is not until her mourning clothes are too short that anyone thinks to procure new clothes. Richard makes his own decision to remedy some of this situation but when he allows a visit to Meryton he didn't expect Wickham to be in the neighborhood.

And then there are all those birthdays to which Darcy pays no attention. Could it get any sadder? You may be surprised.

Darcy invites Charles Bingley and his family to Pemberley. There his relationship to Elizabeth has many an arched eyebrow. He just keeps bumbling in his thoughts and remarks as to her acts & her place in his home. He learns from a maid that Elizabeth is not abed but busy with estate affairs early in the morning. When did she take up the reins of household management?

In this story there are some other happenings with secondary characters: Richard is smitten, Miss Temple tells of her lost love, Charlotte offers advice and Elizabeth solicits Lady Catherine for some help.

Yes, Mr. Darcy was going to place our Elizabeth at Pemberley and she was going to be forgotten basically like an annoying gnat. Funny how all that changed with her "coming of age".

I want to reread this and soon. I did so enjoy it.

“Good God, Elizabeth, let me into your world, just a little. I know I do not deserve it, I have done you a thousand wrongs, but be generous, please.” Oh, Darcy, what have you done?....sigh!

February 14th, 2017: although I have only read from page 349 to the end @ page 501, I am marking this as a partial reread...being that some novellas or short stories of shorter length are counted as books read. Such a delightful story...loving it all over again. ...more

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Jun 22, 2017 Sophia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance-english-welsh, jane-austen-austenesque

I was well pleased when this one was chosen for me during one of our reading group challenges. I have truly wanted to read it since I heard of it, but... distractions. Lots of them.

Anyhoo, there was a lot of talk for this one and I started to get high expectations as a result. Let me end the suspense, this book more than lived up to the talk and expectations.

First of all, this truly is a coming of age story. No little mild awkwardness and barely any flaws pretending to be coming of age stuff. I I was well pleased when this one was chosen for me during one of our reading group challenges. I have truly wanted to read it since I heard of it, but... distractions. Lots of them.

Anyhoo, there was a lot of talk for this one and I started to get high expectations as a result. Let me end the suspense, this book more than lived up to the talk and expectations.

First of all, this truly is a coming of age story. No little mild awkwardness and barely any flaws pretending to be coming of age stuff. It was painful to read because it was the real, conflicted, unstable stuff of a teenage girl who just lost her beloved father and her world is coming apart when she gets caught up in the repercussions of a scandal. It is also painful because a young man who a little older, is no less troubled must face unrequited love and betrayal by two people close to him only to be saddled by a wild, unbridled petulant mess of a young female. One. hot. mess.

And then, it doesn't just poof and vanish. Early mistakes and trauma stay with this pair for a long time to come. Ohhhh, the angst. My heart was breaking and I had to take breaks with other fluffy rabbits and rainbows stories between. But I kept coming back because of the masterful handling of the story and characters the author wrote.

All that was worth it because, sa-woon, oh so swoon on the finish which still had outbursts of conflict and angst. I enjoyed the long denouement that was a good counter-balance for all that came before.

I'm just going to toss this in. I'm not one for high-angst these days. Used to be. But then authors started abusing it with the manipulative stuff and the undo angst that was not organic in the story- just there as filler. The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet gave me new hope that an angsty story can still appeal to me.

In summation, I ran the gamut of emotions and was wrung dry in the end, but this was a lush and satisfying Pride & Prejudice vagary that was transportive, fresh, and innovative while still paying tribute to the original Austen story. ...more

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Jun 01, 2016 Claudine DiMuzio / Just Jane 1813 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: just-jane-1813-pride-prejudice-va

It's another one of my favorite posts of the year! Caitlin Williams joins Just Jane 1813 to share an exclusive epilogue for her story, "The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet." I think readers will LOVE this sought after epilogue titled, "Fifteen Again."

https://justjane1813.com/2016/12/11/f...

Thank you to all of my Goodreads friends who have already visited to share your comments. I love reading your comments! ...more

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Jun 25, 2016 Mary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-books

It's 2:55 am,I've got a big fat grin on my face and I've just finished this book!!!!! It kinda says it all. Review later today!

Dear reader,

Imagine,if you will,a fifteen year old Elizabeth Bennet,favourite child of her most beloved father,happily ensconced in a loving, boisterous family of seven, suddenly about to be wrenched from all she holds dear,placed within the confines of a large, stately manor,under the guardianship of a total stranger,far removed from her remaining family,and suffering f ...more

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Jan 12, 2017 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: pride-and-prejudice, jane-austen

Young Age, Grief, and Forced Circumstances

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

TIME FRAME: Several Years prior to Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is 15, Mr. Darcy is 23.

SYNOPSIS: Before Mr. Bennet passed away he made arrangements for Elizabeth to live at Pemberley with his good friend George Darcy and be raised alongside the eleven-year-old Georgiana. But Elizabeth wants none of it! She goes to Pemberley most unwillingly, and in a desperate attempt to avoid this preordained fate she runs a ...more

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May 31, 2016 Nicole Barton Sasser rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: p-and-p, jaff, physical-library, kindle, kindle-freebie, favourites, 2016-austenesque-lovers-challenge

4.5 Stars

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Jun 10, 2016 Laura rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Very minor spoilers but hid just in case....

WOW. Just WOW! I seriously can't wait to see what this author does next! Her first book Ardently is in my top five all time favorite JAFF books, so I was excited to get started on this one and I was not at all disappointed. This book too now holds a spot in my top 5, quite possibly my number 1! I started this book while my kids were napping, picked it back up when they went to bed, and read until three in the morning until I had finished, knowing I ha Very minor spoilers but hid just in case....

WOW. Just WOW! I seriously can't wait to see what this author does next! Her first book Ardently is in my top five all time favorite JAFF books, so I was excited to get started on this one and I was not at all disappointed. This book too now holds a spot in my top 5, quite possibly my number 1! I started this book while my kids were napping, picked it back up when they went to bed, and read until three in the morning until I had finished, knowing I had to be up at 5:30. I literally devoured this book. I think I might have actually hugged my phone to my chest when I finished (in replacement of hugging an actual book) and it was one of those books that sticks with you long afterwards.

I will talk only of what I love about the book because quite honestly there was nothing I didn't love. In this version a 15-year-old Lizzy is sent to live with the Darcy family after her father dies. The arrangements Mr. Bennett made prior to his death actually made total sense to me. The loving benevolent Jane is to live with the Gardiners to help them with their children; the younger girls and their mother in Meryton close to their family, where they can continue to be their silly selves, and Elizabeth to Pemberley. I can easily see why the favorite child of her father and the most inquisitive and free spirited child would be sent to live in a situation that would allow her to continue to flourish intellectually speaking all while being able to spirit about the wilds of pemberley. A previous association and eventual close friendship between Mr. Bennett and the elder Mr. Darcy has been added to make this possible. In an act of grief, wondering why she must be sent away from the rest of her family Lizzy cuts her hair and puts on boys clothing to appear as a boy and runs away. A young Darcy goes after what he sees as a petulant child in need of a strict governess and in details I won't spoil and for propriety sake, returns with her to pemberley as husband and wife. Lizzy's time on the run was truly entertaining. The writing was so beautifully descriptive that It was like watching a movie as it played out. In fact, I would love if they made this book into a movie. I could perfectly see the events unfold in my head.

From the point of descending on Pemberley with his child bride, the young master of pemberley is quite absent both in feeling and presence. For all sense and purposes Darcy appears to be a tyrannical husband, although we know the new Master of Pemberley means well and thinks solely of the protection and care of others but he is still a very prideful young man who assumes he should rightfully make decisions for all those in his charge. Most detrimental to his relationship with Lizzy, was his refusal to allow her to see her family, for his belief that they were unfit and would be an embarrassment to he and his relations. Some reviews stated that in these interactions they felt like Lizzie often acted as a spoiled child way younger than her 15 to 18 years. I personally felt like she acted perfectly reasonable considering the circumstances she was in. She was sent away from her family while grieving her father and basically imprisoned on the grounds of Pemberley not allowed to even see her beloved sister. I can't imagine being all of 15 and forced to live in a house with strangers and no longer allowed to see my family, no matter how fabulous the house or how prestigious the family. No, I think Lizzie acted quite appropriately to the circumstances, especially considering I myself wanted to stomp my feet and yell at Darcy.

Darcy and Elizabeth fight quite often when in each other's company, but there is still that feeling of underlying desire that literally burns through the pages. It takes Darcy three long years to return from his final journey. In this time there are interactions and events that change Elizabeth into a beautiful and confident woman, never losing her wild spirited side of course. Lots of the angst of the story plays out here in that you feel the overwhelming sense of abandonment Elizabeth feels although you are proud of her when she finally decides to stop feeling sorry for herself and becomes quite a formidable but loving mistress of Pemberley. During this time she also forges strong bonds with Georgianna, Georgianna's governess, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. The Colonel is a huge presence in this book and very enjoyably so. I loved their relationship in this book. It was one of pure love in a platonic form. I did honestly think that it was Elizabeth Fitzwilliam had been harboring feelings for the whole time, not the woman we eventually find out he holds regard for. The four of them become a small, loving, and beautiful family.

Darcy comes home at last as a 28 year old man, and finds a very grown up and matured 20 year old Elizabeth, that he instantly becomes quite smitten with. From here their interactions are pure guilty pleasure to read. The dialogue between the two is some of the most enjoyable I have read with Elizabeth at her most clever and really the author as the most clever. The scene with the dressing gong was hysterical. Elizabeth is not about to let Darcy off so easily, their demons from years past most undoubtedly surface, and the fire between them is intense.

I loved, loved, loved this book! An absolute 5 stars and a must read! ...more

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Jun 20, 2016 Suzan Lauder rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jaff-regency, loved-it, get-an-editor, high-angst

#1 Fave JAFF Regency EVAH!

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Jun 10, 2016 Sheryl Gordon rated it really liked it

A True Variation - Well Done and Absorbing

I didn't want it to end, but when it did, I was very satisfied. The author writes well though a fastidious beta/editor would have improved this enjoyable read to near perfection for me. The transformation of the relationship could have been expanded, for both of them and I would have liked to have more of the reasoning and relationship between the fathers. The passion, though far from explicit, was sufficient and illuminating enough but the path to it fe ...more

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Jun 12, 2016 Kim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: austen-related, pride-and-prejudice, austenesque-tbr-challenge2016

This is a truly unique variation in that it starts 5 years before our beloved classic. As the title implies, this is very much centered around Elizabeth, ages 15-20, as she makes her way to becoming the Mrs. Darcy we all know she should be. I stayed up late reading for a few nights waiting for Darcy to appear, like in the original, he is absent from parts of this book and I think I most looked forward to the times they were together and the sparks that would fly. I enjoyed Col. Fitzwilliam's exp ...more

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Jun 02, 2016 Tina added it

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

So a good portion of this book I made myself read because Darcy was a jerk and Elizabeth was a brat but looking back at it their behavior does make since. Darcy was nursing a broken heart over a traitorous female and Lizzy is a impulsive fifteen year old with high emotions. I have to say that I definitely hated Emma Balcombe. I started to enjoy this book about the time that Darcy goes to the Indies and Lizzy actually starts taking an active role ...more

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Jun 19, 2016 Tamra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jane-austen-fan-fiction

Why did it have to end? That's all I'm going to say! I loved "The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennett" so much I didn't want it to end! ...more

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Jun 22, 2016 Aly Schne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle-unlimited, own, e-book, austen, on-deck

Refreshing

I love Austen books, Pride and Prejudice retellings and modern versions especially, and I found this one quite refreshing. You really get to grow with not only Elizabeth but with Darcy as well. You see how they come together and become the couple everyone knows and loves. It's also gives you a look at Darcy's home life before he becomes the great Master of Pemberly. I am already looking forward to more from this author and rereading this book. ...more

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Jun 22, 2025 ana darcy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jaff

So many things going on

I have really enjoyed this story through the different years of ODC.

I have disliked Darcy but I have understood him a bit. However, Lizzy is the one who has suffered the most but has been able to overcome so much.

I really liked Colonel Fitzwilliam's side of the story too. ...more

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Jun 14, 2016 Teresita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jaff

She was fully young and very distressed...

He was really full of himself...

This story tells not only how she comes of age, but also how both of them grow and mature, to become...

I recommend you to read this book, it's a great tale! ...more

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