He Taught Me to Hope (Darcy and the Young Knight's Quest #1) in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

Mar 24, 2015 Sheila Majczan rated it liked it · review of another edition

I really wanted to like this story. The reviews were mostly very good. And the plot was a unique "What-if?"/variation.

However, I could not wrap my head around the conversations and language; especially, those with a five-year old boy! The vocabulary and the insight in one so young (I am a mother, worked with Children & Youth and was a kindergarten teacher.) are not realistic.

Mr. Bennet was totally out-of-character and I could never understand his reasoning during the entire book. Yes, Lizzie was I really wanted to like this story. The reviews were mostly very good. And the plot was a unique "What-if?"/variation.

However, I could not wrap my head around the conversations and language; especially, those with a five-year old boy! The vocabulary and the insight in one so young (I am a mother, worked with Children & Youth and was a kindergarten teacher.) are not realistic.

Mr. Bennet was totally out-of-character and I could never understand his reasoning during the entire book. Yes, Lizzie was young (but many that age got married in that period) however there was never any evidence that Lizzie was neglected or betrayed while her young husband sowed his roots after their marriage. And the fact that she married into money should have made everyone in the family ecstatic! Stating that Lizzie is selfish and turns her back on the family is wrong. Get off your a**, investigate/look into the men in Lizzie's life, including her young son, and give her credit. The man she finally settled on should have made Mr. Bennet sigh in relief as Darcy's riches could do a lot to guarantee the Bennet family some care after Mr. Bennet's death IF none of his daughters married Mr. Collins.

Jane: well, I did not see any of the Jane who was Elizabeth's best friend and confidante in the canon. And why didn't Mr. Collins look at her first. The oldest daughter is suppose to marry first, so give her a good look. That was not developed and didn't make sense.

There were a lot of awkward moments for me: Ben running off in London and then being found by Col Fitzwilliam? How did this happen? Lizzie (and Ben) moving into Darcy's townhouse and he puts her in the mistress' bedroom - really? And I just do not believe Darcy would say something to the effect that he might marry Anne if she gets well. Then Lady C. and Anne have turnabouts in their personality with regards to ODC. Just doesn't play out for me. I was expecting Anne to attempt to compromise Darcy vs. falling down the stairs and being nursed so she now has a family and that is what she wanted?

The relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth could have had a lot more "moments" - I didn't feel the love. He looked at her and knew he would spend the rest of his life with her but little was said about sexual tension, angst, etc. Yes, there were several times when he (and she knew) each was only a door away or that they were alone but nothing about the feelings building, how they were affected, etc. Some, but just not developed to make me sigh and want to read this again. ...more

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Aug 08, 2015 Mary rated it really liked it

I loved this book and would highly recommend it to lovers of Jane Austen. Lizzy's son Ben and Darcy share a fantastic relationship and the fun they have together is heartwarming. Lizzy and Darcy's early relationship is one of flirtation and desire. Engaged to another, she finally sees the light and rejects him. Mr Bennet and Jane don't seem to love or even like Lizzy in this tale-I really disliked how her father treated her. The discord between Lizzy and Jane was a little uncomfortable to read, ...more

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Nov 24, 2014 Carol Perrin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. He Tau

Different Pride and Prejudice variation than I've read. Lizzy married early to a young wealthy man, Randall Carlton, in her surrounding area that grown up with each other. Her father was not happy about this marriage, because he thought she was too young, and her young man is definitely too young at nineteen, He says he has not had time to show his wild oats, and when he leaves her she will not be welcomed back to Longbourn. Within a month of her marriage, her young husband was killed in a He Tau

Different Pride and Prejudice variation than I've read. Lizzy married early to a young wealthy man, Randall Carlton, in her surrounding area that grown up with each other. Her father was not happy about this marriage, because he thought she was too young, and her young man is definitely too young at nineteen, He says he has not had time to show his wild oats, and when he leaves her she will not be welcomed back to Longbourn. Within a month of her marriage, her young husband was killed in an accident, and her father-in-law picks her up from Bath where she and Randall were living, she continues to live at Camberworth, his father's residence in Hertfordshire, he hoping she was by chance with child. Well she was pregnant, and nine months later her son and Mr. Carlton's grandson was born. He named her son Bennet Randall Carlton. Mr. Carlton has buried two wives, and he is lonely. He has treated Lizzy and Ben well, but marries Ben's nurse. Carlton sets her up with a nice pension, and Ben will have a sustainable inheritance when he reaching his majority. Things go alone fine until Carlton dies. When his estranged son comes to collect his rightful place, he brings many friends whose lives are filled with debauchery. Lizzy and Ben leave for Longbourn hoping her father will allow to take her in. Well her sisters, with exception of Jane, are enthralled with Ben as is Mrs. Bennet so Lizzy is given a room. . Ben is a very bright and precocious four year old and meets Darcy, King Arthur, to Ben's Sir Lancelot. Darcy is impressed with Ben's knowledge of the Arthurian Tales of the Knights of the Round Table. This precocious child is a wonderment to Darcy, and he is captivated. Jane convinces Lizzy to join them to the Meryton Assembly. Finally after much debate, she goes. Here she meets the Bingley group and she and Darcy have an immediate attraction each other thinking the other is their soul mate. When Jane takes sick at Netherfield, Lizzy goes to take care of her sister. When Bingley introduces her as Mrs. Elizabeth Carlton, Darcy is beside himself. When he finds out later that she's a widow, he breathes a bit better. Mr. Geoffrey Collins set to inherent Longbourn on Mr. Bennet's death has come to choose a wife amongst the daughters. Again, Mr. Bennet tells Lizzy that she needs to secure him, but of Bingley's attachment to Jane, and her younger sisters are to young and foolish. Mr. William Collins, Geoffrey Collins' younger brother comes for the same reason, but seeing Jane taken and the other three not acceptable, heads to Lucas Lodge. Soon he is betrothed to Charlotte. His brother and two twins are invited along with Lizzy for Easter at Hunsford. Ben finds his friend King Arthur and drags him home to meet his motherdesire, because she doesn't believe he's real. Well it reunites Darcy and Elizabeth, and her strict and husband to be, becomes obnoxious. Darcy continues his relationship with Ben and pulls Lizzy into the fantasy as Queen Guinevere. Both she and Ben their day immensely. When she returns to the parsonage and is confronted by Geoffrey. Lizzy is steaming after his remarks. Eventually, Geoffrey toasts the engagement of Anne and Darcy when they eat at Rosings. Darcy is beside himself and when she plays the pianoforte, he tells her that's not true. While out walking, Darcy proposes, but her heart wants to, but her fear of her father's reaction and promise stops her. Darcy gives Ben his card, and leaves Rosings after putting his aunt her place. At last she sees that he and Anne are not suited and releases him. Anne however, overheard her mother's remark, rushes up the stairs madder Ghana a wet when, and screams, "It's not over until I say it's over." Anne has her mother's daughter for sure complete with mannerisms, hateful to those inferior and avowed revenge. Darcy leaves, and Geoffrey Collins takes freewheeling Ben's foolishness, and Lizzy sees to his two daughters. Ben offers the two princesses a gift. He found two toads and their Princes. They run screaming, and Geoffrey was mean and too stern when disciplining her child. When Ben runs off to his bedroom, Collins tells her to stop coddling her son, and get his fantasies out of his head. Later during their quiet time together, she unleashed her vitriol on him and refuses to marry him because all he wants is a subservient wife and son, and she won't bend to that. He fires back that has nothing to do with him, but she thinks she's in love with Darcy. He tells her, he wants her gone by tomorrow morning. She goes to the Gardiners and with four adults and five children the home is packed. Jane is upset with her life and upset because she has given up a decent man just to have her own way. She definitely will never be admitted to Longbourn again. Ben enjoys his cousins, but sees she is very unhappy. Her uncle has invested her money in a bad adventure and now she cannot live alone. Ben suggests seeing Mr. Darcy because he told them he would help her at anytime. Telling Ben she doesn't have his address, Ben runs to get Darcy's card. She tells him she cannot just show up. Later when Ben is not found in the house, Elizabeth panics, realizes he has gone to Darcy's home. While she's on her way, Caroline invades Darcy House. She is trying to seduce him, and he is having none of it. Just as he is removing her, Elizabeth shows up and before he can throw Caroline out, she has words for them both. Colonel Fitzwilliam shows up with Ben unconscious. Darcy calls his doctor, Ben is examined, and found to be alright. Elizabeth and Ben stay, and Georgiana comes as his hostess. When Ben reccovers, he and Elizabeth move to Georgiana's home. Between Caroline's comment and his uncle's diatribe, and Jane's scathing admission that she is marrying Geoffrey Collins, the Darcys, Lizzy and Ben all head to Pemberley. Everything is going great, and Lizzy is waiting for another proposal. Darcy, Elizabeth, and Ben go out on another adventure and in the meantime, Anne de Bourgh shows up wanting her intended immediately. Georgiana tells her she'll never be Darcy's wife for she loves another. She is angry and when Darcy shows up, begins to scream, rant, and rave. He lets lose on her and before he knows it she's attacking him. She slips at the top of the steps and falls all the way down. She's hurt and Darcy feels guilty. The Colonel shows up for the wedding and when he finds out that he's rescheduled the date, he goes off on Darcy saying that if he keeps this up Anne will gloat him into marrying her. If that happens, what about Elizabeth and Ben? Heated words are exchanged, and Darcy realizes he's right. Richard comes to find out Anne has been awake for quite awhile and has a stern, long overdue, talk with her. Anne finally admits to her deception, apologized to Lizzy Anne the wedding takes place in a very short amount of time.
Another great P. O. Dixon's Pride and Prejudice variation.
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