Mr Bennet's Dutiful Daughter in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

Nov 05, 2016 Sheila Majczan rated it it was amazing

I have read and loved all of Joana's books (5 stars from me) but this one is, in my opinion, the best of the lot.

I listened to this story on Audible while on my daily walks during August & September 2018. Loved it all over again.

As the book description tells we begins with Elizabeth in Kent and walking with the Colonel while he is just beginning to relate to her how Darcy “takes prodigious care of his friends” when the man himself rides up, dismounts and sends his cousin back to Rosings to prepa I have read and loved all of Joana's books (5 stars from me) but this one is, in my opinion, the best of the lot.

I listened to this story on Audible while on my daily walks during August & September 2018. Loved it all over again.

As the book description tells we begins with Elizabeth in Kent and walking with the Colonel while he is just beginning to relate to her how Darcy “takes prodigious care of his friends” when the man himself rides up, dismounts and sends his cousin back to Rosings to prepare to leave. Then, alone with Elizabeth Darcy tells her that Rosings received news from Longbourn of Mr. Bennet having an attack, thought to be apoplexy, and that he is in a bad way. How the news was received is an oddity and rather shameful but reading on…Darcy then proposes and it is not at this point “The Hunsford Proposal”. In doing so he states outright that if they marry as soon as possible he will be in a position to not only intervene with Collins’ manner of taking over the Longbourn estate if the worse happens but he can also make sure she is in a position of security. Furthermore, he and the Colonel will accompany her home in his coach so she may arrive home in the fastest mode possible.

Elizabeth in her distress, does not give him an immediate answer but during the journey home the Colonel at one point takes to his horse and Darcy again takes up the offer. So here we read, as you surmised I am sure, of Elizabeth knowing that there is no other way to provide for her own or her family’s future. But she is also thinking of the Jane and Bingley matter and how he treated Wickham. She does not bring those into the conversation. Elizabeth does inform him that she was NOT expecting his addresses. And then we hear of “the unequal match, reprehensible connections and rational objections” from his lips. He also tells of his admiration, etc. and, a boon, how he has sent ahead to have his London physician see to Mr. Bennet.

Elizabeth decides that she must (for her family/a sacrifice on her part) give up the idea of marrying for love…although he did say he loved her…and secure the needed remedy for the possibility that Mr. Bennet will not recover.

This story has so many emotions whirling around. In the early part of the story Darcy is so romantic, so attentive, even as he blunders in snubbing those dear to Elizabeth. She loves those kindnesses, unasked for but anticipated as needs on his part but she also has objections to his taking control and his coldness to those dear to her, especially the Gardiners. Even as he selects the day for the marriage he forges ahead and earns a reprimand from her. But Darcy has ignored or is in denial…that she was not expecting his proposal and as they grow closer he is totally wrapped up in enjoying the relationship. HOWEVER…it all comes around and stings him…complacency in not being open, in not sharing those matters hinted at and the bottom drops out BIG TIME. Elizabeth did not know the man she was accepting. Revelations may shatter any chance for happiness.

I don’t want to say anything further about just what does occur. However the author gives us a reaction I have never read of in any other story. I could not put the book down as I was truly aghast at Darcy’s stance and reading of no compromise, no discussion…no, I can’t go there. You must, dear fellow readers, you must read this story. I will be reading it again soon as I was speed reading to see how it all worked out but for a while I wasn’t absolutely sure how that ending was going to come about.

Charles Bingley was my hero - backbone made of steel when the stakes are down…really! Colonel Fitzwilliam was also again very insightful as to how things really stood. He brought some smiles. Mrs. Reynolds (with thoughts from Mr. Howard) has a post script of her observations in the epilogue, which tells of just a few additional events.

This book was a gift from a friend. ...more

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Nov 23, 2016 Mary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-books

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

No matter her lowly connections,her lack of dowry,her social standing......yes,he was keenly aware of them but would not allow such to defer him from his course,fixed in his determination to choose her to be his wife, partner,lover, mother of his children and sister to dear Georgiana.

Yes,she'd been expecting his proposal,he was definite of this,was probably a little surprised at his utterances now while holidaying in Kent,but what of these concerns in the long term?

They would be ...more

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Apr 07, 2020 Sophia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

She marries 'the last man in the world' she would ever marry to save her family when a family tragedy looms over them all. But, is Mr. Darcy the ogre she imagined or a man she might come to respect and love? A P&P variation that begins at Hunsford and weaves its way to the lovely shades of Pemberley as told by the fabulous narrative work of Stevie Zimmerman.

Mr. Bennet's Dutiful Daughter opens when Elizabeth gets the sad news that her father is gravely ill. It is the arrogant Mr. Darcy who steps She marries 'the last man in the world' she would ever marry to save her family when a family tragedy looms over them all. But, is Mr. Darcy the ogre she imagined or a man she might come to respect and love? A P&P variation that begins at Hunsford and weaves its way to the lovely shades of Pemberley as told by the fabulous narrative work of Stevie Zimmerman.

Mr. Bennet's Dutiful Daughter opens when Elizabeth gets the sad news that her father is gravely ill. It is the arrogant Mr. Darcy who steps up to help guide her dismal family affairs and make her a startling offer of love with his hand in marriage. At this point, she has only her own unfavorable impressions and Wickham's lies about the man, but she has no other recourse with Mr. Collins ready to toss the family out of Longbourne as soon as her father passes away. So, with no love in her heart and a great deal of love and little humbleness in his heart, they wed.

This is not the first time I have read this plot variation for Pride and Prejudice. I've read a couple of good ones, actually. This did make me a little wary going in, but only a little because this author has proven time and again that her quality storytelling can stand the test.

From the beginning, I was vested in both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. There is a great deal of feeling wrought out of the words so that I was emotionally vested and suffering with them as they worked through a marriage of unequal affection and the difficulty of outside caprice. I actually pulled away from the story after a bit because my personal taste is not for this much emotional angst particularly the sort that is introspection. Elizabeth generates a load of churning thoughts and feelings and much of it was her own stubborn refusal to give the man a chance especially when she saw evidence that he might not be only and exactly what she thought. She leaped to the worst conclusion over his every look, manner, and verbal expression and then when he was over the line, she really charged in with the vitriolic emotions. I was not looking forward to the moment when Darcy discovered that he had opened himself up to a woman who couldn't stand him. If she would have been honest at some point well before that moment... And, boy was I right. The pain was palpable. So, I said all that not as a criticism for the story, but just that it was a bit much for me personally though I could value how well done it all is as a whole and appreciate the ending even more for what it went through to get there.

In essence, this was a beautiful story of unrequited love triumphing on one side and marriage of inconvenience becoming love on the other- an unequal affection becoming something more. I was glad the author made the changes in their relationship gradual and difficult so it was quite believable and triumphant by the end. Other than a faithful few, they had lots of outside characters causing them grief which compounded their troubles. I was really rooting them on to get past that.

On a side note, I loved Mr. Bingley in this one. He and other side characters were steady and strong and decisive in balancing out the torchy Darcy and Elizabeth.

As I said, Stevie Zimmerman was lights out fab and was a perfect match for the story. She has such a lovely flexible voice that gender, age, class, and tone were rendered perfectly. I love how I see the story coming alive.

All in all, this hard-fought emotional story tugged at my heart and left me emotionally exhausted but oh so happy for how it ended. Those who are familiar with the Pride and Prejudice story would get more out of this, but I think any historical romance fans who enjoy a pinch of spice and deep emotions in a slowburn romance should give it a go. ...more

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Nov 07, 2016 Anji rated it it was amazing

Shelves: e-book, z-2016-austenesque-challenge, austenesque-regency, austenesque-pride-and-prejudice, z-2017-austenesque-challenge

Wow....just....wow!!! Some people will know that I've already used that phrase in connection with this book. That hasn't changed in the slightest. I've read all of Joana Starnes' works and have loved them all. My previous favourite was The Falmouth Connection (the garden scene...sigh!) but I think it's now been superceded by this one.

Setting the scene: the variation starts as Elizabeth is walking in the grounds of Rosings Park and meets Colonel Fitzwilliam. He's just about to divulge the fact t Wow....just....wow!!! Some people will know that I've already used that phrase in connection with this book. That hasn't changed in the slightest. I've read all of Joana Starnes' works and have loved them all. My previous favourite was The Falmouth Connection (the garden scene...sigh!) but I think it's now been superceded by this one.

Setting the scene: the variation starts as Elizabeth is walking in the grounds of Rosings Park and meets Colonel Fitzwilliam. He's just about to divulge the fact that Darcy interfered in Bingley's fledgling relationship with Jane, when Darcy comes galloping up on horseback. Back at Longbourn, Mr. Bennet is seriously, possibly fatally ill and she has to return home immediately. As the Colonel disappears to make travel arrangements, Darcy makes the proposal he was planning for later that day. He knows that the Bennet family will be "out in the hedgerows" should Mr. Bennet die and that would also delay any possible wedding. Elizabeth accepts without having to think about it too much. Darcy doesn't make the Hunsford proposal we know so well, so he doesn't get the refusal that drives him to write the letter that starts to improve Elizabeth's opinion of him. She still thinks well of Wickham! So how do these two totally different people, who hardly know each other, get on as a married couple and reach their HEA?

From here on in we're taken on quite the roller coaster ride by Ms. Starnes. Without that crucial happening at Hunsford from canon, both of them still have to grow (a lot) to become the people they need to be. Darcy in particular, although he's deeply in love, can be really quite unpleasant at times, especially regarding Elizabeth's family and connections. Obviously she doesn't take it well. He's also unaware at this time quite how unequal their respective affections are. How he finds out is just one downhill rush of the aforesaid roller coaster. There are interesting confrontations between various parties during the course of this tale. One in particular had me cheering for an unexpected show of backbone by......ah, but that would be telling. Spoilers!

I won't say any more as I really don't want to give away any details of this wonderful variation. There are some intense romantic scenes and we do go into Darcy and Elizabeth's bedroom but it's told with exquisite taste there's nothing terribly explicit. It's a high angst story admittedly but I loved it from start to finish and the epilogue is a total joy. ...more

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Oct 31, 2018 Dung rated it it was amazing

Shelves: austen-inspried, books-owned-kindle-ibook

Joana Starnes does it again! What an angst filled story that just pulls you in. You can feel the emotions coming off the pages from gut wrenching moments to moments that make you sigh.

The other reviews do a great job summarizing the story. I highly recommend it to any JAFF lovers.

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Nov 20, 2016 Nicole Barton Sasser rated it really liked it

Shelves: p-and-p, kindle, jaff, 2016-austenesque-lovers-challenge

Status: Read November 19-20, 2016

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Library Notes:

Mr Bennet's Dutiful Daughter
by Joana Starnes
Kindle Edition, First Edition, 342 pages
Published November 3, 2016
ASIN: B01MXFVZZ5

When Colonel Fitzwilliam’s disclosures are interrupted by the bearer of distressing news from Longbourn, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is compelled to accept an offer she would have otherwise dismissed out of hand. An offer of marriage from the all-too-proud Mr Darcy.

Yet how is she to live with a husband she hardly kno ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Christina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: regency-romance, austenesque, historical-romance, favorites

I have read many forced or arranged marriages "Pride and Prejudice" inspired romance novels. But in Joana Starnes' just released "Mr. Bennet's Dutiful Daughter," Mr. Bennet has some kind of apoplectic fit, leaving him at death's door. Darcy, already in love with Elizabeth Bennet, sees the only way to protect her should the worst occur, is to marry her. And soon. Though Elizabeth still finds him abhorrent, under the circumstances, and after he has confessed his adoration for her, his protection a I have read many forced or arranged marriages "Pride and Prejudice" inspired romance novels. But in Joana Starnes' just released "Mr. Bennet's Dutiful Daughter," Mr. Bennet has some kind of apoplectic fit, leaving him at death's door. Darcy, already in love with Elizabeth Bennet, sees the only way to protect her should the worst occur, is to marry her. And soon. Though Elizabeth still finds him abhorrent, under the circumstances, and after he has confessed his adoration for her, his protection and his person do not seem as repugnant as upon first acquaintance. As the story unfolds and as she becomes more familiar with the man she has hastily married, she discovers he has a kind and generous heart--especially towards her.
"Did he not see it dreadfully unwise to reveal quite so much of himself to her? That it would make him vulnerable in the extreme and put him in the greatest danger, were dye so heartless as to use it against him? Surely he did not think her equally in love, to trust her so implicitly with every formerly hidden feeling! What a blow must it be to him, were the truth if her deep-held reservations ever to come to light. What burden of responsibility on her, to carefully conceal it from so astute a man."
And that dear reader, is the crux. What happens to our beloved couple after he has successfully made her fall in love with him--and he discovers that she married him only to protect her family?
"'Aye. He deserves the world.'
And her eyes filled with tears when [Colonel] Fitzwilliam incautiously retorted, 'That is precisely what he said of you.'"

Gah! Get your tissues out and be prepared to chew a few finger nails because a lot of tears will be shed by Elizabeth and you, dear reader, before the last pages. Three nights in a row did I stay up until 3 a.m. reading Joana Starnes' latest. The evil genius that she is had me sobbing--I haven't been so emotionally distraught for pages, nay CHAPTERS, since C.P. Odom's "Consequences." This book is going to follow me for days as it did something to my soul. Felt every emotion possible. This very well may be her best yet. ...more

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Nov 07, 2016 Eliza Baum rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-kindle, austen-and-austenesque, library-audible, austenesque-challenge-2016

This book was really well written, so I wanted to start by saying my 4-star rating is more based on personal preference for stories rather than any technical flaws. I read this nearly straight through over a 24-hour period, only breaking due to life needs rather than desire. As the story progressed, I read as fast as my eyes and brain would go, because the plot turned in agonizing directions. It was those directions that dropped my rating--the angst was just too much.

I liked the way Elizabeth an This book was really well written, so I wanted to start by saying my 4-star rating is more based on personal preference for stories rather than any technical flaws. I read this nearly straight through over a 24-hour period, only breaking due to life needs rather than desire. As the story progressed, I read as fast as my eyes and brain would go, because the plot turned in agonizing directions. It was those directions that dropped my rating--the angst was just too much.

I liked the way Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage was accomplished in this story. I've read others where she accepts him due to her father's death or generally practical reasons, but this is the first where I've seen her marry for her family's protection with Mr. Bennet being on his death bed. It's a subtle difference, but it changed her early interactions with Darcy in a way that was interesting. My favorite thing about this beginning was the way Darcy stepped up for her so protectively, in reaction to Mr. Collins. Yes, all of the reasons why they shouldn't marry still exist, but he doesn't hesitate to throw them aside when she needs him (or he deems that she needs him, really, even though she truthfully does).

I liked that Darcy was so oblivious to Elizabeth's reactions when he made disparaging comments about her family. It's fitting, and also made me feel really bad for him. Sure, it's rude and insulting for him to voice the thoughts aloud...but there's a lot of truth in what he says, and he's expressing it because he thinks that he and Elizabeth are of one mind on it. He's so attentive and romantic otherwise that it almost physically hurt every time Elizabeth was jolted by one of those comments. It's no shock to me that she fell him love with him even before that point of contention was resolved. This was a pretty rare story in that I completely believed that she would fall for him at that stage, and she hadn't even found out the truth about Wickham yet, either.

Then came the real agony. (view spoiler)

But can I just say that Bingley was FABULOUS in this story? I highly recommend this story for anyone who likes to see an assertive Bingley who's still completely in character.

I'm not sure I'd be able to reread this story, but I did enjoy it, and I would recommend it. Just be aware that there's painful angst that (for me) sometimes stretched my suspension of disbelief. This book definitely pulls emotional chords with superior skill. My heart still hurts, even after the happy resolution. ...more

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