The Courtship of Edward Gardiner: A Pride & Prejudice Prequel in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016

Oct 03, 2016 Mary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2017, 2016-books

Dear reader,

What a fantastic job Stevie Zimmerman does! She has a very distinctive voice and a keen talent when it comes to portraying the depth of emotions felt by the various characters in a range of different situations.

From the sad and despondent Edward,to the sardonic and wry humour of Mr Bennet, to the whimsical fancies of seven year old Lizzy
and the ladylike persona of Madeline,we are privy to their wishes and wants and happily present to see the fulfilment of their hearts' desires!!

I ...more

32 likes · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2016 Claudine DiMuzio / Just Jane 1813 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: just-jane-1813-canon-character-s-st, just-jane-1813-prequels

Nicole Clarkston stops by Just Jane 1813 with audiobook giveaways and a wonderful post related to our beloved characters. Thank you, Nicole. Your post had me laughing all the way!!

http://justjane1813.com/2017/01/23/we...

Ms. Clarkston’s introspective story reimagines the early lives of our favorite supporting characters from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. (4.5 stars)

Source: I received an eARC of this story from the author for a fair and honest review.

“With the Gardiners, they were always on the m ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Oct 07, 2016 Sheila Majczan rated it it was amazing

This variation is a charming tale in which the author brings into the picture many of the persons we have met in canon. However it is with imagination and a skill to stay true to the behaviors we meet in Pride and Prejudice. We have at first a man disappointed in love dragged along on a needed journey to attend to Bennet’s sick brother that we read of Edward Gardiner's introduction to the lovely Madeline. This is a young lady who helps her father in his trade and thus is no wilting flower.

Bennet This variation is a charming tale in which the author brings into the picture many of the persons we have met in canon. However it is with imagination and a skill to stay true to the behaviors we meet in Pride and Prejudice. We have at first a man disappointed in love dragged along on a needed journey to attend to Bennet’s sick brother that we read of Edward Gardiner's introduction to the lovely Madeline. This is a young lady who helps her father in his trade and thus is no wilting flower.

Bennet has brought along 7-year-old Lizzy and her older sister, Jane. The latter becomes ill and can travel no further than Lambton. Edward offers to stay with the girls as Bennet must attend his brother. Left with two young girls who need separate attentions, Edward is referred to Miss Fairbank by the innkeeper’s wife as he seeks assistance. Eyebrows are raised at Lizzy’s impertinent and sometimes, unending questions. While some think Mrs. Bennet must be an attentive mother to have spawned Jane with her angelic looks and demure manners.

While the center romance is almost a love-at-first-sight tale; both persons are shy and hesitant to be forward as it seems this stay in Lambton is to be only of a few days length. During this interlude we spend some time at Pemberley and witness Darcy’s relationships with his 3-year-old sister, with sly Wickham and with his father, whose attentions to Georgiana are sparse. Darcy attempts to find time to give Georgiana the love and care she is missing and when a hail storm catches them away from home the nearest refuge is…the inn in Lambton. Being a fly on the wall and seeing Darcy gets some come-uppance from a girl too smart for her petticoats is sure to have the readers smiling from ear-to-ear. But we also learn that even at a young age attitudes can be mellowed.

Lady Catherine makes a short appearance and I just loved how she was handled by her brother-in-law and how a little girl advertised the “worth” of this “Lady” to the town. Edward Gardiner is also caught out in the storm and he, on the other hand, shows how a man with true character should act, even with those of a different class.

The author answered one question I had while reading when she gives us a short Epilogue and a visit to the Rose and Crown Inn is again made by newlyweds and relatives. While ODC’s time together at the Inn when ages 14 and 7 was contentious, do you think the couple might remember it and attach different meanings even as they can now both claim relations such as Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner?

Nicole Clarkston was indeed clever as she brought together in new but not unrealistic ways the people we all know and most of whom we love from Pride and Prejudice. Well done.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Oct 28, 2019 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it it was amazing

One of Jane Austen’s Most Happily Married Couples!

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Prequel

TIME FRAME: Begins around thirteen years before Pride and Prejudice

SYNOPSIS: What circumstances brought Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner together? Was it love-at-first sight, a marriage that grew into love, or did they experience their own rocky road to a happy understanding? Perhaps it begins with Mr. Gardiner joining his brother by marriage as he travels north on family business… Accompanying the two men on this e ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Nov 23, 2016 Suzan Lauder rated it it was amazing

Shelves: loved-it, no-sex-no-violence, jaff-regency, regency-romance

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

9 likes · Like · see review

Oct 24, 2016 Teresa rated it really liked it

A very enjoyable sweet book. The love story between Edward and Madeline was so gentle. They are two of my favourite characters from P&P and the author kept them that way while giving us an insight into their earlier lives. Their relationship in P&P is a real love affair and it was lovely to see how that happened.
Meeting Lizzy, Jane, Georgiana and Darcy as younger children was a nice touch. However, I felt at times that they acted way older than the ages they were supposed to be. Young Darcy was ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2016 Nicole Barton Sasser rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-on-amazon, jaff, p-and-p, physical-library, 2016-austenesque-lovers-challenge, kindle-doc, signed-by-author, arc, gift-from-author, for-review

Status: Read October 6-12, 2016

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review:
The Courtship of Edward Gardiner is a lovely prequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, in where we get to see how Elizabeth’s only example of a happy marriage meet and fall in love.

Prequels to canon are not abundant in the JAFF world. However, I have always adored the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and looked forward to experiencing their beginning written by an author I enjoy. Nicole Clarkston did a wonderful job and even surprised me. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Feb 27, 2017 Charlene rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wonderful prequel

Absolutely, throughly enjoyed this story. We find out how Mr Gardiner meets Mrs Gardiner. Lizzy and Jane with their father and uncle on trip to the North where Mr Bennet is to see his sick brother. Unexpectedly Jane falls ill and they end up staying in Lambton. Mr Bennet continues on to see his brother. They end up asking a local lady, Miss Madeline Fairfield to attend the two girls.

The author did an incredible job of integrating the characters that we are familiar with into t ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 23, 2016 Dung rated it it was amazing

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

Definitely one of my favorite JAFF book of the year. So happy that the Gardiners are given some page time. Loved the way the author introduces some of our favorite P&P characters.

Would love to read the years in between their marriage and the start of P&P.

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2016 ana darcy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jaff

I was very interested on reading the courtship of Mr. Gardiner, the lovely uncle of the Bennet sisters and the one who, together with his wife, brought Darcy and Elizabeth together.

As usual I am going to avoid any spoilers for two reasons: 1) I do not want people spoiling books or films to me and 2) it will leave you with the need to read such an awesome book!

You may have gather already that I have immensely enjoyed this book and not only because it is related to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Aust I was very interested on reading the courtship of Mr. Gardiner, the lovely uncle of the Bennet sisters and the one who, together with his wife, brought Darcy and Elizabeth together.

As usual I am going to avoid any spoilers for two reasons: 1) I do not want people spoiling books or films to me and 2) it will leave you with the need to read such an awesome book!

You may have gather already that I have immensely enjoyed this book and not only because it is related to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I believe Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner are two of the forgotten characters when it comes to JAFF but I can understand that other characters give more chance to write about.

Let’s start: Mr. Bennet has to go north to see his brother as he is quite ill and some things need to be done. He takes his two oldest daughters, Jane and Lizzy, two lovely little girls but with already the behaviour and personality that later on is told in Pride and Prejucide. Mr. Bennet’s brother-in-law, Mr. Gardiner travels with them in an attempt to forget his broken heart after being refused when he proposed to the lady that he thought was in love with.

The trip is thwarted because Jane gets ill and after the insistence of Mr. Gardiner, the girls and their uncle are going to remain in the nearest town to take care of the eldest Bennet sister. This town is a small but apparently lovely town of Lambton. However, even being their uncle, Mr. Gardiner, once Mr. Bennet continues the trip, needs a woman to take care of the little girls. Thanks to the owner of the inn where they are staying, they found a Miss Madeline Fairbanks, a young woman whose father is not a gentleman but who has taught his daughter to behave as a lady. She lives in the town and she accepts to help nursing Jane and taking care of Lizzy.

Here is where we have our two main characters for the first time. They will share a lot of nice moments, they will know each other better. He is a man in trade but close to a gentleman due to his education and savoir-faire. She, an only daughter whose brother is in London working, helps her father with the accounts and takes care of him who is suffering as he cannot read properly anymore. I will not tell you much more about them as it is very endearing and I think I cannot make it justice.

By the way, what do you think it may happen when one of the worst storms breaks in Derbyshire? What about having mainly one know-it-all little girl is actually helping two adults inderectly? What happens when a sensible woman meets Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips?

Apart from the adorable love story, I have really enjoyed reading about Lizzy and Jane when they were little. Moreover, as we are in Lambton, only five miles from Pemberley, Nicole Clarkston also shows us how Master Fitzwilliam, Miss Darcy and George Wickham were when little. It was very interesting to read how Fitzwilliam had to deal with George and how he learnt his principles , the same ones that would cost him quite dear on his first proposal years after to Elizabeth Bennet. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2017 Teresita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Great job!

A very believable and sweet story about my favorite secondary characters in P&P.

Ms. Clarkston did an amazing job of describing personalities as well as the surrounding area.

Highly recommended!

1 like · Like · see review