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Tag: Historical Romance

Review – The Other Bennet Sister

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The Other Bennet Sister

by Janice Hadlow

Genres: Literary Fiction, Regency, Romance
Release Date: March 31, 2020
Pages: 481
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆

What if Mary Bennet’s life took a different path from that laid out for her in Pride and Prejudice? What if the frustrated intellectual of the Bennet family, the marginalized middle daughter, the plain girl who takes refuge in her books, eventually found the fulfillment enjoyed by her prettier, more confident sisters? This is the plot of Janice Hadlow’s The Other Bennet Sister, a debut novel with exactly the affection and authority to satisfy Jane Austen fans.

Ultimately, Mary’s journey is like that taken by every Austen heroine. She learns that she can only expect joy when she has accepted who she really is. She must throw off the false expectations and wrong ideas that have combined to obscure her true nature and prevented her from what makes her happy. Only when she undergoes this evolution does she have a chance at finding fulfillment; only then does she have the clarity to recognize her partner when he presents himself—and only at that moment is she genuinely worthy of love.

Mary’s destiny diverges from that of her sisters. It does not involve broad acres or landed gentry. But it does include a man; and, as in all Austen novels, Mary must decide whether he is the truly the one for her. In The Other Bennet Sister, Mary is a fully rounded character—complex, conflicted, and often uncertain; but also vulnerable, supremely sympathetic, and ultimately the protagonist of an uncommonly satisfying debut novel.

Review – Heart of the Impaler

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Heart of the Impaler

by Alexander Delacroix

Heart of the Impaler

Genres: Historical, Young Adult
Release Date: December 7, 2021
Pages: 347
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google PlayKoboiBooks
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Alexander Delacroix’s darkly romantic debut Heart of the Impaler is perfect for fans of Kiersten White’s And I Darken.

Vlad Dracula has long lived in the shadows cast by his bloodthirsty father, the voivode, and his older brother, Mircea. Despite their cruelty, Vlad has yearned to prove himself worthy of the throne his whole life. In the cold halls of the voivode’s palace, Vlad can only rely on his cousin and closest friend, Andrei Musat.

When Vlad and Andrei meet Ilona Csáki, the daughter of an influential boyar, they each find themselves inextricably drawn to her. But then Ilona is betrothed to Mircea as part of a political alliance, and Vlad’s resentfulness of his brother begins to seethe into something far darker.

Ilona has no desire to marry the voivode’s eldest son, but love and marriage are the least of her worries. The royal family’s enemies have already tried to put an arrow through her back—and if anyone discovers her blossoming feelings for Andrei and Vlad, she may just wish they’d succeeded.

Beneath the shadow of impending war, the only battle that will be deadlier than the one for Ilona’s life will be the one for her heart.

Review – Miss Lucas: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

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Miss Lucas: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by A.V. Knight

Miss Lucas Cover

Genres: Regency, Historical Romance, Pride and Prejudice, Adult
Release Date: December 16, 2018
Pages: 180
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman of 27 is doomed to remain an old maid.

Charlotte Lucas knows this better than anyone. 

Mr. Collins is Charlotte’s last chance at becoming a wife, but when he leaves Meryton without proposing, Charlotte is determined not to let this last opportunity pass her by. 

The greatest challenge to Charlotte’s changes isn’t securing an invitation to Rosings Park, battling Lizzy’s temper, overcoming Lady Catherine’s unfathomable disapproval, or even Mr. Darcy’s odd behavior: it’s the distracting presence of Colonel Fitzwilliam. The man is neither handsome nor charming, but he’s honest and clever, which are enough to tease Charlotte with romantic notions that have never troubled her before.

Join Charlotte Lucas in this novel-length variation on Jane Austen’s classic, where practical Charlotte finally earns her own happy ending. Though a lover of clean regency romance, Miss Lucas is AV Knight’s first Pride and Prejudice variation.

Review – Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World

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Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World

by Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy Cover

Series: Pride and Prejudice Variations
Genres: Regency, Historical Romance, Pride and Prejudice, Adult
Release Date: January 1, 2010
Pages: 258
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆

What if…

The last man in the world she could be prevailed upon to marry…is her husband?

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet tells the proud Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy that she wouldn’t marry him if he were the last man in the world.

But what if she never said the words? What if circumstances conspired to make her accept Darcy the first time he proposes?

In this installment of Abigail Reynolds’s acclaimed Pride and Prejudice Variations, Elizabeth agrees to marry Darcy against her better judgment, setting off a chain of events that nearly brings disaster to them both…

Review – An Unwitting Compromise

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An Unwitting Compromise

by Sue Barr

An Unwitting Compromise

Genres: Regency, Historical Romance, Pride and Prejudice, Adult
Release Date: March 5, 2021
Pages: 254
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Can a woman have two great loves in her life?

All it takes is one night for Elizabeth Bennet’s life to change forever. Finding herself pregnant with Mr. Darcy’s baby, she is forced to make decisions that will have an impact on the rest of not only her life but her family’s.

Mr. Darcy, who cannot remember the night in question and therefore does not believe he is the father of Elizabeth’s child, soldiers on in his pride and arrogance until he’s forced to admit – he is the father.

His realization comes too late. She is now married and not only is she unattainable, but so is his son.

**Warning** There is a hint of what some might feel is sexual violence in the first chapter. It is not graphic, but some readers who are sensitive to this type of scenario should read with caution.

Review – A Case of Some Delicacy

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A Case of Some Delicacy

by KC Kahler

A Case of Some Delicacy

Genres: Regency, Historical Romance, Pride and Prejudice, Adult
Release Date: September 22, 2019
Pages: 420
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

A secret alliance grows from an unwelcomed olive branch…

When rumours of Jane Bennet’s impending betrothal to Mr. Collins begin spreading at the Meryton Assembly, Elizabeth Bennet vows to save her dearest sister’s happiness from being sacrificed in marriage. She finds an unlikely ally in Mr Darcy, the taciturn man whose heroics on the cricket field have made him the target for Lydia’s affections.

Overhearing a heated exchange between Elizabeth and Mr Bennet, Darcy is stunned not only by her devotion to her sister, but also by her defiant words to her father. An inexplicable desire to help Elizabeth draws Darcy into the match-breaking scheme, despite knowing that he should want nothing to do with a family like the Bennets.

As the new allies work together, they begin to understand and admire each other. But they must navigate a complicated web of sisters, parents, friends, cousins, aunts, and new acquaintances, all of whom seem contrary to being manipulated. A few of them may even be attempting their own manipulations and romantic schemes. Eavesdropping and jealousy abound, cricket balls go astray, and love blooms in spite of Mrs. Bennet’s mismatched matchmaking.

This humorous Pride and Prejudice re-imagining is novel length and pays homage to the wit of Jane Austen.

Review – Pride & Perception

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Pride & Perception

by Sue Barr

Pride and Perception

Genres: Regency, Historical Romance, Pride and Prejudice, Adult
Release Date: March 5, 2021
Pages: 363
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆

What if…

The entail on Longbourn had been broken?

The Bennets owned Netherfield Park?

Jane Bennet had firm opinions?

Lizzy overheard the second derogatory comment Darcy made about her beauty? After the Bennets had dined at Netherfield Park, he said, “Her a beauty? I should as soon call her mother a wit.”

Yeah – that one.

This is a story where we explore all these beautiful what-ifs.

Review – Mistaken

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Mistaken

by Jessie Lewis

Mistaken Book Cover

Genres: Romance, Regency, Pride and Prejudice Variation, Historical Romance
Release Date: February 10, 2019
Pages: 585
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

A tempestuous acquaintance and disastrous marriage proposal make it unlikely Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet will ever reconcile. Despairing of their own reunion, they attend with great energy to salvaging that of Darcy’s friend Mr Bingley and Elizabeth’s sister Jane. People are rarely so easily manoeuvred in and out of love, however, and there follows a series of misunderstandings, both wilful and unwitting, that complicates the path to happiness for all four star-crossed lovers more than ever before. Re-edited with new and extended scenes for 2019 publication.

Review – Elizabeth Bennet: Heiress

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Elizabeth Bennet: Heiress

by Don H. Miller

Elizabeth Bennet: Heiress Cover

Genres: Pride and Prejudice Variation, Historical Romance, Regency, Romance
Release Date: February 4, 2021
Pages: 247
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

This story takes up the lives of Darcy and Elizabeth and their family and friends soon after Bingley holds the ball at Netherfield Park. Mr. Bennet receives news that Mr. Collins has died, and, there being no other living male descendants of the grandparent who created the fee tail on Longbourn, Mr. Bennet may will Longbourn to the daughter of his choice. He chooses Elizabeth, with the full agreement of Jane, her elder sister. Thus, although the family fortune is not affected, Elizabeth’s personal standing is raised because she is now the heiress of a desirable estate. This story explores the effects this may have on Elizabeth’s life and her somewhat contentious relationship with Darcy.

Review – Elizabeth and Darcy: Ardently Yours

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Elizabeth and Darcy: Ardently Yours

by Evangeline Wright

Elizabeth and Darcy Ardently Yours

Genres: Regency Romance, Historical Romance, Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: August 2, 2019
Pages: 171
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆

We all know what Lizzy and Darcy did last summer… Or do we?

This variation on Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice asks two questions about the summer before Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s introduction.

What if Elizabeth visited Pemberley before meeting Darcy, and was prepared to think the best of him, rather than the worst? 

What if Georgiana Darcy stayed home from Ramsgate, and Wickham’s dastardly schemes had not yet been revealed?

The answer: An ardent, inevitable love story that unfolds quite differently… but is, in essentials, very much what it ever was.

Review – A Duel in Meryton

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A Duel in Meryton

by Renata McMann and Summer Hanford

A Duel In Meryton

Genres: Regency Romance, Historical Romance, Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: August 18, 2019
Pages: 233
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★★

With his young sister Georgiana’s reticence a constant reminder that his onetime friend, George Wickham, should not be trusted, Darcy decides a trip to rural Hertfordshire is in order, for both him and Georgiana. Darcy believes the people there are of so little consequence, Georgiana will know no fear in interacting with them. He soon learns he’s wrong about both his sister and Hertfordshire, but not about Wickham.

Even bearing the brunt of Mr. Darcy’s insult doesn’t soften Elizabeth to her husband-hunting cousin, Mr. Collins, and her first reaction is to disdain both men. As the two join forces against Meryton’s newest militia member, the charming Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth comes to see a different side to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins. Their presence in Hertfordshire, along with Mr. Darcy’s other companions, will forever alter the lives of Elizabeth and those she cares for most.

Review – The Best Part of Love

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The Best Part of Love

by Amy D’Orazio

The Best Part of Love

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: June 17, 2019
Pages: 410
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Avoiding the truth does not change the truth.

When Fitzwilliam Darcy meets Miss Elizabeth Bennet, his heart is almost immediately engaged. Seeing the pretty lady before him, a lady of no consequence or fortune, he believes he should not form an attachment to her, unsuitable as such a woman is to be his wife.

What he cannot see, however, is the truth, that the simple country girl harbours a secret. Before she meets Darcy, Elizabeth has spent two years hiding from the men who killed her beloved first husband. Feeling herself destroyed by love, Elizabeth is certain she will never love again, certainly not the arrogant man who has offended her from the first moment of their acquaintance.

In time, Elizabeth surprises herself by finding in Darcy a friend; even greater is her surprise to find herself gradually coming to love him and  even accepting an offer of marriage from him. As the newly married couple is beginning to settle into their happily-ever-after, a condemned man on his way to the gallows divulges a shattering truth, a secret that contradicts everything Elizabeth thought she knew about the tragic circumstances of her first marriage. Against the advice of everyone who loves her—including Darcy—Elizabeth begins to seek the truth, knowing she must have it even if it may destroy her newfound happiness with Darcy.

Review – A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity

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A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity

by Amy D’Orazio

A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: July 7, 2019
Pages: 436
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Is not the very meaning of love that it surpasses every objection against it?

Jilted. Never did Mr. Darcy imagine it could happen to him.

But it has, and by Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who first hated and rejected him but then came to love him—he believed—and agree to be his wife. Alas, it is a short-lived, ill-fated romance that ends nearly as soon as it has begun. No reason is given.

More than a year since he last saw her—a year of anger, confusion, and despair—he receives an invitation from the Bingleys to a house party at Netherfield. Darcy is first tempted to refuse, but with the understanding that Elizabeth will not attend, he decides to accept.

When a letter arrives, confirming Elizabeth’s intention to join them, Darcy resolves to meet her with indifference. He is determined that he will not demand answers to the questions that plague him. Elizabeth is also resolved to remain silent and hold fast to the secret behind her refusal. Once they are together, however, it proves difficult to deny the intense passion that still exists. Fury, grief, and profound love prove to be a combustible mixture. But will the secrets between them be their undoing?

Review – It Started with a Kiss

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It Started with a Kiss

by Beth Wood

It Started With a Kiss

Genres: Regency Romance, Historical Romance, Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: October 1, 2015
Pages: 133
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆

When Darcy finds Elizabeth touring the park around Pemberley, he assumes he is in the grips of his dreams and acts accordingly. He is incredibly surprised to discover that the woman he has taken in his arms is not only very real, but also kissing him back.

This lighthearted variation explores how things might have progressed differently had Mr. Darcy left Elizabeth Bennet with no doubt concerning his continued affection upon finding her touring his beloved Pemberley. 

Review – Fitzwilliam Darcy Elopes

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Fitzwilliam Darcy Elopes

by Beth Wood

Fitzwilliam Darcy Elopes

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Pages: 116
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★★

When Elizabeth receives the news concerning Lydia’s elopement with Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy proposes a plan to divert gossip away from Elizabeth’s younger sister in order to save her from a life as Mrs. Wickham.

This humorous variation on Pride and Prejudice follows Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet on a rather unexpected adventure.

Review – A Lady’s Reputation

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A Lady’s Reputation

by Amy D’Orazio

A Lady's Reputation

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Classical Re-write, Adult
Release Date: July 29, 2019
Pages: 470
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★★

“Mr. Darcy, I am eager to hear your explanation for the fact that quite a few people believe we are engaged.”

It starts with a bit of well-meant advice. Colonel Fitzwilliam suggests to his cousin Darcy that, before he proposes to Elizabeth Bennet in Kent, perhaps he ought to discuss his plans with their families first.

What neither man could have predicted however was that Lord Matlock would write the news to his sister, or that Viscount Saye would overhear and tell his friends, or that his friends might slip a little and let their friends know as well. The news spreads just as quickly through Hertfordshire once Mrs Bennet opens the express Mr Bennet receives from Mr Darcy, and in a matter of days, it seems like everyone knows that Mr Darcy has proposed marriage to Elizabeth Bennet.

Everyone, that is, except Elizabeth herself.

Her refusal is quick and definite—until matters of reputation, hers as well as Jane’s, are considered. Then Mr Darcy makes another offer: summer at Pemberley so that Jane can be reunited with Mr Bingley and so that he can prove to Elizabeth he is not what she thinks of him. Falling in love with him is naturally impossible…but once she knows the man he truly is, will she be able to help herself?

Review – Pride, Prejudice & Wicked Pleasure

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Pride, Prejudice & Wicked Pleasure

by Em Brown

Pride, Prejudice and Wicked Pleasure

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Classical Re-write, Erotica, Adult
Release Date: October 12, 2017
Pages: 430
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

When Lizzy Bennett arrives at Hunsford Parsonage, she’s unacquainted with the less civilized side of pleasure. But Lizzy isn’t someone who’s easily intimidated. At the encouragement of her new friend, she ventures into a decadent realm where proper etiquette succumbs to primal passions. Little does she know that the masked mentor responsible for her sexual awakening is the arrogant Mr. Darcy, the very scoundrel she blames for her sister’s unhappiness…

Mr. Darcy is relieved to train a new sexual partner. Despite her distaste toward him, he’s unable to take his mind off the clever, captivating Ms. Bennett. He can’t help but think of her likeness in his new protege. When he finds out his student and his obsession are one in the same, Darcy is torn between fulfilling his own fantasies and risking everything for a distant chance at something more…

Pride, Prejudice & Wicked Pleasure is a steamy historical romance that dares to imagine the kinkier side of literature’s most famous couple. If you like sultry chemistry, Regency trappings, and new takes on classic characters, then you’ll love Em Brown’s erotic reimagining.

Review – The Ghostly Father

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The Ghostly Father

by Sue Barnard

The Ghostly FatherGenres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Classical Rewrite
Release Date: October 6, 2018
Pages: 252
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Was this what really happened to Romeo & Juliet?

Think you know the world’s most famous love story? Think again. What if the story of Romeo & Juliet really happened – but not quite in the way we’ve all been told?

This part-prequel, part-sequel to the original tale, told from the point of view of the Friar, tells how an ancient Italian manuscript reveals secrets and lies which have remained hidden for hundreds of years, and casts new doubts on the official story of Shakespeare’s famous star-crossed lovers.

If you love the Romeo & Juliet story but are disappointed with the way it ended, this is the book for you.

Review – Too Gentlemanly

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Too Gentlemanly: An Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy Story

by Timothy Underwood

Too GentlemanlyGenres: Historical Romance, Regency, Classical Re-write
Release Date: November 29, 2017
Pages: 288
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Fitzwilliam Darcy had grown unused to female society during his five years of seclusion since Georgiana had her illegitimate child. That was why he accidentally insulted Mrs. Bingley’s sister. And why he kept thinking about her.

When Georgiana became pregnant with Wickham’s child, Darcy had not made her marry the man Colonel Fitzwilliam found to preserve her reputation. She had begged him not to, and Darcy would do anything for his sister. He would even attend the Hertfordshire assembly with Mr. Bingley, because Georgiana wanted him to enjoy society. Bingley’s neighbors had refused to let a fallen woman like Georgiana amongst them. Darcy would not pretend to be pleased to meet them.

Elizabeth thought Mr. Darcy was a grand philanthropist: His rudeness provided everyone with a handsome and rich man to hate. But why, if he was actively determined to sneer at all the company, had he bothered to attend their assembly? Still, he was a very handsome man.

Darcy needed to overcome his bad first impression if he wanted Elizabeth. But he was rich, handsome and clever.

Review – The Warrior’s Bride Prize

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The Warrior’s Bride Prize

by Jenni Fletcher

The Warrior's Bride PrizeGenres: Romance, Historical Romance, Roman, Ancient World
Release Date: October 1, 2018
Pages: 288
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | WHSmith
My Rating: ★★★★★

Daughter of a slave…

…wedded to the warrior!

Livia Valeria is furious when she’s ruthlessly gambled away by her intended bridegroom. Luckily, it’s tall, muscled and darkly handsome Roman centurion Marius Varro who wins her as his bride! She must hide her Caledonian roots, but when Marius faces a barbarian rebellion at Hadrian’s Wall, Livia must make a choice: her heritage or the husband she’s falling for…