The Grail: The Saving of Elizabeth Darcy by Don Jacobson - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Many of you will be familiar with Don Jacobson’s The Bennet Wardrobe series which takes Austen’s Bennet family into the world beyond their time, as the wardrobe can transport them to other points in history. This is now the last installment in the series, The Grail: The Saving of Elizabeth Darcy. Don has joined us as part of his blog tour for The Grail. He’s brought a guest post, excerpt, and the opportunity to win one of six ebooks.

Let’s look at the blurb, and then I’ll hand over to Don.

Book Description

“You must throw away notions of what you want.
Only then will you be free to accept what you need.”

—The Brown Guide to
Fitzwilliam Darcy, 1840

Long has the amazing Bennet Wardrobe involved itself in the affairs of Longbourn. Where before its actions have been cloaked in mystery, its purpose now becomes clear. The fey cabinet has molded the universes to strike a balance that can be achieved only by saving the greatest love story ever told.

Follow the paths taken by Pemberley’s master and mistress after their children are grown. See Elizabeth Darcy struggle to rekindle the love glow that has dimmed after a quarter century. Grasp the unaccountable pain her departure levels upon the entire Derbyshire family. Watch Fitzwilliam Darcy learn that which he must in order to become the best version of himself: worthy of his Elizabeth.

The Grail: The Saving of Elizabeth Darcy closes out the Bennet Wardrobe series.  The disparate threads spun by the remarkable women born to a Hertfordshire couple of insignificant fortune are woven together. These lives have become the tapestry that records the destiny of Jane Austen’s lovers, immortal in any here/now or where/when.

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Threads of Magic: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Monica Fairview - Guest Post and Giveaway

I’m happy to be welcoming Monica Fairview to the blog today with Threads of Magic: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, the second book in her Mr Darcy’s Magic series. Monica has brought us a guest post about the book and an ebook giveaway.

You can read more about the first book, Dangerous Magic: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, here.

Let's look at the blurb of Threads of Magic and then I'll hand over to Monica for her guest post. 

Book Description

In a magical Regency England, two powerful magicians strive to find a balance between love and duty as they confront enemies who might well be their closest friends.

Elizabeth Bennet may be a heroine, but by defying some of the most powerful mages in England, she has made enemies who will stop at nothing to embroil her in scandal.

So when she is accused of endangering the Royal Mages through her reckless actions, she no longer knows who to trust. Even the gentleman she loves is taking their side. It seems the only person who believes her is the captive French mage who is imprisoned in the cellar at Netherfield.

Meanwhile, Fitzwilliam Darcy is willing to fight to the death to defend Elizabeth, if only she would stop getting herself into trouble. Why does she always have to break the rules? And why does even her sister Jane cause him so many problems?

Join us in this magical Jane Austen Regency variation. Set mostly in Meryton, with familiar beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice, you will once again be captivated by Elizabeth and Darcy as they struggle to find true love against the backdrop of England’s war with Napoleon.

Threads of Magic continues the bewitching tale of a forced marriage between two powerful mages. The novel picks up after Fitzwilliam Darcy has told Elizabeth that he is in love with her, but are the differences between them too difficult to overcome?

Since this is the second book of a series, there is more to come. Experience the slow-burn romance developing between Elizabeth and Darcy in this magical adventure spanning several novels. It is a standalone novel without cliff-hangers, but it is best read as part of a series.

The Colonel by Beau North - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today we're welcoming Beau North to Babblings of a Bookworm with her new book, The Colonel. This is a sequel to Longbourn's Songbird, a post-WWII Pride & Prejudice-inspired story. I loved that book and you can see my review of it here.

Beau has also contributed to a number of Austenesque anthologies in addition to the Groundhog-day themed The Many Lives of Fitzwilliam Darcy, co-written with Brooke West. I enjoyed that one too!

I'm really pleased to have the opportunity to share an excerpt of The Colonel with you. First we'll have a look at the blurb and then hand over to Beau for the excerpt. There's also a giveaway opportunity for you at the end :) Be warned, though, that this is a sequel, therefore there may be spoilers for Longbourn's Songbird in the book description and excerpt.

Unexpected Friends & Relations by Jayne Bamber - Blog Tour - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

A few months ago I took part in Jayne Bamber's blog tour for Happier in Her Friends Than Relations, which featured characters from more of Austen's books than just Pride & Prejudice. When that book was released Jayne made it clear that there would be a sequel and I'm happy to tell you that this has now been released - Unexpected Friends & Relations. Jayne has popped in to visit us today with a guest post and giveaway, which is below.

I'll share the blurb with you and then hand over to Jayne. Just to warn you, though, that this book is a sequel; therefore the blurb and the excerpt could contain spoilers for book one and the guest post certainly does, so if you haven't read book one yet but would still like to enter the giveaway, scroll down quickly!

Book Description

Following their marriage and a cozy Christmas at Pemberley, Elizabeth & Fitzwilliam Darcy return to London with their family. As new dilemmas arise, the story shifts its focus to three of Austen’s beloved secondary characters, one of her less exalted heroines, a familiar villainess, and the fan-favorite original character Lady Rebecca.

Georgiana Darcy continues to suffer the consequences of her folly at Ramsgate, as well as the peril of following some well-intended but ill-advised counsel that jeopardizes her chance at true love.

Caroline Bingley, now unhappily married and desperate to salvage her position in society, takes on the arduous task of reforming her wild and willful young ward, though it’s anybody’s guess which of the two of them is in greater need of transformation.

Lady Rebecca Fitzwilliam travels to Surrey on a mission of mercy, but she and her cousin Emma embroil one another, and many familiar faces in in area, in a web of romantic entanglements from which not everyone will escape unscathed.

Mary Bennet struggles with matters of morality and self-discovery, attempting to find good in the world, as well as her own place in it, but must do so on her own terms, always tip-toeing around the dramas and difficulties of those she loves.

Amidst the complex maneuverings of a diverse and demanding family, an unexpected heiress emerges, and with her rise in station come all the glittering delights of the fashionable world, as wells as the challenge of navigating the uncharted territories of high society, extended family, and even her own heart.

After attaining a Happily Ever After, the Darcys retreat into the background as their friends and relations purse destinies of their own. Equal measures of mishap and miracle result in several alternately paired couples, while some stories are left to be resolved in Book Three, and a wide array of Austen characters will make an appearance in this tale of six unlikely heroines.

What's Past is Prologue by Ann Galvia - Blog Tour - Review Post and Giveaway

Today the blog tour for Ann Galvia's newest Pride & Prejudice variation/sequel, What's Past is Prologue stops by here for my review.  There is also a generous giveaway that you can take part in! I'll start by sharing the blurb with you and them move on to what I thought of the book.

Particular Attachments by L L Diamond - Blog Tour and Character Interview

Today I'm happy to welcome L L Diamond back to the blog. Leslie has brought out a sequel to Particular Intentions called Particular Attachments. Glory in the beauty of this cover for a moment!

Now, let me share the blurb with you, and then I'll pass over to Leslie for a character interview with Georgiana Darcy.

Book Blurb

She swore would never marry!

Georgiana Darcy is a lady with a secret! The last thing she wants is to return to London, but what else can she do when her brother and his wife make plans to spend the Christmas season in town. When Lizzy’s youngest sister, Lydia, joins them, Georgiana gains a confidante, but will Lydia’s outgoing nature cause problems when Lord Sele, son of a family friend reappears in Georgiana’s life?

As an insufferable boy, Lord Sele vowed he would marry Georgiana, but was his return from Ireland a coincidence or was his sole purpose to pursue her? He admits to desiring friendship, but Lydia is determined his desire is Georgiana and she will stop at nothing to see her best friend happily settled.

What is Georgiana to do when faced with the society she has managed to avoid for her entire adult life as well as the one man determined to change her mind about marriage? Will she be able to overcome her fears despite the spectre from the past that seems to be haunting her? Will she be forced to tell her secret and choose happiness or will someone from her past ruin everything?

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Thank you so much, Ceri, for having me! I’m so excited to finally release Particular Attachments and tell everyone Georgiana and Nathaniel’s story. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it and I hope everyone enjoys reading it just as much!

I was very fortunate when Georgiana and Nathaniel told me their story for Particular Attachments, but I recently persuaded Georgiana Darcy to sit down and speak with me about her past with Nathaniel Howard, Viscount Sele and her thoughts on various other matters.

LLD: Thank you for agreeing to allow me to write your story as well as this interview.

Georgiana: Well, you were quite insistent. I am unsure of what Nathaniel and I have done to create such interest in our story, but I suppose sharing our tale will cause no harm. No one from my own time will read it after all.

LLD: Tell us about life at Pemberley since your brother married Elizabeth Bennet. Have the two of you become good friends?

Georgiana: I knew when I met Lizzy she would be the ideal match for Fitzwilliam and I could not have been more correct. She works tirelessly alongside my brother to ensure Pemberley thrives, she is a marvellous mother to my adorable nephew, William, and she makes Fitzwilliam happy. He is less reserved and smiles more than he did in the past.

LLD: What of her relationship with you?

Georgiana: She is my sister. She listens to my concerns and we have long talks at times—not as much since William was born, but it is only natural she devotes more of her time to her son. We enjoy taking him on long rambles sometimes. He never lacks for energy.

LLD: William is an active child then?

Georgiana: (laughs) Quite so! He certainly gives his nursemaid, Mrs. Wynn, a difficult time of it, and she had five children of her own! He does give us quite a scare at times with his antics. He is a loving little boy. I find it a chore to be cross with him when he is naughty.

LLD: You have become much closer to Lydia Bennet as of late. What prompted this big change in your relationship?

Georgiana: She is hardly the same young lady I met when Fitzwilliam and Lizzy married. She is still outgoing and enjoys a good giggle, but she is greatly altered. I enjoy her company and she has become as much my sister as Lizzy. We do enjoy long discussions that last late into the night, and stealing biscuits from the larder.

LLD: She has a bit of her own romance, doesn’t she?

Georgiana: (Georgiana nods) She does. He is an excellent man.

LLD: I’d like to move on to Lord Sele. What was he like as a child?

Georgiana: (Exhales loudly) Insufferable, annoying, a pest. Do you require more?

LLD: (laughs) Yes, actually. What could he have done to make you feel this way?

Georgiana: He stole my reticule, I know he took Matilda, and he would pull my curls. I never enjoyed his society when we were young, and he was so insistent we would marry. I did not care to marry any boy, but I especially had no desire to wed him.

LLD: Who was Matilda?

Georgiana: She was my doll. She was once my greatest confidante. My mother would request the fabric remaining from my gowns from the dressmaker, and she would sew Matilda matching clothes. We did everything together—except riding. I could never take her riding. She might be damaged.

One day, we had just had tea when my mother asked for my company and Matilda disappeared. He had been lurking about before and had disappeared by the time I found her gone. I never found her.

LLD: When you were a child, could you ever imagine courting Lord Sele?

Georgiana: Lord, no! I would have sooner eaten a bug than imagined such a fate.

LLD: What did you think when you first laid eyes upon Lord Sele after all these years?

Georgiana: I hoped he would not notice me. If I could have disappeared into the floor, I would have certainly done so, but when he looked at me directly, I prayed he would not recognise me! A part of me believed he would be precisely the same as he was when we were children. Could you imagine? When I was a child, I could kick him in the shin, but I could not very well do so now. Not that I don’t want to give him a good kick from time to time. He can be the most infuriating man!

LLD: He has loved you for a very long time. It must be heartening to know you have inspired such devotion.

Georgiana: Devotion or dogged persistence? He appeared back in my life after so many years, and I am certain he thought I would fall at his feet. I decided after Ramsgate I would never marry. I told him, too, but he would not be deterred. I truly believe he enjoyed discomposing me when he found the opportunity. Of course, it did not take much to disturb my equanimity.

LLD: But you let him have his success. (laughs)

Georgiana: By no design of my own. I have told you on numerous occasions that he is insufferable and I stand by my opinion of his character.

LLD: He must have some redeeming qualities?

Georgiana: I suppose he is faithful and has a certain charm ladies find attractive.

LLD: Is he handsome?

Georgiana: I have heard him described in such a fashion. Lydia claims he is so.

LLD: I don’t want Lydia’s opinion. Do you find him handsome?

Georgiana: He is not unattractive.

LLD: What do you find handsome about him then?

Georgiana: (Huffs) You will not relent, will you?

LLD: No.

Georgiana: Very well. He is quite tall and broad shouldered. He has dark ash brown hair and dark eyes, and a lovely smile—particularly when he flirts. He has these two dimples that peek from his cheeks, and well… (Georgiana coughs and turns red)

Thank you, Georgiana, for taking the time to speak with me about your life and Lord Sele! Thanks again to Ceri for hosting us!

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Bio:

L.L. Diamond is more commonly known as Leslie to her friends and Mom to her three kids. A native of Louisiana, she spent the majority of her life living within an hour of New Orleans before following her husband all over as a military wife. Louisiana, Mississippi, California, Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, and now England have all been called home along the way.

After watching Sense and Sensibility with her mother, Leslie became a fan of Jane Austen, reading her collected works over the next few years. Pride and Prejudice stood out as a favourite and has dominated her writing since finding Jane Austen Fan Fiction.

Aside from mother and writer, Leslie considers herself a perpetual student. She has degrees in biology and studio art, but will devour any subject of interest simply for the knowledge. Her most recent endeavours have included certifications to coach swimming as well as a fitness instructor. As an artist, her concentration is in graphic design, but watercolour is her medium of choice with one of her watercolours featured on the cover of her second book, A Matter of Chance. She is also a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Leslie also plays flute and piano, but much like Elizabeth Bennet, she is always in need of practice!

Leslie’s books include: Rain and Retribution, A Matter of Chance, An Unwavering Trust, The Earl’s Conquest, Particular Intentions, and Particular Attachments.

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Thank you so much to Leslie for dropping by, it's been lovely to be able to host her, as always. You can read more about Particular Attachments by following the blog tour. There are details of the stops below.

The Particular Attachments Blog Tour:

September 8: Just Jane 1813 – Review
September 9: Babblings of a Bookworm – Character Interview
September 11: From Pemberley to Milton – Excerpt
September 12: From Pemberley to Milton – Character Interview
September 13: Austenesque Reviews – Outtake
September 14: Austen Variations – Release Day Post and Giveaway
September 15: Just Jane 1813 – Character Interview
September 16: My Jane Austen Book Club – Outtake
September 17: My Vices and Weaknesses - Excerpt

A Less Agreeable Man by Maria Grace - Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I am joined by Maria Grace, who has bought out the third book in the Queen of Rosings Park series. The first book, Mistaking Her Character, took us to a Rosings Park that had a resident doctor, Dr Bennet, and told the story of his daughter Elizabeth. The second took Miss Lydia Bennet off to boarding school, in The Trouble to Check Her, and this third book, A Less Agreeable Man, we are back in Rosings in the company of Mary Bennet. I'll share the blurb with you and then hand over to Maria Grace for a guest post and giveaway:

Devotion by Meg Kerr - Guest Post, Excerpt and UK/Canada Giveaway

Today I am happy to welcome an author who I had heard of, but not yet read, Meg Kerr. Meg has written a pair of sequels to Pride & Prejudice. The first of these, Experience, picks up directly after the end of P&P and follows the fortunes of Mary, Kitty, Lydia and Caroline Bingley over the course of the next three years. The second book, Devotion, follows on from this, but can be read as a stand-alone book.

Devotion takes a look at Georgiana. I think she's an interesting character because she's a bit of a closed book. We know that she nearly eloped with Wickham at the tender age of 15. What type of girl would do that? One option is that she is quite naive and trusting... but she may have been a bit of a Lydia under her shy exterior! She might have been as fond of her brother as he is of her, but on the other hand, perhaps she was resentful of the attention he gave to his estates and social obligations and wanted to do something she knew would hurt him or just as a cry for attention. It's open to speculation.

I'll share the book blurb and then hand over to Meg for a guest post and excerpt. Meg is also kindly offering a giveaway to UK / Canada readers.

Book Description:

In this sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Georgiana Darcy, now twenty years old and completely lovely, is ripe for marriage. Her brother has carefully selected her future husband, but the arrival of a long-delayed letter, and a secret journey, bring Georgiana into the arms of an utterly wicked and charming young man whose attentions promise her ruin. At the same time, events in Meryton are creating much-needed occupation for Mrs. Bennet and a quandary for Lydia Bennet’s girlhood companion Pen Harrington; and the former Caroline Bingley is given — perhaps — an opportunity to remake some of her disastrous choices. Meg Kerr, writing effortlessly and wittily in the style of Jane Austen, sweeps the reader back to the year 1816 for a reunion with many beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice and an introduction to some intriguing characters.

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Hello readers of Babblings of a Bookworm! My name is Meg Kerr, and I’m thrilled to be here with you. First, I’d like to thank Ceri for allowing me to contribute this guest post and which contains an excerpt from my new Austen-inspired book, Devotion. I am also happy to offer a giveaway of three (3) signed copies of the book! The giveaway is open to readers from UK and Canada.

As Ceri mentioned at the beginning of August, Devotion explores events after Pride and Prejudice ends through fan-favourite characters including Georgiana Darcy and Mrs. Bennet, and I think you’ll find it an interesting read as I’ve added several twists. As Georgiana Darcy is one of the main focal points of the book, I wanted to choose a book excerpt where she’s featured. But first, a bit of context:

John Amaury, the illegitimate son of a lord, is handsome, charming, penniless, ruthless, and determined to marry Georgiana Darcy for her fortune. And if lawful marriage can be faster attained through seduction, so be it!

So, without further ado, I hope you enjoy this short excerpt! If you’re interested in reading the full book, it’s available via Amazon. I’d love to hear your thoughts (and your own ideas!) via a review soon.

Affectionately yours,
Meg Kerr

Excerpt (from Chapter 13 of Devotion)

Amaury came to her as soon as she was in the room. “Georgiana, I am in love with you,” he said. She was very willing to hear him, and suddenly he was making violent love to her, proclaiming his passion and declaring that he would die if she refused him. Georgiana could not respond; but Amaury did not want her to talk. Departing so far from every honourable feeling, even from the common decorum of a gentleman, he took hold of her, clasped her around the waist and began to kiss her eagerly, until he was stopping her very breath and she could hardly remain upright. Indeed she would have fallen had she not been locked in his arms, pressed to his ribs. Still on fire with his first assault, her astonishment and perplexity decreased as he took these barbarously insolent freedoms with her, and her struggles against him were brief, if indeed they existed at all. Even then she had not sense enough to try to avoid her fate. Instead of acting as virtue and honour required, instead of striving to avoid destruction, she began to return him kiss for kiss, the friendly darkness emboldening her. He then took the liberty of thrusting his hand in her bosom, an affront at which Georgiana demonstrated her resentment by re-doubling the fervour of her kisses. She seemed to have not the least hesitation to assist in her own undoing. No longer in doubt about the capabilities of her—heart, or that she was completely under his ascendancy, he knew that the business could be accomplished within five minutes.

A wolf has no aspiration to heroism, or to the satisfaction of carrying out a difficult task. He would not rather attack a lion than a lamb, and if the lamb meekly offers her throat for the sacrifice he does not spare her in the conviction that he ought to work harder for his dinner.

That Amaury intended to do what is called the worst is entirely certain and that Georgiana would have granted what is called the last favour is little less so. What a strange revolution of mind therefore that Amaury should have drawn back! But he was overcome by a feeling of tenderness unlike anything he had known before. What a miracle it was to be loved by such a pure and modest girl, to excite her virginal ardours! Five minutes were not enough to initiate her into the pleasures of love. She must be allowed to savour at length her weakness in his embrace, and at last admit the ecstasy of defeat. They must marry, and he must find another method to persuade her than that of robbing her of her precious innocence. With some difficulty therefore he put Georgiana from him, holding her at arm’s length while both endeavoured to regain breath; and with yet greater difficulty he persuaded her to withdraw from him and go to her room, promising that they would meet early on the morrow.

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Surprising, no?! When I received the excerpt I was expecting a battle-scarred Georgiana, who would be shy of men, having learned her lesson at her near-escape from Wickham, despite this book being set some years later (5 years after the aborted elopement, I think). But clearly Meg has gone another way with this character.

If you're interested in reading more, Meg has also visited some other blogs lately, including a post on seduction over at Madame Gilflurt's, a review at More Agreeably Engaged, and an author interview and video from Meg at My Jane Austen Book Club.

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About the Author:

What do you do when you live in the twenty-first century but a piece of your heart lies in the nineteenth? If you are author Meg Kerr you let your head and hand follow your heart. With her love of country life—dogs and horses, long walks in the woods and fields, dining with family and neighbours and dancing with friends, reading and writing and the best conversation—and her familiarity with eighteenth and nineteenth century history and literature, Meg has a natural gift to inhabit, explore and reimagine the world that Jane Austen both dwelt in and created, and to draw readers there with her.

Connect with the author:

Email via Prism Publishers • Publisher's Website • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

Giveaway Time!

Meg is kindly offering three commenters here the chance to win a signed paperback of Devotion. This giveaway is open to readers in the UK/Canada for postal reasons. To enter, just leave a comment on this post by the end of the day on Friday 18 August. Please leave a way for me to contact you, so that I'll be able to get in touch if you are one of the lucky winners.

Thank you so much to Meg and her publishers for the guest post and giveaway, and all the best with Devotion, which I look forward to reading.

A Very Darcy Christmas by Victoria Kincaid - Except and Giveaway

What do you have planned for Christmas? A quiet celebration of your nearest and dearest, or maybe something more chaotic? Victoria Kincaid's latest story sees the Darcys first Christmas as a married couple; they had planned something quiet, but the best laid plans can sometimes go awry :) Read on for a post from Victoria about Christmas in Jane Austen's day, more details about 'A Very Darcy Christmas' and a chance to win a kindle version of this story.

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Nowadays we tend to think of gift-giving as one of the central parts of Christmas celebrations. Certainly businesses and stores encourage us to think of the season that way.  But in Jane Austen’s time, gift-giving was not a big part of the holiday.  Parents or other relatives might give presents to children.  On Boxing Day, employers often gave money and Christmas boxes with gifts of clothing and other goods to their servants. Wealthy landowners (like Mr. Darcy) might give gifts of food or other necessities to tenants or people in the neighborhood who were down on their luck.  But there was no widespread exchange of presents between adults of equal station, and it was not considered an essential part of Christmas the way it is today.

So how did they celebrate Christmas during the Regency?  They decorated houses with greenery and lit yule logs and went to church.  But they also did a lot of socializing.  The Christmas season ran from the beginning of December through Twelfth Night, and during that time people would visit friends, hold dinners and parties, play parlor games, and eat lots of good food.  In other words, Christmas was a time to hang out with your friends and family.

This Regency propensity for partying inspired a central idea in my novel, A Very Darcy Christmas.  In it, newlyweds Elizabeth and Darcy are besieged by relatives who arrive at Pemberley uninvited and take advantage of their Christmas hospitality.  The Darcys end up with Lydia, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, and Lady Catherine all under one roof—as well as two friends of her ladyship’s who she hopes will pay court to Georgiana.  As you can imagine, mayhem ensues.  While the inhabitants of Pemberley enjoy parlor games and yule logs and fine dining, they also suffer through Mrs. Bennet’s hysterics over an impending French invasion and Lydia’s tendency to accidentally set things on fire.  
I had great fun writing about how Pride and Prejudice’s characters enjoy a traditional Regency Christmas—but with a uniquely Austenesque twist.  Hopefully you will have just as much fun reading it!

Book Description

Elizabeth and Darcy are preparing for their first Christmas at Pemberley when they are suddenly deluged by a flood of uninvited guests.  Mrs. Bennet is seeking refuge from the French invasion she believes to be imminent.  Lady Catherine brings two suitors for Georgiana’s hand, who cause a bit of mayhem themselves.  Lydia’s presence causes bickering—and a couple of small fires—while Wickham has more nefarious plans in mind….The abundance of guests soon puts a strain on her marriage as Elizabeth tries to manage the chaos while ensuring a happy Christmas for all.

Meanwhile, Georgiana is finding her suitors—and the prospect of coming out—to be very unappealing.  Colonel Fitzwilliam seems to be the only person who understands her fondness for riding astride and shooting pistols.  Georgiana realizes she’s beginning to have more than cousinly feelings for him, but does he return them?  And what kind of secrets is he hiding?  

Romance and merriment abound as everyone gathers to celebrate a Very Darcy Christmas.  

Excerpt

“You barely had an opportunity to make the acquaintance of Mr. Worthy or Viscount Barrington.”  Aunt Catherine gestured to the two men seated on either side of her chair.  “The viscount’s ancestral estates are here in Derbyshire.” 

This was at least the fourth time her aunt had relayed that information—as if propinquity would be Georgiana’s primary criterion for choosing a husband.  “Indeed?  How interesting,” Georgiana said as she focused on cutting her meat into smaller and smaller pieces.  In truth she found Lord Robert intriguing.  While Mr. Worthy was impossible in every way, the viscount was handsome and well-spoken.  But Georgiana had no opportunities to speak with him alone; her aunt was always present, directing the conversation.  

Lord Robert smiled and appeared ready to speak when Mr. Worthy interjected, “My family’s land is in Kent.  It is very fertile.”  

William seemed to catch something in his throat and coughed loudly into his napkin.  

Mr. Worthy continued, oblivious.  “We have implemented all of the latest techniques in crop circulation.” 

One of William’s eyebrows rose.  “Crop rotation?”

“Exactly!”  Mr. Worthy beamed at William as if he were a small child who had solved a mathematics problem rather than a powerful landowner who had corrected the other man’s inaccurate language.  

William cut his meat rather more forcefully than usual, but he said nothing.  

“Mr. Worthy’s mother and I are second cousins,” Aunt Catherine intoned. 

Is that the only reason Aunt Catherine is imposing this man upon me? wondered Georgiana.  She could not possibly believe we would make a good match.

She would have preferred to familiarize herself with the viscount, but he had become involved in a conversation with Mr. Bennet.  Richard was engaged in discourse with Mrs. Wickham.  Mr. Worthy, on the other hand, regarded Georgiana like an eager puppy, awaiting her next words.  I really should speak with him.  Under the table she wiped damp palms on her dress.  She had never claimed much expertise in the art of making conversation.  But Mrs. Annesley had given her advice about it: “You may always ask the other person about his or her life.  Everyone loves to talk about himself.”  

That was the answer.  She could ask one question, and then he would do all the talking.  “What sorts of crops do you plant on your estate?” she asked him. 

The man beamed at her, sitting a little straighter in his chair.  “Well, in our north fields we have wheat, although the steward has suggested switching those to corn.  That could increase the yield by up to twelve percent.  The east fields were fallow last year, but now we have them planted with a heartier variety of potatoes.  And then in the west—oh, I should add that one of the east fields is dedicated to barley because my steward thought…”

Half an hour later the occupants of one end of the table were still listening to the fascinating tales of Mr. Worthy’s adventures in crop rotation.  He spoke with the superior air of someone who condescended to share great pearls of wisdom that others should be grateful to receive.  Georgiana cast a sidelong glance at her brother.  Although he could usually talk about agriculture for some time, even his eyes were glazing over.  Of course, this was a monologue rather than a discussion.

“…Naturally, it required a great deal more irrigation.”  Mr. Worthy paused to take a breath, but Georgiana had been waiting to pounce on the slightest lull.  

“And what do your tenants think about such improvements?” she asked.  Surely Mr. Worthy’s improvements had created a vast deal more work for them. 

“The tenants?” he echoed as if he had never heard the word before. 

“Have they been supportive of all the changes?” she asked.  Both Richard and William were now watching with avid interest.  They must have had the same thought.  

“W-why yes—of-of course!  I believe so…” he stammered. 

In other words, he had never asked them.  William always emphasized the importance of working with the tenants and involving them in any major changes on the estate.  After all, it was their livelihood.  

Mr. Worthy’s briefly troubled expression gave way to one of renewed enthusiasm.  “Oh, and I neglected to tell you about the new fertilizer we have been experimenting with!”  Georgiana cast an imploring look at her aunt, but the older woman’s eyes were closed.  Good gracious, the man had managed to put her to sleep at the dining table!  

This would not do.  If Georgiana must tolerate the man’s ramblings, then her aunt must suffer as well. She glanced around the table for tools with which to enact a plan.  Her eyes fell on a metal cover over a basket of rolls. 

Reaching out her fork as if she were stretching her arms, she allowed the utensil to fall on the cover with a loud clatter.  The noise startled Aunt Catherine awake with a jerk. 

“As I was saying,” she declared quite loudly to Mr. Worthy, “Georgiana is an accomplished player of the pianoforte.  She will oblige us with some music after dinner.” 

“How wonderful!” Lord Robert chimed in.  He had been speaking with Mr. Bennet on his other side but now took fresh interest in their discourse.

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Giveaway Time!

Victoria Kincaid has kindly offered to give a kindle version of 'A Very Darcy Christmas' to one of you lovely people (open internationally). To enter, just leave a comment on this blog post. You can tell us what type of Christmas you hope to have, or if you have any good stories of Christmases that didn't go to plan we'd like to hear about those too! Make your comment by the end of the day on Thursday 22 December to enter and please leave a way for me to contact you in case you are the lucky winner.

Thank you so much for dropping by, Victoria!

Family Portraits by Pamela Lynne - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I have the pleasure of bringing you a post from Pamela Lynne, an excerpt from her new book, 'Family Portraits', which is a sequel to P&P variation 'Dearest Friends'. I was lucky enough to have Pamela visit the blog when 'Dearest Friends' came out too. It's one of my top 5 most popular posts, and you can read it here. 'Family Portraits' focuses more on Mary Bennet, who many of us are partial to seeing a bit more of. Pamela is also kindly offering to give away an e-book of 'Family Portraits' to a commenter on this post. Read on for an excerpt!

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A Change of Legacies – A Pride & Prejudice Continuation by Sophie Turner - My Review

A while ago, Sophie Turner dropped in with a guest post relating to treatment of some of the minor characters in her book 'A Change of Legacies'. You can read the guest post here. I've been meaning to share my review of the book with you and that's what I'm bringing you today.

The book is the second in a series of sequels to 'Pride and Prejudice'. Here's the blurb:

Book Two of the Constant Love Series

The preparations for Elizabeth’s birth and the beginning of Georgiana’s married life do not go as smoothly as either of them would wish, and they must each consider an alternate legacy for Pemberley, as they encounter opposite sides of the same “what if?”

Meanwhile, for the first time, Mary Bennet finds herself romantically interested in a man, but will her own character and his family get in her way?

A story of love and family; the sequel to A Constant Love. 

This is book 2 in the ‘Constant Love’ series. The first book in the series, ‘A Constant Love’, is a sequel to Jane Austen’s ‘Pride & Prejudice’ and ‘A Change of Legacies’ picks up not long after the end of the previous book. Since this book is a sequel, there may be some spoilers for the first book of the series, but I have tried to keep things as spoiler free as possible. You can see my review of the first book here.

In book 1 we saw more of Kitty and Georgiana, as those two ladies were launched into society by the new Mrs Darcy. I was particularly keen to catch up with Kitty, because she was just lovely. I was less fond of Georgiana and the first part of ‘A Change of Legacies’ particularly focuses on her. Since this is a family saga-type story, I was expecting to follow the various characters through the next stages of their lives and instead this book took a different turn. Instead of presenting just the events we get some speculation on what could have happened if past events had unfolded differently. Georgiana is happy in her life, but she has begun to have dreams featuring George Wickham; specifically, she has recurring nightmares that instead of confessing her elopement plan to her brother while she was at Ramsgate, instead she allowed Wickham to convince her to elope. We all know from ‘Pride & Prejudice that Wickham’s chief object was unquestionably Georgiana’s fortune and so, once the knot is tied he would have no need to be kind to her - in Georgiana’s dreams, he is not kind to her at all – she is merely a captive, held while Wickham tries to negotiate for her dowry. This alternate dream storyline provides an interesting reminder of the rights of women in the period (i.e. very limited). Personally, I think that if Wickham had succeeded in eloping with Georgiana he’d have been careful to keep the charm up, show her off in public and try and force Darcy to accept him through gritted teeth as a brother and an equal, but this is Georgiana’s subconscious at play, not mine!

Although this is generally a saga-style story and therefore not filled with overly-dramatic events, the dream events are quite dramatic and these, coupled with another circumstance (I’m trying not to spoil anything here, hence the vagueness!) led me to be concerned enough about the fate of one of the characters that I had to peep ahead to check that the book wouldn’t be taking a sinister turn! Georgiana confides in Elizabeth of the dreams, resulting in Elizabeth having dreams of her own where she imagines the difference a successful elopement for Georgiana might have had on her past with Darcy.

By this time, Georgiana has joined the family at Pemberley. The Bingleys are staying with the Darcys while the former’s new manor house is being constructed. It’s quite a fair size house party, often including further sisters, which gives us a chance to catch up with them, and see how far they have come. Unfortunately, we don’t get a great deal of Kitty time (or Catherine, as she now prefers to be known). However, we get to see Mary, and how she is changing. Through the influence of a family connection of Georgiana’s, Mary comes to see herself afresh, and it’s a somewhat painful experience:

“His idea of being a Christian is in thinking himself more pious than anyone else, and entirely without sin. There is no kindness and no generosity in his Christianity, and certainly no forgiveness; he shall cast the first stone, every time.” 

His words cut through Mary painfully, for she recognised in them the way she had thought of herself all these years.

Poor Mary! But although it’s unpleasant to look at yourself and find something wanting, realising that is an important step in changing and Mary continues to become a more pleasant companion. It’s good to see her come into flower.

My favourite characters are always Darcy and Elizabeth, and we get some time with them here. There are some lovely interchanges between them:

“Fitzwilliam Darcy, sometimes I regret that I taught you to teaze so well,” she said. 

“You could not help it, even if you tried. Someone who is by nature so good at teasing must necessarily teach those close to her, so long as they are receptive to the teaching.”

If you like a saga-style story and enjoyed the first book in the series I should think you’d enjoy this read too. At the end of the previous book there were some story threads which hadn’t been resolved, but this is not the case with this book so there aren’t many leads on where the story will head in the next instalment, but when the time comes I’ll be interested to see where Sophie Turner will take her characters next. I’d rate this as a 4 star read.

*I was provided with an e-book of this story by the author for my honest review.

The Trouble to Check Her by Maria Grace - My Review

A while ago Maria Grace visited Babblings of a Bookworm with a guest post and a really lovely excerpt of 'The Trouble to Check Her', a book which focuses on Lydia Bennet. Read on to see what I thought of the book.

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Blog Tour: Side by Side, Apart by Ann Galvia - Review

Today the blog tour for author Ann Galvia's debut novel, 'Side by Side, Apart' drops by for my review. Read on to see what I thought of the story, and for links to other stops on the tour where you can find out more about the author, the story and even win a copy of the book for yourself.

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Death Comes to Pemberley by P D James

I thought I'd share one of my older reviews with you. This is what I thought of the book of Death Comes to Pemberley, by P. D. James. 

P. D. James is such a successful writer, and I'd read one of her books before, and enjoyed it, so I approached this book with high hopes. This is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, happening 6 years later.

After a rehash of the events of Pride and Prejudice we move on to our story. At Pemberley, the annual Lady Anne's Ball is being prepared for, when there is a commotion at the door; Lydia Wickham has arrived, uninvited and in hysterics, saying that her husband has been shot by Denny in the woods. A search party sets out in the darkness and finds a drunken Wickham crying over the body of Denny, and saying that he had killed his only friend. This could either mean that he feels responsible directly or indirectly, but it's taken as a confession, and the main body of the story deals with the investigation and court case. From this point of view, the story is quite interesting, as I didn't have much idea of the legal system then, and I am presuming that all these details were researched. It was also interesting to find out what really happened that night, as there is more to the story than at first is apparent.

However, I hadn't really come to this story from the point of view of somebody who loves P. D. James' stories, but as somebody who loves Miss Austen's, and from this point of view, the book is far less successful. The main issue I had is that the characters were so flat. For me, one of Austen's strengths are her characters, they are so alive that they almost leap off the page. This isn't the case here; Elizabeth is unrecognisable as the sparkling, vivacious woman we met in P&P, she is very bland. Darcy is much more fully realised, as the story deals with him much more. Much of the dialogue throughout the book is very flat also, there are whole pages of people recounting things, which makes sense in an investigation, but it's written in such a way that it's not very engaging to read!

We see more of all the Bennets, including Lydia, who is extremely rude and petulant towards Lizzy at all times - I don't believe that would be the case, Lydia wouldn't be stupid enough to not try and curry favour with her sister, and I also think Wickham would have encouraged her to be on as good terms as possible with both her rich sisters. We also know from P&P that Lydia visited her sister, but this Lydia wouldn't have wanted to.

Another aspect of behaviour that I thought was unlikely was the discussion between Darcy and Elizabeth at the end of the book where they talked about Georgiana's attempted elopement with Wickham, and Elizabeth's attraction to him. It strikes an odd note that they should be discussing this so many years down the line for the first time.

Although there is a apology from P. D. James to Miss Austen at the beginning of the book apologising for using her characters these are clearly empty words, because she criticises the events of Pride and Prejudice. This really annoyed me; as if James had a problem with P&P she should have chosen another book to base her story on. Firstly, she doesn't like how quickly Lizzy (or Lizzie, as James refers to her) and Darcy fell in love:

"If this were fiction, could even the most brilliant novelist continue to make credible so short a period in which pride had been subdued and prejudice overcome?"

Also, apparently James believed that Lizzy married for money?!!!

"Would she (Elizabeth) herself have married Darcy had he been a penniless curate or a struggling attorney?"

The cheek! Elizabeth was resolved to marry for love, but of course there was a practical element to marriage in that time. If there isn't enough money to support a family then she could not marry and Elizabeth knew that. However, she knew that Darcy was rich when she first refused him. I don't feel this sequel was done by somebody who was a fan of the book, which personally I feel is vitally important for a successful sequel.

There are also some things which don't quite marry up with the events of Pride and Prejudice, for example, Mr Darcy helps out Wickham with money while he's in prison and Mr Bennet makes some reference to Elizabeth of this not being the first time Darcy has helped out their family, not that he has full knowledge, but of course he had knowledge! When telling her father of Darcy's proposal, Lizzy told him of Darcy's generous nature and what he did for Lydia, and he replied that he would offer to pay Darcy back. However, she doesn't tell him in the '95 adaptation, and to be honest, I wondered if James had assumed it from that.

Also, there are multiple references to Wickham not being allowed to stay at the Bingleys' home. This is in direct contradiction of Pride and Prejudice where it is stated in reference to Lydia and Wickham that:

"... with the Bingleys they both of them frequently staid so long, that even Bingley's good-humour was overcome, and he proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to be gone."

There are references to characters from other Austen books, Emma and Persuasion. The Emma references seemed fine, if unnecessary, but the Persuasion ones didn't quite make sense to me - Wickham was working for Sir Walter Elliot but they had parted company as Miss Elizabeth Elliot didn't like how attracted her father was to Mrs Wickham - what danger would she have been to Sir Walter? Lydia was married, so it's not as though Sir Walter would marry her. Considering that in Persuasion Miss Elliot misses the fact that her father is attracted to Mrs Clay and he could have married her, I don't see this as likely.

So, all in all, although this isn't a badly written book, I was disappointed with it, which is why it took me ages to read! I still plan to watch the adaptation, as I am hopeful that the scriptwriters will be able to improve the characters.

I watched the adaptation when it was on over Christmas 2013, and I'll give you my thoughts on that next time.

The Matters at Mansfield: Or, The Crawford Affair by Carrie Bebris

Please note, that while the following review doesn't contain spoilers for The Matters at Mansfield there are slight spoilers for Mansfield Park. Read on at your peril!

Carrie Bebris has written a number of these mysteries, each with a link to one of Jane Austen’s novels and featuring Mr and Mrs Darcy as the investigators. I believe this is the fourth book in the Mr & Mrs Darcy Mysteries series, but it read fine as a stand alone. I was immediately drawn into the story by my affinity with a scene of exhaustion that most parents would be familiar with – dealing with a child going through a spell of teething.

“It is a truth less frequently acknowledged, that a good mother in possession of a single child, must be in want of sleep.”

Mr and Mrs Darcy are staying at a friend's country house, in company with their infant daughter, Lily-Anne (query – does anybody know when hyphenating names became usual? It seems too modern to me, but I could well be wrong) and her nursemaid. Also at the party are Lady Catherine and her daughter Miss Anne de Bourgh, and Colonel Fitzwilliam.  After spending interminable time settling her daughter Elizabeth goes back to her bedroom, still in the early hours of the morning. She bumps into Anne de Bourgh, fully dressed, who proffers some hasty excuses for her presence out of her bed in the middle of the night, though she needn’t have bothered, due to poor Elizabeth’s sleep deprived state!

“The thought had not so much as entered Elizabeth’s mind, which was primarily occupied with calculating how many hours; sleep she might yet manage to capture if she nodded off immediately upon reaching her pillow.”

However, the next day Elizabeth thinks things over, and comes to the conclusion that Anne needs help to break away from Lady Catherine’s control. She raises this with Mr Darcy, who here is shown to have a view of his cousin that I always suspected when reading Pride and Prejudice:

“To Darcy, his cousin was merely a vassal in Lady Catherine’s tightly controlled court. In all the years of their growing up, he had never thought of her as an independent being, and seldom thought of her at all.”

Lady Catherine has plans for Anne, however. Now the upstart Mrs Darcy has blighted Lady Catherine’s matrimonial ambitions Lady Catherine must make other plans for her daughter, and this time she is holding out for a titled gentleman, doing her best to manipulate the doddering Lord Sennex into agreeing a match between his son and Anne. However, Anne has been considering whether to break out from her mother’s control, and Elizabeth inadvertently encourages Anne to embark on a very rash course of action involving a gentlemen who can be met in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, the charming Mr Henry Crawford.

Through a series of events including an accidental injury to Anne, many of the party end up stuck in an inn until Anne is enough recovered to be moved. Unfortunately for Mr Crawford, it’s in an area of the country where he is about as popular as smallpox – the inn is close to the environs of Mansfield Park!  In relation to the events of Mansfield Park we are just about at the end, although for me the timeline didn’t quite work, as I think Fanny’s marriage wouldn’t have taken place until things were more settled with Maria – here Maria is staying with her Aunt Norris, who is trying to effect a reconciliation with Mr Rushworth.

It was refreshing to see Mr Crawford finally be held to account for some of his wrongdoing, he’s always got away with things in the past. He is fairly unapologetic for his behaviour, which I thought was exactly in accordance with his character, since he’s never tried to behave as he should in preference to behaving as he wants:

“I realize I have acted badly, but if my attempt to explain is going to elicit naught but hostility I must beg leave to postpone further discussion of the matter.”

It turns out that Mr Crawford has behaved much worse than at first was thought, and his sins are beginning to catch up with him. Soon there is a dead body to account for, which is followed by other deaths... but who is responsible?

I quite enjoy cosy mysteries, and I enjoyed this one, although since I am no Miss Marple I only worked out part of the plot in advance, and the rest of it I realised not long before all was revealed! I am not sure it is true to say in this case that Mr and Mrs Darcy investigated, instead Mrs Darcy was first exhausted with the demands of her child, and then by the demands of her tiresome aunt by marriage! However, the time that Mr and Mrs Darcy spent together was really delightful, I liked to see their close relationship and to see that Mrs Darcy had lost none of her teasing, saucy speeches! There were some lovely humorous parts, mostly in the dialogue between the Darcys or in their private thoughts, e.g.:

“Darcy shifted in his chair and stole what he hoped was a discreet glimpse at his pocketwatch. Midnight – a mere six minutes since his last covert glance. His suspicions were confirmed.
He would die at this card table.”

I am so glad I picked this book up, I really enjoyed it, and I’d like to read other books in the series. There are quite a few of them. In order, they are: Pride and Prescience, Suspense and Sensibility, North by Northanger, The Matters at Mansfield, The Intrigue at Highbury and The Deception at Lyme. According to Carrie Bebris’ website she is currently writing one related to Sanditon, which is planned for completion in 2014.