Undeceived: Pride and Prejudice in the Spy Game by Karen M Cox - Audio Release and Giveaway

I’m happy to be welcoming Karen M Cox back to the blog. She’s celebrating the audio release of Undeceived: Pride and Prejudice in the Spy Game. This is a Pride & Prejudice-inspired story, transported to the 1980s and involving spies! I read the book some time ago, and really enjoyed it; you can see my review of it here.

I’ll share the blurb with you and then hand over to Karen for a guest post about the audio book, narrated by Elizabeth Grace, and a chance to win a copy.

Book Description

“...if I endeavor to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct, who will believe me?” 

-Pride & Prejudice, Chapter 40

Elizabeth Bennet, a rookie counterintelligence officer, lands an intriguing first assignment—investigating the CIA's legendary William Darcy, who is suspected of being a double agent. 

Darcy’s charmed existence seems at an end as he fights for his career and struggles against his love for the young woman he doesn’t know is watching his every move.

Elizabeth’s confidence dissolves as nothing is like she planned—and the more she discovers about Darcy, the more she finds herself in an ever-tightening web of danger.

Unexpected twists abound in this suspenseful Cold War era romance inspired by Jane Austen’s classic tale.

Review of 2020 – My Pick of the Year

Happy New Year to you all! 2020 was really quite a year, wasn’t it! Unprecedented in so many ways. While New Year’s Eve is never an event I look forward to (because deep down I want to go to one of those huge, swanky 1980s parties that you see in films, like the one in When Harry Met Sally) I actually love the New Year itself, as it’s such a time for reflection and hope for the future.

I found 2020 a mixed bag because on the one hand it was very trying; the stress, the worry about one of us potentially catching Covid and becoming really ill, the home-schooling, the isolation, the worry about the potential effect on my kids’ mental health from being away from school for months, all took a burden on my mental energy. Like many people, I spent the majority of the year feeling like a wrung out dishcloth! I also found working at home while the kids were homeworking really difficult, so hard to concentrate! This meant by the end of the day I was pretty much only good for zombie time in front of the television.

On the other hand, I don’t think I have ever had a year when I have spent so much time feeling grateful for what I have – mine and my family’s continued good health, our lovely home, the fact that I have a job which continued to employ me right through the pandemic and allowed me to stay at home, meaning that I didn’t have to send my children to the hub schools for keyworkers. I was so grateful for the company of my family too, that I wasn’t living alone. Although I became sick and tired of walking in my local area, I also appreciated that we have green space close to where we live to walk around. So, although I found 2020 taxing I also found it a very rewarding year in some ways.

However, one way in which 2020 was entirely dreadful was the effect on my reading. If I am stressed I find it difficult to immerse myself in the written word. My audio reading time was cut overnight to pretty much zero as I used to listen on my commute and during solo lunchtime walks in my work lunch hour, and I lost both of those times. I didn’t get anywhere near my modest reading target for 2020. This is something that I need to rectify in 2021, I want to read more this year.

Although I didn’t get anywhere near as much reading done as I wanted, in terms of quality of reading, I was lucky, because the books I did get to read were good ones! So here’s my pick of the year:

First up was Thaw by Anniina Sjöblom. This is a forced marriage scenario which diverges early on from Pride & Prejudice. Here, Elizabeth marries Mr Darcy after a compromise, which was entirely innocent. It’s told in the form of letters from the new Mrs Darcy to various people, and we see her icy relationship with her husband begin to ‘thaw’. I thought this was a wonderfully charming story, and you can read my 5 star review of it here.

My next 5 star read was 1932: Pride & Prejudice Revisited by Karen M Cox. This was the second edition of the book, and it’s had a number of improvements to an already excellent story. This is a P&P inspired story set in 1932 in Kentucky. Mr Darcy is a well-to-do farmer, and the Bennets have moved to the same town, having fallen on hard times. The thing I probably enjoyed most about this story is Mr Darcy, who first manages to delude himself as to his feelings, and then lets his pride get in the way. You can read my full review of the second edition of1932 here.

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby is a story about Jane Austen’s elder sister Cassandra. This lady, as you may know, undertook an editing of the documents left after Austen’s death. In this story we see Cassandra visiting a family connection in order to try and get hold of letters that Jane would have sent some 20 years ago before they are re-discovered. While finding the letters Cassandra looks back at the events laid out in the letters. I absolutely loved this story, and heartily recommend it as a 5 star read. You can read my review of Miss Austen here.

Now for a complete change of scene – modern times in New England! Sanctuary by Cat Andrews is a Pride & Prejudice flavoured modern read rather than adhering closely to the plot of P&P. It tells the story of two people who have been hurt by life in different ways and have moved to an island off the coast of Maine for a fresh start. Elizabeth Bennet moved there to make a new life after the end of an abusive marriage, Will Darcy and his son Jack are making a new start after the death of Jack’s mother. It’s a story in 3 parts. You can see my 5 star review of the first part of Sanctuary here. I read all three books but haven’t posted reviews of part 2 and 3 yet.

The last of my 5 star reads in 2020 was Amy D’Orazio’s A Wilful Misunderstanding which is a Pride & Prejudice variation. Here Elizabeth and Darcy didn’t get off to a bad start, but instead married after a whirlwind romance. When doubts are planted in Darcy’s mind about his wife’s fidelity a rupture is caused between the couple. When they meet again a few years later there is a lot of lost ground to be made up. This is a story with a good pinch of angst which kept me glued to the page! You can read my review of the story here.

Given that my concentration wasn’t up to much in 2020, the anthology Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl made for nice, small reading chunks. This anthology brought together short stories from some of my favourite Austenesque authors, edited by Christina Boyd. They were all inspired by the heroine of P&P. Some explored variations on Austen’s story, others took Elizabeth to another time. You can read my 4½ star review of the anthology here.

I love a forced marriage scenario, and Being Mrs Darcy by Lucy Marin is a fresh take on it. So often Mr Darcy is madly in love and Elizabeth hates him. Here, the couple meet earlier, when Georgiana visits Ramsgate. Impulsively intervening in a twilight meeting of Georgiana and Mr Wickham, Elizabeth and Mr Darcy are strangers, forced to marry. You can read my 4½ star review here.

With Kara Pleasants’ Disenchanted we find ourselves in a Pride & Prejudice variation set in a world where magic exists! I loved how magic was intertwined with several of the events and characters of P&P, and there are also some mysteries to unravel. This was a 4½ star read for me, and you can read my review here.

In another change of scene, The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner takes us to Chawton, Jane Austen’s last home, just after WWII. In this story, a group of otherwise disparate people are brought together by their love of Austen in order to save her home for future generations. This was a story that really drew me in. You can read my 4½ star review of it here. If you choose to read it and like the audio format, please note that the audio of this book is narrated by Richard Armitage!

The last of my pick of the year is A Timely Elopement by Joana Starnes which picks up at Hunsford Parsonage. Mr Darcy is proposing, but just as Elizabeth is about to reply they are interrupted by the news of an elopement and the story takes a turn. This was a lovely story, which took turns that I wasn’t expecting, always refreshing in the a variation of P&P when you have read so many! I rated this as a 4½ star read and you can read my review here.

So, this is my pick of 2020! I recommend each and every one of these books to you if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading them already.

How was your 2020? Please let me know in the comments! If you’d like to recommend one of your 2020 reads to please do! I have a rough idea of some of the books I’d like to read in 2021, but I am always open to suggestions!

Note about comments: If you have any problems adding your comment please contact me and I will add your comment for you :)

Also, if you're on Goodreads and you'd like to join an Austenesque readers' group, Sophia Rose has set up a group for 2021, the Austen Lovers TBR Challenge 2021. It's a lovely, welcoming group, but you will find your to be read list growing rather than shrinking!

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Elizabeth - Obstinate Headstrong Girl Anthology by Quill Ink Collective - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

Today the blog tour for the latest Quill Ink Collective anthology of stories stops by. We've spent time in Mr Darcy's head with The Darcy Monologues; we've become more closely acquainted with some of the less savoury of Austen's men in Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen's Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues. The ladies took the spotlight in Rational Creatures and now the short stories focus on my favourite character, the one who made me love Pride & Prejudice more than any other book I'd ever read. Let's take a look at the anthology Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl. We'll take a look at the blurb, then I'll bring you a guest post from Jenetta James, who contributed a story to the anthology, I'll let you know what I thought of the book, and then you have a chance to enter a giveaway!

Book Description

“Obstinate, headstrong girl!” For over two hundred years, Elizabeth Bennet has enchanted and inspired readers by being that “obstinate, headstrong girl” willing to stand up to the arrogance and snobbery of her so-called betters. Described by Austen as having a “lively, playful disposition,” Elizabeth embodies the perfect imperfections of strong-willed women everywhere: she is spirited, witty, clever, and loyal.

In this romance anthology, ten Austenesque authors sketch Elizabeth’s character through a collection of re-imaginings, set in the Regency through contemporary times. In ELIZABETH: OBSTINATE, HEADSTRONG GIRL, she bares her most intimate thoughts, all the while offering biting social commentary about life’s absurdities. Elizabeth overcomes the obstacles of others’ opinions, not to mention her own flaws, to find a love truly worthy of her—her Mr. Darcy—all with humor and her sparkling charm.

“I think her as delightful a character as ever appeared in print…” wrote Jane Austen in a letter to her sister Cassandra, January 1813―and we think so too!

Foreword by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Tessa Dare.

Stories by Amy D’Orazio, Jenetta James, Christina Morland, Beau North, Joana Starnes, Karen M Cox, Elizabeth Adams, Leigh Dreyer, J. Marie Croft, and Christina Boyd.

1932 - Pride & Prejudice Revisited: 2nd Edition - by Karen M Cox

Today I'm happy to be welcoming Karen M Cox back to Babblings of a Bookworm. Karen's books often take Austen's works to other eras, and my personal favourite of her books, 1932, transports Pride & Prejudice to the Great American Depression of the 1930s. Karen has revised and re-launched this book and comes here today with a post about 1930s movies, and a chance for me to share my review of the 2nd edition of 1932 with you. She also brings a giveaway! Read on for more details!

Book Description

“…do anything rather than marry without affection.” 

—Pride and Prejudice

During the upheaval of the Great Depression, Elizabeth Bennet’s life is torn asunder. Her family’s relocation from the bustle of the big city to a quiet family farm has changed her future, and now, she must build a new life in rural Meryton, Kentucky. 

William Darcy suffered family turmoil of his own, but he has settled into a peaceful life at Pemberley, the largest farm in the county. Single, rich, and seemingly content, he remains aloof—immune to any woman’s charms. 

Until Elizabeth Bennet moves to town.

As Darcy begins to yearn for something he knows is missing, Elizabeth’s circumstances become more dire. Can the two put aside their pride and prejudices long enough to find their way to each other? 

1932, Karen M Cox’s award-winning debut novel, is a matchless variation on Jane Austen’s classic tale.  

Winner of the Bronze Independent Publishers Book Award in Romance, 2011

Guest Post from Karen M Cox - Movies

Thank, Ceri, for welcoming me to Babblings of a Bookworm to celebrate the new 1932. As part of the blog tour, I’ve gathered some fun information about the time period of the book, the 1930s. Yes, the decade of the Great Depression had tragedy and suffering, but it also had joy too, shining through like a brilliant smile suddenly appearing in the stoic countenance of a certain Austen hero.

With that in mind, here are the 5 Best Movies Set During the Great Depression. Why are they the best? Well, because I said so, I guess!  Here we go...

• The Sting (1973) Why? Because I've always had a huge crush on Paul Newman.
• O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000) Why? Because it's my dad's favorite movie. And it has great quotable lines, like "I've spoken my piece and counted to three," and "Well, ain't this place a geographical oddity. Two weeks from everywhere!"
• To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Why? Because Atticus Finch. And Gregory Peck. That is all.
• The Untouchables (1987) Why? Because it's dramatic, and the actors are superb: Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith, and Robert De Niro just nail their roles in this one.
• Cinderella Man (2005) Why? Because James J Braddock rises like a phoenix above the ashes of adversity. And a man who takes care of his family is sexy as hell.

 Okay, movie buffs, have your share in the conversation—anything I missed?

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1932 - Pride & Prejudice Revisited by Karen M Cox - My Review

1932 is a story based on Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, but moved into Depression-era Kentucky. It doesn’t follow Austen’s story exactly, but takes the characters into another era. When I first discovered the Austenesque genre 1932 was one of the early stories that I found, and I loved it! You can see my review ofthe first version here. 

When I heard that Karen M Cox was planning to release a second edition of 1932 I was equally excited and apprehensive; I am such a fan of the book that I was happy that it was getting some attention, but I was a little worried that the things that I charmed me in the first version might be removed or changed in this one but I still jumped at the chance to read and review it for the blog tour.

One of the things that worries Mrs Bennet in P&P is the insecurity of the Bennets’ situation – they only have Longbourn as long as Mr Bennet lives. In 1932 the economic downturn is what has done for the Bennets’ financial security – Mr Bennet has lost his job, teaching at a university, and some investments haven’t worked out, meaning that he doesn’t have back-up savings. As he hasn’t been able to find another job, the whole Bennet family are going to move to the country, where her maternal uncle, Edward Gardiner is the local vet and still owns the Gardiner family farm, which he offers to the Bennets.

Elizabeth is a university student, but her family will no longer be able to afford the fees. Instead she will have to take a job at her uncle’s surgery to help out the family finances. Her elder sister Jane is found a job at a local store and the rest of the family are going to have to pitch in at the farm. Even so, it will be touch and go as to how they will manage; they are moving at the wrong time of year to plant crops so it’ll be some time before they can stand on their own feet financially.

Lizzy finds the whole situation chafing to her pride; she has moved to a society where she feels like just another poor girl. However, she soon begins to make friends in the town of Meryton, and she begins to attract the notice of a local farm owner, a certain William Darcy, although as his notice towards her doesn’t seem very admiring, she can’t really account for it:

Again, when she looked up, she caught Mr. Darcy staring at her. He turned quickly when she saw him. Elizabeth self-consciously rubbed an imaginary ink smudge from her cheek and returned her attention to Reverend Adams.

Mr Darcy lives with his sister, Georgiana. She has two daughters and there is some mystery surrounding the father of the children, as Georgiana is still calling herself Miss Darcy. Darcy is proud and reserved, but he shows another side of himself in his love for his nieces.

Meeting Miss Elizabeth Bennet has taken Darcy by surprise; she has entered into his well-ordered life and he can’t get her out of his head. He doesn’t want to love, having seen what misery it can bring but he is quite bewitched by Elizabeth and is very attracted to her. He feels compelled by this attraction to propose marriage. He doesn’t offer her love, but what he does offer her is an escape from her family life. This would be a way to ease the burdens on her family’s finances. This is an Elizabeth who has little hope for the future, so she decides to take a gamble on improving the short-term future rather than hold out hope of getting a better long-term future. There is another motivation for her gamble though:

She looked up at him and the words died in her throat. He was watching her with an intensity that was unnerving at worst, and at best–well it was somewhat stirring.

A marriage of convenience between two proud people who are both keeping secrets from each other… what could possibly go wrong?!

So, what is it that I love about this book? Firstly, I love the fact that this is set in a different period. I think that the options for women in those times were limited, although obviously there were more options than in a Regency setting.

I like the way that that author took text from Pride & Prejudice and worked it naturally into the different setting:

She had accused him of being too quick to judge others based on outward appearances, but was she not just as guilty as he? Until this moment, she had never truly known herself, and the knowledge she had gained was troubling.

What I love most about this book is the feelings, particularly on Darcy’s side. He thinks he is infatuated with Elizabeth and has offered her a marriage based on compatibility and sense. When he realises that he feels more for his new wife than he has professed, he doesn’t have much hope that things will improve:

He was in love with the new Mrs. Darcy, and the pain of it was acute, because he knew she didn’t return his feelings.

When I started reading this second edition I didn’t know how comprehensive the changes were, whether I’d even notice them. However, in addition to minor amendments there were also several scenes added, some of which gave more of a flavour of the pre-marriage period, showing the building relationship between the couple, and also giving more insight into one of the secrets Darcy is keeping from his wife.

For those who like to know about these things, there are some sex scenes in this book. In this sort of marriage of convenience scenario, this kind of intimate scene can highlight for the reader the state of a relationship. I was glad to see the notable sex scene of the wedding night made it from the first edition into the second. It’s notable to me as so often first sex scenes between inexperienced people seem highly romanticised, and this one seemed more real!

It’s also worth noting that there is a ‘sidequel’ to this story - The Journey Home which looks at Georgiana’s story. I would read 1932 first and then move on to The Journey Home.

In summary, I loved the second edition of 1932 just as much as the first; the changes made between the editions only enhanced the story for me. It was already a story that I re-read, but I will enjoy my reads all the more now! This is a definite 5 star read for me.

Author Bio

Karen M Cox is an award-winning author of five novels accented with history and romance, a novella, and several short stories.

Karen was born in Everett WA, the daughter of a United States Air Force Officer. She had a nomadic childhood, with stints in North Dakota, Tennessee, and New York State before settling in her family’s home state of Kentucky at age eleven. She lives in a quiet town with her husband and works as a pediatric speech pathologist.

If you would like periodic bits of authorly goodness delivered to your inbox, be sure to get Karen’s News and Muse Letter. Updates, sales, book recommendations, etc. are yours for the asking. 

Social Media and Publicity Links: Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Pinterest

Buy Links

1932 is available to buy now in both paperback and ebook, and is also available in Kindle Unlimited - Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf.

The sidequel, The Journey Home is also available to buy now in ebook - Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf

Giveaway Time!

1932 Tenth Anniversary Edition Launch and Birthday Party

To celebrate the 10th anniversary edition of 1932, Karen is giving away a signed copy of the book and some Jane Austen swag: fun notecards from The Quill Ink, What Would Jane Do? book of quotes, and Austen coffee mug (if US winner) or an ebook copy of the book and 25$ Amazon Gift Card (if International Winner - cause #shipping :) 

To enter, use the Kingsumo link below:

https://kingsumo.com/g/ezayjm/1932-tenth-anniversary-party

Note Regarding Comments: I love to read your comments, but a few blog visitors have reported difficulties in commenting while using the Safari browser. If you are unable to comment, please try using another web browser, such as Google Chrome, or please contact me and I will add your comment for you :)

Blog Tour Schedule

Feb 10          Karen M Cox

Feb 12          More Agreeably Engaged

Feb 15          My Love for Jane Austen

Feb 16          Diary of an Eccentric

Feb 17          The Reading Frenzy

Feb 17          From Pemberley to Milton

Feb 18          Olga: Author, Translator

Feb 19          My Jane Austen Book Club

Feb 20          Austenesque Reviews

Feb 21          Rosie Amber Book Reviews

Feb 21          Babblings of a Bookworm

Feb 25          So Little Time

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Find Wonder in All Things by Karen M Cox - 2nd Edition - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming back a friend to the blog, Karen M Cox. Karen was amongst the first authors that I discovered when I found the Austenesque genre. What I particularly like about Karen's work is that she moves Austen's works into different eras. This year, she is re-releasing some of her books, and the first one to be re-released is Find Wonder in All Things. This is a Persuasion re-telling, set in the 1990s. I read the first edition of this book, and you can read my review of this, from the very first year that I began blogging!

Now, let's look at the blurb, and after that we will move on to an excerpt of the book. Karen is also offering a giveaway to accompany the blog tour - you can read more about that later :)

Book Description

“There could have never been two hearts so open… Now they were as strangers”

—Persuasion

Mountain Laurel Elliot is like her name—she blooms best in the cool comfort of shade, hidden in the Kentucky foothills of Appalachia. Alone on her mountain, she lives a private existence with only her pottery—and her regrets—for company.

James Marshall had a secret dream and Laurel was part of it, but dreams sometimes lead to unexpected places. James’s heart broke when Laurel cut him loose, but he moved on—and became successful beyond his wildest dreams.

For one glorious summer, James and Laurel had each other, but life has kept them far apart.

Until now.

“a magnificent modernization of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.” -Austenesque Reviews

Winner of the Independent Book Publisher’s Award 2012: Gold Medal in Romance and
Next Generation Indie Finalist in Romance 2013

Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen's Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues - Review

Today I'm sharing a review with you of a book I read back in the summer - it's an anthology focused on some of Austen's less admirable characters, brought together by editor Christina Boyd - Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen's Rakes & Gentleman Rogues. I took part in the blog tour of this book a couple of years ago - you can read that post, which includes an excerpt, here. Let me share the book description with you, and then we will move on to what I thought of it :)

Book Description

"One has all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it." —Jane Austen

Jane Austen’s masterpieces are littered with unsuitable gentlemen—Willoughby, Wickham, Churchill, Crawford, Tilney, Elliot, et al.—adding color and depth to her plots but often barely sketched. Have you never wondered about the pasts of her rakes, rattles, and gentlemen rogues? Surely, there's more than one side to their stories.

In this romance anthology, eleven Austenesque authors expose the histories of Austen’s anti-heroes. "Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues" is a titillating collection of Georgian era short stories—a backstory or parallel tale off-stage of canon—whilst remaining steadfast to the characters we recognize in Austen’s great works.

What say you? Are you in? Everyone may be attracted to a bad boy…even temporarily...but heaven help us if we marry one.

Re-release of Undeceived by Karen M Cox

Today I'm welcoming Karen M Cox back to the blog. Long time visitors will know that I'm a big admirer of Karen's work. I've been right through time with her - from the US depression in the Pride & Prejudice-inspired 1932, through to 1970s Kentucky with the Emma story I Could Write a Book through to 1980s and a spy story in Undeceived. Karen is re-releasing this latest story and has stopped in to tell us all about it. Let's take a look at the blurb and then hand over to Karen to tell us a bit more :)

Description

...if I endeavor to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct, who will believe me? 
-Pride & Prejudice, Chapter 40

Elizabeth Bennet, a rookie counterintelligence officer, lands an intriguing first assignment—investigating the CIA's legendary William Darcy, who is suspected of being a double agent.

Darcy’s charmed existence seems at an end as he fights for his career and struggles against his love for the young woman he doesn’t know is watching his every move.

Elizabeth’s confidence dissolves as nothing is like she planned—and the more she discovers about Darcy, the more she finds herself in an ever-tightening web of danger.

Unexpected twists abound in this suspenseful Cold War era romance inspired by Jane Austen’s classic tale.

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Guest Post from Karen M Cox

Hello Readers and Fans of Jane!

And thank you so much to Ceri for hosting me this morning to tell you about my re-release of Undeceived: Pride and Prejudice in the Spy Game. It comes out July 23rd on various ebook platforms, but you can preorder it even as we speak. The print version will follow shortly after that, if you prefer paperback (nothing like a print book, is there?)

One of the things that inspires my muse is music. For each work, I make a play list—maybe not at the very beginning, but somewhere during that first draft stage, I start one. I refine it as I go along. Not to play while I’m writing, I’m way too distractable for that, but to ease me back into the story, or to think about plot and characters when I’m away from the computer. The playlist is like an anchor to the story, a touchstone that takes me into the world of my characters.

Join me in that world while you read Undeceived.

• Spotify playlist • Youtube playlist •

Undeceived will be 0.99 cents for the first 30 days after release (until August 22nd) so snag it before then if you’re interested.

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This is what I thought of the first edition of Undeceived:

Undeceived is a ‘Pride & Prejudice’-inspired story which, unusually, is neither Regency nor contemporary – instead it’s set in the early 1980s. Darcy is an established CIA agent and Elizabeth is new to the Agency. The CIA believes it has a mole in its Eastern European area of operation and Elizabeth has been tasked with surveilling Darcy, under cover of being his interpreter, to work out whether he is the mole. Unfortunately, she and Darcy do not get off to the best start. Before she is even given the assignment she has come to the conclusion that he’s not an agent she’d like to work with, after he is condescending to new recruits in a guest lecture that he delivers. Elizabeth sums up the ‘lesson’ thus:

“I have learned that there are some fatal flaws that even extreme hotness can’t erase.”

However, they are thrown together in each other’s company. Although Elizabeth finds Darcy frustrating, she is fascinated by him in equal measure. At first she is somewhat prejudiced against him, but as a fair minded person, she is willing to put that to one side to discover the truth and over time she comes to her own conclusions.

I thought this was a really exciting and compelling read. From the very first, you are drawn in, as the book begins with quite a dramatic scene before flashing back to previous events. I enjoyed the fact that the setting was quite different – the spy world, by its very nature, is not your run of the mill setting. There is also an element of mystery to this, as there are parts written from the point of view of the mole; and it’s not clear who the mole is. There are some clues, some red herrings and some twists. I enjoyed a little bit of speculation regarding the identity of the mole, and indeed speculation regarding other characters. In general I was quite successful in my conclusions, although there was one person who I didn’t suspect of being different to their initial presentation.

I enjoyed this different reason for Elizabeth’s prejudice. Not only do she and Darcy get off on the wrong foot, but this is compounded by further arrogance when she actually meets him one on one, and then she is asked to investigate him. I will be fair to her though, despite having a poor view of his personality, she is fairly unbiased from the first as regards his patriotism, though of course she is on the lookout for any sign of it.

I also liked that the author had chosen a timeframe for the story that I’m not used to seeing (as she did in her book “1932”), as most Austenesque reads are either Regency or contemporary, although I am not familiar with the nuances of the cold war so I might have missed some of the references there.

The story isn’t a direct ‘Pride & Prejudice’ re-telling, but there are moments from the canon story that are recognisable. For example, there’s a mirroring of the Netherfield stay, a Hunsford, a meeting at Pemberley and some re-adapted lines that you’ll recognise, such as:

‘He had never been as betwitched by any woman as he was by her, and if it were not for the fact that she worked for him, he really believed he might be in danger of falling for her.’

We get quite a bit of time in Darcy's head, and the description of his feelings towards Elizabeth are good to see. He also takes actions which put him in danger so that she isn't put in danger... sigh! All of this helps build your goodwill towards him, and helps you forgive his initial attitude.

For those of you who like to know these things, this book has some sex scenes but they aren't detailed at all and would be easy to skip.

I would certainly recommend this book. It was exciting, perilous, romantic and a very satisfying read. I was hoping for a wonderful reading experience from this author and I feel she really delivered. I would rate this as a 5 star read.

About the Author

Karen M Cox is an award-winning author of five novels accented with history and romance, a novella, and several short stories.

Karen was born in Everett WA, the daughter of a United States Air Force Officer. She had a nomadic childhood, with stints in North Dakota, Tennessee, and New York State before settling in her family’s home state of Kentucky at age eleven. She lives in a quiet town with her husband and works as a pediatric speech pathologist.

Website • Instagram • Twitter • Facebook • Tumblr • Pinterest •

Buy Links

Undeceived is available to pre-order now - Amazon UK / Amazon US / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf

Re-Launch Party

Karen is hosting a book re-launch party over at the Mr Darcy's Extensive Readers Facebook group starting at 8.30pm US Eastern time on Tuesday 23 July. If you can't join in at the time why not stop in later?