Doubt Not, Cousin by Barry S Richman - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m happy to be welcoming a new visitor to the blog as the blog tour for Barry S. Richman’s book, Doubt Not, Cousin drops by. This is a Pride & Prejudice variation. Let’s look at the blurb, after which I can share a very romantic excerpt and ebook giveaway with you, courtesy of Meryton Press.

Book Description

Darkness, in many forms, must be conquered to emerge into the light and embrace one’s happily ever after.

Fitzwilliam Darcy. Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.
Two cousins, closer than brothers.
One finds love despite his inner demons; the other resists love because of them.

Elizabeth Bennet. Kitty Bennet.
Two sisters, strengthened by adversity.
One willingly yields to love; the other pridefully misinterprets it. 

An epic saga steeped in intrigue and gift-wrapped in romance, Doubt Not, Cousin chronicles the trials and tribulations of three extraordinary families during England’s Regency era. 

… But who is the girl with the violet eyes?

The Bennets: Providence & Perception by KC Cowan - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway

Today I’m welcoming a new visitor to the blog, KC Cowan, who has published a book with Meryton Press, and the blog tour stops here today. The Bennets: Providence & Perception is a Pride & Prejudice sequel that focuses on a Bennet sister that many readers have a soft spot for, Mary Bennet.

I have a guest post from KC Cowan, plus an excerpt from The Bennets: Providence & Perception, plus an ebook giveaway to share with you. Let’s start with the blurb.

Book Description

Either ignored or ridiculed by her family, Mary Bennet desires only happiness—

Poor Miss Bennet—with three sisters married, she will no doubt be left “on the shelf” unless she takes steps to secure her own happiness. So, with the arrival of Mr. Yarby, a handsome new rector for Longbourn chapel, Mary decides to use her Biblical knowledge to win his heart.

Meanwhile, her recently widowed father finds himself falling for the older sister of his new reverend. But Mr. Bennet is officially in mourning for his late wife—what a scandalous situation! Unfortunately, Longbourn’s heir, Mr. Collins, has the antennae for a scandal and makes blackmail threats.

Will an overheard conversation between the Yarby siblings break Mary’s heart? Or will it impel her to a desperate act that threatens everyone’s hopes for lasting love?

The Last House in Lambton by Grace Gibson - Blog Tour

Today I’m really pleased to be welcoming Grace Gibson back to the blog with the first stop in the blog tour for her newest Pride & Prejudice variation, The Last House in Lambton.

Publishers Meryton Press are giving away an ebook on each stop of the blog tour so you will have the chance to win a copy of it too! Let’s look at the blurb and then I will hand over to Grace for a guest post about the book.

Book Description 

Does it ever stop raining in Lambton?

 

Darcy and Bingley depart Netherfield Park, leaving Elizabeth Bennet acutely aware of the monotony of her life. Seeking a reprieve, she volunteers to serve as temporary companion to Mrs. Gardiner’s elderly aunt who lives in Lambton. Nothing turns out as Elizabeth expects, and she is forced to dig deep into her reserves of common sense, humor, and stubborn persistence to prove herself equal to the dreary circumstances. 

 

Initially unaware that Pemberley is only five miles away, Elizabeth crosses paths with Darcy annoyingly often. When the gentleman rescues her from a shocking situation, Elizabeth faces some hard choices, at the same time struggling against the smoldering attraction that can neither be repressed nor fulfilled.

 

Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, in whose heart a fire has also been lit, is shocked by the lady’s stubborn refusal to accept his help. Alternating between alarm and begrudging admiration, he stands helplessly on the sidelines while she struggles to retain her independence. He, too, must make some hard choices in the end. Will he let her go?

A Dutiful Son by Kelly Miller – Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I am welcoming Kelly Miller back to Babblings of a Bookworm with her latest book. It’s a Pride & Prejudice variation called A Dutiful Son. Read on for a lovely excerpt from the book, plus an ebook giveaway.

Book Description

What will Fitzwilliam Darcy do when his beloved father stands between him and happiness?

Darcy has always emulated his wise and honourable father, George Darcy. But following a sinister act of betrayal by a former family friend, his father rejects his most benevolent principles.

When Georgiana forms a friendship with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy convinces his father to allow the association to continue. However, Elizabeth soon presents a thorny problem: she entices Darcy as no other lady has before, and with his father’s current outlook, he would not approve of her as a daughter-in-law.

Still, Darcy’s problem may resolve in time: his father, after getting to know Elizabeth, is certain to recognise her many admirable qualities and change his mind. But what if he does not?

In this Pride & Prejudice Regency variation, Fitzwilliam Darcy is caught between the influences of love and duty. Which of these will wield the greatest power?

Kiss Me Good Night, Major Darcy by Georgina Young-Ellis - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m happy to be welcoming Georgina Young-Ellis to the blog for the first time. She has written a WWII Pride & Prejudice-inspired novel called Kiss Me Good Night, Major Darcy, published by Meryton Press and the blog tour for it stops off here today.

Let’s look at the blurb and then I will hand over to Georgina for a character interview and an extremely exciting excerpt which I am sure you will enjoy.

Book Description

The wind ruffled Darcy’s hair. “You’re beautiful.”

Happiness surged through Elizabeth's body like electricity. This moment was as close to perfection as she had ever known.

1943. World War II has torn the continent since 1939 and tested families, the Bennets included. Elizabeth and Jane nurse wounded soldiers and civilians in a London hospital. The other sisters volunteer as best suits their inclinations. Mr. Bennet rattles about Longbourn. Wickham sniffs about the edges of the estate—and the Bennet daughters.

Even the ever-present threat of death from the skies cannot prepare Jane and Lizzy for the most devastating news. The words one never wishes to hear are delivered by two officers, each scarred by years on the front lines. In the dark days that follow, devotion is tested, and affection blooms.

Kiss Me Good Night, Major Darcy drops Jane Austen’s timeless characters into the midst of the most horrific conflict in human history. Their trail twists and encounters those who would turn sacrifice to their profit. Follow the women of Longbourn as they navigate the rocks and shoals of wartime Great Britain to endure misunderstandings and discover lasting love.

The Barrister’s Bride by Suzan Lauder - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

I’m happy to be hosting a stop on the blog tour for Suzan Lauder’s new Pride & Prejudice variation, The Barrister’s Bride. Suzan has joined us with an excerpt of the book and has brought a giveaway opportunity. Let’s look at the book description and then I’ll hand over to Suzan to introduce the excerpt.

Book Description 

A pact that will change their lives forever…

Fitzwilliam Darcy is a successful young barrister with a bright future. His late uncle has guided his career, made him his heir, and even selected a bride for him—sight unseen—whom he’ll meet and marry upon her majority. Who could have predicted that making the acquaintance of Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Meryton would throw those careful plans into disarray?

Elizabeth Bennet doesn’t know what to make of “Fitz” Darcy, who intrigues and draws her notice like no other. Despite Fitzwilliam’s warnings, she allows Mr. George Darcy, Fitzwilliam’s older brother and master of Pemberley, to charm her. Little does she know that she, too, has been promised in marriage by her late father—to an unknown barrister, no less. What is she to do when her hopes to marry for love disappear in the blink of an eye?

Is George Darcy’s suit in earnest? Can this mysterious bridegroom of her father’s choosing become the husband of her dreams? With the danger of duels and deceit, what will come of the initial attraction between her and Fitzwilliam? Will she become the barrister’s bride?

Note: contains scenes with adult content.

* * *

Maria Bertram’s Daughter by Lucy Knight - Blog Tour, Character Interview and Ebook Giveaway

Today I am happy to be welcoming a new visitor to Babblings of a Bookworm, Lucy Knight. Lucy has written a book called Maria Bertram’s Daughter, which you will probably realise from the title is Mansfield Park sequel. In Mansfield Park’s Bicentennial year I read quite a few MP-inspired books and found that there were relatively few to choose from, so I am really pleased to bring you news of this new one.

Lucy has joined us with a guest post, and publishers Meryton Press are offering an ebook giveaway to accompany the blog tour. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Lucy for her guest post, which is an interview with the title character, Maria Bertram’s Daughter, Dorothea Rose.

Book Description

She could be mistress of Mansfield Park. But is that what she wants?

An unwanted child—conceived in circumstances her mother would rather forget—Dorothea Henrietta Rose grows up solitary and neglected with her dissatisfied mother and unpleasant great-aunt Norris. Raised without the knowledge that her mother is her mother or that their occasional visitor, Sir Thomas Bertram, is her grandfather, she is forbidden ever to set foot in Mansfield Park.

Dorothea hopes for a happier life when sent away to school, but her difficulties are not over. She is obliged to make her way in the world as a governess and, thus, encounters human frailty, hypocrisy, good, and evil in her travels throughout England.

She meets the Crawfords—Henry and Mary (now Lady Drumroth)—and inevitably does the one thing she must not do: unwillingly makes herself known to the inhabitants of Mansfield Park.

* * *

Captive Hearts by Kelly Miller - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m welcoming Kelly Miller back to the blog with her new Austenesque book, Captive Hearts, which is released today. This is a Persuasion variation, which is good news as there are so few of those out there! Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Kelly who has brought us an excerpt from Captive Hearts and a guest post about Bath, where the book is set.

Book Description

Will Captain Wentworth realize too late that he has a second chance at love?

With a successful naval career and a fortune to his name, Frederick Wentworth receives a hero’s welcome from his sister’s neighbours.

One person, though, presents a source of vexation. Years earlier, Miss Anne Elliot had reneged on her promise to marry Wentworth, revealing a significant character flaw. Yet Anne’s unmarried state at the age of seven and twenty, her altered demeanour, and her resolute avoidance of Wentworth raise questions that gnaw at his composure.

In this Regency variation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, the captain follows the advice of a respected new friend and re-examines the agonizing circumstances of his bitter break from Anne, reaching a novel conclusion. But before he can act upon his new resolve, a dire twist of fate threatens Anne’s life.

Skirmish & Scandal by C P Odom - Excerpt and Giveaway

I’m really pleased to be welcoming C P Odom back to Babblings of a Bookworm with his new novella, which lends its title to the Skirmish & Scandal series of novellas from Meryton Press. There is a mini blog tour for Skirmish & Scandal and I’m happy to be hosting an excerpt and giveaway on this stop. Let’s look at the blurb and then move on to the excerpt.

Book Description 

Astounding! Mr. Darcy’s baited hook is for Elizabeth Bennet!

In the Regency era, surface appearances of politeness and civility often conceal more intense and hostile activity. More than one wealthy or noble family of seemingly sterling reputation is torn apart and sometimes all but exterminated by savage intra-family feuds.

That situation unexpectedly confronts Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Skirmish and Scandal when Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth as a future mistress of Pemberley becomes known to Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her noble Matlock relations. Determined to prevent an affront to the reputation of their aristocratic clan, the most prominent members of the family gather with Lady Catherine to confront Darcy and force him to choose a more suitable wife. The resulting conflict and its aftermath involve furious arguments, abduction, pursuit, and personal clashes that narrowly avert meetings on the field of honour.

How can such emotionally intense and seemingly insurmountable personal conflicts between the couple result in an amorous resolution?

In Essentials by Helen Williams - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m happy to be welcoming a new visitor to Babblings of a Bookworm. The blog tour for Helen Williams’ Pride & Prejudice variation In Essentials stops by here today. Helen has brought us a really lovely excerpt, and Meryton Press are also offering an ebook giveaway to accompany the blog tour. Read on for more details!

Book Description

Five months after Darcy’s disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet,

he discovers that the woman he ardently loves is suffering from a grave illness.

Despite an affliction that has left her altered, Elizabeth Bennet is still the same person in essentials: witty, sanguine, and obstinate. However, her future is uncertain, and she struggles to maintain her equanimity—especially when Fitzwilliam Darcy returns to Netherfield and seems determined to improve her opinion of him. Now she must decide whether she is brave enough to trust him and embrace happiness, however fleeting it might prove to be.

* * *

Spies of Our Acquaintance by Brigid Huey

I’m happy to be welcoming Brigid Huey back to the blog with her new novella. It’s the latest in the Skirmish and Scandal series from Meryton Press and is called Spies of Our Acquaintance. Let’s look at the blurb, and then I will bring you an excerpt. There’s an ebook giveaway too! Read on for more details.

Book Description 

French spies in Meryton!

Can the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice “keep calm and carry on” when Napoleon’s war comes to their neighborhood?

After Mr Darcy apologizes for insulting her at the Meryton Assembly, Elizabeth Bennet begins to see another side to the gentleman she has sworn to hate forever. As their acquaintance grows into friendship, Elizabeth finds herself intrigued by this man from Derbyshire.

Darcy, meanwhile, cannot stop thinking about Miss Elizabeth. After the nefarious Wickham appears in Meryton, Darcy resolves to warn her of the man’s previous offenses. Matters become more urgent when Wickham proves to be involved in espionage for the French!

When Darcy and Elizabeth are captured by a French spy, they must work together to find a means of escape. With reputations and hearts at risk, what consequences will result from their perilous adventure?

Parallels by Linda Gonschior - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m welcoming Linda Gonschior to the blog. I have featured her work previously as part of the anthology Then Comes Winter but today she joins us with the blog tour for part 3 of her Reflections series, Parallels. This is a modernised story based on Pride & Prejudice and begins with Reflections, followed by A Tarnished Image, and the story concludes in Parallels. Linda joins us here with an excerpt and giveaway of the story. 

Book Description

Love, heartbreak, and self-discovery
are life’s greatest challenges,
no matter who your parents may be.

Will and Elizabeth Darcy faced those challenges twenty years earlier, yet marriage taught them patience, understanding, and most importantly, the irreplaceable value of one another. Now their children are about to embark upon that path, hopefully to learn those lessons more gently and avoid the mistakes of their parents.

This third book in the Reflections series brings to a conclusion the story of a couple whose love drew them together in spite of themselves and continues to test them when least expected.

Silver Buckles by Grace Gibson - Blog Tour - Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I’m happy to be welcoming a new author to Babblings of a Bookworm from Meryton Press. Grace Gibson has joined us with a guest post as part of the blog tour for her Pride & Prejudice variation book Silver Buckles. Let’s look at the blurb and then I will hand over to Grace for her post.

Book Description

She staggered a great man. He was reeling. She was overwhelmed. 

Fitzwilliam Darcy, standing irritably at the edge of the Meryton assembly, declines to dance with Elizabeth Bennet. In a mood of revulsion, he rejects her without concern of being overheard. Country pretensions are always in need of squashing, and what better way to make clear he would not partner anyone outside his party? However, when he looks over at her, she does not appear humbled at all. She is secretly laughing at him!

Elizabeth is perversely delighted to encounter such an outrageous snob as Mr. Darcy. When he approaches her with a stiff, graceless apology, she coolly brushes him off, believing that, like most annoyances, he will go away when properly snubbed. But no! The man then puts out his hand and, not wishing to create a scene, compels her to stand up with him.

They go through the steps of the dance mutually disdainful and intent upon wounding each other. But by the time the musicians end their tune, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have traded barbs with such accuracy, they are unaccountably amused and engaged. Will this most inconvenient flirtation drive them apart—or, like silver buckles, are they a matched pair?

Play with Fire by J Marie Croft - Excerpt and Giveaway

You might well have noticed that quite a few authors and publishers have been putting out novellas lately. I know some people like to get their teeth into a longer read but this year has been such a stressful one that some of us want the escape of reading but don’t have the concentration to take on a longer book! J Marie Croft is visiting us here today with her new Pride & Prejudice novella, Play with Fire to share an excerpt, and Meryton Press are offering to give away an ebook of the story to one of you. Read on for more details!

Book Description

Madness! It was nothing but madness from beginning to end, and Darcy was caught up in it. 

What do occupants of Netherfield Park do on a dreary Saturday while the Bennet sisters are still in residence and they have nothing at all to do? They take a page from Mansfield Park, of course, and decide on a theatrical.

 

In the process of planning and performing the play, certain participants get more than a little carried away, especially Fitzwilliam Darcy where Elizabeth Bennet is concerned. There might even be a kiss...and a skirmish...leading to a duel.

 

No one involved in the play had set out with the intention of creating a scandal. None performing in the theatrical began with the aim of ending with blushing faces, or bruised bodies, or blemishes on their reputations.

 

Blame it on The Mésalliance.

* * *

Accusing Mr Darcy by Kelly Miller - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m happy to be welcoming Kelly Miller back to Babblings of a Bookworm with the blog tour for her her latest book, Accusing Mr Darcy. Isn't that an exciting title?! Who is accusing Mr Darcy and why? Let’s look at the blurb, and then I will hand over to Kelly for an excerpt from the book. There's also an ebook giveaway accompanying the blog tour, details below!

Book Description

Could Fitzwilliam Darcy harbour a shocking, sinister secret?

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet count themselves among the many guests of the Kendall family, whose estate lies amidst the picturesque hills, gorges, and rocky slopes of the Peak District in Derbyshire. Elizabeth’s cousin Rose Kendall believes her dashing brother-in-law, Captain James Kendall, is Elizabeth’s ideal match. Rose’s husband, Nicholas, hopes his good friend Darcy—a rich, proud, and taciturn gentleman with a spotless reputation—will fancy one of the other eligible lady guests. 

News of a brutal killing at a neighbouring estate sends a wave of shock through the genial group of friends and family. When one of the Kendalls’ guests is attacked, all of the gentlemen become suspects, but the former Bow Street runner tasked with investigating the crime finds the evidence against Mr. Darcy particularly compelling.

In this romantic mystery, the beloved couple from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice cross paths with a ruthless killer. When faced with dire warnings against Mr. Darcy, will Elizabeth heed them or follow the dictates of her heart?

His Choice of a Wife by Heather Moll - Blog Tour - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming debut author Heather Moll to Babblings of a Bookworm as part of her blog tour. Heather has written a Pride & Prejudice variation, His Choice of a Wife, and she has come here to share an excerpt with us, and give us the opportunity to enter the blog tour giveaway. Let's take a look at the blurb and then hand over to Heather.

Book Description

When a man’s honor is at stake, what is he willing to risk for the woman he loves?

After a disastrous marriage proposal and the delivery of an illuminating letter, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet hope never to lay eyes on one another again. When a chance meeting in Hunsford immediately throws them in each other’s way, Darcy realizes his behavior needs correcting, and Elizabeth starts to appreciate his redeeming qualities. But is it enough to forgive the past and overcome their prejudices?

Jane and Bingley’s possible reconciliation and Lydia’s ill-conceived trip to Brighton pose their own challenges for two people struggling to find their way to love. When scandalous news threatens their chance at happiness, will Darcy and Elizabeth’s new bond be shattered, or will their growing affection hold steadfast?

Perilous Siege by CP Odom - Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming author C P Odom back to the blog with his latest Pride & Prejudice-inspired book Perilous Siege. C P Odom's previous books have been set in Jane Austen's time, and so is this one, though it has a modern element too - let's have a look at the blurb and then I'll hand over to the author for him to introduce a lovely, long excerpt.  There's also a chance to win a copy of the book! Read on for more details.

Perilous Siege Book Description

What is the Siege Perilous, and how does it affect the lives of everyone in the Regency universe of Pride & Prejudice?

When a man dressed in bizarre attire suddenly appears in a field on his Pemberley estate, Fitzwilliam Darcy has little inkling of the many and startling changes this man’s strange arrival will have on his life, his family’s lives, and indeed, his whole world.

Mysteriously sent to the Regency world of Pride and Prejudice, this refugee from a future Armageddon is befriended by Darcy. How will the presence of Major Edward McDunn influence the events of Jane Austen’s signature work, especially the tangled courtship between Darcy and the complex and endearing Elizabeth Bennet?

The Most Interesting Man in the World by J L Ashton and Justine Rivard - Blog Tour

Today I am welcoming the blog tour for The Most Interesting Man in the World by J L Ashton and Justine Rivard. J L Ashton has been here previously with her earlier books, a modern P&P story, A Searing Acquaintance and the Regency set Mendacity & Mourning, but this is the first opportunity I've had to host Justine Rivard. The ladies have dropped by with a guest post for us about the book plus the chance to enter a giveaway. Let's take a look at the blurb and then I'll hand over to Jan and Justine for a guest post.

Mendacity & Mourning by J L Ashton - Blog Tour - Vignette and Giveaway

Today the blog tour for J L Ashton's 'Pride & Prejudice' variation, 'Mendacity and Mourning' begins with a stop here at Babblings of a Bookworm. Ms Ashton has visited the blog before with her previous book 'A Searing Acquaintance' and I am very pleased to welcome her back. I have part one of a vignette to share with you, which will be concluded this Friday over at 'More Agreeably Engaged', and there's also a chance to win an ebook of 'Mendacity & Mourning'. Let me share the blurb with you first:

Letter from Ramsgate by Suzan Lauder - Blog Tour, Vignette and Giveaway

Today the blog tour for Suzan Lauder's latest story, 'Letter from Ramsgate' stops by for a vignette and giveaway. This is not the first time Suzan's writing has appeared on this blog, as I have previously blogged about her first book, 'Alias Thomas Bennet' and the anthology 'Then Comes Winter', which features a short story by her. Read on for a vignette from Suzan Lauder, learn more about this story and have the chance to win a copy of the book for yourself!