Strong Objections to the Lady by Jayne Bamber - Blog Tour - Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming Jayne Bamber back to the blog. I'm pleased to say that the blog tour for her latest book, Strong Objections to the Lady kicks off here. Let's take a look at the blurb and then I'll hand over to Jayne. There's also an ebook giveaway. Read on for more details!

Book Description

A tale of…

Intrigue & Inheritance…

Meddling & Manipulation…

Sisterhood & Self-Improvement...

When Lady Catherine de Bourgh learns of Mr. Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, her wrath sets in motion a series of events at Hunsford Parsonage which embroil Darcy and Elizabeth in a family fracas that grows more complicated daily.

The shades of Rosings Park are soon polluted by the shocking transformation of its new mistress and her guests, as well as secrets of the past and schemes for the future.

Appearances and alliances shift amidst the chaos wrought by a well-intentioned house party, and Darcy and Elizabeth must finally face their feelings for one another despite mounting obstacles and misunderstandings of every kind.

Guest Post from Jayne Bamber - Cousins in Kent

Hello, dear JAFF readers!

Those familiar with my writing may already know that I do love a good train wreck, and in Strong Objections to the Lady Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth in Kent is an absolute dumpster fire on wheels. As a jumping off point for fan fiction, it is a treasure trove of possibility, and naturally I settled on the most outlandish variation of events.

Nice shades – it would be a shame if somebody…polluted them….

The catalyst of this tale is Lady Catherine’s sudden demise after her infamous argument with the obstinate, headstrong Elizabeth, and the rest of the story sprang from the singular notion of Lady Catherine denying her approval of Darcy’s intentions toward Elizabeth so vehemently that she is overtaken with apoplexy.

So, not a great day for Lizzy….

Of course, by the time this explosive conversation takes place in canon, Elizabeth is already very much in love with Mr. Darcy. I decided to set this altercation much earlier – the very morning after Darcy’s failed first proposal, and from there the cast of characters being embroiled in the ensuing fiasco quickly came to life.

I came here to have a good time and, honestly,
I feel so obliged right now….

The supporting characters in play while Elizabeth visits Kent are some of my favorites – in all honesty, I low-key have a crush on Colonel Fitzwilliam, and I love giving him some opportunity to drive the story. By the absolute perfection of Jane Austen, we learn enough about him in canon to know that he is an amiable man, and Austen leaves us enough room to imagine him quite a lovable rascal besides.

My cousin’s a real heartbreaker, babe.

However, I have questions. What must he think when he discovers Darcy’s attachment to Elizabeth, and failure to win her hand? On a scale of one to ten, how much does he regret boasting to Elizabeth of Darcy’s involvement in separating Bingley from a young lady to whom there were such strong objections? And for all of Lady Catherine’s talk of Darcy marrying Anne, why does the colonel not consider it himself, when he makes no secret of his need to marry for money?

Life of the party.

As I set out to answer these questions, I discovered another character in Kent well worth falling in love with: Anne de Bourgh. As the person most impacted by Lady Catherine’s sudden demise, Anne has a major role to play in the story, which belongs to her as much as it does to Elizabeth and Darcy. Her share of the narrative begins with a shocking and raw reaction to her mother’s death, as well Elizabeth’s role in the ordeal, and over the course of the story she grows to admire Elizabeth Bennet as much as her cousin Darcy and two centuries of Austen readers. It is an endearing quality, which must compensate for her myriad imperfections, which are brought to light along with her sad history.

“Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

Charlotte Collins has some small role to play, and the unique and playful friendship she has secretly cultivated with Anne de Bourgh is one of many new dynamics that emerge between the familiar faces in Kent as the story builds. While Charlotte's presence serves a great purpose in the story, paving the way for friendship between Anne and Elizabeth, her absence later had just as much affect on the friends who have relied on her advice.

We all need friends who secretly own castles….

In addition to all the canonical characters present in Strong Objections to the Lady, I introduce several new members of the Fitzwilliam and de Bourgh families, the most significant of whom is mentioned repeatedly but never technically seen – Anne’s older sister, Isabel. Assorted other de Bourgh relations make some appearance, and Anne’s extended family are not the only unexpected arrivals in Kent, leading to chaos that intensifies daily. There are several love stories unfolding in the aftermath of what is a tragedy in name only, and there are so many secrets, schemes and plots overlapping that nobody really has much time to mourn Lady Catherine at all – she would have been most seriously displeased.

Ta-da! Very proud of my cover, featuring
my sass queen and her grand inheritance.

Strong Objections to the Lady will be available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited on December 21, with a paperback version soon to follow, and you can click here to enter a raffle for a free e-book! For now, I would like to share a brief excerpt – a glimpse into some of the final thoughts of Lady Catherine de Bourgh….

She must have her share of the conversation!

Excerpt from Strong Objections to the Lady

Lady Catherine de Bourgh awoke discontented beyond the usual degree. Sleep had evaded her; she had lain awake all night, most seriously displeased by her nephew. Darcy had announced just before retiring that he and Richard would depart Rosings Park and return to London this morning. He would brook no refusal, and had rather worked himself into a state as he defied her authority and insisted he would go –  an insupportable display of defiance! He had forgotten what he owed her, and Anne, and all the family.

She would not have it, and this morning he would hear her mind about the matter. He had come all this way, and yet he would go away again without finally settling on a date to wed Anne? It was not to be borne! Though he had been first intended for her sister, it was a natural thing that he ought to marry Anne instead, even if she had not the same affable disposition.

And after all, who would marry Anne if he did not? Taking Anne to London for a season was out of the question, for even if there had not been health concerns to prohibit them, Anne’s temper would never be suited to the haute ton. Certainly she could not wed any of her grasping, artful de Bourgh cousins, who were out for all they could get.

No, it must be Darcy, and she would not let him get away this time without a solemn promise. Lady Catherine began rehearsing her speech in her mind, perfecting those arguments that would remind him of his duty.

After hastily dressing for breakfast, a meal she usually took an hour later, Lady Catherine began her descent downstairs when a sudden pain overtook her. She halted on the stairs, rubbing her hand against her chest to soothe the ache. The unpleasant sensation had begun some weeks ago, though fortunately she had been able to conceal it from her family. She would not be daunted, particularly when the Bennet chit was all to blame. Even now she heard Elizabeth Bennet’s name spoken, for there were voices in the corridor below.

“I think you should leave it, Darcy,” Richard said. “Miss Bennet refused you in no uncertain terms, and you had better not put yourself through any further torment.”

“I bloody well know that,” Darcy spat back at his cousin. Lady Catherine clenched the railing of the stairs until her knuckles were white, drawing in a deep breath as her heart pounded in her chest. This cannot be.

“I am quite determined, Richard,” Darcy continued. “I shall not linger, but I should at least like to give her the letter, and hope that she may in time think better of me. If I cannot have Elizabeth, so be it, but I cannot bear her being alive in the world and thinking ill of me.”

Lady Catherine’s nostrils flared at the shocking notion – Elizabeth Bennet, thinking ill of Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley? It was insupportable. That Miss Bennet had the cheek to show her face at Rosings at all had been beyond the pale, but now this? Poor Darcy, to have been so taken in by that pretty face!

Richard’s reply was muffled as Lady Catherine schooled her labored breathing, and then she heard Darcy say, “I shall walk down with you. Miss Bennet is likely on another of her morning walks – I know which areas she frequents. I shall give her the letter, and then meet you at the parsonage to take leave of the Collinses. With any luck we might be on the road to London in an hour.”

Feeling her strength returning, Lady Catherine steadied herself and resumed her slow descent as she heard her nephews moving away. She briefly considered ordering some sabotage to Darcy’s carriage, but thought the better of it – she had another plan. She collected her heavy green cloak and set off at once to follow them. She would seek out Miss Elizabeth, confiscate this scandalous letter, which ought never to have been written, and make her own sentiments known.

***

Thanks for joining me on the first stop of my blog tour. I have several more calls in the neighborhood to make, and each post will have an excerpt and another chance to win a free e-book! You can also follow me on Facebook for more updates. Comments, queries, and overall impressions are very welcome!

Author Bio

Jayne Bamber is a life-long Austen fan, and a total sucker for costume dramas. Jayne read her first Austen variation as a teenager and has spent more than a decade devouring as many of them as she can. This of course has led her to the ultimate conclusion of her addiction, writing one herself.

Jayne's favorite Austen work is Sense and Sensibility, though Sanditon is a strong second. Despite her love for Pride and Prejudice, Jayne realizes that she is no Lizzy Bennet, and is in fact growing up to be Mrs. Bennet more and more each day.

After years of dating Wickhams, Collinses, and the occasional Tilney-that-got-away, Jayne married her very own Darcy (tinged with just the right amount of Mr. Palmer) and the two live together in Texas with a pair of badly behaved rat terriers, and a desire to expand their menagerie of fur babies.

Buy Links

Strong Objections to the Lady is due out on 21 December - here are pre-order links - get yourself a Christmas treat!

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf

Giveaway Time!

As Jayne Bamber says in her guest post above, you can win an ebook of Strong Objections to the Lady. To enter, please use the rafflecopter linked here!

Note: 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 :)

* * *

If you don’t want to miss any of my future posts, please subscribe:

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

If you'd like to be friends on Goodreads then please invite me - just say that you visit my blog when it asks why you'd like to be friends with me.

The Clergyman's Wife by Molly Greeley - Blog Tour, Guest Post and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming a debut author, Molly Greeley, who has written a book called The Clergyman's Wife. The wife in question is the former Miss Charlotte Lucas, who of course married Mr Collins in Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Let's look at the blurb and then we will hand over to Molly for a guest post about her thoughts about writing fiction based on other writer's characters, something that the Austenesque genre obviously does. We have a giveaway for US readers, too!

Book Description

For everyone who loved Pride and Prejudice—and legions of historical fiction lovers—an inspired debut novel set in Austen’s world.

Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas, is the respectable wife of Hunsford’s vicar, and sees to her duties by rote: keeping house, caring for their adorable daughter, visiting parishioners, and patiently tolerating the lectures of her awkward husband and his condescending patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Intelligent, pragmatic, and anxious to escape the shame of spinsterhood, Charlotte chose this life, an inevitable one so socially acceptable that its quietness threatens to overwhelm her. Then she makes the acquaintance of Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine..

In Mr. Travis’ company, Charlotte feels appreciated, heard, and seen. For the first time in her life, Charlotte begins to understand emotional intimacy and its effect on the heart—and how breakable that heart can be. With her sensible nature confronted, and her own future about to take a turn, Charlotte must now question the role of love and passion in a woman’s life, and whether they truly matter for a clergyman’s wife.

Headstrong Books One and Two by Melanie Rachel - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming Melanie Rachel back to the blog with her latest Austenesque novels. She's written a three part story, and the first two parts are already available with the third to follow later this month. Unlike Melanie's earlier books, this latest series, Headstrong, is a contemporary story. Let's look at the blurbs of both books, and then you can enjoy an excerpt from book one, Headstrong Book One: Improvise. Melanie has also brought a giveaway for one of you!

Book Description - Headstrong Book One: Improvise

A few months after teaming up with Major Richard Fitzwilliam to thwart a terrorist attack in Europe, USMC Staff Sergeant Elizabeth Bennet is back in the States as a civilian. Her training in cyber-security makes finding work easy, and she’s learning to fit into her new life. But there is lingering fallout both from the attack and her life before it that she's not yet prepared to face. Complicating matters is the major’s handsome cousin.

Co-owner of Darcy Acquisitions, CEO of FORGE, and guardian to his younger sister, Will Darcy is stretched to his limits. When Richard sets up an interview at FORGE for his friend Elizabeth Bennet, Will insults her instead of hiring her. In making amends, Will falls for the witty, troubled Marine with long legs and fine eyes.

Falling in love is easy, but do these two very different people have what it takes to make love last?

Book Description - Headstrong: Book Two: Adapt

The holidays are approaching, and Will Darcy has a lot to be thankful for. His cousin Richard is coming home from the Marines, his sister Georgiana is flying back from university for a visit, and he’s in love with Elizabeth Bennet.

But his well-ordered life is about to be turned on its head.

There's a prank war being waged between Elizabeth and Richard, which might be funny if he weren't constantly caught in the middle. Georgiana's hostility to Elizabeth is puzzling--how can she have it out for somebody she's never met? And just when Elizabeth is starting to trust Will with the truth about her difficult past, someone from his own reappears to cause havoc.

Strange things are happening all around, and Elizabeth seems to be in the middle of it all. Is she involved? A target? Or is she just caught in the crossfire of someone conspiring against his own family?

Nefarious by Nicole Clarkston - Audio Book Giveaway

Earlier this year Nicole Clarkston visited the blog with her Pride & Prejudice-inspired story, Nefarious. You can read the post, which includes an excerpt, here. Nicole is very kindly offering a giveaway of the recently released audio version of the book, narrated by Harry Frost! I'll share the blurb below as a reminder of what Nefarious is about :)

Book Description

He hates everything about her.
She despises him even more.
So why is his heart so determined to belong to her?

Once trapped by marriage to a woman he loathed, Fitzwilliam Darcy is finally free again. Resentful, bewildered, and angry, he is eager to begin his life over—preferably with a woman who is the exact opposite of his wife.

He never imagined a short stay in Hertfordshire would bring him face to face with his worst nightmare; a woman similar in face, form, and name. He certainly never expected her to be so impossible to ignore.

Torn between what he believes he wants and what his heart cannot live without, his dignity begins to unravel. Will his desperation to escape his past drive a wedge into his closest friendship and destroy any hope of a future?

Will Miss Elizabeth Bennet prove to be as nefarious as his wife? Or, will the last woman in the world be his only chance at happiness?

* * *

Buy Links

Nefarious is available in audio now - Audible US / Audible UK.

If you would rather read this in ebook or paperback, you will be pleased to know that it's available in both formats. It's currently on a kindle countdown deal in the US and UK which makes it a great time to pick up the ebook if you'd like to read it, but act quickly as it's a time limited deal! You can buy the book on Amazon UK / Amazon US / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads 

Author Bio:

Nicole Clarkston is a book lover and a happily married mom of three. Originally from Idaho, she now lives in Oregon with her own romantic hero, several horses, and one very fat dog. She has loved crafting alternate stories and sequels since she was a child watching Disney’s Robin Hood, and is never found sitting quietly without a book of some sort.

Nicole discovered Jane Austen rather by guilt in her early thirties- how does any book worm really live that long without a little P&P? She has never looked back. A year or so later, during a major house renovation project (undertaken when her husband unsuspectingly left town for a few days) she discovered Elizabeth Gaskell and fell completely in love. Nicole’s books are her pitiful homage to two authors who have so deeply inspired her.

Nicole is part of Austen Variations, a group of talented authors in the Jane Austen Fiction genre. In addition to her work with the Austen Variations blog, Nicole can be reached through Facebook  Twitter, her blog at Goodreads.com, or her personal blog and website, NicoleClarkson.com.

Giveaway Time!

Nicole is generously offering a giveaway of an audio version of Nefarious one of you. To enter, just leave a comment on this blog post. If you have difficulties commenting then drop me an email with your comment and I can add it on your behalf and enter you into the draw - my email address can be found here. Leave your comment by the end of the day on Friday 6 December to be included. This giveaway is open to entrants who can download audio books from Audible.com or Audible.co.uk.

* * *

If you don’t want to miss any of my future posts, please subscribe:

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

If you'd like to be friends on Goodreads then please invite me - just say that you visit my blog when it asks why you'd like to be friends with me.

The Watsons by Rose Servitova - Blog Tour - Spotlight

Recently there's been a lot of interest in Sanditon, Austen's unfinished work that she had to abandon writing when she became unwell with the illness that led to her death. However, she had another unfinished work that she abandoned years previously, The Watsons. This story started out by looking at a family, of which a few sisters are left unmarried. The youngest daughter of the family, Miss Emma Watson has been living with a rich aunt, but returns to her family home when the aunt marries. It is generally thought that the story of a family of unmarried ladies who would be reliant on the charity of their brothers when their father died was too close to Austen's own circumstances for her to want to write about. However, the beginning of the story is very interesting (you can read a post I wrote about it previously, here) and author Rose Servitova has taken up the tale to write a completion, and the blog tour for this book drops by today! Let's take a look at the blurb...

Book Description

Can she honour her family and stay true to herself?

Emma Watson returns to her family home after fourteen years with her wealthy and indulgent aunt. Now more refined than her siblings, Emma is shocked by her sisters’ flagrant and desperate attempts to ensnare a husband. To the surprise of the neighbourhood, Emma immediately attracts the attention of eligible suitors – notably the socially awkward Lord Osborne, heir to Osborne Castle – who could provide her with a home and high status if she is left with neither after her father’s death. Soon Emma finds herself navigating a world of unfamiliar social mores, making missteps that could affect the rest of her life. How can she make amends for the wrongs she is seen to have committed without betraying her own sense of what is right?

Jane Austen commenced writing The Watsons over two hundred years ago, putting it aside unfinished, never to return and complete it. Now, Rose Servitova, author of acclaimed humour title, The Longbourn Letters: The Correspondence between Mr Collins and Mr Bennet has finished Austen’s manuscript in a manner true to Austen’s style and wit.

Early Praise for The Watsons

“A gift for Austen fans everywhere – full of wit, informed imagination and palpable affection for Austen’s characters.” — Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society

“Very satisfying, sometimes moving and often laugh-out-loud hilarious.” — Jane Austen Regency World Magazine

Author Bio

Irish author Rose Servitova is an award-winning humor writer, event manager, and job coach for people with special needs. Her debut novel, The Longbourn Letters – The Correspondence between Mr. Collins & Mr. Bennet, described as a ‘literary triumph’, has received international acclaim since its publication in 2017. Rose enjoys talking at literary events, drinking tea and walking on Irish country roads. She lives in County Limerick with her husband, two young children and three indifferent cats. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

Buy Links

The Watsons, completed by Rose Servitova, is available to buy now in both ebook and paperback - Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Goodreads

* * *

Have you read The Watsons, or any of the handful of stories based on it? If so what are your thoughts? Is there anything that particularly captures your fancy about this one?  Let me know in the comments!

Note About 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 :)


The Watsons Blog Tour Schedule

Please check out the other stops on the blog tour!

November 18          My Jane Austen Book Club (Interview)

November 18          Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

November 19          The Lit Bitch (Excerpt)

November 20          Austenesque Reviews (Review)

November 20          vvb32 Reads (Review)     

November 21          All Things Austen (Review)       

November 22          My Love for Jane Austen (Spotlight)

November 25          From Pemberley to Milton (Excerpt)

November 25          Diary of an Eccentric (Interview)

November 26          So Little Time… (Excerpt)

November 27          Impressions in Ink (Review)

November 27          Babblings of a Bookworm (Spotlight)

November 28          More Agreeably Engaged (Review)

November 29          My Vices and Weaknesses (Excerpt)

November 29          The Fiction Addiction (Review)

* * *

If you don’t want to miss any of my future posts, please subscribe:

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

If you'd like to be friends on Goodreads then please invite me - just say that you visit my blog when it asks why you'd like to be friends with me.

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.

Mr Darcy's Enchantment by Abigail Reynolds - Review

Today I'm sharing a review that I wrote a few months ago but didn't have chance to share at the time. At the end of last year I took part in the blog tour for Mr Darcy's Enchantment by Abigail Reynolds. You can read Abigail's guest post and excerpt from the book here. I didn't have the chance to read the book at the time but over the summer I took a trip into a world where magic and faeries meets pride and prejudice. Let's look at the blurb and then I'll tell you what I thought of the book.

Book Description

In a Regency England where magic and faeries are real…

Fitzwilliam Darcy is a powerful magician who controls fire, water, and wind. What he cannot control is his growing feelings for Miss Elizabeth Bennet. But Darcy is also sworn to uphold the laws which forbid women to use magic, and Elizabeth knows it.

Elizabeth’s sentiments towards Darcy are quite different. She detests his arrogance, and she fears he will expose her use of forbidden magic. He is the last man in the world she would choose to help her on a difficult and dangerous task.

But when a magical war looms between the land of Faerie and their world, a Lord of Faerie demands that Darcy and Elizabeth serve together as his emissaries to make peace with the other mortals. That mission throws them into the middle of a chaotic power struggle between magicians whose power dwarfs their own, and everything Elizabeth has ever believed about her family, her friends, and her enemies will be called into question.

This magical variation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice makes the land of Faerie as real as Regency London and Rosings Park, as bestselling author Abigail Reynolds presents new challenges for Darcy and Elizabeth in her longest and most enchanting story to date.

* * *

Mr Darcy's Enchantment - My Review

Abigail Reynolds is one of my favourite writers of Pride & Prejudice variations so I was very keen to give this one a read. Although I know that there are a few others out there which meld magic with  P&P I haven’t read any published ones, which was another good reason to give this a go.

Mr Darcy’s Enchantment picks up the story in Kent, when Elizabeth visits the Collinses, so you can assume the previous parts of P&P have already happened, but there is obviously a major change in the fact that people can do magic. Actually, though, only men are allowed to practice, it’s not only frowned upon for a woman to do magic, but punishable, by a spell which changes the woman’s mind. This is a pretty terrifying thought, that a part of you will be, in effect, killed off. Therefore, as a woman who not only can practice magic, but actually does, in order to help people, Elizabeth has a good reason to be pretty wary of Darcy. The spell to lock up women’s minds is carried out by the Collegium of Mages and Darcy is a member of this. His uncle, the father of Colonel Fitzwilliam, is a very senior member. Darcy being tied to such an organisation is yet another reason for Elizabeth to despise him.

When Elizabeth decides to out herself in order to save another’s life she risks not only her mind, but her family’s respectability and her whole life as she knows it. Running away, she stumbles into a faerie ring and transports to the land of the fae, where she learns that there are even bigger problems, in terms of a looming war between the fae and mankind. Elizabeth will also learn that she has been mistaken in some of her judgements, and uncover some of the darkest secrets of her own family.

I found this to be a book of two parts. I really enjoyed the first part, which saw us in Rosings and later in the fae world. I thought the construction of the different types of magic was interesting and well-explained and I loved all the Darcy and Elizabeth time, as she realises how wrong she has been in her perceptions of him and her perceptions of how he considered her.

Later on, the book’s focus moves out much wider and while it was still good, and kept my attention I didn’t enjoy that part quite as much. I don’t think it was the magic. For me, it was that the story was so much wider than Darcy and Elizabeth so they were more part of an ensemble cast than having the starring roles. A whole new world is described and while I might like a tighter focus on Darcy and Elizabeth other readers may revel in the additional depth and breadth of the story.

One thing I did enjoy was uncovering some of the secrets in both Elizabeth and Darcy’s families. I gasped more than once at some of the the revelations. I really want to tell you some of the secrets, but even who the secrets involve would be potential spoilers in some cases! I anticipated some of the events, but some were surprising, which is always refreshing.

There is a glossary of terms at the back, which might have been more useful if I had realised that it was there before I finished reading the story! If I am reading something that makes me worry about the characters I may flick to the back of the book to reassure myself, but otherwise I try not to spoil the story, so I missed the glossary until that point. To be fair, I think I understood the terms anyway, as they are explained well in the story.

This is a long book and I stayed up far past my bedtime because I didn’t want to put it down, which is always satisfying. I was a bit undecided on the rating, but I think I’d round it up to a 4½ star read, and would recommend it to those who don’t mind some magic in their reading. Those who prefer to avoid sex scenes are safe, although there is an instance of a Regency lady wearing fairy attire, which would have been pretty racy by their standards :)

Now, I need to find some more magical variations. Any recommendations?

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

Buy Links

This book is available to buy in paperback or kindle. It's also available in kindle unlimited. Amazon UK / Amazon US / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads Shelf

Note About 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 :)

If you don’t want to miss any of my future posts, please subscribe:

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

If you'd like to be friends on Goodreads then please invite me - just say that you visit my blog when it asks why you'd like to be friends with me.

A Covenant of Marriage by C P Odom - Blog Tour - Excerpt and Giveaway

The blog tour for C P Odom's latest Pride & Prejudice variation, A Covenant of Marriage, stops here today with an excerpt and ebook giveaway! Let's look at the blurb and then I'll share the excerpt with you.

Book Description

A Covenant of Marriage—legally binding, even for an unwilling bride!

Defined as a formal, solemn, and binding agreement or compact, a covenant is commonly used with regard to relations among nations or as part of a contract. But it can also apply to a marriage as Elizabeth Bennet learns when her father binds her in marriage to a man she dislikes. Against her protests that she cannot be bound against her will, the lady is informed that she lives under her father’s roof and, consequently, is under his control; she is a mere pawn in the proceedings.

With such an inauspicious beginning, how can two people so joined ever make a life together?

* * *

There's Something About Darcy by Dr Gabrielle Malcolm - Blog Tour - Review

Today the blog tour stops here for Dr Gabrielle Malcolm's There's Something About Darcy. As you will know, Mr Darcy is something of a remarkable character. Even people who shun 'romantic' novels know his name. He is a by-word for the epitome of the perfect romantic hero - many people are searching for their Mr Darcy in a world of Wickhams.

The vast majority of Austenesque works are based on Pride & Prejudice, and part of that is down to the appeal of its hero. But why is Mr Darcy the chosen one rather than the more amiable Bingley, witty Tilney, dashing Wentworth or gentlemanly Mr Knightley? I have my own theories, as I am sure you do, and I was interested to see what Gabrielle Malcolm's theories are. Let's look at the blurb, and then I will share my review with you.

Book Description

For some, Colin Firth emerging from a lake in that clinging wet shirt is one of the most iconic moments in television. But what is it about the two-hundred-year-old hero that we so ardently admire and love?

Dr Gabrielle Malcolm examines Jane Austen’s influences in creating Darcy’s potent mix of brooding Gothic hero, aristocratic elitist and romantic Regency man of action. She investigates how he paved the way for later characters like Heathcliff, Rochester and even Dracula, and what his impact has been on popular culture over the past two centuries. For twenty-first century readers the world over have their idea of the ‘perfect’ Darcy in mind when they read the novel and will defend their choice passionately.

In this insightful and entertaining study, every variety of Darcy jostles for attention: vampire Darcy, digital Darcy, Mormon Darcy and gay Darcy. Who does it best and how did a clergyman’s daughter from Hampshire create such an enduring character?

Winner - When Charlotte Became Romantic by Victoria Kincaid

Recently we were joined by Victoria Kincaid, who came here to share an excerpt of her new Pride & Prejudice-inspired novel, When Charlotte Became Romantic, which as the title suggests, focuses on the famously unromantic Miss Charlotte Lucas. You can read the excerpt here.

Victoria was kindly offering to give away an ebook of When Charlotte Became Romantic. I chose the winner using a random number generator, and the winner selected was...

Buturot!

Congratulations to you. I have your email address so will drop you a line.

Thanks to everybody who read the blog post, and all those who commented. Special thanks to Victoria for the giveaway.

If you weren't the lucky winner and would like to console yourself, why not treat yourself to a copy of When Charlotte Became Romantic? It's available to buy now.

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf

* * *

If you don’t want to miss any of my future posts, please subscribe:

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

If you'd like to be friends on Goodreads then please invite me - just say that you visit my blog when it asks why you'd like to be friends with me.