What If Elizabeth Didn’t Believe in Happy Marriages?
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Author
Elizabeth Calbry née Bennet, at the age of twenty-seven, has given up. She has given up on love, on romance, and happiness in marriage. With the passing of her husband and the end of their disastrous and infelicitous marriage occurring just a year ago, Elizabeth looks forward to returning to society, answering to no one, and indulging in some innocent diversions. Unfortunately for Lizzy, it is generally assumed that a beautiful, vivacious, and young widow must be in want of a man to warm her bed…
Now that she has concluded her period of mourning and is allowed to rejoin society, Elizabeth encounters several young men that supply her with ample attention. There’s the engaging George Wickham, the captivating and very attractive Lord Winthrop, the wealthy and flirtatious Mr. Cranford, and the man Elizabeth is least interested in…the arrogant and presumptuous Mr. Darcy. Lizzy enjoys the attentions of the men that flatter her and adore her, but Mr. Darcy just stares, broods, and officiously tells her what not to do. Will Lizzy’s charming behavior and lack of caution get her into trouble? Will she continue to refuse Mr. Darcy’s counsel and support?
What an intriguing alternate path for our beloved Darcy and Elizabeth to travel! Elizabeth a widow? Darcy younger in age? Obstacles such as disbelief in lasting love and the inability to trust? I just love how P. O. Dixon boldly steps out of the Pride and Prejudice canon to create such an imaginative and diverse variation! Some readers may hesitate when they hear the alterations made to Elizabeth’s age and situation, but the uniqueness of this premise and P. O. Dixon’s deft execution will easily dispel any qualms. I greatly appreciate the author’s skill in plausibly deviating from the plot, while respectfully remaining true to the original characters.
Although Darcy’s blatant and barely concealed interest in Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s naiveté and suppression of her unhappiness sometimes raised my eyebrow a little, I found myself entranced by the tension, drama, and romance instilled in Still a Young Man. I took great pleasure in the intense, heated moments of anger and passion between Darcy and Elizabeth. Just like in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth truly loathes Darcy with every fiber of being for the first half of the book! I loved seeing her opinion of Darcy go through a slow and satisfying transformation as she learned more about him.
Filled with secrets, scandals, and speculation, Still a Young Man is an enthralling adventure into London society! I highly recommend this novel to Austenesque readers interested in seeing Darcy and Elizabeth traverse distinctly alternate and original path!
(Note: due to a few brief mentions of intimate and romantic scenes between characters, I’d recommend this novel for Mature Audiences only).
DOUBLE GIVEAWAY!!! Author P. O. Dixon has kindly donated TWO ebooks of Still a Young Man for me to giveaway!!
All you have to do is leave a comment on this review. (To save your inbox from unwanted spam, please don’t leave your email address.) Just check back to see if you win! Fortunately for our international friends, this giveaway is open worldwide! Thank you, P.O. Dixon!!
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This contest will close June 22nd. Good luck and thank you for entering!
It does sound like a creative and different direction to take the characters. I’m curious now.
Thanks for sharing your review!
I’ve just added a giveaway for Still a Young Man thanks to the author’s generosity! Hope you see this in time to earn extra entries!
I would love to go to Peru 😀 And see Macchu Pichu
You must of thought what a weird question, Blodeuedd! I forgot to change the question from the previous giveaway! Sorry! Don’t worry, your comment still counts!
It sounds quite intriguing this kind of plot. I have already read “To have his cake (and eat it too)” from the same author and I enjoyed it.
Thank you for the review and for the chance to win a copy of it.
Another book by P. O. Dixon and it sounds like we are in for a Lizzie who will do whatever she wants and on her own terms! A very good start I would say…a woman with her convictions in order! This sounds to be a book you need to read and by god I hope Elizabeth won’t go into an affair with a certain G. Wickham! Maybe Darcy will be a more intriguing character or maybe just more wonderful…as always!
I would give a great deal to win this book and then some!
Thank you for the chance of winning a copy of the book! Sounds wonderful! Another book for my wishlist!
Thank you very much for hosting this giveaway, Meredith. I always enjoy reading book reviews as it makes me curious to learn about the major plots and find out it is to my liking or not. Also thanks to P O Dixon for providing the copies.
Elizabeth married before meeting Mr Darcy? This is one variation plot I have not read before in any books.
This is an interesting premise; I don’t think I’ve read one with a Lizzy who can’t believe in a happy ever after. Thanks Meredith for the great review and P.O. Dixon for hosting a giveaway (especially an ebook-woo hoo!).
An interesting new twist! I’m in! Thank you for the giveaway!
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This is a very interesting premise. I would love to read it! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity! 🙂
Love the premise! I never tire of different takes on my beloved Darcy and Lizzie, sigh.
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Have seen thi on a few other blogs…intriguing premise…would love to win a copy…
thanks for the chance..
StephAnnee
Everything intrigues me about this book! I love P & P variations and this one sounds completely original. The idea of an older Elizabeth and a younger Darcy fascinates me. 🙂
Certainly an interesting sounding “What If?”!
P.O. Dixon is one of my favorite authors, and this book sounds like an intriguing read. Please enter me in the giveaway!
I am intrigued by the plot
I like Austenesque books anyway but this one sounds like it will be a nice change to the formula!
Would be very interested to read this different take on the story!
I agree with everyone else, this is a very interesting twist. Look forward to reading it (one way or another!).
I hate to be redundant, but definitely sounds interesting!!!
Sounds interesting espeically with age difference of darcy. We always seem to know of widowers marrying younger girls, but not of widows marrying younger men. This is very intriguing
“a slow and satisfying transformation as she learned more about him.” is in itself a satisfying invitation to read ‘Still a Young Man’ !
I am entirely grateful to PO Dixon for offering the opportunity !
looking forward to pleasant hours in the company of our dear friends once again & the uniqueness of the plot ‘diversions’ !
anticipation…
I love Pat’s work – I have everything except Bewitched, her newest. My favorite is He Taught Me To Hope – little Ben stole my heart and the story is delightful.
Love the idea of an alternate ending!
I would love to read this interesting. It sounds really lovely. This concept is intriguing to me.