Hello dear readers! I’m so very very excited to welcome back, Joana Starnes to Austenesque Reviews today! She has published some fantastic Austenesque literature these past two years – my favorites include The Subsequent Proposal and The Falmouth Connection. I am so happy that Joana is here celebrating the release of her latest Pride and Prejudice variation, The Unthinkable Triangle and sharing the most gut-wrenching of scenes!
Many thanks, Meredith, for hosting me at Austenesque Reviews again, it’s always such a treat to be here, and your lovely warm welcome makes it even more special every time.
I come bearing gifts: an excerpt and a giveaway for my latest release, The Unthinkable Triangle. As the title suggests and you probably know by now, this is a love-triangle story, the trickiest love triangle of them all, involving Darcy, Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
I know we love to torture Darcy, but some might say this is a step too far. Particularly as it affects Colonel Fitzwilliam too and, unlike Darcy, the dear Colonel has done absolutely nothing to deserve it! But at least you might be pleased to know he is very happy for a large part of the story. Indeed, how can he not be? He is engaged to Elizabeth Bennet!
Of course, we all know that it must be Darcy, and not his cousin, who wins the day and gets the girl in the end, JAFF would not be JAFF otherwise. I have also mentioned before that the lovely Colonel would not be a casualty in the quest for Darcy’s ‘happily ever after’. But that does not necessarily mean he would not get his brush with danger. That would be farfetched – after all, he is a Colonel in His Majesty’s army at a time of gruesome conflict.
Thus, there are scenes which some readers might recognise as a mirror image of ones from my first book, From This Day Forward, which to an extent had inspired this story. I say ‘a mirror image’ because in The Unthinkable Triangle, it seems that Darcy is at the losing end, and not his cousin.
Which finally brings me to the excerpt. But first let me set the scene. Colonel Fitzwilliam, injured in the Peninsular campaign, is fighting for his life at Darcy’s townhouse and Mr. Darcy, honourable as ever, had travelled in the dead of night to Longbourn, to fetch his cousin’s fiancée – Miss Elizabeth Bennet – and her father, to the patient’s bedside. In the grueling hours of his cousin’s severe illness, wracked with guilt, Mr. Darcy makes a bedside promise, or rather seeks to strike a bargain:
“Striking a bargain with his Maker might have been wrong – a prideful notion, bordering on the sinful. But it was born of desperation, and he could not stop himself. So this is precisely what he did, as he clasped his cousin’s hand, and silently prayed.
‘Let him live – and I shall do my part. She will be a sister to me, just as Georgiana. Just as she should have been from the moment she said yes to Richard. I will subdue every improper wish. Just let him live!’ ”
Several harrowing days later, it seems that his prayers had been answered. But that was not the end of everybody’s troubles…
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Excerpt From Chapter 5
The sickroom was silent once again. The doctor had superintended the cumbersome yet necessary process of changing the drenched bedclothes with fresh ones, sweetened with lavender, and likewise the patient’s apparel. Then he had gone to rest at last in well-earned comfort in the bedchamber prepared for him, which he had so far made precious little use of, and urged the others to seek their beds as well, for he could vouch for the Colonel’s current safety.
He was not surprised that they failed to listen. He had seen it oftentimes before. The loved ones would very rarely pay heed to his exhortations in cases such as these and, after many days and nights of fear and anguish, they would still insist on remaining at the bedside, to reassure themselves of their right to hope.
The master of the house, the young man’s cousin, proved no exception, as did the young lady. As soon as the patient’s nightclothes and bed linen had been changed and she had been allowed back into the sickroom, she had settled herself in her customary place and would not budge, in blatant disregard of the doctor’s orders, until at last she had succumbed to heavy sleep, which was to be expected after the dreadful time she had endured.
Before leaving the room to seek his berth, the old doctor shook his head, first towards the sleeping woman and then to her equally obstinate companion.
“She should be made to get a decent rest,” he told the latter, “or she might be taken ill herself. And so should you, Sir, if you do not mind me saying. Your cousin is safe for now, I can assure you. You should take yourself to bed, and so should this headstrong young woman, or someone should be summoned to convey her. Doubtlessly you will ignore me,” he muttered with mild vexation, “although for both your sakes I wish you would not. But be that as it may. I shall leave you now,” he added, and in due course he proved himself as good as his word, leaving Darcy to do just as he chose.
Predictably, he chose to steadfastly keep watch over his cousin. Still reclining on several pillows, Fitzwilliam seemed to be in peaceful repose and even now Darcy could scarce believe that he was indeed sleeping, rather than being rendered unconscious by the fever.
There was no doubt that Elizabeth was asleep. Her head was leaning to one side against the headrest, her breathing slow and even. Good. She needed to recover. He was loath to disturb her, but the old doctor might have had the right of it. She should get some decent rest at last. A proper night’s sleep in a comfortable bed, not just a few hours of slumber in a wing chair.
Darcy stood from his own seat and came to bend down on one knee beside her.
“Eliz–… Miss Bennet?” he amended.
She did not stir, which was little wonder, and he reached for the hand resting limply at her side, to cradle it in his. It was small and very cold. He brought it to his cheek and held it there, the thin fingers loosely curled around his own. And time stood still – and so did he. Only his thumb moved, in light, rhythmic strokes tracing the same recurring pattern, while his eyes kept retracing another pattern of their own. Auburn locks in charming disarray, wispy ringlets trailing at her temples. Closed eyelids, faintly tinged with purple, and incredibly long lashes. An adorably-shaped nose, perfect in its barely noticeable imperfection. Mouth – flawless, and ever so slightly curled up at the corners. Softly curved cheeks that would form a dimple when she smiled in earnest.
The small hand twitched in his when at last he turned his head to press it to his lips. He returned it to her side and softly urged again:
“Miss Bennet? Dr. Graham said you ought to get some restful sleep,” he whispered, as though she could hear him.
She did not. Her breathing still came slow and even and she gave no sign of imminent awakening. Perhaps the old doctor was in the right about this too; someone should be summoned to take her to her chambers. Yet, even as he thought it, Darcy knew that he would summon no one. Instead, he gingerly slipped one arm around her back and the other underneath her, to carefully lift her off her chair. He braced himself and stood with ease holding the light and very precious burden. He raised her closer to his chest and her head fell against his shoulder, her face upturned, achingly beautiful and almost childlike in repose.
Her cheeks were very pale and so were the full lips. So close. If he only bent his head… One indulgence – the first one and the last. Inches from his own, her lips parted, releasing a faint sigh, and his chest tightened, as did his eyes, firmly closed against the exquisite temptation.
He sighed – a heavy, tortured sound. His eyes still closed, he bent his head just enough to press his lips on the smooth brow for a long, harrowing moment. There was no added fragrance of jasmine and gardenia this time, just the scent of her warm skin and her hair – and he inhaled, shaken to his core by the deep yearning that it stirred in him. Far beyond desire. Much more than temptation. A staggering sense of belonging, of homecoming. Yearning and fulfillment, all in one.
He winced, opened his eyes and raised his head, gaining some distance from the cruel trick of chemistry and nature. This was not home – at least not for him. It was high time to accept the truth. And he would, by God, even if it killed him! It was time to do his part; keep his side of the bargain.
His gaze fixed on the perfect features, he swallowed hard and his voice came in a ragged whisper.
“Farewell, my love. God bless you, and be happy.”
And then he turned to chastely carry her to her own bedchamber, failing to notice that in the light of the few guttering candles, a pair of very deep blue eyes were glittering under the canopy of the large bed, watching his every move in confused and disbelieving horror, and remained firmly fixed on his retreating back.
* * * *
AHHH! I cannot wait to read this book! What about you?
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Today, Joana brings with her two copies of newly released novel, The Unthinkable Triangle (2 Kindle ebooks), for me to giveaway to TWO lucky winners!
To enter this giveaway, leave a question, a comment, or some love for Joana below!
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Joana!
- This giveaway ends October 5th!
I love all of Joanna’s books and can’t wait to read this one. Thanks for tye excerpt and interview.
My pleasure, Jennifer, and thanks ever so much for the kind words! I’m thrilled that you liked my other books and I hope you’ll enjoy reading this one, even though I did take ‘Darcy torture’ a step too far 😉
Thanks for visiting and good luck in the giveaway.
oh my God you can’t leave it there!!!!!!! I just have to read this book now – I really hope I am lucky enough to win a copy. Thanks for the wonderful review Meredith and thanks to you and Joana for the chance to win a copy 🙂
Oooops, sorry for the cliffhanger Glynis. I’m so glad you liked the excerpt, and I hope you’ll like the rest of the story too. Many thanks for taking part in the giveaway and good luck!
Glad you enjoyed the excerpt, Glynis! Joana always brings something wonderful when she comes to visit!
You’re so kind, Meredith!!! Thanks SO MUCH for the lovely words and for having me. It’s always such a joy to be here, Austenesque Reviews is as wonderful as you are 🙂
Even though it sounds like the Colonel’s life is in danger, I look forward to reading this as I have enjoyed all the others books of Joana’s
meikleblog at gmail dot com
Thanks, Susan, it’s wonderful to hear that! It’s ever so bad of me to suggest that the poor Colonel’s in danger. But ‘be not alarmed’, he does pull through, even though the scene he had just witnessed isn’t likely to help his recovery much. Good luck in the giveaway and thanks for stopping by.
First I became addicted to Jane Austen, then to Austenesque fiction, and now to Austenesque giveaways – what a fabulous condition to have!
Good luck, Joana, with this new release – I look forward with pleasure to reading it.
All best,
Lilyane
A fabulous condition indeed, Lilyane 🙂 and I’m ever so happy to have my share in keeping you addicted 🙂 Thanks for the warm wishes and good luck in the giveaway. All the best to you too,
Joana
I have read all Joana’s books and loved them all – bit nervous about reading this one but have my utmost trust and faith Joana!
Thanks so much for the lovely words, Michelle, and especially for the vote of confidence! Particularly as the excerpt really doesn’t bode well for our three favourite characters. But I hope you’ll like how the story unfolds. Best of luck in the giveaway and thanks for stopping by.
What a teaser! How in the world will this play out??
I hope you’ll enjoy finding out, Ginger 🙂 So glad the excerpt caught your eye and good luck in the giveaway.
Lol Meredith I had the exact same thought “AAAHHH!”
I am lucky enough to be going on a lengthy cruise in January and I have been holding off on some favorite author’s new books to give myself some guaranteed awesome reading on the ship but I may not be able to wait on this one especially after that excerpt!
Thanks so much for the giveaway!!!!
What a treat, Shannon, a lengthy cruise! I hope you’ll enjoy every minute of it and that you’ll like this story too. Wishing you sunny skies, calm seas and a wonderful time. Best of luck in the giveaway and thanks for putting your name in the hat!
LOL! You are like me. Shannon. I am more excited about planning what I will bring to read on vacation, then what I will bring to wear! It definitely takes some careful planning! I can easily understanding it being hard to wait until January!
I read this book over 2 days and reviewed it yesterday. I have to say that I think it has the most angst of just about any book I have ever read. My chest had pangs in reading of Darcy’s torture. STEPS of grief, anybody. I am getting tears just remembering it. Joana, your use of words is amazing. You literally pulled at my heart strings. Another 5 stars from me…as with all her books.
Huge thanks for the wonderful review, Sheila, I just saw it a few minutes ago and I can’t wait to go and tell everyone about it! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the story, even though your heart broke for Darcy. But he is happy in the end, as he surely deserves to be 🙂 Thanks again for the lovely words, much, much appreciated! All the best,
Joana
I can only say that it was so well deserved! I will definitely re-read this and soon. I love to be tortured even when I know the ending!
Thanks, Sheila. Hugs. You and me both 🙂 My most favourite re-reads are always the heart-wrenching ones.
I loved this scene! When I read it and ended with that last paragraph I had to ask myself who had the blue eyes. It meant I couldn’t go to bed but had to read more(bummer). This is another 5 star book! You will love it Meredith! She writes in such a way that you question your devotion to seeing Darcy marry Elizabeth. There was a point that I didn’t think it would happen and I didn’t know if I was ok with it. But the ending is great. For a while it was hard to love Elizabeth only because she showed such devotion to the wrong guy!!! Don’t enter me in the giveaway. I have a copy of the book already and read it and loved it.
Awww, Jeanna! Thanks ever so much for this, and also for welcoming me so warmly to your site on the blog tour, I can’t wait for the interview about our favourite quotes, that was such a great idea!
I’m over the moon that you rate this as a 5 star book, it means so much coming from such an amazing author as yourself, who has such a way of making us feel the characters’ happiness and tears right down to the marrow of our being!
I know exactly what you mean about Elizabeth – how could she have been so blind? But the Colonel is such a darling! And it’s only Darcy that he could ever lose to. I’m so happy you liked the story and thanks ever so much for coming over to say so.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, Jeanna! I love hearing that you enjoyed it so much! Can’t wait to read it myself!
Noooo!! I need to know what happens next! Like…NOW! 😀 I think I’ll love this Darcy!
Thanks, Maria! I think it’s not much of a spoiler if I say that now Darcy has to face a VERY uncomfortable conversation. I’m so glad you think you’ll love this version of him. Hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the story. Best of luck in the giveaway and thanks for stopping by.
Can’t WAIT to read this one! I love your books, Joana. I hope my heart can stand the angst in this one!
Thanks for the giveaway. I’d love to win!
Pam
Thanks for the lovely words, Pam! I do hope the angst won’t be too much for you! Lovely to see you here and good luck!
Joanna Starnes writes THE BEST stories. Her descriptions always bring you in to the story and make you feel you are standing there with the characters. When I want to read something good, I choose her stories. As I have often said, she is my ideal of a writer. I cannot wait to read this one!
Wow, Brenda, you’re so kind!!! Thanks ever so much for your lovely words, they are so precious from someone as talented as you! Much, much appreciated! Speechless. Wow!
By the way, I forgot to say that I have a copy (I just haven’t had a chance to read it!) so please don’t enter me in the drawing. Let some other lucky person be blessed.
Thanks again, Brenda! I so hope you’ll enjoy it.
Squeeee!!!!! I loved the excerpt! I can’t wait to read this one.
Thanks!!! I’m so happy that you loved the excerpt, and I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the story too. Best of luck!
Talk about heart wrenching… And now the cat is out of the bag! I really wish to get lucky!!!
The cat is SO out! Thanks for visiting and commenting, I do hope you get lucky and that you’ll like the rest.
Sigh….can’t wait to read this but will torture myself to wait until I have the time to immerse myself in it! I saw it come up on Amazon and immediately put it on my ‘wishlist’. I know when I read it, I will have to have tissue near by as I’m sure the tears that were hovering on my lids after reading the excerpt will definitely fall when I do. Congratulations and thank you for the giveaway!
I wish I could lend it to you…that border thing annoys me. You will enjoy it.
Thanks, Carole! Poor Darcy, he’s in for a rough ride in this one. Hope the angst won’t be too much for you! Good luck, thanks for visiting and I hope you’re one of the winners.
Just love Joana’s books and her FB page! Yay for Jane Austen variations! Would love to win a copy of her book but will certainly buy it if necessary!
That’s so kind, Tracy, much appreciated!! Thanks too for following my FB posts, I’ll keep adding new images on The Unthinkable Triangle FB page, either from places or events that have inspired the story, or pretty prints that fit the part. Hope you’ll enjoy them too. Good luck in the giveaway and thanks for visiting and taking part.
I can’t believe I haven’t come across this author before!!!! I’m a huge Austen fan and read everything I can get my hands on to do with Austen, follow on novels, biographies, her letters, everything. Can’t wait to get stuck in to one of Joana’s books. This one sounds exciting and having looked her up on Amazon I’m going to order The Falmouth Connection. In Heaven now!!!!!
Hi, Teresa! I’m ever so grateful to Meredith and her lovely site, not only for the amazingly warm welcome but also for the opportunity for us Janeites to find each other. I too read everything about Jane Austen that comes to hand, in fact I think I must have kept my local second-hand book store in business for many years 😀 I’m over the moon that you’ve discovered my books and I hope you’ll enjoy them. Good luck and lovely ‘chatting’ to you!
Ooh! Great choice, Teresa! I’m sure you will love it as much as I did!
Oh my goodness, I don’t know if I’d be able to read this! At the least I’d have to skip to the end first – not sure I could take the angst!
OH, no, the angst is part of what makes this book just GREAT. You know ODC get their HEA but it is the journey and Joana writes it soooo well!
I know how you must feel, Nicole! I was so reluctant to write this for such a length of time. It was too much, both for Darcy and the dear Colonel. How could I see them so sad? How could I MAKE them both so sad? I tried to write something else, but no dice, that story just didn’t want to be written, and it was this one that did.
I’m so glad, Sheila, that you think it works! There must be a HEA, there are no two ways about it. JAFF wouldn’t be JAFF without Darcy and Elizabeth ending up together, and dear Colonel Fitzwilliam, we love him so much and we want him to be happy too!
Thanks for the comment, Nicole, and I hope you’ll like the story if you win it.
Oh yes, this will tangle my feelings up in knots. Looking forward to it!
Congrats, Joanna, I think you’ve got a winner here.
Thanks, Sophia Rose and huge congrats to you too for the Meryton Press nomination! Can’t wait to read the winter anthology. Best of luck and thanks for stopping by with such kind words.
Oh, my word! That was entirely too much for Colonel Fitzwilliam to witness. Poor man and just waking up! Poor Darcy, he really put his foot in it; I mean mouth on it. I would love to win a copy of your book!
That was a bit harsh, Patty, bad, bad me! Poor Colonel, he deserves much better than waking up to witness THAT. Hope you’ll like how the story unfolds. Thanks for the lovely comment and best of luck in the giveaway!
I did enjoy the excerpt. I look forward to reading this book
Terrific excerpt–can’t wait to see what the Col does about the situation. So happy you have a new book out, Joana; I’m a huge fan of your work!
Thanks ever so much for the kind words, Regina, I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed reading my other books! I hope you’ll like the new one too. Thanks for visiting and taking part in the giveaway and good luck!
Oh my goodness! That was such a heart wrenching expert, not only for Darcy, but the Col Fitzwilliam! Can’t wait to read this novel! I hope Col Fitzwilliam has a HEA too!
Thanks for stopping by to read the excerpt, Dung, and I hope you’ll like how the story unfolds. You’re right, the dear Colonel deserves better than being left to ride alone into the sunset. He must recover from his heartbreak and disappointment. And, thanks to the prompting from an amazing reviewer at Amazon, I think his story should be told in another book. ‘The Unthinkable Triangle’ was Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s. But the dear Colonel deserves his story told too – so I’ll get to it 😀
Many thanks for your comment and good luck!
Oh. My. Gosh. That excerpt was exquisite torture! Poor Darcy! Poor Colonel. I can’t wait to read this one. Thanks for the chance to win!
My absolute pleasure, Kim, I’m ever so glad you liked the excerpt! Yes, poor guys and bad, bad me 😉 But I’ve tried to make it up to them in the end. All the best, good luck and thanks for putting your name in the hat!
this. is. heartbreaking. ahhhhhhh
Thanks for stopping by to read the excerpt, Betsy!
Good luck and I hope you’ll like the rest of the story.
There’s nothing I love better (other than sea bathing, of course) than a tale full of angst, especially involving Darcy and Fitzwilliam vying for Elizabeth’s affections. I can’t wait to read this tale.
A little sea bathing would fix me up forever 😉
Thanks for the wonderful comment. I feel the same, I love a love triangle, especially when there’s no easy choice. And there really is no easy choice between Colonel Fitzwilliam and Darcy. The dear Colonel is clever, kind, great company, but Darcy is Darcy. He may have cornered the market in silent brooding and has none of his cousin’s sunny disposition, but he’s DARCY, and of course he must get the girl! I hope you’ll like the story. Good luck and thanks for stopping by.
I’m a big fan of Joana’s writing! I was excited about this release, but after reading the excerpt, I don’t think I can wait!
Huge thanks for the kind words, Sarah, I’m so happy that you liked my other books and that you found the excerpt so tempting. Thanks for stopping by to say so!! Have a lovely day and I hope you’ll like where this story goes and how it gets there.
Eeek! Ooh the angst! What a very powerful scene, I could fell the pressure of Darcy’s heartbreak as I was reading, the poor man! Looking forward to reading more.
Congrats on another new release!
I’m over the moon that you felt that way about the excerpt, Colleen! Many thanks for the wonderful comment and for taking part in the giveaway. Good luck and I hope you’ll like the rest of the story.
I loved the excerpt. Truly heartbreaking and soul stirring.
I’m so happy that you found the excerpt so moving, Robin! Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated! All the best,
Joana
Oh, so intriguing!! Can’t wait to read this!
Thanks, Lynn, I’m so glad that the excerpt caught your eye! Hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the story. Best of luck in the giveaway and thanks for taking part!
Hi Joana!
This excerpt is full of poetry, sensuality and homesick. Poor Darcy, poor Colonel and poor Elizabeth! I hate these kind of triangles LOL because these people are good persons and they don´t deserve this pain. Is this book accompanied by handkerchieves? LOL. I wish you the best in your release.
Don´t put me for the giveaway, I am not a fan of ebooks but I´ll put this title in my wish list 🙂
Thanks ever so much for the kind words, Teresa! Yes, that’s what I was thinking too about this particular love triangle, which is why for so long I was reluctant to continue writing this story. I love writing about love triangles, I keep doing it, but it’s OK when the losing party is a new character we don’t get so attached too. But the dear Colonel? We love him so much and we want him to be happy too. You’re right, I should have included complimentary handkerchiefs, preferably with Darcy’s monogram, or at least Richard’s 😉
Sorry you’re not a fan of e-books. To begin with I wasn’t a great fan either, I do like to hold a real book. I held out for as long as I could, but the list of books I wanted to read was getting bigger and bigger and the house wasn’t, so I moved on after a while. But I still have my absolute favourites in paperback too. Thanks for the lovely comment, so kind of you to stop by, and I hope you’ll like the story if you get to read it.
Wonderful excerpt. Loving Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am looking forward to how this plays out. Thank you for the giveaway!
My absolute pleasure, Becky! I’m so glad you liked the excerpt and I hope you’ll enjoy how the rest of the story unfolds. Spoilers or not, it does bring the dear Colonel to his own HEA. And I think some of the people whom I’ve spoken to are absolutely right, he deserves a whole book to himself, to show exactly how he got there. I’ll really enjoy writing that! Thanks for taking part in the giveaway and good luck!
looks like a great books, have it now on my wishlist for my October buy’s thanks for all your books you have wrote so far – hope that more will come in the future
Wow! What a wonderful excerpt. I look forward to reading more. Thanks for the giveaway. –Leslie
Thanks for the kind words, Leslie, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I hope you’ll like the rest of the story too. Best of luck and thanks for stopping by to leave this lovely comment and put your name in the hat 🙂
I, too, agree. I cannot wait to read this book! I have loved the previous novels and know that I shall not be disappointed with this new one. I can only begin to imagine how the Colonel can end up in a good place. Often there would be great animosity between Darcy and the Colonel if this incidence was observed; however, Darcy is alwaya a man of his word and honor so how will this be resolved? Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you so much, Eva, for the very kind words and the vote of confidence! I do hope you’ll enjoy the story and the outcome. I think the Colonel must end up in a good place too, it would be heartbreaking to imagine him out in the cold, alone, and worse still, resenting Darcy and losing a lifelong bond of friendship. They are both honourable, perhaps too honourable for their own good, and they both deserve the best and their own HEA. It’s been suggested to me ever since this book was released that the dear Colonel deserves his own story that shows how he eventually moved from heartbreak to happiness, and I wholeheartedly agree, he does, and I’ll really enjoy writing that sequel! Thanks for your lovely comment, and good luck in the giveaway.
Are you bringing this out in print version? I know that I would prefer it. Personally, I would like this to end with Lizzie and the Colonel being together (I can hear the screams now). And I really would not want him to have the convenient “accident” or sickness either. There must be another wonderful woman for Darcy to meet in a few years after he has mellowed and taken all of Lizzie’s advice to heart.
Yes I am, Julia, the paperback is now out too, in ‘officer-red’ and a battle scene on the back cover. I love the Colonel so much, so don’t worry, no convenient accident or sickness there, but on the other hand poor, poor Darcy, it breaks my heart to imagine him walking through the darkened halls of Pemberley like some forlorn ghost. Both men need brightness in their lives, but sadly there is just one Lizzy, and I think Darcy needs her most. Hope I haven’t spoiled it for you 😉 Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ll still enjoy the book.
Joana, I think I must be a member of at least two clubs you’ve founded! First and foremost there’s the ‘Let’s Torture Darcy’ one and then there’s the ‘I’ve Just Melted Into a Puddle Reading Your Words’ one. Sorry I couldn’t think of a better title for the second but you get my drift.
And what a cliffhanger! I can just hear the end title music of a certain British soap kicking in here. Not that anyone needs to watch soaps when there are sooo many much better things on offer in the JAFF world.
Oh, Anji, you’re the founding member of the ‘Let’s torture Darcy’ Club! I think ‘The only legal form of torture’ should be the motto 😀 Sometime soon I think I’ll have some fun with designing the emblem, with the motto on a flowing swag. We must get together to write down the statute. As for the other one awwwww, you’re so kind!Thanks!!!!! I’m so happy that you liked the excerpt, cliffhanger an’ all, and I hope you’ll like the rest too. Hugs and thanks!
I was having a sneaky check of my emails during a break at work today, Joana, and saw the notification of your reply. My colleagues wanted to know what I was chuckling about! As they know little about Jane Austen and nothing at all about the lovely world of JAFF we inhabit, I decided, sadly, that it would take too long to explain! Where would I have started and exactly how long would it have taken?
Oh poor Darcy! I will HAVE to read this book. I hope to win a copy but will certainly buy my own if I need to. I loved all of Joana’s other books and this one looks like it will be right up there!
Thanks for the teaser!
Thanks so much for the lovely words, Joy, and for your amazing kindness and support over the years! I’m over the moon that you liked my other books, and I hope the angst in this one won’t be too much for you. (Just kidding, I know you love a lovelorn Darcy, you write him so beautifully). All the best and hugs!!
I love love love anything with Colonel Fitzwilliam, especially a love triangle ! I hope I can read your story soon !
He’s such a darling, isn’t he, Nicole? Cheerful, kind, clever, we have every reason to love him to bits. Best of luck in the giveaway and thanks for stopping by to enter, I hope you’ll like it.
OMG! Colonel Fiztwilliam has observed everything!! Poor Colonel and poor Darcy :'(
I really want to read it 🙂
Poor Elizabeth as well. I want to see what happens for her to change to Mr Darcy. *sigh*
Thanks, Ana, I’m so glad that you liked the excerpt! I hope you like the rest of the story too.
Good luck, lovely to see you here!
Oh, I KNEW as soon as I saw there was a new Joanna Starnes book available that I would be reading it. But, OH MY, after the cliff-hanging-gut-wrenching-tear-inducing excerpt, I knew it would have to be very very soon. Thank you so much for continuing to torment us, I mean, enthrall us with such wonderful new variations on our dearest loveliest heroine and her heroes. Thank you thank you thank you.
And another thank you to Meredith, as always, for this blog! (At least another 6 years, please.)
My absolute pleasure, Michelle 🙂 Thanks so much for the lovely comment and good luck, I hope you get to read the rest of the story and like it as much as you liked the excerpt!
So glad you enjoy Joana’s books, Michelle! This excerpt does in torment and haunt us, doesn’t it? Well done, Joana!
Oh My God!!! I need this book. I really need this book. That Excerpt Ahh!!! it was torture. *fingers crossed*
So glad that the excerpt caught your eye! Fingers crossed indeed, and thanks for taking part in the giveaway!
I can’t wait to read this. Thanks for sharing.
I can’t believe I almost missed this giveaway!!!
I.MUST.READ.!!!
So glad you didn’t! Good luck and if you win I hope you’ll like it, unhappy as Darcy might be until things start to get better for him 😉