Hi dear friends!! I am so honored to have the opportunity to share this lovely cover reveal with you, today! Mary Smythe (who I briefly got to virtually meet at the Jane Austen Writer Reader Get Together 2020!) is getting ready to release her debut novel with Quills and Quartos titled Dare to Refuse Such a Man. And I am very intrigued about this Pride and Prejudice variation as it features Mr. Bennet doing something we would not quite expect…
~ From the Author ~
Many thanks, Meredith, for hosting my cover reveal on your blog today. It’s more than many debut authors can dream of to be featured on Austenesque Reviews, and I’m very pleased to be here.
“I have given him my consent. He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse any thing, which he condescended to ask.”
Mr Bennet says this to Elizabeth at the very end of Pride and Prejudice, in between asking her if she’s “out of her senses” to be accepting Mr Darcy’s proposal and encouraging her to reconsider her choice. I think this quote, as short and simple as it is, says a lot about how the land lays between gentlemen of Mr Bennet’s standing and that of Mr Darcy’s. Unlike with Mr Collins, Mr Bennet apparently feels some sort of obligation to accede to Mr Darcy’s wishes, to the point of saying that he should never dare refuse him.
But what if he didn’t? What if, like Elizabeth, Mr Bennet cared nothing for Mr Darcy’s fortune and connections and instead wielded his parental authority to prevent the marriage from taking place? When you think about it, Mr Bennet is the only person (aside from Mr Darcy and Elizabeth themselves) who could possibly reject the engagement, regardless of how Lady Catherine feels on the matter. More importantly, whose choice matters the most here — Mr Bennet’s or Elizabeth’s? Much as Mr Bennet doesn’t have to give his consent, regardless of what’s expected of him, Elizabeth is free to exercise her own free will in denying her father’s expectations, albeit with a price. Who would win in this battle of wills?
Elizabeth and Darcy, of course, because in JAFF the endings are always happy, but everything that happens in between “No, you cannot marry my daughter” and “Never mind, I guess you can” almost certainly has to be an interesting tale. I’ve read a couple of very good stories in which Mr Bennet attempts to put his foot down, but never one in which it’s explored at depth and so I decided to frame my first novel, Dare to Refuse Such a Man, around the concept of “What might happen if Mr Bennet said NO?” As it turns out, a lot of tears, a lot of broken relationships and, surprisingly, an amusing and heartwarming role for Mrs Bennet. I hope the readers enjoy my answer to this “what if?” scenario.
On the cover, I love how Elizabeth stands staunchly between the viewer and Pemberley, as if refusing to be moved from there. Her courage has risen against all attempts at intimidation, and she staunchly guards her own future happiness. That’s very much how I hoped to present Elizabeth and I think the cover reflects this attitude beautifully.
~ Book Description ~
“He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse anything which he condescended to ask.”– Mr Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Volume III, Chapter 17
IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED TO FITZWILLIAM DARCY that once he had chosen a bride, her father might dare to refuse his consent. When his dearest, loveliest Elizabeth is taken from him with only a curt note of explanation, he determines that, far from accepting her father’s rejection of his suit, he must instead find her again and make his case. After all, a woman worthy of being pleased is also worth fighting for.
SEVERAL MONTHS SHY OF HER MAJORITY, it is not so simple a thing to defy Mr Bennet’s will, but Elizabeth, for the sake of her future happiness, must try. With various allies in her corner, as well as foes standing against her, Elizabeth’s courage must rise against all attempts at intimidation. Even from her own, much beloved father.
And without further ado….here is the big reveal!!!
(expected release date: April 26th)
Golden sunlight, trees blooming, soft pastels – this is such a cheerful and Spring-like cover! 🌱
I agree with what Mary said about Elizabeth’s staunch stance. I like how even though we only see half her face we see the determination in it. 👊🏼
I think I say this about every Q&Q cover, but I truly love the details – the material of Elizabeth’s bonnet, the lace detail of her dress, the intricate detail in the architecture are all 👌🏼
Such an interesting premise! I like the promise of Mr. Darcy fighting for Elizabeth, and that the antagonist is Mr. Bennet! 😮
What do you think, friends? 🤔
~ About Mary ~
Mary Smythe is a homemaker living in South Carolina with a rather useless BA in English collecting dust in a closet somewhere. Mrs Smythe discovered the works of Jane Austen as a teenager thanks to the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries featuring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle and has since gone on to read everything written by Ms Austen at least once yearly, always wishing that there were more. She has been writing since 2001, but only discovered Jane Austen Fanfiction in the summer of 2018. “Dare to Refuse Such a Man” is the first full-length novel she has ever completed, though she can boast a few shorter works in her library, as well.
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!
The lovely people at Quills and Quartos are offering a generous giveaway of a $20 Amazon Gift Card for one lucky reader who comments on today’s post! 📚🤤
To enter this giveaway leave a question, comment, or some love for Mary below.
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Quills and Quartos!
- This giveaway ends March 24th.
You can preorder Dare to Refuse Such a Man now!
My sincere gratitude to Mary Smythe, Kristi Rawley, and the wonderful people at Quills and Quartos for putting this special post together!
Firstly, alas, I’m unable to enter for the gift card as I shop on the U.K. site and am unable to spend it!
I actually read this book as it was posting and must say I absolutely loved it and look forward to adding it to my collection.
Mr Bennet is so stubborn! Mrs Bennet is a revelation! Darcy and Elizabeth are determined! That’s it in a nutshell.
This is definitely going on my list!
(I do hope you don’t need that BA Mary as, if you’re anything like me, it won’t be in the safe place you thought it was!)
Aww, I’m so glad that you want to make my story part of your collection. It’s been cleaned up in editing, of course, but all the good stuff is still there. Thanks for being such a longstanding reviewer 🙂 As for my BA, it’s upstairs in my crafting closet as I write this, lolz.
A very interesting premise, and I can’t help but wonder what reason Mr. Bennet gives for refusing. Looking forward to finding out!
Thank you! I guess you’ll find out next month 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
The cover is gorgeous—it looks so warm and inviting compared to the grey late winter I see outside my window haha. The light in it is wonderful.
I cannot wait to read this, Mary. The premise is really interesting. Congratulations!
Thank you for hosting the cover reveal, Meredith. 🙂
Isn’t the cover so lovely? So bright and hopeful. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Well, that excerpt came outta nowhere and hooked me right in. How did they possibly meet and already be in love? What’s up with Mr.B? Excited to find out! Congratulations and much success on your lovely book!
The cover is lovely! Such an interesting premise – looking forward to reading it!
I can’t wait to get my hands on it and the cover is so bright and lovely! Congratulations on your accomplishment and I hope you keep writing more wonderful stories for us to enjoy
Thank you Wyndwhyspyr! I’ll keep at it as long as people want to keep reading 🙂
Thank you, Lily! I hope you enjoy it.
Hi Mary! It was wonderful virtually meeting you at the conference! I adore your cover and as Meredith says, the details…even the shawl! Congratulations on your debut novel and the unique premise. I’m looking forward to reading it!!
You, too! And thank you 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.
I always love cover reveals and congratulations on your debut novel. I am drawn to the white satin bonnet and waist ribbon and the white color. I have a feeling that Mr. Bennet’s refusal will have the opposite effect on Elizabeth, and she will decide that she wants Mr. Darcy. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you! It’s lovely, isn’t it? You’ll just have to find out when the book is released…:)
Out of all the JAFF I read, I feel like there are very few books out there with this premise. Excited to see how it turns out. 🙂
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Gorgeous cover! Congratulations on your debut! So excited for you.
Thanks Christina! 🙂
Congratulations! What a captivating and lovely cover. The book is a treasure which I would enjoy.
Thank you!
Mr. Bennet acting against canon? What could cause such intransigence? Inquiring minds want to know. Could Wickham’s lies be involved? I await the grand unveiling!
Haha, you’ll just have to read and find out 😉 Hope you enjoy!
What an interesting premise! I’m looking forward to reading your book. Beautiful cover! Congratulations on your debut novel!!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
Why, oh why, is Mr. Bennet acting that way? And who does he want to marry her off to?
You know men, they always want to have their own way 😉 Beyond that, no spoilers! You’ll just have to read to find out…I hope you like it!
Beautiful cover, Mary! So excited for you and looking forward to reading DtRSaM!
Isn’t it lovely? And I love Elizabeth’s “you shall not pass” stance. Thanks, Cat 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.
I think this is a premise that I have not read–at least not recently. It sounds like an awesome tale and one I won’t miss. Congrats on your first novel.
Aw, thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
Oh, no! Is Elizabeth promised to the dreadful Mr Collins—at least in Mr Bennet’s mind? Can’t wait to read it. Best of luck with the book and its lovely cover.
No spoilers! You’ll just have to read and find out 😉 I hope you enjoy it!
Congratulations on your first book coming out! How very exciting. I am looking forward to reading this different variation. The cover has such a romantic feel to it despite the tribulations ODC must go through first.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy all the tribulations 🙂
Another book for the calendar. I like the cover, So bright. I think this will be an interesting story. I can’t wait to read it!
It’s lovely, isn’t it? Aw, thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
What a gorgeous cover! I suspect there will be a lot of angst in this book…. and I love angst! V very much look forward to reading this
It’s lovely, isn’t it? Q&Q picked an excellent cover. It didn’t feel super angsty to me as I was writing it, but I’ve been informed by others that I was kidding myself, haha. I hope you enjoy it!
Congratulations, Mary! What a great concept for a P&P variation! And I love the idea that Mrs. Bennet may grow into a more important and positive role for Elizabeth given this turn of events. Looking forward to reading your work!
Thank you! I figured that, if Mr Bennet was going to stand in the way of Elizabeth marrying a man of ten thousand a year, Mrs Bennet would make a natural ally. It all fell into place from there 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Looking forward to reading this book; it sounds great!
Thank you!
Beautiful cover. I am so looking forward to reading this one! Best of luck!!
Thank you!
That cover is gorgeous and I love to see Darcy fighting for Elizabeth. I look forward to reading this!
Thank you! A woman worth pleasing is also worth fighting for. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Congratulations on your debut release, Mary! The cover is lovely and the story sounds intriguing! 🙂
Thank you!
Congratulations on your book! Would love to read the story!
Thank you!
What a beautiful cover–congratulations!
d
Thank you!
Congratulations On Your Debut Book!
The storyline and premise sounds wonderful.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous and fits the content.
Thank you so much! I hope you like the book itself as much as the cover 🙂
Thanks to Meredith for hosting. You get to have the fun of first seeing the new covers. Special thanks to Q&Q Publishing for this generous giveaway. Good luck to all in the drawing. Special thanks to Mary Smythe for writing this fabulous sounding story. I can’t wait to read it. I love when D & E get together early and fight for their happiness. Whew! Blessings everyone, stay safe, and healthy.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
Now that is an eye catcher. Just gorgeous. Intriguing blurb, too.
Isn’t the cover gorgeous? Thank you 🙂
Interesting premise. Congrats on the release!
Thank you!
The book sounds great; I can’t wait to read it!
Thank you so much!
It looks so beautiful!!!! I look forward to reading and hope everyone else is blissfully restraining themselves and awaiting the read as well!
Isn’t the cover lovely? Q&Q did an excellent job in selecting it. So appropriate to the story and everything. I dearly hope that you enjoy the book when it comes out!
Beautiful cover ,but Mr Bennet not giving her to someone else! I can’t wait to read the story I think its gonna be interesting!
Thank you! I hope you like it.
The cover is just beautiful and the title had me smiling.
Thank you! The quote really inspired me, so it felt right to use it for the title.
The cover is beautiful! I am looking forward to reading this book. Mr. Bennet is “bad” while Mrs. Bennet is “good”? Sounds wonderful and different. Congrats on your first published work!
Thank you! Q&Q did a good job with the cover. I hope you enjoy the book when it comes out; I like to subvert expectations where I can 🙂
Lovely cover and a new premise for me! I’m intrigued!
Thank you!
Such a beautiful cover. I know the book will be wonderful because it is published by Quills and Quartos. I have loved every single one of their books that I have read. Thanks for a peek at the cover, and for the chance to win a copy!
Thank you! I can’t speak to my own success, of course, but Q&Q always puts out quality JAFF. I hope you enjoy my book as much as their other offerings 🙂
Congratulations on the release of this book. Intriguing premise. Looking forward to reading this book to see how this refusal is reversed.
Thank you, I hope you enjoy it 🙂 All will be set right in the end (of course), but it’s not an easy road.
Beautiful Cover! Congratulations on the new release! Looking forward to reading the final version. Thanks so much for sharing on the D&L forum. Jen Red
Thanks! Always a pleasure posting on DnL Forums.
Congrats!! Lovely use if light in the beautiful cover. Looking forward to reading it.
Thank you!
I’m looking forward to reading this!
Thank you! Enjoy 🙂
I love the premise of this story and can’t wait to read it. Gorgeous cover, too! Very eye-catching!
Thank you! I hope you like it.
To prevent the marriage from taking place? Goodness that does shake up things 🙂 Sounds like such a great book, can’t wait to read it for myself !! The cover is really pretty too.
I figure a story isn’t worth reading if nothing unexpected happens 🙂 I hope you enjoy it! And I love the cover, too. Thank you!!
Lovely cover. I definitely will be reading this. Sounds very intriguing. And I do enjoy angst.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
What an interesting unique premise – Mr. Bennet not giving his consent. I would love to read more and see how this story goes. The cover art is beautiful. Congratulations on your novel and thanks for the giveaway. –Leslie
Thank you! ❤️ I hope you enjoy the book when it comes out.
Congratulations on your book. Lovely pictures. Intrigued to know how Mr Bennet will separate the two and who will be Mr Darcy’s foes and allies in the search. Thank you for the giveaway
Thank you! The cover is stunning, isn’t it? Expect Mr Bennet to be very stubborn, but Darcy at least as determined. And, naturally, Elizabeth will be obstinate and headstrong 😉 hope you enjoy the ride!
Congratulations on the book release! I can’t wait to read it!
Mr. Bennet refusing his consent is an interesting twist to the story. Congratulations on your book.