What If Elizabeth Bennet Found an Abandoned Child In Pemberley Woods?
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Source: Gift from Publisher
TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella
THE PREMISE: Mr. Darcy returns to Pemberley a day early and discovers not only Elizabeth Bennet, but an abandoned child! Darcy splits his time and energy between caring for and learning more about this abandoned infant and attempting to discern Elizabeth’s feelings towards him and earn her affection…
MY THOUGHTS:
A mysterious child, an unexpected encounter at Pemberley, Elizabeth seeing Mr. Darcy in a new light – there is so much that intrigued and excited me about this premise. I enjoyed seeing how the addition of this wee mite had an impact on the lives of these characters at such a time. However, my favorite parts of this story were the lovely encounters between Darcy and Elizabeth – the rescue in the rain, the nursery room, and any meetings at Pemberley’s rotunda or gardens were all lovely and moving. I loved seeing Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s honest conversations, hearing their internal remarks, and feeling the palpable emotions swirling between them.
In addition, Darcy truly is the best of men in this variation – he is sensitive to the feelings of others, diligent about his responsibilities, and most fervent in his devotion and admiration for Elizabeth Bennet. I love a Mr. Darcy that is ardently in love and I love a Mr. Darcy that interacts with children, and guess what – readers get to see both in this lovely variation!
As much as I loved the idea of this premise, I didn’t quite love how it played out. The baby, who Elizabeth started to call Daisy, was sometimes central and important and sometimes not. At the beginning Mr. Darcy was adamant about bringing the scoundrel of a father to justice and protecting Daisy from any association with him. SPOILER ALERT: Kinda didn’t happen! When Darcy encounters someone who claims to be Daisy’s father he does not bring him to justice or take any preventative action to protect her from any harm. In addition, he also leaves himself very vulnerable to a future attack by this scoundrel, which seems very unlike him. And the open-endedness of this storyline made it feel a little unresolved.
I also had a few small quibbles about Mr. Bingley. His storyline changed in a new way and I was expecting to see more of an impact with that change during the Lydia/Wickham debacle. SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT: I was surprised he contributed no support or efforts other than consoling Jane. Also, maybe more time went by than indicated, but I think that he and the letter he sends travel at warp speed!
Romantic, endearing, and heartwarming – A Chance Encounter in Pemberley Woods is a lovely Pride and Prejudice to curl up with and become engrossed in for a few hours. While the plot mechanics might need a little bolstering, Ms. Huey’s talent for penning an expressive, introspective, and gratifying journey for Darcy and Elizabeth is on full display in this variation. I’m eager to check out her newest release – Interrupted Plans!
Darcy! Elizabeth! And a baby! Obviously she isn’t theirs but I love stories like this. I especially enjoyed the interaction between ODC!
Now you’ve pointed it out I suppose Darcy should maybe have done more to protect himself from future threats but I still loved this book.
Thanks, Glynis! It definitely would have been a wise choice for Darcy, given how many times this person has caused trouble before.
I still loved it too!
I read and enjoyed this story.
Glad to hear it!
Thank you for reading and reviewing Brigid’s book. I too enjoyed it and thought it a lovely story.
My pleasure, Janet! I am so very happy to have the opportunity to read this story! I have wanted to for so long!