Hi friends! Are there any Mary Bennet fans in the house? 🙋🏻♀️ Word on the street is that there is a new P&P sequel about Mary Bennet coming out soon!!! 🤗 Please help me welcome, Elizabeth Rasche, who is here to share the gorgeous cover of her upcoming release – A Learned Romance! We hope you enjoy! 💕
~ From the Author ~
Peace has its own dark side, oddly enough. I wrote A Learned Romance because I was fascinated by
how a person’s strong desire for peace could actually become a destructive force creating a lot of conflict, both within herself and with other people. Sometimes, when we are wanting harmony, we wind up disowning our needs, self-sabotaging, or trying to control others. Mary Bennet seemed like a good choice because she already had a religious devotion that would emphasize peace (and Pride and Prejudice readers have already seen how her efforts at religious encouragement often backfire!). I wanted to explore an introverted character whose desire for harmony had misshapen her life, and how she untangled that and found her “happily ever after.”
I’m thrilled to be given this opportunity to showcase the book a little here—maybe many of the readers have experienced the aftermath of trying too hard to make people get along—or maybe some of us are the pot-stirrers who get some healthy conflict going! Thanks for featuring A Learned Romance, and happy reading!
~ Book Description ~
“She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning”–Jane Austen, Persuasion, chapter 4
MARY BENNET HAD NEVER WISHED for anything more than to be known as the meek and pious Bennet sister, the one who sweetly brought peace to her family.
BEING THE LAST UNMARRIED BENNET SISTER, the pressure to partake of a London Season with the nouveau riche Wickhams was considerable, no matter how little she desired it; but, her young sister Lydia would not hear a refusal. Mary hoped she could pass her days as quietly as a mouse and maybe encourage her still-wild sister to become a more demure wife and stop quarrelling so much with her husband.
BUT WHEN LYDIA’S FLIRTATION with scientist begins stirring gossip, Mary discovers it is not enough to stay meek and quiet. She must protect Lydia’s reputation by drawing the man’s attentions her way, and convincing the world it is Mary, not Lydia, who attracts Mr Cole. If she fails, Lydia’s disgrace will taint every family member connected with her—Bennet, Bingley, and Darcy alike—and Mary will have no hope for her own future. But alluring a gentleman is hardly the sort of practice Mary has a knack for. Though it goes against every fibre of her being, Mary must turn aside from the peace she craves and uncover the belle within—all while finding her heart awakening in the illusion of romance she has created.
And without further ado….here is the big reveal!!!
(expected release date: July 26th)
Absolutely brilliant! Isn’t this a beautiful cover? 🤩
I love the realness of this cover – Mary, the building, the floor, and all the details feel like they can come alive. ✨
Yay for a story about Mary Bennet! I am intrigued to see both Mary’s “misshapen life” and “happily ever after.” 😮
Looks like an interesting and refreshing twist for the Wickhams is employed in this story. 👒
What do you think, friends? 🤔
~~~
~ About Elizabeth Rasche ~
After acquiring a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Arkansas, Elizabeth taught philosophy in the U.S. and co-taught English in Japan. Now she and her husband live in northwest Arkansas, which is over 4,000 miles from Derbyshire. (Doesn’t everyone measure distance from the center of the world, Pemberley?)
She dreams of visiting Surrey (if only to look for Mrs. Elton’s Maple Grove), London, Bath, and of course, Derbyshire. When she has a Jane Austen novel in one hand, a cup of tea in the other, and a cat on her lap, her day is pretty much perfect.
Elizabeth Rasche is the author of Flirtation and Folly, as well as The Birthday Parties of Dragons. Her poetry has appeared in Scifaikuest.
~~~
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 Elizabeth below.
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Quills and Quartos!
- This giveaway ends June 16th.
You can preorder A Learned Romance now!
My sincere gratitude to Elizabeth Rasche, Kristi Rawley, and the wonderful people at Quills and Quartos for putting this special post together!
We don’t read much about Mary – sounds interesting. What’s this about the Wickhams? Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
I’m really happy to have a chance to explore Mary’s character in writing, especially with her in contrast to Lydia and Lydia’s outrageousness! It creates a duality that was fun for me. Thanks for your comment!
I’ve read a few different variations about Mary Bennet, and I’ve enjoyed them. I’m always ready to hear about her….Lydia not so much.
I hope you enjoy this story about Mary. Thanks for your comment!
What a different view of Mary!
Casual hair, a gown trimmed with lace and ribbons!
And just how did the Wickhams become nouveau riche?
The source of the Wickhams’ wealth is one of the disputed topics Mary and Lydia argue about…Suffice it to say, Mr Wickham has a story about it, that Mr Darcy does not believe 😉
Very interesting premise! Congrats on publication.
Thanks, Brenda! I’m so glad you’re interested.
I adore the cover. It appears to me that she is walking towards a closed door and that might be the essence of the book–bravely walking towards the unknown–towards doors previously closed to oneself.
Love this insight! That is a beautiful way to explain it.
I enjoy the stories where Mary comes into her own – where she can be who she is vs who she thinks she ought to be. I too am curious as to how the Wickhams come into money. Best of luck and thanks for the giveaway.
I’m so happy to find so many Mary fans! I just love exploring her character and seeing how she might overcome some of the foibles she has in Pride & Prejudice and grow as a person. Thank you!
I love the colors of the cover and it is interesting to see Mary as a blond. I am curious of how the Wickhams’ got to be “rich”. Yay for Mary for stepping forward to stop Lydia from flirting (good luck on that endeavor). It will be good to see Mary protecting her family rather than giving sermons about a every item. Thank you for the giveaway.
I had to laugh about your comment about the sermonizing–it’s a definite temptation for Mary! I’ve tried to show how Mary might grow beyond that to help her family in the book. Thanks, Eva!
Lovely book cover! Looking forward to another good read. Congratulations and best wishes.
Thanks, Jennifer! We all appreciate it.
I acquire books about Mary, nearly always with low expectations, then generally find I really like them. Lydia and Wickham, on the other hand, generally confirm my low expectations,
So, I’m game.
Ooh, this makes me super curious what you will think of the Wickhams in this one! It’s a slightly different take, but Mr Wickham certainly still has some issues he ought to be dealing with….I hope it winds up satisfying your itch for some Pride & Prejudice storytelling!
Read the excerpt and pre-ordered the book. I can’t wait to read it. I love the cover!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it.
Beautiful cover. Looking forward to reading how Mary finds attraction and love.
The cover artist did a fantastic job. Thanks for your comment!
Just lovely! Sounds like a good Mary story. Now to get my mind around the Wickham being nouveau riche.
Lol, a rich Wickham is a very strange idea indeed! I hope it will be a fun read for you.
Love finding Mary Bennet stories (the Colonel and Mary are the best) – I suppose a scientist is better than a clerk or vicar
I’m so happy to find another Mary fan! Thanks for your comment.
That is an exquisite cover.
I’m so glad you like it, Sam. Thanks for your comment.
Wow I would love to read this book, congratulations to the author!
The cover is stunning
Thanks, Gwendalyn! I hope you get a chance to check it out. 🙂
I look forward to reading about how the Wickhams become nouveau riche and to see a man respond to Mary instead of Lydia. Good luck on the new release!
Everybody seems pretty tickled at the idea of the Wickhams getting rich! I had no idea there would be such a fan response to that. Thanks for your comment, Robin!
Hmm..wondering if Wickham will behave himself. His perhaps “ill gotten gains” could give him more $$$$ to fund dangerous schemes.
Wickham is definitely not known for his integrity and wisdom, so you have good reason to be suspicious. 🙂
The cover is beautiful. Definitely looks an interesting story, Mary needs more time in the fore.
Always delighted to meet another Mary fan! Thanks, Karen.
I always enjoy Mary stories. Austen tells us so little about her that the possibilities of writing further about her are endless!! 🙂
Congratulations, Elizabeth, on your new book!! The cover is lovely!! 😀
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Susanne. I am so happy that there are so many Jane Austen fans with an appreciation for Mary Bennet!
Poor Mary! How could they let her live with the Wickhams? What on earth are they doing in London anyway? I can understand why Lydia might be flirting after living with such a reprobate as Wickham, but for Mary to have to try and save her reputation especially after Darcy saved it before is too much! Hopefully someone will rescue Mary and banish the Wickhams to somewhere completely remote!
Please don’t enter me for the giveaway as I shop on U.K. and can’t spend $.
The Wickhams are such troublemakers, aren’t they? 😉 I hope you enjoy how the story turns out, Glynis. Thanks for your comment!
This sounds fascinating! I can’t wait to dive in! Lovely cover, and the storyline sounds event better!!
Thank you so much! All the Austen fan encouragement here at Austenesque Reviews has been just fantastic. 🙂
Lovely cover! I am intrigued by the premise and can’t wait to read the story!
Thanks, Gail! I hope you enjoy it.
The cover is lovely. I’m a big fan of Mary so definitely one I’d like to read.
I am so glad to meet another Mary fan! Wow, I had no idea there were so many of us out there!
I look forward to reading this one! I have a fondness for my fellow Mary and her beau is intriguing. Oh, Lydia… always at the center of drama.
Lol, Lydia does want to be the center of attention for everybody. I hope you enjoy the book, Mary. Thanks for your comment!
The cover is just beautiful. The book sounds fabulous too.
Thank you for the encouragement, Mary. We appreciate it!
It is a beautiful cover. I love the blue of the dress and on the floor. I have not read a Mary book yet, so I am interested in trying one out. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
Ooh, a new Mary reader! This is exciting. I hope you enjoy seeing the Pride & Prejudice characters from Mary’s viewpoint, Cyndy.
Beautiful cover. I love the colors – they give a sense of calm and peacefulness which matches up with how Mary wants to be seen. I think it will be interesting to see Mary and the Wickhams together in this. Congratulations on the new book!
You hit the nail on the head, Kate. Mary is really seeking calm and peacefulness in her life and wants to be the embodiment of that. Of course, fate is bound to throw some monkeywrenches in her path… 😉
What a beautiful cover! I love the colours—it strikes me as warm and fresh. The premise is really interesting. Poor Mary, having to save Lydia from herself. Lucky Lydia, to always have someone there to rescue her! Congratulations on the new book!
Lydia has an oddly charmed life sometimes, doesn’t she? Thanks for the comment and encouragement, Lucy!
Someone noticed the least noticed of the Bennet sisters!
I’ve always found Mary an intriguing character. As Susanne commented above, there’s not much written about her by Austen, so there’s a lot of room to explore. Thanks for your comment, Adriana!
Beautiful cover! Intriguing story description.
denise
Thanks, Denise! I appreciate your comment.
I find Mary the most interesting of all the sisters. I prefer novels featuring her the most.
Yay, another Mary fan! I absolutely love Mary. Thanks for your comment!
Wow, what a great idea to have Mary distract Lydia’s new love interest. I’m a huge fan of Mary, there is so much more to her than meets the eye. She so deserves her own romance & I’m really curious as to how this will develope and what makes Mary discover her true feelings 😀
I’m so happy you are interested, Charlotte! Mary has a lot of room in her character to develop, and I hope you enjoy her growth and romance.
Hi Elizabeth,
I don’t come across many other philosophy Ph.D’s in this sphere. Welcome!
Thanks, Lois! Philosophers of the Jane Austen world, unite! 😉 I like to think we are exploring (or at least can explore) big questions and deep meanings in most aspects of our lives, and reading Austen has given me some surprising philosophical insights at times, though it’s very different from academic philosophy. Have you experienced that as well?
Beautiful cover and from the desciption the book sounds very interesting.
Thanks, Nina! I appreciate your encouragement.
This is such a beautiful cover. Thrilled with a Mary Bennet story. Thank you for hosting and the giveaway
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you are enjoying the cover reveal.
When an author’s hits a bit “close to home”, you know it’s a must-read – very much wanting to read this one!
Author’s QUOTE – my brain is working a little faster than my keyboarding!
I’m so happy it has intrigued you! Thank you (and your speedy brain) for commenting, Jean. 🙂
Look forward to reading this soon….While everyone wants to be Elizabeth ( myself included), in reality I’m more Georgianna or Mary. I love to read continuations of their stories, even the shy and plain girls need a HEA.
That is so true! Thank you for sticking up for the shy girls, Stephanie! 🙂
I do love to read stories about Mary where she grows and finds herself. I will add this to the TBR hoard for sure!
Thanks for adding it to your hoard, Christina! I hope you enjoy it.
A stunning and brilliant cover, Elizabeth. I like the blue colour scheme from the model’s dress to the floor tiles. Blue is also another favourite colour of mine. I would love to read Mary’s story and discover another side to her.
It’s such a gorgeous cover. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! I hope you enjoy the book.
I really love the blues on this cover! I had read the excerpt from the Q&Q email, and there were the mention of the darker blues of the assembly room. I think of blue as mainly a color of peace, but it can also mean depression and everything good and bad about the ocean. I think this really suits Mary. Thank you for posting that cover and the giveaway chance.
There’s so much nuance to blue; I love how it can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people, even at different times. I used to think of it as a “sad” colour but the past few years I have found myself drawn to it more and more, and in such delightful ways. Thanks for your comment, Jen!
I really love a good Mary story, and have read a few. In canon, Mary is nearly always painful to listen to as she comes up with a valid attempt to enlighten or comfort but always at the exact wrong time possible and to an audience completely unappreciative of her comments. I can so relate. I especially like reading a Mary who finds her own path and doesn’t get stuck at home with her parents, which I see as only a downhill slide to extremely unhappy spinsterhood. I’m so ready to read a new Mary book. Best of luck Elizabeth, on the launch of your new book. Beautiful cover!
And thank you as always, Meredith, for hosting this beautiful cover reveal.
I love seeing Mary grow beyond the awkward, ill-timed commenter in canon to a person with her own story to share. Your analysis of how Mary is often portrayed is spot-on, Michelle. Thank you for sharing your ideas here. I’m so happy that Meredith was willing to host, because I have had so much fun interacting with all the Mary fans here and reading all the comments.
I hope you enjoy the book, Michelle! Thanks for your encouragement.
Mary doesn’t usually get much press time. It might be interesting to read her version of situations.
I’m glad you’re interested, Colleen! Thanks for your comment.