Hi readers! I am so happy to welcome back the lovely Cat Andrews to Austenesque Reviews today! Cat is on tour celebrating her newest release – An Unexpected Harvest! I am so looking forward to reading this modern Pride and Prejudice adaptation! I cannot wait to explore the pairing of a city girl and country boy in rural Stockbridge, Massachusetts! 👠🐄
Hello everyone! Meredith was kind enough to host the cover reveal for An Unexpected Harvest a couple of weeks ago, and so I thank you, Meredith, for welcoming me back. I’m thrilled to be here, and this time around I get to share a deleted scene.
An Unexpected Harvest is a modern P&P variation, one which has a bit of fun with our favorite cast of characters. It’s a lengthy read (shocking, right?) and is divided into two parts. This particular scene is a little fun and fluff from Part 2, and revolves around Will Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, which happens to be the day before Will’s birthday. You’ll get a glimpse of some of the usual cast of characters here as well: Charles Bingley, Jane Bennet, and yes, even George—who is not George Wickham but George Darcy, Will’s younger brother. I hope you enjoy it!
***
“Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” Will observed wryly, shouting over the music and the noise of the boisterous crowd.
Elizabeth fingered the strand of green beads hanging around his neck. “Including you. I’m really Irish. Just a smidge, but it counts.” She glanced around the bar. “This is fun! I’ve never seen it so crowded in here.”
His eyebrows lifted. “‘Fun’ and ‘crowded’ aren’t two words that usually come out of your mouth in the same sentence.”
She shrugged. “Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”
He grinned and rested a hand on her hip. “I will later if you want me to.”
She looked him over pointedly. “We’ll see how you’re doing by the end of the night.”
“I’ll be fine, no worries there.” He spied Charles and Jane walking toward them, each carrying two small glasses filled with bright green liquid. “Well, I will be if Charles stops buying shots. God only knows what’s in them.”
“Who cares what’s in them? They taste good. I don’t think they’re very strong.”
She adjusted the headband Will had adorned her with when they’d arrived at The Lair over an hour ago. The plastic green band sported two shamrocks attached with springs, and they bobbed back and forth every time she moved her head.
“Oh, I’m sure they’re strong. They might creep up on you later.”
She kissed him. “You’ll take care of me.”
He opened his mouth to say the first inappropriate thing that popped into his mind, but was interrupted by his best friend.
“Here we go! Shamrock Shooters all around!”
Glasses were passed, and the four gave a toast to friendship before downing the shots. Elizabeth smacked her lips together and grinned.
She bumped Jane’s shoulder. “Let’s do another.”
Will groaned and Jane, sporting a headband that matched her sister’s, laughed at him before looking at Elizabeth. “Come on, the ladies can buy this time. I’ll go up to the bar with you.”
The women linked arms and Will watched them disappear into the raucous crowd. “This is turning into an Uber night, I think.”
“Did you expect anything different?” Charles asked. “I can’t believe you bothered to drive here to begin with.”
“I wasn’t thinking.”
The girls arrived with the shots and once again, Will downed the sweet green liquid, grimacing a bit but enjoying the way Elizabeth’s eyes lit up. They dropped their glasses onto the tray of a passing server, who looked a bit harried.
Will bent to talk in Elizabeth’s ear. “Are you sure you’re not more than a smidge Irish?”
She swayed her hips to the rhythm of the jig being played by the band and pinched her index finger and thumb together. “Maybe more than a smidge.”
“I think maybe you’re a smidge buzzed, too.”
She’d pulled her hair back into a long, loose ponytail, tying it off with green ribbon, and between that, her green sweater and the silly headband, the green of her eyes seemed especially vivid. It was clear that the few drinks she’d had were already having an effect; she was holding his hips, encouraging him to sway with her. He looped one arm around her shoulders instead and pulled her against him, kissing her soundly on the lips.
She smiled. “Mm, you taste like a Shamrock Shooter.”
“You’re welcome.”
The band suddenly broke into a spectacularly awful rendition of the birthday song, which they dedicated to Will; and because he knew so many people in the bar, it was sung horribly and with incredibly drunken gusto. He looked around and frowned when his eyes lit on George, who only laughed and tried unsuccessfully to look innocent.
The crowd whooped when it was over and Will smiled self-consciously, sending a quick thank-you wave to everyone and a thumbs up to the band. He felt Elizabeth’s hands on his waist and looked down into her amused expression.
“That was great, wasn’t it?” she asked.
“Oh, that was fantastic,” he deadpanned, “but it’s not my birthday. Not for another two hours.”
“Oh, that’s a shame. I was going to give you a birthday kiss.”
He caught her up in his arms and kissed her anyway, blocking out the jostling crowd and the noise around them and focusing on the feel of her warm hands on his face and the sweet taste of her lips.
I guess Shamrock Shooters aren’t so bad after all.
☘️Sounds like such a fun party to be at! I love seeing Will and Elizabeth all flirty and cute and happy together! ☘️ I can’t wait to read more!
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
In conjunction with Cat’s lovely visit, she is giving away 1️⃣ ebook copy of An Unexpected Harvest to 1️⃣ lucky winner!!
To enter this giveaway leave a comment, a question, or some love for Cat below!
- This giveaway is open to US residents. Thank you, Cat!
- This giveaway ends June 18th
And would I like to be the winner? I certainly would.
Thanks for the story!
I hope you get the chance to read it! Thanks!
Love all of the Cat Andrews books I’ve read, and especially love modern variations!
So nice of you to say! I’m glad you love moderns. I’m a bit partial to them myself…. Thanks Cassandra!
I read this both in its unpublished and now published form. Loved it.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks Sheila!
I just finished all three books from Sanctuary and loved them so much. Can’t wait to read this book!
Happy to hear that you loved Sanctuary! Thanks Claudia!
I’m not from the US but I already have this fabulous book! So that’s where Elizabeth got the shamrock headband? I love this excerpt and am only sorry it isn’t in the actual book!
Definitely another winner Cat! Thanks to you and Meredith for sharing this!
For anyone who hasn’t read either this or Sanctuary, you really don’t know what you’re missing! amazing!
Yes, that’s where the headband came from. They whooped it up on St Patrick’s Day! Thanks so much for your kind words, Glynis! I appreciate it.
That was fun!!! (What are the shamrock shooters? Lol….)
Feel free to share other deleted gems! (Are there more? )
*Happy sigh*
I love this book!
(Not entering the giveaway, I already own both the ebook and paperback )
I have no idea what Shamrock Shooters are! LOL I made them up. But I imagine they’re quite tasty, especially when sipped from Darcy’s lips. 🙂 Thanks Mihaela!
So sweet!
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing the excerpt, and good luck with the new release.
Thank you so much Robin!
This looks like a great, fun, read! Looking forward to it. 🙂
I definitely has its lighter moments, but there are some serious issues tackled as well. Hopefully they balance each other out. Thanks Amy!
I love P&P modernizations. It certainly appears that Elizabeth and Will are very good friends and into the Irish spirit. I love seeing them like this. Thank you for the giveaway.
They have a lovely relationship. Eventually! LOL Of course, I’m biased, but I think they’re a great couple! Thanks Eva!
Already have the book so don’t enter my name. This flirty scene reminded me of years gone wayyy past (late 70s when I still could be flirty myself ) when my BFF and I would join a big group of friends from Southie for an annual trip to the Eastover resort in Lenox to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. I had the same thought when you mentioned Lenox in your book. Congratulations on all the fab reviews! Yay for you, and for us who get to read another excellent book from you.
Great memories! I’ve had my share of crazy St. Patrick’s Day celebrations too…unforgettable! Thanks so much for your support, Marie! I appreciate it!
Sounds like a fun EB and WD. Thank you for sharing this scene. I can’t wait to know what happens next
They do have some fun together. Will’s birthday being the day after St. Patrick’s Day leads to some serious celebrating. Thanks buturot!
It’s alway fun to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone has a bit of Irish in them on that day. Thanks for the chance in this giveaway.
You’re right, everyone is Irish at least one day of the year! Thanks Shelley!
Amazing book! I already have a copy so don’t enter me into the drawing, I just wanted to say how much I love it. ❤️
Thank you so much, my friend!
Thank you again, Meredith, for having An Unexpected Harvest at your wonderful blog!
Sanctuary is one of my all-time favorites. Best of luck. This excerpt makes me think your new book will be a winner, too.
I’m glad you enjoyed Sanctuary, Luisa! Thanks so much!
Loved the excerpt a lot.
denise
Thanks Denise!
Oh goodness that was so much fun reading this! I actually laughed at the comments on the drinks and the bed for the Uber and… I know I’ll have fun with this D & E! Thank you so much for sharing this excerpt.
This D & E do like to have fun together, and can be very playful. I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks Jen!
Lots of fun! I’m not even sure I need to wish you good luck on your new book launch, Cat. The cover is great, the story sounds great, and you have a devoted following. But I will wish you all the best anyway.
Aw, thanks so much, Michelle! I’ll take that good luck anyway!
This looks like an interesting variation to read. I’m looking forward to checking it out.
Thanks Colleen! I hope you read it and enjoy it!
A belated response to say I really enjoyed this book, and I’m excited for others to read it, too! Congrats, Cat! Happy reading, Meredith!
Thank you so much, Christina!