What If Mr. Bennet Sanctioned An Arranged Marriage Between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy?

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift from Publisher

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: Elizabeth and the Gardiners travel to the Lakes and as a result there is no encounter with Mr. Darcy and no one locates Lydia and preserves her reputation. Four years later a desolate Mr. Darcy is urged to approach Mr. Bennet for an arranged marriage with Elizabeth, as it would be the only way to guarantee a future with her and help her ostracized family at the same time…

MY THOUGHTS: Oh, such a grim and troubled beginning – I was immediately drawn in by such changes in situations for these characters. I appreciated the realistic portrayals of what would have happened if Mr. Darcy was not able to intervene and help the Bennets – both with Lydia, who faces a much harsher fate and her sisters, who are almost completely abandoned by genteel society and remain unwed. In addition, forced marriage scenarios, compromises, and seeing Darcy and Elizabeth agree to a marriage before a mutual understanding is reached are some of my favorite tropes to explore with these characters. I don’t know if I completely buy-in to the actions of some characters in regards for this arrangement in particular, but regardless, I enjoyed seeing it serve as a catalyst for this tale.

Another element I enjoyed in this tale was seeing some admirable men of action! I’m looking at you Mr. Darcy (and especially you Colonel Fitzwilliam). I loved witnessing scenes where both these men quietly and confidently take honorable actions to either rectify a past mistake or keep a vow they made to themselves.  And speaking of these heroic and commanding men, I loved the portrayal of both their relationship with each other – the honesty, the understanding, the support, and the teasing – and their relationships with the women they love. I loved seeing such gentle, achingly romantic, and cherishing moments of love expressed by these characters.

However, there were some aspects of this story of which I was not as fond, and those concerned Elizabeth’s character and how the premise eventually plays out. In regards to our dear girl, Lizzy – she is a tempest in a teapot! She blusters and furies and claims never to forgive, and then her feelings completely change… It was all so very sudden, and it felt like the reader was missing the emotional journey Elizabeth took through the story. The reader is told she is quick-tempered and Lizzy claims she is still angry with Mr. Darcy. But the reader doesn’t see the actions and emotions that support these statements. They are told and not shown, and therefore are lacking in understanding and connection.

In addition, while this began as a very engaging premise with the promise of high tension and conflict. It ended up having very little conflict altogether. The first third of the book is all exposition, and when we finally get to the crux of the story – the arranged marriage itself – it was all but mostly resolved sixty pages later. The only remaining part that needed some more resolution was pertaining to a subplot with Georgiana. I would have loved for a more developed journey for Darcy and Elizabeth through their arranged marriage before they reached understanding and perfect contentment. In addition, I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of Lydia. With the way her situation was introduced and her importance to the premise of the story, I would have enjoyed continuing to follow her arc and learn more about what became of her.

Despite my issues, I loved this story for its bold premise, thoughtful twists, and its depiction of brave men with honor and heart. A Covenant of Marriage is an excellent choice for Pride and Prejudice fans who love reading forced marriage situations between these characters.

NOTE: Some amorous scenes take place in this story – not too frequently or explicitly. Recommended for Mature Audiences.

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