What If Mr. Darcy Had Never Been Born?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: After handing Elizabeth his post-rejection letter, Mr. Darcy falls from his horse and wakes up in a reality where he was born as William Fitzroy instead of Fitzwilliam Darcy. Stripped of his past, his family, and Pemberley, Mr. Fitzroy quickly discovers that in this reality he has the opportunity to gain what Mr. Darcy could not…Elizabeth Bennet’s love.

MY THOUGHTS: It’s Pride and Prejudice with some It’s A Wonderful Life mixed in! I love it! Mr. Darcy learns the importance of his own existence and gets to see what would happen to his family, his friends, and his estate if he had never been born. This new reality was fascinating to explore and I loved encountering such an imaginative and unique premise.

It’s hard to decide what I enjoyed more about this variation: witnessing all the changes in this new (perish-the-thought) Darcy-less world or seeing the delicately and tenderly blossoming romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Fitzroy. I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises in store but I will say that I loved seeing all the different ways Mr. Darcy affected the lives of those around him. “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” – Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life. I found so many of the alterations, especially those concerning Colonel Fitzwilliam, Charles Bingley, and Jane Bennet to be very plausible, and I appreciated Anngela Schroeder’s clever skill in creating such credible alternate realities.

And yet, I equally loved every stolen moment between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy/Fitzroy – on their walks, in empty rooms at the Parsonage, in a carriage heading to London. To see Elizabeth’s eager care and interest in him, to see Mr. Darcy/Fitzroy hoping for Elizabeth’s tender regard, and to see all the times they bantered or enjoyed sincere and candid conversations was immensely gratifying. In addition, I was pleased to see Mr. Darcy’s/Fitzroy’s protective nature come out in full force in this world and witness his capable actions to thwart his foe’s sinister schemes to harm others.

I thoroughly enjoyed the unique angle of this variation (it was wonderfully unpredictable!). It was moving to see Mr. Darcy placed in a George-Bailey-like-situation and come to terms with his own dissatisfaction and disappointments and learn to appreciate his significance and destiny. My only quibble was that some events started to become confusing towards the end when dreams were talked of and some questions of what is real came into play. But maybe the reader is supposed to be swept up in the magic of it all not look for everything to make logical sense…

Filled with whimsical fantasy, thought-provoking reflections, and a swoon-worthy romance, A Life Worth Choosing is most definitely a wonderful Pride and Prejudice variation. Ms. Schroeder brilliantly weaves together these two timeless tales to create an enchanting story that is memorable, moving, and heartfelt. I highly recommend!

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What excellent timing for this story! Not only does it have some It’s A Wonderful Life vibes (which I plan to definitely rewatch this month). 🎄 But also, the lovely Anngela Schroeder just paid a visit this week and is celebrating her upcoming release of Comfort and Joy!