What If Mr. Darcy Had To Marry In Thirty-Three Days or Lose Guardianship of Georgiana?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: When Mr. Darcy discovers a forgotten codicil of his father’s will that requires him to marry before Georgiana’s sixteenth birthday, he becomes desperate to find a suitable bride with whom he wouldn’t consider it a punishment to spend the rest of his life. And as soon as success is almost within Mr. Darcy’s reach, a series of calamitous events take place that threaten the happiness, futures, and lives of the women he holds most dear… Can Mr. Darcy save them both?

WHAT I LOVED:

• The Challenge: There is a clock ticking and Mr. Darcy is quickly running out time and out of options. Does this new pressure change his behavior towards the citizens of Meryton? Will be less haughty and reserved? This premise sort of put me in mind of the Chris O’Donnell movie – The Bachelor. I love this type of forced circumstances – it is always interesting to see how characters deal with them!

• Make Me a Match?: I loved how Darcy and Elizabeth shared some frank conversations, and Mr. Darcy eventually enlisted Elizabeth’s help with his quest. Their internal thoughts and mutual reactions throughout this arrangement were so adorable and wonderful to witness. I loved seeing them work together in this endeavor. In addition, I also loved seeing them paired together during the scavenger hunt, that was such fun!

• Competition and Intentions: Mr. Darcy isn’t the only one who finds Elizabeth to be admirable and worthy, and for a little bit it looks like there will be more than one serious suitor for her hand… What a great way to add even more tension to Mr. Darcy’s situation. In addition, it appears that Mr. Bingley is paying court to more than one lady. Does he have serious intentions for either lady, or is his overly friendly manner about to cause some trouble and heartache? This was a wonderfully clever twist that I loved seeing developed. I love that Ms. King explored this flaw of Mr. Bingley’s, and I greatly admired how the women involved handled themselves!

• Difficult Lessons and Comeuppances: There are several characters that face regrettable situations caused by their own actions. One of the more moving examples of this is with Mr. Bennet, who loses what he holds most dear and valuable. Only to discover it isn’t truly what is most dear and valuable to him in his heart. In addition, there are a few clever and delicious moments where just desserts are properly served to some of our favorite antagonists! Lady Matlock’s subtle schooling of Caroline Bingley might be favorite!

• Charlotte, Jane, and Mary: I greatly admired the portrayal of these characters. Each of them thought for themselves and recognized their own self-worth. I loved seeing their strength to take thoughtful and bold actions. I also loved seeing the support these women showed for each other and the new avenues where they found romance. I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of these characters and their unique storylines in this tale.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• Disjointed: While I adored so many aspects of this story, the second half of the story is so eventful and drastically different from the first half that it felt like two different premises joined together. The first half of the story being a gentle, comedy of manners with challenging circumstances and clever twists, and the second half being an intense and gripping rescue mission with nefarious villains and fast-paced action. I loved both premises, but I don’t think I loved them together – it felt a little too incongruous, and perhaps maybe too much eventfulness for one story.

CONCLUSION:

The Letter of the Law is an inventive and diverting Pride and Prejudice that takes an intense and diabolical turn! Readers who adore Darcy and Elizabeth tales and incandescently happy endings will love this tale of impossible tasks, clever developments, and sinister schemes.

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