When Duty Calls – Belén Paccagnella

March 29, 2022 • Reviews • 47 Comments

What If Mr. Darcy’s Self-Control Slipped When He Was Comforting Elizabeth Bennet?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift from Publisher

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: After escaping from Mr. Collins’s proposal, Elizabeth receives comfort from the least likely person of her acquaintance – Mr. Darcy. And because they were observed and rumors have spread, Mr. Darcy is honor-bound to marry her. While this development becomes most welcome and agreeable to Mr. Darcy, it isn’t until the wedding night that he discovers he has married someone who intensely abhors him…

MY THOUGHTS: A forced-marriage scenario! I love how this came about – how Darcy was unable to repress his feelings and how Elizabeth was greatly bewildered by her own reactions to Mr. Darcy. And now they are to be married, and Elizabeth believes the worst of Mr. Darcy and resents him greatly. How will this ill-fated marriage progress?

This is a beautiful and absorbing Darcy and Elizabeth centric tale. I loved how Ms. Paccagnella portrayed these characters, and I loved witnessing their individual journeys towards understanding, growth, and love. I appreciated how Ms. Paccagnella conveyed Mr. Darcy’s anguish and intense guilt. It would be just like our honorable and dutiful Mr. Darcy to take himself to task for ruining Elizabeth’s life and happiness with is own selfish actions. I loved how he immediately went to work to win Elizabeth’s affections and patiently let her actions be his guide.

In addition, I applaud how she depicted Elizabeth’s confusion and tumultuous emotions. With Mr. Darcy’s reserve and their limited time together before the marriage, Mr. Darcy is still very much a stranger to Elizabeth and she only has her inaccurate sketching and Mr. Wickham’s false reports to go on. Add to that her trepidation for her future life and despair for her relationships with her family, and it is easy to understand why Elizabeth acts as she does. But as we know, Elizabeth is not one “formed for ill-humor,” and admirably attempts to make the best of her situation. I liked that she wasn’t so immovable in her dislike and how she quickly became attuned to Mr. Darcy’s praiseworthy traits.

But perhaps some of my most favorite moments were when Darcy and Elizabeth were together and seeing their quiet amity and feelings of happiness grow. I loved so many of the heart-stopping and tender moments together – when Mr. Darcy returns home from Wales, when Elizabeth presents her gift, when they met in the green sitting room. But I also loved the playful moments too – when Elizabeth and Georgiana first attempted duets, when they take the Gardiners for a picnic by the trout stream… 😄  Their journey to happiness and understanding wasn’t one with a lot of exterior obstacles or dramatic twists. It was one of slow and gentle growth, quiet reflections, and small moments.

I was completely charmed by this tender and understated variation or Pride and Prejudice. I loved Ms. Paccagnella’s emotive prose and introspective tone, and I greatly appreciate her thoughtful and genuine renderings of these characters. When Duty Calls is the first book I’ve read by Bélen Paccagnella, and I cannot wait to read more stories by her!

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47 comments

    2. Thank you! Me too! It is always so interesting to explore how their relationship develops when they marry before learning everything they do in P&P.

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  6. I loved this story! I always enjoy early marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth so this was a definite winner. I loved how Darcy was so caring and how Elizabeth’s feelings changed. Great review Meredith!

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  7. I actually bought this book but I haven’t read it yet! Thanks for your review, it’s now moving up on the yo be read list.

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    1. Belen is truly underrated in this little fandom. I first came across her unpublished works like Paper Jam, unique in its setting, but her real treasure is Obstacles to Overcome, a horsey modern that lets off a lot of steam with its high romance and mild tension. You won’t regret searching her out.

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      1. Hi Zoe! *blushes* Thank you so much! Obstacles has been published, but I can’t believe you still remember about Paper Jam. It’s been more than twenty years since that story has been away from the FF boards.

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        1. Hi!
          I love Paper Jam!
          I’ve read it right after Keira’s movie version came out. For some strange reason, while watching a football game, my weird brain reminded me of a passage where your Lizzy it’s all antecipation for a match. Something about how the teams (was it Palmeiras? Brazil and Argentina?) would “destroy” each other, and it still made me laugh!

          While trying to find the story, google brought me here. Anyway, just wanted to tell you how much I enjoed it!

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  8. Bélen Paccagnella sounds like a new gem in the crown – as Kim P. said, “I love a good forced marriage scenario” – going to Amazon to download this book!

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  13. OO, lovely review! I like that Mr Darcy goes to Wales (odd thing to like, but I am from Wales so I like to see some representation!). I see that I have this book in my kindle library already, so must move it up the TBR list.

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  14. I’ve read this gem, and it’s sooooo time for a reread. Great review Meredith. Those FMS stories are usually a good read, but frankly I’m kind of tired of the ones where Darcy finds out from someone letting it slip, that Elizabeth ‘hated’ him…..and then he goes off on a big baby snit, and it takes the rest of the book to get that fixed. One author I can think of did that premise with excellent writing and the rest have just been frustrating copies.

    Belen’s When Duty Calls, however, is just as you say it is Meredith. And it’s the kind of lovely story that I need right now to remove the kind of angst-fest stuff I’ve been reading lately.

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    1. Hi Michelle! I’m glad you remember this story with such fondness. It’s been 20 years since I posted it online and it’s quite touching that so many people still find it enjoyable. Thank you.

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    2. Thank you, Michelle! I think that is what I loved so much about Belén’s writing – she created a moving and emotional story, yet it wasn’t very tumultuous and angsty – although, I do love me some angst!

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  15. I first read this in August 2020 and adored it. ❤️
    It was one of the first JAFF books that I came across and started my ongoing obsession for all things JAFF!

    I heartily recommend the audiobook. I have listened to it many times. Stevie Zimmerman is an excellent narrator and is to me, the voice of Darcy.

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    1. Oh how special! That’s wonderful that is one of your first! And what a time to discover JAFF!

      Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I’ve heard excellent things about Stevie’s narration!

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