What If Fatal Illnesses Brought Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Together?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Gift from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: Elizabeth Bennet suffers indignities and malignities as an unmarried daughter that is a burden to her family. Her freedoms and pleasures are in severe deficit at Longbourn, but Elizabeth fills her days with purpose and companionship when she meets an ailing neighbor. Georgiana Darcy and her supposedly disreputable brother keep to themselves at Netherfield Lodge while Georgiana convalesces, and an unique relationship begins to develop between all three…

MY THOUGHTS:

The premise, title, and cover all point to this being an emotionally-gripping read, and I am here for it! I love the unpredictability and newness with exploring an outside of canon story, and this premise has quite a few interesting deviations, such as the Darcys living a quiet life at Netherfield without the Bingleys, Mary marrying Mr. Collins, the Gardiners being in Canada, and Elizabeth receiving some life-changing news.

Not only did Heather Moll dream up an inventive and compelling premise with this emotionally-charged Pride and Prejudice variation, she executed it masterfully – both with the construction of the story and with conveying of the characters’ emotional journeys. The story opens with intriguingly new, yet plausible dynamics; the plot unfolds effortlessly vacillating between tension, tenderness, and tragedy; relationships and conflicts develop gradually with keen and introspective depth; and the conclusion delivers on all expectations in the most gratifying of ways. I was excessively impressed and pleased.

And now let me say a word about the emotions in this story. Friends, I was deeply and emotionally-invested in this tale. Through the evocative prose and internal thoughts of these characters, I felt so attuned to the myriad of feelings and mindsets experienced. The despair, the helplessness, the guilt and regret were all so tangible. But so were the determination, the acceptance, the kind admiration, and the unspoken love. It is not every author that can effectively convey such a diverse grouping of emotions with such deft skill and nuance. These emotions stirred and consumed the reader, and I loved feeling such strong connections and intrinsic understanding with these characters. And I love that the most surprising of Austen characters brought me to tears by their small yet meaningful actions of care.

Lastly, I loved witnessing the unique challenges these characters faced – whether it be impending death, building your own happiness, or living with guilt and regret. There was much to admire in how these characters dealt with these life obstacles. And Heather Moll beautifully tempered any melancholy and anguish these characters endured, with rich rewards of healing, growth, and romance. And the romance is just all the things. It is. All. The. Things. (NOTE: 1-2 scenes in the last few chapters are suitable for Mature Audiences only.)

An Affectionate Heart is an exquisite and heart-wrenching Pride and Prejudice variation filled with inventive deviations and emotional depth. Readers who love sensitive and stirring tales about Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth will find much to adore and appreciate with this one! I most enthusiastically recommend!

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