Greetings friends! I’m so thrilled to welcome back the lovely Monica Fairview to Austenesque Reviews today!! As you may have seen, just a few days ago Monica released a new Pride and Prejudice variation titled – Allow Me To Tell You. I’m so excited to read this story (and not just because it is by Monica Fairview), but because its intriguing ingredients of: a proposal by letter, threats of ruin, and a rescue from Colonel Fitzwilliam…

Monica is here to share a wonderfully tempting excerpt from Allow Me To Tell You. We hope you enjoy! 🤗

Thank you, Meredith, for having me here at Austenesque Reviews to talk to your readers about my new book, Allow Me To Tell You.

Here’s a one-sentence summary of the story to give you an idea what my new novel is about.

When Fitzwilliam Darcy decides to propose in a letter, mayhem ensues, leading to some serious consequences.

It’s a spring story, as you can probably tell by the cover. 😊 I like to think that means it’s a book about hope. I’ve been going through the extended loss of a very close friend of mine [forty-one years of friendship gone] who was really more of a sister than a friend. My book was originally meant to be a short comic novella, much like Longbourn Entanglement, but it’s inevitable that thinking of my friend was going to change the nature of the book. At one point I even found myself delving more into the relationship/friendship of Elizabeth with Jane, rather than of Elizabeth and Darcy. That wasn’t what I’d mean to do at all!

Suffice it to say, I had to do a lot of revisions to get the novel back on track, so Allow Me to Tell You ended up taking a long time to write. I’m happy to say, the romance now takes centre stage, just as it ought to. The focus is on our two protagonists and how they deal with the fall-out from Darcy’s proposal. It has definite moments of humor –even a few farcical moments –but it’s not full-on comedy like Longbourn Entanglement.

Mostly, I think, Allow Me to Tell You is about how Elizabeth comes to understand and love who Darcy is. What I especially like about the story is that Darcy’s generous spirit shines through. And I love the gentle way their relationship evolves – through actually talking to each other. The title is significant in that sense.

And did I tell you [I did, didn’t I?] that it’s set in spring?

~ Excerpt from Allow Me to Tell You ~

All paths led to Lady Catherine. He truly did not have many choices. He had known his aunt to be obsessed, but he did not think that saying no to her could lead to such consequences. She was like a ruler of old, declaring war for perceived slights against her authority. The Collins’ had been swept into the fray, and they had lost their home as a result.

Which meant that the first thing he had to deal with was Lady Catherine’s ‘bargain’. He had thrown it in her face at the time, but now it was haunting him, a ghostly presence demanding action. Every instinct rebelled against it, but he had made up his mind to be rational, and that was what he would be.

I will give you the letter, if you agree to marry Anne by special license.

His body tightened as he weighed that ultimatum. His stomach churned, and his anger twisted inside him. Yet logically, it provided the simplest solution. If he married Anne, all his troubles would go away. All his troubles except for one, of course. If he married Anne, he would never be able to marry Elizabeth. A small voice whispered inside him. But she has turned you down. You will never be able to marry her anyway. What did he have to lose, after all? He may as well agree to his aunt’s terms. If he loved Elizabeth, he should be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to help her.

He struggled, feeling split in two. One part of him watched with icy calm from a distance, telling him to do it and salvage the situation. The other part dug his fingers into the muddy ground and refused to accept that it all ended here, that after years of resisting Lady Catherine, he would now give in to her.

Besides, there were many reasons he could never marry his cousin Anne. For one thing, he did not care for her at all. He had barely exchanged more than a few polite sentences with her throughout his visit. More importantly, Anne was a bad choice for Pemberley in every possible way, not the least being that she could never bear an heir.

Was it worth losing the succession of Pemberley to save Elizabeth?

Ooh, such tension! Poor Mr. Darcy – what a situation to be in! What can he do?! Lady Catherine truly is diabolical! 😈 

Thank you so much for sharing this enticing excerpt, Monica! I am anxious to get my hands on this one and see how it all plays out – including the relationship between Elizabeth and Jane. (my condolences on the loss of your dear friend) 💗

Also, this cover…🤩 So stunning!!

~ Book Description ~

When Fitzwilliam Darcy makes a complete muddle of his proposal at Rosings Park by writing a letter, there is more at stake than his hurt pride. The letter leads to a chain of events that impacts those around him, including Elizabeth. And adding insult to injury, Elizabeth is now threatened with ruin.

But Elizabeth is not intimidated so easily. She insists Mr. Darcy is the last man in the world she would want to marry, and nothing will change her mind. To rescue her from an impossible situation, Colonel Fitzwilliam steps in, and asks for her hand in marriage.

Will it be an offer she cannot refuse, or will Mr. Darcy find a way to earn her love?

Allow Me to Tell You is a sweet Jane Austen variation. It is a full-length romantic comedy that follows our beloved couple Darcy and Elizabeth through their journey of discovering each other.

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~ Connect with Monica ~

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~ About Monica ~

Author of Pride and Prejudice variations and Magical Austenesque fantasy, Monica Fairview has been publishing since 2009. In the past, she worked as a literature professor and an acupuncturist. Now she spends her life in 19th century England, interacting with strong ladies in bonnets and handsome gentlemen in cravats and waistcoats. Some of them have magical abilities.

Born in London, Monica lived in the USA for many years. She now resides close to Box Hill, where Jane Austen’s Emma went for a picnic.

Monica loves to read until past midnight, chuckle, and visit historical places. Sometimes she enjoys doing nothing at all.

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

In conjunction with Monica’s lovely visit today, she is giving away  2️⃣ ebook copies of Allow Me To Tell You to 2️⃣ lucky winners!!

To enter this giveaway leave a comment, a question, or some love for Monica below!

• This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, Monica!
• This giveaway ends April 27th.

Thank you so much for the lovely visit, Monica! I wish you all the best with your lovely new release of Allow Me To Tell You!!