What If Mr. Darcy Recklessly Tried to Save Elizabeth from Mr. Collins?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Austenesque Jolabokaflod

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation

THE PREMISE: On his way home from an early morning ride the day after the Netherfield Ball, Mr. Bennet meets with injury and is left unconscious. While Mr. Bennet is yet awake and his fate uncertain, Mr. Collins is quick to seize the opportunity to exert his power and will with the Bennet women and make Elizabeth his bride…that is until Mr. Darcy impulsively states that he has a prior claim… How will Elizabeth react to such high-hand officiousness and impulsivity?

WHAT I LOVED:

•  The Premise: This is one of Nicole Clarkston’s (Alix James’s) earliest releases and one I have wanted to read for a long time. I love the idea of Mr. Darcy acting impulsively and rescuing Elizabeth from Mr. Collins. With Mr. Bennet’s injuries/recovery, Elizabeth’s turbulent feelings towards Mr. Darcy, Mr. Wickham’s machinations, and a most seriously displeased Lady Catherine this story promises a lot of drama and excitement.

• Hate-to-Love: Poor Elizabeth finds herself proposed to by the two most loathsome men of her acquaintance. Her options and freedom of choice are completely taken away by Mr. Darcy’s “rescue,” so it is difficult for her to feel any sense of gratitude or appreciation towards him. Talk about contentious feelings! Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth can barely have a conversation without Elizabeth becoming infuriated with him. I love witnessing the very rocky start to their relationship and how it evolves. Darcy is patient and earnest in his attempts to win Elizabeth’s good opinion, and Elizabeth is perplexed and quick to realize that she did not sketch Mr. Darcy’s character correctly, yet it takes a minute for her to resign herself to a future with him.

• The MVPs: Mr. Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Jane, and Mary Bennet: I love seeing the support and strength these characters gave to Darcy and Elizabeth. I applaud Mr. Bingey for his decisive actions, strength with dealing with his sister, and for quickly knowing Mr. Darcy cannot do this on his own. As always, I adore Colonel Fitzwiliam’s gentle raillery of his cousin, his quick perceptions, and his tactical maneuvers to thwart his relations. In addition, I loved seeing the small and subtle ways Jane and Mary were developed in this story.

• New Schemes and New Secrets: As you might expect, the usual suspects stir up some trouble. But this time it is involves some new twists – Caroline Bingley reaches new levels of audacity, Mr. Wickham spreads malicious rumors maligning someone else, and Lady Catherine has a most shocking skeleton in her closet! These were some fantastically creative deviations! I loved how they added some surprises and unpredictability to this story.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• Pacing: In general it just felt like the story progressed a little too leisurely. Each day felt very long and took up several chapters – sometimes close to one hundred pages. Typically I don’t mind a leisurely paced story, but this one maybe needed some more action or eventfulness to propel motion forward. And then in contrast two separate and interesting sub-plots with Charlotte and Anne de Bourgh alter and conclude with swift abruptness and too little development.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

🤫  Rumor has it that this is one clever and well-crafted Pride and Prejudice variation.

🫣  It is a terrifying to realize what can happen if Mr. Bennet isn’t around to defend/protect Elizabeth from Mr. Collins’ proposal.

🎩  Guided by his heart, passionate in his feelings, yearning, honorable, a man of action – I love when Mr. Darcy is all the things.

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