Hi readers! This post is coming to you from another country! 😮

I am excited to welcome back Brigid Huey to learn more about her Pride and Prejudice/Little Women crossover – Learning to Love!

If there are two worlds I’d love to see collide, it is definitely these two!

Both authors write in great detail and understanding about women coming of age and finding their ways in the world. And it is interesting to see some similarities with their characters and their personal growth journeys even though authors themselves are from different countries, circumstances, and time periods.

Brigid is here to share a new excerpt from Learning to Love! We hope you enjoy! 🙌🏼

 

Thank you, Meredith, for having me back here at Austenesque Reviews! The excitement around the Cover Reveal was so much fun for me! I appreciated each and every comment. I tried to think of some new, interesting information to share for this follow-up post, but I just decided to give what I would want to read: another excerpt!

So here is the final excerpt from Learning to Love before publication! I am so excited for this book to be out in the world! In this scene, Amy is mulling over the many changes and challenges in her life when she gets a letter from Laurie.

~ Excerpt from Learning to Love ~

Oh! It was impossible to be in this position! She was angry with Jo for hurting Laurie. At the same time, a sense of hope that had long been absent grew in her heart. Might Laurie actually see her—the real her—now that Jo was not nearby to distract him?

When Amy returned to the hotel in time to change for dinner, she found several letters waiting for her. She leafed through them, her heart skipping a beat when she realized that Laurie had written again.

Then her eyes fell on a letter from Marmee. She held her breath as she opened it, dread pooling in her belly.

The news was not what she feared but did not offer any hope for the future. Beth continued to weaken. Her sister was too ill to write now, though Marmee relayed Beth’s best blessings to her. A tear fell on the page as Amy read of her beloved family in America, so very far away. Once again, she was filled with an urgent desire to go home to see Beth.

However, Marmee had closed the letter with a firm admonishment that she remain in Europe with her aunt and cousin. There is nothing you can do here, dear child. Beth takes great joy in your letters and speaks often of how happy she is that you are following your dream.

Amy folded the missive carefully and put it with the others in the hat box she had gotten in Paris. Her eyes fell on Laurie’s note, which still lay on the dressing table unopened. She turned from it in a moment of overwhelming emotion. What was she to do? Everything seemed too much to bear these days. She could not be sure of anything.

Letters took so long to reach her from home. What if something had happened since Marmee last wrote? Aunt Carrol was ill, and Amy could not be sure when they would go home. She was dependent upon her aunt’s kindness, after all.

Adding to her frustration was this new unsettled feeling regarding Laurie. Why did things suddenly feel different between them?

With a little huff of annoyance, she sat upon the bed, the sudden motion causing the ribbons in her hair to flounce around her. Was that really true? What had changed regarding Laurie? Nothing, in reality.

Amy spoke to herself firmly, as she had done these many years. Laurie does not care for you in that way. Nothing has changed. I will be respected if I cannot be loved. The words brought a sense of calm, as they always did. She rose from the bed and ignored how her fingers shook ever so slightly as she opened Laurie’s letter.

My dear Amy,

How are you, really? You must be lonely. I find I am, as well. I am surrounded by friends, but I feel as if I am lost at sea.

I hope I do not burden you to speak so frankly. But when we last met, you did say that you missed my blunt, natural way of talking. So many things have changed recently. It seems too much all at once.

I am no composer. I have decided to put my music aside and pursue business with Grandfather. If he agrees, I shall begin as soon as I return to our London home from Darcy House. He can teach me the inner workings of the business here before we return to America.

I wish you could come to London. I would love to introduce you to Mrs. Darcy. She is a charming, elegant lady, and the two of you would get on splendidly.

Now it is my turn to thank you. Your lecture to me during the Christmas holidays has done me the world of good. If you have any other observations to share, I am at your service.

When does Fred Vaughn return from England?

Your friend,

Laurie

I love two things about this passage – seeing events from Amy’s POV – which we don’t really do see much of in Little Women (especially when she is in Europe). And Laurie – or maybe it might be better to say that a Laurie that is on a reformation path. 

I cant wait to see more! I would love for Amy to meet Mrs. Darcy – I wonder how that would go!

Thank you so much for sharing, Brigid!

~ Book Description ~

In this exploration of Little Women and Pride and Prejudice, can Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam
Darcy help unite two young lovers?

Amy March has been in love with her neighbor Laurie for years, but he only had eyes for her
older sister. Now living in Europe, Amy is choosing her path to happiness despite her heartache.
But her equilibrium is challenged when a single and melancholy Laurie pays her a visit.

Soundly rejected by his childhood love and best friend, Laurie is now wandering around
Europe, taking little interest in anything or anyone. Things change in France, where he reunites
with his old friend Amy. Disappointed in his behavior, she convinces him to take charge of his
life and engineer his own happiness.

Laurie returns to London to make a fresh start, but he cannot get Amy out of his mind. Confused
and lovestruck, he appeals to his grandfather’s close friends, the Darcys, for advice. Will this
wise, elderly couple be able to guide him through his heartache?

 

~~~

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Meryton Press is generously giving away  1️⃣ ebook copy of Learning to Love in conjunction with Brigid’s visit today!  

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

• This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, Brigid!

• This giveaway ends July 22nd!