A Satisfying Sequel to Proof of Love

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Sequel to Proof of Love – a Pride and Prejudice variation

TIME FRAME: Begins around 4-5 years after the close of Proof of Love

THE PREMISE: Some distressing developments about Georgiana’s marriage has reached the Darcys, and so Mr. Darcy decides to embark on a trip to Ireland to visit her, but the journey is not smooth. And both Georgiana and Elizabeth have some cause for concern when they hear tales about storms and shipwrecks…

WHAT I LOVED:

• A Happy Household: How lovely it was to witness the Darcys sharing some sweet and ardent moments together. They are currently a family of four, and both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are the most devoted of parents. Bennet and Anne are so endearing and precocious! I loved their family time together, especially around the grounds at Pemberely and at the beach in Weymouth. And I melted at every interaction Bennet had with an adult.

• Adventures Abroad: While I love seeing the scenes of idyllic happiness at Pemberley, I was excited for Mr. Darcy’s journey to Ireland to check on Georgiana – especially with seeing first hand his experiences in Liverpool and traveling by boat. There were an abundance of adventures and misadventures happening in the Irish Sea. I enjoyed the new tension and excitement these new situations produced. However, there were also a lot of new characters to keep track of and I found it challenging to keep them and their storylines straight.

• Lady Selina: This is one new character I loved! She is a bold, independent, and capable woman who is searching for her cousin. I love that she not only takes care of herself, but is also caring about the welfare of others. She may be strong and direct on the outside, but a soft and loving heart is revealed on the inside.

• Colonel Fitzwilliam: The MVP of this sequel! A man of action, a man of purpose who is ready to swoop in with a rescue at any moment. Swoon. I loved witnessing his mission to discover what has become of his cousin and his determination to protect Elizabeth and her children at all costs. He shares a lot of special moments with a many characters in this novel – not just Darcy and Elizabeth – but also Georgiana, Bennet, and Lady Selina.

WHAT COULD’VE BEEN BETTER:

• The Extreme Antagonist: Proof of Love had a spectacularly loathsome and original villain, and over the years Brenda Webb has created some of the most devious and abhorrent love-to-hate villains. However, I didn’t feel that way about the antagonist in this book. They were not original, their motives were predictable but wildly extreme, and their whole storyline felt a bit farfetched. Not to mention their unexpected return in the fourth act seemed a little unnecessary.

• It’s Probably Me: I think my own preferences for internal conflicts/development impaired some of my enjoyment of this story. It is challenging to generate compelling conflicts and tension after happily-ever-after has been achieved, and that is why sequels are not my favorite type of Austenesque work. Brenda Webb creates a lot of tension and drama with external forces in this story, but I found them a little hard to connect with and not as powerful as the other obstacles and internal conflicts I’ve seen her establish. I think readers who prefer seeing Darcy and Elizabeth in harmony fighting against external forces will love this story more than I did.

NOTE: While this book can be read as a stand alone, I think it is beneficial for the reader to be familiar with the events from Proof of Love because there are quite a few new developments and new characters that were introduced in that book.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

💗 A most satisfying sequel for readers who love to see Darcy and Elizabeth deeply in love and facing external challenges together.

❣️ Vile schemes, sinister rogues, and violent storms are no match for Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s enduring and powerful love.

🗡️ Colonel Fitzwilliam fans will love witnessing both his heroic actions and whirlwind romance in this sequel.

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