Hi friends! How about we start the week off with a cover reveal?

Austenesque author Jennifer Altman is visiting today to talk about her upcoming release – Some Little Alteration and share its beautiful cover! 🤩

Some Little Alteration sounds like a most intriguing Pride and Prejudice variation where Mr. Darcy has a unique opportunity to make a better first impression. 🥰

Please help me welcome back the lovely Jennifer Altman! 🤗

~ From the Author ~

Hi all! I’m delighted to be back at Austenesque Reviews to share the cover and an excerpt from my forthcoming Pride and Prejudice variation, Some Little Alteration!

As you can probably tell, it’s been quite a busy summer. Having published my last novel, More Than You Know, in March, I imagine many of you will be surprised to see another book from me so soon. But when inspiration strikes, sometimes the idea simply refuses to wait its turn. 😉

As I mentioned in last week’s post over at Austen Variations, this upcoming release is a bit of a departure for me. While it still unfolds within our familiar Regency setting, Some Little Alteration carries a speculative twist. I wouldn’t call it high fantasy by any means, but it does explore the “what ifs” of fate and choice—think It’s a Wonderful Life or Sliding Doors. The result is a story that’s lighter in some respects, with a blend of mystery, romance, and a strong current of destiny running through it. Writing it was honestly so much fun, and I can’t wait to hear what readers think.

The gorgeous cover was created by the ever-talented Susan Adriani at CloudCat Design, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how beautifully it fits the book.

Below, you’ll find the official description along with a brand-new excerpt from the prologue. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into Some Little Alteration, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

 

~ Book Description ~

What if you had a second chance to make a first impression?

When Elizabeth Bennet suffers an unexpected accident while visiting her friend Charlotte Collins in Kent, she wakes to a world subtly—yet profoundly—altered. Friendships, family ties, and first encounters are no longer as she remembers: Mr Darcy is a stranger she meets for the first time at Rosings, Jane’s circumstances have taken an unexpected turn, and a mysterious locket hints at a future she cannot fully comprehend.

As Elizabeth struggles to reconcile memories that refuse to align, she is drawn into a world both familiar and strange, where every exchange with Mr Darcy offers new insight into the man she once thought she understood. Yet each revelation brings the disquieting awareness that her former life is slipping away. And the harder she clings to her fading recollections, the more swiftly they recede.

Caught between two realities, Elizabeth must discover which truths to trust—and whether love can endure across the fragile boundaries of time.

Some Little Alteration is a spellbinding Pride and Prejudice variation, perfect for readers who enjoy stories that blend mystery, romance, and the enduring power of love.

~ Excerpt from Some Little Alteration ~

The moment they stepped beneath the shadowed arch that led to the high street, Elizabeth felt as though she had crossed into another world. The clatter of hoofs and the rustle of skirts mingled with the cries of hawkers and the scent of roasting chestnuts. A fishwife bellowed the morning’s catch, while somewhere further down the row, a fiddler had taken up a lively tune, drawing a circle of children around him.

The cobblestones were uneven underfoot, worn smooth in places by generations of passing feet, and the breeze carried with it the sharp aroma of cheese and onions. Elizabeth slowed her pace, taking it all in with quiet delight. A stall to their right displayed bolts of muslin and silk, their edges rippling like banners in the wind. Another boasted hand-painted crockery, laid out like treasure on a linen cloth.

For a time, the two ladies strolled aimlessly, pausing here and there to admire a display or a child’s antics. Then Maria gave a sudden exclamation and veered off in the direction of a wooden cart, its surface cluttered with trinkets: bangles, brooches, hair combs, and beads of every hue. She leaned forwards eagerly, her fingers hovering over a tray of pins shaped like flowers.

Elizabeth turned to follow, but her eye was caught by a narrow table tucked into the shadows just beyond the ribbon stall. It was a bookseller’s stand, lined with mismatched volumes stacked three-deep, their spines faded and titles that, in some cases, were barely legible. She moved towards it, drawn as if by instinct.

“Two for sixpence, miss,” the vendor called genially, without looking up from his ledger. “Or five for a shilling, if you’ve the time to choose.”

Elizabeth smiled and ran her fingers lightly over the topmost row. She picked up a slim volume of Cowper’s poems, its pages crisp despite the worn cover. Beneath it was a battered copy of The Mysteries of Udolpho, which made her grin—her youngest sisters would be pleased to see it.

As she turned to set the novel aside, another book caught her eye—an unblemished single-volume edition of The Wild Irish Girl. The binding was stiff, the pages unmarred by any previous reader. Curious, she ruffled them between her fingers and caught the faint scent of parchment.

Without further deliberation, she opened her reticule and retrieved a coin. “I shall take this one,” she said, placing it before the vendor.

He accepted it with a nod and reached for a square of rough brown paper, wrapping the book with practised ease. “A fine choice, miss,” he said, handing it across the table just as Maria’s voice floated over from the opposite stall.

“Lizzy, come look! Are these not the most darling hair combs?”

Taking the parcel with a quick word of thanks, Elizabeth returned to her companion.

Maria was still standing at the same cart, which bore a faded sign painted in curling script: Madame Hercaud’s Curious Charms & Trinkets. The combs she was admiring were indeed charming—slender ivory pieces inlaid with delicate patterns, some edged in gilt, others tipped with seed pearls or glass stones.

“They are very pretty,” Elizabeth agreed, looking over her friend’s shoulder.

Maria bit her lip thoughtfully. “Do you think Charlotte would like a pair? She wears her hair so simply—but perhaps something like this might encourage her to try a new style. She is a married woman now, after all.”

Elizabeth smiled back at the younger girl. “Your sister has never been one to fuss over such things, that is true. But a gift from you would please her on any account, I am certain.”

As Maria resumed her inspection of the tray, weighing colours and shapes, Elizabeth’s gaze wandered over the rest of the cart. Her eye caught upon the shimmer of something half-hidden amongst a tangle of beads. She reached out her hand, picking it up carefully: a locket on a fine chain, its surface dulled with age.

The necklace was warm in her hand—likely gold, though tarnish obscured its shine. On the front, a delicate engraving of forget-me-nots had been worked into the metal, still discernible despite the wear. She turned it over and examined the catch, attempting to gently pry it open.

“It seems to be stuck,” she murmured, mostly to herself.

A rustle of skirts announced the arrival of the stall’s proprietor. She was a woman of later years, her face lined and weathered, yet her black eyes were still sharp beneath her thick brows. Her garments were a riot of colours, and a bright scarf wound about her hair. Bronze hoops hung from her ears, and dozens of bangles clinked at her wrists as she moved.

“Ah,” she began, her voice low and lightly accented. “You have an eye for old things, I see.”

Elizabeth looked up, startled, as the woman’s dark gaze shifted to the locket in her hand.

“A flower for memory…” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly, “or for promises not yet fulfilled.”

Heat rose to Elizabeth’s cheeks, and she quickly set the locket down atop the velvet-lined tray.

“Lizzy,” Maria called, holding up a small pair of combs. “What do you think of these? Too plain?”

Elizabeth turned, grateful for the diversion. The combs were modest but tasteful—ivory with a pale blue border, just enough embellishment to suit Charlotte’s understated style.

“They are just right,” Elizabeth assured her. “She will wear them often, I think.”

The older woman stepped over to complete the transaction, slipping the combs into a bit of cloth and exchanging them for a coin from Maria’s gloved hand. But even as the two conversed, Elizabeth’s eyes strayed once more to the locket.

It seemed to glint at her from the tray, its engraved blossoms stirring a distant memory. There was nothing extravagant in its design, and yet—

“It is calling to you,” the woman said, turning back to Elizabeth. “Tokens such as this always find their rightful place, in the end.”

Elizabeth blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

The woman only smiled back at her.

“Oh, Lizzy, do look at it again,” Maria said, reaching for the necklace. “It is very pretty. All it needs is a bit of polishing.”

Before Elizabeth could object, Maria had unclasped the chain and stepped closer, slipping it around Elizabeth’s neck. “There. Now let me have a look.”

Elizabeth reached up, her fingers brushing the warm metal where it rested just above the line of her spencer. The locket lay neatly against her skin, its presence surprisingly natural.

“It is perfect on you,” Maria said. “You ought to buy it, Lizzy.”

Elizabeth took it off, her thumb grazing the edge of the catch. She tried to open it again, pressing gently with her fingernail, but it did not budge.

“It is truly stuck,” she murmured. “No matter what I do, it will not yield.”

“Perhaps we can get it open later,” Maria said easily. “And if not, it is still pretty as it is. Lockets do not always need to hold something inside.”

The older woman’s bracelets gave a merry jingle as she reached for a small pouch. “It will open,” she said, “but only when the time is right.”

Elizabeth gazed back at her, unsettled despite herself. There was something in the woman’s voice that struck a chord—but she could not place it.

“My father did give me a little extra pin money before we left,” she mused aloud, “though I had thought to save it for our return trip to town.”

Madame Hercaud’s dark eyes held Elizabeth’s for a moment, calm and unwavering.

“Very well,” Elizabeth relented, a little breathlessly. “I shall take it.”

As the coins changed hands and the purchase was completed, the woman pressed the wrapped locket into Elizabeth’s palm with a serious expression. The linen bundle was small and light, tied with a bit of faded ribbon, yet Elizabeth closed her fingers around it as if it were something far more precious.

“Come, Lizzy—we must not keep Papa waiting,” Maria said, already turning back towards the inn.

They quickened their steps, weaving through the thinning crowd and returning to the coaching yard. Elizabeth’s reticule swung lightly at her side, but she held the pouch a moment longer, reluctant to part with it.

As they passed the carriage, already readied for the remainder of their journey, a curious unease stirred within her. She shook her head and followed Maria through the inn’s front door, slipping the parcel into her reticule at last. But the faint warmth seemed to linger in her palm, long after the locket had been stowed away.

And without further ado….here is the big reveal!!!

(Expected release date October 16th)

Stunning! She is so Lizzy, right? The thoughtful expression with a hint of playfulness!  🤩

Given the scene we just read, how perfect that she is holding some jewelry in this image.  📿

I’m so curious about the speculative twists, hints of destiny, and the mystery in this variation. ✨

I’m eager to see Elizabeth caught between two realities and see the differences of her relationship with Mr. Darcy in each of them... 🎩

What do you think, friends? 🤔

~~~

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Today Jennifer brings with her two ebook copies of Some Little Alteration for me to give away to 2️⃣ lucky winners!

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

• This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, authors

• This giveaway ends September 22nd!