Hi friends! Happy Friday!

I’m so happy to welcome back author Ali Scott to Austenesque Reviews today! 

As you may have seen, Ali just celebrated the release of her fifth Pride and Prejudice variation earlier this week. ✨

And in this variation, titled A Summer to Remember, it sounds like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth share a different history…having them meet at Pemberley and five years earlier.

Ali is here to share an excerpt from her newly published release – A Summer to Remember! 🌷

We hope you enjoy! 

~ Book Description ~

You must be very careful with my heart, for it belongs to you.

Five years ago, fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Bennet arrived at Pemberley as a friend for young Georgiana Darcy. That bittersweet summer ended in heartbreak, shadowed by events she has tried desperately to forget. Elizabeth returns to Derbyshire with her wealthy aunt—and finds herself face-to-face with the serious, reserved Mr Darcy.

Darcy remembers little of the spirited girl from years past, but the elegant woman before him captivates him completely. As Elizabeth’s presence brings his melancholic sister back to life, he begins to see what he has been missing—the beauty, joy, and passion that his grief-stricken existence has lacked.

When Darcy’s charming cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, arrives at Pemberley, childhood friendship reignites, and Elizabeth must navigate the attentions of two very different men. But as old wounds resurface and new feelings blossom, she discovers that the proud Mr. Darcy harbors depths of kindness and devotion that challenge everything she thought she knew.

In a summer filled with second chances, can two wounded souls find the courage to embrace a love neither expected? Or will the shadows of the past prove too powerful to overcome?

~ Excerpt from A Summer to Remember ~

Elizabeth glanced around the formal drawing room as she and her aunt joined their hosts. She had only ever been permitted to enter once before. How different this room was from the soft, floral furnishings of Lady Acaster’s house in Mayfair. Although elegant, the atmosphere was sober: polished side tables of the darkest walnut were placed under formal, unsmiling portraits; no books were to be seen dotted about, half read; no baskets of incomplete embroidery were tucked under the sofa as they were in her aunt’s residence. Indeed, Elizabeth could find nothing that would reveal anything of the preferences of the people who lived there. She shivered. For all its grandeur, this was not a welcoming space.

Her aunt had settled next to Mr Darcy and was attempting to engage him in conversation. His answers were brief and distracted. At least he is attempting to speak to my aunt. He has scarcely spoken two words to me. Apparently he is the same proud man that he ever was. Once, Mr Darcy glanced in her direction, and she made sure to smile. He frowned and gave a curt nod before continuing his conversation with Lady Acaster. Smarting from this dismissal, Elizabeth’s attention turned to Miss Darcy, whom she was sitting beside. The sweet girl of Elizabeth’s memory had grown into a beautiful young woman. What a shame she is so quiet! Miss Darcy’s childhood shyness had intensified to a point where she seemed almost scared to speak in front of another. Compassion tugged at Elizabeth’s heart, and she decided that if the girl did not wish to speak then she would do enough talking for them both. And so Elizabeth commenced the strange task of putting her hostess at ease in her own home, regaling Miss Darcy with anecdotes from her childhood or from her time in London.

“And what did you do next?” Miss Darcy whispered, her expression a touching mixture of horror and admiration.

“The only thing I could think of—I tucked the wretched thing into my reticule and hoped no one would notice the dreadful smell.”

A scandalised giggle escaped from Miss Darcy, causing Mr Darcy and Lady Acaster to look over.

As usual, Lady Acaster took exception to being left out of any merriment. “What is the cause of all this amusement? I hope I am not too advanced in my years to be excluded from your fun.”

Elizabeth gave Miss Darcy a sly glance and replied mischievously, “A woman of your wisdom and experience would find our conversation trifling and inconsequential. I am surprised you wish to be part of it.”

Lady Acaster gestured towards Mr Darcy with a tilt of the hand. “My niece has mastered a neat little trick of giving an indirect answer when she does not wish to reveal her true thoughts. You must beware, Mr Darcy, lest you are hoodwinked.”

“Your advice will be committed to my memory.” The warmth in Mr Darcy’s tone took Elizabeth by surprise. She looked over at him; he was regarding her with interest.

Heat rose to her face at the impression her aunt had sketched of her character. “Lady Acaster will have you believe that I am some kind of trickster. I only ever utter my truthful opinion.”

Lady Acaster snorted. “Take care not to enter any kind of debate with my niece. It is a labyrinthine experience that scarcely leaves one unscathed.”

“Aunt!” Elizabeth could not contain her laughter. “You portray me very badly.”

“Tell me, what was Elizabeth like when she stayed here? Please reassure me that she conducted herself with more decorum than she does now.” Lady Acaster’s eyes twinkled wickedly. “Even if it means her manners have worsened with age.”

Mr Darcy hesitated. An uncomfortable heat swept up Elizabeth’s neck and shoulders. Suddenly, she was transported to the cold ground behind the steward’s cottage. Surely he would not speak of her shame in front of others? Desperately, she steered the conversation away. “You do not have to answer that, sir. Indeed, I pray that you do not—for it would only encourage my aunt to partake in her favourite pastime, which is to tease me mercilessly.”

At her words, Mr Darcy grinned, his face transformed before slipping back behind his more formal mask. “As a chivalrous gentleman, the only reply I can provide is that Miss Bennet was a very agreeable guest.” His lips twitched. “Though I am not sure that my gardener, Mr Soames, would be of the same opinion.”

His compliment left Elizabeth speechless. She had always believed he considered her to be something of a nuisance; this praise was wholly unexpected.

Apparently unaware of her niece’s astonishment, Lady Acaster continued in a mock-despairing vein. “The fateful log pile has already been made known to me. I am fearful of what other transgressions I might learn.”

Elizabeth searched Mr Darcy’s face, looking for any trace of condemnation, but to her amazement, his dazzling smile appeared again. “Remarkably, the summer of Miss Bennet’s visit was marked by an inundation of small birds making their way into the house. Interestingly, this phenomenon has never happened since.”

I always thought I was beneath his notice. Confused, Elizabeth opened her mouth to move the conversation to safer topics but was stopped by a voice next to her.

“Perhaps now is the time to reveal that Elizabeth was telling me about her daring rescue of an injured hedgehog.” All of them looked at Miss Darcy. With surprising boldness, she threw her shoulders back, and her mouth curved into a tentative, playful smile. “At this point in the conversation, it could hardly be a shock.”

Lady Acaster burst into laughter, soon followed by Elizabeth and Miss Darcy. Mr Darcy remained silent, an expression of quiet awe on his face. His sister’s saucy remark had clearly been unexpected, but by the glow of his eyes as he looked upon Miss Darcy, it did not appear to be unwelcome.

ooh I feel like I know exactly the expression Ms. Scott is describing…I’ve seen it on Colin Firth’s face! 😊

I’m sat and need to know what else happened this summer five years ago… 

~~~

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

The lovely people at Quills and Quartos are offering   ebook copies of A Summer to Remember to   lucky readers who comment on today’s post!

To enter this giveaway leave a question, comment, or some love for Ali below.

• This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Quills and Quartos! 
• This giveaway ends April 30th.

A Summer to Remember is now available in ebook and paperback!