Honor and Peculiar Engagements
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Author
TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Variation
TIME FRAME: Begins with Mr. Darcy’s arrival in Hertfordshire + prologue and epilogue
MAIN CHARACTERS: The Bennets, The Darcys, Lady Catherine, Anne de Bourgh, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and James Hamilton (original character)
SYNOPSIS: Throwing Pride and Prejudice and its beloved characters on their ear, Anngela Schroeder has crafted a variation where at the start of the novel both Darcy and Elizabeth are engaged (or assumed engaged) to someone else. What happens when they meet and feel some stirrings in their heart? What happens when they wish to declare their love for each other, but can’t?
WHAT I LOVED:
- Double Whammy: I’ve read stories where Elizabeth is engaged or married to someone else, and some where Darcy is engaged or married to someone else, but this story had BOTH characters engaged and bound by honor to someone else! I love how having both characters unavailable upped the ante a little. Even if one of them were to break or be released from their engagement it didn’t necessarily mean anything would change for the other person… It definitely left me anxiously wondering how Darcy and Elizabeth can be together!
- Darcy and Elizabeth are Utterly Adorable: Both characters spend a lot of time analyzing their feelings and situations in this story. It was adorable to witness both characters feel the stirrings of love and the moments of realization when they realize their heart is irrevocably lost to the other. I loved seeing all the cute moments where both Darcy and Elizabeth would voice their heart’s longings privately in a place where they didn’t think anyone would hear them. Especially when Lizzy talks to Mr. Darcy’s books and the moon.
- Romantic and Enchanting: Ms. Schroeder definitely knows how to pen some romantic and eloquent passages full of ardent yearning and devotion! *sigh* I loved witnessing the playful banter and friendship between Darcy and Elizabeth, but I loved the heart-stopping moments where there is so much tension and chemistry you are just dying for them to admit their feelings for each other!
- Different Principal Characters: This premise travels a good deal away from canon and with that different characters come into the spotlight. Georgiana, Kitty, and the de Bourghs are much more present in this variation, and while it was lovely to see more of Anne, Kitty, and Georgiana, Lady Catherine is truly corrupt and malicious! I also enjoyed Ms. Schroeder’s original characters, especially James Hamilton, Elizabeth’s childhood friend turned suitor. He was an interesting mix – added some tension, inspired some jealousy, and caused a misunderstanding or two! However, he was absent a lot and I sometimes found myself wishing he received more page time.
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
- Some Small Quibbles: I loved the endearing and tender scenes between Elizabeth and Darcy when they were alone together, although sometimes I did find some of their actions and situations a little too open or surprising given the propriety dictates of the day. SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT!: In addition, while I understand Darcy staunchly wanting to honor his dear mother’s wishes, I kind of feel he would have been at more of a crossroads about following through with the engagement when he realizes the possibility of Anne’s affections lying elsewhere. However, these small matters did not mar my enjoyment of this beautiful romance. 🙂
CONCLUSION:
Tender, poignant, and beautifully romantic – A Lie Universally Hidden is a wonderful choice for readers who love to see Darcy and Elizabeth become friends first, the younger Bennet sisters redirected onto more favorable paths, and Lady C receiving her just desserts! I cannot wait to see what Anngela Schroeder writes next!
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Anngela is giving away two autographed hard copies (US mailing addresses only) 2 kindle versions (Open to international winners), an autographed copy of Then Comes Winter (US mailing address only) and an autographed 5×7 print of the A Lie Universally Hidden book cover.
Commenting and entering through the rafflecopter widget on this blog enters you in a chance to win!
- This giveaway is open worldwide (with some shipping restrictions).
- This giveaway ends January 29th.
Thank you to Claudine Pepe and Anngela Schroeder for making this blog tour possible!
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January 16/ My Jane Austen Book Club
January 17/ From Pemberley to Milton
January 18/ A Covent Garden Madame Gilflurt’s Guide to Life
January 19/ So Little Time…
January 20/ My Vices and Weaknesses
January 21/ Babblings of a Bookworm
January 22/ Just Jane 1813
**January 23/Austenesque Reviews**
January 24/ Obsessed with Mr. Darcy
January 25/ Every Savage Can Dance
January 26 / Diary of an Eccentric
**January 27 / Austenesque Reviews**
January 28/ My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice
January 29/ Savvy Verse & Wit
In all the reviews I have read I have come across mentions of Kitty and Lydia,but not one mention of Mary
That might be because Mary didn’t really have a big part in this story and her role and behavior is the same as in P&P. Kitty and Lydia both have a bit of an altered course.
Lovely review. I look forward to reading this book especially as it seems Lady Catherine gets her just desserts. I read the prologue on a previous post!!!! I am unable to enter the giveaway on here as the ‘comment on a blog’ line is not available. I really really don’t like Rafflecopter giveaways as they never work for me but I don’t actually mind so much as it is the reviews I like to read as these help me to decide whether I will like a book or not so thanks Meredith.
Thank you, Glynis! <3 Yes, I firmly believe Lady C completely deserves what happens to her in this one! 🙂 Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear the Rafflecopter is giving you a hard time! Is it an issue you have only on my blog? I will definitely look into it and see if there is something I can do. I don't use rafflecopter a lot for giveaways, only when blog tours require it.
I read this as a e-book but would love an autographed copy.
Best of luck, Sheila!
Lovely review,Meredith. I’ve heard great things about this book acts cavy wait to read it.
Am with Glynis re.the rafflecopter comp. I can’t vote either as I’ve posted a comment on another blog.
Cheers for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you, Mary! 🙂 Oh no! Was it only on my blog you couldn’t enter? Please let me know and I’ll see what I can do!
I appreciate you checking out my review!
I’ve been wondering about this book so I’m very glad to read your compelling review. Thank you very much for all of the reading and writing you do that makes my selecting process so much easier!
Thank you, Jan! 🙂 I’m happy you find my reviews helpful! That is the best compliment you could give me!
Beautiful review! This sounds like a very romantic read!
Thank you, Maria! It was indeed!
Great review! This one is on my wish list. 🙂
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
This sounds like a great novel. What an interesting plot, both engaged. I’m lookin forward to reading it – I slowly get into reading more again now the kids are no babys anymore
Yay, Katrin! 🙂 Happy for you! Yes, it is interesting that both are unavailable!
A unique twist on P&P, hope to read it soon.
Hope you get the chance, Stephanie!
This sounds so good!!! It’s going on the TBR list asap!!!
Awesome!!! 🙂
Wonderful review, Meredith. It’s lovely when D&E become friends first, I think. And the mention of a love interest for Anne intrigues me greatly. I really want to know how it all works out and everyone gets to their HEA.
Thank you, Anji! I love seeing D&E as friends, it is so different from how their relationship usually begins!
Great review Meredith. I love ODC becoming friends and Kitty and Lydia learning how to behave.
Thanks for the giveaway
Thanks, Kate! 🙂 Yes, it is so gratifying to witness! 🙂
Loved your review Meredith. I am looking forward to reading this in the near future! There are so many things about this story that really intrigue me! Thank you for the giveaway!
Thank you, Carole! I hope you get the chance to read this one soon! I found the premise so intriguing too!
Lovely review, Meredith! Thank you for the giveaway! 🙂
Thanks, Daniela! 🙂
What a great review, Meredith! It’s always nice to see new insights shared about a book I have read and your reviews never fail to do that for me!
Thank you for playing host twice on this tour. We really appreciate all of your support!
Thank you, Claudine! I appreciate it so much! 🙂 I am very honored to be a part of this tour and thank both you and Anngela for graciously allowing me to do both review and interview!
Double whammie indeed with both being engaged. I just read the excerpt with the hints at Anne’s own romance so yes, that would make things interesting.
Nice review, Meredith!
Indeed! It does! Thanks so much for checking out my review!
Thanks for the review Meredith. I will add this to my TBR list. Thanks to Angela for the giveaway. Leslie
Thanks for reading my review, Leslie! Best of luck!
Thank you for finding these wonderful new books for me to read:)
My pleasure! 🙂