What If Mr. Darcy Was Sent To Meryton to Spy on a Supposed Traitor?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice variation

TIME FRAME: Begins a few weeks before the Meryton Assembly

SYNOPSIS: After being injured in a random attack, Mr. Darcy forms a new friendship with his rescuer, Lord Stanton. While tending to Mr. Darcy’s injuries, Lord Stanton suggests that Mr. Darcy continues to recuperate in the country where he can also lend him some assistance by keeping tabs on a suspicious subject… And so Mr. Darcy ventures into Hertfordshire to visit his friend Mr. Bingley, who coincidentally just leased a home in the area, and befriend a local squire named Thomas Bennet, who is believed to be assisting some Frenchmen and hiding a great secret.

What happens when Mr. Darcy tries to charm and ingratiate himself into the Bennet family? What happens when Elizabeth makes her own startling discoveries about her family? And what will happen when Darcy and Elizabeth discover they share the same suspicions?

WHAT I LOVED:

• Mr. Bennet and Longbourn: I love the air of intrigue around Mr. Bennet in this story! I love that Elizabeth has discovered some secret rooms and stairwells at Longbourn and has seen some unknown strangers entering and leaving through them. There are secrets, unknowns, and mysteries aplenty in this variation, and they all center upon Thomas Bennet! Riana Everly created a very fresh, original and riveting premise with this tale!

• Secrets and Spying: So many suspicions, so many unanswered questions! It was great fun to explore a Pride and Prejudice variation where Darcy and Elizabeth are both engaged in espionage activities and making use of their keen observation and deduction skills. I loved all the snooping, midnight encounters, and private conversations this premise brought on for Darcy and Elizabeth. And I love that Riana Everly kept us all in the dark as long as she did! It was great fun!

• Mr. Darcy: Because he is charged with befriending the Bennets and earning their trust, Mr. Darcy is much more likable in this story. And it isn’t long into his mission, that Darcy’s interest and friendship towards the Bennets becomes genuine. I enjoyed the quandary Mr. Darcy felt himself in by his investigations, and greatly admired how he conducted everything honorably and methodically. In addition, I enjoyed the interesting additions to his character that Ms. Everly added – such as his knowledge  of ornithology and his talent for technical drawing. But what I especially loved and admired about this  Mr. Darcy was his feelings towards Elizabeth Bennet as they worked together and how he was aware and appreciative of  everything about her.

• Elizabeth Bennet: I love curious and headstrong heroines who take it upon themselves to start their own explorations and scrutinize others to solve the unknown! I admired all of Elizabeth’s skills in this variation. She is quick as a whip, has an impressive understanding of mechanics, and not at all afraid to put Mr. Darcy in his place. I especially admired Elizabeth’s emotional strength as she dealt with the possibility of her father being discovered as a traitor and the impossibility of her affections for Mr. Darcy.

• Researched, Detailed, and Edifying: It is abundantly clear that with each of her books Riana Everly conducts extensive research to painstakingly present a tale full of rich historical detail and accuracy. I love recognizing this as a trademark of her writing, and I love that I always learn something new when I read one of her stories. In this story, the reader learn about code machines, cypher, various automata, and music boxes – which were all fascinating and fairly new to me.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• Pacing: There were some instances where the pacing felt a little uneven. Sometimes some of the technical descriptions and conversations about of mechanics felt a little on the heavy/long side. And in other parts of the story some events and plot twists felt like they happened very suddenly and without much set-up.

• Small Quibbles: Just a few times I questioned the plausibility of a particular action or occurrence. And part of me did feel like maybe there was a question or two left unanswered.

CONCLUSION:

With The Bennet Affair, Riana Everly skillfully crafts an exciting Pride and Prejudice variation about espionage, hidden rooms, and falling in love with the enemy! This variation is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy Pride and Prejudice stories with unique premises and rich historical backdrop, and also those who would love the idea of Mr. Darcy being a spy!

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