Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections: A Pride & Prejudice Variation

Enjoyable variation that is well written and a well developed storyline with added characters. Our favourite characters are unknowingly drawn together by circumstances to a house party and then the unexpected begins. Enjoy.

I really enjoyed reading this book. As usual an extraordinary Abigail Reynolds work. I like these new characters Eleonor and Paxton however I detested most of the time Charles Carlisle, which is good because it helped developing the plot. A really good work.

This is a unique variation with only Elizabeth and Darcy from the original and a whole lot of new characters. Elizabeth visits her friend, Lady Eleanor and is dismayed at her situation. Eleanor is in love with her neighbour, who is in trade, but her family is trying to marry her off to a lord. Darcy is staying with the neighbour, who is his friend and needs help to placate Eleanor’s family. Both Elizabeth and Darcy try to help their friends but are caught up in the drama. Plus Elizabeth is falling in love with Darcy but she seems to have acquired another suitor. This author writes beautifully, the characters and their emotions are believable. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story and the romance between Darcy and Elizabeth is steamy, without becoming vulgar. The issue I had was the messy climax, when truth is finally revealed. Why did it take four years? And then it literally took a couple of hours to sort things out. Anyway, fun read

There are new settings, new people, new places with only Darcy and Lizzy that are known to us.The characters of ODC in the first half of the story are more familiar to me; the second half brings out an even more lively Elizabeth and a not so reserved Darcy.Although the new characters are not so easily warm up to, the storyline is good.

I enjoyed the very different story line. The new characters were hard to keep up with, but after some rereads, I understood the plot a little better. The story is good and entertaining.

TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Alternate PathTIME FRAME: A couple months after Darcy's proposal at Hundsford ParsonageMAIN CHARACTERS: Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Lady Eleanor Carlisle (original), Lord Charles Carlisle (original), George Paxton (original), Dowager Marchioness (original), and Lord and Lady Bentham (originals)SYNOPSIS: What if Elizabeth didn't have a "very strong local attachment?" What if she wasn't "always at Longbourn?" What if Lizzy spent much of her childhood as a playmate and resident companion to the daughter of a Marquess. Now, six years after her last visit with dear Lady Eleanor, (and a couple months after Mr. Darcy's disastrous proposal at Hunsford Parsonage) Elizabeth returns to Bentham Park to find none other than the "last man in the world" she'd ever want to encounter again!WHAT I LOVED:- A Change of Cast/A Change of Scenery: No Bennets, Bingleys, Gardiners, or Wickhams. No Jane, Charles, Georgiana, or Colonel Fitzwilliam. No Longbourn, Pemberley, Rosings, or Netherfield. Abigail Reynolds takes her readers to a wholly new and original location - Bentham Park and introduces readers to a whole new cast of characters.- Intriguing New Characters: Such dynamic and well-drawn original characters! The Carlisles - a noble, titled family - consists of a son in exile, another son whose rakish habits rival Henry Crawford, a rebellious daughter in love with an unsuitable man, an evil step mother, and a strong matriarch whos loves to give commands. I loved all these new characters, especially Lord Charles - I can't help but like the idea of a bad boy trying to turn good.- Mr. Darcy - A True Gentleman: Fiercely loyal and protective of his friends and loved ones, honorable and noble even in the most difficult of predicaments, principled and respectful - Elizabeth Bennet can hardly find reason to accuse Mr. Darcy of being ungentlemanly in this novel! I just loved seeing him act so heroically and honorably! So many excellent traits to admire and love! He even shows some vulnerability in this novel - your heart doesn't stand a chance!- A Variety of Influences and Inspirations: Henry Crawford, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Lady Bracknell, Downton Abbey - such a wonderful and intriguing array of influences and inspirations. I loved spotting the echoes and references to all these great works and characters whether they were intended or not.- Ton Manners and Practices: In this novel there is talk of entrapments, extramarital affairs, duels, and gambling bets gone bad. We are no longer in the quiet country parlors of Jane Austen, but in the more worldly and scandal-ridden drawing rooms of the upperclass. It did in some ways feel very much like a Georgette Heyer novel.WHAT I WASN'T TOO FOND OF:Not. A. Thing. :DNOTE:This novel does not contain mautre sex scenes as many of Abigail Reynolds's other novels do. There is some passionate kissing and sensuality, but the only article of clothing being removed is...Lizzy's hairpins *sigh*CONCLUSION:In my opinion, Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections is quite different from Ms. Reynolds's other splendid Pemberley Variations. But different in a good way! I thoroughly enjoyed her refreshing deperature from the Pride and Prejudice canon, inventive new characters, and exciting new plot twists! Well done, Abigail Reynolds!Austenesque Reviews

It's a good one, one that actually stays relatively true to Jane Austen"s story and characters. It also introduces new characters which are interesting

I *really* enjoyed this book, it had just the right combination of story, convention, suspense and humour, and I couldn't wait to get back to it when I had to leave it! (I blame Ms Reynolds for my appalling recent fitbit step counts!) I had a heap of variations on my kindle and had begun wading through them with varying degrees of enjoyment, some blur together, some rely too much on misunderstanding or not speaking or padding out with internal agonisings and unfounded assumptions. I recognise that these are all useful elements in story telling but sometimes you find yourself a little Darcy-like in your lack of patience when something is overdone to the grating on the nerves degree. BUT! Not so this one. I don't know if I've read any others by this author in the past, and I see this is the tenth of ten so I'm definitely tempted to try some others. Jane Austen she is not, but I don't think that's the aim here. But what she is is a credible story teller, using characters, relationships, scenarios, settings and conventions beautifully to weave her own very entertaining tale. I'm not sure how useful a review without going into the plot detail is, but let's just say if you enjoy variations/continuations, and if, like me, you're not after the bodice ripper types, I'm pretty certain you'll love this one.

Yet another exquisite Pride and Prejudice variation by Abigail Reynolds, that starts with the novel premise that Elizabeth and Darcy's worlds are more interconnected than he had ever imagined - in fact, too interconnected for his comfort, to begin with!Soon after Hunsford, Darcy travels to visit his exalted connections further up north - at the request of a good friend who needs his help and advice - only to find, to his shock, that the imposing household has a very unexpected guest: a certain Miss Elizabeth Bennet.From then on, the plot thickens, and the author skilfully stirs in a villain, a missing brother who's departure from the family fold is shrouded in secrecy and whispers of dishonourable behaviour, an overbearing step-mother, tantalising hints of Shakespeare and of course, plenty of delicious interludes between Elizabeth and Darcy, on the backdrop of absolutely stunning scenery.The poignancy of the scenes between them is too romantic for words, and I particularly enjoyed the very sweet moments of Darcy's heart-warming vulnerability in Elizabeth's healing hands. There are highs, dark lows and plenty of drama in this lovely story and we feel them all, travelling with our favourite characters through their happy times and their times of quandary and anguish towards an ending we're expecting (and a few secondary ones we don't).A thrilling read, not to be missed!

If there's one thing that's certain in life, it's that you will enjoy a book written by Abigail Reynolds, and Mr Darcy's Noble Connections is no exception.Set in Yorkshire, such is the skill with which Ms Reynolds wields her pen that the landscape and settings leave a powerful impression, so much so that they almost become another `character'!The story begins with Elizabeth arriving at the majestic Bentham Park at the request of an old friend, Lady Eleanor Carlisle, who is being forced to marry against her inclination and, what is more, has lost her heart to the owner of a neighbouring estate, who, though raised and educated as a gentleman, would not be considered worthy of Eleanor by her family due to his wealth emanating from his father's background in trade.Darcy, meanwhile, who has connections to Lady Eleanor's family, has come to stay with his friend from university - the very same gentleman with whom Eleanor is in love. It is hoped that Darcy will be able to help his friend with an entrée into Bentham Park.Soon, a whole cast of characters - skilfully drawn by Ms Reynolds - has arrived at Bentham, bent on pleasure and socialising at this elegant house party gathering.What's not to like? With plenty of sparring, some swoon-worthy waltzing, an exiled heir to the Estate, a second son bent on ruining Elizabeth's reputation and an embittered but jealous Mr Darcy, the scene is set for yet another fantastic story about two of literature's favourite characters.Well-written with fully rounded, believable new characters, blending seamlessly with those we know so well, this is an excellent read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Pride & Prejudice inspired stories.

Not as good as expected from Abigail Reynolds. Idiotically put together through like a Mills & Booms. The sort of book I would read in A Surgery waiting room. It confirms my theory by which a good writer can only produce ONE very good book: the others are just repetitions. If Ms Reynold is trying to prove the all the Darcys & Fitzwilliam are as bad as the Bennets, she ought to have jotted down, less nonsensical, "surprisingly shocking actions such as Lady Anne waiting for her mother to die to run off & make a proper life for herself. I hope that my teenage daughter will never dream of putting such rubbish in her col​lection.

The start of the book wasn’t too disjointed from the Austen’s characters but as the story continued they became increasing separated from their name sakes. If you like a regency romance this is middling but certainly wasn’t the Darcy and Lizzy I was hoping to find.