
Source: Review copy from Sourcebooks
Rating: ★★★☆☆
After Darcy returned to his room for the night, Anne thought about all that had happened between Will and Elizabeth and recognized that her cousin had got himself into a real mess. But Fitzwilliam Darcy was in love with Elizabeth Bennet, and Anne had seen real interest on Elizabeth’s part during their evenings together at Rosings Park, so something had to be done. Before retiring, she had settled on a course of action. It was as complicated as any battle plan, and it would take luck and timing to make it work. But her cousin’s happiness was at stake, and so she began to work out the details of her scheme.
(from The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, page 37 in the ARC)
The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy shows that author Mary Lydon Simonsen adores the characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and that she’s willing to have a little fun with them. I’d first seen Simonsen’s playful side in Anne Elliot: A New Beginning, a hilarious rewriting of Austen’s Persuasion. This time around, Simonsen recognizes that the arrogant though well-meaning Darcy needs some help in the romance department. Despite being one of England’s most eligible bachelors, Darcy can’t get a simple farmer’s daughter to accept a marriage proposal that most woman would die for.
Enter Anne de Bourgh, Darcy’s cousin and daughter of the high-and-mighty Lady Catherine. Despite some serious health problems, Anne puts together a plan to bring Elizabeth and Darcy together at Pemberley — a plan that enables both of them to recognize their faults and move beyond bad first impressions. Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, also assumes the role of matchmaker and assists in Anne’s scheming.
The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy closely follows the events in Austen’s original novel, which made it a tad slow for me in spots. But Simonsen’s original characters make the book a delight. I loved getting to know Anne, and Georgiana’s penchant for gothic novels and her pursuit of a career in writing was a lovely addition. Simonsen even gives Louisa Bingley more of a role, and her interactions with Lord Fitzwilliam, Colonel Fitzwilliam’s brother and Darcy’s cousin, are hilarious. The odd Mr. Nesbitt, who courts Jane Bennet in Mr. Bingley’s absence, and Mrs. Caxton, a woman from Darcy’s past, also provide much entertainment.
Without straying too far from the original, Simonsen allows readers to get into the heads of Austen’s characters and even has some fun with the ones we love to hate. Caroline Bingley is even more snotty, Wickham even more horrid, and Lydia Bennet even more dimwitted, generating much laughs. Those dead set against altering Austen’s classic novel might not be amused, but if you’re like me and don’t mind someone taking liberties with your favorite characters, The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy is a fun, light read.
Check out my reviews of other Mary Lydon Simonsen books:
Searching for Pemberley
Anne Elliot, A New Beginning
Disclosure: I received The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy from Sourcebooks for review.
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
It does seem that the story would be a little slow since it follows the original so closely. I’m glad the characters redeem it.
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Well, even though it slowed it down a bit for me, I still really enjoyed it. 🙂
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How many of the Austen retellings have you read so far 🙂 You have a great repository of reviews of them.
Not for me, I am still struggling to read Austen!
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Too many to count! 🙂
Hope you succeed in reading some Austen this year.
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I really enjoyed this one..glad you liked it too.
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I’m glad we had a few laughs together at Mr. Nesbitt’s expense. 🙂
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hey! you can leave the links in the comments if you like.
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Thanks, Haley! Will do.
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Hi Anna. Thank you for your review. Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for mentioning Anne Elliot, my little orphan. I have another book coming out in July. Hopefully, I’ll be back here at Diary of an Eccentric. 🙂 Mary
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Mary, I’d love to read your next book, and I’d be happy to have you back here then!
Thanks for keeping up with all the comments. 🙂
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P.S. Mr. Nesbitt is getting a lot of attention from the reviewers. I think it’s because everyone knows someone like Mr. Nesbitt. In the NYVC area, he’s known as a “nebbish.” LOL
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I just couldn’t get over the odd courting gifts. Too funny!
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I forgot about Louisa, i truly liked how she was shown in this one 🙂
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Louisa is one of those characters you don’t usually think twice about, so it was nice to see her front and center for a few pages. 🙂
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It is always a pleasure to revist Darcy and Elizabeth. This sounds like a perfect book to snuggle up with a hot cup of tea!
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Yes, and with all the cold weather and snow lately, a good book and hot tea sounds like a wonderful idea!
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Now that I’m “in the know” about Jane Austen and the whole Pride and Prejudice thing, these types of books make more sense to me. Now if someone could just give Mrs. Bennet a personality makeover!
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I’m so glad you’re “in the know.” It’s so much fun! I agree about Mrs. Bennet, but even though she’s annoying, she’s hilarious.
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Blodeuedd, Thank you for your comment about Louisa. She always struck me as a follower. Unfortunately, it was Caroline she was following.
Kim V, Thank you.
Jenners, You really have to be “in the know.” A friend, who does not read Austen, said that reading my books is like going to a party where you don’t know anyone. I will have a new book coming out next year in which Mr. Darcy comes to America. I have written a sensible Mrs. Bennet. Stay tuned. 🙂
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I can’t wait for this one Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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A sensible Mrs. Bennet? This I must read!!
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Anna, this does sound like a fun book, and I think I’d also enjoy the originality of the characters. Terrific review! (Anna, you’ve inspired me to get busy with my Austen spin-offs.)
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I’m so glad!! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
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Hi Anna I saw on Blodeuedd’s blog that your interested in reading By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan. I thought you may be interested in a giveaway that I have going on over at my site. I’m giving away 2 copies of By Fire, By Water. Someone once took the time out to let me know about their giveaway & I really appreciated it so I thought I would step by and give you the opportunity in reading this book 🙂
Taylor~ http://allthingshistoricalfiction.blogspot.com/
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Hi Taylor! Thank you for stopping by to let me know. I already have a copy of the book, but your blog looks great and I’m sure I’ll pop over from time to time.
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This sounds like fun! I am not super familiar with Austen, but my sister loves her. I am going to tell her about this book.
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If she loves Austen and all the retellings, she should enjoy this one.
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I really liked this one too and will certainly read more from this author!
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Me, too. If you haven’t already read Searching for Pemberley and Anne Elliot: A New Beginning, you should.
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Thank you, Suko and Kim.
Staci, Will you be my new BFF? 🙂
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This is a new one for me. I’ve enjoyed few Austen wannabe’s, but this one actually sounds entertaining!
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Thanks, Holly. I hope you will find it to be excessively diverting. 🙂
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I hope you give this one a try. Austen variations are my guilty pleasure!
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