Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Virginia Kohl to Diary of an Eccentric for the first time. She’s here to share an excerpt from her Jane Austen-inspired novel, True Love Comes to Delaford. I love coming across variations that are inspired by an Austen novel other than Pride and Prejudice, so I just had to add this one to my wish list. Please give Virginia a warm welcome!
My introduction to Jane Austen and the Regency era was through her first novel Sense and Sensibility. From the beginning, my favorite characters were Colonel Brandon and Elinor Dashwood. I loved the genuine respect and esteem they had for one another. It was easy to imagine this devoted friendship developing into a lasting love match. True Love Comes to Delaford is their story.
In this excerpt, Colonel Brandon says goodbye to Miss Dashwood after their initial meeting:
Standing with his hosts and their guests, Colonel Brandon briefly reflected on the contrast made by Mrs. Dashwood’s eldest daughters. Miss Marianne was the taller, more heavyset of the sisters. Miss Dashwood was petite with, he could not help but notice, pleasing delicate features. After politely helping each to their seat, he came to the last of the ladies. Spotting the title of the book tucked under her arm, he took her other hand.
“I have read that novel. There are some very interesting facets to the plot. If you wish to discuss them once you have finished, it would be my pleasure, Miss Dashwood.”
His warm smile reached his eyes. When they focused upon someone, the individual was well aware they had all of his attention.
Elinor felt the heat rise in her cheeks for the second time that night.
“Thank you. I look forward to it, Colonel.”
The warmth and unexpected pleasure he felt from having her hand in his would stay with him long after the evening had ended.
If you enjoyed this excerpt, True Love Comes to Delaford is available in both Kindle and trade paperback.
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About True Love Comes to Delaford
Elinor Dashwood’s father dies, leaving the fate of his family in the hands of two self-serving vultures. With diminished chances of making a respectable match and several uneventful Seasons behind her, the fiercely independent, bibliophile focuses on helping her family adjust to their new life. However, as her friendship with an honorable gentleman grows, the twenty-year-old begins experiencing feelings she never thought possible. When Colonel Brandon resigned from the army to become the master of his family’s estate, he thought his best days were behind him. For years, the bachelor of five-and-thirty has successfully avoided every attempt of his well-meaning friends to find him a suitable wife. Although, he soon finds himself questioning his long-held beliefs regarding his single status, when Miss Dashwood strolls into his life. In this refreshing whimsy, Virginia Kohl explores the possibility of Elinor Dashwood and Colonel Brandon’s devoted friendship turning into more.
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About the Author

Virginia Kohl
Virginia Kohl has been fascinated with the regency era since discovering Jane Austen’s works at the age of eleven. While others dreamt of Willoughby, it was Colonel Brandon who stole Virginia’s heart from the very beginning. Originally from Germany, she shares her Texas home with her illustrator mother and faithful rescue dog. When not passing her love of learning on to her students, this college math professor enjoys reading, writing, and being an active member of her local writer’s guild.
Virginia Kohl can be reached at www.virginiakohl.com and www.facebook.com/VirginiaKohl3
Her debut novel can be found at www.amazon.com/author/virginiakohl and www.goodreads.com/author/show/17214552.Virginia_Kohl
The accompanying tea blend can be found at www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=127735
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Giveaway
Virginia is generously offering a Kindle copy of True Love Comes to Delaford to one lucky reader (open internationally). To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will be open through Sunday, May 27, 2018. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!
Thank you, Virginia, for being my guest today! I hope you will visit again soon!
I also love Sense And Sensibility and would be thrilled to obtain a free copy of a book with a different slant on the original book! Much love from Australia and congratulations on your beautifully written book Virginia.
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Thank you, Corena! Much love in return from Texas. 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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Thank you. I am adding this to my TBR!
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Thank you, Marsha! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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Like the idea of a alternative version of Sense and Sensibility as I like Elinor Dashwood and Colonel Brandon
meikleblog(at)gmail(dot)com
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Thank you, Vesper! They have always been my two favorites. 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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I just added this book to my TBB list. Sounds like a good read. Thank you for the chance.
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Thank you, Marina! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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I have added this to my wish-list and would love to win a copy. This is an interesting variation that I don’t remember seeing before… the pairing of Elinor and our Colonel Brandon. How interesting. I wish you well on the launch and success of this work. Thanks to Anna for hosting and to our author for the generous give-a-way. jwgarrett13 [at] hotmail [dot] com
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Thank you for the kind wishes, J.W.! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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I’ve always thought that Elinor and Col. Brandon would have made a lovely couple. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your book!
Pamh5230 (at) yahoo (dot) com
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Thank you, Pam 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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I would love to read this as I’m very intrigued by this pairing. Thanks for the giveaway! jadseah4(at)yahoo(dot)com
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Thank you, DarcyBennett! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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Two very worthy characters…this does sound interesting. Thanks for a chance to win.
odara7rox(at)rcn(dot)com
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Thank you, Sheilalmajczan! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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I like the idea of those two getting together too. That’s not the way it happened in the movie as I recall. I need to re-read the original, but thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of this book!
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Thank you, Denise! No, it certainly didn’t turn out that way in the original. 😉 Good luck on the giveaway.
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Congratulations! Looking forward to learning how you bring these two together! I always thought they would be perfect for each other! Thank you for a chance at the giveaway!
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Thank you, Carole! Good luck on the giveaway.
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There a very few JAFF authors who choose to write stories other than P&P and fewer still who would be brave enough to publish a S&S variation. You are one of a handful I know that goes against the norm. How has it be going for you, Virginia? And what’s your next writing project?
evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
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Thank you, Luthien! I As a past giveaway winner, I hope you are enjoying Elinor and the Colonel’s love story 🙂
I have gotten such lovely feedback from readers and look forward to more in the future!
I am currently working on several projects, including a sequel.
Happy Reading!
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I have always thought that Elinor and Colonel Brandon should be together! evamedmonds(at)gmail(dot)com
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I feel the same way, Eva. 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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I’m with everyone else here. I could never relate to either Edward Ferrars or Marianne. I’m more of an Elinor, and I always thought Col Brandon was a heartthrob – even before Alan Rickman played him!
I usually only like P&P variations, but this intrigues me. It is an ending for two characters dear to me and it would fill my heart with happiness.
beatriceyn (at) yahoo (dot) com
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Thank you, Beatrice! Colonel Brandon has always been my favorite Austen hero – also AR’s portrayal is quite swoonworthy! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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Sense and Sensibility is the most recent of the six novels that I’ve re-read, in the form of Juliet Stevenson’s wonderful audiobook narration. It reinforced for me that Edward Ferrars just wasn’t good enough for Elinor Dashwood. OK, he did the right thing by standing by Lucy Steele once the secret came out, but there’s no way he should have behaved as he did with Elinor. Surely he would have known what expectations his behaviour were raising? Colonel Brandon, on the other hand, does his best for the girl he loved (but was forcibly parted from) and eventually for her daughter Eliza, even going as far as fighting a duel with Willoughby on her behalf.
I’ve often seen it said in the Austenesque community that Elinor and the Colonel would be an ideal pairing but I’ve never yet seen a variation where this happens (I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong!). Thanks so much to Virginia for going along this less well-travelled road and for a lovely little excerpt to tease us.
angmardee ( at ) hotmail ( dot ) com
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Thank you for your kind words, Anji! 🙂 Good luck on the giveaway.
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Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check out the excerpt and to Virginia for responding to all the comments!
The lucky winner is caroleincanada! Congrats and happy reading! Please check your email. 🙂
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One of these days I’ll have to re-read S&S. It is not my favorite novel, but I do like it better than Emma
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I have to re-read it, too. I really enjoyed Emma, though.
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