Source: Review copy from author
Ann Galvia’s latest Pride and Prejudice variation, What’s Past Is Prologue, is based on an interesting forced marriage scenario between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The circumstances of their marriage are tied to Darcy’s orchestration of Lydia Bennet’s marriage to Mr. Wickham. But in this variation, it was Jane who went to Pemberley on holiday with the Gardiners, leading to her reunion with Mr. Bingley and their marriage thereafter. Elizabeth’s reunion with Darcy is more of a rocky road to happily ever after.
The Darcys have been married for just a week when they, accompanied by their sisters Kitty Bennet and Georgiana Darcy, are called to Rosings Park by Lady Catherine de Bourgh to deal with the aftermath of a devastating flood. Readers see an Elizabeth unsure of her new position as Mrs. Darcy, an Elizabeth who expects Mr. Darcy to question his decision to marry her against his family’s wishes and to eventually lose interest in her. She is focused on providing Darcy with an heir to solidify her position as his legitimate wife in the eyes of society.
While Elizabeth navigates the newness of married life, she faces a bombardment of criticism from Lady Catherine, a formal reception from her once dearest friend Charlotte Collins, and worries that Miss de Bourgh has been hurt by their marriage, as Darcy was supposedly engaged to her. As Darcy faces the burdens of his aunt’s financial troubles, Elizabeth works to sketch his character, check Kitty’s behavior, and figure out how to encourage Georgiana to assert herself.
What’s Past Is Prologue is a character-driven novel that is slow to develop. There are long conversations between the Darcys, most of them taking place in the bedroom and many of them awkward. There are plenty of steamy bedroom scenes as well. I wish there had been more action associated with the problems at Rosings than these slow scenes of dialogue and Elizabeth contemplating sleeping and bathroom arrangements after their intimacies.
The writing was lovely, though, so I continued reading through all the slow parts, and I was satisfied with the ending. I must admit that I enjoyed Galvia’s first novel, Side by Side, Apart more, but I do look forward to reading more from her in the future.
About What’s Past Is Prologue
Elizabeth Darcy has her eye on the future.
Before her marriage, she saw herself making the best possible choice. Her husband saved her family from ruin. All he asked in return was her hand. Secure in his good opinion, Elizabeth married him. Only with hindsight and his cryptic warnings that passion is not immutable does Elizabeth question her decision. Her solution? Give him a son as soon as possible. Once his lust for her has been slaked, this service she has rendered him will ensure her value.
The newlyweds are summoned to Rosings Park almost the moment they are married. Though the estate can boast of beautiful grounds, Elizabeth and Darcy arrive to find devastation. A flood has swept away Lady Catherine’s last hopes of hiding debt and years of mismanagement. She expects Darcy to shoulder the recovery efforts.
The effort to save Rosings strains the already tense relationship between Elizabeth and her husband. To make matters worse, her presence is met with disdain and disinterest from the family. As the days in the besieged estate drag on, Elizabeth slowly untangles the histories and secrets of her new relations.
Like Elizabeth’s marriage, the crisis at Rosings is the culmination of past events. Disaster need not be the result of only bad choices; good principles have led them astray as well. As for Elizabeth, she barely knows her husband, and loving him might be impossible. Yet, she is determined to save all that she can—her marriage and the estate—and somehow, create the future she longs for.
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About the Author
Ann Galvia
Ann started writing sometime before she knew how letters functioned. Her first books were drawings of circus
poodles heavily annotated with scribbles meant to tell a story. Upon learning how letters were combined to represent words, she started doing that instead. This has proven to be much more successful.
Sometime after that, she decided she wanted to study Anthropology and sometime after that, she decided she liked cats more than dogs. And sometime after that, she decided to become an educator and teach a new generation of kids how to combine letters to represent words, and use those words express ideas.
And sometime after that, she realized all she really wanted to do was write, which probably should have been evident from the beginning.
Follow Ann: Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Giveaway
Meryton Press is offering eight copies of What’s Past Is Prologue for the blog tour. This giveaway will be open until midnight on August 17, 2018. You MUST enter through this Rafflecopter link.
Terms and Conditions:
Readers may enter the drawing by tweeting once a day and daily commenting on a blog post or a review that has a giveaway attached for the tour. Entrants must provide the name of the blog where they commented. If an entrant does not do so, that entry will be disqualified.
One winner will be selected per contest. Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and the giveaway is international. Good luck!
August 1 / Savvy Verse & Wit / Guest Post & Giveaway
August 2 / Of Pens & Pages / Book Review & Giveaway
August 3 / Babblings of a Bookworm / Book Review & Giveaway
August 4 / Just Jane 1813 / Book Excerpt & Giveaway
August 5 / Liz’s Reading Life / Author Interview & Giveaway
August 6 / From Pemberley to Milton / Book Review & Giveaway
August 7 / More Agreeably Engaged / Guest Post & Giveaway
August 8 / My Vices and Weaknesses / Book Review & Giveaway
August 9 / Diary of an Eccentric / Book Review & Giveaway
August 10 / Austenesque Reviews / Book Excerpt & Giveaway
August 11 / Margie’s Must Reads / Book Review & Giveaway
August 12 / My Love for Jane Austen / Book Excerpt & Giveaway
August 13 / So Little Time… / Guest Post & Giveaway
I read and enjoyed Side by Side Apart and the more I read about this one the more I look forward to reading it. It seems as if Elizabeth doubts the strength of Darcy’s love and hopefully she’s proved wrong. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and for the generous giveaway.
Thanks, Glynis! Hope you enjoy it!
Good to know that it’s Charlotte married to Collins
Ha! That’s always a good thing, but poor Charlotte!
I love the FMS so this is one I am interested in reading.
I do hope you enjoy it!
Anna, thanks for hosting and writing a lovely review. You made many good points that I will look for when I read this work. I’ve been following the blog tour and wish our author Ann Galvia all the best in the success of this work. I loved Side by Side, Apart and that amazing cover. Special thanks to the publisher and the author for this generous give-a-way and supplying a means for those of us who do not Twitter or Face to participate in the drawing. Blessings!!
Thanks, Jeanne! Hope you enjoy it!
Lovely review Anna. I’m sure it would be difficult for Elizabeth to start her married life in such circumstances, being constantly criticized by Lady Cat and not being sure how much support of her husband she had. Looking forward to reading this book.
Thanks, Kate! Hope you enjoy it!
As always, Anna, you write an amazing review and manage your comments in a way that’s encouraging to both the author and the reader. Ann’s work is always complex and I enjoy reading each story. I hope others will take the opportunity to enjoy this unusual novel as much as I have, and they’ll have your comments in in mind to assist in their appreciation of the nuances of Ann’s writing style. Thank you for hosting, and all the best to Ann on her new book.
Thanks for the kind words, Suzan!
Thanks for your thoughtful and encouraging review, Anna. It definitely sounds as though this one is a “slow burner”. It’ll,be interesting to see how Elizabeth copes with Lady C.’s criticisms.
Thanks, Anji! Hope you enjoy it!
Enjoyed your review Anna, as always. I’m looking forward to seeing how Elizabeth copes with Lady Catherine…a challenge indeed!
Thanks, Carole! Hope you enjoy it!
I enjoyed reading your thoughts, Anna. You picked up on some things that I have not seen in other reviews. I liked that. I also was pleased to read that you were satisfied with the ending. Thanks for sharing with us.
My pleasure! It’s always interesting to compare reviews and see the differences in opinion.
Thank you for your review. I have always liked the forced marriage theme.
I hope you give it a try!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Anna! It sounds like an interesting premise with so many people who could (willingly & unwillingly) cause difficulties for our dear couple. Congrats, Ann Galvia, for the new release!
I am a bit disappointed to know that it is a slow read. As I have not read it yet, I may be discouraged to put it right on top of my tbr pile. But it will surely be in my future books to read. Your review paints a different picture compared other much harsher criticism, Anna.
Despite it being slow in parts and more character driven, the writing was great and I think it’s worth giving a try.