Review & Giveaway: Mrs. Fitzwilliam by April Floyd

Source: Review copy from author

In the first book in The Lost Heir Novella Series, April Floyd writes a unique take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In Mrs. Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth Bennet is now the widow of Mr. Darcy’s cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, with a four-year-old son named after his father. While little of the courtship is mentioned, readers learn that Elizabeth met the colonel after the Netherfield party left. Jane and Bingley are married with a child, Elizabeth and little Richard live with them at Netherfield, and Charles is estranged from his sisters and Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth has never met the colonel’s family because he broke ties with them, and they know nothing of her son. However, upon the death of the Matlocks’ eldest son, Mr. Darcy is set to inherit, as they are unaware of little Richard being the legitimate heir. This brings Elizabeth to London, where she has a tense meeting with the Matlocks and begins to understand why her husband was estranged from them.

However, she soon finds an ally in Mr. Darcy and his sister. Despite her feelings having changed since the last time she met him, Elizabeth can’t bring herself to make little Richard’s presence known just yet. She knows what is best for her son, but she worries about the Matlocks’ interference in his upbringing. She carries this secret with her as she forges a new friendship with the Darcys and takes her place in London society as the colonel’s widow.

I really enjoyed Mrs. Fitzwilliam, especially the fact that years have made Elizabeth and Darcy wiser and more willing to put the past behind them, bonding over their mutual love for the colonel. I also loved that Bingley was willing to take charge of his own happiness, and his fondness for Elizabeth and especially her son was endearing. The novella does end with a cliffhanger, but not one that will drive you crazy waiting for the next book. At any rate, the second installment, The Colonel’s Son, has already been released, and the final book is coming soon.

Giveaway: April Floyd is generously offering 5 ebook copies of Mrs. Fitzwilliam to my readers! To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will be open through Sunday, September 30, 2018. The winners will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck! (Also, stay tuned for my review of The Colonel’s Son, along with another giveaway!)

Disclosure: I received a copy of Mrs. Fitzwilliam from the author for review.