The Most Interesting Man in the World is a most interesting Pride and Prejudice variation told from the point of view of Mr. Bingley. It follows the course of the original novel, beginning with Bingley’s leasing Netherfield Park. J.L. Ashton and Justine Rivard do a fantastic job getting into Bingley’s head and making his disjointed thoughts and his ramblings thoroughly entertaining. Bingley’s excessive admiration of his best friend, Mr. Darcy, was hilarious on its own, but reading his attempts at intelligent conversation with Darcy, his inability to understand Latin phrases (and the consequences of one such mistake), and his drunken conversations and imaginings made me laugh out loud more than once.
Bingley proves to be observant about Darcy’s admiration of Elizabeth Bennet and his downtrodden state following his trip to Kent, even if he doesn’t assume the facts quite right. The interactions between Bingley, Darcy, and the colonel (known as Archie in this variation, which suited him quite well) — especially after copious amounts of brandy — were delightful, as was seeing Bingley’s personal growth as he realized that he may be more knowledgeable than Darcy when it comes to certain things.
I was concerned at first that Bingley’s ramblings would grow tiresome after a while, but that was never the case. Ashton and Rivard ramp up the humor, and even insert a few scenes from Darcy’s point of view, to keep readers turning the pages. It was fun to know the details behind the scenes to which Bingley was unaware, and it was nice that all of those details weren’t rehashed here. Furthermore, I liked that even though Bingley seemed a bit flighty and exuberant, he was more complex than I had expected. Overall, The Most Interesting Man in the World is a fresh take on Pride and Prejudice from the point of view of a most interesting man, indeed!
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About The Most Interesting Man in the World
What has gotten into Fitzwilliam Darcy lately?
Charles Bingley, a jolly fellow who relies on his great friend’s impeccable judgment in all things, is determined to find out. What could explain Darcy’s ill humour and distraction? Or his uncharacteristic blunder of speaking Greek to a horse who only understands Latin? Not to mention that shocking book accident! Certainly, it has nothing to do with Elizabeth Bennet, the sister of Bingley’s own angel, Jane. Bingley is certain of it.
What was really going on behind the scenes at Netherfield, Pemberley, and Darcy House, and just what did those men talk about over billiards and brandy? In this novella, Bingley sheds a little light on keeping company with the most interesting man in the world, and shares his own musings on puppies, his dreadful sisters, and the search for true love. Prepare to be shocked, delighted, and confused by a Charles Bingley the likes of whom you’ve never met before.
Buy on Amazon
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About the Authors
Justine Rivard is a very serious college professor who has no time for frivolity or poppycock of any kind. She strenuously objects to the silliness found in this story and urges you to put the book down at once before it gives you ideas. You are invited instead to join her in the study for a lecture about her extensive collection of whimsical 18th-century animal husbandry manuals.
J.L. Ashton, on the other hand, is a very unserious writer of Jane Austen variations you might have read (A Searing Acquaintance and Mendacity & Mourning) and collector of recipes she will never attempt. She encourages a general lack of decorum and has a great appreciation for cleft chins, vulnerably brooding men, and Instagram accounts featuring animals. Especially cats. Also foxes.
Connect with Justine Rivard on Twitter
Connect with J.L. Ashton on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram: jancat95 | Blog
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Giveaway
Meryton Press is offering eight eBooks copies of The Most Interesting Man in the World. The giveaway runs until midnight, March 1, 2019. You MUST enter through the Rafflecopter link. Good luck!
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 per contest. Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and the giveaway is international.
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February 11 / Austenesque Reviews / Character Interview
February 12 / A Covent Garden Madame Gilflurt’s Guide to Life / Guest Post
February 14 / Margie’s Must Reads / Book Review
February 16 / Just Jane 1813 / Meet the Authors
February 18 / Babblings of a Bookworm / Guest Post
February 22 / From Pemberley to Milton / Character Interview
February 24 / Diary of an Eccentric / Book Review
February 26 / My Vices and Weaknesses / Book Excerpt
February 28 / More Agreeably Engaged / Guest Post
Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Most Interesting Man in the World from Meryton Press.
I am loving everything I read about this book. I don’t get on with Rafflecopter at all so I’m not entering the giveaway but this is on my ‘to buy next’ list so I will be reading it soon. Thank you for sharing this review.
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Thanks, Glynis. Hope you enjoy the book as much as Anna did. Such a wonderful review!
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So glad to hear you are liking what you see about the book! We hope you enjoy the real thing. Thanks.
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This sounds very interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever read one from Bingley’s point of view
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Our Bingley has quite a few things to share, too. He is a very observant man, in his own funny way.
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Right, Bingley’s POV is pretty rare out there in ff land. He doesn’t do much but be affable in P&P. Fortunately it turns out there is a lot going on behind that bland exterior, at least in our book.
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Can’t wait to read this one! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
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Hope you’ll enjoy the book, Pam!
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Thanks, and hope you enjoy the book!
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This sounds like so much fun. I don’t tweet, face or insta or use any social media, other than this… so I am glad for other ways to enter the drawing. That Rafflecopter is a nefarious creature but it is fair in choosing a winner. Good luck to all who enter. Congratulations to our authors and thanks for the generous giveaway. Thanks for hosting Anna.
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Thanks for being such a trouper on our blog tour!
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Yes, indeed, thank you for following along on the blog tour. And our thanks to Anna for hosting, too.
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sounds like a fun book to read
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We had a scary amount of fun writing it, so we hope readers will laugh out loud at least a few times. 🙂
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We hope so! Thanks for dropping by.
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This book sounds so funny. It is on my wishlist.
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Yay for wishlists! Hope you get to fulfill everything on yours!
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We hope you’ll get as much pleasure from reading it–if you do–as we did from writing it. Thanks.
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Thanks for the review, Anna. I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I also laughed out loud several times when reading it! 🙂
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Anna is a great, insightful reader and reviewer. It’s so intriguing to hear her thoughts on our story, and so gratifying that we made her (and you, Janet) laugh out loud.
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Hear, hear, Janet. Many thanks to Anna for hosting us and for sharing her lovely review.
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Thank you for your thoughtful review. This certainly offers a new take for JAFF readers. I am hopeful that your readers will enjoy this new book!!
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Thank you again for all your help and guidance on the blog tour, Claudine. 🙂
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Yes indeed, thank you, Claudine, for helping our book land here with Anna!
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Anna, thank you for hosting us her and thank you for such a warm and thoughtful review. We’re so glad you liked our rather different take on P&P and Bingley the sometimes unreliable narrator.
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I second what Jan says. We are grateful to you for hosting us here, and we are ecstatic that you liked the book. Thank you!
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You both are very welcome!
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Nice to know that Bingley is more complex than he seems
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Well, he is and he isn’t. And then he is again. He’s probably more complex than he thinks he is, except when he is simple. Gaaah!! 🙂
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I love stories about Bingley, especially when he is observant, smart and has a back bone. Congratulations ladies on the release.
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Our Bingley is observant in his own way, except when he entirely misses the point. He is smart about physics and geometry, and he may grow a backbone over the course of the story. He is a genius when it comes to falling in love, though. We hope you enjoy meeting him. Thanks!
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Great review Anna! I love when a book can make me laugh out loud, and it seems Justine and Jan have captured Bingley quite well! I look forward to reading this one!
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Anna, your reviews are always so spot on! Thanks for hosting and thanks to Jan and Justine for creating the fun in the first place!
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Thanks for the kind words, Suzan!
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Thank you, everyone, for taking time to read my review and for the kind words. I hope you all enjoy the book as much as I did!
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