My Favorite Books of 2016

Happy New Year!! I thought I would start off 2017 by celebrating the best of the books I read last year. Rather than do my usual Top 10 list, I thought I’d try something new this year and list my favorites in various categories, with links to (and quotes from) my reviews.

BEST HISTORICAL FICTION (WWII)

A Moment Forever by Cat Gardiner

A Moment Forever is not a book you merely read; Gardiner ensures you actually live the story — from the overindulgence of Long Island’s Gold Coast to the wartime excitement in the Big Apple, from the airfields and USO dances and the fashions of the ’40s to the solemnity of Paris 50 years after the roundup of its Jewish residents for deportation. There are so many layers to this story, and I never wanted it to end.

BEST HISTORICAL FICTION (OTHER ERA)

Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James

Simone St. James is a new-to-me writer, and as soon as I finished Lost Among the Living I determined that I must read her previous novels, which all seem to be equally suspenseful. I loved her writing here, particularly the passages that describe the intensity of Jo and Alex’s relationship, which enable readers to feel Jo’s grief and the frustration inherent in not knowing Alex’s fate. I also liked that while there was romance and passion, Lost Among the Living is at its core a ghost story, but it’s so much more than that. St. James shows the impact of the war on the returning soldiers and the women whose men never came home, as well as the blurring of the boundaries between social classes and how greed and selfishness can tear families apart.

BEST AUSTEN VARIATION (REGENCY)

Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter by Joana Starnes

Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter is a beautifully written novel, with just the right amount of angst to move me to the brink of tears without making me put the book down in despair. Starnes has a knack for putting Elizabeth and Darcy in impossible situations, delving deep into their souls, and keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they wonder how a happily ever after will be achieved. I loved the pacing of the novel, and Starnes does a wonderful job evolving their relationship through many ups and downs as they navigate the challenges posed by their families and themselves.

BEST AUSTEN VARIATION (MODERN)

Without a Conscience by Cat Gardiner

Like Denial of Conscience, Without a Conscience is sexy (definitely for mature audiences only) and exciting from the very first page. Gardiner is a fantastic storyteller who weaves clever plots and navigates Darcy and Liz through the twists and turns while further evolving their relationship. In the midst of the danger and excitement, Gardiner provides plenty of humor, and the obvious rivalry between Liz and Caroline had me laughing out loud several times. The novel is perfectly paced, and there’s just something about Gardiner’s writing style that has me hanging on every word.

BEST AUSTEN VARIATION (SECONDARY CHARACTERS)

The Trouble to Check Her by Maria Grace

The Trouble to Check Her exemplifies why Grace is one of my favorite authors of Austen-inspired fiction. Her attention to detail in terms of character development and the history of the era is fantastic, and I hope there is another book in the series (mainly because I want to find out what happened to Jane Bingley after her falling out with Elizabeth Darcy).

BEST AUSTEN VARIATION (OTHER)

The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James

I enjoyed reading both Elizabeth’s diary and about the rocky start to Charlie and Evie’s relationship and their determination to find Elizabeth’s papers. I especially loved how James showed that even Austen’s beloved couple likely didn’t have a perfect marriage, and by telling that story from the point of view of Elizabeth, readers are able to see her insecurities and her frustration while having little clue what Darcy is thinking or feeling, which creates just the right amount of tension. I also loved getting a glimpse of the Darcys and their family years into their marriage, so they are no longer bright-eyed newlyweds but older and wiser and settled into their life together. Charlie and Evie’s story was exciting and even had some similarities to Darcy and Elizabeth’s, and Charlie’s client, Cressida Carter, is very Caroline Bingley-esque. The dual narratives were seamlessly connected, and the shifts between the two were timed perfectly to ensure readers can’t put the book down.

MOST UNIQUE AUSTEN VARIATION

The Many Lives of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Beau North and Brooke West

The Many Lives of Fitzwilliam Darcy is unique and exciting. It made me laugh, and it left me in tears, so much so that my husband kept asking if I was okay and I worried I would short out my Kindle! It’s been a while since I’ve been so emotionally affected by a Pride and Prejudice variation. It’s absolutely one of the best books I’ve read this year, possibly one of my all-time favorites, and definitely one I won’t forget!

BEST HOLIDAY NOVEL

Lucky 13  by Cat Gardiner

Oh, how I loved this novel! Gardiner is a master at bringing Jane Austen’s characters into the present day and turning up the heat (and the laughs). From their heated arguments to their heated encounters at the jaw-dropping calendar audition and the chest-oiling photo shoot, I couldn’t get enough of this Lizzy and Darcy. The secondary characters are equally entertaining, from Jane, the supermodel with a secret, to Caroline, the matchmaking poochie mama, and especially Charlotte (aka “Punky) and Darcy’s cousin, Rick (aka “Preppy”), who are the most obnoxious of the numerous matchmakers.

BEST POETRY COLLECTION

The Jane and Bertha in Me by Rita Maria Martinez

Martinez’s poems are full of vivid imagery (“The Bertha in me sleeps until three in the afternoon and sits on the back porch with a cup of Earl Grey that quells the desire to chop up her crotchety landlord,” from “The Jane and Bertha in Me”), sensual (“Charlotte’s manuscript sepulchered like an incorruptible saint, splayed on its back like a woman whose architecture I want to touch,” from “At the British Library”), insightful (“Pain caused by first love never truly subsides,” from “Jane’s Denial”), and even humorous (“She’ll be sorry for canoodling with the missionary, thinks Rochester, who’s exceeded his cursing quota and looks like Wolverine,” from “Jane Eyre: Classic Cover Girl”). Martinez even writes about Brontë herself, from her different personas to the migraines she suffered through in order to create her “pristine prose” (from “The Literature of Prescription”).

BEST SHORT STORY/COLLECTION

“Tea Time” by Tiffani Burnett-Velez

I finished reading “Tea Time” in less than half an hour, and I was satisfied with the abrupt ending even though I wasn’t ready for the story to be over. The final few lines pack a punch and made it a story I won’t soon forget. I can’t wait to read more from Burnett-Velez.

FAVORITE COVER

Undercover by Cat Gardiner

Gardiner is a fantastic storyteller who had me hooked from the very first page. The use of slang from the era, her vivid descriptions, the steamy scenes, and the murder mystery are handled so perfectly that I could picture the entire book in my head, as though I were actually watching a black-and-white hard-boiled crime drama on the screen. She moved Austen’s characters into 1952 New York City in a way that felt true to them. I loved that she gave Darcy a painful back story and that Elizabeth and Jane weren’t the best of friends. Gardiner’s portrayal of Georgiana as a modern and independent though innocent and sheltered young woman is handled beautifully, as is Lydia’s downfall at the hands of Slick Wick.

****

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Some of the more memorable 5-star books from 2016 (click the covers to read my reviews)

What were your favorite books of 2016? I’d love to know!

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Review: Miss Bingley’s Christmas by Renata McMann and Summer Hanford

Source: Personal library
Rating: ★★★★☆

Miss Jane Bennet was pretty, sweet and tolerable. Her only flaw was that it had taken Miss Bingley considerable effort to wrench her brother back from pursuing a disastrous union between them. Elizabeth Bennet was by far worse. She was distressingly strong willed, oddly alluring to men in general and, most horribly, to Mr. Darcy in particular. Miss Bingley couldn’t think of anyone worse to meet in London.

(from Miss Bingley’s Christmas)

Renata McMann and Summer Hanford’s short story, Miss Bingley’s Christmas, is a variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that finds our beloved characters in London for Christmas. Set after Caroline Bingley conspired to remove her brother and the rest of their party from Hertfordshire to separate him from Jane Bennet, the story finds Caroline and her sister, Louisa, stranded in a freezing carriage on their way home from a trip to the flower market. Caroline hopes her Christmas preparations bring her closer to becoming Mrs. Darcy, but all her plans go awry when she and Louisa are forced to abandon their carriage, find themselves soaking wet and lost, and are rescued by Jane and Elizabeth Bennet and their aunt Gardiner.

Being forced to stay at the Gardiners’ home for Christmas Eve gives Caroline a chance to observe the Bennet sisters and their relations and relax in their company. When Mr. and Miss Darcy arrive for Christmas dinner with other guests, including a Joseph and a Mary, Caroline takes a good look at the people around her and even inward, seeing the differences between “Miss Bingley” and the true “Caroline” for the first time.

Miss Bingley’s Christmas packs a lot of character development into a short story that can be finished in less than an hour. The story takes place over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so Caroline’s soul searching and revelations occur rather quickly, but that is to be expected and didn’t dampen my enjoyment. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy take a back seat in this story, and at first I was a bit hesitant to spend too much time in Caroline’s head, but it worked here as her observations uncover some pretty harsh truths about her expectations versus reality. But rest assured that there is a happy ending and an epilogue set during the following Christmas. Although I wish Miss Bingley’s Christmas had been longer (it really would make a great novel or novella), it made for a quick and satisfying read during the busy holiday season.

Disclosure: Miss Bingley’s Christmas is from my personal library.

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Review: The Darcys’ First Christmas by Maria Grace

Source: Personal library

She locked the door behind her and fell headlong onto the bed. The room was cold. The servants had stopped lighting the fire when it was clear it would not be used.

Fitting.

She could call a girl to light the fire easily enough, but to what point? Fire would do nothing to chase the chill lodged deep within.

Nothing would.

(from The Darcys’ First Christmas)

In The Darcys’ First Christmas, Maria Grace’s holiday novella sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Darcy are planning to celebrate a quiet Christmas at Pemberley with the Gardiners. Already worried that she isn’t up to the task of being the Mistress of Pemberley, Elizabeth nervously begins preparations for the first Christmas ball in years and has an idea to start a new tradition, a Christmas picnic for the children. Darcy seems pleased with Elizabeth’s ideas and how she is settling into her new role with the help of Mrs. Reynolds, Pemberley’s longtime housekeeper.

However, the Darcys’ holiday plans quickly fall apart when Lord and Lady Matlock and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrive unexpectedly, and Aunt Matlock — already upset at Darcy marrying beneath him — is hellbent on taking charge of the preparations for the ball and appalled at the changes Elizabeth has proposed as Pemberley’s new mistress. To make matters worse, Darcy — used to running Pemberley on his own and panicked by his relations’ sudden arrival — usurps Elizabeth’s authority in household decision-making, crushing her already fragile self-esteem. When Georgiana’s fear of Aunt Matlock keeps her confined to her rooms and an accident puts even more strain on the Darcys’ marriage, things go from bad to worse, and neither Elizabeth nor Darcy is able to reach out to the other for comfort.

The Darcys’ First Christmas is another sweet story that I enjoyed in the little time I had to myself over Christmas weekend. Grace does a great job showing Elizabeth’s insecurities about her new role and how the Darcys’ relationship is still so new that misunderstandings are bound to pop up. I loved seeing Elizabeth and Darcy both find the courage they needed to take on Lady Matlock and even Georgiana, who still has so much growing up to do. However, it didn’t feel right to me that Darcy and Elizabeth would turn away from one another at the first sign of tension and wait so long to finally address their troubles. I understood it for the sake of the story and appreciated the insight from Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Gardiner, but it just felt like Elizabeth was a bit too weak in this story.

Still, that didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the novella, and I loved that Grace included some holiday traditions like the Yule log and even addressed Fitzwilliam’s trauma from the war. Grace managed to pack so much into so few pages, and I was left feeling fully satisfied.

I hope you’re all not sick of my Christmas-themed reviews because I have one more left for tomorrow!

Disclosure: The Darcys’ First Christmas is from my personal library.

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Review: Holidays with Jane: Christmas Cheer by Cecilia Gray, Melissa Buell, Rebecca M. Fleming, Jennifer Becton, Kimberly Truesdale, & Jessica Grey

Source: Personal library
Rating: ★★★★☆

“I’ve an assignment for you,” Samuel said as he clunked the cup back down.

Jane sighed. “I thought as much. Why does He always send you? Couldn’t He send someone with a sharper wit to entertain Cassandra and me?”

“It was either me or a Brontë, my dear girl. I thought I’d spare you that.”

(from “It’s a Wonderful Latte” in Holidays with Jane: Christmas Cheer)

Holidays with Jane: Christmas Cheer is a collection of six Christmas-themed stories based on each of Jane Austen’s novels.

“The Work of an Instant” by Jennifer Becton  (based on Persuasion)

An oddly dressed Santa working in the Mansfield Perk coffee shop informs Dr. Anne Elliot that she will receive her Christmas wish just before her old flame, Lieutenant Commander Frederick Wentworth waltzes in, apparently on leave from the USS Kellynch. Her nurse friend Louisa pounces immediately, but could a Christmas ball and some Christmas magic reunite Anne and Frederick after so many years apart?

“Mischief and Mistletoe” by Melissa Buell (based on Northanger Abbey)

Pastor’s daughter and aspiring fashion designer Catherine Morland gets a chance to spread her wings when she is offered a job making new costumes for the annual Dickens’ Christmas Festival in Santa Barbara. Cate is over the moon when she meets Henry Tilney, but she worries that a misunderstanding of her situation could alter his feelings for her.

“A Tale of Three Christmases” by Rebecca M. Fleming (based on Sense and Sensibility)

The lives of the Dashwood sisters are in chaos following the death of their father. The youngest, Maggie, finds solace in her writing, and a thoughtful gift from her father and a bit of Christmas magic help her navigate the family and romantic dramas over a period of three years.

“With Love, from Emma” by Cecilia Gray (based on Emma)

Emma Gold may not have any family to keep her company during the holidays, but she takes comfort in her matchmaking abilities. However, she fears her efforts to pair up members of the bridal party at her best friend’s wedding may have gone awry amid her confusing feelings for and competitive banter with Lance Knightley, whose bar is next to her flower shop and whose kiss under the mistletoe she can’t forget.

“It’s a Wonderful Latte” by Jessica Grey (based on Mansfield Park)

Mansfield Perk manager Evie and her best friend Frank find themselves at odds when the Piper siblings solicit their help for a fundraiser. Not sure what to do about her new relationship-going-nowhere and her complicated feelings for Frank, Evie needs the help of Jane Austen herself, who uses a bit of Christmas magic to help Evie realize love (and the real meaning of the novel Mansfield Park).

“Pride & Presents” by Kimberly Truesdale (based on Pride and Prejudice)

Liz Bennet is ready to take the reins at the Longbourn Community Center and enable her father to retire. She hopes for a Christmas to remember, with the help of basketball star Charles Bingley. Meanwhile, his lawyer friend Will Darcy has Liz all out of sorts, and he certainly made a bad first impression, so when he asks her out, she is shocked and turns him down. And then the fantastic Christmas she has planned for the children starts to crumble, along with her family’s grasp on Longbourn, and Liz must swallow her pride and realize she may not be such a good judge of character after all.

As with Holidays with Jane: Trick or Sweet, I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection, and again, I loved how they were connected in little ways, through the Mansfield Perk coffee shop and Cate’s Creations. In fact, this time it’s too hard for me to choose a favorite story! I also love how these are modern takes on Austen’s novels and how they aren’t straight retellings, and even though the stories are short, I was satisfied with all of the endings. I hope to squeeze more holiday reading in before the new year, but if I don’t have time, I’ll be thankful to have ended on a bright note. I’m looking forward to reading the other Holidays with Jane collections next year!

Merry Christmas!!

Disclosure: Holidays with Jane: Christmas Cheer is from my personal library.

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Review: To Forget: Darcy’s London Christmas by Maria Grace

Source: Personal library
Rating: ★★★★☆

Though he was not apt to socialize like Bingley, he did not on principle object to Christmastide socializing. This year was different. All he wanted was to be left alone that he might quiet the cacophony in his own head.

One which centered around Elizabeth Bennet.

(from To Forget)

To Forget: Darcy’s London Christmas is a short story by Maria Grace that is inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  It opens with Darcy and Elizabeth spending their first Christmas as husband and wife, settling in for the night after their guests retire. Elizabeth asks Darcy about the previous Christmas he spent in London, his last as a bachelor, and he tells her the story of how he conspired to separate her sister Jane from his friend Bingley after the Netherfield Ball — but most importantly, how he tried to forget her.

Darcy relives that lonely Christmas season in London, how he looked for Elizabeth on the chance she might be staying with her aunt and uncle in Cheapside while he sought to avoid being seen with any woman for fear of making it into the gossip pages.  In the midst of socializing with the Bingleys and their guests, Darcy remembers his Christmases as a child at Pemberley. In fondly recalling family traditions and the lessons learned from his mother, Darcy realizes what he needs to do about his feelings for Elizabeth.

The story goes back and forth in time, between Darcy and Elizabeth’s first Christmas as a married couple and his last lonely Christmas, and because readers already know the ending up front, there is considerably less angst than in most Pride and Prejudice variations. While the shifts in time slightly lessened the impact of Darcy’s confusion and frustration, it was interesting to hear Elizabeth’s comments on his actions and odd behavior during that time.

In To Forget, Grace includes holiday traditions of the Regency era, from decorations and food to entertainment. I enjoyed these details just as much as I did the story itself. She does a fantastic job weaving in these elements while keeping the story short and sweet. I read this one during the late afternoon, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and the Christmas tree lights. It was the perfect way to spend some time with my favorite characters!

Disclosure: To Forget: Darcy’s London Christmas is from my personal library.

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Review: Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy by Barbara Tiller Cole

Source: Personal library
Rating: ★★★☆☆

“I am going insane. This cannot be happening,” Darcy grumbled.

George turned to his son so he could look him directly in the eye. “You are not losing your mind, but you are headed there. This is your last hope.”

(from Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy)

Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy is an enjoyable mash-up of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Barbara Tiller Cole’s novel imagines a brokenhearted Fitzwilliam Darcy who has abandoned all hope of winning Elizabeth Bennet’s love and plans to spend Christmas alone at Pemberley where he can drown his sorrows in drink. Although he orchestrated the wedding of George Wickham and Lydia Bennet, thereby rescuing Elizabeth’s family from ruin, Darcy thinks Elizabeth will never forgive him for failing to prevent the scandal in the first place. As a result, he does not return to Hertfordshire for his best friend Bingley’s wedding to Elizabeth’s sister Jane.

Seeing her son devoid of hope and on a steadily downward path, the ghost of Anne Darcy visits Fitzwilliam in hopes of helping him emerge from this misery. She explains that the ghosts of the past, present, and future will visit him that night to reveal some harsh truths and the choices that lay before him. Soon Darcy is forced to revisit his insult to Elizabeth at the Meryton Assembly, her despair at his absence from Hertfordshire, and the lives that await her and his sister Georgiana if he doesn’t realize soon that all hope is not lost.

I enjoyed Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy for its lesson about hope, the idea of a Christmas miracle, and the bits of humor from the ghosts in the midst of Darcy’s pain. The ghosts of Darcy’s parents and Mrs. Pat were delightfully funny and more than a tad impertinent. The only thing I didn’t care for was the epilogue, in which details about the angels and what transpired that night long ago are revisted in a more heavy-handed way that lessens the impact of Darcy’s experience. However, there were plenty of laughs in the final pages to make up for it.

As a novella, Darcy’s journeys with the ghosts pass quickly, and his troubles are resolved in short order, but this brevity makes for a sweet read during the busy Christmas season. Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy is another Austen-inspired Christmas tale I could see myself re-reading during the holiday season.

Disclosure: Fitzwilliam Ebenezer Darcy is from my personal library.

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Review: Lucky 13 by Cat Gardiner

Source: Personal library
Rating: ★★★★★

Like all the men, Darcy provocatively and slowly slid his spread hand down his greased, bare chest, and it was then that Elizabeth knew she was more than just intrigued. She was attracted to him like a moth to a dangerous flickering flame.

(from Lucky 13)

Cat Gardiner’s Lucky 13 is a modern-day Pride and Prejudice that follows confident NYC advertising executive and kickass kickboxer Elizabeth Bennet as she embarks on a quest to find a date for Christmas dinner at her parents’ house in Meryton, Long Island, and for her sister Jane’s wedding on New Year’s Eve. Lizzy has long considered herself Unlucky 13 — from the day of her birth when she should have been a boy to Thanksgiving Day 2013 when she’s the only single at the table, much to her mother’s disappointment.

As part of her quest, she enlists the help of her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, who persuades Lizzy to start a blog about her adventures — beginning with a disastrous personal ad — and even convinces her to try everything from speed dating to a Jewish matchmaker. Meanwhile, Lizzy is working on a fundraiser for the FD Burn Foundation, which involves putting together a calendar of the smokin’ hot men of the NYFD. Her job puts her in the sights of firefighter and Pem Tech executive Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is still smarting from his perceived snub by “The Black Widow” at the gym.

Christmas is a difficult time for Darcy, as the anniversary of his parents’ tragic death approaches, but since meeting Elizabeth, he thinks it just might be possible to embrace the Christmas spirit and live again. However, Elizabeth is dead set against “Mr. December” and resists his every attempt to show her that he really isn’t the arrogant and cranky man she thinks he is. Lizzy and Darcy’s friends and family see what the pair keep trying to deny, but can they succeed in bringing together two strong-willed people determined to misunderstand each other?

Oh, how I loved this novel! Gardiner is a master at bringing Jane Austen’s characters into the present day and turning up the heat (and the laughs). From their heated arguments to their heated encounters at the jaw-dropping calendar audition and the chest-oiling photo shoot, I couldn’t get enough of this Lizzy and Darcy. The secondary characters are equally entertaining, from Jane, the supermodel with a secret, to Caroline, the matchmaking poochie mama, and especially Charlotte (aka “Punky) and Darcy’s cousin, Rick (aka “Preppy”), who are the most obnoxious of the numerous matchmakers. In a fun addition, Gardiner offers readers the chance to read Lizzy’s and Charlotte’s blog posts, which are linked at the end of every chapter in the Kindle edition. (Check out these extras as well: Lucky 13 Pinterest Board, Lucky 13 Audition Pinterest Board, Lucky 13 Spotify List, Lucky 13 Audition Spotify List)

Lucky 13 takes readers on a romantic journey as Elizabeth and Darcy put their past hurts behind them, and Gardiner even takes readers on a tour of NYC during the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Another winner by Gardiner, and a book I could easily re-read every year during the holidays.

Disclosure: Lucky 13 is from my personal library.

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Mini-Reviews: Christmas and JAFF Short Stories

I’m playing catch-up here with some Austen-inspired short stories and novellas I read over the summer, plus two non-Austen Christmas stories I read more recently. Stay tuned for reviews of several Christmas-themed Austen books this week and next. I’ve really been in the Christmas spirit!

Murder at Mistletoe Manor by Holly Tierney-Bedord

This was an amusing novella, a cozy mystery set in Windy Pines, Idaho, a remote mountain town with a bumbling police force obviously not used to investigating murders. The story centers on Klarinda Snow, the owner of the struggling Mistletoe Manor, who is shocked and curious to find all seven guestrooms booked on a Tuesday in December. When each guest arrives with a mysterious letter on the inn’s letterhead inviting them for an all-expenses-paid, one-night getaway, Klarinda is confused because the letters weren’t from her. The guests are all odd in their own way, and most know each other from their teenage days at a private school. Soon Klarinda has to contend with disgruntled guests who start dropping like flies and a snowstorm that traps the surviving guests and staff in a building that is now dangerous for more reasons than murder. Although the mystery wasn’t very complex and I couldn’t stop shaking my head at the incompetence of the police and even Klarinda’s odd behavior throughout, the novella was funny enough that I downloaded the second in the Windy Pines mystery series, Carnage at the Christmas Party (both are standalone and both were Kindle freebies at the time).

Married by Midnight: A Christmas Story by Talli Roland

This was a short and sweet romance set in a small village outside London in the week before Christmas as Kate quickly plans a midnight Christmas Eve wedding to the man who’s perfect for her, at least according to her mother’s astrological charts. Both Kate and her mother depend on the stars, signs, and fortune tellers for every decision in their lives, including which day is a good one to shop for her wedding dress. She finds the perfect 1930s-era gown, with a note attached to the inside wishing the new owner of the dress much luck and happiness. The note sends her on a whirlwind search for the previous owner on social media, and as finding out the secrets of the dress becomes more important than planning a wedding set to take place in a matter of days, Kate beings to question whether she should trust her horoscope or her gut. The first person viewpoint was enjoyable in this story, as Kate was likeable even if blind about things. The mystery was solved and everything wrapped up a bit too quickly, but that’s to be expected with such a short story. It definitely could’ve been expanded into a novel; I would’ve loved to see how the loose ends would’ve been tied up in such a scenario.

A Spot of Sweet Tea by Maria Grace

I read two of the Austen-inspired short stories in this collection separately last year; you you can read my mini-reviews of “Four Days in April” and “Sweet Ginger” here.

I really enjoyed the other two stories in this collection. “Last Dance” focuses on Mary Bennet from Pride and Prejudice as she is staying with her aunt Phillips in Meryton while the rest of the Bennets are in London. With three sisters married, Mary is floundering as her aunt tries to make her be someone she is not in order to attract a husband. I really enjoyed seeing Mary come into her own under the watchful eyes of two very different men.

“Not Romantic” centers on Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice and shows how a broken heart turned her into someone who could be content as the wife of Mr. Collins. I enjoyed how Maria Grace made Charlotte such a sympathetic character as you see her disappointed in love, understanding Mr. Collins, and watching him fawn over and be rejected by Elizabeth. I could almost believe that she found her happily ever after.

Disclosure: All of these books are from my personal library

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Review & Giveaway: The Courtship of Edward Gardiner by Nicole Clarkston

Source: Review copy from author
Rating: ★★★★☆

In another ten or fifteen years, Jane wold likely be the sweetheart of the county, and it would be a lucky man who won her hand. Lizzy, however…he shook his head. She would need a husband with an iron will! Whoever the man should be, Gardiner decided, he had best win the girl’s respect early, for Lizzy would not be apt to grant him a second chance.

(from The Courtship of Edward Gardiner)

Nicole Clarkston’s newest novel, The Courtship of Edward Gardiner, is a prequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that centers on Mrs. Bennet’s brother, Edward Gardiner. Mr. Gardiner has worked hard to build up his business in trade in London and finally has the means to support a family. After being rejected by a Miss Rutherford, a brokenhearted Mr. Gardiner finds himself on the way to Sheffield with his brother-in-law, Thomas Bennet, and his oldest daughters, eight-year-old Jane and seven-year-old Elizabeth. When Jane falls ill, the uncle and his nieces are forced to stay in the village of Lambton while Mr. Bennet journeys toward his ill brother. It is in Lambton that Mr. Gardiner meets Madeline Fairbanks, the daughter of a bookkeeper who has been hired to care for the Bennet sisters during their stay in the village.

Mr. Gardiner is almost immediately captivated by Miss Fairbanks. After all, she is sweet, kind, and clever, and while other young ladies are worried about gowns and ribbons, Madeline helps her ailing father with his business. In short, she is the woman Edward has been waiting for but didn’t believe truly existed. But how are they to build any sort of relationship when he will be heading back to London in a matter of days?

The Courtship of Edward Gardiner is a charming novel that puts Elizabeth’s favorite aunt and uncle in the spotlight and imagines how they might have met. I adored Edward and Madeline, as well as the Madeline’s dear friend, Mrs. Porter, the innkeeper. It was also fascinating to get a glimpse of Elizabeth as a rambunctious, outspoken little girl, and especially to see a 14-year-old Fitzwilliam Darcy as he helps his little sister through their grief after their mother’s passing, struggles to keep his pride in check, and begins to understand all of the responsibilities he will one day have as Master of Pemberley. A young Lizzy and Darcy butting heads during a hailstorm, and Mr. Bennet having his fun at Lady Catherine’s expense were some of my favorite scenes.

I generally enjoy when authors put Austen’s secondary characters at the forefront, and Clarkston’s novel is the first I’ve seen that focuses on the Gardiners. The Courtship of Edward Gardiner is a delightful tale, with plenty of humor and excitement mixed in with the romance. This is the first book I’ve read by Clarkston, but it definitely won’t be the last!

***

About The Courtship of Edward Gardiner

Every great love has a beginning.

In Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, we meet with perhaps the most sensible, caring relatives a lovelorn young woman could hope for: Mr and Mrs Gardiner. What is their story?

Edward Gardiner has just been refused by the lovely young woman he had intended to make his wife. Heartbroken and eager for a diversion, he accepts an invitation from his brother-in-law, Thomas Bennet, to accompany him along with his two eldest daughters to the north on family business. Gardiner’s pleasure tour is interrupted, however, when his eldest niece falls ill and is unable to travel farther.

Stopping over in the scarcely remarkable village of Lambton, the men decide that Bennet must continue on, while Gardiner and the children remain. The only trouble is that Gardiner has not the least idea how he should care for one ailing niece and another who is ready to drive him to distraction… until he meets with Madeline Fairbanks.

Check out The Courtship of Edward Gardiner on Amazon | Goodreads

***

About the Author

Nicole Clarkston

Nicole Clarkston is the pen name of a very bashful writer who will not allow any of her family or friends to read what she writes. She grew up in Idaho on horseback, and if she could have figured out how to read a book at the same time, she would have. She initially pursued a degree in foreign languages and education, and then lost patience with it, switched her major, and changed schools. She now resides in Oregon with her husband of 15 years, 3 homeschooled kids, and a very worthless degree in Poultry Science (don’t ask).

Nicole discovered Jane Austen rather by guilt in her early thirties- how does any book worm really live that long without a little P&P? She has never looked back. A year or so later, during a major house renovation project (undertaken when her husband unsuspectingly left town for a few days) she discovered Elizabeth Gaskell and fell completely in love. Nicole’s books are her pitiful homage to two authors who have so deeply inspired her.

Connect with Nicole Clarkston via Website | Facebook | Goodreads Author Page | Goodreads Blog | Amazon Author Page

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Giveaway

Nicole is generously offering a copy of The Courtship of Edward Gardiner in a reader’s choice (ebook or paperback) giveaway, open internationally! To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will close on Wednesday, December 7, 2016. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

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Follow the Blog Tour

10/21: Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway at More Agreeably Engaged
10/22: Review & Giveaway at Just Jane 1813
10/27: Review & Giveaway Savvy Verse & Wit
11/01: Excerpt & Giveaway at Half Agony, Half Hope
11/08: Guest Post & Giveaway at So little time…
11/10: Review & Giveaway at My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice
11/11: Guest Post & Giveaway at Babblings of a Bookworm
11/15: Review & Giveaway at My Vices and Weaknesses
11/17: Guest Post & Giveaway at A Covent Garden Gilflurt’s Guide to Life
11/26: Excerpt & Giveaway at Margie’s Must Reads
11/30: Review & Giveaway at Diary of an Eccentric
12/01: Guest Post & Giveaway at From Pemberley to Milton

Disclosure: I received The Courtship of Edward Gardiner from the author for review.

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Review & Giveaway: Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter by Joana Starnes

Source: Review copy from author
Rating: ★★★★★

Her breath came easier after the first hundred yards as the strenuous pace she kept worked its magic, just as it always did. She might well be Mrs. Darcy now, but she would not lose sight of Elizabeth Bennet. And Elizabeth Bennet did not sit moping and blaming the world for all her troubles. She would make the best of what she was given, and make haste about it, too.

(from Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter)

Joana Starnes’ latest novel, Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter, is a variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that takes readers on an emotional journey, imagining what might have happened had Mr. Darcy interrupted Elizabeth Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam’s stroll at Rosings Park before the colonel tells her about Mr. Darcy’s interference in her sister’s relationship with Mr. Bingley. In Starnes’ tale, Darcy brings Elizabeth news that her father has fallen ill, and he acknowledges that while his timing is bad, he loves her and wishes to marry her. Making this disclosure immediately is meant to bring a bit of calm to the chaos, with Mr. Collins seeking to swoop in and take over Longbourn before Mr. Bennet is even gone. Knowing that marrying Mr. Darcy will provide security for her mother and sisters in the event of Mr. Bennet’s death, Elizabeth agrees, taking some comfort in the fact that Mr. Darcy is indeed a much better man than she’d originally believed.

Elizabeth has a hard time coming to terms with the extent of Mr. Darcy’s feelings for her, but she doesn’t have the heart to tell him that she doesn’t return those feelings. Still, she approaches their marriage with courage and kindness, but eventually the reality of their situation — namely the differences in their backgrounds — can no longer be ignored. Her family’s impropriety and connections in trade and his family’s outrage over the rushed and ill-suited match put a damper on their relationship, and misunderstandings conspire to separate them for good, just when Elizabeth believes they have found real happiness.

Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter is a beautifully written novel, with just the right amount of angst to move me to the brink of tears without making me put the book down in despair. Starnes has a knack for putting Elizabeth and Darcy in impossible situations, delving deep into their souls, and keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they wonder how a happily ever after will be achieved. I loved the pacing of the novel, and Starnes does a wonderful job evolving their relationship through many ups and downs as they navigate the challenges posed by their families and themselves.

I’ve loved all of the novels by Starnes I’ve read so far (The Subsequent Proposal, The Unthinkable Triangle, and Miss Darcy’s Companion — all 5-star reads!), and her stories and her writing get better with each book. Starnes has easily become one of my favorite authors, and I can’t wait to see what torturous situation she puts Darcy and Elizabeth into next! 😉

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About Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter

When Colonel Fitzwilliam’s disclosures are interrupted by the bearer of distressing news from Longbourn, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is compelled to consider an offer she would have otherwise dismissed out of hand. An offer of marriage from the all-too-proud Mr Darcy.

Yet how is she to live with a husband she hardly knows and does not love? Would she be trapped in a marriage of convenience while events conspire to divide them? Or would love grow as, day by day and hour after hour, she learns to understand the man she married, before she loses his trust and his heart?

Check out Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter on Goodreads | Amazon

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About Joana Starnes

Joana Starnes

Joana Starnes lives in the south of England with her family. A medical graduate, in more recent years she has developed an unrelated but enduring fascination with Georgian Britain in general and the works of Jane Austen in particular, as well as with the remarkable and flamboyant set of people who have given the Regency Period its charm and sparkle.

Connect with Joana: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Giveaway

Joana is generously offering an ebook copy of Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter to one of my readers. To enter, simply leave a comment and include your email address. This giveaway will close on Sunday, December 4, 2016. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

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Follow the blog tour

November 17/ My Jane Austen Book Club/Launch Post & Giveaway

November 18/ Pemberley to Milton/Book Review & Giveaway

November 19/ Obsessed with Mr. Darcy/ Book Review & Giveaway

November 20/ A Covent Garden Madame Gilflurt’s Guide to Life/Guest Post & Giveaway

November 21/ Margie’s Must Reads/ Book Review & Giveaway

November 22/ Babblings of a Bookworm/ Book Review & Giveaway

November 23/ Diary of an Eccentric/Book Review & Giveaway

November 24/ Happy Thanksgiving

November 25/ So Little Time… So Much to Read/ Excerpt & Giveaway

November 26/ Just Jane 1813/Interview with Joana Starnes & Giveaway

November 2 / My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice/ Guest Post & Giveaway

November 28/ More Agreeably Engaged/ Vignette & Giveaway

December 1/ My Vices and Weaknesses/ Book Review & Giveaway

December 2/ Austenesque Reviews/ Excerpt & Giveaway

Disclosure: I received Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter from the author for review.

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