Challenge Review: And Who Can Be In Doubt of What Followed

Book: And Who Can Be In Doubt of What Followed
Author: Alexa Adams

Ms Adams gives us an little insight into what followed during parts of Jane Austen's books that she didn't expand on. Now if you adore Jane Austen, as I do, then you've already read all six of her books and love the happy endings. However, like all books, sometime the little things get cut out of the final publication which is where Ms. Adams comes in and gives us a little insight.

Sense & Sensibility touches on how Colonel Brandon finally wins over Marianne. And it was his simple yet constant affections for her that she come to love about him and frankly, I fell in love with him too. Marianne, although the middle sister, was more sensible compared to her sisters and that is why she even gave Colonel Brandon a chance. I like that about her; she care more about what was inside the man then what was on the outside. True this was something she has learn after her failed "relationship" with Willoughby but it makes her more seem more real to me. After all who hasn't suffered from a broken heart.

Northanger Abbey relives what it took for Henry to finally win the hand of Catherine; although she was more then willing to accept him her father was a little leery. And let face it, who can blame him after the way the General Tilney treated Catherine and then refused to support the marriage. A father must look out for his children and I support his actions. We see all that Henry went through in setting up is home with her in mind, hoping to one day soon get this father's blessings and prove to Catherine's father that his love was everlasting.

Henry & Maria (Mansfield Park) shows us what happens with Henry Crawford and Maria Bertram. I for one am glad that Fanny didn't fall for Henry's attempts of wooing her and Maria got what she had coming to her. We hear Henry's plans of convincing Fanny his love was true but of Maria, who always disliked Fanny, wouldn't let that stop her. In the end Henry's and Maria's true colors shine through and Franny and Edmund finally come together and live happily ever after.

Emma takes us through the waiting period between her engagement to Mr. Knightley and the wedding. We all know how Mr. Woodhouse hates change and Emma must use all the tricks of the trade to try and convince him that the wedding needs to take place sooner rather then later. After all she tries she can't seem to make him budge until Ms. Bates comes to the rescue, not that she knew that she was helping Emma. And I for one love Ms. Bates! Emma and Knightley finally have their wedding and ride off into the sunset. Although I must confess to be a little jealous; I do love Mr. Knightley!!

Persuasion tells us what happens in the weeks leading up the wedding of Captain Wentworth and Anne. We always wanted to know who found out about Mrs. Clay and now we know!! Now we are glad that Anne didn't choose Mr. Elliot over the ever faithful, although he tried to deny it at first, loving Captain Wentworth. And he does help Mrs. Smith out, which always makes me like him more. Now nothing can stand in the way of Anne and Wentworth's happiness, well almost nothing but wars are inevitable so we won't even think about it.

Pride and Prejudice lets us see how the preparations get along for the double wedding. Oh Mrs. Bennet is just delightful as always and what not to love about Darcy. Elizabeth tries to shield him from the worst of it but still Darcy could care less as long as he knows Elizabeth will always be by his side.

Six short stories wrapped up into a neat little book that I'm glad that I read. Because if I didn't already love these hero (differently not a fan of Henry Crawford), then I would have fallen in love with him now. Thanks to Jane Austen for giving them to us and thanks for Ms. Adams for making them more lovable.

Tootles!!

Challenge Review: From This Day Forward

Books: From This Day Forward
Author: Joana Starnes

From This Day Forward follows the Darcys during their first years as a married couple. Although over all this is was an enjoyable book I found it a little slow to begin with. The first part of the book shows us how these two love birds live together while getting to know each other better. Their first Christmas is a happy time filled with so much love and joy. It always shows us into Mary and Kitty's lives and their gentlemen acquaintances. After all Mrs. Bennet's purpose in life to find suitable men for her daughters. Also during this first year we get to see Georgiana come into her own. First with building a relationship with Elizabeth and then deciding whom her heart truly wants. Luckily for her she has two possible suitors that give her the space she needs to work through her thoughts and heart.

The second year starts off great but as Christmas rolls around again, there is a tragic misfortune that could tear the Darcy a part. A lot of love and compassion from Darcy will help Elizabeth over this hurtle and that is something we all love about Darcy. He loves his family above all else and will do anything and everything for them.

The third year is better with the addition of the Darcy heir! What could be more thrilling and more loving then a addition to the family. Not only that, but Georgiana also gets married and so does Mary and Kitty. It was a lovely turn of events that shows us that although our couple can and will succeed through life's adversities and come out stronger on the flip side.

In the end I truly enjoyed this story with its ups and downs that life puts before us. It was a delightful, indeed!

Tootles!!

Challenge Review: A Most Civil Proposal

Book: A Most Civil Proposal
Author: C.P. Odom

I truly enjoyed this book! I loved the proposal scene at the parsonage and loved that Elizabeth still had her say against his proposal but Mr. Darcy presented himself well. What I didn't approve of was Mr. Collins' jumping the wrong conclusions when he comes upon Lizzy and Darcy and then has the nerve of spreading the news to not only Lady Catherine but also Mr. Bennet. While Lizzy still doesn't accept Darcy during their interview, she at least allows him to call on her while she is in London at her Aunt's and Uncle's.

While Darcy is in London await for Lizzy, Lizzy is contemplating her feelings for Darcy and asking herself if she could ever marry him. When they finally meet again, she has come to accept Darcy's love for her and,
although she doesn't love, she accepts him. Due to Mr. Bennet's lack of blessing, although he gives his consent, Darcy and Lizzy marry in London with the help of her Uncle and Aunt and two start their lives together.

It takes awhile for Lizzy to realize that she not only respects Darcy but loves him with her whole heart and soul. She proves to all that she will stand by Darcy no matter what and berates her father for not only not listening to her but treating her husband with disrespect. In the end, he finally comes to realize he was wrong asks not only for Lizzy's but Darcy's forgiveness. We also get to see Jane and Bingley finally come together and get married. There are some other interesting aspects that I will let you discover yourself but I do love Mrs. Bennet's reaction to Lizzy's wedding!!

This was an enjoyable read and I would love to see what more Mr. Odom has in store for us in the future.

Challenge Review: First (Wrong) Impressions

Book: First (Wrong) Impressions
Author: Krista D. Ball

A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice which has Elizabeth working in social work helping the less fortunate and Darcy a rich and powerful business man set in Canada. Although the story sticks close the premise of the original, there are several differences. I loved the fact that Elizabeth was still as independent as we have come to love but I was little put off by the constant use of curse words.

The story was a little slow to begin with but by the end I was glad that our couple finally worked through their misunderstandings. Our Lizzy is living with Jane, who had a car accident that resulted in the loss of one of her legs, while working at a shelter that caters to the homeless and down on their luck. She is busy looking for donors when her family is introduced the very amiable Charles Bingley. This of course leads to the family, more specifically Lizzy, to being introduced to William Darcy. Of course Darcy makes a rude comment about Lizzy and of course she hears it; and so the story proceed from there.

There are several interesting differences from the original including Lizzy's best friend is now male and gay, Luke Charlotte. This time there are only four Bennet daughters with Kitty being a cousin, while Mary and Lydia are very much like the sisters we've come to love. Georgiana is not, surprisingly, the same girl we know but a bisexual ex-pop-star that went by the name of G'Anna. Even Caroline showed some good interest but of course in the end she is still Caroline.

In the end, I rather enjoyed the story and am glad that I continued this book until the end. Lizzy's and Darcy's relationship in the end was very modern and I liked it. Do yourself a favor, enjoy it!!

Tootles!!

Challenge Review: Promises

Book: Promises
Author: Wendi Sotis

I was unprepared to read to this book!! I never would have imaged that I would feel so many emotions while reading it, but I was pleasantly surprised.

It starts off with Elizabeth sitting on the floor in a bookstore where is happens to meet Darcy! He is adjusting to life without his mother and she is just trying to live her life without constantly disappointing her mother. We soon come to learn that Elizabeth's and Darcy's father are long last friends who are pleased to connect again. Over the next several years, Elizabeth and Darcy meet and become great friends; she gets to stay are Darcy House and Pemberley. While Darcy is away on his tour of Italy, Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet have come to stay at Pemeberley but by a surprise turn of events Darcy comes home early just in time to meet Elizabeth again; Elizabeth has grown into a lovely sixteen year old (she's grown up and out of those awkward years).

Their meeting was priceless! Darcy had been out riding and Elizabeth was coming down from a tree when he come around a hedge and the horse, while trying to miss Elizabeth, swerved and caused Darcy to fall. He was injured and Elizabeth had to help him but in doing so she injured herself. The whole scene was intriguing to see them both come the realization that they loved it each other. While they both recover they spend a lot of time together and by the end of Elizabeth's stay and come to an understanding and promise to meet again in eight months on Elizabeth's seventeenth birthday; then they will become official engaged!

This where things go wrong! Old Mr. Darcy is killed in an accident, someone is keeping letters from the Bennets and Darcy from getting to each other, Darcy is injured during a fire and the next thing you know three years have passed. Oh how my heart ached at all the time kept my favorite couple apart!

Luckily for us Bingley leases a house in Hertfordshire and Darcy comes along!! The lovers finally have a chance to meet again and this time talk things through. Right the wrongs. It takes a little while to finally get the happy end we all longed for, but in the end it was well worth it!

My favorite part of the book had to be when Mr. Bennet had to have a "the birds and the bees" talk with Darcy! That was priceless!! This version of Jane was very different from the original but I loved it. And oh Mrs. Bennet was amazing!! She changed her demeanor after hearing some comments and was able to reign in Lydia and Kitty; well done Mrs. Bennet. I didn't like Lady Catherine to being with but this version made me dislike her even more and I was surprised to see the Earl of Matlock being as devious as this. Good thing Colonel Fitzwilliam was there to give some relief to the drama; he can always be counted on for a good laugh.

Overall, I really liked this retelling of Darcy and Elizabeth. Thanks to Ms. Sotis for taking me on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Tootles!

P&P Bicentenary Challenge

Since this is the 200th (yes folks 200!) anniversary of Pride and Prejudice's publication, our friends over at Austenprose.com are having a little challenge! Well, since I'm already in the mists of my own personal challenge, why not add this to my year end goal. So now I have to read or watch a P&P variation and post a review after doing so. Simple, right? Well, not really because you see there is literally several hundreds of books and several film adaptations and to pick just a few is difficult! But I guess I will solider on and set my goal of "Aficionado" by selecting 12 books/films.....

• Pride and Prejudice (2005 movie version)

• Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway

• First (Wrong) Impressions by Krista Ball

• Promises by Wendi Sotis

• Charlotte: Elizabeth Bennet's Story by Linda Phelps

• Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley by Fenella Miller

• From This Day Forward by Joanna Starnes

• And Who Can Be In Doubt of What Followed by Alexa Adams

• Mr Darcy Came To Dinner by Jack Caldwell

• A Most Civil Proposal by C.P. Odom

• Searching For Pemberely by Mary Lydon Simonsen

• Pride and Prejudice (1995 Miniseries)

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Okay so that's 13, but what good is a challenge if you don't challenge yourself?!?! And beside it a P&P challenge so it goes without saying that you should at least read the original that started it all! 

If it wasn't for Jane Austen introducing Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy to us 200 years ago, then my life would be so dull. Indeed! 

Tootles!