Monica FairviewAnmeldelser

Our heroine for AN IMPROPER SUITOR is a decidedly independent young lady with a wealthy portion, comfortable living arrangements with her maternal grandmother and feels no need to complicate life with marriage or men. In fact, it was her Grandmother, an advocate of women's rights, who has instilled in her this very strong belief that marriage should be avoided. That, and the fact that Julia's father was the worst sort of rake that lead to her mother's depression and eventual death.

Imagine her surprise when her grandmother tells her that marriage is exactly what Julia has to do in order to retain a respectable position in society. Also, she admitted she wouldn't want Julia to miss out on having children of her own to raise, a joy her grandmother was never remorseful for even if she regretted her daughter's choice of husbands.

Julia's Grandmother, Lady Bullfinch, and many of her friends, are not the sort of conventional 'elderly' sorts from Regency novels. They openly lament the fact that the succeeding generations have become entirely too prudish and wonder when it became taboo for a lady to have a bit of experience before marriage. Throughout the novel, though we aren't privy to the more outrageous comments, only the reactions because of them, the past is talked about in ribald comments that leave everyone else in the room decidedly uncomfortable.

I love her for it. Too often it seems that grandmothers, and the older generation in general in Regency romances, are either very cranky and contentious or soft-spoken and meandering. Occasionally there will be a grandfather spoken of with a twinkle in his eye and devilish sense of humor, or a grandmother who casts a blind eye to youthful exploits and love, but rarely does it seem they encourage incorrigible behavior.

Julia is a little less likeable a character. I wouldn't say she's inconsistent or wishy-washy, but she takes many things on face value with only the barest of thought that things might be deeper. She continues this line of thinking until well through half of the book and only changes her mind when she's placed in a dire situation. Her condemnation is well-warranted, given what her mother went through with her father, but she admits privately that she has little idea how things really were and learned everything second hand.

One sore point was Julia's age. It's mentioned to be almost twenty-one several times in the first 50 pages or so, a particularly important part of her deal with her grandmother, in fact, is that she finds someone to marry before her twenty-first birthday. After we skip ahead two months, her age suddenly changes to almost twenty-three. After this her age isn't mentioned again, so I'm not certain if this was merely a typo or had been the original intent, then had been changed in the latter drafts and this one had been overlooked, being so far removed from the other mentions.

Another was that a lot seemed to happen in the book in less than a month, at least I had assumed it was less than a month. Her grandmother had given her three months to find a husband; this was back in March of 1818 and the first chapter picks up in May 1818. I don't recall the agreement changing, so I'm left to understand all the events from the first chapter to the last chapter happen within a month. In fact, two weeks have gone by as of halfway through the book and yet so much more happens!

As I understand it from the author's website, this was her first published Regency and it's a commendable one, at that. I certainly enjoyed reading the book and look forward to more of her stories in the future.

Very enjoyable Pride and Prejudice inspired fantasy novel.

April 1812 In this Pride & Prejudice variation/sequel the Hunsford proposal has been received and refused, but this time Darcy does not deliver the letter.
Seven years later, after marrying Darcy, Anne de Bourgh has died leaving a five year old daughter, Catherine.
The last seven years have not gone well for the Bennet family. As now Mr. Collins is living at Longbourn, Elizabeth married a Captain Heriot who has since died and left her poor. Also Jane is married to a tradesman, a Mr Grant, and is expecting her fifth child.
Elizabeth decides it's time she earned some income and plans to become a governess, but she soon learns that she is uneducated even to become a governess. Thankfully Darcy needs a governess for Kathy as she needs some guidance in her life or she will turn into another Lady Catherine, or a new Anne de Bourgh. So it is no surprise that he employs Mrs Elizabeth Heriot.
But will this be a wise decision for either of them, what could go wrong with the arrangement, and how do others perceive the situation. Can there really be a happy ending.
A well-written and enjoyable Elizabeth and Darcy romance story. (Unfortunately though with very little information about the other characters from canon.)
Received an ARC Review draft copy

This Book 2 is not a stand-a-lone book but must be read after Book 1.
This Pride and Prejudice variation begins as Elizabeth and the Gardiners leave Pemberley in response to Lydia's letter saying she is leaving Brighton with Wickham.
Can Elizabeth and Darcy ever solve their differences and what becomes of Lydia.

This is not a stand-a-lone book.
In this Pride and Prejudice variation, it has been 3 months since Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, and which he did not hand to her his letter of explanation. While at Pemberley he decides it is time to forget Elizabeth by taking a wife, and his decision will be made logically.
Just reread prior to Book 2 and enjoyed it again.

A Pride and Prejudice steampunk tribute with Darcy, Wickham and Georgiana, and Seraphene.

Cute little sequel to P&P. It dragged in a few places and was not in any way Jane Austen-ish, but if you go in with low expectations and just enjoy it for what it is, it's a fun read. I give it 3 1/2 stars.

I really enjoyed this. No zombies, no vampires, no time travel (not that there's anything wrong with that), just a lovely, straight-up, manner-of-Austen story.

Mr Darcy and Lizzy were real, and long long after they died another Mr Darcy is quite obsessed with them. Which brings is to our story, Mr Darcy is called the Boss and has quite the empire in Boston. The world went to hell and from the ashes a new world began. A world that is steampunk.

Darcy wants to well spy on his ancestors, and he wants Seraphene to help. But this is a PP variation so she does not like him. Though I must say he was much better than old Darcy. This Darcy was nerdy and lost in himself. I get that. But Seraphene was a good Lizzy. She liked where she came from, she was firm and stood up for herself.

There is also a really spoiled and teen Georgiana, a Wickham you must discover for yourself and a new brother for Darcy, Richard which I guess must be colonel Fitzwilliam. Very sad cos he is an idiot. There are other things too as he has named most things after places and people in PP.

It's quite the adventure, from swimming in icky rivers, flying a barouche and meeting pirates. I do like a strange world and I would really like to know more about the Uprising and the bad days. She should totally write about those days too, it would be a good dystopia.

An interesting take on Pride and Prejudice.

A good Pride and Prejudice variation makes me doubt that Darcy and Lizzy ever will get together.

This is Darcy's book. His is in agony here, he wants her, but she have just said no. So what should he do? Here he tries to find another wife and find out what he really wants, all while pining for her. Awww Darcy, you break my heart.

Darcy tries to see what makes a wife perfect, Georgiana gets some backbone, we meet the Bingleys again, there are wife candidates. And you need not worry, there is Lizzy! But this is part one so more is to come. We still do not know if they end up together or not ;)

I liked seeing it all from Darcy's perspective. It shows how he really is and how he sees her. I also liked how Georgiana was portrayed and it was nice seeing Lizzy from far away.

An enjoyable variation :)

Oh Darcy you are such a fool *smacks Darcy over the head*. At least you got over the woman you thought about in book 1...not Lizzy. Yes he aches for her but he wants to marry and is such a fool, a gentleman fool. Sighs. But do NOT worry, of course it will end happily. He is just too nice.

This book sure takes it's share of twists and turns and turns the real book on its head. Darcy tries to find Lydia. He gets to show how nice he really is to Lizzy. Lydia's ending was great for once. It fit. Even if she is a silly silly girl.

We saw nothing of Mary and Kitty, or Jane either in a way. This is Darcy's book after all. It's all about his longing and fight to make her his.

And he succeeds! Huzzah! And then they live happily ever after. Well except for everyone matched up, but they will be ok ;)

A nice little series :) Darcy being Darcy and simply wonderful.

Fitzwilliam Darcy's cousin (also named Mr.Darcy) visits England and, through machinations that make no logical or emotional sense, is "forced" into a pretend betrothal with Caroline Bingley. Presumably they end up falling in love and marrying for real, but I only got 132 pages into this before I gave up out of sheer boredom. None of the characters fit with those from [b:Pride and Prejudice|1885|Pride and Prejudice|Jane Austen|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320399351s/1885.jpg|3060926], from a soppy and foolish Jane to an even soppier Elizabeth. Most changed of all is Caroline; the author leaves her a minor amount of pride and sarcasm, but she is otherwise transformed into a model heroine. Kind to others, bffs with Jane, only prideful because her mother emotionally abused her into it, constantly at a loss in social situations so her Mr Darcy can save her, calm and collected in a crisis, the shoulder for everyone to lean on...it's just unbelievable. If Fairview hadn't tried to connect this to Austen, it would have been a mediocre but bland Regency romance. Or, if Fairview had let Caroline remain a rather unpleasant person who nevertheless finds someone who understands and appreciates her, this could have been a very interesting Austen spin off. As it is, the book flounders and fails.

This is Caroline Bingley's story. She finally finds love with another Darcy, an American cousin, named Robert. He is just as charming as Fitzwilliam but more open. He and Caroline both help each other cope and become more themselves. Another great vacation read.

This is Caroline Bingley's story. She finally finds love with another Darcy, an American cousin, named Robert. He is just as charming as Fitzwilliam but more open. He and Caroline both help each other cope and become more themselves. Another great vacation read.

This is Caroline Bingley's story. She finally finds love with another Darcy, an American cousin, named Robert. He is just as charming as Fitzwilliam but more open. He and Caroline both help each other cope and become more themselves. Another great vacation read.

This is Caroline Bingley's story. She finally finds love with another Darcy, an American cousin, named Robert. He is just as charming as Fitzwilliam but more open. He and Caroline both help each other cope and become more themselves. Another great vacation read.

Mr. Darcy's Challenge is the second installment of The Darcy Novels. While you could possibly read this as a standalone, I believe you would get more enjoyment out of it if you read Mr. Darcy's Pledge first.

Monica Fairview takes us back into the world of Darcy and Lizzy. Just when things between the two start to smooth out, Darcy goes and ruins it all. He's a complete and utter jerk and well, as you can imagine Lizzy isn't having it. So the two go their separate ways. Darcy knows he must marry someone, even if it's not Elizabeth.

Things happen and roadblocks are put in both of their paths, but Darcy can't forget Lizzy. Fortune is on his side and their paths cross again. But can they finally find their way to each other? Monica Fairview certainly knows how to shake things up for her characters.

This next installment in The Darcy Novels is quite exciting. So much happens, but I don't want to spoil it for you. Needless to say, it's an exciting, emotional roller coaster ride. Darcy if full on inner turmoil as he tries to act as a gentleman should. The rocky road of love is paved with good intentions, but will Lizzy recognize it? The ending left me wanting to know what happens next, and I eagerly wait the next installment.

Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2014/12/review-mr-darcys-challenge.html#52JXmxu...

The idea of the book was interesting (if unlikely), and it was overall a fun light read and a decent professional Austen fanfic. However, there were a number of bits that seemed really pointless or exaggerated. The whole section with the Captain and Mrs. Miles, for example, ended up being both too over-the-top and too unresolved, and it could have been dropped without affecting the story. The Wickham bit -- well, I could see him doing that and it leading to that result, but again, what was the point of having these events in this story?

The story did grab me enough to keep me reading to see how things would work out between Caroline and Robert, but while I don't rule out reading more by this author in future, I'm not moved to seek out the entire backlist.

In the past Monica Fairview has delighted readers with her continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. In her latest book, Mr. Darcy's Pledge, she gives her readers exactly what they want: more Mr. Darcy.

This book picks up right after Mr. Darcy's disastrous first proposal to Elizabeth Bennett. He returns downtrodden to Pemberley. There he makes up his mind that he must find a wife, and he must find her soon. Also his sister, Georgiana, is now a young women ready for her first season. She is shy and unused to being in a social setting. Mr. Darcy goes to his aunt and uncle for advice, only to learn they plan to marry her off to some duke. Both brother and sister are determined to marry someone they at least respect. But how can they, when convention says otherwise.

You know you've read a good book when you come to the end and still want more. That's how I felt reading this book. It's a first in a series, so there's a guarantee of more Mr. Darcy to come. I love that this book takes place after the proposal. In Pride and Prejudice Austen doesn't let us know what Mr. Darcy is doing during this time period. So this is the perfect scenario for Mr. Darcy's Pledge. I also love that Fairview has included many of the characters from Pride and Prejudice. Especially the characters you love to hate.

This is a great addition for Austenesque fans. I loved reading this book and cannot wait for the next in the series!

Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2014/06/review-mr-darcys-pledge-by-monica.html#...

One of the best Pride and Prejudice sequels

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Caroline Bingley is a character you love to hate. She’s the unmarried, snobby high society sister of the affable Mr. Bingley, and she’s been not so subtly pursuing Mr. Darcy for years with awkward flattery and clueless put downs of heroine Elizabeth Bennet. By the end of P and P Elizabeth and Darcy are getting married, of course, so what comes next for Caroline Bingley who is must be bitterly disappointed and broken hearted?

Author Monica Fairview performs the miracle of creating a believable and likeable Caroline Bingley. She even finds the perfect man for Caroline, who is now doing some soul searching about her life. In a P and P role reversal it is Caroline, the female, who is reserved, concerned with propriety and maybe a little over proud while the male, Mr. Darcy’s charming American cousin, is open, iconoclastic, funny and totally unconcerned with the finer points of etiquette. They have a lot to learn from each other.

If you enjoy Monica Fairview’s story telling skills you can find a wonderful short story sequel to Jane Austen’s Emma by her in the anthology Jane Austen Made Me Do It.

This book by Ms. Fairview held a very intriguing idea – what if Mr. Darcy had an American cousin, and that cousin found himself falling for Caroline Bingley? The result is this very Austen-esque novel that allows readers to actually like Caroline and wish for her to have her fairytale ending.

Caroline Bingley (who we read in Pride and Prejudice to be a cold, unfeeling, and conceited person) actually grows in personality (and even finds herself later on), which we can see this in the flirtatious and friendly banter between Robert Darcy and her. There were some other P&P elements that were applied to TOMD (but I won’t ruin the book by revealing them).

This tale was well worth my picking it up at my local library; and I give kudos to Fairview for coming up with this creative, entertaining, and original idea.½

I haven't read the precursor to this book, The Other Mr Darcy, so I don't know how they fit together or how having read the one would have influenced my opinion of the other. I do know that having Caroline Bingley as a character -- even a minor one -- put me on guard, which was sort of funny.

Beyond that, where to begin? I was very excited to see that this story expands on two of the women I wanted to know more about in P&P, Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana Darcy. They were both so shy and retiring, such complete wallflowers, but you knew there had to be more to them. Georgiana is the focus of this story (as well as her American cousin, Clarissa), but Anne certainly has her part to play. I enjoyed this, and thought Fairview did an admirable job of breaking them out of their shells believably.

Fairview mimics Austen fairly well, both in language and style, and follows her storylines (and patterns) to an extent that I at first thought I was going to be irritated -- that it was simply going to be a case of the same story with different names, which irritates me. This wasn't the case. Many similar things to occur, but in a way that show the differences between Georgiana and Lizzie. This makes sense, as they have two different characters, and it was fun to see different reactions and ways of acquiting themselves in social situations.

The story is predictable, of course, but not necessarily in a bad way. I love banter, and I enjoyed myself reading it; it was full of those little moments that I love where something is on the verge of happening, but doesn't. I think layering these in a story lays the groundwork for what is coming, but keeps it from coming too soon and losing it's power. It's a teasing game that keeps the reader engaged and looking for the next flirtation with the inevitable, and it's one of the things I loved in Austen's romances -- of course you knew where they were headed, but it never bothered you just sitting back and watching it get there, no matter how long it took. It even has me curious to read The Other Mr Darcy and find out how Caroline is able to work herself into my good graces. And that's saying something. ;p

Julia Swifton is a rational and witty young lady who finds herself in the position of a heroine. Raised by her grandmother, the eccentric and merry Lady Bullfinch, she’s known in society as a bit of a bluestocking. Truth be told Julia simply isn’t interested in attracting a husband, she isn’t in want of a fortune so why should she marry? Especially when her poor mother’s marriage had brought such misery. Her husband had abandoned her and she died about a year after Julia’s birth.

Unexpectedly after Lady Bullfinch recovers from an illness that had her near death she tells Julia she must find a suitor within three months or she will arrange a match with Lord Thorwynn, who has the reputation of a libertine.

Continue reading: http://novembersautumn.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/book-review-an-improper-suitor-b...

“She had always thought herself very competent. She had been confident of her goals and her ability to accomplish them. Then, one by one, the threads she had woven begun to unravel, and now she was left with nothing but a tangle.”

Caroline Bingley; we remember her as vain, haughty, and interfering. When attending Fitzwilliam Darcy’s wedding what do you think the conceited creature does? She cries alone in the library in uncontrollable sobs… or at least she thinks she’s alone. To her great humiliation Mr. Robert Darcy, the American cousin of Mr. Darcy, is sitting in the room. She is consoled with the idea that she will probably never see Mr. Robert again.
Staying at Netherfield, her friendship with Jane renewed, she helps her manage the household. She is so capable that the widowed Louisa remarks, ”What would they do without your management… they rely far too much on you.” Unexpectedly, Mr. Robert arrives with the news that Elizabeth Darcy is ill. Jane and Charles immediately set off to Pemberley.

Continue reading: http://novembersautumn.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/book-review-the-other-mr-darcy-b...

Monica Fairview continues to delight in this tale of Miss Georgiana Darcy’s coming of age. With her brother and Elizabeth settled into married life and welcoming a baby she finds herself falling behind in the step that society expects of her: marriage.

“The fate of unmarried sisters had befallen her. For while she did not for one instant feel unwelcome her place had shifted in the household and she now occupied the role of an outsider looking into a happy family circle.”

Visiting Lady Catherine de Bourg at Rosings, who is as pompous and meddlesome as ever, they are joined by their American cousin, Miss Clarissa. Her lively, unconventional, alluring, and fashionable manner impress Georgiana. Fueled by her annoyance at her brother continuing to treat her as a child and overhearing Mr. Percy Channing, a handsome man, if somewhat worldly, that she finds very charming, describe her as a bore she decides to rebel.

Continue reading: http://novembersautumn.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/book-review-the-darcy-cousins-by...