Book picks similar to
A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity by Amy D'Orazio


jaff
pride-and-prejudice
austenesque
historical-romance

Her Unforgettable Laugh: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Linda Thompson - 2015
    Later, a second glimpse showed her to be lovely, and he heard her melodious laugh again. Darcy wondered what it would be like to meet this remarkable, and remarkably lovely, young woman. Would the spirit that caused her to go to the aid of a stranger be able to bring some joy to his lonely life? Would they ever meet, or would he always be left wondering? Little did Fitzwilliam Darcy know that his trip to Hertfordshire to help his friend would bring him face to face with the lovely young woman whose unforgettable laugh had haunted his dreams for the last several years. Would she be anything like the woman he had built up in his dreams? Would he be able to avoid Miss Bingley long enough to discover more about this mysterious young woman?

Assumptions & Absurdities: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Cinnamon Worth - 2018
    This classic couple’s romance is shaken off course when, shortly after leaving Hertfordshire, Darcy receives word that one of the Bennet sisters is engaged to the obsequious Mr. Collins. Darcy, a rich and powerful landowner, knows that Elizabeth is not a suitable match but, having already lost the battle with Cupid, he finds himself rushing back to the countryside. He is relieved to discover that it is Mary Bennet who is destined to become Mrs. Collins. But his path to happiness is still far from assured. Darcy may have resolved his internal struggle to accept Elizabeth’s as she is, but he must now overcome a rival and his own inability to interpret events around him. Read as all ofJane Austen’s favorite characters overcome hilarious misunderstandings and mishaps. Assumptions and Absurdities is a Regency Romance sure to entertain.

Mr. Darcy's Promise


Jeanna Ellsworth - 2013
    Georgiana Darcy makes her way to Netherfield Park to meet the woman her brother so admires. While at first Georgiana’s presence smooths the course of true love between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, the ghosts of her past appear to wreak havoc on all of them. Unhappily, Elizabeth finds herself placed in the care of the Darcy family at Pemberley. Assuming he knows the cause of Elizabeth’s distress, Mr. Darcy makes a promise on his gentleman’s honor. The promise, although made with good intentions, becomes nearly impossible to keep for Mr. Darcy, and somewhat vexing for Elizabeth. Some promises are made to be broken but will the ever-trustworthy gentleman let go enough to secure Elizabeth’s heart?

Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner


Jack Caldwell - 2011
    Darcy, forcing the injured gentleman to reluctantly take up residence at Longbourn-- more specifically, in the parlor of Longbourn!In pain, forbidden to leave by his doctors, Mr. Darcy cannot escape the ridiculous antics of the Bennet clan.And when Georgiana Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh arrive to visit the invalid, chaos, confusion, and hilarity ensue!Inspired by the classics of comedy, author Jack Caldwell transforms Austen's beloved novel into a tour de force of farce. The Regency will never be the same!

A Case of Some Delicacy


K.C. Kahler - 2019
     When rumours of Jane Bennet’s impending betrothal to her father’s heir begin spreading at the Meryton Assembly, Elizabeth vows to save her dearest sister’s happiness from being sacrificed in marriage. She finds an unlikely accomplice in Mr Darcy, the taciturn man whose heroics on the cricket field have managed to turn Lydia Bennet’s infatuation away from redcoats. Upon overhearing a heated exchange between Elizabeth and Mr Bennet, Darcy is stunned not only by her devotion to her sister, but also by her defiant words to her father. An inexplicable desire to help Elizabeth draws Darcy into the match-breaking scheme, despite knowing that he should want nothing to do with a family like the Bennets. As the new allies work together, their friendship deepens into mutual admiration. But they must navigate a complicated web of sisters, parents, friends, cousins, and aunts, some of whom may be attempting their own manipulations and romantic schemes. Eavesdropping and jealousy abound, cricket balls go astray, and love blooms in spite of Mrs. Bennet’s misguided matchmaking. This humorous Pride and Prejudice re-imagining is novel length and pays homage to the wit of Jane Austen.

Darcy and Elizabeth: A Promise Kept


Brenda J. Webb - 2016
    Not a simple retelling, it is an intriguing new story that does not follow canon.Five years after his disastrous proposal at Kent, Fitzwilliam Darcy receives a letter from Charles Bingley regarding a promise made when their friendship ended. Should Darcy keep the promise, it will throw him into the company of the one woman he has struggled for years to forget--Elizabeth Bennet.Having just entered a secret agreement with Lady Markham, will Darcy put his future in jeopardy by stepping in to help Bingley? Has time and distance helped him overcome his regard for Elizabeth, or will he fall as madly in love with her as before? Is true love to be found in a promise kept?

When the Sun Sleeps


Alix James - 2020
    Mr. Bingley has returned to Jane with promising attentions, and all is well... except that no one knows what has become of Mr. Darcy. Shadowed by regrets of the past, Elizabeth means only to enjoy her tour of the Peaks with her aunt and uncle, declining a chance to view Pemberley. The party takes rooms at an inn, and Elizabeth discovers a very lonely gentleman has taken the room next to hers.Fitzwilliam Darcy has lost nearly all the people dearest to him. Too late to save some, and too humbled to reach out to others, he does the only thing he can think of. He leaves all his memories behind for a time, uncertain if or when he will ever return. On his way to Scotland, he stops in an unfamiliar town for the night, and finds a friend in the faceless voice next door. If only their paths would cross in the daylight, so he could learn who she is!As the nights pass, and casual exchanges become deep confidences, Darcy and Elizabeth each find their hearts aching for the one they lost. Elizabeth wishes with all her heart that she could see Mr. Darcy one more time, to let him know how her feelings have changed. The least she can do is advise this stranger in the next room not to give up hope on the woman he loves.When Darcy at last decides to seek Elizabeth Bennet and ask one more time for her hand, will he accidentally be riding away from her, instead? Find out in this delicious, gently paced story of mistakes and redemption.When The Sun Sleeps is a sweet Regency Novella of approximately 20,000 words.

Found in the Snow: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Jaeza Rayleigh - 2019
    In this variation, the familiar cast of characters is augmented by the introduction of Lizzy’s great-aunt by marriage, Lady Helena Mosse, who hopes to give her great-nieces more opportunities to make good matches than they would find in Meryton. A snowy encounter leads to a new acquaintance, but is it the kind of opportunity Lady Helena hoped for? Because of the chance encounter, Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy in the winter before the canon visit to Meryton, but their initial interactions are just as rocky. Can Mr. Darcy change his ways and become more approachable? Does he want to? Can Elizabeth forgive his early insults and learn to see him for the man he truly is? Will Kitty find her own way when separated from Lydia? Is Georgiana in danger even when protected by her friends? All these questions and more will be answered in this clean and generally low-angst variation on the story we know and love. One more will be answered as well – what was it really that Lizzy found in the snow?

Losing Lizzy: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary


Regina Jeffers - 2020
    Now only he can save their daughter.When Lady Catherine de Bourgh told Elizabeth Bennet: “And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well. I shall now know how to act. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I came to try you. I hoped to find you reasonable; but, depend upon it, I will carry my point,” no one knew how vindictive and manipulative her ladyship might prove, but Darcy and Elizabeth were about to discover the bitter truth for themselves.This is a story of true love conquering even the most dire circumstances. Come along with our dear couple as they set a path not only to thwart those who stand between them and happiness, but to forge a family, one not designed by society’s strict precepts, but rather one full of hope, honor, loyalty and love.

An Heir for Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Short Story


Jane Grix - 2016
    But Darcy's mother died in childbirth and he worries that he could lose it all. An Heir for Pemberley is a Pride and Prejudice Variation Short Story, 4000 words long and takes about fifteen minutes to read. It is a quick escape to Pemberley.

Rose Cottage: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


A.K. Madison - 2020
    Their worst fears are realized as they must leave their beloved Longbourn to face an uncertain future.Elizabeth Bennet faces the a bleak future. It is clear that her mother will never be equal to the tasks of managing the meager finances, planning for the move, or giving guidance and love to her youngest daughters. Elizabeth can expect life as a spinster, caring for the family and finally being left alone to tend Fanny Bennet.Fitzwilliam Darcy arrives at Netherfield on the very eve of the funeral, after a letter is misdirected. He throws himself into the repair work on the Bennets’ cottage, pouring into it all his unrequited love for Elizabeth. Although she may not belong to him, he quickly realizes that he belongs to her—and that he always will.Love grows with the advancing spring, just as surely as the lovely old roses begin to grow at the derelict cottage. As a new haven for the Bennets begins to emerge from the ruins, Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves likewise giving their love a new, second chance. When an unseen and powerful opponent seeks to block their marriage, Elizabeth and Darcy will fight for their freedom to live together in peace.Please note: This story includes two scenes of non-graphic violence. It also incorporates a love scene between the newly married couple in which author and readers will close the door and tiptoe away. It is best suited for readers in the late teens and up.

Assumed Engagement


Kara Louise - 2007
    Darcy's carriage overturns, and he is rendered unconscious. Having written Georgiana previously that he was going to ask for her hand, Georgiana, thinking they are engaged, writes to Elizabeth, begging her to come to Pemberley, thinking she may be able to help draw him out. Visit Kara Louise's website at www.ahhhs.net, Jane Austen's Land of Ahhhs, to read additional stories.

A Quest for Mr Darcy: An emotional tale of Elizabeth and Darcy inspired by the classic


Cassandra Grafton - 2017
    Convinced he is over his foolish infatuation with Elizabeth Bennet, he returns from a year of travelling with a plan, both to protect the estate of which he is guardian and to ensure his sister's happiness: he intends to do his duty and secure a wife at the earliest opportunity. Duty; a path from which Darcy knows he should never have been diverted. Duty was safe and nothing would persuade him from it a second time. Soon restored to his home in Derbyshire, Darcy puts his quest in motion, preparing to welcome guests from Town, one of whom is the suitably eligible young lady he has earmarked as his future wife. But what of the Bennets of Longbourn? What befell them in Darcy’s absence from England? And what of the new tenants on his estate named Bennet? Is his path fated to cross with Elizabeth's once more? With the addition of his friend, Bingley's, mischievous twin younger sisters, letters from a stranger and a shadowy figure lurking in the grounds of Pemberley, Darcy's life is about to be turned upside down. Can he remain steady to his purpose, or will his carefully laid plans soon be in tatters as the rigid protection he has placed around his heart begins to falter?

Madness in Meryton: A Pride & Prejudice Variation


Jayne Bamber - 2020
    Collins. When the rain clears, the ladies from Longbourn and the gentlemen from Netherfield are drawn to Meryton by the excitement of Market Day, setting in motion a series of significant events.That night, Mrs. Phillips hosts a card party for the officers of the local militia, where the charming Mr. Wickham reveals to Elizabeth his shocking history with Mr. Darcy, a man who has only given Elizabeth offense since coming to stay with his friend Mr. Bingley at Netherfield.The next day, the same thing happens again.And again, the day after that – and so on, for what begins to feel like an eternity. Elizabeth takes increasingly drastic measures to further the romance between her beloved sister Jane and their handsome neighbor Mr. Bingley. Along the way, she arranges improvements in the lives of all of her family, in a effort to end the relentless redundancy that only she seems aware of.As Elizabeth’s frustration turns to madness, she realizes that her inexplicable dilemma is somehow connected to a certain officer and a certain gentleman of her acquaintance….Elizabeth Bennet must forge unlikely alliances and devote her considerable wit to the task of achieving a perfect day for those she holds dear, while facing familiar Fitzwilliam friends and foes, as well as all the mortification and delight of falling in love.

Meant to Be: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Andreea Catana - 2017
    Bingley rented Netherfield nine months later than in the original? What if Elizabeth Bennet met Mr. Darcy first at Rosings while she is staying with her friend Charlotte Collins and he is visiting his aunt, Lady Catherine? What if Elizabeth is as attracted by Darcy’s fine eyes as much as he is by hers? When their mutual attraction is tainted by pride, prejudice, misunderstandings, and false accusation, how will they reconcile their feelings when they meet again in Hertfordshire? Follow this Regency Pride and Prejudice variation that takes you into a different—yet much the same—journey through the beloved story of Elizabeth and her Mr. Darcy.