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


jaff
pride-and-prejudice
austenesque
historical-romance

Fallen Woman: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary


Arthel Cake - 2019
    Darcy has already left Netherfield. Torn by his attraction to Elizabeth Bennet, a woman he cannot marry, he retreats to Scotland, unaware of the social disaster that overtakes the Bennet family. Shunned by friends and neighbors, Mrs. Bennet succumbs and Mr. Bennet moves what is left of his family to London. As Mary and Kitty find husbands, Elizabeth and Jane are left to care for their failing father with little money and less hope for the future. After Mr. Bennet’s death, the sisters continue to live on the bare edge of gentility with fading prospects for happiness in life. But then Elizabeth accidently encounters Mr. Bingley. Both young women are drawn back into his sphere, which includes Mr. Darcy. Once again Bingley is plagued by his sister Caroline, who is as determined as ever to prevent his marriage to Jane, and whose machinations may go farther back than anyone realizes. Darcy is assisting his friend in his renewed courtship of Jane and as Elizabeth finds herself in continual contact with him a friendship grows between them, one Elizabeth tries to believe is platonic, while Darcy knows he is still inescapably in love with her. Torn between a growing attraction to Darcy and the taint of Lydia’s sin, Elizabeth struggles to find a way forward. Darcy has problems of his own. His sister Georgiana has withdrawn from her first Season, refusing to choose a suitor in spite of family pressure. Lady Catherine deBourgh believes she can force Darcy to marry her daughter Anne, and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. And a threat from the past by Darcy’s old enemy George Wickham arises once more with the potential to ruin not only the Darcys but the Fitzwilliam family as well. Now at a Twelfth Night ball, Darcy is no longer able to deny his love and offers Elizabeth his hand. But Elizabeth, deeply damaged by her experiences, believes herself unworthy of him and rejects him with consequences no one could have predicted, forcing Darcy to face a turning point that will decide his and Elizabeth’s future in one last encounter. Finally, just when matters seem to be settled, Darcy and Elizabeth’s happiness is jeopardized once again by a ghost from the past as Wickham finally seems ready to strike.

The Forgotten Sister: Mary Bennet's Pride and Prejudice


Jennifer Paynter - 2012
    She retreats to her room to read and play the pianoforte and, when obliged to mix in society, finds it safer to quote platitudes from books rather than express her real opinions. She also finds it safer to befriend those who are socially “beneath” her. When wealthy Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley glide into her sisters’ lives, Mary becomes infatuated with an impoverished young musician, the son of her old wet-nurse, who plays the fiddle at the Meryton assemblies.It is only after her sisters tease her about her “beau with the bow” that Mary is forced to examine her real feelings and confront her own brand of pride and prejudice.An elegant accompaniment to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, The Forgotten Sister plucks the neglected Mary from obscurity and beautifully reveals her hopes and dreams.

A Chance Encounter in Pemberley Woods


Brigid Huey - 2019
     Fitzwilliam Darcy returns to his beloved Pemberley with one thing on his mind—to forget Elizabeth Bennet. Riding ahead of his party and racing a storm, he happens upon the very woman he wants to avoid. To his astonishment, she is holding a baby whose name and parentage are unknown. Elizabeth Bennet never dreamed she had wandered into Pemberley’s woods on her afternoon walk. But when she finds an infant alone in the storm, she turns to the last man in the world she wants to see—and the only one who can help them both. As the mystery of the baby’s identity intensifies, Elizabeth finds Mr. Darcy to be quite different from what she expected. But when the child’s family is discovered, will the truth bring them together or tear them apart?

A Wife for Mr. Darcy


Mary Lydon Simonsen - 2011
    Darcy: "Another superior Jane Austen homage...will entertain those who already know their Austen and Georgette Heyer by heart, as well as fans of old-fashioned romance." -Publishers WeeklyA GENTLEMAN should always render an APOLOGY When Mr. Darcy realizes he insulted Miss Elizabeth Bennet at the Meryton Assembly, he feels duty bound to seek her out and apologize...When he has INSULTED a LADYBut instead of meekly accepting his apology, Elizabeth stands up to him, and Darcy realizes with a shock that she is a very different type of lady than he is used to...Darcy is more intrigued than he's ever been by any young lady, but he's already entangled in a courtship. It's a brutal predicament for a man of honor who only longs to follow his heart...

The Darcy Monologues


Christina BoydJan Hahn - 2017
    Darcy has captivated readers' imaginations as the ultimate catch. Rich. Powerful. Noble. Handsome. And yet, as Miss Austen's Pride and Prejudice is established through Elizabeth Bennet's fine eyes, how are we to know his mind? How does Darcy progress from "She is tolerable: but not handsome enough to tempt me" to "I thought only of you"?In this romance anthology, fifteen Austenesque authors assemble to sketch Darcy's character through a series of re-imaginings, set in the Regency through contemporary times--from faithful narratives to the fanciful. Herein The Darcy Monologues, the man himself reveals his intimate thoughts, his passionate dreams, and his journey to love--all told with a previously concealed wit and enduring charm. "It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy."

Elizabeth and Darcy: Ardently Yours: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Evangeline Wright - 2019
    Darcy’s introduction. What if Elizabeth visited Pemberley before meeting Darcy, and was prepared to think the best of him, rather than the worst? What if Georgiana Darcy stayed home from Ramsgate, and Wickham’s dastardly schemes had not yet been revealed? The answer: An ardent, inevitable love story that unfolds quite differently… but is, in essentials, very much what it ever was. Elizabeth and Darcy: Ardently Yours is a sweet, chaste Regency romance of approximately 60,000 words. A note: This story was originally posted several years ago on Jane Austen fan sites, under the title “In Essentials: Much as It Ever Was”. It has been lightly edited, but is otherwise unchanged. — Evangeline (“Vangie”) Wright.

Netherfield Proposal: A Pride & Prejudice Variation


Campbell Davies - 2017
    Darcy is ready to propose on the night of his friend's ball at Netherfield. His ardent admiration for Elizabeth Bennet has grown to consume him and he must have her for his wife. However, within moments after his proposal, he is mortified by Miss Elizabeth's refusal. He is on one knee, struggling to comprehend how his glorious night has gone so disastrously wrong, when Mrs. Bennet finds them. Elizabeth cannot budge Mrs. Bennet's insistence that she marry the abominable, proud Mr. Darcy. He has treated her friend Mr. Wickham with such cruelty, her family with repugnance and disdain, and seeks to find fault in Elizabeth at every turn. However, with her mother's decree that she is to be thrown out of Longbourn if she does not marry Mr. Darcy and—worse—the happiness of two of her sisters on the line, Elizabeth decides to give the abominable Mr. Darcy one more chance. Netherfield Proposal is a full-length sweet and clean romance novel exploring the trials and tribulations of Darcy and Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy and his Elizabeth must face misunderstandings, prejudice, and scandal as they seek to find an understanding with one another.

Understanding Elizabeth


Robin M. Helm - 2017
    Darcy is tempted beyond what he can endure when Elizabeth Bennet leaves her private journal entries in the parlour of Netherfield. Upon reading her writing, he is appalled to find that she overheard his unflattering remarks at the Meryton Assembly and despises him for his thoughtless comments. He wishes with all his heart that he could undo the damage. During a restless sleep, he dreams of two powerful beings who can give him his heart's desire - Elizabeth's admiration, respect, and love. Will he take the offer to change the past so that he never makes the offensive statement? Will he make a deal with the Devil, or is the price too dear? What would you do to get exactly what you want? How much would you be willing to pay?

A Better Impression


E. Bradshaw - 2017
    However, in this variation of Austen’s much-loved book, Jane’s illness is not simply a cold, but instead becomes a life threatening sickness that threatens to take her life. Elizabeth begins to feel increasingly desperate for solutions as she attempts to take care of her sister – and Mr Darcy is the unlikely ally who offers his help. From that moment onwards Elizabeth begins to see a different side of Mr Darcy, and to gain a better impression of him than she had before. Of course, the wayward pair still continue to have their disagreements, and their relationship is by no means an easy one, but from that day onwards Elizabeth is forced to see that Mr Darcy is not merely the proud, disagreeable man she had assumed he was. In fact, the fate of every one of the characters in the story is inevitably altered as a consequence of Jane’s illness. Mr Bennet is forced to face up to his own negligence, whilst Mrs Bennet is made to see the error of her ways. Likewise, Charles Bingley develops a new sense of determination during the days he spends worrying over Jane, whilst Mr Darcy begins to see how his reserved behaviour is perceived by others. In this variation Elizabeth and Georgiana become firm friends, and their friendship gives Georgiana the confidence she needs to face Mr Wickham’s treacherous charm. Finally both Darcy and Elizabeth recognise their feelings for one another – but there are still trials and misfortunes for the pair to overcome before they can find their happiness with one another... This story is approximately 87,000 words long.

Locked at the Netherfield Ball: A Pride and Prejudice variation


Layla Johnson - 2020
    This novella, however, comes with a surprise regarding the characters who fell victim to a broken doorknob.The Netherfield Ball turned to be more a reason for distress than enjoyment for Elizabeth. Desperate and ashamed, she watched her family making a spectacle of themselves under Mr. Darcy and Bingley sisters' contemptuous gazes, until she could not bear it any more. Struggling for a moment of peace and tranquillity, she hid in the solitude of the library. While leaning on an armchair in a corner of the dark room, two men entered, arguing. Before Elizabeth had time to make her presence known, the confrontation turned more violent in words and tone, revealing deep secrets that should have been kept hidden.When one of the men attempted to leave and end the fight, his temper betrayed him and he pulled the doorknob so hard that it broke it.Suddenly, Elizabeth found herself blocked in the library with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham - only moments after she had discovered that her judgement about the two men had been utterly wrong.With no place to hide and no mean to escape, the three of them had no other choice but to face each other, the truth and their own flaws.How long will their ordeal last and how will that happenstance influence their lives are questions to which the readers will find answers in these clean, romantic, low angst novella of approximately 30 K words.

All That This Entails


Noell Chesney - 2020
    In the blink of an eye, the Bennets' lives are transformed— Elizabeth and her four sisters are wealthy, titled, and the talk of the ton. AT PEMBERLEY, FITZWILLIAM DARCY is still stinging from Elizabeth Bennet’s rejection of him at Hunsford when he learns the extraordinary news. Elizabeth Bennet—now Lady Elizabeth—has been elevated in an extraordinary fashion and is soon to become the most sought-after lady of the season. But Darcy’s heart still belongs to her, as much as it ever did, and he sets off for London determined to win her hand. But can he prove to her that he has changed, particularly when her entire life has just altered? This Pride & Prejudice variation is a novel-length tale using the characters of Jane Austen in a story of the author's imagining.

To Capture Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Novel


Elizabeth Ann West - 2016
    When four days of rain occur earlier in Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice to trap Jane and Elizabeth Bennet at Netherfield Park, new romances, misunderstandings, and alignments are made. Volatile tempers never did well cooped up together. Not even when there's a chessboard to help pass the time.Fall in love with the romance of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet all over again in this new variation by author Elizabeth Ann West. A stand-alone novel of over 300 pages in paperback, this story is sure to make you sigh and swoon many times over!

One Thread Pulled: The Dance with Mr. Darcy


Diana J. Oaks - 2012
    Fortunately for Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth has walked away and does not overhear his insult, thus snagging the thread that would have sealed her prejudice against the prideful stranger. Unexpectedly, circumstances thrust Elizabeth into the same household as Mr. Darcy, and her proximity unwittingly proves tempting, as her tantalizing wit and playfulness evoke desires that threaten to unravel his resolve against her. In this delightful re-imagining of Jane Austen's beloved classic, Pride and Prejudice, the players are the same, but the rules have changed as the dance between Darcy and Lizzy unfolds.

The Darcys & the Bingleys: A Tale of Two Gentlemen's Marriages to Two Most Devoted Sisters


Marsha Altman - 2008
    Bingley is shocked when Darcy gives him a copy of an ancient, illustrated book of sensual secrets-but it does tell him everything he needs to know.Eventually, of course, Jane finds this remarkable volume and in utmost secrecy shows it to her dear sister Elizabeth, who goes searching for a copy in the Pemberley library...By turns hilarious and sweet, The Darcys & the Bingleys follows the two couples and the cast of characters surrounding them. Miss Caroline Bingley, it turns out, has such good reasons for being the way she is that the reader can't help but hold her in charity. Delightfully, she makes a most eligible match, and in spite of Darcy's abhorrence of being asked for advice, he and Bingley have a most enduring and adventure-prone friendship. (20080903)

Mr. Darcy's Proposal


Susan Mason-Milks - 2011
    In the process of offering his help to her in traveling home, he discovers what she really thinks of him—and it’s not good. Should Darcy deliver Elizabeth home to be with her family and then disappear from her life, or will he propose another kind of help? Will Elizabeth be willing to sacrifice her future happiness to save her family from financial ruin? Or, do she and Darcy, two very stubborn people, have a chance of finding happiness together?