"But I hate to hear you talking so, like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days." --PERSUASION Jane Austen: True romantic or rational creature? Her novels transport us back to the Regency, a time when well-mannered gentlemen and finely-bred ladies fell in love as they danced at balls and rode in carriages. Yet her heroines, such as Elizabeth Bennet, Anne Elliot, and Elinor Dashwood, were no swooning, fainthearted damsels in distress. Austen's novels have become timeless classics because of their biting wit, honest social commentary, and because she wrote of strong women who were ahead of their day. True to their principles and beliefs, they fought through hypocrisy and broke social boundaries to find their happily-ever-after. In the third romance anthology of The Quill Collective series, sixteen celebrated Austenesque authors write the untold histories of Austen's heroines, brave adventuresses, shy maidens, talkative spinsters, and her naughty matrons. Peek around the curtain and discover what made Lady Susan so wicked, Mary Crawford so capricious, and Hettie Bates so in need of Emma Woodhouse's compassion. RATIONAL CREATURES is a collection of humorous, poignant love stories set in Georgian England that complement and pay homage to Austen's great works and great ladies who were, perhaps, the first feminists in an era that was not quite ready for feminism. "Make women rational creatures, and free citizens, and they will become good wives; --that is, if men do not neglect the duties of husbands and fathers." --Mary WollstonecraftStories by: Elizabeth Adams * Nicole Clarkston * Karen M Cox * J. Marie Croft * Amy D'Orazio * Jenetta James * Jessie Lewis * KaraLynne Mackrory * Lona Manning * Christina Morland * Beau North * Sophia Rose * Anngela Schroeder * Joana Starnes * Caitlin Williams * Edited by Christina Boyd * Foreword by Devoney LooserMATURE CONTENT RATING as per EDITOR ALL STORIES CONTAINED HEREIN HAVE A HEAT INDEX RATING OF 1-3.(1) Chaste: affection and possible kissing (2) Mild: kissing(3) Moderate: some sexual references but not explicit

    Some people adapt easily to new surroundings and find delight in meeting new people. Fitzwilliam Darcy is not one of them. Being put on display in a room full of strangers is enough to make him quite disagreeable. Therefore, when he attends the Meryton Assembly and his patience is pushed beyond what he can tolerate, Darcy replies harshly to his gregarious friend's insistence that he asks Miss Elizabeth Bennet to dance.Unfortunately for her, Elizabeth is within hearing distance of Darcy's refusal. Insulted and more than a little vexed, she is determined to have as little to do with him as she can and to push him towards his amiable friend's sister when being in one another's presence cannot be avoided.When Elizabeth calls Darcy out for his offensive words and intimates that he is ungentlemanly, he is more intrigued than provoked. He is also determined to prove the lady wrong and sets a course to do just that.While Darcy seeks opportunities to prove to Elizabeth that he is indeed a gentleman, Elizabeth attempts to be rid of him until his company becomes more desirable than that of a long-time friend and hopeful, though very unwanted, suitor.Jealousy is never pretty, and a spurned suitor is not always kind or wise. When secrets are revealed and explanations are wanting, it looks as if the burgeoning love between Elizabeth and Darcy is destined to be snuffed out almost before it has begun.Unless, of course, a meddling matchmaker can pull off a well-timed miracle.Matching Mr. Darcy is the first book in a new collection of Darcy and Elizabeth variations from Leenie Brown called Sweet Possibilities. If you like Hallmark-style romances set in the Regency era, then you'll enjoy this story where love triumphs over a poor first impression, injured pride, and a jealous lover.

    Thankfully, there is no one remotely suitable in his entire circle of acquaintance...or so he thinks. An unwanted interloper, a few romantic mishaps amongst his friends, and the dawning realization that Emma Woodhouse is no longer a child might just change everything.

    She has resigned herself to a life of loneliness, alleviated only by music and the occasional book of military history.Colonel Fitzwilliam finds himself envying his friends who are marrying wonderful women while he only attracts empty-headed flirts. He longs for a caring, well-informed woman who will see the man beneath the uniform.A chance meeting in Longbourn’s garden during Darcy and Elizabeth’s wedding breakfast kindles an attraction between Mary and the Colonel. However, the Colonel cannot act on these feelings since he must wed an heiress. He returns to war, although Mary finds she cannot easily forget him.Is happily ever after possible after Mary meets the Colonel?This edition includes an excerpt from Victoria Kincaid's Mr. Darcy to the Rescue

    Darcy had never spoken so disdainfully? First Impressions explores how the events of Jane Austen's beloved novel would have transpired if Darcy and Elizabeth had danced together at the Meryton Assembly. Jane and Bingley's relationship blossoms unimpeded, Mary makes a most fortunate match, and Lydia never sets a foot in Brighton. Austen's witty style is authentically invoked in this playful romp from Longbourn to Pemberley.

    When he went to India to fight Britain’s enemies, she made him promise to write her along with Georgie regularly. There wasn’t anything improper, since Georgiana and she had sworn to be sisters. When Elizabeth and Georgiana learned that Fitzwilliam was captured, they kept writing letters to him, so that when he was released, he would know that he had not been forgotten by those who loved him. During the years of his imprisonment, Darcy never forgot his promise to write to little Lizzy Bennet, though he was sure she had long since forgotten about him. Before setting sail to England with the survivors of his regiment, he received the stack of letters written by Lizzy and Georgiana. Lizzy’s letters were chatty, friendly and confiding. He read and reread her words during the long voyage to England, and during those months he fell in love with the kind, wonderful woman she had grown into. But in England, Elizabeth’s family decided to force her to marry a wealthy man who terrified her...

    What if he did not go to Meryton that autumn and instead met Elizabeth Bennet later in London during the winter? What if their introduction was not an insult, but rather a challenge to smile, and how does the strength of an ex... Full description

    Tucked away behind the mirror she found two letters, one from Fitzwilliam Darcy, the fictional hero of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice', the other from Jane to Darcy.

    D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem. It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball. Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery. Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice, electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.

    Wickham, proving he is no gentleman, does the unthinkable and casts Lydia out of a second-rate coach. Filthy, exhausted, and penniless, Lydia is just facing the beginning of her ordeal! How can a spoiled, uneducated girl of fifteen—used to having her way—survive a night in the wilds of Sussex?As Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner vainly search for her in London, Lydia’s sisters struggle to keep her secret from their Meryton neighbors. Though they fear the worst—that Lydia’s wild life has ended in tragedy—all hope is not lost. Mr. Darcy, in the midst of reigniting his courtship with Elizabeth Bennet, is determined to recover his love’s unfortunate sibling.Will Mr. Darcy succeed in finding Lydia and restoring her to respectability? In what shocking condition will this catastrophe render such a reckless, headstrong girl?

    Fitzwilliam Darcy has reason to believe he does not have long to live. Knowing he needs an heir, he offers marriage to the only lady who has caught his eye and held his interest: Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Once exposed to the gentleman’s vulnerability, Elizabeth realizes she may have misjudged him. When he extends to her the opportunity of eventually becoming an independent woman, she accepts his unexpected offer to wed. Both vow to feel only gratitude toward the other. The last thing either wants is to suffer the heartbreak of falling in love when their future is uncertain. As the couple explore treatment options and listen to sound advice, they are drawn into a love that will last through the ages. Will Darcy and Elizabeth overcome all odds to have their happily-ever-after? (Of course! I always write happy endings.) This 20,000-word angst-filled Regency variation (appropriate for all ages) by bestselling author Christie Capps can be read in an hour or two.

    As the youngest daughter of a country gentleman, she has always been secure, never concerned for the future or her place in it.When her father suddenly passes away, Elizabeth is left adrift in a house with her mother, her eldest sister, and her father's senseless heir. Though the situation is not comfortable, Elizabeth meets it with fortitude and good humor.As Elizabeth becomes old enough to join society, her sister Jane marries Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth follows them to London to partake of the season. Elizabeth soon puts her troubles behind her, enjoying herself and meeting new people, including the enigmatic Mr. Darcy and his charming sister.Love starts to bloom between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but not all of Elizabeth's troubles are behind her. For there are those opposed to her connection to the gentleman, and moreover, Mr. Darcy has demons of his own to overcome before he can find happiness and pursue love.

    "The Holy Grail of P&P sequels." (Austenblog)Originally published in the U.K., Mary Street's ingenious retelling of Jane Austen's classic story now makes its U.S. debut-to the delight of the fans of Austen's comic masterpiece of divine romance. In Fitzwilliam Darcy, Austen created the ultimate romantic hero. Yet Pride and Prejudice reveals little of Darcy's innermost thoughts. Here, Street unveils the true motives and mysteries of Elizabeth Bennet's enigmatic suitor. Through Darcy's eyes we discover the reality of his relationships with his sister Georgiana, his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, the dastardly Wickham, his friend Bingley, and his formidable aunt, Lady Catherine. And of course, all his memorable encounters with Elizabeth, from that first view of her fine eyes to his disastrous proposal, and then to a pride and arrogance tempered by an unquenchable love.

    Enjoy a what-if journey with Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bingley and more of Jane Austen's beloved characters as their lives are changed by a bit of plain speaking.

    Mary Crawford, on the other hand, is now as good as Fanny is bad, and suffers great indignities at the hands of her vindictive neighbor. It's only after Fanny is murdered on the grounds of Mansfield Park that Mary comes into her own, teaming-up with a thief-taker from London to solve the crime.Featuring genuine Austen characters--the same characters, and the same episodes, but each with a new twist--MURDER AT MANSFIELD PARK is a brilliantly entertaining novel that offers Jane Austen fans an engaging new heroine and story to read again and again.