Book picks similar to
Echoes of Pemberley by Cynthia Ingram Hensley
romance
jane-austen
fiction
austenesque
The Clergyman's Wife: A Pride & Prejudice Novel
Molly Greeley - 2019
Intelligent, pragmatic, and anxious to escape the shame of spinsterhood, Charlotte chose this life, an inevitable one so socially acceptable that its quietness threatens to overwhelm her. Then she makes the acquaintance of Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine…In Mr. Travis’ company, Charlotte feels appreciated, heard, and seen. For the first time in her life, Charlotte begins to understand emotional intimacy and its effect on the heart—and how breakable that heart can be. With her sensible nature confronted, and her own future about to take a turn, Charlotte must now question the role of love and passion in a woman’s life, and whether they truly matter for a clergyman’s wife.
Mr. Darcy's Kiss (A Pride and Prejudice Variation)
Lari Ann O'Dell - 2013
Darcy’s Kiss, Darcy blatantly ignores all rules of propriety when he boldly kisses Elizabeth Bennet despite her adamant refusal of his initial proposal. Believing she will never see Darcy again, Elizabeth does her best to forget his lips on hers, but a chance encounter in Hyde Park only weeks later brings forth feelings that Elizabeth never knew she had, and is not sure she appreciates. Will the unlikely couple find happiness despite the misdeeds and misunderstandings of the past or is their relationship predestined to end in heartbreak and misery?
The Butterfly Storm
Kate Frost - 2013
A new start in Greece with Alekos, her boyfriend of just six weeks, removes Sophie from a mundane 9-5 job, takes her away from the difficult relationship she has with her mum, and gives her the opportunity and belief that she is finally doing something positive and exciting with her life.But a lot can change in four years. An engagement, a domineering mother-in-law to be and the reality of life in Greece not being quite what Sophie imagined puts a strain on her relationship with Alekos.When an accident forces Sophie back to the UK to look after her estranged mum, she has time to reevaluate her life, her idea of family, where she wants to be and, most importantly, who she loves.
Unmarriageable
Soniah Kamal - 2019
Darsee at a wedding makes her reconsider. A scandal and vicious rumor concerning the Binat family have destroyed their fortune and prospects for desirable marriages, but Alys, the second and most practical of the five Binat daughters, has found happiness teaching English literature to schoolgirls. Knowing that many of her students won’t make it to graduation before dropping out to marry and have children, Alys teaches them about Jane Austen and her other literary heroes and hopes to inspire the girls to dream of more. When an invitation arrives to the biggest wedding their small town has seen in years, Mrs. Binat, certain that their luck is about to change, excitedly sets to work preparing her daughters to fish for rich, eligible bachelors. On the first night of the festivities, Alys’s lovely older sister, Jena, catches the eye of Fahad “Bungles” Bingla, the wildly successful—and single—entrepreneur. But Bungles’s friend Valentine Darsee is clearly unimpressed by the Binat family. Alys accidentally overhears his unflattering assessment of her and quickly dismisses him and his snobbish ways. As the days of lavish wedding parties unfold, the Binats wait breathlessly to see if Jena will land a proposal—and Alys begins to realize that Darsee’s brusque manner may be hiding a very different man from the one she saw at first glance. Told with wry wit and colorful prose, Unmarriageable is a charming update on Jane Austen’s beloved novel and an exhilarating exploration of love, marriage, class, and sisterhood.
The Summer I Learned to Dive
Shannon McCrimmon - 2012
On the night of her high school graduation, things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that her mother has been keeping a secret from her—a secret that causes Finn to do something she had never done before—veer off her plan. In the middle of the night, Finn packs her bags and travels by bus to Graceville, SC seeking the truth. In Graceville, Finn has experiences that change her life forever; a summer of love, forgiveness and revelations. She learns to take chances, to take the plunge and to dive right in to what life has to offer.
Fitzwilliam Darcy: An Honourable Man
Brenda J. Webb - 2011
Not a simple retelling, it is an intriguing new story that does not follow canon and it is rated for Mature audiences. Leaving England after his disastrous proposal was refused at Hunsford, Darcy spent two lonely years in Scotland and Ireland before returning home to face Elizabeth Bennet, certain that he could regard her as an indifferent acquaintance. Events that transpired in his absence have left Elizabeth a changed woman. The victim of a marriage by deception to Count Stefano, she has suffered greatly at his hands. Will Mr. Darcy rescue the woman he vowed to forget?
Suddenly Mrs. Darcy
Jenetta James - 2015
But when Mrs. Bennet accuses Fitzwilliam Darcy of compromising her daughter, that is exactly the outcome. Trapped in a seemingly loveless marriage and far from home, she grows suspicious of her new husband’s heart and further, suspects he is hiding a great secret. Is there even a chance at love given the happenstance of their hasty marriage?
On Oakham Mount: A Pride & Prejudice Variation
Sophia Meredith - 2016
Bennet insists that Elizabeth marry the odious Mr.Collins, she dashes off in tears to seek refuge on Oakham Mount. There she encounters Mr. Darcy, seeking distraction from his own concerns. In a moment of emotional turmoil, they turn to each other and Mr. Darcy is moved to offer a solution to Elizabeth’s dilemma: A marriage of convenience. But when this engagement is broken almost before it has begun, why do the two feel so bereft? Could there be more between them than a simple arrangement? Can these two proud, strong-willed individuals overcome all the obstacles that seem determined to keep them apart? More importantly, can they open their hearts to each other and to love? Find out in this reimagining of Jane Austen's beloved British Regency classic.First in the Pemberley Departures Collection; the stand-alone books need not be read in order unless otherwise specified.
Sway
Melanie Stanford - 2015
But with a freshly minted-and worthless-degree from Julliard, and her dad squandering the family fortune, what choice does she have? Living with her old high school friends, though, has its own drawbacks. Especially when her ex-fiancé Eric Wentworth drops back into her life. Eight years ago, she was too young, too scared of being poor, and too scared of her dad’s disapproval. Dumping him was a big mistake. In the most ironic of role reversals, Eric is rolling in musical success, and Ava’s starting at the bottom to build her career. Worse, every song Eric sings is an arrow aimed straight for her regrets. One encounter, one song too many, and Ava can’t go on like this. It’s time to tell Eric the truth, and make a choice. Finally let go of the past, or risk her heart for a second chance with her first love. If he can forgive her...and she can forgive herself. Warning: Contains an actor whose kisses taste like chocolate, a pianist with scores of regret, and a sexy crooner who just wants his ex to cry him a river.
Darcy's Decision
Maria Grace - 2012
Only in the quiet solitude of the churchyard does he indulge his grief. None but his unlikely mentor recognize the heartache and insecurity plaguing him as he shoulders the enormous burden of being Master of Pemberley.Not all are pleased with his choice of adviser. Lady Catherine complains Darcy allows him too much influence. Lord Matlock argues, "Who is he to question the God-appointed social order?" But the compassionate wisdom Darcy finds in his counselor keeps him returning for guidance even though it causes him to doubt everything he has been taught.In the midst of his struggles to reinvent himself, his school chum, Charles Bingley, arrives. Darcy hopes the visit will offer some respite from the uproar in his life. Instead of relief, Darcy discovers his father's darkest secret staring him in the face. Pushed to his limits, Darcy must overcome the issues that ruined his father and, with his friends and mentor at his side, restore his tarnished birthright.
From Admiration to Love: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Sophia King - 2017
Mortified and angry, she reveals her presence. Darcy is deeply ashamed of his words, but Elizabeth refuses to listen to his apology. She is more convinced than ever that he is the most arrogant, unfeeling man who ever lived. Darcy is troubled by Elizabeth’s stay at Netherfield Park where she is caring for her sister, Jane. He is utterly bewitched by her, and in an effort to convince himself of the unsuitability of a union between them, he reminds himself aloud of her family’s low connections, not realising Elizabeth can hear everything. But the more time he spends with her, the more he can feel his resolve crumble. After the ball at Netherfield Park, he leaves Meryton for London in an attempt to forget her. After refusing the proposal of her cousin, Mr Collins, Elizabeth is banished to stay with her aunt and uncle in London. Her mother is sure that her banishment from Longbourn will be sufficient punishment for Elizabeth’s defiance in turning down an offer of marriage. The only part Elizabeth considers a punishment is that her father orders her to take her youngest, most troublesome sister Lydia with her to keep her away from the militia, whose presence in Meryton has wreaked havoc among the young ladies. When Elizabeth and Darcy encounter one another again in London, Darcy is dismayed to find he is more in love with her than ever. But this is a woman he has criticised twice within her hearing. How can he convince her he is not the odious, unfeeling man she thinks he is? And will she be willing to give him a chance to prove himself worthy of her? When Lydia’s encounter with a man from their past threatens to ruin her and her entire family, Elizabeth has no other choice but to turn to Darcy for help. And she realises that maybe she has been wrong about everything she thought she knew.
Brownie Points
Jennifer Coburn - 2012
They’re the only interracial family in the neighborhood. Lisa is a snarky sculptor. And 13-year-old Logan is gay.After Logan is repeatedly bullied at school, he finds his niche in an unusual place –his twin sister’s Girl Scout troop. When he tries to join, the organization refuses, so the boy sues for gender discrimination and sets off a firestorm of national media coverage. This only makes matters worse between the Logan and his father, a macho firefighter who is already struggling with his son’s sexual orientation.Adding to the strife is Lisa’s increasing distaste for Junta Moms who wish each other “Namaste” while rigging school elections and stealing each other’s husbands.Join the Taylors on their hilarious journey as they face the fight of their lives and,in the process, discover what it means to be a family.
My Dear Charlotte
Hazel Holt - 2009
Hazel Holt has published 19 Mrs. Malory mysteries in the tradition of Barbara Pym and has admirers around the world. My Dear Charlotte is a departure from her other work. It is a novel-in-letters written “with the assistance of Jane Austen’s letters.” From the Introduction by Jan Fergus:"Of course, you don’t have to love Austen to love this book. If you enjoy detective novels, you will find here a completely satisfying murder mystery, coupled with a romance (or more than one, in fact). My Dear Charlotte gives you, in addition to mystery and romance, a portrait of the world of the English gentry at around 1815, immediately after the defeat of Napoleon—its manners and its moral certainty. As in Austen, Napoleon is not directly mentioned, but his shadow is there: one brother of the heroine is a sailor and the other a junior diplomat at the Congress of Vienna. It’s the social world at home that is central, however, with its balls, visits, courtships, gossip, and of course murder, underlining the tensions and rifts within that apparently civilized society. But it’s readers of Jane Austen who will get the most pleasure from My Dear Charlotte. It is in my opinion the only successful attempt to re-create the world of Austen’s novels, better even than the best of Georgette Heyer’s Regency romances. Holt does much more, though: she has chosen to write a novel-in-letters, which allows her to incorporate witty quotations directly from Austen’s letters into her novel, quotations about persons, occasions, the minutiae of daily life from housekeeping and shopping to the weather and human nature."Fans of Sharon Lathan, Georgette Heyer and Barbara Pym will love this new mystery.
An Unwelcome Guest at the Netherfield Ball
E. Bradshaw - 2016
The reader later discovers the truth of this situation; that Mr Wickham was keen to avoid Mr Darcy that night – for it was entirely possible that he could have faced (entirely justifiable) retribution from Mr Darcy if he had attended. The reader – and Elizabeth – are unaware at that point in the novel of Mr Wickham’s true, deceitful nature – and, of course, no one in wider society is aware of Mr Wickham’s scandalous behaviour concerning Mr Darcy’s younger sister. However, in this alternative narrative, the reader is shown how events could have varied in Pride and Prejudice if Mr Wickham had thrown caution to the wind and had instead attended the ball on that fateful evening. In this re-telling of the famous story, events start on the evening of the much anticipated Netherfield ball, and Elizabeth quietly frets to herself over the potential for her family to create a public scene. She knows very well that Mr Bingley’s conceited sisters hold her family in contempt, just as she is very aware of Mr Darcy’s obvious disapproval. She dreads the prospect of enduring her promised dances with Mr Collins, and is appalled at her mothers’ blatant matchmaking efforts. However, with the one pivotal change – of Mr Wickham being unexpectedly present at the ball – Elizabeth’s night, and her prospects for an enjoyable evening, change completely. And as a consequence of his attendance at the ball, the events of the novel begin to differ from there onwards as well. The neighbourhood of Meryton is entirely scandalised when Elizabeth takes a dance with the gallant Mr Wickham – and Mr Darcy is beside himself with rage to see the woman he secretly admires dancing so merrily with his arch enemy. ‘Elizabeth looked up at Mr Wickham’s face as he spoke, and realised, as she followed the direction of his pointed gaze, that he had locked eyes with Mr Darcy across the space of the crowded ballroom. She had not noticed before that Mr Darcy was observing them; though it was clear that Mr Wickham had known exactly where Mr Darcy was within the room – as well as having been entirely aware that Mr Darcy had been watching the two of them. The air seemed to spark between the two men, and Elizabeth could not fail to notice the palpable tension which flowed in waves between them. She saw the scornful sneer that Mr Wickham shot towards his enemy – and Mr Darcy bristling in return.’ In fact, Mr Darcy is so unsettled by the sight of Elizabeth dancing with his enemy, and so jealous, that he acts immediately to separate them. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, this is only the first of a series of humiliating experiences that she is to face that evening – and the consequences of Mr Darcy’s actions are to cause a scandal which will unavoidably change her future.
Mr. Darcy's Persistent Pursuit: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Elaine Owen - 2014
How can our beloved couple find their way to each other when Darcy doesn't know what she holds against him?