Book picks similar to
A Searing Acquaintance: A Modern Pride & Prejudice Variation by Jan Ashton
jaff
romance
jaff-modern
modern-jaff
All the Things I Know
Audrey Ryan - 2017
Moving to Seattle with her sister Jane after she graduated from Stanford, for instance, was a no-brainer. Adult life, however, turns out to be more difficult to navigate than she expected.What career should she pursue with a bachelor's degree in art history and no marketable experience amongst a tech-heavy job market? How responsible is it to drink that fourth cocktail while out with friends? And what should she do about Darcy -- the aloof yet captivating guy she met her first night in town?All the Things I Know is a one-mistake-at-a-time retelling of Pride & Prejudice set against the backdrop of modern-day, techie Seattle. Full of wry observations, heartache, and life lessons, All the Things I Know shares the original's lessons of correcting ill-conceived first impressions and learning who you really are.
The Muse: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Jessica Evans - 2014
When she's cast in superstar choreographer William Darcy's newest work, she believes she's one step closer to realizing her dream-until she meets him.William Darcy, the former dance legend and ballet bad boy, is a jaded perfectionist whom dancers both fear and admire. Although touted as the next big thing in the ballet world, he secretly battles a bad case of artist's block-until he meets Elizabeth Bennet.Tempers ignite between Elizabeth and Darcy, but he's irresistibly drawn to the stubborn and beautiful corps de ballet dancer. Could she be the muse he needs to reignite his passion for ballet?
Boots and Backpacks: Pride & Prejudice on the Appalachian Trail, Roughly
K.C. Kahler - 2014
Orphaned as a child, his parents’ will includes a bizarre clause: Darcy must get married by his 30th birthday in order to inherit the family fortune. To make matters worse, the press knows about this deadline, as do the hordes of women chasing him in the hopes of becoming Mrs. Darcy. His family legacy hangs in the balance, but Darcy has little faith in the fairer sex. Will he find a woman he wants to marry, and quickly?Elizabeth Bennet is determined to pursue her education and career without letting a man get in the way. When her traveling companion drops out, her planned hike on the Appalachian Trial is jeopardized. She meets the spoiled, snobby William Darcy just when he is desperate to escape the spotlight. No one will suspect that the Prince of Manhattan has gone backpacking! Darcy and Elizabeth form a tenuous partnership and begin a 300-mile journey that will transform them both.In classic romantic comedy tradition, Boots & Backpacks follows our reluctant partners as they build trust, friendship, and even more. Six weeks together on America’s most famous hiking trail may turn out to be just what these two need!
The Falmouth Connection
Joana Starnes - 2014
Darcy finally decides to propose to the enticing Miss Elizabeth Bennet, she is summoned to Falmouth, to meet a relation she never knew she had.Thus, the ill-starred Hunsford proposal is avoided – but before he could even begin to understand his luck, adverse circumstances hasten to conspire against him, and Fitzwilliam Darcy is compelled to follow the woman he loves to the far reaches of Cornwall, into a world of deceit and peril where few – if any – are what they seem to be…
The Rogue's Widow
Nicole Clarkston - 2020
An Attachment He Cannot Deny.Elizabeth Bennet never expected that answering an advertisement for a lady’s companion would result in almost immediate marriage and widowhood. Destitute and hopeless after her father’s death, she accepts the position as a means to provide a home for her family, but is daily baffled by the abrupt ways and inscrutable motives of her employer and benefactor, Mr Darcy.Fitzwilliam Darcy had a simple plan: secure a steady companion for his younger sister Georgiana and a wife for his father’s dying ward, to prevent a neighbouring estate from falling into the hands of George Wickham. Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect answer… a little too perfect. As her sweetly impertinent character encourages Georgiana and wins the respect of the village, Darcy’s own heart begins to fall for the woman whom honour forbids him even to think of.When a legal challenge brings into question Elizabeth’s rights to the estate, Darcy must find a way to mend old family breaches and reveal secrets better forgotten. Will he permit himself to reach for the one who holds his happiness? Or will events conspire to take her forever from his life?The Rogue’s Widow is a clean Regency Variation of approximately 50,000 words.
Unwrapping Mr. Darcy
L.L. Diamond - 2018
True, he’s hotter than Hades but he's also rude, abrupt, and stares at her as though she’s committed some grievous sin. If only she could avoid him, but her friends’ not so brilliant ideas keep throwing them together. William Darcy put his foot in his mouth when he met Elizabeth Bennet! Now, he’s head over heels for her and needs to apologize, but how? The dreaded office Secret Santa draw is a possibility, but would that help or would it only make things worse? Twenty-five days of gifts? It's creepy and overzealous if you ask Elizabeth. And what’s with this weird reaction she has to Mr. Darcy? He's an ogre, isn't he? But what if her friends are correct and he isn't? Could there be more to him than she assumes? What would happen if she were to take a stab at unwrapping Mr. Darcy?
My BFF
Ruth Phillips Oakland - 2009
Brilliant, handsome and born into a world of class and wealth, Fitzwilliam Darcy learned early that giving your heart came with a price even he could not afford to pay. Musical prodigy Elizabeth Bennet used the ghosts of her past to scare away all chances for love in her future. Sparks fly when they meet; but will Darcy and Elizabeth crash and burn, or can they overcome their fears through an unusual relationship and find a way to happily ever after? Inspired by the characters of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, My BFF is a romantic comedy filled with intrigue, surprises and erotic interludes.
Miss Gardiner: A Variation on Pride and Prejudice
Martin Hunnicutt - 2020
With determination, she handed over her coin purse to Edward Gardiner and made her first investment. Just before Christmas while she was a teenager, Elizabeth’s purse disappears. That same afternoon, when Mrs. Bennet and her sisters return with cloth for new gowns, new bonnets, and new shoes, Elizabeth learns that her mother spent her savings, but Mr. Bennet refuses to intervene. He speaks plainly to Elizabeth about her future and in reaction, she asks to visit the Gardiners in London. At the house on Gracechurch Street, the Gardiners agree for Elizabeth to remain with them and she works with her uncle’s account books and the warehouse inventories in addition to sewing and reading. The young woman listens closely to the men calling on Uncle Edward to discuss sales to merchants and the delivery of goods from ships at the docks. A few years later, a mortgage foreclosure is forced upon Fitzwilliam Darcy by Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and he needs to raise funds before Christmas. Darcy approaches Mr. Gardiner, a successful tradesman, to help with the sale of luxury items stored haphazardly by his late mother in the London mansion. After viewing the treasures, Mr. Gardiner suggest they create an accurate inventory of all the items as they are removed from the Darcy home in Mayfair to track them properly. Mr. Gardiner asks Elizabeth to create the record of the items to be sold and to protect her reputation, she becomes ‘Miss Gardiner’ for two months, and she makes a lasting impression on Mr. Darcy. With Elizabeth in London, Darcy joins Bingley and his family at Netherfield that fall. Elizabeth is not there to help chaperone her sister Jane in Mr. Bingley’s company and the young couple become overcome by their passions. When Bingley deserts Netherfield following the ball, and Jane is discovered to have allowed Mr. Bingley favours reserved for marriage, the eldest Miss Bennet is disowned and forced from Longbourn in disgrace. Elizabeth rescues her sister and again she finds refuge at Gracechurch Street. With the encouragement of his sister, Darcy realizes that ‘Miss Gardiner’ is an exceptional woman and approaches Mr. Gardiner for permission to call on his niece. He is surprized to discover that the young woman is actually Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the missing sister from Longbourn last year. They begin a quiet courtship with the approval of the Gardiners as well as Miss Darcy. But the next summer Jane dies and when Elizabeth’s grief for her sister is too deep, Mrs. Gardiner arranges for Elizabeth to visit Hunsford. Serendipitously, Mr. Darcy is nearby at Rosings and they share daily walks with a local chaperone. When Mr. Bingley is reported coming to Rosings, Darcy takes steps to prevent Bingley’s arrival.
An Odd Situation: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Sophie Lynbrook - 2018
Darcy is taken to Longbourn, a place which is unfamiliar to him. He finds himself dependent upon the care of strangers. While there is much to shock and distress him, his situation has unusual compensations. Unbeknownst to others, he is able to hear everything. The resulting revelations and observations give him a new perspective.
Sketching Character
Pamela Lynne - 2015
She carries a secret that would ruin her family if exposed and she must deceive the ones closest to her to conceal the truth.She unexpectedly encounters Mr. Darcy on her journey and his gentlemanly behavior confuses, yet comforts her. Their daily encounters in the woods surrounding Rosings soothes Elizabeth’s weathered conscience and she soon falls in love. Her doubts, along with the well-placed words of another, threaten to destroy the peace she finds in Darcy’s company and she wonders if she has again failed to correctly sketch his character. When the truth behind her deception is uncovered, will Darcy shun her as Elizabeth fears, or will his actions prove that he is the very best of men?
A Good Name: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Variation
Sarah Courtney - 2019
How will it change her future? Ten-year-old George Wickham was hungry, lonely, and desperate until the day he met Lizzy Bennet. She transformed his life with a peanut butter sandwich and the magic of books. Losing her friendship devastated him, until his meeting with the Darcy family set him on a course to a new life. Will Darcy insulted Elizabeth Bennet at their first meeting and accidentally injured her a few months later. She is just starting to overcome her first impression of him when something from his past comes to light. Will the revelation of Elizabeth’s childhood friendship with George Wickham change everything? "A Good Name" is a clean modern variation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," not a retelling. Is George Wickham born to be the villain, or can he be something more? At its heart, this is a Darcy & Elizabeth romance. This is a full-length novel of about 96,000 words. "You've never seen a George Wickham like this! I highly recommend this debut novel by Sarah Courtney." --Melanie Rachel, author of Drawing Mr. Darcy
Disruption at Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Emily Russell - 2018
Ever since she harshly rejected his proposal of marriage months earlier, she has dreaded seeing him again. How could she have been so wrong about him? How could she ever look him in the face, knowing how badly she misjudged him?
Elizabeth and the Gardiners are not the only ones taking advantage of the master's absence. While travelling through the woods, their carriage is held up by three highwaymen who have been terrorising the countryside. In the scuffle, her uncle is injured, and Elizabeth is almost taken with them before they are saved by the last person she expected to see.
Fitzwilliam Darcy has struggled to overcome his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet. Ever since she rejected his proposal of marriage and made it clear how much she disliked him, he sought to put her from his mind. His only comfort is if he ever did see her again, he might prove himself a better man than the one she believed him to be.
Needing to return home to Pemberley earlier than anticipated, he takes a shortcut through the woods at night only to come across a carriage being held up by a gang of highwaymen. He intercepts and chases the thieves away. On his return, he is startled to find the woman he never thought to see again.
Darcy and Elizabeth put aside their emotions at seeing one another and agree that Elizabeth's uncle should be taken to Pemberley to receive care. Forced to live under the same roof, Darcy and Elizabeth finally have a chance to face their true feelings for one another and see if the wrongs of the past can be overcome. Can Darcy prove to her that he has changed from the man she thought him to be? And is Elizabeth still dear enough to him that he can overcome his hurt pride at her rejection?
Their growing closeness is disrupted when one of the highwaymen is captured and reveals information that forces Darcy and Elizabeth to make a decision about their relationship. And an old enemy from the past threatens to ruin everything that has been growing between them.
Unintended: A Pride and Prejudice Accident
Alix James - 2020
the person who caught you in your most embarrassing moment is also the one your heart was meant to find?
It was never supposed to happen. Elizabeth Bennet never planned to get trapped in a ridiculous situation, and she certainly never intended for the person who found her to be a dizzyingly handsome... tall... and odiously haughty man who seems to regret ever meeting her. The only thing to do, naturally, is to tease him about it, and try not to let him under her skin. Fitzwilliam Darcy wishes he could erase that whole morning--especially the part where he laid bare his... well, it is hardly worth repeating. For a surety, he would rather forget about the temptingly pert lady who had borne witness to his blunder. The only trouble is, he keeps being thrown into company with her. Every encounter brings a new brush with calamity, and he is beginning to wonder if he will survive their acquaintance.When Lady Catherine asks Darcy to pay her respects to a Mrs. Ashton, an elderly neighbor in Meryton, he discovers a friend where he least expected it. But is Mrs. Ashton who he thinks she is? And what is he to do when the very woman he is trying to forget has entirely the wrong impression of him? He would ignore her, but she keeps wandering into his path with comically unlucky results. And when the rest of his family becomes suspicious about the reasons for his sister Georgiana's low spirits, the best way to protect her reputation is to bring her to Netherfield—into the vicinity of George Wickham, the man who broke her heart.Darcy must find a way to keep his wits about him, keep his sister's reputation safe, and keep Elizabeth Bennet from becoming something she was never supposed to be... his intended.
From the author of
Indisposed, Unintended
is a clean and sweet Regency variation of approximately 20,000 words.
Legally Darcy: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Denise O'Hara - 2016
But things change suddenly in the course of one day. As time goes by, circumstances require him to take on more and more responsibilities, until he's faced with a choice of pursuing his own dreams of becoming a lawyer or acting in his beloved sister's best interest. Years later, his life finally seems to be on track. At 28, he's a successful attorney at one of the top law firms in the country and things couldn't be going better, either professionally or personally. He thinks he's got it all figured out- until someone from his past, and a new acquaintance, in the form of feisty law student Elizabeth Bennet, turn his world upside down.
A Fine Joke
Amy D'Orazio - 2020
A gentleman of honour, he decides he will go to his end having done his best to discharge the duty of providing an heir for Pemberley. A gentleman of passion, he decides it will be with a bride who suits his own fancy. Going immediately to Hertfordshire, he meets with Miss Elizabeth Bennet and asks her, a second time, to marry him, with the knowledge that the marriage will be short and that she will be soon left a wealthy widow.Elizabeth agrees to be Darcy's bride feeling all the compassion of a woman granting a man's dying wish. However, soon she suspects the truth, that Darcy is not, in fact, dying. She begins to question what exactly happened between the time that Darcy proposed to her the first time and when he was given his dreadful diagnosis--and if, in fact, any of it is indeed true.This Pride & Prejudice variation is a darkly humorous novella based on the characters of Jane Austen.