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Christmas at Blackthorn Manor: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas by Lucy Marin
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In the Spirit Intended: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas
Jan Ashton - 2021
The wisest and the best action I have ever done, is give you mine. A YEAR AFTER THEY LAST MET, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are reunited for Christmas at the Bingleys’ London townhouse. Neither has passed the time easily—he has travelled, while she has refused a third offer of marriage and helped her sister settle into married life. NOW THEIR PASTS COLLIDE as they gather with family, including two unexpected visitors, to celebrate the holidays and unwrap old wounds. Darcy fears Elizabeth is unhappily constrained living with the newlyweds, while she assumes his ease comes from joy in the choice he made to eschew her.AFTER A YEAR OF YEARNING and self-recrimination, it takes a little Christmas spirit and some meaningful conversation to finally bind their hearts together.
Call It Hope: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas
Susan Adriani - 2021
JANE IS NOW MRS BINGLEY, and in her desire to be away from Longbourn and its long-settled guests, the Wickhams, Elizabeth has travelled to Kent to spend the Yuletide holiday with her friend Charlotte Collins. Yet not only have odd circumstances--and a snowstorm--fated her to spend the Yuletide holiday at Rosings Park, she must do so with the elusive Mr Darcy and all his Fitzwilliam relations. Neither of their hearts has healed from their mutual disappointment, and now they each must navigate his family’s ridiculous antics and their own apprehensions to reach a new beginning. While each is eager, neither is certain of the power they may hold over the other’s affections.ONCE DARCY AND ELIZABETH get past mishaps and misunderstandings--and at least one mortifying moment--they each may receive the only Christmas gift they truly wish for: the other’s love.
Stranded at Pemberley: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas
Jenetta James - 2021
A man appeared, tall and frowning. He spoke and every person, including me, turned to him. “What is this?”A DREADFUL ACCIDENT BEFALLS THE GARDINER FAMILY while travelling in Derbyshire with their niece Elizabeth Bennet just before Christmas in 1810. With her beloved aunt gravely injured, Elizabeth is forced to seek help from the inhabitants of the grand Pemberley estate.THE FORMERLY HAPPY PARTY finds itself stranded at Pemberley, a hauntingly beautiful albeit empty, joyless, and sometimes frightening estate. Its master is taciturn and unwelcoming, and it is the very last place in the world that Elizabeth wanted or expected to spend Christmas.ELIZABETH’S NATURAL SPIRITS cannot be repressed however, and amid trying to create Christmas joy for the Gardiner children and tend to her aunt, she begins to ask questions. Who is the nameless soldier who comes and goes? And who is the feminine figure she glimpses time and again? Who is the real master of Pemberley--the handsome and inscrutable Mr Darcy, or the unexpectedly kind gentleman who seems to wish to spend time with her?WHAT IS THE REASON for the strange dark sadness that hangs over the place--despite the season—and can Elizabeth, with the magic of Christmas, be the one to break it?
A Yuletide Dream
Julie Cooper - 2021
Rosings Park, he decides, must do as inducement for a loveless marriage, and for putting aside any thoughts of Elizabeth Bennet.YULETIDE DREAMS SOON BESET HIM however, with angelic visitors, including Lady Anne Darcy, and a phantom Mr Collins showing him poignant scenes from his past, alarming possibilities in the present, and a shocking spectacle for his future. Darcy thus finds his resolutions changed, from the prudent to the poetic as he is taught that love must triumph over all. BUT IS HE TOO LATE to win the hand of his fair lady from Hertfordshire?
Misgivings & Mistletoe
KaraLynne Mackrory - 2021
After Wickham dashed his chances with Elizabeth Bennet, a few weeks at his home hiding from disappointed hopes and nursing heartsore dreams was essential if he was to gain back his equilibrium. But a wintery blast of snow prevents his escape and a detour to his newly married friend’s home at Netherfield is forced upon him.My heart was still lodged unknowingly in Mr Darcy’s pocket where it leapt out of my chest the moment my eyes connected with his.AS THE SNOW LAZILY BUILDS DEEPER, Elizabeth Bennet vows to herself to find her happiness however she can, even if the hope of that happiness including Fitzwilliam Darcy could no longer be. When the object of her heart blows into Netherfield as if carried by the snow itself, she recognises her only hope for the gift she really desires this Christmas has arrived.My heart stilled. My soul surged.BUT THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE never did run smooth, and with a rival, an abundance of mistletoe, and the well-meaning help of some friends, will Darcy and Elizabeth be able to clear up the misgivings of their spotted history and find the gift of love this Christmastide?
Heart Enough: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas
Amy D'Orazio - 2021
Robbing him of all hope towards her, he impulsively proposes to his cousin Anne, finding out just weeks later that Elizabeth did, in fact, have tender regard for him. DISTRESSED BY THE KNOWLEDGE that misunderstandings have once again thwarted them, Elizabeth flees to the Continent to forget him. Returning two years later, she is more confident, more worldly, and alas, every bit as in love with him as she ever was. She resolves to offer him her friendship, believing him married, perhaps with children.BUT CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED for Mr Darcy. Will they have heart enough to learn the truth from one another or will misunderstandings defeat them once more?
Welcome Home: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas
Mary Smythe - 2021
Darcy heard the shout of his coachman just as the carriage jerked hard, sending him sliding across the slick leather seat beneath him. His gloves lost their grip and…HAVING LEFT ELIZABETH BENNET behind in Hertfordshire, Fitzwilliam Darcy is amazed to arrive at Pemberley and find her residing there as his wife, the mistress of both his home and his heart. Crushed to find that it was a fever dream resulting from his carriage accident, Darcy decides that it must have been a Christmas miracle, sent to show him the happiness he might have if only he could put his reservations about her aside. SO RESOLVED, HE RETURNS to Hertfordshire, wishing to show her the man he is and the life they might have together but the spite of old rivals remains there, determined to keep them apart. Will their love prevail at last within the joys of Christmas?
The Pink Daffodil: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas
Elizabeth Rasche - 2021
He does not kiss her for any good purpose. What a fool I have been!CHRISTMAS MAY MEAN FESTIVITY and fun for some, but for Mary Bennet it is an opportunity to collect donations for her Meryton Widows and Orphans Society. Mary is eager to display her piety and charity to everyone around her in the small town of Meryton, but finds herself distracted by the arrival of Mr Arthur at Netherfield Park. A friend of Mr Bingley, he is an awkward gentleman in shabby attire who cheerfully disregards etiquette to an alarming degree—and yet Mary finds him endearing nevertheless. WITH THE YULETIDE FROLICS come the opportunity for both diversion and discovery—discovery that Mr Arthur is not what or who he seems to be, and the understanding for Mary that sometimes pious is not the only thing she wants to be.
A Hopeful Holiday: A Pride and Prejudice Novella
Heather Moll - 2021
While his friend is now happily married, Darcy regrets not having the courage to pursue Elizabeth in the autumn. As 1812 draws to a close, Darcy rallies his spirits to spend the Christmas holiday with Lady Catherine.Elizabeth Bennet wanted to show Darcy that her feelings for him had changed, but he never returned to Hertfordshire and she fears Darcy could never tolerate being brother-in-law to Wickham. For a change of scene and with the hope of lifting her spirits, Elizabeth accepts an invitation to visit Charlotte Collins and her new baby at Christmas.Lady Catherine’s New Year’s Eve masquerade ball is the social event of the season and, amid the festivities and mistletoe, both Darcy and Elizabeth hope for a reason to make their affections known. But will her ladyship’s interference, the sudden appearance of her scheming nephew, and Elizabeth and Darcy’s insecurities prevent them from finding happiness during the holiday season?This is a 31,000 word Pride and Prejudice variation.
When He Comes Back: A Pride & Prejudice Variation
Anniina Sjöblom - 2020
And you will love me.”4 June, 1940. The last day of the Dunkirk evacuation. On one side of the English Channel, Elizabeth Bennet looks to the horizon, counting the boats returning from France, wondering if it is possible to learn to love a man in his absence. Across the narrow stretch of sea, two exhausted men stand, shoulder-deep in the water, waiting for one more boat to come and take them home.On the eve of the Second World War, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy meet in Kent, in a small coastal town called Meryton. He thinks she is tolerable at best, she thinks he is a pompous ass. Will the terror sweeping across Europe tear them apart or pull them closer together? Can Darcy keep the promise he made her before he left?
Her Indomitable Resolve
Jann Rowland - 2020
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.
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.
Agony and Hope
L.L. Diamond - 2021
What will become of him when Georgiana is wed, and he is left by himself? He cannot give away a heart not his own. Must he remain in this mournful existence, anticipating the nights to come, where in his dreams, he can finally be with Elizabeth, a spectre of his once living, breathing beloved. When a surprise visitor brings unexpected news, his hope is breathed back to life. Will he finally obtain his deepest desires? Will Fitzwilliam Darcy be able to leave behind the agony of the past and hope for the future he once thought impossible?Due to circumstances beyond her control, Elizabeth Bennet’s family is irrevocably altered. Her father is dead, Lydia is missing, and her mother and remaining sisters are to be relegated to a life of poverty. Fitzwilliam Darcy’s behaviour at Pemberley indicates he still loves her, but too much has happened. She can never hope for him to once again make the offer of his hand. Elizabeth’s sole option is to abandon the life she once led and start anew. But what happens when her path once again crosses with the love she thought lost to her? Will Elizabeth choose to protect him with the one option available to her or will she put aside the agony of the past and choose hope?
A Life Worth Choosing: A Jane Austen "Pride and Prejudice" Variation
Anngela Schroeder - 2021
He cannot forgive her harsh words; her assertion Mr. Wickham would have made a better son has cut him to the core.Suffering an accident while delivering the fated letter, he wakes to a world he does not know—and to those who do not recognize him. With a new life, a different name, and a fresh chance at winning the woman he loves, Darcy must decide which is “A Life Worth Choosing”––the past he remembers or a future he has created for himself.This Regency variation of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by bestselling author Anngela Schroeder, is appropriate for all who wish to lose themselves on another path towards Darcy and Elizabeth’s happily ever after.
Brighton Rescue: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Laraba Kendig - 2021
Will she find happiness or will her entire family be ruined?Elizabeth Bennet is shocked to discover that her foolish sister Lydia is in love with the rakish George Wickham and has plans to elope with him. To Elizabeth’s surprise and dismay, her uncle enlists the help of Fitzwilliam Darcy to prevent this disaster.Months earlier, Bingley was convinced by his sisters and his friend Darcy to abandon his pursuit of the lovely Jane Bennet. He discovers that they gave him terrible advice and resumes his pursuit, but Jane has met a charming war veteran. Will Bingley be in time to win her hand?Elizabeth and Darcy work together to rescue Lydia from her own recklessness and Wickham’s evil plans. Will Elizabeth and her family be ruined, or can they safeguard their dreams for the future?