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?

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?

Christmas at Blackthorn Manor: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas


Lucy Marin - 2021
    There with her sister Jane—now Mrs Ridley—she is further surprised to see romantic tensions flaring between her sister and her former beau, Mr Bingley, who has arrived with Mr Darcy.INTENT ON KEEPING Mr Bingley and Mrs Ridley from making a mistake, Darcy and Elizabeth are distracted from their own romantic inclinations—a welcome diversion as both are convinced that their love must be unrequited. Elizabeth believes that Darcy cannot accept being brother to Wickham, and Darcy is certain Elizabeth can never forgive him for failing to return Mr Bingley to her sister Jane or protect ladies, including Lydia Bennet, from Wickham. BUT EVERYTHING IS NOT as it seems. As the party approaches its end, will they learn the truth about what has really kept them apart or will they go their separate ways once again?

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.

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?

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?

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.

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.

The Painting: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Lory Lilian - 2021
    The disastrous proposal at Hunsford has left both Darcy and Elizabeth in great turmoil. Back at Longbourn, Elizabeth tries to overcome her guilt and remorse for believing Wickham so readily and accusing Darcy so unfairly, whilst eagerly anticipating her journey to the North with her aunt and uncle Gardiner. When their travel plans are delayed, Mrs. Gardiner invites the rest of the Bennet girls—since Lydia has already been invited by Mrs. Forster—to spend a fortnight in Brighton with her and her children, as they wait for Mr. Gardiner to complete his business. At Pemberley, Darcy struggles to overcome his heartbreak and to forgive himself for his ungentlemanlike behaviour towards Elizabeth. Properly humbled and devastated by the loss of the only woman he has ever loved, his suffering intensifies with the anniversary of his beloved mother’s death. His heart—still bleeding after Elizabeth’s rejection—is broken into pieces when he uncovers a secret hidden behind an old painting. The discovery leads Darcy to Brighton, searching for clues to his mother’s past, accompanied by his loyal friend, Charles Bingley. There, only a few houses away, they find the women who have never been far from their thoughts. By the sea, tormented by old and new memories and trying to understand the power of their feelings, Elizabeth and Darcy cross paths again and slowly become re-acquainted with each other and with themselves, until their love finds its long-deserved fulfilment. The reconciliation of Bingley and Jane, as well as Lydia and Wickham’s situation, also slowly unfolds together with the discovery of Lady Anne’s past, intricately woven around the love story of Darcy and Elizabeth.

Letter Interrupted


Elizabeth Adams - 2021
    Darcy came to see Elizabeth at the inn at Lambton, what was he there to say? This story explores what would have happened if Jane’s letters had been delayed and Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth had instead spent the day together. The path of the story diverges from there, and when Lydia’s elopement becomes known, Elizabeth must face the idea of losing the man she has come to care for.

A Good Memory is Unpardonable


Alix James - 2021
    They will each turn to their private journals, then compile their love story to share with the world.What Fitzwilliam Darcy presumes for a simple recitation of history becomes something completely different when he opens the box of his treasured feelings. Peek over his shoulder as he explores his deepest secrets: from the first day he met his future, as she was marrying another man, to the moment when he finally won her heart.Strangely enough, however, Elizabeth remembers their story... a little differently. Clever, light-hearted, and saucy as ever, she sets the facts straight and keeps her love on his toes as she tells how she fell for the proud gentleman from Derbyshire. Who is telling the story as it really happened? Probably neither one, but there is one thing they both agree on: Think on the past only as it gives you pleasure. Unpardonable  is a sweet Regency variation of approximately 24,000 words. Based on Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, it is appropriate for all audiences.

Twists of Fate: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Joana Starnes - 2021
    What if ‘I do’ is not the end, but the beginning of the adventure?(The novel addresses mature themes. Given the ‘early marriage’ premise, the issue of growing affection and intimacy is central to the story. The relevant scenes are emotive and deeply sensual, but never explicit.)

Mr. Darcy's Household: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation


Lyr Newton - 2021
    He has brought her home to Derbyshire, where he hopes she can heal the wounds of her soul and regain her spirit.But some things are beyond his control, as he discovers when a disease is brought to Lambton by two men, recently returned from the war. Miss Darcy, as well as many of the small town’s families and Pemberley’s tenants, is affected.Darcy’s household, although perfectly trained and highly efficient, is in great need of help. But, despite Mr. Darcy’s willingness to pay a large amount of money for someone to aid Mrs. Reynolds, his housekeeper, for a few months, he can find nobody who meets his high expectations and exacting requirements. Matters take a turn for the worse when the housekeeper also falls ill and is kept to her bed. Mrs. Reynolds writes to the daughter of her old friend, now Mrs. Madeleine Gardiner, about the situation, with no other hope than to unburden her heart.However, Mrs. Gardiner is hosting her lovely and spirited niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. The Bennet family is in precarious financial circumstances due to Mr. Bennet’s poor estate management and his disinterest in anything other than books.Willing to help her family by earning an amount of money that could cover Longbourn’s expenses for a few years, Elizabeth accepts the temporary position and she is taken to Pemberley in Mr. Darcy’s carriage. Once there, she holds the same position as Mrs. Reynolds. She is in charge of the management of the household, responsible for everything in the house. She is treated respectfully by everyone, and she even forms a sweet friendship, based on a slowly-developing trust, with Miss Darcy.Only the master treats her with cold politeness and distant reverence; he barely speaks to her, he gives her power but only wishes to see good results. A few weeks later, he is urgently summoned to London, while Elizabeth remains at Pemberley overseeing the household.In mid-September, Elizabeth returns to Longbourn with a considerable amount of money. Once there, she finds out that Netherfield has finally been let and a Mr. Bingley is expected to arrive, together with a large party of friends.Then, the Meryton Assembly takes place and Elizabeth is surprised to meet Mr. Darcy again.But how will he react? Will he treat her with mere politeness or with contempt, since he is her former employer? Will he even acknowledge her? Will he even recognize her?“Darcy’s Household” is a Regency “Pride and Prejudice” variation, the length of a novella (just a little under 40k words), less than 160 paperback pages), sweet, very romantic, amusing, with some reference to mature subjects but clean enough to be appropriate for all audiences.

Darcy’s Paramour: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


M.A. Sandiford - 2020
    Shaken, he has retreated into solitary pursuits such as walking and fishing. Much time has been lost lamenting past errors, but he sees at last a way forward. He will try to get Elizabeth back. Risk a confession to Bingley. Convince Lady Catherine that he will never marry her daughter. Curb his pride and disrespect for others. Seek a reunion. And hope.No sooner has this resolution been formed than Darcy receives dramatic news of the Bennets. The family has been disgraced, not by Lydia, but by Elizabeth herself. She has been convicted of a felony and is now missing, believed a fugitive. Alone and without means, she faces destitution—or transportation at best if caught.Convinced of Elizabeth’s innocence, Darcy stands by his resolution. But how can he help Elizabeth without locating her? And how can he locate her without betraying her to the authorities? The conundrum seems insoluble. Will love find a way?