Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart


Laurel Ann NattressSyrie James - 2011
    Sullivan • and Brenna Aubrey, the winner of a story contest hosted by the Republic of Pemberley “My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” If you just heaved a contented sigh at Mr. Darcy’s heartfelt words, then you, dear reader, are in good company. Here is a delightful collection of never-before-published stories inspired by Jane Austen—her novels, her life, her wit, her world. In Lauren Willig’s “A Night at Northanger,” a young woman who doesn’t believe in ghosts meets a familiar specter at the infamous abbey; Jane Odiwe’s “Waiting” captures the exquisite uncertainty of Persuasion’s Wentworth and Anne as they await her family’s approval of their betrothal; Adriana Trigiani’s “Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane” imagines a modern-day Austen giving her niece advice upon her engagement; in Diana Birchall’s “Jane Austen’s Cat,” our beloved Jane tells her nieces “cat tales” based on her novels; Laurie Viera Rigler’s “Intolerable Stupidity” finds Mr. Darcy bringing charges against all the writers of Pride and Prejudice sequels, spin-offs, and retellings; in Janet Mullany’s “Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” a teacher at an all-girls school invokes the Beatles to help her students understand Sense and Sensibility; and in Jo Beverley’s “Jane and the Mistletoe Kiss,” a widow doesn’t believe she’ll have a second chance at love . . . until a Miss Austen suggests otherwise.Regency or contemporary, romantic or fantastical, each of these marvelous stories reaffirms the incomparable influence of one of history’s most cherished authors.Look for special features inside.Join the Circle for author chats and more.RandomHouseReadersCircle.com

To Conquer Pride: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Jennifer Altman - 2018
    Indeed, knowing the lady's true feelings for him, he makes every effort to see that they do not. But when a chance encounter leaves him stranded in an abandoned cottage with the one woman he can never have, Darcy quickly realizes there is more at risk than just Elizabeth's reputation.Elizabeth Bennet knows Mr. Darcy is the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed on to marry. Until the morning he hands her a letter, his countenance as dark and forbidding as the windswept sky. Now, trapped in a snowstorm with the one person she was certain she despised, Elizabeth is startled to discover that her feelings are not at all what she expected.But is one night alone together enough to alter the course of their future?Can any man as proud as Mr. Darcy be expected to offer for the same woman a second time?In this tale of serendipity and second chances, the world's unlikeliest couple must conquer pride, prejudice, and faulty first impressions in the elusive quest for their own happily ever after.

Headstrong: Book One: Improvise


Melanie Rachel - 2019
    Her training in cyber-security makes finding work easy, and she’s learning to fit into her new life. But there is lingering fallout both from the attack and her life before it that she's not yet prepared to face. Complicating matters is the major’s handsome cousin. Co-owner of Darcy Acquisitions, CEO of FORGE, and guardian to his younger sister, Will Darcy is stretched to his limits. When Richard sets up an interview at FORGE for his friend Elizabeth Bennet, Will insults her instead of hiring her. In making amends, Will falls for the witty, troubled Marine with long legs and fine eyes. Falling in love is easy, but do these two very different people have what it takes to make love last? [This is a non-canon P&P modern and a full novel at just over 86,000 words.]

Pride and Prejudice and Passports: A Modern Retelling


Corrie Garrett - 2018
     In the summer of 2016, Elisa Benitez heads home from college to help her family clean cabins. When her older sister falls hard for one of the elite guests, Elisa foresees heartbreak. Her sister is a Dreamer, an undocumented immigrant, and he’s a state representative. Even worse is his infuriating friend Darcy! He’s arrogant and rude, and an overheard comment sounds racist, too. If her sister is right that he’s hitting on her, well, that makes it worse. Darcy certainly didn’t intend to fall for a beautiful, opinionated Latina on his short vacation to the mountains. Elisa would sooner turn off his hot-water heater than agree with him about anything. Why is debating with her more fun than agreeing with anyone else? But to Elisa these issues aren’t theoretical, and the debates aren’t fun. When her little sister runs away, and her parents are scared to go to the police, Darcy realizes just how serious she is. And how serious his own feelings have become. Pride and Prejudice and Passports is a modern retelling with heart and wit, a sweet romance that brings Darcy and Elizabeth to life all over again.

Mr. Darcy's Kiss


Krista Lakes - 2017
    British. Hot as hell. Elizabeth Bennett has never appreciated any of these traits in a man. So when Mr. Darcy, billionaire British playboy and GQ's Bachelor of the Year, meets her at a function, she's surprised at how attracted she is to him. That is until he puts his foot in his big, arrogant mouth. The slap that she gave him got her thrown out of the biggest fundraiser of the year, but the mark she left on Mr. Darcy won't leave his mind. The second time that they meet "on accident", he turns up the arrogance even more. The third time, he tries flowers. By the fourth time, he's wearing a cup to protect himself. Mr. Darcy is the last man in the world that Elizabeth could ever be with. However, love makes fools of us all, and the one man that she can't stand is the one man she can't resist. Can Mr. Darcy's kiss win over the heart of Elizabeth Bennett? Join New York Times bestselling author Krista Lakes in this modern retelling of Jane Austen's beloved "Pride and Prejudice".

The Darcy Madness


S.J. Nixon - 2014
    'Not handsome enough to tempt me,' and how an unforeseen twist causes his determination to avoid marriage at all costs to be unexpectedly thwarted by the compromise of a lady's reputation.Can Darcy and Elizabeth resolve their differences to fall in love and live happily ever after, or will the Darcy Curse strike again...

First Impressions


Ruby Cruz - 2014
    When her sister Jane catches the attention of the young medical resident Dr. Charlie Bingley, Lizzy does everything she can to help her sister find happiness, even if it means enduring the presence of Charlie's arrogant friend Dr. William Darcy. In this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, familiar characters are reimagined but the overarching question remains: will Lizzy and Darcy overcome their personal and social contrivances to find true love?

Sparks Fly, Tires Skid: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Variation Romantic Comedy


Ari Rhoge - 2017
    Two sisters. Two best friends. A two-way intersection. Two dented vehicles. Two unfathomably angry opponents. Two complacent, mildly flirtatious sidekicks. Join Lizzy Bennet and Will Darcy as they inadvertently develop a muddled and chaotic relationship after smashing their cars into each other one innocent morning. With a host of characters from the original story adapted to fit modern times, readers of regency-era fiction will find comfort in this fan-favorite, emotion-packed yet lighthearted variation tale of mistaken first impressions, love, disappointment, overbearing mothers, pride, and, of course, prejudice.

The Goodness of Men


Anngela Schroeder - 2017
    “You never will be able to make both of them good…Take your choice, but you must be satisfied with only one. There is but such a quantity of merit between them; just enough to make one good sort of man…” -Pride and Prejudice  From her youngest days, Elizabeth Bennet’s ability to accurately judge the character of others has been recognized and noted by those around her in such a consistent manner as to lead her to believe it herself. The misfortune of meeting Mr. Darcy, a wealthy landowner from the north, only solidifies this belief. The memory of his disapproval of her family, proves his character is lacking and sadly unlike his childhood friend’s, the charming and affable Mr. Wickham, who is esteemed by all he meets. Although her opinion once lost is not lost forever, the effort to regain her favor is great. With Elizabeth’s youngest sister fortunate to be in company with Mr. Wickham in Brighton since the spring, and her own travels to Kent cancelled, she must await the pleasures of a summer holiday to the North with her aunt and uncle Gardiner. However, it is there that she is once again thrust into Mr. Darcy’s presence and must determine if he is truly the architect of the many wrongs she has laid at his door. Fitzwilliam Darcy cannot exorcise Elizabeth Bennet from his thoughts. A chance meeting at the estate of his friend reignites all the flames he has attempted to suppress since their last meeting. Believing in her partiality, he is stunned to overhear her true estimation of him and is determined to change her opinion. Battling with memories and secrets from his past, Darcy must fight against his natural reserve to win the heart of the woman he loves. Will the unexpected appearance of a stranger encourage Elizabeth’s change of heart? Might an episode from Mr. Darcy's past force Elizabeth to see the man within? Can one man have all the goodness and the other only the appearance of it?  Join us for another sweet "Pride and Prejudice" reimagining, suitable for ages teen and up.

Found in the Snow: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Jaeza Rayleigh - 2019
    In this variation, the familiar cast of characters is augmented by the introduction of Lizzy’s great-aunt by marriage, Lady Helena Mosse, who hopes to give her great-nieces more opportunities to make good matches than they would find in Meryton. A snowy encounter leads to a new acquaintance, but is it the kind of opportunity Lady Helena hoped for? Because of the chance encounter, Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy in the winter before the canon visit to Meryton, but their initial interactions are just as rocky. Can Mr. Darcy change his ways and become more approachable? Does he want to? Can Elizabeth forgive his early insults and learn to see him for the man he truly is? Will Kitty find her own way when separated from Lydia? Is Georgiana in danger even when protected by her friends? All these questions and more will be answered in this clean and generally low-angst variation on the story we know and love. One more will be answered as well – what was it really that Lizzy found in the snow?

Darcy Unmasked: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Jane Grix - 2015
    But a Masquerade Ball changes everything. Darcy Unmasked is a Pride and Prejudice Variation. It is approximately 38,000 words, which is a long novella or short novel.

A Better Understanding: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Jennifer Kay - 2020
    Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet argue about more than Mr. Wickham at the Netherfield Ball. Provoked, Elizabeth insinuates that Jane does love Mr. Bingley – and lets Mr. Darcy know that he is not gentlemanly enough to tempt her affections. With two of Darcy’s usual assumptions refuted early in the story, how will the gentleman react? Will the words be enough to set him on a path to redemption following the ball, or are more hardships required before Darcy and Elizabeth can find their happily ever after? And how will Darcy convince Elizabeth that Mr. Wickham is not worth her concern?

Love Unsought


Kay Bea - 2020
    But fate, with assistance from Darcy’s scheming cousins, contrives to keep them together.When Miss Darcy is summoned to Kent, the couple has a chance to begin anew, and their budding friendship carries them to London and Hertfordshire. Their feelings deepen but before their new understanding is made known, Elizabeth is sent to Brighton as chaperone to her youngest sister. Her stay there ends in ruin when Darcy’s past comes to call.Upon discovering the situation is worse than he feared, Darcy determines he must be the one to make things right. His departure leaves Elizabeth in doubt and their future in question. Was their love too new to withstand a scandal?A series of missed chances, misdirected letters, and miscommunications keeps the couple apart; it make require the intervention of their nearest relations to bring them back together.

Echoes of Pemberley


Cynthia Ingram Hensley - 2012
    Since then, her life at Pemberley Estate - the Darcy's ancestral home in Derbyshire, England - has been sheltered and lacking adventure of any kind. When 16-year-old Catie arrives home for her school holiday, she is expecting another long, boring summer of daydreaming and whiling away warm afternoons reading the romance novels her brother calls "rubbish." What she discovers, however, is a handsome yet insufferable Irishman named Sean Kelly, her summer riding instructor. Coupled with an intriguing and mysterious WWI-era diary, which she finds hidden in the window seat of her bedroom, Catie Darcy's summer soon proves to be anything but boring.

The Best Part of Love


Amy D'Orazio - 2017
    Darcy’s heart, but what is the truth of her past?When Fitzwilliam Darcy meets Miss Elizabeth Bennet, a simple country girl from a humble estate, he has no idea that she—and indeed, the entire town of Meryton—harbors a secret. Before she meets Darcy, Elizabeth has spent two years hiding from the men who killed her beloved first husband. Feeling herself destroyed by love, Elizabeth has no intention of loving again, and certainly not the haughty man who can do nothing but offend her in Hertfordshire.In time, Elizabeth surprises herself by finding in Darcy a friend; even greater is her surprise to find herself gradually coming to love him and even accepting an offer of marriage from him. As the newlyweds are just beginning to settle into their happily-ever-after, a condemned man on his way to the gallows divulges a shattering truth, a secret that contradicts everything Elizabeth thought she knew about the tragic circumstances of her first marriage. Against the advice of everyone who loves her—including Darcy—Elizabeth begins to ask questions. But the truth could destroy them both.