Book picks similar to
Expectations & Apologies by Elizabeth Squire


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Equal Affection: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Layla Johnson - 2021
    It tells the old beloved story of Elizabeth and Darcy with new, original, unexpected twists. It speaks about the depth of feelings versus shallow infatuation, about appearances and truth, about regrets and redemption.The story focuses on Elizabeth and Darcy's interactions, the development of their characters and their slowly building affection that grows into a deep, everlasting love. Alongside them, there are Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley, with their own tale that appears similar and yet proves to be quite different.The book starts in London, in April 1812. Elizabeth has returned from Kent after Darcy’s disastrous proposal and stays in London, at the Gardiners, together with Jane. Both sisters try to overcome the distress caused by the gentlemen that had once lived at Netherfield.The plot pushes Elizabeth and Darcy into each other's path, inducing them to struggle with pride, prejudice, flaws and misunderstandings, along their journey towards the point of equal affection.Among well-known classic characters, a new one claims her share of conversation: Mrs. Welford, Mrs. Gardiner's aunt, a lady who spent her youth in Lambton and her adulthood living an adventurous life.Married and widowed three times, Mrs. Edwina Welford possesses a large fortune, manners on the edge of decorum, a passion for life, and genuine affection for her relatives. She interferes in the story bringing mockery, fighting, tears and laughter, spicing up the tale and adding more surprising turns of events between the main characters."Equal Affection" is the author's second JAFF book. It comes after the readers' wonderful reactions that turned the first one - "Locked in the Netherfield Library" into a bestselling novella.

A Longbourn Entanglement


Monica Fairview - 2021
    If Darcy discovers it, will it spell the end of their fledgling romance?When Mrs. Bennet falls ill after the Netherfield Ball, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley postpone their trip to London to offer their assistance. But things are never what they seem. Before long, Darcy is entangled in a chaotic situation at Longbourn, and Elizabeth is faced with a thorny dilemma that could drive Darcy away from her forever.Will Elizabeth and Darcy muddle their way through the mayhem, or is everything just too tangled for them to find love?If you are looking for a sweet, frolicsome Jane Austen short read, this romantic comedy is just what you need.

Fallen Woman: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary


Arthel Cake - 2019
    Darcy has already left Netherfield. Torn by his attraction to Elizabeth Bennet, a woman he cannot marry, he retreats to Scotland, unaware of the social disaster that overtakes the Bennet family. Shunned by friends and neighbors, Mrs. Bennet succumbs and Mr. Bennet moves what is left of his family to London. As Mary and Kitty find husbands, Elizabeth and Jane are left to care for their failing father with little money and less hope for the future. After Mr. Bennet’s death, the sisters continue to live on the bare edge of gentility with fading prospects for happiness in life. But then Elizabeth accidently encounters Mr. Bingley. Both young women are drawn back into his sphere, which includes Mr. Darcy. Once again Bingley is plagued by his sister Caroline, who is as determined as ever to prevent his marriage to Jane, and whose machinations may go farther back than anyone realizes. Darcy is assisting his friend in his renewed courtship of Jane and as Elizabeth finds herself in continual contact with him a friendship grows between them, one Elizabeth tries to believe is platonic, while Darcy knows he is still inescapably in love with her. Torn between a growing attraction to Darcy and the taint of Lydia’s sin, Elizabeth struggles to find a way forward. Darcy has problems of his own. His sister Georgiana has withdrawn from her first Season, refusing to choose a suitor in spite of family pressure. Lady Catherine deBourgh believes she can force Darcy to marry her daughter Anne, and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. And a threat from the past by Darcy’s old enemy George Wickham arises once more with the potential to ruin not only the Darcys but the Fitzwilliam family as well. Now at a Twelfth Night ball, Darcy is no longer able to deny his love and offers Elizabeth his hand. But Elizabeth, deeply damaged by her experiences, believes herself unworthy of him and rejects him with consequences no one could have predicted, forcing Darcy to face a turning point that will decide his and Elizabeth’s future in one last encounter. Finally, just when matters seem to be settled, Darcy and Elizabeth’s happiness is jeopardized once again by a ghost from the past as Wickham finally seems ready to strike.

Travelling Towards Happiness: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Kevin Lawrence - 2021
    It is the story of a powerful, determined, honourable and brave Darcy, ready to put his life in danger for the woman he loves, and a strong, witty, kind-hearted Elizabeth, ready to admit her errors and to receive and return his ardent love. What if, instead of meeting for the first time after the failed proposal at Pemberley, their first encounter instead takes place while they are both travelling toward the North.The story begins in July, at the beginning of the Gardiners’ and Elizabeth’s journey towards the Lakes. A storm thwarts their plans and a broken wheel on their carriage forces them to make an impromptu stop at an inn, which is already overcrowded and has no rooms left to accommodate them. With no place to stay, no carriage to continue their travel and even in danger of falling ill, their plans seem entirely ruined. Unless…Still grieving over his failed marriage proposal, Darcy is on his way home to Pemberley. As usual, he stops for the night at his favourite inn, together with his valet and two coachmen. An unexpected storm causes the inn to be overcrowded and, faced with so many people without shelter, he is trying his best to offer his support. To his utter astonishment, one of those in need is the woman of his dreams and nightmares, Elizabeth Bennet.Since they seem to share the same destination, the same regrets and sorrow and the same hopes, could they mend the past and build a happy future whilst travelling together? What if new villains and new dangers threaten their lives, forcing them to face the most difficult choices? Will Darcy be able to protect his love?Find out all the answers in this romantic and adventurous tale of our beloved couple.

Married in Haste: A Pride and Prejudice Reimagining


A.K. Madison - 2021
    . .” William CongreveA month after her wedding, Elizabeth Bennet Darcy had taught herself to be silent, watchful, careful. She moved through the house with eyes downcast, avoiding contact, speaking only when spoken to. She walked through the garden in much the same way, her face hidden from the sun—and from the direct gaze of any servant she might encounter—by the deep brims of the fashionable bonnets she wore.Just four short weeks after their marriage, the deep love between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy is on the verge of collapsing forever. They must join forces to overcome whatever—or whoever—threatens to destroy their home, their love and their very lives.

Barely Betrothed to Mr. Darcy: a Pride and Prejudice variation


Valerie Lennox - 2020
    She lives with her sister and her sister’s husband, Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, and she dotes on her niece and nephew. She doesn’t long for a husband or children of her own. To do so would only bring her misery.Then news reaches them which tears Elizabeth’s contentment to shreds.Mrs. Caroline Darcy is dead. She’s drowned herself.Everyone has long observed the late Mrs. Darcy’s dissatisfaction with her loveless, childless marriage, so the news, while tragic, is not entirely surprising. Elizabeth knows that Caroline trapped her husband into marrying her by falsely accusing him of a compromise that never occurred. Of course, that truth has never mattered, nor has the fact that Mr. Darcy is still in love with Elizabeth and that she is in love with him.Now, Mr. Darcy is free, but propriety dictates that he cannot remarry immediately. A quick marriage would court scandal and it would wound Caroline’s brother, Mr. Bingley, who is also Mr. Darcy’s dear friend. So, though Elizabeth knows that Mr. Darcy will be hers eventually, they cannot be officially engaged yet. Now, they must wait.For these two who have waited so long for each other, the waiting will prove to be the hardest part.Read this variation if you like our dear couple angsty and yearning, and if you’re amenable to a steamy culmination to all that tension.

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.

The Longbourn Quarantine


Don Jacobson - 2020
    A feared specter has escaped London’s grimy docklands and now threatens the wealthy districts. Amongst that ragged stream is a single carriage jostling its way toward Meryton. Inside are the Darcy siblings along with Charles and Caroline Bingley. They desperately seek the safety of Netherfield Park.For all their riches, they could not evade the epidemic’s dark hand. Bingley’s leasehold had been reduced to rubble as roving bands raped, pillaged, and burned. The only sanctuary was Longbourn where, once installed, the Darcys and Bingleys were barred from leaving by a fortnight’s quarantine.Events converge with disease in The Longbourn Quarantine. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy abandon old prejudices to face grief and mourning. Pride is set aside as Death hovers nearby. The couple forges ahead. knowing that love unexplored is love lost: that words must be said lest they remain unspoken in the time of smallpox.

A Hasty Decision: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Wynne Mabry - 2019
    Darcy makes a hasty decision. After all, if he cannot have the lady he loves, it little matters whom he marries. Or so he thinks at the time. It is not long before he regrets his choice, but there is no turning back. As a miserable marriage threatens his own happiness and his sister’s, he finds comfort in friendships, including an unexpected one with Elizabeth. When the unthinkable happens, she remains a loyal and valued friend. But what will it take for them to have a second chance at happiness?

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.

Men Of Consequence: A Pride And Prejudice Variation


Francine Rainey - 2019
    Yet will this reasoning cause Darcy to lose the only woman he has ever wanted? Darcy has scorned Elizabeth’s ability to attract men of consequence due to her lack of fortune and lowly connections. However, when Elizabeth joins the newly wedded Charles and Jane Bingley in London for a season, what will the company of two men of consequence mean for Elizabeth’s prospects? Meanwhile, Darcy is confronted with his past and actions that could challenge his place in the world and destroy his opportunity with the woman he loves. Will Darcy unravel the mystery and avoid a scandal before Elizabeth accepts another? And along the way will Darcy discover what truly make men, Men of Consequence.

Schemes of Felicity: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Suzan Lauder - 2020
    Darcy desires marriage to Elizabeth Bennet, but he ruins any such prospect during his proposal at Hunsford. The resulting general sense of malaise interferes with his usually amicable yet stately demeanour, and his Fitzwilliam relatives resolve that Darcy is lonely-he must be in want of a wife. His cousins convince him to leap into the London Season for one month and partner every lady they select for his felicity.At Longbourn, chaos erupts as Mr. Bennet undergoes a transformation, and Jane and Elizabeth receive the gift of a month in town to enjoy the Season. Meanwhile, Elizabeth pores over Mr. Darcy's Hunsford letter and wonders about him, warmed by his words.It's only a matter of time before the two meet again in this Pride and Prejudice novella. But will their encounter be a repeat of the earlier disaster, or will they overcome their tenuous history? And can Elizabeth's credentials pass the stringent criteria of the scheming Fitzwilliam cousins who direct Darcy towards the single daughters of every peer of the realm?

Recognizing Love: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Lizzy Brandon - 2018
    Darcy’s proposal and allowing him to assume a love she does not yet feel pains Miss Elizabeth Bennet but she is certain she can love him…in time. After all of the miseries he endured to salvage her youngest sister’s reputation, how could she not come to love such a man? Unfortunately, Lady Catherine arrives, bringing even thornier complications. With the many objections Darcy’s family will have regarding his marriage to the daughter of an unremarkable country squire, what more trouble can Lady Catherine stir up should she learn Elizabeth’s secret? In this Pride and Prejudice variation, what will Mr. Darcy do when he learns his beloved has accepted him although her heart is not engaged? New through Kindle Unlimited, Recognizing Love is a Jane Austen adaptation of about 73,000 words. If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice variations, vagaries, fanfiction, and sequels, check out Recognizing Love today.

A Duel in Meryton: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Renata McMann - 2019
    Darcy believes the people there are of so little consequence, Georgiana will know no fear in interacting with them. He soon learns he’s wrong about both his sister and Hertfordshire, but not about Wickham. Even bearing the brunt of Mr. Darcy’s insult doesn’t soften Elizabeth to her husband-hunting cousin, Mr. Collins, and her first reaction is to disdain both men. As the two join forces against Meryton’s newest militia member, the charming Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth comes to see a different side to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins. Their presence in Hertfordshire, along with Mr. Darcy’s other companions, will forever alter the lives of Elizabeth and those she cares for most. A Duel in Meryton is a Pride and Prejudice variation of approximately 73,000 words.

Partial and Prejudiced: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Emily Russell - 2021
    She is the woman he longs for against his better judgment. Can love grow from a marriage brought about by deceit?Fitzwilliam Darcy cannot fix on the moment when Elizabeth Bennet became so appealing to him. He had scarcely allowed her to be tolerable on their first meeting, but now, he is utterly bewitched by her. If it were not for her ridiculous family and the inferiority of her connections, Darcy thought he would be in some danger of making a foolish alliance.Elizabeth Bennet has disliked Darcy from the moment they met. Not only did he insult her appearance and express disdain towards her family, but he has also denied his former childhood friend Wickham his inheritance. When they attend the Netherfield ball, Elizabeth is determined to avoid the proud, haughty gentleman as much as she can.But Wickham has his own plans where Darcy is concerned. Wickham has vowed to humble his former friend, and what could be more humiliating for Darcy than being forced to marry a woman he finds barely tolerable and whose family will make him the laughingstock of society? And what better place to arrange a compromising situation than at a ball?When Darcy and Elizabeth are forced to marry to save Elizabeth’s reputation, Darcy finds himself happier than he expected. And as Elizabeth's feelings for her future husband grow, she struggles to understand how a man who treats her with such kindness and affection could betray a friend so cruelly.When Wickham discovers Darcy is in love with Elizabeth, he is furious to realise he has merely helped him get what he wanted, yet again. Now, he must find another way to take revenge on his old friend. And what better way to do it than through the woman Darcy loves?Partial and Prejudiced is a Pride and Prejudice Variation novella of approximately 36,000 words.