Book picks similar to
Vintage Valentine by Cat Gardiner


jaff
time-travel
austen-retellings
modern

Truly Madly Darcy (A Pride and Prejudice Variation)


Kate Bedlow - 2017
    Charles Bingley, is instantly drawn to Elizabeth Bennet’s sister Lydia. More than twice, he asks the youngest Bennet daughter to stand up with him, and soon all the neighborhood is speculating on when Mr. Bingley will make an offer to their dearest girl. Elizabeth cannot understand the attraction. In her heart, she believes a match between Mr. Bingley and Lydia would end in tears all round, while Jane and Charles seemed made for each other. While Mrs. Bennet is giddy over Mr. Bingley’s attentions to Lydia, Elizabeth devises ways to divert them to Jane, but her every stratagem is thwarted by his friend—the arrogant Mr. Darcy. The man is maddening—truly! Excerpt: "Oh, Jane!" Elizabeth cried before she could stop herself. "How... how dramatic." "You're adorable, both of you." Aunt Gardiner was dressed as Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. She beamed at her nieces, apparently of the opinion that their costumes were a great success.Jane was dressed as the goddess of love and beauty, every bit as shocking as Elizabeth's Eve. Mrs. Swan had crafted a costume so provocative, so inviting to the male eye, that Elizabeth feared her sister would be too mortified enter Beaufellmont, let alone the dance floor. The pale pink chiton-style gown was cinched around the waist by a pale blue girdle of Hephaestus, embroidered with tiny silver and gold seashells. The girdle alone emphasized Jane's figure, and two large satin seashells covered her breasts. Her arms were bare from the shoulders, in the Greek fashion, and she wore short pink lace gloves that stopped at her wrists. Her hair was hidden under a pale pink satin turban, which had a golden apple affixed at the top. "You make a wonderful Aphrodite, Miss Bennet," Sally said. "So beautiful. It's a shame you'll be wearing a mask." Jane self-consciously touched the turban's ornament, the golden apple given to Aphrodite according to the judgment of Paris. Her face was red as a berry. No, Elizabeth thought. It is a very good thing we will be wearing masks. "The finer the lady, the more risqué the costume," Mrs. Swan said with full authority on the matter. "I certainly come up to the mark on that account." Elizabeth frowned at the serpent's head at rest on her breast. "Or should I say down to it?" "It is fancy dress, my dears." Aunt Gardiner laughed. "Do not spoil the fun by being unnecessarily overmodest. Lord Beaufellsey's affairs are notorious for their notoriety." "I like that," Elizabeth said drolly. "Let your imaginations take flight. For one night, we shall be outrageous! The three most dangerous females in history: Aphrodite, Cleopatra, and Eve." Elizabeth sat down at her dressing table to allow the second assistant to sweep her hair up and hide it under a turban of pale green satin. "I suppose I won't mind a little outrageousness. Especially as we shall be safely incognito behind our masks." She had always enjoyed her aunt's youthful vigor, but never so much as at this moment. Why not be daring? Especially when so little risk was involved. Even if their masks were to slip, it would not signify.

Growing Pains: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Kate Speck - 2018
    Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana join Darcy at Netherfield and everything changes. Darcy does not insult Elizabeth and their acquaintance turns onto a different path from the classic Jane Austen story. Majority of characters canon in beginning. Rated T for minor violence and sexual situations.

From Tolerable to Lovely: A Teatime Tales Novelette


Leenie Brown - 2020
    No matter where Fitzwilliam Darcy goes, there are always whispers passed from matching-making matron to hopeful debutante about who he is and what fortune he holds. And then, the prowling and scheming to snare him begins. He knows that eventually, he’ll have to marry, but, at present, after the summer he’s had, he’s just not ready.Therefore, when his friend presses him to dance at the Meryton Assembly, Darcy is desperate to refuse as adamantly as is necessary to avoid partnering any young lady. But then, fate steps in, and Darcy’s disparagement of the dance partner his friend has suggested dies on his lips.She’s captivating and fascinatingly unusual. In fact, she just might be enchanting enough for him to long to make her what he wasn’t looking for — his wife.From Tolerable to Lovely is a novelette of just over 11,000 words and is the first installment in Leenie Brown’s Teatime Tales Collection of Austen-inspired quick reads. If you’re looking for a sweet romantic escape from the everyday, where love comes calling when it’s least expected, then you’ll love this story about how love can turn a tolerably good life into one that is simply lovely.So put the kettle on, download your copy of From Tolerable to Lovely, and steal away with Darcy and Elizabeth for a few moments of sweet indulgence.---[This story was previously published in a MUCH shorter form as part of a Teatime Tales short story anthology. That original short story is now part of the first chapter of this novelette.]

All Night with Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Jane Grix - 2017
    Mr. Darcy loves Elizabeth Bennet but does not want to marry her because of her inferior connections. Elizabeth Bennet would not marry Mr. Darcy if he were the last man in the world. But then circumstances force them to spend a night together and a speedy marriage is the only remedy to lessen the scandal. All Night with Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella, based on Jane Austen’s most romantic couple. Read to see what happens in the morning.

A Letter By Any Other Name: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Elaine Francis - 2017
    As she finds herself falling more and more in love with this man, will the truth of his real identity change the way she feels? How does her correspondence change her interactions with others and will the letters lead to her ruin if their existence is discovered? A Letter By Any Other Name is a reimagining of Jane Austen's classis novel "Pride and Prejudice".

Miss Bingley's Christmas: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Renata McMann - 2016
    What could be so important as to bring two socialites out in the cold? Why, Mr. Darcy is coming for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately for Miss Bingley, a winter storm and her own arrogance combine to ruin her Christmas plans, but maybe the Christmas she ends up having will actually turn into the Christmas of her dreams. This Pride and Prejudice Variation Christmas short story is approximately 8,000 words. Renata McMann and Summer Hanford began writing Pride and Prejudice Variations together in 2014 and have since become immersed in the amazing world Jane Austen created. Whether you’re a fan of Darcy and Elizabeth specifically or of clean Regency Romance in general, you will enjoy both McMann’s ability to imagine variations of this classic love story and Hanford’s skill in turning these variations of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet and their enduring love into entertaining stories.

Meryton Medley: Four Pride and Prejudice Novelettes


Cassandra B. Leigh - 2016
    "Her Derbyshire Friend" - What if Elizabeth responded to Darcy's letter? Would our dear couple find their way to each other? This story begins the day after the Hunsford Proposal. "Hunsford Day" - The day of the Hunsford proposal is repeated over and over, Groundhog Day style; from Elizabeth's point of view. This out-of-character story begins after the disastrous Hunsford proposal. "Secret Valentine" - What if Elizabeth received a series of valentines from a secret admirer? This short story is not intended to change any events in our favorite story. "Frog Pride" - What if Darcy was a prince with a spell cast on him by evil Catherine? (A short and clean Pride and Prejudice / Frog Prince fantasy.)

Darcy's Honor: A Pride and Prejudice Variation


Victoria Kincaid - 2017
    Darcy leaves the area after the Netherfield Ball. But she soon runs afoul of Lord Henry, a Viscount who thinks to force her into marrying him by slandering her name and ruining her reputation. An outcast in Meryton, and even within her own family, Elizabeth has nobody to turn to and nowhere to go. Darcy successfully resisted Elizabeth’s charms during his visit to Hertfordshire, but when he learns of her imminent ruin, he decides he must propose to save her from disaster. However, Elizabeth is reluctant to tarnish Darcy’s name by association…and the viscount still wants her… Can Darcy save his honor while also marrying the woman he loves?

Masquerade: A Steamy Pride & Prejudice Variation


Emma East - 2019
     A secret meeting at a London masquerade left Elizabeth a haunted, yet wiser young woman. She knows that her past makes her undesirable for marriage, and she would never subject an unwary suitor to her dark cravings. Besides, no man can ever match the fire between her and the mysterious masked man who first introduced her to sinful intimacies. Thus resigned to a life without love or passion, she finds herself in the Meryton assembly dancing with a gentleman with achingly familiar grey eyes. Darcy never thought to see a woman run from him, especially after she had given him her virtue. At first, he thinks it is a trick to ensnare him, but when he can find no hint of the masked young lady in London he gives up and accepts an invitation to a friend's new home in the country. However, the memories of his innocent seductress never leave him, and when he recognizes her across a crowded ballroom his quest to secure her in his bed again ignites. His desires ensnare Elizabeth again and again, but societal pressures weigh on her mind. And everyone knows a gentleman could never love a sinful woman... This is the first installment of the Masquerade Series. It contains steamy scenes that require smelling salts for those of a sensitive nature.

At Pemberley: 3 Pride & Prejudice Short Stories


Georgina Pryke - 2017
    What could have possibly happened to produce a tight-lipped Darcy, a sheepish Elizabeth, and an embarrassed Georgiana? Colonel Fitzwilliam is determined to find out during one entertaining and unprecedented evening. The only problem lies in knowing that truth can be hard to discern from fiction, especially with three story-tellers. Overheard at Pemberley – The position as lady’s maid to the mistress of an estate is an enviable one in service, particularly for an unrepentant eavesdropper like Daisy Tiller. She is in a unique position to be confidante and observer both, apt to hear much of interest. When she is hired by Mrs Darcy, Tiller finds there is much to keep her entertained throughout the days at Pemberley, especially with a master and mistress like Mr and Mrs Darcy. A Stolen Day at Pemberley – After an insulting marriage proposal, Elizabeth Bennet desires nothing more than to never see rude Mr Darcy again. But that very night she endures a vivid nightmare of his home at Pemberley, one in which she is his wife, and mother to his children, and happy to be so! What is she to do with this confusion, even as she becomes more convinced that the nightmare world might be real? Could she really love Mr Darcy? This collection of short stories is the first publication from Georgina Pryke, based on the novel by Jane Austen.

Darcy's Hope: Beauty from Ashes: A WWI Pride & Prejudice Variation


Ginger Monette - 2016
    World War I has turned French chateaus into bloody field hospitals, British gentlemen into lice-infested soldiers, and left Elizabeth Bennet's life in tatters.Her father is dead and her home destroyed. Never again will Elizabeth depend on a man to secure her future!But when an opportunity arises to advance her dreams of becoming a doctor, she is elated--until HE arrives....Heartbroken. Devastated. Captain Fitzwilliam Darcy is left rejected by the woman he loved and reeling from the slaughter of his men on the battlefield. "Enough!" Darcy vows. "No more sentimental attachments!" "No comrades, no dog, and certainly no woman!" But arriving at a field hospital to pursue a covert investigation, Darcy discovers his beloved Elizabeth training with a dashing American doctor and embroiled in an espionage conspiracy.With only a few months to expose the plot, Darcy is forced to grapple with his feelings for Elizabeth while uncovering the truth. Is she indeed innocent? Darcy can only hope....•Cameo appearance by John Thornton of North & South•Has a happy ending but will continue in Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey, coming in February 2017. In the sequel, readers will experience the full resolution of the mystery, and our beloved couple's love will face a new, tragic test. •Mild language & war scenes. Romance is clean.

Flight to Gretna Green


Jann Rowland - 2020
    Even less anticipated had been her reception at seeing him there. Whereas their last meeting at Hunsford had ended in acrimony, now she appeared to be receptive to him! The morning after the ecstasy of her company at Pemberley, Darcy goes Lambton, hopeful his fondest dream might finally be realized. But all is thrown into chaos when Darcy receives word that Wickham was sighted in Lambton. The event takes on new meaning when Darcy arrives at the inn and learns of Miss Lydia Bennet’s elopement with his nemesis. The protection of the woman he loves foremost in Darcy’s mind, he joins Miss Bennet as she and her relations follow their wayward relation, intent upon recovering her from the clutches of the man who has absconded with her. What they find was something none of them could have expected. Flight to Gretna Green is a novella of 39,000 words.

An Unwelcome Guest at the Netherfield Ball


E. Bradshaw - 2016
    The reader later discovers the truth of this situation; that Mr Wickham was keen to avoid Mr Darcy that night – for it was entirely possible that he could have faced (entirely justifiable) retribution from Mr Darcy if he had attended. The reader – and Elizabeth – are unaware at that point in the novel of Mr Wickham’s true, deceitful nature – and, of course, no one in wider society is aware of Mr Wickham’s scandalous behaviour concerning Mr Darcy’s younger sister. However, in this alternative narrative, the reader is shown how events could have varied in Pride and Prejudice if Mr Wickham had thrown caution to the wind and had instead attended the ball on that fateful evening. In this re-telling of the famous story, events start on the evening of the much anticipated Netherfield ball, and Elizabeth quietly frets to herself over the potential for her family to create a public scene. She knows very well that Mr Bingley’s conceited sisters hold her family in contempt, just as she is very aware of Mr Darcy’s obvious disapproval. She dreads the prospect of enduring her promised dances with Mr Collins, and is appalled at her mothers’ blatant matchmaking efforts. However, with the one pivotal change – of Mr Wickham being unexpectedly present at the ball – Elizabeth’s night, and her prospects for an enjoyable evening, change completely. And as a consequence of his attendance at the ball, the events of the novel begin to differ from there onwards as well. The neighbourhood of Meryton is entirely scandalised when Elizabeth takes a dance with the gallant Mr Wickham – and Mr Darcy is beside himself with rage to see the woman he secretly admires dancing so merrily with his arch enemy. ‘Elizabeth looked up at Mr Wickham’s face as he spoke, and realised, as she followed the direction of his pointed gaze, that he had locked eyes with Mr Darcy across the space of the crowded ballroom. She had not noticed before that Mr Darcy was observing them; though it was clear that Mr Wickham had known exactly where Mr Darcy was within the room – as well as having been entirely aware that Mr Darcy had been watching the two of them. The air seemed to spark between the two men, and Elizabeth could not fail to notice the palpable tension which flowed in waves between them. She saw the scornful sneer that Mr Wickham shot towards his enemy – and Mr Darcy bristling in return.’ In fact, Mr Darcy is so unsettled by the sight of Elizabeth dancing with his enemy, and so jealous, that he acts immediately to separate them. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, this is only the first of a series of humiliating experiences that she is to face that evening – and the consequences of Mr Darcy’s actions are to cause a scandal which will unavoidably change her future.

Properly Humbled


April Floyd - 2017
    Darcy's first proposal. The lady is astonished by the gentleman's words but cannot be prevailed upon to accept him. Mr. Darcy reveals his defeat to his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, in the library at Rosings and is overheard by one Miss Anne de Bourgh. When the young mistress of Rosings instructs the groom to ready her gig and drives with abandon to the parsonage to intervene on Mr. Darcy's behalf, an accident brings the opportunity for several beloved characters to become properly humbled. In this sweet, completely romantic tale, three couples find their happily ever after in spite of Lady Catherine's interference.

Practical Engagements: A Fitzwilliam Darcy Story


Sophie Rae - 2017
    This story is as much about Elizabeth and Darcy's torturous road to love, as it is about Colonel Fitzwilliam's parallel, purgative journey. It is a tale about falling in love, falling out of love, and just falling. Intended for ages 17 to 117, due to some implicit but more mature themes.