Miss Darcy's Companion


Title: Miss Darcy's Companion by Joana Starnes
Type: Pride and Prejudice Variation
Perspective: Darcy and Elizabeth
Romance Level: passionate kissing
Recommended: yes, 4 stars
Access: available through Kindle Unlimited

Summary: In this variation, Mr Bennett dies before Darcy and Elizabeth have a chance to meet. Miss Darcy meets a grieving Miss Bennett, working as governess to her young niece and nephew. When Georgiana takes a dislike to the proposed new companion Mrs. Younge, Georgiana proposes Miss Bennett as the solution. At Pemberley, Miss Bennett gets to know her new employer and the best man/brother/master he is and Darcy can see Elizabeth for her true (although more subdued) self.

Things I Liked:
* I like the slow development of the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. It was novel to have her be the one with feelings first and feel the inequity of their stations in life.
* I loved the sweet relationship between Georgiana and Elizabeth.
* I liked Fitzwilliam in this one. We really didn't get any sense of the family relationships beside Jane, Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Things I Didn't Like:
*  Once feelings had been acknowledged, there was surprisingly little resistance. I expected this Elizabeth to have some misgivings and remove herself to Netherfield at least for a time.
* There was no opportunity to see how his family (and the world) reacted. Although this wouldn't have been fun reading, it felt unrealistic.

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