Mr Bennett's Dutiful Daughter


Title: Mr Bennett's Dutiful Daughter by Joana Starnes
Type: Pride and Prejudice Variation
Perspective: Mostly Elizabeth
Romance Level: Passionate Kissing with references to married life (except chapter 7)
Recommended: Yes, 4 stars
Access: available through Kindle Unlimited

Summary: What if Mr. Bennett fell ill while Elizabeth was at Hunsford? If Mr. Darcy had proposed in the midst of an illness, would Elizabeth have married Darcy without love? And would she have been honest about her feelings for the haughty gentleman?

Things I Liked:
* This felt true to the original. If her father were ill when Darcy proposed, Elizabeth might have said yes even though she did not love or even like him.
* It was true to Elizabeth as well. She spends so much time falling in love with Darcy, then wanting to throttle him for acting superior to her family.
* I like Bingley in this one. He calls Darcy out and I like how his character had to develop for this to happen.
* The relationships between Colonel Fitzwilliam and the Darcy siblings are sweet in this account.

Things I Didn't Like:
*  Because she is not yet in love with Darcy on their marriage night, the details are awkward to read. Skip it.
* Darcy stays clueless (and prideful) for a long time. It felt unlikely that it would have taken him so long to realize why she married him.
* The fight between them is the conflict that needs to be overcome, but it goes on so long. Too long.

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