A Wife for Mr. Darcy


Title and Author: A Wife for Mr. Darcy, Mary Lydon Simonsen
Type: P&P Variation
Perspective: Darcy and Elizabeth
Romance Level: Mostly kissing (there is a NOT highly descriptive, marriage night bedroom scene in chapter 58)
Recommended: yes, 4 stars
Access: I borrowed this one through Hoopla on the Blackgold Library System.

Summary: This P&P variation deviates just after Darcy insults Elizabeth at the assembly. What if he chooses to go apologize to her and gets to know her soon after he meets her? He still imagines that she is not the right woman for him due to their wildly different stations and plans to court a well, connected heiress in London. However, Darcy's best laid plans may not overcome his heart.

Things I Liked:
* This was believable. Darcy of the book seems unaware he was overheard, so if he did know, how would he have acted.
* We see much more of Darcy's struggle in this one. He feels the weight of Georgiana's future and living up to his family and society's expectations.
* It is nice to see Elizabeth's angst over Darcy in this one. She knows he is out of her league and it creates a different dynamic.

Things I Didn't Like:
* Darcy goes to incredible lengths to court of Miss Montford despite so many differences between them and the fact that he thinks about Elizabeth the whole time. It is the story, but since we know how it will turn out, it is tedious.
* The idea that Geogiana cannot inherit Pemberley because of an entail is an interesting twist, but it adds less than the duty argument in this telling. I can see this being much more motivating for Darcy.




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