REVIEW + GIVEAWAY of “Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter” by Joana Starnes

I am happy to participate on Joana Starnes’s Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter‘s blog tour. It is almost finished but you have to check out other entries where you can find really good reviews, guest posts and excerpts. You can always read my review first 🙂

Blog Tour Schedule 

November 17/ My Jane Austen Book Club/Launch Post & Giveaway

November 18/Pemberley to Milton/Book Review & Giveaway

November 19/Obsessed with Mr. Darcy/ Book Review & Giveaway

November 20/ A Covent Garden Madame Gilflurt’s Guide to Life/Guest Post

November 21/ Margie’s Must Reads/ Book Review & Giveaway

November 22/ Babblings of a Bookworm/ Book Review & Giveaway

November 23/Diary of an Eccentric/Book Review & Giveaway

November 24/ Happy Thanksgiving

November 25/ So Little Time… So Much to Read/ Excerpt & Giveaway

November 26/ Just Jane 1813/Interview with Joana Starnes

November 27 / My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice/ Guest Post & Giveaway

November 28/ More Agreeably Engaged/ Vignette & Giveaway

December 1/ My Vices and Weaknesses/ Book Review & Giveaway

December 2/ Austenesque Reviews/ Excerpt & Giveaway

 

My review

Heartache will be the best emotion to describe what I felt while reading Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter. It was distressing and agonizing to read this masterpiece where Elizabeth and Darcy almost destroy themselves!

No, you may be thinking that I liked that they almost torn apart each other, but no, I did not enjoy the feeling but I loved the reading. Joana Starnes has made me cry, has made suffer but also she has made me smile with her latest book Mr. Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter.

While in Rosings, the news of Mr. Bennet’s illness is made known to Lady Catherine by his lapdog and henpecked Mr. Colllins. Lady C.’s parson is more interested on telling his patroness than informing his own cousin, so Mr. Darcy rides as quickly as he can to find Elizabeth who happens to be having a stroll on Rosings grounds with Colonel Fitzwilliam who is about to praise his cousin on helping a friend to avoid an attachment to a country girl (you know who I mean, right?). So, Colonel is stopped and the news need to be told just after Mr. Darcy instruct his cousin to have everything ready to take Miss Bennet to her home.

Elizabeth is distress and she is very grateful to Mr. Darcy for being so kind to her and offer to take her to Longbourn. She is puzzled to say the least when he offers for her, he says that he loves her and wants to protect her. He declares his love and he laments that this is the most ill-timed moment to propose but he wants to protect her and her family from the heartless Mr. Collins who is like a vulture waiting for his prey.

Elizabeth has too much on her right now: “Her father. Apoplexy. Mr. Collins. Mr. Darcy. Marriage. Mourning.” Enough to make anyone to forget her ideas about marriage and love and accept a man who you find insufferable and proud. However, the same man is showing kindness to you as well as caring love, from time to time. Let’s say that Mr. Darcy  is like the bitter with the sweet per moments.

Before their arrival to Longbourn, Elizabeth accepts the proposal because her main interest is the security of her family and there is no other way that one of Mr. Bennet daughters could have an imminent proposal after Mr. Bingley left Jane’s heart broken when he left without a goodbye.

As you can imagine, Longbourn is a sad place to be with the uncertainty of their future and Mr. Bennet’s recovery. Mrs. Bennet is surprised when Elizabeth arrives with Mr. Darcy and his cousins but when she learns about the engagement, she cannot believe, it is like her least favourite daughter becomes of a sudden the best daughter ever and the rescuer of the family.

So many things happen during those days between the newly engaged couple that it is not surprising that the wedding takes place just after Mr. Darcy can obtain a special license. Elizabeth enters the marriage half-hearted because she does not know what to do with Fitzwilliam, one moment he is arrogant and disregards her family and the next moment he is extremely affectionate and loving to her.

I will not mention the wedding day or night, I will just leave the suspense for you to read the book.

It is important to remember that Darcy is still Darcy, he never thought that he may have been refused in other circumstances or that Elizabeth may not love him. He believes that her mood is just due to her father’s illness and her sorrow.

The dialogues between them and the encounters, intimate and personal, are just amazing to read and enjoy. Elizabeth starts knowing him more and sees a different face to the grand master of Pemberley. However, not everything is hearts and flowers between them even after Mr. Bennet’s demise. The worst occurs when they are back to Meryton and Elizabeth learns what was the last straw before his father’s passing. She is devastated, she is alone with her mother and Darcy’s nemesis, Mr. Wickham, who tries to “help” her and be her friend. Unfortunately, Mr. Darcy listens to all the conversation and miscontrues some of the things he listens to but unluckily he cannot misunderstand Mrs. Bennet saying that her daughter married him out of duty to her family.

That was the last thing he wanted to listen to, even less in the presence of George Wickham, he is hurt, he is pained and he is mad. From then on, he does not want to listen to Elizabeth, he repudiates her, he does not allow her to talk to him, he thinks he hates her he even starts a separation contract with his solicitors. Now is when the horrible heartache has started, where I wanted to shake him and put some sense on him. I could understand his disappointment and pain but he is over the top! I have never ever believed that I would say or write this but I have hated Mr. Darcy in this book for a long part of it!!

 

Spoiler alert!!

After all the heartache and more, there is a happy ending but OMG! Joana makes you suffer!

By the way, watch out for Mr. Bingley!! How amazing he is towards his sister Elizabeth, yes, Elizabeth, because he comes back to marry Jane! Charles is an awesome discovery when it comes to scolding!

Imagine how painful the situation between Elizabeth and Darcy is that even dear Jane says:

“I did not tell you because… because I could not boast of my happiness when you are so unhappy.”

About the author

Joana Starnes lives in the south of England with her family. A medical graduate, in more recent years she has developed an unrelated but enduring fascination with Georgian
Britain in general and the works of Jane Austen in particular, as well as with the remarkable and flamboyant set of people who have given the Regency Period its charm and sparkle.

Joana Starnes is the author of:
– From This Day Forward ~ The Darcys of Pemberley, a Pride & Prejudice sequel
– The Subsequent Proposal ~ A Tale of Pride, Prejudice & Persuasion
– The Second Chance, a Pride & Prejudice ~ Sense & Sensibility variation
– The Falmouth Connection, a Pride & Prejudice variation where Jane Austen’s beloved characters are compelled to leave their tame and reasonably peaceful lives in the south of England and travel to the far reaches of Cornwall, into a world of deceit and peril, where few – if any! – are what they seem to be…
– The Unthinkable Triangle, a Pride & Prejudice variation that dwells on the most uncomfortable love-triangle of them all. What if Mr. Darcy’s rival for Miss Bennet’s hand and heart is none other than his dearest, closest friend? And how can they all find their ‘happily-ever-after’?
– Miss Darcy’s Companion – a variation that explores what might have happened if the warm-hearted Miss Elizabeth Bennet were employed instead of the scheming Mrs Younge.

To follow one of my favourite writers, check these:

Facebook: All Roads Lead to Pemberley/ Joana Starnes Facebook Page

Twitter: Joana Starnes/ Twitter

Goodreads: Joana Starnes Goodreads Author Page

Website: joanastarnes.co.uk

Amazon US:  Joana Starnes Amazon US Author Page

Amazon UK: Joana Starnes Amazon UK Author Page

 

GIVEAWAY

Joana is offering an ebook giveaway to my readers. One copy for one fortunate winner.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below. Please, leave your email address, write ()  around (at) and (dot).

For extra entries, tweet or share publicly on Facebook (once daily) and copy the link in the comments.

The winner will be picked randomly.

Last day to enter the giveaway will be the 9th December 2016, 11:59pm GMT.