Review – my vices and weaknesses

“The Last House in Lambton” by Grace Gibson, excerpt, review + giveaway

Dear all,

I hope I find you all well and enjoying this lovely season. I adore the colours of fall and I imagine them on the book that I am happy to show you todays: The Last House in Lambton by Grace Gibson.

There is a lot to read today, so I will start sharing the blurb.

Does it ever stop raining in Lambton?

Darcy and Bingley depart Netherfield Park, leaving Elizabeth Bennet acutely aware of the monotony of her life. Seeking a reprieve, she volunteers to serve as temporary companion to Mrs. Gardiner’s elderly aunt who lives in Lambton. Nothing turns out as Elizabeth expects, and she is forced to dig deep into her reserves of common sense, humor, and stubborn persistence to prove herself equal to the dreary circumstances.

Initially unaware that Pemberley is only five miles away, Elizabeth crosses paths with Darcy annoyingly often. When the gentleman rescues her from a shocking situation, Elizabeth faces some hard choices, at the same time struggling against the smoldering attraction that can neither be repressed nor fulfilled.

Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, in whose heart a fire has also been lit, is shocked by the lady’s stubborn refusal to accept his help. Alternating between alarm and begrudging admiration, he stands helplessly on the sidelines while she struggles to retain her independence. He, too, must make some hard choices in the end. Will he let her go?

Yes, the situation from where he rescues her it is pretty schocking but I think Elizabeth tries to manage it quite well…

Anyone is surprised that she is stubborn? 😀

Look at the mosaics on Grace´s picture!

In addition to mosaic art, which she creates at Studio Luminaria (her home-based glass shop in El Paso, Texas), Grace enjoys writing Regency romance and Pride and Prejudice variations.

Follow her on Facebook.

It is lovely to visit My Vices and Weaknesses today, Ana. Thank you so much for having me!

We all adore Mr. Darcy, otherwise we would not be here today talking about him! But don’t you also enjoy seeing his confidence shaken for once? Perhaps, as I do, you also chuckle with satisfaction when his perfect manners slip, his storied composure breaks, and he is made more than a little uncomfortable by a pert young lady with a rather sharp tongue.

Here is an excerpt told from Mr. Darcy’s point of view in which just this sort of humbling takes place:

“What do you hear from Mr. Bingley, sir?” she asked.

Bingley! I did not want to talk about Bingley. I mumbled a vague reply that I had left him in London, to which she mused aloud that she had thought he might have since left town. To my horror, she then related to me in the most knowing manner that her sister had been in London, had tried to reestablish a connection with that family, and had been rebuffed!

I formulated a pathetic explanation that I thought he might indeed have left for Scarborough, only to be exposed by my artless sister who blurted out unhelpfully, “But I saw Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst very lately, and they made no mention of leaving London.”

As my face flushed at having been caught out, I was then treated to a verbal mauling the likes of which took my breath away.

Oh lord. Elizabeth is about to unleash her wit on poor Mr. Darcy! If you would like to find out just what she said to him on this and many other occasions in this retelling, sign up to win a free copy of The Last House in Lambton. I hope you will discover that an imperfect Darcy is more loveable than ever.

I have really enjoyed having both Elizabeth and Darcy´s point of view. I always like how Darcy reacts with Elizabeth, and example that you can find on the excerpt that Grace Gibson has shared with us.

As you have read in the blurb, Elizabeth is pretty empty and bored, however, perhaps she was to hasty to help her aunt´s relative. It is not even closed to what she had in mind, she actually has to work (gasp!). Although it is Elizabeth and we know she is strong and all but she is up for a scare at the beginning. Hopefully, she also gets Mrs. Reynolds’ help even before she sees Darcy. I will not tell you about their meeting at Mrs. Reynolds’ office but I can say I find it funny and a bit endearing (and it won´t be the last time Elizabeth has to ask for her help).

Elizabeth has to learn so much about managing a household that she realises how deficient her education in that aspect it. However, without knowing it, this will be very useful to help her with her relationship with her mother and will aslo be useful for her sisters.

When Elizabeth starts seeing that Darcy is actually caring, she is quite stubborn to accept help, as it can be read on the blurb, however, she knows she has to accept the offer from Darcy to protect also her “aunty”, but this may be seen as something that it is not. Yes, you are reading it well, it could be mistaken. Fortunately, Georgiana is there and Elizabeth is able to rest because she is not the only one helping her aunty.

There is a point when Elizabeth returns home that I do not like. She is the one making the decision for others, or another, when she used to dislike Darcy doing that.

Anyway, I have really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend you. It is a nice read, it is not angsty per se but many things happen around this couple.

Moreover, you will then meet the neighbour in the second to last house in Lambton ;D

Follow the blog tour, you will get so much more from this book!

November 7 Babblings of a Bookworm

November 8 My Jane Austen Book Club

November 9 Austenesque Reviews

November 10 From Pemberley to Milton

November 11 My Vices and Weaknesses

November 12 Interests of a Jane Austen Girl

What about buying the book? Here you have a link:

Amazon Universal Link

Meryton Press is giving away an ebook copy of The Last House in Lambton to one person commenting on this post. Let me know what you think of the book so far, or my review. The contest is open until 23:59 (CEST) on the 17th of November 2022. Good luck!

What a beautiful and amazing cover, Janet!!

“Kiss me Goodnight, Major Darcy” by Georgina Young-Ellis, excerpt, review + giveaway

The wind ruffled Darcy’s hair. “You’re beautiful.”

Happiness surged through Elizabeth’s body like electricity. This moment was as close to perfection as she had ever known.

1943. World War II has torn the continent since 1939 and tested families, the Bennets included. Elizabeth and Jane nurse wounded soldiers and civilians in a London hospital. The other sisters volunteer as best suits their inclinations. Mr. Bennet rattles about Longbourn. Wickham sniffs about the edges of the estate—and the Bennet daughters.

Even the ever-present threat of death from the skies cannot prepare Jane and Lizzy for the most devastating news. The words one never wishes to hear are delivered by two officers, each scarred by years on the front lines. In the dark days that follow, devotion is tested, and affection blooms.

Kiss Me Good Night, Major Darcy drops Jane Austen’s timeless characters into the midst of the most horrific conflict in human history. Their trail twists and encounters those who would turn sacrifice to their profit. Follow the women of Longbourn as they navigate the rocks and shoals of wartime Great Britain to endure misunderstandings and discover lasting love.

What do you think? You may have read this blurb before but we are getting so much more today from Georgina! Muchas gracias, Georgina.

Georgina lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Jon, who is an artist and professor of Media Arts. In 2015, they moved from New York City, where they lived for eighteen years, to Portland Oregon. Their son, a professional musician and sound engineer, still lives in Brooklyn. Georgina is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and was a stage actress for many years. Born and raised in the Southwest, she went to school in New York, graduating from New York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater. She’s also a language professor and, of course, a writer, recently graduating from Portland State University with a master’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature. In 2022 she was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to identify and connect with emerging female writers in Mexico and support them to free their literary voices.

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Blog: Nerd Girls, Romantics, and Time Travelers

Enjoy the diary entry and the excerpt that Georgina is sharing with us 🙂

Hi Ana, thanks so much for hosting me on your blog! For this post, I’m sharing a diary entry by Mary. It’s not in the book, but it’s what I imagine Mary might write about at the point in the story in which the excerpt takes place. Just so the readers know, the excerpt that follows the diary entry is taken from quite early in the book, before Lizzy has caught on to what a cad Wickham is. Don’t despair, readers, she comes to her senses soon enough! In the meantime, let’s see what’s on Mary’s mind.

Dear Diary,

Joining up with the Women’s Land Army is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I was such a homebody before, such a bookworm. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I will never give up my beloved books and my scripture study, but now I’ve found a whole other purpose in life: being outdoors in the fresh air and reveling in God’s beautiful creation. Not only that, but I’m doing my part for the war effort by tending the fields while the farmers are on the front lines. You know what they say, “Dig for Victory!” I’ve come to feel so strong, so purposeful. I feel there’s nothing I couldn’t tackle now, nothing I couldn’t undertake. What on earth will I do when the war is over? I shouldn’t say that. There is nothing I could want more than for this terrible war to end, but then what? Go back to being meek little Mary, staying at home and hoping beyond hope that a husband might come along for me one day? I don’t have the stomach to work as a nurse or hospital volunteer as my sisters do, but maybe I can become a secretary. Or a school teacher. No, that doesn’t suit. I must do something that aids mankind. Something that contributes to the greater good like I’m doing now. And as for a husband, surely I’ll only meet a worthy candidate if I’m out in the world, serving, and striving, and working for the greater good. No, no more thoughts of husbands. Heaven forbid I sound like Lydia! For now, I must go to sleep for I’ll be up with the sun. Oh, the glory of each new day and all it brings!

Love,

Mary

Excerpt:

Lizzy wondered: What could Papa’s motives be for wanting Wickham to walk out alone with me? Lizzy looked at her father and squinted, but he innocently smiled back at her. Did he think George Wickham was a good match?

“Very well, then,” Wickham said enthusiastically, “let’s be off.”

Lizzy grabbed her hat, and they ventured out into the sunshine.

Before long, Wickham spoke. “I heard it was Major Fitzwilliam Darcy who delivered the news to Miss Bennet about Captain Duncan’s death.”

“He and Captain Bingley. They were wounded in the same grenade explosion that killed Robert.”

“Yes, I did hear something to that effect. I heard Darcy’s eye was injured, and Bingley’s arm.”

“You ‘hear’ a lot of things,” Lizzy teased. “Where do you get your information?”

“Oh…well, I don’t know how much you know about my relationship with the Darcy family, but it goes way back.”

Lizzy was surprised. “I know nothing. Family friends, then?”

“Used to be. Used to be quite great friends. I was practically raised by the Darcy family.”

“Really?”

“Yes, my father was Pemberley’s steward when old Mr. Darcy was still alive. I don’t mind telling you, I was quite the favorite of old Mr. Darcy’s. I dare say Fitz was rather jealous.”

What can I say to this? she wondered.

George Wickham went on. “Mr. Darcy made sure I had as good an education as Fitz. I should have been accepted into the Officer’s Academy, but I was not.”

“I don’t understand. What happened?”

“I can’t say for sure. But it was the same year that Fitz and his good pal Bingley were accepted. I always had the feeling Fitz pulled some strings and blackballed me. I can’t prove it, but I wouldn’t doubt it. He ruined my chances simply out of resentment.”

“That’s astonishing! I can’t believe he would do such a thing. Not that I know him well at all. It’s just so…ungentlemanly.”

“Humph, don’t let him fool you. He’s not the ‘gentleman’ he makes everyone think he is. It takes more than money to make one a gentleman, don’t you think, Elizabeth?”

“Of course.” If Private Wickham was correct about Major Darcy, the man was a vindictive bounder!

Wickham continued. “In fact, I find it a little suspicious that Darcy and Bingley were sent home from Italy with such relatively minor injuries.”

“Are they minor?”

“Compared to others who are not treated with such deference. I suspect Darcy’s cousin—Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam—had something to do with it.”

“A colonel!”

“Yes, with a lot of influence. He’s the second son of an earl, and you know how those birds feather each other’s nests. I think he pulled strings to get his cousin, and his cousin’s best friend, out of harm’s way.”

“I can’t imagine either Major Darcy or Captain Bingley would agree to that.”

“I’m sure they wouldn’t have had a say in the matter.”

Lizzy pondered this for a moment.

“I have no beef with Charlie Bingley, you understand. He’s not a bad chap. We were friends until Darcy turned him against me. I’m still friends with his sister, Caroline. We correspond now and then. It’s through her that I know what I know about Fitz and Charles.”

“Charles said Caroline and Georgiana, Major Darcy’s sister, are friends as well.”

“Ah, Georgiana…a sweet kid, but kind of a pain in the neck if you ask me.”

“Really?” Lizzy said with a laugh.

“Yes, she always had a crush on me. A schoolgirl thing, nothing more,” he added quickly.

Lizzy nodded. Who would not be charmed by the handsome and friendly George Wickham? “The farm where Mary works is just up ahead here.”

“What beautiful countryside!” he exclaimed.

“I agree. Mary works some days here since Mr. Tidwell’s eldest son was called up and others on neighboring farms including Papa’s.”

Private Wickham nodded with interest.

Up ahead were Tidwell’s fields, dotted with women bent to their work. A tractor lumbered across a newly plowed area. The woman operating it waved at them. It was Mary!

Lizzy ran toward her with Wickham close behind.

Lizzy called out to her. “Mary! What are you doing?”

“I just learned to drive it!” Mary replied, yelling across the intervening distance. Some of the women scattered to get out of her way as she veered in their direction. “Sorry! Sorry!” Mary called to them.

“Oh goodness, I’m not sure it was a good idea to let Mary operate that monster,” Lizzy said to Wickham. The gears loudly complained, and the tractor came to an abrupt stop. Lizzy and Wickham edged nearer as if it were an unbroken horse waiting to lash out.

“I’m still getting used to it,” Mary said with a grin.

“I can see that,” said Lizzy.

Wickham chimed in, “I’m impressed! A lady driving a tractor! What’s next?”

Mary responded with importance, “Women have been doing this kind of heavy farm work for years. Where we’re needed, there we are.”

Wickham’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Are you a suffragette?”

“Goodness, that’s an old-fashioned word, Private Wickham,” said Mary, who had also met him last Christmas. “We’ve had the same voting rights as men for more than ten years, now!”

“Yes, I know,” he said. “And I’m sure you’re exercising it.”

“I’m not old enough, but I will. You can count on it.

“Well, Mary, we don’t want to interrupt your work, but do be careful,” Lizzy admonished.

“Don’t worry about me,” Mary said, starting the tractor motor up again with a roar. “I can handle this thing.”

The tractor jolted forward, and Lizzy jumped backward.

Mary drove off across the field, now empty as her fellow workers had found safer employment elsewhere on the farm.

It is not the first time I read a Pride and Prejudice variation set during the WW2 but fortunately authors have amazing minds and there can be so many things happening. Georgina Young-Ellis is not an exception and I have enjoyed reading Kiss Me Goodnight, Major Darcy.

Darcy and Bingley have to take some news to a Bennet member and they meet there, in the worst circumstances. However, first impressions are always happening and Elizabeth is not indifferent.

They meet occasionally and one of those times is a ball, however, as usual, Wichkam has to be around. He met the Bennets a few months ago and he, as the blurb says, sniffs around a lot. He is very annoying and, as we know, a cad. I liked the first encounter between Wickham and Darcy in this book, even if Darcy thinks it is a rendez-vous between the Bennet sisters and him.

I have enjoyed their encounters and, as per cannon, Elizabeth believes Wickham and tries to find only bad things on Darcy. However, she may not be indifferent to him… (obviously 😀 ) By the way, what would be the insult from Darcy?

Characters which have surprised me positively: Mary, you have already read a lot on her diary and the excerpt that Georgina has shared, but she is pretty great. Charlotte, Elizabeth’s friend, who is so helpful to some of those in need and does anything she can. Anne de Bourgh, she grows a backbone and she is a great asset to people.

You may ask yourself about the title and I will not say anything apart from that is said at the end of the book, everything that surrounds that moment is awesome: where they are, why they are there, who they are with. Lovely moments!

Thank you for reading this post. I highly recommend you to check the previous posts to get to know more about Kiss Me Goodnight, Major Darcy.

June 27 From Pemberley to Milton

June 28 My Jane Austen Book Club

June 29 So little time…

June 30 Interests of a Jane Austen Girl

July 1 Babblings of a Bookworm

July 2 My Vices and Weaknesses

What about buying the book? You can do it here:

Amazon US Amazon CA Amazon UK Amazon DE Amazon ES

During this blog tour, Meryton Press is giving away six ebook copies of Kiss Me Goodnight, Major Darcy. To participate click the link below and follow instructions.

Rafflecopter – Kiss Me Goodnight, Major Darcy

“Bloomsbury Girls” by Natalie Jenner, review of the audiobook

BOOK TRAILER

I recommend you to click on the link above this, you will see the book trailer of Bloomsbury Girls. It gives a peak of this lovely book.

In case you cannot watch it now, you have next the description of the book with the girls from Bloomsbury 🙂

Natalie Jenner, the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare bookstore that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager’s unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiancé was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances–most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she’s been working to support the family following her husband’s breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she’s working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time–Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others–these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

Natalie Jenner is the author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls. A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, The Jane Austen Society was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller and has been sold for translation in twenty countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. Visit her website to learn more.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

As you may have read on the title of the post, I am review this book but I have listen to it. I am not going to tell you much just yet. First, we have some words from the author about Bloomsbury Girls, both the story and the audiobook.

Dear readers,

I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of affection that so many of you have expressed for my debut novel The Jane Austen Society and its eight main characters. When I wrote its epilogue (in one go and without ever changing a word), I wanted to give each of Adam, Mimi, Dr. Gray, Adeline, Yardley, Frances, Evie and Andrew the happy Austenesque ending they each deserved. But I could not let go of servant girl Evie Stone, the youngest and only character inspired by real life (my mother, who had to leave school at age fourteen, and my daughter, who does eighteenth-century research for a university professor and his team). BloomsburyGirls continues Evie’s adventures into a 1950s London bookshop where there is a battle of the sexes raging between the male managers and the female staff, who decide to pull together their smarts, connections, and limited resources to take over the shop and make it their own. There are dozens of new characters in BloomsburyGirls from several different countries, and audiobook narration was going to require a female voice of the highest training and caliber. When I learned that British stage and screen actress Juliet Stevenson, CBE, had agreed to narrate, I knew that my story could not be in better hands, and I so hope you enjoy reading or listening to it.

Warmest regards,

Natalie

SOME ADVANCE PRAISE

“In a London still reeling from the ravages of World War II and the changes war has brought to English society, three young women take their futures into their own hands. With Bloomsbury Girls, Natalie Jenner has penned a timely and beautiful ode to ambition, friendship, bookshops, and the written word.” —Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library

“In post-war London, Bloomsbury Books survived The Blitz until Vivien Lowry, Grace Perkins, and Evie Stone set off their own bomb on the stuffy all-male management. What ensues is the most delightful, witty, and endearing story you will read this year. Natalie Jenner, bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, proves that she was not a one hit wonder. Like Austen, her second book is even better than the first.” —Laurel Ann Nattress, editor of Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Would you like to buy the book or the audio book? Here are some links you could use.

PRINT & DIGITAL BOOK

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY |

BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

AUDIOBOOK

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

As the advanced praise says, three women who want to have their future on their own hands. However, it is not easy until you are decided. These ladies are very different from each other both in personality and how their life has gone so far. However, they have their dreams and getting to know each other (for several years or barely a couple of months) is the trigger to a better chapter in their life.

The men in the book are also extremely different and some have their own dreams or their own frustrations (Alec 😉 ) However, they are secondary but play an important role as they are the ones that, intentionally or unintentionally, could stop these ladies from dreaming and having those dreams come true. However, I am sure that they would have done it because even if these three ladies are our main protagonists, also knowing the ladies mentioned on the description opens a huge world of possibilities to Evie, Grace and Vivien. These ladies are and have been independent even when married (money may help but it is not the only thing needed), and for instance, Vivien likes what she is learning from them.

I am not going to get into the romantic sides of Bloomsbury Girls but I have to say that I have enjoyed the different relationships and how they… ended?

Moreover, I like the descriptions of the society at the time and the different descriptions of places in London, and the daily life of these characters flows easily while listening to Juliet Stevenson.

“The Murder of Mr. Wickham” by Claudia Gray, review

A summer house party turns into a thrilling whodunit when Jane Austen’s Mr. Wickham—one of literature’s most notorious villains—meets a sudden and suspicious end in this brilliantly imagined mystery featuring Austen’s leading literary characters.

The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a party at their country estate, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even broader array of enemies. As tempers flare and secrets are revealed, it’s clear that everyone would be happier if Mr. Wickham got his comeuppance. Yet they’re all shocked when Wickham turns up murdered—except, of course, for the killer hidden in their midst.

Nearly everyone at the house party is a suspect, so it falls to the party’s two youngest guests to solve the mystery: Juliet Tilney, the smart and resourceful daughter of Catherine and Henry, eager for adventure beyond Northanger Abbey; and Jonathan Darcy, the Darcys’ eldest son, whose adherence to propriety makes his father seem almost relaxed. In this tantalizing fusion of Austen and Christie, from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray, the unlikely pair must put aside their own poor first impressions and uncover the guilty party—before an innocent person is sentenced to hang.

How do you like a mystery? If you like one or you want to try this genre, you have here a mystery with a lot of Jane Austen’s characters.

If you like Clue, you will like The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray. You may suspect almost everyone in the house!

I am glad to introduce you to Claudia Gray, you may know her thanks to her writing that varies from science fiction to this book where Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie (Austenprose).

Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs.

What do you think of the blurb? How come the two youngsters of this house party play detective? Well, justice is the answer but I am not going to say what that means. Yes, Jonathan Darcy is “worst” than his father when he was younger. However, it is great to get to read his thoughts, as the thoughts of many other characters.

I have liked how the story and the discoveries have gone, however, the magistrate was quite lacking on discernment. To be honest, in the book, his role has been described as more of a on paper job as there was not need to do much until this event, but it was still lacking. You may be surprised to know who he is.

The couples (the Darcys, the Brandons, the Knightleys, the Bertrams and the Wentworths) all have their own problems before the murder, however, these problems may be accentuated after the murder. These issues are very different from couple to couple.

The epilogue is something that I have enjoyed, I would have just hoped to have a bit more about some people… two of them specifically and know what more happened to them.

Mini-review of “The Arranged Marriage” by Gillian Hawser

A story of courage and independence, The Arranged Marriage focuses on Perpetua Mordaunt, the diffident, shy and plain daughter of the Duke of Staplefield.

It is the duty of all daughters to marry, but even knowing this Perpetua is horrified when she is forced by her father and narcissistic mother into a marriage with a man she hardly knows to save the family fortune and reputation. Trapped, unable to get her confident and beautiful siblings to understand her distress, the only option that appears open to her is to become a governess so after the last words fade from the ceremony, she runs away to Bath.

Here she is directed to The Registry where she hopes to obtain a position. Rejected, desperate, she is rescued by a Mrs Lumley and her beloved daughter, Dora, who wishes for Dora to obtain some town polish. Petty blossoms under the adoring society – but when she sees her husband at a party, she realises not all problems can be run away from.

Gillian Hawser: Twitter Instagram IMDB

The Arranged Marriage: Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon US

Nice reading although with the premise that she runs away after marrying which sounds a bit strange. However, this gives room for some of the things that happen once she encounters her husband and mainly that first conversation/argument once they meet again.

Perpetua, Petty, actually finds positions that are pretty different but in the second one she sticks to what she feels is right, to protect that girl despite of being quite selfish and because of that girl there is the last and main event that could be called an adventure if it would not be something bad.

I did not really enjoy all the descriptions of all the women mentioned to be super beautiful, one more than the previous one. It seemed quite annoying to read that several times.

3.5-4 stars

Review of “Any Fair Interference” by Nan Harrison

Today I am bringing you the review of Any Fair Interference by Nan Harrison.

To be a fool is one thing, to be a fool for love is something else altogether.

SHORTLY AFTER THE PRECIPITOUS DEPARTURE of Mr Bingley and his party from Netherfield Park, disaster strikes Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s family. Not only is Mr Bennet ill, Longbourn and indeed all of Meryton is struggling through one of England’s worst winters. Elizabeth draws on every strength to care for her family, but faces the alarming prospect of losing both her father and her home. Her lonely struggles lead her to revise her opinion of a certain gentleman, and she finds unexpected solace in dreams of Mr Darcy.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY BELIEVES HE CAN ESCAPE his attraction to Elizabeth by leaving Netherfield. He soon finds himself snowbound at Pemberley, where forced isolation compels him to contemplate his duty, and contrast it with dreams of his heart’s desire. No matter how he considers it, though, he feels he cannot have Elizabeth, the one he truly loves.

FORTUNATELY DARCY’S FRIENDS and his family–Georgiana, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the Hursts–feel far differently than he, and soon even the most unlikely allies have come together to help him see that happiness is the highest consideration of all. But will he and Elizabeth find the courage to follow their hearts before it is too late?

I have enjoyed reading this way to love. Darcy follows canon: flies from Netherfield to protect his friend but also himself. However, things change a lot after the Netherfield ball.

Even if I normally do not like Caroline Bingley, she is the one that makes a lot of the changes happen, unintentionally because she is invited by a “friend” to spend the Season with her and other friends. I find Caroline’s story a bit like unfinished, but it is totally necessary to have other happy endings. (She is being used by that friend but she does not realise). I would have expected a tiny bit more after what we read.

The Hursts, what a discovery! To be honest, I have always been indifferent to this couple but I have loved them from almost the beginning, and not only because of the advice that he gives Bingley.

Elizabeth dreaming of Mr. Darcy is at the same time sweet and heartbreaking due to the reason for those dreams: she is extremely alone.

Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam: great matchmakers whenever I see them plotting! Anne too!!

Bingley was convinced that Jane did not love him back, as in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, however, once he is decided to come back after the ill tidings, he does everything to help.

Once, headstrong obstinate Darcy, is pushed to follow his heart, he is super helpful and caring. I know that that is what he should be with the woman he loves, but I still loved it.

I should mention all the Bennet sisters and how they mature. Not only they realise that Wickham is a bit annoying by always telling his misfortunes, and how their behaviour may affect them, but also they help each other and protect each other too. Charlotte is as usual very sensible but not Mr. Collins.

Last but not least, I believe that I prefer this Lady Catherine to this Mrs. Bennet!

Review of “Bitter Mournings” by Linda Gonschior

Hello to all,

Today on My Vices and Weaknesses we have a sweet Pride and Prejudice variation: Linda Gonschior with her latest novel Bitter Mournings.

I leave you with the blurb and then my review. I hope you like it!

The deaths of his wife and sister weighed heavily upon him, and there was little left in life to enjoy…

IT IS SUMMER’S END OF 1821 when the ladies of Longbourn learn that Netherfield Park has been let at last, to two wealthy young widowers. The news is elating to Mrs Bennet, who has never given up hope that her beautiful eldest daughter Jane will one day marry a rich gentleman. For the former Miss Elizabeth Bennet—now Mrs Matthews—the news is less exciting. A widow herself, she is more interested in caring for her two young children and settling her recently widowed mother into a new home than with thoughts of husbands.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY HARBOURS NO THOUGHTS of acquiring a wife, only entering into the society of Hertfordshire on behalf of his friend. Yet, the more he sees of Mrs Elizabeth Matthews, the more she draws his eye and the more his dreams of Pemberley becoming a house of warmth and laughter and love prick at his mind.

BUT A LIFE LIVED IN THE SHADOWS of grief has become too comfortable for them both. Falling in love will require both Darcy and Elizabeth to recover their lost hopes, reignite long-forgotten dreams, and regain the courage to give their hearts to one another.

Bitter Mournings is a Pride and Prejudice variation set in England during the Regency Era.

“Bitter Mournings” is a very calm and angst-free Pride and Prejudice variation.

Everybody has been married but Jane. However, Bingley, Darcy and Elizabeth have lost their partners. Bingley is not himself since he lost his lovely wife and Darcy is more or less his old self without the haughtiness. Elizabeth is happy to be able to have a comfortable home with her children as well as a secure income. However, as we can imagine, this will not last because…

SPOILER ALERT!

There is a happy ending for everyone, although Elizabeth may be a bit too stubborn and keep thinking ill of people, i.e. Darcy. That’s the plot basically.

As you can read on the blurb, Mr Bennet has died and Mrs Bennet is her own self when Netherfield is let at last! The gentlemen are all that is polite and helpful with the ladies at Longbourn and Mrs Matthews and, therefore the children become fast friends. More friendships are forming but our protagonists may be a bit mixed up by Mrs Bennett. However, once Lady Catherine appears, that may be clear. She is more horrible than usual, I would say.

I like the question that Jane poses towards the end when she sees Darcy and Elizabeth 🙂 No, I am not telling you!

It is a nice, relaxed read.

“Jane and the Year without a Summer” by Stephanie Barron, review

May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell, with an uneasy stomach, constant fatigue, rashes, fevers and aches. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens, which even the drafting of her latest manuscript—about a baronet’s daughter nursing a broken heart for a daring naval captain—cannot alleviate. Her apothecary recommends a trial of the curative waters at Cheltenham Spa, in Gloucestershire. Jane decides to use some of the profits earned from her last novel, Emma, and treat herself to a period of rest and reflection at the spa, in the company of her sister, Cassandra.

Cheltenham Spa hardly turns out to be the relaxing sojourn Jane and Cassandra envisaged, however. It is immediately obvious that other boarders at the guest house where the Misses Austen are staying have come to Cheltenham with stresses of their own—some of them deadly. But perhaps with Jane’s interference a terrible crime might be prevented. Set during the Year without a Summer, when the eruption of Mount Tambora in the South Pacific caused a volcanic winter that shrouded the entire planet for sixteen months, this fourteenth instalment in Stephanie Barron’s critically acclaimed series brings a forgotten moment of Regency history to life.

Hello to all 🙂

What do you think of this blurb? Jane Austen is our protagonist in this mystery. She is ill and taking the waters should be good for her health…

I am glad to introduce you to Stephanie Barron with her latest novel: Jane and the Year without a Summer.

Francine Mathews was born in Binghamton, New York, the last of six girls. She attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written twenty-five books, including five novels in the Merry Folger series (Death in the Off-Season, Death in Rough Water, Death in a Mood Indigo, Death in a Cold Hard Light, and Death on Nantucket) as well as the nationally bestselling Being a Jane Austen mystery series, which she writes under the penname, Stephanie Barron. She lives and works in Denver, Colorado.

You can follow her and her writing on:

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You can get the book on:

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This is the first book I read by Stephanie Barron, but it will not be the last one. I am curious about the other Jane Austen mysteries to also compare with this one.

I have to start saying that I have enjoyed the book, but I believe it was too slow at the beginning. I understand that we need to get things sorted before the engaging mystery appears, but I would say that it was around 40% of the book until I got more engaged. After that, there was more “movement”. Despite its slow start, there are many good points in this mystery.

Regarding the characters: I loved how Cassandra behaves and her love of gossip, it is quite funny but eventually useful too. I have liked to be reminded of Jane Austen’s family with all her brothers and their children.

Captain Pellew and Mr West are two characters that I have enjoyed for different reasons. Mr West is in a way the romantic hero, but we can read that he is kind and protective of everyone he loves, not only romantically love. Captain Pellew is a bit Captain Wentworth, do not try to make her jealous 😀

I did not really like a certain lady: too annoying and too entitled, and treating her friend/carer pretty badly, really badly! Let’s face it, that was the idea and Stephanie wrote her very well.

When it comes to similarities to bits and bobs of Jane Austen’s works, be it words used on her speech or resemblances of characters, I have found quite a few and I have enjoyed them immensely even if it may have been more my “obsession” than anything. As I have mentioned, Captain Pellew has that point of Captain Wentworth for instance.

I will finish with something that seems to come out of the blue: it broke my heart – that Monday there was not a goodbye.

“Captive Hearts” by Kelly Miller, excerpt, review + giveaway

Hello to all!

January is basically done, February is just there. However, reading has no dates or seasons, “reading one book is like eating one potato chip” (Diane Duane). I love this quote as it is so true, that’s why is the subheading of this blog. Why I am mentioning this quote? Because we cannot have enough books in general and Austenesque/JAFF variations in particular, but most importantly, we need more variations of Persuasion, and one of those is the protagonist of today’s post: Captive Hearts by Kelly Miller.

Will Captain Wentworth realize too late that he has a second chance at love?

With a successful naval career and a fortune to his name, Frederick Wentworth receives a hero’s welcome from his sister’s neighbours.

One person, though, presents a source of vexation. Years earlier, Miss Anne Elliot had reneged on her promise to marry Wentworth, revealing a significant character flaw. Yet Anne’s unmarried state at the age of seven and twenty, her altered demeanour, and her resolute avoidance of Wentworth raise questions that gnaw at his composure.

In this Regency variation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, the captain follows the advice of a respected new friend and re-examines the agonizing circumstances of his bitter break from Anne, reaching a novel conclusion. But before he can act upon his new resolve, a dire twist of fate threatens Anne’s life.

What do you think? The twist is quite unbelievable!!! I won’t tell you though.

Award-winning author Kelly Miller is a native Californian and Anglophile, who made her first visit to England in 2019. When not pondering a plot point or a turn of phrase, she can be found playing the piano, singing, or walking her dogs. Kelly Miller resides in Silicon Valley with her husband, daughter, and their many pets.

Captive Hearts is her fifth book published by Meryton Press. Other books by Kelly Miller:

Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley, a Pride and Prejudice Regency romantic variation with a touch of fantasy (my review here)

• Winner: Royal Dragonfly Book Awards and Indies Today Book Awards.

Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match, a Pride and Prejudice Regency romantic variation

• Recommended Read: Author Shout Reader Ready Awards.

Accusing Mr. Darcy, a Pride and Prejudice Regency romantic variation and murder mystery

• Winner: Firebird Book Awards and Queer Indie Awards-Ally Division.

• Recommended Read: Author Shout Reader Ready Awards.

• Finalist: Wishing Shelf Book Awards.

A Consuming Love, a Pride and Prejudice Regency novella

• Winner: Royal Dragonfly Book Awards.

• Recommended Read: Author Shout Reader Ready Awards.

You can follow her on:

Kelly’s blog page is found at www.kellymiller.merytonpress.com, her Twitter,

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

I hope you enjoy this excerpt, Mary is soooooo selfish!! (ok, nothing new from Austen’s Persuasion though!) This excerpt, in Captain Wentworth’s point of view, takes place at a dinner held at the Great House, Uppercross, the home of the Musgrove family.

When he and the other gentlemen returned to the drawing room, Miss Louisa vacated her seat beside Sophia and slipped into the empty chair beside him. “Mrs. Croft told us you returned today from a visit to a friend in Lyme. Did you have a pleasant time?”

“Yes, I did. Captain Harville is one of my closest friends. Another good friend, Captain Benwick, is staying with Harville and his wife. They made me promise to return again soon.”

“And so you should. That poor Captain Benwick! He must benefit from your society.” Sophia’s statement drew the other ladies’ attention. She addressed her audience. “Frederick’s young friend suffered the tragic loss of his betrothed who died this past summer. Captain Benwick had been engaged to Miss Fanny Harville, Captain Harville’s sister.”

Several of the ladies present indicated their compassion for his friend’s bereavement. Miss Elliot, seated furthest away from Wentworth yet again, neither spoke nor looked in his direction, but creases lined her brow.

Mr. Charles Musgrove addressed him. “If you approve of the idea, we might plan to visit Lyme as a group in the next week or so.”

He nodded. “Yes, that is a fine notion. Most rooms at the inns at Lyme are unoccupied this time of year, so we should find lodging without difficulty.” The Miss Musgroves voiced their enthusiastic approval for the scheme, but the elder Mr. Musgrove and his wife declared they would rather not visit the sea at this time of year.

The admiral patted Mr. Musgrove’s arm with a sly smirk. “Let us leave this excursion for the younger folk, shall we? They need not have us along to slow them down.”

“Then it is settled.” Mr. Charles Musgrove craned his neck, peering around his wife’s form. “Anne, this trip is a fine opportunity for us to show you our appreciation for all of the help you have provided. I imagine you would enjoy a change of scenery before you join your family at Bath.”

A coral tint enhanced Anne’s complexion as she became the target of the group’s sights, allowing Wentworth the opportunity to focus upon her with impunity. “Thank you, Charles.” She smiled at her brother-in-law.

Mrs. Mary Musgrove tapped her husband’s shoulder. “Your suggestion is a well-intended one, but I do not suppose you considered the consequences.”

“What do you mean?”

“Goodness knows, I should love for Anne to accompany us. But if we are both to be away from home, surely Anne ought to remain with the children. Otherwise, they are certain to suffer in her absence.”

Mr. Charles Musgrove’s jaw dropped, but no words came forth. The entire room grew silent for several long seconds.

He gnashed his teeth. Insufferable—had the woman no shame?

“You need not fret for the children, Mary,” called out Mrs. Musgrove. “Without question, Anne must accompany you to Lyme. The children will stay here with us while you are gone. I shall be pleased for this opportunity to look after them.”

“Thank you, Mother.” The younger Mr. Musgrove relaxed against his chair.

Wentworth, too, resumed a more composed deportment. In a curious twist of fate, Miss Elliot would meet his friends—not as his wife or betrothed as he had anticipated at one time—but as a mere acquaintance.

I really like to read a lot from his point of view, and how he still defends Anne, internally, as we have read on the excerpt.

Wentworth is very annoying at the beginning, as in Austen’s Persuasion (from my point of view), because he wants to ignore Anne, makes that remark about not recognising her, etc. I know he is hurt but he is very annoying 😀 However, here he gets to realise sooner that he is paying too much attention to the younger Musgroves, however, it may not be soon enough?

We have a cameo from another of our favourite couples: the Darcys of Pemberley. They are great examples of matrimonial felicity and Darcy may say something to Wentworth that makes him think and bits and bobs change. Important changes. (One bit that I did not like to be so different from canon is how he now likes and respects a person that he, basically, hates or super dislikes on the original – not saying who. I just think that there is such a change!)

As you have read on the excerpt, they go to Lyme, but things do not follow canon exactly. Different characters have their “roles” swapped in a way and somehow that’s the beginning of the end. Or is it? That’s what we may think but we have characters that are not in Lyme, so we need to encounter them too.

Bath, we cannot forget this city and the people there, important. There is a very creepy person who makes something that you are not expecting at all. You may expect that person to do something but no what that person eventually does!! Big twist there…

Spoiler alert

There are several happy endings…

On my next and last opinion, you may not believe me but I have to state it: I eventually like Sir Elliot a bit. There you have it, I wrote it. You can now throw me to the lions 😉

Why not buying this book? It is worth reading this variation and if we keep reading variations of Persuasion, more authors will write them. Maybe Kelly could write another one?

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Many excerpts for you to get to know more of Captive Hearts, go and check them!

Babblings of a Bookworm
My Jane Austen Book Club
Interests of a Jane Austen Girl
The Literary Assistant
From Pemberley to Milton

Meryton Press is giving away 6 eBooks of Captive Hearts. Just click the link below and follow instructions.

What do you think about variations of Persuasion? Do you like them? Do you think we need more? What do you think about this one so far? If you have followed the tour, you may have a very good opinion about it. Let me know.

Rafflecopter – Captive Hearts

“The Siren of Sussex” by Mimi Matthews, review + US giveaway

Dear all,

I hope you keep well, have you realised that we are at the end of January 2022 already? I wish you have had a nice month and perhaps you are still following your New Year’s resolutions, if any. I hope one of yours is to keep reading. Therefore, I have a recommendation today: The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews. In case you are not sure, this is not an Austenesque/JAFF book but it does not mean that it is not good!

Apart from my review, if you live in the USA, you could win a great prize full of goodies, moreover, the blog tour is huge! You can read many reviews if you do not trust me 😉

Let me then, introduce you first to the author and welcome her to My Vices and Weaknesses.

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

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The Siren of Sussex is the first book on the series of Belles of London, and what I know about this book (review waiting below for you) and the blurb of the second book (and what I know about the two protagonists!!), I believe this series is pretty interesting.

In case you are wondering why I am saying this, let’s also read advanced praise of this book:

“…a tender and swoon worthy interracial, cross-class romance in Victorian London…Readers will delight in this paean to women’s fashion and horseback riding.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Matthews brings the Victorian era to vivid life with meticulously researched details and an impossible romance made believable and memorable.”— Booklist, starred review

“Matthews deftly underscores racial and gender discrimination in Victorian London in this excellent start to ‘The Belles of London’ series; rather than overshadowing, it propels the romance. Romance aficionados who love fashion and animals will delight in this tender romance and will be excited to see Evelyn’s friends in future installments.” — Library Journal, starred review

“Unflinching, tender, and moving, the delicately crafted The Siren of Sussex might just be my favourite work from Mimi Matthews; it certainly is one of my favourite historical romance reads this year.”— Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author of Portrait of a Scotsman

Great comments of this book, but I think it is time for me to let you know what this book is about and then you can read my opinion.

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

What do you think about Evelyn and Ahmad? I am not expert on anything equestrian but I like how this blurb chosen the language related to horseriding as it is a main feature of this book. I will tell you more on my review…

Did I mention that I like the semantics of the blurb? with all the horse-riding jargon? Well, as you can imagine, the dressmaking or fashion lingo is amazing in The Siren of Sussex. You may think that it makes sense as the main protagonist is a tailor, yes, but that does not take away the amazing descriptions that you read about the clothing, be it riding habits or gowns, or the cloth that is used, etc. Exceptional! and I do not even know half of the things that are describe about these attires!

Let’s go with the protagonists now:

I believe that Evelyn has a strong personality with the naivety that woman had at the time. However, she has always a plan. It may not work, it may need to change, to be altered but she knows what she wants and tries to go for it. Although it is not easy. Even more when she starts getting fitted by the tailor who makes amazing habits for the Pretty Horsebreakers. She is not one of them but she wants to outshine them as she is the better horsewoman.

On the other hand, we have Ahmad, the tailor. He is not naif, he has already endured a lot in his life and he just wants the chance to show his work, his extraordinary work. He is sparing with words but what he says something he means everything and there is no doubt of what he says. Let’s say that in a few occasions, you can melt (or at least I wanted to melt).

Evelyn has a plan when she arrives in London for the Season, it is not a selfish plan at all, she wants to do the best for her family (I am not writing the reason why she is the one that has to look after her family, you can read the book). Fortunately, she is not alone, she gets to befriend the Three Furies, I like them very much, they are very different from each other but the four of them have a view of the world that perhaps is not exactly what the polite society deems conventional. They do not care as they behaves and are still ladies but if they want to laugh out loud when they are together, they do (these “small” things that they do differently is what makes them odd for some).

Ahmad is more of a solitary wolf, although his cousin is always there, and he has some friends from his past that are in his life to support him if needed. He also has enemies, mainly one that could jeopardise his objective of opening his own dressmaking shop. Would that person end with all his work and his dream?

As you can read on the advanced praise, the racial and class topic is key in this book too and I believe Mimi Matthews has done a great job to integrate it in a clear way. You can see how Ahmad is treated even by servants when he is a tradesman himself, however, he is not English, well… “full English” (like the breakfast 😦 ) If you were not “pure” English, then you were less than other people. Regarding this topic, the insight on Ahmad’s life and also what we read of the interaction with others reflect very well this issue.

Characters that I have dislike: a Lady and Stephen (I leave it there). You will be able to read why. I think I have disliked Stephen more than the lady who is vindictive.

I have like too many other characters, so I will not write the whole list.

I cannot wait to read more about the Belles of London!!

Are you interested in buying the book? Here you can do it:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

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Mimi Matthews is doing a giveaway package for US residents only. One winner will get:

To participate click on the link below and follow instructions:

Rafflecopter – The Siren of Sussex

Terms and conditions:

Entrants must be 18 years or older. The giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 1/4/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 2/7/22. The winner will be announced on Mimi’s blog – mimimatthews.com – at 8:00 pm Pacific time on 2/8/22.

You can get to know more about The Siren of Sussex if you check the blog tour:

So many reviews and a couple of interviews! I also like to participate in this huge blog tour because I have got to know a lot of reviewers and their blogs that I did not know about.

Jan 10 Cogitations and Meditations (Review)

Jan 10 Heidi Reads (Review)

Jan 10 Reading is My Superpower (Review)

Jan 10 Austenprose (Review)

Jan 10 Eli’s Novel Reviews (Review)

Jan 10 Robin Loves Reading (Review)

Jan 11 Culturess (Review)

Jan 11 Gwendalyn’s Books (Review)

Jan 11 Syrie James (Review)

Jan 11 Wishful Endings (Review)

Jan 12 Amanda’s Book Corner (Review)

Jan 12 Quill Ink (Review)