Ria

P&P Variation

Revisado: 03-04-25

4.5 stars
This is a completely different variation of P&P. The story is very different from canon since this happens almost completely in London with a lot of new characters. Really the similarities are only having some of the usual cast of characters and Darcy's insult at a ball. That is all I can think of. Everything else is new. A lot of the newness made me sad too. Elizabeth is bullied and abused by her family and the mean girls at school. Jane is the only true friend she has until she makes some friends in London. Those friends are wonderful. And Darcy becomes wonderful as well. Eventually.
I loved that Jane and Bingley both get backbones in the end so they can have their happily ever after too.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration. Well done. And I enjoyed the story as well.

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Well done

Revisado: 02-01-25

The narration for this book is well done. I love the story, feel bad for Daphne in her loneliness and love James and his ability to stand before the duke with integrity. And I adore the duke and his sweet attachment and desire to care for the family. He is a good man even if he is scary as all get out.
My only negative for this story is that there is a good deal of repetition with Daphne and the explanation for why she feels so rejected. And probably too much for James' feelings too. I didn't need it explained so many times. Just a quick mention of all those feelings being back would have sufficed.
Even so, I loved the story and the whole series.

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Love it

Revisado: 01-31-25

I originally read this book and loved it. I also love the audiobook especially because it makes Harry and the Duke sparring banter come even more alive. And listening to Adam flirt with Persephone is quite hilarious. I love them.

I enjoyed Courting Miss Lancaster. It is a quick read but I noted that I had a smile on my face when I closed the book. I'm not sure that I really understand the Duke and how Harry isn't intimidated by him at all. He is rather scary afterall. But I love how Harry plays right off of him. I also admit to enjoying the way Harry plays into the Duke defending those he loves. He sounds rather jovial I think but adds to the intimidation factor. I thought this was a fun read.

Loved this even more on the second reading. After reading all the books with the Duke, I have learned to love him more and more.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: some but we just hear about it. Unwanted advances

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A varied collection

Revisado: 01-29-25

I listened to this series by audiobook and enjoyed the narration. It was well done. The five books are all very different from each other. They are listed as clean romance but there is a good deal of marital innuendo and even a bit of build up before the black out. And I know this is just a weird thing but in these books Darcy often has whiskey as his drink of choice. I don't generally think of whiskey for him so it kept sticking out to me. Overall these books were enjoyable to listen to.

Book 1: Tall, Dark and Darcy
I loved Bingley in this one. He had a knack for strategy and that made him very useful. He was not just a cute puppy as often portrayed but a hunting dog that could see his way forward in the so called battle. I also loved Lizzy's compassion toward the poor whether they helped by choice or unwittingly. She was clever to save herself as well. She was a bit stubborn about her recovery but it kinda fit her. She always likes to be up and walking. Lady Catherine makes a spectacular appearance in this. I loved the scenes with her. It was a fun interpretation of her character but it was unexpected.

Book 2: Like a Moth to the Flame
This story is pretty low angst which I like. I liked that Elizabeth and Darcy got to spend so much time with each other. And I love it when Mary gets a happily ever after. Great couple. It was nice that Darcy's interference was for good to help the Colonel as opposed to separating couples. I was glad to not spend much time with the usual villains. And I was happy to see men stand up to Caroline's vitriol. I liked that Darcy was a twin. His brother is quite pleasant. I was happy to see Darcy learn to enjoy the present instead of fighting the future.

Book 3: Fighting Fate
Did not love this one, though others may love it. It just isn't my cup of tea. For me it was too mystical. Some kind of unexplained reincarnation into a new life was just too much for me. I'm never a fan of books or movies where time doesn't function in a way that I can explain. So a prior life with the memory of their deaths was just too weird for me. I kept waiting for a big aha moment where we would suddenly understand how this could happen and it never really came. Others may love it, but it just wasn't for me.

Book 4: Darcy and the Duke's Daughter
I guess I haven't read very many books with the Elizabeth isn't a Bennet trope. I really couldn't get used to it. But there were things I liked about the story. It was nice that the biggest conflict came from outside sources rather than E&D misunderstanding one another the whole time. The drama was pretty big a couple of times but wasn't too horribly angsty. I liked that Darcy won the day by being his good self. I loved that Lizzy got to keep her Papa as well as have her father. Father was over protective and sometimes that was annoying but I believe he really did want what was best for her. If that weren't the case, he would never have agreed to Darcy.

Book 5: Dedication and Devotion

This story had quite a dark tone underlying everything. Jane is kidnapped, presumably raped and is left deeply scarred from her ordeal. The reader doesn't see any of it but we are aware of her story and in the end are left with a hope that she might be healed eventually but it is going to be years in coming. Thank heavens for the woman that sets out to help her do so.
The title of the book fits Darcy's determination to find Jane and also fits Elizabeth's determination to never give up in looking for her.
I was very annoyed with Bingley who was really kind of a louse and I was annoyed with Mr. Bennet. I mean in canon he is willing to go search for Lydia when she behaves stupidly. In this story he doesn't stir himself to do anything but allows Darcy to take it all on himself. And Jane's disappearance was not self inflicted as was Lydia's. Jane deserved more from her father.
I enjoyed Colonel F's father in this one and I loved Darcy's determination and patience.

Potential triggers: kidnapping, rape, loss of loved ones

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Enjoyable P&P Variation

Revisado: 01-16-25

I enjoyed this book. It was pretty long but I didn't get tired of it. I listened to the audiobook over the course of a day and even managed to finish BEFORE bedtime. That is a rarity. The narrator did a good job and it was an enjoyable listen.

The story has its sad moments as Mr. Bennet dies and the daughters grieve. Mrs. Bennet seems to grieve more about losing her place as mistress than the loss of her husband but the daughters do truly grieve their loss. I loved the pairings as the girls marry. We don't see all the courtships and only learn about some of the marriages in the epilogue but I enjoyed how they were well matched.

Lydia may have been my favorite sister in this. She is still the boisterous youngest daughter but I'd say she uses her powers for good in this book. She still manipulates her mother but not for her own selfish desires. instead she does it to keep her mother's behavior stable. Each of the daughters are great and talented and have a useful gift but Lydia's was pretty hilarious really. And because of her more mature view of life I ended up loving her match up too. It seemed perfect but had someone told me about it as I started reading I wouldn't have believed that I would like it.

I loved the uncle and his management of the family when the time came for it. There really was much to like about the book. There aren't necessarily a ton of swoony moments but people were definitely marrying for love.

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Enjoy variation

Revisado: 01-12-25

** spoiler alert ** Listened to and enjoyed this audiobook. It had some fun diversions from canon that mostly changed everything for the Bennets. One thing I didn't like was that it painted Mr. Bennet as a bad guy for not telling his family that they would be well taken care of after his death. I liked that they didn't know all the truth of it but why not allow them to know they would be taken care of even if they didn't know how well? I didn't like that he ended up being a bad father in their eyes when he had actually done well with the inheritance and investing etc. to have them in a perfect situation upon his death.

I always love a strong Jane trope. But it seemed odd that she completely took the parental role, even over Lizzy instead of the two of them working together on it. I was surprised that Lizzy didn't fight against some of her strictures without some explanation. 'I've always walked out on my own.' 'Yes but now you must set the example for your younger sisters so they do not run wild. And it isn't appropriate even for you, dear sister.'

Loved that Mrs. B enjoyed not being in charge and was happy to let Jane take the reins. And I loved her romance.

I loved Darcy and once they got past the misunderstandings and so forth, his relationship with Lizzy was very sweet. And I liked that Georgiana played more of a role in the story and wasn't too overly timid.

Not sure how I felt about the Bingley situation. I get it but somehow it doesn't set right to have that not end up as canon wills it to be. But that's fine.

All the characters we love to hate made an appearance-Lady C, Wickham, Collins, Caroline but they played fairly minor roles. Wickham had a bigger part and was quite nasty. Lady C was shocking.

The narrator did a good job and it was enjoyable to listen to this book.

Sex: some thoughts of desire
Language: yes, some
Violence: yes, some

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

romance

Revisado: 01-10-25

3.5 stars
I have generally enjoyed all the books by Jen Turano that I've read. There is always some good humor and always some outrageous situations usually the heroine gets into that make me laugh. But I'm afraid I didn't like this one as well as most of them. I'm not even sure why exactly. Some areas of the story were repetitious, so maybe I felt like it was a little too long. I had a hard time really picturing Camilla being happy living the "uncultured life" long term. Cleaning out the chicken coop is one icky task and I just don't think she will be willing to do that anytime Meemaw or the aunt calls for it. And I just wasn't sold on Camilla and Owen as a couple even if opposites attract. I was also shocked that her parents didn't put up a stink about her marrying below her position in society. Maybe I'd have enjoyed it more had I read it myself instead of listening to the audiobook since I didn't love the narration either.
I enjoyed the character of Meemaw. She was a quirky, fun character. Made me think of Granny Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies. She and the aunt together were pretty overbearing.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: kidnapping, fighting off bad guys

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loved it

Revisado: 12-30-24

I enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio version and loved hearing voices I recognized from the show. And loved the stories. I can never get enough West Wing so even if I was already familiar with the story, I still loved hearing it again.

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Loved it

Revisado: 07-24-24

From the first time I saw this book cover I knew it was a book I needed to read. There are times where I haven't enjoyed P&P characters being completely changed in personality and there are other times when I have found it most agreeable. This book falls into the latter category. The set up for the story is unique and I enjoyed Darcy as a bookshop owner. The biggest personality change, and one I greatly enjoyed, was Anne. This characterization of her was hilarious. I always say I love variations where Anne gets a backbone. I'd have to say she got more than that in this one. Apparently being raised by her father instead of her mother made a big difference in how she would turn out. I loved her. I need to read the prequel to get her story.

I thought this was a fun story. The plot does not have many similarities to canon but that made it interesting. Wickham was still despicable but he was horrible in different ways than canon. At least in part. Bennets were still ridiculous, Bingley still had puppy eyes for Jane, and Caroline was haughty and paid dearly for her bad choices. The one big change I didn't care for was Jane. Her attitude toward Darcy seemed too far off and felt abrupt.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators did a good job.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes

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Love this whole series

Revisado: 05-28-24

This is a quick, fun and clean read. I have enjoyed all the Jonquil Brothers books and love this one too. I love Philip's alter ego and the banter with Sorrel. They are both pretty clever and witty and pretty much perfect for each other. In part I judge a book by how much I want the story to continue and if I'm sad to say good bye to the characters when I close the book. I was sorry to see this story end. And it made me want to read the other Jonquil brother's books again just to catch a little glimpse of these characters once more. (I didn't originally read these books in order since I checked them out from the library and took them in order of availability. This one took a long time to get. I think I was number 17 on the reservation list).

I've now read this book at least 5 times. Maybe more. I've listened to the audio book while traveling and not sure I counted each of those. And every time a new book in the series comes out I have to start at the beginning and read the series again before I read the new one. I adore the Jonquils.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes

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