Title: Mr. Darcy's Pledge (The Darcy novels, #1)

Author: Monica Fairview

Publisher: Published May 6th 2014 by White Soup Press

ISBN: 9781499218688

Pages: 202 pages

How I Read It: ebook ARC

Genre: historical fiction, romance, Regency

Rating: 3 crowns

Synopsis:

Torn between his heart and his mind… Mr. Darcy must make a choice. Fitzwilliam Darcy has always been able to keep his emotions under control. That is, until he falls under the spell of Elizabeth Bennet and surprises himself by blurting out a proposal to her like a moonstruck youth. Stung to the quick by her rejection, his pride in tatters, and left with no possibility that she will ever return his regard, Darcy determines to put all thoughts of Elizabeth behind him. But not even Town with its boundless opportunities for amusement can keep the image of Elizabeth Bennet from pursuing him everywhere he goes. By the time Darcy leaves Town to travel up to Pemberley, he has learned one thing. There is only one way of overcoming Miss Bennet’s bewitching hold over him and Darcy is desperate enough to try it. The solution is to get married. And this time, he is not going to choose a wife by allowing his emotions to lead him by the nose. His choice will be entirely rational…

In Volume I of this Pride and Prejudice variation, Monica Fairview traces Mr. Darcy’s journey as he struggles to come to terms with the upheaval Elizabeth Bennet has caused in his life…and his heart.

Monica Fairview can always be guaranteed to write an entertaining tale! The book is an interesting twist on Pride and Prejudice as we see things from Darcy’s perspective. It explains his turmoil after Lizzy’s rejection and his determination to perhaps try and find a wife. However, he is torn in his love for Lizzy versus the expectation of his position in society.

Traditionalists beware! This is not a cold and distant Darcy … Fairview will leave a smile on your face with his eccentricities and list of desirable qualities of a wife – that keeps being edited!

“This list was coming along very well. Far better than he could have expected. He tried to imagine what Elizabeth would have been like, if she had had an unfortunate tendency to quote Mrs Bennet. It did not bear thinking of”.

And fear not! We get our ‘lake scene’! Hysterical:

“Looking downwards, he found his shirt clinging closely to his body …. “

(Well, you didn’t think I’d give all the good stuff away did you!)

Still, Fairview cleverly incorporates words from Austen’s original book with a modern take on the theme of prejudice:

“Darcy never consults with anyone … yet another example of blinkers. How was it that people refused to see the truth when it was staring them in the face?”

And some very touching moments:

“He was so tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of trying to pretend nothing was wrong. Tired of holding his shattered soul curled up into a tight ball inside of him”.

‘Mr Darcy’s Pledge’ is volume one of ‘The Darcy Novels’, so be warned that it’s not a complete story. Although thankfully, it doesn’t leave you on the edge of your seat, just ready for the next Darcy adventure…

“There was only one way to find out and that was to propose to Elizabeth Bennet – again”