Doubts and Dilemmas by Evita O'Malley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this variation. This is Darcy and Elizabeth after the wedding. Darcy faces a serious accusation and is determined to protect Elizabeth by not telling her. This results in a strain on their marriage, but all is resolved.

This is a unique take on the couple and I found it very compelling. Many readers like to see Darcy portrayed as the perfect man, but this story is truer to the time period and to Darcy's fears of losing Elizabeth.

The only real negative with the story is the ending. It feels a bit rushed, and the tragedy mixed with joy at the end feels uncomfortable and unresolved. Yes it is probably more realistic, but there is no mention of the Darcys reaching out to the family. That feels odd given the large portion of the book given to their kindness to the child Maria.

The author makes note at the end that she hesitated in publishing the story, but I think she made the right choice. This is a nice addition to the world of JAFF.

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