A Remedy Against Sin by Christina Morland - 5 Stars - Unique take on desire and marriage

A Remedy Against Sin: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Christina Morland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars 

The title "A Remedy Against Sin" must have been selected with great care by the author, Christina Morland, as the title is very appropriate to the story. The general theme appears to be how lust caught up several of the major characters in the story and how marriage was the remedy.

As others have pointed out, the reader should be aware the sexual relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth is a critical factor in their relationship from the beginning. Chapter one is their wedding night and it is quite pivotal to the story - lusty and passionate with feelings of guilt and shame.

You see, lust is what has brought them into marriage, not love. Having been caught out in a minor compromise, Elizabeth and Darcy choose marriage as a remedy for the scandal affecting the Bennet family. However, within the marriage each continues to feel a sense of disgust with themselves that they are unable to communicate effectively with each other during the daylight hours, yet are able to passionately express themselves at night. Elizabeth continues to choose to misunderstand her husband's motives, while Darcy continues to withdraw when facing strong emotion. But, at night their physical attraction for each other is strong enough to bring them together, and each feels they are taking advantage of the other. They sense, but are unable to fully recognize the physical relationship is the true reflection of their feelings for each other.

What I found fascinating in this variation was how the physical passion of the women plays such a critical role in the story. Elizabeth and Georgiana keep secrets from each other because of the shame they experience connected to their "wanton" feelings. It is many months after their marriage that Georgiana is made aware of the compromise that brought about her brother's marriage to Elizabeth, and it is only after Lydia's scandal that Georgiana is capable of explaining what happened at Ramsgate to Elizabeth. A critical conversation has Elizabeth expressing her belief that women experience similar physical desires to that of men, but are not prepared in the same way to expect or recognize them.

Another factor in my enjoyment of this variation was a Darcy that changed, somewhat, due to his love for Elizabeth, but who stayed true to his character. He continues, right up to the end of the book, to be the stoic, taciturn Master of Pemberley. Yet, we have come to love him as Elizabeth has, for the man that he is and not that she wishes him to be.

I am puzzled that other reviewers felt the story petered out at the end, when from my perspective we were able to see how the lust of Darcy and Elizabeth has now fully blossomed into a love and friendship that allows them to laugh and joke about their compromise. What has happened to Georgiana and Lydia is very revealing to Elizabeth, especially. This seems to me to be the whole point of the story, and the ending chapters showing their relationship through their conversations resolves the book in a revealing and satisfactory manner. What they share together is not revealed to others. It is the same passion they share for each other privately at night that they now express in their laughter and love during the day. The marriage is whole once they realize they have nothing to be ashamed of and no longer need to feel guilt. The marriage has indeed become the remedy against sin.

I have to say I found this to be a massively satisfactory variation with a unique outlook towards marriage. It was beautifully written and contained just enough stress and angst to make the story complete. It could use just a bit more proof reading, but this was not enough of a factor for me to mark down the stars. This relationship is believable and beautiful. I highly recommend "A Remedy Against Sin" to all JAFF lovers. Those who do not like to read of the physical relationship of these characters may just come away with a new perspective. This is one case where the sex is not gratuitous - it is a major factor in the storyline.



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Darcy and Elizabeth: A Promise Kept by Brenda J. Webb - Great - 4* with just a few holes

Darcy and Elizabeth: A Promise Kept by Brenda J. Webb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I very much enjoy Brenda Webb's writing and "Darcy and Elizabeth: A Promise Kept" was no exception. It was an interesting switch on the usual variation, taking place several years after Elizabeth refused Darcy's proposal in Kent. There were just a couple of things that took the story down from 5 to 4 stars for me, and I will elaborate further down in the review.

Due to Jane's belief Elizabeth still does not like Mr. Darcy and would be uncomfortable in his presence, Charles Bingley breaks off his friendship with Darcy just after his marriage to Jane. Darcy accepts this gracefully, but promises to be there for Bingley should he ever need his help. It is now five years later and Bingley calls on Darcy for his assistance. Charles must leave for Spain without taking his family and needs Darcy to watch over his business interests and family while he is gone. This was very well done and believable. I could see Darcy doing this.

During the prior five years, Darcy has never married, but believes he has reached a point where he can move on. Just as Bingley asks for his help, Darcy finally determines he must marry, and if it cannot be Elizabeth, the next best would be to marry one of his best friends from childhood, Lady Melinda Markham. Mellie, as she is called, is a widow with two young children. She believes Darcy suffers from unrequited love and has asked him to give their relationship time to bloom before announcing an engagement. She believes herself in love with him, however, and hopes a one year postponement will give him time to realize his love for her.

Elizabeth is now known as Mrs. Gardiner and has a young child with her, Emily, who she refers to as her daughter. However, this is a ruse to protect herself and the child from the child's evil father Lord Van Lynden. When the safety of Elizabeth and Emily is threatened, Darcy brings them to Pemberley. Coincidentally, this is as Lady Markham and her family are arriving for an extended stay, with the idea of Darcy and Mellie working on their romantic relationship.

The story proceeds along several lines with multiple plots under way. Bingley's cousin has been robbing him and worse, and may escape to America. Van Lynden is involved in a plot to assassinate a high ranking foreign secretary, Lord Castlereagh. Colonel Fitzwilliam is involved in the attempt to stop the assassination and capture the perpetrators. Jane Bingley is expecting a baby and all are attempting to keep her subdued, so are trying to keep much from her. Darcy and Elizabeth, of course, are still in love but not sure how the other feels. Lady Markham is not sure what is happening, but is starting to get an inkling. Meanwhile, Colonel Fitzwilliam is hiding his own feelings.

I so enjoyed the development of each of the various plots, stories and romances. Brenda J. Webb has a way to keep you involved and questioning what will happen next. The dialogue is well done and the relationships are very interesting.

However, there were a few holes here and there that could have resolved things sooner, or just seemed unlikely. There were some minor ones, like a name mixup that I found highly unlikely. And, the romantic resolution was just a little too convenient. I also found a couple of the other characters a little unnecessary - Mr Smith and Carney, specifically.

The main hole, however, for me was - why was Darcy pursuing Lord Van Lynden and not the government authorities who had evidence of his involvement in the assassination plot? This just didn't make sense to me, and some of the threat to all parties being resolved as it was could have been simpler if Van Lynden was simply pursued and captured as the criminal he was. Darcy could have accompanied the soldiers, etc., but working independently seemed a little odd.

However, this was a very enjoyable and intriguing set of escapades with our usual happy ever afters and wonderful romance. I do recommend this complex variation for lovers of JAFF. And, I look forward to Brenda J. Webb's next story!




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A Dishonorable Offer by Timothy Underwood - intriguing characterizations 4 Stars

A Dishonorable Offer: An Elizabeth and Darcy Story by Timothy Underwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy Timothy Underwood's writing and A Dishonorable Offer: An Elizabeth and Darcy Story turned out not to be an exception, although I expected it to be. The idea of Darcy asking Elizabeth to become his mistress just does not sit well with me, and I really did not expect I would like the story. However, given my enjoyment of the author, I thought I would give it a try. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the story, although it did have some flaws.

A major factor in the development of both of the main characters is the loss of their fathers much earlier than in canon. For Darcy, this means he is not Georgiana's guardian, and he himself has been under the guardianship of his uncle, the Earl of Matlock. The Earl insists Darcy keep a mistress and has done so throughout his adult years. This provides a very different kind of moral compass for Darcy than we have seen in other variations. He anticipates having a wife and a mistress once married, and believes he could devote himself to the mistress over the wife, the wife simply being the correct and proper relationship. However, due to his father's death, Darcy is determined to never fall in love.

One major change is Darcy's demeanor. Having now gone through his teen years with the Fitzwilliam brothers as close companions, he has been schooled on how to appear to flirt and tease women, although not as well as his cousins. He does not make the same kind of initial bad impression as he does in canon, and is able to charm, particularly women, quite well.

Elizabeth has had a very different life in her teen years due to her father's early death. Mrs. Bennet very quickly spent what money she had as she chose not to change her lifestyle after her husband's death. Her family is now completely dependent on their Philips and Gardiner uncles, who are not as sympathetic as we may have seen in other variations of P&P. Elizabeth, as a person, has developed a coping skill that is quite intriguing. Whenever things get bad, she imagines what it would have been like if everything went perfectly instead of as it has. Her perspective on life is such that she sees herself as basically happy regardless of the pain thrown her way.

In London, the Gardiners are pushing Jane toward a much older and fairly unattractive suitor, and in Meryton Mr. Philips is just plain bitter about every penny he spends on the family. Then, of course, Lydia ruins the family, thus making everything worse for everyone. Elizabeth and Jane return to Meryton when it is clear Jane's suitor is no longer interested.

So, from the very beginning of their connection, Darcy and Elizabeth are seeing a possible relationship in a very different way from canon. Darcy, almost from the very beginning, sees Elizabeth as a potential mistress, while she still sees him as only a friend, although one she is greatly at risk to love. Darcy feels a strong need to protect Elizabeth and wants to remove her from her situation. Elizabeth is still wishing for happy ever after for her and Jane, believing Jane is too good to deserve less. Jane, meanwhile, is becoming more and more desperate. Bingley, for example, although falling for Jane, is just finding her family circumstances too difficult to deal with.

Here is one thing that surprised me. Although definitely taking the characters a long way from canon, the author has me convinced the characters they became are reasonable given the change in their circumstances during their developmental years. Very intriguing. I found myself sympathizing with the young Darcy and his change in expectations, as well as appreciating the subtlety of his change in demeanor without a fundamental change in his personality. In canon, Elizabeth is determined to be happy, and we see her as such in this version, but in a way that blinds her to a great deal of what is happening around her. For me, these changes made both characters even more vulnerable than in other variations. I don't often cry while reading P&P variations, but this story often tore at my heart.

I found that once there has been the "dishonorable offer" made, the story seems to take a little more of a farcical bend, with a bit of melodrama that doesn't always work. Sometimes you want to wop Elizabeth across the head. So, for me, there were parts that were less than ideal in a story that was almost perfect in its creativity.

This is definitely not a story for those determined to keep to canon, but I found it a very reasonable set of circumstances. Even Lydia begins to sound reasonable when explaining her actions. I found a couple of the characters to be a little over the top, and could have done with a bit more compassion. Jane's character is made much more interesting in this variation, to the point where her actions are not surprising, only jarring.

All in all, this is a very interesting and compelling read. I found myself pushing forward in the story needing to see what happens next. I do think many JAFF readers will find it worth the time to read and I recommend it.



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Mr Darcy Came to Dinner by Jack Caldwell - fun similarities to the movie! 5 Stars

Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner by Jack Caldwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my most favorite fan fiction variations of Pride and Prejudice. A 1942 film entitled The Man Who Came to Dinner starring Bette Davis and Monty Woolley is one of my all time favorite films, and it obviously is the inspiration for this variation.

In the film, a very famous NY theater critic is in town to give a talk to a ladies group, has dinner with the Stanley family, whom he disdains, slips on ice outside of the house and breaks his hip. He and his entourage take over the house indefinitely causing all kinds of chaos. The critic, Sheridan Whiteside, is crabby, nasty and manipulative, and becomes a little tyrant, but we soon discover he has a soft heart underneath it all. Take this, replace the household with the Bennets and the unwanted house guest with Mr. Darcy and you have Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner.

Darcy falls off his horse when he and the horse startle Miss Elizabeth Bennet and the family cat, Cassandra outside Longbourn prior to a dinner party. The horse is startled, in turn, by the cat, and Mr. Darcy is thrown. He has broken a leg and both the apothecary and Mr. Darcy's personal physician believe his leg and life would be threatened were he to be moved. His valet sets up the Bennet parlor as Mr. Darcy's bedroom.

Mr. Bennet is highly amused and sits back to take in the action, leaving an un-amused Mr. Darcy to take charge in place of the ineffective master. This sets up an antagonism between the two men. Of course, we know Elizabeth dislikes Mr. Darcy, but he finds out only through an overheard conversation. However, Darcy is kind to the servants, takes Elizabeth's side in defending against Mr. Collins advances, arranges to have Mr. Bennet take credit for alerting the community to Mr. Wickham's faults, etc. thus causing Elizabeth to begin to reevaluate her feelings about the man.

In the meantime, Darcy, believing he needs to win Elizabeth's heart, begins to get to know the rest of the family. He finds ways to help out Mary with her music, Kitty with her drawing and Lydia with her heart's desire. Mrs. Bennet becomes charmed and sets out to feed him all of his favorites, to Mr. Bennet's consternation. Colonel Fitzwilliam chides him for his need to "fix the world" and his manipulative ways. But all in the family are beginning to see the warm, sweet and kind man behind the mask. Will Elizabeth?

I love so many aspects of this story. Darcy is seriously a kind man. As he speaks to each sister, he listens to them and appreciates what each needs to develop their own accomplishments. He encourages them and helps them to improve themselves and their confidence. Georgiana joins him and becomes just one of the sisters. We see the best of each family member being brought out through their interactions with the Darcys. The author takes the words of Austen and has them reutilized by other characters, making for some very amusing conversations. Colonel Fitzwilliam can't help himself from jumping into the world fixing process himself. There is just such a lot here to amuse the reader of JAFF. And, I think, if you were familiar with the film, there is just that extra little twist of fun as you see the similarities. Finally, the scenes of Darcy with the enamored cat Cassandra are just too cute for words. We all know the purring cat is the best judge.

I have read the book several times, but this last time I listened to the audio version. I will leave my rating of 5 stars for the book, but there are some issues with the reader for the audio version. First off, there are several mispronounced words that drive me crazy. De Bourgh is not pronounced De Burr, and this starts to drive me mad. Then, reading the book with an English accent, but then not pronouncing valet, lieutenant, phaeton, etc. with an English pronunciation sounds very grating to my ears. However, the character voices, and the ability to tell the story are excellent.

I love this variation and I know I will go back and read it over and over. If you have a chance, see the movie The Man Who Came to Dinner. It just adds to the fun. Highly, highly recommended. I love Jack Caldwell's writing and humor.









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Love Never Fails by Jennifer Joy - unique story of guilt and unfailing love 4 Stars

Love Never Fails: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Jennifer Joy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love Never Fails is a variation on Pride and Prejudice that I found quite unique and original. Jennifer Joy is a very creative author and I very much enjoy seeing the new situations she finds for Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

I have to say that while listening to this variation on audible.com, I was also reading a very humorous variation by another author. The juxtaposition was quite strange and I have to take care to give this more melodramatic variation its due. It definitely has some angsty aspects, as we are never sure if our dear couple will quite come to the point, but the journey is quite intricate and involved. This makes for a very satisfying read.

In this variation, the Bennet family are unable to attend the Meryton assembly, as they did at the beginning of the original, as Mr. Bennet has died. Elizabeth still refuses Mr. Collins and is faced with the wrath of her mother, and an incredible guilt regarding the break up of her family. The family is feeling the kindness of an anonymous benefactor, but is desperate to find a place of their own.

Unknown to Elizabeth, who is seeking a way to keep the family together, Mrs. Bennet has made her own plans. She places Kitty and Mary with their Aunt and Uncle Philips in Meryton, requests her brother Gardner take Jane and Elizabeth to London, and she sells Mr. Bennet's library of books in order to finance an apartment in London for herself and Lydia. Elizabeth has a couple of opportunities to talk with Mr. Darcy while in Hertfordshire, but the Bennet family has never met the Bingley family, who return to London.

The Bingley family have actually gone back to London to deal with a serious family problem: Lady Lavinia Rutledge, their father's sister. Charles is responsible for his aunt while his parents take a short trip to the Americas in order to search out new business opportunities. Lady Rutledge is, however, quite the handful. She has gotten herself into trouble in London and needs some watching over. With a bit of a twist, Elizabeth is looking for work as a companion, and ends up with the job of watching over the Bingley's aunt.

Lady Lavinia Rutledge is a manipulative, outspoken and daring older woman who, although the bane of the Bingley existence, has earned a spot in the hearts of Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Darcy has a secret he is hiding that is causing him great feelings of guilt. He, therefore, is quietly watching over Elizabeth, who is drawn to his compassion and kindness. We can see the two are falling in love. Lady Rutledge is in the background making things happen - and we are not always sure whose side she is on.

Throughout the story the main themes are the guilt keeping our dear couple apart, and the love they have for family and friends which cannot fail. Will they overcome their guilt, acknowledge their love, and find their happy ending?

I enjoyed this story very much and enjoyed the growing friendship and love between Darcy and Elizabeth. There are some other interesting twists regarding the future plans of Mrs. Bennet. I did not give this story 5 stars, however, because there were a couple of aspects to the story that felt a little forced - such as the lack of meeting between Bingley and Jane, and the extreme action taken by Lydia. But, all in all, this was original and well worth reading. A definite recommendation.

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A Conversation Behind the Tapestries by Beth Wood - sweet, silly, clean and romantic 4 Stars

A Conversation Behind the Tapestries: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Beth Wood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes you just want to read a cute Pride and Prejudice variation with a sweet Darcy, a stubborn, but witty Elizabeth, and a lot of HEA. I found myself smiling throughout A Conversation Behind the Tapestries: a Pride and Prejudice Variation by Beth Wood.

The premise of this variation is that Darcy did not join the Bingleys when they first arrived in Meryton, and, therefore, did not insult Elizabeth at the assembly. Instead, Darcy is attempting to avoid Miss Bingley, while Elizabeth is attempting to avoid Mr. Collins (and her mother) at the Bingley ball at Netherfield. Both slip behind a tapestry to avoid being seen. Jane and Bingley come looking for them and the entire foursome is discovered by Mr. Bennet. Compromise is proclaimed and Bingley proposes to Jane. But, Elizabeth jumps in before Mr. Darcy can object, and objects herself to any arrangement between herself and the gentleman. Mr. Bennet is appeased, and there is no more discussion of the time behind the tapestry.

However, Darcy has started thinking that Elizabeth is a singular woman to not jump at a chance to trap him into marriage. He dances the dinner set and enjoys dinner with the lovely young woman, and his mind actually wanders towards matrimony. Due to an overheard conversation at Longbourn, however, our couple does in fact find themselves engaged after knowing each other for less than 24 hours. Elizabeth is determined it will be a long engagement, and Darcy is just happy if Elizabeth is happy.

The remainder of the story involves the manipulations of Mrs. Bennet, the wedding plans of three Bennet sisters, the reactions of the Fitzwilliam/de Bourgh side of Darcy's family, and various other factors familiar to JAFF readers. But, here, Beth Wood has created a great deal of silliness, warmth, humor and romance. There are side stories about frogs, pseudo brothers, feathers, etc. and all are sweet and tender. Even Lady Catherine and Miss Bingley show their soft sides. All the while, Darcy is slowly bringing Elizabeth around to his way of thinking. As mentioned earlier, I just found myself smiling through the whole thing, and laughing out loud on occasion.

I did enjoy this variation. It is not great writing, and I am sure it will not be to everyone's taste, but it suited me just find. Romantic, sweet and clean, A Conversation Behind the Tapestries is a nice little summer reader for JAFF lovers. Definitely recommended.




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A Conversation Behind the Tapestries by Beth Wood - sweet, silly, clean and romantic 4 Stars

A Conversation Behind the Tapestries: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Beth Wood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes you just want to read a cute Pride and Prejudice variation with a sweet Darcy, a stubborn, but witty Elizabeth, and a lot of HEA. I found myself smiling throughout A Conversation Behind the Tapestries: a Pride and Prejudice Variation by Beth Wood.

The premise of this variation is that Darcy did not join the Bingleys when they first arrived in Meryton, and, therefore, did not insult Elizabeth at the assembly. Instead, Darcy is attempting to avoid Miss Bingley, while Elizabeth is attempting to avoid Mr. Collins (and her mother) at the Bingley ball at Netherfield. Both slip behind a tapestry to avoid being seen. Jane and Bingley come looking for them and the entire foursome is discovered by Mr. Bennet. Compromise is proclaimed and Bingley proposes to Jane. But, Elizabeth jumps in before Mr. Darcy can object, and objects herself to any arrangement between herself and the gentleman. Mr. Bennet is appeased, and there is no more discussion of the time behind the tapestry.

However, Darcy has started thinking that Elizabeth is a singular woman to not jump at a chance to trap him into marriage. He dances the dinner set and enjoys dinner with the lovely young woman, and his mind actually wanders towards matrimony. Due to an overheard conversation at Longbourn, however, our couple does in fact find themselves engaged after knowing each other for less than 24 hours. Elizabeth is determined it will be a long engagement, and Darcy is just happy if Elizabeth is happy.

The remainder of the story involves the manipulations of Mrs. Bennet, the wedding plans of three Bennet sisters, the reactions of the Fitzwilliam/de Bourgh side of Darcy's family, and various other factors familiar to JAFF readers. But, here, Beth Wood has created a great deal of silliness, warmth, humor and romance. There are side stories about frogs, pseudo brothers, feathers, etc. and all are sweet and tender. Even Lady Catherine and Miss Bingley show their soft sides. All the while, Darcy is slowly bringing Elizabeth around to his way of thinking. As mentioned earlier, I just found myself smiling through the whole thing, and laughing out loud on occasion.

I did enjoy this variation. It is not great writing, and I am sure it will not be to everyone's taste, but it suited me just find. Romantic, sweet and clean, A Conversation Behind the Tapestries is a nice little summer reader for JAFF lovers. Definitely recommended.




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