Mr. Darcy’s Secret by Jane Odiwe

Mr. Darcy had a life before he met, feel in love with, and married Elizabeth Bennet. What if during this life, Mr. Darcy had a past that he was ashamed of and did not want to share with his new bride? What could be this shameful secret?

This is the plot of Jane Odiwe’s new novel, Mr. Darcy’s Secret. While the secret is a large part of the plot, the secondary story line is also intriguing. Georgiana Darcy is growing and loves having a new sister in Elizabeth. She meets an intriguing landscape designer in Lambton, Tom Butler that is entirely unsuitable for her. Fearing to disappoint her brother after the Wickham affair, Georgiana tries to please her suitor Hugh Calladine, a neighbor of fine family and fortune that also happens to be in love with another woman. Will Georgiana find true love?

I love Jane Odiwe’s style of writing. Her writing has a lively wit that makes the scenes come alive. Odiwe writes the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice in the same style as Jane Austen. I had many times throughout the novel that I laughed at something Mrs. Bennet, Lydia Wickham, Caroline Bingley, etc. said or did that was so in character and so clever of Odiwe’s writing.

I also enjoyed the plot of this novel. I really wanted to know Mr. Darcy’s secret! As I read along though, I realized that even more than Mr. Darcy’s secret, I really wanted to know what would happen to Georgiana and Tom Butler. Tom Butler was the “Elizabeth Bennet” of this story, so unsuitable, but yet, so attractive. He said and did things that were not always proper, but were more truthful than the proper people such as Hugh Calladine.

Overall, Mr. Darcy’s Secret was a witty novel with an intriguing premise and great love story that kept me reading too long into the night. I recommend it for all lovers of Pride and Prejudice.

Jane Odiwe will be a guest on Laura’s Reviews this Friday February 18th. Please stop back by to read her interview on Friday!

Book Source: Advance Review Copy from Sourcebooks. Thank-you!