Mr. Darcy’s Pledge by Monica Fairview

Monica Fairview is one of my favorite Austen Authors.  Her novel, The Other Mr. Darcy, is my favorite Austen sequel and I’ve given it as a gift to a few different friends.  I was very excited to be given the opportunity to review Monica Fairview’s newest book, Mr. Darcy’s Pledge.

Mr. Darcy’s Pledge is a Pride and Prejudice variation, not a sequel.  In this variation, Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth Bennet, but then withheld his letter of explanation from her and returned to Pemberley.  While at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy is determined to bring his sister out in society and to help accomplish this, he knows he needs a wife.  He starts a list of all of the qualities he would love to see in a wife, but when meeting a visitor to his neighborhood, the beautiful Miss Marshall, he thinks she may embody everything on his list. Yet the ghost of Elizabeth haunts him and makes him remember many qualities in a wife that Miss Marshall seems to lack.  Mr. Darcy also seeks the assistance of the Bingleys on his task.  When fate throws Elizabeth his way, what will Mr. Darcy do?

I loved this variation.  Fairview really knows and loves the Austen characters and writes them so realistically.  I love Darcy’s inner turmoil in this book.  I also love Georgiana’s bit of spunk when she decides she does not like Miss Marshall and does want Darcy to marry her.  The new characters introduced (Mr. Darcy’s Uncle and Aunt, Miss Marshall) are perfectly drawn, interesting, and amusing.  I enjoyed this book and read it fairly quickly.  I was excited that it is Volume I and there will be another book in this series.  I can’t wait to read further!

Overall, Mr. Darcy’s Pledge is an Austen Variation not to be missed!

Book Source:  A review copy from Monica Fairview.  Thank-you!