A Hopeful Holiday by Heather Moll

A Hopeful Holiday is a delightful Pride and Prejudice variation novella set at Christmas time.  In this variation, Lady Catherine never visited Elizabeth, and Darcy never returned after helping out Lydia.  Bingley and Jane are happily married, but Elizabeth has not found her happily ever after.  Mr. Darcy is visiting his Aunt Catherine for the holidays when he discovers that Elizabeth is visiting her friend Charlotte Collins and her new baby.  Elizabeth is invited to Lady Catherine’s New Year’s Masquerade Ball.  Lady Catherine’s other nephew, Hugh, is also visiting and tries to thwart both Darcy and Elizabeth’s desires.  Will they finally be able to tell each other about their changed feelings?

 I LOVED this variation.  It was a sweet story.  I also liked that the variation was very late in the original novel so most of the original story was still in place.  What is always important to me in a Pride and Prejudice variation are the characters.  Author Heather Moll wrote the characters delightfully and true to the original novel.  She also preserved the humor and the romance from the original novel.  I really liked Elizabeth and Darcy’s second chance romance in this novel.

 I was delighted to learn that every year the Fitzwilliam relations had a drawing of lots together to determine which two relations would go to visit Lady Catherine for Christmas that year.  “It was a matter of duty rather than affection that two of them wait on Lady Catherine for the holiday season.  The group collectively agreed that no one suffer Christmas at Rosings along.”  I laughed out loud at this part.

 I loved that Mr. Collins is such a wonderful father.  He loved having his own child and helped Charlotte out.  This really endeared Mr. Collins to me and really made the relationship of the Collins really work for me in this variation.

 I enjoyed the Masquerade Ball.  It was very romantic with Darcy and Elizabeth trying to find each other and express their true feelings.  It was also hilarious that Lady Catherine really wanted to find suitors for Elizabeth, but in the most demeaning way possible.

 Favorite Quotes:

“I suppose this is the part of the evening when I must ask by what name shall I call you?”

 “Call me yours.”

 Overall, A Hopeful Holiday is a wonderful Austenesque Christmas story and great Pride and Prejudice variation.  I highly recommend it.  I will definitely be reading more from Heather Moll!

 Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com