Without Undue Pride by Heather Moll

 

What is the last book that you read in one sitting?  I started Without Undue Pride and read it in one sitting.  I haven’t done that for a while – but I could not put this book down!

Elizabeth Bennet has met the dashing Colonel Fitzwilliam while visiting her Uncle and Aunt Gardiner in London.  They have a whirlwind romance and are quickly married before Colonel Fitzwilliam must go overseas as part of the Napoleonic Wars.  The Fitzwilliam family is not happy about Colonel Fitzwilliam’s “unsuitable” marriage, but his cousin, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, is his only family member that does attend his wedding.  He promises to be friends with Elizabeth.  After Colonel Fitzwilliam is killed in battle, a pregnant Elizabeth is set adrift in the world with no one to help her.  Mr. Darcy steps up to help his best friend and cousin’s widow.  Will love bloom after such tragedy?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I LOVED this variation.  It was such an interesting twist.  I was intrigued throughout the novel with Elizabeth’s tragedy and wanted to know what exactly happened to her while she was overseas with Colonel Fitzwilliam.  It was a painful story that she was finally able to tell Darcy over time.

·       The characters all felt true to their original characterization in Austen’s novels.  The only question I had was, would Mr. Bennet really leave Elizabeth widowed, pregnant, and alone in Spain?  I know he didn’t like to exert himself too much, but he did go to London to look for Lydia.  I pondered this through the novel.

·       The growing love between Elizabeth and Darcy was so romantic.  I loved the slow build to a couple of steamy chapters at the end.  The friends to lovers and mutual respect between them was the type of relationship everyone should have.

·       After all that happened to Elizabeth in Spain, she has trust issues.  Every man in her life has let her down, and in Regency England, woman do not hold any power.  Elizabeth has a hard time being able to trust a man after this and clings to her independence.  I did want to shake some sense into her a couple of times, but I could understand her point of view.

·       I like how Darcy was portrayed as a kind and considerate man, but also that he knew he had faults and worked on them.  Colonel Fitzwilliam had made him promise to try to be a better person and to put himself out there socially.  Darcy considered that almost his dying wish.

·       I don’t want to spoil the plot, but there is some definite peril in this novel and Darcy must come to the rescue.

·       The cover of this novel is beautiful.  I showed it to my JASNA Northwoods book club on Sunday and they all liked the cover as well.

Overall, Without Undue Pride by Heather Moll was an intriguing and unique Pride and Prejudice variation.  I enjoyed the romance, plot, and characters.

Book Source:  Review copy from author Heather Moll as part of the Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.