Dishonorable Gentlemen by Summer Hanford
#1 The Bennet Gang
Narrated by Carol Beth Anderson and Benjamin Fife
Historical Romance
Publisher: Summer Hanford
Published: 10.21.2025
Time: 11 hours 34 minutes
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Audio
Source: Benjamin Fife, narrator
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
Goodreads Synopsis:
VOLUME ONE of The Bennet Gang Dishonorable Gentlemen
Elizabeth Bennet isn't made to stand idly by and watch people suffer. Especially not when the Bennet sisters' stepfather, a one-time British spy, has trained her, Jane, and Mary so well. But when Netherfield Park is let and the new residents move in, the lighthearted game of reimagined Robin Hood she and her sisters have been playing could turn deadly, both for the neighborhood’s newest gentlemen and for Elizabeth's heart.
Fitzwilliam Darcy has no desire to remain in a region where he was held up at gunpoint within moments of arrival, until he spies a mysterious, alluring figure he can't purge from his thoughts. Should he remain in Hertfordshire and pursue the mysterious woman he sighted in the mist, or depart before he is too deeply entangled in an increasingly dangerous web of deadly duels, secrets, and unwed misses?
Dishonorable Gentlemen, Volume One of The Bennet Gang Duology, is a medium angst, Regency Era, love-at-first-sight (at least on one side!) Pride and Prejudice Variation. If you enjoy Summer Hanford's light-hearted, fanciful tales, give this adventure-filled, sweet romance a read.
Sophia Rose's Review:
A swashbuckling adventure set in the world of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice grips the listener through highway robbery, drawing room intrigue, and clandestine duels. Summer Hanford penned a rousing good tale and two talented narrators tantalized the listener’s imagination.
Dishonorable Gentlemen is the first half the Bennet Gang Duology and introduces the situation, characters, and early progression of the plot ending at a happy for now location with promise of what’s to come.
The opening salvo is when two gentlemen are on their journey through Hertfordshire when their carriage is held up by highwaymen. Mr. Darcy is appalled at their gall and challenges the two when his friend, Bingley, readily hands over his purse and he eventually does the same. On entering Meryton, the local town where Bingley’s leased estate is located, they attempt to report the robbers to the local magistrate only to discover this bloated man is full of himself and his own importance and surrounds himself with opulence. It is patently obvious this Mr. Collins, a local estate owner near Bingley’s Netherfield will be useless so Darcy calls on his cousin’s military connections to have the Highwaymen who have been operating in the area dealt with so decent people are not accosted on the road.
Meanwhile, Enaj and Azile the disguised Robin Hood-like robbing gang enter the secret cave on their family’s property, stow their disguises, and emerge from the stables into the walled garden as Jane and Elizabeth Bennet. Along with their sister, Mary, the Bennet ladies were trained in espionage, swords, pistols, riding, and more by their deceased step-father who passed away fighting a duel in Jane’s honor.
And, why do the lovely ladies of Dovemark turn to highway robbery? Their evil, greedy and power-happy cousin Collins whose father inherited the Bennet family estate, Longbourn has a chokehold on the community along with his cronies. He leads the group in raising the taxes and fines on the locals who can’t oppose him since he’s the local magistrate and his friend is the mayor. Anyone who tries to thwart them meets trouble and then some. So, they follow Robin Hood’s example and take the money from the rich to help the burdened people of their community.
Elizabeth has no trouble taking these actions even against strangers like the two gentlemen in the coach because she is convinced all rich men are without honor and just like her cousin Collins. Jane is more scrupulous and regrets their actions though sees the necessity. Mary, the quiet and one with the most clandestine ability to gather intelligence through informers about the community and stealthily make her way about, is more pragmatic and operates with caution. They keep their secret from even their two young sisters, two half-brothers, and their widowed mother- a mother who has favorite child Kitty and next to her, beautiful Jane.
Elizabeth is consternated to learn that vaunted arrogant man in the carriage and his friend are staying in the neighborhood and too observant by half. The Bennets must keep their secret activities dormat for a time. She doesn’t want to believe at first, but slowly sees evidence that these two strangers might be just what the neighborhood needs to save them, but unfortunately Collins has worked that out too, and is determined to keep Jane from wedding Bingley and Bingley sticking around to alter the status quo.
Dishonorable Gentlemen spins out the ‘gothic’ style situation, the rise in action plot, secrets revealed, and the slow-burn enemies to friends to more. Villains are a-plenty and seem to carry all before them, but the good locals led by a fiery Lizzy, her sisters, and these new friends are not without strength, either. I was vested in the story and people from the beginning. Usually, I’m not fond of an overly-talented Elizabeth or Bennet sisters, but its obvious that she has a chip on her shoulder and prejudice that provides the balancing flaw and chance to learn and grow right alongside Darcy having to set aside his pride and assumptions, too.
Carol Beth Anderson was a new to me narrator, but I settled in easily enough to listen to her tell the ladies’ side of the story. She gets the emotional vibes and pacing and distinguishes her characters so I enjoyed her work. Benjamin Fife is a long-time favorite narrator and I approached this book with anticipation, as a result. His storytelling strength and ability to charm and draw in a listener so thoroughly were on display once again.
All in all, this first segment of the duology did the job well and has left me in high anticipation for the second half and conclusion to see what will come of my favorite characters as new villains and new romantic challenges arise. Slow-burn historical romance with a swashbuckling flavor is what’s on tap and I highly recommend it.
Author Bio:
Summer Hanford writes best-selling Pride and Prejudice retellings, swashbuckling Historical Romance, and gripping Epic Fantasy. She lives in the lovely Finger Lakes Region of New York with her husband and compulsory, deliberately spoiled, cat. The newest addition to their household, an energetic setter-shepherd mix, has been trying, and failing, for eight years to gain acceptance from the cat, but is adored by the humans.
Since the moment she read her first novel, Summer’s passion has always been writing, and epic adventures. As a child growing up on a dairy farm, she built castles made of hay and wielded swords made of fence posts. She is also passionate about animals, travel, and organizing her closet. Nothing pleases her more than a row of tops broken down by sleeve length and ordered by color…except working on her latest novel with her cat in her lap, her dog lounging on the rug dreaming of squirrels, and a cup of tea at hand.
For more about Summer, visit www.summerhanford.com.
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
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