Enjoy!
Historical Romance
Publisher: Meryton Press
Published: 10.18.22
Pages: 322
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: eARC
Source: Meryton Press
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Blurb:
What will Fitzwilliam Darcy do when his beloved father
stands between him and happiness?
Darcy has always emulated his wise and honourable father, George Darcy. But
following a sinister act of betrayal by a former family friend, his father
rejects his most benevolent principles.
When Georgiana forms a friendship with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy convinces
his father to allow the association to continue. However, Elizabeth soon
presents a thorny problem: she entices Darcy as no other lady has before, and
with his current outlook, his father would not approve of her as a
daughter-in-law.
Still, Darcy’s problem may resolve in time: his father, after getting to know
Elizabeth, is certain to recognise her many admirable qualities and change his
mind. But what if he does not?
In this Pride & Prejudice Regency variation, Fitzwilliam Darcy is caught
between the influences of love and duty. Which of these will wield the greatest
power?
Sophia Rose's Review:
After making a mistake about a favorite’s character, George
Darcy has learned to be cautious and his young adult children feel the
results. What a fascinating premise for
this latest Pride and Prejudice various from Kelly Miller! Not only is the senior Mr. Darcy alive for
this one, but he both discovers Wickham’s weak character and dictates a class
distinction to his children in their friendships and love lives. I was all eagerness to see how these profound
alterations worked on Austen’s classic tale.
As many who read my reviews know, I have a great fondness
for Austen variation stories. I love to
explore ‘what-if’ questions to take different paths with the characters through
a familiar setting. A Dutiful Son begins
the changes from the start by having Mr. George Darcy alive at the beginning of
the story and able to see that his preference and elevation for young George
Wickham from merely the steward’s son has created a profligate with
expectations beyond his station. Instead
of seeing Wickham as a weak specimen, the senior Mr. Darcy chooses to take the
extreme view and see it as a weakness of class status so bands his children
from forming any new connections outside the sphere of their status. Not being a tyrant, he does allow for current
friendships his children formed to stand, but he makes it clear that he has
expectations of a different sort for Fitzwilliam’s future. Young Mr. Darcy has a friendship with Bingley
who is a wealthy young man from the merchant class and young Miss Darcy has a
friendship with Miss Elizabeth Bennet a gentleman’s daughter with no real
prospects of wealth or status. Bingley
falls for Elizabeth’s sister and their story is an easy happily ever
after. Elizabeth leaves them to it for a
pleasant visit with Darcy and Georgie to their home.
Darcy and Elizabeth are attracted and he falls in love after
meeting her during his visit to Bingley’s estate in Hertfordshire, but there is
his internal conflict of pleasing his ailing father by doing his duty vs
following his heart. At Pemberley, Darcy finds that a marriage prospect is
already on the table and even Elizabeth finds the possibility of a courtship,
but neither have their hearts or heads turned by these others. However, it does drive home the expectation
placed on them. Elizabeth sees her own
status as inferior and is miserable under the cautious gaze of Mr. Darcy senior
and his equally class-conscious sister.
I really enjoyed exploring this new avenue for the story and
loved seeing the friendship element as strong.
Darcy and Elizabeth avoid much of the ‘pride’ and ‘prejudice’ of the
original and of course Wickham is unable to work his wiles on Elizabeth, but
their being forced to dwell on always being parted by other’s disapproval of their
status of wealth was wearying. I will
admit to feeling the pace slow down while they struggled through this period of
internal monologues and waiting for the catalyst that would change the status
quo of the issue they were facing. There
was some good suspense here as I waited to see how they’d find a way and there
was some good surprise there. The resolve eventually came and it was gratifying
to see them find their happy and the swoonworthy moments.
All in all, I enjoyed exploring this new variation path and
time spent with the author’s representation of the P&P world. Those who enjoy sweet yet feeling-filled
character-driven historical romance should pick this one up for a closer look.
When not writing, Award-winning Regency romance author Kelly
Miller spends her free time singing, playing the piano, reading, and working
out. Like a much loved Jane Austen character, she is an excellent walker. She
lives in Silicon Valley with her husband, daughter, and their many pets.
She is often on Twitter: @Kellyrei007
or Facebook:
https://www.facebook/Author.Kelly.Miller
or IG: kelly.miller.author
"Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley," won 1st place in the Royal
Dragonfly Awards and Indies Today Awards, and is a finalist, International Book
Awards. "Mr. Darcy's Perfect Match" is recommended by the Historical
Novel Society. "Accusing Mr. Darcy" is a 1st place winner of the
Firebird Book Awards and Queer Indie Awards-Ally Division, a Wishing Shelf
Awards finalist, and a Recommended Read, Author Shout Reader Ready Awards. Her
forth release is the novella "A Consuming Love."
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
Sounds like a clever and imaginative adaptation. Lovely review Sophia.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought so, too, Kimberly! Thanks!
DeleteThank you for your lovely and thoughtful review, Sophia!
ReplyDeleteSo glad for your visit and comment, Kelly. :)
DeletePp variation. Yes please at once
ReplyDeleteYes, you do love these, B. :)
DeleteI'm not a fan of historical stories, but you sold me in this one Sophia Rose. Thank you! Adding to my to-read <3
ReplyDeletexx
Vanessa @ Blushing Geek
Haha, glad I could tempt you, Vanessa!
DeleteGlad to hear this latest P&P journey was a good one!
ReplyDelete