Sophia Rose Reviews The Seven Sins of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Julie Cooper

 

Today Sophia Rose reviews The Seven Sins of Fitzwilliam Darcy a Pride and Prejudice retelling.
Enjoy!

The Seven Sins of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Julie Cooper

Historical Romance

Publisher:  Quills & Quartos

Published:  9.18.23

Pages:  386

Rating: 5 stars

Format: Trade Paperback

Source:  Quills & Quartos

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: Goodreads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

Perhaps falling in love was not a momentous initial attraction, but a growing realisation that one’s life was simply happier, better, when in the company of a certain gentleman. After Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy departs Hertfordshire unexpectedly just before Mr Bingley’s ball at Netherfield Park, there is no further impediment to prevent Jane Bennet’s romance with her handsome neighbour. Unfortunately, Mr Darcy returns to Netherfield on the Bingleys’ wedding day, just in time to launch disaster into the proceedings. Elizabeth Bennet’s attempt to put the wedding-wrecker in his place only worsens matters when her private conversation with Mr Darcy becomes a misunderstood marriage proposal. Mr Darcy is willing to put everything right—for a shocking price. Can Elizabeth bear even a temporary alliance with this incomprehensible, possibly roguish, but certainly ardent Mr Darcy? Can Mr Darcy convince the intriguing and charming Elizabeth Bennet to overlook his sins long enough to become his bride, or must he banish her from his dreams forever? The Seven Sins of Fitzwilliam Darcy is a lighthearted, humorous retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice perfect for fans of regency romance!

 

Sophia Rose's Review:

An overheard conversation leads to no end of drama for a certain dashing proud gentleman and an entertaining Pride and Prejudice variation was the result.  Julie Cooper has captivated with her stormy atmospheric and emotionally evocative work in the past, but this one leaping out of the gate with a light Regency romcom showed her amazing writing versatility.

 

The Seven Sins of Fitzwilliam Darcy begins with a (typical) wedding when not all the guests are thrilled with the pairing.  Bride overhears and is hurt, her sister rushes in and confronts with the mishap of being found in disarray in the company of the last man she’d consider marrying, and a drunk father and his friends with a duel in mind build the crescendo so that Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth are facing their own wedding bells.  First, they get into it and Darcy must face the seven sins leveled at him with a challenge to Elizabeth Bennet for each to show she read him wrong.  If this doesn’t have wedding comedic tones written all over it, right? 

 

But wait, there’s more…  Mrs. Bennet’s cringeworthy bridal talk and sexual innuendos for Elizabeth, a sparkling Lady Goulding, a scene-stealing dog character, and then there is a Darcy with a strongly developed sense of humor to round it out.  I think I laughed and hard enough to struggle breathing at times through the first half of the book.  Yeah, ignore the page count because you won’t feel it at all.

 

Now, I won’t say this was a total giggle fest because, there were some deeper undertones that come into play so that the angst builds and the emotions across the range are tested.  Elizabeth was actually not the hardest to convince that Fitzwilliam Darcy was a man of honor and worthy of her hand or that Darcy’s marriage was universally cheered by his side.  In truth, I found the person who was the biggest holdout something of a surprise based on the way he was depicted earlier in the story.

 

All in all, this was a shocker in a good way.  I had no idea the author could go there and do it so well.  She’s just raised the bar even higher than I already had it.  Whether you love Jane Austen variations or historical romance set in the Regency in general, don’t miss this entertaining romance.

 

Author Bio:

Julie Cooper, a California native, lives with her Mr Darcy (without the arrogance or the Pemberley) of nearly forty years, two dogs (one intelligent, one goofball), and Kevin the Cat (smarter than all of them.)  They have four children and three grandchildren, all of whom are brilliant and adorable, with the pictures to prove it. She works as an executive at a gift basket company and her tombstone will read, “Have your Christmas gifts delivered at least four days before the 25th.”  Her hobbies are reading, giving other people good advice, and wondering why no one follows it.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001265246021

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