4 out of 5 Stars

Welcome to the Pride and Prejudice Variations version of “Cozy Sunday”! I’m hoping to make the last Sunday of the month dedicated to JAFF (Jane Austen Fan Fiction) because…. well, because I love it and I need an excuse to go back to reading it!!

I’m going to make this one into a bit of a Pro’s and Con’s list for the story followed by some thought and discussion questions!!

Pros

-Mr. Bennet: As usual, he was my favourite character. Lory took his curmudgeonly attitude and ramped it up to a wonderful degree!

“Mr. Bennet intervened. “Upon my word, what comes of our world if we judge a man’s worthiness by the number of young ladies he entertains? Every time I hear of a ball, I am tempted to fall ill. Not that anyone would expect me to entertain any woman. But the mere idea of spending a night trying to please people of whose pleasure you do not care is tiresome and ridiculous.” “Papa, you are too harsh on balls,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “Well deserved, my dear, as balls are too harsh on me too.” Mr. Bennet then turned his attention to his glass of brandy.”

“Did Miss Darcy not want to attend the ball?” Jane asked. “She would have liked to meet you, Miss Bennet, and to renew her acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth. But my sister is not yet out, and she is not fond of large gatherings.” “I can well understand her,” Mr. Bennet answered in earnest. “I have been ‘out’ for more than thirty years, and I am still not fond of large gatherings. It is such a pity that nobody believes me or takes my preferences into consideration, for I am dragged against my will to all kinds of balls and parties.”

-The writing is on par for the time

-Darcy is cute… If not himself

“Elizabeth constantly felt Darcy’s insistent glances and even met them occasionally. He seemed amused and pleased to see her in the midst of such animated conversation. He even intervened a couple of times, not by supporting her directly but by asking questions that allowed her to prove her point of view. She relished the little scheme they shared—a mutual and silent understanding unnoticed by the company.”

-Good quotes

“True love is different from infatuation,” Bingley said seriously. “You cannot confuse them. You know when your heart belongs to someone forever and nothing else matters.”

Cons

–Elizabeth swooning: Elizabeth seems to be swooning around all the time, and that just isn’t her character! She’s strong and determined, not soft and starry eyed!

-I thought we may have skipped over the whole Wickham situation… No such luck.

-This line. Ha ha! (Okay, this isn’t a Con. This line just made me laugh!!)

“A man of the world knows too well that he will never win a woman’s heart by attacking a man she favours. A young lady rarely changes her opinion so quickly and so thoroughly. Besides, a group of men arguing is different. We all know men are hasty, unwise, and even aggressive at times and do stupid things. But beautiful, delicate ladies behaving in such a manner is somewhat disturbing!”

-lots of uses of endearment “my darling” between Jane and Lizzie? I feel like “darling” is a strange term of endearment for your sister… Maybe that’s just me.

-When thing get hot and heavy with Lizzie and Darcy,

“She sensed his caresses, his kisses, his scent, his strength—his ardent love.”

My note on this quote was “… Is that what the kids are calling it these days?? 😂😂”

Questions and Thoughts

-They all stay up all night (woman of leisure life) going to a ball and going to sleep at dawn, they also have 30 minute dances. How could I stand to converse and be genial that long?

-Why are we all so “normal” when they were all marrying their cousins back then?? Is that why we’re all so dumb now?

-And after a ball where they were up until DAWN the women are expected to get up and pretty themselves AGAIN and the men had to get up and VISIT everyone they danced with?? Yikes!

-Slightly erotic (for the times) dreams from Lizzie in this book. It’s hard for me to place myself in this situation to see if this is realistic? How much do you think young women knew about sexual matters at this time?

“Sleep had taken her into dreams so vivid that memories of them made her blush. Imagination stirred her senses and took her beyond what she experienced when she was in his company. She had only to close her eyes to hear his whispers, feel his hands spoiling her with caresses she never dared imagine, taste his lips tantalising hers, and become intoxicated by his scent of power and gentleness.”

Let me know your thoughts in the Comments!

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Ardently Loved is Best Served with

a Glass of Brandy

I know, boring drink! But, with everyone in the book (okay… the men.) having a nice glass of brandy, I just wanted to sit with this book in the evening, brandy in hand, sipping and being transported to a wonderfully romantic place and time!

CHEERS!!