A Marriage Worth the Earning

To Have and to Hold: A Pride and Prejudice Sequel, Volume 1

By: Mary Sherwood

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

A Pride and Prejudice sequel.

Darcy and Elizabeth's first year of marriage commences as idyllic as most newlyweds could hope. But soon, their tranquility departs, and together they must discover the finer art of compromise and understanding.

This sequel trilogy to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice follows the lives of Austen's beloved characters throughout the years, beginning with volume one, where Darcy and Elizabeth must learn to put pride and prejudice aside and become one united in the love and passion inspired by the original novel. Come witness a compelling look at the misunderstanding, resentment, and frustration that marriage imposes on two very compassionate, yet willful individuals, but also envision the vulnerability, laughter, and devotion of a husband and wife very much in love.

Mary L. Sherwood presents: A Marriage Worth the Earning.

©2009 Mary L. Sherwood (P)2023 Mary L. Sherwood

Loved it!!

Fabulous story. Couldn’t wait to listen more every day. Sad when it ended ! Looking forward to the next!

so Goooood!

Twist and turns. Ups and downs.?what will happen next? Lovely read. getting the others today!

Enthralling

The 26 plus hours flew by! Very interesting and entertaining story of life after the wedding for Darcy and Elizabeth. I vacillated between being on Darcy's side and then Elizabeth's side in the several spats they had. Both of them could be extremely stupid in their assumptions and anger at one another. However, they could so quickly get over their grievances which, if I had been the wronged one, I would not have gotten over my hurt as quickly, but I am very stubborn I confess. I would have drug it out for at least a week!

Wickham and Lydia were over the top wicked and I hope they get punished for their actions in book 2 or book 3. Richard's brother, Lord Hazel, was another super wicked person and he has not yet received his deserved punishment. Also I want to be assured that Caroline, Lady Katherine and The Earle of Matlock get their just desserts as well. Richard is off to war and I am so anxious that he will be injured or that he will not survive.

This book wrapped up many things, but there are several story lines, including the ones I mentioned above, which are still unresolved. I am immediately off to download Book 2. If it is half as good as this book, I will be satisfied - but I expect this talented story teller (Mary Sherwood) and the brilliant narrator (Stevie Zimmerman) will deliver an excellent book 2.

Great story part I of III

Concludes with a cliffy. Exciting story. The Fitzwilliam's are a disreputable lot. Well not the Colonel or his mother. Elizabeth experiences a lot of ... attention from a lustful Viscount. Georgiana has her a season. Some injuries for Darcy and Elizabeth. An exciting tale. Blackmail and an old flame of Darcy's makes early married days difficult.

Only bad times

There has to be balance for a book to work. This one has one horrible thing after another and little else. The story of the people gets lost in misery. Well written but author needs to lighten up a bit. I don’t like feeling depressed during or after reading a novel. Narrator excellent.

Very well written

I felt everything was explained in great detail which made it feel like I knew the characters. I could not wait for a chance to listen to the book each day in anticipation of what would happen next. I just finished the 1st volume and I am excited to listen to the next volume. The reader does an excellent job of distinguishing between characters and making the book come alive.

Hated it!!

The only good thing about this book is Stevie Zimmerman.

We get two weeks of Elizabeth and Darcy being able to be husband and wife and then all the drama starts and it never ends. No way am I even going to listen or read this next book.

A frustrating listen

Let me say first that I am admittedly only about halfway through, but I am so frustrated with this book that I don't know if I even want to finish it. Thus far, all of the conflict has been excessively contrived and blown completely out of proportion. Darcy and Elizabeth, but especially Darcy, refuse to talk to one another for sometimes days at a time, and then when they finally start to have some sort of breakthrough they are ALWAYS interrupted. It doesn't matter where they are, there is that inevitable knock at the door that stalls the entire thing, and then there is some new drama to take over before the last disagreement is even satisfactorily resolved. Darcy is horribly moody and I don't think I would be exaggerating when I say he has a tantrum over every little non-issue. Any time anyone wants to talk to him about something important, he insists it happen later and then actively avoids them for the next week at least. He makes insensitive comments and then accuses Elizabeth of being unreasonable when she is rightly offended. Elizabeth herself just cries and forgives him after an apology with a sad excuse instead of setting him down like she should.

Some things don't seem quite right as far as the time period and customs, and I think there could have been better research done, particularly with the clothing. Elizabeth chooses to wear her night gown over her corset instead of taking it off, for example, as if her chemise is not the base layer already. Also, ladies of this time period wore STAYS, not corsets. Corsets as we know them were not a thing for at least another decade. I concede that this particular issue may irritate me more than others, but it ruins my immersion and I have to roll me eyes every time the word "corset" comes up. It is surprisingly often.

I will do my best to finish it, and I will update this if the second half is more enjoyable than the first. Honestly, though, I don't have high hopes.