Fitzwilliam Darcy, Hero

A Pride and Prejudice Variation Duology

De: Julie Cooper, Mary Smythe

Narrado por: Simon Alison

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Hero is a duology comprised of two previously published novella length variations of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Mr Darcy's Abducted Bride by Julie Cooper
ON THE DAY AFTER MR BINGLEY'S BALL , Fitzwilliam Darcy is preparing to leave Netherfield when he hears horrifying news. Mr Collins, it seems, intends to make Elizabeth an offer of marriage. Mrs Bennet—panicked by Mr Bennet’s illness—will stop at nothing to ensure that her obstinate, headstrong girl accepts it and becomes Mrs Collins as soon as is possible.

RUSHING TO LONGBOURN, Darcy finds Elizabeth out of her wits while she and Mr Collins plan for an immediate wedding. Recognising that Elizabeth will find herself bound to a ridiculous man for life, Darcy acts a hero, rescuing her and removing her from harm, intending to keep her away from the dastardly duo until she has regained her wits.

Elizabeth finds herself thrust into a terrifying journey alone with Mr Darcy. Mr Collins and her mother will stop at nothing to see their plans carried to fruition, and Mr Darcy is her only chance of salvation. Can she learn to trust him quickly enough to discern which of the choices before her will lead to happiness?

A Case of Some Urgency by Mary Smythe

When Lydia Bennet elopes with George Wickham it seems certain that the second chance at love for Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy has been destroyed. Desperate times often call for desperate measures, as Mr Bennet is soon to discover under the most painful of circumstances. His search for Lydia and Wickham is proving unfruitful and still worse—he has discovered signs of a secret romance between Elizabeth and none other than Mr Darcy.

Seeing an opportunity to avoid ruination , Mr Bennet visits Darcy with a proposed solution. But every solution provides a new set of challenges for Darcy and Elizabeth in this tale of romance lost and found.

©2024 Julie Cooper and Mary Smythe (P)2024 Quills & Quartos Publishing

Awesome

Both of these stories are very well written and well performed. In both stories Darcy is a strong man clearly smitten by Elizabeth. They are past the hating Darcy phase and only have to thwart the people that want to keep them apart. I enjoyed both stories a great deal.

Delightful

Wonderful performance of two amazing stories by two great authors. One of those cases where I really preferred listening to reading.

Pleasurable

The two stories are relatively low angst and well paced - they proceed along with just the right amount of emotion and rapidity. Both writers are gifted, and their works are always a pleasure to read.

The narrator has a smooth delivery, and is a pleasure to listen to - he has narrated a few other JAFF works and he is becoming one of my favorite narrators.

So, double the pleasure - in stories offered/writers skills and in listening enjoyment - double the fun!

Darcy and Elizabeth stand together

Darcy and Elizabeth’s romance features heavily in both these stories. Their care and love for each other quite satisfying. Though their path is not easy, of course. Mrs. Bennet is reprehensible in one story and Wickam and Lydia in the other. The narrator was enjoyable too.

Great read

I had read both books before listening to them. Still great. They are both well written and highly entertaining. Great Jaff.

Hero, indeed.

Two short stories from two great authors. Loved them.

Not quite the most lighthearted subjects the cover might imply. But the novella style gets past the angst quickly. This will be on my re-listen list.

Favorite authors, haven’t let me down yet. Recommended.

Great authors and narration

My hero! Le sigh, Low angst. Short and sweet. Light and fluffy.Definite feel good dualogy.

Excellent Narration of 2 Short P&P Variations

I really liked the first story by Julie Cooper. Maybe a bit over-the-top with Mrs Bennet’s horrid scheme, but lovely romance with Darcy and Lizzy. The other story was good, but I found it a bit tedious. The best scenes - or most riveting - involved Lydia and Wickham, the villains of the book. Ugh. I really enjoyed Simon Alison’s reading.

Entertaining duology!

I love having two-for-one audiobooks, and this one with Julie Cooper’s Mr Darcy’s Abducted Bride and Mary Smythe’s A Case of Some Urgency fit that bill perfectly. I also loved Simon Alison’s narration and performance of both books. He’s new to me, and I enjoyed him very much.

Mr. Darcy’s Abducted Bride - Julie Cooper
Mrs. Bennet devises and proceeds with a nefarious plot to drug Elizabeth with Mr. Bennet’s heart tonic which has a potential side effect that enhances amorous desire, hoping she will accept Mr. Collins’s proposal. This action by her was a bit over the top for me, but did provide some diverting moments later. In this novella, thanks to the interference of loyal servants (I really love when this happens), Darcy is alerted and he kidnaps, ‘er rescues Elizabeth just as the trio are departing the house for the church. Elizabeth is basically out of her wits and only semi-conscious. What can go wrong? I loved the twist/switch used regarding Lady Catherine’s usual confrontation with Elizabeth.

A Case of Some Urgency - Mary Smythe
Following Lydia’s elopement and his subsequent search for her in London, Mr. Bennet finds Darcy’s Hunsford letter to Elizabeth, which she had inadvertently left tucked away in Mr. Gardiner’s carriage during their return to Longbourn from Derbyshire. With one daughter ruined, and in order to protect the reputation of a second, he demands the couple marry. Darcy and Elizabeth, feel the other has no wish to marry them, but Mr. Bennet remains adamant, and once they resolve each other’s uncertainties, they acknowledge their love for one another. This was a lovely and sweet moment of communication between them.

However, when the betrothals of Lydia’s two eldest sisters overshadow her homecoming after her own hasty wedding, a jealousy-driven plot conceived on her part threatens our dear couple’s road to happiness. Kitty, no longer fooled into following her younger sister’s whims, and Mary, never ever impressed with Lydia’s selfish conduct and actions, are drawn closer as sisters and play a role in exposing her ongoing deceit.

Recommend!

duology

3.5 stars
I had read the first of these two stories some months ago but didn't realize it was the same book until I was already into listening to this audiobook and I decided to keep listening. I think I enjoyed it more the second time. But the following is my original review.

Mr. Darcy's Abducted Bride by Julie Cooper
I enjoyed a lot of this story but wanted more of Darcy & Elizabeth in a relationship, time for courting, or something to develop their love more than just physically. While I enjoy a novella length story, this is one case where I would have appreciated a longer story.

There are some good humorous moments in the story and I really think that the scene with Lady C and Aunt Gardiner was fantastic. That could have been longer too, just so I could enjoy it longer.

A good deal of the humor is based on innuendo between married couples (or those that have been drugged and think they are married). The medication has some side effects, one of which is becoming amorous. While I don't personally love that set up, it is the whole basis of why the story works without Mrs. B being just plain evil. Mostly she was just stupid in her desperation to see to her own future and was willing to sacrifice Lizzy to do it. I think she probably should have had some consequences for her actions. 4 stars


A Case of Some Urgency by Mary Smythe
I am not sure that I loved this story that much. I liked Darcy and Elizabeth but can't quite make heads or tails of Lydia. I could see Wickham doing what he did on his own but I had a hard time with Lydia using it as her way of punishing Elizabeth & Darcy. It was too shocking. However, the letter at the end was not remotely shocking. I could totally believe Lydia writing those words.
3 stars

Sex: implied, innuendo
Violence: Drugging, attempted forced marriage, abduction of sorts, fisticuffs, attempted sexual assault etc