In Spite of All

De: Melissa Anne

Narrado por: Benjamin Fife

What if Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy had met years before their fateful encounter in Meryton?

At sixteen, Elizabeth encounters the young master of Pemberley, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Sparks fly between the two, and despite their youth, Darcy proposes marriage. However, misunderstandings tore their blossoming love apart, each believing the other had abandoned them.

Years later, they meet once more at the Meryton assembly. Quickly realising that lies and deceit have kept them apart, Darcy and Elizabeth refuse to let anything stand between them again and elope to Scotland that very night.

The news of their elopement throws both families into turmoil. Can Elizabeth and Darcy withstand the fallout from their impulsive decision, or will the pressures of society and family tear them apart once more? Join them as they fight for their love, facing scandal, opposition, and the weight of past betrayals in this daring reimagining of their timeless romance.

©2024 Melissa Anne (P)2025 Podium Audio

Darcy and Elizabeth were together throughout

I liked how Darcy and Elizabeth shared their troubles throughout.
The author kept me guessing as to who was causing all the trouble for Elizabeth and her family

In Spite of All

Entertaining book and good narration. I thought the book dragged in places and perhaps less time spent on evil machinations and more time on family building would have been nice. The book does have a comprehensive epilogue.

Darcy elopes but with good reason

I had the privilege of being able to beta read for this story and then borrowed it on KU when it came out to read the final version.

I enjoy stories where Darcy and Elizabeth are able to talk and come together earlier than canon and are stronger because of that. This story fits that scenario. As with most of Melissa Anne’s stories this one keeps your attention and has you wondering what is around the next corner.

Pride is a major factor with many characters and drives the plot & actions; we get to witness the consequences that come from it.

The story opens up at the Meryton Assembly but what others don’t know is that Elizabeth and Darcy are known to each other. They met, fell in love and were engaged 4 years prior. Both were left heartbroken when Elizabeth didn’t think he showed up to ask her father for permission. Darcy did show up, twice, but Mr Bennet said she was engaged and then on her wedding trip. The mystery is why he said this and why her father changed in his attitude towards her and even cut off the Gardiner family. During the years apart both Elizabeth and Darcy remained true to each other. Elizabeth and Darcy were able to talk privately at the assembly to realize that they were being kept apart by others and decided to take their future into their own hands by eloping. To keep their plan secret they set things into motion to give them the advantage.

The transition between current events and four years ago was smooth and well done and are able to enjoy watching them fall for each other.

Things I loved: what Darcy said to Miss Bingley at the assembly when she was grabbing his arm! Enjoyed Jane’s backbone when talking with her parents and ends up married to someone other than Bingley. Mrs Bennet starts to become self-aware and acknowledges she needs to change, this is a long process for her. Cousins Col Fitzwilliam and Anne play major roles in the mystery of why Darcy and Elizabeth were kept apart and why those forces continue to make havoc for all of them. Loved the steadfast commitment and devotion that Darcy and Elizabeth have for each other.

Yes, I will read or better yet listen to this again.

One of the best by both author and narrator.

I think this might be my favourite of Melissa Anne’s stories so far. I have always loved variations where Darcy and Elizabeth meet when they’re younger, and this one creates a different twist that is paired with an intrigue. Their early affection feels so genuine, and once they reunite, they realise how they were deceived. Their decision to elope is daring and something not often seen for ODC in a variation. I was hooked.

There’s plenty of drama and danger, but from the beginning they face it all together, and since they trust one another completely, the usual endless misunderstandings are avoided. The villains are properly dreadful, and their eventual comeuppance is most satisfying.

Benjamin Fife’s performance is one of his best, I think, though his tendency toward breathiness and the occasional plosive distracts me. I also noted a few instances of incorrect words—a ‘him’ when it should have been a ‘her,’ for example. Still, his character performances are perfectly executed.

The editing could be tightened in places, but I thought the story itself more than made up for it. There are some passionate scenes, but they never cross the line into explicitness.

This one’s a winner, and one I’ll happily return to.

Recommend.

Great book

Love that ODC came together early. This book was great from beginning to end. Really liked Ann got a happy ending.

Cliched love story

Leave no cliches behind. Reader pretty awful too. Can't do women at all. Decent plot kept me going.