Seasons of Waiting

A Pride and Prejudice Variation

De: Christina Morland

Narrado por: Elizabeth Grace

Autumn, 1812: Certain his second proposal will be rejected, Darcy does not return to Hertfordshire–or to Elizabeth Bennet.

Spring, 1837: When his nephew falls in love with her niece, Darcy and Elizabeth are bound to meet again.

How many steps does it take to find a way back to the person you have always loved?

Dear Listeners: While I would characterize this book as one about love, light, and the happiness we can make for ourselves, the novel does contain non-graphic references to rape and incest. I understand that these are sensitive topics, and I would not wish for any listener to suffer as a result of coming across these references without warning. Many thanks to the reviewer who gave feedback on this topic.

With best wishes for all, Christina

©2018 Christina Morland (P)2025 Christina Morland

Very complex

Pretty incredible writing here... great imagination some difficult topics.... Amazing insight into the nature of love

Best story narrated in the best voice. PERFECTION!

If you like the book, you need this audio.
Wink and wince, peace and perturbation, wound and cure, reprimand and restoration, laugh and cry.

Perfection

I have loved this book for a long time, so I was worried that it would not work as an audiobook. You know, wrong reader, wrong voices. I could not have been more wrong. Elizabeth Grace is perfection. She nails every emotion - joy, regret, and heartbreak. Amazing.

It was worth the wait. Love love loved it.

More than 5*****+++ for the story. Which I have loved for years and years it seems. And have longed for an audio book version for a long time.

Like I said it was worth the wait. Wonderful narration.

As with all of Christina Moreland’s books this one is full of heartbreaking plots and subplots. I cried during many scenes of lost love, impossible love, youthful rocky impetuous misunderstanding love. And I cried for monstrous ill treatment to one of the canon characters which naturally affected them the rest of their life, even after rescue.

The two main couple romances hold your attention and heart from the beginning to the end. The meeting and falling in love between the younger couple, Will Towndsen Darcy and Lizzy Bingley was sweet, sparkling, and romantic, even with the obstacles thrown in their way.

The renewal of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet’s relationship after 25 years was awkward but full of yearning and a timid atmosphere of mutual fear of saying or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Uh. Agony and hopefulness. Twenty five years. So many questions. Why, why, why. As events are gradually revealed in each other’s lives I cried then too.

There is a heart wrenching break up with no sure answer, but hope, that this relationship will heal and get back together as we hope.

Why is it so many times interpreted when a woman says she needs time because she is afraid she’s losing herself and giving up her own life if she marries under the current circumstances that she just wants to always do things her own (selfish) way after marriage? Grrr.

I loved so many people, scenes, and plots in this book. Moreland is an amazing writer. I was so excited when I saw this title available, I dropped everything and bought it then and there. Now I’m hoping the rest of her books will become available soon and with such a talented narrator again.

Highly highly recommended.

Beautifully Bittersweet and Exquisitely Performed

While I admire a varied selection of Pride and Prejudice variations, sequels, and vagaries, my favorite are the ones that explore new facets of Austen's original characters in such a way that they feel true to her creations - Seasons of Waiting is an exemplary example of characters that feel true to canon while exploring different circumstances. In fact, it is such a faithful rendering of our beloved characters living through a what if that comes straight from Austen's own words - packed with wit and composed beautifully - that I consider it the best of this genre, and a wonderful novel in its own right.

Therefore, the audiobook had a lot to live up to! It is fitting that Elizabeth Grace was tapped to narrate this bittersweet masterpiece. The cast of characters is extensive, and Elizabeth Grace imbues each of them with nuance, distinction, and vivid life. Her narration is exquisite, emotive, and well paced.

If you only listen to one JAFF, make it this one!

Excellent!

This is an outstanding book. The story is so engaging. I was pulled in by the characters and felt invested in their lives. The performance was well done and easy to listen to. I was sad for the story to end and hope that a sequal will be announced. I would give this book more than 5 stars is that was possible.

A masterpiece of an audiobook

I've read this book multiple times -- it's exactly the sort of richly layered story that rewards return trips. But it was an especial treat to get to listen this time.

What gives Seasons of Waiting such staying power is that it's not only about Elizabeth and Darcy. Their story here is compelling by itself: What if Darcy believed a second proposal would not be welcomed, and they live their lives apart until finding each other again? But what makes the book such a stunner is that it's also about Elizabeth's namesake niece and Darcy's namesake nephew falling for each other, and -- in fact -- about the ways that all the other key people in their lives intersect with them. Lydia has a particularly memorable chapter.

Christina Morland takes us back and forth in time, which means we can appreciate the impact of a 25-year-wait while getting all the enjoyment of watching the inevitability of Elizabeth and Darcy's reunion play out. I think the story is also telling us something about time: We all experience it differently, and its passage when we're not yet one-and-twenty isn't the same as when we're quite a bit older.

What I love most about the book is that it shows the rich lives Elizabeth and Darcy build for themselves in each other's absence, even as they never stop feeling the loss of what could have been (and ultimately comes to pass). This story is not a tragedy. It's a celebration.

Seasons of Waiting is clearly a challenge for a narrator, with its large cast of characters and two pairs of love interests. Elizabeth Grace made it sound easy. I never lost track of who was speaking, marveled at the emotion she layered in and lived in this masterpiece of an audiobook for days.

A treasure

Such insight into the human experience is seldom seen. Please, please make audio versions of all your books.

Outstanding writing and narration.

A long-awaited audiobook, Seasons of Waiting is without a doubt one of the very best Pride and Prejudice variations ever written, and Elizabeth Grace performs it outstandingly. It is a moving and heart wrenching story, but every tear is worth it. Most highly recommend this must listen.

Incomparable! A must for any Austen fan.

“...she could never rid herself of the feeling that some small corner of her soul was forever cordoned off, reserved for this man who wanted her, but not enough.”

This audiobook by Christina Morland, beautifully narrated by Elizabeth Grace, is well worth one—or two—thoughtful listens. And at some 27 hours of audiobook, that's saying something.

Morland is adept at crafting nail-biting scenes of suspense, longing for our dear couples, and building up to a tantalizingly satisfying ending. A beautifully crafted historical romance, expertly characterizing Austen originals and new. This tautly plotted saga from “Pride and Prejudice” to 1837 is told in layers, not a linear timeline at all, yet a web — tales woven together over and around a twenty five-year span. This is just the kind of story that has me coming back to Jane Austen-inspired books over and over again. In a field of many Austenesque romances, this incomparable audiobook has much to recommend! Not to be missed. One of my forever favorites!