The Falmouth Connection

A Pride and Prejudice Variation

De: Joana Starnes

Narrado por: Stevie Zimmerman

Just as Mr. Darcy finally decides to propose to the enticing Miss Elizabeth Bennet, she is summoned to Falmouth, to meet a relation she never knew she had. Thus, the ill-starred Hunsford proposal is avoided - but before he could even begin to understand his luck, adverse circumstances hasten to conspire against him, and Fitzwilliam Darcy is compelled to follow the woman he loves to the far reaches of Cornwall, into a world of deceit and peril, where few - if any - are what they seem to be...

©2014, Revised edition 2017 Joana Starnes (P)2017 Joana Starnes

Enjoyable, heartwarming.

I literally could not put it down. 😊 I have read this story awhile ago, but there is something about having it read to me that makes it magical 🤭

Great setting and a little mysterious

Joana Starnes provides such interesting settings for some of her stories, taking us to different parts of England and adding fantastic atmosphere. This was certainly true with The Falmouth Connection. I’d rather the story about a 4.5/5 (I’m stingy with 5/5 ratings) in part for the setting, but largely because of the intrigue and the fantastic romance between Elizabeth and Darcy. I can’t say that the resolution of the mysterious surprised me much, but that did not take away from the flow the story at all or my connection to the character’s reaction to the uncovering of the villains and their deeds. I enjoyed the original characters.

Stevie Zimmerman was great, as always!

Sweet romance with a touch of mystery

What made the experience of listening to The Falmouth Connection the most enjoyable?

Stevie Zimmerman is one of my favorite narrators.

Any additional comments?

I loved The Falmouth Connection, the romance, the mystery I like stories in which Darcy has a rival. It was fun to follow his way of thinking, how he misinterpreted Lizzy's behavior and expressions, until he was forced to face the truth.

The book had great villains, some of them were a surprise. There is even a duel (sigh). Lizzy's aunt is such a colorful character, and her and her sister's story was heartbreaking. There are some unexpected pairings, but it worked for me. Great book, Joana!

Two People, Perfectly Matched

This flawless Pride and Prejudice variation spins a very different tale for our beloved Lizzy and Darcy! The day before Darcy makes his disastrous Hunsford proposal, he and Col Fitzwilliam visit the parsonage to find Lizzy has been summoned to Falmouth to meet a newly discovered great aunt. To Col Fitzwilliam's surprise, Darcy offers to convey Lizzy to join her family. Lizzy reluctantly agrees to travel with him, and Col Fitzwilliam joins them.

Confronted by Col Fitzwilliam about his intentions, Darcy reveals his plan to propose. He also reveals some of his speech, and Col Fitzwilliam is aghast at Darcy's litany of objections to Lizzy's family. Luckily, Col Fitzwilliam's censure causes Darcy to rethink some of his language. When the trip begins the next day, Darcy is desperate to find the perfect moment to propose, but he's foiled by weather, busy inns, and Lizzy's own unwillingness to spend time alone with him.

Lizzy is surprised to find Darcy a pleasant companion on the first part of the trip, joking, even flirting with her. For the first time she recognizes that he's handsome and desirable, and she can see why a man like Bingley would choose him for a friend. But when Darcy and Col Fitzwilliam deliver her to the inn where her family is staying, Col Fitzwilliam unwittingly reveals Darcy's role in separating Bingley from Jane. This revelation deeply wounds Jane. Lizzy is furious, and no amount of warm smiles will enable her to forgive Darcy. Desperate to right this wrong, Darcy sends for Bingley and sets out for Falmouth to find Lizzy and beg for forgiveness. It won't be that easy though, as Darcy first needs to locate the Bennets, after which he faces a new financial situation for the family, a titled rival for Lizzy's affections, and a villain from his past who appears to torment him again.


Joana Starnes is a master at pulling the reader right into the story and making them feel each emotion as the character feels it, joy, hope, affection, warmth, amusement, and fear, misery, rejection, or utter wretchedness. Darcy's passionate and all-consuming love for Lizzy is a roller coaster ride of emotions, and I rode those peaks and valleys with him. Starnes has the knack of showing the vulnerable side to Darcy, and while he may have said the word "ardently" in his canon proposal, Starnes makes the reader feel it. Lizzy's reaction is just as heartbreaking when she finally realizes the depth of Darcy's love for her, but knows she can't return it. My heart broke with hers, for him. Jane and Bingley's trials are just as emotional, and while many variations have their story as a pale shadow next to Darcy and Lizzy's, this variation shines a light on the intensity of their love.

When reading the original P&P, I always long for more interaction between the couples. The characters converse quietly off page so frequently, I just want the development of those moments. And that is what Starnes delivers. The dialogue and new scenes are so imaginative. The moment Lizzy and Darcy meet under cover of darkness in the garden, and share a passionate and magical interlude. Mrs. Bennet's designs to marry off her daughters, and Mr. Bennet's scheming to prevent it. And the moment when Lizzy realizes Darcy's feelings for her! Oh my goodness, indeed!

Stevie Zimmerman's narration is outstanding, her pleasant voice easily shifts between male and female voices and the narrative. Her male voices are believably male and her voice for Darcy is the perfect blend of intensity and vulnerability. I was provided a copy of the audiobook for an honest review, and audio with a British narrator is now my favorite way to experience P&P variations.

As I listened to this well-crafted story, Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca and Jamaica Inn came to mind, and I finally realized that this book is set in the same location. The setting is beautiful, and the wild, untamed country and shoreline provide a perfect backdrop for the emotions roiling in each character. It beats staid Hertfordshire to pieces. Over time, most P&P variations tend to blur together for me, but this one will stand out. With a fresh location, original storyline, and lovingly crafted happily ever after for our dear Bennet girls, it will be a frequent reread.

An Enjoyable Read.

Like many others, Pride and Prejudice is my absolutely favorite novel. It is enough to make one swoon. I have avoided reading/listening to any of the P & P variations for fear that they would not do justice to the original and taint the storyline, however, I finally took the plunge. This is the second variation of P & P that I've read by Joana Starnes and I must say she has not disappointed. The first, The Unthinkable Triangle, was so beautifully done, that I immediately sought out more titles by her. The stories pay homage to the original by incorporating some of the familiar, and memorable dialogue, albeit in different surroundings, and the main players, maintained the charcteristics as Austen imagined them, with pleasantly surprising outcomes, even as new players are introduced. Again narrated by Stevie Zimmerman, who does an exceptional job. No doubt I'll be seeking out more works by the author and the narrator. Well done. Capital!!!