Thwarted

A Darcy and Elizabeth Pride and Prejudice Variation

De: MJ Stratton

Narrado por: Harry Frost

Mr. Darcy is unmarriageable. Every time he shows any interest in a lady, be it casual or serious, the lady disappears or has disaster befall her. Soon, society spreads gossip that he is cursed, and mamas and daughters alike shun his company.

Some unknown nemesis keeps the rumors alive, and soon, he suspects he will never find happiness until he discovers who wants him ruined.

In Meryton, a humbled Mr. Darcy finds himself drawn to a local beauty. Ever cautious that the villain behind his misfortune is watching, he takes great pains to keep his courtship a secret. He disguises his intentions by showing equal attention to all the ladies and being amiable to everyone.

When an old enemy arrives in Meryton unexpectedly, Darcy is instantly wary and works even harder to keep his relationship with Elizabeth from being widely known. Will he ever be free to marry and love her openly, or is his love doomed to be thwarted?

Thwarted can be considered far-fetched, but it was fun to write, nonetheless.

©2024 MJ Stratton (P)2025 MJ Stratton

A fantastic combo!

I had read this story when it first came out, but absolutely adore the audiobook version, with Harry Frost's bringing it all to life.

The opening chapters set the stage of strings being pulled to ruin Darcy's life. When he finally seeks refuge at Netherfield, he is practically a leper, as far as Society is concerned. Not even Caroline Bingley wants him. Due to his troubles, he decides to make a break from the Society that abandoned him. This brings him to Meryton, with a mind open to the idea of a country gentlewoman. Duty was no longer a factor; he would seek his happiness! The courtship is darling, and aside from Mr Bennet, no one knows.

Without giving more away, I will say I was surprised at the identity of the nefarious shadow in the background and 2 characters get their just desserts, in a creative way!

Between this engaging book and the fabulous narration, this is a winning combo to listen to.

I won this audiobook in a contest, with no expectation of a review, and I am leaving my honest opinion.

Clever mystery!

Thoroughly thrilled to see Harry Frost’s bring MJ Stratton’s first audiobook to life with his always-outstanding performance. Well done, Harry! I hope this will just be the first of this talented author’s books become available on audio. This one brings a very sweet declaration of love leading to a secret courtship and engagement, and a clever mystery.

A wonderful variation!

I wholeheartedly recommend this Pride and Prejudice variation! It was a perfect length as I don’t like stories that drag on and on and on. This narrator is wonderful, too!

Darcy proves himself

from my original review of the book:
4 1/2 stars rounded up
Someone is out to make Darcy’s life miserable and the fallout to those around him can be devastating. It takes time for Darcy to see the truth and realize that he needs to approach things differently. This change along with the truth of his situation goes a long way to make him a more agreeable man. This is a Darcy who will do anything for people he loves including Elizabeth. I enjoyed how Mr Bennet understands the situation and facilitated a secret courtship. It was also fun to see how Bingley‘s sisters absolutely believed the gossip about Darcy thus Miss Bingley was not fawning over him the entire book. Quite enjoyable. I loved seeing Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love with each other. This is a story that I will read again.

Now for the audiobook: Harry Frost does it again! He is one of my favorite JAFF narrators and truly brings the story to life. I read this last year but got the audiobook as soon as it was released. His narration make any story better!!

Engaging P&P Variation if a bit Unlikely

Drama and Romance with a little mystery. Unusual story idea that makes one want to see what happens next. Excellent narration by Harry Frost.

Very good

I enjoyed the ending. A very good variation with an excellent narrator. I'm only now getting into this author's work and I thoroughly recommend it.

Imaginative Storyline

This was an imaginative story with a wonderful twist. If I could give this more than five stars I would. Harry Frost is magnificent with the narration. This is now on my very favorites list.

Loved this JAFF Variation!

The writer is a skilled writer and the story is engaging. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The characters were likable and it was fun following them through the story.