Character and Countenance

A Pride and Prejudice Variation (Timeless Love: Darcy and Lizzy Variations)

De: MJ Stratton

Narrado por: Elizabeth Grace

Elizabeth Bennet has led a quiet life in Hertfordshire. Longbourn, her home since birth, hardly feels welcoming given the less-than-loving treatment bestowed by her stepmother, half-sisters, and more recently, her most beloved stepsister, Jane. With plans to partake in the season with their mother’s family, Elizabeth and Mary anticipate the moment when they can go where they are wanted. When three handsome gentlemen arrive, Elizabeth discovers that appearances are not everything, and a handsome face does not readily reveal the qualities—good or bad—that lie within.

Fitzwilliam Darcy did not come to Meryton to fall in love. Despite his best efforts, the beguiling sister of Bingley’s latest angel fascinates him, drawing him in with her fine eyes and pert opinions. Every natural feeling protests against uniting the Darcy name with someone so beneath him, and he flees Hertfordshire before he falls further under her spell. Fate has other plans, and despite his best efforts, Elizabeth is thrown in his path once more. But all is not as it seems, and when Elizabeth’s true circumstances are revealed, Mr. Darcy must decide if he can become a man worthy of her or lose her to another.

In this low-angst, sweet and clean Pride and Prejudice variation, Elizabeth’s fortunes and connections grant her a brighter future, and Darcy must endeavor to deserve her.

©2024 MJ Stratton (P)2025 Leah Pruett

Unique angle on a favorite trope.

This author is becoming a favorite. I have highly recommended all of her books I’ve read so far as I do with this one.

Bittersweet beginning, horrible next chapters with a bad stepmother. Some fortunate respites for Mr Bennet’s first daughters when they spend their summers with their mother’s relatives but the pay it when they go back home to Longbourn. Mr Bennet is repeatedly taken to task for being blind to the way Elizabeth and Mary are being treated. In this story he is not neglectful merely out of laziness and a self serving wry sense of humor. He’s in deep grief and mourning. The new Mrs Bennet brings Jane with her from a previous marriage and the three oldest girls try to stay friends with each other, regardless of Mrs Bennet’s intentions to separate them.

There is much of canon here but quite a few characters are completely different and this makes the story so much more interesting than a story that stays very close. I found myself really fascinated watching a completely different Mr Collins (but just as dense.) And a very unique Lady Catherine and Anne de Bourgh.

Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship goes through a lot of struggle and growth to get to their HEA. But I enjoyed most of that.

Jane and Bingley’s journey to eventual happiness was frought with a great deal of painful personal awareness of their mistakes. Jane had no one to talk to about her ugly experience in London, because Elizabeth and Mary were no longer very close. What a spiral down to unhappiness for her. She came off really bad at one point and then we find out some truths.

Believe it or not I have tried not to spoil the story, there’s so much more. Two of the characters that were not changed were made even worse and you’re gonna love what happened to them.

Great narrator, I love her voice. But I wish she would learn how to pronounce de trop. Smile. Highly recommend for JAFF readers and listeners.

Quite good

With the exception of the last hour, which honestly fell flat, I enjoyed this premise, the fun changes to Collins, and the relationship to Lady Catherine. I would definitely recommend i this.

An Elisabeth and Darcy love story with a twist.

Mary is accomplished and Jane is not ultra sweet. This was wonderfully read! I enjoyed this variation and the given surprises - enjoyable!
Lady Catherine is a joy, Collins is handsome, Caroline doesn’t learn while Bingley surprises.
I recommend reading and listening. The humor is aligned with P&P. ♥️

It’s a Hit!

I liked this story when I read it, and it only gets better in audio form. My favorite variations are those that differ greatly from canon, and this one does. Love a kind Lady C in any book, and the way she confronts Elizabeth at the end regarding an engagement to Darcy is a nice twist. (Kind of reminds me of the 1940 movie.) Nice performance by Elizabeth Grace.

BEST P&P Variation

I have listened to many a P&P variation and this is by far the best. Some variation in the characters personalities and this one makes you love Lady Catherine. The narrator does a great job with the story as well. Keeps you hooked from the beginning.