Darcy's Passions

Pride and Prejudice Retold Through His Eyes

By: Regina Jeffers

Narrated by: Andy Cresswell, Penny Scott-Andrews

Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Regency England speaks of love and romance when Darcy's Passions brings to life once again Jane Austen's classic love story. An interpretation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Darcy's Passions tells the story from Mr. Darcy's point of view.

When Fitzwilliam Darcy comes to Hertfordshire as a service to his best friend Charles Bingley, who has recently let the Netherfield Park estate, Darcy assumes the locals will possess "vulgar" country manners. So, when the opportunity arises, he refuses to dance with Elizabeth Bennet at the Meryton Assembly; however, from that moment, the woman's charms possess his every waking and sleeping minute. Obsessed with Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy places himself in a position to learn more about her while realizing his social status will not allow him to marry her. He manipulates Bingley and others in order to spend time with her. He tells himself Elizabeth Bennet is simply a "diversion" from the lack of society he finds in Hertfordshire.

However, if she is only a diversion, then why does he dream of her as mistress of his estate? Why does he seek her out as a friend for his shy, withdrawn sister? Why does he allow her to speak to him with a saucy attitude? Why can he not even breathe when she is in the room? Why does a raise of her eyebrow or an enigmatic smile or the smell of the lavender she wears create havoc with his emotions? His duty to his family and his estate demand he choose a woman of refined tastes. Yet, what his mind tells him he wants and what Darcy's heart knows he needs are two different things.

Darcy is a man in turmoil. He loves a woman he first denies as being worthy, but it is he who is found wanting when Elizabeth Bennet refuses his proposal of marriage because he does not conform to her standards of a "gentleman." Devastated, he must transform himself into the man she learns to love and respect.

©2009 Regina Jeffers (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

A fun version

Any additional comments?

I love Pride and Prejudice and have read it and listened to it many times. I also have watched many different movies versions of the book. I just cannot get enough of Elizabeth and Darcy. I usually shy away from imagined sequels by modern authors, but I gave this one a try. It was surprisingly good and I am so glad I bought it. There is nothing new, but just a different perspective and well written. Very interesting. The readers were also good.

Wonderful Addition

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. You know you have something good when you find yourself sitting in your car listening when you should be at work or doing errands but I was transfixed on Darcy. The author added some scenes but I didn't mind. Her depiction of Darcy was well developed and written. I loved Cresswell's voice ( one of the reasons I was hooked) and was disappointed he hasn't done much else ( in my genre of interest). I was also surprised at other negative reviews. I was hooked which is all that matters. Happy reading (listening!)

Great retelling, well thought out, but needs an editor

I like how every event and turn of Darcy’s mindset fit into the events of the original like a jigsaw piece, so in that way it’s quite entertaining. I loved Darcy’s characterization and change.

HOWEVER (and I suppose a better person would not be so bothered), there were a few instances of blatantly incorrect grammar in the writing, and once the word “ironic” was used to describe a coincidence and not an irony. Not sure how this got past an editor.

loved it!

such a fun retelling of one of my favorite classics! The gentleman that voices the narration nailed Mr. Darcy perfectly and I even loved his switching it up for the other character. the one thing that threw me off was the random female that would pop in to voice a few of the letters.

Through his eyes

This book is written from Fitzwilliam Darcy's point of view. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fan fiction and what if stories.

Wonderful!

I loved the narrator Andy Cresswell, he made an excellent voice of Darcy. I enjoyed the liberties taken with the story, exploring Darcy's innet thoughts and then extending the story past the wedding and showing some of Darcy and Elizabeth's marital bliss.

Good story but the narration is disturbing...

The narrator's voice drove me crazy. I'm sure if Colin Firth read this book, it would be wonderful!!! But he didn't and the terrible voice made me quit the book once for several weeks before going back to it...

I'm glad I did, as the story became more interesting and the last several chapters were sweet peeks into the Darcys' lives after the wedding...

I have bought the audiobook version of this sequel because it's a nicely paced book for listening to while I drive, cook and clean... I am looking forward to it!!

Darcy addicts: this one's for you

Where does Darcy's Passions rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 5, but only because I love Mr. Darcy, and this story is all about him. I alternate between this one and P&P constantly.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Darcy's Passions?

When he first realizes that he can't live without Elizabeth.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Andy Cresswell and Penny Scott-Andrews ?

Nope. Andy Cresswell was very non-exciting. Penny Scott-Andrews sounded like a robotic child. I'd LOVE to hear Colin Firth, as he is the ONLY Darcy.

Any additional comments?

This book is for the die-hard Darcy fans. It has its faults, as other reviewers have pointed out. Jane Austen didn't write it, so that explains a lot. But if you love the character of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and you need more of him, this book is for you. It is definately a look into his mind. There are some liberties taken with the story, but they don't bother me at all.

Parents: it isn't R-rated by any means, but it has a few mentions of their love life. I think it's tastefully done.

Mirror Image

What made the experience of listening to Darcy's Passions the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the author's research into major works of Jane Austen's novel from written word, TV and Cinema. Regina Jeffers took care in telling the story from a masculine point of view. One that is a fitting companion to Austen and the telling character of Darcy portrayed first by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation and Matthew Macfadyen's 2005 movie version for which she took care.

I often felt that Matthew's Mr. Darcy was so real and the acting of his inner turmoil entirely encompassing in his acting talents that are so acute, that to the point of a viewer; the subtly of the depth of the character portrayal could nearly be missed in a blink. I found it brilliant and have often gone back frame by frame to drink in each arch of a brow and nearly misperceived smirk, glance and adored admiration. Once you realize what you have as a viewer in front of you watching again and again is it's own guilty pleasure.

This book carries forward where we are left off to wonder. I did enjoy it.

What other book might you compare Darcy's Passions to and why?

Of the style of character development I would say, Persuasion comes close to the dynamics of the pair from Austen. However, I did find this work a harder read in flow and character differential.

What about Andy Cresswell and Penny Scott-Andrews ’s performance did you like?

The narrator's kept it lively and the voices varied enough as to not get confused as to who was speaking.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book did a good job in making me flush and blush as the characters did the telling of the passion had just enough heat that one tends to ache for such a depth of feeling in their own lives. It was well developed next step into the lives of this most unusual couple of the times.

Any additional comments?

Letting the mind wander through thoughts of devotion, love, misunderstanding of these characters a person can see where their own lives could be foiled by a similar circumstance in these modern times. I will be picking this book up again.

A Fascinating Insight into Mr. Darcy's Mind

Would you consider the audio edition of Darcy's Passions to be better than the print version?

With classical-style books, I generally prefer to listen to them than read them on my own. If I try to read them, I tend to get caught up on the word choice and lengthy sentences, which is so different than how we talk nowadays. I had the Kindle version to read along to, but I definitely preferred listening to it than reading it.

What about Andy Cresswell and Penny Scott-Andrews ’s performance did you like?

I thoroughly enjoyed Andy Cresswell and Penny Scott-Andrew's performances, because they drew me into the story; I was often lost in the telling, forgetting I was actually listening to a book and not participating in the Society of the time. I really enjoyed Penny Scott-Andrews reading Georgiana's letters.

Any additional comments?

What an interesting and insightful take on Pride and Prejudice! We know the classic tale, told from Elizabeth Bennet's point of view, and how that once one's pride and another's prejudice are put aside, love prevails. But what we lack from Jane Austen's novel is Mr. Darcy's take on all that occurred.

Regina Jeffers does an excellent job portraying the events within P&P and how they effect Mr. Darcy's side of things. We see everything from his point of view in Dary's Passions, more of Georgiana and the friends/family Darcy is close with, including his friendship with Charles Bingley and Darcy's actual feelings for Caroline Bingley. We see the process in which the man becomes the Mr. Darcy everyone loves (with its own little twists and extras and drama).

I thoroughly enjoyed this version. It felt true to Austen's original tale and even expanded beyond the conclusion to give a little aftertaste of what became of the Darcys after they found each other. The plot flowed, gave new exciting information, stayed true to historical expectations, and the drama was fun. I really, really loved it.

(At the beginning of this novel, Regina Jeffers states you don't have to have read Pride and Prejudice to understand and enjoy this version, which is true, from a literary stance, but I do highly recommend having experienced the original before delving into this one. It'll make this one all the more interesting and fun.)