Doubt Not, Cousin

A Pride & Prejudice Variation

By: Barry S. Richman

Narrated by: Samuel James

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Darkness, in many forms, must be conquered to emerge into the light and embrace one’s happily ever after.

Fitzwilliam Darcy. Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.

Two cousins, closer than brothers.

One finds love despite his inner demons; the other resists love because of them.

Elizabeth Bennet. Kitty Bennet.

Two sisters, strengthened by adversity.

One willingly yields to love; the other pridefully misinterprets it.

An epic saga steeped in intrigue and gift-wrapped in romance, Doubt Not, Cousin chronicles the trials and tribulations of three extraordinary families during England’s Regency era.…

But who is the girl with the violet eyes?

**This book contains some violence and self-harm, none of which involves much-loved characters.**

©2023 Barry S. Richman (P)2024 Barry S. Richman

Epic Storyline

Be prepared to settle in and be taken on a journey that touches two generations of our well known characters. The beginning chapters are necessary to set the stage and are well worth your patience. Brava and well done!

quite a surprise!

I found this tricky to get into it first because of all the back history. however, it became very intriguing. congratulations to the author and his new Pursuit. hope we get another one from him while I'm still hooked on these.

Truly good book

This is a well-written, entertaining, and enjoyable book. The narrator was very good, and the author is quite talented.

I hope this author writes another Pride and Prejudice variation soon.

A Dark and Lovely Variation

The first thing I have to do is congratulate Barry S. Richman on writing a variation almost entirely from the male characters' perspective that is both truly unique and utterly engrossing. I could not put it down. Having read every variation I could get my hands on over the last 5 years, this one is a standout and original enough to sit firmly on top of the pile.

This story begins much farther back than the start of the original novel, focusing for quite some time on the generation of our main characters' parents. We meet younger versions of George Darcy, the Fitzwilliam siblings, and the Bennets. The inciting incident is dark and sets the tone for a story that canvases depravity, greed, betrayal, and family secrets.

The center of this novel is the bond between Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, following both of them from birth into the timeline of Austen's original story. This is a very different origin story for Darcy and a very different Colonel Fitzwilliam altogether, but it works. It is a beautiful picture of lifelong loyalty and a strong fraternal bond.

Some of the other reviews expressed dismay at the violence we see in Colonel Fitzwilliam through this novel. As a regular visitor to this genre, I can understand that view, but I found those scenes very appropriate to the story being told and I never felt it was gratuitous or excessive.

I find it difficult to say more without straying into spoiler territory, but I really have to encourage you to try this one. Richman has done something special here. Like all variations, he has changed key points of the story to facilitate a different telling, but Richman has changed many small things rather than one large thing, and it was all executed so well that I fell into it completely.

I would be remiss if I did not also praise Samuel James' narration. He is new to me, and he did a masterful job differentiating the voices without me even noticing. His voice is lovely and just melts away into the background. You truly can just get lost in the story.

I truly loved "Doubt Not, Cousin," and it will live on as one of my favorites in this little genre for a very long time.

A marvelous book!

I read this when first released and loved every word. Then I came across the audio version and purchased immediately! Fantastic narrative of an excellent story/variation by the most talented Samuel James. Pick this one up! You won't be disappointed. Completely unique variation and so wonderfully written.

Complex and challenging but so worth the effort

This book is not the usual sweet variation. It is an often painful and challenging read, yet there are lovely, tender romances - very different yet quite beautiful. I actually listened to the last few chapters twice to revel in the joy once i had finished the book.

The story is complex and fascinating. It reminded me of Bronte, because it requires work from the listener to get through the tough moments in order to move forward, All the dark parts of Jane Eyre and all the pain - it was worth the work to end with love. Doubt Not Cousin is equal to that ending.

The character development is bonkers good. Several generations of nefarious behavior concentrated in a titled family. It was a puzzle with pieces fitting into the story, but never all at once. There were many ah-ha moments when I suddenly had an answer to another secret. The back story of Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam and Fitzwilliam Darcy are so well developed - they are bonded cousins, devoted to one another.

This is Barry S. Richman's first novel. Remarkable. And Samuel James was a stunning narrator. Several times he sang as a female character. He did so many different voices which helped in identifying the various characters. The writing and the narration were some of the best I have ever enjoyed. I will add this book to my annual re-listen list.

The close relationship of the cousins.

What a beautiful and moving story with many layers that when brought together make a perfect ending. Do not miss this amazing story. The narrator was awesome and brought the story to life. Oh my gosh it was perfect.

very complex story, sometimes hard to follow

Loved the character development. They grew as the story developed.
The plot was excellent, though somethings could have been explained a little better. In some places it was to ambiguous. I love stories that make you think, laugh, and cry; this one delivered. Definitely a book you have to concentrate on.
Very satisfied with how the villains were dealt with, especially Wickham.

Fantastic!

The story and the narrator were superb! I read this story first before listening and it was better than my imagination conjured.

Unexpectedly intense

This book was much darker than my usual reads, but well worth the listen. I couldn't hit pause!