Enduring Connexions

A Pride and Prejudice Variation (Unabridged)

By: J Marie Croft

Narrated by: Jack Jacobs

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest" (William Shakespeare)

When Fitzwilliam Darcy is betrayed by love at the age of 23, he vows that never again will he allow a woman to own his heart. Never again will he be made a fool. Never again will he trust. His heart and pride will be spared from another crippling blow, no matter what.

Four years later, his resolve is put to the test. Elizabeth Bennet is vivacious and beautiful, but she has family connection which make her unsuitable for him. Her immediate family is vulgar, and her relations are involved in trade. Worst of all, she has an elder sister, Jane, who is nearly a twin of the woman who broke his heart and shattered his trust. Yet, despite his reservations, Darcy’s growing affection for Elizabeth is impossible to deny or resist.

Alas, just as Darcy begins to allow the walls around his heart to crumble, a dark secret from someone else’s past comes to light and threatens the stability of the Bennet family’s very foundations. A connection Darcy could never have imagined will have a potentially devastating impact on the Bennets and on his and Elizabeth’s burgeoning love. If Darcy wants Elizabeth in his life, he and the Bennets must learn to forgive and accept that which cannot be changed.

©2023 J Marie Croft (P)2023 Quills & Quartos Publishing

Narration took away from the story

Good story but the narrative portrayal of Darcy and Elizabeth was distracting. Even as there characters evolved, Darcy still sounded haughty and sexually desperate while Elizabeth sounded vapid and shallow. It didn’t mesh.

THIS IS SATIRE!

I dislike that it was not clearly stated that this is a farcical rendition of the genre! I want my credit back!

Goodish

I love this book, but the voice actor reads everything at the same fast pace. He has a beautiful voice - I just needed him to slow down and add more emotion and depth to the characters.

Loved it

Very interesting story. A story that started long ago and connected our couple in a way that took my by surprise. Great writing and fun. Great narration as well. Great Jaff.

Not my favorite but mostly enjoyable overall

I'm not sure how helpful my review will be for anyone on the fence about listening to this audiobook. But I HAD to submit it, based on my impression of a particular characteristic.

Generally, it was an interesting premise. I neither loved nor hated it. I might listen to it again in the future, I might not.

The thing that stood out the most for me was the narrator. His natural voice was pleasant but I didn't enjoy his character voices very much, especially for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. His Elizabeth voice made her sound the way many narrators make Lydia sound.
And Mr. Darcy... it took me a while to figure out who his Darcy voice reminded me of and then it finally came to me. It's Stewie from Family Guy. Once I came to that realization, I couldn't stop giggling every time he spoke, lol.
Honestly... it made the story more enjoyable for me so there you have it. My two cents.

Elizabeth needs a spanking

Sometimes Elizabeth is portrayed as a snarky know it all - as she definitely was in this book. Darcy goes to Netherfield with Bingley. Four years earlier Darcy was rejected/betrayed by a woman he thought he loved. It really did a number on him. While at Netherfield he sees Elizabeth and is intrigued by her. He also sees Jane and is knocked for a major loop (and not a good one) because she looks exactly like the woman who rejected him four years ago. There is a reason for that. The rest of the story is about Elizabeth and Darcy working toward a courtship. In this particular book I wish Darcy had just left Elizabeth and gone on about his life. I did not think she was worth the aggravation I also did not like that the Wickham story line was not completed. He just disappeared and that was it. This book was just not terribly interesting and seemed as if the author was not very experienced. The narrator is a man, but he is amazing at doing female voices.