Her Grace

A Pride and Prejudice Vagary

By: Shana Granderson A Lady

Narrated by: Karen Cass

Rather than protect their daughter like any good parent should, first Fanny and then Thomas Bennet push their sixteen-year-old daughter Elizabeth into a marriage with a much older man who happens to be a duke.

Fanny is seduced by the fact he is a duke, even if he is not interested in Jane, something she cannot believe at first, and his willingness to dower her remaining four daughters. For Bennet, when the Duke offers to break the entail on Longbourn after a certain condition is met, his half-hearted opposition to the match dissipates.

At first, Elizabeth refuses to marry the man and is adamant that even if dragged to the church she will never recite her vows. However, after a private meeting with the vile duke, she agrees. The question is why would she change her mind so drastically.

In that meeting, she demands certain clauses to be added to the marriage settlement. What are they and how do they change outcomes some had previously expected?

We explore why the Duke is looking for a wife outside of the ton in little market towns instead. We quickly see just how depraved the man is and why he is reviled by all in polite society. Is he the only villain in the tale?

Both Lady Anne and Robert Darcy are alive in this novel. Even with them both alive, their son manages to suffer from boot-in-mouth syndrome on more than one occasion, including when he meets Lizzy for the first time, who is still married to the Duke at that point. No, it is not at an assembly and there is not that insult delivered.

Including the much-loved Biggs and Johns, there are some non-canon characters featured in this story, as well as some new ones.

It is not an easy path for Lizzy to travel, but she is strong and intelligent, not to mention extremely protective of those she loves. We follow her to find out if she gets the HEA we all want for her. If she does, will it be with Fitzwilliam Darcy?

Join her to have these and many other questions answered.

This is a full-length romance featuring characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Intended for mature listeners.

©2023 Shana Granderson (P)2024 Podium Audio

Wonderful!

I have read almost all of Lady Granderson’s works and was waiting with bated breath for the first audio to be released. I was not disappointed. I can’t wait till more are released.

A Bit Harsh

There was very little in the way of gray areas. The bad guys were demons and the good guys were perfect. All the good guys got happy ending and the bad guys got the worst of all endings. I found the absolute demonization of the Bennet parents to be unbelievable and over the top. There was zero forgiveness. Considering this was a time period when it was common practice to marry your daughters to men who could bring the most fortune to the family. I suspect that the community would not have turned their backs on the parents. There would have been more sadness at their demise.

A Good Yarn

This vagary has Elizabeth forced to marry a duke who is older than her father. She refuses, but he threatens to take Jane instead, so she accepts in order to save her sister. I found this multi-trope read a little over the top often, stretching my belief, but it held my interest. I really enjoyed this new-to-me narrator, Karen Cass. Excellent performance.

If I never hear the word averred again it will be too soon.

The Narrator did well with bringing the characters to life. The main issue I had with the story which brought me out of it was abusing the frequency of the word ‘averred’. I have never in all my life or reading seen or heard this word used so incessantly. It got to the point where it wasn’t just annoying but completely distracting. The story was good especially for a vagary. And I quite enjoyed the Wickham role.

Lizzy a Duchess!!

I have grown to really like the Jane Austen P&P variations by this author. Did I think they might have been a tad too hard on the Bennets and find it hard to believe Jane wouldn't have forgiven her parents - yes, but overall still a great story.

I usually can't stand the Wickam character so his redemption felt realistic and earned.

Caroline Bingley's comeuppance was quick, which I like because having her being just as delusional as Lady Catherine is tiring.

If you enjoy a much younger feistier Lizzy pitted up against a vile and corpulent sexagenarian then you will enjoy this variation.