Netherfield's Duchess: Book 1

By: Victoria Lynn

Narrated by: Liz Christensen

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Book one of two

After the death of her spouse, the Dowager Duchess of Felton takes up residence in her property, Netherfield Park. Having met the Bennets on her previous visit to the estate, Lady Felton decides that taking an interest in Mr. Bennet's older daughters will help give her some purpose and distraction from her personal grief.

Arriving with her guest, Anne de Bourgh, and her godson, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, the duchess soon fills up her guest rooms with the Bingleys, the Hursts ,and Mr. Darcy, and his ward and younger sibling Georgiana. Her guests, the Bennets, Mr. Collins, and the newly arrived militia all combine for matchmaking, madness, and matrimony in this Pride and Prejudice variation.

©2021 Vicki Budukiewicz (P)2021 Vicki Budukiewicz

Good story…

I liked the story. I just wish the narrative was in a lower register. The volume of the narrator was so high pitched I had to turn it lower then normal to listen.

Interesting twist on an old favorite

Pay attention! The characters are all there, but the story has a whole new look. It’s fun to think of the “what if’s” in this book and to see how everything turns out when the story is all upside down. This is a two book story, so if you don’t get the second book you will never know the rest of the story. Clean, fun and imaginative.
The reader has a unique voice, so I would suggest a sample reading before you purchase. She does a good interpretation for each character.

Great story to read

I do not want to offend the person performing this story but her voice is not right for this story, it is very high, bubbly and joyful. This is a serious story and to have such a bubbly voice describing serious or dangerous scenes seriously distracted me. I noticed at chapter 29 the voice no longer bothered me and i was able to enjoy the rest of the book and volume two. I probably would not recommend these two books as most people would not continue listening until growing accustomed to the grating sound.

3.5 Rounded up

This is one of the more fanciful variations that hinges upon a deus ex machina in the form of a friendly neighborhood rich lady. Nothing we haven’t seen before, though I will say I found the path of Lydia and Mr Collins to be interesting. So, points for that (also for how they progress in book 2)

As for the narration, I had to speed it up to 1.5x to make for a more palatable listen. I thought the narrator did a pretty good impression of how the Mrs. Bennet and Lydia characters were portrayed in the 1995 film series adaptation. The rest of the characters in general are read with what might be called ‘theater kid energy’ (lots of enthusiasm and intonation). I prefer a more even tones, so not quite my cup of tea.

Clean Austen Fan Fiction

I didn't realize when I started that Book 1 meant this is a two part continuation story as opposed to stand alone books in a series. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers but it did stop at a good place.

In P&P the main focus on the story is Elizabeth and Darcy. There are many other subplots but the focus is still Elizabeth. In this fanfiction, the subplots are there but the focus is on the Duchess and how she is involved with each one so Elizabeth is no longer the focus except as a subplot. It helps make all the sisters as important as Lizzy.

I enjoyed that characters that are on the inept side or minimal characters got changed up in this story. I loved that Mr. Bennet stepped up to lead his family more effectively and that Mary and Kitty have bigger roles in the book. I don't always appreciate when people marry the "wrong" person in JAFF but I rather enjoyed the alternative match-ups in this book. I love the Duchess and her ability to handle situations so well. I feel like by the end of book 2, everyone will be matched up for their happily-ever-afters and it will be thanks to the Duchess. The author creatively uses events from canon to bring about a different outcome and they work.

I listened to this audiobook and had mixed feelings about the narrator. I feel like she did a wonderful job with some of the characters. She nailed Mrs. Bennet. But I didn't love all the characterizations. I was reminded too much of Glinda the Good Witch some of the time.

Since this was part 1 of 2 there is much left to be resolved and I wonder what paths will be followed to get to the final resolve. While I would have preferred to have it all in one book I could live with this one being in two parts simply because of the place the author chose to pause the story.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: no
* I received a complementary audiobook and voluntarily chose to review it.

Delightful!

What a absolutely delightful variation on Pride and Prejudice!! New twists and turns to the development of the story, can't wait to hear book 2. The only suggestion I could possibly make is that if the reader had put slightly less energy into the narration then the characters spoken parts would really come to life even more.

Reader is NOT my cup of tea!

The story is good and I actually liked it a lot but the voice was almost like nails on a chalkboard. I don't usually say things like this but I read the book rather than listen to her. I'm letting Alexa read the second half. Wish I could get my money back!!!!