The Courtship of Edward Gardiner

A Pride and Prejudice Prequel

By: Nicole Clarkston

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Every great love has a beginning. In Austen's Pride and Prejudice, we meet with perhaps the most sensible, caring relatives a lovelorn young woman could hope for: Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. What is their story?

Edward Gardiner has just been refused by the lovely young woman he had intended to make his wife. Heartbroken and eager for a diversion, he accepts an invitation from his brother-in-law, Thomas Bennet, to accompany him along with his two eldest daughters to the north on family business. Gardiner's pleasure tour is interrupted, however, when his eldest niece falls ill and is unable to travel farther.

Stopping over in the scarcely remarkable village of Lambton, the men decide that Bennet must continue on, while Gardiner and the children remain. The only trouble is that Gardiner has not the least idea how he should care for one ailing niece and another who is ready to drive him to distraction...until he meets with Madeline Fairbanks.

©2016 Nicole Clarkston (P)2017 Nicole Clarkston

A Wonderful Story!

It was wonderful hearing the backstory of Mr. and Mrs. Gardener as it helps us understand how they became the loving couple we see in most JAFF.

Their story is as romantic as you’d expect and the voice artistry of Stevie Zimmerman is perfect (as usual)!

Lovely story

Such a great Jaff story. And it is about ODC as children as well. Loved it. Great Jaff.

A wonderful story for an underrated Austen couple

The Gardiner's and all their sense are such a breath of fresh air when you read P&P. Though we love the comedy, drama, and hijinks of the Bennet's, the Gardiner's are a lighthouse for the two eldest Bennet girls-- real, respectable people with sound minds and opinions they can fall back on. Even in their limited time in the original novel, they are obviously very much in love and have the strongest marriage out of any characters we meet. It's lovely to see how they could have come together in this prequel! It's also very charming to see a young Jane and Lizzie-- in a way, the precocious Lydia could have been like Lizzie as well, if her father and mother had spent the same amount of time educating her. They definitely share a wild spirit, if not the same interests, in their youth. You can even see the beginnings of Madeline's influence on the girl.

Stevie is always a joy to listen to and this book is no exception. Very nice prequel!

The Gardeners

Here we get a glimpse at a different courtship from Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. Edward Gardener must remain in the town of Lampton while a very young Jane Bennet recovers from an illness. There he meets Miss Madeleine Fairbanks and the story grows more delightful with every turn of the page!

A delightful prequel to P&P

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This audiobook is as much about the courtship of Edward Gardener as it is about young Darcy, Elizabeth, Bingley and Jane. Their interactions play out in delightful ways that are at once familiar and fresh. Nicole is particularly good at getting into the psyche of our beloved characters as children and teengers. I particularly enjoyed the young Darcy POV. This book is witty, charming and sweet - it is like a light summer breeze.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Courtship of Edward Gardiner?

Young Lizzy and Young Darcy have a battle of wits and wills over a game of chess. Mr. Bennet is at his witty best with Lady Catherine. We get some insight into Darcy's relationship with his father., and why he is a good master and a great brother.

What does Stevie Zimmerman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Stevie is angelic as young Jane and Lizzy and so on-point as the dramatic Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A Pride and Prejudice Preunion (Sorry, couldn't help it.)

So sweet and romantic!

I couldn’t stop listening to Edward and Madeline’s love story! It was so sweet and romantic! And such a lovely performance by Stevie Zimmerman, it was like finding missing friends during the story, as we learned about Edward and Madeline, through the story and the story-telling of Stevie!
Loved that Lizzie and Darcy had met as children, and that Charles Bingley also made an appearance early on in the lives of Jane and Lizzie and Darcy, and of course that it was Madeline and Edward that helped unite the couples!