Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop – Giveaway Winner & Books on Sale

Good afternoon everyone,

I hope you’re having a good week and that it gets better with the news I have to share today 🙂

Summer Hanford visited From Pemberley to Milton this month to share with you an excerpt of her recently released Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop, and she brough with her a giveaway, so today it’s my turn to thank her for her generousity and to announce who the winner is 🙂

Thank you so much for visiting Summer! And for offering this giveaway, I am sure the lucky winner will be thrilled to have a chance to read this book 🙂

Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop

*** glyniswhitelegg***

Glynis, can you please let me know if you prefer the ebook or paperback copy so I may send the information to Summer?

Also as I was looking at amazon I realized several books were on sale so I figured I might as well share my findings with you on this post too🙂 Some of them are mash ups, and I know people participating in our JAFF BINGO are having a difficult time choosing which mash up to read, so you might as well try these freebies 🙂

Jane Austen Fan Fiction FREEBIES

Cinders in Service – Currently FREE

Book Blurb:

Lizzy is halfway to settled into a career in service, now. But there are yet more surprises awaiting her – notably regarding Mr Darcy… And then there’s the question of the ball at Meryton…

A Natural Daugher – Currently FREE

Book Blurb:

Fanny Price is a by-blow and a servant – a ladies’ maid. When landed gentleman Henry Crawford pursues her, she knows better than to encourage him. No matter how attractive he is… Her heart aches, though. And her chances in life are strictly limited.

At least, until she’s adopted into the aristocracy… The de Bourghs are rich and powerful, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh is the relict of Fanny’s biological father.

And aunt to Mr Darcy…

When Fanny becomes friends with Elizabeth Bennet is when things really become complicated…

A Respectful Ocupation – Currently FREE

Book Blurb:

The Bennets are on the rocks financially, since Mr Bennet has been a little too venturesome with his investments. Elizabeth is set on becoming a housemaid at Netherfield Hall, to keep the wolf from the door. (And Mrs Bennet is set on the idea, too.)
Jane, however, is very much against the plan. Never mind Jane, though, sweetly ineffectual as she may be: determined virago, and spinster of Longbourn parish Charlotte Lucas has things to say about this preposterous hare-brained scheme. Quite a lot of things, actually…

Jane Austen Fan Fiction on Sale for 0,99$

Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment – Currently at 0,99$

Book Blurb:

In a Regency England where magic and faeries are real…
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a powerful magician who controls fire, water, and wind. What he cannot control is his growing attraction to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth’s sentiments towards Darcy are quite different. She detests his arrogance, and she fears he will expose her use of forbidden magic – forbidden to women, that is. He is the last man in the world she would choose to help her on a difficult and dangerous task.
But when a magical war looms between the land of Faerie and their world, a Lord of Faerie demands that Darcy and Elizabeth serve together as his emissaries to make peace with the other mortals. That mission throws them into the middle of a chaotic power struggle between magicians whose power dwarfs their own, and everything Elizabeth has ever believed about her family, her friends, and her enemies will be called into question.

Mr. Darcy’s Discovery – Currently at 0,99$

Book Blurb:

“Accident only could discover to Mr. Bingley her sister’s being in town” -Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 26 An accident outside Mr Darcy’s London house leaves Elizabeth in need of assistance. Her stay at Mr Darcy’s house leads to Mr Bingley discovering that Jane is in town. It also leads Mr Darcy to discover that he cannot live without Elizabeth.

A New Mamma for Miss Darcy – Currently at 0,99$

Book Blurb:

A sweet, angst-free story with a shy Mr Darcy. It takes place five years after Pride and Prejudice, in a world where he did not meet Elizabeth in Hertfordshire.
After losing his wife, the former Anne de Bourgh, Mr Darcy decides he must marry again. He believes that Miss Barchester will make a suitable new mamma for his sad little daughter, Annie. But after meeting Elizabeth at Rosings, Annie has other ideas . . .

Happy Reading everyone!

From Pemberley to Milton’s 2024 BINGO – Rules & Suggestions

Good afternoon everyone,

This year I decided to organize a fun JAFF BINGO game to allow people in our community to hopefully have some fun and get inspired to read books they wouldn’t normally choose. 

The idea is to have a BINGO card with different categories and checking them all by the end of the year, but if some of us are not able to fill out our BINGO cards, there is no problem at all, this is only an initiative for us to have some fun together!

However, I am offering one eBook to a winner at the end of the year (the one with the most interesting filled BINGO card), so only people with filled cards who have participated every month will be able to apply, so if you want in on the giveaway, check out the following rules:

1. I’ll send on a monthly basis an email to all participants (the ones that sent me an email saying they wanted to participate) asking which books you’ve read that month that are to be added to your card. You need to tell me the name of the book, author and category it needs to be added. 
2. For a book to be considered it needs to be the first time you read it. Re-reads don’t count.
3. Once a book is added to your card you cannot change its place to change the category.
4. Everyone participating is entitled to a blank card, meaning, you can mark one category of your choice as read until the end of the year (for example, if you don’t listen to audiobooks, you can use the blank card on the audiobook category).
5. I’ll share everyone’s cards every month for us to have fun and maybe get inspired by other readers, so just relax, read and enjoy this 😊

The idea behind this BINGO is to allow people to discover new books to read and to get inspired by other people’s reading cards. I personally like searching for books to read as much as I like reading them, so I don’t want to give you too many suggestions because I want to be surprised with your choices and see how diverse our cards can be, but some people did request suggestions for specific categories, so here are a  few options in case you haven’t chosen which book to read yet. Please do not feel like you have to read these books, on the contrary, these are just some suggestions for those who are not inspired to find books in a specific category, but variety is much welcomed as I want to get some tips from you too 🙂

 

Different Era    

Mr. Darcy’s Mail Order Bride by J. Dawn King – Placed in 1869

The Darcy’s Hope Saga by Ginger Monette – Placed in 1940’s

Undeceived by Karen M. Cox – Placed in 1980’s

 

Fantasy   

 

Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment by Abigail Reynolds – Magicians & Faerie land

Disenchanted by Kara Pleasants – Wizzards & Spells

Dangerous Magic by Monica Fairview – Mages & Magic Schools

 

Trapped Together          

The Journey by Jan Hahn – Abducted and trapped together at a cabin

Lost & Found by Christie Capps – Trapped in a library passageway 

Alone with Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds – Trapped in a cottage

 

Short Story       

 

The Adventures of Miss Anne the Bourgh of Rosings by Summer Hanford

Holiday Machinations by Elizabeth Adams

Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Present by Alexa Adams

 

Christmas story              

Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Letters by Melanie Rachel

‘This the Season – Anthology

Yuletide – Anthology

 

Mystery     

 

Accusing Elizabeth by Jennifer Joy

Death of A Clergyman by Riana Everly

The Netherfield Affair by Penelope Swan

 

Released in 2024           

By Duty Bound by Michelle Ray

Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop by Summer Hanford

With Love Mr. Darcy – Anthology

 

Persuasion Inspired      

Persuaded to Sail by Jack Caldwell

Never Inconstant by Lyndsay Constable

Captive Hearts by Kelly Miller

 

Released last century 

Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding – First released in 1996

Darcy’s Story by Janet Aymer – First released in 1999

The Bar Sinister by Linda Berdoll – First released in 1999

 

Forced Marriage

Spellbound at Pemberley by Abilgail Reynolds

An Arranged Marriage by Jan Hahn

Twists of Fate by Joana Starnes

 

Blue Cover          

In Essentials by Helen Williams

Sanctuary Cat Andrews

A Wound Deeper Than Pride by Ali Scott

 

Paranormal      

Haunting Mr. Darcy by KaraLynne Mackrory

Vampire Darcy’s Desire by Regina Jeffers

The 26th of November by Elizabeth Adams

 

Mash Up      

 

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

The Subsequent Proposal by Joana Starnes

Outmatched by Jayne Bamber

 

 

Secondary Character  

When Mary Met the Colonel by Victoria Kincaid

Back to the Bonnet by Jennifer Duke

Reckless, Headstrong Girl by Grace Gibson

 

Love Triangle   

The Unthinkable Triangle by Joana Starnes

Pride & Proposals by Victoria Kincaid

Mr. Darcy’s Rival by Kara Louise

 

Mr. Darcy is not British

President Darcy by Victoria Kincaid – Mr. Darcy is American

Veni Vidi Vicious by Elin Ericksen – Mr. Darcy is a Viking from Norway

Headstrong by Melanie Rachel – Mr. Darcy is American

 

Modernization 

Green Card by Elizabeth Adams

My BFF by Ruth Phillips Oakland

A Searing Acquaintance by Jan Ashton

I’ll publish the participants first BINGO cards later this week, and I hope to see you here to discuss what you’ve read and also what otehr people who are participating have inspired you to read in the future, until then, Happy Readings!

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The Second Ending by Riana Everly – Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I’m happy to say that Riana Everly is back at From Pemberley to Milton to bring you a guest post and excerpt of The Second Ending, the third book in the Austen Echos series, and probably the one I am most excited about because it is a Modern Persuasion story! As you know this is my second favorite Austen book and I am very curious to see how Riana Everly will explore the narrative, especially after having read and loved Preludes. In case you don’t know it, Preludes is also a Persuasion modernization that happens to have a musical background, so I am curious to see the differences between these two books 🙂

Have you read any book of the Austen Echos series yet? Are you as excited about The Second Ending as I am? If you are, don’t forget to leave a comment on this post and apply to the giveaway the author is offering 🙂

Thank you so much for visiting Riana, it is a pleasure to have you here!

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Thank you so much for giving me the spotlight today as I hop around a little blog tour for my newest release, The Second Ending. This is the third and final book in a series of contemporary Austen retellings, published by Romance Café Publishers. The series, Austen Echoes, revolves around the romantic lives of the members of a Canadian concert choir called the Eglinton Echoes. The first book is inspired by Pride and Prejudice, the second by Emma, and this one by Persuasion, my favourite of Austen’s novels.

The premise behind Persuasion, in its simplest terms, is that a young woman was persuaded to break her engagement to a man who was deemed unsuitable.  This overly-basic synopsis still opens the door to a whole lot of questions.

Who persuaded her? Why was the man unacceptable? Who decided that? Why did the woman allow herself to be persuaded? And there are more questions still, but let’s keep things from getting too academic.

I could get into details, but again, I’ll keep it simple. All these questions revolve around family and friends. It’s Lady Russell, Anne’s godmother, who persuades her (rightly or wrongly) to dump Frederick Wentworth. Frederick was too poor and with no prospects, and hence was deemed unacceptable to Anne’s rather snobbish family, who never even met him. Anne was young and willing to be guided by Lady Russell, despite her deep love for the man. These events, all of which happen long before the book begins, are really the actions of others, and Anne, the protagonist, is carried along by them. She makes almost no decisions of her own at this point, being guided almost entirely by the wills of others, her friends and family.

The Second Ending is, as I said, a modern take on Persuasion. It’s not a strict retelling, but rather, a story inspired by Austen’s beautiful novel. As such, I’ve shifted and changed a few things to keep the story more concise, as well as to bring it into line with the modern world. But family and friends are still key to the tale.

Lady Russell is gone; Anne’s family are moved into her place. There is no Mrs Smith, Anne’s old school friend, but I’ve created new characters who fill that same function in this story. You get the idea. Here’s a quick rundown on a few of the family and friends who you’ll meet in The Second Ending.

Masako – She’s a member of the Eglinton Echoes, Ashleigh’s choir. (Ashleigh is my modern incarnation of Anne Elliot). She sings alto, runs a business, and one of her projects brings Ashleigh and Marcus (my modern Frederick Wentworth) together after eight years apart. She stands in for Admiral and Mrs Croft.

Liora – She is probably Ashleigh’s closest friend from law school, and Ashleigh’s sounding board and confidante. Spunky and confident, she’s a bit of a blend of Mrs Croft and Mrs Smith, Anne Elliot’s old school friend, since she knows people who know people… She also provides wine and chocolate. She’s good people.

Sebastian – What’s a romance without a handsome and charming rival to the hero? Throw in common acquaintances and being able to flirt in Spanish, and you can imagine Ashleigh’s eyebrows rising in interest! Meet Sebastian, a city planner with plans of his own! Who is he? Mr Elliot, of course! 

Walter Lynch – He’s Ashleigh’s dad, and he steps into Lady Russell’s role a bit. Like Sir Walter in Persuasion, he’s rich, but not as rich as he wishes, and has, ahem, expectations of his children. Ashleigh’s mom isn’t much better, and as for her sister… the eyes roll.

Cameo roles – Because The Second Ending takes place in the same world as the other two books in this series, you’ll meet some of those main characters again, but now in supporting roles. Emma and Gordon (my Mr Knightley) play important parts in this novel, and Elise and Will (Elizabeth and Darcy) get more than a moment in the spotlight as well. You know you want to see how they’re doing!

There are, of course, plenty of other characters who flit around the edges of this novel. Who is your favourite? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you’d like to meet Liora for yourself, read on. Here’s an excerpt from The Second Ending: A Modern Austen Persuasion Improvisation.

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Unwelcome flecks of wet snow dripped from a slate-grey sky, leaving their ugly tracks down the coffee shop window, as Ashleigh and Liora tried most desperately to ignore them.

“Nope, it’s not snowing. It’s only December 3rd. I won’t allow it. I’ll sue!” Liora laughed at her joke.

“I don’t see any snow. And I’ll help with the case. Ugh, it’s awful out there. I think I need another cup of tea. My treat this time, really.”

She went to make her order and returned shortly with a laden tray.

“So,” Liora levelled her eyes at her over the steaming cups, “you’ve been writing to him? What is this? A historical romance? Are you afraid your father will find out and forbid the relationship?”

Ouch. That hit a bit close to home. But it wasn’t Liora’s fault; she didn’t know the whole story. No one did. 

“Something like that,” Ashleigh mumbled. “But really, it’s been good. When you’re not staring at each other and remembering all the things that went wrong, you can get past some of the bitterness. He was pretty cold when we first saw each other again, but I get the feeling he’s really trying to be nice. He’s a good guy. It’s a pity…”

“A pity? What?” Liora’s brows rose.

“No, nothing. Just a pity we didn’t work out.” Ashleigh paused. “I get the feeling he hasn’t had another serious relationship since we broke up.”

“And you have?” 

Ashleigh muttered something else into her tea. “I’ve been busy. Work, and choir, and my time in South America…”

“What about this new guy you’ve mentioned? Sebastian, right? I still need to ask my friend about him. I keep forgetting.”

Ashleigh brushed the idea away with a sweep of her hand. “No, don’t worry about it. I’m sure there’s nothing he can tell me that I don’t know. Sebastian is a lot of fun. We’ve only managed to get together a couple of times, but he’s so interesting. It turns out we know some people in common, from my connections with the university where I took that course.”

Liora looked even more interested. “And the two of you…?” She waggled those expressive brows.

“No! Nothing of the sort. At least, not so far. Every time we make plans, something seems to come up for one of us. I’ve had a lot of work come across my desk recently, and he’s had his own obligations. Some conferences he’s been planning, or something. As I said, we’ve both been too busy to really spend a lot of time together and get to know each other. And then…”

“And then there’s Marcus, right?” Liora always was far too perceptive for anyone’s good. “There’s something you’re not telling. One of these days, you need to spill the whole story about the two of you. You’ve given me the point form version, but I know there’s stuff you’re keeping. Hey, it’s okay, Ash. These things can hurt. Even after all this time. But when you’re ready, you know I’m here. I’ll even supply the chocolate.”

She forced a grin. “Yeah, I know. One day. It’s funny. Now that Marcus and I are talking again, even just through these emails, it’s a bit easier to think about what happened. I don’t need to keep it all locked away anymore. Just give me a bit more time. And I’m holding you to that promise about chocolate.”

Liora raised her mug in a mock toast. “I’ve got you, girlfriend!”

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The last person Eglinton Echoes member Ashleigh Lynch expected to see across the table from her was her ex, Marcus Fredericks. Eight years ago when they were in love, she was a law student and he was a construction worker, not nearly good enough for her elitist family. But times have changed. Now she’s a lawyer, and he owns the development company threatening the playing fields she’s been engaged to protect.

Her family managed to crush her dreams and her confidence back then, and seeing Marcus again has rocked her to the core. But as talks over the playing fields continue, they are forced to confront each other again and again, and even the hardest hearts aren’t always impervious to old, tender feelings.

But rekindling their romance won’t be easy. They are on different sides of a dispute, and Ashleigh has caught the eye of a charming guy from the city’s planning department. When the development project is threatened and Ashleigh discovers who her real enemy is, her very world begins to crumble around her, and not even her precious music is safe. Can she find the inner strength to deal, at last, with an old threat and reclaim the happiness that was ripped away from her eight years ago?

This musical reimagining of Jane Austen’s beloved Persuasion will have you cheering the characters on, pulling you into their world and into their hearts.

.You can find The Second Ending at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited

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Born in South Africa, award-winning author Riana Everly has called Canada home since she was eight years old. She proudly boasts one husband, two grown(ish) children, three degrees, four recordings, five instruments (of varying proficiencies), six languages (also of varying proficiencies), and ten novels (and growing). She also can’t count very well.

When not indulging her passion for Jane Austen, Riana loves cooking, travel, and photography. She’s a historian and trained classical musician, specialising in viola, and is delighted to be able to combine her love of writing and music in her novels. 

She now lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband, a secret stash of chocolate, and far too many books.

You can contact her through the following links:

Website: https://rianaeverly.com/

Blog: https://rianaeverly.com/blog/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RianaEverly/ 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Riana-Everly/e/B076C6HY27

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rianaeverly/

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Riana Everly is delighted to be able to offer a giveaway of an eBook at each stop on this blog tour. She will randomly select one person who comments on the post here through random.net. Please make sure she has a way to contact you if you win! She will take comments until midnight, North American Eastern time, five days after the blog post goes live. Good luck everyone!

Good luck everyone!

Determination by C.P Odom

Determination is a secondary character novel in which Colonel Fitzwilliam decides to reveal to Elizabeth Bennet what he knows about Mr. Wickham after hearing her angrily reject Mr. Darcy’s proposal. He does so after they’ve all returned to London after their sojourn at Rosings, so it is during his visit to the Gardiners, where he tells Elizabeth how her previous assumptions were wrong, that he meets Jane Bennet and is immediately captivated by her beauty and kindness. Unlike Mr. Bingley, Colonel Fitzwilliam is determined to fight for what he wants, and he has decided he wants Jane Bennet, so this book is their love story.

I loved the fact that Colonel Fitzwilliam is the main character in this book and that he was a determined besotted man. I loved his character, his bluntness and determination, but I also loved his background story and the events that shaped him into the man he is today.

Because I don’t believe in love at first sight, I wasn’t as interested in this tale as I could have been because even though they seemed to have a lot of physical attraction, and to be interested in each other, I didn’t get the impression that they were falling in love until the very end of the book. That was certainly a blocking point for me, but if you enjoy tales of love at first sight, then this is certainly the book for you because the Colonel was fierce in his pursuit of Jane Bennet, and that was truly impressive.

While I loved Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jane Bennet in this book, I cannot say the same of Elizabeth who was childish, angry, petulant, unpolite and emotional in the first part of the book. I felt she wanted to purposely despise Mr. Darcy and even though this was not their love story, they were present in the narrative, so I would have either preferred for them to be absent, allowing the main story to progress at a more even pace, or to see a more progressive understanding between them and a more likeable Elizabeth.

Another quibble I had with this book was the pacing, the characters spent too much time talking about their feelings and how their relationships may evolve, which made me feel I was “reading” a story instead of “experiencing” the story.

I did like, however, that Jane was given a choice, and that she was forced to make a decision. I enjoyed the character development that this involved as our beloved Jane is forced to consider what she truly wants out of life and learns how to know her inner self in this book.

In conclusion, Determination is a fantastic book for readers who love stories about people falling in love at first sight because it crafts a very unique and fascinating love story between Jane Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam. If Jane and the Colonel’s story had been the only one included, I think the story would have been more to my liking, nevertheless, I did like these characters, their backgrounds and character development, and still believe readers who like love at first sight may enjoy this book.

You can find Determination at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Kindle Unlimited and Audible

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Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop by Summer Hanford- Excerpt & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well. Today I am thrilled to bring to you an excerpt of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop, Summer Hanford’s latest book which was released today!

You may ask why I am so excited about it, and I shall not refrain from telling you!

• 1rst – Because I’ve read and loved the prequel to this book, The Adventures of Miss Anne de Bourgh of Rosings , and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop to follow up on the characters I loved so much. Also, Mr. Darcy has a bookshop, I mean that is awesome!
• 2ndly – I believe this may actually be Summer Hanford’s first visit to From Pemberley to Milton and she is an author who has been growing on me in the last couple of years. I didn’t know her work until I read Hypothetically Married in March 2022, and ever since I’ve loved every single book I’ve read from her! I also had the pleasure to meet her at the 2023 JAFF Writer/Reader Get Together, and she is incredible sweet and interesting!
• 3rdly – It’s release day!! I love featuring books on release day because I always feel I am bringing something new to your attention. So, let me know, did you know about this book already?

Now, I should stop all this rambling and let you devour the excerpt. Don’t forget to leave a comment to apply to the giveaway Summer is kindly offering.

Thank you so much for visiting Summer! It was a real pleasure to have you here 😊

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The shadows around him cast long by the morning sun, Darcy strode through the market in Cheapside wearing a coat that had been made over and skillfully patched at the elbows, his worn cravat tied in a simple knot. The bag slung over his shoulder held his battered tea tin, already refilled, and now he sought a Scottish couple who sold the best morning rolls in London, both by their boasting and his estimation. With the profits from Mr. Bingley’s purchase in his wallet, Darcy felt that a bit of celebration was in order. That meant rolls along with his usual loaf and the decadence of a nice, thick slab of butter.

Down the street, a large carriage rolled to a halt before one of the warehouses. A vaguely familiar man alighted, and Darcy tried to place him. His fine but austere attire and economy of movement marked him as a member of the merchant class. Possibly a patron of Darcy’s shop and, if the grandeur of his carriage were any indication, also the proprietor of the building in front of which he stood. 

The man turned back to the conveyance and handed down a handsome woman of middling years and equally fine garb, then a lovely young woman possessed of the sort of delicate beauty lauded by the ton. Were she the man’s daughter, his wealth and her beauty would make her a fine prize to most men once of Darcy’s acquaintance, despite what he expected to be ties to trade.

The man turned back yet again and handed down a second young woman. Not as tall as the first nor as fair of hair and eyes, she possessed almost sharp, spritely features and a palpable vivacity that called to Darcy, nearly making him stumble. 

Looking past the gentleman and the other two women, the dark-haired young lady met Darcy’s gaze as he came up the street, then tipped her head to the side in question of his regard. He knew he should stop staring, but somehow he couldn’t seem to. Her eyebrows shot up and she nudged the blonde beside her.

Darcy wrenched his gaze away, embarrassed by his blatant attention. Head down, he concentrated on walking as his trajectory took him directly past them.

“Thank you, Uncle,” a soft feminine voice said.

“Yes, thank you, Uncle Gardiner.” 

Even without looking, which he dared not do as he passed them, Darcy knew the second voice, a dulcet contralto, belonged to the darker-haired young woman. Though he longed to turn back and scrutinize her, he kept his feet moving down the street, seeking his nearly forgotten rolls. He had to hurry, he reminded himself, if he wanted time for a pleasant cup before opening his shop.

Still, those few overheard words played again and again in his mind as he moved away from the four. They were not daughters, then, the two beauties, but nieces. Refined, he would call their accents. If not the daughters of a gentleman, then of a man possessed of enough wealth to send his offspring to a fine finishing school or to hire the best tutors. 

In view of what little he knew, he must extrapolate them to be similar to Wickham’s Mr. Bingley. A generation removed from trade. Once, that would have seen him looking down his nose, for the Darcys of Pemberley did not associate with those who had even a hint of commerce about them, but in his years as a bookseller, Darcy had rubbed elbows with all manner of men. He found his erstwhile assumptions about what made a person worthy wryly amusing now.

After making his purchases, Darcy returned to his abode with his weekly bread and indulged in buttered rolls and tea, then went down to open his shop. He made his way among the shelves, dusting and ordering, always amazed at how as few customers as he had could create such chaos of his neat shelves. In particular, the sections on husbandry and fencing techniques had been astonishingly disarrayed by Mr. Bingley. How the man could create quite so much disorder in such a short time was beyond Darcy.

As he worked, despite all efforts to the contrary, the alluring voice and beguiling eyes of the dark-haired young woman filled his senses. In his mind, her cultured tones, possessed of a slight country accent, read each title he reshelved or dusted, though he’d in life heard only five words from her. He knew he was being foolish. He simply hadn’t encountered many refined females of late and this one had somehow shocked his senses, which was nonsense. Yet, even knowing that, he could not banish her.

The door opened, the bell there jangling, and Darcy dipped down behind the half-height shelves at the front of the shop to return a final few books to their places before the incoming customer could interrupt.

“This is the shop,” a feminine voice said.

“The one from which Papa orders his books?” came the lovely contralto of earlier, suddenly real and present.

“Yes. Your uncle says it is the best bookshop in London.”

“Are we here to pick up something for Papa?” a third female asked. 

That voice belonged to the taller young woman, were he not mistaken. All three were there in his bookshop. The aunt, whom he assumed to be named Mrs. Gardiner, based on what he’d overheard on the street, must be the chaperone of the other two.

At least, he hoped they were in need of chaperoning. The thought that the fascinating young woman from the street might already be spoken for sent a strange panic through Darcy. He shoved the books he held into place and stood.

“Oh,” the blonde exclaimed, clasping a hand to her bosom in shock.

The other two women turned. The bright, intelligent eyes of the brunette widened in recognition.

“Pardon me.” Darcy dipped his head to them. “I did not mean to startle you. I am Mr. Darcy, proprietor.” 

“I find that much more encouraging than if you were Mr. Darcy, gentleman who enjoys hiding behind shelves and jumping out at ladies,” the brunette said. 

“Elizabeth.” The young woman he’d startled issued forth her sister’s name in a tone of exasperated reprimand. She turned to Darcy with a pleasant smile. “I apologize as well, Mr. Darcy, for not seeing you there.”

Elizabeth. The name suited her. Lovely and sophisticated. 

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Cut off from his family’s fortune because he refuses to marry the woman his father has selected for him, Fitzwilliam Darcy takes up the only employment he deems tolerable, that of bookseller. Darcy is determined to support himself and to marry for love, but his powerful relations use their clout to keep customers and fashionable young ladies away. Worse, Darcy’s absence from Pemberley allows treachery to flourish.

Determined to see her older sister marry as well as possible, Elizabeth Bennet orchestrates their removal to London. Elizabeth isn’t searching for a husband of her own, but she is always looking for a good book. At a pleasant little bookshop in Cheapside, she finds plenty to read, and so much more. But should she give her heart to a bookseller and leave the life of a gently bred lady behind? 

Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop asks what would happen if George Darcy and Sir Lewis de Bourgh had lived, and taken up their deceased wives’ quest to see Darcy and Anne wed. This is a lighthearted variation with laughter, love, a touch of villainy, and a happily ever after for our dear couple.

You can find Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited

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Summer Hanford writes gripping Epic Fantasy, swashbuckling Historical Romance, and best-selling Pride and Prejudice retellings. She lives in the Finger Lakes Region of New York with her husband and compulsory, deliberately spoiled, cats. The newest addition to their household, an energetic setter-shepherd mix, is (still) not appreciated by the cats but is well loved by the humans. 

While Summer’s education is in Experimental Psychology and Behavioral Neurology, her true passion has always been writing. As a child growing up on a dairy farm, she built castles made of hay and wielded swords made of fence posts. She is passionate about gardening, travel, and organizing her closet. Nothing pleases her more than a row of tops broken down by sleeve length and ordered by color, hung on corresponding hangers…except working on her latest novel. 

For more about Summer, visit www.summerhanford.com. 

You can reach Summer Hanford through the following links:

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Instagram TikTok

Amazon  Goodreads  BookBub  Email

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Summer Hanford is offering a giveaway to readers visiting From Pemberley to Milton. The winner may choose a print book or ebook copy of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop. The giveaway is international and is open until the 26th of January.

Good luck everyone!

One Bride & Two Grooms by Christie Capps

One Bride & Two Grooms is a sweet, romantic and fast paced novella that will delight readers in one single sitting.

During the Netherfield ball Mr. Darcy realizes that Mr. Collins is about to propose to Elizabeth and because he cannot live knowing she will marry her cousin, the following morning he hurries to Longbourn to make his own marriage proposal. He decides to approach Mr. Bennet first, and because the older gentleman is in a very sporting mood, he decides that both young men will have to compete for his daughter’s attention. He stipulates that both suiters have 30 minutes each day to present their case to Elizabeth and after 7 days of being courted, she may decide to marry one, the other or none.

The novella is very light and because of its length it does not have a huge character development or complex plots, but it is the perfect book for readers who want a sweet and entertaining story to keep them company on a rainy afternoon.

I found this book entertaining and laughed along with Elizabeth and Darcy, whose mirth is felt in each scene and an interesting conciliatory element, about Mr. Collins’ ridiculous attempts to match Mr. Darcy’s initiatives.

I also enjoyed seeing Mr. Darcy respect Elizabeth at all moments, and to know he found a supporting hand in Georgiana. I would only have liked to see more banter between these two characters and a more gradual change in Elizabeth’s feelings which were too strong to start with. The story fulfilled its purpose, and I did enjoy it immensely, but I would have liked to see it more developed as J. Dawn King’s (Christie Capps) other works are.

My favorite part of the book was the epilogue which was memorable! I cannot say much about it without spoilers, but I’ve got to tell you that it came as a true surprise and made me love this book much more! It is precious 🙂 I think the epilogue alone sells this book!

Summing up, One Bride & Two Grooms is a fast paced and fun novella that JAFF readers will enjoy. I recommend it to those who wish to read a simple and straight to the point story with romantic interludes between Darcy and Elizabeth.

You can find One Bride & Two Grooms at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Kindle Unlimited and on Audible

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Giveaway Winners Announcement

Good afternoon everyone,

I hope you’re having a great weekend! My week wasn’t easy so I am enjoying the piece and quiet of my house very much this weekend 😉

I have relaxed, read and also did some blog work, which means that today I am the bearer of good news for some of you as it is time to announce the winners of two giveaways held here at From Pemberley to Milton. These giveaways were the coutesy of Meryton Press and Michelle D’Arcy so I am very thankful for their visit at From Pemberley to Milton in the past month and for sponsoring these fantastic giveaways!

Without further ado, the giveaway winners are:

The Vanishing Woman

*** Mustangtiger ***

A Most Alarming Report

*** Jeannettekleman ****

Winners, can you please send me your contacts to ritaluzdeodato at gmail dot com so that the prizes may be sent to you.

Happy Reading everyone!

Spellbound at Pemberley by Abigail Reynolds

Spellbound at Pemberley is the first book in the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage series, so even though it is an enjoyable read with a sense of closure at the end, the story continues in volume two which will be released this year. It is a Pride & Prejudice variation that creates an alternate universe of magic where the heirs of an estate possess a Talent that allows them to bond with their land. But it also explores other types of magic and fantasy creatures that appear throughout the book, and of course, focuses on the romance between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.

The story starts in Hertfordshire where Mr. Darcy has travelled to with Mr. Bingley to practice illusion magic for a very important mission he is on. While he is practicing, he discovers that Elizabeth’s magical powers blend in perfectly with his own, a fact that is a game changer for his mission. Due to the relevance of his secret operation, and this new and very unexpected discovery, they have no alternative but to get married because that may be the key to save the country.

This book is therefore a forced marriage scenario in which Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth spend a lot of time together getting to know one another, and in which their love evolves slowly and progressively. Their romance, along with both of their personalities and personal struggles were the two main aspects I loved the most in this book.

The romance between Darcy and Elizabeth is slow but intense. There are many different situations in which both need to rise up to rescue the other and it is in those situations, and the actions they undertake when the other needs help, that we can see how much they love each other. I believe the reader understands these characters love one another even before they have realized it themselves. I loved the fact that these characters spent a lot of time together, and with time were able to confide in one another. l also loved the depth of their conversations, and especially to be shown how they were falling in love instead of being told about it. The book is very fluid and everything seems to come very easily into place. I think it is interesting for them to have a magical link, but that was not the most important factor for me because I like them to have a strong love that binds them, and not being bonded by a magical unseen force.

Both Darcy and Elizabeth are a little less proud and prejudiced in this book and revealed a maturity I truly appreciate. They both face very dire situations and Abigail Reynolds was able to transmit their personal struggles in an exciting manner, especially Elizabeht’s. I loved her resilience, strength and eagerness to learn to save Darcy. I like the fact that she appears to be special, but I hope that in book two we won’t see her as an all-mighty person who can save the entire country with her abilities as I much prefer to see her as a normal person who works well with others, instead of someone with inane abilities.

There are some mysteries in this book, and I like the fact that they are slowly unraveled. I am curious to see what Georgiana’s story is, why Mr. Bennet is so powerful, and what happened to Lady Anne while she was away. This first book certainly opened a lot of avenues that can still be explored, especially because new characters were added to the narrative and we are not confined to the regular Pride and Prejudice family members. This opened the story for more diverse storylines, and I am particularly interested in Lady Frederica’s love match which I hope to see developed in the future.

Spellbound at Pemberley is an enthralling book and Abigail Reynolds is a skilled writer who is easily able to create new worlds and explore new pathways in a simple yet enticing manner. I have enjoyed the possibilities that have arisen in this book, and I hope it doesn’t get too complicated with too many magical elements in book two so I can continue enjoying it.

Summing up, Spellbound at Pemberley is an superb fantasy novel in which the writer skillfully conjured up a new and captivating world rife with romance and mystery. It is well written, romantic and exciting. I highly recommend it and I am looking forward to the next book in the series because I believe it will take not only the story, but also the romance into a whole new level :).

You can find Spellbound at Pemberley at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited

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The Woollen Olive Branch by Caroline Malcom-Boulton

The Woollen Olive Branch is a North and South Christmas variation that takes place after Mr. Thornton’s proposal and in which he and Margaret come to an understanding earlier in the story. The narrative occurs during a short period of time, but we are shown at the end of the book how the characters’ lives and relationships evolved through the year, a touch I particularly liked because it served as closure for the romance.

The setting of this book is perfect because it allowed the characters to become closer to one another through the exchange of beautiful and meaningful gifts while it also clearly transposed the Christmas atmosphere in Milton. The presents exchanged demonstrate the feelings they have towards one another, but also their protective and caring personalities.

While I enjoyed revisiting these characters and seeing them display their feelings through gift exchanges, I would have liked to see them talk more to one another and share their feelings through dialogues or actions instead of constant introspections. In fact, my main quibble with this book is that there is little dialogue between Margaret and Mr. Thornton whose first conversation occurs very late in the book, and when they finally talk to one another, they often get lost in their reflections and thoughts. With several paragraphs written between each sentence that is proffered, it becomes difficult for the reader to follow the dialogues and therefore to get truly immersed in the scene that is taking place and consequently in the story.

The final scene in which Margaret and Mr. Thornton come to an understanding is magical, and I really liked the atmosphere the author created with it. It was beautiful, sweet and a scene everyone who loves North & South will appreciate.

Summing up, The Woollen Olive Branch is a cozy North & South variation with sweet moments between Margaret and Mr. Thornton that readers who prefer introspection over action will appreciate.

 

You can find The Woollen Olive Branch at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited

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From Pemberley to Milton’s 2024 BINGO & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

Remember I mentioned in my end of the year post that I would like 2024 to bring me more fun posts? Well, there is nothing like starting as soon as we can, and today’s post is my attempt at something different.

I started out the year meeting with the girls from my book club, and while we were talking, the idea of everyone reading a book that fell under a particular theme or word came out, so each month each one of us will choose a book to read that may fall under the category of that month. The theme for January is food so I’ll read Cake & Courtship (Mr Bennet’s Memoirs) by Mark Brownlow. I know the book probably has nothing to do with food, but the title does have cake in it, so I think they’ll accept my choice 😊 (ladies, if you’re reading this post, spoiler alert, that’s my January book).

Because of that idea, I was convinced to finally do something that has been in my mind forever and that is a yearly JAFF BINGO! My idea is to develop a fun way to make me read more varied books, but also to have a system that allows me to more easily decide what to read next. Usually, I read books in the TBR as they arrive in the mail, but now I want to have a bigger purpose when choosing a book, so I’ll have my book club theme and my BINGO chart to fill out during the year!

Would you like to join me in my BINGO?

It is very simple, all I ask is that you tell me you’d like to participate, and then send me your progress each month. I’ll fill out the participants BINGO cards every month and share everyone’s progression here on the blog (keeping the cards anonymous, of course).

By the end of the year all filled cards will enter a competition for a giveaway, the most interesting card holder will win a book of their choice. What do you think? Sounds like fun. I hope so, and I hope we have lots of people joining me in this initiative 😊

So, what do you need to do?

• Tell me you want to participate.
• Tell me at the end of each month which books you’ve read and their respective category in the BINGO card.
  • All books need to be JAFF books.
  • One book may only count in one category (there should be 25 different books in your BINGO card).
• You don’t need to complete your BINGO card, this is mainly for fun, however, only filled cards will enter the giveaway.

What I’ll do?

• Fill out everyone’s cards based on your emails.
• Keep track of everyone’s progress.
• Share everyone’s progression monthly at From Pemberley to Milton (it will be fun to see how everyone else is doing).
• Put all filled cards up for voting at the end of the year (everyone is welcome to vote).
• Offer a giveaway of one book of winner’s choice.

Of course, you can all use the BINGO card just for fun without participating, or telling me anything, but I think it will be much more fun if we all do it together and if wJe all cheer each other up every month.

So, if you want to join the fun, just send me an email at ritaluzdeodato at gmail dot com and let the games begin 😊

Thanks for visiting and participating everyone!