A Most Handsome Gentleman Review & Giveaway

After the angsty variation Letter From Ramsgate, Suzan Lauder decided to venture into comedy and developed an unthinkable premise based on Mr. Collins character. She didn’t go so far as to make him witty and interesting, but she made him A Most Handsome Gentleman, or as everyone keeps saying in the social media #HOT Collins.

The changes in his appearance, along with his own foolish character, were sufficient to change the behaviour of many P&P characters towards him, which created the funniest dialogues and situations you can think of. Can you imagine the impact of a good-looking man coming to Longbourn in search of a wife?

I confess I was impressed with Mr. Collins because I can imagine some situations that would render Mrs. Bennet speechless but none that would have the same effect on Lydia, and that my friends, was Mr. Collins greatest achievement in this book! Well…maybe not the greatest. His impact on Lady Catherine’s behaviour was both unexpected and hilarious, so the first place in the podium may go to that feat.

Both scenes made me laugh really hard, but they were not the only ones. The verbal discussions between Mr. Collins and Mr. Bingley, Mr. Collins comments on Elizabeth’s skinny appearance, his attraction to Charlotte and the scenes Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth see on the fields behind Longbourn are amongst my favourite moments in this book, but it’s hard to highlight only some scenes because the entire book is incredibly funny. I could not put it down!

I also enjoyed the fact that despite all the craziness that involved Mr. Collins’ presence in Meryton, Elizabeth remained true to herself and was not easily taken by her cousin’s good looks. He may be good-looking, but he’s still a fool, and if I may say, an even more annoying one, so I was really glad that to see that Suzan Lauder didn’t include Elizabeth in the group of ladies who would faint at the sight of Mr. Collins.

I had a great time reading A Most Handsome Gentleman and could not recommend it enough for those who want to relax and enjoy a good comedy. It is a highly entertaining book that will make readers laugh out loud from the first page until the last.

Suzan Lauder took a risk by venturing into this new subgenre but she nailed it! Congratulations!

 

You can find A Most Handsome Gentleman at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

 

 

A lover of Jane Austen, Regency period research and costuming, cycling, yoga, blogging, and independent travel, cat mom Suzan Lauder is seldom idle.

Her first effort at a comedy, A Most Handsome Gentleman is the fourth time Lauder has been published by Meryton Press. Her earlier works include a mature Regency romance with a mystery twist, Alias Thomas Bennet, a modern short romance Delivery Boy in the holiday anthology Then Comes Winter, and the dramatic tension filled Regency romance Letter from Ramsgate.

She and Mr. Suze split their time between a loft condo overlooking the Salish Sea and a 150-year-old Spanish colonial home near the sea in Mexico.

Suzan’s lively prose is also available to her readers on her blog, road trips with the redhead www.suzan.lauder.merytonpress.com, on her Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/SuzanLauder, and on Twitter @suzanlauder.

Contact Info:

Website

Goodreads Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon Author Page    

Pinterest

 

 

10/20   My Jane Austen Book Club; Character Interview, Excerpt, Giveaway

10/21   My Love for Jane Austen; Guest Post, Giveaway

10/22   Obsessed with Mr. Darcy; Review

10/23   Austenesque Reviews; Vignette, Giveaway

10/24   Tomorrow is Another Day; Review

10/25   Babblings of a Bookworm; Guest Post, Giveaway

10/26   From Pemberley to Milton; Review, Giveaway

10/27   Just Jane 1813; Guest Post, Giveaway

10/28   Darcyholic Diversions; Author Interview, Giveaway

10/29   My Vices and Weaknesses; Character Interview, Giveaway

10/30   Half Agony, Half Hope; Review, Excerpt

10/31   Laughing With Lizzie; Vignette, Giveaway

11/01   Diary of an Eccentric; Review, Giveaway

11/02   So little time…; Guest Post, Excerpt, Giveaway

11/03   Margie’s Must Reads; Review, GA

 

 

Suzan is offering 8 ebook copies of A Most Handsome Gentleman on this blog tour.

Readers may enter the drawing by tweeting once a day and daily commenting on a blog post or review that has a giveaway attached for the tour. Entrants must provide the name of the blog where they commented. Remember: Tweet and comment once daily to earn extra entries.

A winner may win ONLY 1 (ONE) eBook of A Most Handsome Gentleman by Suzan Lauder.

Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and the giveaway is international.

To enter the giveaway click here.

Good Luck everyone!

 

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On Equal Ground Review & Giveaway

Meryton Vignettes was a statement that Elizabeth Adams is trying to go beyond one-dimensional characters and the simple love story we may find in some Pride and Prejudice variations. On Equal Ground is the proof that she has what it takes to build a solid, mature book that will inspire readers who believe in real life and second chances. This book marks her literary signature, she is not afraid to risk controversial stories and executes them beautifully!

I have to start by saying that in this book Elizabeth Bennet meets and marries an older man when she is but 18, she falls in love with her husband and bears him 3 children during a very happy marriage, this means readers will need to be able to cope with this premise if they want to enjoy the book.

The story starts in 1809 and will follow the lives of the characters for many, many years.

This is a detail I enjoyed immensely because it allowed me to accompany the characters, especially Elizabeth, while events made them grow from young people into mature men and women. The end of the book follows this logic as well, and we will be gifted with information on the lives of all Bennet sisters and most of the co-adjuvant characters. The fact that I could see what occurred to these characters throughout their entire lives made me feel more connected to them, and this proximity made me love the book!

Elizabeth Adams also creates some interesting original characters in this book and even has the audacity to make us love them (you know I’m talking about Darcy’s rival). The relationship these original characters will establish with the ones we already know from Pride and Prejudice will allow us to see a different side of them, and I enjoyed that immensely, particularly the fatherly characteristics we will see Darcy displaying with young Robert. Their conversation in  the end of the book has such a peaceful tone in it that it made me come to terms with the entire premise.

Darcy and Elizabeth are better versions of themselves and we can still see the sparks between them, but their love story is different from cannon so we never know what will happen next. I particularly loved Darcy in this book, he is everything a gentleman ought to be 🙂

On Equal Ground is a well written, clean and sound book that shows an impeccable taste from the author, I recommend it to those who like real life stories and characters, and particularly to those who like quality literature.

 

You can find On Equal Ground on:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

 

 

 

Elizabeth Adams would like to offer 1 ebook copies of On Equal Ground to my readers.

ALL those who comment this post will be entered into the drawing! Let us know what you think of this book or Elizabeth Adam’s previous stories.

The giveaway is international and will end on the 10th of October.

Good luck everyone!

A Quest For Mr. Darcy

A Quest for Mr. Darcy was a much-anticipated novel for me. I read A Fair Prospect a few years ago and ever since I’ve been wishing for the author to write another JAFF novel, so A Quest for Mr. Darcy was the answer to my prayers.

What if Mr. Darcy decided to leave the country after the Hunsford proposal and therefore was not in England to save Lydia Bennet from her fate?

What if there was a fire in the lodgings Wickham and Lydia were staying causing unthinkable consequences?

What if Elizabeth was once more in the path of Mr. Darcy but with even more reduced circumstances? Could they overcome all obstacles and find their happiness?

A Quest for Mr. Darcy will take us to Pemberley where we will face a journey full of mystery, misunderstandings, and romance, and where our beloved couple will reunite, reconnect and learn new aspects about each other that will make the love story even more interesting.

Cassandra Grafton was able to create a sweet and romantic story without much angst but that could still captivate angst addicts like me. Elizabeth will have her share of jealousy (which is something I always love), and their insecurities will promote some very touching moments. I particularly liked the scenes that involved either a piano or water such as their first encounter and the second proposal (no spoiler here, you know they’ll end up together right?).

I enjoyed the fact that this book was filled with suspense and original new characters as it brought vivacity into the story and kept me glued to it until the very ending. A Quest for Mr. Darcy is a long book but it didn’t feel like it when I was reading because of the liveliness of the characters. Some of the original ones will become as dear to you as any other supporting characters from Pride & Prejudice, and some of the most known characters will also take a special place in your hearts in the most unexpected manner.

Of course that naming some characters after Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South characters was an aspect I dearly loved and that put a smile on my face every time I read their names. I never thought I would be cheering for Miss Latimer to get her HEA with her love interest, but in this book I did, in fact, her love story is something I would dearly like to see developed in a novella one of these days 🙂

I believe the secondary characters are one of the best aspects of this book as they find their own place in the story and they shine as bright as the main characters. We will find ourselves curious about Jane’s decisions, we will have our heart divided between Bingley and Wentworth and we will want the Colonel to open his eyes and get the girl.

Summing up, do not let the length of this book scare you, it is a well-written story whose romance and mystery will make you want to keep reading until you reach the final words. You will fall for Darcy and Elizabeth, but also for the secondary characters that will make you laugh and smile throughout the entire story.

 

You can find A Quest for Mr. Darcy in:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

 

More titles from the same author:

A Fair Prospect

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen

The Darcy Brothers

 

Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion

Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion from Regina Jeffers is the perfect book for readers who love Jane Austen’s Persuasion!

It gives us a glimpse of how Frederick Wentworth and Anne Elliot met, and their consequent courtship period, before moving on to the main story which is a retelling from Wentworth’s point of view alternated with their life at sea after their marriage. By bringing all of this together in one single book, Mrs. Jeffers created the most complete Persuasion book one can find; it is a prequel, a variation with different POV and a sequel!

In the beginning I found the alternation between the events a little confusing, but I soon started to enjoy these alternate chapters and particularly how they converge into the story’s ending.

I loved seeing Frederick Wentworth in his youth meeting Anne Elliot, falling in love with her and having his heart shattered. I always wondered why there weren’t more books that focused on this particuar period because I always had a big curiosity about how they met, why they fell in love with one another, and how was Anne’s refusal delivered; Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion came to satiate my need for this 🙂

I particularly enjoyed the fact that we are presented with Wentworth’s POV instead of Anne’s because it gives us a more masculine view of every scene, and it makes us feel more close to him as a character than to Anne. He will not seem as cruel or fickle as in Persuasion because we are able to see his side of the story, and we know what is on his mind and heart in each scene. By seeing the story through his eyes we will find him more romantic and irresistible than in Persuasion, and those who may have had reserves regarding him, may very well forget all about that when reading this book.

I know some people are not as fond of Wentworth as I am, but I believe that if they read this book, they will come to like him more. It is very different to witness every scene from his point of view, and to understand when he realized he was paying too much attention to Louisa Musgrove and that such behavior had to stop.

Even though I enjoyed immensely this book, I would have liked to see a little more of their courtship when they were young, and to understand a little better why Wentworth fell in love with Anne. But this was not a prequel per se, and being only an introduction to the book itself, I understand the author would not want to spend too much time in this period of the story.

It is very curious, but in Persuasion I felt more empathy towards Anne, in this book I felt more empathy towards Wentworth as Anne sometimes appeared to be a character towards whom I felt pity and could not like so much. This was a very positive aspect, as it allowed me to appreciate the story from both points of view and have a wider assessment of both personalities and how they are perceived by themselves and by others.

As mentioned earlier, this book is the most complete novel one could find based on Jane Austen’s Persuasion and I have no doubt that all Persuasion enthusiasts will love it considering how deep it goes into the lives and personalities of Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot. It is a romantic tale that brings to light a new side of Wentworth that will make each reader fall in love with him even more. I highly recommend it to JAFF readers.

You can find Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion at:

Amazon.com

A Man With Faults

 

When I saw the cover of A Man With Faults I knew I had to read the book as soon as it got out, and when I saw the blurb I couldn’t believe my eyes! Lory Lilian, the Queen of Hot Mush, was going “angst” on this book! As a true angst addict, these were the best news I could have and it was with great expectation that I started reading it.

It turned out to be the perfect balance between an angsty beginning and a passionate, loving romance in the end. The balance between the angst and the romance makes A Man With Faults a perfect book for every reader as it will please all tastes.

In this variation Elizabeth refuses to read Mr. Darcy’s letter and without any reason to hope she will think better of him, or the pleasure of clearing out his name, he is a broken man.

So the book begins with Darcy in a dark place, and I confess I absolutely loved how Lory Lilian tortured him and how she made him react, especially towards Elizabeth. He was hurt, angry, and acting resentfully. He is not an easy character, he is harsh, complicated and I absolutely love it!! But above all, he remains honorable even when it means giving up on his own happiness. You know Darcy…

I also loved to see that Elizabeth didn’t need to read the letter to see Whickham for who he was. She is an intelligent lady who can see the signs in front of her. She just can’t see how much she loves Darcy and how much he loves her…But we wouldn’t have any love story if they figured it out immediately would we?

As I said, I love to see Darcy get tortured, and Lory Lilian did an excellent job at that! She did it using the plot I love the most, but I only like to see him suffer if the reward he will have in the end makes it up for all the suffering, and once again, the author nailed it!! Elizabeth’s letter was pure perfection! I could feel Darcy’s joy while reading it and I could think of no better way to give him his much deserved happiness. In fact, we are given the opportunity to see the couple’s happiness in the end, so those who love some “Darcy/Elizabeth together time” will be pleased with the last chapters of the book.

I’ve been talking about Darcy and Elizabeth because they are the main characters of the story, but as always Lory Lilian did an excellent job at developing secondary characters, not only already existing ones, such as Georgiana who plays an important role in this book, but also new characters like Darcy’s Aunt, Lady Hardwick, and Mr. Slade.

Georgiana is a fragile, insecure girl who finds in Lizzy the friend she never had, and it is because of her that our couple will be compelled to spend much time together.  Lady Hardwick is an intelligent, funny woman who helps our dear couple achieve their HEA and Mr. Slade’s story is intriguing. I honestly would love to know more about his relationship with Lady Hardwick 🙂

As expected Lory Lilian delivered a powerful, intense romance that can not be missed by any JAFF reader. It gave me a tremendous pleasure to read this book and I highly recommend it.

You can find A Man With Faults at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

A Very Darcy Christmas Review & Giveaway

Hello everyone,

I was very happy to know that Victoria Kincaid was releasing a holidays vagary. I had been wanting to read something from her for a while and this was the perfect timing to do it.

I have been reading several P&P books that occur during the Christmas periods and A Very Darcy Christmas from Victoria Kincaid was one of my favorites. It is a very light, fast paced book filled with humor but also romance from a quarter we would not expect.

After their marriage Darcy and Elizabeth didn’t have many opportunities to spend quality time together, so they are eager to spend the Christmas season alone at Pemberley while Georgiana is visiting Lady Catherine. All they wanted was some peace and quiet, but that is very far from what they will get.

While Darcy is out on estate business Elizabeth sees herself welcoming into her home guest after guest after guest who seem to think Pemberley is the perfect refuge for the holiday season. Hanging the greenery so soon might not have been a good idea after all, and in the blink of an eye Elizabeth is opening Pemberley’s doors to Georgiana who ran away from Lady Catherine’s matchmaking plots, the Lady herself who brings along 2 very different suitors, Mrs. Bennet who is obsessed with the idea of the French invading England and is seeking refuge in the north of the country, Mr. Bennet who has no choice but to follow his wife and try to minimize her hysterics, Lydia and George Wickham, and finally Colonel Fitzwilliam. Now, can you imagine what it would be like to have all these characters in one single house? Pemberley is big, but they do have to dine together, and the result of their social encounters is a never-ending laugh for us readers.

I’ve heard many people say that Mrs. Bennet’s obsession with the French made them laugh out loud several times, but even if Mr. Bennet’s method to calm his wife was just hysterical, and the results comical, I confess that for me the most humorous character was Lydia! I absolutely loved her character. She is Lydia in all her splendor, so you can imagine what kind of silly things she can do and say, but as if that is not enough, she actually manages to set Pemberley on fire not once, but twice!! The second time she does it is just marvelous with Darcy seeing it all happening in front of him but not being able to stop it. In fact, Darcy’s desperation throughout the entire book is just adorable, well, at least for us… Elizabeth will not think his black moods are so adorable…

But as I said this book is not just humorous, it also has a romance that I absolutely loved! I know that some people are not particularly fond of the couple Mrs. Kincaid decided to explore in this book, but I am. I love when authors choose to pair these characters, and Mrs. Kincaid did it extremely well! I loved the passion, the jealousy and the tender moments between these characters who developed a trust in one another that is absolutely superb.

This is a very entertaining book full of laughter and holiday spirit but it can be read at any other time of the year. It is funny, romantic and up to the standards Mrs. Kincaid already got us used to. She marvels at adding humor to her stories and yet keeping true to Jane Austen’s characters, and A Very Darcy Christmas is vivid proof of her proficiency in this type of stories.

You can find this book at:

Amazon.com – A Very Darcy Christmas

Amazon.co.uk – A Very Darcy Christmas

 

*** It’s giveaway time***

Victoria Kincaid brings her own Christmas gift to the readers at From Pemberley to Milton. She would like to offer one ebook copy of A Very Darcy Christmas to a randomly chosen reader who comments on this post. To increase the chances of winning, comment on the Guest Post that was published on the 3^rd of December, comments on both posts will be considered for the giveaway.

The giveaway is international and ill end on the 15^th of December, with the winner being announced shortly after.

Good luck everyone!

Meryton Vignettes Review & Giveaway

Hello everyone,

Meryton Vignettes is a compilation of six vignettes featuring several characters from Pride & Prejudice that took me completely by surprise.

First of all, I had never seen a book of vignettes. It is true that there are several compilations of short stories, but these are not exactly short stories, they are as the name indicates small pieces that could perfectly be integrated in a short story or novel. Now, you may wonder what are the advantages of reading just a vignette and not a full story, and I’ll tell you that apart from the delight of having just a glimpse of our beloved characters when we don’t have much time to read a full story, it is the possibility of having any kind of moment ahead of you and exploring many paths that would be blocked if the writer was writing a full story. The sky is the limit with vignettes and authors can write just about anything, that is precisely what Elizabeth Adams did.

Unlike all expectations, these vignettes are not centered in Darcy and Elizabeth. They do appear is some of the stories, but Elizabeth Adams choose to portray several other characters that are usually disregarded, and she did so in an astonishing way! She developed moments in these characters lives I never expected to read in any JAFF story, and to be frank, I don’t even think I will read some of these moments in the near future. She showed us a side of these characters that is usually not shown and they are not embellished to be part of a book, they are raw material, and I loved that!

But I will give you a brief description of the vignettes and my opinion on each one of them so you can understand what I mean.

 

Mistress of Longbourn

In this opening vignette, Charlotte returns to Longbourn 17 years after her marriage to Mr. Collins. I loved the tone of this vignette and to see everyone’s reaction to this event. It was the first time I read this particular moment occurring and it was interesting to see it from Charlotte’s POV.

There was one question that was left unanswered for me, but I have no doubts about Charlotte’s ability to become the Mistress of Longbourn, or Mr. Collins ability to become it’s master… Mrs. Bennet may have been a silly woman, but it will not be easy for Charlotte to fill her shoes as Mistress of one of the most proeminente estates in the neighbourhood 🙂

 

Life After Darcy

This snippet shows us Caroline Bingley’s life after Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s wedding. We will go through her feelings of rejection, anger and injustice until she is ready to move on, and when she does, we will see her as she truly is, as the real Caroline Bingley. In this story she will find her match who will give her a valuable lesson! I loved to see Caroline Bingley finally understanding what is most important in life and this was one of my favorite stories in the book. I reckon everyone will like this one 🙂

 

First Attachments

In this story we will see Lizzy’s attachment and developing relationship throughout the years to Jack Turner, the son of one of her father’s tenants. She will remember all the important moments in their relationship and consider how a true affection feels like. It is an impossible relationship of course, and it never goes beyond a friendship, but still it bothered me a little to see Elizabeth caring so much for someone who is not Mr. Darcy.

 

To Do Her Duty

Mrs. Bennet is the main character in this vignette, and it was the first time I ever saw her taking the leading role!

The story is told from Mrs. Bennet POV which I absolutely loved and will show a side of her that is very rarely portrayed. It was the first time I saw her go through a pregnancy and it was so touching I actually cried!! I really did! It is among my favorites in this book 🙂

 

To Fool a Fool

Prepare yourselves, this vignette describes the wedding night of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Collins. You heard me right, Elizabeth Adams did create this vignette. Don’t you think it takes a lot of courage to do that? I was shocked and amazed with To Fool a Fool, and I doubt any author will venture on writing that particular night in any other book. It takes a lot of bravery to write that night and Elizabeth Adams was not intimidated. However, do not fear! I will not give any details not to spoil it for you, but it is not as bad as it may seem 🙂

It is a bit humorous and ridiculous at the same time 🙂

 

He Had it Coming

This is the longest story in the book and it will focus on Lydia’s life after her wedding to Mr. Wickham. There are some books based on Lydia’s character, but this was the first time I saw a story so advanced in time and so dark. Seven years after her marriage, and tired of suffering abuses from her husband, Lydia sends a distress call to her sister Elizabeth who will come to her rescue. As I mentioned this is the longest vignette in the book and many events will occur in it. I will not say much more because I truly do not want to spoil it to you, but this is also on my top 3 favorite stories in the book. It is very, very good. I liked that Elizabeth Adams didn’t take a soft approach towards Lydia’s life and that she was not afraid to show us how miserable it was. I loved to see the development of Lydia’s character and the ending of course 🙂 After so much suffering, you can hope for a happy ending 🙂

 

I believe this compilation of vignettes is something every Janeite will like because not only it will give us the company of characters that are often overlooked, but it is also completely innovative in the premises! I have read scenes I never expected to read in a JAFF book and was amazed, shocked, grieved, merry and content at the same time. This is a delicious book with an interesting concept that I truly recommend.

 

You can find Meryton Vignettes: Tales of Pride & Prejudice in:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

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***It’s giveaway time***

Elizabeth Adams would like to offer one copy of Meryton Vignettes: Tales of Pride & Prejudice to my readers. The giveaway is international and is open until the 2^nd of December, all you have to do is comment on this post and share your thoughts on this book or the author. If you want to double your chances of winning, comment on the excertp post published on the 21st of November. Entries in both posts will be considered for the giveaway.

Good Luck everyone!

The Houseguest Review & Giveaway

Hello everyone,

I read The Houseguest when it was released in 2013 and absolutely loved it, so when the audiobook was released earlier this month, I knew it was the right time to re-acquaint myself with this story.

In this variation Georgiana begs Mr. Darcy to join him at Netherfield, and not wishing to disappoint his sister, he acquiesce. While she is there, she meets and befriends Elizabeth Bennet who is later on invited to spend a few days at Darcy’s London house while Mr. Darcy is out of town. But he returns earlier than expected and finding Elizabeth in Darcy House at his sister’s request, he has no alternative than to accept he will have to spend some time in her presence.

Both when I read and listened to this book I was immediately drawn into it not wishing to get away from the story. I always love books placed at Darcy’s house in London, there is a unique feeling to it and the coziness of this environment is perfect to allow Darcy and Elizabeth to develop a deep and strong relationship. And that is precisely what happens in The Houseguest.

Being forced to be in the same house for a few weeks, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth share several intimate moments and start to know each other much better. Their stolen moments at breakfast, the encounters in the library and the fight in the snow were breathtaking. I loved watching Darcy and Elizabeth in such intimate moments and having a prelude of how blissful their life together would be.

Through all this time we can feel the intensity of their relationship, and Elizabeth’s love when it starts to grow. Who doesn’t love to see Elizabeth gradually falling in love with Darcy? The moments they spend together are lovely and passionate but always within propriety, which is something I always appreciate, making this one of those love stories that sticks to my mind. (but don’t worry, those who love their passionate kisses will also find them in this book).

The characters are true to themselves, and some new additions are very interesting, namely Sir Malcom, Mr. Darcy’s rival. It was nice to see a rival for Mr. Darcy who was almost as perfect as Darcy himself. It was about time he had some real competition! But of course that Sir Malcom could never be Darcy, and after some turbulent times Elizabeth makes the only possible choice. I was only a little disappointed that Elizabeth was not more determined towards one of the two suiters and a little sooner. Of course she easily realizes who she really loves, but I wish she could have realized it sooner.

I didn’t remember the book had so many funny moments until I listened to the audiobook and some small details and inflections caught my attention. I also have to praise Brigid Lohrey for the merriment she was able to transmit in Elizabeth’s voice, she captured her teasing manner perfectly.

The Houseguest was very well written and I could easily imagine myself in every scene Elizabeth Adams describes. It has a low level of angst but enough to keep us turning the pages until the very end , and it is filled with romantic moments that allow Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth to slowly build an intimate and deep relationship. I highly recommend this book to any JAFF reader in need of a good romance.

 

You can find The Houseguest at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

.

***

We often see the authors bio in guest posts but seldom remember to give the spotlight to the other people contributing to the success of a book. Many people are involved in the process of publishing a book but when it is released in audio version, the narrator is crucial to the success of the product, so we thought it would be interesting to let you know a little more about Brigid Lohrey who did a great job in narrating The Houseguest.

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***Brigid Lohrey’s biography***

Brigid has always enjoyed reading classical literature. She loves Austen’s work, (and has even been to the Austen Museum in Bath!) and so jumped at the chance to narrate Elizabeth Adam’s The Houseguest as soon as she read it, as it was such a great story with colorful, quintessentially English characters which she loved bringing to life.

Brigid is a character actress and started narrating audiobooks three years ago. She began with the RNIB for whom she has narrated seven Australian titles from romances to psychological thrillers. For Spoken4 (available on Audible), she has narrated Kelly Rimmer’s When I Lost You and is also currently narrating Kelly’s latest book, A Mother’s Promise, which will be out in December 2016.

As well as audiobooks, Brigid has voiced commercials and corporate jobs for both the UK and Australian markets, as well as bringing characters to life in Radio Dramas such as the English rose Emma Finney in Dark Shadows: Beneath the Veil, and Dream Commando Wahn in Dr Who: Dreamtime with Sylvester McCoy for Big Finish Productions.

Find more about Brigid Lohrey at http://www.brigidlohrey.com or follow her on Twitter @brigidlohrey

 

*** It’s giveaway time***

To celebrate the release of The Houseguest on Audible, Elizabeth Adams would like to offer to my readers one audio or ebook copy of this book.

The winner can choose the format, and all we ask you to do is comment this post to let us know what you think of The Houseguest, or to share your good vibes with Mrs. Adams.

The giveaway is international and will end on the 25^th of November right after I publish my review of Elizabeth Adam’s latest release: Meryton Vignettes.

Good Luck everyone!

Elizabeth Adams signing my copy of The Houseguest in London earlier this year…

I just couldn’t resist 😉

Vampire Darcy’s Desire

Hello everyone,

How was your Halloween? Did you have fun?
Halloween is not an important tradition in my country, in fact, it is not a tradition at all, so I didn’t prepare anything special for this time of the year. However, I have been reading Regina Jeffers new edition of Vampire Darcy’s Desires and last night, of all nights, I had to stay up until I finished reading it. I could not just go to bed when my favorite characters were still fighting Wickham could I? I thought that spending the Halloween night reading this book had to mean something, and obviously, when I woke up this review was the first thing that came to my mind.

“Tormented by a 200-year-old curse and his fate as a half human/half vampire dhampir, Fitzwilliam Darcy vows to  a solitary life rather than inflict the horrors of his life upon an innocent wife and his first born son. However, when he encounters the captivating Elizabeth Bennet, his will is sorely tested.
As a man, Darcy yearns for Elizabeth, but as a vampire, he is also driven to possess her. Uncontrollably drawn to each other, they are forced to confront a different kind of “pride” and his enemy’s “prejudice,” while wrestling with the seductive power of forbidden love. Evil forces, led by George Wickham, the purveyor of the curse, attack from all sides, and Darcy learns his only hope to survive is to align himself with Elizabeth, who is uncannily astute is how to defeat Wickham, a demon determined to destroy each generation of Darcys.”

I love the paranormal and was eager to read a book where Mr. Darcy is a vampire, but I didn’t read the blurb and my head was so filled with The Vampire Diaries books that I was completly caught by surprise. Vampire Darcy’s Desire is very original and different from what I was expecting. I expected a vampire Darcy who could not get old, who could not survive without human blood, and who would turn Elizabeth into a vampire so they could live an eternal live together. But that was not at all what I found in this book. I encountered a tormented Darcy cursed to live without love and family. A Darcy destined to fight George Wickham until the end of his live and without any human affection to console him. A man who has never known hapiness and peace, and worse than that, a man without hope…Until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, and suddenly hope arises in his heart and he finally allows himself to live and dream of hapiness.

I wasn’t truly convinced by the beginning of their relationship, it seemed too sudden and physical, but I’m glad this small detail didn’t stop me, because as I continued reading, I discovered in Vampire Darcy’s Desires one of the most compelling relationships I’ve ever seen of Darcy and Elizabeth. Their love was everything I imagine it to be: intense and transcendent. We will have plenty of Darcy and Elizabeth moments, and the time they spend together will allow them to see they were destined to be together, and to form a bond that life itself could not destroy. Elizabeth’s love and trust in Darcy is pure perfection, and I felt nothing could ever tear them apart. Regina Jeffers creates in this book one of the most beautiful and strong love stories I’ve seen of our beloved characters. It is even hard to put into words how much I loved the way she developed their relationship.

Darcy was not so proud as we are used to and had some insecurities, which makes perfect sense considering his background in this book, but he is a flirtatious, passionate and sexy Darcy to whom I would gladly surrender.

Elizabeth is witty, courageous, independent, strong minded, dedicated and utterly in love with Darcy. Together they become a force of nature, and a force of nature they need to be to conquer the curse that has afflicted Darcy’s family for centuries! This is another aspect of the book that I loved, it wasn’t only excellent in terms of romance, but also in terms of adventure and terror! Some of the scenes were so well written I actually felt afraid, and at a certain point I had no idea how D&E would defeat Wickham. I loved Wickham’s character as well, and even if he is pure evil, I confess that at times I felt sorry for him.

Other characters caught my attention and I wonder if we will not see them again in a continuation 😉

Vampire Darcy’s Desire kept me hooked from the beginning until the end, and I highly recommend it to anyone in need of a great adventure and romance! It was the first book I’ve read from Regina Jeffers, but it will certainly not be the last one. If this is how she portrays Darcy and Elizabeth, then I will surely become addicted to her books.

You can find Vampire Darcy’s Desire at:

Amazon.com – Vampire Darcy’s Desire

Review of Letter From Ramsgate

Hello everyone,

An year ago I read a passage of Letter From Ramsgate that really caught my attention and  I’ve been eager to read it ever since, so I was very happy when the book came out this week and even more happy to discover this is just the type of angsty book I like 🙂

This story starts before the events in Pride and Prejudice take place but will afterwards follow the canon story with some curious deviations that will bring a smile to our lips. Elizabeth Bennet is invited by her aunt Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Edwina (a new character introduced in this book) to visit Ramsgate where she will meet Georgiana, Mrs. Younge and Mr. Wickham. Of course that Elizabeth’s presence in this town and the friendship she develops with Georgiana will have a big impact in the story, so we will be guided through a novel with more pride and less prejudice…Well, at least that’s what you’ll think in the beginning.

As I said, after the Ramsgate incident the story will follow canon, but Elizabeth will no longer be biased by Wickham’s stories or Darcy’s insult, in fact, she will hold Georgiana’s brother in the highest regard, so luckily for me, we will have a besotted Elizabeth and a strong, proud Darcy through most of the book. I liked to see how Suzan Lauder played with the characters and our knowledge of P&P by reversing some situations that occur in Austen’s story, such as the proposal scene.

But what I enjoyed the most in the book was Mrs. Younge’s character, in fact, Letter From Ramsgate presented me with the best characterization of Mrs. Younge I have ever seen. This secondary character from Pride and Prejudice, if she can even be considered so, becomes an essential character in this book with a background that explains much of what she is, what she became and I dare say what she will be. Suzan Lauder explored this character to the maximum by making her as human as possible. When I read this book I realized Mrs. Younge could be any one of us. She is someone with as many virtues and flaws as the girl next door, and given a certain input she can either make a good or a bad decision.

Mrs. Younge was not described in this book as a malicious woman, but someone lonely struggling through live in search of love and security. I saw her as someone in need of guidance, which is ironic given the position she is hired for. I cannot say I loved the character as I would not like to be friends with someone like her, but the truth is, she is one of the most real and developed characters I’ve seen, and that was clearly one of the things I enjoyed the most about this book. Georgiana Darcy’s growth from an insecure girl to a mature young lady was also very interesting and unexpected for me, but Mrs. Younge is definitely the character of the book in my opinion.

Now, I’ve probably made it sound as if Mrs. Younge is a big part of the book, but rest assured my friends, she is not. She plays a big part in it, but the majority of the book is centered in Darcy and Elizabeth. Our couple will spend a lot of time together and the author starts by growing our appetite by giving us scenes of them in a playful manner. They even dance at the Meryton Assembly which is a promising beginning! In Letter From Ramsgate they share several companionable moments but then, the angst arrives 🙂 (and that’s when I started devouring the book, I’m such an angst addicted).

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth will go through turbulent times, and some of their dialogues will be hard and exciting at the same time, namely the one they have at the ball after the proposal, but in the end we will get the reward of seeing them together in the most unexpected and exotic scenario, so I believe this book will be appealing for those who love the romance between these characters, and also those who, like me, love the angst.

Want to know more about this book? You can find it on Amazon and read the blurb below:

 

***Book Blurb***

 

Sir, I am not known to you. I fear you may have concerns regarding some intelligence that recently came to me from your sister…

…a simple letter shatters illusions and turns the world upside down!

On holiday in Ramsgate, Elizabeth Bennet befriends shy, romantic Georgiana Darcy, who shares an adoring description of an ideal elder brother. When Georgiana discloses a secret infatuation with her brother’s “close friend” Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth’s altered perception of both men affects her actions and alliances.

The secret within an anonymous letter from Ramsgate ties Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth together but also separates them. A second missive unlocks the disguise, but Mr. Darcy realizes his true passions too late to assist Elizabeth in her darkest hour. Will the shocking disclosure of a forgotten letter transform his understanding of her heart and lead them to embrace their future?

Letter from Ramsgate is a Pride and Prejudice variation suitable for most audiences (youth and up).

***

Have I mentioned that Suzan was one of the first authors I got in contact with when I started my blog? I was really amazed at how nice and welcoming she was to someone like me who didn’t know much about this world. She even spoke a little Portuguese with me 🙂

If you want to know more about Suzan, let me share with you her bio and contacts:

 

***Author Bio***

 

A love for Jane Austen’s novels and Regency and Austenesque romance novels inspired Suzan Lauder to write her own variations, which led her to a passion for Regency era history and costuming, as well as social media book marketing. She cherishes the many friends she’s made as a result of these interests.

Suzan is a member of JASNA, VIRA, RWA (PAN and Beau Monde chapters), and is a registered professional engineer. She enjoys independent travel, design, Pilates, yoga, cycling, sustainability, upcycling, architecture, beta editing, and blogging. Most of the time, a Vancouver Island penthouse loft condominium with a view of the Salish Sea is home. For a few months each winter, Mr. Suze and their two rescue cats accompany her to their tiny Spanish colonial casita in Centro Historico of an industrial city in Mexico.

Letter from Ramsgate is Lauder’s second published novel and comes on the heels of her successful upcycled costuming blog series, the Thrift Shop Regency Costume Experiment. Her latest venture is blogging about her learning experiences while editing Letter from Ramsgate. Suzan’s first novel, Alias Thomas Bennet, is an Austen-inspired Regency romance with a mystery twist. She also contributed a short modern romance, Delivery Boy, to the holiday anthology Then Comes Winter. All Lauder’s published fiction is based on Pride and Prejudice and is available from Meryton Press.

Contact Info:

Website

Goodreads Author Page 

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

Pinterest

 

 

If this is not enough to fulfill your curiosity, please follow the blog tour that has just started and read all the guest posts, excerpts and vignettes the author is sharing with her readers. And of Course, there is plenty of chances to enter the giveaways 🙂

 

***Blog Tour Schedule***

10/17   Guest Post, Excerpt, GA; My Jane Austen Book Club

10/18   Excerpt, GA; Margie’s Must Reads

10/19   Vignette, GA; Just Jane 1813

10/20   Review; From Pemberley to Milton

10/21   Vignette, GA; Babblings of a Bookworm

10/22   Excerpt, GA; Liz’s Reading Life

10/23   Guest Post or Vignette, GA; From Pemberley to Milton

10/24   Review; Tomorrow is Another Day

10/25   Guest Post, Excerpt, GA; So little time…

10/26   Vignette, GA; Austenesque Reviews

10/27   Review, Excerpt; Half Agony, Half Hope

10/28   Review; Diary of an Eccentric

10/29   Guest Post; A Covent Garden Gilflurt’s Guide to Life

10/30   Guest Post or Vignette, GA; More Agreeably Engaged