Category Archives: JAFF

Giveaway Winners Announcement

Good afternoon everyone,

We’ve recently announced the winners of several giveaways that were hosted here at From Pemberley to Milton, however, two of the winners had already bought the books in support of the authors, so it is time to announce two new winners! Thank you so much for always taking some of your time to support these authors everyone!

Now, let’s see who the winners are, shall we?

A Favourable Impression

*** TC***

P & P & LOL

*** Editingzeal***

I would like to ask the winners to please send me your contacts to ritaluzdeodato at gmail dot com so that the prizes may be sent to you.

Happy Reading everyone!

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Giveaway Winners Announcement

Good afternoon everyone,

I never expected I would ever say this, but May the Firth be with you! Today I am the bearer of good news because it is time to announce the giveaways that were hosted here last month šŸ™‚

Before I share with you the names of the winners I want to thank Meryton Press, Suzan Lauder, Laura Moretti, Amanda Kai and Kirstin Odegaard not only for their generosity in the giveaways, but also for the patience they had with me! It has not been easy to find the time to blog lately and these writers were incredibly kind to me! Thank you so much everyone!

Now, let’s see who the winners are, shall we?

An Accomplished Women

*** Glory***

Four Porposals of Marriage

*** Reeahree***

*** Christina Holden***

*** Glynis***

A Favourable Impression

*** Sheilalmajczan***

P & P & LOL

*** J. W. Garrett***

I would like to ask the winners to please send me your contacts to ritaluzdeodato at gmail dot com so that the prizes may be sent to you.

Happy Reading everyone!

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P & P & LOL – Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway with Kirstin Odegaard

Good Afternoon everyone,Ā 

I’m happy to say that Kirstin Odegaard is visiting From Pemberley to Milton for the first time with an excerpt and a guest post that describes and explains the idea behind her recently released P & P & LOL: a Novella Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice…Through Texts!

You can tell by the tittle alone that this book is super fun and innovative, but just wait until you read the excerpt! If there is an Austenesque book that is outside of the box, this is the one, and I personally love the idea! What about you? Did you ever think to read P&P through texts? Which character do you think will shine? I think Mrs. Bennet will be a blast!

Thank you so much for visiting Kirstin, it is a true pleasure to have you here 😊


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Thank you, Rita, for hosting me today.Ā  I’m excited to talk about my newest release: P & P & LOL: a Novella Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice…Through Texts!

The idea for an all-texting novella first came about when I read a short text exchange between Darcy and Bingley.Ā  It was only three sentences, but I was hooked!Ā  Afterwards, my first thought was, I want to do that.

So I did, but only as a short blog post.Ā  I had a lot of fun with it, and people were so encouraging in the comments that I did it again.Ā  And again!

And then I thought, hey, I could keep this going…

I told a friend the idea, and she said, ā€œCan you keep that going?ā€

Hm.Ā  On the inside, I was thinking, ā€œYou know, I’m not really sure.Ā  It does sound hard.Ā  Just text messages?Ā  For a whole book?Ā  And a book like that should be bursting with fun and humor.Ā  Can I…burst?ā€

But out loud, I said, ā€œYES, I CAN.ā€

So then, you know, I had to.Ā Ā 

Part of the challenge was finding each character’s texting voice.Ā  How would Darcy text?Ā  With complete sentences, impeccable grammar, no emojis, and no punctuation left unpunctuated.Ā Ā 

What about Mrs Bennet i think her thoughts would all run together like this my poor nerves oh doesnt anyone feel how i suffer but thats just how it is you know the people who suffer quietly are always the ones who are forgottenĀ 

OR WHAT ABOUT KITTY AND LYDIA???Ā  I THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES!!!Ā  DONT YOU???

I HAD A LOT OF FUN

Oh, sorry.Ā  I was stuck in Kitty mode.Ā  I had a lot of fun exploring all the ways Austen’s characters could come to life through texts, and I hope you have just as much fun reading it—and scrolling through Lizzy and Darcy’s adventures (and misadventures) on the screen of a cell phone.Ā Ā 

The excerpt below is a glimpse into Darcy’s attempts to woo Lizzy…and Bingley’s advice for his friend.Ā  Enjoy!


NEW excerpt

Tuesday, November 22

5:56 pm

Darcy: I’m going to ask her out again.

Charlie: No, man. Too soon. Def too soon.

Darcy: I think she likes me now. Or, at least, she doesn’t hate me.Ā 

When I text her, there’s not that underlying hostility and annoyance that I thought was flirting.

Which I’m now thinking was actually hostility and annoyance.

Women are so confusing.

Charlie: OK, I’m going to stop you there. Because ā€œshe doesn’t hate meā€ does not mean ā€œoh, pretty rich boy, I want you so badly.ā€

Darcy: We talked about this.Ā  That is NOT my new nickname.

Charlie: Because you’re not pretty and rich?

Darcy: Because I’m not a boy.

I’m very pretty and very rich.

Charlie: There he is.

Darcy: So I should ask her out?

Charlie: Still going with no on that one. Play the long game.

You agreed to be friends. So ask to meet up with her as a friend.

Darcy: I never wanted to be her friend.

Charlie: This rejection thing is new for you, isn’t it?Ā 

Welcome to the real world, pretty rich boy.

6:04 pm

Darcy: Hi, Eliza. I was wondering if you’d like to grab lunch. As friends.Ā 

Maybe on Saturday?

Or Sunday, if you’re working Saturday.

Or whatever day you’re free. I’m flexible. Dinner is fine too.

6:05 pm

Darcy: OK, I already blew it.

I sounded totally desperate.

Charlie: I’m sure it’s fine. Whatever you said, we’ll fix it.

Darcy: I asked her to lunch on Saturday or Sunday or any day of her life or dinner too if that’s better.

Charlie: Yeah. That’s really desperate.

Darcy: I said as friends?

Charlie: Sounds VERY friendly.

Darcy: You said you’d help me fix it. Some advice?

Charlie: Remember that advice I gave you five minutes ago NOT to ask her out? You take that advice. That’s how you fix it.

Darcy: I’m going to remember this the next time you have woman problems.


Imagine Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice through the world of a cell phone…

What if the socially awkward Mr. Darcy tried to win Eliza’s heart through texts?

Darcy: You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.
Lizzy: Who is this?

Or what if Mr. Collins’ wooing weapon was his phone?

Collanytime: Hello Jane Bennet. My name is Jonathan Collins. Your mother believed that you and I would be a most compatible match. May we arrange a time to explore this together?
Janie: I’m really flattered, but I’m seeing someone. Hope you find someone special!

Collanytime: Hello Eliza Bennet. My name is Jonathan Collins. Your mother believed that you and I would be a most compatible match. May we arrange a time to explore this together?

And then there’s Mama Bennet…what matchmaking adventures can she get up to when armed with a flip phone and full contact list? Lizzy and Jane, run now, while you still can.

Smart, funny, and unconventional, P & P & LOL! is a texting novella about learning to look past those glossy profile pics to find something a little deeper, a little more real, a little less, uh, shirtless. (Ahem, George Wickham.) Join Eliza and Darcy for a fast and witty adventure that’s full of LOL, smothered with ROFL, and topped with HEA!

Final Cover

You can find P&P & LOL at:Ā 

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and Kindle Unlimited

.


Kirstin Odegaard likes taking long walks on the beach, relaxing in a warm bath until the skin on her toes wrinkles, and sipping her tea while it’s still hot. But she has three kids, so she never does any of that. In her non-fantasy life, she’s into Lego battles, stuffed animal parties, and kiddie cuddles. When she’s not writing or with her family, she runs her tutoring center, where she advises students on how to solve for X and which date to take to prom.Ā  She fell in love with Pride and Prejudice with that first viewing of a dripping Colin Firth emerging from the lake.Ā  She is also the author of First Impressions: a Modern Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Emily: a Modern Retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma.

You can reach Kirstin Odegaard through the following social media:

Website

FB

Amazon


Leave a comment on today’s blog for your chance to win one Kindle copy of P & P & LOL.Ā Ā 

Kirsten OdegaardĀ  is giving one eBook away at each of her future blog tour stops.Ā  Follow her here on FB to find out where she is next.

Thanks for reading!Ā  If you liked this post and want to see more of what to expect in P & P & LOL, you can click here or here or here to read other texting posts she has written.Ā  Or click here to find this book on Amazon.

Good Luck Everyone!


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A Favorable Impression by Amanda Kai – Excerpt & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I hope you had a good week. Mine was really good and I’m hoping the weekend will be even better šŸ™‚ It will, at least, start really well with Amanda Kai’s visit to From Pemberley to Milton. She is here to share with you an excerpt of A Favourable Impression, her second book in The Other Paths Series, a series of standalone novels that take Elizabeth and Darcy into different paths to hapiness. A Favourable Impression starts out at Pemberley, which is a trope many of you like, and the excerpt takes Elizabeth and the Gardiners there, so I’m hoping you will love it too šŸ™‚

Let us know what you thought in the comments and apply to the giveaway šŸ™‚

Thank you so much for stopping by Amanda! I wish you all the best with this new release šŸ™‚


June 1812

Elizabeth

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a favorable impression goes a long way in securing the good opinion of another. Elizabeth Bennet’s opinion of Mr. Darcy was first formed during her tour of the beautiful house and grounds of Pemberley with her sister, aunt, and uncle.

In the past few weeks, they visited all the principal sights that the region had to offer. They saw the beauties of Dovedale and Matlock and the ruins at Kenilworth, climbed the Peaks, and toured Chatsworth and Blenheim Palace.

They reached the town of Bakewell and, over breakfast at the inn, discussed if there was anything worth seeing on their way to Mrs. Gardiner’s childhood home of Lambton.

ā€œI believe we are quite near Pemberley,ā€ Mr. Gardiner remarked, sipping his coffee.

ā€œIndeed, we are!ā€ his wife remarked. ā€œI would very much like to see it again if it is not too much trouble.ā€

Mr. Gardiner consulted his map and determined that it would not take them more than a mile out of their way to see it.

ā€œWhat do you recall of the place?ā€ Elizabeth asked her aunt.

ā€œI have not been there since I left to go away to school, but it was very grand. As beautiful as Chatsworth, if not more so. And the woods are some of the finest in the county. A river runs through the property and feeds its lake, which I am told boasts excellent fishing.ā€

ā€œWell, in that case, we had certainly better go!ā€ Mr. Gardiner chuckled. He was an avid fisherman, though he seldom had the opportunity to enjoy it.

Jane agreed. ā€œIt all sounds marvelous.ā€

With nothing to impede their plans, they set off immediately after breakfast.

ā€œYou know, Lizzy, I believe your friend Mr. Wickham spent his whole childhood at Pemberley. His father was the steward,ā€ Mrs. Gardiner remarked while they were in the carriage.

Elizabeth felt her cheeks warm. Mr. Wickham’s good looks and charming manners made a fine impression on all the ladies of Meryton when he joined the regiment that was quartered there the past autumn. Elizabeth could not help but like him, also. He was friendly and affable, and though they had little in common, they always seemed to find plenty to discuss. But, though she found his company pleasing and thoughts of him made her heart flutter from time to time, she knew that her lack of dowry made it impossible for their relationship to evolve beyond friendship. Besides that, her youngest sister, Lydia, was hopelessly infatuated with him. They argued more than once when Mr. Wickham had given Elizabeth preference over Lydia at a gathering. Elizabeth hoped Lydia would realize, as she had, that there was little chance of either of them ever receiving an offer of marriage from someone as poor as Mr. Wickham.

Despite all this, Elizabeth was curious to see the home where Mr. Wickham grew up. The carriage passed over a bridge fording the River Derwent, and then the great house came into view, situated prominently on rising ground. The river wound through the property, feeding into a shimmering lake that enhanced the beauty of the mansion overlooking it. Pemberley House was a magnificent stone structure built in the Palladian style with a triangular pediment and columns gracing the front.

ā€œI believe you are right, Aunt Gardiner,ā€ Elizabeth said, ā€œChatsworth House has its equal in Pemberley.ā€

Jane suggested, ā€œPerhaps the builders took Chatsworth as their inspiration for Pemberley.ā€

ā€œOr perhaps Pemberley was the inspiration for Chatsworth,ā€ Elizabeth countered. ā€œWhich came first: the chicken or the egg?ā€ She grinned.

Aunt Gardiner gave a little laugh. ā€œI do not know which was built first, so I cannot say. But in my opinion, Pemberley is just aĀ littleĀ more superior.ā€

ā€œWho is the master here?ā€ Elizabeth asked.

ā€œMr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,ā€ Mrs. Gardiner replied. ā€œHis father and mother knew my parents.ā€

ā€œHave you ever met the son?ā€

ā€œJust once, when he was a lad.ā€

The carriage pulled onto a broad, paved sweep. After requesting to see the house, they were admitted entrance. As they waited for the housekeeper, Elizabeth marveled at the hall. The ceiling, covered in a fresco depicting life-size angels and biblical figures in various scenes, rose two full stories. The walls, too, held several massive Renaissance-era paintings in the same style. The housekeeper entered, her heels clicking along the marble floors. Her graying hair peeped out from beneath her white mob-cap, and she bore a friendly expression. She introduced herself as Mrs. Reynolds.

They asked whether they might be given a tour.

ā€œOh yes, the master does not return until tomorrow, so I would be happy to show you the house.ā€

They followed her up a staircase lined with plush red velvet. The main floor of the house bustled with servants carrying on various tasks.

ā€œYou must excuse the state of things,ā€ Mrs. Reynolds said. ā€œThe house has been vacant since last August. The master spends most of his time in London and other parts of the country. We only received word yesterday that he is arriving with a large party, so we are preparing everything.ā€

ā€œWe seem to have come at a bad time, then,ā€ Jane said.

ā€œOh no, Miss, we have it all well at hand!ā€ Mrs. Reynolds answered cheerily. ā€œBut it is well that you have come today, for much of the furniture was covered yesterday. The house is in a much better state today.ā€

She showed them the formal drawing room filled with Italian furnishings, a dining room decked in luxurious red carpets and curtains, an impressive library that made Elizabeth more than a little envious, and a music room with gilded walls that matched the gilded harp that stood as the focal point of the room.

ā€œWho plays the harp?ā€ Elizabeth asked.

ā€œThe master’s sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy. She is a most accomplished musician. She plays the pianoforte and sings as well.ā€

ā€œIt is a pity that your master is not at home more often to enjoy such splendid surroundings,ā€ Mrs. Gardiner said.

Mrs. Reynolds nodded as she led them up another staircase. ā€œIndeed. If he were to marry, we might see more of him. But I do not know when that will ever be. Here is his picture now. This was painted only last year.ā€ They reached a long gallery filled with paintings of members of the Darcy family. Elizabeth looked at the portrait of Mr. Darcy that stood before them. She judged him to be a young man, perhaps in his late twenties. He had dark, curly hair, a strong jaw, and a noble mien. His expression was somber, but the kindness in his eyes stirred her.

ā€œWhat sort of man is Mr. Darcy?ā€ Elizabeth asked.

ā€œOh, the very best!ā€ Mrs. Reynolds exclaimed. ā€œI never heard a cross word from him, and I have known him since he was four years old. He takes prodigious good care of all the servants and tenants under his domain, and you never saw a more attentive brother– or a better friend.ā€

Mr. Gardiner’s head bobbed. ā€œHe seems quite a good fellow!ā€

ā€œIndeed!ā€ Mrs. Reynolds agreed. ā€œI hope you have the good fortune to meet him one day.ā€

They passed a set of miniatures on display, and Mrs. Gardiner leaned closer to examine them.

ā€œHere is one you might recognize, Lizzy and Jane.ā€ She pointed to a small oval frame containing a portrait of a handsome young man. The artist had expertly captured his boyish smile.

ā€œWhy, it is Mr. Wickham!ā€ Elizabeth exclaimed.

Mrs. Reynolds tilted her head in curiosity. ā€œDo the young ladies know Mr. Wickham?ā€

They explained their acquaintance with him through his being quartered in their hometown.

ā€œHe was the son of our late steward,ā€ Mrs. Reynolds said. ā€œBut I am afraid he has turned out very wild. Very wild indeed.ā€ She shook her head with a frown.

Elizabeth wondered what she meant by that, but she did not think it proper to ask.

After they saw all the principal public rooms of the house, Mrs. Reynolds turned them over to the care of the gardener to show them the gardens and the grounds.

The beauty of the gardens was beyond anything Elizabeth had ever witnessed. Even the other great houses they had visited were no match. A rose garden with every color of rose you could imagine. Fountain gardens, a hedge maze, a cottage garden, kitchen gardens, and numerous flower gardens. Near the eastern side of the house was a long pool with a fountain springing from the center, in which you could see the reflection of the mansion behind it. All this in addition to the lake and the river and miles upon miles of wooded trails.

As they followed the gardener along the path that encircled the lake, Mr. Gardiner enjoyed the gleam of the trout, bass, and other fish leaping from the water.

Mrs. Gardiner teased. ā€œYou wish you could be lazing by the bank catching a few of these, eh?ā€

ā€œAye!ā€ he chortled.

Hoofbeats echoed off the bridleway, precipitating the appearance of a rider through the break in the trees. He crossed over the same bridge that their carriage had passed earlier. As he neared the stables, he saw them and tipped his hat.

ā€œThat be my master, Mr. Darcy,ā€ the gardener told them.

Elizabeth’s brow wrinkled. ā€œI thought he was not due until tomorrow.ā€

ā€œPerhaps he decided to come ahead of his guests,ā€ Jane said. ā€œWe ought to offer our greetings and apologize for intruding on his land.ā€

The others agreed, and they walked toward the stables.

Mr. Darcy emerged a few minutes later on foot. He was even more handsome in the flesh than his painting made him out to be. His hair, damp with moisture from his ride, had curled into tight ringlets beneath his fashionable D’orsay top hat. He wore a well-fitting jacket that hugged his athletic form. Elizabeth forced herself not to let her eyes linger on the buckskin leather breeches that clung to his shapely thighs like a second skin but to keep her gaze fixed on his face. His perfectly bow-shaped mouth turned upwards at the creases when he looked at her, causing Elizabeth’s breath to quicken and her own mouth to break into a smile.

He greeted them, walking toward their group. His hailing them signaled that he was open to an introduction. Mr. Gardiner led the way, presenting himself, his wife, and their two nieces.

ā€œA pleasure to make your acquaintance.ā€ Mr. Darcy bowed. ā€œWhat brings you to this area?ā€

Mr. Gardiner explained that they had been touring Derbyshire the past few weeks and had wished to see the house.

ā€œOf course, you are very welcome. The house and grounds are open to you. Where are you all visiting from?ā€

ā€œMy nieces reside in Hertfordshire,ā€ Mr. Gardiner answered. ā€œMy wife and I live in London, but my wife grew up in this area, in Lambton.ā€

ā€œIn fact, I believe I met you once, sir,ā€ Mrs. Gardiner said, ā€œwhen you were just a boy. Though I doubt very much that you would remember me. I was Miss Andrews then.ā€

He asked her who her parents were and said, ā€œAh yes, I do seem to recall them, and I believe I remember you, ma’am. You came with the Davies and the Harris families for a picnic gathering. Charlie Davies and Rose Harris were there, and we all played hide and seek together in the hedge maze.

ā€œYou do remember!ā€ Mrs. Gardiner exclaimed in delight.

ā€œYes, in fact, Charlie and Rose will both be of the party I am hosting this week. They are married now, if you can believe it.ā€

Mrs. Gardiner was overjoyed. ā€œI have not seen either of them since before my days at school. I am sad to say that we did not keep in touch. I would love to see them again and revisit the old days.ā€

ā€œIn that case, I must insist that you all come to dinner tomorrow evening if you have the time. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than facilitating your reunion with your friends.ā€

His invitation was most agreeable to all. As he walked them to their carriage, Elizabeth said, ā€œOur meeting you seems quite serendipitous, Mr. Darcy. I hope you know the joy you bring to my aunt by including us in your gathering. I wonder whether we have any other mutual friends in common who will be at your party.ā€

He smiled. ā€œMy sister will be there with her companion, along with several of my friends. Where did you say you were from again, Miss Elizabeth?ā€

ā€œMy sister and I live at Longbourn, near Meryton, in Hertfordshire.ā€

ā€œHertfordshire, yes. My good friend Charles Bingley leased a place in Hertfordshire last autumn. I believe it was very near to Meryton.ā€

Jane’s eyes shot over to them at the mention of that name. Elizabeth’s mouth parted slightly as she looked at her sister in response.

Elizabeth turned her face back toward Mr. Darcy. ā€œWe had the good fortune to become acquainted with Mr. Bingley during that time.ā€ She forced herself to smile.

ā€œDid you! As it happens, Bingley wrote yesterday that he and his whole family are to join our party. I rode out a day early to ensure the house was prepared for the additional guests. I am sure that he will be pleased to see you again.ā€

ā€œI do hope so, Mr. Darcy,ā€ Elizabeth answered. Jane could only nod in response. Elizabeth took Jane’s hand and squeezed it before entering the carriage.

Mr. Darcy bid them all farewell. ā€œUntil tomorrow, then.ā€ He tipped his hat.

ā€œUntil tomorrow, Mr. Darcy,ā€ Elizabeth said through the open window as the driver shut their door and climbed up to his seat.


NEW book blurb

What if Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy had met at Pemberley?
Coming home to Pemberley, the last thing Mr. Darcy expected was to find strangers taking a tour! Upon learning that the Gardiners and their nieces have mutual friends among his house party guests, Darcy invites them to stay. Over the course of the week, Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s wit and vivacity make a favorable impression on Darcy, and she is equally impressed with his kindness and generosity.

Mr. Darcy expects that the rest of the Bennet family will be as well-mannered and genteel. But he soon learns they are quite the opposite: loud, vulgar, and rude. To make matters worse, the youngest sister has eloped with Mr. Darcy’s nemesis!

But Darcy is convinced that if he can swallow his pride and ask Elizabeth to marry him, she will certainly accept. He did not count on her also having a sense of pride…

Elizabeth knows her family is imperfect, but being told that she is loved in spite of her reprehensible family is an insult that can not be borne. Such a degrading proposal ruins Elizabeth’s good opinion of Mr. Darcy and convinces her that she was sorely mistaken about his character.

How can Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet find their way back to one another after such favorable impressions have been utterly dashed?

You can find A Favorable Impression at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited


.NEW author bio

Amanda Kai’s love of period dramas and classic literature inspires her historical romances and other romances.Ā  She is the author of several stories inspired by Jane Austen, including Not In Want of a Wife, Elizabeth’s Secret Admirer, and Marriage and Ministry. Ā Prior to becoming an author, Amanda enjoyed a successful career as a professional harpist, and danced ballet for twenty years. When she’s not diving into the realm of her imagination, Amanda lives out her own happily ever after in Texas with her husband and three children.Ā 

P26

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Amanda Kai is giving away one eBook of A Favorable ImpressionĀ to one of my readers. The giveaway is international and is open until the 29th of April. To apply to it, just leave a comment on this post and let us know your opinion of the excerpt šŸ™‚Ā Ā 

The winner will be announced shortly after.

Good luck everyone!

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Filed under JAFF, North and South, Pride and Prejudice

An Accomplished Women – An Interview with Suzan Lauder & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I am very happy to welcome Suzan Lauder to From Pemberley to Milton today not only because this time she is not here to talk about an Austenesque book, but her recently released regency romance An Accomplished Women, the first in the new series Cecilia’s Mismatches, but also because she agreed to answer a few of my questions!

I always love to ask authors some questions, and because Suzan is now starting a new series that is not Austenesque, I was even more excited to talk to her about it. If you’re like me, leave her your questions in the comment session as that will also allow you to enter the giveaway Meryton Press if offering.

Thank you so much for talking to us about the characterization in this novella and for answering all my questions Suzan! It is a true pleasure to have you here šŸ™‚


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Obrigada, Rita, for welcoming me to your blog. Rather than an excerpt today, I thought I’d offer a glimpse into my thoughts as I wrote the book, particularly the characterization.Ā 

Having been a writer of Jane Austen Fan Fiction for a dozen years now, I couldn’t help but be influenced by Austen’s characters when writing the Cecilia’s Mismatches series. In fact, the whole idea came from a member of chat in A Happy Assembly saying there should be a story written where Caroline Bingley was a matchmaker. I asked for permission to take that story idea, and the beginnings of Cecilia’s Mismatches was born.Ā 

I don’t write character studies, but I keep the characters in my head as if they were real people. It’s the same when I read, and it works for me. In fact, even in each of my past variations, the lead characters were a little different, as they took on magnified versions of specific traits shown in Jane Austen’s complex characters. It’s quite the same with Cecilia’s Mismatches.

Cecilia herself is a little more Caroline than she is Emma, but she has a little of each in her characterization. Lady Hoxley, as she’s also known, is a bit of a gossip, accomplished in many ways, full of herself, and so pleased with her choices in life that she interferes with others. As Audra’s best friend, we see her soft side. She’s not unkind like Caroline, and we do like her despite her mismatches. Like Emma, Cecilia means well as she makes herself useful, but her decisions are not well thought out most of the time.

In the case of Book One, An Accomplished Woman, we meet Audra Hales, who works hard to be the most accomplished of young ladies, is very easily manipulated and copies her best friend Cecilia, and has an active imagination partly influenced by gothic novels. She is Mary Bennet, Kitty Bennet, and Catherine Morland all mixed up in a pert little package, and that’s how I wrote her. Readers have called her endearing, and I agree. The novel is told totally from her perspective.

The gentlemen of the novel are less directly related to Austen’s characters and more of my own imagination. Both are impossibly handsome in their own way, and they’re brothers.

Lord Garner Tremaine is an immature, spoiled, foppish, yet friendly man who was Cecilia’s idea of the perfect match to Audra. He loves to dress like the Beau, attend the best parties, race his curricle, and enjoy life to the fullest like a rich young man should. He’s outgoing and not at all serious. Perhaps Lord Garner could be Frank Churchill, though he wasn’t intentionally modelled after him.

His older brother, Everett Tremaine, Marquess of Vernon is serious and mature in comparison to Lord Garner. He spends a good deal of his time with his ailing father, the Duke of Alderton, and takes his father’s place as leader of the Tremaine family. Lord Vernon could be a bit Mr. Darcy and a bit Mr. Knightley, but it wasn’t deliberate. He’s somewhat more talkative and less prideful than the former, though he could be said to be protective and officious like the latter. He and Audra have several instances of verbal sparring that spark an attraction that he denies. Readers say he’s swoon-worthy. You’ll have to decide for yourself!

That concludes the characterization of the lead characters of An Accomplished Woman. I hope this peek into the story background entices you to learn more by reading my book.

Thank you for your characterization of the lead characters Suzan, that gave me a better understanding of what I’ll find in the story, which, to be honest, I am looking forward to read because I believe it will be a breath of fresh air. Can you also share a glimpse of the setting of this story?

The story takes place mostly in Bath, with a little in London. The house that Cecilia rents for her summer party is supposed to be on Royal Crescent, and the party goes shopping on Milsom Street. I went to Bath in 2019 and so I’ve seen these sites.

What was the biggest challenge of writing a Non-Austeneque book? How did you find a balance between adding and/or removing Austen’s features?

I had to keep all these new characters and their characterizations straight. I had a spreadsheet for names and relationships that I referred to. Otherwise, witty banter works no matter who the protagonists are, and that’s the key to an engaging story. I found that I wasn’t bound to canon plot spots, which was freeing. On the other hand, I had to make up new ones!

Are you afraid readers will come looking for Mr. Darcy when they read this book?

Very much so. I expect that some of my best readers won’t be interested because it’s not D&E. But Everett smoulders as much as Darcy does. He’s like fanon Darcy after he changes.

Are Cecilia’s Mismatches your attempt to branch out and start writing more non-Austenesque books?

Yes, to some extent. It’s a wider market, and I have another book outside of the series partly written. But a wider market means I’m a small fish in a bigger pond as well. I doubt I’ll ever fully leave Austenesque, though. I love my D&E. I just need to find a great plot for them.

Which type of hero’s/heroines do you value the most in your stories? And which ones will we find in the series?

I’m not tied to any specific type of hero or heroine in writing, and you’ll find that they vary in the series, as the sisters are all different, as are their suitors. I always thought I wanted to write the reformed rake, but then, I didn’t want him to be a man-whore when it came down to the relationship with the female protagonist. You want a certain purity to their love. I do love my standard D&E, though. But they’re really not in the series!

Can you rate the level of romance in An Accomplished Woman?

The romance is swoon-worthy, heated with no sex. There’s immediate attraction, but a continual denial since Audra doesn’t consider Everett her type. This allows the romance to grow as she encounters him. I feel that good romance needs good flow and a sort of a story arc just as the plot does, and can’t be too fast or too slow.

What about the following books in the series? What can we expect?

They’re each different in their own way. The eldest sister, the widowed Lady Cassandra Reddener, or Cassie, is the heroine of the second novel,Ā The Chaperon, and she’s beautiful, cool, and a bit vain, yet somewhat unsure of herself. She’s got some Jane Bennet to Reeve Charington’s warm, kind Charles Bingley, who is Cecilia’s brother. The third couple have the hottest situation: Julian Lange, Lord Remington is supposed to be that reformed rake. InĀ SecretĀ Affairs, he’s steamy Darcy to Alexandra (Lexie) Hales’s witty yet sarcastic Elizabeth, who can’t wait to have an argument with anyone. Lexie is the most confident of the sisters. Remember, in each case, they are not meant to be matched, yet end up together! In each book, we see recurring minor characters who we grow to love and who have potential for later books in the series.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us about this new project Suzan! We wish you all the best with it.Ā 


Audra Hales is a lady of many perfect accomplishments—at least she believes so. It is no wonder: she has mirrored her great friend Cecilia, the newly minted Lady Hoxley, so how could her talents not be worthy of the highest praise? A self-described matchmaker, Cecilia has brought Audra to Bath—where balls and excursions abound—with the intention of matching her with the gregarious Lord Garner Tremaine. Though he seems an affable and talented gentleman, his brother, the marquess, is quite the opposite.Ā 

As head of his family, Everett Tremaine, the Marquess of Vernon acts on behalf of his father, the duke, who remains secluded from Lady Hoxley’s guests. With his obligations, Everett has no time for foolish temptations such as Miss Hales…so why does he constantly find her thrown into his path?Ā 

Meanwhile, Audra has conjured all sorts of wild imaginings concerning the frustrating marquess, and every time she encounters him, he leaves her breathless rather than answering her questions! After all, what is ailing the mysterious duke? Could the marquess be a villain masquerading as the savior of his family? And most importantly: should she marry Lord Garner, the safe suitor, or follow her heart?

Book One of the Cecilia’s Mismatches series is a stand-alone novel.

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You can find An Accomplished Women at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited


NEW author bio

A lover of Jane Austen, Regency period research and costuming, yoga, fitness, home renovation, design, sustainability, and independent travel, cat mom Suzan Lauder keeps busy even when she’s not writing novels based on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, all of which are published by Meryton Press.

She and Mr. Suze and their rescue tabby split their time between a loft condo overlooking the Salish Sea and a 150-year-old Spanish colonial casita in Mexico. Suzan’s lively prose can be found on her Facebook author page, www.facebook.com/SuzanLauder; on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest as @SuzanLauder; and on her Meryton Press blog, road trips with the redhead www.suzanlauder.merytonpress.com. Her Amazon author page is https://www.amazon.com/author/suzanlauder.Ā 

Prior to publishing An Accomplished Woman of the Cecilia’s Mismatches series, Lauder had four novels, a novella, and a novelette published by Meryton Press and has short stories in two Austenesque anthologies. All are popular, most earning four-plus star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads. Accolades include Amazon bestseller for Letter from Ramsgate and The Barrister’s Bride, a Finalist for Sexy Scribbles for an excerpt from Alias Thomas Bennet, and several of her books were placed on top ten of the year lists by influential bloggers.

She even finds time to bake muffins! Suzan Lauder photo

.Contact Info

Facebook ;Ā Twitter ;Ā Instagram ;Ā PinterestĀ  ;Ā Amazon Author Page

Meryton Press Blog,Ā road trips with the redheadĀ 

Email: suzanlauder@gmail.com

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Meryton Press will be giving away one eBook for each stop on the Blog Tour, so if you’d like to enter the giveaway please leave a comment below and let us know what you think about Cecilia’s Mismatches. The giveaway is open until the 21rst of April and the winner will be announced shortly after.

Good luck everyone!

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Giveaway Winners Announcement

Good evening everyone,

I hope you’re all well. I have been on vacations, so I am very relaxed and only a bit sad to know I’ll get back to work tomorrow, but then again, I had a wonderful time this week in the Azores, so I can’t complain 😊

Today I am bringing you the winners of the last 2 giveaways that were hosted here at From Pemberley to Milton, an ebook copy of Mistaken Premise, offered by Cherith Boardman, and an ebook copy of The Bennets: Provide & Perception, given away by Meryton Press.

I would like to thank both Cherith Boardman and KC Cowan for visiting, and also Meryton Press for their generosity towards my readers. Lastly I would like to thank you all for participating in these initiatives and sharing your support with these authors!

Now, without further ado, the winners are:

Mistaken Premise

*** Sophia Rose***

The Bennets: Providence & Perception

*** Christina Holden***

I would like to ask the winners to please send your email contacts and the amazon store you use to ritaluzdeodato at gmail dot com so that the prizes may be sent to you.

Happy Reading everyone!

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Death in Sensible Circumstances – Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway with Riana Everly

Good Afternoon everyone,Ā 

Today I have the pleasure to welcome once more Riana Everly to From Pemberley to Milton to talk about Death in Sensible Circumstances, book 4 in the Miss Mary Investigates series. This fourth instalment will take Mary and Alexander into a Sense & Sensibility setting, so I am very eager to see how this will play out!

Ms Everly is one of the authors I enjoy the most receiving at From Pemberley to Milton because she always creates very interesting guest posts, and today is no exception! Ms Everly decided to talk to you a little about London, and I hope her words will allow you to travel there šŸ™‚

Thank you for visiting Ms Everly, it is always a pleasure to have you here and to read your informative posts šŸ™‚


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Thank you so much for welcoming me once more to your fabulous blog. It’s always a treat to share my thoughts with everybody here.Ā 

I’ve been talking a lot about London recently.Ā 

London is one of my favourite places to visit. Whether I want history, art, music, theatre, fun neighbourhoods, or beautiful parks, it has so much to offer. Every time I’m there, it’s never for long enough, and a too-short trip last December has left me wanting more. But while I can’t be there in person, I can travel there in my stories.

Unlike some of Jane Austen’s novels, Sense and Sensibility takes place, in part at least, in this very real place, and she gives us details. Norland might be entirely imaginary, as are Barton and Delaford (and Pemberley and Highbury and Mansfield Park), but London is real. The areas she names are real. The streets where her characters live are real. You can find them on a map, and you can walk their lengths.Ā 

Upper Berkeley Street

My newest release, Death in Sensible Circumstances, takes place in that very city in the year 1814, as Mary Bennet and her friend, the investigator Alexander Lyons, are pulled into the world of Sense and Sensibility. When Mary and Elinor Dashwood meet and become friends in a bookshop, Mary becomes a frequent guest at the house on Upper Berkeley Street, where Elinor’s kind friend and chaperone, Mrs Jennings, lives.Ā 

Miss Austen knew what she was doing. Mrs Jennings, whose wealth comes from trade, lives in Marylebone. This area, north of prestigious Mayfair, was new and shiny, and at the time of this story, was still being developed. Likewise, Mrs Jennings’ wealth is new and shiny, and she carries with her the traces of her middle-class upbringing. She, too, is still being developed.

Park Street

The Ferrars, on the other hand, have a house by Park Street, in Mayfair proper. This is where the haute ton lived. Dukes and Earls had their townhomes there. Likewise, surely, people like Mr Darcy, with his ten thousand a year. This is where old, established families lived. Perhaps the shine had gone off the family’s bank account, but if they owned a house there, they would be welcome anywhere in society. It was that sort of area. And the Ferrars were that sort of family. This is what Edward Ferrars was prepared to give up in order to be true to his principles.

The Steele sisters, Lucy and Anne, seemed to have no permanent home, but travelled about, taking advantage of the hospitality of this relation and that, all over England. In London, they stayed with the Richardsons, who lived in Holborn. Holborn was an older area, closer to the old Medieval centre of London, the City, what we might consider shabby chic. It was, in 1814, nice. But not fancy. It was respectable. But not elegant. It wasn’t embarrassing, but it wasn’t Mayfair. Lucy knows this, and she aspires to Mayfair.

And then there is Gracechurch Street, near Cheapside. Mary’s aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, are not part of Austen’s world of Sense and Sensibility, but there is no reason they could not be. Mary, after all, needs somewhere to stay as well. It is, as the Bingley sisters laugh, almost in sight of their warehouses, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. Here is a brief history of the area.

Cheapside, 1837

Cheapside has a long and prosperous history. The street itself takes its name from the Anglo-Saxon word ā€œchepe,ā€ meaning ā€œmarket,ā€ and it has been a centre of industry and trade for over a thousand years. It is situated well within the walls of the ancient Roman town of Londinium, running roughly from St Paul’s Cathedral to the now-buried Walbrook river, where the ancient Temple to Mithras stood (which you can still see in the basement of the Bloomberg headquarters). The first church of St. Mary-le-Bow was built on the street in about the year 1080 by Archbishop Lefranc, and there may have been an older church on the site. In the 12th century, it was probably more like a market than a street, at 62 feet wide, and jousting tournaments were held there, with the roofs of surrounding buildings providing stands for the crowds.Ā 

By the early modern period, the area had become a centre for the jewellery trade and most goldsmiths had their shops here, but it was all destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. St Mary-le-Bow was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1680, and its tower uses the ancient Roman roadway as its foundations. By the mid-1700s, the area had recovered from the devastation of the fire, and became prestigious once more. Caroline Bingley might have sniffed at it, but being situated in this part of London marked the Gardiners as being quite well off, even if their wealth came from trade.

The area around Gracechurch Street todayGracechurch Street itself no longer hosts rows of fine merchants’ houses, but is now the address of modern office towers and commercial developments. But this is still the financial heart of London. This is where business happens. This is where the money comes from.

As a side note, in 1912 some workmen uncovered a huge collection of early 17th-century jewellery in a cellar, which became known as the Cheapside Hoard. Mary and Alexander might have walked past this building every day and not known a thing about the treasures under their feet.

I’ve had to imagine what Gracechurch Street was like back in 1814. Leadenhall Market was nearby, the docklands not so far away, but the Gardiners had no cause to repine about their little part of London. Here is an excerpt from Death in Sensible Circumstances: A Sense and Sensibility Mystery.


NEW excerpt

The rap at the door came as the family were finishing their dinner. It was early by town hours, but the children must eat at a reasonable time. Mary heard the door open and the quiet tones of the maid, presumably requesting the visitor to wait in the front salon. Her aunt and uncle raised their eyebrows at each other, but concluded the meal as if nothing were amiss.

ā€œUp you go.ā€ Mary’s aunt kissed each of her children in turn. ā€œBe sure to complete all your schoolwork and then you may read or ask Miss Boyd to take you to the square. I shall be up later.ā€ The four young Gardiners responded in kind, hugging their parents before disappearing up the back stairs. This was an affectionate family, elegant and sensible. The oldest child, a girl of eleven, was a great reader already and she and Mary had spent a great many hours discussing all the books neither of them ought to have read.

When the children were gone, Mr. Gardiner stepped out of the dining room for a moment. ā€œThe visitor is for you, Mary. A young man whom I have seen before but not met, but who says he knows you. He calls himself Alexander Lyons. A Scot, by his hair and his speech. Are you willing to speak to him?ā€

Mary could not keep the smile from touching her lips. ā€œYes, I will see him.ā€

ā€œAnd I shall sit in the corner,ā€ her aunt supplied. ā€œI will not have you returned to my sister with your reputation blemished.ā€

Mary hid a laugh. If only her aunt knew how many times Mary and Alexander had conferred completely in private, and for how long! Mary had previously mentioned her association with Alexander, for the tale of how Lizzy was absolved of a charge of murder was famous in the family now, but the details, well, those she preferred to keep private.

ā€œBy all means, Aunt. Please, allow me to introduce Mr. Lyons to you.ā€

The introductions were performed and Mary and Alexander made themselves comfortable before the bright window in the back parlour. Mary’s aunt sat in a chair on the other side of the room, working at some sewing. Her uncle was in his study, the next room over, with both doors open. Mama would be pleased at the prodigious care her brother and sister took of Mary’s reputation.

ā€œMary,ā€ Alexander began, his voice low enough that his words would not reach unintended ears. The crease on his brow betrayed his unease. ā€œHow long have you been in London? Why did you not tell me you were here? I have done something to displease you, but I cannot think what. I thought we were better friends than this. Please, can we talk?ā€

Mary’s face grew warm. Her earlier feelings of injury had been tempered by Elinor’s words, and embarrassment blossomed where indignation had once been. She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say, but the sight of her aunt by the door stopped her attempts.

ā€œLater. When we are alone.ā€Ā 

Alexander’s eyes flickered to their chaperone, and he nodded. ā€œYes. Of course.ā€ The words were all but a whisper. Then, in a somewhat stronger voice, he added, ā€œI have something else I wish to confer about.ā€

Mary let out a rush of breath. ā€œSomething about Edward Ferrars?ā€

ā€œJust so.ā€ The copper head bounced in a short nod. ā€œHow came you to be associated with him?ā€


A Jane Austen-inspired mystery, set in the world of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, being the fourth novel in the Miss Mary Investigates series.

When Mary Bennet befriends Elinor Dashwood, she expects to become part of the young lady’s circle and be introduced to her friends and relations. She does not expect that one of this circle should die, far too young, and in most unfortunate circumstances. Worse, Elinor is secretly in love with one of the suspects, Edward Ferrars, and he is inconveniently engaged to somebody else. When an investigator is called in to assist, Mary is more surprised still.

Alexander Lyons expects to find death and deceit in his line of work, but he does not expect to come face to face with Mary, who hasn’t replied to his letters of late. What is she doing in London? And how is she involved with this sorry business of murder? Still, despite the tension between the two, they make a good team as they seek to unravel the mystery surrounding them.Ā 

From the elegant drawing rooms of Mayfair to the reeking slums of St. Giles, the two must use every bit of wit and logic they possess to uncover a killer, all the while, trying to puzzle out the workings of their own hearts.

Join Mary Bennet, Lizzy’s often overlooked sister from Pride and Prejudice, and her intriguing and handsome friend Alexander Lyons, as they are pulled into the world of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility in this, their latest adventure.

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You can find Death in Sensible Circumstances at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and at Kindle Unlimited

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Riana Everly is an award-winning author of romance, both contemporary and historical, and historical mysteries.Ā 

Born in South Africa, she moved to Canada as a child, bringing with her two parents, two younger sisters, and too many books. Yes, they were mysteries. From those early days of The Secret Seven and The Famous Five, she graduated to Nancy Drew, and then to the Grande Dames of classical English whodunnits, including Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh. Others followed, and many sleepless nights ensued.

When not matching wits with Miss Marple and Adam Dalgliesh, Riana keeps busy researching those little, but so-important, details for her next fabulous novel.

Trained as a classical musician, Riana has degrees in Music History and Medieval Studies, and enjoys photography, hiking, travelling, learning obscure languages, and experimenting with new recipes. If they include chocolate, all the better.

Her Miss Mary Investigates series has charmed both Jane Austen fans and serious mystery lovers alike, and readers are always asking when the next story will be available.

You can contact her throught the following links, she loves meeting readers:

FacebookĀ 
WebsiteĀ 
AmazonĀ 

Twitter

Email: riana.everly@gmail.com


Ms Everly is delighted to be giving away one eBook of Death in Sensible Circumstances: A Sense and Sensibility Mystery at each blog she visits. She will randomly select one person who comments as a winner. She’ll make the draw five days after the date of the blog visit. She will email the book directly to the winners, so please check back on the site, or make sure she has a way to contact you.Ā 

Her email is riana.everly@gmail.com

Good Luck Everyone!

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Mistaken Premise – Excerpt & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I am very happy to welcome once more Ms. Cherith Boardman to From Pemberley to Milton. The last time this author visited my blog we did a fun interview where she talked about her book Total Want of Propriety and its connections to Portugal, so this time we thought you’d like something different that would you give you a taste of her recently released book Mistaken Premise, and it was decided that an excerpt was in order šŸ™‚

I hope you all enjoy it, and that you share your opinion of it with us. Don’t forget that giving us your opinion of the excerpt will entitle you for the giveaway this author is kindly offering.

Thank you so much for visiting Ms. Cherith, it was a true pleasure to welcome you at From Pemberley to Milton, I hope to see you again soon šŸ™‚ .


NEW excerpt Tuesday, March 31, 1812 Darlington House St James’s-square

After dancing with the Marquess of Carnarvon, the heir to the Duke of Chandos[i], Lizzy was returning to Lady Dashwood when Lady Lavinia Casgen rushed to her schoolfriend, eyes glowing with excitement. ā€œOh, Liz— I mean, Lady Portencross, come with me to the retiring room, for I must share the most delicious news.ā€

Unfamiliar with Lady Darlington’s home, Lizzy clutched her friend’s hand as Lavinia deftly wended their way through the throng, heading towards the opposite side of the ballroom. She stopped short when her friend entered a room lined with bookshelves. ā€œYou must have missed it, Lady Lavinia; this isĀ notĀ the lady’s retiring room.ā€

ā€œOh, that is next door. I wanted to tell you my news first, and this room is quieter and affords more privacy.ā€ The elder girl shepherded the future duchess further into the room.

Lady Portencross was young, but she was not stupid. Her dowry and future as the Duchess of Soloway made her the object of every fortune hunter, and the ridiculous hypocrisy of theĀ tonĀ rendered a young lady’s reputation the most fragile thing on earth. Lady Lavinia was a friend of long-standing, but Lizzy used her superior height to remain but three steps from the door.Ā Morris has always taught me to trust my instincts.

Sure enough, Lady Lavinia’s eldest brother, the Marquess of Asal, stepped from behind a bookcase. ā€œGood evening, Lady Elizabeth – if I may be so bold as to call you that, my dear, for you’ll soon be my bride.ā€

The moment the marquess revealed himself, Lizzy’s eyes blazed with fury at her so-called friend. The marquess drawled, ā€œLeave now, Lavinny, and guard the door ā€˜til Father and Mother come.ā€

Lady Portencross had no intention of remaining. ā€œWorry not, your ladyship; I was just leaving.ā€

Lavinia tried to stop her, but Lizzy positioned herself to use the defensive manoeuvres taught by Morris against the smaller Lavinia when Mr Darcy wandered through the still-open door. In his hand was a pocket-sized book, and he only looked up as he stumbled into Lady Portencross, who was nearest the door. ā€œOh, forgive me, your ladyships.ā€ He bowed to both girls, then looked to the marquess. ā€œYou, too, your lordship – excuse my interruption. I wished to stave off a growing headache; Lady Darlington assured me this room would suit my purposes.ā€

Lizzy used this Providential opportunity. ā€œYou are interrupting nothing, Mr Darcy; in fact, I was preparing to leave, for my business here is finished.ā€

Anger, relief, and betrayal swirled through Lady Portencross’ moss-green eyes. Darcy had followed her, having seen Lord Asal – who had boasted an imminent unification of the duchies of Soloway and Oxford – slip into the hall but a few moments before Lady Lavinia approached Lady Portencross. After he and Milton had, by chance, extricated the young countess from the impositions of Musgrave at the Bertram’s ball, Darcy had taken to watching for other avaricious rakes importuning Lady Portencross.

Darcy offered his arm. ā€œAllow me to return you to Lady Dashwood and Her Grace, your ladyship.ā€

Lizzy trusted Mr Darcy.Ā He is a gentleman with too much principle to devise such a nefarious plot.Ā Neither she nor Darcy took their leave of either Casgen as they passed into the hall. Once in relative privacy, Lizzy pressed his arm. ā€œThank you, Mr Darcy.ā€

Darcy traced a single finger along her gloved hand which rested upon his forearm. ā€œPray, mention it not, your ladyship. Be assured, I will not.ā€

By then, they had reached the ballroom, where Darcy wordlessly directed her into the forming lines of dancers.

Neither Lady Portencross nor Mr Darcy noticed the third person in the hallway. News of the Duchess of Oxford’s boasts that her daughter, Lady Lavinia, had befriended Lady Portencross to forward a match betwixt her brother, the Marquess of Asal, and the future duchess, reached the Marchioness of Westfall but the day before. Suspicious when the family spent the early part of the evening in confederation, she watched them. Their togetherness was most unusual, for the marquess rarely attended respectable gatherings such as tonight’s entertainment – no, the Cyprian’s Ball was his preference[ii] – and the duke and duchess had maintained separate households for the last decade.

The brother and sister had conferred together, then parted company with a nod: the marquess towards the ladies’ retiring room, and Lady Lavinia to intercept Lady Portencross. The Marchioness of Westfall liked the future duchess, delighting in the young lady’s independence of thought; she was a much-needed breath of fresh air amongst the stagnant and hackneyed circles of London’s Upper Ten Thousand. The Marchioness of Westfall was following the two young Ladies when Mr Darcy strode past her, heading in the same direction. They both hearing the Marquess of Asal’s admonition to his sister, and her ladyship watched as Mr Darcy removed a book from his breast pocket and entered the open door with the distracted air of a gentleman absorbed in his reading, astonishing his audience with his heretofore-unknown acting talent.

The Marchioness of Westfall stepped behind a potted palm as Lady Portencross and Mr Darcy exited the room, arm-in-arm, as Lord Asal and Lady Lavinia argued over who held the greater share of the blame for the evening’s failure. The Duke and Duchess of Oxford entered the hallway a few moments later, with Lord and Lady Rowcester – two of the prevailing gossips in theĀ ton – in tow. ā€œYes, yes… come this way, and I shall introduce you to my son and heir. He is in the library.ā€

The duke and duchess stopped short upon discerning the open door, but the smooth politician recovered. ā€œErm, look! Here is our daughter, too!ā€

Lady Westfall remained behind the potted plant during the inane introductions, impressed by the Duke of Oxford’s family’s ability to put a pleasant faƧade on their thwarted plans. At length, Her Grace returned the Rowcesters to the ballroom, leaving her remaining family free to speak.

ā€œWhere is the chit?ā€ the duke snarled.

ā€œA gentleman she knew interrupted us… Mr Darcy, she called him,ā€ Lady Lavinia explained.

ā€œThen we shall publish in the papers that she was in the room alone with Asal, and this Darcy can confirm.ā€

ā€œWon’t work, Father,ā€ the marquess said in his lazy disregard for the King’s English. ā€œDarcy ambled through an open door and saw Lavinny in the room. There’ll be no working on Darcy, either. He’s younger than me but is a sanctimonious prig – Lord Matlock’s nephew, and he shares his uncle’s and Lord Milton’s reputation for honesty. Should we publish the implication, Darcy would expose our plot of harming Lady Portencross – and we’d receive naught but hate, from both Society and the Crown, for daring to plot against their darling.ā€

With a nod of satisfaction – that was the first sensible thing the marquess has said all night – Lady Westfall, at last, left the hallway, confident that the future duchess’ reputation was secure.

[i]Ā I have fictionally extended this line:Ā Jane Austen was the great-great niece of the 1stĀ Duke of Chandos, a title which was extinct by 1812.

[ii]Ā The Cyprian’s Ball was an event where mistresses and prostitutes (sometimes called Cyprians during the Regency) searched for new patrons.


NEW book blurb .

With everything in his favour, ’tis no wonder Fitzwilliam Darcy thinks well of himself.

The head of an ancient Norman family, Mr Darcy is the generous and revered master of Pemberley, a respected MP, and a valued friend and neighbour. The powerful Earl of Matlock, his uncle, and his cousin, Viscount Milton, ally with him in Parliament, increasing not only his political influence but his eligibility amongst the most sought-after bachelors of the ton. Joining his schoolmate at the latter’s leased estate, Darcy knows there will be no one of any consideration in the world in the backwaters of Meryton, Hertfordshire. But amongst these rustic savages, Darcy discovers a hidden treasure: a fine-eyed young lady of kindness and wit. Miss Elizabeth, the second daughter of Longbourn, is as open and amiable as she is graceful and intelligent, caring for the needs of the estate’s tenants and deflecting incivility with smiles and bon mots. Yet notwithstanding Elizabeth’s many perfections, Darcy leaves her behind, for how can he damage the Darcy heritage by marrying the penniless daughter of an obscure country squire? But Fitzwilliam Darcy shall soon learn… not everything is as he believes. Mistaken Premise is a Lizzy coming-coming-of-age story as she grows from an idyllic childhood, through unforeseen turmoil that nearly costs her identity and her life, to ultimately finding her place in the world. Mistaken Premise is a story of the healing power of love in the worst of circumstances.

Mistaken Premise is a 190,000 word novel using British and historical vocabulary and spelling.

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You can find Mistaken Premise at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and on Kindle Unlimited

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Ms. Boardman would like to offer to one lucky reader an ebook copy of Mistaken Premise. Leave a comment on this blog telling us your opinion of the excerpt until the 17th of March to apply to it. The winner will be announced shortly after that.

Good luck everyone!

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A Long Way from Clare – Giveaway Winner

Good evening everyone,

This year is starting well at From Pemberley to Milton with many guests visiting and bringing gifts with them, and it is time to announce the lucky winner of another one of those giveaways, an ebook copy of A Long Way From Clare, courtesy of Meryton Press Publisher.

Before announcing the winner, I would like to thank Robert W. Smith for his visit and his kindness in answering the comments of all who visited FPTM, Meryton Press for their generosity and Janet Taylor for asking me to be a part of this wonderful blog tour. Thank you all!!

Now without further ado, the giveaway winner is:

A Long Way From Clare

*** Alexandra***

I would like to ask the winner to please send your email contact and the amazon store you use to ritaluzdeodato at gmail dot com so that the prize may be sent to you.

Happy Reading everyone

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Aerendgast: The Lost History of Jane Austen by Rachel Berman

Aerendgast4 stars

I was captivated by the cover and the premise of Aerendgast, so even though it had been released several years ago, I decided to pick it up and read it this winter.

This book tells us the story of 3 different women that lived in 3 different times, Violet, Margaret and Jane. Violet Desmond is a British Literature Professor who lives in modern London and is the piece that brings the lives of these 3 women together when she is suddenly pulled into an adventure to discover her hidden history, and the one of her family. She starts to realize this is closely connected to the vivid dreams she is having of Jane Austen’s unknown life, and as she begins to put all the pieces together, and understand the clues present in Margaret’s old journal, she comes across those who will do everything to keep Austen’s secret life hidden.

The prologue of this book is strong and compelling. It sets out the tone of the book with a mysterious first-person narrative that pulls the reader right into the story. I loved the author’s choice to tell Austen’s life events in the first person and current events in the third person as this brought more impact to the book, increasing the sadness and mystery surrounding Austen’s life, but also allowing the reader to clearly separate the two timelines. As for Margaret’s journal passages, they tend to become detailed recollections of her life with dialogues being introduced, something I wasn’t so fond of because it wasn’t clear when she was writing something in her journal, or events taking place.Ā Ā 

I love the idea behind this book, not only the premise, but also the manner in which the author wanted to execute it with 3 different timelines being told simultaneously and converging to the same outcome. I believe this was very interesting and clever, however, sometimes the passages between the timelines were not as smooth or linked as I would have liked.

I also enjoyed the initial dynamic and chemistry that was established between Violet and Peter, even if their relationship didn’t feel overly romantic. Jane and Fulham’s story on the other hand, was sad but captivating, and even if it the injustice of it all made me furious several times, I enjoyed reading about their lives.

As Violet’s investigation progresses and she finds herself in a dangerous chase through secret chambers and catacombs, the story becomes overly complex in an attempt to continue with the action. Violet and Peter are able to flee one opponent, to find themselves in a ball, only to flee again and find another opponent from whom they are able to escape, only to be greeted by the first opponent once more. I believe that at this point the book would have gained from finishing off the story without so many action-packed scenes that made the narrative a bit complicated to follow.

Summing up, Aerendgast has an intriguing yet challenging plot that will captivate readers and keep them interested with its fast-paced storyline. It is a good choice for those who like Jane Austen but also everyone who enjoys historical adventures with a slight paranormal twist.

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You can find Aerendgast: The Lost History of Jane Austen at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and Kindle Unlimited


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Filed under 4 stars, JAFF