Reviews

Suddenly Mrs. Darcy by Jenetta James

ladyhippolyta's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this, a really good marriage before love scenario.

maeilis's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

jmcrockett78's review against another edition

4.0

I say 4 1/2 only because this is one of the books that I read and have to take a break from bcs of the amount of angst. It’s a good plot and does end happily, but it’s too much for me to handle all at once.

brinastewart's review against another edition

3.0

This was an interesting variation. I did enjoy reading it and thought the story an interesting turn from what we already know and love. I struggled with the distance that Darcy kept Elizabeth after they were married. I struggled with the count that Elizabeth had with the situations and how she did not confront Darcy until it had built up too much because this goes against the original character that I love. I feel Elizabeth would have stood up to him instead of being brushed over. Also, the intimate scenes were not detailed which are appreciated by many but the beginning nights, I got the impression that Elizabeth found the interaction cold and unloving or one-sided. I did not like that but I am glad it shifted as the story progressed.

sinead_daenis's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

dhuonder's review

This is possibly the first book i didn't finish!
Normally I finish a book just because I would wonder how it ends, but this book was just not for me! I actually like the idea but I don't enjoy the writing style.
Maybe thats just me.

gill's review

4.0

Imagine a world where Elizabeth and Darcy didn't marry for love, imagine if it were forced upon them, imagine a novel that told the story after their hasty marriage. This is that novel.

I love a bit of Darcy, I love Pride and Prejudice and could re-read it till the cows come home. It's the perfect blend of 'I hate you, I love you' and it's oh so romantic when Elizabeth finally realises she loves him and she tells him, oooooh I love it.

In this novel, they meet, hate each other, then a certain situation arises and they are forced to marry. So all the misunderstandings about Wickham, Bingley, etc happen while they are married. This makes it even more tragic and my heart bled for Lizzie as she navigated her way around her strange marriage.

I love the little changes Jenetta made to the plot, not huge but subtle and really give the novel a different feel. This is still such a romantic story and sits perfectly alongside the original. I really enjoy the re-tellings of the classics like Murder at Mansfield Park which I reviewed here and Longbourn, reviewed here.

This is a short novel (162 pages), I read it in one sitting and can honestly say I wish it were longer. I longed to stay in that wonderful world and read more about Lizzie and Darcy's life. I think that sums up my thoughts on this novel, it's like a little cocoon of loveliness, an extension of the original novel with new twists and just as readable.

I read (or re-read) all of Jane Austen's novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion and Emma) this year and I would so recommend them to anyone. They are wonderfully written, beautifully observed and accessible to all readers. I would also recommend the Vintage Classics editions which are the ones I bought and are beautiful.

rachelcabbit's review

4.0

Another great Pride and Prejudice retelling, where Darcy and Elizabeth are forced into marriage by a misunderstanding of impropriety.
Told from Elizabeth's point of view, I had doubts at the start but it grew on me and I enjoyed it immensely. Even read it in a few hours as I could not put it down!

jaghamalian's review

3.0

What you have to keep in mind is these are very different characters. Elizabeth is not the strong willed character from Jane Austen that we know and love. So I rated this book solely on its own and did not compare the characters to the original story. In knowing that, this a fairly enjoyable storyline. If you are looking for an easy read with a little romance then this is the book for you.

liliyanikitov's review

3.0

I like the story and the twists and turns. I understand the premise that it’s written from Elizabeth point of view, yet I wish the deliverance was different. Maybe in a diary for or something like that. Also there’s big plot hole that bothered me a bit since I’m noisy and want to know everything lol

Great story. Happy ending.