Mr. Darcy's Complex Courtship

A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation

De: Kelly Miller

Narrado por: Stevie Zimmerman

Would Mr. Darcy sacrifice his legacy for love?

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy’s marriage proposal comes as a shock to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Despite the temptation to rail at him for his past injustices, she restrains herself and declines his offer with civility.

Following a heartfelt and enlightening discussion with the perplexing gentleman, Elizabeth is persuaded to judge him anew and allows him to call upon her in London. As her understanding of Darcy’s nature improves, so does her regard for him.

But Darcy’s aunt Lady Catherine confronts Elizabeth with a startling declaration: her ladyship maintains she has the means to take Pemberley away from Darcy. Could this outrageous assertion be true?

In this Regency variation of Pride & Prejudice, shocking developments and unforeseen obstacles combine to drive Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy apart. Will they manage to overcome these impediments and find their happily ever after?

©2024 Kelly Miller (P)2024 Kelly Miller

Only makes me love Darcy more!

A refreshing take on what could have been between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The characters stayed true to who they are and the story was well developed and engaging! Highly recommend!

A courtship with complications.

I purchased the ebook for this variation when it was released, but was excited to listen to the audiobook with Stevie Zimmerman’s narration, which, as always, is superb. She brings Darcy and Elizabeth to life with such skill that I feel like I’m listening to old friends. Her performance always brings out their emotions, which makes the story even more enjoyable, even in the moments where the plot lost me.

Goodreads book review:*** This review may contain vague spoilers. It’s written for the audiobook version of the book.
Kelly Miller has done it again, drawing me into another unique Pride and Prejudice variation filled with romance, mystery, and in this one, a strong measure of angst.

Mr. Darcy’s Complex Courtship is a dual Elizabeth-Darcy POV which starts on a high note, opening with the famous Hunsford proposal. Instead of the fiery rejection we know, Elizabeth holds back her temper and gives a civil refusal. The next day, she and Darcy have an open and sincere conversation that changes everything. Darcy is given the chance to explain his past actions, and Elizabeth begins to see the man behind the pride. Their growing understanding of each other and courtship, once back in London, is a joy to read. I loved this part of the story—it’s beautifully written and captures the essence of what I love about a good Darcy and Elizabeth journey towards love.

But just as things seem to be falling into place, the story takes a sharp turn into drama caused by various family members of our dear couple. Lady Catherine makes a shocking claim that threatens Darcy’s legacy, setting off a chain of events that jeopardizes their understanding. Adding to the tension, Mr. Bennet refuses to give his immediate consent for the engagement and creates further obstacles. Lady Matlock also interferes, but I struggled with how she was handled. Her advice to Elizabeth and another character seemed more harmful than helpful, and it ended up causing unnecessary misunderstandings. Am I the only one who thought she was up to no good? None of the characters did? Honestly, her motives felt a bit dodgy—like she wasn’t entirely on board with Darcy and Elizabeth being together, making me count her as a villain. Maybe this went over my head, but because these implications weren’t really addressed or resolved to my complete understanding, I felt frustrated with her role.

While I enjoy Miller’s knack for weaving a good mystery into her stories, the subplot here didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The secret itself felt a little forced, and some of the misunderstandings in the latter half of the book made me less fond of Darcy and Elizabeth’s portrayals. Darcy becomes frustratingly obtuse, and Elizabeth’s usual courage wavers. That said, one character introduced through the family secret is genuinely likeable.

I purchased the ebook for this variation when it was released, but was excited to listen to the audiobook with Stevie Zimmerman’s narration, which, as always, is superb. She brings Darcy and Elizabeth to life with such skill that I feel like I’m listening to old friends. Her performance always brings out their emotions, which makes the story even more enjoyable, even in the moments where the plot lost me.

Overall, Mr. Darcy’s Complex Courtship starts strong with a compelling setup, a wonderful courtship, and all the charm of a great Pride and Prejudice variation. While the latter half didn’t fully live up to its potential for me, there’s still plenty to enjoy, particularly if you’re a fan of Miller’s blend of romance and intrigue. I do recommend it.