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!

Scandals & Secrets Arise When Elizabeth Says Yes

While staying with her friend Charlotte and Mr Collins in Kent, Elizabeth Bennett visits the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She meets Mr Darcy and his cousin, who are staying with their strong-minded aunt. Elizabeth disliked Darcy in Hertfordshire and has no reason to think highly of him now.



Elizabeth receives a letter from her sister and learns that Charles Bingley broke off his engagement on Mr Darcy's advice. Then Mr Darcy visits her at the parsonage. After disparaging her family, Fitzwilliam proposes to her. Will Elizabeth politely decline his offer? Or will she give him the sharp edge of her tongue? Let's leap into Mr Darcy’s Complex Courtship: A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation and find out!

Story

As in Jane Austen's classic tale, Elizabeth rejects Darcy's proposal. But his fervent desire to marry her touches her. Elizabeth sets invective aside and tells him she could never marry someone who separated her sister from the man she loved. After assuring Darcy that Jane’s affection for his friend wasn't motivated by greed or social elevation, Darcy promises to speak with Bingley and rescind his earlier advice. He also explains how Mr Wickham tried to elope with his younger sister to benefit from Georgiana's wealth. Darcy begs Elizabeth for another chance to demonstrate his character and prove his devotion to her.



In Kelly Miller's story, Elizabeth visits her aunt and uncle in London. After convincing Bingley to marry Jane, Mr Darcy woos Elizabeth. Unlike many gentlemen of his social standing, Mr Darcy shows no reluctance to visit a tradesman's house. When the Gardiners notice Mr Darcy’s interest, they approve of the match. Elizabeth also forges a friendship with Georgiana. Then Lady Catherine de Bourgh learns of her nephew's pursuit in Mr Darcy's Complex Courtship: A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation. Unless Darcy severs his interest in Elizabeth Bennett, his aunt will ruin him.



Lady Catherine isn’t alone in her desire to prune the budding romance. Unlike his daughter, Mr Bennett cannot forget Mr Darcy's actions when he stayed with Mr Bingley at Netherfield. The young man's aloof manner, strict views, and rudeness set Mr Bennett against Darcy. Mr Bennett worries that Darcy would be a domineering husband who would repress Elizabeth’s spirits, dictate her actions, and extinguish her creativity and imagination.

Art

While keeping our focus on Elizabeth Bennett, Kelly Miller also takes us into Mr Darcy's world. Elizabeth’s anger turns to curiosity as Mr Darcy presses his suit. Darcy's earnest desire to reform his character and impeccable manners impress Elizabeth. Elizabeth also values his determination to discover the truth when Lady Catherine unveils her plan to destroy Darcy's life. Stevie Zimmerman’s voice and delivery evoke Keira Knightley’s portrayal of Elizabeth in Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice.

Like Jane Austen, Kelly Miller focuses on the etiquette and social standards in Regency England. Unlike today, Mr Darcy risks a scandal if he accepts someone who works for a living into his household. Elizabeth does not excel at music like Georgiana. But when she discovers an outlet for her creativity, Elizabeth gives critics ammunition to attack Darcy should she become his wife. Both situations recall Sir Thomas Bertram's outrage when he discovers his family preparing a theatrical production in Mansfield Park.



Finally, a lack of communication and an inability to readily discover facts reveal people's fears in Regency England. Kelly Miller shows how the poorer classes' lack of education could harm the aristocracy in Mr Darcy's Complex Courtship: A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride & Prejudice Variation. Mr Bennett's fears also reflect the society of the period. Elizabeth's father loves reading and encourages his daughter's thirst for knowledge and reasoning ability. Yet many members of The Ton strictly control their wives, sisters, and daughters' access to entertainment and education.

Final Thoughts

While some characters ascend, others embrace their darker sides in Mr Darcy’s Complex Courtship: A Darcy & Elizabeth Pride And Prejudice Variation by Kelly Miller. When circumstances separate them, Darcy risks his status in society to uncover the truth about his family, and Elizabeth discovers a new interest that could provide financial independence.

Mostly enjoyable

I loved the book till Chapters 10-14. The contrived misunderstandings and the lack of courage of Darcy and Elizabeth to question rumors and each other is not an unusual situation in a story but for it to happen just as the reader expects the HEA and take so long to resolve irritated me. I agree with another reviewer that Mrs. Matlock seemed like a villain. The ending and epilogue redeemed the book.
Stevie Zimmerman’s narration was perfection as always.

Plenty of time with ODC

A less strident refusal of the Hunsford proposal opens up the opportunity for Darcy and Elizabeth to discuss their misunderstandings before they leave Kent, which allows Darcy to make amends and pursue Elizabeth's good opinion when she returns to London. This early courting and understanding does not lead to an early HEA, however, as new obstacles and misunderstandings plague our dear couple.

While I enjoyed the story and narration, found the story engaging and think it deserves five stars, I do agree with the other reviewer(s) in feeling frustrated that some characters were able to get away with causing trouble for ODC without accountability. I agree that Aunt Matlock did not seem to be working on behalf of Darcy and Elizabeth - her advice seemed devised to tear them apart at every turn. Yet, the other characters let her off the hook without any confrontation. Mr. Bennet is also given leeway to block Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship without any real pushback. I am not advocating for a lot of drama or breaking with these relatives, but some accountability would have been nice.

The story was engaging from beginning to end. The misunderstandings are addressed quickly, which is a pleasant break from more angsty variations.

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.