Reckless, Headstrong Girl

A Pride & Prejudice Variation (Skirmish & Scandal Novella Series)

By: Grace Gibson

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

A scandalous flight, an inconsiderate couple - how can things have gone so terribly wrong for Lydia Bennet?

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet runs away from Brighton with George Wickham, but this adaptation of Lydia’s adventures is not your typical story about this brash couple.

Mr. Wickham, proving he is no gentleman, does the unthinkable and casts Lydia out of a second-rate coach. Filthy, exhausted, and penniless, Lydia is just facing the beginning of her ordeal! How can a spoiled, uneducated girl of 15 - used to having her way - survive a night in the wilds of Sussex?

As Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner vainly search for her in London, Lydia’s sisters struggle to keep her secret from their Meryton neighbors. Though they fear the worst - that Lydia’s wild life has ended in tragedy - all hope is not lost. Mr. Darcy, in the midst of reigniting his courtship with Elizabeth Bennet, is determined to recover his love’s unfortunate sibling.

Will Mr. Darcy succeed in finding Lydia and restoring her to respectability? In what shocking condition will this catastrophe render such a reckless, headstrong girl?

©2021 Grace Gibson (P)2021 Grace Gibson

Great story - grabbed by interest immediately

Grace Gibson is an awesome writer. I have listened to every book she has on audible.com. All of them are top notch. She is talented at weaving an interesting story, developing characters that are real life, presenting engaging dialog, and entertaining the reader/listener completely. She also has a great sense of humor that comes through in her storytelling

This is an unusual plot. The characters from P&P are included, except almost no Lady Catherine involved. This book begins with Lydia eloping with Wickham and then follows the trials and tribulations Lydia must endure because of her recklessness. It totally held my attention. And I so much appreciate Stevie Zimmerman narration skills.

On second reading I loved it

Being such a fan of this author I wanted to re-visit this book. I did like it the first time for sure but on second time through I liked it even better.

Lydia Bennet is the main character and the story is about what happens to her after she elopes with Wickham. On the road to London the story veers away from canon when Wickham gets sick of listening to Lydia’s chatter assuming they are to be married, he tries to shut her up in a not very gentlemanly manner and when she fights back he kicks her off the coach without any money, in the middle of nowhere.

Her journey to get back home is the plot of the story. And it is in turns frustrating and frighting guessing what would happen to her next.

I came to really admire her long before the story was done, she grows up a great deal. I was happy she was found and taken home, and changed from her adventure.

Of course I loved the narration. Stevie Zimmerman is always a joy to listen to.

Highly recommended.

Plucky Headstrong Girl

In most “Pride and Predjudice” variations the character of Lydia is often an annoyance. Usually when things seem to be going well for Darcy and Elizabeth, Lydia runs off with Wickham or disappears somehow, putting a halt to their romance. She is the character we mostly love to hate.

In Grace Gibson’s “Reckless, Headstrong Girl” Lydia’s story is fresh, compelling and uplifting in so many ways. Lydia becomes a surprising character, compassionate in the face of unbelievable challenges, indignant but plucky. Because of Darcy’s determination to rescue her, his relationship with Elizabeth and the rest of her family is richer and surprisingly more tender.

It is clever of the writer to use Jane Austen’s description of Elizabeth “obstinate, headstrong girl” and describe Lydia as a “reckless, headstrong girl.” It is a perfect title for this version of Lydia, as strong a character as Elizabeth, just more reckless.

I adore Grace Gibson and the way she writes books that I want to listen to again and again. She is a gifted writer, inventive, and sparkling with humor throughout. I find myself laughing often and gratefully.

As always, the narration of Stevie Zimmerman was perfect. She has an uncanny ability to give different voices that match the characters and simply bring the story to life.

An Impetuous Girl Gets a Life-Changing Adventure

What if Lydia Bennet ran away with Wickham, but ended up on a separate, desperate adventure all alone? It might be the making of a Reckless, Headstrong Girl as well as the chance for her sister to get a second chance at love.

Reckless, Headstrong Girl is a novella in the Skirmish and Scandal collection and focuses on two of five Bennet sisters, Lydia and Elizabeth, from Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Lydia was to be enjoying the pleasures of seaside Brighton while Elizabeth traveled with her aunt and uncle visiting the sights of Derbyshire. Lydia is beguiled by Lt. Wickham, who is running from his debts, to run away with him. Her disappearance with Wickham breaks into a tentative romantic reconciliation for Darcy and Elizabeth when Elizabeth journeys to Pemberley and Lambton not expecting to meet there. Lydia breaks away from Wickham and has to survive by her wits, learning to appreciate her home and sisters while truly finding out who she is when faced with real adversity. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is dealing with regret and hoping that Lydia's elopement doesn't ruin everything.

If I was asked before listening to this which sister's story I would find more appealing, I would have said Elizabeth, but I would have been well and far off. Lydia was a sparkling gem of a heroine. She is silly and heedless, selfish and untried when she starts out, but by the time she is through I had so much respect for her. The author brought her along on a journey that was both internal and external with the conflict. She matures before the listener's eyes and it was engaging to see this as well as how her loss affected her family and made changes back home. I must say that the time when Darcy arrives on the scene with Lydia was just that little bit of extra goodness.

The story is swiftly paced due to the novella length and feels a little disjointed on the part away from Lydia so probably it is best if the reader is already familiar with the original P&P storyline so this doesn't get confusing. Much of the development and focus is on the irrepressible Lydia which, again, is a compelling, engaging story that runs the gamut of sadness, suspense, humor, and love. I can recommend it to Austen fans and those who enjoy a quick Regency era historical romance.

Stevie Zimmerman is a long familiar narrator who caught the light tone of the story while still delivering the emotional impact. I liked her distinct Lydia and Elizabeth voices and lost myself in her storytelling. I definitely hope to listen to more of her work.

Very interesting and good

It was a different side of mr Wickham. He left Lydia on the road. This story tells her ‘adventure’ after that and how her family was searching for her. Loved it.

An Excellent Lydia Story

A favourite author, Grace Gibson, has written a great novella about what happens to Lydia after she’s dumped on the road by Wickham as they left Brighton. Stevie Zimmerman’s narration and performance is also fantastic, as always. Highly recommend.