Suddenly Mrs. Darcy by Jenetta James: A Review

Mr. Darcy. *sigh* If I can recall, I think Mr. Darcy was my first literature crush/boyfriend, and he will always been my one true literature love. He will be the character that I will and do compare every other male character with. He will always be my favorite, forever and always, and I really should thank Jane Austen for creating such a wonderful character to fall in love with over and over again. Jane Austen paved the way for all male characters who you love to hate; you hate them, think the worst of them, you wish for their demise and then the change begins. As a reader, the tide begins to turn and you suddenly find yourself loving a character you despised earlier in the novel. It is the craft of a brilliant author to take a character the reader loathed and turn him into the hero, who captures your heart. It also takes a great writer to take characters who are so well-known and loved by all and give their story bit of a stir.  When Jenetta James contacted me to review her book, Suddenly Mrs. Darcy, I admit that was I was a little excited and skeptical at the same time. I have read a million and one Austen adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, so was this one going to be special or was it going to be like all the other ones? Was this the adaptation that would stand out from the others? Out of curiosity, and well I just love a good P&P adaptation, I agreed and waiting patiently for a package from the Royal Mail (Jenetta lives in England, I love her already!)

Elizabeth Bennet has been forced into marriage. Determined that she would only marry for the deepest of love, Elizabeth will not be getting the marriage she had hoped for. After being caught by her mother in a compromising position with non-other the man she hates, Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth is now bound for Pemberley as the new Mrs. Darcy.  She knows little of her new husband and the new land she is now mistress of. It would seem that everything appears to be against Lizzy in her current situation. Will she end up in a loveless marriage to a stranger whom she cannot stand? Or is there more to the man she is meant to spend the rest of her life with? Only the unknown awaits Elizabeth Darcy in Suddenly Mrs. Darcy.

                Oh my gosh, Jenetta fooled me into thinking that this thin piece of literature would be boring and quick but NO, she tricked me! Suddenly Mrs. Darcy holds the weight, passion, styling and delight of a 300 + page novel. Mind you, it was a quick read but only because I could not put it down. With a different interpretation of how Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy came to become a couple, Jenetta give us a different view of how life would be at Pemberley after the marriage vows were exchanged. Lizzy and Darcy still have to become familiar with each other, but the reader is able to see how the love grows and blossoms between the two. The characters still hold their complexity and they develop at a natural pace that would mirror any relationship in real life. Jenetta still shows the fire of Lizzy’s personality, but also brings a new appreciation to who Darcy is. He becomes more of a whole character that just the love interest as some adaptations depict him. Darcy has personality, charisma and spunk, which Jenetta brought with ease to such an adored character. Jenetta was able to add-on to Lizzy and Darcy’s personalities without taking away their originality and blue print that Austen laid out.

Jenetta’s words and descriptions of such wonderful characters would make Austen proud of such a piece of work. She has such a way with words that give a gentle ease and appreciation of this tiny piece of literature. The novel is short but oh my gosh, it is beautiful.  Her words just dance off of the page with delight and beauty of a melody that would break your heart, and engulfs you into the world of Darcy and Lizzy. You may as well clear your day before you pick up this book because it will be the only thing you do that day. The story is engrossing in a way that the reader is eager to see what will happen between Darcy and Lizzy. Also, Jenetta has the ability to answer all the questions that every Austen fan has about her beloved characters; will they live happily ever after? Will they have the fairy tale life that all of us dream they would have? Well, they have some challenges to face but Jenetta does a brilliant job at bringing light to the hopes and dreams of all Austen fans.

In a nutshell, I loved her book, and if you are looking for a good P&P spin-off, then this is for you! I am even cringing saying that it is a spin-off because this book is so much more. Let’s say it is a continuation of Austen’s famous work, not a spin-off. I loved this book so much that I am unwilling to lend it out to my friends with the fear that I would never get it back. It is the perfect addition to any Austen library and it is a treat for all Austen fans to read on a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. Jenetta, I look forward to other books that you write in the future. Your writing is exquisite and I hope that you plan to write more. Could you do a continuation of Persuasion next? I feel like Captain Frederick Wentworth doesn’t get enough love, and I know that your words would make people fall in love with him again. Something to think about, and of course I will read review the book for you! So be sure to pick up Suddenly Mrs. Darcy if you love a good love story, or anything Austen related.

How do you feel about Austen adaptations? Love them? Hate them> or are you a purist and stick only to the original Jane Austen works? Comment below your thoughts.

Happy Reading!