Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections

By: Abigail Reynolds

Narrated by: Elizabeth Klett

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

There's only one fact that notorious rake Lord Charles Carlisle and his cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy, can agree upon: a house party given by the Marquess of Bentham is bound to be intolerably dull. To relieve his boredom, Lord Charles accepts a bet that he can seduce his sister's pretty friend during their stay at Bentham Park. After all, it's easy money for an experienced seducer. Why should he care if his staid cousin Darcy disapproves?

But when Darcy discovers that Lord Charles' new target is none other than Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who refused Darcy's offer of marriage, he cannot stand by and watch as the woman he still loves is callously ruined. What he doesn't know is that Lord Charles has a dark secret, and that his attentions to Elizabeth may not be what they seem. After a midnight rescue, clandestine meetings, a long-lost son, conspiracies, blackmail, and an attempted elopement, everyone can agree that this house party is anything but dull.

©2013 Abigail Reynolds (P)2013 Abigail Reynolds

Im biased

Im biased because I love most anything Jane Eyre, and this did not dissappoint me. loved it!

New Story Same Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy

As a huge P&P fan I loved this book! If you are looking for a book that follows the original story with slight variations this is not it. New characters and completely new storyline. Also at times a very jealous Mr. Darcy. Twist and turns (and secret makeouts) lead to a happy ending.

Class Distinctions Are Front and Center

This was a story that showed the difference in the class distinctions even more than some others I’ve read.

Lizzy is befriended by a daughter of th upper class when she is very young, but is treated by the family as a step above the servants, except by her young friend.

Later in the story, however, we do see that her friends moral views are not the same.

We also see evidence of the adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Really enjoyed the twists and turns in this tale.

Fun story not a strong plot

Well I love all things Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and this story was a strong entry into alternative Austin plot lines. It had a very strong satisfying romance and well fleshed out characters. There was enough in the story to have it hold my attention and even give me some moments of anxiety but the some parts of the plot were rather thin. Most of the conflict came down to lack of communication and assumptions that seemed to be more contrived than something that real people would do. I wanted to yell - just talk to each other! The points where communication was avoided seemed to tread on friendships and trust that should have been more strongly established than they turned out to be which is sad. But overall that wasn't enough to stop it from being an enjoyable listen. In fact it will probably be something I would listen to again despite some flaws. Recommended.

Wonderful alternate story line!

It took me a little while to get into the new story line, but once caught...I was hooked. I liked the new characters and the background story of why Lizzie is a "cut-above" the rest of her family. Very interesting twist to Austin's story.

A must read!

I really loved this variation in of P&P. I enjoy the introduction of new characters which allowed for Elizabeth to have new experiences that helped lead her into the storyline. I’ll be listening to it again and again!

Great book

Any additional comments?

I loved this story with D&E meeting post Hunsford at an estate of Darcy's noble cousin. The original characters were very well written and interesting. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of the Dowager, Lady Eleanor and her rake of a brother, Lord Charles. The female guests were especially amusing.

Apart from ODC budding romance, there is a lot of intrigue, jealousy and falsehood. The plot is very good, and the pace is fast. At the end, everything comes to a satisfying conclusion.

Austen-like dialog sparkles

Where does Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

AR is a great writer of Pride & Prejudice variations. The witty repartee shines. The prose is high quality.

Slightly warmer than Georgette Heyer but still very sensual rather than physical.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Favourite scene. Lisbeth's late night departure from Bentham park.

What does Elizabeth Klett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Extremely good narration.

But still a few mispronunciations? Isn't it per-goal-a?

an original story line

better written than alot of variations i have read recently. also has an original storyline that moves at a nice pace.

Completely worth the Money

After reading some not-at-all enjoyable P&P variations, I was skeptical of this one to say the least.
And very ready to criticize it.
But to my happy astonishment I am sad to find it over! More than anything I deeply appreciate the fact that the character of Darcy and Elizabeth were the same-they seemed to be the very same people as in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Entertaining, funny, heartbreaking, and beautiful.
So glad I decided to give it a shot.