It is a truth universally acknowledged that an ardent lover of Pride and Prejudice must be in want of a great novel to read. So here is our top ten to help you get started! :)
#10) Mr. Darcy's Obsession by Abigail Reynolds:
A sweet, simple story about what would have happened if Mr. Bennet had died before the Hunsford proposal, leaving Lizzie to become a governess for her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner's children. Despite Mr. Darcy's knowledge of Lizzie's now even lower connections, his fascination with her leads him to constantly seek her out and eventually surrender to his affection to her. It's slightly lacking in romance, but still very very sweet. And extremely interesting and well -written! It would definitely be a great book to be your first P&P novel.
#9) Darcy's Story by Janet Alymer:
A short, well-written version of P&P told from our beloved Mr. Darcy's perspective. It's very sweet, but also slightly lacking in romance. Despite that, it's very delightful, and would also be a great starter to a long tradition of reading P&P novels. And Darcy is portrayed excellently! A great worry about P&P novels that dwells in the hearts of Darcy lovers is the fear that he won't be the same wonderful gentleman we all know and love from Jane Austen's original novel. But luckily, this novel conveys his thoughts and emotions very well. He's as all P&P women would imagine him. :)
#8) What Would Mr. Darcy Do? by Abigail Reynolds:
What Would Mr. Darcy Do? is a highly entertaining P&P novel. It questions what would have happened if Darcy had revealed his feelings for Elizabeth earlier in the story. It has a great plot, is very well-written, and is excessively romantic! I can guarantee that this book will have you blushing and giggling. And Mr. Darcy will have you swooning all the way! ;)
#7) To Conquer Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds:
To Conquer Mr. Darcy is the most risque' novel in our top ten. It technically qualifies as a romance novel - and a fantastic one at that! This novel is about Mr. Darcy going back to Hertfordshire after Lizzie's refusal of his hand, determined to sweep her off his feet and make her his wife. This book is very romantic, very exciting, very well-written. But I must admit, Darcy acts a bit out of character. Some of his thoughts are not exactly what I would expect of him. And his forwardness with Elizabeth is a bit beyond what I believe of him-but, nevertheless, breathtakingly romantic and wonderful. This book will leave you dazed and absolutely enchanted.
#6) Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman by Maria Hamilton:
Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman is another novel where Mr. Darcy returns to Hertfordshire after Elizabeth's refusal. But this time he seeks only to right his wrongs against Miss Bennet and Mr. Bingley...at first. Gradually Darcy comes to the realization that he must have Elizabeth for his own, and he instantly begins to work at her complaints against his suit, determined to become a gentleman. This novel has one of the best P&P based plots I've ever read. It's very exciting, leaving you in suspense and shock regularly throughout the story. Very exhilirating. And the romance is very nice! The story starts off slow. Then suddenly, in the middle of the novel, one small, beautiful, sweet embrace opens a whirlpool of romance that leaves you with a feeling of bliss. A truly fantastic read.
#5) Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery Series by Carrie Bebris:
This series of mysteries will have you absolutely addicted. Five books of this six book series have been published so far (Pride and Prescience, Suspense and Sensibility, North by Northanger, Matters at Mansfield, and Intrigue at Highbury). These books are so compelling, riveting, and exciting (and a bit romantic) that once you start one, you won't be able to stop! The plot of each book is great. Each mix of P&P with Jane Austen's other novels is interesting and well-written. And the characters stay true to Jane's originals. Without a doubt, anyone who loves Pride & Prejudice - and takes pleasure in a good mystery - will love this series, whether they've read other Austen novels or not. :)
#4) The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen:
The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy is a great P&P novel with an interesting twist. Again, Darcy is seeking to win Elizabeth back. But this time he has some help from, guess who? His cousin, Anne de Bourgh, and his sister Georgiana! With some scheming and some advice from his cousin and sister, Darcy seeks to win Elizabeth Bennet's heart. In the process, he captures all of ours! This story is very very romantic and exciting. Once you start this one, you won't want to stop!
#3) Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange:
Mr. Darcy's Diary is a P&P novel with, without a doubt, one the best portrayals of Mr. Darcy EVER. Within the private pages of his diary, Darcy's inner-most thoughts, and feelings, and emotions are written exactly as all of us would imagine. This book links you directly with Darcy's soul throughout the original story. And it's VERY romantic just reading Darcy's feelings about Elizabeth. If you love Darcy you will love love love this book. And again, once you start reading it, you will find yourself unable to stop. And you'll want to read it over and over again once you're done. It is simply everything that is lovely. :)
#2) Only Mr. Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise:
This book is so good, it was very very close to being number one. It is an absolutely wonderful, awesome twist on P&P about what would happen if Mr. Bennet died shortly after Elizabeth's rejection of Mr. Darcy's hand. Lizzie becomes a governess for a respectable family in London, a family that is friends with Mr. Darcy!, and Elizabeth soon finds herself invited to Pemberley, where Darcy still holds a deep admiration for her despite her now extremely low circumstances. This book will make you laugh, cry, gasp, swoon, and giggle. As soon as you finish it, you will want to turn back to the first page and read it all over again. The one thing it lacks is Mr. Darcy's perspective, but that somehow brings a bit of mystery and suspense as to how everything will turn out in the end. And there are so many sweet, wonderful moments in this story that you'll want to remember and cherish forever. :)
#1) Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman Trilogy by Pamela Aidan:
We've saved the best for last. This series of books, telling the story of P&P from Darcy's point of view, is simply fantastic. It is a story true to both P&P and Mr. Darcy, but is also its own amazing story. The first book (An Assembly Such as This) is about Darcy's time spent at Netherfield (from the assembly ball to his removing to London) and the beginnings of his attraction to Elizabeth Bennet. The second (Duty and Desire) tells the story of the "lost" months of P&P, as Darcy tries to forget Elizabeth and find a new wife while visiting a Cambridge friend for the winter. And the third book (These Three Remain), the best of the trilogy (and my personal favorite out of all the P&P novels I have read :D), begins with Darcy's arrival in Rosings and goes on to capture your heart throughout Elizabeth's rejection of him, the misery and depression Darcy feels, and his eventual winning of her heart, while following up on the new events created in Duty and Desire. Hoplessly romantic, exciting, funny, compelling, and enchanting, you will want to read each of these books over and over and over again. Because while some P&P novels make you feel like your simply reading the same story, this series is its own. It has its own brand new, exciting happenings, and it gives more detail about what happens in P&P as well. (Including the rest of Darcy's first proposal! :D) And after reading this series, you'll look back on it and remember so many wonderful moments. These are books that remain close to your heart.
And there you have it! Happy reading, everyone!!! :)
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"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." - Jane Austen
