Darcy Connection

I really love this book! I read the series out of order, but that's ok because this book stands alone well enough on its own. I wish there were more stories featuring Eliza and Charlotte!

I love P & P and have read several novels that dealt with "what if" or that were continuing the story in a way. I have to say this is the first novel I read from Ms. Aston but it makes me want to read all of her other books :-) This said, I really liked recognizing several of the "old" P & P characters but they only appeared more on the sidelines. I loved seeing this variation of Eliza & Darcy (in this case Bruton) cause I just love those characters. I think Ms. Aston did a great job in drawing similarities but at the same time make them loveable for their own character. I think all characters were drawn very well and besides having to smile quite a bit while reading it I found the story to be very captivating with several unexpected turns. It was a very delightful read and I finished it the second night, even though it took me until 3 a.m. I just couldn't put it down anymore. Definitely two thumbs up!!!

That famously infamous power couple from "Pride and Prejudice", Mr. and Mrs. Collins, have grown into middle age and now have two grown daughters, Eliza and Charlotte, both unmarried, and like all Austen maidens, in need of a husband. A visit from Mrs. Collin's aunt, Lady Grandpoint, along with an entanglement between Eliza and the son of the local squire, generates the perfect excuse for a London season for the two girls. With great pleasure, Lady Grandpoint escorts Eliza and Charlotte to her London home. There the Grand Dame hopes that Charlotte's beauty will ensnare a man of fortune, as she looks for ways to quench Eliza's passions and pressure her to accept the advances of a respectable, but boorish, clergyman. Unbeknownst to the forthright Lady Grandpoint, for her two young companions, London is the place for secrets. The aloof and extraordinarily beautiful Charlotte does attract many admirers, but the coolness of her manners leads one to conclude that her heart is not easily touched. As Eliza watches with a careful eye and bets are placed at the aristocratic mens' clubs, all wonder, "Who will Charlotte choose?" It seems that for everyone there is money at stake. And Eliza herself is no slouch when it comes to keeping her own counsel. Eliza finds herself reluctantly attracted to the sharp and intelligent Bartholomew Bruton, while she struggles with her loyalty to the boy back home, with whom she is secretly engaged. The secret correspondence between the two, if it became known, would ruin her reputation, and her sister's by association. As if such entanglements are not enough to keep her busy, Eliza must guard the secret of just how she is coming into the extra pin money that is paying for the fashionable gowns she is wearing about town. This last secret alone threatens to destroy not just her sister's and her own reputations, but risks the position and prospects of her father, Bishop Collins. As the novel progresses, we learn more about the limits of Charlotte's restraint and watch Eliza grow to add sense to her sensibility. This is a clever play upon the sisterly relationships of Elinor and Marianne in Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," along with a bit of Jane and Elizabeth from "Pride and Prejudice." Aston's love for Austen shines through, but she never takes herself too seriously by trying to imitate too closely. Any serious fan of Jane Austen should find this sequel to be pleasurable fun.

I always have trouble finding a good book, but when i do i cant stop reading it. This book was by far one of the best i have read in a long time.

Loved this book. This book is one of Elizabeth Aston best and I have enjoyed all of her books.

I just finished it and have such a grin on my face! I have enjoyed all of Ashton's books-- and this one is by far her best! Her writing is always top-notch, well-developed story lines, and well researched for the language and period. How can you not immediately love the heroine of the story who is named after her godmother, Elizabeth Darcy! and has similar character traits. Some of Ashton's characters from her previous books are sprinkled through out adding color and drama... even the dispicable George Warren, the angling, spiteful step-son of Caroline Warren, nee Bingley. Eliza is the 2nd daughter of the Collins' and like in P & P, she is not so beautiful as her elder sister so must get on by her other natural assets. I'll not spoil any of the story for you but know it is full of sweet romance, witty conversations, a clever maid!, handsome,exciting, rich men (both good and bad!) and even a Mr. Darcy sighting! I've been waiting for this new novel and am so glad to add it to my library. The subtle and some blatant similarities to P & P are entertaining and fun to recognize! I look forward to re-reading this at a more leisurely pace. This is a keeper.