Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley by Sharon Lathan

 

Reading Loving Mr. Darcy was like taking a nice long bubble bath that I did not want to end.  And read it in a bubble bath, I did.  My toes were quite prunie for the duration of the book, but my mind was most pleased.  

This book is the second in Sharon Lathan's series of four.  My review of the first, Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Two Shall Become One, can be found here.

Blurb from the back of the book: "...Darcy and Elizabeth leave the comfortable confines of their honeymoon months at Pemberley for the broader world of London and the areas of England.  Adventures are experienced, friends and relatives interact, fun is the focus, and extraordinary English Regency Era sights will be explored. But anchoring and weaving within is the revealing of a love and marriage in its purest embodiment as the young lovers deepen their sacred bond..."

Language: B+

Characterization: A

Plot: A

Revisit vs. Rehash: A

Nit Picky Things: A

Wonderful Moments: A+

Originality: A

The moment I was hooked: A

Language:  Delightful, pleasant and easy to read.  My favorite line of the whole book; "The door flew open with a bang into the wall and with a flurry of swirling skirts, in breezed Lady Catherine de Bourgh."  (So Darth Vader-esc that I could hear the Imperial March in my head.)

B+

Characterization: In my review of Mrs. Lathan's first book, Mr. & Mrs. Darcy: The Two Shall Become One, I was a bit harsh on the characterization.  However, upon finishing the first book and beginning the second, all expectations were shifted.  I stopped thinking, "I'm not sure if Darcy would really say or do that....Oh yeah, this is inspired by the 2005 movie."  I really just enjoyed sinking down into this story and visiting with these characters. 

Loving Mr. Darcy brings forth some wonderful characters already known and a few new ones as well.  I so enjoyed the moments with Lady Catherine and Caroline Bingly.  Lathan explored not only their actions but their motivation as well.  I found myself rooting for them, as well as cringing on their behalf.

 

I was surprised when I looked back at my notes and realized Dr. Geroge Darcy was introduced mid way through the book.  This character fit so well into the story and with the existing characters that he felt like he had always been a part of the cast.  Mrs. Lathan also explains the whereabouts of additional Darcy relatives.  I have an early copy of this book and it includes a family tree.  My visual brain appreciated that greatly.

A

Plot: The plot moves quickly and dialogue drives a lot of it.  That is really a quality of Jane Austen's writing that I enjoy.  Lathan's dramatic ending to several chapters kept me from putting down the book "to read just a little bit more" some evenings.  

Even though the description went on a bit in places, I had to marvel at what a fan of these characters and this time period the author truly is.  (It made my own obsession feel a bit more normal).

There are less references to the 2005 Keira Knightly version of the movie than in the first book.  But I found them less jarring because I knew what to expect this time around.

A

Rehash vs. Revisit:  There are a few moments of revisting past events, both known and unknown to the reader.  However, they are mostly dealt with in conversation as a bit of revelation to another character.  It felt natural.  (And much like when my husband revisits our personal stories.  His favorite is when he proposed and my first words were, "Is this real?"  I thought he was playing a joke on me.  Of course there is more to the story, but lets just say that we also retell our engagement story to each other.  Much to my chagrin.) 

A

Wonderful Little Moments: Any scene containing George Darcy, Darcy shopping, Jane's trouble sleeping, Darcy's interaction with Mrs. Bennet,  22 strides.  Wonderful little moments are really Sharon Lathan's strength.  All four of her books are full of them.

A+

Originality: For this second book in a series of four, I think her originality shines in the characters.  Both the introduction of new ones and the actions of those already existing.

A

 

If this book were a movie, it would be rated R for the martial felicity between Darcy and Elizabeth.

This version was released in paperback (July 10, 2008) by Sharon Lathan.  Other than the cover art and the title change, it appears to me to be the same book as the revised version.  I used this image from Amazon.com.  It is just an image, so if you really want to click and see inside the book click on this link.