Beautiful Cross-Stitch Patterns

I rather enjoy embroidery and cross-stitch (and not because that is what the Austen heroines do!) and I was looking to try and find some Jane Austen related patterns to have a go at and hopefully frame for my bedroom wall. My research brought my to the website Etsy and a wonderful shop called EBStitchery, owned by the lovely Emily Bloomquist.

I saw in her shop that she had this lovely pattern...



... decorating the famous declaration of love from the besotted Mr Darcy to the rather confused and angry Elizabeth Bennet!

I bought this pattern immediately (very reasonably priced I might add - some people charge ridiculous amounts for a pattern!) and when I received the instant download to print off I was very impressed with how easy the pattern was to follow and the detail included with the instructions and colour suggestions, so I contacted the lovely Emily to see if she would be willing to design a few more patterns for me with a few of my favourite quotes...






... and she was happy to! And the result has been these beautiful 4 other designs which I cannot wait to complete, frame and hang on my wall!



This fantastic quote from Sense and Sensibility

This rather hopeful (or wistful...) design...

Ok, I know this isn't actually a direct quote from the novel but it appears in both the 2005 film and the 1995 mini-series and I think it perfectly sums up Lizzy's (as well as my own!) view on marriage.

And finally this one, which is a wonderful piece of philosophy which I try (even if it doesn't always succeed!) to live my life by.
 






I am very grateful to Emily for designing these for me and I urge any Janeite's looking for a cross-stitch pattern to go to this shop or, in fact, anyone who enjoys cross-stitch to have a look as there are many other beautiful designs and if you contact the lovely Emily I am sure she will be happy to design one of your very own! I was so pleased with these designs that I just had to share them!

Here is the link again, (just in case you missed it the first time!)
http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EBStitchery

Thanks again Emily!


Your affectionate friend,

Mr Bingley

I have just finished reading Mr Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman and I was intrigued by the portrayal of the character of Mr Bingley. It really made me think more about my opinion of Bingley.

What first brought to my attention this different take on Bingley’s character was when Darcy stated this to Bingley:

"It is a good thing that you are so friendly and good-natured.  It fools most people into thinking that you are simpleminded.  It allows you to observe the world unencumbered. Very little gets by you, though, and most people never recognise it."

As soon as I read that, I stopped reading and thought about what it was actually saying, and it made me rethink my opinion of his character.  My first opinion of Bingley I remember was that he was a little ... well, not quite simpleminded but... a simpler person and a little weak. I think this was mainly down to his ease at being persuaded by Darcy and his sisters to quit Netherfield and forget Jane.

 

 

But, the new light thrown onto Bingley’s side of the story regarding his actions to Jane made me reconsider my snap judgment I had made about him and his actions.  I had done that a lot with Darcy's character and behaviour as we are, as the readers, led to do that as Darcy's behaviour seems so awful that when we discover the truth, we automatically think about all his past behaviour from a different angle. With Bingley, however, you are not so much led to do this as Bingley was always a lovely character and so you don't automatically think about why he just left Netherfield with no intention of returning, as things work out for him and Jane without the need to think anymore about it really – him and Jane are happy, you can put the past behaviour behind you – whereas with Darcy, this re-evaluation of his character and past behaviour is vital to Lizzy’s and the readers opinion of him, and eventually the assurance that he is a gentleman whom we would be happy for Lizzy to settle with!

Marital obligations were much more important back in the regency period and I think that if you are told about the unsuitability of such a match by your esteemed friend and your sisters, as well as having it suggested that the woman in question is (to use a modern vulgar phrase) a ‘golddigger’ and after you for the wrong reasons, then, as it is such a personal topic close to the heart, it might be easy to begin to second guess yourself and believe what they are telling you, over what you think (I mean, Jane's affection wasn't that obvious (which is what caused Darcy to act as he did) and so I think Bingley could easily start to think over his relationship with Jane and begin to interpret it in another way once the trusted and important friend and sisters had mentioned their concerns and voiced their doubt. It is also clear that Bingley really values Darcy’s opinion.)

Darcy himself has a real internal struggle with the same problems which face Bingley and it takes him a while to finally let his heart win over his head, but while Darcy did allow his heart to win over his head and propose to Lizzy and Bingley was guided not to and didn't let his heart win, I now think he should not be looked upon so badly for such an action.  Bingley is in no way as strong-minded and strong-willed as Darcy is, but this still does not make him simple-minded in my opinion.

Let’s think about Anne Elliot; she was persuaded to reject Wentworth, but you really cannot consider Anne simple-minded (even if she was 19 at the time) because she took the advice of a friend, as she certainly is not simpleminded.  

I raised this question about Bingley in a discussion post on the site Goodreads and I began to become very defensive of Bingley, which is strange because I am much more a Darcy girl!  

Many good points were raised during this conversation, adding to my new opinion of Bingley. One good friend pointed out that “Darcy clearly isn't attracted to people with a weak understanding. I doubt he would have made a great friend of an idiot.” This is, I think, very true. Why would Darcy befriend a simple-minded buffoon? As well as Darcy, I do not think that Jane would have loved Bingley if he was a bumbling idiot as Jane is in no way simple-minded!

I also think that the age difference partly would contribute to Bingley’s belief in Darcy’s opinion. Bingley is 25 and Darcy is 28 and I know from experience that it is natural to respect the opinions of someone older than you and even be influenced by them, even if the age gap is very small. I know at school I could be easily influenced by the opinion of someone older than me, even if they are only in the year above. 

In response to this another good friend commented that “his worship, so to speak, of Darcy is not due to age, as it is due to class. Darcy has more money and comes from ‘older’ money; he even has aristocracy in his family line. Bingley and his sisters have newly acquired their money, from trade if I remember correctly. They are desperate to distance themselves from that fact and climb as high socially as they can. For Bingley, Darcy's opinion is the only one that matters. It is not from simple mindedness, but from blind devotion. Bingley is easily swayed especially by his manipulative sisters, who want nothing better than to marry him to Georgiana and firmly establish their family in society.” I cannot but agree with this as the Bingley’s did earn their money in trade, even if Caroline has conveniently forgotten that fact, and so a connection to the Darcy's of Pemberley in Derbyshire would be a great success and very important connection indeed!   

I will say that my original opinion of Bingley was not improved from the portrayals in some of the adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. Another good friend on Goodreads mentioned a certain scene in particular in the 1995 adaptation, the one “where he asks Darcy for his blessing. I thought that scene showed an understanding of Bingley's character”, Bingley’s character being rather simple and weak. Although I understood what she was referring to, again going on the defensive of Bingley, I did not agree as I took that scene in a different way.  I think that Bingley simply wanted Darcy's blessing because he so values his friendship, but if Darcy had said no (which, by that point, we all know he wouldn't have!) I do not think that would have stopped Bingley – in fact I know it wouldn’t have stopped him; he says himself in response to Darcy question about whether he needs his blessing 'No, but I should like to have it all the same.'

I did not mind, as much, Bingley’s portrayal in the 1995 mini-series – he didn’t seem so... feeble. But, I am afraid to say, however cute the Bingley in the 2005 film is, he was portrayed as a bit of a buffoon and a little (I am sorry to say!) pathetic!  

So my new found opinion of Bingley has been decided and I much prefer this way of looking at Bingley and his behaviour and it makes me happier that he was indeed a brilliant husband for Jane.

I would be interested in your comments about the character of Mr Bingley :)

Your affectionate friend,

Mr Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman by Maria Hamilton

“When Elizabeth Bennet refuses his hand, Darcy is devastated and makes it his mission to change. By every civility in his power, Darcy slowly tries to win her affections, but Elizabeth is not easily swayed. Darcy vows to unlock the secrets that will make her his. He curses himself for his social awkwardness and appearance of pride, and sets out to right the wrongs he's done her family.
Elizabeth's family and friends misunderstand his intentions, and being in Elizabeth's presence proves to be both excruciating for the shy Darcy-and a dream come true. For the first time in his life, he must please a woman worth having, and the transformation leads him to a depth of understanding and love that he never could have imagine.”

I was really intrigued by this story and it was one of the ones I was most interested in reading as I always wondered how the story could have panned out had Darcy taken more steps towards showing Elizabeth his true nature, instead of acting upon it when the chance encounter at Pemberley brings them together, or at least act upon some of the criticisms Elizabeth lists off to him in the ill-fated proposal, such as the relations between Bingley and Jane, and I was not disappointed by this story!

This story really made me feel for Darcy; the way his feelings and emotions were described really made me pity him.  You could really feel how much Lizzy’s criticisms of his character and behaviour when he was rejected affected him, hearing her rebukes over and over in his thoughts.  Seeing into his innermost thoughts and feelings really opened up his character, more than in all other variations I have read.  Given that the story was told predominantly from Darcy’s point of view, there was also quite a lot of background given to Darcy and a few tales told about his childhood and his time at Cambridge which gave depth to his character.  I also felt I understood him more and the reasons behind his behaviour. 

Once Darcy has decided to begin making amends for his actions, a rather unique relationship builds up between him and Jane, as he takes it upon himself to admit to Jane all his involvement with their separation and his wish to bring them back together.  It was interesting to see those two talking at such length (giving Mrs Bennet the wrong impression which was rather amusing), as they do not speak much in the original story. You could feel how sorry Darcy felt as he was telling Jane how he accepts the blame for everything that has happened involving Jane and Bingley.

Once Darcy has explained to Jane, he then returns to explain himself to Bingley. For Bingley to completely understand, a full explanation, including his relations with Lizzy, was needed. I really enjoyed hearing his side of the story of the events leading up to the proposal.

Many times through the story, the authoress brought to my attention aspects of the story and to characters which I had never thought about before. I won’t give away all of these observations but a few favourites... It was interesting when Elizabeth started to think about Darcy more closely, realising that they do in fact have many things in common, many which I had never thought about before, for example how both Darcy and Lizzy felt familial obligations to marry for convenience and material considerations, perhaps Darcy more strongly than Lizzy (but then again, actually maybe not) but how neither will give into the pressure of these obligations as they would both wish to marry for love. I had never thought about it before in that way...  

My favourite new aspect to a character was undoubtedly Bingley.  In many variations he is portrayed a rather simple-minded character and in some adaptations I have seen he seems even a little (I am sorry to say) pathetic.  I will admit that when I first read Pride and Prejudice I thought Bingley was a little simple and not a strong character, mainly down him being so easily persuaded by Darcy and his sisters in regards to Jane. But this story threw a whole new light on the situation and while Darcy and Bingley were discussing all that had passed involving Jane, I came to realise why Bingley was so easily persuaded and it made him seem a much stronger character. I think my new opinion on Bingley is summed up in this wonderful quote spoken by Darcy to Bingley: "It is a good thing that you are so friendly and good-natured.  It fools most people into thinking that you are simpleminded. It allows you to observe the world unencumbered. Very little gets by you, though, and most people never recognise it." I think that is a perfect quote and I really enjoyed this new way of viewing Bingley’s character.

Towards the middle of the story there is a perfect scene set in the library at Netherfield, as well as being a very romantic scene between him and Lizzy, it also gives even more insight into Darcy’s character; he is working through his correspondents which need seeing to and it makes you think about the weight of responsibilities he has upon him and at such a young age. You are also shown more into the way he handles his tenants and how he really is the best landlord and the best master, as Mrs Reynolds describes him.

As Lizzy and Darcy begin to build up a friendship, you see more and more of how those two do have dispositions which really do suit each other. Some of their conversations are very funny and witty and even teasing at times.  Theirs is, understandably, a peculiar friendship but no less amicable all the same.

Mr Bennet is portrayed in almost a bad light, or rather (for a change) his faults, which he does have, are highlighted and are in fact contrasted and compared to Darcy, which was very interesting to read. (An example being how Darcy solves all the problems which he is told about from his tenants as soon and as fairly as possible, whereas, Lizzy observes, Mr Bennet ignores such problems in the hope that they will just solve themselves or go away.)

For once in a ‘what if’ variation the story does not end with Lizzy and Darcy coming to an understanding, getting married and then a short epilogue showing a a glimpse into their future lives, all happening in about 20 pages. In this story they reach and understanding with still 150 or so pages to go.  This allows for some very sweet conversations between the couple about their wedding plans as well as some wonderfully romantic scenes where they manage to steal a few secret kisses and intimate conversations. Although they have come to an understanding it was wonderful to see how their relationship still developed further once they were engaged, Lizzy taking on the role of mistress and taking care of Darcy as a wife would do. Their openness with each other is touching but also assures you (if you need assurance!) that their marriage is going to be a very happy and successful one.

(I will say here though that the only thing which bothered me about the whole story was that in the last 150 pages after they are engaged their behaviour becomes a little more intimate and eventually results in premarital relations.  This would normally bother me a great deal but it did, in a way, fit with the story line and there was nothing too explicit so it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story.)

There is an epilogue to this story, which I always enjoy reading, and for once it was based entirely around Lizzy and Darcy instead feeling the need to resolve the stories of all the characters in the book. This epilogue gave a wonderful insight into glimpses of their marriage as well as the preceding weeks after (which I personally prefer rather than skipping to 5 or 10 years later), providing every assurance that they will be completely happy together.

Overall this was a fantastic read, mostly because of the depth of character the story gave to Darcy as well as the new insights which the authoress explored, resulting in new ways for me to consider certain behaviour, actions and aspects of a character.  It was wonderfully romantic, very funny at times and an extremely interesting take on my favourite novel.

Your affectionate friend,

A Noteworthy Courtship by Laura Sanchez

 

This was a delightful story! When I stumbled across this in my Amazon recommendations the idea behind this variation intrigued me...

“A Noteworthy Courtship is an Austen inspired tale, where the familiar characters of Pride and Prejudice, along with a few new ones, discover what would have happened if the storyline had strayed from the plot of Jane Austen's novel. What if the Netherfield party had not left Hertfordshire immediately following the Netherfield Ball, and what if Mr. Darcy in particular had given himself inducement to remain? Comical entanglements and exploits thicken the familiar plot as various characters break their canon form. Two are repeatedly drawn to the bookshop in Meryton with little explanation, and a gentleman from Kent is not so easily dissuaded as he might otherwise have been. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are as lackadaisical and troublesome as ever, and Mr. Bingley and Miss Jane Bennet are left to their own inclination without the untimely interference of their friends. A new set of characters allow the escapades to continue before finally a resolution can be reached, with much the same happily ever after as Jane Austen intended. Adapted in part from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and inspired by the film You've Got Mail.”

The idea that Darcy and Lizzy would get into a correspondence through secret messages was something I had not come across before in many of the other variations I have read or heard about. Added to this was the fact that I very much like the film You’ve Got Mail.

The notes exchanged between Darcy and Lizzy are my favourite parts of the story as the conversations are hilarious! I especially loved the references to Sense and Sensibility – it felt rather strange reading about Darcy and Lizzy from Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen talking about Edward and Elinor from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (or rather, “A Lady”).  I wanted to keep reading and reading just to see how long it took before one of them clicked who the other person was receiving and answering the notes and it was funny when one realised and then very sweet when the other one was told!

My favourite secondary character in this story was Bingley; he has a backbone! He stands up for himself and the result is that he and Jane get engaged much sooner!  As well as standing up for himself and to his sisters, he is a great brother-in-law to Lizzy in helping protect (yes protect!) from the (in this variation) much more persistent Mr Collins! It was also sweet seeing a little more of Jane and Bingley as a married couple.

Similarly to the film, at one stage towards the middle Darcy decides to reveal himself but it doesn’t go to plan and because Lizzy doesn’t like him at all, she will not even contemplate that the gentleman she has been writing to is the proud and disagreeable Mr Darcy! I felt for him a lot during this scene when he came to realise the extent of Lizzy’s dislike and therefore her denial that Mr Darcy could possibly be the secret correspondent!

I found it quite funny how Mrs Bennet, because Mr Collins is very persistent, tries to throw Kitty in Mr Darcy’s path; it gave Kitty a bigger role for once as well as being rather funny – I mean, can you imagine Darcy and Kitty? No, it really doesn’t work.

As well as Kitty having a bigger role it was also nice that Mr Darcy decided to inform the necessary people about Mr Wickham’s character, therefore pretty much eliminating him from the story – he doesn’t feature at all really and Mr Collins becomes the bad guy of the story I suppose, which is rather funny as well as brilliant because Mr Collins finally gets what I believe he deserves and what I have wanted to do to him since first coming across this slimy character in the original story! I will say no more...   

Darcy also informs Lizzy about Mr Wickham’s true nature and links to his family and it was again interesting for Darcy to see Lizzy’s initial reaction to what he had to say, as opposed to her reading it in a letter.

There were many familiar quotes and snippets from conversations from the original story, some used in different contexts and others spoken by different people about or to different people – I always like recognisable quotes popping up every now and then! A few examples... the famous ‘most handsomest woman of my acquaintance’ is spoken, the accidentally over-heard ‘not tolerable enough’ conversations is referred to, as is the ‘accomplished woman’ conversation and the conversation during the dance at the Netherfield Ball and my favourite, the use of the famous words from the first proposal used rather later on in the story!   

In the second half of the book, Darcy is so lovely!  He is very gentlemanly and amiable as well as quite teasing! I loved seeing more of Darcy’s relaxed side, like we see a little of in the original during the visit to Pemberley. It was also lovely to have Lizzy and Darcy together so much in the second half when Darcy was much more relaxed and trying to please a woman worthy of being pleased.

I thought it was very clever how the story runs pretty parallel to the original, but with very different changes being made to what we expect from the original...
Darcy’s first proposal and the ensuing argument is similar to the confrontation which follows the meeting of Darcy and Lizzy when Darcy was planning on revealing himself as the secret letter writer, only, just like the proposal, it doesn’t go as planned!
The explanation letter that follows said proposal is instead a conversation between Mr Bennet and Lizzy when he warns Lizzy’s about not believing everything she has been told by Wickham.  
The trip to Derbyshire and meeting at Pemberley is very similar to trip taken to Ashington to visit some friends of Bingley’s, to which Darcy is also invited.
The letter about Lydia which Lizzy receives is similar to a letter she receives from her father, beginning ‘be not alarmed on receiving this letter’ but the content of the letter is referring to Mr Collins instead of Wickham.
The visit from Lady Catherine instead of being about a supposed engagement between Lizzy and Darcy is instead of a rumour that an engagement between Lizzy and Mr Collins has in fact not taken place! (As you can see, Mr Collins features heavily!)  
In the original when we meet Darcy again in Meryton he has reverted to his old, reserved self and similarly, once returned from the trip to Ashington, the colder Darcy returns, confusing Lizzy greatly.

(It suddenly hit me after the first few points I have just made how similar but different it was to the original!)  

Mr Darcy had a more developed relationship with Mr Bennet in this variation, Mr Bennet guessing the identity of Lizzy’s secret correspondent and then approaching Darcy about it, resulting in multiple conversations between them. I also enjoyed Lizzy’s relationship with Georgiana which was explored more in this variation. (I mentioned in one of my last reviews about Lizzy not seeing Pemberley before marrying Darcy making a nice change from most variations (as well as the original) and again this happens in this story. It also resulted in a sweet conversation about Pemberley between the (by now engaged) couple as what Lizzy was to expect when she finally sees Pemberley.

The romance was sweet in this story, especially in the second half as I have already mentioned. The ending was also perfect, perfect in relation to the rest of the story and the theme of the story, though I don’t want to mention too much and ruin it for anyone!  As well as the perfect ending there is also a short epilogue assuring you of the ‘happily ever afters’ of the three main couples of the story.  When you finish the story there is an additional surprise of a selection of alternative and extra unused scenes for our enjoyment and I enjoyed reading alternative scenes and endings.

This was definitely one of my favourite variations I have read because it is very unique. This was a very enjoyable and funny story and I highly recommend this story for a lover of Pride and Prejudice or the film You’ve Got Mail.

Your affectionate friend,

Echoes of Pemberley and The Heart Does Whisper by Cynthia Hensley

Ok. It's true that I am not really one for the modern re-imaginings  of Austen's stories - why bring such wonderful stories which are so heavily impacted by the traditions, manners and decorum of the regency era into today's world, which, to me, is a lot less appealing! However, when the lovely Cynthia Hensley contacted me to ask if I would review her book, Echoes of Pemberley, a modern Pride and Prejudice inspired tale I was a little dubious. But then I read the blurb...

“A tragic plane crash eight years earlier has left Catherine Elizabeth Darcy orphaned and in the custody of her overly protective brother, Bennet. Since then, her life at Pemberley Estate - the Darcy's ancestral home in Derbyshire, England - has been sheltered and lacking adventure of any kind. When 16-year-old Catie arrives home for her school holiday, she is expecting another long, boring summer of daydreaming and whiling away warm afternoons reading the romance novels her brother calls "rubbish." What she discovers, however, is a handsome yet insufferable Irishman named Sean Kelly, her summer riding instructor. Coupled with an intriguing and mysterious WWI-era diary, which she finds hidden in the window seat of her bedroom, Catie Darcy's summer soon proves to be anything but boring.”

It sounded very interesting and a story only inspired by Pride and Prejudice, a story about Darcy and Lizzy's descendants as apposed to actually removing Darcy and Lizzy from the world in which they were written into and to which they belong. Therefore, I decided I would give it a try, and I am very glad I did!

I really enjoyed this story, staying up till two in the morning to finish it! Although it was set in the modern day there weren't too many references to keep reminding the reader of the fact which I was glad about.

Lets begin with Catie Darcy and Sean Kelly, the heroine and hero. Catie is a girl of 16, nearly 17, who I can really relate to. This story is as much a romance and a mystery as it is a story of Catie's maturity from a young child to a young woman. She was a great character and I could understand her problems she experiences through the story - in particular the problem Catie faces from her overly protective brother, Bennet, who continues to treat her like a child and refuses to face the fact that she is almost 17! The way she matures through the story is a nice development to see and the way she finally moves on from certain traumas in her life, linking to the death of her father and mother. This transformation is aided by the rather lovely Sean Kelly, Catie's Irish riding instructor, come over to teach Catie during the summer holidays.

Catie and Sean's relationship 'echoes' that of Lizzy and Darcy, but with the genders reversed; Catie is very much the Darcy character and Sean more the Lizzy character.
They have a very sweet relationship full of problems to the very end. This story between them does resolve very much at the end of the story and it would have been nice to see more of their relationship once it was resolved as it felt a little rushed - but that is really just my hopelessly-romantic side complaining; there was a lot of romance, I promise you, and the final chapter was perfect, just perfect and leaves you feeling very satisfied! :)

This story is called 'Echoes of Pemberley' and I have already mentioned the echoes of the relationship between Darcy and Lizzy. There are many other 'echoes' of the original which is what make this story so clever and sweet, for me anyway. Lady Catherine and Rosings Park come up a few times as does Anne de Bourgh. You hear all   about the ancestors of the current Darcy's of Pemberley. One of my favourite links to the original is how the legendary romantic tale of how Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley went against all odds and married the lowly Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn has been told over and over and passed on to the next generations.

Another 'echo' is that just as Darcy was landed with the responsibility of guardian of Georgiana, so was Bennet, Catie's brother, left with the responsibility to raise and look after Catie after the death of both their father and mother. The relationship between Catie and Bennet was sweet. I always felt sorry for Darcy in the original as trying to be a guardian, protector and father figure but at the same time just her brother must be very difficult. This is why I felt for Bennet, even when he seemed overly critical of Catie. I did feel sorry for her, however, when Bennet just wouldn't seem to let her grow up and continued to treat her as he would have 5 years earlier. But, as I said, I do understand the difficulty Bennet had and his wish to protect his sister, his only remaining family, and this being the root cause of his over protectiveness. I think how these two changed over the story was wonderful, seeing Bennet finally come to terms with Catie's age and the realisation that he could just be Catie's brother once again. And Catie becoming a little less self centred and acknowledging what her brother has also gone through since the death of her parents. The relationship development of these two may well be favourite of the story.

(Random observation of the book...) As well as echoes of Pride and Prejudice, Bennet's protectiveness of Catie and Catie'a subsequent restrictions to Pemberley reminded me a little of Emma Woodhouse and Mr Woodhouse's wish for Emma to remain at Hartfield.

There are also some other wonderful secondary character, aside from the ones I have already mentioned, one of those being Pemberley's housekeeper Rose, who basically takes the role of mother to Catie. Sarah, Catie's brothers wife, was also a lovely character; her conversations with Bennet, her husband, were very funny and she also had a nice relationship with Catie. And never fear, there is still a Wickham-esque character involved in the story to cause havoc and provide further problems for Catie and Sean.

As well as Catie's own story of transition into adulthood, the romantic story between Sean and Catie there is also a bit of mystery thrown into the mix, based on a diary and some letters found by Catie behind a wall panel in her bedroom (and a bonus is that I didn't guess what was going to happen!)

If you are looking for a fun, romantic story with a bit of mystery as well, then this is for you. Whether you are a Jane Austen fan or not you will enjoy this story (if you are a Jane fan then your pleasure will only be enhanced while reading this tale!)

A good sign of whether I enjoyed a book is if, like this one, I had the kindle copy to read first I then go and buy the paperback to add to my shelf - the dispatch confirmation email from Amazon came through this morning! ;D

~~~

I was very sad when I came to the end of Echoes of Pemberley and my journey with Sean and Catie, until I discovered that there was a sequel! The Heart Does Whisper, a story of Sean and Catie's first year as a married couple. I couldn't wait to read it and once again I had a late night finishing it!

“From one of Derbyshire, England’s oldest, most prominent families, heiress Catherine Darcy is beautiful, rich, and seemingly destined to the legacy of her Regency-era ancestors. Determined to follow her own heart, Catie marries handsome, proud Sean Kelly — the son of an Irish horse farmer. In this modern-day continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, newlyweds Sean and Catie depart London for Savannah, Georgia, where Sean has accepted a yearlong administrative internship. The young couple is hopeful the romantic coastal town will provide neutral ground for their opposite worlds but soon discover the southern city has a social pecking order all its own. Behind Savannah’s veil of Spanish moss, a dying socialite and a mute boy send the Kellys on separate paths of personal awakening while together embarking on a journey of the heart that teaches them the true meaning of their enduring love for each other.”

There are times when I wish I was  a character in a story: I am very much like Catie, reading too many romance novels and romanticising the world. Luckily for Catie she is a character in a book and so a romantic story similar to ones she reads about and wishes for is already written and is therefore guaranteed....so unless I am a character in a story (which is highly unlikely, not to mention that it would, so far, be an extremely boring story) then I don't have that luxury of my love life being sorted the way I dream about!

I mentioned in my review of the first story that I would have liked to see more of Sean and Catie's courtship once they were together; this book satisfies that wish. Although they are now married and the story is set four years after the first, we are shown glimpses into their courtship, the proposal and the time leading up to their wedding all through the story through conversations they have which was so nice to see! As well as these glimpses into their past relationship there are plenty of romantic moments between the two as they face their first year of marriage. 

(I will say here that given that they are now married there are a few more intimate scenes - they are tastefully done with nothing explicit as well as being 'off the page' with the reader normally returning the following morning - it didn't bother me and I only read clean stories usually.)

Page 1, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1:
"In every romance novel she'd ever read, "the kiss" was always followed by "the end". So what does a woman do with a man after the nuptials? The chase was over. He had her - legally, binding, before God. 'My Lord,' she whispered, 'I'm married.' "

I think this is a great way to start the story because it is very true; what does happen next? Most stories don't go beyond the 'happily ever after' and although I may be only 17 and a hopeless romantic, I am not naïve enough not to realise that 'happily ever after's' don't just happen; they take work! And this is exactly what this story is all about, Sean and Catie working their way through all the problems, as well as the pleasures, of the first year of marriage.

I really enjoyed seeing Sean and Catie work through their first year and it is not all plain sailing I assure you, much like real life I imagine. As well as the normal problems facing any newlyweds, there are other problems these two must face due to their union bringing together two people from completely different worlds!

These two are as sweet as ever, if not sweeter, and you can tell how fond they are of each other and that their marriage is one which will last, whatever problems are thrown at them. I liked seeing more of Sean in this story as the first one was told mainly from Catie's point of view. He is very much the gentleman and still is rather a traditionalist when it comes to looking after his wife, which is lovely to read (as well as encouraging to me that there are still men out there who know how to treat a lady ;))

There are quite a few little story lines going on through the story, all which keep the story interesting and the plot moving. A few of my favourites would be...

In this story we hear even more about the past Darcy's and in particular, Catie's mother and father. This is achieved through a grumpy old woman called Annabelle Montague, who turns out to have known Catie's mother and father when she was a teenager. Some of my favourite scenes were when Miss Montague was telling stories to Catie about her parents and herself when they were troublesome teenagers. The effect it has on Catie is very touching when reading it, seeing it helping her learn more and feel closer to the mother she never knew.  A sweet and funny character was Miss Montague's butler - of sorts - Mr Robbins. He is quite a minor character but fun all the same and very caring of both Miss Montague and Catie.

Another aspect I really enjoyed in this story was, as I mentioned earlier about Sean coming into his own more, as does the rest of the Kelly family. We saw glimpses of Sean's family towards the end of the first book but they feature more prominently in the second. In particular Sean's brother and father, Gabriel and Seamus, who have an important side story all of their own. I also liked seeing how the Kelly's accepted their new daughter in law and how their relationship developed.

I think my favourite sub plot would be about one of the boys Sean comes across at the school; Toby, a mute boy suffering the after effects of the murder of his mother and the blame of this murder falling on his father. It is through Toby that the mystery is brought into this story and it is very touching and heart-breaking at times.

I think I have probably made it sound like there are far too many plots going on at once, but it doesn't feel like that. I felt like all these things which happen to the couple happen to test them, test their marriage and their love for each other. So, it never feels over complicated with too much going on but just seems to blend together into one story perfectly.

There are some lovely new characters in this story...

Miss Etta. Neither Catie or Sean are domestic goddesses in the kitchen, Catie having always had her meals cooked for her till now and Sean... well... because he is a man of 23. But, to get to the point, they end up with this Miss Etta who, in exchange for a place to live, cooks for them. She is a funny character and is similar to the role of Rose back at Pemberley. 

Dr Hugh Middleston and his lovely wife Prissy were also great characters. Dr Middleston is the headmaster of the school Sean goes to teach at and his and Sean's relationship, both working and social, is nice as well as rather comic at times! This couple and the relationship they build up with Sean and Catie was one of my favourites of the story, Prissy Middleton having a similar relationship with Catie that she and Sarah shared in the first story.

There was a Wickham-esque character in the first book and in this one there is a Caroline-esque character. I don't want to give anything away so all I will say is that there is a rather amusing incident involving this character and a glass of water at some point in the story!

As well as these fun new characters there is also the reappearance of the favourite characters from the first story. I have already mentioned the Kelly's but the Darcy's make a welcome return as well as Rose, the housekeeper. Rose also has her own little story in this and provided me with possibly my favourite moment of the entire story, but I won't say anymore!

Just as the ending of the first story was perfect, so too is the ending of this story. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy are once again mentioned and the closing lines will leave you feeling very satisfied (and with a big grin on your face if you are anything like me) and easily believing that Sean and Catie Kelly will live their 'happily ever after' and very happily indeed.

If, like me, you want to read more about the wonderful couple that is Sean and Catie Kelly and travel with them through the ups and downs of their first year as a married couple then you must read this sequel! Fun, engaging and romantic! (My paperback version of this story is on its way – both stories have a rightful place on my bookshelf!) 


Your affectionate friend,

A Rather Unexpected Purchase...

I recently returned for my second visit to the lovely village of Chawton, the place of Jane Austen's House.  It was just as delightful as it was the first time to walk around the cottage, play on her piano and see where she penned her wonderful stories. I also enjoyed browsing (well spending) in the lovely gift shop they have at the museum - a perfect place for any Janeite! I was planning on buying something to add to my ever growing collection but what I did end up buying was not what I was planning on buying!  


I started out buying a quill and some ink to have a go with as I think it will be fun to use - I haven't yet tried it out but I will soon :) Then, out of the corner of my eye (well, actually it was at the front of the shop, hard to miss really!) I saw an old version of Pride and Prejudice.  I had wanted an older version of one of the Austen's for a while, preferably Pride and Prejudice as it is my favourite. I was torn and unsure whether to follow my head or my heart (or rather my bank balance and my heart!) My heart was winning... but then I saw, this time actually out of the corner of my eye as it was high up on a hidden shelf, a complete set of the novels.  As my heart had won over my head I decided that for the price I would pay for the one novel and what I would pay for all six, it would be a better deal to go for the set (at least, that is what I tell myself!) So, I purchased the set!





They are a beautiful set of illustrated hardbacks published between 1901 and 1903!










They are in great condition - I am not completely worried to pick them up and flick through them!











It is amazing to own books which are over 100 years old :D










I am very pleased with my purchase and I am glad I made the investment, however badly it has hit my bank account!











(I have also seen a very similar  set, published a little later, which are for sale for triple what I paid - it makes me feel a little better ;P)

 
 





The illustrations are also gorgeous!

"You mean to frighten me, Mr Darcy."

"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

Your affectionate friend,