Book Review: To Conquer Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds

From the back cover:

WHAT IF…

Instead of disappearing from Elizabeth Bennet’s life after she refused his offer of marriage, Mr. Darcy had stayed and tried to change her mind?

WHAT IF…

Lizzy, as she gets to know Darcy, finds him undeniably attractive and her impulses win out over her sense of propriety?

WHAT IF…

Madly in love and mutually on fire, their passion anticipates their wedding?

In To Conquer Mr. Darcy, instead of avoiding Elizabeth after his ill-fated marriage proposal, Mr. Darcy follows her back to her home in Hertfordshire, planning to prove to her his a changed man and worthy of her love.  And little by little, Elizabeth begins to find the man she despised irresistible…

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Pride and Prejudice fans, have you ever been frustrated with Darcy’s condescending marriage proposal to Elizabeth Bennet in Hunsford?  While many wouldn’t question Miss Austen’s choice of plot development, the thought of re-writing the events proceeding Hunsford has probably occurred to more than one creative writer.  Abigail Reynolds has put this speculation to paper in To Conquer Mr. Darcy, available from Sourcebooks on August 3, 2010.


Reynolds’ imagining of the events picks up in June after Darcy’s proposal.  His demeanor is quite sullen and distant, even toward his beloved staff at Pemberley, with whom he is normally open and friendly. Miss Bennet’s rejection of him has clearly taken a toll.  As the story continues, we find Darcy pursuing Lizzy once again, although in a much more overt manner.  In meeting him again, she finds that he has become a far different man from the one she had known previously.  Some of the results of this tale may be similar to what we found in the original Austen text.  However, the ways in which these characters progress are far beyond Austen indeed.

As I began To Conquer Mr. Darcy, I enjoyed seeing my favorite characters again and I was pleased with the way in which Ms. Reynolds portrayed them.  Their personalities rang true to the original story and their manners fit in with Austen’s Regency-era England. The language was appropriate in style, but it was more readable for today’s audience.  For the first few chapters I was very satisfied with how things were progressing.

Then for a long portion of the book (predominantly the courtship of Darcy and Elizabeth) my opinion changed.  I even hesitate to term Darcy’s pursuit of Lizzie as courting, when the more accurate description of his behavior would be outright seduction.  I began to feel as if I was reading a flimsy romance novel, the kind in which we might find a Fabio-like leading man splayed on the cover.  For some readers this might be an attractive draw, but for me it wasn’t.  The characters became far more forward and passionate; the particulars of their relationship were detailed and intimate. As a reader, I just don’t need all of that.  Passion and romance can be conveyed differently, where “less is more” might be the line to pursue.

Interestingly enough, after Darcy and Elizabeth marry the fine details of their romantic life decrease significantly.  I was pleased to see that Ms. Reynolds did convey the message that the spouses were still madly in love with each other.  The state of marriage had not squelched this, as is frequently portrayed in other books and films.  Yet I find it interesting that the majority of the racy content wasn’t saved for the marriage bed.

As the story continued, the characters also had to deal with interesting and sometimes difficult life events.  These final sections improved my enjoyment of the book, as I appreciated the characters more and cared about the outcomes of a number of situations.  In fact, I found the final chapter to be quite touching and gratifying.

To Conquer Mr. Darcy is not something that I can heartily recommend.  I could have done without the racy content that dominated the majority of the book’s center.  However, I enjoyed the start of the novel as well as its beautiful, moving conclusion.  Abigail Reynolds is an accomplished writer, and it’s clear that she’s writing for a particular audience. It just seems that the audience to which I belong is in a different place.

This title was provided to me by Sourcebooks Landmark. No obligation other than an honest review was required.
To Conquer Mr. Darcy was previously published under the title Impulse & Initiative.

**GIVEAWAY CONTEST**

Guidelines for entering to win my advanced copy of To Conquer Mr. Darcy:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, August 7th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 8th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• Note: As this is a pre-published copy, the cover has the working title Conquering Mr. Darcy.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just please let me know that you're following).

• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter and tell me your @UserName.

• Tweet about this ARC giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and August 7th at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

Convenient Shopping at CSN Stores

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CSN Stores is an innovative company, bringing together 200+ online stores with over 1 million products (and growing)!  In the near future I'm going to be reviewing some fitness equipment and DVDs for The Calico Critic, but they have so much more to offer.  Everything from furniture to office supplies, items for your pet and luggage for your summer vacation.  Their trained service team is there to assist you if needed, and even with over 200 stores, you can shop at all of them with just one checkout cart! And if for some reason you need to return an item, their Hassle Free Returns provide free shipping on just about everything.

You can also follow CSN on Facebook and Twitter, where you can get great tips and links to other CSN promotions!  And of course check back here soon on The Calico Critic for my review of some of their products!

Wednesday Contest Report - July 21st

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Sometimes on Wednesdays my blog post details contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• Aly at Kid Lit Frenzy is giving away to one winner either a signed copy of Heist Society or a signed copy of Keys to the Repository. Deadline to enter is July 28th, 2010.  Here's the link:

http://kidlitfrenzy.com/2010/07/22/two-in-one-post/

• The folks at Reading Teen have a weekly "Second Hand Saturday" giveaway.  They have a huge list of books from which the weekly winner can choose.  Lots of YA and MG!  The deadline is each Friday at 10pm EST. Here's their latest link:

http://www.readingteen.net/2010/07/second-hand-saturday-book-week-giveaway_24.html

• Linna at 21 Pages is having a big giveaway-- the winner gets to choose from ARCs like Clockwork Angel, The Ivy and Linger.  Deadline is August 20th.  Here's the link:

http://21pages.x10hosting.com/2010/07/arc-giveaway-clockwork-angel-paranormalcy-and-more/

Book Review: Portal by Imogen Rose

From the back cover of Portal:

Come Find Me Two Years Ago…

Six words that propelled ice hockey playing tomboy, Arizona, into an alternate dimension.  In one moment, she went from being a varsity hockey player in New Jersey to a glamorous cheerleader in California.

She found herself with a new dad.  She found herself in a new life.  One that she had apparently lived in always.  Everyone knew her as Arizona Darley, but she wasn’t .

She was Arizona Stevens.

She knew she had to find her way back to her real life, to her real dad…

Then she met Kellan…

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Continue reading after the next set of red stars if you'd like to avoid anything that might be perceived as spoiler material...

Author Imogen Rose was very gracious to send this book to me after I expressed an interest.  Along with Jane Austen novels, I go for almost anything with a time-travel motif.  This preoccupation with the genre probably began when I was a child after seeing Christopher Reeve in Somewhere in Time.  After that I was hooked.  Then Back to the Future pulled me in more as a teen.

So here we have Portal, the first in a series of books called The Portal Chronicles that Ms. Rose is producing.  It’s centered on young Arizona Stevens, who finds herself in a new time and dimension.  Much of her life is the same, but there are many differences that alert her to this new existence.  We later learn that she and other loved ones have traveled through a portal.  She once was Arizona Stevens hockey player, but in this new reality, she’s Arizona Darley, cheerleader and Barbie emulator. She begins making a life for herself in her new reality, but she presses to return to her old life.  Matters are complicated when she meets the attractive Kellan and begins a romantic relationship with him.  She wants her old life back, but in order to get there she must leave Kellan behind.

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Portal was not quite what I expected, although I don’t know exactly what my expectations were. However, it was a delightful surprise.  I love the concepts introduced in Arizona’s world, and I came to care about the characters within the story.  While simply written for a young, Twilight-saturated demographic, this adult enjoyed the read.

The technology of the portal is shrouded in mystery—we don’t get much information on what it’s like or how it works for most of the book.  But technological explanations really aren’t the key here—the story is.  And while I found the first 100 pages a bit disorienting, it later enabled me to feel like a part of the story, as Arizona experienced the same confusion herself.  What is going on?  Where am I?  Who are these people?  These were thoughts that ran through my head as I began the novel.  But as things became clearer for Arizona, they became clearer for me as well.

The book ends on a dramatic note, setting the story up for the next book in the series, Equilibrium, scheduled to be released later this year.  I assume that this second title will not be a stand-alone volume, so I recommend that you go ahead and jump into Imogen Rose’s Portal when you’re ready for a light, entertaining, yet thought-provoking read.  I'll be looking forward to more of the same in Equilibrium.

Contest Winner Announcement

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The winner of our Cottage by the Sea ARC giveaway has been chosen.  

She tweeted her little heart out, and this time it paid off!  

Congratulations to Sarah E!

Thanks to all who participated!   And I hope our winner enjoys the book!

Saying Goodbye

Callie loving on a blogger's holiday gift to me.
Christmas 2009

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Today I'm mourning the loss of my blog's mascot, Callie Cat Hartness.  Diabetic and advanced in age (15 years), she died peacefully in her sleep today.  She's been part of our family since the summer of 1995, just after my husband and I married.  She came from the local ASPCA in Biloxi, MS as a 6-8 week old kitten. Sometimes we think she chose us, not the other way around!

Callie saw it all--- our move back to our native North Carolina, the purchase of our first home, the birth of our two children, our career move to Vero Beach, FL and so much more.  She survived many scrapes with death, having more than one kitty accident along the way.  Her patience with our wiley boys was remarkable, as she endured occasional chasings and slightly-rough toddler petting.

As I sit here in my room, all is silent, there's no cat sitting in the window or at the foot of my bed.  I already miss her so. She was a good friend and companion, and like all good family pets, she will never be forgotten.

R.I.P.

Callie Cat Hartness

1995-2010

Q

Callie not long after she joined us in 1995.
She loved to find hidey holes, like in between the cereal boxes. 
And once as a kitten she got herself shut into the fridge for a few minutes!

Callie sometime in the last year or so.
In her favorite perch in the bedroom window, looking out on the world.

Wednesday Contest Report - June 30th

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On most Wednesdays I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• Eliora over at Scholar Berry is hosting her first-ever giveaway of Heist Society.  Deadline is July 20th. Here's the link:

http://scholarberry.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-first-ever-giveaway.html

Book Review: A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware

From the back cover:

“A remote cottage on the wild coast of Cornwall sounded to Blythe Barton Stowe like the perfect escape from the pain and humiliation of recent events in her Hollywood life.   But soon she seems to be reliving a centuries-old tragedy, and the handsome owner of the shabby manor house on the hill appears vitally entwined in her destiny.  As they unearth one shocking family secret after another, Blythe is forced to conclude that her intriguing neighbor is more than just an impecunious British gentleman bent on saving his ancestral home.  And the impeccably honorable Lucas Teague begins to see Blythe as a lifeline in an otherwise bleak existence.

But is the unbridled attraction they’re experiencing a dangerous distraction, or could it be strong enough to transcend the insurmountable complexities of time and place?”

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In recent months I became aware of author Ciji Ware because of the recent reissue of her novel, Island of the Swans, which was garnering high praise from critics.  Given the opportunity to read her reissue of A Cottage by the Sea, I looked forward to becoming acquainted with this author’s work. 

I found A Cottage by the Sea to be well-suited for me as a reader.  I enjoy historical novels, particularly romantic ones set in Britain, wherein some of my heritage lies.  Sea also features some elements of time travel as well as the glamour of Hollywood, both of which are entertaining features.  Those interested in genealogy will also find Ware’s storylines to be interesting—she even offers a detailed family tree graphic within the opening pages.

The novel is somewhat divided between modern day and turn of the 18th century.  The main character Blythe Barton Stowe doesn’t experience time travel in the traditional sense, but her experience comes very close to it.  It seems that all the main characters are inextricably tied through family lineages, time and fate.  Some may define happenings in this novel as paranormal in nature, but I would describe these intriguing events to be more fantastical and not darkly paranormal in any way.

As a mother of a ten year-old boy, I could relate to the characters as they lived, loved and struggled with the children in their lives, most notably ten year-old Richard, son of main character Lucas Teague.  Richard’s desire for parental affection was very touching, reminding me of the importance of showing my own son my love for him as well. 

The narrative itself was very enjoyable.  There were very few slow moments in these chapters, with some cliffhangers as Ware shifted her storytelling from one era to another.  Her ability to entwine these two timelines pushed the story forward, leading to end results that were gratifying as well as realistic.

Conservative readers should know that there is a bit of sexual content within this romance.   While it doesn’t dominate the story, there are several scenes of lovemaking that go beyond a PG-rated level.  There’s also a bit of colorful language, but similarly it isn’t dominating.  I merely present these thoughts in order to allow readers to make a somewhat informed choice. 

While I found many chapters in A Cottage by the Sea to be captivating, I particularly enjoyed the ones near the conclusion. Many characters experienced redemption, forgiveness, healing and new beginnings.  The events of the past influenced the future in many restorative ways.  This allowed for a well-formed narrative and skillful character development.

A Cottage by the Sea was originally published in 1997.  Like Ciji Ware, I’m glad she had the opportunity to revisit this work, tweaking it a bit and offering it to the public once again.  Those of us who get the chance to enjoy the fruits of her labor are bestowed a lovely gift, to be enjoyed as the many flowers found alongside her cottage by the sea.

This title was provided to me by Sourcebooks Landmark. No obligation other than an honest review was required.

	Paperback	Paperback

Contest Winner Announcement!

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Well, after dozens of entries came in, we have a winner in our CSN Stores fitness pack giveaway! 
After submitting only one entry, our winner is:

Maria from HuffandBuff.com! 

Congratulations, Maria! 
You've won a Firm DVD fitness pack from CSN Stores. 

Maria's website is really great-- lots of good information, motivations and giveaways, all in the name of fitness and healthy living.  Her prize will certainly help her in that endeavor!

Thanks to all the entrants, and stay tuned for more giveaways in the future!

www.csn.com

Wednesday Contest Report - June 23rd

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On most Wednesdays I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• JL at An Avid Reader's Musings is having a Matched and swag giveaway in honor of her birthday! July 3rd is the last day to enter.  Here's the link:

http://avidreadersmusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/30-on-30th-prize-pack-2-matched.html

• Leilani at Leilani Loves Books is having a super Birthday/100 Followers giveaway!  She's offering lots of books and book-related prizes!  The prizes change each week through August 13th, her birthday. Here's the link:

http://www.leilanilovesbooks.com/

Book Review: A Woman of Influence by Rebecca Ann Collins

In the spring of 2008 Rebecca Ann Collins began authoring a 10-part series of novels, sequels to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

• The Pemberley Chronicles (Apr 2008)
• The Women of Pemberley (Apr 2008)
• Netherfield Park Revisited (Sept 2008)
• The Ladies of Longbourn (Oct 2008)
• Mr. Darcy's Daughter (Nov 2008)
• My Cousin Caroline (Sept 2009)
• Postscript from Pemberley (Dec 2009)
• Recollections of Rosings (March 2010)
• A Woman of Influence (June 2010)
• The Legacy of Pemberley (Nov 2010)

Clearly, Ms. Collins’ pen is quite prolific.  I marvel at her ability to frequently bring these stories to her readers, and I wish I’d been aware of the series at its inception two years ago.  As it is, I begin my experiences with The Pemberley Chronicles in the ninth installment, A Woman of Influence.

The title character is Becky Collins Tate, daughter of the ostentatious Reverend Collins of Pride and Prejudice.  In her 40’s, Becky is now a widow, striking out into the world on her own, liberated from an unpleasant marriage. She’s had her share of tragedy and personal missteps, but she’s ready to begin a new life in her newly purchased home, Edgewater, in the county of Kent.

Set in the mid-1800’s, A Woman of Influence is only somewhat distanced from the events in Austen’s original novel.  Many of her characters are in attendance, but they rarely take center stage in this narrative.  However, their presence was very helpful.  They provided the bridge needed to connect the reader to the next generation of characters, the children and grandchildren of the Darcys, the Bingleys and the like.

There are two main story lines in Collins’ novel.  One involves Becky’s involvement with a young woman who has been unjustly separated from her husband, charged with a crime he didn’t commit.  Mrs. Tate uses her compassion, intelligence and influence to come to the aid of this victimized family.  While the truth might be on their side, politics and covetousness have the upper hand, making Becky’s task a difficult one.

Another plot line concerns the heart of Becky herself.  After years in a dispassionate marriage, Becky is not only pleased with her new life of freedom, but she also feels disinclined to ever open her heart and become someone’s wife ever again.

Although I came to The Pemberley Chronicles near the conclusion of the series, I did enjoy A Woman of Influence as a standalone title.  There were times when unfamiliar plot points from previous books both helped me and hindered me in understanding the history of the characters.  Ultimately it was my knowledge of Pride and Prejudice that was the most helpful factor in grasping the story.

Collins is clearly a well-educated lover of Austen’s work.  Her manner of writing is very similar to Austen’s, although slightly updated.  Her character development is deliberate, allowing each individual to be well understood.  While there were two main story lines, they were well balanced within the entire narrative, weaving around each other.  And while it certainly wouldn’t be characterized as a thrilling page-turner, Woman of Influence was consistently enjoyable and pleasant to return to at each reading.  I look forward to her concluding volume, The Legacy of Pemberley.  The only question remaining in my mind is,
“Do I read books 1-8 before or after Legacy?”

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This title was provided to me by Sourcebooks Landmark.
No obligation other than an honest review was required.

Book Review: TSI - The Influenza Bomb by Paul McCusker & Walt Larimore, MD

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For two years between March 1918 and June 1920, the Spanish Flu spread around the world and took between 50-100 million lives. Some have speculated that it had an impact on the result of World War I.  Some have further speculated that the Nazis began experimenting for biological warfare in the 30’s and 40’s, using influenza as one of their test viruses.

In Paul McCusker and Dr. Walt Larimore’s novel The Influenza Bomb, this issue is revisited in our present day.  An eco-terrorist group called Return to Earth has resurrected and enhanced the Spanish Flu, making it even more lethal than the original. Their plan is to virally wipe out all human life on Earth, as we have (in their eyes) made ourselves illegitimate caretakers of the planet through our poor stewardship of the world.

The National Institutes of Health dispatches a special team of scientists, doctors, techno-geeks and investigators to fight this terrorist plot.  They’re from the Historical Research and Data Development department, also known as “TSI” (a wink to a popular television program).  Using the history of past medical incidents, they’re able to investigate their way to the solution of their current problem.  In this case, they need to stop Return to Earth and their influenza virus before the destruction of the human race.

Authors Paul McCusker and Walt Larimore, MD bring to their work a wonderful blend of Hollywood-style action, with realistic science to back up the plot.  Many of the historical scenarios they present truly happened, which make the fictional crimes of Return to Earth seem all the more urgent.  Given the proper circumstances and conditions, a catastrophe like this could break out in our contemporary world.  With our almost effortless ability to transport people (possible virus carriers) around the globe within a day or two, it’s a blessing that our world is as healthy as it is today.

I enjoyed The Influenza Bomb.  It took me back to the mid-90’s when I read the book The Hot Zone by Richard Preston and saw the movie Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo.  McCusker’s scriptwriting talent came through, giving the story an excitement that always kept the pages turning.  Dr. Larimore’s medical knowledge gave the details of the epidemic veracity as the characters strove to combat their visible and invisible foes.

I also enjoyed the writing device of frequent flashbacks to previous decades, showing the background of the current conflict within the context of world history.  Characters and present-day events could be traced back almost 100 years.  Artifacts from decades gone by provided keys necessary for TSI to continue their investigations.  Choices made in the 1940’s had direct consequences in the present day.

McCusker & Larimore’s characters were interesting, although I didn’t find myself caring about them as much as I would have liked.  It seemed as if each character was just a chess piece, moving about alone and in concert with other characters to a decisive end.  While this novel is certainly not a relationship piece, a bit more character development would have helped with this.  However, there are so many roles in this story (a few too many, in my opinion), I don’t know how more character development could have been accomplished without weighing down or impeding the story.

As the authors are Christians, they did infuse a bit of their faith into the story line.  It wasn’t terribly overt, but the theme of forgiveness was presented in the lives of some of their characters.  This lesson applies to those of many faiths, so non-Christians may not be too disturbed by this content.  It’s certainly a concept that all of us need to apply to our lives.

On a side note: The Influenza Bomb follows the TSI novel The Gabon Virus.  Although I haven’t read Gabon, this issue wasn’t alienating.  There were several mentions of individuals and events from the previous book, but they weren’t very consequential.  If anything, those moments made me want to pick up The Gabon Virus sometime.

If you’re looking for an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller, The Influenza Bomb makes for an amusing summer read. 

This title was provided to me by Glass Road PR.  No obligation other than an honest review was required.