Book Review and Giveaway: Fortune & Felicity by Monica Fairview

In the original telling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy proposes marriage to Elizabeth Bennet, and she rejects him. Shortly thereafter, he pens a letter to her in an effort to clarify the truth about himself, his family’s relationship with George Wickham, and his reasons behind discouraging Mr. Bingley’s attentions to Elizabeth’s sister Jane. In the latest novel by Monica Fairview, Fortune and Felicity, she pens a turn in the narrative. Darcy never sends that particular letter to Elizabeth. As such, events unfold differently than they did in the mind of Austen. Among other diversions to the original, this story includes Elizabeth marrying another man, and one day becoming a governess as a widow. Seven years after Darcy’s original proposal to Elizabeth, he finds himself widowed as well, parenting a five year-old daughter, Catherine. Young Kathy, headstrong and obstinate as her grandmother Catherine de Bourgh, was in dire need of guidance and a feminine role model in her life. Darcy brings in his former acquaintance, Mrs. Elizabeth Bennet Heriot for the governess position. He feels that he has moved past his previous attraction to Elizabeth, and that her spirited, intelligent personality would be a good match for his daughter. She would merely be his employee, nothing more. Or would she?

Fortune and Felicity is a delightful tale, a lighthearted diversion for the fans of Austenesque fiction. I would recommend the reader to be somewhat familiar with the characters of the source material, as references are made to past events, and it is assumed that the audience is already aware of the circumstances mentioned. The spirits of Austen’s characters are retained very well, although there are slight changes due to the life experiences of each individual. Darcy’s sister Georgiana has developed into a lovely grown woman, a confident wife and mother. Elizabeth still has her intelligence and spunk, but a certain amount of melancholy surrounds her, due to her losses in life. 

I enjoyed the developments of the various relationships in the story, as they were realistic for the characters and their life situations, for the most part. Young Kathy Darcy initially comes across as a little bit of a brat, but it’s understandable considering her personality and the way she’s been overindulged by the adults who surround her. I found Elizabeth’s influence on her to be quite charming and heartwarming, particularly in one scene. The progression of the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth in some ways did not surprise me, but there were also some turns that happened late in the story that I found to be delightfully unexpected. There is one villainous character who emerges to stir up trouble, and in all honesty, I could not understand why this person was still in Darcy’s life, given other aspects of the narrative. Their presence felt a little bit forced. I’m not sure what changes I would have made there, but something about them being a part of the story didn’t feel right to me. 

That said, Fairview seemed to take care with the characters that were included in this version of the story. If all of Austen's players had been involved, the novel could have been overwhelmed with too many details, top-heavy with voices that were not essential. I could easily forsee a sequel coming forth from this version, and in that instance other Austen characters could be "brought back" for the occasion. The point is, the casting choices for this particular volume were predominantly befitting the story.

From a content standpoint, Fortune and Felicity was appropriate for my conservative readers. I don’t recall any colorful language, and the romantic “heat” factor was kept fairly low for most of the story. There were a few steamy moments near the end, but I would give them a PG-rating. There is no violence that I can recall.

While I cannot say that Fortune and Felicity is Monica Fairview’s strongest offering, I did enjoy the novel. It was a quick read, the first book I began reading and completed during these summer days off of school. Spending time with Austen’s characters in a new storyline of Fairview’s making was an entertaining way to begin these weeks off. I’m so glad she’s continuing to bring her work to the Austenesque community!

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About the Author

Monica Fairview writes Jane Austen variations and sequels. After graduating from the University of Illinois, she worked as a literature professor and then as an acupuncturist in Boston before moving to London.

Monica loves anything to do with the nineteenth century, and obsessively follows every period drama she can find. On rainy days, she loves to watch 'Pride & Prejudice' (all adaptations), 'North & South', 'Cranford', or 'Downtown Abbey'.

Among Monica's Kindle best-selling novels are Mysterious Mr. Darcy, the Darcy Novels trilogy, two books in the Darcy Cousins series, and the quirky futuristic P&P inspired Steampunk Darcy. She has also published several traditional Regencies. Her latest Pride and Prejudice what-if is Fortune and Felicity.

Monica Fairview’s real claim to fame is that she lived in Elizabeth Gaskell’s house in Manchester as a teenager, in the days when it was faded and neglected, so you could say she has the smog of North and South in her blood. 

Apart from her avid historical interests, Monica enjoys reading fantasy and post-apocalyptic novels, but avoids zombies like the plague. She loves to laugh, drink lots of tea, and visit Regency houses, and she is convinced that her two cats can understand everything she says.

She is a member of the UK Romantic Novelists' Association.

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GIVEAWAY!

Monica has graciously offered an ebook copy of Fortune and Felicity to one of our readers! The contest is open to residents of the US, Canada or the UK. Please fill out the Rafflecopter widget below to be eligible to win. The only required element is an email address so that we may contact you if you are the winner. Best wishes to all the entrants!


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