The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy By Regina Jeffers

     Awesomeness! I love that The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy is a sequel to Christmas at Pemberley, a fact I did not know before I started reading it, not to mention what a great story it is! 

     Upset over hearing some bad news, Georgiana charges off on her horse towards the Scottish moors. Thrown from her horse, she wakes up in a strange room with no recollection of how she got there. When Darcy and Elizabeth find out she is missing, they go to Scotland to try to locate her. Colonel Fitzwilliam, now a Major General, also races up to find her.

     Not only do we have the mystery of Georgiana's disappearance, but there is so much more going on. The family is gathering at Pemberley for Kitty's wedding, the Wickhams show up creating a bit of family drama. Wickham is still blaming Darcy for all his misfortunes, and indeed his misfortunes are great and keep growing.

     I found it very interesting to see Lydia realizing that her sisters have made much better marriages than she did. Mrs. Bennet has her eyes opened to that fact also!

     Jeffers did an excellent job leading me through this mystery and having all these side plots going on at the same time, without overwhelming me. I have to admit that I was surprised and didn't figure out the mystery until it was revealed to me. Well done!

     If you love the Darcys and a mystery, this is definitely the story for you! Even though it is a sequel, I think it could be read alone. There is much reflecting back to both Pride and Prejudice and Christmas at Pemberley. 

     By the way, I love the cover!  

I give this 5 out of 5 stars.

I was provided a copy for review.

Buy a copy of The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy HERE.

About the Author: 

Regina Jeffers, an English teacher for thirty-nine years, considers herself a Jane Austen enthusiast. She is the author of 13 novels, including Darcy’s Passions, Darcy’s Temptation, The Phantom of Pemberley, Christmas at Pemberley, The Scandal of Lady Eleanor, A Touch of Velvet, and A Touch of Cashémere. A Time Warner Star Teacher and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as a Smithsonian presenter, Jeffers often serves as a media literacy consultant. She resides outside of Charlotte, NC, where she spends time teaching her new grandson the joys of being a child. 

Website – www.rjeffers.com
Blog – http://reginajeffers.wordpress.com
Twitter - @reginajeffers
Publisher – Ulysses Press http://ulyssespress.com/

     

This book also complete the mystery category in the Jane Austen Spinoffs 2012 Reading Challenge. 

Comments are always welcome!

The Merchant's Daughter By Melanie Dickerson

     Set in 1352 England, The Merchant’s Daughter is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is a beautiful story about courage, honor, justice and love.

     Since the death of her father and the loss of their wealth, Annabel’s mother and brothers have not contributed to the community monetarily or by working in the fields. They feel they are above such things! Now the manorial court has ordered them to pay up or one of them would have to work as a servant for Lord le Wyse for the next 3 years. With no money, her older brother, Edward, plans to marry Annabel off to the vile Bailiff Tom. In return, the bailiff will pay their fines.

     Lord le Wyse is a bitter young man with a terrible temper, which is magnified by his appearance. He was disfigured during a wolf attack, that scarred his face and eye, leaving him with the need of an eye patch. His heart has been scarred also, after the woman he loved ripped it apart. Now he feels all women are deceitful, especially beautiful ones.

     With the choice before her of marrying Bailiff Tom or working as a servant to Lord Le Wyse, Annabel chooses to be a servant. Does Annabel make the right choice? Will life as a servant be just as terrifying as being a wife to the horrid bailiff?

     Annabel is a sweet girl without coming across as sappy. I loved how she relies on her faith to get her through her fears and troubles. And troubles she has when the bailiff stirs up the villagers blaming all their recent misfortunes on the new Lord, saying Lord le Wyse is cursed!

     I really enjoyed the story! I loved the cover. If you look closely at the mirror, you can see the face of Lord le Wyse! This is a great read! 

I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Buy a copy of The Merchant's Daughter here.

What's your favorite fairytale retelling?