His Choice of a Wife Blog Tour! ~ Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveway!

Hello, my friends! I'm so happy to be part of Heather Moll's His Choice of a Wife Blog Tour! Heather's sharing a bit about how her writing journey began. As a stay-at-home mother myself, I know what she means about wanting to identify as more than just a 'Mommy'. 

Heather is also sharing an excerpt of His Choice of a Wife!  And stay tuned, you can find details for the giveaway at the bottom of the page! 

Hello Candy and thank you and your readers for welcoming me today! I’m eager to share an excerpt of His Choice of a Wife with all of you and talk a little bit about how I came to write this book. 

I never wrote anything other than a term paper until I sat down to write His Choice of a Wife. I loved Jane Austen from the moment I cracked Pride and Prejudice’s spine, and I enjoyed JAFF for almost as long, but never wrote so much as a sentence of fiction. So what on earth made me think that I could, or even should, write a story of my own?

I was a librarian in a small-town library until I had my son and decided to stay home. Even though it was what I wanted, transitioning from working professional to stay-at-home mom was quite an adjustment! Once we settled into a routine, I felt isolated and was questioning the things that defined me. Was I just ‘Mom’ now, and was that enough? None of my friends had children yet and the days sometimes felt long. I had enjoyed reading online cute JAFF stories with a faster way to the happy ending, and one day during nap time I thought, “I could write a little one-shot story.”

I intended to entertain myself, and possibly someone else in the JAFF community, by writing something short and sweet that hinted at a quicker way to Darcy and Elizabeth’s happy ever after following the Hunsford proposal. I sat down one day during nap time and wrote 5,000 words, and Elizabeth hadn’t even left Kent yet! “Okay, maybe a short story, then, just a couple of chapters.”

So, I thought about it more, beyond what needed to happen to get a still-reforming Darcy and an-almost-in love Elizabeth together at Longbourn. What happens if the militia is still there and Wickham suspects Darcy’s interest? What could happen if Lydia still goes to Brighton? What else could go wrong? These thoughts kept me company driving in the car, in the shower, falling asleep at night—that last one didn’t happen often with a fussy infant. Soon I had the entire story, with twists and cliffhangers and romantic longing, plotted in my head. If I hadn’t been so eager to see the project through, to have something of my own beyond being ‘Mommy’, His Choice of a Wife might have stayed in my head.


I quickly fell into a routine: morning nap time to research and outline the next chapter. Afternoon nap: write what was planned out that morning. If there was any other spare moment: go back and review. Before my son turned one, I typed “The End”.

I was so proud. It wasn’t the project of Heather the mom or Heather the wife, it was Heather’s. Writing helped me find and strengthen my identity beyond motherhood, and has made me a better mother. Researching, plotting, outlining, writing and editing His Choice of a Wife and other JAFF stories filled nap times through my son’s infancy and toddlerhood. I might have held off on dropping that afternoon nap out of selfish reasons! Soon preschool mornings were set aside to write and now, once my son gets on the school bus, I happily head back to the laptop!

Front cover photograph of Heather Moll’s book courtesy and copyright RegencyCouture, Regency fashion for today's Jane Austenista!

This excerpt is an exchange between Darcy and Elizabeth in the Gardiners’ home in London. They have had a few cautious meetings and now Darcy has brought his sister to be introduced to Elizabeth, but Elizabeth isn’t sure what it is she feels for Darcy.


     Their visitors were obliged to stay longer when Jane and Maria Lucas returned as Miss Darcy requested to be made known to them. With the addition of two more ladies and the children, the room was alive with conversation and activity, and Mr. Darcy drew nearer to Elizabeth. 

     “Do you ladies return to Hertfordshire tomorrow?” After she nodded, he told her that Mr. Bingley intended to return to Netherfield in June and had invited him along. 

     “Perhaps you will better acquaint yourself with the families in the neighborhood this time? I do very much look forward to seeing you again,” she added. 

     “I shall attend to that with warm civility. My real purpose, however, is to ask whether, in the meantime, and also after Bingley returns, I may call on you in Hertfordshire?” 

     Elizabeth knew what was implied and was gratified but nervous. She felt shy of him after all that had passed between them. She could not account for what she felt for him although she did concede to herself that, whatever it was, the feeling was intense. 

     “I do not know what to promise you.” Darcy’s hopeful countenance shuttered. “The change of my estimation feels the work of an instant. Your affection was not the work of a day, even if you at one time did love me against your reason. I know not yet how I should feel.” 

     “Do I have any reason to hope that your feelings for me could change? Is it at least possible that I could ever earn your affection?” 

     Her cheeks felt hot and her breath came fast. “I, I—”


     Miss Darcy approached to say how much she enjoyed meeting her, and then she and Mr. Darcy left. He was gracious to all upon leaving, even the children, but he scarcely looked at her. Elizabeth longed for more time to sort her own thoughts before she had a private moment with him to answer his question. But she was leaving tomorrow, and she would have no further opportunity to speak to him. 


     Elizabeth lay awake hours considering Mr. Darcy. I do not hate him, and I am ashamed to have had such a strong dislike against him for so long! But did she feel what she ought for him in order to encourage him? 

     Elizabeth understood him better now; his disposition was better appreciated, and the improvement in his manners was undeniable. She was drawn to him, and she cared for his happiness. He was attentive to his younger sister and loyal to his friends. He had a ready wit and a willingness to laugh. Mr. Darcy had valuable qualities she could respect, and he respected her and held true affection for her. 

     When she considered her future, she could, for the first time, imagine Mr. Darcy by her side. 

     And I refused him again! He now has to abandon the renewal of his hopes. Elizabeth cried into her pillow where eventually sleep found her.

His Choice of a Wife
by Heather Moll

Blurb: 

When a man’s honor is at stake, what is he willing to risk for the woman he loves? 

After a disastrous marriage proposal and the delivery of an illuminating letter, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet hope never to lay eyes on one another again. When a chance meeting in Hunsford immediately throws them in each other’s way, Darcy realizes his behavior needs correcting, and Elizabeth starts to appreciate his redeeming qualities. But is it enough to forgive the past and overcome their prejudices? 

Jane and Bingley’s possible reconciliation and Lydia’s ill-conceived trip to Brighton pose their own challenges for two people struggling to find their way to love. When scandalous news threatens their chance at happiness, will Darcy and Elizabeth’s new bond be shattered, or will their growing affection hold steadfast?

Buy: Amazon US • Amazon UK
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FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon US. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

About the Author

Heather Moll is an avid reader with a B.A. in European history and a M.A. in library science, so it is astonishing that she did not discover Jane Austen until her late-twenties. Making up for lost time, she devoured all of Austen’s novels, her letters, and unpublished works, joined JASNA, and spent far too much time researching the Regency era. She is thrilled to have found fellow Janeites and the JAFF community, if only to prove that her interests aren’t so strange after all. Heather is a former librarian turned stay-at-home mother who struggles to find time for all of the important things, like reading and writing.

Connect with Heather Moll

Facebook • Twitter • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

July 25 More Agreeably Engaged

July 26 Babblings of a Bookworm

July 27 My Love for Jane Austen

July 28 Half Agony, Half Hope

July 29 Austenesque Reviews

July 30 From Pemberley to Milton

July 31 Savvy Verse & Wit

Aug. 1 Darcyholic Diversions

Aug. 2 Diary of an Eccentric

Aug. 3 Margie’s Must Reads

Aug. 4 My Jane Austen Book Club

Aug. 5 So Little Time…
Aug. 6 My Vices and Weaknesses

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

It's giveaway time! As part of the blog tour, Meryton Press is giving away eight eBooks of Heather Moll's His Choice of a Wife! Enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter below. 

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It is a pleasure to get to know you, Heather! Thank you for being a guest here and CONGRATULATIONS on your debut novel! That's so exciting!

A big thanks to Janet Taylor @ More Agreeably Engaged for organizing and including me on this blog tour! 

Many thanks to Meryton Press for the giveaway! 

So, friends, what are your thoughts? Please show Heather some love by leaving a comment or question below! Thanks!