How could she turn down his marriage proposal? He's Fitzwilliam Darcy, the Master of Pemberley!
And a puffed-up, abrupt, overbearing, proud, haughty, sanctimonious, stiff-rumped know-it-all. How could she accept his proposal?
Thus begins Maria Hamilton's Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman. We're off and running as Elizabeth's refusal at Hunsford sparks a wake-up call, and Darcy, desperate for her affections, heeds the summons.
He starts by making amends to Bingley and Jane, by admitting his role in keeping them apart and helping to reunite them. But Bingley and Jane, forgiving by nature, are relatively easy. Elizabeth is more difficult, but as he exerts himself to please the local Meryton society, which he previously scorned, she reexamines her own actions. While his behavior was often wanting, so was hers when she so rudely refused his proposal. Not helping are her family's misunderstanding of the changes in Darcy's behavior.
True to the Regency era with its attention to the period's constraints on society,
Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman is also a timeless study of how easily two people can misunderstand each other, especially when those people are in love. But the novel is also a tender tale of love triumphant, as those same two people work through their problems together.
The book contains one of the most beautiful love scenes I have ever read. I quote:
Kneeling above her, he murmured, "Elizabeth, oh, Elizabeth," and looked upon her with reverence. "I love you so completely."
By the rooster's first crow, he awoke alone with only a hint of her scent and a set of discarded hairpins to confirm it was not a dream.
Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman, Copyright 2011 by Maria Hamilton
Wonderful.
Thank you all,
Linda
ARC provided by Sourcebooks
2 comments:
Sounds like another wonderful read. I too enjoyed that scene.
Hi catslady. I think you'll like this one, too.
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