From This Day Forward - The Darcys of Pemberley in Austen Variations

Mar 23, 2015 Sheila Majczan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The first time I read this book I received it on loan from friend and author, Joy Dawn King.

Now, however, the dear author, gifted me with my own copy. She had made some changes and additions, i.e., a section at the end explaining the various people, their titles and their connections to each other, etc.

I found myself again in the grips of a powerfully told and dear creation of the life after the wedding ceremony for not only ODC but also their sister, Georgiana. Joana writes the thoughts, the fe The first time I read this book I received it on loan from friend and author, Joy Dawn King.

Now, however, the dear author, gifted me with my own copy. She had made some changes and additions, i.e., a section at the end explaining the various people, their titles and their connections to each other, etc.

I found myself again in the grips of a powerfully told and dear creation of the life after the wedding ceremony for not only ODC but also their sister, Georgiana. Joana writes the thoughts, the feelings, the confusion, the fears and family life in town and at Pemberley.

My first review: I don't usually read sequels: I love variations. However, of the few sequels I have read this has to be the best. I do agree with a few other reviews that I would love to have had a family tree to consult, i.e., Col. Fitzwilliam is spoken about at the end of the book under another name and this is not immediately explained. And Georgiana's married name changes with the death of her husband's grandfather (?) and this was not obvious until a few sentences later. Plus, as someone else pointed out, the story has various POVs and also changes of story line in the middle of a page/with no warning. (Second review: I found I had no problem with the change in POV during this reading.)

Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) said it best in saying that this story is about the two main women in Darcy's life, Elizabeth and Georgiana. The book may seem slow at the beginning to some but I did find that it kept my attention. We are learning about Elizabeth's adjustment to her married life, including her relationship to Georgiana, her role as mistress of two estates with the relationships to the housekeepers, her acceptance (or not) into the ton and into Darcy's extended family. The latter are all new characters in this continuing story.

The tale has two main plots in my opinion: ODC's relationship focusing on pregnancy and Georgiana's coming out. I used a number of tissues in reading this story with not all my tears being for happy, poignant moments. Joana Starnes brought this story into my heart and soul as well as into my mind with the realism of life as a married couple. Her use of both heroines' life experiences to help them deal with new issues show how life shapes us and guides our decision making. As has been said, the author dealt with relationships as more a building process than a light bulb being turned on, i.e., Elizabeth's and Georgiana's evolving sisterly bond and in only learning as needed about past experiences.

One strong note is that after *SPOILER* Elizabeth's miscarriage Georgiana has to speak with Darcy to make him realize that he can't dwell on the tragedy but must move forward for Elizabeth's sake. One gets the feeling here (but it is not explored to my satisfaction) that Darcy is not only all condolences and sad miens but also that he is holding himself apart from Elizabeth in the intimacies of marriage. One only learns that this has been corrected when one learns of a second pregnancy pages later.

Georgina's coming out is all one could imagine. Wickham's past best friend - horrors, but can this man have changed? And then there is the quiet man of whom no one takes notice. Georgiana has a number of suitors - not hard to imagine with her beauty, her connections and her dowry. Very satisfying how this is worked out.

Footnotes are provided which I found helpful and the conversation about historical military practices and styles very interesting but not heavy. The comparisons between the French, Spanish and British commanders and their troops was enlightening.

One last comment, and again, *SPOILER* - Mrs. Bennet and Lady Catherine - can you imagine? I had to laugh. Delightful. You will enjoy that touch of humor.

Very well done. I highly recommend this as I also recommend all of Joana's other books. ...more

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May 06, 2013 Ceri rated it really liked it

Shelves: austen-inspired, austen-sequel

Although Elizabeth stated in Pride and Prejudice that since Darcy was a gentleman and she was a gentleman’s daughter they were equal it wasn't strictly accurate; they lived in very different worlds. Darcy’s estate was much larger than the Bennets' so even if Elizabeth was well-versed in the duties that she’d need to fulfil as mistress of a home being the mistress of a grand estate may well have been daunting. Also, Elizabeth had very likely never navigated London’s fashionable circles, something Although Elizabeth stated in Pride and Prejudice that since Darcy was a gentleman and she was a gentleman’s daughter they were equal it wasn't strictly accurate; they lived in very different worlds. Darcy’s estate was much larger than the Bennets' so even if Elizabeth was well-versed in the duties that she’d need to fulfil as mistress of a home being the mistress of a grand estate may well have been daunting. Also, Elizabeth had very likely never navigated London’s fashionable circles, something she’d need to do successfully to ensure a good marriage for Georgiana as well as for any children that she and Darcy would have. I’ve often wondered whether she’d struggle or if it would be plain sailing.

Joana Starne’s story picks up 9 days after Darcy and Elizabeth’s wedding. When the story begins we find a few obstacles that Elizabeth has already encountered; the housekeeper at the London townhouse is unwelcoming towards her and Lady Catherine is not the only one of Darcy’s Fitzwilliam relatives that is opposed to his marriage to Elizabeth. With the exception of Colonel Fitzwilliam, none of the Fitzwilliams are welcoming to Elizabeth. If Elizabeth had come from the same social circle as Darcy she would have been able to rely on the support of her own family but of course, this isn’t the case, as her parents don’t have the connections to be able to launch her into society. Luckily some of Darcy’s more distant relations are more amenable and agree to assist.

The book follows the events of the Darcy household over the next few years. Darcy and Elizabeth are a very loving couple (although don’t worry if you don’t like sex scenes, there are none in this book). We see them settle into their roles as husband and wife, and see how much they come to rely on each other, particularly in the face of his family’s opposition. Elizabeth breathes life into the rather staid Darcy household that has been missing since the death of Lady Anne. The growing relationship between Elizabeth and Georgiana is lovely to see, and Elizabeth really helps Georgiana grow and find confidence in herself, something that is vital for Georgiana’s launch into society. The book is as much about Georgiana and her blossoming into womanhood as it is about Elizabeth and Darcy. The family face a number of hurdles, some harder to overcome than others and we will get the opportunity to see how well Mr and Mrs Darcy have overcome their old faults of hasty judgement and distain for the feelings of others.

Although I enjoyed the book from the outset it took a good while to grip me. It was fairly slow going at the beginning, and although issues were faced initially they were pretty easily overcome and I’d have liked a bit more tension in the first half of the story. The book has its share of angst but it is concentrated, so it hits you even harder when it arrives.

Both Elizabeth and Darcy’s families appear in the book. I felt the depiction of the Bennet side of the family was generally faithful to Pride and Prejudice, aside from the Gardiner’s sons who were older than canon. In the world of Austenesque fiction you often find Mrs Bennet drawn very harshly, but here I felt she was properly represented in all her embarrassing glory and you couldn’t help wincing at some of her comments, but also sympathising with her when she succeeded in her life’s ambition of marrying off all her daughters and then felt bereft. I’d have liked to have seen a bit more of Elizabeth’s sisters. As for Darcy’s family, both Colonel Fitzwilliam and Lady Catherine feature in this story, and we meet the more distant relatives who assist Lizzy’s launch to society. The connection between Darcy and these relatives is described in a bit too much detail for me, I read the paragraph about 5 times before I had it straight in my mind, but distant cousin pretty much covers it!

One thing I particularly liked about this book was the humour, such as this gem showing Miss Bingley’s views of the Christmas entertainment at Pemberley:
‘ “What game is that, pray?” Lady Mellor’s youngest piped up, understandably inexperienced in what passed for entertainment in Cheapside and the wilds of Hertfordshire.’

We see three Christmases in this book, the first two Christmases following Elizabeth and Mr Darcy’s wedding which form a stark contrast to each other, and the third Christmas celebration in the epilogue, 24 years down the line where we get the chance to catch up with the futures of many of the characters. Personally, I love an epilogue, and the epilogue in this book I particularly enjoyed.

*I received a copy of this book courtesy of Leatherbound Reviews in return for this honest review. ...more

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Dec 23, 2015 Caitlin Williams rated it it was amazing

Great book, full of lovely detail. True to the period. There were loads of little moments that I loved. The relationships between Jane and Lizzy and Mrs Gardiner and Lizzy were tender and believable. Particularly enjoyed the ending.

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Jan 19, 2019 M rated it liked it

3.5

First read 19/1/19 - 4.0
Relatively gentle book. Very different to her other works, no sign of the comedy of pursuit or the drama of nervous courtship (no roadblocks - they are already married). It’s not quite as unputdownable as others, and yet it is very readable. And realistic too I think, especially in Elizabeth learning her new role and the disapproval and/or lukewarm support of various family members. There was love, happiness, arguments, heartbreak, and even boredom - in other words, li ...more

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