Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Great Review for Diary of an Eccentric for A Wife for Mr. Darcy & Blog Stop & Giveaway

I am so pleased with the review that I received from Anna at Diary of an Eccentric. That's me jumping over the Grand Canvyon after reading my review.

Here is a part of Anna's review:

A Wife for Mr. Darcy was so engrossing that I truly feared for the happiness of Darcy and Elizabeth, and I was so wrapped up in the whole mess with Miss Montford that I didn’t even miss all the chaos associated with Lady Catherine, who did not make an appearance. Simonsen does a wonderful job making Austen’s characters her own, and the addition of her original characters make for a richer read. I can’t wait to see where she takes the Darcys, the Bingleys, and the Bennets next.

Please click here for the complete review. I am also scheduled for a blog stop at Diary of An Eccentric today where Anna is hosting a giveaway that ends on August 7.

Monday, July 11, 2011

4.5 Star Review at Austenesque Reviews - A Wife for Mr. Darcy

I have received a 4.5 star review at Austenesque Reviews for A Wife for Mr. Darcy. Here is a snippet:


[In A Wife for Mr. Darcy], Darcy and Elizabeth receive some much needed assistance from the schemes and manipulations of Darcy's meddling and well-meaning relatives. Through these characters and their clever machinations, Ms. Simonsen's penchant for humor and satire really shine... If  you are the mood to read about Darcy being embroiled in a love triangle, Bingley and Jane combating some unmanageable little hellions, and the profligate Lord Fitzwilliam constantly causing mayhem and aggravation, A Wife for Mr. Darcy is the novel for you! Hilarious, absorbing, and unique - A Wife for Mr. Darcy, is my new favorite Mary Simonsen novel! I highly recommend!


For Meredith's full review, please click here.


Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway of A Wife for Mr. Darcy at Austen Authors. Deadline is June 12. Winner will be announced on June 13.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Review for A Wife for Mr. Darcy from Austenprose

A Wife for Mr. Darcy
Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict

Mary Lydon Simonsen, author of Searching for Pemberley and The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, is back with yet another opportunity for us to wander down that “what if” path with our favorite Pride and Prejudice characters: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.  This time, our variation begs the question: what if, after Mr. Darcy made that terrible “tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me” comment, he goes to apologize to Elizabeth and beg her forgiveness instead of never addressing it?  We find out in A Wife for Mr. Darcy, Simonsen’s third P&P fan fiction novel...
Simonsen is a master at getting her readers to feel the emotions that her characters are feeling.  For most of the book, I felt the angst that Darcy was feeling when trying to figure out what to do and how to do it.  I felt Elizabeth’s depression, as she realized she loved Darcy, and also realized that he could never marry her due to her low social standing and lack of wealth.  Simonsen’s descriptive prose flows from page to page, as you become engulfed in the emotions of her storytelling.  It’s a fantastic reading experience, one I get from reading every one of book of hers...
 I think if Austen were able to read Simonsen’s work, she would definitely approve of the new directions that her beloved characters are taking.  While Austen purists might not enjoy the new plot, I think even they would be satisfied with the characterizations of the characters.
You’re definitely going to want to add this emotional rollercoaster of a book to your “to read” pile.  I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
5 out of 5 Regency Stars
To read all of Kimberly's review, please click here.

Monday, July 4, 2011

The Fourth of July - The View of a British Lady

The following excerpt is taken from Frances Trollope's Domestic Manners of the Americans. Frances, the mother of novelist Anthony Trollope, lived in the United States for three years, chiefly in Cincinnati. Her book created a storm on this side of the Atlantic as Americans felt they were portrayed as ill-mannered boors, but it laid the foundation for her career.

And now arrived the 4th of July, that greatest of all American festivals. On the 4th of July, 1776, the declaration of their independence was signed at the Statehouse in Philadelphia.