Review of Without Pride and Prejudice by Jennifer Peel

 

Can their love conquer pride and prejudice?

Ever since I first read Pride and Prejudice at twelve years old, I’ve dreamed of being Elizabeth Bennet. That dream is now about to come true. I, Monroe Wilde, the woman some could argue isn’t exactly Elizabeth Bennet material, have been chosen to play the beloved heroine for one week at Pride and Prejudice Park, a destination experience for Jane Austen devotees. To make this dream even more amazing and surreal, my best friend, the Duke of Blackthorne, Alastair Fitzroy, has volunteered to play my Mr. Darcy.

If this wasn’t fantastic enough, it appears my broody and ridiculously attractive best friend, who I’ve done my best not to fall in love with, wants to be my real-life Mr. Darcy as well. But there are some gigantic obstacles standing in our way. For starters—I’m not exactly duchess material, and we run in very different circles. Dating me would most certainly make him a social pariah. But the biggest problem of all is that, well . . . I don’t know exactly how to explain it, but somehow after a horrible mishap at the park, I find myself more than just pretending to be Elizabeth Bennet—I land smack dab in the middle of the actual Pride and Prejudice story.

So since I’m here and unsure whether it’s a dream or if Pride and Prejudice really is heaven, I figure I’ll just help move things along and make sure everyone gets a happy ending, even Mr. Collins. But leave it to me to mess up the quintessential love story of all time. What happens if I can’t get Mr. Darcy to fall in love with Elizabeth? Will I ever get back to Alastair? Will I ever become the Elizabeth I so wish to be? And I have to wonder: can my world exist without Pride and Prejudice?

USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Peel presents an enchanting friends-to-lovers story with a Pride and Prejudice twist.

Available on Amazon (KU!)

(affiliate links included)

Also check out the companion novel, Desperately Seeking Mr. Darcy by Becky Monson!

**My thoughts**

I have been a fan of Becky Monson's since her debut novel. So when Desperately Seeking Mr. Darcy came out, I was first in line to gobble it up. And then I knew I absolutely had to read Without Pride and Prejudice, the companion novel by Jennifer Peel. I needed more from these characters, and Monroe just came across as a quirky and loveable character!

I love her because she is perfectly imperfect. She tries too hard to help people and then ends up in some of the funniest predicaments. She sees herself as making a mess instead of helping others. She is outspoken and loves hard. Her love for P&P is like none other.

Fitz is also dreamy. Falling for his aristocratic self beats all of those stories of falling in love with a prince because he seems more realistic and attainable. Can my younger self please go to school in England and find one?

Fate has lined up a parallel universe that is intriguing and just completely works in spite of the changes that Monroe's own pride and prejudice want to inflict as Fitz struggles with his own in the real world. It's a clever nod to the original work that made me fall in love again with not only the characters in this duo, but also the original and all of its cinematic versions. It's rare that I find clever retellings of the classics, but this one is fantastic. I'm so glad Jennifer Peel and Becky Monson teamed up to do this!

Review of Desperately Seeking Mr. Darcy by Becky Monson

 

She just wanted a Mr. Darcy… not her best friend’s brother in breeches.

"Didn't see that coming" could be my life's motto. I mean, I certainly didn't foresee my roommate stealing my boyfriend—an unfortunate turn of events that led to me moving in with my best friend and her infuriatingly attractive brother. Oh, and speaking of the brother? I might have once confessed my love for him, only to be met with soul-crushing, dignity-shattering unrequited feelings. Fun times, indeed.

But in this series of unexpected disasters, one surprise actually worked in my favor: winning a trip to Pride and Prejudice Park, where I get to play my literary hero, Elizabeth Bennet. Sounds like a dream, right?

Well, even that plan goes off the rails. The trip takes such a wild turn that Zane—my best friend’s brother—ends up tagging along and playing Mr. Darcy. And here’s the biggest shock of all: suddenly, all this pretending starts to feel incredibly real. Could Zane actually be the Mr. Darcy I’ve been searching for my entire life? Or will my Pride and Prejudice dreams remain just that—a dream?

USA Today Bestselling Author Becky Monson delivers a witty and romantic escape, where unrequited love, Regency roleplay, and one very unexpected Mr. Darcy collide.

Available on Amazon (KU!)

(affiliate links included)

Also check out the companion book, Without Pride and Prejudice by Jennifer Peel!

**My thoughts**

A lot of people like to reimagine the classics, and it can be tiring. But I knew that I could trust Becky Monson to take Pride and Prejudice and reimagine it in the most unique way. This book, and its companion by Jennifer Peel [Without Pride and Prejudice], are quickly becoming this month's favorite reads. 

Becky has taken the story of Pride and Prejudice and placed it inside the story of Pride and Prejudice. Macy has had a lot of ups and downs in her life and would really like for something to just go her way for once, all by herself. So when she wins her dream trip to role play Pride and Prejudice actually in England, she jumps at the chance. And can you blame her?

[Quick side note: Who knew there were Regency role playing vacations? I may have to look into this...]

Naturally, she wants to be Elizabeth. I mean, don't we all? And her best friend's brother Zane randomly tags along to play Mr. Darcy. So now she is fulfilling a childhood dream, because she's been in love with Zane for almost as long as she can remember. She even made a total fool out of herself with him many, many years ago. 

The characters who end up playing the various characters play their roles very well. Macy works hard to first discover her inner Elizabeth and then to channel her. And Zane as Mr. Darcy? Um, yes, please. 

[I also feel like I need a little bit of Mr. Collins and Mr. Bennet in my life. You won't think me so weird once you read about them!]

I love watching Macy come into her own, finally, as she works to make all of her dreams come true. I love watching Pride and Prejudice come alive in yet another way. I'm craving the Colin Firth miniseries right now. And I can't wait to read the companion novel for Monroe and Fitz's story!

Becky Monson, every time I think I have found my favorite book by you, you hit another one out of the park. Thank you for this one!

Big Wild Love Adventure by Julianna Keyes

 

To me, summertime is rom com time. They're always light and fun to read and perfect for reading next to the pool or at the beach. So enjoy this excerpt from Big Wild Love Adventure by Julianna Keyes and then download your own copy. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more. And best of luck in the giveaway!