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Other Mr. Darcy

Did you know that Mr. Darcy had an American cousin?!

In this highly original Pride and Prejudice sequel by British author Monica Fairview, Caroline Bingley is our heroine. Caroline is sincerely broken-hearted when Mr. Darcy marries Lizzy Bennet— that is, until she meets his charming and sympathetic American cousin…

Mr. Robert Darcy is as charming as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud, and he is stunned to find the beautiful Caroline weeping at his cousin's wedding. Such depth of love, he thinks, is rare and precious. For him, it's nearly love at first sight. But these British can be so haughty and off-putting. How can he let the young lady, who was understandably mortified to be discovered in such a vulnerable moment, know how much he feels for and sympathizes with her?

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Reviews

Reviews

AustenProse Laurel Ann Natress
The Other Mr. Darcy is a new Pride and Prejudice sequel with a unique premise. Spotlight Caroline Bingley, a minor character who we all loved to hate in the original novel, and somehow make her into a likeable heroine. Impossible you say! And so it would seem. Jealous, manipulative and scheming, her negative attributes heavily outweighed any of her finer qualities (honestly, none come to mind), presenting an incredible challenge for any sequel writer. Add into the mix Robert Darcy, the unconventional American cousin of Mr. Darcy, and you have an intriguing concept. This will be either a complete bus accident, or a delightful ride in the park. Let’s hope author Monica Fairview’s fairy godmother mojo is stronger than Caroline’s predilection to snark.

Deeply mortified by Mr. Darcy’s marriage to Elizabeth Bennet, Caroline Bingley uncharacteristically breaks down on the day of the wedding ceremony. Distraught and sobbing, her emotional outburst is witnessed by Robert Darcy, Mr. Darcy’s American cousin. Shocked and embarrassed to be seen in such a state, their first meeting gets off to a very bad start. A year and a half later, Caroline is living with her brother Charles Bingley and his wife Jane at Netherfield Park. Also residing with the Bingley’s is her sister Mrs. Hurst, now a widow. When Robert Darcy arrives unannounced from Pemberley bearing urgent news for the Bingley’s, Caroline is horrified to see him again. Will he keep her secret, or use it against her? Jane is needed immediately by her sister Elizabeth prompting the Bingley’s to depart for Pemberley post haste, leaving Robert Darcy to escort the ladies to Derbyshire. Joining them from London is Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mr. Darcy’s cousin, and a Bingley family friend. Along the road, travel complications delay their journey in Nottingham, and they take refuge at the estate of the Lough’s, Colonel Fitzwilliam’s friends.

While there, Caroline will receive two surprising marriage proposals. The first is from Colonel Fitzwilliam. Suspecting that he is motivated by her fortune, she delays her decision. The next morning guests begin congratulating her on her betrothal, but not to Colonel Fitzwilliam; to the wealthy and distinguished Sir Cecil Rynes, sending her into a panic. This blunder will ruin her chances with the one man she truly aspires to marry. Whoever started this rumor has forced Sir Rynes’ hand to deny the betrothal, humilating Caroline. She must either acknowledge the engagement immediately or refute it. Resolved to announce the mistake, she is interrupted by her friend Mr. Olmstead who steps in with his own solution declaring that Caroline is indeed engaged – to Robert Darcy! Caroline is dumbfounded and numb with shock. Mr. Darcy has gallantly agreed to save her honor. The proper Caroline has no choice but to temporarily play along with the scheme to save her own reputation.

Monica Fairview is a skilled storyteller, the narrative well paced and engaging. I admired her creative ability to craft characters from Austen’s plot, move them in new directions, and introduce new characters that framed the scenes and enhanced the story. I found her style to be fairly modern, with little embellishment of the text with early nineteenth-century language or idioms. There are, however, brief allusions to passages and language from Pride and Prejudice that astute Janeites will recognize. The highlight of the novel were the brisk repartees between Caroline Bingley and Robert Darcy as sparks flew over their opposition to what each believed was right and wrong. This prompted plenty of misconceptions, misunderstanding and resolutions. This Mr. Darcy is an American with more relaxed social attitudes. Caroline on the other hand, holds on to her social strictures as long as she can, only gradually realizing that they are influencing her attitudes and judgments, ultimately keeping her from her own happiness.

So how did author Monica Fairview turn Caroline Bingley the perfect archetype of a malicious “mean girl” into a heroine that we can admire and root for? Very gradually. The snobby and gossipy Caroline that we remember is never there as strongly as Austen presented her. Most of the snide and spiteful comments are generated by her sister Louisa, making the reader believe that she was the inspiration of Caroline’s bad behavior to begin with. This Caroline has evolved, correcting her sister, and opposing her slights. I did not object to her change in attitude, however, I think it would have been a tad more interesting if Caroline was that “mean girl” at the beginning, and grew away from it with new experiences. Despite this small quibble, I commend Monica Fairview for waving her magic wand and cleverly transforming Caroline Bingley into a human being worth knowing!

4 out of 5 Regency Stars

MyShelf.com Rachel A. Hyde
Caroline Bingley had hoped for years that one day she would be Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy, but as we know he preferred Elizabeth Bennett. Devastated and weeping after the happy couple had been married she hastens away to a private place to give vent to her grief... but somebody witnesses it. A year later she meets this stranger again, for he is also a Mr Darcy, cousin to the one she knows so well (or thought she did) and normally a resident of Boston, Massachusetts. This time she has to travel with him to Pemberley, where Lizzie lies ill following a miscarriage. They are opposites in every way, but when something goes disastrously wrong he is there to save her... but is what he does only going to make everything worse?

Now read on! If you, like this reviewer, count Pride and Prejudice (Amazon.com US || UK) among your favorite books then this sequel is a treat indeed. Unlike many other sequels to this famous novel, the tone of the original is kept to admirably, and you can rest assured that nothing happens that might not have happened had Ms Austen decided to conclude her work. This is not a frothy piece of chicklit in long frocks; instead it manages to be a true tale of manners with a good historical underpinning and sound knowledge of the characters. Strait-laced Caroline wrestles with her feelings, which were repressed during her upbringing when she was taught to be a lady, despite her father being in trade, while the free-and-easy Robert Darcy finds himself somewhat at odds with English high society after a lifetime spent in America. Settle down to enjoy some excellent descriptions of house parties, carriage travel, balls and of course the company of most of the characters from the original novel. More, please!

Library Journal Jane Jorgenson
Fairview, Monica. The Other Mr. Darcy. Sourcebooks Landmark: Sourcebooks. Oct. 2009. c.368p. ISBN 978-1-4022-2513-0. pap. $14.99. F

Fairview’s (An Improper Suitor) contribution to the growing genre of Jane Austen offshoots imagines what happens to Caroline Bingley after her hoped-for marriage to Mr. Darcy falls through. To her shock, Caroline finds that her heart was truly engaged when it came to Fitzwilliam. Those hurt feelings have convinced her that she needs to be even more practical when it comes to marriage. Thus, in her initial interactions with Darcy’s American cousin, Robert Darcy, she makes it abundantly clear that she is not for him. But her resolve is challenged when she is forced into proximity with the troublesome Robert. As the novel progresses, many of the familiar and beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice make an appearance to help or hinder the couple. And, surprisingly enough, given Miss Bingley’s unlikability in the original work, Fairview manages to make Caroline sympathetic and the progression of her romance with the other Mr. Darcy heart-warming and charming. Verdict Given the steady stream of sequels, prequels, and alternate tellings (e.g., Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), it’s not surprising that the resulting books have been uneven—good, bad, and ugly. Fairview’s effort falls squarely in the good category. This will appeal to Austen and Regency romance fans alike. [See also Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway’s Lady Vernon and Her Daughter: A Jane Austen Novel, p. 54, and Jane Austen and Ben H. Winter’s Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, p. 53.—Ed.]—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

Becky’s Book Reviews Becky Laney
Can Monica Fairview do the seemingly impossible task of making Caroline Bingley a sympathetic, likable heroine? I think she does—and does it well!—in The Other Mr. Darcy. Who is this "other" Mr. Darcy? He is a Mr. Robert Darcy. An American cousin. A cousin "trapped" in England for the duration of the war. This Mr. Darcy serves as messenger and escort. You see, poor Elizabeth Darcy (nee Bennet) has miscarried, and Mr. Darcy has arrived to let Charles and Jane know. Elizabeth wants her sister Jane. And since Louisa (minus the snoozing husband whom Fairview conveniently killed off before page one) and Caroline live with Charles and Jane, well, they’re there for the news as well. Charles and Jane ride on ahead—but Mr. Darcy remains behind to stay with Caroline and Louisa. The three (plus a mystery guest whom Caroline insists on inviting) will join the others at Pemberley in a week or so.

Is it love at first sight for Robert and Caroline? What do you think? There’s something about this couple that just works. I hesitate to tell you too much more than that. It’s a surprisingly delightful read. One that had me smiling in many places. One that left me satisfied. One of the things that pleased me about this one is that it is a clean read.

Definitely recommended for those that can’t get enough of Pride and Prejudice. (As well as for those that just love a good Regency romance.)

A Curious Statistical Anomaly Gayle Surrette
Mr. Darcy has married Elizabeth Bennet. Caroline Bingley is devastated and mortified by this turn of events. After the ceremony, she finds an empty room and gives way to her heartbreak and sorrow. Imagine her surprise when she realizes that her blatant display has been witnessed by a gentleman who had been in the room before she entered. They agree to never mention it again. Carolyn believes that is the end of the matter until months later when she is introduced to Mr. Darcy’s American cousin, Mr. Robert Darcy, the man who witnessed her loss of decorum and who, because of his station and relations, will be thrown into her company as he waits out the war before returning to America.

Most of the follow on books that continue the story of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, deal with the lives of Elizabeth and Darcy. Monica Fairview has chosen to focus on Caroline Bingley. In Pride and Prejudice, Carolyn was depicted as a proud, jealous, status seeking, snarky, conniving woman who had set her sights on Mr. Darcy. In the very first scene, Fairview changes our perception of Carolyn by showing us that she didn’t just want Darcy’s fortune and status–she actually loved him. We can’t help but feel for her loss and sorrow–but can we come to like her? How will she take this loss — will she accept it and move on to try again, or harden her heart and become the woman we all thought she was?

It doesn’t take much effort to guess that Robert Darcy is smitten with Caroline Bingley. He was privy to her outpouring of emotional tears and had been touched by the depths of her feelings. He wants to get to know her better and perhaps take his cousin’s place in her affections, or at least gain her good will. We don’t get into his head, so we can only guess at his motives and wishes. However, it’s obvious that the two of them come from different backgrounds even though their status might be equal. So, there’s plenty of misunderstandings and cultural differences to add to the mix.

The major stumbling block is that Caroline is a woman of her times. She’s been trained from a young age in how to behave and what is acceptable and what is not. Over time she has had to give up almost everything she loved in order to become the woman that society expected her to be. But underneath, Caroline still remembers bits of what she lost and it’s only now, with the loss of Darcy to Elizabeth Bennet that she wonders if it was worth it. Caroline begins to question all her assumptions about society, her way of life, her status, and reputation. She’s beginning to see herself, her family, her sister, and her friends with some new insights. When Robert Darcy comes to the rescue of her reputation it just adds to her confusion.

Over time Robert Darcy and Caroline Bingley have their own dance of approach and avoidance and pride and prejudice. Some of the best and wittiest dialogue is during the fights these two have over their perceptions of right and wrong, society, reputation, and trust. You find yourself wishing you could reach within the pages of the book and give a shake or whisper in an ear — as with Pride and Prejudice, we can only sit and continue reading and hoping that these characters will eventually work out their differences and realize their true feelings for each other.

Along the way, Caroline reclaims herself, finding that many of the preferences and talents that she’d suppressed in order to be deemed “proper” are ones that if she’d had any say she’d never have abandoned. As she examines her life and her future, she becomes a person that this reader, at least, found she actually liked.

Fairview gives us a Caroline Bingley that has history, which in turns gives her depth. She allows us to see that there is more to this character than we could ever have guessed from the pages of Pride and Prejudice. Yet, she doesn’t do anything that would take away from the original presentation of the character; she only puts it in a different light and gives us background to understand Caroline a bit better.

Indeed, this is a worthy addition to the growing body of works that continue the stories begun in Pride and Prejudice.

A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf Bella McGuire
In a time when Pride & Prejudice is growing in popularity, and sequels are aplenty how is it that I am still able to be amazed by the wonderful beauty of this classic? My answer: thanks to authors such as Monica Fairview, authors that continue to write breath-taking sequels.

Monica Fairview has taken on the task of writing about one of the most despised characters in Pride & Prejudice, the haughty, snobbish Caroline Bingley. The very one that tried to stop her brother from marrying Jane Bennett. The very one that wanted Mr Darcy for herself.

Oh how I despised her in Pride & Prejudice. How I wanted to slap her across the face, and tell her that Mr Darcy belongs with Elizabeth! Oh, but how I grew to love her in The Other Mr Darcy.

The story starts with Caroline in tears at the wedding of Darcy and Elizabeth. Heart broken and alone, she must map out a future for herself. But who knew her future would involve the charismatic cousin of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Robert Darcy?

Robert Darcy is the “other Mr Darcy” and he is the opposite of the Mr Darcy we all love in every possible way. He is American and brash, funny, charismatic and wears his emotions on his sleeve. Oh, and just so adorable. Reading this story I couldn’t help but fall in love with him and all his attempts to win over Caroline, and help her discover the person she really is.

Together Robert Darcy and Caroline Bingley prove to be very interesting characters, with a lot of depth to them that one wouldn’t first imagine. They each made the story a delight, and left me hanging on to every page to see what was in store for these two that are clearly meant to be together.

The Other Mr Darcy is very subtle and reads very true to the original classic, Pride & Prejudice. I really enjoyed the subtle way that Monica Fairview has turned Caroline around, almost making it seem like her sister, Louisa, was the haughty and mean one.

“Come Caroline! What is this Mrs Darcy business? You have always addressed me by my first name. As for fatiguing me, on the contrary, I am sick of lying in bed looking up at the ceiling. Believe me, I know every blemish on the walls, every chip in the paint, every speck of dust on the furniture. I am ready to throw out everything in my bedchamber and refurnish the room from scratch.”
“It is lucky, in that case, Eliza,” said Louisa, that you have a wealthy husband.”
Caroline shot Louisa a dark look. The visit was doomed to disaster if Louisa could not control her tongue.
“I would not advise it, Eliza,” said Caroline brightly, trying to make light of the tasteless remark. “You look too tired to undertake such a thing now. You may choose colours that appeal to you right now, just to be contrary, only to find you dislike them immensely later.”

The secondary characters in The Other Mr Darcy are as near perfect to the way Jane Austen has written them, that a couple of times I had to check that Jane Austen’s name wasn’t on the front.

In particular, one of my favorites, Mr Bennet, rang particularly true in his attempt to tease his wife…

“I can hardly believe I will see all my friends again, and my dear sister Mrs Phillip. I have so much to tell them!”
Mr Bennet shook his head despairingly. “Well my dear. If I had thought a funeral would make you so happy, I would have arranged for one much sooner.”
“And whose funeral would you have arranged, Mr Bennet, I would like to know? There is no-one I could think of that I would not miss.”
“Mine of course,” he said, “then I would be well rested and be finished with all this nonsense.”
Mrs Bennet gasped, and brought a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Mr Bennet! This really too bad of you! We all know what Mr Collins will do. We will very likely end up in a poorhouse!”

Devoted readers of Pride and Prejudice can expect a beautiful tale, one with the old characters they love and some new additions to fall in love with, and an ending to leave you with your toes curling!

Everything Victorian Barbara Davis
My Review:

Caroline Bingley is overwhelmed and heartbroken over the marriage of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. But soon, at a very awkward moment, a mysterious gentleman enters her life—Mr. Darcy’s cousin from America. Tension immediately follows between the two as Caroline shows contempt for her American acquaintance. Although, Robert Darcy falls in love with Caroline, their worlds are very different and far apart.

This book is so elegantly written, the reader would think they are reading Jane Austen. I knew from the very beginning this was going to be an excellent book and I wasn’t disappointed.

The Burton Review Marie Burton
This is another Pride and Prejudice sequel that I enjoyed very much. If you have any tender thoughts for Jane Austen, then you simply must read this book. There were so many events and all of our favorite characters from the original, yet this novel focuses on Caroline Bingley, and her relationship with The Other Mr. Darcy, who is Fitzwilliam’s cousin, Robert Darcy from Boston.


The book opens to Caroline sobbing uncontrollably at the wedding of our favorite Mr. Darcy and Eliza Bennett.. and unbeknownst to Caroline, Robert Darcy is witnessing Caroline’s loss of composure. You remember Caroline Bingley, right? She was the snotty one who made her brother Charles stay away from Jane Bennett, even when she knew the two loved each other. Luckily, we know that plan didn’t work. So fast forward and now Caroline is dealing with another Bennett girl pushing her way into high society with Mr. Darcy and totally ruins Caroline’s plans to have Mr. Darcy all to herself. And at that moment, another Mr. Darcy, is watching Caroline’s distress and when she finally notices it she sends him on his merry way with a huff and a puff, Caroline Bingley Style.

Much to Caroline’s chagrin, she later meets up with this same gentleman who witnessed the sobbing, and quickly the hijinx begin. Caroline is sure to keep her composure this time, and is relieved that Robert Darcy doesn’t tell the world about her sad event. Pretty soon, that issue evaporates as there is yet another scrape that Caroline finds herself in, and quick-witted Robert is to the rescue. This other Mr. Darcy is a wonderful character who loves to find humor in life, whereas Caroline is more of the stiff type. (Kind of like the original Mr. Darcy, who is so stiff in this novel I wonder what Eliza ever saw in him?) So this time Caroline finds herself in a pretend engagement to Robert Darcy, all to save face, and it is a wonderful charade that is complete with the normal Regency style balls and quaint chess games with some robbery, duels and death thrown in. It read well, I enjoyed the writing, the style seemed right and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Pride and Prejudice. And it was fun to see Caroline turn into a normal person instead of the picky snob she is in P & P, but the gradual way in which the author did this was appreciated.

For those who want to know the cast of characters this time around, we have Caroline Bingley and her sister Louisa who are featured together a lot in the beginning, and then Louisa goes traipsing off to events to find herself a man as she is now widowed; we have their brother Charles Bingley and his wife Jane, whose characters are not totally intriguing but they are there, and the other Mr. Darcy as a sexy, steamy kind of guy where I wouldn’t mind seeing some hot romance going on with this stud, (alas, no); and of course we have the original Mr. Darcy and his meek wife Eliza.. yes, she is meek this time around as she has just lost a child and the fact that Mr. Darcy is floundering for an heir makes the other Mr. Darcy a little queasy because he is next in line; we have the supporting characters of the Bennetts and their enjoyable nit-picking regarding the children, because we have Lydia, Mary and Kitty traveling along with them as well with Lydia’s pathetic husband Wickham off having an affair with a married woman; we have Col. Fitzwilliam who is smitten with Caroline, and Caroline who is hoping for Sir Cecile who is a total pompous ass... oh, you’ll just have to read the rollicking fun yourself!! Go pick it up at Amazon today!

Bloody Bad Books Trin
Who doesn’t love an Austen sequel? The Other Mr. Darcy tells us the story of Caroline Bingly, after the wedding of Darcy and Lizzy. Caroline is living with her brother Charles and his wife Jane, when Mr. Darcy’s cousin, Robert, beacons Jane to her sister’s side due to a recent illness. Jane and Charles leave Netherfield forth width, with the expectation that Caroline and her sister Louisa will follow at a more leisurely pace, chaperoned by Mr. Robert Darcy and Cornell Fitzwilliam.

Fairview is able to make Caroline a likable character, after all her scheming in Pride and Prejudice, while still keeping her original characterization intact. She is a prim and proper English Lady, who esteems to be polite and honest at every turn. Caroline struggles to open herself to others, on the excuse of prudence, and it causes her more trouble then it is worth.

The new character, Robert Darcy, is charming and just as worth of esteem as his fair cousin. He has open ideas about freedom and liberty that can be dangerous for an American on English soil, at the forefront of the American Revolution. He struggles to fit in with English society and he looks to Caroline for assistance as she accuse him and berates him at every turn.

This novel was very enjoyable and just what I needed on a rainy Saturday night.

Once Upon a Romance Marlene Breakfield
Caroline Bingley, who is devastated by Elizabeth Bennett’s marriage to Fitzwilliam Darcy, gives vent to her feelings by collapsing in a sobbing heap in Darcy’s library. Thinking she is alone, Caroline is greatly perturbed to find Mr. Darcy’s cousin, Mr. Robert Darcy, is a witness to her unhappiness. Because she is embarrassed, Caroline gives Robert a set down and leaves. Later, when they are forced to be traveling companions, Caroline is surprised to find herself drawn to Mr. Robert Darcy.

The Other Mr. Darcy is an enjoyable sequel to Pride and Prejudice, that takes an unlikable character in Caroline Bingley and makes her very sympathetic. Ms. Fairview does a great job of explaining Caroline’s attitudes and actions, and she redeems Caroline by slowly allowing her to grow and change. Mr. Robert Darcy is a great hero, who is just what Caroline needs to shake up her world and give her the impetus to change. Robert, who was raised in America, is not overly impressed with English societal strictures and mores, and as a result, he uses laughter to show Caroline some of her foibles. There are several entertaining scenes in The Other Mr. Darcy, which make a worthy tribute to Austen.

All in all, The Other Mr. Darcy is a great sequel to Pride and Prejudice which does a great job of redeeming a character, whom people love to hate.

Austenesque Reviews Meredith Esparza
Whatever became of Caroline Bingley? After her dreams of being Mistress of Pemberley were dashed, how did she recover? Did she rebound quickly after her disappointment of losing Mr. Darcy or was her heart deeply broken?

At the end of “Pride and Prejudice” the future looks a little bleak and uncertain for Caroline Bingley. She has just lost the man she spent years pursuing to an unsophisticated and unconnected country maiden, she has the unfashionable Bennet family as in-laws, and to top it all off, she is approaching an age where she will soon be labeled a “spinster.” Does this arouse any sympathy or compassion in you for “bad girl” Caroline Bingley? If not, then reading Monica Fairfiew’s new novel, “The Other Mr. Darcy,” will surely do the trick!

Can there be another Mr. Darcy??? No, definitely not, but Fitzwilliam Darcy does have an American cousin who shares the same last name. However, beyond the same name and some attractive physical attributes, Robert Darcy shares little in common with his English cousin. In contrast with the reserved and proud Fitzwilliam Darcy, Robert is more open, charming, and amiable. He does not concern himself with social proprieties and gentlemanly etiquette. In addition, he is delightfully flirtatious and provoking!

On the day of the Darcy’s and the Bingley’s wedding, Robert unintentionally witnessed Caroline Bingley’s humiliating and unladylike display of emotion. When Caroline discovers she was observed, she chastises him for invading her privacy and takes small comfort in the fact that she may never see him again. However, Robert Darcy appears in her life ten months later, informing the Bingleys that Elizabeth Darcy is unwell and entreating them to travel to Pemberley. Jane and Charles depart immediately for Pemberley, leaving Robert behind to convey Caroline and Louisa Hurst in a couple of days. Caroline soon finds herself in numerous complications and moments of perturbation because of this disagreeable and ungoverned man...

Ms. Fairview has brilliantly and plausibly transformed Caroline Bingley before our very eyes. It turns out that Caroline is not the detestable snob we thought she was. Ms. Fairview creatively provides an explanation for Caroline’s behavior and character. Furthermore, she capably answers questions such as: Why did Caroline fawn and flatter Mr. Darcy? What was it about Mr. Darcy that attracted Caroline the most? Who instilled the importance of being a proper lady in her?

I simply loved how one of my favorite has antagonists has become a likable and admirable protagonist! I took great pleasure in delving deeper into Caroline’s psyche and I loved witnessing her moments of introspection and realization. In addition, I enjoyed the sparks and tension created between Caroline and Robert, it seems the course of true love will never run smooth for the Darcy men!

In short, “The Other Mr. Darcy” by Monica Fairview was simply fantastic! Ms. Fairview wrote an endearing and beautiful tale that will banish your dislike of Caroline Bingley. I only hope that Ms. Fairview continues to write more stories in this vein and spotlight other minor characters as cleverly and gracefully as she did Caroline Bingley.

Review from Here Tracee Gleichner
I have been a fan of Pride and Prejudice for many, many years and am thrilled by all of these new spinoffs that have recently been published. This book focuses on Caroline Bingley. After she was heartbroken when Mr. Darcy married Lizzie Bennet she is unsure what her future holds. It is then that she meets his cousin Robert, a very charming gentleman who is sympathetic to what she has recently gone through.

Is there any way that there can be another Mr. Darcy. To me, it’s not possible, there will only be one Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. I am not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, because I for one am such a huge fan of the “original” Mr. Darcy. But, it is almost impossible not to like Robert. He is very American, flirting with Caroline every chance he gets, and trying his best to provoke her. Not necessarily a gentleman, but it really works!

Like most of you (I would guess), Caroline has never been one of my favorite characters. But, Ms. Fairview has shed a new light on her and you really get to see a different side. Truly worth the read!

All About Romance
I collect Jane Austen sequels. There are a lot out there, and honest to tell, very few are well-written enough to warrant reviewing in a non-Austen context. However, sometimes I stumble across a gem, and this is what happened with Monica Fairview’s The Other Mr. Darcy.

The novel starts on the wedding day of Pride and Prejudice’s Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Caroline Bingley, who used to set her cap at Darcy with great energy, hides in the library to indulge in a fit of weeping that surprises herself. She is shocked to find that there has been a witness to her unseemly behavior: a gentleman unknown to her, who promises he will not speak of the episode.

About a year later, while Caroline and her now widowed sister Louisa are staying with her their brother Charles and his wife Jane at Netherfield, a messenger arrives from Pemberley. Elizabeth is feeling very low after a miscarriage, and Darcy urges her sister Jane to come for a visit. Jane and Charles set off that very night, leaving Caroline and Louisa to follow accompanied by Colonel Fitzwilliam and by the messenger, who is none other than the man Caroline encountered in the library so many months ago: Robert Darcy, Darcy’s cousin from Boston, Massachussets.

Caroline starts off very much like she is portrayed in Pride and Prejudice: She cares about manners and social status, and regards the world around her in a very rational, sometimes calculating manner. At the same time, she is very capable, and loving of her family; and we discover that her snobbish manner is partly caused by insecurity and the desire to always act right. In the course of the novel, she learns to question some of the assumptions of propriety she was brought up to, as well as open her heart to the unexpected. I enjoyed her tremendously. Monica Fairview describes Caroline as a person of her time, concerned with and limited by the role a young lady in her position had in the 1810s. She is a flawed heroine, but her inner struggles and developments are explained so lucidly and sensitively that I came to feel with her every step of the way.

As the whole of the novel is written from Caroline’s point-of-view, we only get to see Robert Darcy through her eyes. He is witty, charming when he wants, very good-hearted, a person of impulse who occasionally likes to shock and who delights at teasing the stiff-necked (at the beginning, at least) Caroline. As an American, he is considered an outsider by most of society, which he bears with good grace and some irony. Because they are so utterly different, there is tension between him and Caroline from the minute they meet, and it is lovely to read how it slowly changes from initial antagonism, to reluctant admiration, to deep if unspoken feeling.

Now to the Jane Austen angle. This novel stands very well on its own as a Regency Romance, but for the Janeites among its readers it’s important to know how well Monica Fairview treats the beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice. In my eyes, very well. She does not try to copy Austen’s style with the exception of some mannerism of speech, for example from Lydia and Mrs. Bennet. Some characters are unchanged (the Bennet parents, Lydia); with others there has been some development (Georgiana is more lively, Kitty more reasonable). If the Darcy’s marriage is not all kittens and roses at that point, it is because of Elizabeth’s miscarriage, which affects them deeply. There is one scene in which Mr. Darcy acts more haughtily than warranted, which jarred me when I read it, but then I considered he has only been under Elizabeth’s influence for a year, and he makes amends beautifully. And the Caroline/Robert relationship mirrors the Elizabeth/Darcy one in Pride and Prejudice in a clever, subtle way.

I most heartily recommend The Other Mr. Darcy both to lovers of Austen sequels and to those among us who bemoan the decline of the traditional Regency romance. This novel is a delightful example that there are still excellent new Regencies around! It appears the series will be continued in 2010 with The Darcy Cousins, centered on Georgiana, which I am looking forward to very much.

Laura’s Reviews Laura Gerold
The Other Mr. Darcy is a perfect follow-up to Pride and Prejudice. Monica Fairview has written a tale that perfectly captures Austen’s original characters, while managing to fill out and change our perceptions of the “villainous,” Caroline Bingley.

The Other Mr. Darcy starts on the day of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet’s wedding. Caroline Bingley collapses in tears in what she thinks is an empty library, heartbroken over the lost of her love, Mr. Darcy. She is soon mortified to discover that she is not alone, but that Mr. Robert Darcy, Mr. Darcy’s American cousin, has witnessed her breakdown. This scene was very reminiscent to me of Gone with the Wind, when Rhett Butler secretly witnesses Scarlett’s declaration of love for Ashley Wilkes. I loved it!

Months later, Mr. Robert Darcy comes to the Bingleys’ residence at Netherfield to ask Jane to visit her ailing sister, Elizabeth Darcy. Jane and Charles quickly depart, while Caroline, Mrs. Hurst, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Robert Darcy follow and are held up by a series of events. Much more intrigue ensues and I won’t ruin the plot by revealing more!

I loved Caroline and Robert Darcy’s verbal sparring, it was fantastic and very reminiscent of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s war of words in Pride and Prejudice. Although in this case, Caroline is full of pride as Mr. Darcy and Robert assumes Elizabeth’s role. I also loved seeing the Bennet family again and Ms. Fairview captured each of their personalities perfectly. Caroline was also soundly rounded out and had great growth throughout the course of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I think it is one of the best follow-ups to Pride and Prejudice that I have ever read. This is my fourteenth item for the Everything Austen Challenge.

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