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Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy

A sexy, bold adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that re-paints favorite characters in twenty-first century colors

Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy, a legal expert on both sides of the Atlantic, is ready to hang up his black robe and return to the life of a country gentleman—until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, a fresh-faced attorney with a hectic schedule and no time for the sexy but haughty judge.

Tempers and sparks fly in Judge Darcy's courtroom— and outside, in a series of chance encounters that give each of them pause—as the two match wits and try to fight their overwhelming attraction. When they meet up in England at an international law conference, they embark on a hot, heavy affair. Back in the States, though, ethical considerations intrude, and each is subjected to a torturous period of soul-searching before they can find their way back to each other...

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Reviews

Reviews

Library Journal
It’s with both elation and consternation that this reader picks up any book based on a beloved Jane Austen novel. In the latest incarnation of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett is a trial attorney in Meryton, a small town near San Francisco, where she’s reluctant to face the stern but well-respected Judge Fitzwilliam “Will” Darcy. But the two are brought together by Dr. Bingley and Dr. Jane Bennett during a two-week sojourn at Darcy’s home in England. They fall in love but are driven apart by their work, as it’s unethical for a judge to date a trial lawyer. Independently, they realize that they are only complete as a pair, but can they compromise enough to find their happy ending? Verdict: This “modern” version has that deep connection, mutual respect, and love of family that P&P fans crave. Minor adjustments were cleverly made by assigning familiar names to new friends and coworkers, but the most significant change comes in the graphic sex scenes. If this book were made into a TV miniseries, it would be shown on HBO, not A&E. Austen readers with delicate sensibilities, be warned.

—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf Bella McGuire
Sometimes I feel like I should attend “Pride & Prejudice Anonymous”. I would stand up, before everyone, and say “I am addicted to Pride & Prejudice, in all its beautiful glory, for its original prose, and for all the modern re-tellings and sequels.”

Everytime I come across a Pride and Prejudice sequel I must read it. Everytime I see a Pride & Prejudice re-telling I must read it. So naturally when the opportunity came to review this modern re-telling of my favorite story, I was delighted.

The Trials of the Honorable F Darcy is… delicious! It is finger-licking, lip smacking, delicious!

The modern-day Darcy and Lizzy certainly light up this story. Their interaction sizzles as their attraction grows stronger and they realise they are in love with each. As the story unfolds we are left to wonder if they can put their differences aside and finally be together.

I must say I loved this modern day depiction of my favorite story. It is modern in all the right places, and yet the characters still have the personality they had in the original. Mrs Bennet is still eager to marry off her daughters to the richest men available, Jane is still rather shy and reserved and Mr Bennet enjoys his time away from the ever-annoying Mrs Bennet. It is the modern touch that Sara Angelini has put on these characters that had me grinning my way through the book…

“I’ve been looking forward to this concert quite a bit, Lizzy,” Mr Bennet said to her from his lawn chair.
“What is it again?” Mrs Bennet asked, looking at the program.
“It’s the San Francisco Symphony playing Led Zeppelin,” Lou replied.
“Remember seeing them in concert before we were married?” Mr Bennet said to hsi wife.
“No, I don’t,” she said, creasing her brow.
“I shouldn’t be surprised, my dear, we were very, very high.”
“I am so able to see you guys spaced out on LSD, getting the Led out,” Elizabeth laughed.
“Don’t you look down your nose at me, Little Miss Lizzy! And it was no acid; it was just a little pot. Besides, I seem to recall you loved to twirl around in your little tutu to Elton John.” Mrs Bennet turned her attention to Lou. “She wanted to be a ballerina, you know. Got too heavy.”

Despite the characters being “modernized” there is very much a feel that they are just like the original characters of Pride and Prejudice, that we all know and love.

I found Darcy to be written just as I imagined he would be. A modern Darcy, still with all his attitude and pride…

“Still irked by the sudden transfer of Judge Clayton’s calendar, the Honorable F. Darcy entered the courtroom with an annoyed swirl of black robes. Sometimes he imagined himself as Professor Snape when he wore them. Considering how frequently he wished he could zap some people out of existence, it was fitting. This afternoon would be one of those days.”

Fans of Pride & Prejudice will find a lot to like in this new version. It’s a fun and easy read, and there are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. For romance readers that have always found the prose in Pride and Prejudice a little difficult to handle, will likely leap upon it with delight!

The Trials of the Honorable F Darcy is definitely my favorite modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice to date, and one that I will be re-reading in the future. It was that good!

The Trials of the Honorable F Darcy is available October 1, 2009.

Savvy Verse & Wit Serena Agusto-Cox
The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini is loosely based upon Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Fitzwilliam Darcy is the youngest judge appointed to the bench of San Francisco and Meryton is not a town in England, but a town outside of San Francisco, California. Elizabeth Bennet is an attorney with Gardiner & Associates, and the lead attorney is not her uncle Mr. Gardiner, but her boss. California has laws about fraternization between judges and attorneys who work on the same cases, and when sparks fly between Elizabeth and Will, it becomes a sticky situation.

"’So, what are you doing during the first two weeks of June?’ Jane asked. Elizabeth switched the phone cradle to her other ear and spread the California Bar Journal in the desk before her.

’Um, same thing as usual. Bill ten hours and work fourteen. Go home, eat Lean Cuisine over the sink, and go to bed convinced I’m never going to meet Mr. Right. I blame Mom. Oh, and I’ll probably have Lou give me a massage.’" (Page 63 of ARC)

Angelini has a brash style all her own in this modern take on these famous characters, but readers could find the explicit sex scenes and sometimes crass language tough to take if they are looking for the same Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. However, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy exhibits the dynamics of modern relationships well, from the frenzied first glimpses of attraction to the obsessive first moments together and more.

Elizabeth and Darcy spar well in the courtroom before they realize their attraction, but attorneys, clients, and readers will cringe at the biting remarks they make to one another in the courtroom following a break from the realities of California.

"’How did it go?’ he asked anxiously.

’I’ve got competition,’ Elizabeth replied.

’Lady Boobs-a-Lot?’ he asked, referring to Caroline.

’Yep. She’s catty too.’

’I know you. You can match her bitch-slap for bitch-slap.’" (Page 251 of ARC)

Readers will enjoy this retelling, though they should expect differences in the characters’ personalities from Elizabeth’s greater outspoken nature and stubbornness to Lou Hurst, Elizabeth’s gay friend and confidante. Jane is in the novel with Bingley—both work at the hospital in Meryton—but their love story is more of a sideline and is derailed less by Darcy and more by Jane’s need to defend her sister against Bingley’s sister, Caroline.

Overall, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini could have been its own stand-alone chicklit novel without the references to Pride & Prejudice, but the modern spin Angelini gives to the characters and the plot makes the novel a quick, fun read. A great way to spend a lazy afternoon.

The Book Girl Carrie Zimmerman
This book started off rocky for me, but I soon came to be completely enchanted. I had to distance myself a little from the original Darcy and Lizzy and once I did that I loved the book. The story loosely follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but the main similarities are the names and characteristics of the main characters. Darcy is as haughty and distant as ever in the beginning, but being with the spirited Lizzy changes him for the better. I loved all of the similarities to the story (once I overcame my problem with Darcy dropping the f-bomb) and was surprised by some of the places that deviated from the original plot line.

I don’t have an extra copy of this book, but will gladly pass on my copy to some lucky commenter. So, if you don’t have a problem with an used book leave a comment and I’ll announce the winner tomorrow!

ETA: One of the comments said that they were worried, since I was giving away my copy, that it wasn’t so great. It is great, I bought a new copy for myself (I like to support the authors that I get advanced copies from), but it hasn’t made it here yet and since I pre-ordered it with some other books it won’t be here till mid-November. I’m giving away my review copy, since I can mail it this week and the winner wouldn’t have to wait.

the book girl gives THE TRIALS OF THE HONORABLE F. DARCY by Sara Angelini a 4/5!

To find the book:

Leslie’s Psyche Leslie Gladnick
This is Sara Angelini’s first book and was originally published in 2007. From the synopsis you can see it’s a take on Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice. What Angelini does is give the reader an updated version of the love affair between Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. Will and Lizzy are very contemporary characters, with Will being a judge and Lizzy an attorney. They both live and work in Meryton, a town outside of San Fransisco. They first meet in Darcy’s courtroom. It took me a little bit to get into "Trials". At the beginning Darcy wasn’t a very likable character but I did like Lizzy.

When they first meet and during subsequent meetings in the court room, Lizzy finds Judge Darcy to be a real pain in the ass. She doesn’t like him at all. He’s only 37 years old but he comes off as an uptight, stodgy, by-the-books judge that seems to have lost his ability to have fun. Lizzy is a hard worker but she also knows how to let loose and enjoy herself. Her best friend, Lou is always there to remind Lizzy how to have fun if she does start to get bogged down in her job. Darcy and Lizzy do come to respect each others’ intellect when it comes to the law and Darcy can’t help but notice how well Lizzy looks but Lizzy doesn’t see past Darcy’s aloofness until they meet up outside the courtroom at a conference in England.

The obstacle to their relationship is obvious, no matter if they are attracted to each other, they can not have any type of relationship outside of the courtroom since it would be a violation of ethics. But US law doesn’t apply in England and what happens in London stays in London. Or so Darcy and Lizzy decide. Things heat up to the boiling point when these two decide to get together. Lizzy brings out the playful side of Darcy and gets him to relax and shake off his stodginess and act his age, not the age he pretends to be when he puts on his judge robe.

Some of the best parts are when Lizzy and Darcy are together in England. They shed their professional suits, if you will, and become more relaxed and just plain more likable, especially Darcy. I felt I got to know him better once he allowed himself to enjoy life.

There is also a secondary romance with Charles Bingley, Darcy’s best pal, and Dr. Jane Bennet. They inadvertently helped get Darcy and Lizzy together. Then they’re there to help them over the heartache from the fling they had in England. With both Lizzy and Darcy trying to maintain their professionalism once they return to the US and Darcy’s courtroom. If that isn’t difficult enough, Charlie and Jane are getting married and Lizzy and Will are both having to deal with their feelings of happiness for Charlie and Jane and sadness that they can’t be together.

It seemed like the answer to their problems was to have one of them move to another judicial district. And then things become even more complicated when outside influences make changes that force Lizzy and Darcy to decide what they really want and what they are willing to do to get it.

While I liked the story, it did drag at some points. For two very intelligent people it seem to take Darcy and Lizzy and very long time to figure out how they could be together and not compromise their ethics. There were times when I found myself laughing at their banter and other times when I knew that this was definitely not Austen’s Lizzy and Darcy. The sex was very hot and certainly not restrained once they gave into their desires. I just wished it had moved along at a faster pace.

Rating: B

Trying Our Best Leeann Mackey
In my dream world I am sitting on a white sand beach or a crystal clear pool, lounging in the sun, sipping a fruity drink with an umbrella in it brought to me by some cute pool boy named Jose. Nice huh?

In my actual world, I am sitting in the yard with the only water being the splash from the water ballons tossed at my feet and rather then a fruity drink its a coke and in the absence of a pool boy I have two boys bringing me bugs.

But I did have a great book to read. One that was just as perfect in my actual world as it would have been in my dream world. And quite frankly friends, I love a good book. A lot. I love a book that I don’t want to put down, I just get absorbed in the characters and drive my dear husband crazy reading it at all hours of the night.

I should also share my feelings towards Brit Lit. Blah. Yuck, I can do without. I know that sounds small of me. But I’m just being honest with y’all.

When I saw this book, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy, and saw it was a modern take on Pride and Prejudice I had my doubts.

But I also didn’t have anything else to read and dash-1’s copy of A Diary of a Fly, while adorable wasn’t really high on my list.

So I gave it a chance and loved it. Now because I am a brit lit idiot I’ll take the cover’s word about it being a modern take on a classic. Even if you are a fan of the old stuff, this book is great. The writing is witty and the characters and story line are so well developed.

There is a "stuffy" judge, a flirty lawyer, a love that you’re cheering on and hoping will work out, disappointment.... sigh.... all that good stuff. I stink at telling a plot without giving it away. Trust me folks, its good.

The author, Sara Angelini did an incredible job of walking the chick lit line while still having a book with some bite to it. I mean I like chick lit, a lot actually. In fact I’m always defending to flyboy, my need to read a book that I don’t have to think during, but this book wasn’t as much "fluff" as normal chick lit. And that I found refreshing.

Sigh but then again, I was reading it while looking at dead bugs so hey, take what I say with a grain of salt, this is just my opinion.

But it seems like people are always looking for a good book to read, I know I am, really, its an eternal quest. So if your headed for a little getaway somewhere tropical and sunny or if its a book to read in the lunchroom take this one.

It fits in anywhere, pool boy not required. Damn.

AustenProse Christina B.
Many modern versions of Jane Austen’s works fail to hit the mark because the author forces a “rewrite” of the original, altogether forgetting that some scenarios and mores from the Regency era make no sense in the modern day world. Or worse yet, the author fails to deliver any character development – depending almost wholly on the expectation that the reader will be familiar with Miss Austen’s originals. Fortunately, author Sara Angelini’s The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy is invigorating, yet somewhat comforting, as we meet our old friends in an entirely new setting. Like Bridget Jones’ Diary, the popular 1996 novel by Helen Fielding, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy has flavorings of the original Pride and Prejudice: aloof, handsome, and rather stuffy Fitzwilliam Darcy from an ancient line of British aristocracy meets and goes toe to toe with fresh-faced, independent and spunky Elizabeth Bennet. And yes, there is still the great estate of Pemberley in England and a cast of familiar names. But beyond that, this story is refreshingly new, and stands quite on its own.

As the title eludes, our Fitzwilliam Darcy is a judge and Elizabeth Bennet is the clever attorney who frequently appears before him in court. Following the usual P&P adaptation formula, an unintentional off-handed comment by Judge Darcy is over heard by Elizabeth that only adds to the manifest of other qualities she already detests about him. Do not expect all of the characters from the original novel in this modern re-imagining, nor are they used in the same capacity as in Austen’s work. Exhibit one: you will not find Darcy’s arch nemesis Mr. Wickham running off with his younger sister Georgiana. Exhibits two and three: there are none of Lady Catherine’s high-handed antics, or even an unwelcome marriage proposal by Mr. Collins. However, there are fleeting “walk on” roles by some of the aforementioned characters but none are a driving force to the plot. I particularly enjoyed how Angelini has also cleverly enhanced Caroline Bingley’s roll as competition to Elizabeth, and confidant to Darcy. My eyebrows did wrinkle concerning some of the refurbished characterizations of Elizabeth’s best friend Louis Hurst, because in all honestly, I did not believe Jane Austen’s Louisa Hurst was ever intended to be a gay male. But I soon got over myself, and found this quirky reinterpretation to be a favorite; a most-endearing character. I especially love how Angelini has given many of Austen’s famous lines to Lou, even channeling our beloved Mrs. & Mr. Bennet.

A real-life attorney, Angelini has a very realistic grasp on the legalese. In addition, her understanding and interpretations of dynamic relationships and dialogue is descriptive and believable – although the f-bomb is frequently dropped. I often found myself laughing out loud and shaking my head at the plucky dialogue between Darcy and Elizabeth as well as some amusing antics. Be forewarned, however, the extremely graphic and passionate love scenes will leave you breathless. So delicious, they will leave you craving for more!

I confess I have been a fan of this particular adaptation of Pride and Prejudice since Angelini first self-publication it in 2007. When I heard that Sourcebooks had picked it up, I was somewhat apprehensive regarding what possible cuts and changes might entail. But my fears were for naught as the edits and stronger back-story only proved to make it a more cohesive and realistic tale. Thankfully, none of my original favorite scenes were deleted and some new scenes were added as well. Nice!

Although this novel was inspired by Jane Austen’s original and Angelini’s own admission of “Colin Firth’s smoldering haughtiness,” one need not have read Pride and Prejudice (or seen the BBC mini-series for that matter) to enjoy it. But if you are already a fan, then this telling will be an excessively diverting entertainment you won’t want to miss. In conclusion, my factual assertion as witness merits, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy is 5 stars.

5 out of 5 Regency Stars

A Hoyden’s Look at Literature Alana McClurey
One of the best contemporary Austen re-tellings I’ve read. This really gets across the depth of emotion between Darcy and Lizzie without tying its story too closely to the original work.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending this my way!

Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy is seriously contemplating packing up and leaving California to return to his estate in England when Elizabeth Bennet walks into his courtroom. Her quick wits (and of course her fine eyes) soon make an impression on Darcy - both professionally and personally - but the ethical problems of a relationship between the two of them cause plenty of difficulty.

There is so much to love in The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy - far from simply taking Pride and Prejudice and inserting the story into a modern setting, Angelini took the characters and wrote the love story they would have had as modern people. Darcy is always tough to pull off, but I thought Angelini’s Darcy was wonderful. He really comes alive when he’s around Elizabeth, and I found the scenes where he realizes the depth of his feelings for her while they’re at his estate breath-taking. The scenes of them falling in love evoked all the sweet, breathless, silly things I remember so well.

I enjoyed that there was no Wickham, the way the first ’rejection’ was pulled off. I loved how truly funny so many bits were (Jane going after Bingley, the entire karaoke business), and Angelini certainly didn’t shy away from the bedroom! But it never seemed voyeuristic or unnecessary - instead it was part of the characters growing to know and love each other, part of the reason they couldn’t stay apart. That’s important - it was only a part. I never got the impression that this was just a physical thing or that their relationship would peter out as their desire was sated. Angelini really managed to convey the characters’ emotional involvement.

There was very little I didn’t love about The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy. If I had to pinpoint something, I’d probably say that the entire Caroline/Lizzie jealousy thing. I’m tired of ploys to make people jealous - it never seems to turn out well for anyone. But that’s really a minor quibble. I adored both Will and Lizzie. They were both smart, both occasionally did something stupid (as we are all wont to do), and both NICE people - people I was rooting for and wouldn’t mind hanging out with.

So if you’re looking for a modern P&P re-telling, look no further! This one was utterly fantastic (and I love the Legally Blonde look-alike cover).

I Just Finished Katherine Nickel
This was a fabulous read. It’s absolutely delightful.

The fact that it was set in San Francisco was completely new and fresh.

I loved it . Not to mention the love scenes, OMG, I was breathless at every other page!

Books Like Breathing Grace Loiacano
I was a bit cautious about this one. I have read many modern takes on Pride and Prejudice and they all left me a bit disappointed. None of them seemed to add anything new to the story or have any type of unique take on the story. I found this to be quite a bit better. In fact, this may go on my list of awesome P&P sequels along with Rebecca Ann Collins’ Pemberley Chronicles series and Pemberley Manor by Kathryn L. Nelson.

Everything in this book is exactly like Austen but different. Lizzy is a defense attorney, Darcy is a judge, Caroline is a hussy, Louisa Hurst becomes Lizzy’s gay best friend,Lou Hurst, and Mr Collins is Bill Collins, one of Lizzy’s clients charged with soliciting a prostitute. Kinda crazy, right? But somehow, it works and it fits and it is amazingly compelling. The characters were perfect and even though they were different from their canon counterparts, they still fit. You can see Lizzy being a lawyer, Darcy a judge and Collins soliciting a prostitute. I find that completely unique and really makes this book special.

The first couple of pages completely drew me in. First of all, Darcy compared himself to Professor Snape who is a member of my Trifecta of Sexy (also members–Darcy and House along with some honorary members—Mark Sloan, Eric Northman). To find them mentioned in the same book is a kind of joyful and girlishly giggle experience. Aside from my fangirly reaction, this book was really great because not everything from P&P was included. It was not Pride and Prejudice mirrored into a modern situation but a modern Lizzy and a modern Darcy falling in love in their own modern way.

The only thing that really irked me was the cover. It looks like Legally Blonde with the pink suit and suitcase. I know the pink makes it attractive to most women but the color just did not seem to fit the tone of the book. Also, comparing Elizabeth Bennet to Elle Woods is fairly ludicrous, in my opinion, and that seems to be what they are going for.

Aside from the cover, this is a great take on Pride and Prejudice. It is a really compelling and unique take on a classic we all know and love.

Grade: A+

Austenesque Reviews Meredith Esparza
"VERY Romantic and VERY Passionate"

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
*****
Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy Englishman, is one of the youngest judges appointed in the county of Meryton, California. Yet four years into his term finds him overworked, restless, and dissatisfied. Elizabeth Bennet, the newest attorney to join Gardiner & Associates, is ready to make a name for herself in the legal world. After her first trial with Judge Darcy presiding, Elizabeth comes to the conclusion that with his supercilious, aloof, and formidable behavior Judge Darcy is the last man in the world she could be prevailed upon to work with! After spending some time with Elizabeth, Darcy finds he is tempted to pursue a romantic relationship with her, yet he knows it would be an ethical violation that would cost both of them their jobs.

Elizabeth decides to take a much-needed reprieve from work and join her sister, Jane, and her sister’s boyfriend, Charley, on their vacation to England. When Elizabeth discovers that their host and Charley’s best friend is none other than Judge Darcy, she learns that first impressions aren’t always accurate and that this vacation is one she will never forget...

This debut novel by Sara Angelini is a modern retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” with quite a few surprising twists: Jane and Charley Bingley are surgeons, Louisa Hurst appears in the form of Elizabeth’s gay best friend, Lou Hurst, and Darcy and Caroline are casually sleeping together! Ms. Angelini did a fantastic job of modernizing and adapting the characters of “Pride and Prejudice” to the 21st Century and the legal world. Darcy was a perfectly haughty and judicious judge, I could easily see Elizabeth Bennet as a persuasive and persevering defense attorney, and I laughed out loud at the hysterical hippie version of Mrs. Bennet! My only wish was that more time was focused on other minor characters like the other Bennet sisters or Lady Catherine de Bourgh; I would have enjoyed seeing them portrayed and cleverly modernized as well.

I loved reading this excellent modern interpretation by Sara Angelini. She established a creative and unique premise for our beloved “Pride and Prejudice” characters. In addition, Ms. Angelini, who is also an attorney, provides a well-research and accurate portrayal of the legal and judicial system. However, with all these twists in the novel, the reader will find that it does not follow the “Pride and Prejudice” plot sequence exclusively and that there are quite a few other differences. In addition, I would recommend this book for mature audiences because of the profanity and very steamy intimate scenes included.

“The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy” was a delightfully romantic and passionate journey of Darcy and Lizzy. I loved the sensuous and tender love they had for each other. In addition, I took pleasure in their moments of angst and tension as well as their moments of intimacy and affection. If you are open-minded and love to read modern “Pride and Prejudice” adaptions, than this is a book you should not miss. It is the perfect blend of romance, passion, and laughter!

Wendi’s Book Corner Wendi Barker
My Thoughts: This is a completely fun and sexy modern-day romp through the San Fransisco courtroom for Judge Fitzwilliam "Will" Darcy and Attorney Elizabeth Bennet, a trial lawyer whose cases often come before Judge Darcy. You will also get to see other memorable characters such as Jane, Bingley, Caroline and Mr. Gardiner (just to name a few), in a whole new light!

Very true to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Judge Darcy comes across having a lot of pride, and Elizabeth Bennett herself admits to being prejudice against him initially.

I LOVED the ending, and how the author resolved the conflict of interest. :) I also really enjoyed the gentle epilogue, with its very caring and loving feeling. What a sweet way to end the book.

Characters: Most seemed to be very close in personality to their Austen originals - the only one I found to be a bit of a stretch was Caroline, but she was so well-written, it made for a very interesting addition to the story.

Story-Line: Loved the modern day twists to the original characters. Sara was very creative and most likely had a lot of fun putting Elizabeth and Darcy into the legal system.

Readability: A fun and quick read that turned out to be very entertaining.

Overall: A very fun, modern day adaptation of the classic Pride and Prejudice characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the original story by Jane Austen, and subsequent sequels by other authors, but would caution those die-hard Austen fans who may not like the more modern take (very slight profanity, sexual situations) on the story.

Books and Needlepoint Kristi Herbrand
This book says on the cover it is a modern Pride & Prejudice. Since I have never read Pride & Prejudice through completely (I know, shame on me) I am not even going to try to draw any comparisons between the two works. But to enjoy this story, no comparisons need to be made.

Elizabeth Bennet is a lawyer who is working in the same jurisdiction as Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy and appears in his courtroom almost daily. Judge Darcy, though being one of the youngest judges in California, is also one of the most respected - known for being fair. He takes pains to conceal his age in the courtroom though, wearing glasses and slicking his hair down.

Darcy’s best friend from college, Charles Bingley, is a doctor at a nearby hospital. There he meets Jane Bennett, Elizabeth’s sister, also a doctor. The two hit it off and soon become a couple, neither one realizing the connection they have with Darcy and Elizabeth.

After Charles and Jane have been dating for awhile, they decide to go to London for a vacation. Jane invites Elizabeth along as she feels she needs to get away. Little does she know that they are going to be staying at Pemberly, which is Darcy’s home (away from home) and that he is also going to be vacationing there. Sparks fly - at first angry ones - and then romance blooms as they both agree that what happens in England stays in England. You see, it would be ethically wrong for them to date as any cases that went in Elizabeth’s favor they could claim was because of their relationship.

You and I both know that those things which are off limits are usually what you want the most. So upon returning from England, they are both irrational and cranky. What can they do to solve their problem?

As I said in the beginning - having not read Pride and Prejudice all the way through, all I can tell you is that the names are the same. (I really need to read Pride and Prejudice as this is the second book I have read in the last month based on Jane Austen’s original. . .) I really enjoyed this book. Her characters were very likable - even Darcy, though he tried to be standoffish and unsociable. Oh - and don’t let me forget Elizabeth’s best friend Lou, who is a hoot - and just happens to be gay. Read this one, I think you will enjoy it.

Mom - Musings Deanna
The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy was a delightful story that kept me entertained throughout the entire read. This contemporary twist on Pride and Prejudice was quite enjoyable.

Elizabeth and her sister Jane were portrayed as smart professional women who were independent yet still yearned for romance and love. The relationship between the sisters was strong just as portrayed in Pride and Prejudice but there is an additional friend in Elizabeth’s life that added a nice depth. Lou, Elizabeth’s gay friend, was a terrific friendship for the story. Lou added a new dimension to the story with his advice and humor. He was a hoot.

As in Pride and Prejudice, it was not love at first sight for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (who goes by Will or Judge Darcy). Their relationship starts off bumpy as wonderful dynamics spark between them. I loved this version of Mr.Darcy, dare I say, even more than the original. Let me not forget Elizabeth, I believe she endeared herself to me more so than the original version as well. Ha…do not let those statements fool you though, I still love Pride & Prejudice but I found that this contemporary version did do a fabulous job of continuing the intense and passionate personalities of Elizabeth and Darcy.

The environment that brought Elizabeth ad Darcy together was great. I really enjoyed the whole courtroom-lawyer premise as it added a great dimension. The combination of their professional and personal environments lent itself wonderfully to their interactions for which I greatly enjoyed. While the story followed the framework of Pride and Prejudice there was enough difference that gave The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy its own voice, its own story. There was freshness to the story so it did not feel like a re-read of Pride and Prejudice.

This contemporary take of Pride and Prejudice worked for my reading mind. The modernization of language (including foul words) and the shagging (as Will puts it) flowed well with the story. I enjoyed the change-ups and twists.

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy was a delightful and enjoyable read with romance, humor, misunderstandings, passion and chemistry.

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Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 7.75 in
• Width: 5.75 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 15.00 oz
• Page Count: 352 pages