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From Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol

When Darcy awoke, it was so dark, that looking out of the bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber. He was endeavoring to pierce the darkness with his eyes when the chimes of a neighboring church struck the four quarters, so he listened for the hour. To his great astonishment, the heavy bell went on from six to seven, and from seven to eight, and regularly up to twelve, then stopped. Twelve! It was past two when he went to bed. The clock was wrong. An icicle must have gotten into the works. Twelve!

He glanced at the clock that rested on the mantel. Its rapid little pulse beat twelve and stopped.

“Why, it is not possible,” said Darcy, “that I can have slept  through a whole day and far into another night. It is not possible that anything has happened to the sun and this is twelve at noon!”

The idea being such an alarming one, he scrambled out of bed and groped his way to the window. He was obliged to rub the frost off with the sleeve of his dressing gown before he could see anything, and even after that could see very little. All he could make out was that it was still very foggy and extremely cold. It was a great relief that there was no noise of people running to and fro or making a great stir, as there unquestionably would have been if night had beaten off day and taken possession of the world.

Darcy went to bed again, thought about it over and over, and could make nothing of it. The more he thought, the more perplexed he was; and the more he endeavored not to think, the more he thought of his father’s Ghost. It bothered him exceedingly. Every time he resolved within himself, after much mature inquiry, that it had all been a dream, his mind flew back to its first position, and presented the same problem to be worked through: Was it a dream or not?

Ding, dong!

“A quarter past,” said Darcy counting.

Ding, dong!

“Half past!” said Darcy.

Ding, dong!

“A quarter to it.” Darcy suddenly remembered that the Ghost had warned him of a visitation when the bell tolled one. He resolved to lie awake until the hour was past; and, considering that he could no more go to sleep than go to Heaven, this was perhaps the wisest resolution in his power.

The quarter was so long that he was more than once convinced he must have sunk into a doze unconsciously and missed the clock. At length it broke upon his listening ear.

Ding, dong!

“The hour itself,” said Darcy triumphantly, “and nothing else!” He spoke before the hour bell sounded, which it now did with a deep, dull, hollow, melancholy ONE. Light flashed up in the room upon the instant, and a hand drew the curtains of his bed aside. Not the curtains at his feet nor the curtains at his back, but those to which his face was addressed. Darcy, starting up into a half-recumbent attitude, found himself face to face with the unearthly visitor who drew them.

From Christmas Present

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a married man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of an heir, and Mr. Darcy of Pemberley was just such a man. Moreover, he was soon to have that want satisfied, for his wife, Elizabeth, was expecting their first child. As he watched her reading her mail at the breakfast table, his heart swelled with pride.

She opened a second letter and smiled.

“Jane has had the baby!” she said. “A boy!”

“So Bingley is a father,” said Darcy with evident pleasure.

“And Jane is a mother. Oh, my dear Jane, how proud and pleased she must be. Bingley is besotted,” said Elizabeth, returning to her letter. “Jane says she can scarcely persuade him to leave the nursery to eat and sleep. She adds, and it is not to be wondered at, for little Charles is the most beautiful baby you have ever seen.”

Elizabeth looked up at Darcy. “Jane would like us to stay with her for Christmas. She says she can wait no longer to show us the new baby, as well as the new house. I am sure I cannot wait to see them. I will give orders for the packing at once.”

“No, we cannot go and see them just yet,” said Darcy. He looked at his wife’s full figure as she rose unsteadily to her feet.

“You forget your condition.”

“I never forget my condition,” she said with a rueful smile, resting her hand on her rounded stomach.

“We will wait a few weeks nevertheless,” he said. “It will be better that way.”

“What nonsense! I am perfectly able to climb into the carriage, and that is all I need to do,” she said, laughing at him.

“But you might have the baby on the way!” he said.

“And I might not,” she replied.

“We might be in a lonely spot, with no midwife to hand, and nothing but the coach to shelter you,” he protested. “No hot water, no maids, no Mrs. Reynolds. No, Lizzy, it will not do. I am sorry, my love, but I forbid it.”

Instead of meekly obeying his command, Lizzy’s eyes sparkled and she said, “Ah! I knew how it would be. When we were newly married, you would deny me nothing, but now that a year and more has passed, you are showing your true colours and you expect me to obey you in everything!”

“I doubt if you have ever obeyed anyone in your life,” he returned, sitting back and looking at her with a smile playing about his lips.

“No, indeed I have not, for I have a mind of my own and I like to use it,” she said. “Otherwise, it might grow rusty with neglect.”

He laughed. But he was not to be so easily talked out of his fears.

From A Darcy Christmas

He set the painting onto the sofa, assuring it was well supported before stepping away. He gazed at the canvas, a smile spreading as he looked upon his family. His family. The family created by him and his wife, just as he had dreamt for so many lonely years. They stood on the portico of Pemberley flanked by their precious children on the steps. All of them were smiling at the artist. A sentimental man by nature, he silently examined the newest portrait of his family and lost himself in happy memories. Unsurprisingly, since it was Christmas Day, his reminiscences focused on holiday celebrations of the past. So lost was he in quiet contemplations that he did not hear his study door opening. But he did smell the lavender water habitually worn by his wife and extended his arm without averting his attention from the painting. She slipped under his arm, nestling against his side as naturally as a bird takes to its nest, her arms encompassing his waist.

“I plan to hang it there,” he nodded toward the wall above the settee. “As much as I love Gainsborough’s landscape, I would prefer to have you and our children watching over me as I work.

Someday it can join the others in the Portrait Gallery, but not yet.”

She nodded in agreement. “I concur. We look wonderful here. It is an amazing portrait, arriving at a perfect time.”

“How true. It induced me to reflect on Christmases past. All of them have been wonderful since you came into my life.”

He looked at his wife then, his blue eyes tender and inundated with love.

“All of them?” she repeated, teasing and meeting his eyes with the same intense emotion.

“Even those Christmases that were sad or difficult were special, my heart. My life is complete since we married and I would change nothing. This Christmas is the most recent in a long line of incredible memories.”

“It is not over yet!” she reminded him, both of them laughing as they returned their gazes to the painting.

Silently, in sweet harmony, they admired the canvas testimonial to what they, through God’s grace, had achieved in the long years of their marriage. They studied the painted images, each beloved beyond measure. The portraitist had easily identified the individual characteristics, capturing them brilliantly. Especially manifest was the love, unswerving commitment, and supreme happiness verily shining from their faces as proud parents to the next generation of Darcys.

My Review:

Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol
By Carolyn Eberhart

Many of you are familiar with the Charles Dickens “Christmas Carol”, well Carolyn Eberhart retells the beloved classic with the Mr. Darcy as the lead. I have to say that I enjoyed reading the new take on an old classic, and was rather surprised with I realized the similarities between Scrooge and Darcy.

A very well crafted read. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Christmas Present
By Amanda Grange

In this story, Darcy and Elizabeth are married and are expecting their first child.. Her sister Jane and Mr. Bingly have just had their first child, and although Elizabeth is near the end of her own confinement, she persuades Darcy to allow them to travel to the Bingly’s. Once they arrive, we see the cast of character’s we have loved from the original P&P, and of course they are still composed in the same form we have come to know & love them by.

Another great read from Amanda Grange.

A Darcy Christmas
By Sharon Lathan

A Darcy Christmas would have to be my favorite out of the three. It shows the many Christmas’s of the Darcy family. I loved the way it was like a flashback into Darcy’s & Elizabeth’s past.


My Thoughts.
I have noticed that this year has seen an influx Pride & Prejudice based material, which I have to say that I have been loving. Although I have not been able to a Christmas themed book, that is until now. “A Darcy Christmas” is a lovely collect of three novella’s by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart.

I found that I simply could not put the book down. Each novella held my attention and I found that I read each one straight through. Fans of Jane Austen will be thrilled to add “A Darcy Christmas” to their Jane Austen spin-off shelf, and if you are like me you probably have an entire shelf or two just for those types of books.

Trust me, this book is a must read.



Jane Austen fiction has become a phenomenon! The characters from Jane Austen’s beloved novels have so captivated the world that many writers have written sequels, prequels, mash-ups, variations and lots more. A Darcy Christmas is a Christmas anthology following Austen’s much loved characters from Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. Each of the three stories in this anthology is written by a different author and has a different feel to it. But, they flow together well.

"Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol" is based on the Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol". I have always loved adaptations of this story and this one written by Carolyn Eberhart is no exception. Mr. Darcy is characterized as the "Scrooge" in this story. I found that a little hard to accept at first because I have come to love Mr. Darcy and wasn’t sure I could see him in this light. But as I began to read, I found that Mr. Darcy’s ways of conceitedness and arrogance, easily fell into place as reasons for his scrooge like behavior. I liked this one a lot, and I felt that the pace was good for a novella and I was still able to get a good feel for the story.

"Christmas Present" by Amanda Grange follows the Darcy and Bingley families through a very special Christmas. I liked this one because we are able to see what may have happened after Jane and Bingley and Elizabeth and Darcy were married. How their families have evolved and changed and what they have been up to during the intervening years. Christmas is a holiday for families and I felt that Grange was able to really show this through her writing. My only wish was that it was a little longer.

"A Darcy Christmas" written by Sharon Lathan is the concluding story in this anthology and aptly so. The Book is titled after this story and I felt that was appropriate. Lathan follows Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and their families and friends, throughout ten separate Christmas’. I found that a bit daunting considering it was a novella, but Lathan pulled it off with style. Offering the reader snippets, so that they could see how the family changed over the years. What new faces were added or old faces gone on. I really enjoyed this one a lot.

If you like Jane Austen fiction and you like Christmas. This anthology just in time for the holidays, should be right up your alley. I recommend this one because it is full of much loved characters and is short enough to accommodate all of the hustle and bustle of the season.



In a three-part, Jane Austen themed Darcy collection, we follow one of the most famous romantic couples of all time through the Christmas season. The first story in the book is a spin off of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. (As mentioned, I reviewed "Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol" back in November.) This was followed my Amanda Grange’s, "Christmas Present." In this short story, we follow Elizabeth and Darcy to the Bingley’s new home, where they have just welcomed a baby. Elizabeth is also expecting her first child, as all of the Bennet’s (and even a Collins) join together for the holidays.

Completing the collection is Sharon Lathan’s, "A Darcy Christmas." In this concluding selection, Elizabeth and Darcy take us through a series of Christmases together over the years. Jumping across the years, this famous couple share their lives and growing family as they celebrate many happy holidays across a lifetime.

Review: Admittedly, I genuinely enjoy reading Austen-themed remakes and retellings. I’ve previously read novels by both Grange and Lathan, so I was familiar with their style of storytelling, but quickly fell in love with Everhart’s cute retelling of A Christmas Carol. Grange’s tale had a lot of language that was common to other Austen novels, so the story and characters felt warm and familiar, and showed just where the Darcys and Bingleys might be in their futures. Lathan’s story, like her novels, was romantic and charming as it showed the loving relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth with their growing family.

As an Austen fan, I loved the sweet holiday flair brought to the characters of Pride and Prejudice. The three separate stories were unique and fun to read, each with a style that helped it stand out from the others. Honestly, I had a wonderful time escaping into the possible lives of the Darcys and would definitely recommend this compilation to Austen fans. In short, A Darcy Christmas brings Jane Austen charm to the holidays in a delightful way.


Ever wonder how the Darcy’s would celebrate Christmas? Are you interested in learning how Christmas was celebrated during the Regency era? Or have ever desired for an Austenesque novel to read around Christmastime? A Darcy Christmas just might be the book for you!

MR. DARCY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL – CAROLYN EBERHART
In her debut appearance, Carolyn Eberhart presents a clever and harmonious union between Pride and Prejudice and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. In this novella, Darcy’s held back by pride and fear, and doesn’t renew his addresses to Elizabeth a second time. Therefore, he finds himself alone, morose, and dejected, come Christmas Eve. On this special night three Christmas spirits come to call and open Darcy’s eyes to the dreary and desolate future before him...

Darcy as Ebeneezer Scrooge? I love it! I felt this was a very plausible and satisfying integration of these two beloved classics. The three spirits who visited Darcy were ingenious, I especially delighted in the Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come! My one complaint is that some of the visions Darcy saw, while very nicely constructed, didn’t really seem to be appropriate or necessary to the story. (4 stars)

CHRISTMAS PRESENT – AMANDA GRANGE
Well-known Austenesque author Amanda Grange contributes a lovely Christmas novella in which the newlywed Darcy’s travel and celebrate Christmas with the newlywed Bingleys who have just welcomed their first child, little Charles. Even though Elizabeth is close to her time, she wants to see her beloved sister and new nephew. The Bingleys open their doors and welcome the Bennets, the Hursts, and several unexpected guests to their home. Will this be a Christmas of peace and joy? Or one fraught with discord and dilemma?

I adore Amanda Grange’s novels and I am so pleased she was apart of this anthology. I loved the premise of her story, a Christmas with all these combustible characters together and Elizabeth on the verge of giving birth! However, I felt this novella was way too brief and not developed to its full potential. While the other two novellas are around one hundred pages, Christmas Present, at only sixty pages, left me feeling a little bereft. (3 stars)

A DARCY CHRISTMAS – SHARON LATHAN
The third and final novella in this anthology isn’t really a novella at all. Rather, it is a heart-warming collection of short stories that illustrate various Darcy Christmases through the years. These progressive snapshots display the powerful and fervent love Darcy and Elizabeth share with each other and their children, endearing Darcy family Christmas traditions, and appearances by both new and beloved characters...

I finally read my first work by Sharon Lathan and can now understand why she has such a devoted following of admirers! I took pleasure in the charming and cozy Christmases the Darcy’s shared. In addition, I loved following the stories of the Darcy children and learning their distinct personalities. Although Ms. Lathan did an admirable job of creating diverse and unique Christmas celebrations, with nine Christmases in a row, it did occasionally feel repetitious. (4 stars)

As someone who devours Austenesque novels all year long, I found this “holiday tribute to Jane Austen” to be a splendid idea! I thought the stories were well-executed, entertaining, and lovely tributes to Christmas and Jane Austen. While I love Darcy and Elizabeth, they are not the only characters Jane Austen created. I would have loved for this anthology to include the Christmas celebrations of other characters. How about we visit the Knightley’s, Tilney’s, or Wentworth’s next Christmas?!?


Those who can’t get enough of Pride and Prejudice will love A Darcy Christmas, a trio of Christmas novellas centering on Darcy and Elizabeth.

First is Carolyn Eberhart’s Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol, a retelling of Charles Dickens’s classic story. While deliberating whether he should marry the unsuitable Elizabeth, Darcy receives Christmas Eve visitations from three ghosts. Their dire revelations predict the terrifying depths to which his life will plunge if he turns his back on her love. And not just his life, but the lives of all those around him as well. Especially frightening is the Ghost of Christmas Future’s prophecy. A powerful and chilling cautionary tale for the Christmas season.

Amanda Grange’s Christmas Present follows Darcy and a very pregnant Elizabeth as they visit Jane, Bingley and the couple’s infant son in their new house for Christmas. In a microcosm of Pride and Prejudice, most of that novel’s players, whether by design or accident, show up. What starts out as a quiet celebration rapidly devolves into a free-for-all as the old family dynamics come into play. Not to be missed are the arrival of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her pet clergyman, Mr. Collins. And Mr. Collins has a brother? And a handsome one at that? What is the world coming to? Amid the strained relations, Darcy and Elizabeth receive the best gift of all on Christmas Day. A very effective presentation of the Pride and Prejudice pantheon in a Christmas setting.

The books’ title story, Sharon Lathan’s A Darcy Christmas, consists of a series of short vignettes that chronicle Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s long and happy marriage through succeeding Christmases. This tour de force, lush with detailed descriptions and dripping with love of all kinds, provides a fascinating preview of her saga. I liked the first story the best. On the Christmas Eve before he marries her, a desperately lonely and confused Darcy dreams of the unacceptable Elizabeth as his wife and the mother of their children. Is he in love with her? He can’t be. Can he?

Merry Christmas to all Pride and Prejudice fans everywhere.



This book is a nice holiday read geared to fans of Jane Austen. Three short stories, using Darcy and Elizabeth from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, center around Christmas. The first story has Darcy being Scrooge from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I liked the twist of using a twist on a classic within a twist of a classic. The other two stories pick up where Pride and Prejudice left off and continue the story of Darcy and Lizzy and their families. Christmas is the focus and is used to marked births, deaths, happiness and family moments. The three writers stick to Austen’s style and her ideas of the characters. I enjoyed this book a lot, and I am one who does not read many holiday books. This book was sent to me by SourceBooks to review.

I was very excited when I received this ARC. I’d only read one of the authors before and I was looking forward to reading Amanda Grange as I’d wanted to read one of her books for quite a while and reading a new author is always fun, especially if the book is about my favourite character. Of course, Sharon Lathan has been my favourite P & P writer for a few years now so I always look forward to anything of Sharon’s.

Mr Darcy’s Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart: What a wonderful new voice who has joined the wonderful authors who write about Mr Darcy. This is the story of Ghosts of Christmas Past. The reason for all the ghostly visitors is to make Mr Darcy realise that he his arrogance and uncharitable attitude towards others less fortunate is destroying his life and hopes of happiness. This was a lovely novella that I really enjoyed and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Christmas Present by Amanda Grange: This novella picks up with Elizabeth and Darcy expecting their first child and taking a trip to visit the Bingleys who’ve just had their first child. Darcy is very nervous about Elizabeth travelling despite her reassurances that she’s not going to go into early labour. One of the things I liked about Amanda’s version of Elizabeth is that she still maintains her feistiness, a trait that I think is often lost by other authors. I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more by Amanda Grange.

A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan: I was very excited about reading this story and seeing where Sharon is taking the story now. It begins with Darcy admiring a painting of his family and reminiscing about Christmases past with Elizabeth. It is set in the future of they obviously have a few children and are still happy and in love. The story then jumps back to a Christmas before Elizabeth was Darcy’s wife. Each chapter is another Christmas that the loving couple have had together. I loved it, it was as romantic as all Sharon’s other books and a lovely addition to my collection.

All in all, this is a wonderful book full of Darcy Christmas cheer. A must read for all Darcy fans!




I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I never tire of Elizabeth and *fanning self* Mr. Darcy—one of my all time favorite heroes. Naturally, when I have the opportunity to read a book that continues the genius that is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice I will nearly always pick it up.

I am a junkie for reading holiday stories during the holiday season. My radio station is permanently channeled to whatever local station is playing holiday music 24/7 and the Hallmark Christmas marathon is on every television in the house. (Hmm... you may wonder how I get any work done with all that noise, but seriously, I love it!)

As am I, many of you during the holiday season are running around, shopping, wrapping, cleaning, preparing, cooking, traveling, finishing up last minute deadlines, etc... the list goes on, and so you find very little time to squeeze in some reading for enjoyment.

Poof! The perfect solution: an anthology! A Darcy Christmas will get you in the holiday spirit with debut author, Carolyn Eberhart’s Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)/ A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) tribute titled, Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol. Amanda Grange’s Christmas Present, is a cheerful romp with all your favorite P&P characters—a fabulous rendition of Mrs. Bennett as well! Sharon Lathan’s A Darcy Christmas, for which this book gets its name, will have you smiling from ear to ear and remembering why you loved P&P in the first place.

This was a fabulous holiday anthology and I highly recommend reading it. The stories are easy and quick reads, that you can squeeze in between hectic holiday running, or just curl up and read before a fire with your hot cocoa.



A Darcy Christmas is a Christmas collection of stories by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart involving our favorite Austen hero, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. I will review and summarize each story separately for a deeper look into the book.

The first story is “Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol” by Carolyn Eberhart. After helping out Lydia Bennet, Mr. Darcy never proposed to Elizabeth in this take on the tale. Christmas has come and the spirits of Christmas past, present, and future visit Mr. Darcy to show him the error of his proud ways and what life will be like without Elizabeth. I thought this was a great and inventive combination of Pride and Prejudice with the holiday classic A Christmas Carol. I especially liked how Scrooge gets a special guest appearance at the end of the story. Carolyn Eberhart is a debut author and I look forward to reading future works by her!

The second story is “Christmas Present” by Amanda Grange. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are happily married and are expecting their first child. Jane and Mr. Bingley have moved nearby and have just had their first child, a son. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth visit the Bingleys to celebrate Christmas with them and the Bennet family. Much hilarity also ensues when Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins make a guest appearance. Christmas Present was a great story and Amanda Grange did an excellent job of bringing all of my favorite P&P characters back to life in a way true to the original novel.

The final story is “A Darcy Christmas” by Sharon Lathan. “A Darcy Christmas” is a great concept. Each chapter in the story is a different stage in Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship from before their marriage, to newlyweds, to the birth and growth of their children. I liked the concept, but didn’t really like the actual stories. They moved very slowly. Some were great and others were lackluster. While I had read the first two stories in this book quite fast, I seemed to get stuck on this story.

Overall A Darcy Christmas was a very enjoyable holiday book that will get you in the spirit with your favorite Pride and Prejudice characters.



In this novel, we find a collection of three pieces showcasing Fitzwilliam Darcy:

Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart
Christmas Present by Amanda Grange
A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan
In the first, Mr. Darcy’s Christmas, Fitzwilliam is visited by three ghosts we remember from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The doorknocker resembles his father, the Ghost of Christmas Past is his mother, the Ghost of Christmas Present is his sister, and the Ghost of Christmas Future is Lady Catherine. Following the lines of the classic tale, each ghost shows Darcy his life in the segment allotted to it. When confronted with Elizabeth’s refusal of his marriage proposal, his own pride, fear, and doubt, Darcy realizes the error of his ways. As he himself admits at the end of this story, "I will say that the vision served to reinforce the wishes and desires I already possessed and gave me the courage to pursue them."

Christmas Present, by Amanda Grange, opens in the delightfully familiar way the original novel does with a slight twist:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a married man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of an heir, and Mr. Darcy of Pemberly was just such a man.
This story was a charming tale of the present which arrives for Darcy and Elizabeth, one which made Elizabeth ask, "Is it your Christmas present to me or is it my Christmas present to you?"

The last collection, A Darcy Christmas, is a compilation of stories written by Sharon Lathan. They take us through the intimacy of Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship, complete with passion and three children. My favorite of these was the last, where Elizabeth bestows a bookmark on her husband, one which he had long treasured as it was her first gift to him, embroidered with the verse from Genesis: The two shall become one flesh.

This novel cast a lovely Christmas spirit around two of the most beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice. It would be a perfect holiday read for any Jane Austen fan.

This is something different for Darcy fans: a novella collection! Christmas and the spirit of Jane Austen. Bring on the cinnamon and apple cider aromas! Each author’s individual story is reviewed separately:

Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol by by Carolyn Eberhart
This was the first story in the book and is also a debut for the author. Right away she remonstrates that the elder Mr. Darcy was dead as a door nail, several times, which made me wince. Thankfully, she gets past that quickly enough and goes into the lamentations of the younger Mr. Darcy (our favorite Mr. Darcy) of how Lizzy spurned his request for her hand. Georgiana, Darcy’s younger sister, is featured as she adds a nice touch to the story by being a sweetheart and treated as such. Warm and fuzzy feelings! Hold on to your reticules, as ghosts are haunting Pemberley!

Starting off as more of a macabre type of story, the typical elements of ghosts and spirits take over as Darcy goes on journeys to see the past, present and future. Predictable for both Darcy and Dickens fans this is not a suspenseful read, but the ending makes up for its weak beginning as everything is tied up into a happy package for a Darcy lover.

Christmas Present by Amanda Grange
This was a short and sweet little story about Lizzy and Darcy as they expect the birth of their first child during the Christmas season. Lizzy’s older sister Jane has just had her little boy and the extended family members are spending the holidays with Jane and Charles Bingley at their new house, which was just enough far out of reach so that Mrs. Bennet wouldn’t drop by every day on Jane. The story was complete with the characters that we loved from Pride & Prejudice, and the "scandalized" Lady Catherine and the pushy busy-body Caroline and does a good job of bringing holiday cheer, Jane Austen style. Grange’s next book, Wickham’s Diary, is due in April 2011.

A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan
Off to a weird start was this last novella in the collection. It featured Darcy feeling depressed that Lizzy had spurned his proposal, and yet he couldn’t get her out of his mind. The theme of sexual tension was a bit overly played, as the one reason I enjoy classic novels like Austen’s and Heyer’s is the mere fact that they are always clean and fun. I was a bit put off by Lathan’s sensual undertones, but eventually they went away, which was a good thing because I had half a mind to not even attempt to finish it once it started up about some sex books that Darcy kept locked up. I plodded on, and of course I am glad that I did, because it eventually became a pleasant Christmas story that had a little bit of everything involved. I enjoyed the clan of the Darcys that Lathan created and the personalities of the family members who managed to annoy each other in a loving way. And upon further research, I have learned that Lathan’s Darcy sequels are marketed as sensual Pride & Prejudice sequels, and the 5th in the series is coming in April 2011.

All in all, the collection of Christmas themed Darcy stories was a hit, and I enjoyed the book as a whole. I can’t even pick a favorite out of the bunch, but I think that Darcy and Lizzy fans would be pleased with this Christmas collection which should definitely help the reader get into the holiday spirit!

Three fabulous author come together to carry on Jane Austen’s classic work in a continuing tale of Darcy and Elizabeth.

Sourcebooks Inc. brings us A Darcy Christmas; a holiday tribute to the beloved tale begun by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice. Full of life and originality, yet sticking to the story we all know and love, A Darcy Christmas is completely Christmas themed but captivating enough to be read year round. Many sequels to the acclaimed classic disappoint by not staying true to the characters and the plot that Jane Austen began, it is a pleasure to say this anthology is not one of them.

A Darcy Christmas: “Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol” by Carolyn Eberhart
Ebenezer Scrooge’s A Christmas Carol has never been told like this before. In this short story it is the beloved Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy that gets visited by the Christmas Spirits and learns the error of his ways. This story is unique in that it begs the question: “What if Darcy didn’t propose to Lizzy a second time?” The storyline in the first story of this novel is perhaps the most farfetched of course, but it does not deter from the great romance that is Lizzy and Darcy.

Focusing more on Darcy of course, there is not too much of Lizzy, however the Spirits that come calling make it laughable and the things they teach Darcy will hit straight to the hearts of readers. The story is sweet and memorable and naturally a perfect Christmas story for Darcy fans.

A Darcy Christmas: “Christmas Present” by Amanda Grange
The second tale in A Darcy Christmas is perhaps the most novel-like of the three. In the “Christmas Present” the next stage of Darcy and Lizzy’s life is told. The Bingleys have left Netherfield and found their own home and are having all the family over for Christmas. The story is a fiasco with the pushy Caroline Bingley taking over house duties because sweet Jane has just had her first child. The interesting part of this story, and by far the most captivating, is the fact that Lizzy is due with her child any moment. We see Darcy in a new light, that of an expecting father who is dreading the birth because he lost his own mother thanks to child-bearing complications.
It is through new eyes that we see the special couple, and readers will certainly watch as the characters come to life and play out scenes that are believable and ring true to Jane Austen’s example.

A Darcy Christmas: “A Darcy Christmas” by Sharon Lathan
This story is by far the most riveting of the three in A Darcy Christmas. Sharon Lathan digs deep into the lives of Darcy and Lizzy and tells their life’s story by Christmases. Each chapter is another Christmas in their life. Their love for one another is heartbreakingly romantic, their support for each other is captivating and the details of the good, the bad and the ugly are absolutely unforgettable. The Christmas of grief is literally so full of sadness that it may bring a tear to your eye, but there is always happiness in the end.
Sharon Lathan tells the story in a fashion that is believable both for its ties to the original works of Jane Austen and for its relations to true life ups and downs. Remarkable for the in depth scenes between Darcy and Elizabeth but heartwarming for the fact that the author does not portray their life together as perfect. There are things that worry them and turn their lives upside down just as it would in real life.


A Darcy Christmas is a collection of three novellas featuring characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The stories are: Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart; Christmas Present by Amanda Grange; and A Darcy Christmas by Sharon Lathan. All in all, a nice book to cuddle up with on a cold holiday evening.

First we have “Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol by Carolyn Eberhart. As you might guess from the title, this story is loosely based on Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”. In this version, Darcy has been greedy with his feelings. The ghosts in order of appearance are his father to warn him of the coming ghosts and then past, present and future are his mother, Lady Anne; his sister, Georgiana; and his aunt, Lady Catherine. Following the original story lines but with the change of feelings rather than money, Eberhart manages to pull the story together making it and interesting and apt variation.

The second story is “Christmas Present” by Amanda Grange. Jane and Bingley have a newborn son. Darcy and Elizabeth expect their child to be born in the new year. Elizabeth is not about to let pregnancy keep her and Darcy from spending the holidays with the family at Jane’s new home. But it seems Mrs. Bennet invited Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins to stay at Jane and Bingley’s manor also. You can imagine the holidays with all the Bennets, Bingleys, Darcys, Hursts, Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins all in the same house. Grange manages to balance all the characters and keep us entertained.

Ending the book, is “A Darcy Christmas” by Sharon Lathan. Not so much a story as vingnettes – each centered around the Christmas holidays. Each piece shows the reader an incident from the life of Darcy and Elizabeth. We get to see them grow as a couple, have children, face the loss of loved ones, watch their children grow and have their own families — the gathering for the holidays increases as the generations continue to meet at Pemberley. This was a nice capstone piece to the book.

In the stores now, you can pick it up to read during the holidays when you want to remember what they’re all about as the chaos and stress rise. Christmas is for family, friends, and loved ones to gather and share the love and concern for each other. A Darcy Christmas is all about love and family.