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I have loved Abigail Reynolds’ Jane Austen sequels and adaptations since I read my first one many moons ago. I was expecting the same level of awesome with this one.

I knew this one was going to be a bit difficult for me. I have trouble with Lizzy being engaged or in a relationship with anyone other than Darcy. I seem to handle it better when it is Darcy that is with the other person. I was pleased the Mr. Covington was generally a good dude and not much of a threat. He did serve the purpose of a good kick in the pants for Darcy though. I did love Jealous Darcy. I don’t think I have ever come across him before and I have decided that I quite like him and want to see more of him.

This one may be my favorite out of all the Abigail Reynolds’ books I have read. I loved the concept. As much as I enjoy watching Lizzy get jealous as Darcy tries to marry someone else, it was somehow refreshing to read the reverse. It is also always very interesting to see third parties introduced into the story we know and love. Perhaps my favorite part of the story aside from Lizzy and Darcy was the Bennet family. Particularly Jane and Mrs. Bennet. Jane was uber-protective over Lizzy. She was like a mama bear. And Mrs. Bennet was at her best at being her crazy self. I love it so much when authors get her right without making her seem cartoonish and Abigail Reynolds definitely accomplished that.


I read Mr. Darcy’s Undoing several years ago when Reynolds was self publishing her books. It was then called Without Reserve. She was picked up by Sourcebooks, who then rereleased it as Mr. Darcy’s Undoing.
The Story starts after Darcy’s disastrous proposal in Kent. When she receives another proposal from a third man she decides to accept it even though she does not love him, at least she likes him and it would secure her family in the unhappy event of her fathers passing. Darcy returns with Bingley and is surprised by Liz’s engagement. He goes away and returns for Bingley’s wedding to find Elizabeth not married. Darcy begins to pursue her again but this time she won’t have him because of her fallen reputation. She is concerned Darcy’s reputation will be damaged if he marries her. Darcy cannot except this and is very persistent!
I really felt for Mr. Darcy, even I didn’t like to see Elizabeth with another man! But I loved that Darcy doesn’t give up. He is so determined, that he goes so far as to enlist the help of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
This is a fast moving, don’t want to put down read. It focuses mainly on Elizabeth and Darcy. It does contain a few sexual scenes.
Abigail Reynolds is the author of several P&P variations or what-if stories. Among them is my favorite From Lambton to Longbourn, rereleased as What Would Mr. Darcy Do?. When I need a quick Darcy fix I love to read her short story Intermezzo.


For those that love Darcy and enjoy reading the P&P variations, AND don’t mind a few steamy sex scenes....this is a good read!

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing by Abigail Reynolds is the latest in her “What If?” series of Pride & Prejudice variations that seeks to uncover how far Darcy will go to woo Lizzy if after his disastrous proposal she accepts one from another man. Darcy has made his arrogant speech about loving Lizzy against his better judgment and has proposed they get married, and she has refused by the time this book opens.

Lizzy has a dilemma before her; she had hoped to marry for love, but with her sister Jane’s hopes of marrying Mr. Bingley dashed and her continued depression about losing him, Lizzy realizes that she no longer has the luxury to marry for love and must find a suitable man with means to save her family from ruin upon the death of her father. She takes the responsibility on when a family friend Mr. Covington begins to show interest in her. After accepting his proposal and resigning herself to a marriage based on necessity and fondness, which she hopes will grow into love, Mr. Darcy arrives on the scene with Mr. Bingley and things get more complicated as she realizes her true feelings for Darcy.

“He inquired after her family as Darcy looked on sardonically, wondering what Elizabeth could possibly see in this dull fellow. It grated on his nerves every time Covington called her by her name or allowed an admiring look to rest upon her. Nevertheless, he gave no thought to leaving; as vividly unpleasant as this might be, nothing would induce him to leave Elizabeth alone with Covington while he had a choice in the matter. There was a certain ironic humour, he reflected, in finding himself as her chaperone.” (page 68-9 ARC)

Told from both Lizzy and Darcy’s point of view, readers get a well-rounded glimpse at the feelings and frustrations they feel about their situation, especially after Lydia runs off with Wickham. What’s new here is that Lizzy is deflated and more vulnerable, but she remains strong at her core in her convictions. Scandal has hammered her family’s reputation and she realizes that she is at the center of it and believes that everyone would be best off without her. Darcy must not only convince her of his love, but that she has not permanently injured her family’s reputation and that she is not a pariah who can destroy his reputation.

“The two men eyed one another for a moment, then Darcy said in a more normal voice, ‘Do you still object to Georgiana’s presence here? I would like her to have the opportunity to get to know Elizabeth.’

‘Good God, Darcy, are you actually asking my opinion? There is a first time for everything!’” (page 176 ARC)

Reynolds introduces Mr. Covington, Mrs. Covington, and makes sure that fan favorites, like Mr. Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam, are as bright as Lizzy and Darcy. Each character is vivid and dynamic. However, Lady Catherine, Mr. Collins, and Charlotte Lucas do not make appearances, but are talked about in passing. Reynolds is a master at throwing Lizzy and Darcy into new situations that threaten to keep them apart, but the overarching theme is always that love conquers all. Austen would be proud that Reynolds has taken her characters, helped them evolve into better versions of themselves, and taken them on new journeys.

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing by Abigail Reynolds is infused with bawdy conversation, conflict, societal disapprobation, and classic characters with modern sensibilities. Darcy and Lizzy are no longer pinned down by Regency norms, but are pioneers of modernity and unbridled love and passion. Reynolds is masterful in her homage to Austen and her wit, while catering to readers’ desire for romance and strong protagonists. Likely to be one of the first Austen spinoffs to make the end of year “Best of” list.

Abigail Reynolds’s Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, the latest in her Pemberley Variations, is an intensely emotional story in which Elizabeth accepts another marriage proposal after she refuses Darcy.

Darcy, still madly in love with Elizabeth, returns to Meryton to renew his suit. Although devastated to find her engaged, he cannot in honor to ask her to end her betrothal. With no other choice, he wishes her well and departs. Elizabeth, now in love with Darcy, never expected to see him again. Mindful of her duty to provide for her family after Mr. Bennet’s death, she accepted the proposal of a childhood friend. But she cannot marry a man she does not love. Aware her action will precipitate a scandal, she breaks her engagement.

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is a terrifying portrait of the horrors a closed society can inflict on a defenseless woman who defies convention, even for an honorable reason. Especially bad is Elizabeth’s lack of support from her family. Ms. Reynolds exaggerates all the distasteful characteristics of the dysfunctional Bennet family. Mrs. Bennet is a self-centered witch who blames Elizabeth for all their woes, conveniently forgetting Lydia’s truly shameful behavior. Mr. Bennet is a spineless toad who lets his wife get away with her wrong-headedness. Jane is a cipher, although she does defend Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, all alone, cast down by the treatment she has received, and with nowhere else to go, is so demoralized she never fights back. Frankly, I expected better of her. She could have learned a lesson from Lydia, who is offstage in this story. Lydia was truly disgraceful, but she never repented of her sins, and she never suffered, either. I hate seeing the good suffer and the evil never paying for their transgressions. Elizabeth is too forgiving, but I would have liked to see Darcy make the blacklisters pay for their cruelty.

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is another of Abigail Reynolds’s trademark emotional, accurate takes on the Regency world of Pride and Prejudice.

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing (previously published as Without Reserve) is another retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in which Abigail Reynolds asks readers to imagine “what if?” — in this case, what if Mr. Darcy had a rival for Elizabeth Bennet’s affections? Reynolds opens the novel after Darcy’s disastrous proposal at Kent. By the time Darcy convinces Bingley to return to Netherfield and rekindle his romance with Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, Elizabeth has already accepted a marriage proposal from James Covington.

Darcy had followed Bingley in the hopes of winning Elizabeth’s love, and he is shocked and dismayed upon learning of her engagement. That doesn’t stop him from hanging around, though he tells himself that if he knows for sure that Elizabeth is in love with Covington, then he must let her go. Meanwhile, Elizabeth feels an attraction to Darcy and must force herself to consider all the reasons why her marriage to Covington makes sense for her and her family. Besides, there’s nothing she can do about the situation now — not without ruining her reputation and her family’s standing in the community, especially considering the damage already caused by Lydia after she runs away with Wickham.

In Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, Reynolds gives readers what they have come to expect from her Pride and Prejudice variations — different twists and turns as Elizabeth and Darcy navigate the same misunderstandings and plenty of heat as they skirt the bounds of propriety and often cross the line as they find they cannot keep their hands off each other. Although Reynolds briefly brings in the wit and playfulness of Mr. Bennet, most of Austen’s secondary characters sit on the sidelines in Mr. Darcy’s Undoing. Elizabeth and Darcy, their bantering, and their serious discussions about their relationship are the focus of the novel, and while I missed the tension typically supplied by Wickham, Caroline Bingley, and Lady Catherine, I enjoyed Reynolds’ take on a scandalized Elizabeth and a more emotional and seductive Darcy. There also was some amusement to be had with Darcy’s jealousy and pain, as he goes so far as to chaperone Elizabeth and her betrothed.

I am always amazed at how many ways Reynolds can re-tell the same story. She manages to keep the story fresh, throwing new obstacles in Elizabeth and Darcy’s path to happiness and making it so that readers almost wonder whether the two will live happily ever after. While Mr. Darcy’s Undoing isn’t my favorite of Reynolds’ variations, it was a page-turner that I would recommend to readers who want a spicier Pride and Prejudice retelling.

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is a Pride and Prejudice variation. Pride and Prejudice variations take a pivotal point in the original novel and change it, thereby putting a new spin on everything that comes later. In Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, the variation is that after refusing Mr. Darcy’s proposal while in Kent, Elizabeth returns home and accepts a proposal from her life-long friend, Mr. Covington.


Mr. Covington has a modest estate and lives in the neighborhood, which will allow Elizabeth to remain within easy distance of her friends and family. Mr. Darcy returns to Netherfield with Bingley, only to discover Elizabeth engaged to another. That does not stop him from having rather naughty fantasies about her. Will Mr. Darcy prevail in winning back Elizabeth’s hand now that he has a rival?

I enjoyed Mr. Darcy’s Undoing. It was a quick, easy read that was very heavy on the romance side of Austenesque fiction. I thought it was an intriguing premise having a realistic rival for Elizabeth’s affections. I just wish the rivalry would have last longer in the novel. The last half of the novel is after Elizabeth has made her final choice and focuses more on the romance angle.

I have decided after reading the last couple of Darcy variations by various authors that perhaps variations aren’t all for me (gasp!). I really enjoy reading Austenesque sequels, focuses on other characters or on Austen, modern day presentations, mysteries, etc., but the actual variation of the Pride and Prejudice storylines just don’t seem to capture my fancy as much. Is it just me?

Abigail Reynolds is a fantastic author. I have read several of her novels and especially enjoyed The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. I also love that she is a “literary local” hailing from Madison, Wisconsin. With Carrie Bebris also hailing from my great state, I think we need to have an Austen author conference here in Wisconsin! Abigail Reynolds wrote a fantastic guest blog about her process of creating a rival for Mr. Darcy. The guest blog is located here and if you leave a comment, you have a chance to win a copy of Mr. Darcy’s Undoing.

Overall Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is a great romance which finally pits Mr. Darcy against a realistic rival for Elizabeth’s affections.

t is that time again, time for a JA variation. And this one gets a bit passionate towards the end too.

Lizzie meets Darcy, he proposes and she thinks he is an ass. We all know the story. In this one she goes home and meets Mr Covingon, she knows him from before and he asks for her hand in marriage and she accepts. Darcy comes and wants her back but it is too late. Of course Mr. Darcy does not give up, and there are a few twists and turn before they can get their HEA.

Oh Mr. Darcy, you are so improper, not that I complain. It was fun to see his more passionate side, he truly wants her as his wife, he dreams about her (dirty ones ;), and he hopes to sway her with kisses. And who can say no when Mr. Darcy starts kissing you? Poor Lizzie does not stand a chance. And I, well I love that his does not want to give up, he knows she loves him too.

What we have in this story is the tale of a man pursuing that which he wants, a few passionate encounters, and that which we all love, Mr. Darcy and Lizzie being totally and madly in love with each other.

Conclusion:
If you want to read about Mr. Darcy seducing with kisses then read this book. It is another cute and passionate re-telling of the story so many of us know and love.

In her latest Pride and Prejudice variation, Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, Abigail Reynolds offers a fanciful story, replete with anguish and raw emotion, exploring another possible road not taken by Jane Austen herself.

Not long after Miss Elizabeth Bennet returns home to Longbourn from her visit to the Collins’ at Hunsford Parsonage in Kent – and that poorly executed marriage proposal from Mr. Darcy – she boldly decides to take responsibility for her mother and sisters happiness. Since the wealthy Mr. Bingley has departed without proposing to her sister Jane, she agrees to an engagement with a childhood acquaintance, a very gentlemanly Mr. Covington of Ashworth House. But as fate would have it, Mr. Darcy returns to Hertfordshire with Mr. Bingley in tow – intent to help him renew his addresses to Elizabeth’s sister Jane. And just as Mr. Darcy is reinvigorated in his first attempt to repair his own difficulties with Elizabeth, he learns she is now betrothed to another man!

One would assume that Darcy’s suit was lost and he would graciously retreat to London or Pemberley. But not our bewitched champion. After brooding over several glasses of brandy, he decides to remain with the Bingleys at Netherfield Park for a week or two, for appearance sake of course, but also to satisfy his own selfish curiosity in discovering Elizabeth’s true feelings for her fiancé. At first he thought it was madness that he would deliberately put himself in for such torture, but after he learns that Covington is not such the ardent lover, visiting Longbourn but once a week, he takes it upon himself to entertain Elizabeth while Bingley woos Jane. Better still, Darcy appoints himself “chaperone” for Elizabeth and her acknowledged suitor!

Considered by most to be a good match for Elizabeth, “The man seemed pleasant enough, but he had not struck Darcy as particularly well-educated or witty, but the truth was that if Covington had been the personification of every virtue known to man, Darcy still would have despised him.” p. 44. Although Darcy’s head tells him to allow her to be sanguine with her choice, his heart cannot. Thus, he continues to pursue her and forge a most curious friendship.

As in Austen’s original, Elizabeth’s youngest sister Lydia elopes with Wickham and unbeknownst to Elizabeth, Darcy discovers the wayward couple, rescuing the Bennet family from social ruin. He witnesses Elizabeth sobbing in the arms of Covington and in a sheer act of self-preservation, decides he must escape to the Continent. “Their eyes met again for a long moment, and she looked away at first. He moved towards the door, then stopped again just at the edge of the vestibule. ’Before I go, though, Miss Bennet, I must beg your forgiveness.’ ’My forgiveness? For what?’ she asked. ‘For this,’ he said. Before she realized what he intended, he leaned towards her and kissed her, a brief, tender touch of his lips to hers.” p. 89-90. (I remember the first time I read this. I swear my heart skipped a beat!) Soon after his departure, Elizabeth breaks off the engagement to Covington, hence destroying her standing in society; Mrs. Bennet is inconsolable and all of Meryton shuns Elizabeth. Months pass and finally Darcy returns for Bingley and Jane’s wedding, only to discover Elizabeth is unmarried! He renews his addresses and although she admits she loves him, she refuses him once again because she fears her disgrace can only scandalize him and his young sister.

Summoning the intellectual passions of the period, and likening to Austen’s “poetry as the food of love,” some of the more poignant, yet scattered, virtuous moments were while reading aloud and making poetic references to William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience: The Tyger. One of Abigail Reynolds earlier works, originally self-published in 2007 as Without Reserve, Austen purists will be quite undone with Mr. Darcy’s Undoing by some of the wholly uncharacteristic manners of her Darcy and Elizabeth. As one of Reynolds’ most erotic novels yet, it overflows with eyebrow raising, sexually charged sequences, vivid sexual dreams and explicit premarital sex. Indeed, Abigail Reynolds has taken much liberty with our Darcy and Elizabeth as they go against all reason and character to satisfy their carnal desires, behaviors more suited to that of reckless Lydia and seducer Wickham. (A more recent Reynolds work, evidence of her having developed into a top sequel author, What Would Mr. Darcy Do?, portrays a very captivated Darcy and conflicted Elizabeth, sans the gratuitous sex.) Nevertheless if you take pleasure from an inventive, fiery, Regency romance, Mr. Darcy’s Undoing is sure to whet your whistle.

3.5 out of 5 Regency Stars

Mr. Darcy’s Undoing (originally self-published as Without Reserve in 2007) is one of Abigail Reynolds’ earliest novels from her incomparable Pemberley Variation Series, and just happens to be the first one I ever read! If you are unfamiliar with these riveting and romantic variations, they are retellings of Pride and Prejudice that take our beloved hero and heroine down a slightly altered path. Abigail Reynolds, one of my favorite Austenesque authors, is a skilled-story teller, an ardent admirer of Jane Austen, and quite proficient at infusing a lot of emotion, tension, and passion into her stories!

In this variation, Ms. Reynolds takes up her pen and asks: What if, after refusing Mr. Darcy’s marriage proposal in Hunsford, Elizabeth accepts the marriage proposal of a childhood friend?

An interesting scenario, isn’t it? Mr. Darcy has a rival – and the rival’s already won! Or has he? Mr. Covington (a. k. a. Darcy’s rival/Elizabeth’s fiancée) is an amiable young gentleman who owns a small but well-established neighboring estate. He’s affable, kind-hearted, generous, honorable, and has never insulted Elizabeth Bennet! He may have Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, but does he have her heart?

I love the uniqueness of this premise! Not many authors have penned Austenesque novels where Lizzy is involved with another man. It definitely throws a wrench into the original plot! I loved witnessing Darcy’s divided emotions in this variation; he doesn’t know if he should feel hopeful because Lizzy seems to enjoy his company, or hopeless because she isn’t available. In addition, it was interesting to see Elizabeth causing some scandals of her own and being somewhat of a social outcast. As you might imagine with conflicts such as these, this variation has a bit more tension, drama, and emotion!