The third book in the bestselling Pride and Prejudice sequel series from Australia.

"A very readable and believable tale for readers who like their romance with a historical flavor.&qu

...

Excerpt from Part One

1859

IF JONATHAN BINGLEY HAD not previously recognised that there was developing a serious problem that threatened his happiness and the stability of his marriage, he was certainly made aware of it as they returned to Rosings Park.

Throughout the journey, Amelia-Jane remained seated on the opposite side of the carriage to her husband, rather pointedly placing their youngest daughter Cathy, who was nine, and her lady's maid between them. She also insisted that the blinds be drawn down on her side of the vehicle, so as to preserve her, she claimed, from suffering another severe headache on account of the glare.

Their two eldest children, Charles and Anne-Marie, had already returned to their respective educational establishments on the previous day. Jonathan knew that they, like him, were uneasy about their mother's changing moods and uneven temper, for indeed, of late, she had changed greatly from the vivacious, light-hearted girl he had married and the easy-going, compliant mother they had known.

Jonathan was very troubled indeed; troubled and grieved. He had, at first, attributed the change to the loss of their two little boys, Francis and Thomas, born two years apart, both of whom had not survived longer than a year after birth. The terrible trauma of their deaths had affected all of them, but it had affected his wife more deeply and for a longer period because, with her elder children away from home and his own work keeping him busy, she seemed to find no solace at all.

Understanding the weight of the blow she had suffered, Jonathan had tried to reach and console her, but had failed repeatedly. Each time he tried to comfort her, she seemed to retreat even further into her own grief or break into heart-wrenching sobs. She was reluctant to talk of the children to anyone and, if pressed, would take ill and retire to bed.

Jonathan was too loyal a husband to breathe a word of this to his mother, who knew only that Amelia was still deeply distressed following the death of their sons.

The problem, however, continued to plague them and had recently worsened. Though devoted to his wife and family, Jonathan found it increasingly difficult to keep it to himself and finally sought his sister Emma's advice.

The opportunity to do so presented itself quite fortuitously, when some weeks later, his brother-in-law James Wilson, a long-standing and dedicated member of the Reform Group in Parliament, wrote inviting Jonathan to dine with him at his club in London. He had, he wrote, an interesting political proposition to put to him.

Jonathan, who had spent some twelve years in Parliament representing a constituency in the Midlands, had left the House of Commons some seven years ago, tired and bored with the bickering and dissension that had, in his opinion, opened the way for the Tories and set back Parliamentary Reform for a decade.

Thanks to the recommendation of Mr Darcy, he had been appointed by Lady Catherine de Bourgh to take over the management of her vast estate and business affairs - a prestigious position which included a very pleasant house in Rosings Park.

Others may have felt that the task of reporting regularly to Lady Catherine and being on hand whenever she felt the need for congenial company was too high a price to pay for the modest remuneration offered, but Jonathan, being an amiable and easy-going young man, had not been unduly troubled by Her Ladyship's demands upon his time.

The move to Kent had meant that Amelia-Jane, who had felt very isolated in Derbyshire, had found herself drawn into a new social circle, in which she seemed to find some enjoyment. There was also the very great advantage of being settled near Hunsford, the parsonage where her sister Mrs Catherine Harrison lived. Catherine provided invaluable support to Amelia-Jane when she needed help with the children, and, more than her mother or her husband, it was to Catherine that Amelia-Jane had turned for comfort following the loss of her sons.

Practical and mature, Catherine had been better able to cope with her younger sister's demands. Jonathan had seen clearly the advantage of their situation. More recently though, he had begun to feel restless; irritated by the superficiality of the social round at Rosings Park, he had begun to miss the involvement in politics and the brisk jostling of ideas in the public arena of Parliament. Which was why he had accepted James Wilson's invitation; there had been a promise of something interesting to do.

James, an active member of the Reformists, had insisted that Jonathan should maintain his membership and interest in the party.

"You are far too young to give up on politics, Jonathan," he had said. "We may yet have you back in the Commons, one day." And when Jonathan had modestly pointed out that it might not be easy to get back in, James had laughed and assured him that "room could always be found for a good man."

This third installment in the series (see Book 4, below) centers on Jonathan Bingley, son of Charles and Jane. Jonathan has grown into a fine man, father, and politician who has made an unfortunate choice of a wife, Amelia-Jane Collins (yes, the daughter of Charlotte and the pompous William Collins). This sobering story of a crumbling marriage set against a background of political and cultural change will captivate readers, although the original P&P characters are little more than bit players.


Netherfield Park Revisited
Rebecca Ann Collins
5 Stars
I just finished the 3rd book in The Pemberley Chronicles and have to say that I loved it. Out of the entire series, it might just be one of my favorite ones.
Netherfield Park Revisted tells the story of Jonathan Bingley, son to Jane and Charles Bingley from Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice. I have to admit, I was sad and a little skeptical about reading a book about Jonathan. I really love the books that follow the women from this series, not the men. However, this book was not a disappointment. There is romance, history, stories of families, trials and triumphs.
I have said this before, with the previous 2 books in this series, but if you love Jane Austen, you will really enjoy this series. It is by far the most enjoyable, and true to her style sequels I have found out there. I cannot wait to read book four and book five. I pretty sure that they won’t disappoint.
I suppose if I have to say anything to the contrary about this book, it would be I really wish the list of characters in the appendix were in a family tree form. Perhaps before reading the fourth book I will have to draw my own copy.

It’s hard to keep track of all the various Jane Austen knockoffs and sequels. This one is part 3 of the Pemberley Chronicles, which follow the Bennet sisters post–Pride and Prejudice. The focus here is on Jane’s son Jonathan, now 42 years old and married to Amanda-Jane, daughter of Elizabeth’s old friend Charlotte Collins. Jonathan wants to pursue a career in politics, but Amanda-Jane feels neglected, and matters are made worse when she objects to his purchase of Netherfield Park, the house that brought Misters Bingley and Darcy into the Bennet sisters’ orbit so many years ago. Meanwhile, Jonathan finds himself drawn to the artistic and attractive Anna Faulkner. Readers looking for the sparkle of Pride and Prejudice will find instead a Victorian earnestness, but Collins deserves credit for not straying too far from the original characters and story. Buy for readers who love the Austen continuation subgenre.
— Mary Ellen Quinn


"Netherfield Park Revisited is the third in the popular Pemberley Series by Rebecca Ann Collins. Like the earlier volumes, the author reflects but does not imitate the work of Jane Austen- her inspiration for this series. She has borrowed characters and locations freely but avoids the pitfalls of trying to recreate the unique Austen style, which have trapped many sequel writers, whose characters speak in highly contrived, artificial sentences.
She does affect a "period" style - which is more mid-late nineteenth century, and a good deal simpler to use and read. Drawing upon a wide range of historical, social and political events to create a most colourful backdrop of nineteenth century England, Ms. Collins extends the lives of the characters she borrows from Jane Austen and adds a few of her own.
In Netherfield Park, she concentrates her attention upon Jonathan Bingley, one of the most credible Austenian figures she has created. Son of Jane and Charles Bingley, he is a fine upstanding young man with strong feelings and sound principles, but there is a far more complex fate in store for him than that of his amiable father in Pride and Prejudice. Faced with a disintegrating marriage and a series of practical problems, he decides to return to Netherfield , his parents’ original home.
Anna Faulkner, a young woman of elegance and sensibility, provides the female romantic interest and though she has neither the wit nor the pertness of Elizabeth Bennet, she is intelligent and more interesting than many Victorian heroines of the period. She brings us and Jonathan a new view of Victorian women.
Many interesting minor characters add interest to the story- Mr. Griffin the rector, Lydia Wickham and Arabella Watkins - an insufferably vulgar friend of Miss Caroline Bingley. Ms. Collins combines all these ingredients together with a couple of enduring themes and some gentle humour, coming up with a very readable and believable tale. Consistent characters, lively dialogue and a vivid narrative style are her chief strengths.
Together with an abiding affection for Jane Austen and her characters, they make this an enjoyable experience for readers who like their romance with a historical flavour."

BOOK NEWS
June/July 1999

Ms. Collins has done it again, writing yet another fine companion novel to Pride and Prejudice, third in her series. Having read both The Pemberley Chronicles, and The Women of Pemberley (respectively), it was a thrill to delve yet again into the lives of our beloved characters and their families, as the continuing story unravels in Netherfield Park Revisited.
Collins has given Pride and Prejudice lovers a chance to learn what has happened to their favorite characters after the famous Austen ending. Just as enjoyable is the story-telling involving the "next generation" of characters - as the author brings their experiences tto life.
The existence of Jonathan Bingley is one of change, that will keep you reading until you’re finished.
Ms. Collins, will you please us with yet another book in your fascinating series?





"I found it difficult to put down this book..."