Customer Reviews

A Marriage Worth the Earning: Volume 1, To Have and to Hold: A Pride and Prejudice Sequel

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

Based on the other reviews for Ms. Sherwood's novel I eagerly anticipated the read, and waited with anticipation for it to appear as a Kindle possibility. The first two or three chapters were delightful, and then began the conflicts between Elizabeth and Darcy which built with an unrelenting drumbeat of negative plot point after negative plot point with mind-numbing regularity. Case in point: Before I gave up on this depressing tale at the 44% mark, Elizabeth steps out of Pemberley's doors about three times. The first time, she and Georgiana build snow people, Darcy berates them severely and they both end in tears. The second time Elizabeth is beaten unconscious, and the third time she is accosted, in a sort of negative dues ex machina way, by Wickham. In between there is Darcy's near death, gross misunderstandings, abject stupidity and unbelievable irresponsibility over and over and over again. Enough, Ms. Sherwood!

I have (rightfully I think) criticized several of the authors of Jane Austen fan-fiction books for painting too rosy a picture for Elizabeth and Darcy. For example, the first volume of Rebecca Ann Collins' "Pemberley Chronicles" is nearly devoid of all conflict. Ms. Sherwood's "A Marriage Worth the Earning" is the opposite, never-ending conflict. She paints a picture of a Darcy that has not learned his lesson on overbearing pride and arrogance, which Jane Austen clearly meant for him to have learned during her novel's downtime between his abortive Rosings proposal and the chance meeting with Elizabeth at Pemberley four months later.

If you can wade your way through this incredible tale of woe you're a better man than I, Gunga Din. Ms. Sherwood wore me down.

It is often depicted that Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet live in a fairy-tale world in which everyone is in perfect harmony and incandescently happy. Furthermore, Darcy and Elizabeth are frequently portrayed to have an ideal and flawless marriage where they never face any misfortunes or complications. This is not the case in Volume One of Mary L. Sherwood's "A Marriage Worth the Earning" series. Ms. Sherwoods illustrates a marriage that contains strife, misconception, and outside negative forces. Her tale is one that is not frequently told and by comparison is a little bit darker and poignant than other "Pride and Prejudice" sequels. Jane Austen, an acute observer of human nature and folly, created a flawed Lizzy and Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," isn't it feasible these characters would continue to possess flaws and perhaps have a little difficulty adapting to their new roles of husband and wife?

After spending two wonderful and interrupted weeks together, it is now time for the honeymoon to be over for Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy. Elizabeth needs to undertake the role of Mistress of Pemberley, and Darcy needs to attend to his estate affairs, which were much neglected during his honeymoon. While sorting through her abundance of correspondence, Elizabeth discovers a missive from Lydia Bennet Wickham. Lydia divulges that she knows about Georgiana's near elopement with Wickham and demands money. Deciding to keep her husband in the dark about this, Lizzy attempts to send money to the Wickham's from her monthly stipend. However, this situation takes a turn for the worse when Wickham blackmails Elizabeth into sending even more money by threatening to expose Georgiana's past and harm Lydia and her unborn child. But when the wrong person discovers that Lizzy is being blackmailed by Wickham, they decide to use this information for their own nefarious purpose.

Even though Darcy has worked towards improving himself since his rejection at Hunsford Parsonage, his temper and officious manner towards the servants and herself has Elizabeth greatly perturbed. After many years of being the Master Pemberley, Darcy has grown accustomed to having his commands heeded, but Elizabeth is not one to be bossed around. In addition, jealousy and doubt flare up in Mr. Darcy when he perceives that Colonel Fitzwilliam may be in love with his wife. Darcy is then plagued with the question: "Would Elizabeth have said yes if Colonel Fitzwilliam asked her to marry him first?"

Ms. Sherwood introduces some stimulating and antagonistic characters that become negative forces in Lizzy and Darcy's marriage. We meet Collette Caldecott, a great beauty who grew up with Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Collette is bold, flirtatious, unbridled and attacks Elizabeth with suggestive comments about Darcy. Elizabeth, while trying to maintain composure and quell her insecurities, can't help but wonder if this alluring and confident woman was apart of Darcy's past and if she means anything to him now? We are also introduced to the Earl of Matlock and his charming wife, as well as their older son, Lord Hazelton and his not so charming wife... Lord and Lady Hazelton are disappointed with Darcy's choice in wife, and they create difficulties for the Darcy's in two separate ways. Lord Hazelton, a lecherous and licentious man, usually gets whatever he wants; and what he wants is Elizabeth Darcy to share his bed with him. Because of his attraction to her shapely figure and spirited personality, Lord Hazelton pursues any opportunity he has be alone with her. As for Lady Hazelton, she convinces Lady Catherine and Lord Matlock that Georgiana's future is in danger and that her guardians (Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam) are unsuitable an insufficient. What a dilemma for Darcy and Fitzwilliam when they discover Lady Catherine's devious scheme to secure Georgiana's future!

However, not all the characters cause tribulation or discord for Darcy and Elizabeth. Colonel Fitzwilliam is supportive and sympathetic towards Elizabeth, and he helps comfort Darcy when he is distraught. In addition, Charles and Jane Bingley provide much needed assistance, protection, and resolution. (I admired how the author portrayed Charles as brave and strong instead of immature and awkward, I also loved the scene where he comes to the rescue!)

My one criticism for this book is that sometimes there were too many conflicts and obstacles for the Darcy's to face. While I don't believe that Darcy and Elizabeth had a perfect marriage, I do believe that they would not let the little things in life mar their happiness, and that they would try to settle any quarrels they have before going to sleep. I greatly enjoyed the antagonistic characters and conflicts that were introduced in the book, I felt they were realistic and captivating. However, the little disputes and misunderstanding that occurred between Darcy and Elizabeth in the beginning of the book seemed too disheartening and perhaps were unnecessary. I preferred when Darcy and Elizabeth faced rivals such as Collette Caldecott and Lord Hazelton rather than being at odds with each other.

Ms. Sherwood's novel of Darcy and Elizabeth is one I took much pleasure in reading. It was a leisurely paced novel with plenty of details and day-to-day occurrences. I enjoyed her wonderful and reverent rendering of Jane Austen's characters, as well as her well-developed and creative character additions. Furthermore, I loved the secondary romantic love story she initiates between two characters, and I hope it will be cultivated and accentuated in her next installment. I eagerly anticipate Mary Sherwood's next novel and am happy to have this lovely and genuine tale of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy in my collection.

Austenesque Reviews

I first became acquainted with this story when it was in its rough draft stage back in 2006. When I first read the draft, I told Ms. Sherwood she had a winner and this needed to be developed and published. That was four years ago and since then this tale has developed and matured into the novel it is today, which, in my humble opinion, is one of the best sequels ever written to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Mary has gone to great lengths to thoroughly research the time period, and it shows in her work. At times you will feel as if you are there with the characters witnessing all that they see and do.

From the beginning you will be pulled into the world of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet Darcy. You will feel what they feel and taste what they taste. Mary is not only true to the characters, she is also true to human nature and all the vulnerabilities we face as human beings. She gives her characters flesh and blood and a soul.

Darcy has a past, like many people, which he struggles with, but as a true-to-character alpha male, those vulnerabilities are kept under tight regulation. He must learn to let go and share with his wife both his strengths and his weakness. From a very young age he has had to be the example of all that is noble and honorable, now he must learn to relax and have fun with the woman he loves. Not necessarily an easy task when you've been brought up to put duty and obligation before pleasure. A life time of habit is not replaced overnight, and Ms. Sherwood understands that very well as she shows the growth and development of her characters and moves the story along.

Also, Darcy's past comes back to haunt him through the beautiful and cunning Miss Colette Caldecott. Who is she and what did she mean to Darcy? Why has she come back? What secrets does she hold? Believe me, if you thought Caroline Bingley was a thorn, Miss Caldecott is a force to be reckoned with.

Then there are Darcy's relations. Miss Austen introduced them, or at least let us know they existed, but Ms. Sherwood dresses them out and brings their character...their personalities, if you will, to full life, and what a life she gives them. You will be reintroduced to Colonel Fitzwilliam and learn that he too is a man of principle, and though a little less formal, he is an alpha male nonetheless. You will also meet his older brother, Lord Hazelton, heir to the Earldom. He has a darker side that threatens to spoil his cousin's marriage and ruin Elizabeth. George Wickham will return and Lydia is as she always was. Miss Bingley is also present as are Jane and Charles. And there is also a menagerie of new characters, each distinct and each heart warming. The reader will meet the local parish doctor, Dr. Harrison Lowry. He is a very interesting character who will come to grow on you as time progresses. And there are the tenants and servants. The reader will be introduced to various servants and tenants and learn how they interact with the new mistress. Ms. Sherwood has definitely done her job in that respect, too. There is never a dull moment.

Then there is Georgiana. This character intrigues me the most. What sort of impact would you think a near seduction by a smooth talking calculating rake would have on her? You may be surprised. Miss Darcy comes into her own as she discovers the bitter truth of what it means to be a woman at the mercy of men who, at their own discretion, have the power to decide her future. What will Miss Darcy do? How will she react? Read and find out.

All in all, this is a saga with drama, suspense, and intrigue. It is a tale of learning what it means to come together as one, with respect and love. However, there is one thing further that should be said. For those who are looking for erotic love scenes, well, you will not find those here, but you will find plenty of love and passion while the intricate details are left to your imagination. Other than that, this story does sparkle and sizzle.

I could go on and say more, but it's best I stop here and let you discover this lustrous pearl among pearls. With free shipping, this book is definitely worth the price!

Lizzy and Darcy do have a marriage worth earning, and boy do they have to earn it!! This story does not buy into the fairy tell ending of happily ever after. Instead, Sherwood recognizes that even though Darcy and Lizzy love one another they don't exactly know one another, so the early part of the marriage takes work, but boy is it is worth it!

The BEST part of this book for me is Colonel Fitzwilliam!! I loved his story and can't wait to see what happens in Part 2!!! It will be a long wait!

Has there ever been a reader of Pride and Prejudice whose imagination has not been aroused by the rather sparse details about the famous couple's future given by Jane Austen? Regency readers or those modern readers gifted with a thorough knowledge of Regency times might wonder how a love match between people of vastly different circles can survive and even blossom despite society's disapproval, awareness of social distinctions, vices and hypocrisy and, even more, modern readers might doubt the possibility of living happily ever after despite the adjustments and compromises people with strong personalities, who can't know very much about each other's daily life, must make. The first volume of Mary Sherwood's A Marriage Worth the Earning describes the initial steps taken to answer the aforementioned questions.

The story leads the reader into a world where an unusual love match clashes with the demands of the usual public marriage under constant scrutiny of both servants and society pressing two people very much in love into the roles their station in life demands. Mr. and Mrs. Darcy struggle with the expectations of society while, at the same time, they must still learn about themselves and their relationship. As they do so, naturally occurring insecurities result in misunderstandings fuelled by jealousy, gradually mounting to unexpected heights that must be overcome. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the very much reserved and serious master of Pemberley, is driven by his need to protect and care for those he loves, and with the best of intentions, but not always sensitive to the needs of his wife, makes mistakes common to many newly married men. And a spirited, but not always temperate Elizabeth Bennet Darcy, must learn to deal with strangers set to challenge and test her, be it a lady from Darcy's past or his present family, whose members are not completely paragons of virtue and good-will, or be it well-known old acquaintances like George Wickham or Caroline Bingley.

They struggle to overcome obstacles thrown in their way, to build lasting trust and reliance on each other in the midst of all difficulties is told by a narrator who gradually extends the range of characters to be dealt with, intertwining the parts of action masterfully. The story is told in a classical but never boring way. Darcy's narration varies between his own narratives, lively dialogues giving the reader the feeling to be the proverbial fly on the wall, reported speeches and inner monologues showing the main character's point of view and dialogues that reflect conflicts and help the reader to understand these conflicts. Besides the main characters of Elizabeth and Darcy, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam is worthy of mention as a kind of second hero not only because his character is painted as witty and lively, but also because of his caring and understanding nature that contributes a lot to give the reader insight into the working of other characters' minds and his feelings for a certain lady - but I don't want to give away too much.

Very early on the actions gains speed, but in between the reader is given some respite from the quick succession of trials by calmer and more harmonious episodes. There are parts that make one laugh aloud due to the ridiculousness of the character's actions and speech and sometimes due to the hilarity of situations.

Ms. Sherwood's most diligent research of each and every detail of Regency life, as well as character's and narration's coherence, lend the story creditability and leads the reader to plunge into a world of the past. Mary Sherwood's novel is not only a novel telling about a marriage that does works simply because vows are spoken, but one that matures in time because love does not give up. This is also the answer to modern readers who will learn about the importance of communication and who will realize that a certain level of tolerance, self-reflection and determination to love often absent in modern society makes a marriage succeed.

Mary Sherwood also presents a fascinating social novel enhanced by a lively and witty style of writing that captivates the reader from the very first page. Readers will want to read the story in one go and then reread it. The story leaves the reader at a point in which they will beg for more. This story is captivating, leaving the reader to marvel about the maturing relationship of one of literature's most beloved couples and wonder about other characters' failures or well-being, surely they will wait impatiently for learning more of A Marriage Worth the Earning in volume two, announced for 2010. So, make yourself comfortable, lean back, read and enjoy!

If you're into Pride and Prejudice and you're a romantic, then you'll LOVE this continuation of Darcy and Elizabeth's tale. It's quite a page turner, I couldn't put it down until I read the whole thing. It's so good that I think Jane Austen would put her seal of approval on it.

The characters are very clearly fleshed out and thier actions explained without stretching what Austen originally protrayed. I really liked Fitzwilliam's character. Can't wait for the next installment.

I read all the P&P sequels, can't get enough...I love this one because it doesn't paint the characters as perfect or always in sync. There are lots of obstacles to overcome which makes the story that much more interesting. I thought the measure of romance vs. explicitness was just right.

Now, my only question is; 'Can you speed up the next release date? I'm desperate!!

I've read a few Pride & Prejudice spin-offs, namely the first two Linda Berdoll Books, Mr. Darcy Presents his Bride, and the three Pamela Aidan books (the first and third of which were very good). This book was definitely my favorite of them all. I often found the characters in other spin-off novels to act in ways the original Austen characters would never dare...it was as if they were completely different people. In this novel, there are a lot of disagreements, misunderstandings and conflicts between Darcy and Elizabeth, but I believe this would be expected, given their very different dispositions and upbringings. I think it makes the novel that much more interesting because this helps their relationship actually grow and makes the happy times they share that much sweeter. How boring would the novel be if all the characters did was float around in perfect harmony? I did think at times the resentment and misunderstandings that continued to mount did get tiresome and frustrating, but as in any Austen novel, they work out in the end. One-by-one each conflict gets resolved and everyone gets what they deserve.

The plot moves quickly and never dwells too long on any one situation. It's nice to see Elizabeth and Georgiana's relationship grow, and also to see Georgiana grow into a lady.

I also enjoyed how the novel did not spend too much time elaborating on characters that I didn't really like or care about, as I found in some of the other P&P novels. The main characters in this book are Elizabeth and Darcy (of course), Georgiana and Col. Fitzwilliam. Caroline Bingley also shows her face and is up to no good as always. Jane and Bingley return to help save the day. Kitty benefits from spending time with her sisters. A few new interesting characters show up to wreak havoc on the happy home.

In the end, I enjoyed every page of this book and can't wait for the next one to come out in 2010. I highly recommend it!

Mary L. Sherwood's A Marriage Worth the Earning continues the story of Pride and Prejudice, detailing the first few weeks (months?) of the marriage of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. The exact amount of time elapsed in the novel is not clear because every single detail of daily life is given, to the point that it is difficult to know which events are important and which are not. A Marriage is 578 pages, with a continuation promised in 2010; Volume 1 ends without resolving the Wickham problem or the love story of Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Many subplots shunt aside the main idea--Lizzy and Darcy's marriage-- for falsely accused servants, blackmail and forgery by Wickham, a tenant farmer who beats his wife to death and attacks Lizzy and Darcy, a mine cave-in, a woman from Darcy's past, Caroline Bingley's plotting to disrupt the Darcy marriage, Colonel Fitzwilliam's lecherous brother's designs on Lizzy and Georgiana, Lady Catherine and Lord Matlock's attempt to remove Georgiana from Darcy's guardianship, and her rescue by Colonel Fitzwilliam. Someone should have pruned the external conflict and concentrated on Elizabeth and Darcy. The point of view shifts so frequently that it is hard to engage with the characters.

There is little character development in A Marriage Worth the Earning. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth is faithful to the original characters in Pride and Prejudice. Darcy is alternately a bully and a wimp. Elizabeth is a twit whose actions and failure to tell Darcy what's going on put both of them in danger. Most chapters feature Elizabeth, Darcy, or Georgiana (or some combination thereof) bursting into tears and begging someone for forgiveness. This got old fast.

A Marriage Worth the Earning reads like a first draft. As such, it needs rigorous editing to limit the external conflicts to a manageable number, to focus on the development of the main characters, and to improve the writing style.

I wanted to like this novel. I really did. However, I found it disappointing.