Rainy Days - an alternative journey from Pride and Prejudice to passion and love. [Paperback]

Lory Lilian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2009

In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet's first impression and hasty judgment of Mr. Darcy, and that gentleman's pride and aloofness toward her loved ones took them on a long, difficult road to happiness. In "Rainy Days", Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are caught in a rainstorm two days before the Netherfield ball, and they are forced to spend a few hours alone together where they talk, listen, and better understand each other's feelings. However, even when original pride and prejudice are overcome, new obstacles arise. The road to true love is never smooth, and surprises along the way enhance the passion of the journey. Rainy Days - an alternative journey from Pride and Prejudice to passion and love.

Product Details

• Paperback: 396 pages
• Publisher: Meryton Press (October 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193600903X
• ISBN-13: 978-1936009039
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A heart-melting novel from a generous author, November 6, 2009

By 

Elisavet KATSIKA (Thessaloniki, Greece) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rainy Days - an alternative journey from Pride and Prejudice to passion and love. (Paperback)

"Rainy days" is a `what-if' story, based on Pride and Prejudice. In this ingenuous and extremely romantic story, pride and prejudice are removed quite early out of the way, as Mrs. Lilian finally answers the longstanding question that has tormented Jane Austen's fans for ages: "What would have happened if our beloved couple, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, had sat down and talked about everything from the start, instead of sulking, throwing insults or well disguised hints and thoroughly misunderstanding each other?

Therefore, due to the (un)fortunate weather, Elizabeth and Darcy are able to be open to each other, to form a kind of friendship that will make the love that is slowly flourishing all the more precious. Does that mean that everything is resolved from the beginning and the novel is a sweet but uninteresting sequence of love-scenes? Of course not. As the author reminds us in her summary, the path to true love is never smooth. Problems, difficulties, dilemmas, arguments are bound to occur. However, the twist allows the characters to be more sincere, better understood and it gives Mrs. Lilian the opportunity to investigate them in new delightful depths.

I have read many sequels, prequels, and generally as many stories related to P&P as I could find. Each time I have fallen in love with Mr. Darcy. However, I can safely say that "Rainy days"' Darcy is one of my all-time favorite. He does not need to suppress his feelings, and this time we get to see what we only suspected of the original character: how he behaves as a besotted man, as a betrothed, as a husband. Elizabeth Bennet uses her exceptional mind correctly this time and I was delighted to watch her mature without losing her impertinence or playfulness that made her adorable in the first place.

And the surrounding universe of Pride and Prejudice characters is as vibrant and enchanting as ever. There are also one or two new characters, which may be minor, but they are wonderfully written. Georgiana Darcy as well as some children are portrayed with such tenderness that leaves a warm feeling in our hearts.

And of course, we should not forget the masterfully written, full of passion love scenes, which are erotic without being vulgar or repetitive.

Mrs. Lilian is a generous author. She offers feeling, happiness, warmth, witty dialogue and memorable scenes. All these can be found in the pages of her remarkable novel.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Day For Story, Rainy Day For Dialogue, December 6, 2009

By 

Steven J. Zawacki (Charlottesville, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rainy Days - an alternative journey from Pride and Prejudice to passion and love. (Paperback)

Having read dozens of P&P variations, sequels and Darcy stories, I can say that Rainy Days is one of the best variation stories I have read. If you resonate to a good P&P variation, and don't care too much about questionable writing skills then Rainy Days is for you.

Rainy Days begins a few days before the Netherfield Ball. On one of her early morning rambles, Elizabeth is caught in a freak rainstorm. Meanwhile, a spooked horse nearly runs Elizabeth over as she tries to prevent the hell-bent-for-leather rider from tumbling into a raging stream. Much to Elizabeth's chagrin, the rider turns out to be none other than her Meryton assembly and Netherfield nemesis, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy's horse bolts and they seek shelter from the viscous storm in a fishing cottage built years before by Mr. Bennet. Thrown together until the rain eases, they hash out their troubled relationship. Darcy tells Elizabeth part of his Wickham story, and she reveals her negative feelings for him, but by the end of their stay Elizabeth has a much improved view of Darcy. Many twists and turns later our loving couple marry, but not before their relationship is tried by Caroline, Lady Catherine, Wickham and Lord Matlock. Along the way, you will come to love Becky, the Gardiner's four (and a half!) year-old precocious little girl, who twists everyone she meets around her little finger.

The primary problem with this novel is the childishly written dialogue, especially true during the first forty pages. Oh, how I wish the author would have taken more care with her dialogue! With the first rate story she crafted, and better dialogue, this novel could have been the best P&P variation ever. Close, but no cigar.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites, December 17, 2009

By 

P. M. Harding (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rainy Days - an alternative journey from Pride and Prejudice to passion and love. (Paperback)

I first read this story several years ago on a JA fan fiction website and fell in love with it. I can't remember how many times I re-read it. When it was published, a friend sent me a copy, which I was thrilled to receive.

What I liked best about this story was how Ms. Lilian devised a way for Darcy and Elizabeth to meet during a rain storm, giving them the opportunity to know each other better. It doesn't take Darcy long to realize that, contrary to what he thinks, Elizabeth has a poor opinion of him, nor does it take Elizabeth long to see she may have misjudged Darcy. Thus, a very painful Hunsford is bypassed.

I liked that Elizabeth opened her mind and made an effort to learn the truth about Wickham, and the problems between him and Darcy. Georgiana, Darcy's sister, was a delight, as was the Gardiner's youngest daughter. Everyone lost their hearts to her.

This is a beautiful love story. When misunderstandings arose, they were solved quickly without sending the reader on a roller coaster ride of never ending angst. When that happens, the angst over shadows the plot. This did not happen in Rainy Days. Ms. Lilian never lost sight of the direction she wanted the story to go, which allowed me to enjoy this book, rather than throw it down in frustration.