Relations Such As These [Paperback]

Sara O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2009

What if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet met before the Meryton assembly while touring the Netherfield estate? What if his relations were just as questionable as hers? Based upon Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Relations Such As These explores the possibilities of what might have happened had the proud Mr. Darcy met Elizabeth Bennet under different circumstances. Would he act differently, or would he maintain his haughty demeanor? Furthermore, what if his relations were less than desirable compared to hers? Relations explores a scenario that ensues when the formidable Mr. Darcy meets the beguiling Elizabeth Bennet while touring Netherfield Park with his friend Charles Bingley, and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. What follows is a series of shocking revelations about the conduct of his family members, causing him to reconsider how unfortunate hers really are and how fortunate he would be to receive her hand in marriage.

Product Details

• Paperback: 428 pages
• Publisher: lulu.com (November 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0557136466
• ISBN-13: 978-0557136469
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #714,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm...., April 14, 2010

By 

Elizabeth Anne "Beth" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Relations Such As These (Paperback)

You know, I would have given this probably a 4 1/2 to 5 star rating, as the plot itself was quite good...but, then, the author took a turn that just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, when she started exploiting Darcy's and Elizabeth's sex life (before and after marriage!)....I guess there is a market for these types of books, but I wish the publishers would forewarn the public by putting notes or even rating the contents as they do the movies, so the unaware would be made aware before they make the purchase! This is just my opinion, but I know there are other readers, many other readers! who agree with me. The characters that Jane Austen created should not be exploited like they are by so many authors out there with sexual content...the sex doesn't make the story good, the originality and creativity of the plot is what makes the story good!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It had potential, June 1, 2010

By 

Diamond Girl (Pacific Northwest USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Relations Such As These (Paperback)

This story had some unique twists and turns compared to other Pride and Prejudice variations, and had real potential. However, the grammar, punctuation, spelling, paragraph delineations, and just plain use of words in the wrong way convinced me that: 1) The author is not a native English speaker; 2) The author did not read any of this after writing it; 3) NO proofreading or editing was done by ANYONE!!! There were multiple errors just in the two page Prologue, and it went downhill from there. All of these provided too many distractions that took away from the story. Sometimes it was just plain difficult to determine what the author was really trying to say. It was especially difficult to follow the dialogue, since the author has no concept of how to use quotation marks in conjunction with dialogue.

In addition, a couple of characters had their names changed during the course of the story. For example, in the early stages, Elizabeth receives a letter from her aunt, and it is signed "Mildred Gardiner". Later in the book her aunt is called Madeline.

I would not waste your money on this book. It was quite a bit more expensive than most other P&P variations, and definitely NOT worth the money!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Story, March 17, 2010

By 

P. M. Harding (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Relations Such As These (Paperback)

I first read this story on a Jane Austen fan fiction website and liked it very much, so when I saw it had been published I ordered it immediately. If you like a good, solid romance about Darcy and Elizabeth, with quickly resolved angst, this book is for you. You won't be disappointed that you bought it.

The reason I gave it four stars instead of five had nothing to do with the story itself, but everything to do with the errors I found, especially the lack of proper punctuation and, at times, sentence structure. Ms. O'Brien is a very talented writer, but her story sorely needed a good editor.