Customer Reviews

Willoughby's Return: A tale of almost irresistible temptation

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While the Jane Austen sequel industry abounds with numerous books inspired by Pride and Prejudice, regretfully there are very few sequels to Austen's first published novel Sense and Sensibility. Why? Possibly because some readers have been disappointed with half of Austen's unsatisfactory ending for her two heroines. While the two Dashwood sisters do marry: staid and stoic Elinor to Edward Ferrars and impulsive and free-spirited Marianne to Col. Brandon, the second pairings future happiness seemed doubtful. How could a young lady with Marianne's intense passionate depth be happy with anyone other than her Byronic first love Mr. Willoughby - even after he threw her over for an heiress? Nagging questions arise. Did she settle when she married the Colonel? Would she be tempted into extramarital affairs and runaway with her lover? Possibly, leaving an intriguing premise for continuing the story.

All these concerns are addressed in Willoughby's Return: A Tale of Almost Irresistible Temptation a new sequel to Sense and Sensibility by Jane Odiwe. How, or if they will be resolved to our satisfaction is now a possibility.

Three years after her marriage to Colonel Brandon, Marianne is the mistress of Delaford Park and the mother of a young son James. She has everything that a young married woman could desire: wealth, position, an heir and a loving husband, but her insecurities, jealousy and impetuous nature rob her of complete happiness. Resentful that her husband is frequently called away to attend his ward Eliza Williams and her infant daughter, Marianne "feels" that he cares for his other family more than his own. Their ties to the Brandon's are strong and painful; Eliza being the daughter of Brandon's first love who died tragically, and Eliza's young child Lizzie the illegitimate daughter of John Willoughby the rogue who also threw over Marianne's affections for an heiress five years prior. In addition, there is that imposing portrait of Eliza's mother hanging in the Hall staring down at her. Every time Marianne passes it she sees the similarities of their appearances and doubts more and more if Brandon married her because he loved her, of if she is replacing the woman that he loved and lost years ago. When the charming rogue John Willoughby reappears in her life proclaiming he has never stopped loving her, the pain of their failed romance is renewed gradually replaced by conflicting emotions and the temptation to be with him again.

We are reintroduced to many of the characters from the original novel: Elinor Ferrars and her husband Edward, Mrs. Jennings, the Middleton's, Lucy Ferrars and importantly Elinor and Marianne's younger sister Margaret Dashwood who has her own romance in the course of the novel that may equal Marianne's dilemma in emotion and drama. It could not be a Jane Austen sequel without talk of beaus, gowns and a glamorous Ball, so imagine everything most "profligate and shocking" in the way of young couples dancing and sitting down together! Margaret Dashwood supplies the shocking (to the horror of the neighborhood biddies) in her behavior by dancing more than three times in one night with one partner, Henry Lawrence, the charming and bold nephew of Col Brandon. Like Willoughby, Henry appears to be a good catch: attractive, well connected, an heir to a fortune and too irresistible. He wastes no time in pursuing Margaret's affections. There is a surprise twist to their relationship that I will not reveal, but readers might recognize similarities to another Austen heroine.

Odiwe has captured Marianne's spirit superbly. Romantic, impulsive and let's face it, high maintenance! At times I really wanted to give her a firm dressing down and felt the same of Austen's younger Marianne, so I knew that Odiwe had connected their characteristics seamlessly. Marianne may be five years older, but she's still Marianne the drama queen and that makes for great entertainment! Interestingly, the two men in her life, Brandon and Willoughby, had fewer scenes than expected but caused many reactions to fuel the narrative serving their purpose. This was a nice mirror to women's fate in Regency times. Men have all the power, women all the presence.

This is Odiwe's second Austen sequel, and like Lydia Bennet's Story she has chosen a character in Marianne Brandon that is ruled by impulse and emotion making for surprise and tension - all good elements to an engaging story that she delivers with confidence and aplomb. Developing younger sister Margaret Dashwood brought youth, vivacity and a bit of rebellion against social dictums to the story. Her romance with Henry Lawrence was an excellent choice as she shared the narrative equally with Marianne and balanced the story. Odiwe's research and passion for the Regency era shine, especially in her descriptions of the country fair and fashions. It is rewarding to see her develop her own style evocative of Austen but totally modern in its sensibility. There were a few missteps with cadence and vernacular, but I am splitting hairs, and few will notice. Of course we are never in much doubt that it will all end happily, but unlike Jane Austen's tale, the final transformation of the heroine's troubling want of caution and choice of spouse will not prompt debate two hundred years later.

A light and enjoyable read, Willoughby's Return is a charming tale that sweeps you back into Austen's mannered world of a young girl searching for love and a married woman realizing it.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

I have never read a sequel to "Sense and Sensibility," my favorite of Jane Austen's works, or to any Austen work for that matter. I have been a bit leery of the current trend of writing sequels to her her works but I took a chance on this one and its not bad as far as sequels go.

The story focuses on Marianne Brandon and her younger sister, Margaret, and takes place about 3 years after the events in "Sense and Sensibility." In that short amount of time you know some feelings have not healed. Marianne is happy in her marriage but is resentful towards the time Colonel Brandon spends with his ward and her little family; she really doesn't like the fact that he never speaks to her about it (while he of course doesn't say anything because he knows it upsets her). She still thinks about Willoughby occasionally but feels she's put all that behind her. Marianne then decides to set her sister Margaret up with the Colonel's nephew, Henry, and of course, the two young people hit it off at once. At this point, Willoughby returns to their lives because he just happens to be doing business with Henry. His return couldn't have come at a worse time for Marianne; her husband is conveniently away tending to his ward and her ailing daughter and Willoughby makes it clear he's still in love with her and wants to win her back. You then get the usual misunderstandings that threaten everyone's happiness: Henry appears to drop Margaret for a childhood friend, giving in to his mother's wishes; Marianne thinks that the Colonel is happier with his other "family;" family acquaintances fill their heads with wrong information, etc. Of course, everyone ends up happy at the end and with the person they should be with - but we wouldn't want it otherwise, right?

This was a good sequel though you could tell it wasn't written at the same time as the original. There were just too many things that were discussed or mentioned that Austen just would not have included (you just would not see Austen mentioning in her writing that Marianne is eager to get to the bedroom with her husband or writing about some of Marianne's private encounters with Willoughby) because it just was not proper to mention such things in the period she was writing. It had an Austen-ish feel to it but it just did not have the formal, strict feel to the writing that you find in Austen's work. Of course, it is going to be hard to get that when you're not living it. The story lines were a bit predictable, especially Margaret's. Everything that happened to Margaret throughout the course of the story seemed almost like a combination of what happened to her two older sisters in the original. Marianne's story was a little less predictable, though once she makes her decision towards the end of the story the rest plays out as I thought it would. The story is well written, especially in describing Marianne's feelings; there certainly were times when I could almost feel how confused and frustrated she was. The dialogue seems appropriate for the time period (with those few exceptions I mentioned above). Several of the characters from the original show up in this sequel - Mrs. Jennings, Lucy Ferrars, John Middleton - and they all behave as you would expect (though I found Lucy's character extremely irritating here). One point that surprised me was how little we see of Elinor in the story, especially considering how close the sisters were in the original. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of her and Edward, but then this was a story about Marianne's temptations.

Overall this was not bad and was a fast, easy read. I have always wanted to see what might have happened after "Sense and Sensibility" ended and this is not a bad attempt at continuing the story. If you're an Austen fan and you've always wanted to see more of Marianne and Willoughby, take a shot with this one.

After her marriage to Colonel William Brandon, Marianne (formerly Marianne Dashwood) seems more settled and content, but things are about to change, drastically, for the normally impetuous heroine, when the Colonel is called away. An unexpected, charming, old flame resurfaces, opening up old wounds and new passions.

In this new Sense and Sensibility sequel, Ms. Odiwe has captured Jane Austen's style with ease and eloquence, making this book a rare reading delight.

While my three stars might be deceptive, I think my response had more to do with some key factors, and not the quality of the writing itself.

Overall, I felt that Odiwe's story of Willoughby returning into Marianne Brandon's life to be pretty difficult. As a huge fan of all things Austen, I (like many fans) loved Colonel Brandon for seeing Marianne as she was and loving her unconditionally. In the end, I wanted to see Marianne step up to the plate and demonstrate her appreciation for Brandon's selflessness. However, in this tale, Brandon is a semi-absent husband, and Marianne is terribly insecure about her relationship with Brandon. While she does love him, she feels that he must surely still love his first love, which then leads her to her own exploration of what she felt for Willoughby.

Although I don't like to admit that we do remember those loves that came into our lives and left us scarred, this story reminds us that they do impact our current relationships (as sad as that seems). I would have enjoyed having the story stick to Marianne's story, but we also had a second narrator in her younger sister Margaret. I will admit to often getting confused over who was speaking and would have to switch gears to realize that we were now watching Margaret strike out in the search for love.

The writing, in its fluency, was nicely done and captured the style of that time. I enjoyed reading the novel, although I agonized over the thorn that Willoughby represented in a sweet marriage, and over the switch in narrators and stories. Overall, a fun exploration into the "what if's" of a first love returning, that I think we've all considered.

This sequel to Jane Austen's classic novel Sense and Sensibility (1811) picks up three years after the events of the original story. Marianne Dashwood, now Mrs. Brandon, is happily married to the devoted Colonel Brandon, and has a child of her own. Her sister, Elinor Dashwood, now Mrs. Ferrars, lives nearby with her husband Edward and their children. This novel focuses more, however, on the younger Dashwood sister, Margaret, who is now sixteen and quite beautiful. When Colonel Brandon's handsome nephew, Henry, comes to Delaford to visit his uncle, Marianne is determined to play matchmaker between her nephew and sister. Marianne's plans seem to be going well, Margaret and Henry become increasingly attached to one another. But nothing prepares Marianne for the shock she experiences next: John Willoughby, her first love who spurned her for a rich heiress, has returned to Dorsetshire with his wife. It appears that Willoughby and Mrs. Brandon will be forced to spend time in eachother's company at social events in the neighborhood, and Marianne is conflicted by a resurgence of feelings for the dashing man. She becomes even more unsure as her husband spends more and more time with his ward, Eliza, and her daughter, who happens to be Willoughby's daughter as well, in Lyme. Convinced that Colonel Brandon may have fallen in love with Eliza, Marianne begins to wonder if Willoughby's affections might be worth returning.

Although the story doesn't have the same literary magic of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, this sequel provides an entertaining and interesting read for those who loved the original story. Marianne Brandon, neé Dashwood, is now nineteen-years-old and has been happily married to her husband, Colonel Brandon, for three years. The couple have a child, and everything seems to be going well for Marianne, although she does appear to be slightly bored in her new life. She sees an opportunity for excitement when Brandon's nephew, Henry, comes to visit and seeks to play matchmaker between him and her sister Margaret, now sixteen-years-old. The storyline of Henry and Margaret is not as interesting as the return of John Willoughby, however. Fans of the original, both teen and adult, will clamber to see what happens when Marianne encounters her first love. In Willoughby, Austen truly created a dashing lothario, and left the novel open enough to leave the reader wondering what would happen if Marianne and Willoughby were ever reunited. Odiwe does a good job of entertaining these notions, with a lot of sexual tension, temptation and lust. The rest of the storyline, such as Colonel Brandon's supposed love for his ward, Eliza, and the inclusion of the irritating Lucy Ferrars and her sister, Anne Steele, are not quite as satisfactory. Still, the novel will appeal to both teen and adult fans of the original and continues in the spirit of the iconic Jane Austen.

I am a huge Jane Austen fan, and especially love the character of Willoughby from Sense and Sensibility (largely due to his portrayal by Greg Wise in the 1995 film version.) When I saw a novel that delved into what might have happened had Willoughby reentered the lives of the Dashwoods, I had to read it. Overall I enjoyed the novel, although the plot line with Marianne and Willoughby was the only one I found really interesting (there are also subplots about Margaret Dashwood and Colonel Brandon having a "love affair" with his ward, Willoughby's ex, Eliza.) Despite the mediocrity of these subplots, I still recommend this title for Jane Austen fans everywhere.

Like my review? Go to my profile to find the link to my blog to see other books I recommend!

Set four years after the close of Sense and Sensibility, Willoughby's Return starts off apace with a surprise visitor (no, not that one...) plans for a ball and mounting tension in the Brandon household. Marianne Brandon wonders if she has lost that part of herself that used to be so wildly impetuous and romantic. Has marriage and motherhood irrevocably changed the girl that her husband fell in love with... or was he ever in love with her at all? It is possible that he only married her because of her resemblance to his lost love?

While their marriage seems outwardly happy, Colonel Brandon's many extended visits to Eliza Williams and her daughter cause Marianne to wonder if he might find her, so very like her mother, to be his true heart's home.

Meanwhile, at Barton Cottage, Margaret Dashwood prepares for her first grand ball--and an introduction to one on whom all her hopes of future happiness depend. Mrs. Jennings, ever a convenient source of gossip is full of the news of Mrs. Smith's imminent demise and the return of the Willoughbys to claim Allenham as their own.

It is impossible that all should not meet, that relationships and passions once lost should not be rekindled, for Willoughby, too, has not been unaffected by the passing years. Realizing the mistakes of his youth, how he had valued the demands of his pocketbook above those of his heart. Is it too late for true love? Can the past be undone? Are future generations doomed to repeat his mistakes?

Fans of Sense and Sensibility will rejoice to find all their old familiar friends (Middletons, Steels, Ferrars and more) once more in "all the old familiar places". From cozy scenes at Delaford and Barton Cottage to the hectic rush of a Season in London, author Jane Odiwe constructs a compelling tale of love in all its forms. Appealing to all ages, fans of happy endings will be delighted with how the author spins her story, weaving suspense and intrigue into a well-crafted tale that manages to answer the many questions left by the original.

True love does conquer all!

I just finished reading Sense and Sensibility for it's 200th birthday, so I thought I'd top it off with Willoughbly's Return. It is a fantastic sequel to S&S! I'm so glad I read it!

It's roughly three years later, Marianne is very much in love with her husband Colonel Brandon. Things are not always smooth sailing for the couple. Whenever a letter arrives from Eliza, Colonel Brandon's ward, the Colonel is off to Lyme to take care of whatever is ailing her or her daughter. Marianne is jealous and resentful of the relationships his has with them.

Marianne hasn't seen Willoughby in those three years. Suddenly he is back in there lives, showing up at functions that they are attending. While Brandon is out of town, Willoughby tries to find opportunities to speak to Marianne. This creates more tension between Marianne and Colonel Brandon.

Margaret Dashwood is now of age and has a love interest, Henry Lawrence. Unfortunately he is friends with Willoughby! There is also a mystery between Henry and Mademoiselle de Fontenay. To me, Margaret is a combination of Elinor and Marianne, doing somethings without thought of the consequence and then behaving sensibly at other times.

Mrs. Jennings is still her happy meddlesome self! Always assuming love matches and spreading gossip.

I really enjoyed reading this story.

Reviewed by "So little time..." in Oct. 2011 [...]

I enjoyed this sequel to Sense & Sensibility, which seems to get left out of the sequel business,compared to Pride & Prejudice. I thought the author did a wonderful job of describing Marieanne's character, her impetuousness and eagerness, even as a woman with a household, husband, and children to manage. What she sees as optimism others might consider a naive lack of foresight or caution, and the author does a strong job of portraying this aspect of her character, without making her silly, flirtatious, or unreal.

Marianne has avoided Willoughby and has gone on with a happy life with Colonel Brandon. Her sister is married and lives close by, still reasonable, still more composed than Marianne. Her younger sister, who see just a snippet of in the movie, is now in her late teens...and has a subplot all of her own in this book.

In her heart, Marianne's still feels the wounds of a first intense love---still very painful to her---and the pain of the subsequent rejection of one who she felt was her soulmate. She has put the intense sense of loss aside and is a devoted mother and wife. We see, however, the component of her personality that demands attention, demands a deep, all-consuming love from those who love her, especially from her husband. This type of all-consuming attention is easy during a honeymoon when one has no other responsibilities, however, the intensity of this attention is rarely possible in the every day world where household & estate duties, business, and other neighbors also require their share of attention. She is jealous and hurt by the Colonel's sense of duty to help & visit his deceased ward's family....we may not like to see this in a character we love (as I think she is self-centered on this topic)....yet, I think this is a realistic view of her and his character. She married a man of honor...and yet this is the quality in him that she dislikes when he must leave her frequently to attend to the needs of his former ward's family.

Although avoidance has served her well to ignore the pain of her first lost love, things get more challenging when Willoughby moves into the neighborhood and is just as attractive to her...down in her soul....as he ever was. He is her soulmate, still. She still feels he is a kindred spirit, and especially for one of her personality, this is a siren call that is difficult to deny or to avoid.

As a married person avoiding entaglements is easy if you are never tempted, or not significantly, powerfully attracted to someone who is not your spouse. Most of what we read or even hear about in real life are tales of people attracted to each other who feel that spark of attraction--struggle, yet the powerful feelings of both parties can be irisistable and many feel they "can't help themselves." This attraction and subsequent involvement can make for a riveting story in real life and in fiction. Most usually, regret follows, based on either personal ethics or the damage to marriage, children, or other relationships. This author tackles this challenging topic, and does so realistically, adding a new dimension to the age old story of fidelity and the power of physical & emotional yearning.

This is, overall, a feel good story including serious topics. It is a great read: fun, but also thought provoking. At the end of the story I had great empathy for all 3 main characters, thanks to the author's talents. There is another sub-plot romance that is very entertaining....all in all: read this book and enjoy!

As I know this is an issue for some people: the story is rated G, although there are serious topics introduced, and clear allusions to the Colonel & Mary Ann's eagerness for alone time in their bedroom (something Jane would never write, but which is most definitely G).

"Sense and Sensibility" is such a lovely, honest, and entertaining novel; it such a shame that not many authors have attempted to compose a sequel for it. I have greatly enjoyed "Colonel Brandon's Diary" by Amanda Grange (S&S told from Colonel Brandon's point-of-view) and "Reason and Romance" by Debra White Smith (a modern adaption with Christian undertones); but neither of those are sequels or include a continuation story for Margaret. But now, having read "Willoughby's Return," I feel I have found the sequel for "Sense and Sensibility" I have always wanted! I am so very delighted that Jane Odiwe has supplied us ravenous Austenites with this compelling and expressive sequel to cherish and enjoy!

Whatever became of Margaret Dashwood? As Elinor and Marianne's younger sister, Margaret has witnessed their heartbreaks and heartaches first hand. Has their experiences made her wiser, more cautious, or perhaps, more indifferent to love? Does she take after rational and sensible Elinor or does she favor Marianne's romantic tendencies and impetuous nature?

In this novel, Margaret Dashwood, who is at the marriageable age of 18, seems to be the victim of Marianne's matchmaking schemes. So far she has yet to meet a man that can live up to her expectation or measure up to her childhood love (can you guess who that is?). However, when Margaret meets Colonel Brandon's nephew, the handsome, romantic, and charming Henry Lawrence, she feels she may have finally met her ideal man...

Marianne and Colonel Brandon, the other couple focused upon in this story, have been married for three years and have a two-year old boy named James. Like all married couples, they are experiencing some difficulties and trials in their marriage. Marianne is exhibiting some jealousy, insecurity, and mistrust in Colonel Brandon's love for her. Colonel Brandon, trying to be a father figure in two separate households (he looks after his ward, Eliza Williams and her child, Lizzy), finds that he has unintentionally been neglecting Marianne and spending too much time away from her. Furthermore, the ghost of Willoughby haunts their marriage, both Marianne and Colonel Brandon never mention his name or their past association with him. Because of their silence on the subject, when Willoughby re-enters Marianne's life, she chooses not to share with her husband their encounters and conversations. Secrets are never good for a marriage...

Jane Odiwe has done a magnificent job of continuing the story of "Sense and Sensibility," I greatly enjoyed spending more time with these characters and was pleased to see them so accurately portrayed. I was delighted that other minor character such as the Mrs. Jennings, the Middletons and Mrs. Lucy Ferrars were included in this novel and that they appeared the same as ever. I would have loved for Elinor and Edward to have more page time, but I understand that a story with two heroines is quite enough and to add a third heroine may have resulted in diminishing the stories of the other two.

"Willoughby's Return" was appropriately romantic, emotional, and passionate. I commend Jane Odiwe for capturing the essence and excellence of "Sense and Sensibility" and continuing the story in a knowledgeable and sympathetic manner. It is obvious that Ms. Odiwe loves and cares greatly for her characters (even the difficult ones), and I feel that Jane Austen loved her characters the same way. I greatly enjoyed this sequel for "Sense and Sensibility" and look forward to more works from Jane Odiwe.

Austenesque Reviews

I loved this book! I was really looking forward to a Sense and Sensibility sequel, and this one is one of the best along with The Third Sister! I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, and I was so happy that Marianne recovered her senses at the end, and didn't ruin her marriage to Colonel Brandon, who is one of my favorite Jane Austen characters, and in my opinion is vastly superior to Wiilloughby