Without Reserve: A Pride & Prejudice Variation [Paperback]

Abigail Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 2007

What would have happened if Fitzwilliam Darcy faced a true rival for Elizabeth Bennet's affections? In a return to the world of Jane Austen, the plot of Pride & Prejudice takes a different turn when Elizabeth accepts the proposal of a childhood friend before she meets Darcy again. When their paths finally cross, Darcy must decide what he is willing to do to win the woman he loves. A heartwarming conclusion to this lively tale brings satisfaction to all of Austen's beloved characters. THE PEMBERLEY VARIATIONS by Abigail Reynolds is a series of novels exploring the roads not taken in Pride & Prejudice.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Intertidal Press (June 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615148239
• ISBN-13: 978-0615148236
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Abigail Reynolds is a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast and a physician. In addition to writing, she has a part-time private practice and enjoys spending time with her family. Originally from upstate New York, she studied Russian, theater, and marine biology before deciding to attend medical school. She began writing From Lambton to Longbourn in 2001 to spend more time with her favorite characters from Pride and Prejudice. Encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking "What if...?" which led to four other Pemberley Variations and her modern novel, Pemberley by the Sea. She is currently at work on another Pemberley Variation and a sequel to Pemberley by the Sea. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two teenaged children, and a menagerie of pets.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Twist and a Lovely Tale, July 18, 2007

By 

elaine (Belp, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Without Reserve: A Pride & Prejudice Variation (Paperback)

Taken as just a romantic tale, Without Reserve is a very satisfying read.
But, readers of Pride and Prejudice will find this to be a very original and satisfying variation. The idea of Darcy faced with another suitor for Elizabeth's hand makes an excellent story, and provides a look at some of the social customs of the time. It also provides some heart-wrenching moments as well as some beautifully romantic scenes. The interactions between the main characters, Darcy and Elizabeth are beautifully evocative. The use of Blake's poetry serves to complement the story and helps to frame the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth.

I love this story - I've read it over and over again. It keeps your interest throughout, and should appeal to a wide range of readers.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Classic Story from Abigail, September 6, 2007

By 

Sandra Platt - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Without Reserve: A Pride & Prejudice Variation (Paperback)

I am a huge fan of all of Abigail's 'variations' on the original Pride & Prejudice, but also have to agree with another reviewer here. Here is a story that works beautifully whether you know/understand/love P&P or not. (Actually, I would say that of all Abigail's works, with hindsight).

This is a lovely 'what if' - I love the sheer romance of it all, that Darcy loves Elizabeth so much that he pursues her, then leaves her in peace because he believes she has made a choice that she is happy about, and wants what is best for her; then he finds his purpose again in such a wonderful way... the second part of the book, with his renewed determination to win her to his point of view is just so rewarding, romantic and superbly written that you almost don't want the story to end!

Another great read, I highly recommend it.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe three stars is overly generous for my tastes., February 15, 2008

By 

J. Lesley "(Judy)" (Midsouth, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Without Reserve: A Pride & Prejudice Variation (Paperback)

After I read "The Last Man in the World" I figured I was home free with this author. I really enjoyed reading that book. Then I began to read this one. Obviously, somewhere along the way I became confused about what this series of books was intended to do because this one just threw me for a loop. Ms Reynolds took situations from the basic Pride and Prejudice but about all I recognized was that Darcy had proposed marriage and Elizabeth had refused him, Darcy had unmasked Wickham, and Lydia had eloped with Wickham after going to Bath with Colonel and Mrs Forster. Everything else is very, very much a new story.

I had not realized that I was going to be reading a romance novel where the author used the names of people and places which I was familiar with but in very unfamiliar circumstances. In this book Abigail Reynolds has veered off so far from the original text and ideas of Pride and Prejudice that it really made me uncomfortable in spots. After having Elizabeth and Darcy go through torture for page after page concerning his love for her, then her love for him, she began to put in very explicit sex scenes. First they were in the form of dreams for Darcy. Then they began to be actual occurrances with Elizabeth. I didn't like for my beloved characters to be kidnapped like that. Maybe I would not have objected so much if these sexual situations had happened #1 - after they were married, or #2 - toward the end of the book, but this book is just filled with the situations I prefer to use my imagination for regarding Darcy and Elizabeth.

I love the way Jane Austen wrote Darcy and Elizabeth. I allowed myself to accept Ms Reynolds changes in these characters for "The Last Man in the World" because I thought she had held basically to the actual story and moral character of the people in the original. In this book, she just went too far toward the physical for my taste. I read other fiction which includes senuality even more pronounced than this but they don't feature Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. It feels as if she took two people who I know and love and turned them into characters in what is commonly called "a trashy novel". I didn't like that.

I have the other three books. I'm hoping PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't let them be like this one! I gave it three stars. Maybe 2.5 would have been more reflective of my feelings.