He never expected his heart to break over her sister’s sorrow. While his cousin is in Manchester dealing with some unrest, Fitzwilliam Darcy is in Hertfordshire, waiting to marry Elizabeth Bennet and hoping to keep his promise to his cousin by helping to see to Miss Lydia’s continued improvement. What begins as a duty soon becomes something more when Darcy finds himself unwittingly slipping … finds himself unwittingly slipping into the role of a protective elder brother.
However, when trouble arises, will he be able to both mitigate the damage done by his own family members and keep Elizabeth’s sister, as well as his cousin, free from heartache? It may not be entirely possible, but he’ll not shy away from the fight.
Loving Lydia is the third installment in Leenie Brown’s Pride and Prejudice variation series Marrying Elizabeth. If you like romantic family sagas where the hero and heroine not only grow in their love for each other but also in their understanding of and care for other family members, then you’ll enjoy this story about our favourite couple working together to ensure the happiness of those they hold dear.
So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of Loving Lydia, and join Darcy and Elizabeth as two families become one.
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“The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it.” –Nicholas Sparks
Book 3 in the ‘Marrying Elizabeth’ series and follows: Book 1: Confounding Caroline, & Book 2: Delighting Mrs. Bennet: Rating: clean. Angst level: low to medium.
This series has been so much fun. Many JAFF [Jane Austen Fan Fiction] stories have plots and characters that are pure acid. Not so with this series by Leenie Brown. If the pH was taken, this story would measure neutral to slightly alkaline. When you can tone down a Caroline Bingley and a Mrs. Bennet… you have done something. If you are ready for a peaceful calm read, this is for you.
This is not a standalone book, due in fact to the changes in Miss Bingley [Confounding Caroline] and a new dynamic for Mrs. Bennet [Delighting Mrs. Bennet]. Those books established a foundation on which this book stands. Changes in behavior and the introduction and influence of new characters, who appear in all three books, will leave the reader a bit confused and wondering who the heck are these people and what the heck happened to Caroline and Mrs. Bennet? The progressive story is a hoot and a delight to read.
“Every relationship has its problems but what makes it perfect is when you still want to be there when everything goes wrong.” –Ritu Ghatourey
The main focus of this story is the budding relationship between Lydia and our dear Colonel. I know that is a pairing that we don’t usually see; however, it is so cute and touching. Little Lydia goes through such a transformation that it is amazing to see and believe that she will be OK with the love of a good man. Trials, they have and it will test their resolve when our dear Colonel [on assignment with the regulars] is seriously injured while attempting to quell an uprising in the north. There is so much this young girl has to deal with, I was so proud of her as was her family. The introduction of the Colonel’s Fitzwilliam relatives was a hoot. Lady Catherine let her sentiments be known. His mother, the Countess of Matlock, and his brother, the Viscount Westonbury, were hilarious and I knew that when they were in a scene something amazing [funny or outrageous] would happen. I was not disappointed.
Although there were several plot threads in this book, it never seemed busy or congested. Brown masterfully gave each couple their page time, each crisis was handled well and it never felt rushed. We were able to enjoy the betrothal periods for D&E and C&J as they prepared for their double wedding. We still had the annoying insect [Mrs. Slater] that kept buzzing throughout the story with her vile gossip. She was introduced in book 2 and she hated the former Miss Gardiner that snatched her prize [Mr. Bennet] right out from under her nose. Although she was not physically in this book, her presence was felt none the less. Actually, it was fun seeing how Brown used her to forward the story. With this new Caroline [I like her and Sir Matthew Broadhurst], we needed an antagonist and Mrs. Slater, with the threat of her unmarried daughter to the single men, was hilarious. I’m sure there are plans for her in the next book. Her daughter is still unmarried, you see.
Brown was also spinning a new thread by bringing back a gentleman [said loosely] we met in book 2. Oh, I just knew it was him. That scene was so funny and then to have him waltz into the drawing room at Netherfield and hear the exclamation “You!” I knew how it would be. And we were off and running with the groundwork for the following story in the series ‘Persuading Miss Mary.’
I have followed all the stories in this series on the author’s website. I received an ARC from the author with no expectations of a review. I enjoyed it so much, I purchased a copy for my personal library. The views expressed are my own. I highly recommend this delightful series.
“Some of the biggest challenges in relationships come from the fact that most people enter a relationship in order to get something: they’re trying to find someone who’s going to make them feel good. In reality, the only way a relationship will last is if you see your relationship as a place that you go to give, and not a place that you go to take.” –Anthony Robbins
The third installment in the family saga: Marrying Elizabeth.
Sweet and romantic story where our dear couple had become betrothed and Lydia’s character grew and developed into a lovely young lady, her staunchest protector may come as a surprise.
Unfortunately, the Colonel was sent to Manchester to quiet down some riots which went a little awry.
As more family arrived and preparations for the wedding was made, the merge of the families had its challenges…
Recommend!