Every great love has a beginning. In Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, we meet with perhaps the most sensible, caring relatives a lovelorn young woman could hope for: Mr and Mrs Gardiner. What is their story?Edward Gardiner has just been refused by the lovely young woman he had intended to make his wife. Heartbroken and eager for a diversion, he accepts an invitation from his brother-in-law, Thomas … brother-in-law, Thomas Bennet, to accompany him along with his two eldest daughters to the north on family business. Gardiner’s pleasure tour is interrupted, however, when his eldest niece falls ill and is unable to travel farther.
Stopping over in the scarcely remarkable village of Lambton, the men decide that Bennet must continue on, while Gardiner and the children remain. The only trouble is that Gardiner has not the least idea how he should care for one ailing niece and another who is ready to drive him to distraction… until he meets with Madeline Fairbanks.
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This was utterly delightful and I couldn’t put it down! The writing just flowed and like a river it carried you along to a most satisfying end. For me, Ms. Clarkston has captured not only Edward Gardiner but the future Mrs. Gardiner, Madeline Fairbanks, exactly as I imagined them to be.
This prequel to Pride & Prejudice has Mr. Bennet, young Jane and Elizabeth traveling with their Uncle Gardiner north to visit Mr. Bennet’s brother and heir who is ailing. The sparkle and energy of a young Elizabeth and the calming sweetness of Jane helps to heal and divert Mr. Gardiner’s thoughts from his failed proposal of marriage. With both examples of his adorable nieces, he comes to realize what he really wants in a wife. Little does he know it is sooner than he thinks!
Taking these beloved and some not so beloved characters, from Pride & Prejudice and giving them a past history just added a further layer of richness to my favourite novel. We get to see that Mr. Bennet is as he always was…an indifferent father. We get to experience the inquisitiveness and rambunctiousness of a young Elizabeth who adores her older sister. But best of all, we get to be part of this traveling group when they wind up in Lambton not far from Pemberley.
A simple trip to the north and Uncle Gardiner meets his future
Note: This was an ARC [advanced reader copy] from the author and an honest review.
There are marvelous reviews out there that report everything wonderful about this book. So I am not going to try and emulate their excellence.
This book was so delightful and that cover was an excellent choice. I could not believe someone was able to create a story around the courtship of Elizabeth’s Uncle and Aunt Gardiner. We have loved this couple for years as they first appeared in P&P and in all the JAFF stories, sequels, prequels, variations and the numerous movie adaptations. Their wisdom and insight guided our dear girls through their formative years and helped them to grow up and become the delightful ladies we know and love.
But, the questions are: How did they begin? How did they become this power couple? What circumstances brought their paths together? Who is Madeline Fairbanks? And most importantly, what made her the perfect companion and help-meet for Edward Gardiner?
Nicole Clarkston, like an artist at her loom, has woven a beautiful cloth depicting the early foundation for the P&P story. Even if no one had ever read Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ [gasp], they can still enjoy this delightful story. For those few that have only read P&P once or twice, they may yet be able to pick up on the subtle nuances that thread their way through the design. However, for those of us immersed in JAFF, Clarkston’s work will explode in brilliant colors, designs, and textures, thus revealing the timeless picture.
To those readers accustomed to high tension, nerve wracking drama, numbing angst, sensual scenes and gratuitous sex, this will disappoint. As stated before, this is a simple story and we are looking at the everyday life of a woman in Lambton Village and the people that are most important to her. We come to understand the influences that formed her character and made her perfect for Mr. Gardiner. It was the reason they returned years later on their travels with an older Elizabeth in tow.
This work is rife with hidden treasures as we read this gentle story. On the surface it is simply a love story of a man, recovering from a great disappointment, finding his true and abiding love. But below the surface, our author has woven together threads that brought together many of our beloved P&P characters many years before that Meryton Assembly in Hertfordshire. Their stories run parallel to the Gardiner story.
It was such fun seeing our favorite characters as children:
14-year-old Fitzwilliam going head to head with an 8-year-old Lizzy over a chess board.
Lizzy comforting a 3-year-old Georgiana terrified by a monstrous storm.
8-year-old Jane’s reaction when she first cast her eyes on a very young Charles Bingley.
Charles Bingley’s reaction when he first cast his eyes on an 8-year-old Jane.
Lizzy’s first encounter with an angry Lady Catherine. That was a hoot.
Wickham being a pest and schemer, already ingratiating himself with Georgiana. It made my skin crawl.
We are privy to a young Fitzwilliam, still learning the dynamics of Pemberley, as he interacts with his father. The first meeting of the elder Mr. Bingley, along with a young Bingley, forged that friendship that brought them both to Meryton years later. It was amazing to see how that meeting between the fathers laid the groundwork for a friendship between their sons. It also explained why they were at school together. It’s like Clarkston made a list of all the “why” questions in P&P and wove them into this delightful story so she could provide a reasonable answer. Brilliant.
It bothered me when Mr. Darcy discussed Wickham with Fitzwilliam. But, there was wisdom in his words. It softened the grievance I’ve had with the elder Mr. Darcy as he seemed to coddle Wickham. Not by much… mind you, but some. Let’s just say I have a better understanding.
There are so many instances of foreshadowing that you have to read carefully to not miss them. I kept finding myself going…oooh, I know what that action will do in a few years… OMG!!! They were dispersed throughout the story and are used to lay the groundwork of character, and understanding. It also explained why things were the way they were and we were able to see characters in a new light.
Edward Gardiner observed his brother-in-law Bennet and made a wise and prophetic assumption regarding ‘his careless disregard for the keeping of his daughters’… He felt it would lead to trouble in the future if it was not checked. Unfortunately, Mr. Gardiner would live to see that prophecy come true.
This story was a journey and a journey takes time and I appreciated the fact that our author did not rush the budding relationship between our couple. So many authors do that [rush a story-line] to the detriment of the story and leaves the reader with a rushed feeling.
As Clarkston continued to weave the threads of her thoughts into the design she wanted, she skillfully introduced new characters that seemed innocent at first, but played an important part later in the story. I had to laugh when these characters kept popping up with comedic relief. It was those OMG moments where you just shook your head at the creativity.
It was funny to see how everything tied in to the P&P story as we know it. I had to laugh as our author brought everything back around to a complete finish with an epilogue that was most excellent.
One scene that touched me to the core was a picnic where our group found old initials ‘GD’ and ‘AF’ carved in the tree. They discussed and commented on the long ago lovers and hoped the couple had a happy life. It nearly made me cry; I couldn’t help it. There were many moments like that, tender, touching and griping. We, who know the future, can see the subtle threads as they created the story way before the Meryton Assembly. Knowing what we know, knowing what was going to happen in the future… it was a strange and powerful feeling to be in that place and time. P&P questions I’ve entertained over the years seemed answered in some way. It was a settling feeling as things fell into place. It was delightful and made an excellent book for a cozy, snuggle down read on a cool fall evening.
For those who do not know GD and AF, or have forgotten, see below:
*****SPOILER**** GD and AF were the initials of George Darcy and Lady Anne Fitzwilliam, young Fitzwilliam Darcy’s parents. **** End Spoiler ****