Guest review by Kimberly Denny-Ryder of Reflections of a Book Addict
In Sharon Lathan’s newest venture into the world of Pride and Prejudice, readers are given a chance to fall in love with one of Austen’s minor characters, Georgiana Darcy. For those that have been following Lathan’s Darcy Saga, you’ll know that Georgiana falls in love at the end of The Trouble with Mr. Darcy. Readers who are not familiar with the previous storyline, will be able to retrace her courtship in Miss Darcy Falls in Love, and experience the entire thing from the beginning.
Georgiana Darcy, now coming of age, embarks upon a tour of Europe without her brother Fitzwilliam and sister-in-law Elizabeth. During her time in Europe, she meets many new acquaintances, most significantly Sebastian Butler, a fellow music lover, and Lord Caxton, a teacher at The Conservatoire, a renowned musical school in Paris. Both pay her a great amount of attention, albeit in different ways. Sebastian becomes her musical collaborator, both playing and writing original compositions with her, while Lord Caxton seems to be intent on escorting her to balls, parties, and operas, taking her away from the musical world. Both men engage in a bidding war over her heart, yet only one will win. Who will Georgiana give her heart to? How will she choose amongst these two charming yet exceedingly different men?
Having followed all of Lathan’s previous works I will say I was slightly confused when I started reading Miss Darcy Falls in Love. Knowing the end of her last work I immediately went to check online to see if I missed a book in the series. Just to save you the confusion, this book takes place prior to the ending of The Trouble with Mr. Darcy, and ends after its conclusion. I’m actually really glad that Lathan decided to go back and tell Georgiana’s story. She was one of my favorite minor characters from the original, and I was always left wanting with her story. After everything that happened between her and Mr. Wickham in Austen’s original novel, she certainly deserves someone writing her a happy ending!
One of the most amazing things about this book is how it’s infused with “music.” What I mean by this is Lathan takes musical terminology and intertwines the story with it. The story itself is also written in a lyrical manner, flowing like a beautifully tuned instrument. Georgiana’s rapidly changing feelings are similar to arpeggios, fast-paced in their movement, yet rising and falling in a steadfast manner. She is conflicted in her feelings towards these two new male characters in her life, and is constantly questioning these new feelings.
Lathan does a fabulous job at expanding the framework that Austen laid out of Georgiana’s characteristics. She is still a doting sister, constantly wondering how her brother and family are at home, as well as phenomenal musician. It’s wonderful to see her grow in confidence under the tutelage of her companion and Sebastian Butler. Their confidence in her and her talents lets the accomplished Georgiana within shine through.
Lathan has another home run hit on her hands here. Her name is certainly solidified with what good Jane Austen fan fiction should be. If you haven’t given her novels a try, I suggest you do. Fast-paced and always full of the romance we all dream about, Miss Darcy Falls in Love is not one you’ll want to miss.
4.5 out of 5 Regency Stars
Miss Darcy Fall in Love, by Sharon Lathan
Sourcebooks (2011)
Trade paperback (288) pages
ISBN: 978-1402259043
© 2007 – 2011 Kimberly Denny-Ryder, Austenprose
Austenprose 
The “incurable romantic” says this book sounds delicious. Above all of Miss Austen’s novels, P & P, for me, has some of the most fascinating characters that invite “what-ever-became-of” reveries: Anne DeBourgh, Kitty and Mary Bennet, and, of course, Georgiana Darcy. Kimberly: GREAT review….you’ve sold me!
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I read this author’s first two novels and found them not to my taste. Too many sex scenes and I thought that the characters were profoundly changed from what Jane Austen had created. Sharon Lathan focuses too much on the “love story” aspects of Jane Austen’s novels for my personal taste. But I am glad you enjoyed her latest and it does sound as if it will be a delight for her established fans. Thanks for your review!
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Thanks for the review. It’s on my list to buy and read.
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I can’t remember if I have already bought it or need to order it. I happen to really enjoy Sharon Lathan’s continuations and had planned to read this one. The review really gave me even more reason to look forward to it. In response to the sex included in the book, it is handled morally as in two people who are committed in marriage (19th century, folks) and who love each other. I can only think of one exception where a couple “jumped the gun”, though I can’t remember who it was now in a Lathan book. In the culture of this time waiting until you got married for a woman was the ultimate goal of her maidenhood. But what about after the wedding? I for one am glad to see a healthy relationship in this area because I imagine that it wasn’t very healthy for many women. It gives me hope that more women were satisfied in their sexual lives than we think of when we think of this time period.
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I enjoyed the review and look forward to the book. Its on its way!
I love when someone tackles one of the minor characters and can’t wait until Sharon tells her own invention, Dr. Darcy’s story.
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I just can’t seem to find any of these novels in the book shops i frequent. I am currently in the ‘regency’ phase in my reading and can’t seem to find enough of them around. I love your reviews, they are precise and so well wriiten. will try another futile search for these books.
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In response to Karen Field’s comment, my issue is not whether or not sex in Austenesque novels is handled morally or whether or not a woman is depicted as being sexually satisfied or whether or not the sex is premarital or not. I just find lengthy descriptions of sexual encounters to be superfluous to the narrative in most instances and I prefer to avoid Austenesque novels that contain them. It’s all about context for me.
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How right you are Beth; it is not about being “prudish” or “moralistic”- the issue about introducing explicit descriptions of sexual encounters between Jane Austen’s characters lies in the literary context.
If one is writing of life within a particular period- one should take account of the literary and social conventions of the day- and detailed sex scenes which are a part of modern novels are both inappropriate and ( as you point out ) superfluous.
After all, does any one who reads Pride and Prejudice doubt the passion that develops between Darcy and Elizabeth because Jane Austen does not provide us with spicy sex scenes ? Whatever happened to readers’ imagination?
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Lovely review — I appreciated the note about the musicality of the language, literally and otherwise — as it does make the narrative almost a character.
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