From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:
Happy Friday, dear readers. I am delighted to share a preview with you today of a new Austenesque novel from one of my favorite authors, Monica Fairview. Dangerous Magic is an Austen-inspired fantasy involving characters from Pride and Prejudice. In this creative reimagining of the courtship of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, our favorite couple are mages who must marry to unite their powers to save their kingdom.
For the benefit of those who may not know what a mage is, according to the Urban Dictionary, they are “A skilled magic user who, unlike wizards and sorcerers, needs no staff as an outlet of his magic, but instead uses his hands.” Mages populate many role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons, World of Warcraft, and Dragonlance. So, in reference to Dangerous Magic, just imagine a fantasy world, Darcy and Lizzy with magical powers, and the classic “hate at first sight” trope all wrapped up in an intriguing package.
We are pleased to offer our readers a short glimpse into this magical world with an exclusive excerpt from the publisher. Enjoy!
BOOK DESCRIPTION
A sparkling tale of Regency England, a forced marriage, and two mages who must work together to save the Kingdom.
Elizabeth Bennet is stunned when the Royal Mages come to her peaceful country home of Longbourn to take her away. She is even more bewildered when she is commanded to marry a powerful mage by the name of Fitzwilliam Darcy. She has always dreamed of marrying for love, and an arranged marriage with an arrogant stranger was never part of her plans.
But Darcy and Elizabeth have no choice in the matter. Uniting their two forms of magic is essential if the Kingdom is to defeat Napoleon’s mages. They may dislike each other on sight, but Darcy and Elizabeth have to overcome their differences and find common ground before it is too late. Fortunately, it is not long before the sparks begin to fly between them.
Join the author of Fortune and Felicity in this enchanting story of determination, love, and hope against all odds.
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT
Everyone was looking at him expectantly. Naturally, they required him to be charming and considerate. He would not be any of those things. She did not deserve the position. She had not sweated blood and tears to reach it. But he was a gentleman, and he would at least be civil, because that was how gentlemen behaved.
“Welcome to Founder’s Hall, Miss Bennet. I hope you will find it to your liking.”
He could not keep the hint of irony out of his voice. For someone like her, living at the Hall must seem like she had perished and woken up in heaven. Any moment now, she would start cooing all over him. He would make it abundantly clear that he would not put up with it. He disliked flattery intensely.
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” she said. “I have not had the chance to look around yet, but what I have seen of it seems adequate. I was surprised that I am expected to share a room, but it seems we maidens must band together.”
Darcy was surprised. This was not the response he was expecting at all. His opinion of her rose a tiny notch. At least she was not the cooing type.
“Not for long,” he said, in reply.
“Not for long about sharing a room, or about maidens banding together?”
Once more, she surprised him.
“Both, I suppose,” he answered, then realized she was regarding him with a gleam in her eye, “though naturally you will still be free to band with the maidens.”
“I am very grateful to you, sir, for granting me that permission.”
The words were perfectly polite, but the tone was not.
How had the conversation slipped so quickly away from his control? He flicked a look at his uncle to see how he was taking it. Lord Matlock was standing with his arms crossed. The curve of his lips suggested that he was amused. Meanwhile, Bingley was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Darcy felt his ears burn. Somehow, he had become the object of a joke that he did not quite understand.
“I think we should leave the young couple alone for a few minutes to become better acquainted,” said Lord Matlock. “I am sure they have plenty to talk about.”
Lady Alice looked severe. “Very well. We will leave the door open, and I will be outside, ready to take Miss Bennet back to the Maidens’ Hall.”
Bingley clasped Darcy’s shoulder as he went. “Good luck,” he said, and sauntered off.
Lord Matlock was the last to leave. He winked at Darcy and shut the door pointedly behind him. Beyond the door, Lady Alice could be heard objecting, but the door remained shut.
Darcy concealed his unease. It was hardly improper to be alone in the room with her, of course, not when they were to be married in a few days, but he hoped she did not expect any – displays of affection from him.
“May I speak seriously with you, Mr. Darcy?”
“Of course,” he replied, eying her warily as she approached. He preferred to stay as far away from her as possible.
“I had always thought I would marry for love,” she said.
Surely she could not be that naïve? Her parents must have been very careless if they had allowed her to believe in that possibility.
“Those with strong mage powers do not have that luxury, Miss Bennet. We have the responsibility of passing on the gift of our magic to future generations. We cannot allow our Talents to thin out and be weakened by marrying those who are without a lineage.”
“I heard someone else recently utter almost the exact same words,” she said. “There is some merit to what you are saying, but we are always given some choice. I had hoped that sooner or later, I would have a Season, be introduced to other mages, and find a gentleman who was reasonably suitable. What I never imagined was that I would be forced into marriage by the Council.”
Forced? The word slammed into him. Did she think she was being forced into marrying him? Was she saying she did not want to marry him? He stood there dumbfounded as he grappled with this new perspective.
His mind quickly sifted through the possibilities until he found one that made sense. Of course. She was a country miss and she had no idea what an honor it was to join his illustrious family. Had no one explained to her that she was marrying the nephew of an earl? Had no one told her that he was one of the most powerful mages in the country? She was complaining that she was obliged to marry him?
The more he thought about it, the more indignant he became. He was the one who had the bad end of the bargain. His aspirations of marrying into a True-blood family had been laid to ruin.
Civility prevented him from pointing out these facts. She would find out soon enough how fortunate she was.
Chapter 3, pages 31-34
ADVANCE PRAISE
- Oh-My-Gosh! This was amazing and grabbed me immediately…It was fun reading familiar dialogue used in new and unique ways…I highly recommend this for those lovers of paranormal with loads of angst. 5 Stars.”— J. W. Garrett, Goodreads
- “And so, readers, I urge you to read this tale which is very different from canon. The names are the same but the story is very different…I was kept on the edge of my seat…I highly recommend this story.”— Sheila Majczan, Goodreads
AUTHOR BIO
Monica Fairview writes Jane Austen sequels and variations as well as Regencies. Her latest novel is a Pride and Prejudice fantasy variation, Dangerous Magic. Her biggest claim to fame is living in Elizabeth Gaskell’s house in Manchester, long before the house was restored. After studying in the USA, she taught literature, then became an acupuncturist. She now lives near London.
Monica loves anything to do with the nineteenth century, and obsessively follows every period drama she can find. Among her favorite dramas are ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (all adaptations), ‘North & South’, ‘Cranford’, ‘Sanditon’, ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Downtown Abbey’. During the Coronavirus lockdown, she has been re-watching The Paradise,’ ‘War and Peace’, and ‘Bright Star’.
Apart from her avid interest in the 19th century, Monica enjoys reading fantasy and post-apocalyptic novels but avoids zombies like the plague. She loves to laugh, drink tea, and visit National Trust Properties [those were the days], and she is convinced that her two cats can understand everything she says.
She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
WEBSITE | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST
BOOK INFORMATION
- Dangerous Magic, A Pride & Prejudice Fantasy, by Monica Fairview
- White Soup Press; 1st edition (March 15, 2021)
- Trade paperback & eBook (242) pages
- ASIN: B08W4CFT4Y
- Genre: Austenesque, Historical Fantasy
ADDITIONAL INFO | ADD TO GOODREADS
Austenprose is an Amazon affiliate. Cover image, book description, excerpt, and author bio courtesy of White Soup Press © 2021; text Laurel Ann Nattress © 2021, austenprose.com.
P & P and magic? I’m intrigued. I’m looking forward to reading 🤓📚
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Delighted to oblige, Reta!
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This sounds like fun! I look forward to reading it.
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Thank you for stopping by, readermd!
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Anyone who leaves zombies out of post-apocalyptic books AND does Jane Austin variations has caught my attention. Long may you write!
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Thank you, ChrisJ. Ah, so you know about the zombies, then. ;)
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I love fantasy and JA so would love to win this.
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My favorite combination, darcybennett!
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Thank you for sharing this delightful post.
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Glad you enjoyed it, Mirta!
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Love the blend of fantasy and P&P and find it intriguing.
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Thank you kindly, dh!
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Oh this sounds Amazing, P&P and magical realism!! Perfection💙
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Thank you, Gwendalyn!
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Interesting premise blending a classic with magic! I have enjoyed several of Monica Fairview’s other books and look forward to reading this one too.
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Thank you for your kind words, Jessie! If you liked my other books, you should definitely give this one a try!
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Poor Darcy! He can’t understand why Elizabeth is not falling over herself to marry him! I hope they both soon realise how well suited they are and begin to enjoy their marriage (but this is coming from someone who’s not an angst lover!)
I’m hoping to be able to read this some time soon.
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I know you’re avoiding angst at the moment Glynis, for good reason! So pleased to see you here!
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I’m looking forward to this book. I enjoy believable, unique twists on the original like Maria Grace’s Dragons, Joyce Harmon’s Mary Bennet magic books and Abigail Reynold’s Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment. This looks like another to save for a quiet evening seeking an adventure and love away from our current crazy world.
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Thanks, Diana. We all need a bit of a break, don’t we?
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I read and enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author.
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Really pleased to hear it, and thank you for the quotation in the article!
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As someone who appreciates the skill and imagination required to do alternative world building within the world of Jane Austen (think Maria Grace’s excellent dragon series set in the P&P and Persuasion worlds, Joyce Harmon’s Mary Bennet and magic books, and Abigail Reynold’s dive into the land of the Fae in Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment) I am intensely curious about the book and eager to read it. The small taste we are offered here tells me that I will enjoy escaping into this book – free for a while from our own crazy time.
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That’s exactly how I felt writing Dangerous Magic, Sister Diana! I felt immersed in a different world.
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Hello! I love, love, love this concept! I feel like this is Discovery of Witches and Jane Austen rolled into one magical, unique work! The sample dialogue is captivating, and I cannot wait to read the book!! Thank you!! :)
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I just finished watching a Discovery of Witches 2! I haven’t read the books, though. Have you? I’m really pleased you enjoyed the excerpt, clm1743!
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This excerpt has me hooked and hoping luck will have me “booked”!
Congratulations and thanks, Monica Fairview.
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Good luck winning, MSinSeattle, and thanks!
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Ooh can’t wait to read this one! The fantasy genre are some of my favorite variations and it’s nice to see more being published. Congrats!
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Thank you, Colleen. I think there’s a lot more interest in the fantasy variations now than when I first started, though there have always been a few.
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Congratulations on your new book.Thank you for the excrept (enjoyed this scene). I had fun imagining Mr. Darcy’s expressions as his thoughts goes through this indignation (I wonder if Lizzy sees it but continues on annoying him?) Thank you also for the chance to win a copy.
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:) Yes, I can definitely imagine his expressions. Good question about Lizzy, buturot. There’s a scene just before that where we see Lizzy’s point of view. They certainly started on the wrong foot!
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The premise of this book is intriguing. From this short excerpt, it sounds as thought the character personalities will be true to canon, although I am hoping that Elizabeth will not be angry through 90% of the book before she finally realizes that she loves Darcy. Thanks for entering me in the giveaway.
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I do think they’re true to canon, but the context is different, of course, ForeverHIs. They can’t stay angry with each other for too long, because they have to work together, so they have a strong incentive.
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Well……I especially like forced marriage plot line……the mage sounds intriguing…… and any book by Monica Fairview is always a winner. Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway.
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Thank you, Eva! Glad you think so!
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I love the image of a carriage floating along in the air and am having fun speculating about that. Was it floating just a couple of inches above the roadway so that ordinary, non-magical passersby would not notice anything out of the ordinary – except perhaps less dust in the air than normal? Or was it rendered invisible – and the horses too – so that it flew through the air to its destination? Ah the possibilities. I’m eager to read this.
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Just a few inches, to make the journey more comfortable. I’m guessing you read my other excerpt and followed the link here to comment? How lovely!
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Yes, I did just that. I’m enjoying the anticipation.
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I can hardly anticipate March 15th! To shorten the time I reread Fortune and Felicity the third time and it is still an excellent book!! Thank you!
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Awww! How nice of you to say so, Doris! :)
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Typical Darcy. He’s shocked that she is unhappy about being forced to marry him, yet in another excerpt elsewhere (and earlier in the book than this scene), he rages about being forced to marry HER.
I can’t wait to read this story!
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I know! He was the one complaining! Thanks for following along with the excerpts, Ginna! :)
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This looks like an interesting read! I’ve already pre-ordered it.
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That’s fantastic, Carol. Thank you!
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Wow! You have wet my appetite and I anxiously waiting for the release. I like seeing Darcy have all of his illusions shattered.
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We do love to see Darcy pulled down a peg or two, don’t we? He’s going to have to re-think things a bit! ;)
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I’m not much into the fantasy/vampire P&P’s, but this one has certainly peeked my interest. I will definitely read this one.
I’ve enjoyed so much of your writing over the years and want to thank you for many wonderful hours immersed in our favorite couple’s ups and downs.
I know your bio says you love everything 18th century, but if you love couples with a love like Lizzy and Darcy’s please check out 17th century couple Claire and Jamie Fraser in the Outlander series. They were recommended on one of our past JAFF sites, I think it was Hyacinth Gardens back in the early 2000’s. I always take the advice of Janeites as they have excellent taste!
shae
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Shae, thank you for the recommendation. I keep saying I’m going read Outlander but I never seem to get round to it. Now you’re giving me an extra incentive to read it ;) I do think Janeites have excellent taste!!
It’s a great pleasure to write books for kind readers like you! Hope you enjoy this one!
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I’ve read the Outlander series (twice!) as well as the Sir John spin-off series (also twice) and highly recommend them.
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Thank you Ms Fairview! Looks great! I’m looking forward to read it!
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A pleasure, Valérie. I hope you enjoy it!
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Love it!! So imaginative! And requires me to use my imagination, too, to follow the story! Thank you for sharing this with us! And congratulations on another book!
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The imagination is such a wonderful thing — and it’s great when I’m lucky enough to share it with others! Thank you for following me along with the journey into that magical world, Roxey!
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Love that this is a magical world with P&P. So fun! I can’t wait to read it.
Please do not enter me in giveaway!
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Thanks, Sophia Rose! I had fun writing it!
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I believe I’ve enjoyed every one of your books. Thank you for the pleasure.
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You’re very welcome, Betty. So pleased to hear it!
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I love it when Darcy is given a dose of humility, even if it seems he won’t probably acknowledge it for awhile. Thank you for the excerpt!
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Poor Darcy, he doesn’t know what’s coming! Than you very much for stopping by, Robin.
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This looks awesome! I’m so looking forward to Elizabeth putting Darcy, firmly in his place. Like the combination of magic and the forced marriage scenario.
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Thank you! Let’s say there are turbulent waters ahead, Gill!
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Oooh I love the combo of the FMS + magic — never seen that before! Thanks for sharing these excerpts with us! I’m quite intrigued and eagerly anticipating the release date. Would love to win one of the kindle copies that will make their ways to lucky readers soon! 🤞🏼
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Yes, the combination works surprisingly well, Léa! Good luck winning a kindle copy!
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The gloves are off! Lord Matlock’s reaction is great too. In another excerpt you have shared, Darcy held little hope that Elizabeth would be pretty at the very least. With no mention to the contrary here, I assume she has proven tolerable ;) I laughed outright when Darcy stood dumbfounded. This will be fun!
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Hello Deborah, it’s definitely gloves off!!! Darcy’s going to be dumbfounded a few times in this novel, so be prepared! ;)
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The exerpt was such fun to read. If the rest of the story is nearly so good I will be delighted. I’m not a fan of fantasy in combination with Pride and Prejudice, but maybe I find a new genre with Darcy and Elizabeth as forced married couple worthy to read!?
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I’m happy you gave the excerpt a try, Mone, and I’m very happy to hear you’re discovering a new genre!
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I’m so excited! I love a good magical tale. Monica Fairview never fails to deliver on a good story either
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Thank you for your kind words, Aimee! I love magic stories as well. ;)
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I love this twist! Darcy is still being Darcy, thinking he’s so superior. I very much look forward to Elizabeth bringing him down a peg…or three! I will definitely be picking this up soon
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Three pegs! Wow! I guess you really want Darcy to learn a lesson or two… or three!
Thanks for stopping by, Lynn!
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Oh my goodness! I am sure that Darcy will eventually realize what a prideful jerk he is being! This will be my first Pridecand Prejudice magic book so I am looking forward to it! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
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I hope so, too, Cyndy! Darcy *is* a powerful mage but he has to learn not to be so arrogant, and who better to teach him than our dear Elizabeth?
I’m glad you’re willing to give magic a try.
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This ticks all my boxes – magic, forced-marriage scenario, and bits of humor. Please enter me in the giveaway!
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Humor, Lois? There is nothing funny about that excerpt! :) Just kidding! ;)
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I’m so intrigued by this book haha I love the idea of a fantasy take on pride and prejudice!
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Glad to hear we share that interest, White Venice!
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I am very intrigued by this book … plus, this post reminded me that I need to reread Steampunk Darcy!! :D
Congratulations on your newest book, Monica!!
Warmly,
Susanne :)
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Susanne, lovely to see you again. Ah, yes, Steampunk Darcy. I do have a soft spot for that book! Enjoy the reread! :)
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Looks like a good read! Can’t wait for it to come out!
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Thank you, ab. Glad you enjoy the excerpt!
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I love magic and Jane Austen combined in one sentence! I highly recommend the series Magical Regency – all 6 notorious Austie books, with a bit of changed names, sets of characters and plots, but with the same cozy feeling while reading them PLUS awesome, delightful magic! The world needs more magic and Austen!
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