Mistletoe And Mischief A Pride And Prejudice Christmas Anthology

For those who want to curl up by the fire at Christmastime with short stories inspired by Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice, authors Jann Rowland, Lelia Eye, and Colin Rowland bring you this anthology of eleven stories. Dive right in and enjoy, among several others, the following: A SPRIG OF MISTLETOE When Fitzwilliam Darcy joins Mr. Bingley before Christmas with his sister in tow, he discovers they have been invited to a Christmas party at Longbourn. Though it is an amusement Darcy dreads, he discovers love through the interference of a beloved sister and a parasitic plant. MR. COLLINS'S SPIRITED ENCOUNTER Elizabeth agrees to marry Mr. Collins out of the desire to save her family. However, visits to Mr. Collins from well-meaning spirits on Christmas Eve could very well transform her feelings of despair on Christmas morning into joy. THE YULE LOG Elizabeth receives Mr. Darcy's reluctant permission to decorate Pemberley manor for the Christmas holiday. It is her observance of a most cherished holiday tradition that threatens their love.

“Eight authors celebrate Christmas in Regency England in this heart-warming anthology . . . each second chance is a sweet gift for the reader.” —Publishers Weekly Unwrap the most romantic of Regency delights in this sparkling holiday collection . . . Christmastime in England—a time for passionate secrets, delicious whispers, and wicked-sweet gifts by the fire. From a spirited lady who sets out to save her rakish best friend from an unsuitable engagement, to a bold spy who gets the unexpected chance to win the woman he’s always loved, to a vicar’s daughter who pretends to be a saucy wench, these holiday tales will make you curl up in front of the fire for a memorable season of mischief and mistletoe . . . “Confections that charm and delight, like the holidays themselves.” —RT Book Reviews “Touching, gently funny, satisfying, and short enough to be read in one sitting, each story in this delectable anthology is a holiday treat.” —Library Journal “A collection of historical fiction romances set around the Yuletide season. This was a delightful collection and while I had favorites I can honestly say I enjoyed each and every tale by these talented authors.” —Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Fitzwilliam Darcy had not expected to see Miss Elizabeth Bennet at Pemberley. Even less anticipated had been her reception at seeing him there. Whereas their last meeting at Hunsford had ended in acrimony, now she appeared to be receptive to him! The morning after the ecstasy of her company at Pemberley, Darcy goes Lambton, hopeful his fondest dream might finally be realized. But all is thrown into chaos when Darcy receives word that Wickham was sighted in Lambton. The event takes on new meaning when Darcy arrives at the inn and learns of Miss Lydia Bennet’s elopement with his nemesis. The protection of the woman he loves foremost in Darcy’s mind, he joins Miss Bennet as she and her relations follow their wayward relation, intent upon recovering her from the clutches of the man who has absconded with her. What they find was something none of them could have expected. Flight to Gretna Green is a novella of 39,000 words.

“Assistance is impossible; condolence, insufferable. Let them triumph over us at a distance, and be satisfied.” In a world where a single misstep by a woman is injurious to all her family, the Bennets of Longbourn finds themselves shunned and despised by all their friends when one sister runs away with an officer. Mr. Bennet rouses himself from his beloved books and pursues the lovers to London, but returns empty-handed, his daughter lost forever. When the Bingley party arrives at Netherfield Park, they discover a neighborhood with a salacious scandal and a family ostracized from their midst. Though Miss Bingley revels in the gossip she learns from those with little sense and less discretion, Fitzwilliam Darcy keeps himself aloof, unwilling to join the condemnation without proof of poor behavior. Thus, when Darcy meets Miss Bennet by chance on a secluded path of her father’s estate, he finds her strangely compelling. The compulsion to continue to meet with her is strong, in defiance of the consequences if they should be discovered. Elizabeth Bennet finds herself equally intrigued, so much so that she begins to dream of a life free of scandal, where the Bennets have some hope of redemption. This re-imagination of Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice answers the question of what might have happened had Fitzwilliam Darcy arrived in Meryton to find a Bennet family mired in scandal, one that he can do nothing to repair. Though many challenges lay in their path, including fallen sisters, despicable libertines, and a neighborhood determined to denounce the Bennets as depraved, Darcy and Elizabeth are convinced that their future happiness lies together.

Jane Bennet is a mild-mannered and thoughtful woman, always looking for the best in others. Elizabeth, though she loves her sister, has always despaired over Jane’s inability to perceive the motivations of others. But what if Jane was just as discerning as her sister and more forceful about expressing her opinion while keeping the other traits that comprise her angelic character? When a new family arrives at Netherfield Park, Jane Bennet has married and become Jane Harrington, and Mr. Bingley starts his tenure in Meryton with a faux pas, not realizing his angel is already married to another. Darcy, who has always deplored his friend’s tendency to become enamored with beautiful women, witnesses this, and while he laments his friend’s error, he appreciates the lack of Bingley’s usual infatuation in Meryton. Darcy also quickly becomes enamored with Mrs. Harrington’s pretty and vivacious sister. However, Jane and Elizabeth note that Mr. Bingley has begun to pay attention to their younger sister, and while neither thinks he has serious designs on her, they worry for their sister’s sensibilities. Complicating matters is Darcy’s wish to avoid appearing officious to his friend. As Darcy and Elizabeth’s appreciation for each other flourishes, the conflict within the Netherfield party grows, provoked by Bingley’s younger sister, who has no love for the neighborhood, and Bingley’s own actions toward a girl too young to accept his assurances. Together, they must forge through such trials in pursuit of a shared future, supported by Elizabeth’s dearest sister, who wishes for nothing more than Elizabeth’s happiness.

In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet meets Fitzwilliam Darcy in Meryton, where Mr. Darcy’s concern for his sister and general reticence leads him to insult her. But what if Mr. Darcy did not meet her there, instead making her acquaintance in other circumstances more favorable to their understanding? When she visits Rosings Park and her friend, Charlotte Collins, Elizabeth does so with no notion that Fitzwilliam Darcy even exists, for Netherfield Park remained empty the previous autumn. As is his custom, Mr. Darcy comes to Rosings in his cousin’s company, and there he meets a young lady unlike any he has ever met. Rosings itself is not a place where he can conduct any sort of campaign to win the fair maiden’s heart, for his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is watchful and determined Darcy will marry her daughter. Despite this interference, Darcy eventually leaves Kent, secure in the knowledge that Miss Elizabeth is a woman he would like to come to know better. The question he is unable to answer is when he can meet her again, for their positions in society are oceans apart, and there is little opportunity for chance meetings. But fate has other plans, for not only do they meet again, but they also encounter each other in a place that allows their love to blossom. Only the small matters of his family expectations and her condition in life stand in his way. Yet Darcy is determined to pursue Miss Elizabeth, certain in the knowledge she will make him the happiest of men.

Having lost her mother at a young age, Elizabeth Bennet desires the presence of a mother in her life. When a young widow arrives in the neighborhood, Elizabeth knows she has found a woman well suited to joining her family, recommending her to her father as a desirable wife. Fortunately for Elizabeth, his father needs little encouragement, and soon after proposes. Fitzwilliam Darcy comes to Hertfordshire with his friend Charles Bingley, he anticipates meeting the Bennets, for their new mother is none other than his aunt, Lady Catherine Bennet. The introduction goes poorly, however, as Darcy unwittingly insults her second stepdaughter, angering her ladyship and creating a question of his character in Elizabeth’s mind. Darcy, seeing the worth of the Bennet family, comes to an appreciation for them, including Miss Elizabeth, to whom he makes amends. As Elizabeth comes to know Mr. Darcy better, she gains insight into his character, and soon each begin to understand that the other will be a perfect partner in life. In this, they have Lady Catherine’s blessing, for the woman loves her new daughters very much. Yet, within ranks of Lady Catherine’s extended family, there are members who do not appreciate her new connections, who have other notions as to their family’s future. Yet Lady Catherine is a woman of fortitude, a woman attentive to all matters within her sphere of influence, and no one will stand in the way of her new daughter’s happiness.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a young woman of character and fortitude, one undaunted by the challenges life has presented to her. As the youngest daughter of a country gentleman, she has always been secure, never concerned for the future or her place in it. When her father suddenly passes away, Elizabeth is left adrift in a house with her mother, her eldest sister, and her father's senseless heir. Though the situation is not comfortable, Elizabeth meets it with fortitude and good humor. As Elizabeth becomes old enough to join society, her sister Jane marries Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth follows them to London to partake of the season. Elizabeth soon puts her troubles behind her, enjoying herself and meeting new people, including the enigmatic Mr. Darcy and his charming sister. Love starts to bloom between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but not all of Elizabeth's troubles are behind her. For there are those opposed to her connection to the gentleman, and moreover, Mr. Darcy has demons of his own to overcome before he can find happiness and pursue love.