Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Review: Bewitched, Body & Soul by P O Dixon


From the Publisher:

"Well, my comfort is, I am sure Jane will die of a broken heart, and then he will be sorry for what he has done." ~Jane Auste, Pride and Prejudice

And so begins this delightful adaptation.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet, a  penniless gentleman’s daughter, determines to right a wrong against her beloved sister, Jane, by reuniting her with the man she loves. 

P.O. Dixon’s novel reveals what happens when Elizabeth Bennet sets out for London, determined to discover the real reason behind Mr. Bingley’s precipitate leaving of Netherfield. What if the only person who may be able to help her is the last man in the world with whom she wishes to associate?

After an unsuccessful visit with Caroline Bingley, Elizabeth finds herself standing in the pouring rain on Mr. Darcy’s doorstep. Flummoxed when Mr. Darcy answers his own door, Elizabeth gets right to the purpose of her visit. Although the haughty Mr. Darcy refuses to interfere in the matter, that is the least of Elizabeth’s concerns. Once she realizes they are the only two people in Darcy’s house, Elizabeth can only think what Society will say to this, a single, unescorted lady visiting a single man, who happens to be at home, alone, at night.

Upon making her appearance in London during the Season, Elizabeth quickly becomes friends with Lady Gwendolyn Helmsley. Lady Gwendolyn is an ambitious lady, looking not only to secure a proposal from the richest man in Derbyshire, but also to set her new friend up with her brother, Lord Latham.  Will Lady Gwendolyn succeed with either of her plans?

Even though I was drawn into this story so much I didn’t want to put it down, there were a couple aspects I found lacking. Although I loved the interaction between Darcy and Elizabeth, I would have liked to have seen more interaction in between Darcy’s two proposals. Also, while Lady Gwendolyn poses a threat, personally, I feel the author could have done a bit more with that storyline as well. Even though these were areas I would have liked to have seen further developed, it did not interfere with my enjoyment of the story, as I was still able to read it in only two sittings and was left wanting more.

In addition, there are several things I enjoy about P O Dixon’s writing. For starters, it is always fun picking out the Pride and Prejudice parallels and quotes and seeing how they are woven into the new book. Another characteristic of Dixon’s writing I enjoy is how happenings that seem unimportant, such as a maid bringing Elizabeth tea into her chamber, play a much larger part later on, tying everything together nicely, and creating a solid, well-written, entertaining story. I especially like the connection Dixon creates between Darcy and Elizabeth. Even when they are at odds, I can feel something that makes me want to keep reading and seeing more of their interactions.

I have not been let down by one of P O Dixon’s books yet, and I look forward to seeing what this creative author comes up with next. 


*Stop by Thursday and watch by vlog for Bewtiched, Body and Soul!*

Connect with P O Dixon
Read It Now!

12 comments:

  1. I agree with you on this one Jakki. Although I enjoyed it, I felt there were a few areas I would have liked to have seen further explored.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ceri! Thanks so much for the comment! It's nice to hear from people who have read it and enjoyed it as well!
      Hope you are having a wonderful week! :)

      Delete
  2. She had me at rain.... :-) Can't wait to see the vlog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Angie! I love it when Rain becomes a factor! I love Rainy Days by Lory Lillian, the flood scenes in Kara Louise's Only Mr. Darcy Will Do, and I loved the rain in this book. Now, I am looking forward to reading Abigail's new book, Mr. Darcy's Refuge about a rain storm too. :) (She will have copies at DBF)!!!

      Delete
  3. Loved this one too! So far, I've loved everything I've read by PO Dixon! Haha! I totally agree with you and Angie! I can't wait to read Mr. Darcy's Refuge and it's rain storm! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Candy! Yes, and I am very much looking forward to seeing what P O Dixon has in store next for readers! =D

      Delete
  4. I'll add my voice to the others about Thursday. Love your vlogs, Jakki! And thanks for this review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Laura! Thanks so much! Man, people like my vlogs; I hope I don't drop the ball or disappoint! ;)

      Delete
  5. Yes, new vlog coming! :) Curious which passage you choose to read. I really liked this book (yey, ONE book that´s not going onto my tbr-list after reading your review - because I have read it already :D ;) ).
    I loved the rain scene of this book too, but my fav. storyline, except the main storyline of E and D, was probably the one around Anne.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Katrin! Glad to see you got to this book before me. ;) I will sleep better tonight knowing I did not cause you a greater financial burden than I already have. ;)

      Delete
  6. You pretty much already know I agree with your review lol. It is a lovely story but I wish it had another 50pgs or so. I love when they were alone at D's house. It is pretty amusing to think of him answering his own door and slaving over the hot water for tea.

    Yay for the vlogs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Monica, I like seeing Darcy preform tasks for Elizabeth that servants normally would: stoking fire, preparing tea, answering the door, and many others! Yes, alone at Darcy's house...one of my fav parts!

      Delete