Mr. Darcy's Challenge by Monica Fairview Excerpt & Giveaway!

I am so glad to have Monica Fairview visiting Leatherbound Reviews again! She is a joy to have as a guest; her posts are always entertaining. And today's excerpt is no exception! 
So sit back and enjoy an excerpt that will leave you wanting more!

First of all, thank you for this delightful opportunity to visit Leatherbound Reviews. I’m very pleased to be here with the wonderfully supportive and talented Jakki, who wears so many hats. I’m quite awestruck by her energy!

I’m excited to introduce you today to my latest novel, Mr. Darcy’s Challenge, a comic Pride & Prejudice ‘what if’ variation which focuses on the search for Lydia Bennet and its aftermath. In this variation, Mr. Darcy doesn’t find Lydia as quickly as he does in Pride & Prejudice. In fact, she remains rather elusive. Not only that, but initially, after a rather unpleasant encounter with Elizabeth at the beginning of the novel, Darcy is not entirely certain he even wants to try and find her. Only his honor as a gentleman keeps him steadfast.

Mr. Darcy’s Challenge is the second volume in The Darcy Novels series, but can be read independently.

In this scene, the Bennets, the Bingleys and the Darcys are in Brighton, all searching for Lydia. Elizabeth has encountered an old childhood friend of hers and has gone out riding with him along the Marine Parade.

“Do you know where I can find Miss Bennet?” said Darcy, abruptly. “She is not with Miss Bingley, and she is not in her chambers, either. I expected to find her making preparations for the dance tonight. Has she gone out?”

So now she knew what was bothering him. The explanation for his strange mood was apparent.

 “Why, yes,” said Georgiana. “An old acquaintance of hers called on her. They have gone on a carriage ride along the promenade to reminisce about old times.”

“A female acquaintance?” said Darcy.

Georgiana hid a smile by pretending to cough. “No. It was a gentleman.”

Darcy frowned. “She went on a carriage ride with a gentleman, without a chaperon? How could you let her do such a thing when you know the reputation of the whole Bennet family hangs by a thread?”

“William, be reasonable. How could I possibly have prevented her? I have no influence over her at all. However, you need not worry in any case. Jenny has gone with her.”

This should have had the effect of appeasing her brother, but it did not.

“And how, pray, are you supposed to do without Jenny? This shows a lack of consideration—”

“I have no need of Jenny at the moment, William. Would you have preferred Miss Bennet to be without a chaperon?” interrupted Georgiana, mildly.

 Another silence.

“I do not wish to be cooped up inside,” said Darcy. “We must take advantage of the good weather. Shall we go for a drive as well, Georgiana?”

Georgiana would have been happier if Darcy had offered to take her out before he knew what Elizabeth was doing. No doubt Darcy was hoping to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth’s friend and discover who he was. However, she did not really mind, since she had been hoping to be invited for a drive anyway. She agreed at once, hoping William’s mood would improve amongst the revelers.

~~x~~

It was a most pleasant day. White clouds outlined the horizon, appearing like snow-topped mountains from afar, and the white-tipped sailing boats completed the illusion. The blue of the sky and the blue-green of the sea complemented each other, like a well-chosen bonnet matching a pelisse. Darcy had dismissed the coachman, deciding to handle the ribbons himself, and he had taken Georgiana up in the front with him. Although the sea breeze prevented her from feeling hot, the sun was warm. Georgiana put up her parasol to protect her face. She did not wish to turn red as a lobster before her first dance.

“I am excited about attending the dance tonight,” she said.

Her brother said nothing, concentrating on handling the ribbons as a carriage with four noisy Corinthians dashed through the crowd, causing havoc all around them.

As the traffic settled into a more sedate pace again, she felt her brother’s gaze on her.

“Are you not worried you will encounter Wickham at the dance? It is very likely he will be there. You must be prepared.”

The question was unexpected and Georgiana was flustered by it at first. However, she composed herself quickly. If her reaction at the parade was anything to judge by, she did not feel herself likely to be ill at ease.

“It no longer matters,” she replied. “I know now that I do not care for him at all.”

Darcy reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. “You do not know how relieved I am to hear it, Georgiana. I will not conceal from you that I have been very worried that you would succumb to him once again.”

She shook her head vigorously. “Never!”

“You have removed a huge burden off my shoulders.”

A gentle breeze came up from the sea. It was fresh and wet and carried with it the scent of a great salty expanse, teaming with millions of fellow creatures. It felt good to be alive – and free. At this instant in time, she loved the sea, and the way the waves danced as they crawled merrily onto the shingle and she loved the way the horizon seemed to stretch on forever, like her own future.

Just then, a carriage came into view, moving in their direction, with Elizabeth and her acquaintance talking animatedly and Jenny smiling at something they were saying.

“Oh, there they are!” she exclaimed. She waved and Elizabeth grinned and waved back.

Darcy turned his head sharply to inspect the gentleman in the other carriage.

“Look out!” said Georgiana as their carriage veered to the right.

By the time Darcy had straightened the horses, Elizabeth and her companion had passed them by.

“I have seen him before,” said Darcy. “I feel I ought to recognize him. I seem to remember something unpleasant about him. Do you know his name?”

I hope you have enjoyed this selection. Thank you once again to Jakki for her kind invitation to join you all here on Leatherbound Reviews.

What a teasing excerpt, Monica! Now you have my in tatters, dying to know who this man is and what he wants with Elizabeth! I can only hope Darcy will be there to save the day if needed. Excellent way to pique the reader's interest! 

Thank you for that and again for visiting, Monica!

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From the Publisher:

In this humorous Pride and Prejudice Variation, Mr. Darcy is determined to win Elizabeth Bennet's hand in spite of her rejection and he has a strategy worked out. He will rescue Lydia Bennet from Wickham and will return to Longbourn to convince Elizabeth to marry him. But when a chance encounter prompts Darcy to propose once again to Elizabeth before he has rescued Lydia, his plans go horribly wrong. 

Broken hearted, disillusioned and bitterly regretting his impulsive action, Darcy sees no point in assisting Miss Bennet. After all, rescuing Lydia might save Elizabeth’s reputation, but why should he care when they have no future together? His code of gentlemanly conduct, however, demands that he fulfill the terms of his promise to her. Once again, Darcy finds himself faced with impossible choices: helping Elizabeth when she is certain to marry someone else, or holding onto his dignity by turning his back on the Bennets once and for all. 

Pride and love are at loggerheads as he struggles to choose between his mind … and his heart. 

Volume Two of The Darcy Novels continues the story began in Mr. Darcy's Pledge but can

be read as an independent book as well.

Author Bio:

Monica is a longtime admirer of Jane Austen and likes to write down her fantasies about living in the Regency period. She has written two traditional Jane Austen sequels,THE OTHER MR. DARCY and THE DARCY COUSINS and a story in the anthology JANE AUSTEN MADE ME DO IT. Her new series consists of traditional Pride and Prejudice ‘what-if’ variations. MR. DARCY’S CHALLENGE is the second in the series.

Monica Fairview’s real claim to fame is that she lived in Elizabeth Gaskell’s house in Manchester as a teenager, when it was crumbling and neglected, so you could say she has the smog of NORTH & SOUTH in her blood. After that, Monica lived in the USA for many years, where she taught literature to captive victims (not necessarily captivated). She now lives in Surrey within the Greater London area and loves visiting historical properties when it isn’t raining.

***GIVEAWAY TIME***

Monica Fairview is graciously giving away ONE (1) ebook copy (open internationally) and ONE (1) paperback copy (USA only) of Mr. Darcy's Challenge!! 

To enter, please comment on today's excerpt. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the excerpt. :)

Please leave your email address or Twitter handle. If you do not, your entry will not be entered. 

Giveaway ends December 15, 2014!

Good Luck!!

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Winner: Lucky 13 by Cat T. Gardiner!

Meredith!!!

Congratulations, Meredith on winning a copy of Lucky 13 by Cat. T. Gardiner for one of your friends! I am sure your chosen friend will be beside herself with joy at having received such a thoughtful and generous gift! 

I also would like to thank all of the readers for their comments and allowing us to get to know them and their friendships a little better. And most of all, I would like to thank the talented Cat Gardiner for the exquisite excerpts and unique giveaway! It was such fun having you at Leatherbound Reviews and getting to hear about your BFF and how friendship played such a huge role in Lucky 13! 

Thank you!

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Jane Austen's First Love by Syrie James + Giveaway!

I am thrilled to have the amazingly talented author Syrie James visiting Leatherbound Reviews today! Ms James is providing an excerpt to further tempt you, and there is a very generous giveaway! See below for more details. 

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Excerpt from Chapter 11

Jane Austen’s First Love

By Syrie James

Jane Austen, age fifteen, is visiting in Kent for a month of festivities in honor of her older brother’s engagement. This morning’s event is a strawberry picking party, and a number of relatives and neighbors have gathered in the gardens of Goodnestone Park, home of the Bridges family. To Jane’s delight, a charming young man she has a crush on, Edward Taylor, asked her to pick berries with him. They’ve spent the past half hour engaged in both the activity and a lively, interesting conversation which has only increased her attraction to him.

The sun was past its zenith now, and it had grown quite hot. I wiped the perspiration from my brow, noting that Edward Taylor was in a similar glow. He removed his hat and ran his sun-browned fingers through his glossy reddish brown hair, then shook his head as if to cool it, an action which made my heart beat to an irregular rhythm. To distract myself, I plucked the stem and leaves off a particularly rosy strawberry and partook of its juicy sweetness. Mr. Taylor did the same.

We ate the berries in silence, kneeling side by side, just inches away from each other, my skirts nearly touching his bent leg. Of a sudden, he said softly:

“You have a bit of strawberry, near your mouth, just there.” Reaching up, he gently brushed something from my cheek. That slight pressure of his fingertips caused a tingle to rush through me. Our eyes met and held; the expression on his countenance as he looked at me was very arresting—filled with deep interest and something more, which seemed to indicate a rising esteem. My heart pounded.

He hesitated, then dropped his hand.

I sat down and looked away, my cheeks burning, struggling to recover both my mental and physical equilibrium. We returned to berry-picking. The sweet aroma of sun-ripened berries filled the air. Around me I heard the twitter of birds in the trees, the delicate buzz of bees, the chatter of the other gatherers, the intimate murmurs of my brother Edward and Elizabeth beneath an apple tree, and the hum of conversation from the gentlemen and women who sat in the shade fanning themselves. Edward Taylor seemed to be having as much difficulty resuming our discussion as did I. At length he said, with an unfamiliar trace of awkwardness:

“I believe we were speaking about your father’s farm?”

“I believe we were.”

“How large is it?”

“My father’s farm?”

“Yes. How many hands does he employ? What is he growing this annum?”

In some bemusement, I answered: “I cannot tell you.”

“No? It is a secret then?”

I laughed. “Hardly. I simply do not know. He leases, I believe, about two hundred acres just up the road from our house—it is called Cheesedown Farm—but as for the specifics to which you refer—I have not the vaguest idea!”

“I take it, then, that farming is not one of your passions?”

I shook my head. “I have the greatest respect for farmers. We cannot do without them; the food they produce sustains us and the community. I have a deep appreciation of the land—and there is much amusement and many comforts attending a farm in the country. But I admit, on a day-to-day basis, my interests lie elsewhere.”

“That is something else we have in common!” Mr. Taylor smiled as he added another berry to his basket.

“Oh? I thought, when you asked such probing questions, that you shared your father’s enthusiasm for agriculture.”

“Not at all. I was just attempting to be—polite.” We both laughed, as he continued, “My brothers and sisters and I spent the bulk of our time studying while in Carslruhe, but we were also obliged, for health and exercise, to work on the farm several mornings a week. Do not get me wrong; I love to be out of doors. I take pleasure in vigorous activity. I enjoy a morning of berry-picking, like this, or a long walk through the woods; but I would rather hop a fence than mend it, would rather climb a tree than trim it, and would rather ride an ox than feed it.”

“How I agree with you! I know this might sound shameless or even sacrilegious—and I do so admire my father’s devotion to his farm—but to constantly be worrying about the vagaries of the weather—”

“—and the rise and fall of the market—”

“—to oversee labourers, and till the soil—”

“—plant seeds, and clear weeds—”

“—the work and responsibilities have always seemed to me very tedious.”

“Yes!”

We exchanged a smile; I felt the mood ease again between us, to something fine and comfortable.

Gesturing towards our baskets, which were now filled to the brim, he said, “In that vein: I think we have done our duty where agriculture is concerned today—do you agree? Shall we move into the shade and sit for a little while?”

This idea, while very appealing to me, never materialised; for at that moment Lady Bridges made a general announcement, observing that everyone seemed to have completed their berry-picking, and inquiring as to whether they had enjoyed themselves. Her question was met with enthusiastic replies and applause, after which her ladyship directed everyone to bring their filled baskets back to the tables in the first garden, where refreshments were now being served.

I retrieved Edward Taylor’s coat, shook it briskly to remove the dust which had there accrued, and returned it, uttering my thanks. The whole party began to remove en masse, and as we moved with it, Mrs. Watkinson Payler appeared abruptly beside us with her daughter in tow, and with a bright smile said,

“Edward! Charlotte has not entirely recovered from the heat, I dare say she would be most appreciative if you would give her your arm.”

Mr. Taylor, after the briefest hesitation, smiled handsomely, and hanging his basket over one arm, he offered her an elbow. “It would be my honour, Charlotte.”

My heart sank as Charlotte quietly slipped her hand through the bend of Edward Taylor’s arm; but my spirits immediately revived when, turning to me, and holding out his other arm, he added,

“Miss Jane? May I escort you both?”

Dear Reader: I hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Jane Austen's First Love. What surprising thing does Jane learn about Edward Taylor during the luncheon? Does Edward teach her to shoot a bow and arrow? Read the book to find out!

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From the publisher:

In the summer of 1791, fifteen-year-old Miss Jane Austen is determined to accomplish three things: to do something useful, write something worthy, and fall madly in love. While visiting at Goodnestone Park in Kent for a month of festivities in honor of her brother's engagement to Miss Elizabeth Bridges, Jane meets the boy-next-door—the wealthy, worldly, and devilishly handsome Edward Taylor, heir to Bifrons Park, and hopefully her heart! Like many of Jane’s future heroes and heroines, she soon realizes that there are obstacles—social, financial, and otherwise—blocking her path to love and marriage, one of them personified by her beautiful and sweet tempered rival, Charlotte Payler.

Unsure of her own budding romance, but confident in her powers of observation, Jane distracts herself by attempting to maneuver the affections of three other young couples. But when her well-intentioned matchmaking efforts turn into blundering misalliance, Jane must choose between following her own happily-ever-after, or repairing those relationships which, based on erroneous first impressions, she has misaligned.

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Author Bio:

Syrie James, hailed as “the queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings” by Los Angeles Magazine, is the bestselling author of nine critically acclaimed novels that have been translated into 18 languages. Her books have been awarded the Audio Book Association Audie, designated as Editor’s Picks by Library Journal, named a Discover Great New Writer’s Selection by Barnes and Noble, a Great Group Read by the Women’s National Book Association, and Best Book of the Year by The Romance Reviews and Suspense Magazine. Syrie is a member of the WGA and lives in Los Angeles. Please visit her at syriejames.com, Facebook or say hello on Twitter @SyrieJames.

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***Grand Giveaway Contest***

Win One of Five Fabulous Jane Austen-inspired Prize Packages

To celebrate the holidays and the release of Jane Austen's First Love, Syrie is giving away five prize packages filled with an amazing selection of Jane Austen-inspired gifts and books!

To enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment on any of the blog stops on the Jane Austen's First Love Holiday Blog Tour.

Increase your chances of winning by visiting multiple stops along the tour! Syrie's unique guest posts will be featured on a variety of subjects, along with fun interviews, spotlights, excerpts, and reviews of the novel. 

Contest closes at 11:59pm PT, December 21, 2014. 

Five lucky winners will be drawn at random from all of the comments on the tour, and announced on Syrie’s website on December 22, 2014. 

The giveaway contest is open to everyone, including international residents. 

Good luck to all!

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