Comments on: Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife: in the bath, in the carriage, on the dressing table

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:10:17 +0000

I couldn’t disagree with your review more. As an avid Jane Austiner, I love her stories, but she was a woman of her time. Noone was writing about sex in the victorian era, but they were all having it, and lots of it. The sauciness of Lizzy vs Jane’s demureness is echoed in the bedroom. Their coming to terms with this aspect of their new duties couldn’t be more different (Lizzy enjoys it and Jane’s scared of it). These “congresses” in the carriage, the bath, and with the mirror, Wickem’s smarminess, Lady Catherine’s audacity, and (read the second in the set) Mr. Collins’ final fate are a joy to follow. The author writes with wit and cleverness and I recommend this book to all my JA lovers friends.

By: Heather Jeans

Heather Jeans — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:47:51 +0000

I wholeheartedly agree with your review and I was tempted to put this book down (however it takes a lot for me to not finish a book that I have started) because the sexual fixation was just too much. Don’t get me wrong…I want Darcy and Elizabeth to enjoy their married state but I don’t want them to have little else going for them. The book started to get more interesting as the initial fervor cooled but it still seemed very far fetched and full of cheap devices.

By: a Bang-up Spin-off « Kana's Notebook

a Bang-up Spin-off « Kana's Notebook — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 03:07:24 +0000

[...] Linda Berdoll’s Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife. Or, as a fellow blogger ironically observed, “Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife: in the bath, in the carriage, on the dressing table…” I don’t have any aversion to steamy scenes in and of themselves, but for heck’s [...]

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:54:48 +0000

What I love most about Jane Austen (and reading about her is a bit of a hobby with me) is that though she was a creature of her time (i.e. a clergyman’s daughter in an age where unmarried women did not have sex), she knew a lot more than she should have. Being such a keen observer of human nature, she didn’t miss a trick (pun intended). She often made her version of bawdy jokes and sexual double meanings in her private letters to her family. This woman knew what was what and wasn’t afraid to tease and make fun. I’m not really sure though, what that has to do with this book, which is a artifact of modern day. Oh I know that Darcy and Elizabeth would have had a great horizontal (and vertical and hanging from the blinds if they so wished) sex life. They were a couple with it all, above and below the waist. But this book, I think, took away a little by putting TOO much emphasis on the bedroom (bathroom, carriage, stable) scenes. My point in this review was not that it was a bad book, but that readers should know that it’s also not a good one. And I actually think that with a bit of editing it might have been a good one. Well written sex scenes can last a reader a while, just like good sex can give you a glow well after the act itself. This book had so many acts it felt cheap and superficial to me. And this girl loves quality sex over quantity. I’m not saying don’t read it but I like my idea of Darcy and Elizabeth – which includes fireworks in AND out of the bedroom, a lot better.

By: Angie

Angie — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:36:03 +0000

Well-written review, and you’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but I don’t agree with your conclusions. Since Jane Austen was a clergyman’s daughter (which actually meant that she was likely to be a virginal girl growing up versus modern-day daughters of clergy who tend to be the most ‘experienced’ of any and all girls that I’ve ever befriended or known of) AND never married, she had no choice but to write about The Darcy’s sexual tension in hint-format only. This, of course, is perfectly acceptable because the story, the use of language and the humor is superior. At the same time, I am a red-blooded, straight North American female and now stay-at-home-mom who has always enjoyed a well-written book with a lot of sex included. I know I’m lucky to have found my own version of Mr. Darcy and I assure you, I can relate to all of the passion, much of the conflict and every last bit of the love. For me, the book is unforgettable for the aforementioned reasons as fairies, vampires, witches, warlocks, zombies, dysfunctional families, animal abuse, holocausts and time travel just don’t rank when deciding what to read between laundry loads. Just my two cents.

By: P&P<3

P&P<3 — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 23:03:31 +0000

ahh thank goodness I found this review..
I was thinking about getting it !!
sounds kind of (actually, very) unloyal to the witty characters Austen depicted.
I absolutely loved “Pride and Prejudice” and really wanted the story to bo on.. but didn’t want to read some ruined twisted sequel……which it seems this would be.
I think “Pride and Prescience” (so far) keeps a much more loyal, clean and sweet portrayal of Darcy and Elizabeth, focusing more on their witty and charming conversations and innocent romance.
thanks again !

By: reba

reba — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:23:54 +0000

I just bought this book online and was hoping it would be a great follow up to P&P, but it sounds like everyone here has concluded that its just about the sexual adventures and not so much the characters

By: Nina

Nina — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:50:34 +0000

Natalie I suggest reading Mr. Darcy presents his bride! it is truly a great book and great follow up, there were some tragedies along the way but i loved this book entirely, and there’s no described sex scenes. It hints at to let the reader know that they are romantic but doesn’t go into detail, which is more in Jane Austen’s class I would assume

By: Vessela

Vessela — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:28:20 +0000

It’s a mercy that I have a chance to read this article. Absolutely agree with the opinion and review. I am obviously a fan of Ms Austen books and only recently enraptured with all the Pride&Prejudice sequels and variations, not because of their high quality but quite the contrary. However while reading all these “Harlequin romances” I was totally amused because of the odd characters, circumstances and stories sometimes so much fabricated in order to create a possibility to put our beloved Elizabeth and Darcy together in one bed. At least Linda Berdoll makes it far amusing than all the others and except the total sexual mania and not very original story I found that her Lizzy and Darcy are (in my opinion only) at most themselves and I think only Linda Berdoll could fairly use the name “witty” for her main characters and dialogs.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:01:43 +0000

I couldn’t agree more! It was indeed fun to read, but a little ridiculous!