Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!
-- Pride and Prejudice
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
Beth Pattillo
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is a new book out this month. This is not a sequel to, but in the same vein as a prior novel of Pattillo's, Jane Austen Ruined My Life.
This chick-lit story follows the adventure of Claire Prescott as she jumps across the pond to attend a Jane Austen workshop in her sister's stead.
Here is the publisher's description:
Claire Prescott is a sensible woman who believes in facts and figures, not fairy tales. But when she agrees to present a paper to a summer symposium at Oxford on her ailing sister's behalf, Claire finds herself thrown into an adventure with a gaggle of Jane Austen-loving women all on the lookout for their Mr. Darcy. Claire isn't looking for Mr. Anyone. She's been dating Neil -- a nice if a bit negligent -- sports fanatic. But when a tall, dark and dashing stranger crosses her path, will the staid Claire suddenly discover her inner romantic heroine? Her chance meeting with a mysterious woman who claims to have an early version of Austen's Pride and Prejudice -- in which Lizzie ends up with someone other than Fitzwilliam Darcy -- leads to an astounding discovery about the venerated author's own struggle to find the right hero for Lizzie Bennett. Neil's unexpected arrival in Oxford complicates Claire's journey to finding her own romantic lead. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is the story of a woman who finds that love isn't logical and that a true hero can appear in the most unexpected of places.
While I am purely indifferent to Jane Austen and her works (I have only read Sense & Sensibility, and quite honestly did not find it earth shattering), I found this book intriguing with Claire's dilemma of romantic leanings as well as the comical way Pattillo portrays the mysterious Harriet through the tale.
To be sure, the out takes of the manuscript as well as the comparisons to Pride and Prejudice did not add to the tale for me (having never read Pride and Prejudice), but didn't leave me feeling lost either.
Since I am no Jane Austen expert, on that front I can't say whether or not Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is a well written book. But as someone who just enjoys a good story, I feel it is a book worth sharing.
I received a review copy of Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart courtesy of Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists at no cost to myself.
Books, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Reader Comments (5)
Interesting idea - I know someone who loves Jane Austen, so I bet she would enjoy this. I had never heard of this book before!
I have seen this mentioned on the web. Thanks for the review.
I am not a Jane Austen fan either, but you had me rolling with your comment about the kitchen drawers! :)
My sister is a big Austen fan (I still can't get through one of her books). She would love this book. This seems to be a big market all of a sudden with movies and other books that play off Austen.
This book sounds interesting especially since I just saw the movie Pride and Prejudice (again) starring Kiera Knightly and enjoyed it very much.