Review - My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

When I saw the opportunity to read My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White I couldn't pass it up.

I was gifted the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice by my brother (probably the best gift he's ever given me) for a birthday back in... 2006 I believe. I'd just been dumped by a guy I thought was all that and a bag of potato chips, though, so it took me months to decide I was ok enough to watch a romantic movie.

When I watched it, the guy who dumped me didn't even matter anymore. What I needed in my life was Mr. Darcy. More importantly, Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. No one else would do. It became my favorite movie (the book became a favorite of mine as well (yes I read the book AFTER I watched the movie)). Forget that he was arrogant and rude at the beginning, he was wonderful by the end. And I was hooked.

So I could totally identify with everything that Lizzie was feeling in this story. To a point. Luckily, I never became as obsessed as she did. Lizzie was so intent on finding Mr. Darcy and only Mr. Darcy that NO ONE ELSE WOULD DO. No one. Not even Mr. Wonderful, Chad. Chad was sweet and attentive and kind and REALLY liked Lizzie. And she was so stubborn that she had to be forced in to even giving him a second shot.

I had high hopes for her until Matt Dawson walked in to the bank. Then it was "Chad who?" I mean, Matt fit the mold. He was aloof, uppity, stand-offish... but then warmed to Lizzie the same way that Mr. Darcy had warmed to his own Lizzie. Forget that he was also often rude and completely ignorant of Lizzie's feelings. Or dismissed them altogether as childish and unimportant. He wasn't supportive of her and he was genuinely embarrassed to even mention Lizzie to his parents. Which, as it turns out, probably had worked out in Lizzie's favor. As they were the HUGEST snobs I've ever seen.

Despite her walking away from a relationship with Chad, he still kept coming back. He helped her when she needed help. He was kind to her when he didn't have to be. He even helped her get a foot in the door as an interior designer. Matt belittled the clothing she wore, got irritated and grumpy every time she mentioned Chad even though HE was constantly around MEG, an ex-almost-fiance who had followed him to Portland and now worked in the bookstore that he owned, and totally discounted her talent as a designer despite the fact that it was what she'd trained and gone to school for.

I mean seriously... at that point, who cares if he is her perfect Mr. Darcy. GET RID OF HIM.

I can only support the fantasy to a point.

I understand it. Completely. But seriously... move on.

That being said, it was a great book. Because really... who has watched the movie (in any form) or read the book and not wished, even if just for a second, that they could be Lizzie Bennett. Or that they could find someone like Mr. Darcy. Who has seen Mr. Darcy dance with Lizzie at the Netherfield Ball and watched him profess his love to her and not wanted to be in her place?

My Own Mr. Darcy captured that fantasy perfectly. And then took it to the next level. It was kind of a wake up call to the ones who are so focused on a certain type of guy that they refuse to look at anyone else. They are so set in their dating requirements that they refuse to see that there may be someone else who is perfect for them. Even if they don't match all of the qualifications.

I wanted to yell at Lizzie throughout almost this entire book. Her friends and family were much too patient with her. Although I suppose if they hadn't been it would have been a much shorter story. If you like Pride and Prejudice, the book or the movie, I think you should give this book a read. If you've ever wished that Mr. Darcy would walk across the meadow in the early hours of the morning and re-affirm his affection for you then you should definitely read this book.

Personally, I'm glad I didn't stick too strictly to the Mr. Darcy fantasy. The man I married is admittedly nothing like him. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes men like Mr. Darcy should only be in books and movies.

But still, read the book.

My Favorite Book Romance

Ok, Valentine's Day is over and all the gooshy mushy stuff is on clearance at the grocery stores.

I thought I'd drag it out just a LITTLE bit longer with my absolute ALL TIME favorite book romance. Hands down. It's not Edward and Bella from Twilight... or even Jacob and Bella (although I do favor Jacob over Edward). No... my favorite book romance of all time is Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. I love the book. I love the movie. Their relationship is just amazing.

How many of us have started off on the completely wrong foot with someone. And it leaves a sour taste in our mouths and we just can't stand the sight of them. Blech.

Until one day you're looking at them and they're not so detestable anymore. Maybe it was just a simple gesture that started the change. Maybe a smile or a joke that they told. Maybe you dropped something and they helped you pick it up and all of the sudden you might not hate them as much as you used to.

Soon the person you hated is your friend. Or perhaps the one you hated has started to invade your heart and you can't really do anything to stop it. Before you know it the one you couldn't stand to look at is the one you don't think you can live without.

I love Elizabeth Bennet because she is extremely bright, witty, and has a fire in her that I wish I had. Mr. Darcy is the epitome of a gentleman despite his proud nature. He is well spoken and has this huge heart. He doesn't seek to change Elizabeth. He just wants to be with her. He knows she's considered "middle class" to his "upper class" but even in a time when that's supposed to be the deciding factor in many romances, he ignores it and lets his heart fall for her anyway. And while she tries as hard as she possibly can not to let him affect her in any way because she thinks him too proud and arrogant, the wall she's placed around her heart to keep him out starts to crumble.

I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.

In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

Follow Friday #45

 

 

Thanks to Parajunkee and Alison Can Read for hosting FF every week.

 

It's been a while since I've done one of these, and for a bit I couldn't figure out what my answer would be, but here ya go.

 

Q: Activity! Who do you want to be? If you could choose any character from a book. What do you think that character looks like and what do you have in common?

 

A: At first, I wanted to say Hermione. Because, let's face it, she's awesome. She has awesome friends. And she gets to go to Hogwarts. But I thought some more and decided on Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. It's hard not to picture her as Keira Knightly from the 2005 movie. She's not described fully aside from her eyes and her hair, but I'd imagine she'd be pretty (the book says as much). Not drop dead gorgeous, but pretty in a quiet sort of way, if that makes sense. She's smart and quick witted. And hey, she snags Mr. Darcy. Who wouldn't want to be in her place?

 

 

What about you guys? Who do you want to be? 

Review - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

In keeping with the Pride and Prejudice theme (check out the giveaway for Experience by Meg Kerr!) I decided to write up a review for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Seth Grahame - Smith tags along with Jane Austen in this one to bring you a classic story with a gruesome twist.

It had been months since she had seen Charlotte, and kind months they had not been, for her friend's skin was now quite gray and marked with sores, and her speech apallingly laboured.

Ah yes, poor Charlotte. Stricken and practically decomposing before your very eyes. But Lizzie, ever the kind friend, still visits her.

"Wady Caferine very respectable...sensible woman," groaned Charlotte, "and most attentive nay-bah."

I'm sorry, but just trying to say that in my head the way it's written, I can't help but laugh. I absolutely loved this book. It was funny and familiar at the same time. The "unmentionables" were a great addition. We find Lizzie and her sisters very learned in combat and martial arts while still trying to maintain the pretense of being proper young ladies of the time.

And check out Lizzie's refusal of Mr. Collin's marriage proposal:

"You forget, sir, that I am a student of Shaolin! Master of the seven-starred fist! I am perfectly serious in my refusal. You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who could make you so. May, were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation, for I am a warrior, sir, and shall be until my last breath is offered to God."

It's even illustrated!

I highly suggest picking this up. If you're a fan of "Unmentionables" or Pride and Prejudice. I wasn't sure how much I would like it compared to the actual P&P... but I was delightfully surprised at how much fun it was to read.

You could also check out the prequel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. This one is written by Steve Hockensmith. I have not had a chance to read it so I can't attest to its contents, but it looks like it would be as interesting as the first P&P&Z. Also by Steve Hockensmith is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After in which tragedy befalls Mr. Darcy when he is bitten by an unmentionable. He is not immediately beheaded by his lovely wife. Instead she seeks a cure in London. Sounds like fun times. I haven't read this one either.

How Blogging Changed My Life

The very first "book blog" that I ever read was Reviews by Jess... now known as The Cozy Reader. I discovered several books that I'd never heard of and read them based on the reviews that she gave. I'd never had anyone to recommend me books before and so it was great to just be able to open up her page and find a lot that interested me.

I don't have a lot of friends who read the way I do. Well, let's be honest. I just don't have a lot of friends. Haha. I do have one or two on a different site who would tell me the books they liked. But blogging has opened up a whole world of people like me. I've read books I never would have picked up before simply because they covers didn't appeal to me (The Hungers Games). I've learned that it's ok to throw a book across the room and never pick it up again because it was horrible (Tower of Change).

It's brought authors down to human level for me. I read Maggie Stiefvater's blog on a regular basis and I think she is just hilarious. I bring up Jackson Pearce's youtube every couple of days to check for a new video and they're great to watch. Before, authors were unattainable to me. They were intimidating and unreachable and (this is going to sound wicked judgemental) haughty. But book blogging has shown me that they're just trying to make a living just like everyone else. And they LIKE their fans. They TALK to their fans.

It's given me something to talk about. Something that I LOVE. People who don't read books don't understand why I love the Hunger Games parody of Britney Spears's I Wanna Go. They don't understand why I fall in love with Mr. Darcy every time I hear his name. They don't understand why I wish I had a Jacob Black in my life. They don't know what WizRock is. They don't get why I get so excited if I win a give away or an author emails me about a review I've written about their book. They don't get why I'll read a book more than once and THEN listen to the audio version as well. Or why I can't throw or give any of my books away.

How has book blogging changed your life? Leave your link over at Parajunkee's site so I can check out your answer!