Cirrus@Austlit

'The weddings are over.

'The guests (including millions of readers and viewers) wish the two happy couples health and happiness. As the music swells and the credits roll, two things are certain: Jane and Bingley will want for nothing, while Elizabeth and Darcy are to be the happiest couple in the world!

'The couples' personal stories of love, marriage, money, and children are woven together with the threads of social and political history of nineteenth century England.

'As changes in industry and agriculture affect the people of Pemberley and the neighboring countryside, the Darcys strive to be progressive and forward-looking while upholding beloved traditions.

'Rebecca Ann Collins follows them in imagination, observing and chronicling their passage through the landscape of their surroundings, noting how they cope with change, triumph, and tragedy in their lives.'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Sourcebooks edition)

'Three generations of the Darcy and the Bingley families evolve against a backdrop of the political ideals and social reforms of the mid-Victorian era.

'Jonathan Bingley, the handsome, distinguished son of Charles and Jane Bingley, takes center stage, returning to Hertfordshire as master of Netherfield Park. A deeply passionate and committed man, Jonathan is immersed in the joys and heartbreaks of his friends and family and his own challenging marriage. At the same time, he is swept up in the changes of the world around him.

'Netherfield Park Revisited combines captivating details of life in mid-Victorian England with the ongoing saga of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice characters.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The Women of Pemberley follows the lives of five women, some from the beloved works of Jane Austen, some new from the author's imagination, into a new era of post industrial revolution England, at the start of the Victorian Age. Vast changes are in motion, as they were throughout this dynamic century.

'The women, like many of Jane Austen's heroines, are strong, intelligent individuals, and the depth and variety of the original characters develop into a series of episodes linked together by their relationship to each other and to Pemberley, which is the heart of their community.

'The central themes of love, friendship, marriage, and a sense of social obligation remain as do the great political and social issues of the age.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Anne-Marie Bradshaw is the granddaughter of Charles and Jane Bingley. Her father now owns Longbourn, the Bennet's estate in Hertfordshire. A young widow after a loveless marriage, Anne-Marie and her stepmother Anna, together with Charlotte Collins, widow of the unctuous Mr. Collins, are the Ladies of Longbourn. These smart, independent women challenge the conventional roles of women in the Victorian era, while they search for ways to build their own lasting legacies in an ever-changing world.

'The ladies find strength, companionship, and friendship together as they work to build a children's hospital, deal with a deadly outbreak of influenza, and help a gentle lady flee a violent and destructive marriage.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In this installment of The Pemberley Chronicles series, Mr. Darcy's cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth's cousin Caroline Gardiner take center stage.

'The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Caroline develops from a pretty young girl into a woman of intelligence and passion, embodying some of Austen's own values. Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth, Jane, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, and the Wickhams all move through the story as Caroline falls in love, marries, and raises her children. Caroline rejects the role of a compliant Victorian wife and mother, instead becoming a spirited and outspoken advocate of reformist causes in spite of the danger of scandal.

'Caroline's advocacy of reform, undaunted by criticism, demonstrates strength in a time when a woman's role was severely restricted.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Kate O'Hare is not a typical Victorian woman. Her intelligence, vivacity, and beauty captivate all those around her, including the young and handsome Darcy Gardiner. But she cares more about science than about dresses, and her unusual behavior makes her a fresh and interesting addition to the Pemberley estate.

'Until her association with scientific controversies of the day and dark secrets from her past put her and all her newfound friends in harm's way. Will Kate's involvement in the public world, where many believe a woman doesn't belong, bring scandal to Pemberley? Or will her charm and wit be enough to banish the shadows of her past and hold on to Darcy Gardiner?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A disaster at Rosings unearths long-hidden secrets

'Catherine Harrison and Becky Tate, daughters of Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins, grew up in the shadow of Rosings Park, domain of the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh; but as adults their paths have diverged dramatically.

'When a catastrophe at Rosings Park brings Becky back to visit her sister, the two clash over their aspirations for the marriage of Catherine's young daughter, and both women are forced to confront the ghosts of their past - in particular, Lady Catherine's cruelty and deception.

'As the shocking truth emerges, the Darcy and Bingley families rally. But is it too late for the sisters to find the love and happiness they were denied so long ago?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When Elizabeth Bennett marries the brooding, passionate Mr.Darcy, she is thrown into the exciting world of London society. She makes a powerful friend in the Marchioness of Englebury but the jealousy among her ladyship's circle threatens to destroy her happiness. Elizabeth is drawn into a powerful clique for whom intrigue is the stuff of life and rivalry the motive. Her success, it seems, can only be at the expense of good relations with her husband...

'Other favourite 'Pride and Prejudice' characters are not forgotten. Georgiana Darcy and Kitty Bennett pursue happiness, each in their own way, while others have adventures too, often with hilarious results. This witty and entertaining novel is full of sardonic humour and beautifully told in the language of the era. Bringing Regency society vividly to life, Helen Halstead carries forward Austen's theme of the necessity for her heroes to grow within, in order to achieve lasting happiness!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Contrary, opinionated, and headstrong, she's no typical Victorian lady...

'Becky Collins has always been determined not to submit to the pressures of Victorian society. But her marriage doesn't bring her the opportunities she'd hoped for, and her outspokenness does not find favor with the gentrified ladies of Pemberley.

'As the unintended consequences of her errors in judgment engulf her, Becky begins to understand what's really important in life. But has she learned her lessons too late?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

Based on the story of the Bennet family from the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

'Everyone knows the story of Elizabeth and Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. But what about their sister Mary, she of the atrocious singing voice and the staidly religious bent of mind?

'Master storyteller Colleen McCullough paints a life for Mary Bennet twenty years after Jane Austen's novel closes.

'So far on in time, each of Mary's sisters is settled in her own way. Happily married Jane is the mother of many children; Elizabeth has to cope with an unwelcome social pre-eminence she had not envisioned; Lydia is still entranced by military officers; and Kitty is one of the stars of London's fashionable salons.

'Events transpire that free Mary from her family obligations and dangle the allurements of independence before her hungry gaze. Fired with zeal by the newspaper letters of the mystery man Argus, she resolves to publish a book about the plight of England's poor. Plunging from one predicament into another, Mary embarks upon a mission of investigation that eventually leads her into mortal danger and reveals the surprising identity of Argus.

'The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet is both a page-turning look at the ongoing lives of the Bennet sisters, and a sparkling romance that shows it is never too late to find love. Abounding with beloved characters in new guises as well as people we have not met before, it is funny, tragic, and eminently satisfying. This is a novel for every woman who has yearned to leave her mark upon the world - Colleen McCullough at her lively best.' (Publisher's blurb)

'"I prayed for a brother every night. My two older sisters also prayed. They felt the want of a brother equally keenly, for our father's estate was entailed upon a male heir, and without a brother to provide for us or a rich husband to rescue us, we would all be destitute."

'Mary Bennet has been long overshadowed by the beauty and charm of her older sisters, Jane and Elizabeth, and by the forwardness and cheek of her younger sisters, Kitty and Lydia. From her post in the wings of the Bennet family, Mary now watches as Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy - and Mr Wickham - glide into her sisters' lives. While she can view these three gentlemen quite dispassionately (and, as it turns out, accurately), can she be equally clear-sighted when she finally falls in love herself?

'In this elegant retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Mary at last learns - with a little help from the man she loves - to question her family's values and overcome her own brand of 'pride and prejudice'.' (From the publisher's website.)

'Focussing on two greatly loved characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Mr and Mrs Bennet, set twenty five years before the novel.

'Mr James Bennet, only son of Robert Bennet, in his late twenties, has resisted marrying a suitable girl, because he resents his father’s attitude. James and Robert have a difficult relationship because James’ mother died giving birth to him, and Robert has never recovered. Robert does not seek happiness for James, but wishes to expedite a match to ensure male heirs, and keep his dreadful cousin Benedict Collins from inheriting. Collins has recently fathered a son.

'Robert, on the advice of his sister Mary, gives James six months to meet a suitable young woman, and has his lawyer draw up a contract to hold him to it. The family lawyer, George Gardiner, sees an opportunity to throw his attractive, but vulgar daughter in the way of the young landowner. He presents his daughter Emily. James is struck by her beauty, and by the fact that she is not on his father’s list of suitable choices – an added attraction. He woos her in secret. He is taken in by her vulgar ways, mistaking them for a spirited nature.

'Collins comes to stay and boast of his son's birth. James reveals he is engaged. Robert is furious with James, and George Gardiner for his deception. Benedict offers to advise James against marrying Emily. Robert decides he would rather James marry anyone at all than pass his estate to a Collins, so throws Benedict out and agrees to the marriage.

'At a final meeting of the families, it becomes apparent Emily is an unsuitable match for James. The play ends with his realisation that he has acted rashly and bound himself for life to the wrong woman.' (Publication summary)

'When news of Mr Bennet's illness arrives at Pemberley, Elizabeth finds that she must set off for Longbourn without the company of her husband, Fitzwilliam Darcy, who has business in London requiring his urgent attention. What unexpected events will further disrupt the apparent harmony of Elizabeth's life? Will Hodges, Mr Bennet's young physician, be captivated by Catherine Bennet, thus fulfilling the desires of Mrs Bennet? Will Mary be left behind to attend to her mother's selfish wishes?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'With her temptingly large dowry, the beautiful and talented Georgiana Darcy catches the eye of numerous suitors, not all of whom wish to marry purely for love. As Georgiana navigates the treacherous waters of courtship, her story becomes intertwined with that of Anne de Bourgh, her wealthy but painfully awkward cousin, who stirs up trouble when she sets her sights on a young gentleman with a rank far below her own. In so doing, Anne encounters the opposition of her proud and domineering mother, the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and sets in motion a chain of events that brings a damaging secret to light and threatens to destroy Georgiana's dreams of happiness. Intrigues, gossip, and elopements further complicate Georgiana's efforts to find love and avoid the snares of fortune-hunters.

'Written in a sparkling, witty, humorous style on par with Jane Austen's own in Pride and Prejudice, Alice Isakova's Georgiana Darcy continues the tale that has delighted readers for over two centuries.'  (Publication summary)