Tuesday 4 May 2010

Review: The Man who Loved Pride and Prejudice - Abigail Reynolds

The Man Who loved Pride and Prejudice by Abigail Reynolds

Genre: Contempory romance
Pages: 448
Published: May 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca (previously published as Pemberley by the Sea)

Pride and Prejudice is the quintessential women's novel but many men love it, too When marine biologist Cassie Boulton and Calder Westing III, a modern-day Mr. Darcy, share one passionate night by the sea, Cassie thinks she may have found her happy ending. But with devastating secrets from the past and Calder's family determined to keep them apart, Calder tells her about his feelings the only way she'll let him by rewriting her favorite book, featuring the two of them as Darcy and Elizabeth.


Just  mention Pride and Prejudice, be is sequel, re-make or something else and I want to have a go at it. This one I liked and it had me at the "ball" where they meet. She asks him to dance and he says no, and then she leaves with a sense of having been judged and found wanting. She got me there.

It is the story about marine biologist Cassie who every summer comes to the cape to study the sea life and sit in her lab. This year she has her friend Erin with her and Erin meets a nice guy, Scott and dances away with him. While Cassie meets a reserved man who doesn't seem to want to be where he is. It is dislike at once, but there is also something else there, a passion that takes hold of them, but Cassie walks away because a poor Elizabeth with secrets does not get her Mr Darcy.

There is a lot of passion between these two when they finally get together, even if it is for a short time. Then the book takes a turn and they go their separate ways, but he wants to win her back and he has already called her Elizabeth Bennet. And I went awww, a guy who re-writes P&P to put them in it! So where can I meet him. He is like Mr Darcy, all hidden feelings and never saying the things he may want too. But then there is that other side to him, that gentle and caring side that we do not get to see at first. When it comes out I get happy.

There was some negative aspects though, it felt at times like the book was finished, but then it picked up another thread. I mean I do not mind cos more to read, and that is never wrong, but the passages felt new when you thought the end was near (well not that near cos I could still see the pages.) But at least the resolved everything, and I haev to give her credit for that because I like endings where I know it all.

This was a sweet book, a nice re-telling of an old story. Some characters where in it, others not. It was her own version but you could still recognize some important things, but never so much that it felt like just another re-telling. Now it was her own story, with PP inspiration,and  that worked great. What was left was a rich guy meets a nice so rich girl, and his family disapproves. And then there is Bingley and Jane.

I liked Calder, I liked Cassie, I enjoyed their love story, and sweet romance.

One thing left me thinking though, how much Abigail Reynolds knows about marine biology? Cos she was not afraid to go in to that lab and explain things. And to choose a subject like that, perhaps she has studied it.


Blodeuedd's Cover Corner. I really like this one, it is so sweet and the couple looks happy.
Reason for reading: From the publisher.
Final thoughts: Sweet story, 3



29 comments:

  1. Oh wow. Thank you for the review. I loved this book when it was PEMBERLEY BY THE SEA. I had no idea it was being repackaged (and this is where I wish the author's site would be updated with that info because I looked at it only a week and a half ago and saw nothing about it..).

    Anyway, I plan to buy this so I have a copy of my own.

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  2. I need to read this - such good reviews for it everywhere! Yours included :)

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  3. Thanks for the review, Blodeuedd!

    I've had this book on my radar and I'm so happy you enjoyed it. However, I'm a little disconcerted that you felt the book coming to end several times knowing that there was still a grip of pages remaining. Little bit strange there.

    I'm also shocked to see in the above comment that this book had a different title at one point but has been repackaged without readers knowing. That's not cool. It feels like being duped. Hmmmm now I'm kinda on the fence about the whole thing.

    Still, I'm happy you liked it, girl.

    Hugs, VFG

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  4. Janicu
    I really do wonder why there is no mention at all on the author's site. Wouldn't she want people to know?
    And I do admit that this cover is prettier ;) So this one would be the one to buy, lol, ok that is my thoughts only.

    Mary
    It just had this lovely and sweet feel to it. It was refreshing, even if there was plenty of heartache too

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  5. VFG
    I guess that it is like with the Lord of the rings movie. When some feel it should have ended there and instead it went on, and resolved those plotlines. So at times I felt like this could be the end, but instead we got some more things to read about. Some may think that is not so ok, but I felt that ok as long s the rest is good too, then I do not mind. Since things I had not thought would get an conclusion got one, and all for the better.

    Oh no, perhaps she has just forgotten about putting the stuff on her page. And the publisher got this one and wanted to launch it with a new title and so to give it a better start, get more people to read it. Dunno.

    All I can say, wait for a few reviews, if you still want it then give it a go :)

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  6. Sounds fun, Blodeuedd,

    Loved your review, and your take on her marine biology qualifications :)

    Take care!

    Sassy
    :)

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  7. Hey, my comp is now open to all! YAY! (If you are interested, that is...) LOL

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  8. Sassy
    I did wonder, cos it sure felt well researched.
    Must come over again then ;)

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  9. Hmm, I don't think this book is for me. I don't generally like retellings of P&P.

    I am reading Magic Study now, and hoping to get to Fire Study right afterwards. I am a little slow, I know!

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  10. Nice review, hon! I'm always in the mood for a little Mr Darcy romance too. Good to see you liked it so much :)

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  11. Ohhh, sounds interesting! This is a new book and author to me so thanks for the review!

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  12. This has been on my list, I need to get to it.

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  13. Hmm. The retitle is perhaps to take advantage of how hot mashups and such are?

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  14. Hey honey, popping in to say hi!!!! And hope all is going well!

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  15. Aarti,
    Are you enjoying it? Since for me it just felt, well not near as good...
    You do not like re-tellings? I lsure love them :D

    Janna
    There is nothing wrong with a bit of darcy now and again, he is true love

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  16. Lori
    You're welcome. I sure like finding new authors and she had a lot of Austen books

    Nise
    I hope you enjoy it when you do :)

    Chris
    Hm, perhaps, and it does sound good

    Hi Cecile
    All well, still a busy be, and moving in with cutie so all is great actually :D

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  17. I do like the new title better than the original. I've avoided most of the P&P sequels, though, so not sure if I'll pick this one up. Glad you enjoyed it, though.

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  18. Carol
    It does sound better, and has this other feel to it :)
    Well we cant all like them :)

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  19. Show me that man IRL...cuz I want to marry him!!!

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  20. Staci,
    Hihi, we must find him ;)

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  21. I want this book! LOL I just finished Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart and now I want to read every book with a similar theme and I never even read Jane Austen's version (I really need to, don't I? LOL)

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  22. So that's what this book os about! This sounds like a re-telling I would like to read. How sweet! To re-write a story with them in it. Thankas for the recommendation Linda!

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  23. Yvonne
    I totally want to read the book you red too! There is just something about Austen.
    Lol, perhaps you should read PP

    Jenny
    He made me go awwwwww! I mean to our his heart out like that, and tell the story. What a guy

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  24. Hey B:

    Thanks for another great review. I'm not big on books that pick up multiple threads throughout the narrative when you think everything is resolving. But that is just me.

    Glad you enjoyed though!

    L

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  25. Lea,
    Hm, I wouldn't say it like that. I mean it was the story that evolved, but then things that had been there from the beginning got an end too. it is hard to explain

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  26. This sounds really good! I have heard good things about it.
    Great review :)
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  27. I read this one back when it was marketed as Pemberley by the Sea. I really liked it, but I think it could have been a lot shorter. Glad you enjoyed it.


    --Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

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  28. Anna
    I guess that could have been good, I mean I did feel it was over long before it was over. Then again I liked that she put the loose ends together, but again I guess it could have been done differently

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