Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop by Summer Hanford

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This variation on Pride and Prejudice is delightful. The core change—Darcy is disowned for refusing to marry Anne—is highly effective. It creates a natural path for Elisabeth to fall in love with Darcy as they find common ground, a much more convincing basis for a match.

A standout element is the characterization of Anne, who is given an actual personality and is quite likable. I've always felt sorry for the original Anne, burdened by her mother, so this was a welcome development.

Wickham is still perfectly evil, though I confess to being disappointed with his disposal. Given the realities of the time, however, one must accept that old money does have power in England.

Overall, it's a good read because, satisfyingly, love prevails in the end