Ｓｈｉｆｒａ ♕'s Reviews > When We Are Married: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

We didn’t vibe, but you might.

I acknowledge I am an outlier in not enjoying this but I believe- though there is smart dialogue and prose- the story itself in terms of characterization, journey, plot and conflict is severely lacking though it may be easy to overlook.

Synopsis:

When Darcy takes his leave at Hunsford after the disaster proposal, Lizzy and Darcy are able to surreptitiously make amends. Darcy not wanting to screw the pooch when given the fortuitous second shot sets out to reunite Jane & Bingley.

During his week head start in London he visits with the Gardiners often, but Bingley has had a change of heart and doesn't accompany him. Darcy is personable and in result of his courteous attentions to Jane- a spectacle in need of spectacles- she concludes he is there to court her.

When Lizzy returns, the once inseparable sisters suddenly- for no discernible reason- are no more inclined to 'pillow talk' as of old and thus misunderstandings fester.

The pretty prose and romantic lines mask the massive hollowness of this tale- indeed it took extensive reflection for me to pinpoint why I felt uncomfortable with it, tis not immediately discernible. See, Ms Williams writes beautiful lines so it is easy to overlook the fact that the story itself has no substance to it, there is no real conflict, no character journey or growth.

Characters just are the same as they start; Darcy starts off as a sweet, remorseful, officious, flirt- and remains so throughout; Lizzy is smarting bashfully to Darcy’s virtues-and remains so throughout; Jane is blind & shrill- and remains so throughout (until she turns on a dime at the very last)- see what I mean?

We have these characters in a suspended state and the ‘plot’ is them skirting around each other in an deliberate dance to legitimize a contrived misunderstanding while some courting takes place.


So yes- the lines are sweet and some scenes cute, the prose often is lyrical and the dialogue quips- but there isn't a real conflict, a real plot or anything compelling that makes me say 'wow Lizzy and Darcy are tackling this’, or 'ODC is beginning to understanding each other better from that', or 'I never thought of this aspect of that character.' Chiefly, I felt disconnected from the characters & most distressingly, Darcy and Lizzy. Both of them, increasingly towards the end, seemed famous idiots to me. I didn't like them.

Often in JAFF, stories do lack a plot of substance and I'm entertained regardless. A cute courtship will make me forgive a lot, but for whatever reason in this instance it did not sit well with me.

I kept getting bored & putting it down, and usually I am the type to finish a book in one evening or over maybe three days, but this took me nigh two weeks of deliberate determination and the resolution resounded hollow within me. It was too easy to walk away from.

So, for what I outlined above, I can't bequeath this with more stars and I wager it shan't suffer the meager deprivation of my insignificant approval, this was palatable to most and it has no shortage of good reviews. I will say that this has not turned me off the author & I have every intention to check out her other works as I do think she has some chops and hopefully another one will be a love connection.


❀P.S. The title made me aww- it’s just so tender a sentiment & expression! Likely my very favorite aspect of the story.