Christmas in Gracechurch Street

Fun story about Mary & Elizabeth while they are visiting the Gardeners. A change in Mary results in changes for Elizabeth and all the characters in this story. Loved this different perspective!

When I first started reading the review copy of this book, I expected a light, pleasant time with interesting twists on the original story. I certainly got that and fully enjoyed myself. What I did not expect was a totally different Mary Bennet – a young woman with humor, growing self-awareness, far more genuine accomplishments than anyone would expect, and a gift for plotting and scheming. Oh yes, and a willingness to recognize that her plot didn’t have all the kinks worked out. Miss Mary’s character added pure delight to this story.

Of course there are misunderstandings, and of course Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy engage in their fair share of false pride and foolish prejudice before reaching their requisite happily ever after. There are times when I would like to give him a good hard shake or box his ears or something – anything to keep him from unnecessary self-sacrifice (aka false martyrdom).

I love this version of Georgiana Darcy, and I love that the Matlock family is refreshingly free of the sort of snobbery which makes our dear couple miserable in other stories. I love glimpses of Charles Bingley with more of a spine. Sometimes I just want kind, generous characters, especially when the world around me is anything but.

As a former college professor, it is impossible for me to read a book without a mental red pen handy. One of the things I appreciate about Leenie Brown’s novels is that I rarely have need to make use of that pen. There were very few spelling errors and only a couple uses of words that don’t mean what the author apparently believes them to mean. These aren’t huge deals and don’t mess with the quality of the story or the fun of reading it, even for someone with the inability to set down her mental red pen. This high quality of writing and editing is something I have come to expect from Ms. Brown and is one of the reasons I’m more than happy to be one of her advance readers. (I never liked having to respond to poor work with well-earned low grades, and I detest having to give bad reviews, especially for sloppy writing and editing, so I’m picky and selective about what I am willing to promise to review.)

This delightful novel, offering a light, gentle, relaxing read and perfect for curling up on a chilly afternoon with a pot of tea and a plate of Eccles cakes (I wish) delivers what it promises. I am likely to return to it the next time the world gets to be too much and I need to hide in a place of low angst and much loving hope.