"When Colonel Fitzwilliam arrives at Netherfield to recover from a battlefield injury, he expects only rest, quiet, and a respite from his mother's persistent fussing. But his return places him squarely in the midst of a far more delicate conflict—one involving his cousin, Mr. Darcy, and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth's opinion of Darcy remains decidedly poor, and though Darcy longs to make amends, he is unsure how to overcome the unhappy impression he has left. Into this uneasy stalemate steps the colonel, whose keen insight and disarming warmth soon begin to reshape the very ground on which Darcy and Elizabeth stand.
But Hertfordshire harbors dangers neither lady nor gentleman anticipates. Old misdeeds refuse to stay buried, and when shadows from the past rise again, Darcy and Elizabeth find themselves drawn together—this time by necessity as well as affection.
With loyalty, courage, and unflinching honesty, Colonel Fitzwilliam becomes the unexpected catalyst who might redeem his cousin's hopes . . . or extinguish them entirely."
"Mr. Bingley leaves Hertfordshire after his ball, throwing the Bennet family into turmoil and Jane Bennet into despair. Sensing an opportunity, Mr. Collins capitalizes on this event to stoke Mrs. Bennet's fears in his attempt to force Elizabeth Bennet's to accept him, but Elizabeth remains firm.
Gossip reveals that Netherfield Park is to be opened again, but the resident at the estate is soon revealed to be Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Elizabeth does not appreciate Mr. Darcy, for his slight of her and the stories from Mr. Wickham have left her in a state of festering disapproval and disdain for the gentleman from the north.
The gentleman proposes to her, leading to Elizabeth's acrimonious refusal, but she soon realizes her opinion of Mr. Darcy is amiss when he explains certain facts of Mr. Wickham's history and acts to bring Mr. Bingley back to Hertfordshire. She allows Mr. Darcy to call on her, determined to learn more about the enigmatic gentleman.
Yet Mr. Collins has not abandoned his hope. A man so ineffectual as he is no temptation for Elizabeth, and he just may yet be of some use to her, for there is no comparison between a silly parson and a gentleman such as Mr. Darcy . . ."
"When Mr. Hurst returns to Netherfield just days before Christmas, the last thing anyone expects is for him to change the lives of those around him—least of all Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.
Once dismissed as idle and indifferent, Hurst surprises society by showing both wisdom and heart. As he observes the strained relations between his friends and the Bennet family, he begins to intervene in quiet but decisive ways. His efforts, born of regret and newfound purpose, set in motion a chain of events that might mend what pride and misunderstanding once tore apart.
In a season of reflection and renewal, even the most unlikely gentleman can become a catalyst for love.
Mr. Hurst's Return is a heart-warming Pride and Prejudice variation that proves redemption, friendship, and courage can sometimes be found where they are least expected. It is Book Two in the Netherfield Returns series, a collection of standalone novels exploring how each member of the Netherfield party finds a second chance at love."
"He was not meant to inherit Pemberley. And yet, everything changed with a single letter.
Fitzwilliam Darcy, the reserved master of Netherfield Park, lives a quiet, respectable life with his mother in Hertfordshire—and is preparing to marry Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who has captured his heart. But only weeks before the wedding, a tragic accident takes the life of his cousin, the master of Pemberley. The entail is clear: the estate now belongs to him.
Drawn north into a world of new responsibilities, noble relations, and long-kept secrets, Darcy is thrust into a society he was never raised to navigate. Amid the imposing halls of Pemberley, he reunites with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana, contends with the schemes of the ever-persistent Mr. Wickham, and fends off Lady Catherine's unwanted ambitions for his future.
When Elizabeth visits Pemberley with his mother, sparks fly—not only of affection, but of scandal. With meddling relatives, malicious plots, and old debts casting shadows over their happiness, Darcy must balance his new duties with the love he refuses to lose.
But something darker stirs beneath the polished surface of Pemberley's legacy—something that threatens far more than titles and inheritances.
In the face of scheming relatives and secrets long buried, one truth remains: Darcy will not lose the woman he loves."
"Elizabeth Bennet's visit to Netherfield Park to tend to her ailing sister takes a surprising turn when she meets with Mr. Darcy on the grounds, and his manner so altered as to shock her. The gentleman provokes her gratitude when he helps her escape all Miss Bingley's contempt, conveying her to her sister's room and taking the duty of informing the mistress of her presence on himself.
As her stay at the estate lengthens, Elizabeth comes to appreciate him, for this Mr. Darcy is a man worth knowing, his opinions intelligent, his manner deferential. Their newfound amity is not agreeable to all those present, however, for Miss Bingley has long schemed to draw a proposal from the unwilling Mr. Darcy and will not surrender her prize without a struggle.
Before Elizabeth and Jane depart from the estate, Elizabeth has proof of the gentleman's interest in his own words, and she cannot help but wonder how the future will unfold with this who appears so determined to have her good opinion. The arrival of a fool and a libertine in turn throws obstacles in the lovers' path, but the course of true love, though it may not always be smooth, cannot be prevented forever. Those four days at Netherfield Park have changed Elizabeth's perspective, which will change her future."
"Years after conspiring men denied his father the inheritance that was his by birthright, Mr. Henry Bennet returns to Longbourn with his three daughters, having received the estate on the death of its previous master. Mr. Bennet has no notion why the man who stole it from his father willed the property to his control, but he is grateful to return to the lands of his forebears.
As the Bennets settle into their lives as gentlefolk once again, their new friends welcome them to the neighborhood, and they begin the struggle to turn Longbourn again into a prosperous estate. In this, Mr. Bennet finds assistance from his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, a scion of the family who proved his father's salvation. Mr. Darcy, eager to help his dear friend learn how to become master of the estate, takes an immediate liking to the man's second daughter, Elizabeth, who works her way into his heart with little effort.
Unexpected to them all, their new position opens vistas wide to them, for the prospect of love and devotion, a future filled with promise, is open to them, from the eldest to the youngest. Of even greater importance, the Bennets will learn something of themselves and discover something of the betrayals that led to their family's hiatus from the estate."
"At a dinner party in London during the season, Fitzwilliam Darcy meets an enchanting young woman. Though he recognizes her beauty and poise, he is struck by a sense of familiarity and realizes she is someone connected to him.
What follows is a whirlwind of events in which the woman's lineage is discovered and her true identity is established. Darcy quickly realizes she is a woman estimable in her own right, and he finds himself besotted.
But amid the miraculous events of a lost soul returning home, dark forces conspire against the young woman, for her loss was not an accident. And so it is that a man is moved to action by a boon long denied, determined to avoid being cheated by Miss Elizabeth Bennet again."
"Miss Caroline Bingley has long been a thorn in the side of Fitzwilliam Darcy's friendship with Charles Bingley; the visit to Netherfield Park to help Bingley learn the craft of an estate manager has all the potential for disaster. But Darcy will not shirk, for his friendship with Bingley outweighs his distaste for the man's sister. In his defense, Darcy enlists his manservant, a man equally committed to ensure Miss Bingley will not become his master's wife.
What Darcy had not expected was to find a woman in Hertfordshire, a woman he had only dreamed of meeting. Miss Elizabeth Bennet was everything a woman should be—handsome, intelligent, witty, considerate, and possessing the most beautiful eyes Darcy had ever beheld. It was not long before Darcy found himself ensnared in her web, helplessly besotted, knowing she was exactly what he wanted in a wife.
Yet the specter of Miss Bingley's resolve to go to whatever lengths to have her way hung over his overtures to the woman he was rapidly coming to love. In time, Darcy was certain Miss Bingley would make her move, her actions certain to destroy his happiness if she succeeded. Darcy, however, was not without resources, and not without his own determination to do everything he could to thwart her machinations and find his happiness."
"The morning of Mr. Collins's proposal, Elizabeth leaves Longbourn for a walk, furious at the parson for proposing and her mother for pressing her to accept, eager to put some distance between herself and those who would persecute her. While walking, she meets a most unexpected acquaintance.
Fitzwilliam Darcy is dealing with frustrations of his own. Caroline Bingley, fearful that her brother means to propose to what she considers an unsuitable woman, has demanded that Darcy support her determination to prevent him from making a drastic mistake. While Darcy might have agreed with her view, what she suggests strikes him as deceitful.
Their meeting on the path proves fortuitous, for it allows them a chance to work past their first impressions. As they meet every day the following week, they understand more of each other, their regard growing, barriers between them falling. While misunderstandings drove them apart, on the paths of Longbourn estate they have the chance to set all right between them and attain happiness together that neither thought possible."
"New hope arrives for the Bennet family when Mr. Bennet discovers a way by which he can end the dreaded entail, leaving him free to leave Longbourn where he wishes. Mr. Bennet seizes the opportunity, ensuring his family's support and providing for their future.
When the militia arrives in Meryton, they find a Bennet family much changed from what it had been in the past, for the youngest Bennets are better behaved and not out, and the eldest must deal with new and unwanted attention. For Jane Bennet, the difference is striking, for her position as heir to Longbourn ensures interest from quarters she has no desire to receive.
And what of the Netherfield party? Business in London delays their arrival in Hertfordshire, and when they do arrive, Mr. Darcy discovers the presence of a hated enemy and finds a woman he can admire. When enemies collide, dangerous situations erupt which have the potential to leave them all changed. Against this backdrop, Mr. Darcy must not only woo the woman he loves, but also protect her against the machinations of an unscrupulous scoundrel."
Join our community for the latest bookish news, reading recommendations, exclusive opening extracts, author events and competitions. It\'s all free. And enter a monthly draw to win a £50 Gift Card. See past winners here
