Feb 17 2010
REVIEW: Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo
Dear Ms Pattillo,
I’d call this book a loose sequel to last year’s “Jane Austen Ruined My Life.” It’s not necessary to have read that one to jump right into “Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart.” I also love that while you take advantage of the current “Austen craze,” this book isn’t one of the many books out there that seek to take Austen’s secondary characters and write HEA novels for them.
Claire Prescott is a sensible woman who believes in facts and figures, not fairy tales. But when she agrees to present a paper to a summer symposium at Oxford on her ailing sister’s behalf, Claire finds herself thrown into an adventure with a gaggle of Jane Austen-loving women all on the lookout for their Mr. Darcy. Claire isn’t looking for Mr. Anyone. She’s been dating Neil — a nice if a bit negligent — sports fanatic. But when a tall, dark and dashing stranger crosses her path, will the staid Claire suddenly discover her inner romantic heroine?
Her chance meeting with a mysterious woman who claims to have an early version of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice — in which Lizzie ends up with someone other than Fitzwilliam Darcy — leads to an astounding discovery about the venerated author’s own struggle to find the right hero for Lizzie Bennett. Neil’s unexpected arrival in Oxford complicates Claire’s journey to finding her own romantic lead. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is the story of a woman who finds that love isn’t logical and that a true hero can appear in the most unexpected of places.
As I read the book, I couldn’t help but get frustrated at times with Claire. Just as frustrated as those who love her probably feel about how she’s put off her own life to do for them. This book is more, I think, women’s fiction with a romance at the end than a romance. It’s told in 1st person POV and deals more with Claire and her journey to understanding herself and what she’s done with and allowed to happen in her life. It packs a lot of change and self examination into a weeks time.
As with the first book, I just accepted the Formidables. But the thought of a hidden Austen manuscript would be tantalizing. I like the bits and pieces of the version of “First Impressions” you’ve created and think it makes sense given what little I know of Austen’s life. We see what could have been the outcome of Jane examining her own life and the people in it, just as Claire does. And how that could have changed what is probably her most widely read book, “Pride and Prejudice.”
There is a romance here and as with the previous book in this series, “Jane Austen Ruined My Life,” the heroine has to deal with two men in her life. Who are they both and what does each want from her? Claire has to determine that, and learn her own heart, before the end of the story. Part of my difficulty with the book is that since it’s from Claire’s POV, all we know is what she has figured out or thinks she knows. It’s not until late in the story that we learn more about both men, which helps to illuminate who they truly are and what they feel for Claire. I was willing to keep reading because watching Claire come to self realization caught my attention. She’s a flawed person but then aren’t we all? She doesn’t come to immediate self knowledge and fights what she discovers about herself along the way. And who doesn’t do that too? After she finally figures it all out, though, I’m glad that she’s going to wait almost another year before tying the knot. I think settling into her new relationship needs a little time.
You did have me guessing about who she’d end up with. It swung back and forth, chapter to chapter and even within chapters. I was even to the point of thinking that she’d not end up with anyone but perhaps take more time to find out what she really wants from life before looking for a relationship. And honestly, I think I would have been fine with that too. I do like her choice because who doesn’t want a hero like that?
But even as you kept me guessing about Claire’s ultimate hero, I discovered that I don’t care for books which make me guess. Love triangles have rarely been my reading choice and I think I know why. I want to know who the hero and heroine are going to be and not be pulled back and forth over the course of the book as to which person another ends up with. Sure, I want to watch a couple work out their relationship but I want to know who I’m supposed to cheer for. Here, the information needed to see who would be the hero seemed to come from left field.
I do like the way you’ve woven Austen and her books into these stories as it’s more unique than just another rehash of the characters she left without HEAs. In the end, my grade is based, somewhat, on what is my own personal dislike of love triangles. I think that people who don’t mind these will ultimately enjoy the book more than I did. B-
~Jayne
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Feb 17, 2010 @ 07:26:59
Pattillo’s books have the most beautiful covers. I don’t think I would have read “Jane Austen Ruined My Life” if I hadn’t been so taken with the cover.
Feb 17, 2010 @ 07:31:07
@Susan Laura: Yes, it’s gorgeous. Too bad the heroine isn’t ever described as wearing this yummy dress. But even Pattillo’s “Betsy” covers were nice, too.
Feb 17, 2010 @ 08:12:06
Jayne,
I was actually surprised that you gave this book the grade you did. From your detached tone, it’s seems there was nothing about it that sparked your interest at all.
Your review said nothing about the quality of writing and dialogue. I know that 1st POV can be very isolating but I felt I was reading a book report. That is a first for me on this site.
Feb 17, 2010 @ 08:13:12
Oh and I am just another Beth. Not the author Beth.
Feb 17, 2010 @ 08:41:50
Beth, I think the love triangle aspect is what detached me from the book. As I said, Claire swings back and forth between two men and I never felt I could really get into rooting for either potential relationship because by 3 pages later, it would have changed again.
Pattillo writes well, the narrative flows the dialogue is good and I did enjoy the different way she incorporates Austen into the book so I didn’t feel a C was deserved. But the book never quite “grabbed” me emotionally.
Feb 17, 2010 @ 12:13:35
I was a bit disappointed in Jane Austen Ruined My Life, because at the end I felt the heroine’s choice seemed a bit forced to me (it’s never good when you can see the fine authorial hand moving the characters around the chessboard). OTOH, I loved the single trad Regency that Patillo wrote as Bethany Brooks. Unlike Jayne, I don’t dismiss triangles out of hand, so I may try this one. And, as Susan Laura said, Patillo’s books have such beautiful covers — I need to do my bit to encourage publishers to create more such gorgeous covers.
Feb 18, 2010 @ 00:08:22
Pattillo did a great job with historical accuracy with Austen’s life and her novels in both of her books. As a Janeite who reads a lot of sequels – I enjoyed this book for its ingenuity and respect for the source material. The heroine did waver, but that was the struggle of her life. I laughed several times at the witty dialogue. The ending was much more satisfying than Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Overall, this is one of the best contemporary Austen inspired novels I’ve read.
Feb 18, 2010 @ 04:49:46
Thanks for commenting on this aspect of the novel. I thought that Pattillo had done her homework but since I don’t consider myself a Janeite by any means, it’s nice to have it confirmed by someone who knows.
Feb 18, 2010 @ 09:12:51
Thank you for this review. I always meant to read Jane/Ruined and never did, and now I’m determined to read both of these books. I enjoy discovering the hero at the same pace as the heroine, so this sounds like a good fit for me.
Sep 30, 2010 @ 18:45:44
Beth Pattillo are you the one that used to live in Raymore, Mo and associate pastor of Raymore Christian Church.
Beth Cooper