Drawing Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Duology

De: Melanie Rachel

Narrado por: Harry Frost

The two Drawing Mr. Darcy books are now together in one collection!

Book One: When Thomas Bennet's childless aunt and uncle ask that one of his five daughters come to live with them, he knows which girl would most benefit. Years later, Elizabeth Bennet Russell returns to Longbourn having had an unconventional upbringing. She is in possession of an important name, a good fortune, and an artist's eye.

Drawing helps Elizabeth to literally sketch people’s character, and she’s become rather good at it. But she’s about to face her greatest challenge yet. Netherfield Park is let at last, and her good friend's much older brother—whom she has yet to meet—has arrived as a guest. It will take Elizabeth more than a drawing to help her understand the confounding Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Book Two: For the first time, drawing someone’s portrait has not been enough to understand his character. Although Elizabeth Bennet Russell has sketched Mr. Darcy’s expressions often and with great care, she still cannot figure him out—that is, until he confesses that he has fallen in love with her.

By the time Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy share a dance at the Netherfield Ball, they are well on their way to marriage. Then her cousin, the Marquess of Tavistock, arrives from London with news: Elizabeth’s Aunt Olivia is seriously ill, and there’s been a threat against both Russell women. Will the Russells close ranks, leaving Darcy out in the cold?

©2018, 2023 Melanie Rachel (P)2025 Melanie Rachel

Outstanding

This is the second of my two favorite Melanie Rachel stories, the first being “I Never Knew Myself.” It is an interesting vagary…Elizabeth is, and is not, a Bennet!

Elizabeth is taken as a 10 year old child to Mr Bennet’s aunt and uncle, Olivia and Phillip Russell. The Russells are very rich and well connected and Elizabeth is given an education to rival anyone in the first circles of the ton. She has been best friends with Georgiana Darcy for years but due to the presence of George Wickham in his godfather’s life she has never had the opportunity to meet Fitzwilliam Darcy. Also when she is poised to make her come out her uncle passes away, leaving her in deep mourning instead.

Her Bennet family wants her to visit them and her mother insists she uses the Bennet name instead of Russell. It is when his friend Mr Bingley leases the Netherfield estate that Elizabeth finally makes Darcy’s acquaintance. She has made a promise to her parents not to use the Russell name. What happens when her best friend’s brother insults her and assumes she is a penniless country lass in search of a rich husband?

Sparks fly and villains make problems for ODC as they come to know each other and come to know the truth of the other’s story. This is a fabulously rich tale and the narration is superb. This is an absolute “Do Not Miss”!

An Audiobook Worth Waiting For

This audiobook was definitely worth waiting for, as most listeners will have already read and loved these two books. The voice of Harry Frost added that extra level of entertainment we appreciate so much. For anyone who has not read the books, this audiobook will be a real treat. Personally, my favorite moments were listening to Mr. Frost singing part of a popular tune of the day in both Lizzy’s voice and the voice of a young maid. Charming! ⭐️

Lizzy loves sketching characters- literally!

Elizabeth Bennet goes to live with her great aunt and uncle Olivia and Phillip Russell. She is raised as a Russell from twelve until twenty when she returns to visit her family at Longbourn. While living with the Russells Elizabeth becomes friends with Georgiana Darcy and meets her father George Darcy but never meets Georgiana’s brother Fitzwilliam. Elizabeth finally meets Darcy at the infamous Meryton assembly and delivers his idiotic remark. Elizabeth disdains his haughtiness and continues to try to figure Darcy out, repeatedly drawing pictures with captions of their encounters.

Two fantastic books in one - audiobook even better

I first read the two individual books several years ago and absolutely loved them. It is now March 2025 and I got the Duology book along with the brand new audiobook that Harry Frost has narrated. If someone starts book one you have to read book 2 as it completes the story.

Several other reviews give more details and I completely agree that first and foremost this is a love story on many layers. It is the love between Elizabeth and her great aunt and uncle, Elizabeth’s sisters, Georgiana and later Darcy.

The audiobook makes one of my favorite stories so much better! Thank you Harry Frost for bringing our beloved characters to life! This will continue to be a re-read / listen

womderful

I loved how she was able to be as smart as she could have been in the original....loved their early connection...relaxing....

An Absolute Favourite

What a delicious treat and wish come true to finally have this wonderful story, one of the best Austen variations ever, finally available on audio. Harry Frost was the perfect choice to perform it too. I know this is one I will return to anytime I need a good pick me up. Thoroughly delightful listening experience. Highly recommend it.

Wonderful P&P Variation with Great Narrator

I enjoyed the Whole Story which is split into 2 books. This is a much more Impressive Elizabeth Bennet “Russell” - although Darcy doesn’t realize it until after he falls in love with her and proposes. I liked the early period of Lizzy with her Aunt & Uncle, showing her intelligence and talent. The Bennet girls are All much better than they are usually portrayed, even Lydia. I especially like Mary. A great variation and Harry Frost does an excellent job.

A Favorite of the Not (Quite) a Bennet Trope

Harry Frost narrates this Elizabeth not (quite) a Bennet story superbly.

Elizabeth, raised as an adopted daughter of wealthy relatives who were unable to have children, is both a Bennet yet not due to her vastly different upbringing. The whole family benefits from the wealthy relatives, so these Bennets are less embarrassing than canon in some ways. Also, Elizabeth's relatives have a connection to the Darcys that positively impacts the relationship between the Darcy father and son by exposing Wickham during the boys teenage years. This deviation makes Darcy less haughty and more open to following his heart within weeks of the Meryton Assembly, though he still calls her tolerable and refuses the introduction!

The story is well paced. The relationship building between Darcy and Elizabeth is sweet. The new characters are enjoyable, and the changes to canon characters work well with the plot changes. As I mentioned, this is a favorite of mine in this trope category; so, I devoured the audiobook as soon as I could.

Choppy

I've read these stories quite a few times. It's one of my favorites, however the recording isn't very good! It is choppy and words are partially cut off. Almost the whole story is choppy and cuts in and out. I'm disappointed in it.