The Trouble with Friends

A Pride and Prejudice Variation

By: Kelly Miller

Narrated by: Deborah Balm

A country miss from a modest estate may destroy Fitzwilliam Darcy’s closest friendship!

Darcy and his good friend Simon Lockhart are guests of Charles Bingley at Netherfield Park in Hertfordshire. When the otherwise sensible Lockhart becomes infatuated with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who has neither wealth nor a renowned family name, Darcy attempts to make his friend see reason. But there is a complication—Darcy’s growing attraction for Miss Elizabeth.

Elizabeth has an instant liking for the amiable Mr. Lockhart, whilst she deems the arrogant Mr. Darcy to be an undesirable entity. In time, though, she is coaxed into judging Mr. Darcy anew. But when an unexpected predicament forces her to make an undesirable choice, it seems all hope of a happy outcome is lost.

In this Pride & Prejudice variation, Darcy faces a dilemma: Will he heed the yearnings of his heart—even at the expense of his principles?

The Trouble With Friends is a clean, light-hearted Regency romance of approximately 54,000 words written from the author's imagination without the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence).

©2023 Kelly Miller (P)2023 Kelly Miller

Another enthralling and engaging Austenesque triumph by renowned Regency romance author Kelly Miller!

It’s always an absolute delight to return to Kelly Miller’s Pride and Prejudice variations! She has created her own rich, sumptuous, multifaceted universe based on Jane Austen’s foundation yet containing her own distinctive approach and contemporary appeal. Her books will charm and entrance diehard Austen fans as well as romance-loving newcomers.

In THE TROUBLE WITH FRIENDS, Elizabeth Bennet is torn between two suitors, Mr. Lockhart and Mr. Darcy, who are good friends. Tension rises between Lockhart and Darcy as they both fall for Elizabeth. The slow-burn between Darcy and Elizabeth is flawlessly done, wrought with delicious angst, conflicts, and complexities. Mary also shines throughout the installment. In this alternate timeline, Miller weaves a series of clever deviations into the beloved story. What follows is a sequence of misunderstandings, endearing banter, and scintillating wit. Miller always has an astute emotional intuition about these characters, adding new depth to familiar personalities.

I highly, highly recommend this Regency romance for all fans of Jane Austen and historical romance!

* I received a free audiobook from the author, and this is my honest, voluntary review.

Sweet variation of Pride & Prejudice

It was ok and a sweet variation, nothing noteworthy. I liked the 3 choices of Men to the small town instead of only the two; Darcy and Bingley. The romance just wasn’t there for me personally.

An interesting Take!

I've read nearly all of this author's 'Pride and Prejudice' variations, and each one offers a unique twist that's truly captivating. 'Trouble with Friends: A Pride and Prejudice Variation' is no exception. I highly recommend this book, along with the other variations, to anyone who loves Jane Austen and is eager to experience different takes on the classic story—some of which are even more enthralling than the original!

Character development and easy to follow

5 out of 5 stars. A Trouble with Friends: A Pride and Prejudice Variation was an enjoyable and well-written adaptation that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Having already read Pride and Prejudice made it easy to recognize and connect with the familiar characters, but this story also stood well on its own. Unlike many books with large casts of characters that can become confusing, each character was well developed, and I never struggled to keep up as the chapters shifted between perspectives. The pacing was excellent, the story flowed naturally, and every scene felt purposeful and fully developed. I genuinely enjoyed this book from start to finish and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Pride and Prejudice variations.

Who loves whom?

Told from both a Darcy and Elizabeth POV, Bingley’s usual Netherfield party includes a new character, and close friend to Mr. Darcy, Mr. Simon Lockhart. He is also wealthy and single. Jane is in London with the Gardiners when everyone’s first acquaintance is made. When Elizabeth helps Lockhart after falling from his horse, he takes an interest in her—until Jane returns and his attentions turn towards her, as do Bingley’s. Good thing Elizabeth isn’t really interested. She has an early attraction to Mr. Darcy, and he returns it, but does not yet declare it to her. They are friendly towards each other early on.

There are many twists in this story, mainly related to who loves whom, causing misunderstandings. It seems some can’t make up their minds. I struggled with Jane’s portrayal, but I can understand it in order to advance the plot. There are compromises too. The usual Wickham and Lydia elopement takes place which threatens the Bennets’ ruin, and word of Elizabeth’s helping Simon makes its way to London and threatens her reputation as well.

Robbie, Elizabeth’s Cocker Spaniel is sweet, and I kept expecting him to do something special or heroic as part of the plot, but it doesn’t happen, so I was left a tad unsatisfied there. The dialogue, which Kelly Miller always writes well, flows nicely throughout this story. There is a bit of side story for Mary and Elizabeth which I enjoyed also.

January 15, 2024 - Audiobook
Deborah Balm is a very good narrator and I like her very much, but as a matter of personal taste, I didn’t enjoy this particular voice interpretation of Jane, which I felt was too sombre and deep in tone for her. I read the book as I listened along with the audiobook.

I do recommend the book and audiobook, both of which I have purchased for my Kindle and Audible libraries.

Kisses only.