Christmas at Netherfield: And a 2025 Anthology of Christmas P&P Variations

Pride and Prejudice Variation

By: Laraba Kendig

Narrated by: Harry Frost

Mr. Darcy’s heart yearns for Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, but his duty pushes him toward another.

Elizabeth Bennet is pleased when Netherfield Hall is let at last to Mr. Charles Bingley, a young man of good fortune from the north. She is less pleased to discover that Mr. Bingley is already married and that his clever and handsome friend, Mr. Darcy, is engaged. Darcy finds himself entranced with Elizabeth Bennet, but he has been forced by duty into an engagement to another. Many years previously, a man had done a great service for the Darcy family, which resulted in a promise by the elder Mr. Darcy. As it was, Mr. Darcy’s betrothed has no interest in wedding the entirely too serious master of Pemberley. If only her overbearing mother would listen to reason.

In the midst of snowstorms and Christmas festivities, the master of Pemberley and Elizabeth Bennet fall deeply in love. How will they avoid ending up as star-crossed lovers?

This novel is sweet and clean, a low angst Pride and Prejudice variation where all of the Bennet sisters have happy endings, with a satisfying epilogue.

©2025 Laraba Kendig (P)2025 Laraba Kendig

Lovely Christmas Audiobooks

All of Laraba Kendig’s Christmas themed stories in this audiobook are lovely, and just the thing to listen to during the holidays. Harry Frost provides the perfect accompaniment as narrator. Thanks!

Delightful!

The soothing voice of Harry Frost and tales of the holiday season..12/10! I loved it so much. I think I’ll listen every December.

Not Great

There are much better Pride & Prejudice variations by this author. This is a compilation of 4 or 5 different stories. It's weird that I can't even remember how many there are even though I listened to it twice. I listened twice to make sure I wasn't judging it unfairly, but nope. It did not improve/I did not miss anything the first time around. Each story has an interesting premise that ultimately does not rise to what makes a good or great book. Whatever that magic is of feeling and of having a book become more than the sum of its parts is NOT present here. You can skip this and try a different book from this author. Or skip this author if the absolutely unnecessary bible junk gets on your nerves as it does mine. I tolerate it in the few LK novels that I love outside of the totally out of place god talk that does not fit the story and does not reflect Jane Austen's writing. It seems to be annoyingly even more present in these stories because since they are all around christmas time and some contain weddings there are scenes that take place at church. It's mystifying why this nonsense is included but regardless of whether you tolerate it or hate it, this anthology isn't great. It's a pity because you begin it by thinking "Oh, this is a unique take, I can't wait to see where this goes" and then it just fizzles out. Happens in each story along with strange repetitions of ideas and words or phrases. Like, I've gone my entire life without hearing that they used warming bricks in carriages and in church but thanks to this audiobook I had to hear the words "warming brick" about twelve times. I wonder if the author was trying to write one christmas story, tried out a few ideas but used similar words and phrases in all of them because she was going to publish just one, then just decided to publish them all even though they sound too similar. Who knows but it was strange. Narration is exactly what you'd expect from this narrator. If you like him or don't mind him he is just as good here as in most other variations. I gave a generous 3 stars but probably should be less.