tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post3556721293715446171..comments2024-03-28T03:33:21.028-04:00Comments on The Book Rat: IMPULSE & INITIATIVE by Abigail Reynolds | reviewMistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-67039794007188147512013-08-28T09:31:04.354-04:002013-08-28T09:31:04.354-04:00"Mr Darcy Takes A Wife" was my first Aus..."Mr Darcy Takes A Wife" was my first Austen adaptation too! It was recommended to me by a coworker who knew I loved Austen. The moment I read Berdoll's intro that said she would pick up the story where my beloved (but unmarried) Austen left off, I knew she was going to take us for a ride...riding breeches and all!<br />I have really enjoyed Reynolds' adaptations. "Last Man In The World" is still my favorite, although I hear "Noble Connections" is fantastic too.PaceLuvrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13207428684756476221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-13422560317877764422013-08-27T20:30:37.368-04:002013-08-27T20:30:37.368-04:00This book was one of my first forays into JAFF and...This book was one of my first forays into JAFF and I loved it (and re-read it, and Reynolds others books, quite often). I love that we get to tag along for the Darcy-changing ride, and the courtship is such a fun twist! And boy, can Reynolds write a smexy Darcy!<br /><br />And I love the idea of just pretending the characters aren't Austen's Darcy and Lizzie, because there are so many fun JAFF reads out there!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04616210637816445631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-37058863306466546342013-08-27T18:16:52.521-04:002013-08-27T18:16:52.521-04:00Isn't it interesting to see your own perspecti...Isn't it interesting to see your own perspective change after an extended length of time? So glad Sanditon and Austenland brought you around to the world of Austenesque! <br /><br />Excellent point about how Darcy doesn't go off stage...I think that is what makes it all the more appealing. How we see more of him and can understand him better too! Great review!Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07081700715706497061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-33884873468659456312013-08-27T15:42:07.865-04:002013-08-27T15:42:07.865-04:00Yes, she DOES do the repercussions well, and that&...Yes, she DOES do the repercussions well, and that's what I love about her stories. It's also why I'm not as bothered by any changes I see in the characters - it makes sense to go with it, and see how different experiences make them different people. <br /><br />Re Linda Berdoll: I don't feel like they <i>were</i> Austen's characters, which was a big part of the problem I had with the book, aside from the (over)sexualization. But as I said, I'm curious what I'd think of it now, so many years down the road.Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-55564604733500039022013-08-27T15:29:40.474-04:002013-08-27T15:29:40.474-04:00You can get Rule of Reason from lulu.com. I got it...You can get Rule of Reason from lulu.com. I got it after Candy recommended it. Like you say it's interesting to see how two variations that start off the same can branch off in different directions. <br /><br />That is one thing I really like about variations, and something that I think Abigail Reynolds in particular goes very well is that once a variation happens it has repercussions, like throwing a stone in a pond makes ripples, one change that may seem small at first could send the story off somewhere else entirely.<br /><br />I also read the first of the Linda Berdoll books, and like you, it was one of the first I read. I had the uncomfortable feeling that Jane Austen must've been spinning in her grave. I will admit to you that I found it entertaining, but to do that I had to pretend that it wasn't her characters!Cerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908542708518435282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-91926796666233776672013-08-27T14:03:28.800-04:002013-08-27T14:03:28.800-04:00Agreed!Agreed!Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-57488295810751236892013-08-27T14:03:13.872-04:002013-08-27T14:03:13.872-04:00Haha!Haha!Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-62960366635279618362013-08-27T14:02:06.030-04:002013-08-27T14:02:06.030-04:00Really? A variation of a variation?! Hmm, I'm ...Really? A variation of a variation?! Hmm, I'm going to have to track that down, that could be really interesting...Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-66286895221887603482013-08-27T14:01:29.988-04:002013-08-27T14:01:29.988-04:00I had both of those first 2 books by Linda Berdoll...I had both of those first 2 books by Linda Berdoll, and I was so disgusted with them that I got rid of them. (This was in those early, no-sexytimes-for-Darcy! days...) Now I wish I'd kept them to give them another try. At the very least, they could have made a part of my collection.<br />I just couldn't get past all the cheesy euphemisms...Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-29320268449306921442013-08-27T13:52:05.950-04:002013-08-27T13:52:05.950-04:00One of the pains of reading a wonderful story is t...One of the pains of reading a wonderful story is that we have to say good-bye to the characters at the end of the book (or series), so it's great that we can visit with Austen's characters a bit more through all of the "Pemberley Variations" that have been written. Susan Heimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09323688336142448174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-83946037064053397362013-08-27T13:45:58.303-04:002013-08-27T13:45:58.303-04:00Thanks for the lovely review, Misty. To Conquer Mr...Thanks for the lovely review, Misty. To Conquer Mr. Darcy is the same as the Sourcebook edition of Impulse & Initiative, which has some minor changes from the Intertidal Press edition of Impulse & Initiative. Is that complicated enough? ;) True confession time: I was also shocked the first time I read sexy Austen-inspired fiction, and it took me a couple of years to come around. These days my books tend to be less sexy, but it all depends on where the characters take the story!Abigail Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04708693060207815920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-68744938729523309582013-08-27T12:35:56.517-04:002013-08-27T12:35:56.517-04:00Haha! The first time I read a sexy P&P I was s...Haha! The first time I read a sexy P&P I was shocked! LOL! But, I quickly got over it. ;)<br /><br />Another interesting fact about "Impulse and Initiative" is that there is a variation of it called "The Rule of Reason" (actually, I think Abigail wrote it first.) It's almost word for word the same until about the middle of the book where it turns and goes an entirely different direction. I loved this version! ...well, I love them both! :) I don't believe there is any bodice-ripping for those who don't care for that. <br /><br />My two favorites of Abigail's books are "From Lambton to Longbourn" (my first of Abigail's) and "Mr. Darcy's Refuge". But, they are all really good! :) I love rereading them! Candy @ So little time...https://www.blogger.com/profile/05308027187577034357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-51205736245503421692013-08-27T11:13:04.449-04:002013-08-27T11:13:04.449-04:00My first Austenesque book was .... Mr Darcy takes ...My first Austenesque book was .... Mr Darcy takes a Wife. Bwahahahaha. It says on the back wooooaaaa Darcy. I didn't get that when I picked the book up. Now I do. Boy do I. Anyhoo, despite that ... interesting choice... I've since read a couple of mysteries and actually picked up this one and the Fitzwilliam Darcy one you read over and over again because of the Vlog review. So, getting ready to jump in. Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09425640536038971092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-9663779142366901502013-08-26T18:27:59.654-04:002013-08-26T18:27:59.654-04:00I just added Mr Darcy's Obsession to my wishli...I just added Mr Darcy's Obsession to my wishlist on Better World Books! I'll be keeping an eye out for a copy. =DMistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-34793027377546377912013-08-26T18:26:30.578-04:002013-08-26T18:26:30.578-04:00I still haven't read anything by Pamela Aiden!...I still haven't read anything by Pamela Aiden! I know a lot of people consider her one of the most faithful and traditional, I really need to pick something up. <br />(Actually, I need to read all 3 ladies you mentioned - especially as I've had the other 2 on the blog before!)Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11436497955518156688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-19513812636577957312013-08-26T17:52:31.875-04:002013-08-26T17:52:31.875-04:00By the luck of the draw, my first baby steps into ...By the luck of the draw, my first baby steps into Austenesque fiction drew me in rather than repulsed me. I think if I had picked up spicier tellings then I wouldn't have been ready for them at the time too. I happened to pick up a trio of books written by Pamela Aiden and told P&P from Darcy's POV that led me to a duology by Susan Kaye with Captain Wentworth's POV and that led me to a fun romp with Elizabeth Elliot as the heroine by Laura Hile. From there, I just let my hair down and tried all sorts of them including Abigail Reynolds' stories.<br /><br />Sophia Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07909417504496472472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790614306320534072.post-3526111226803238262013-08-26T16:35:35.847-04:002013-08-26T16:35:35.847-04:00I know exactly what you mean; looking back, the fi...I know exactly what you mean; looking back, the first few Austenesque books I read I judged a bit harshly because it all seemed like Jane sacrilege, but after a while you are able to let things slide a bit. One of these first books was an Abigail Reynolds, Force of Instinct and I thought the first half of the book was fantastic - and then things started to happen that I wasn't happy with, as although I could go with some events I thought the way it happened was out of character. When I plucked up courage to try another Abigail Reynolds book not only was I quite a few Austenesque books down the road so was happier to deviate from P&P more, but I'd also chosen one that was more in keeping with my view of the characters (Mr Darcy's Obsession, highly recommend!). I've read more Abigail Reynolds books since, including this one, although I read it as To Conquer Mr Darcy, and I generally really enjoy them. I've not read Force of Instinct since but I wonder if I did now would I enjoy it more, now I'm more willing and able to go with it?Cerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908542708518435282noreply@blogger.com