Reviews

A Consuming Love by Kelly Miller

sea_caummisar's review

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4.0

Novella
How long has it been since I read Pride and Prejudice? A long time ago. But this variation popped up in one of my book clubs, and I saw it as a perfect opportunity to step away from my 'normal' genres. It has been a long time since I read anything on this, but it was so easy stepping back into these character's lives. It's wholesome (compared to my typical violent reads; yes, I'm aware of the themes of particularly $$$ and such making it not exactly wholesome. Maybe clean would have been an apt word)
It was like stepping back in time and taking a break in a totally different world. Very interesting

ashish_ras's review

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5.0

A swoony regency romance


This is my second read by the author. Oh, how I would love to write a review in the manner of Ms. Kelly's caliber, but alas, I am restrained in such faculties. Each word and phrase match the grace of the protagonist's actions. Nuances of the language transport you to Britain of the 1800s. Lines like " her lower jaw trembling like a kettle simmering towards a boil." paint such a vivid portrait of the emotional state of the characters.

Our main character, Mr. Darcy, becomes intrigued and attracted to Ms. Bennet. His resistance falters, and he cannot keep away. He must navigate the web of medieval English socio-cultural complexities to marry his love. A lady who proves to be his equal.

The class lines of medieval Britain create the conflict in the story. The side characters like the Bennet family and Bingley's sisters have been crafted well to demonstrate various human traits, the good, the bad, and the ugly. In contrast, Mr Darcy’s sister, Georgina, is a delight to read.

I am sure fans of regency romance will be delighted to read this entire set of novels by the author.

rosalind_barden's review

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5.0

“A Consuming Love” is a “Pride & Prejudice” variation novella by Kelly Miller. I enjoyed reading two of her other, full-length variations, “A Dutiful Son” and “Accusing Mr. Darcy,” both of which I enjoyed. I think I have become addicted to Ms. Miller’s “Pride & Prejudice” variations! Ms. Miler is quite skilled at recreating this Regency-era world under different scenarios, and I have found all of them delightful and hard to put down. For “A Consuming Love,” I opted for the audible version, which is given an excellent narration by Harry Frost. In this story, Fitzwilliam Darcy is torn between his troubling attraction to Elizabeth Bennet, a woman below his station, and his prideful belief that such a woman should not be acceptable to him. Yet, he cannot stop thinking about her. He even takes the drastic measure of speaking more than one word to eligible young ladies at London dinner parties. But none of the glittering ladies of society’s ton can erase Elizabeth from his mind. The problem: what if Elizabeth doesn’t feel the same toward him? The embarrassing antics of Elizabeth’s family further threaten to keep the two apart. Along with the moments of romantic angst, are tea cakes, horse rides, beautiful houses, and, of course, ball gowns!

samhend101's review

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4.0

Very charming. Although I am not a fan of ODC falling in love practically at first sight (eye roll) the gentle way Elizabeth turns Darcy down allows for a much quicker recovery. Georgiana is adorable and just right to help things along. leo a nice balance between all the secondary characters and no superfluous repetitions!
Definitely worth a read.

katkinney's review

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5.0

I am a big fan of Kelly Miller’s Jane Austen retellings and this one did not disappoint! Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley are out in the country looking for a new property for Mr. Bingley to lease. Mr. Bennett takes them on a tour of one such property along with Elizabeth, who is quite knowledgeable in the affairs of the property as well as books and other interesting topics. Mr. Darcy is intrigued, but unfortunately her family’s fortunes are not suitable for her to be an appropriate match. Upon returning home Bingley’s sisters inform him they are very upset that their brother is interested in Jane and how this will ruin the family. Perhaps Mr. Darcy now has a chance to wander into Elizabeth’s circle once again.

I love the way that this variation, like Miller’s other P&P variations, perfectly capture the style of the period writing. I find myself completely immersed in the wonderfully described setting and characters, and enjoying the twists on the familiar story all P&P fans know and love. She writes Elizabeth’s bright charm so wonderfully, and Darcy’s firm insistence he cannot possible like the woman, while being utterly unable to stop thinking about her, is spot on, too. I liked the way in this variation, Georgiana (one of my favorite characters!) is stronger and more forward with her brother in insisting he discuss matters with her as an adult. Darcy’s scene with Mr. Collins was a personal favorite! The drama that occurs as a result of Caroline Bingley’s machinations was especially fun to read, as always.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

snickerdoodle23's review

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5.0

As a reader who has enjoyed 'Bridgerton' and other modern takes on Recency England historical romance novels, I was taken in by the cover and description.

The writing style of the author-- the tone, word choice, and style-- was perfect, vintage Jane Austen! In this retelling of Pride and Prejudice, it's all in the point of view and feelings of Darcy. The reader gets a better look at his vulnerabilities, inner thoughts, and his growing love and admiration of Elizabeth. Not only does he think she's pretty and charming, but he admires her intelligence and talents as well.

It's cute to me how his inner reactions are so gushy and in love, but he tries so hard to maintain the proper decorum of an English gentleman of the times. Like in this bit: 'This apparent evidence of her growing attachment to him incited the impulse to display a joyous grin. But he forced his mouth into a rigid line--he must not jump to conclusions.' - Always the stiff upper lip, but the passion of Fitzwilliam Darcy is shown so beautifully and in classic Austen style!

Five stars to this author for making me feel like escaping into the authentic world of Jane Austen with all its stuffy social rules, candlelight, and carriages, with the original classic characters!

rmwbooks's review

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5.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pride and Prejudice is my go to when I need to be uplifted. So when this book was recommended to me, I did not hesitate!

Miss Elizabeth (Lizzy) and Mr Darcy meet when Darcy and Bingley go to tour an estate for Bingley and his family to live in. Darcy is enamored right away even though he doesn’t want to be. It’s hard to tell how Lizzy feels though, but we find out later in the book.

I am not going to spoil the rest because while it’s somewhat the same, it really isn’t at all!

I love that we get to dive into Mr Darcy’s head of what he thinks and how he feels.

To see Georgiana in a new light is wonderful. She is very included in ‘A Consuming Love’ and I quite like it. We get to hear more of her story too!

As for Mr Collins and Mr Wickham…. Good Riddance. I cannot stand those two!

I have to say that I love the references to the original P&P but I also love how Kelly made this her own. I especially love the epilogue!

Kelly has a few more books out about the characters and I am looking forward to reading each and everyone of them! Now I have another feel good story to read when I am feeling down and I’m stoked!

Thank you Kelly!

onebookmore's review

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4.0

What if, in Pride and Prejudice, Darcy had met Elizabeth before the Meryton Assembly? What if they had met under better circumstances? Would things have gone differently? In Kelly Miller’s A Consuming Love, a reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic, this is exactly what happens.

I’m a fan of Pride and Prejudice, but I have never read a retelling before. This is a charming variation of the story, authentic in characterization while offering an alternate plot. The story follows Darcy and begins as he and Bingley visit Netherfield for the first time. It is here where he meets Elizabeth, who assists her father in telling them about the property. Darcy is instantly enthralled by Elizabeth and can’t stop thinking about her even after he returns to London. Pulled back to Hertfordshire, Darcy must confront his feelings for Elizabeth and hope they are reciprocated.

The story is told from Darcy’s point of view, and I enjoyed this switch in perspectives. It offers so much insight into his reserved and composed character and shows just how deep his feelings run. This story made me love him even more. He is a good man, honorable and sincere if a bit arrogant at times. Darcy is a dynamically developed character who grows and changes so much throughout the story, and knowing his thoughts and the meaning behind some of his words and actions offers a fresh perspective on his character.

I love Darcy’s relationship with his sister Georgiana and that it had a large role in the story. This was one of my favorite parts of the book. Georgiana is lovely, and she is such a support to Darcy even though she struggles with her own inner conflicts. They have a wonderful bond, as does the Bennett family, and I like that this is highlighted throughout the plot. The author captured the essence of the characters so well and really brought them to life.

Of course, my favorite part of the story was the romance. Similar to the original story, Darcy and Elizabeth both have strong feelings for each other. However, they face several challenges including miscommunication, meddlesome family members and friends, other interested parties, and more. I love how Elizabeth stands up for herself and her beliefs and how Darcy listens to and reflects on her assertions.

A Consuming Love is a charming and engaging story that I enjoyed reading. I think readers who like Pride and Prejudice or who like clean historical romances, will definitely appreciate it. Thanks so much to Kelly Miller for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

jferrell526's review

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5.0

All consuming love.

A Consuming Love is an exceptional novel. Step into the world of Darcy and Elizabeth and learn from Kelly Miller. Each time I pick up one of Kelly's books I learn a little more about the history and time period. This one is not an exception. I love that she continues to find ways to explore the love of Darcy and Elizabeth. I never know what to expect but it's usually something that will hold me with fascination.

steepedinbooks's review against another edition

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2.0

Sweet, but rather lackluster. Almost insta-love on Darcy's part. Lots of conversations that happen in one scene are then summed up to another character in the next scene.