The Last House in Lambton

by Grace Gibson

Hello all and welcome back! This time around, I am pleased to host Grace Gibson, another returning authoress to my blog. We are to read and see what kind of Pride and Prejudice variation, she has written this time around. I will promise, drama, heartache, stubbornness and a HEA by the end of it. I will also admit to some surprises along the way, so come along and see what happens.

BLURB;

Does it ever stop raining in Lambton?

Darcy and Bingley depart Netherfield Park, leaving Elizabeth Bennet acutely aware of the monotony of her life. Seeking a reprieve, she volunteers to serve as temporary companion to Mrs. Gardiner’s elderly aunt who lives in Lambton. Nothing turns out as Elizabeth expects, and she is forced to dig deep into her reserves of common sense, humor, and stubborn persistence to prove herself equal to the dreary circumstances. 

Initially unaware that Pemberley is only five miles away, Elizabeth crosses paths with Darcy annoyingly often. When the gentleman rescues her from a shocking situation, Elizabeth faces some hard choices, at the same time struggling against the smoldering attraction that can neither be repressed nor fulfilled.

Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, in whose heart a fire has also been lit, is shocked by the lady’s stubborn refusal to accept his help. Alternating between alarm and begrudging admiration, he stands helplessly on the sidelines while she struggles to retain her independence. He, too, must make some hard choices in the end. Will he let her go?

REVIEW;

The last house in Lambton
By Grace Gibson

This book takes it beginning with the Netherfield Party has left Meryton and the whole town is upset about it. It was quite informative to read Elizabeth’s thoughts on the party and Collins.

As always a pleasure to read a known author, though I will admit I was quite surprised by Grace this time around, a book written in first person narrative, not something which is seen often, but surprisingly it worked well, as we follow along on Elizabeth Bennet and her adventures in Lambton.

As Elizabeth and Jane visits their aunt and uncle in London, Mrs Gardiner receives a letter from her aunt in Lambton, an elder woman, who simply can’t do without company while her housekeeper is away. But as Mrs Gardiner is busy with her children and life in London, Elizabeth suggests that she goes. Before she left Longbourn, Mrs Bennet had declared that Elizabeth would end her days as a drudge to Mrs Collins, and I will admit that insult stung me almost as badly as it did Elizabeth. But the words would come back to haunt Elizabeth.

As soon as Elizabeth arrives in Lambton, she is bombarded with information about her great-aunt, and not a maid to help her to change or settle in. Soon she discovers that her great aunt is quite elderly and quite without her wits, which we today would call dementia.
I felt so bad for the woman, and felt even worse for Elizabeth as she ends up having to take control of the house, as both caretaker and housekeeper, a role she is little prepared for.

Soon she needs help, and seeks out the housekeeper at Pemberley. Here she once again encounters Darcy, who thinks Elizabeth is seeking him out but mistakes her interest which she has for Mrs Reynolds’ knowledge for interest in him. Oh gosh, it felt embarrassing!

I will admit to wanting to kick Elizabeth several times throughout the book, but I grew to love her and her great aunt as characters. Soon the drama reaches a high point, and Darcy comes to the rescue, – damsel in distress and all that. Not a role we are used to see Elizabeth in. This drama leads Elizabeth and her great aunt to move to Pemberley. Here Georgiana Darcy makes another appearance alongside of sweet kittens and an adorable little dog.

Soon feelings are developing between Darcy and Elizabeth – and then the story takes another turn as Mr Gardiner arrives.

But I do promise a HEA and a wonderful proposal, which made me sigh in contentment!

GUEST POST; Grace Gibson

For now I will leave you in Grace’s hands for a bit while she tells about some plot details, including a certain very cute dog!

Thank you so much for having me today, Sophia. I appreciate the opportunity to share news of my new release on your beautiful blog.

For those of you who enjoyed Bandit in Old Boots, I assure you that there is also a dog—Queenie— in The Last House in Lambton. She also plays a critical role in the stirring events that take place.

But for the sake of inclusion for the cat lovers out there, there is also a litter of kittens owned by Georgiana Darcy. Here is an excerpt, told from Darcy’s point of view, in which a handful of playful kittens help to set the scene:

Waking was painful as I am unused to brawling, and I ached from head to toe. And though I longed to stay in bed and indulge my pains, I could not do so without fueling speculation about where I had been all night. Besides, I had left Georgiana abruptly in the midst of a pleasant evening, and I wished to gloss over any appearance of irregularity.

Summoning the required stoicism, I managed to look a reasonable semblance of myself and went in search of my sister. She sat over a half-eaten late breakfast with two kittens in her lap and a third wreaking havoc on her braids from the perch of her shoulder.

“What a charming picture,” I said, as I sat down with my plate, noticing with a tinge of relief that my knuckles were only slightly reddened and unlikely to give me away. The cut on my lip was small enough that I hoped it, too, would escape notice, but I was prepared to blame Carsten for too close a shave if needs must.

Georgiana smiled wistfully, put her tormentors in the basket at her feet, and said, “You are hungry this morning.”

“Starving, in fact. What are your plans today?” I asked.

Rather than answer me, my sister spoke to her companion. “Mrs. Annesley, would you mind very much taking the kittens to Marie in the kitchen? I am sure that is where Buttons can be found, and she should be mothering her brood instead of helping with the cream buckets.”

She continued to pick at her breakfast, and I continued to devour mine, but I could not help but notice that the air in the room had changed—that my sister was oddly preoccupied. No sooner had the footman left the room with the tray of cleared dishes, than she confirmed my suspicion.

With uncharacteristic directness, she asked, “What happened last night?”

Uh-oh! Darcy brawling? Let us presume that Elizabeth Bennet had something to do with that cut on his lip, because—well, she is Elizabeth and he cannot help himself. If you are curious what could possibly make Darcy roll up his sleeves and break a nose or two, then enter the giveaway for a chance to win a free copy of The Last House in Lambton.

AUTHOR BIO;

In addition to mosaic art, which she creates at Studio Luminaria (her home-based glass shop in El Paso, Texas), Grace enjoys writing Regency romance and Pride and Prejudice variations.

CONTACT INFO;

Facebook

Buy Link

Amazon Universal Link

And last but not least; GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

Giveaway Meryton Press will be giving away one eBook for each stop on the Blog Tour, for a total of six eBooks. So leave a comment, and I will pick a winner on November 15th, and inform Grace about the winner, who will receive an E-book of “The Last House in Lambton” in either mobi or E-pub version.

For now, I will leave you all to your reading, and say, “I’ll be seeing you soon again.” Cheers and good luck!

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