Caffeinated Reviewer

Sophia Rose is here with another Pride and Prejudice variation. Check out her thoughts on the historical romance novel, Take His Likeness by Lyndsay Constable.

Sir,
Scorn me if you must, but let it be done for reasons that are just and true. The idea of you moving through the world with disdain for me based on false notions is too much to bear. Once I have given you all the reasons for my deceptions, if you still choose to hold me in contempt, it will be done honestly.

ELIZABETH BENNET has a secret. The finances of Longbourn are more dire than is generally known and she has been forced by necessity to help keep food on the table of her family home. Her secret is safe. Until the night the handsome face and kind attentions of Fitzwilliam Darcy lay claim to her affections.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY is in dangerously low spirits. He cannot forgive himself for his mistakes in judgment that almost caused his young sister to marry George Wickham. This visit to Hertfordshire was supposed to cheer him. But nothing works until that odd night in the library…

Take His Likeness is a Pride and Prejudice Variation with a nod towards Jane Eyre. It has a touch of Magical Realism, Elizabeth in disguise, Elizabeth falls first, and a Happily Ever After for Elizabeth and Darcy.

Sophia Rose’s Review

A mysterious woman tarot reader, fortunes and futures foretold, and a classic romance gets a little extra help when the stars don’t align.  Lyndsay Constable brings the old arcane art of tarot reading into her retelling of Pride & Prejudice with fortuitous results.

Take His Likeness was described as a Pride & Prejudice variation with a nod to Jane Eyre.  This determined me in reading it with high anticipation.  Take His Likeness does indeed delivery one scene that was highly familiar from the Jane Eyre novel with the rest of the story strongly settled in Jane Austen’s classic.

Following closely the events and characters of Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, Take His Likeness had a couple of significant deviations that do cause the beginning of the story to play out slightly differently. 

The Bennet family are indeed low-rung status as gentry, but their finances are in even poorer condition due to some bad investments on her father’s part and no real entrepreneurial spirit and a great deal of laziness on his part to do anything more. 

So second daughter, Elizabeth Bennet, is determined to help keep her family afloat.  The family housekeeper gives her the means when she puts into her hands her grandmother’s Italian Tarot deck and she discovers the secret passage to the abandoned cottage next door.  Elizabeth disguises herself as an old wise woman who tells fortunes and makes simple magical talismans with the money supporting her family’s very needs.  Elizabeth is rather successful at her craft because she relies on her keen observation skills and the chain of servants’ gossip that Hill shares with her to know her clients well so predictions are more accurate.

Then, the party of people come to the nearby estate setting the neighborhood, including the Bennets in a stir.  Ambition, deceit, hopeful hearts, misunderstandings, and tender feelings abound among the cast of characters.  Elizabeth’s vaunted ability to read people has always been her strength, but something about the handsome, wealthy, and aloof Fitzwilliam Darcy defies her ability and tangles up her emotions.  She lets one bad impression guide her in ‘taking his likeness’ and complications ensue. 

Take His Likeness is a low-angst class difference romance among a pair who had their faults and just needed a chance to grow past them.  The tone was gentle with subtle rises in tension and some lags in pacing toward the middle.  There was an interesting study of characters at the beginning when Elizabeth in disguise read cards for each of the principle players.  I was hoping to see more come of this when it came to certain ambitious or nefarious types like Miss Bingley, Mr. Wickham, Lady Catherine, and even Mr. Collins. 

Most of the focus shifted to the romance pair and how Elizabeth ‘read’ Darcy and how her secret would affect matters.  Darcy had to get over his arrogance and Lizzy had to see she wasn’t infallible with her ability to read people when one man pricked her vanity and another stroked it.  I liked seeing them both learn and grow as the narration shifted back and forth between them. 

Taking His Likeness ended satisfactorily and left me smiling when Elizabeth got to see what Darcy kept as his hidden treasures after all was said and done.  This is a variation, but it didn’t venture far from canon, for the most part so I’ll describe it as more of a sweet classical romance retelling for recommendation purposes.

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About Lyndsay Constable

Lyndsay Constable has been a passionate reader since her early teen years and frequently selected books that could be successfully hidden behind the person sitting in front of her in class. Originally from North Carolina, she attended both North Carolina School of the Arts and SUNY Purchase for dance. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband, child, dog, cat and a small murder of crows who refuse to become friendly with her despite all of the peanuts she has given them. Whatever, she’s not bitter.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

Twitter | Goodreads

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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