Jane Austen Sequels: The Novels of Linda Berdoll
Linda Berdoll was born in Oklahoma but spent much of her childhood in Texas. Inspired by the much-loved and enormously popular classics of Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice. Published books by Linda Berdoll include the Pride and Prejudice continuations Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife (originally self-published under the title The Bar Sinister: Pride and Prejudice Continues in 1999) and Darcy and Elizabeth: Days and Nights at Pemberley. Currently there are more than 250,000 copies of her first two novels in circulation and they continue to sell steadily.
In 2003, she wrote a non-fiction book called Very Nice Ways to Say Very Bad Things: An Unusual Book of Euphimisms, which was also inspired by her extensive research into the life and work of Jane Austen and the romance of the Regency era. This light-hearted illustrated book explores the often surprising origins of a number of obscure euphemisms and some terms that have made it in to common everyday language, including subtly insulting turns of phrase that are not likely to turn the air blue or cause too much unnecessary offence to the faint-hearted.
Austen purists should be warned, however, that while Berdoll takes off where Austen left off (ending Pride and Prejudice with the wedding between the dashing Fitzwilliam Darcy and the respectable, yet passionate Elizabeth Bennet), her overriding focus in Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and Days and Nights at Pemberley is very much on the steamy encounters. This is thoroughly enjoyed by these well-known literary lovers during their exciting and eventful marriage. Her depiction is of two prominent and principled people in the fervent throes of love and lust, and this take is a dramatic departure from the more traditional interpretations of Austen’s somewhat austere writing.
In a literary market well represented with Austen sequels, adaptations and interpretations, the Linda Berdoll novels are among the most popular and she has a loyal fan base of fellow Austen fans.
She is currently working on the third in her series of Pride and Prejudice continuations, entitled The Ruling Passion (no release date as of yet!). Like her first two, it covers the difficulties of Darcy and Elizabeth’s tempestuous marriage, and their relationships with other members of their family. Some familiar characters appear in Berdoll’s books, including Elizabeth’s sisters Jane and Lydia, and the dominant anti-hero George Wickham. Whereas Austen’s original cast included the prim and proper ladies of London Ton, who were compelled by strict social convention and high moral standards, Berdoll takes obvious delight in unleashing her imagination and revealing the true passions that simmer amongst these ostensibly staid and elegant characters. I have often enjoyed her P & P continuations, and look forward to the release of her third novel.
Linda Berdoll lives on a pecan farm in Texas with her own Mr. Darcy. Her husband of many years.
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I’ve loved Linda Berdoll’s sequels of Pride and Prejudice. I’m starting
them again, and this time, I bought them
from Kindle. In contrast to those who felt these books were romantically off the top, I didn’t find them tasteless or
degrading. I loved every moment of them.
When, oh when, will the third sequel comme along? I hope their sons and daughters find their own passions and allow them to come to fruition, something
few from this era could enjoy.
Patricia Guthrie
In the arms of the Enemy
Waterlilies Over my Grave