MINORITY REPORT

This book got really good , so I thought I'd give it a try. This was one of those cases where I got to be the spectre at the feast.

I did not hate this book, but sometimes it got really annoying and I struggled to finish it. There were moments where I thought I would just dump it in my Graveyard-of-unfinished-books, but I persisted.

The 2 stars are awarded to the boldness of the idea (Darcy as assassin/secret agent),but the execution was just MEH.

As for characterisation...Yes, that was the real clincher..that the characters did not resemble their originals even in the slightest. The only thing they shared were their names and that was pretty much it.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

According to this story, Lizzy Bennet is IN DENIAL about pretty much everything. According to the script she just suppresses all her wit & vivacity & sacrifices herself to her utterly stupid, selfish and irrational father. She acts demure, has no lovers and waits for the one... or someone with whom she can settle, with closet-gay Bill Collins, b/c his father presses her to. WTF? There is a very big difference between the categories in-denial & stupidity and this Liz falls into the latter

Jane is the sensible & adventurous girl here, who has both the common sense and the guts to leave everything behind. BUT of course she is shallow, as *GASP* she sleeps with lots of men and enjoys it. She is pretty much presented as a whore to set up Lizzy as an angel. ... Does not work

Lizzy just appears and acts incredibly stupid the whole time. Darcy is of course is totally taken by her sparkling wit & snark (this is repeated a lot), but it's just a typical case of telling instead of showing. THERE IS NO WIT, JUST THE LACK OF COMMON SENSE.

You know, when you get to a fork in the road where there are huge signs "DO NOT GO THAT WAY, IT'S LETHAL" and what does our heroine do .... exactly... all the time.




I could not find any traces of the much-lauded chemistry and sexiness either.

HUH.

NOT RECOMMENDED.adventure how-are-you-even-alive ja-bandwagon ...more19 s Sheila Majczan2,440 175

As I said earlier today this story is sexy, lush and riveting!

I was sent a 34 page sample of this book by the author several weeks ago and upon reading that coined this book as "James Bond meets Jane Austen". It lives up to both genres! Excitement, thrills, espionage, flying across the Atlantic, riding bullet trains thru Europe, handsome men seducing the ladies and ladies with deadly skills, this book does not let down from hypnotizing action.

The book description ends with a note from the author that telling us she borrowed the names and some of the characteristics of Jane Austen’s characters for her story. And I was smiling at not only where the author assigned names but also the extremely clever way she put Jane Austen’s words and/or phrases into the mouths of our players. Yes, it has been done before but here it is just done with so much more stealth and humor! I.e., Elizabeth taking a dance lesson and when Jane mentions that a dark, striking hottie is staring at her says, “He’s alright, not handsome enough to tempt me.”

Both Elizabeth and Darcy are suffering from the “sins of the mother”. As a result of the trauma with that event in her life, Lizzy steps into the “woman of the house” role, sacrificing any freedom to experience life in order stay at Longbourn and take care of her father. And Mr. Bennet relies on her role as a martyr. But as Longbourn is falling apart, literally, he additionally pushes her to make a further contribution to his goals…to marry for money to save the estate. In steps Bill Collins. But he is not at all what she thinks he is and, even with Jane’s and others’ warnings about her fiancé, Lizzy goes ahead with wedding plans. Part of the plans is for dance lessons at the Bingley Dance Studio in preparation for the wedding reception

Darcy has run from the tragedy in his past, a tragedy which involved both of his parents, his sister and his childhood friend, George Wickham. No, it is not as in P&P at all. This is a ghastly shocker. Aunt Catherine is there and Darcy joins the Navy SEALS and then trains as an assassin working for Obsidian. He becomes known as “Iceman” and with several experiences plus his family history has sworn off all women. During an assignment in which he lays in wait to execute his next assignment he spies Lizzy in her dilapidated jeep flying along listening to an opera on her cassette player and names her Lakmé from the aria. But when he spies her through his scope, plans for the code plan “Virginia Reel” abruptly change.

They are next in company when he goes to a planned meeting of the Obsidian team at the Bingley Dance Studio. He is taken by surprise when Lizzy walks in to partake in a group lesson for a tango for her wedding. He overhears her remark, but when she is the odd woman out for the next part of the group lesson he steps in to partner her. They dance in silence but “neither could deny how they made each other feel in their arms. In a word: inferno.” At the end, “Thank you for the dance, Liz.” He walks away and mounts his motorcycle and leaves. She is left to wonder how he knew her name.

The action is fast and furious. The CIA is involved and an international gunrunner with ties to the team’s past has deadly plans for Mr. Bennet and others. It is race to intercede before state secrets fall into terrorists’ and enemy’s hands.

Both Darcy and Elizabeth fight their attraction to each other. Neither trusts members of the opposite gender. It was delicious to read of all the sexual chemistry simmering in the air around these two. Both Bennet sisters heat up the environment in this book. I loved the language the author used to describe intimate scenes between ODC. It is well done. Yes, this is a MA story.


There are many references to snakes in this book. Darcy hates them and assigns the names of such to the whole class of women as this is how he views them. Orchids also come into play. Darcy’s mother raised them and we now learn of Lizzy doing the same.


Caroline Bingley has some surprises in store for the readers, which don’t come into play until towards the end. She kicks ass! And she has not lost her lusting after Darcy. Bingley is a different man – I d his new professional side! But then he also has some “international” tastes in his love life.

I could not put this book down and completed it in less than a day. I will read it again. I highly recommend it this book.
16 s SophiaAuthor 5 books362

James Bond Meets Pride & Prejudice in this exciting, sultry, and exotic mash up. I couldn't wait to read it. Darcy is an assassin, Lizzy's Dad is his target, and a terrorist has them in his crosshairs. Yep, that made for an intriguing romance and adventure.

The story opens with Fitzwilliam Darcy having just completed a job only to get called in for his next ops. His cousin recruited him and the two Bingley sibs to be the four members of Obsidian a contract company used by the government when they don't want to get their hands dirty to clean up the evil filth of the earth. Darcy is the stone cold Iceman who does his job well. He was betrayed by too many people in his life particularly women so now he finds it safer to stay aloof and keep busy with his work of ridding the world of its worst criminals. Only this latest kill assignment doesn't feel right and one look at the target's daughter has him in a quandary about finishing his job.

Lizzy lives with her father on the old, fallen down family plantation. Her father wants to keep the family heritage intact no matter what he must do to achieve it. Lizzy humors him just as she enables his depression, his quibbles, his control of her life, and his demands on her future after the shocking way his wife left and her older sister, Jane, moved out and moved on, too. Lizzy doesn't believe in romance and prefers a quiet, regimented life so she is willing to settle for the boring guy her father picked out who has the money to save their home. In the meantime, her father partners with a creepy, slimy guy from his Dept of Defense job on some sort of secret project. Lizzy ignores her sister imploring her not to toss away her life and dreams, but she can't ignore the larger than life man who sweeps her into his arms and dances passionately with her at her dance lesson. Her heart beats fast even as her head screams that he is dangerous and all wrong for her.

Darcy fights the feelings of attraction for the beautiful woman he calls Lakme. All women are vipers and he can't afford to lose focus now with traitors and terrorists working to destroy hundreds of thousands of lives. With one swooping event, Liz's world is upside down and danger dogs her heels. Darcy steps out of the shadows and takes her into his protection though refuses to give her anything else. This turns out to be the adventure of a life time for them both as they track a captured inventor across the world. Liz comes to life and the Iceman re-engages his emotions. Passion soars and danger lurks for them both.

I closed the cover on this book and then sat back revisiting a few of the scenes. The author took me, the reader, on an international exotic adventure right along with Lizzy and Darcy. I loved gambling in Monte Carlo, ziplining through the South American jungle, tangoing in Spain, and visiting the market in Marrekech. It was a sensual reading experience. I needed a cold drink after their dance in Spain.

The first half of the book was rough for me because both the main characters started out as people that irritated me in their own ways. I had the urge to shake both of them at different times. Darcy in his Iceman 'no emotion will touch me' role and Lizzy acting so un-Lizzy mealy-mouse with her hide from life behavior and acting so piteous.

Vipers, snakes, and serpents- he hated them all...For example, the venomous woman- she was the most dangerous and deadly type of snake. The sharp forked tongue and deceptive nature of a woman usually came with a killer body and eyes of fire...every woman was a viper.
p. 7 Darcy from Denial of Conscience

She was lying and she knew it. Every bit of it was a lie. She did harbor those secret hopes and dreams of finding the deepest love, but she was terrified at the realization of those dreams, too. True love usually accompanied a broken heart at the end...At least with Bill, something was better than nothing...She could settle. After all, she'd done so her whole life.
p. 36 Lizzy from Denial of Conscience

There was also the sense of waiting as the author methodically set up the story and assembled the cast. Necessary, of course, but I was ready to be off adventuring particularly with the dishy and devastatingly charismatic Darcy.

Then things really took off- action, romance, and character growth- and I was sucked into the whole exciting adventure with Darcy and Lizzy.

The right side of his body pressed against her when he spoke calmly, placing her hand in her lap. "Don't be afraid. Enjoy this, Liz. Let yourself feel the ride, not in fear, but in excitement. Sure, danger is real, but if you allow the fear then you will never enjoy the thrill of the experience."
p. 155 Darcy and Lizzy from Denial of Conscience

This story is reminiscent of the spy capers of old even though set in modern times. I d that atmosphere and tone. The tension in the story was superb and I loved seeing the various levels of it in the plot.

I know I said this was a Pride and Prejudice mashup with James Bond, but for the most part the well known characters have been dropped into a new cloak and dagger situation and its pretty much a whole new story. And trust me, Austen purists beware, this one gets hot and sultry and sometimes just plain down and dirty so its more a sly wink and a deliberate nod to Austen's classic.

So, I enjoyed adventuring with Iceman Darcy and Lizzy both on their quest and with their tempestuous romance. I would recommend this one for lovers of spicy romantic suspense who would enjoy a nod back to a classic story.

My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

jane-austen-austenesque review-requests romantic-suspense14 s Meredith (Austenesque Reviews)951 322

Double O Darcy!

TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Modern Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Mature Audiences

SETTING: Modern-day – Virginia, Monte Carlo, and Morocco

SYNOPSIS: Fitzwilliam Darcy, an ex-SEAL working as an assassin for a secret organization contracted by the CIA, is on his next mission to take out a man in Virginia who is creating a very harmful technology that, once sold to our enemies could cripple the U.S. and send us back to the Dark Ages. The target Darcy is sent to eliminate is an unassuming and depressed man and when Darcy sees the tender kiss placed on the man’s temple by whom he assumes to be his daughter, Darcy gets a gut-feeling about this bad-luck mission that his conscience doesn’t allow him to ignore…

MAIN CHARACTERS: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Liz Bennet, Thomas Bennet, Henry Crawford, Jane Bennet, Bill Collins, Rick Fitzwilliam, Charlie Bingley, Caroline Bingley

WHAT I LOVED:

- The Name is Bond…Jane Bond: This has to be the first time I’ve read an Austenesque spy-thriller and I loved it! I’m not that big into James Bond, but I do love a good story with plenty of intrigue and adventure. And this premise with its secret missions, clever covers and ops, and travel to distant locations is one exhilarating ride!

- Wonderfully Constructed: I cannot help but be impressed with this novel! The premise is so well-thought out, the characters are engaging and have depth, and the author’s knowledge of how to write about espionage, terrorism, and technological warfare is most deserving of praise. I’m sure there were hours and hours of research and planning involved, and I applaud Ms. Gardiner for her efforts to make this story plausible, accessible, and real.

- A Different Take on Lizzy: We all have seen Mr. Bennet have a close relationship with his favorite daughter, Elizabeth – well, what if that relationship was a little more dependent and damaging. In this tale Mr. Bennet is a broken man suffering from depression and obsessive behaviors. Lizzy is all he has left and he manipulates her concern and compassion for him into compelling her to stay with him and live her life on his terms. I thought this was an interesting portrayal of Elizabeth and a pretty believable slant for her relationship with her father. On the outside she is demure and dutiful, but she keeps her inner desires for adventure, freedom, and escape to herself.

- A Damaged, Dark, and Dangerous to Know Darcy: First of all…Darcy as a badass assassin who drives a Harley? (C’mon…can he BE any hotter?!?) Smoldering sexiness aside there is a lot of depth and development with this Darcy. Not only do readers learn all about why Darcy has a heart of ice, chosen such a dangerous profession, and holds firm to the belief that all women are lying poisonous vipers, but they understand how his past experiences and emotional baggage shaped him into the man he is today. I love a complex Darcy, and I found it captivating to witness him overcome his past, hist pain, and his vulnerability in this premise.

- It’s The Little Things: The reoccurring theme of serpents and snakes, Darcy’s interest in horses, Lizzy’s passion for orchids – such unique touches. I loved the nicknames everyone had for each other – Lakmé, Rambo, Medusa, Iceman. And I thought the Spotify list was awesome (see my favorite tracks below). These little touches and motifs infuse the story with personality and clever connections.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

- Na-Da! Couldn’t think of anything if I tried…

WARNING: Recommended for Mature Audiences because of the use of profanity and intimate content.

CONCLUSION:
I’m completely enamored with this author’s style and the ingenious stories she skillfully crafts! I’m a big fan of creativity and I feel that Ms. Gardiner’s works just ooze with buckets of creativity! Sure, at times it is a bit of a departure from the Jane Austen and her world, but what a thrilling ride! I definitely recommend this searing hot read for fans of modern adaptations who count Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star and The Muse as amongst their favorite Austenesque reads.jane-austen pride-and-prejudice16 s J. W. Garrett1,574 105

“It was my duty to shoot the enemy, and I don’t regret it. My regrets are for the people I couldn’t save: Marines, soldiers, buddies. I’m not naïve, and I don’t romanticize war. The worst moments of my life have come as a SEAL. But I can stand before God with a clear conscience about doing my job.” Chris Kyle

Warning/Caveat: Know going in this is not for the faint of heart. It is graphic, and explicit. We are dealing with a covert assassin group that works under the radar and deals with evil enemies of the state, country and world. Someone has to take out the trash and Obsidian is the group to call when it is garbage day.

Rating: PG-21: Mature Audience: explicit, expressive, sensual and graphic mind-blowing sex scenes, mild language, graphic violence, nothing is withheld. Have a fire extinguisher handy to put out the sparks flying from the page. Seriously! I-am-not-joking.

With all the fabulous … let me just say one thing… Cat Gardiner is a genius. I’ll just state it up front. Right from the beginning Cat grabs the reader by the throat and does not let go. The villains will make your skin crawl and our Austen P&P [Pride and Prejudice] characters fit so well in this modern spy story. Descriptions of our hero will melt you Hershey’s Chocolate left out in the sun. I am so in love with the Assassin’s Tango… just saying.

“Every human has four endowments – self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change.” Stephen Covey

Mr. Bennet: What have you done? OMG! Our author has taken Austen’s indolent father figure and given his intelligence a new field of study… computer programming and the creation of a destructive virus specifically. Yeah, he has the power and knowledge to bring about a weapon of mass destruction that our enemy wants desperately. I really did not him and his selfish ways. He would sacrifice anything, anyone in order to save Longbourn Plantation. I so resented him and his blind actions against his favorite daughter.

Additional P&P Characters:
Richard [Rick]: Darcy’s cousin, Charles Bingley, Caroline Bingley, Jane Bennet and Bill Collins, and other Austen characters that will make you smile when you run across their names. It was such a surprise. I simply loved running into them and seeing how they played a part in this fast-paced spy story.

Poor Elizabeth Bennet had no idea what was going on. It reminded me of the 1994 True Lies movie where Jamie Lee Curtis [a neglected wife] discovers her dull salesman husband [Arnold Schwarzenegger] is secretly a spy. Lizzy finds herself in a similar situation. She is caught up in an adventure of a lifetime with Darcy as they fight to rescue her father and save the world from his selfish and unwise decisions.

There is a mention of Wickham throughout the story who, in canon, has committed heinous crimes against Darcy and Georgiana. We will not know until the end of the story what happens with him. It was good.

This book is followed by a novelette… Guilty Conscience. Following it is the sequel to Denial… Without a Conscience. I look forward to seeing what is happening with our Darcy and Lizzy.
2017 era-modern-2 inspired-jane-austen ...more13 s Claudine DiMuzio / Just Jane 1813182 9

I am thrilled I finally read this book by Cat Gardiner, who I believe writes some of the best modern JAFF stories.

The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth is palpable, the storyline is engrossing and the way she folds Austen's characters from her other stories into this book adds to the wit and cheekiness of her book.

The beginning is a little slow and then the book takes off and becomes a real page-turner. I am thrilled a sequel is due out soon, which I also can't wait to read and review!

Thanks for another great story, Cat! 10 s Sara409 30

LOVE LOVE LOVE! It's everything described and more. Could not put it down!jaff-modern8 s Candy262

Wow! What a ride! I loved reading Denial of Conscience! I was so caught up in the action of this exciting story, that I had a hard time putting it down!

Darcy is an assassin; a hired killer working unofficially for the CIA. He works alongside his cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam, and good friend, Charles Bingley. Their main headquarters and front is a dance studio run by Charles and his sister Caroline Bingley. Together, this crew is a badass team!

In this story, there are only two Bennet sisters, and their roles have been switch around a bit. Jane, is still the oldest, but is more daring and enjoys life to the fullest. Lizzy is more self-sacrificing and is still living at home taking care of her dad. Mrs. Bennet abandoned the family years earlier. Their ancestral family home, Longbourn, a 200-year-old plantation in Virginia, is in desperate need of restoration. Mr. Bennet’s neglect of the place has become very evident, and too much for the Bennet’s to afford. But Mr. Bennet is unwilling to give it up or sell any portion of its many acres. The question is, at what lengths is he willing to go to to keep Longbourn?

One solution is for Lizzy to marry Mr. Colin, and it’s one she considers doing. **cringe!** But soon that changes when Liz and Darcy meet, and she is swept up into an adventure she will never forget!

I thought Cat Gardiner did a fantastic job bringing Darcy and Elizabeth into the present day. This is not canon Pride and Prejudice, but it still has some elements of the original story. Pemberley, Georgiana, and Wickham are here. Along with the tragic story of the death of Darcy’s parents and what drove Darcy to become a Navy Seal.

I also love how you can find names of characters from other Austen books used in this story. For example, George Knightley is an old military buddy of Darcy’s. He owes Darcy a favor and is call upon to help out during a mission.

Denial of Conscience is a fantastic read! It’s full of adventure, espionage, and danger!

**For mature audiences.

FTC Disclaimer: I received a paperback of the book from the author. The review is of my own doing and is my honest opinion. austenesque contemporary romance7 s Paige428

Denial of Conscience is an original and exciting Pride and Prejudice riff. As the title indicates, it is a modern adventure involving Elizabeth, Darcy, and other Austen characters. Other have perfectly described this book as being James Bond meets Jane Austen. At one point, Elizabeth thinks to herself that Darcy is James Bond.

There is so much to about this book! Imagine Fitzwilliam as a former Navy SEAL, roaring around on his motorcycle. Imagine Caroline as a viporous ninja assassin. Imagine characters from other Austen books playing a part in the story. Imagine an adventure that takes you from Virginia to Monaco. Imagine a romantic suspense plot that I do not want to spoil by writing too much.

This book definitely has a high heat level and what I consider fairly explicit sex scenes. My personal preference is for the bedroom door to be a bit more closed, so to speak, and I found some of the breaks in the action so the characters could have "action" to be disruptive. However, other readers would not feel the same way.

Clearly, when one picks up a story with the premise that Darcy is a hired killer, one should expect that familiar characters may be a bit different in this telling. I accept that as a reader and enjoyed this re-imagining of how the characters might turn out and interact in this truly unique and clever book. I recommend it for both fans of Austenesque fiction and fans of contemporary romantic suspense. I look forward to Cat Gardiner's next work. I won a copy of this book through a giveaway on Austenesque Reviews, with no obligation for me to provide a review. 2015 austenesque-challenge-20156 s Carole (in Canada)786 60

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Lock, load and hold on! This is an action packed story of a tortured soul, Darcy, and a heart-broken Elizabeth who feels obliged to stay behind and take care of her father to the detriment of her own soul. After Mrs. Bennet runs away from her life at Longbourn Plantation and Jane Bennet leaves to pursue her own career, Elizabeth feels abandoned, though she still sees her sister. Mr. Bennet is a self-absorbed, selfish creature who works for the government and holds on to Elizabeth for dear life. His sole goal in life is to save the estate and what he does to ensure that sets in motion a path of destruction that leaves you holding your breath. Mind you the description of Darcy will leave you breathless as well! Black-ops never looked so good!

The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth is instantaneous and combustible, each fighting their own demons and sense of abandonment, as they slowly battle their way to each other. Not only do we have Darcy as a black-ops operative, but Charles, Richard and Caroline! Now there is one I would not want to meet up with in a dark alley! One of the villains is very smarmy and another who makes one's skin crawl. We are treated to other Jane Austen characters, Mr. Collins being one of them, throughout the book. My only disappointment in this book is Jane Bennet. I just felt she was too far out of character for me.

So if you your Elizabeth and Darcy with a modern day spy twist and alot of spice, I highly recommend this book.


6 s Mary556 11

If you're looking for a hot,fast paced,modern adventure that centres on the love story that is Elizabeth and Darcy then this is the book for you!

It's witty, spicy, adorable, addictive and beautifully written. I loved this Darcy and Elizabeth.... the chemistry between them....
their words of love........

This book is Pride and Prejudice meets Bond...it's a melting pot that runneth over........it's one of the best I've read and I highly recommend it!!

Ms Gardiner-take a well deserved bow!


6 s Elizabeth180 2

No other word except WOW!

Wow. What a book. I mean REALLY. I admit I have never been into Bad Boys but this book has me contemplating Bad Boy Mr. Darcy. Yowser! This story packs a wallop of romance, intrigue, adventure, and just plain fun as Darcy and Elizabeth of Pride and Prejudice are spun into a modern, fascinating tale. I highly recommend this book. Again...Wow.6 s Erika397 22

Excellent modern P&P variation

I have to say that Cat Gardiner has done it again!!! She pulled out all the stops: romance, adventure, espionage, hot Harley riding Darcy, the sizzling tango, selfish Mr Bennet, exotic locales.....and so much more!!!

Elizabeth is out of character in here, to begin with she is demure and capitulates to her father, the good girl who didn't move away, who always takes care of her father. She continually states that she is not romantic.

Darcy, what can I say but that he is an ex-SEAL sniper, hot Harley riding bad-ass, with an aversion to romantic entanglements. He was the rich boy from Pemberley that we all know and love until one fateful day....no I'm not gonna spoil it!!!

On an assignment to 'take out' a traitor, Darcy sees Elizabeth and his whole world seems to tilt, though he doesn't acknowledge it at first. The more these two are thrown together the more interesting things get. Elizabeth, the one we know and love, starts to emerge, and Darcy becomes less icy.

Cat Gardiner is a master at spinning her tale, especially with the modern day P&P. Again I've said this before, but I tend to love the regency P&P variations better, but Cat just enthralls me and has won a fan and loyal reader forever!!!! I would highly recommend DoC to any and all JAFFers, though be warned this is definitely not in canon and there are hot, yet tasteful, sex scenes!!!jane-austen4 s Cat GardinerAuthor 18 books135

Well, I didn't add it to my shelf because that's my Lady Catherine or Mr. Collins nature! LOL! I had to rate it to add it to my shelf in order to recommend it to all my friends. :) And, you know, I did have five stars of fun writing it! I hope you'll have five stars of fun reading it. Hugs, Catmodern-austen-inspired my-novels p-p4 s Nicole Barton Sasser466 2

3.5 Stars

Authors Note: Jane Austen wrote such wonderful characters, I borrowed their names and some of their characteristics to tell my own tale of hard-won, contemporary love.

BE ADVISED: This story contains explicit sexual scenes.2015-austenesque-lovers-challenge jaff kindle ...more4 s MargaritaAuthor 1 book92

A whirlwind romance, a dangerous adventure, a HOT DARCY! What more do you want in LIFE?!?!? I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!austenesque retellings4 s Tlotem93 22

When Pride and Prejudice meets James Bond... it's explosive.
A well constructed story that lefts you on your toes! I particularly enjoyed Darcy's and Caroline's roles. The author found a good employ for her strong character3 s Evil Mommy94 3

Pure entertainment!

This book was such a wonderfully fun surprise. I really think that in Jane Austen were around today she would have had written something wild and fun this.
This isn't a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but the characters are there (as well as some others from other JA novels very cleverly worked in).
It's a perfect read for a summer day. 3 s Stacy57 3

I really enjoyed this one once it got going. I felt that the beginning took awhile to grab my interest. Maybe because it was so different from other retellings? Highly recommend if you are looking for a modern Pride and Prejudice story.2 s BrittanyAuthor 1 book3

Well then. Wow. Didn't expect that to be awesome.

But it was.

I definitely have read my crazy plot twists relating to P&P tales - Darcy's a Vampire, Darcy's a Pirate, Darcy fights Zombies. But when I read the description of this...Darcy's a paid assassin??? I was ....ummmmm no. The rest of it sounded even crazier.

And it is crazy. Crazy awesome.

So the ratings were good, my friends on here rated it high, and I absolutely loved Cat Gardiner's book Lucky 13. So I stifled my initial hesitation and reservations and hit the "Purchase" button. And I couldn't be happier.

What I loved; It was exciting. Darcy was a complete badass, but he was the ultimate badass really. He was hard towards all women and had shut himself off becoming the "Iceman". Yet the moment he sees Elizabeth (through the scope of his sniper rifle) he is undone. It was so passionate and beautiful. Very sensual - and if you don't that stay away, but if you are okay with that...definitely read this. I felt it was very passionate and it lightened my heart. I think beyond the story itself, it was just so well written. I mean once I got to the part in the book where it started to talk about Caroline Bingley's ninja moves, I was so invested in the story that I was "Yeah, well that makes sense." When I finally took a break from this book (which was difficult) to do my laundry, I reflected on my thoughts at that moment, and couldn't stop laughing. Caroline is a ninja, and I was all - well yeah. But that's what Cat did. She drew me into this strange universe of P&P characters and I just accepted this fantastical world without reserve, despite all my initial trepidation. She wrote this novel that is very stand alone from P&P but drew enough from that tale, and other Jane Austen fictions that I felt myself still in that world and with the characters I absolutely love. This novel was absolutely outrageous, but maybe because of that extremeness I was so intrigued and so captivated that this book has become one of my favorite variations ever.

What I wasn't as fond of: Seriously...nothing. But I feel I need to come up with something - so I am going to say that as a Virginia resident, the fact that she calls her father "daddy" to everyone sometimes makes me cringe. If she was being old school she'd probably say it to him still, but she probably wouldn't call him daddy to Darcy, and everyone else. That's weird. But I guess not everyone is me - but as an educator I have never heard any of my older students call their father, 'daddy'. But that's such a weird complaint.
I guess I am also not entirely in favor with how demure Elizabeth is in the beginning of this book. It's not very "Elizabeth Bennet". In P&P she is strong and resistant to begin with. She refuses Collins, and believes in true love. That's not the case in this book. She is already disheartened and against the idea of love. But I try to remind myself - we are also living in a world where Darcy is an assassin who contracts to the CIA. So such a slight change to Elizabeth's persona should not concern me.

Bravo Cat Gardiner. This was yet another fantastic novel. pride-and-prejudice will-read-again2 s Janet53 24

Oh. My. Goodness! This book was awesome! Cat Gardiner is an excellent author and writes a story that is fast-paced, entertaining and sizzling! She has done her research and it shows. The flow is perfect and the plot never skips a beat. I couldn’t put the book down but I didn’t want to finish it either.

This is a modern day story and the characters are altered a bit in personality from canon but I did not find that to be problematic. Jane is probably the most changed in personality. She is not the quiet gentle Jane of the 1800’s. The variations in characters were plausible for the time and circumstances involved. Darcy is an assassin and is steel in resolve and demeanor but still has a moral sense of rightness. There is only one who can melt the heart of this ‘Ice Man’. Elizabeth is living at Longbourn and even willing to sacrifice her own happiness to help Mr. Bennet. I think she is an accurate version of her Regency counterpart. Then there are Caroline and Charlie Bingley. What interesting roles they play in this drama. Of course, ‘Rick’ Fitzwilliam must play a part too. He does and is quite likable. Cat Gardiner’s characters were all well developed in their respective roles and literally came alive on the page.

Everything about this book was so skillfully ‘executed’ that it was difficult to choose things I d most. Besides the characters and the intricate plot, I thoroughly enjoyed the dance studio and the part it portrayed for Obsidian. The names for the ops as dances were brilliantly done and often brought a smile. The orchid and its role was a nice touch and a meaningful one. I d the connection. Then there was the adventure, drama and tense action as we followed the hero and heroine across the globe. There was also some passionate and ‘intense’ action along the way, including a few ‘mature’ passages. These scenes were written in a way that made them blend perfectly within the storyline, adding to the tension and drama, without detouring or taking away from the plot.

After hearing so much about this book before it was released, I was fascinated with the concept and couldn’t wait to read it. I was not disappointed. Everything was believable and well-done. I am extremely impressed with the writing ability of this author and the study involved for the background of her plot. This book is a black op thriller that has James Bond meet Pride & Prejudice in the present. It has something for everyone, whether a fan of just one or both. I got caught up in the adventure and lived it with Darcy and Lizzy. Their chemistry was explosive! When they danced the tango, you could almost feel the electricity. Denial of Conscience is a book well worth reading and I recommend it highly. Very good, Cat Gardiner. I cannot wait to see what you write next!
2 s Karin27

It's an interesting twist on the story--Darcy as a secret agent!--but poorly executed. The characters bear only weak resemblance to the Austen characters and are very one-dimensional, especially Jane. The author does Lizzy no justice. We don't get her sparkling wit, though we do get repeated references to her large chest. Read Darcy's dialogue out loud: it's awkward and improbable to imagine that the character described would speak this. A lot of the character dialogue is similarly unly and ludicrous. But if you seek escapist fan fiction erotica (and who doesn't enjoy that now and then?), you might enjoy this.jaff2 s Jennifer1,251 84

Loved the romance in this one. ??jaff1 Anna473 33 Read

Cat Gardiner’s Denial of Conscience is a modern-day Pride and Prejudice of sorts — not a straight retelling but inspired by Jane Austen’s characters. It’s safe to say I’ve never read anything it. Fitzwilliam Darcy is an assassin contracted by the CIA. Part of the covert civilian contract group Obsidian, Darcy is the Iceman — able to eliminate targets without flinching and so haunted by his past that he has frozen his heart to any woman. That is until he is hired to kill Thomas Bennet and can’t pull the trigger once he spies the stunning Lizzy Bennet in the window of the dilapidated Longbourn Plantation House in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Lizzy knows what it’s to suppress her true self, having devoted the last eight years of her life to her depressed father’s every need. She’s even willing to marry a man she doesn’t love to save the plantation — her father’s legacy and obsession — from ruin. Darcy’s decision sets in motion a dangerous series of events that force both of them to acknowledge the passion between them and conquer their demons.

Denial of Conscience is a downright hot and sexy novel. Darcy oozes sex appeal; he’s a bad boy with tattoos and a Harley, but he’s also James Bond, suave in a suit in a Monte Carlo casino with Liz on his arm. Oh, how I loved Gardiner’s take on Darcy! The danger and excitement, the passion and the painful soul-searching on nearly every page made this novel unputdownable. I loved how Gardiner worked in other characters — from Jane Bennet the wild child to Caroline Bingley as a cold and calculating member of Obsidian. The intricacies of the operations were well thought out, and there was plenty of humor and action to go along with all the sex. (And, yes, there is a lot of sex in this novel, so be aware!)

Denial of Conscience was the third novel I’ve read by Gardiner this year, and it’s another winner. Gardiner is a fantastic storyteller, whether writing a steamy take on Pride and Prejudice or historical fiction. She has a knack for crafting fun and sexy characters and exciting plots. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of her novels, and I’m anxiously awaiting Without a Conscience!

Check out my review on Diary of an Eccentricaustenesque rom-women-s-fic13 s Gail4

Denial of Conscience is an amazing ride from start to finish. It is so much more than a modern version of Pride and Prejudice. It begins with the premise that both Elizabeth and Darcy are damaged emotionally. Their adventure/quest strips them bare literally and figuratively. What they rebuild from the resultant components is more than worth the journey to get there. This story has it all: action, adventure, flowers, hard rock, opera, serpents, a tango to get the blood moving in your veins, thrills, chills and more. I have read it at least six times and I know that I will be reading it more. For those who are wary, yes, there are spicy sexy moments. Skip them if you must, but read this book. For those of us who enjoy those parts, know that they are written well, fit in the story, and you will need to get out your fan to cool yourself off. I have a whole new appreciation for Harleys and find myself thinking of the characters in this book whenever I see one in my real life. Seriously. Read this book. Slide on the Harley behind Darcy and enjoy the ride.1 Tina427 46

This book has a plot that Mr. Bennet is a traitor to his country and Darcy is contracted to take him out of commission. Of course he ends up seeing Lizzy and then realizes he can't go through with it. But then a member of the CIA is contracted to kill daddy Bennet and well Darcy just happens to be in the right place at the right time. This starts an adventure to save Bennet from some middle eastern terrorists. Along the way the two end up falling in love.

I will say that this book to me just seems one big plot to get our dear couple to have sex. Hell the majority of book has them trying to control their lust for one another. Normally I enjoy books that has the two of them eventually consummating their relationship. But this book just has them dancing around it for almost the entirety of it. You almost jump for joy when they finally get it on so that the actual plot can finish happening. This book just didn't hold my attention that well. I found myself continually stopping it and reading something else. 1 Susan5,911 56

A modern tale of Darcy as an assassin (the Iceman) working for the Obsidian group with his cousin Fitzwilliam, friends Caroline and Charles Bingley. The group is contracted to the CIA and are given the task of killing the Bennet father. Plans go astray when the Iceman is unable to complete his task, but action and adventure follow.
In this tale there are only two sisters and no Mrs Bennet. An enjoyable story.austenesque1 Marie1,143 68

Well Written Modern P&P Variation
Loosely inspired Pride and Prejudice modern variation. I couldn’t find anything to dis about this book. Very well written, as are all Cat Gardiner books, it is filled with intrigue, and is a great love story. Good modern-day character portrayals. Recommend for those who don’t mind mature content (not vulgar).2019 favourites jaff ...more1 Teresita915 9

An incredible adventure!

They found the most incredible love in the most thrilling adventure. Rescued each other from loneliness and darkness. A story worth reading more than once. 1 Caroline161 31

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