Pride & Prejudice Book Club Podcast

The Other Bennet Sister - By Janice Hadlow

This week, we’re taking a detour from the world of Darcy and Elizabeth to dive into The Other Bennet Girl by Janice Hadlow—a novel that gives Mary Bennet her time to shine! The story follows Mary from her childhood in the shadow of her "prettier" sisters all the way to several years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, exploring themes of self-worth, personal growth, and what it means to find your place in the world.
We dig into Mary’s evolution as a character, her romantic choices, and how well the book aligns with the spirit of Austen’s world. While we don't always agree on the direction the book takes, we have a lot of fun discussing it!
If you’ve ever wanted Mary Bennet to get her moment—or just love a lively book chat—this episode is for you!
Talk at ya later!
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we’ll be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Author Interview: Sophie Turner

We’re back from our break and couldn’t be more excited to return with a very special guest on The Pride and Prejudice Book Club—author Sophie Turner! 🎉 You might remember her from The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy, the JAFF telenovela that had us marveling at its bonkers yet brilliant plot twists.
We first met Sophie at JAFFCon back in November, when she graciously agreed to come on the pod. In this episode, she shares how her first attempt at reading Pride and Prejudice was… less than successful, how she found her niche in the JAFF community, and why she loves putting Elizabeth and Darcy through the emotional wringer.
From her favorite tropes (spoiler: amnesia is up there!) to the meticulous research that goes into crafting her stories, Sophie gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her writing process and even teases what’s next—including a possible choose-your-own-adventure variation that has us itching to pre-order already! We also dive into some deeper themes like nature vs. nurture and what falling in love means in Austen's world.
If you’re as fascinated by regency-era legal systems as Alicia now is, or you just love hearing about how authors bring our favorite characters to life in new ways, you won’t want to miss this one!
 
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

REPLAY: The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy - By Sophie C. Turner

We’re still on break for one more week, but we’re revisiting The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy by Sophie C. Turner—because honestly? This episode has lived rent-free in our heads for a YEAR. If you haven’t listened (or just need a refresher), now’s the perfect time to dive back in.
Why? Because next week, we have a special treat: an interview with the author herself, Sophie C. Turner! 🎉
In case you missed it the first time:
Darcy is lost at sea… or was he? After four years and a convenient case of amnesia, he returns to London to find Elizabeth trapped in a nightmare marriage. With twists involving a trial, treasure, and even murder, this book had us constantly asking, what NOW?!
Despite the wild premise, our discussion went deep—we explored how reframing tragedy changes us, debated nature vs. nurture in parenting, and reflected on the importance of sharing burdens, even when no one can fix them.
So, Book Clubbers, have you read this one? Did the plot twists keep you guessing? Let's talk about it! And don’t forget to tune in next week for our interview with Sophie C. Turner!
Talk at ya later!
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

REPLAY: The Muse - By Jessica Evans

While we’re still on our winter break, we wanted to revisit one of the most compelling reads from the past year—Jessica Evans’ The Muse. This modern variation had both Emilie and Alicia fully hooked, but it also raised some serious ethical questions.
From power dynamics to shifting social standards, we dug deep into how these themes impact our enjoyment of variations. Is this something all modern adaptations will have to grapple with? And why, despite our reservations, could we not put this book down??
If you missed this episode the first time around, now’s the perfect time to catch up! And if you’ve already read The Muse, we’d love to hear your thoughts :)
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🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

REPLAY: Unequal Affections - By Lara S. Ormiston

We’re on break right now, which means it’s the perfect time to revisit one of our all-time favorite books from Season 1—Unequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston! Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or just recently joined us, this episode is a must-listen for all Book Clubbers.
In case you missed it, Unequal Affections explores a tantalizing “what if” scenario: what if Elizabeth had said “yes” instead of “no” to Darcy’s first proposal? Our hero and heroine are taken on a new path, and while it may seem simpler at times than the original tale, Elizabeth and Darcy still need to navigate the same misunderstandings—but in a different order, with fresh emotional beats.
So, if you didn’t catch this episode the first time, or if you just need an excuse to read it again, now’s your chance. Grab a blanket, your favorite hot drink, and tune in! ☕📖
Talk at ya later!
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!
 

2024 Recap - Alicia and Emilie

Happy New Year, Book Clubbers!
We're getting ready to take a break, but before we do we wanted to share a little recap of our year, what stories stood out to us, what lessons we've learned, and what we're looking forward to in 2025!
What about you? What stories stood out to you this year? Did you learn anything about what you like/don't like in variations? Did anything surprise you? What would you like to hear in season 3?
We'll be back on February 3rd with new stories and new author interviews. Thank you for coming on this journey with us! 
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🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!
 

BONUS: Colors by Laura Moretti

Happy New Year, Book Clubbers!
We were originally going to take this week off, but instead, we're diving into Colors by Laura Moretti, a beautifully written short story available on Archive of Our Own. In this tender forced-marriage scenario, Elizabeth Bennet’s world feels drained of color—until Darcy slowly helps her begin to find hope again.
The story is short, but it packs an emotional punch while delicately addressing the realities of depression. It's beautiful, and sad, and somehow still hopeful. We know this is a deeply personal topic, and we’ve done our best to talk about it with care and respect for the many ways people experience depression.
Thank you for joining us on our podcast this year! We can’t wait to kick off Season 3 in 2024.
Talk at ya later!
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Author Interview: Laura Moretti

This week, we sit down with author Laura Moretti—the writer whose Pride and Prejudice fan fiction and Regency romances have had us binge-reading for a month straight. Imagine our surprise when we found out she’s French! (Yes, she writes these incredible English novels in her non-native language, and we’re still amazed by that.)
Laura joins Emilie and Alicia to share her writing journey, including her transition from writing in French to English and how her background as a comic book writer and role-playing gamer shapes her storytelling. We dive into her creative process, from crafting modern Austen variations to juggling multiple projects as a self-proclaimed “pantser.”
We also explore the cultural connections between French and English aristocracies, get a sneak peek into her current writing projects, and learn what genre she’s looking to tackle next (true story—it surprised us!).
This episode marks our final author interview of 2024 and the closing book of Season 2. Thank you for joining us on this journey. We can’t wait to see you in Season 3 for even more adventures in P&P!
Talk at ya later!
 
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Do You Love Me? - By Laura Moretti

What happens when you throw Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy into an alternate English history with unexpected battles, changed fortunes, and no room for declarations of love? This week, Alicia and Emilie dive into Do You Love Me?, a reimagining that picks up post-Hunsford Proposal and plunges our favorite couple into a world turned upside-down by an unexpected French invasion. 
 
Darcy’s still head over heels (but stuck on mute), and Elizabeth? She’s navigating her new life as a paid companion—until fate brings them back together. We discuss everything from what makes a deep and meaningful conversation, to whether being crossed in love is, tragically, part of the human condition. And should Elizabeth be concerned about gossip? Oh, and of course, we had to tackle the age-old question: how soon is too soon to say “I love you”? ❤️
 
If you’ve ever dreamed of Darcy and Elizabeth teaming up against the odds—or wondered how Jane Austen’s world might feel with a slightly different history—this one’s for you.
 
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🎵 Music Credit:
Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
 
📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
 
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Pemberley - By Laura Moretti

What if Darcy and Elizabeth’s love story played out in a future dystopian world...with aliens? Enter Pemberley by Laura Moretti—a sci-fi reimagining of Pride and Prejudice that had us hooked from the first page.
Yes, it’s our third Laura Moretti book (and no, we’re not sorry). What makes Pemberley so special? While it adds fascinating sci-fi twists, the story manages to stay grounded in the complex dynamics of Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship. The classic themes of pride and prejudice play out in an exciting and fascinating way, even when the main characters are struggling for survival or hiding from toxic Beasts falling from the sky.
We love how Moretti takes creative risks while keeping the heart of Austen’s story alive, proving yet again that genre is no barrier to a great retelling.If you're in the mood for something a little different...listen now!
 
🎵 Music Credit:Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason.
📚 Curious what we’ll be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com!
➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!