Pride & Prejudice Book Club Podcast

Such Persuasions as These - By Emilia Stratford

Before there’s love, there’s friendship, and in Such Persuasions as These by Emilia Stratford, that friendship is genuine, unexpected, and exactly what Mr. Darcy didn’t know he needed.
In this week’s episode, Emilie Davis is joined by guest co-host Sharon Cortez to discuss a variation where Elizabeth leads with kindness, not combat, and finds herself at the center of Darcy’s slow, sweet transformation.
When Elizabeth claims to be engaged to a certain Captain Wentworth (yes, that Captain Wentworth), she unintentionally clears the emotional runway for something rare in Pride and Prejudice retellings: a sincere and supportive friendship between our beloved leads. Emilie and Sharon dive into why this works so well, what makes this Darcy especially lovable, and how friendship-first stories offer something different than slow-burn romance alone.
They also swap personal stories about “fake engagements,” adult friendship struggles, and the sitcom-style friend groups they’ve longed for or found along the way. 
If you’ve ever wished for more time with Darcy and Elizabeth simply getting to know one another, this one’s for you!
 
🎵 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!
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An Interview With Narrator Stevie Zimmerman

If you’ve ever found yourself lingering in the car just to finish an audiobook chapter, there’s a good chance Stevie Zimmerman had something to do with it. In this special episode, we sit down with the incredibly talented Stevie Zimmerman, an audiobook narrator with over 340 titles on Audible and a voice many of our Book Clubbers will instantly recognize.
Stevie shares how she found her way into narration, what it’s really like behind the mic, and which kinds of stories she loves to bring to life. (Spoiler: Jane Austen may come up once or twice…) From home recording setups to character accents and everything in between, this is a fascinating peek into a world most of us only hear (but rarely see).
 
🎵 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!
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Mr Darcy's Cinderella at Longbourn - By Caitlin Marie Carrington

What happens when you drop Elizabeth Bennet into a Cinderella-style nightmare, including an evil stepmother, scheming stepsisters, and a slipper clue that changes everything? And more importantly, if you were in Elizabeth's shoes, would you stand your ground like her or keep the peace like Jane? This week, Sharon and Emilie explore why this variation’s fairy-tale nods work without feeling like a Disney remake, and how the slow build of trust between Darcy and Elizabeth might be even more satisfying than the classic enemies-to-lovers arc. We dig into the book’s take on Mr. Bennet’s willful ignorance and how it hit a little too close to home in our own reflections on fathers and family. And of course, we reveal our final verdict: is this “Fun While It Lasted” or officially “Our Jam”?
📢 Trigger warning: this one gets more intense than most Austen variations—tread carefully if depictions of abuse are difficult for you.
 
🎵 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!
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Author Interview: Tiffany Thomas

What a treat this week, Book Clubbers! 🎉 We're joined by the incredibly talented Tiffany Thomas, author of Fine Eyes and Beastly Pride and one of Sharon's absolute favorites!
Whether you've devoured her books already or if they're still on your TBR list, this conversation is a can't-miss! Tiffany shares how she found her way into the world of JAFF, what inspired her unique take on Darcy and Elizabeth, and why kindness from internet strangers may just be the secret weapon to writing that next draft.
We were so honored that she answered our random Tik Tok message, and that we can share this interview with you!
Who should we interview next??
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Author Website: https://authortiffanythomas.com/
🎵 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!

Fine Eyes and Beastly Pride - by Tiffany Thomas

This week, guest co-host Sharon joins Emilie to dive into Fine Eyes and Beastly Pride by Tiffany Thomas, an imaginative Pride and Prejudice variation inspired by the classic Disney Beauty and the Beast animated movie. 
Sharon especially loved the way Darcy’s transformation into the “Beast” was reimagined through a laudanum addiction: dark, dramatic, and surprisingly effective. Both she and Emilie appreciated Elizabeth’s steady presence as a source of support, and how that relationship gave emotional weight to Darcy’s recovery arc.
Do you have your own "head canon" for characters? It turns out that we (Emilie and Sharon) have very different versions of Wickham in our heads!We also had strong opinions about the use of direct quotes from the Disney movie. For one of us, it was a fun nod; for the other, it was a bit jarring. You’ll have to tune in to hear who felt what! (and we’d love to know where you land, Book Clubbers!)
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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!

In The Tower With Mr Darcy - By Valerie Lennox

What happens when Elizabeth Bennet is kidnapped, locked in a tower, and forced to marry Mr. Darcy by a completely unhinged Lady Catherine de Bourgh? This book is what happens!
This week, Emilie Davis and guest host Sharon Cortez (filling in for Alicia) dive into In the Tower With Mr. Darcy by Valerie Lennox, a bold, fairy tale–tinged Pride and Prejudice variation that had us texting "What is HAPPENING?!" practically every other chapter.
We’re unpacking:
The Rapunzel-meets-Regency plot that *somehow* works
What "Primal Darcy" looks like
Whether trauma bonding counts as romance
The surprisingly touching moment Darcy (not Elizabeth) laments their stolen "wedding" night
A strange pattern we've noticed with twins...
If you love fairy tale retellings, forced proximity, or just need something unpredictable to distract you from reality, this book’s for you!
 
🎵 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!
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Mr Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be - By Brandon Dragan

Just when you thought you'd seen every twist Pride and Prejudice fanfiction could offer, along comes Mr. Bingley: Just as a Gentleman Ought to Be, a book so wild, we had to call in backup. Emilie is joined by returning guest co-host Sharon Cortez for a deep dive into a version of Bingley that moonlights as an assassin on a righteous mission.
Yes, you read that right.
Together, we unpack the ethical gymnastics of vigilante justice, the surprisingly delightful voice performance by the “Pride and Prejudice TikTok Guy” Ben Fensome, and whether Jane Bennet would really say “I do” after hearing her fiancé has a body count. 
Turns out, Bingley’s sunshine disposition pairs unexpectedly well with a secret life of crime. Who knew? 
 
🎵 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!

Only Mr. Darcy - By Julie Cooper

Is love a fancy or a feeling...or fate?
In Julie Cooper’s Only Mr. Darcy, a young Elizabeth Bennet asks her beloved grandmother who she’ll marry, and receives a cryptic answer just moments before the woman passes away. The name? Charles. The result? Absolute certainty that her fate is intertwined with her new neighbor, a handsome man named Charles Bingley…even as he clearly falls for Jane.
This week, we're joined by guest host and longtime Book Clubber Sharon Cortez (Alicia is off on a well-earned summer break!) and we had the best time giggling, blushing, and swooning over this surprisingly tender and low-angst variation. We get into fate vs. free will, the charm of quiet fishing scenes, and why we love a Mr. Darcy who is good husband material. Plus, we debate Bingley’s character and swap stories of how our own Austen obsessions started.
An enjoyable and satisfying read that’s perfect for anyone who loves a smart twist on canon, delicious one-on-one time with Darcy and Elizabeth, and sweet yet swoon-worthy kisses!
🎵 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, Instagram, or Tik Tok, and sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Author Interview: Summer Hanford

This week on the Pride and Prejudice Book Club, we’re thrilled to welcome our new co-host Sharon Cortez as she joins the podcast for an interview with author Summer Hanford! If you’ve devoured The Bennett Gang Duology and Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop, you already know Summer’s work is delightfully creative and full of heart.
We chat about everything from her writing origins (in a surprise twist, she did NOT always love Jane Austen!) to her development process with longtime collaborator Renata McMann. Summer also teases three wildly different upcoming projects: one swashbuckling, one magical, and one including unexpected guests at Longbourn. Plus, we get a behind-the-scenes look at JAFFCon, the Jane Austen Fanfiction conference being held in November, and hear what it's like having her words brought to life by legendary narrators Stevie Zimmerman and Benjamin Fife.
It’s a discussion that reminds us why we keep returning to this world, and offers a rare peek behind the curtain at how JAFF authors like Summer build the stories we love to share as a community.Enjoy!Links 🔗: 
JAFFCon: https://jaffwriterreadergettogether.org/Books by Summer Hanford: https://amzn.to/4kjBJRE
🎵 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!

Gentlemen of Honor - By Summer Hanford

We’re diving back into the world of Summer Hanford’s Bennet Gang Duology with Gentleman of Honor, the second and final installment in this imaginative Pride and Prejudice variation. 
The overall feel of this book was different from the first, with a greater emphasis on Lydia's perspective and some mustache-twirling villains causing mayhem for our band of bandits. But it also wrestled with some difficult questions, such as "What do you do if the one you love is living a lie? A BIG LIE?" 
This book may not have captivated us quite like book one, but it still brought intrigue, action, and character development that kept us turning pages. Aaaaand...some swoon-worthy moments with Darcy and Elizabeth (and that's really what we're here for, right?)
🎵 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!