Jane Austen fans unite and rally around this beautifully woven retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Lizzy and Darcy are forced to marry because both of them wield magic that can save England from Napoleon's forces. Do they actually love each other is this a partnership of mutual convenience? SpellBound at Pemberley will delight fans of Jane Austen and regency romantic fantasy alike.

A fun concept, but it was slightly meandering throughout. I never could fully get a grip on the plot, and the only element that was similar to P&P was the names. There really was no reason to make this a P&P fanfic spinoff or whatever. It really could've been a regency fantasy and been made its own rather than riding on the P&P bandwagon. That said, I do think it's a solid start to what most likely will be an engaging, unique story. I just don't think it needed any P&P elements.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ebook. All thoughts are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Wow, this was FUN! Exciting mix of fantasy world meets Darcy and Elizabeth. Abigail Reynolds is the master of Pride and Prejudice Variations, this one wasn't as steamy as her other ones usually are, and was a definitely different take on what I have read of her variations before. But I enjoyed it sooo much! Darcy and Elizabeth true to character even if their lives look quite different (as well as their connections). My only thing...I didn't realize this was to be a series, so the ending seemed quite abrupt. Can't wait for Book 2. Well done!
Thanks to #NetGalley and White Soup Press for the ARC.

This book is a variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It has magic, dragons, and fae. Darcy is a mage, and Elizabeth has magic of her own, which they call talents. Because this is a variation, the author does not take the time to develop the characters. I guess it is expected that the reader should already know the characters and their mannerisms and characteristics, There isn't much time given to explain the talents and the world the characters were in. I felt like I was just dropped into the middle of the story. If I were not a fan of Austen's I am unsure I would have enjoyed or connected with these characters well. It is an entertaining read, it's a short one. It does end on a cliffhanger. I liked it enough that I want to read the sequel and fans of Austen and fantasy would like this also

I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own

Description
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a powerful mage and master of illusions. His abilities make him the perfect man for a dangerous mission to end the devastating war with Napoleon – a mission that would leave him little chance of returning alive. When he meets the enchanting Elizabeth Bennet, whose magical Talents are as deep as they are inexplicable, he knows he needs her help. And there’s only one way to get that – marriage. Immediately.

Elizabeth wants nothing to do with his plan. Marrying Darcy would mean breaking her strong and beloved magical bond to Longbourn and giving up the use of her Talent forever. Then dragons enter the war in Europe, and England's survival hangs in the balance. And Elizabeth must make the ultimate sacrifice.

But dragons are already watching their newlywed journey to Pemberley, and a shocking discovery will force them to question everything they believe. Can they learn to trust each other and work together to save their country--and their lives?

If you enjoy fantasy and Jane Austen's classic Pride & Prejudice, you'll love Spellbound at Pemberley, the first book of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage!

Spellbound at Pemberly is a Pride and Prejudice retelling with a magical twist. I love seeing how Darcy and Elizabeth are reimagined. This one is listed as Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage #1. I'm hopeful that this series will continue.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Abigail Reynolds for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Spellbound at Pemberley. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I love any type of Jane Austen adaptations whether they are books or movies. This one was really fun because it was magic based witches and warlocks. The addition of magic was really fun to the plot. I really enjoyed the characters. I thought the changes from the original Pride and Prejudice were fun and made it interesting. The writing was great. The only thing is I think the book was heavily focused on Darcy and Elizabeth. It would’ve been nice to see more of the other characters. I think there will be more books in the series, so maybe that will be explored more later on.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Pride and Prejudice adaptations!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

First I loved it , a great spin on a classic, a little bit of romance a little bit of magic. I wasn’t sure how I was gonna feel but I found a new genre to love. Or a mashup of a few genre, romance and fantasy. Now I need to read the next book in the series. So I guess I also found a new to me author to love

I received an ARC of this book but am leaving an unbiased review.

Some of the Pride and Prejudice books leave me bored or feeling like I'm reading something that has nothing in common with the original work other than names. This wasn't that. I could see where pride and prejudice came in, and it kept me enthralled. I liked the world- building too. The idea of magic and talents made the characters more believable, and their history explains a lot about their characters.

That said, it wasn't perfect. The end of this book comes out of nowhere and feels way too abrupt. Darcy's inner monologues get annoying at times. I would have likely felt the same of the original work, so that feels authentic, but that still makes him unlikable at times. There is also a few too many side characters that don't feel very developed. I might have preferred using some of the ones from the book rather than making up these people and leaving me with more questions. Still, that said, I liked it and will read more.

In an alternate universe, where landowners and their families are magically linked to their land, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is in need of a wife. He is to leave England on a secret mission, and will need a wife to help him access the power of his home while away. Most “landed” people (those who are connected to their land) are repelled by one another. However, it seems that Miss Elizabeth Bennett is a rare exception to this.

This story had a good balance of keeping to the original while creating a new story for one of my favorite literary couples. The writing stuck to the same style as Jane Austin, which I appreciated. The magic system made sense and was woven into the story well.

I enjoyed this novel, the first in a trilogy. I look forward to reading the next two books when they are published.

I have mixed thoughts about this one.

First, the good: the prose is easy to read and clear,, and the relationships between the characters are enjoyable. The two tiered magic system is a very interesting one and I particularly liked the introduction of the repulsion as an element. I particularly liked Elizabeth’s dragon companion.

The not so good: it was just trying to do too much in too few pages. There’s the whole Pride & Prejudice plot which honestly? I could have done without. It feels sillly to say that given the whole reason I picked this up was because of the P&P aspect but truly, it diverges from the plot so much that I would have rather just renamed everything and had it be its own original world. The book starts off throwing you in the deep end and continues to randomly drop totally new elements with big info dumps throughout, which breaks up the flow and enjoyment of the story. So many elements, characters, and conflicts are introduced for a story where plot wise, very little happens. I feel like the pacing was quite inconsistent and a near death experience is treated about the same as a rumor that Lizzy is cheating on her husband.

Very fun concept, lots of great elements, but not quite there for me on the execution.

A fantasy Pride and Prejudice variation where Darcy is a Maga, and capable of illusions, perfect to be sent on a mission to kill Napoleon. Then he meets Elizabeth with her Land Talent. But Napoleon is using dragons and sea serpents against the British forces is there any chance that Darcy will survive.
An entertaining and well-written variation. The story continues in the next part of the trilogy.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised with how this book turned out. I really thought I knew what I was getting into after reading the description but I was utterly unprepared!

I was a bit thrown off with some of the dialogue in the beginning of the book. However, as time went on I did not even notice the difference anymore, This was an interesting take on Darcy and Elizabeths love story, and I think I prefer this one. Everything is better with magic though, right?

In this world there is landed talent, literally magic talent that is attached to a specific area of land, and there is mage talent. Mage talents might be able to cast illusions, affect the weather, or any number of other things. While landed talent will ensure the crops are bountiful, the trees large and strong, and the animals in top health. People with talent feel physically repelled by another person with talent. My one complaint is that was not really explained in the beginning. I was able to figure it out after I went but it made for a confusing several chapters at the start.

Our MCs met and there were sparks immediately, and I’m not talking the good kind. Darcy was rude and abrasive and Elizabeth wasn’t standing for it. However, when Darcy discovers she has more magic than she lets on, and that they do not repel each other, feelings shift rapidly. Now he will stop at nothing to have her. If only he could guarantee that they will have a long future ahead of them.

I enjoyed the writing and all of the fantasy aspects of this book. I even enjoyed most characters. However, the things that’s annoyed me about Darcy in the story this book was based off of, still annoy me here. You will still not be able to keep me from reading the next book in the series though lol. I am intrigued and I HAVE to know how it ends.

I didn't know how I would feel about a SF Pride and Prejudice retelling but I did enjoy it more than I thought I would. It was the most unique retelling that I have read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
I've read a couple of Abigail Reynolds' Jane Austen 'spinoffs' before and quite enjoyed them.
I wasn't sure about P&P with magic, but I was won over. The author has created a quite interesting and complicated magical system, and she's integrated it well with Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship. There are talking dragons and other magical creatures.
Set while Britain and France are still at war, and magic is being used on the battlefield, so it's reminiscent of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in this instance.
Keep in mind that this is the first book in a series. The main characters marry early on and have a physical relationship (it's not graphic or the focal point of the book but might bother some readers?)
4-4.5 out of 5, I found it a little uneven in places, and I always find books that end on a cliffhanger a bit annoying.
Would recommend to fans of historical fantasy romance (is that a genre) - good fun!

I am writing this review for Net Galley. This is the first book in the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage series.

This is a retelling of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy but it involves Magic. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth meet in a field when there is what Elizabeth thinks is a herd of cattle running. There is a little kid in the field. In order to stop the cattle from trampling the kid, Elizabeth takes a risk in using her powers thinking no one is watching. She turns out to be wrong when Mr. Darcy appears out of nowhere.

Mr. Darcy can make illusions. Between the two of them, their magical powers bring them together. However, Elizabeth has to be careful when working her powers with illusions as she can become weak. Because of the magic between the two came to agreement to marry one another so they will have a child. Will Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth come together and learn to really love one another?

I really enjoyed this story. I wasn't to sure if I would like a retelling of Pride and Prejudice that involved magic, but I found it to be very easy to understand. The magic actually made it a faster read and more interesting. If you like magic and Pride and Prejudice that you will enjoy this series.

2.75

This was a cute book and I really enjoyed it. The story starts off where Elizabeth Bennett and Fitwilliam Darcy have already made each other's acquaintances. I felt like it dragged on a little too long for what it was, but I otherwise enjoyed it.
It has a part 2 and I think I would like to continue it to know what happens.

This book was very exciting and magical. I very much enjoyed the older aspect to the world, along with the newer fantasy scope. The relationships followed a lot of hard driven passion that I found enthralling. The book ended in a way that keeps the readers guessing and hoping for the next book to come as soon as possible.
Thank you White Soup Press for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
This was such a fun variation of P&P, it was a bit slow to start with but after that the pacing is good. Reynolds does such a good job at capturing Mr Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s personality.
Overall a great regency fantasy read for P&P lovers!

What a wonderful story. This is a tale full of romance and discovery, intrigue and adventure!

I would say that it’s probably best if you’ve read the original Pride and Prejudice before reading this fantastical tale only because of the references made to towns, families, hierarchies, etc. Although, there are some major differences between the original and this one (least of all are the dragons!) it would be easy to pick up the gist of things without having read it, there is just greater clarity with the knowledge imparted from the original.

Reynolds does a superb job of writing these characters so precisely that one cannot help but feel that one knows them well. Though the story starts slowly and there’s a bit of jumping around at first, the story unfolds at an increasing pace as we read through this sublime account of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy trying their best to balance the demands of the War Office, personal interests, newly acquired spouses, feelings and prejudices held by themselves and those surrounding them and so many other things.

As we get to know these characters more deeply and move with them through the web that Reynolds spins, we can’t help but cheer for their victories and worry for them in their illnesses and defeats. I am reluctant to give too much detail for fear of ruining the story and all the discoveries within, but this is a wonderful piece that is so worth the read.

I cannot wait for the next instalment in this series!

I really struggled between giving this book 3 or 4 stars. This was an interesting but flawed book. Although it claims to be a variation on Pride and Prejudice, I would call that a pretty big stretch. However, if you look at it as its own book, there was a lot to like, although there were some other issues as well.

Let's first discuss the idea that it's a "variation." I really do love it when authors take Jane Austen's concepts and ideas and take them and make them their own. However, there is a point (not a clear one!) when you've run so far that you don't really share anything in common with P&P anymore other than some character names. This book was definitely treading that line and, in the latter half, had pretty clearly crossed it. Gone are Wickham and Mr. Collins (and the entailment!), any slice of life/cheeky commentary on local English personalities. Other characters received a brief mention (Lady Catherine, Col. Fitzwilliam, the Bingley sisters) or a short, mysterious cameo (Georgiana). The entire theme of women in this time period facing precarity because they must marry or face the horrors of being a spinster was even absent, as it's clear in this alternate version women do have power and more social standing than in this reality. There's a slew of new characters introduced, including Mr. Darcy's mother, who is very much alive, and a grandmother on Elizabeth's side. While the book does feature a love story between Elizabeth and Darcy, it's a pretty different one than in P&P - there is a little bit of misunderstanding in the very beginning, they quickly move past it and instead tension is brought from Darcy's mission in thwarting Napoleon. The problem with all of this is that when you call yourself a variation on P&P, it creates expectations, so when you don't meet many of those expectations, it feels like a let down. Normally I feel like authors who do this are just trading on Jane Austen's work to bring in more readers, which is definitely annoying. But I noticed this author has written a lot of Jane adaptations, so I wonder if instead it's just become a crutch. A lot of this could be solved by the author just creating whole new characters and calling it a Regency fantasy.

The book is not completely absent of any of P&P's traits - she does a fairly good job with the personalities of Darcy and Elizabeth, and I actually liked how she teased out Mr. Bennett's character a bit. But even Mrs. Bennet and the sisters are given short shrift and are barely there (although I suspect we'll see more of them in future books).

Despite all of this, I did think the book was pretty good as a general Regency fantasy - the world building was interesting, several of the new characters were well developed and had good agency (although I wasn't in love with Mr. Roderick - he felt too much like he was there purely as an info dump as needed). I was interested in the whole idea of Land Talent and how the privilege of being able to own land over generations gave a new benefit of having a magical bond with it as well - although I would have liked to see some of the social consequences of that explored (maybe later books will?) It did start to feel like there was almost too much magic going on, though - magic with the land, general magic of mages, faeries, dragons, familiars, on and on. I think the world building needed some editing.

Plot wise, the book never felt like a drag - there was always something going on. It was of course enjoyable to see Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love, and then the general plot of how will Darcy defeat Napolean was intriguing as well.

However, that brings us to my other main problem with this book - it was missing a main plot that actually developed through the whole book and then resolved. There were smaller plots that resolved over short sections, like Elizabeth coming to accept marrying Mr. Darcy. But those all resolved well before the end of the book. And many of the bigger plots the book built up toward are left unaddressed, I'm assuming for later books. This became especially problematic in the final third of the book, when several new plot points were introduced but never went beyond a "well how will they handle this?" The final third really felt like an intro for the second book, which made for an underwhelming end. So while the book never dragged, I still felt a bit let down.

I'd say this is a better fit for fantasy fans than P&P fans, except the book oddly starts when Elizabeth visits Netherfield because Jane fell ill and definitely expects readers to have some familiarity with P&P. I think if P&P fans can accept this is really a "variation" in name only, then they could enjoy it too, although obviously having an interest in fantasy will help.