I don't know how to put my feelings into words over this story. On one hand, I absolutely adored Charlotte and Mary's romance, even though it starts off feeling like instant love turned slow burn. On the other hand, other than the mentions of characters in the Pride and Prejudice novel, I didn't feel the connection throughout the rest of the book.

Once again, this is another story where I feel more drawn to the side characters than I do to the main characters. I adore the staff at Mary and Aunt Cecily's residence. I love how Cecily made it a safe space for other queer people, and I honestly found myself wanting to delve deeper into the lives of the staff and how they came to end up at the residence of Cecily.

Overall, while it was a slightly slow read for me, I still enjoyed the romance between Charlotte and Mary. I loved the way Charlotte described to Mary the meanings of flowers and how it applied to their relationship as their romance unfolded. I like that while others were able to perceive Charlotte's sexual orientation as a lesbian before she knew herself, they were happy to see her finally figure out her feelings and finally allow herself to be who she is and take what she wants in life.

I definitely plan to recommend this book to those who are looking for more queerness in Regency or historical romances and find myself looking forward to hopefully more novels like this from the author.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

Pride & Prejudice is one of my all time favorite books. And I love both retellings and continuations of P&P. This is the latter.

Set five years after P&P, this story follows Charlotte Collins, née Lucas, who swooped in to scoop up the unfortunate Mr. Collins after Lizzie rejected him. After four years of not-so-wedded-bliss, Charlotte finds herself a penniless widow. She fears she’ll be left to languish in her parents’ home, when Lizzie’s sister Mary (the one always reading sermons and badly performing on the pianoforte in P&P), shows up for a visit. Mary has grown up and matured into a science minded independent woman, and Charlotte finds herself experiencing feelings she definitely never had for Mr. Collins!

I really liked Charlotte’s character in this story. I felt like the author kept her very true to the original. I could totally see her having a lesbian awakening! Her thoughts and fears felt very authentic. I did not however like Mary’s character. I just couldn’t see the Mary of P&P in this book. Yes, people change, but it was too great a change for only four years time. I would have liked the book better if it had been a completely new character not tied to the Bennett family.

Their relationship was a very slow burn. And I do feel like that was realistic to the time period. To out oneself could bring consequences. But I did get irritated with the fact that even after they admitted their feelings for each other, there was so much miscommunication and mistrust. And an entirely unnecessary third act breakup.

So overall, I liked the idea of this one, but not all the details.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the chance to review this ARC.

This was a perfectly serviceable sapphic regency romance. But despite the main characters being from Pride and Prejudice, there wasn't much else Austenish about this book at all. The tone, the concerns, the society, even the characters—just about all were brand new and not even tangentially related to the original novel. So if you want a sapphic regency romance, read this one, but if you want one firmly grounded in the world of a Jane Austen novel, this doesn't really scratch that itch.

Charlotte’s widowhood leaves her lost and alone, until Mary arrives for a visit. Transformed by academic pursuits and newfound freedom, Mary captivates Charlotte, sparking an unexpected romance. Now, Charlotte must choose between a safe marriage and a life of passion with Mary, defying social expectations.

This is a quiet yet compelling character-driven story. It’s a character study of Charlotte and how she evolves through her relationship with Mary. Emotional and beautifully written, it’s a satisfying read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

5 out 5 stars

Rep: Lesbian MC, lesbian LI. Gay, lesbian, bi, and poly SCs

Content Warnings: Deaths of partners, internalized homophobia, period-typical sexism, mentions of past emotional manipulation, sex

I’m a simple person: I see a queer Jane Austen retelling, I read it. And as much as I enjoy reading them, most the time they don’t really feel like anything special. But this? A game changer. It only took me two days to finish reading it because the book sucked me in so strongly, and now I can't stop thinking about it. From the lovable cast to the gorgeous prose to the swoonworthy romance, "Unlikely Pursuit" is so delightful that I immediately pre-ordered a physical copy.

I see so many of my own experiences as a late-blooming-lesbian mirrored! Lindz McLeod absolutely nails the various emotions that realizing something new and important about yourself can bring. As deeply sad as it makes me to think about queer people having to hide their relationships, it's simultaneously sweet and fascinating to reflect on our resilience throughout the centuries.

To my pleasant surprise, this book also contains a good deal of humor. It's difficult (in my opinion) to pull this off in historical fiction: you run the risk of either sounding pretentious or sounding so modern that it takes you out of the story completely. The author strikes the perfect balance here. Additionally, McLeod does a marvelous job capturing the vibes of Austen's original in a way that feels completely natural. I've never wanted to go wander around a rose garden so badly.

**HUGE thank you to Carina Adores for granting me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Romance & Audio, and Lindz McLeod for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Listen-- if when you read (or watched..) Pride & Prejudice you wanted more for Charlotte Lucas
(Although she was 27, no money, no prospects & a burden, she found Mr.Collins, but that didn't seem like enough, did it?) and Mary Bennet (all miserable there on the pianoforte, surely there was more to her?) then look no further than this sapphic romance tale! Taking place 4 years after the end of P&P when Mr. Collins has suddenly passed!

This was such a well done story that, perhaps, shows us how queer people lived in the early 1800s, using a cast of beloved characters already so well known to us. It was an appropriate slow burn as Charlotte discovered about herself what Mary already knew.

I loved the narration, particularly when the narrator cover the correspondence pieces and did lovely inflections for each character! (Especially Mama & Papa Lucas' letter that alternated line by line!)

I really enjoyed this book. It was a well written story about Charlotte finding herself and love. I never thought about a spin off to Pride and Prejudice but it is a genius idea! I thought the relationship between Charlotte and Mary was very sweet and supportive. I also enjoyed the spice! My only complaint was that at times Charlotte seemed deliberately obtuse. I understand her character being naive in this time period but she seemed to need constant reassurance despite Mary being pretty upfront.

Overall, I loved it and would definitely read more by this author. Thank you to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I've read other novels that imagine a future for Mary Bennet, including one by Colleen McCullough, but this is the first queer reimagining that I've come across. It's also the first novel that I've read involving Charlotte Lucas Collins as a protagonist. I was intrigued by the premise and I think the author did a good job with Charlotte's character. Mary Bennet, however, wasn't really recognizable. It's like her character changed completely in just a few years. That being said, it was still an enjoyable queer historical romance. I would have liked to see more of Mary's queer found family and I liked how accepting Charlotte's family was. I think this would appeal to readers who like Bridgerton and have at least watched a Pride and Prejudice adaptation if they haven't read the novel.

I really like when authors take side characters and give them a main story. I've never given any thought to what would have happened to Charlotte if Mr. Collins died so this was interesting. Also left me wondering 'Who gets Longbourn?'

Mary Bennet of this story is totally different from original. Found it a little hard to believe that she changed that much, but I can go with it. One thing did bother me. Charlotte writing her sister and asking if their aunt's companion was more than a 'friend'. Charlotte is way too practical to put something so scandalous, for the time, in a letter. A letter that could have been lost or anyone could have read.

All and all a sweet love story that I enjoyed. Happy to have read ARC

An interesting story, I wish that I would have read Pride and Prejudice before reading this to I had more context for the story line and more of an understanding of the characters.

Having a book pitched as a follow up to Pride and Prejudice means you have some pretty big shoes to fill and overall the execution of this was solid. Having Mary and Charlotte be lesbians expands and recontextualizes their characters from the source material in a really wonderful way. Their relationship feels quite sweet and natural. I loved the many scenes of people perceiving Charlotte as a lesbian and her not even realizing it yet. I do wish that Charlotte would have had a friend that she could have confided in. I think expanding Anne could have worked really well to meet this need. But even with that little gripe I think this was very tender and I’m interested in checking out more of this author’s work.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Queer retellings of Pride and Prejudice have delightfully been plentiful in recent times, but this sapphic canon-adjacent spinoff with the quieter side characters was absolutely refreshing. This reminded me of Olivia Waite's Feminine Pursuits series of sapphic Regency romances which I adore. My forever gripe with single POV romances aside, the the author earnestly attempted to present a widowed, isolated and repressed Charlotte as a queer foil to Elizabeth Bennet's narrative POV from the original. And mostly succeeded. Charlotte's narrative voice is one of dignified isolation and self actualization by way of grief and reclamation. I do wish we had Mary's POV as well, but as Elizabeth's best friend in Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte's journey out of class and queer naivete was the most effective parallel perspective, especially if you're an OG Lizzie Bennet fangirl. That said there was often some tonal inconsistencies that seems to be an artifact of bridging the canonical Austen-speak and the more modern Regency romance genre speak. But none of that stopped me from absolutely devouring it in one sitting.

Lets be honest, we all knew Charlotte Lucas was queer, right? This book was such a fun Pride and Prejudice follow up! It was a bit slower than I expected but I really enjoyed it. The romance between Mary and Charlotte was such a wonderful and sweet slowburn as Charlotte explored that side of her identity and began to meet more members of the community outside of Rosing Park's shadow. I loved Mary as a main character! I adore Jane Austen, but honestly, Mary was done dirty in the original Pride and Prejudice for how young and overlooked she was. So I love when retellings or companions expand on her character. And Lindz McCleod did a wonderful job of keeping Mary's core characteristics, but letting her shine in a new context. This was such a sweet romance and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Romance for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Recently widowed by a local preacher, Charlotte has to leave her home and either remarry or live with her parents. When she asks her friend, Lizzie, to visit, Lizzie instead sends her sister Mary. Charlotte is surprised by Mary, who's grown up to be a beautiful and opinionated single woman with no intention to marry. The two spend some time together and Charlotte has to admit to herself that her feelings are more than friendship. Then they travel to Mary's family home in Canterbury and there things move forward.

This is a Pride and Prejudice adjacent novel. Charlotte is Elizabeth Bennett's best friend and the wife of Mr. Collins, the preacher.

This book is well written and entertaining. The growing relationship between Charlotte and Marry is well plotted. On two occasions, they are able to resolve a conflict by talking it through instead of causing a separation, which is a common flaw in romance novels. This book avoids that and instead the final conflict is believable and not as easily resolved.

The book is highly recommended.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

After a brief stint as a dutiful wife, Charlotte Lucas is made a widow at just 31 years old. She has no money, no prospects, and is prepared to once again be a burden to her parents. She might also be a raging lesbian.

Enter, Mary Bennett. Much changed in the four years that Charlotte has been ensconced in Hunsford Parsonage, this bold Mary bears little resemblance to her Austen counterpart, aside from being something of an Odd Duck. Living with an eccentric aunt and largely left to her own devices, the middle Bennett sister has much to show Charlotte of the world and the different people living in it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me access to this eARC.

I enjoyed the fact that this book was placed around Charlotte from Pride and Prejudice. She is not usually the main character or focus for any retelling or continuation. I think her realization/understanding of her sexuality was written very well, especially considering the time period the book takes place. To me, the writing is also very immersive. It feels accurate to the time, and you can place yourself within the world. The complexities of emotions Charlotte feels are also well-written. As she explores her love with Mary, there is also the grief of losing her husband and a life she had planned on leading.

I enjoyed the fact that we got to see these characters counteract the patriarchal society. It is always good to have characters, especially historical characters, point out the flaws of society and issues that women face when it comes to men.

An important discussion about this book will be aimed at the relationship between Mary and Charlotte. Their development is a nice one. They each share similar interests and desires, which is always important in romance novels. In the beginning, Charlotte compares Mary's regard for her to that of Mr. Collins, which is important in establishing their future romance. She can see herself as an equal to Mary and someone who values who she is. I enjoyed their gradual pull into a relationship. It began with glances and light touches, which I enjoyed reading about. I like a nicer and slower build-up. Furthermore, Charlotte’s love of herself and confidence in herself only blossoms as she engages in a relationship with Mary. Mary draws Charlotte and calls her lovely, which Charlotte is not used to. I think the plot was a little slow for this book, but overall I really did enjoy seeing the journey that Mary and Charlotte went on. While the relationship between Mary and Charlotte is important, I would just like to point out how important Charlotte’s relationship with herself is. Seeing her come into her own, without the overbearing idea of a husband (Mr. Collins), is really one of the most important aspects of the book.

As a lover of Pride and Prejudice, being brought back to the story in a queer twist made me incredibly overjoyed! I was pleasantly surprised by how well the romance worked between Charlotte and Mary, and how well the self discovery was portrayed. Would highly recommend if you enjoy regency inspired sapphic romances!

This was delightful! I really enjoyed McLeod's version of a grown-up Mary Bennet, the glimpses of Regency queer society, and Charlotte's gradual blossoming. I also loved all the flower language and scientific allusions. I had a good time with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Thank you Harlequin - Romance and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Four years have passed since the end of Pride an Prejudice and we find Charlotte has become a widow after Mr Collins passing. This tale follows her as she decides what is next. Will she wed another husband ensuring her future or follow her heart with an unexpected love?

I love Pride and Prejudice and getting to go back into this world is always so fun! Getting a different view of Charlotte as well as Mary was so exciting and I loved every moment! Would recommend to any regency era fan as a fun read!

Sheer, absolute perfection perfect for fans of Austen and sapphic romance! It is always daunting to live up to Jane Austen but this book is a lovely continuation of Charlotte Lucas’ story with so much queerness and hot sex and longing glances. Loved it!