The Price of Pemberley

A Pride & Prejudice Variation

By: J. Dawn King

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

When losing everything leads to finding what matters most.

When catastrophe strikes the Darcy family, Fitzwilliam Darcy finds himself stripped of both his ancestral home and guardianship of his young sister. The magnificent Pemberley estate—his birthright and legacy—has been wrenched from his control through deceit and legal manipulation, leaving the once-proud master destitute and angry.

Seeking refuge in Hertfordshire as a guest of his loyal friend Charles Bingley, Darcy's path crosses with the brilliant and resourceful Elizabeth Bennet. Unlike the privileged circles he once moved in, Elizabeth understands intimately how to navigate life with nothing but wit and determination.

Together, these unlikely allies forge a powerful bond. Armed with their sharp minds and unwavering resolve, they devise an audacious plan to reclaim what was stolen. As they battle against seemingly insurmountable odds, they discover that the ultimate fortune may not lie in Pemberley's grand halls, but in the meeting of two kindred spirits who refuse to accept defeat.

In this captivating Regency variation of Jane Austen's beloved Pride & Prejudice, Darcy's greatest loss becomes the catalyst for his greatest love.

©2025 Joy D King (P)2025 Joy D King

Great pacing and a captivating plot.

This P&P variation is really fun, with an engaging story and consistent yet dynamic characterizations. It's got a Zenlike presence-to-life undertone, giving the characters and plot extra depth while providing deeper learning experiences— especially for Darcy—than seen in most variations.

New story direction

Great read! I’ve read many P&P variations and some feel like you’ve read it before but this one takes you in a whole new direction.

An automatic buy

J Dawn King has crafted another wonderful P&P variation. In this one Darcy’s world gets tipped upside down. He loses everything: his sister, his estate, his townhouse and his identity. This angry man is who is with Bingley at Netherfield. This Bingley is a stronger version and quickly helps Darcy to start to wake up to his behavior. Several other characters but especially Elizabeth help him to see that he is more than his estate and all that comes with it. For those readers/listeners that love lots of Darcy and Elizabeth on page time you will like that aspect of this story. I also love that they come together earlier in the book so we could experience some of their married life and the issues they have to face.

I originally bought the paperback to add to my collection, but was thrilled when the audiobook was released. You can tell from my other reviews if you ever look at them that I love audiobooks. The primary reason is these amazingly talented human narrators bring the story to life & let you feel the emotions of the characters plus draw you deeper into the story. Stevie Zimmerman was wonderful in this performance!

Very Hard - Even Difficult to Hear - Beginning

I must give credit to this author for making me so Angry at how Wickham (and his masterful accomplice) cheat Darcy of Pemberley. I considered stopping there and returning the title. However, I looked forward to Darcy gaining allies, especially Elizabeth. I prefer those variations that give a lot of time to ODC as this one does. I find the premise somewhat unbelievable, but it certainly makes for a riveting tale. And, of course, there is Stevie Z to tell it.

One of the best P&P V's in a long time!

Delighted to find myself reading an original P&P variation plot, nicely off canon except for characteristics of main characters. It begins with a shock, then another and many surprises. With skilled storytelling, the author keeps us involved in a suspenseful situation that we're not sure will come out well. So much enjoyed this read, and will look for more from this author.