Joana Starnes lives in the south of England with her family. She swapped several hats over the years (physician, lecturer, clinical data analyst) but feels most comfortable in a bonnet. She has been living in Regency England for decades in her imagination, and plans to continue in that vein till she lays hands on a time machine. She loves to look for glimpses of Pemberley and Jane Austen’s world, and to write about Regency England and Mr Darcy falling in love with Elizabeth Bennet over and over and over again.
LATEST RELEASE: SNOWBOUND - a Pride and Prejudice variation
A narrow escape and a staggering encounter mere miles from the gates of Pemberley leave Mr Darcy in no doubt: The Fates have grown tired of nudging him gently. And now Elizabeth is in his home. Beside him. Every waking hour of every day.
“I missed you. Dreadfully. And now you are here. Against all odds, you came to Pemberley, and every moment brings fresh glimpses of what my life could be if you stayed.”
Will she?
Thanks to a broken bridge and a heavy snowfall, she is not going anywhere. Not yet, anyway. How is he to persuade her to remain forever while maddening houseguests would do anything to thwart him, and an old secret is at work behind the scenes?
OTHER BOOKS BY JOANA STARNES:
TWISTS OF FATE: What if Mr Collins shocked Elizabeth with his base conduct at the time of his proposal, thus sending her dashing out of her house, and into the arms of Mr Darcy? What if that accidental encounter was witnessed, and impropriety was assumed? What if Mr Darcy was glad of the excuse to marry his heart’s desire – only to have his best hopes blasted within hours of his wedding? What if he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time more than once?
Evil rumours, an early marriage, a dreadful misunderstanding, an old secret and good intentions gone awry. What if ‘I do’ is not the end, but the beginning of the adventure? (The novel addresses mature themes. Given the ‘early marriage’ premise, the issue of growing affection and intimacy is central to the story. The relevant scenes are emotive and deeply sensual, but never explicit).
A TIMELY ELOPEMENT: What if Mr Darcy’s first proposal was interrupted by a bearer of ill tidings? The worst tidings: an elopement! Ah, but whose elopement would allow Elizabeth and Mr Darcy to spend quite so much time together and overcome their prejudices and his stubborn pride?
THE JOURNEY HOME TO PEMBERLEY: A chance encounter in the wilds of the North brings more joy to Elizabeth and Mr Darcy than either of them dared hope for. But her world is rocked by blow after blow – and the truth would only cause him pain. ‘I must be cruel only to be kind’ is Elizabeth’s guiding precept, and she chooses her path. Yet time, circumstances and new acquaintances teach her she had made a terrible mistake. How can she regain what she had lost and rebuild a future with the only man she will ever love, but for whom disguise of every sort is his abhorrence?
THE DARCY LEGACY: Pemberley’s ancient halls harbour many secrets. Which one will affect Fitzwilliam Darcy and the love of his life? How is Mr Bennet to enjoy the comforts of a well-stocked library, when his wife’s premature demise had left him with the task of finding suitable matches for their daughters? And what of a misleading encounter on a muddy lane in Hertfordshire, that renders a country-town assembly rather more tolerable than some might have thought? Shades of mystery, meddlesome relations – not least a drenched Adonis – raillery, old errors and a very recent union make for a challenging courtship when Fitzwilliam Darcy is not on his own ground. Yet when love is the reward, challenges make it more worth the earning.
“A fraught courtship? So, let it be fraught,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said with a nonchalant flourish of his hand. “A good challenge never hurt anyone.”
MR BENNET'S DUTIFUL DAUGHTER: What if Colonel Fitzwilliam’s disclosures were interrupted by the bearer of distressing news from Longbourn? What if Miss Elizabeth Bennet felt duty-bound to accept an offer she would have otherwise dismissed out of hand – an offer of marriage from the all-too-proud Mr Darcy? Yet how is she to live with a husband she hardly knows and does not love? Will she continue to feel trapped in a marriage of convenience while events conspire to divide them? Or would love grow as, day by day and hour after hour, she learns to understand the man she married, before she loses his trust and his heart?
MISS DARCY'S COMPANION: What if the warm-hearted Miss Elizabeth Bennet were employed instead of the scheming Mrs Younge?
THE UNTHINKABLE TRIANGLE: What if Mr Darcy's rival for Miss Bennet's hand and heart is none other than his dearest, closest friend? And how can they all find their 'happily-ever-after'?
THE FALMOUTH CONNECTION: What if Fitzwilliam Darcy were compelled to follow the woman he loves to the far reaches of Cornwall, into a world of deceit and peril where few – if any! – are what they seem to be…?
THE SECOND CHANCE: a Pride & Prejudice ~ Sense & Sensibility variation. What if Mr Darcy's misguided attempts to ensure the comfort of the woman he loves backfire in ways he had not expected?
THE SUBSEQUENT PROPOSAL: a Tale of Pride, Prejudice & Persuasion. What if a spurned and lovelorn Mr Darcy were to propose marriage to Miss Anne Elliot - and Miss Elizabeth Bennet were to cross paths with Captain Wentworth?
FROM THIS DAY FORWARD - THE DARCYS OF PEMBERLEY: On a crisp winter morning in a small country church, Miss Elizabeth Bennet married Mr Darcy, and her quiet, tame existence abruptly changed. What joys and challenges might they encounter as they make a life together?
Joana also is one of the contributing authors to The Quill Ink anthologies: The Darcy Monologues, Dangerous to Know, Rational Creatures, Yuletide and Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl.
