Austenesque Reviews gave Mages & Mysteries 4.5 stars out of 5. Reviewer Meredith Esparza wrote, “Mages and Mysteries is a spellbinding adventure full of action, danger, humor, and romance! Victoria Kincaid crafts together such a fascinating, developed, and entertaining world of magic in this tale that I’m dearly hoping we can visit it again!”
https://austenesquereviews.com/2022/10/mages-and-mysteries-victoria-kincaid.html
Visit JustJane1813.com to learn how Lydia Bennet’s tweet (above) starts the feud between President William Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet! You can also enjoy an entertaining character interview with President Darcy (from my new modern Pride and Prejudice variation) — and ask him questions!
I just released my next Pride and Prejudice variation, President Darcy, on Amazon (other ebook platforms and a paperback to follow)! I’m very excited about this one; it’s my first modern variation and it’s about Darcy as the president of the U.S. — which gave me a lot of interesting challenges for his romance with Elizabeth–as well as opportunities for comedy. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Below is a blurb and an excerpt from the new book:
President William Darcy has it all: wealth, intelligence, and the most powerful job in the country. Despite what his friends say, he is not lonely in the White House. He’s not. And he has vowed not to date while he’s in office. Nor is he interested in Elizabeth Bennet. She might be pretty and funny and smart, but her family is nouveau riche and unbearable. Unfortunately, he encounters her everywhere in Washington, D.C.—making her harder and harder to ignore. Why can’t he get her out of his mind?
Elizabeth Bennet enjoys her job with the Red Cross and loves her family, despite their tendency to embarrass her. At a White House state dinner, they cause her to make an unfavorable impression on the president, who labels her unattractive and uninteresting. Those words are immediately broadcast on Twitter, so the whole world now knows the president insulted her. Elizabeth just wants to avoid the man—who, let’s admit it, is proud and difficult. For some reason he acts all friendly when they keep running into each other, but she knows he’s judging her.
Eventually, circumstances force Darcy and Elizabeth to confront their true feelings for each other, with explosive results. But even if they can find common ground, Mr. Darcy is still the president—with limited privacy and unlimited responsibilities—and his enemies won’t hesitate to use his feelings for Elizabeth against him.
Can President Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet find their way to happily ever after?
“The next door opened easily, revealing a closet full of mops, brooms, and buckets soaked in the stringent odor of cleaning supplies. What a mundane thing to find at the White House. Elizabeth hurriedly stepped inside, taking care not to knock over any of the brooms, and pulled the door closed behind her.
The interior was completely dark except for a golden strip of light under the door. Her ragged breaths were harsh in her ears no matter how she tried to quiet them. She hugged herself around her waist as if that could keep her still, but her hands trembled violently. Finally, holding her breath, Elizabeth strained her ears for any sign of discovery.
Firm footsteps echoed on the wooden floors—at least two sets. “We really shouldn’t enter this way,” said a male voice. “Everyone expects a grand—”
The second man’s voice was deeper and tinged with irritation. “I’m late, Bing. I’d rather slip in unnoticed.”
The shaking of Elizabeth’s body intensified, and sweat trickled between her shoulder blades. One of the men was Charles Bingley, the president’s chief of staff and widely considered the second most powerful man in the White House. Shit. Shit. Shit. He was the last person she wanted to find her in the presidential broom closet.
Bingley’s tone was soothing. “You have a good reason for being late—”
One of the mops chose that moment to topple over with a thump. I hope that was quieter outside the closet than inside.
“What was that?” the second man asked. His voice was vaguely familiar.
Guess not.
“Something shifting in one of the closets,” Bingley said, unconcerned.
“Kinski wouldn’t want us to ignore it,” the second man said with a rueful laugh. “You know ‘constant vigilance is everyone’s duty’?”
“Yeah, all right,” Bingley said with a good-natured laugh. “We’ll send a Secret Service agent back to investigate.”
Yes, Elizabeth tried to convince the other man telepathically. Listen to Bingley. Send someone back.
“To investigate a closet?” the other man asked incredulously. “It’ll only take a few seconds.”
“You’re not supposed to—”
Footsteps rapidly approached the closet. Elizabeth was no longer trembling; now she was frozen, rooted to the spot—and all her perspiration had turned icy. Even her teeth chattered. What will they do to me? Please don’t shoot me on sight. Please let me explain.
The door opened, flooding the closet with light. Elizabeth blinked in the sudden brightness and then blinked again at the person before her. She’d been wrong, she realized. Bingley was not the last person she wanted to find her in the closet. He was standing in front of her.
She stared into the face of President William Darcy.
President Darcy’s head jerked back, and his mouth dropped open when he saw who was in his broom closet.
Television doesn’t do him justice. In person, he was far more attractive. In person, he was breathtaking…with those gray-blue eyes and dark, almost black, hair falling in soft waves over his forehead. The lines of the tuxedo accentuated his broad shoulders and lean, muscular physique. The features of his face were classic and patrician, almost like a Roman statue come to life. But his lips were sensual, soft and full, contrasting with the clean, straight lines of the rest of his face. I bet he’s a good kisser with lips like those. And the intensity of those eyes…
Which where glaring at her.
What am I thinking? I’m staring at the president. And thinking lustful thoughts about the president. Instead, she should be explaining. Talking her way out of the situation. At least making her mouth move. “Um…hi?” She gave him a little wave and what she hoped was her most nonthreatening smile.
“Who the hell are you?” he barked.
“Shit! There’s someone in there?” Charles Bingley’s blond head appeared over the president’s shoulder. He was the same age as the other man, but his shaggy hair and relaxed surfer dude smile made him seem younger.
Elizabeth rattled out an explanation—before they shot her. “I’m Elizabeth B-Barnett…no…B-Bennet. I’m a g-guest at the party—you know…the state dinner thingy. And my sister ran off and I had to find her and then you were coming, and I knew I shouldn’t be here…and so I hid,” she finished lamely. Jeez, the explanation sounded ridiculous even to her ears.
President Darcy took a moment to stare at her like she should be under psychiatric care, which, to be fair, was a reasonable assumption under the circumstances. “Is your sister in there, too?” He peered into the closet’s depths.
“No. She, um, went back to that really big room—” God, what was the name of it? She couldn’t think coherently when the President of the United States was glowering at her. Go figure. “You know, with the tall drapes and stuff.” Good one, Elizabeth, that probably described every room in the White House.
“The one with the state dinner thingy?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
He’s mocking me. Does that mean he believes me? A presidential assassin would probably be way smoother and less confused.
The president gave Bingley a sidelong glance. “Maybe we should call the Secret Service.”
Elizabeth grabbed the doorframe. Please, no.
Bingley sighed. “She obviously isn’t carrying a weapon, Darcy.”
The president scrutinized Elizabeth from head to foot—his gaze lingering over every curve in her long black gown. It wasn’t particularly revealing, but it was form-fitting enough that she couldn’t have concealed anything bigger than a tube of lipstick.
He cleared his throat. “I suppose not.”
What a monumental embarrassment to her family if she were arrested at the state dinner. “I’m so, so sorry! Please don’t have me arrested or audited or drafted or anything!” she babbled. Elizabeth clapped her hand over her mouth before she said anything stupid. Stupider.
A corner of the president’s mouth quirked upward. “Well, I promise not to have you audited or drafted.”
“All the guests were vetted by the Secret Service, Darcy,” Bingley pointed out. “Perhaps we can skip the arresting this time.”
The president regarded her seriously for a moment. He really did have the most amazing blue eyes, like a storm at sea. And…wow…was now an inappropriate time for that thought!
“An arrest would not be an auspicious start to the state dinner,” Bingley warned.
Elizabeth held her breath as he deliberated. Profiles of the president portrayed him as being very charismatic when he chose to be, but some people described him as aloof and cold. He must have chosen otherwise because the temperature of his glare was glacial—as if showing up in a White House broom closet were tantamount to murder. Elizabeth wanted—very badly—to forsake his presence immediately.
Finally, he threw his arms up in the air. “All right. But if we find you doing anything else…unexpected, I will have the Secret Service arrest you.” With one arm across his chest, he pointed an accusing finger at Elizabeth.
She nodded eagerly. “That’s great. Thanks. That makes sense. Yeah, the next time, go ahead and arrest me.” His eyes narrowed. “Not that there’s going to be a next time.” She held up her hands. “Absolutely no next time.”
He snorted in disbelief. What a jerk!
With a slight shake of his head, the president extended his hand to her. She stared at it. Why…? Oh, he’s offering to help me out of the closet. Clearly, her brain had gone offline since entering the White House. Releasing the doorframe, she stretched out her trembling hand, which he engulfed in his warm, firm grip.”
Darcy’s Honor is available in paperback at Amazon! Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Darcys-Honor-Pride-Prejudice-Variation/dp/0997553065/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492189671&sr=8-2&keywords=darcy%27s+honor
Below is an excerpt from Darcy’s Honor in which Darcy helps Elizabeth down from the back of a horse after encountering her on a road near Longbourn:
She clambered awkwardly down from the saddle and stood on unsteady legs as she smoothed her skirts around her ankles. Her whole body shook. “Are you unharmed, Miss Bennet?” he inquired, running his eyes up and down her form.
She gave a shaky laugh, and Darcy could not help admiring her fortitude. Many women of his acquaintance would have swooned after such an episode. “Yes, I thank you for your timely intervention. I believe the only damage is to my dignity. I assure you that I do not customarily ride a horse like a sack of potatoes.”
Darcy blinked. “Undignified” was not one of the adjectives he had thought to apply to the sight of Elizabeth on the back of a horse, particularly not with so much leg revealed. “Of course. I would imagine you are a far superior rider with a proper sidesaddle.”
She brushed errant strands of hair from her face. “You are very kind to make such an assumption given the display you just witnessed.”
How odd to be discussing Elizabeth’s horsemanship when something was so obviously wrong. How had she acquired a horse, and why was she riding at such speeds?
“On the contrary,” Darcy returned. “It requires great skill to remain atop a strange horse under such circumstances. I am quite impressed.”
She regarded him with narrowed eyes for a moment, as if assessing his sincerity. Finally, she said, “I thank you for the compliment, sir.”
Would she think him impertinent to inquire about the circumstances of her ride? But surely the unusual situation cried out for some kind of explanation. “You were in quite a hurry. Is there an emergency?” he asked.
She glanced over her shoulder at the road behind her. “No, I do not believe so.”
This ambiguous response left Darcy at something of a loss. Why had she ridden so fast if there was no urgency? And why did she watch the road so intently? Finally, he settled on a different but not unrelated line of inquiry. “I did note that you departed the church on foot.”
He had meant his words as a light-hearted jest but cursed himself for a fool when he saw the blood drain from Elizabeth’s face. He cleared his throat. “Does, er, the Longbourn stable boast such a creature?” he asked, knowing full well she had not had sufficient time to reach her home.
“No…” Her face was now quite red. “I…er…that is, I—”
“Borrowed the mount?” he inquired as though a simple explanation would work. He reached out and took her gloved hand in his. “Please be assured, Miss Bennet, I only wish to help.”
Her eyes widened as if she had not expected such an offer from him, although he could not imagine why. But he was then rewarded with a small smile and a slight loosening of the tension in her shoulders. She let out a long breath. “No, indeed. The horse actually is the property of”—she cleared her throat —“Viscount Billington.”
“Billington!” Darcy echoed in surprise, releasing her hand. That was the last name he expected to hear. “He lent you his mount?” Was Darcy wrong in assuming she wished to have no connection with the man?
“He did not precisely loan it to me—” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Although I am quite concerned he could label me a horse thief. I must be sure the beast is returned to him.” She pressed her lips together into a white line. “Perhaps I should not have— Oh, what a terrible tangle I have created!”
Suddenly, the various oddly shaped pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He took a step closer to her. “Billington accosted you on the road?” His voice was a low growl.
She nodded miserably but lifted her chin and met his gaze. “The horse was the only way to escape.”
To Darcy’s own surprise, he began to laugh. “Serves him right! You should keep the animal.”
Elizabeth’s eyes were wide, and her mouth hung open. Darcy could only imagine the expression on Lord Henry’s face when Elizabeth jumped into his horse’s saddle. Darcy laughed even harder.
Her brows drew together. “Did you, perhaps, help Mr. Lehigh finish off the communion wine?”
Thinking of the vicar sobered Darcy, and he shook his head. “Miss Bennet, to be clear, I believe you should be commended. A lady should always have a horse at hand when encountering such a man,” Darcy said.
There is a Giveaway and a lovely 4.5 Star Review for A Very Darcy Christmas at From Pemberley to Milton.
Rita writes, “This is a very entertaining book full of laughter and holiday spirit but it can be read at any other time of the year. It is funny, romantic and up to the standards Mrs. Kincaid already got us used to. She marvels at adding humor to her stories and yet keeping true to Jane Austen’s characters, and A Very Darcy Christmas is vivid proof of her proficiency in this type of stories.” Thank you, Rita!
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com/2016/12/10/a-very-darcy-christmas-review-giveaway/
Claudine at JustJane1813.com gave A Very Darcy Christmas 4.5 stars, writing a very insightful review:
“It’s a challenge to write JAFF that has a more humorous than serious bent without losing some credibility, but Victoria Kincaid handles this challenge with her uncanny ability to combine Austen’s storyline and characters with a variety of different forms of humor so that her jokes stayed funny throughout the story, while at the same time, the characters felt true to their original personalities. Mrs. Kincaid is also an author who has a knack for moving a story along without getting caught up in descriptive language or other superfluous details that could slow down the pacing of her story, and in “A Very Darcy Christmas,” she demonstrates this skill throughout her story.”
You can check out the review, read an excerpt, and enter a giveaway for a free copy of the book at https://justjane1813.com/2016/12/04/a-very-darcy-christmas-by-victoria-kincaid-a-review-an-excerpt-a-readers-choice-giveaway/
My next P&P variation, A Very Darcy Christmas, will be available on Amazon this Sunday, November 27th. You can pre-order it now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, iTunes, Kobo, and elsewhere.
Visit JustJane1813 to see the cover for my new Pride and Prejudice Christmas story, A Very Darcy Christmas! You can also see a blurb that will give you an idea of the plot and enter a Giveaway for an ebook.
Chaos Comes to Longbourn received 4.5 out of 5 stars from Austenesque Reviews. In her review, Meredith wrote, “Chaos Comes to Longbourn is a deliciously wicked romantic romp that will have readers chortling in delight and quickly turning the pages! Definitely a perfect choice for readers in search of an amusing and unique variation to captivate their attention!”
Wow! Awesome five-star review from Margie’s Must Reads for Chaos Comes to Longbourn! Margie writes:
“With four couples perfectly matched with their absolute opposite, made this book very funny and utmost engaging. I think every single character was true to form and written so wonderfully well! I could not stop reading! I could not put this book down!”
Victoria Kincaid 