Pemberley Remembered is the publishing debut of Mary Lydon Simonsen. Currently living in the hot recesses of Arizona, Ms. Simonsen showcases her lush imagination and thorough knowledge of Regency Era England with its quirks and rich cultural heritage as well as the time period following World War II. Pemberley Remembered joins the ranks of the many Jane Austen inspired novels that simply cannot let the romance between Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet die with the conclusion of Pride and Prejudice. In this work, a post-WWII Maggie Joyce visits a Derbyshire country house that is said to have housed William Lacey and Elizabeth Garrison, purported to have been Ms. Austen's inspiration for her characters. On a whim, Maggie researches the characters to find out if there is any truth to this saga and before long she makes friends with the descendants of Lacey and Garrison, and also meets her own love interest.

Pemberley Remembered is the kind of story that either flies high and succeeds or bombs beyond recognition - a danger that is always in play when the characters of a famous and much beloved novel are taken as a springboard for a new work of fiction. To say that Mary Simonsen succeeded in her endeavor to craft a love story within a love story is an understatement! In many ways she could be considered on the cutting edge of this highly specialized genre and while it is unclear whether it is her deeper understanding of the Jane Austen characters, her meticulous knowledge of WWII and Regency England histories, or her ability to weave together three seemingly unconnected story lines, this book is a resounding success on all levels. Readers who would rather gnaw off a limb than read a romance novel will take heart in the fact that this author is not crafting the quintessential romance that seems to fall into a cookie cutter mold, but instead is truly offering up a work of fiction that has yet to find its equal. Reviewed by Sylvia Cochran for Roundtable Reviews.

Was Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice based upon real people and historical events? Does Pemberley actually exist under a different name? This delightful and ambitious novel explores the possibilities.

Maggie Joyce came of age during WW2 and left her coal-mining town of Minooka, PA. to work as a typist in Washington D.C. After the war she applied for several jobs and landed one in London with a brief stopover in Frankfurt. Knowing Maggie's love for Austen, a friend took her out to Montclair, which was rumored to be Mr. Darcy's Pemberley of long ago. The new American owners graciously took them on a tour of the mansion and explained how they were restoring it but Maggie was far more interested in Elizabeth Bennet so they sent her to the village to meet Jack and Beth Crowell. They immediately became fast friends and through conversation, old letters, and diaries the Crowells slowly revealed details about the lives of the Bennet sisters as well as the other characters in Pride and Prejudice.

Between the wonderful visits to the Crowell's and packets of documents to pore over and ponder, Maggie also started a new relationship with an American still stationed in London who had been a navigator on a B-17 bomber. Rob was still mourning the tragic death of his friend Pat who was killed by flak right next to him on a mission. As a result he kept his emotions firmly in check and refused to talk about making a commitment to Maggie who responded by throwing herself further into the absorbing mystery surrounding the old Bennet family.

This is more than just your average addition to the popular new Austen genre. Mary Simonson has a knowledge of both World Wars and post war London and Germany that is not just impressive but rivals many historians. Incredible detailed accounts go much farther than recounting the facts but make the pain, suffering, and resilience of her characters come alive as they absorb the effects of war. Bravely avoiding "blind patriotism" she speaks frankly of shell shock, sustained trauma, and marriages destroyed by the weight of loss, as well as the struggle to rebuild England and Europe.

In contrast is the delightful story of the Bennet family. Highly ambitious, it gives minute details about the family, where they came from and what became of them, which imbues their lives with fuller, richer dimensions. It helped me to suspend disbelief and enjoy this lovely, surprisingly plausible ride. Jaimie Bell for Front Street Reviews

Maggie Joyce is a young single woman living in London after World War II. Originally from America, she works as a typist at the War Office in London, awaiting and dreading the orders that will eliminate her position and send her home. While in England, Maggie decides to explore the setting of one of her favorite novels, Pride and Prejudice. Along with Rob, her commitment-phobic boyfriend who is still recovering from emotional wounds he received during the war, she explores England in a delightful fashion.

Maggie visits a home rumored to be the inspiration for Pemberley, the ancestral family home of Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. During her stay, she meets Jack and Beth Crowell, who seem to have an insider's perspective on the story behind Pride and Prejudice. As she forges a friendship with Jack and Beth, they begin to share their knowledge with her, leaving tantalizing clues as to the real events which inspired Austen's famous story. As Maggie finds the evidence more and more irrefutable, she begins to wonder about Jack and Beth. How is it possible they have this much intimate information regarding Pride and Prejudice? What is their secret?

Pemberley Remembered is historical fiction in the broadest sense. Not only does it cover Austen's Regency England; it is a revealing portrait of World War II and postwar England as well. Any fan of either will greatly enjoy this book. However, it is also a story of romance, the likes of which are unsurpassed in today's literary climate. I am hesitant to categorize the book as a romance, because while it is the story of Maggie and Rob and their love for each other, there is so much more that develops in the novel.

When a reader hears the title Pemberley Remembered, the first thing that comes to mind is Jane Austen's famous novel Pride and Prejudice. Any real fans of that work will most likely clamor to read this novel; anyone who does not recognize the name Pemberley will pass it by, even after picking it up to read the synopsis. What a mistake they would be making!

Simonsen's Pemberley Remembered is not just for fans of Jane Austen. True, a devout reader of Pride and Prejudice has an advantage due to the cavalier references throughout the book, which doesn't contain much summary. Parts of the novel might be a bit long and drawn out as Maggie strives to find the answers behind Pride and Prejudice's main characters and the real lives they may or may not have been based upon. So, being an Austen fan would be a definite plus (personally, I feel like a reader would have missed out on some of the most delightful parts of the book if they did not have familiarity with Austen), but not having read Pride and Prejudice should not preclude a reader from picking up Pemberley Remembered.

The most remarkable aspect of Pemberley Remembered is Simonsen's ability to take multiple stories from completely different time periods and fuse them together into a cohesive whole. Maggie's search for answers, Jack and Beth's story, the horrors of war, the development of Maggie and Rob's relationship, the story of the Garrisons and Laceys (the supposed characters the Bennets and Darcys were modeled upon), all while keeping the reader's interest in the mysteries of the novel - it is quite an achievement. Simonsen devotes ample time to each storyline, never neglecting one for another. The result is a beautiful, full book that is not a quick read - the complicated nature of the novel does not allow for that. Instead, it is a slower, satisfying read, another rarity with books today.

Pemberley Remembered is a shining addition to the world of historical fiction. While the reader may find some storylines more interesting than others, all are well written. There are so many books based on Pride and Prejudice or about it being released right now, and many of them are disappointing at best. Pemberley Remembered is what these books should be - a novel in its own right. While Pride and Prejudice is a big factor in the book, it does not define it. It can stand very well on its own merit, and because of that, any reader will most likely enjoy this book.


Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book

Pemberley Remembered is a complex and multi-layered novel. It offers an interesting tale, not only for fans of Pride and Prejudice but also for those interested in World War II history. The novel tells not just the story of Elizabeth and Darcy - with the fascinating premise that they might be based on real people - but interweaves this with two more love stories. First, that of Beth and Jack - who have to overcome not only the struggles of World War I, but also the class divide to find happiness; secondly that of 22 year old Maggie Joyce, who while living in post-war England, not only researches the history behind Pride and Prejudice but also begins a romance of her own with Rob - who has to face his own demons after serving in the Air Force during WWII.

There are a rich array of characters - all with their own complex histories and tales to tell. I especially enjoyed the mystery unfolding as we learnt more about the past and the family relationships of each of the sets of characters - most especially through their letters & diaries from the 1790's, the early 1800's and the 1940's.

The book reveals to us not only a story of love but also one of the consequences of war - and while I was drawn to the book as a fan of Jane Austen, it certainly taught me a lot of WWII history too.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I've read some other P&P sequels and wished I hadn't. Mary Simonsen's book will give the reader some realistic insight into those characters that we loved so much from P&P, while giving us new characters and relationships to love.
I was excited to hear that the author is planning a sequel. I look forward to reading it.