Hiring Mr. Darcy

Trying my hand at a contemporary rom com. Please don't throw tomatoes. But if you do, could you make them Roma? I’ll make a nice caprese. ;)

DNF at 77% because the heroine still insists on marrying the pompous ass who constantly belittles her instead of what I'm hoping is the book's real hero. No rating<br /><br />The one thing I truly enjoyed about this book was the guy the heroine hired to be her Mr. Darcy in a Jane Austen competition after her boyfriend lets his boss pressure him into entering the competition with an actress they both have been tutoring for a role in a Jane Austen movie. I can't really call him a hero yet, because after 77%, nothing happened between them. He really is the sweetest, kindest, and nicest guy. <br /><br />But then there's all the things I didn't like. Starting with the heroine.<br /><br />She makes both Darcy AND Elizabeth seem reasonable and nice. She's the most judgmental, petty, elitist snob I have seen in a long time. She constantly makes snap judgments about people and sticks to them, doesn't apologize for always assuming the worst about people, and I got tired of it. Yes, she has trust issues, and I get where she comes from, but still. It was too much, and it just felt really annoying to me. And I don't care if, in true Darcy fashion, she sees the light in the last chapter and comes up with a stupid grand gesture. It's not enough for me. <br /><br />She also has absolutely NO self esteem. She constantly belittles herself and lets others talk badly about her, joining in with constant reminders of her "ugly Hobbit feet", her "ugly pot belly", and overall general uglyness and how unworthy she is. And again, I got tired of it. After 77%, I still don't see her even starting to get over her issues.<br /><br />She also loved to judge other women about their choice in clothes. A waitress she meets gets judged for wearing a skirt that is "way too tight" and having her hair in pigtails. I wish women would stop writing women that keep bringing other women down. It's just not cool. <br /><br />Another thing that bothered me was how she always described her desire for neatness and order as OCD. I wish people would stop using it jokingly. It's not a joke. <br /><br />I also wish we didn't have to spend all the time in her head. Going only by her actions and the things she says, it was really hard for me to see why the hero would put up with her. A few chapters from his PoV could've helped me a lot.<br /><br />Then there was the consent debate. The heroine relates how her boyfriend asked for permission before he kissed her to a friend, and the friend's response is this: <br /><br /><i>"Hot is hot, Meg, and if a man wants me, and I'm obviously digging him, I don't want him to ask my frickin' permission first. That's just so..."</i><br /><br />I find that attitude appalling, let's just leave it at that. <br /><br />Then there were little things like a Professor of Literature telling someone to practice their "English accent" (sigh), and saying this: <i>If you like poetry, you should try Shelley," I said. "Shelley who?" she asked. "Mary Shelley," I replied.</i>. Either she is being a cruel snob on purpose (which would be in line with her character) or... Someone mixed up their Shelleys? <br /><br />All in all, I did not enjoy what I read of this book. But if you like Pride and Prejudice retellings and just LOVE an ass of Darcy-ish proportions, you might? I seem to be in the minority, anyway, in not loving this one. <br /><br />*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

<i>I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i><br /><br /><i>Hiring Mr. Darcy</i> was a really cute book. Even though I hated her douche of a boyfriend for most of this book. Okay, not most of the book - the entire damn time. It's like he only wanted the titel of being the boyfriend and barely showed any emotion towards her. He was a damn robot and I hated him every time his name was mentioned.<br /><br />That being said, I loved Meg and Jeremy. It was cute to see them reunite together and how they had crushes too. Plus, them being Mr. Darcy and Lizzy was way too adorable for my eyes. I love Pride and Prejudice and it was interesting to see how Meg related to Mr. Darcy throughout most of the book. <br /><br />Also, this whole school she works at sucks ass. Her boss especially. I didn't like how he or her boyfriend would hold her job over her head all the time. I was hoping that she was going to really leave at the end and go write her damn novel. Not sure how I feel about how it ended with her boss but I am damn happy with what went down between her and Jeremy.<br /><br />I loved Jeremy and Meg became more likable when she was around him. Might read the next book in this series!

I wanted to DNF this books so many times because of Meg, but Jeremy kept me reading. Jeremy a swoon-worthy dream. Meg basically has all of Lizzy's pride and all of Mr. Darcy's prejudice and it's... not a good look. <br /><br />I was so mad reading this book I made myself notes in an app on my phone! <br />* Fat shame - Meg repeatedly refers to her "pot belly" and to being "short and squat" in a way that makes it clear she finds them unattractive. As such the book like one star per my no fat shame in romance policy. For someone who is SO full of pride and prejudice, Meg sure has a lot of self hate, and I just wasn't here for it.<br />* Repeated use of "OCD" to describe Meg because she is neat, particular, likes list, and has a stick wedged wayyyyy up her ass. No actual evidence of OCD. Please stop using an actual illness to describe characters who are neat freaks - it's not cute.<br />* God, Meg's just so JUDGEY. I get that she's supposed to be this <i>Pride &amp; Prejudice</i> obsessed nerdgirl who doesn't realize she's actually more Darcy than Jane, but good lord. I also really dislike Mr. Darcy and think <i>Pride &amp; Prejudice</i> is overrated, so maybe if you're a Mr. Darcy stan this won't bother you?<br />* Meg repeatedly blames another (very attractive) woman for her own insecurities and bad behavior. Things like she was never jealous before Lacey came into her life, etc. <br /><br />"Why the heck did you keep reading this book?!" you may be asking me right now. And the answer is Jeremy. Swoon. Also, I love the idea of a Jane Austen Festival &amp; Games in Bath. I would absolutely go to something like that, and I love that Meg made all her costumes by hand. I maybe sort of aspire to someday hand-sew my own Regency style gown. Plus, did I mention Jeremy? He's Meg's hired Mr. Darcy to be her partner in the competition and he's a dream. Tall, dark, and handsome (as any good Mr. Darcy should be) he's also kind, intelligent, patient... <br /><br />The book is told entirely from Meg's point of view and I <i>really</i> wish we'd gotten some chapters from Jeremy's POV. The potential for angsty longing is so great, and I really feel like it was a missed opportunity. <i>Hiring Mr. Darcy</i> is Valeria Bowman's first foray into contemporary romance. I've really enjoyed some of her Regency romances, and a contemporary about a Regency-obsessed heroine was a really smart move on her part to bridge the gap.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.<br /><br />"Pride and Prejudice" is, by far, my favorite Jane Austin book and Mr. Darcy is my favorite hero. I've not read much of the "based on" fiction that has been published but this one caught my interest. This book was a cute take-off about the annual Jane Austin Festival in Bath. I enjoyed it very much, I just didn't love it. Meg, the heroine was a rather stiff character. I loved Jeremy, but with first person narration we don't get to really know him.<br /><br />Dr. Meg Knightley has is all planned out. Her life, that is. When the man she envisioned as her future husband picks a Hollywood starlet and his boss over her, well, <i>that</i> just wasn't in the plan. But Meg is nothing if not competitive and determined and nothing is going to stop her from competing in the Jane Austen Festival like she had been planning to do for almost a year. All she needs is a new Mr. Darcy. As a English History professor and Jane Austen fan, she is sure she can make this work and when she finds her new Mr. Darcy, she just might do it.<br /><br />Jeremy Remington has a new career in custom woodworking after ditching his six figure job working for the man. When Meg offers him money to be her new Mr. Darcy, he figures he can get that new high end band saw he covets and not break the bank. And, he would get the opportunity he has waited for since high school - to get close to Meg.<br /><br />For Meg the competition is about more than showing her clueless boyfriend he can't take her for granted. When Meg comes to realize that there are aspects to her personality that need changing, Jeremy is right there to help her. <b>3 1/2-Stars</b>

I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.<br /><br />I will just state it plainly - I LOVED THIS BOOK. I am a sucker for an a-typical female protagonist (especially if she's a book-nerd) and the hot male protagonist that doesn't know he's hot, and this book delivered on both points. It's the perfect mix of Bridget Jones' Diary, Asking For Trouble (the book The Wedding date is based upon), and Austenland with a dash of gender-swap She's All That to keep things interesting. In other words - a total win. <br /><br />Initially when we meet Meg Knightly, she comes off as a snob who makes snap judgments about everyone and everything in her life - including her long-time boyfriend, and her brother. It would be seriously off-putting, but you learn bits and pieces of her early childhood that show just where this sort of behavior stems from, and makes you feel more sympathetic towards her. Especially after an unfortunate incident involving control top granny panties and a pencil skirt.<br /><br />Enter Jeremy Remington - an old family friend that ends up being the answer to Meg's prayers in all ways. She initially judges him - unfairly - for being in construction (he's a woodworker), gambling (he plays poker with her brother once a week for pizza &amp; beer), and possibly being a hoarder (totally unfounded). But as each of her preconceived notions gets shot down, she discovers a charming, caring, man who is willing to crash-course Regency England to help her with the Jane Austen festival in Bath. <br /><br />I don't want to give away anything, but let me just say this book is a total win. The dialogue is snappy when it needs to be, never over-flowery (even with reciting Shakespeare or Ms. Austen), and the supporting cast is just as intriguing as the leads. <br /><br />100% this is a great choice for fans of contemporary and historical romance, as well as anyone who loves a good underdog story.

Meg Knightley is an interesting protagonist. She’s a planner, and she has her entire life and all her goals mapped out, and she’ll do whatever it takes to have everything run smoothly. I found that this characteristic somehow made her a relatable and an unrelatable character at the same time. Her desire for tenure and her career aspirations are completely understandable (you don’t go through that many years of schooling without some ambition). She’s been dating Harrison for three years, and she doesn’t want all that time to be thrown out. This, in my opinion, was understandable, yet also made her unlikable. She didn’t seem to genuinely love him, yet she was hoping for that ring on her finger–even when there was a good chance he was cheating on her with a movie star. The saving grace for her character was that she didn’t truly believe he would cheat, but he treated her so poorly that I honestly don’t think that should matter. She should have dropped him and found herself a handsome woodworker much sooner!<br /><br />Meg is an Austen scholar with a PhD and a somewhat condescending outlook on those without a pHD, but I was surprised by how accessible the writing style was. At times, it was a little immature, which is odd because it’s first person from her perspective. Having a PhD in literature would imply that she have a more advanced writing style. That said, the nature of the book (romance) with a lighter hook makes the type of writing style expected from her type of character not mesh with the genre and its intended audience. <br /><br />I loved the twist in the story, as it becomes clear that Meg is the one with issues surrounding her pride and prejudice. She can’t see herself dating a simple woodworker, and it becomes clearer and clearer as the story progresses that she isn’t Elizabeth Bennett. She’s Mr. Darcy. This characterization is well done. However, I did think on more than one occasion that Jeremy was too good for her. He’s so sweet, smart, and trying so hard to become Mr. Darcy for her. Fortunately, she starts to learn the error of her ways sooner rather than later, making for a more gradual character development, transforming her into a person worthy of the love of someone like Jeremy.<br /><br />This book does require a little bit of suspension of disbelief in one aspect. Her brother’s close friend since high school is her love interest–yet she barely remembers him. That’s fine that she doesn’t remember him well from high school (kind of makes her shallow because apparently he wasn’t attractive then), but it’s revealed that she’s met him a few times since. And she only knows him as the hot guy on her brother’s instagram feed. Sorry, but if she’d met him a few times since high school, and he’s that attractive to her, shouldn’t she have remembered him? Food for thought.<br /><br /><br />This book is light and fun and sweetly romantic, and despite some of my criticisms, it is perfect for those who love modern-day romances that take inspiration from Austen’s works.<br /><br />*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook to review*<br /><br /><i>This review appeared first on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/">https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/</a> </i><br /><a href="https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/powerlibrarian/" rel="nofollow noopener">Blog</a> | <a href="https://helenpower.ca/" rel="nofollow noopener">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/helenpowerbooks" rel="nofollow noopener">Twitter</a><br /><a href="https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/2020-reading-challenges/" rel="nofollow noopener"> My 2020 Reading Challenge</a><br />

Loved the story line! I'm not usually a fan of stories to from only one character's view point but Meg was very likeable and relatable and I enjoyed the dymanmics between her and the other characters very much! Good story line too!

I loved this book! Meg and Jeremy are such great characters. Meg is quirky, smart and serious. Jeremy is laid back, fun and gorgeous as sin. Meg hires Jeremy to play Mr Darcy to her Lizzy Bennett at the Jane Austen competition in Bath and the fun begins. This book is laugh out loud funny. Causes a few swoons. If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice, you are going to love this fun romance. I will say again, I loved this book! This is Valerie's first contemporary romance and I hope it isn't her last . Uh-hm, Luke....

<b>Review originally published at <a href="https://romancingromances.blogspot.com/2020/09/review-hiring-mrdarcy-by-valerie-bowman.html" rel="nofollow noopener">Romancing Romances</a><br /><br />I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.<br /><br />4.5*</b><br /><br />Any Pride and Prejudice fans out there? This contemporary romance will fill all your dreams of a modern Mr. Darcy.<br /><br />I spent the whole time with a mostly happy grin on my face while reading this book, the exception being hen Harrison, Meg’s boyfriend showed up. He never stood for her, defended her, or even made it known how he felt about her being treated unfairly. He didn’t have anything to redeem him. He wasn’t a bad guy… He just wasn’t the right guy.<br /><br />Meg was supposed to go to the Jane Asuten Festival in Bath, with Harrison. However, he was now going with a Hollywood actress, at the request of the University both him and Meg work at. He didn’t even make a comment about how hard Meg had worked for the competition of the festival, and right away we can tell that Harrison really has no backbone.<br /><br />Cue my favourite trope, and the reason I was so happy to read this contemporary romance: Meg hires one of her brother’s friends to be her Mr.Darcy at the competition. Sibling’s best friend and fake relationships make my day! Although I should say, they don’t really have a fake relationship, as Meg still has her boyfriend during most of the book, and she makes a point to not cross that line, with a small exception at the end of the book (to be honest, I didn’t really like that, as I didn’t think it was very fair for our hero). The book also has a glow-up/ugly duckling turn swan situation with our hero!<br /><br />Jeremy, Mr.Darcy at Bath, is a hunk. And most importantly, he’s a kind, funny, loyal gentleman, who can appreciate Meg for whom she really is.<br /><br />I loved their banter, how they reconnected from their childhood, how Meg was confronted with her own prejudice, and how she evolved as an individual.<br /><br />This book really is a love story, and it will make you giggle just at the right moments, and in the end you will feel like you’ve had a good time reading it.