Pride & Prejudice Book Club Podcast

In this week’s episode, Alicia and Emilie dive into The Lake House at Ramsgate by MJ Stratton—a masterful mash-up of Pride and Prejudice with the 2006 film The Lake House (yes, the one with Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, and some delightfully wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey stuff). This is our second P&P + movie combo (third if you count the All Too Well short film), and we are loving this trend! While the time-bending storyline kept us on our toes, the ending left us pondering: can you have a happily-ever-after when timelines are this tangled? Along the way, we explore: 📽️ What other movies we’d love to see mashed up with P&P 🗣️ The difference between being well-spoken and being attractive. 🤢 Those “ick” moments that spell the end of a relationship This was such a fun ride, Book Clubbers—get ready to laugh, sigh, and maybe question some of your own dating dealbreakers! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

In this episode, Alicia and Emilie sit down with author Jayne Bamber to chat about her latest release, Just Between Us, which dropped just last month! This is Jayne’s second time on the podcast, and we hold nothing back, diving into everything from Taylor Swift’s cultural reign to the pop culture easter eggs tucked into this latest book. Jayne even teases an unexpected inspiration for her upcoming Christmas story that has us seriously intrigued! Don’t miss this fun, laughter-filled conversation. You’re in for a treat with this one! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

In our Halloween special 🎃, Alicia and Emilie dive into the world of A Witch for Mr. Darcy by Jessica L. Jackson, a supernatural twist on our beloved Pride and Prejudice. It’s safe to say… opinions were mixed. Alicia enjoyed the spooky vibes and the fresh focus on side characters (shoutout to Mary!), while Emilie struggled with Elizabeth’s portrayal as an all-capable witch who never stumbles.   But this book also got us thinking about something deeper: Mr. Bennet’s tendency to let Elizabeth shoulder way too much responsibility. This “parentification” sparked a real conversation between Alicia and Emilie about the pressures we place on children—and how we're trying to avoid putting too much on our own kids. How much is too much for a child?   In true Halloween spirit, we touch on what really gives us the chills in stories. Emilie admits possession (loss of control 😱) keeps her up at night, while Alicia confesses she’s unnerved by books and tv shows that let readers peek into a truly evil mind.   Plus, we’re dying to know: are there any Pride and Prejudice meets True Crime podcast crossover retellings out there? Asking for, um… a friend. 👀   ----   🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

In this episode, Alicia and Emilie dive into Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev, a modern, gender-swapped retelling of Pride and Prejudice—but with fresh, unexpected twists! Both co-hosts loved how Dev captured the heart of Austen’s classic themes without sticking to a predictable beat-by-beat remake. They discuss how the book thoughtfully weaves in heavier issues like medical ethics in terminal cases, the pressures of family politics, and the emotional weight of infertility—all while still delivering plenty of drama. Alicia especially appreciated how Dev handled these sensitive topics with depth, while Emilie had something to say about guilt’s “tenacious tentacles” and how it entangles the characters (and let’s face it, us too!). Plus, this book made them both so hungry with its mouthwatering descriptions of food! They take a little detour to talk about how their tastes have evolved over time (spoiler alert: it involves a lot more spicy food and cheese). Whether you’re here for the modern romance, the family drama, or just the foodie talk, there’s something in this episode for every Book Clubber. --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

This week, Alicia and Emilie dive into Pemberley: Happily Ever Afterlife by Mary Smythe, a delightful twist on the paranormal! The co-hosts admit they were expecting something spooky, but the book turned out to be more charming than chilling, with playful spirits and a heartwarming (but slightly mischievous) ghostly presence.  Plus, we’re breaking down the joys of reading just for fun (can we stop judging "chick lit" already?), spotting easter eggs, and sharing some of our own ghost stories! Grab your favorite cozy blanket and settle in for this hauntingly fun episode! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

In this episode, Alicia and Emilie dive into The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen by Ada Bright and Cass Grafton—a book that feels like a love letter to Pride and Prejudice fans. As we unpack its time-travel plot and sweet homage to Jane Austen’s legacy, we find ourselves on opposite sides of an interesting debate: Is the book overselling or underselling how much Austen’s absence would impact the world? (Spoiler: Emilie and Alicia have thoughts.) We also get into the challenges of time travel stories, and take a fun detour discussing whether ghosts and spirits are real. Whether you’re an Austen superfan or just here for the silly banter, you won’t want to miss this one! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

In this week’s episode, Alicia and Emilie dive into Pride and Persistence by Jeanna Ellsworth—a fun, quirky twist on Pride and Prejudice that sees Darcy proposing to Elizabeth…more than once! After a familiar disastrous proposal, Darcy suffers an accident that leaves him with short-term memory loss, and his first order of business in his confused state? Proposing to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Again. And again. And again! Alicia was worried the repetition might wear thin, but she was pleasantly surprised by how the author kept each proposal fresh and engaging. Both hosts found the story cute, but as sometimes happens, their final opinions differ—tune in to see where they each land! We also get into a side discussion on the double standards society holds for the wealthy versus the rest of us, tying in some current pop culture moments for extra spice. Join us for some laughs, hot takes, and a bit of Austen-inspired chaos! Talk at ya later! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. ---- 📚 Curious what we will be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ---- ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter!

Is Emilie’s enjoyment of modern variations tied to their length? We're beginning to think so—this week on the podcast, we're diving into Cat Andrews' Sanctuary trilogy, a modern variation that rivals Melanie Rachel’s Headstrong series in length. This modern variation offers fresh storylines while indulging in deep relationship explorations, with some twists and turns we don't expect along the way. The characters are reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, but we discuss in this episode that they really don't bear a strong resemblance to the originals by Jane Austen—and we're okay with that! Join us as we discuss the nuances of relationships, the fine line between asking for and demanding forgiveness, and...brownies (trust us, it’ll make sense when you listen). 🎁 Bonus for Newsletter Subscribers! We’ve included a personal discussion that we debated keeping for public release. It’s available exclusively for our subscribers. Sign up at prideandprejudicebookclub.com/newsletter to catch this special content! Tune in and enjoy!

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome a special guest to the podcast: Jessica Evans, the talented author behind The Muse. 🌟 In this episode, we dive into conversation with Jessica about her creative journey, the inspiration behind The Muse (hint: it's not just P&P!), and what she would do differently if she was writing the book today—twenty years after it was originally written.  Whether you’re a fan of The Muse or just curious about the creative forces behind compelling JAFF, this interview is one you won’t want to miss! --- ➡️ Have you subscribed to our newsletter yet? Subscribe this week and get special access to a short outtake from this week's episode! https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice goodness!  

In this week’s episode, we discuss "Reverie and Rancour" by S.E. Granger, a compelling take on the forced marriage trope. The story places Elizabeth and Darcy in an unfortunate situation that leads to an arranged marriage—a plot point that provokes some strong reactions. Alicia, who wasn’t a fan of this trope the last time we encountered it, questions Darcy's redemption arc. Emilie agrees that Darcy’s actions are jerky, but ultimately takes a light hearted view, leading her to question what that says about her! If you enjoy episodes where Emilie and Alicia don't see eye to eye, this one's for you! (Just a heads up, while the majority of the discussion is lighthearted and fun, we do discuss emotional abuse on this episode. If that's not your jam, feel free to skip around a bit!) --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice goodness!

Are you ready for a special BONUS episode? There was so much to unpack in An Ever Fixed Mark, one episode didn't feel like enough! And to mix things up even further, we asked a friend to join in the fun 😁 Elizabeth Adams kindly hopped on a zoom call to discuss alllll the things with Emilie—from analyzing how "Stornoway" is pronounced to admiring the way grief and emotion are deftly handled by the author.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy this special bonus conversation with Elizabeth Adams! ---- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice goodness!  

It's time for our first real foray into the world of Pride and Prejudice fan fiction! It only took us 60+ episodes to get here... We read "An Ever Fixed Mark" on Archive of Our Own (AO3) by user AMarguerite, and...just, wow! Emilie has been a bit hesitant to dive into fan fiction, but this story makes a strong case for jumping in. Quick summary: everyone gets a soul mark when they turn 16, and Elizabeth's reads "Fitzwilliam," so when she goes to Rosings Park she is delighted to meet Col. Fitzwilliam, who just happens to have "Bennet" on his wrist. They get married (gasp!), despite some objections from Darcy, and then the story evolves from there. It is full of romance, humor, and deep philosophy, which we can't wait to talk about on the pod! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice goodness!

We try something new on the podcast this week with our very first discussion about an *audio only* sequel to Pride and Prejudice—Mrs. Wickham, by Sarah Page. This short story is from the point of view of Lydia as she navigates life with her wastrel husband far from the safety and security of home. When she decides to take control of her life (as much as she is able), her situation begins to improve, including her romantic relationship with her husband! It's a fun change from our normal Elizabeth and Darcy-centric tales, but don't worry! We still have plenty of discussions around whether or not we should expect individuals to change, the ethics of "favorite" children, and shame culture in modern society. (Don't worry...it's a fun episode, we promise!) --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice goodness!

Hold on to your bonnets! This episode of the Pride and Prejudice Book Club might give you whiplash. On the one hand, both Emilie and Alicia really enjoyed this modern (GASP!) variation by a very talented author. On the other hand, there are...ethical questions. So. Many. Questions! We won't dive into it here, but suffice it to say that a good chunk of this episode is devoted to those questions, and how power dynamics matter (no matter what the setting).  Do changing social standards impact how you read and enjoy variations? Is this a problem all modern variations will eventually face?  And why can we not put this book down??? --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice-inspired content!  

Are you looking for a fun, comforting, and low-angst read? Then you'll love "Besotted" by Elizabeth Adams! The plot is straightforward and simple--it's a series of love letters between Darcy and Elizabeth from their engagement onward. It's a charming book, and if you like spending time with Darcy and Elizabeth, there's a lot to love here!  --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice-inspired content!

We had the pleasure of chatting with author Elizabeth Adams, known for her exquisitely crafted novels like "Green Card" and "Besotted," both of which we've discussed on the podcast. It was an absolute delight! During our conversation, we delved into a variety of topics, from Elizabeth's favorite Jane Austen novel (plot twist: it's "Persuasion"), insights into her writing process, and how she immerses herself in her characters and lets the story dictate its own length. Along the way, we also get some amazing JAFF recommendations, an in-depth preview of her upcoming novel, and an exciting new project she's been working on! We hope you enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth Adams! --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Pride and Prejudice-inspired content!

Is it possible for Elizabeth to fall in love with Darcy when he's not Darcy? In this episode we discuss a fun and surprisingly deep body-swap (or "Freaky Friday") variation that has Mr. Darcy swap bodies with Mr. Collins, and the results are surprising!  Instead of finding Mr. Collins ridiculous and annoying, Elizabeth begins to find him interesting...and things get even more interesting from there! What makes someone attractive? Could Darcy really find happiness in a simpler life? And can a couple of "silly, idle, and vain" girls actually have some redeeming qualities? Join us as we discuss this (and more!) and find out if Darcy by any other name can be as sweet... ---- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Austen-inspired content!

What would it be like to walk in Elizabeth Bennet's shoes? This week's episode centers around "Austenland," a delightful novel by Shannon Hale that transports readers to an over-the-top theme park where women can immerse themselves in their Jane Austen-inspired fantasies of courtship. Both Alicia and Emilie have previously enjoyed the book, but now they're ready to delve deeper into its themes and underlying messages. Is there more to "Austenland" than just a bit of lighthearted fun? Join us as we overthink the plot and explore the deeper meanings behind the story. Along the way, we'll discuss themes of wish fulfillment, the realities of life in Jane Austen's time, and the various sources from which we learn about love (hint: Emilie's involves a silly pop-culture reference). -- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Austen-inspired content!

We have a fine time this week talking about Amy D'Orazio's novella, "A Fine Joke." And while the general topic is serious (Mr. Darcy believes he's dying!) the novella itself is lighthearted and breezy. It even features a mildly redeemed Wickham! We hope you have a fine time listening this week, and if you can, please vote for our next book on our social media accounts :)   ---   🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Austen-inspired content!

This week on the podcast, we're exploring KC Kahler's "A Case of Some Delicacy," where Darcy and Elizabeth join forces to prevent Jane from marrying Mr. Collins. With fewer obstacles in their path and a flurry of secret rendezvous, we're treated to ample "Darcy and Elizabeth time" as they forge a deeper connection. But will an inevitable misunderstanding threaten to derail their budding relationship? Tune in as we unravel the twists and turns of this captivating tale! Along the way, we'll delve into how the pacing is influenced by the character whose point of view we're experiencing, as well as when (or if) we should step in to protect a friend or family member from making a poor choice. --- 🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason. 📚 Curious about our upcoming reads? Check out the list at prideandprejudicebookclub.com! ➡️ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our blog at https://www.prideandprejudicebookclub.com/ for more Austen-inspired content!