I've read many a Pride and Prejudice fanfic in time, some good, some bad, and this was thankfully one of the more enjoyable. I thought McLeod did a tremendous job keeping the same tone and writing style as the source material. The writing was so flowery and poetic. I was a little disappointed at first to see not many characters from the original story, but on second thought, I'm glad McLeod did not try to rely on the source material and its characters too often. Besides the inclusion of Charlotte and Mary, she really made this work her own. I enjoyed reading about a new setting and new characters, and was overall very pleased with the story. As a lesbian and an avid Pride and Prejudice enjoyer, this one gets a glowing review from me, and I thoroughly recommend "The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet."

With the backdrop of a Jane Austin novel to set the scene, The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet is the sort of story that can't help but succeed. Throw in a sapphic twist to the traditional regency romance and you have a lovely courtship not usually depicted on the page.

Mrs. Charlotte Collins is a new widow being rushed to choose a new direction for her life. She has a month to vacate her home, and must either return home to her parents, or remarry. She doesn't want to do either, and while contemplating her future, her dear friend Elizabeth Darcy sends her unwed sister, Mary, to comfort Charlotte.

Whether dear Lizzie had designs on matchmaking, we'll never know, but when Mary Bennet arrives, the two ladies share a mutual attraction. Mary invites Charlotte to come with her back to Canterbury, where she lives among more open-minded friends and family, and shows Charlotte what life could be if she stayed with Mary and took a third, unforeseen path.

It is exactly the kind of tentative romance expected of regency romance, where incidental touches cause hearts to flutter, and desire burns low and long. Both Charlotte and Mary are sympathetic characters plagued by misunderstandings and unspoken words, and readers will ache for them to come together for a happily ever after.

I really liked the first half or so of this book. We get a very interesting set up where we start with Charlotte on the day of Mr. Collins' passing and dealing a little bit with that grief. I actually was expecting it to be from Mary Bennet's POV based on the title. It was more an unlikely pursuit by Charlotte Collins (nee Lucas). Anyway, once we have the introduction of Mary into the story, we get to see more of Charlotte dealing with emotions and urges that she thought we just a fancy of her younger self. I liked that it was a more tentative and unsure overture at times. Once they do couple up more things moved a little fast and Charlotte's personality became less tranquil that her typical self. I felt like their arguments were abrupt and never quite resolved enough for me. Mary's personality from the start was not quite what I got while reading P&P. Mary being a scientist of sorts was a little strange, when, honestly, I feel like if she did pursue scholarship, it would more likely be in philosophy. I could see where she would have come out of her shell once her sisters were all out of the house and she was able to move around freely with this aunt. I liked certain ways their relationship grew, and other stuff just didn't quite work. Overall, I think this was a cute romance. I do think it would have worked just as well, if not better, if this were not a reimagined continuation of the P&P story following side characters. I think we could have explored a little more if this story wasn't confined to the previous, iconic one. I would be interested to pick up another book set in this world that doesn't involve being a reimagining. I would love to see Aunt Cecily and her lovers' story. I think that would be fun! Or even some of Mary's friends.
3.5 stars :)

Upon Mr. Collins’s death, Charlotte is back to where she started four years ago. Without an heir or a benefactor, she is going to have to move back home and become a burden on her parents, unless she can remarry quickly. After writing to her best friend, Lizzie, Mary Bennet is sent to help support Charlotte in this transition. Mary ends up helping Charlotte more than she could have ever imagined.

I will admit that it has been over 10 years since I last read Pride & Prejudice, and I remember very little of Charlotte and Mary as side characters. The book does a good job introducing the original facets of the characters before adding its own spin on their personalities and lives four years post-original. Since both of these characters were only minor in the original, the author has a lot of room to work with to twist them both in any way she wants.

In some ways this is very enjoyable as it creates a three-dimensional person who you can care about and who you wish the best for especially in a world where women were treated more like commodities than real people. The author inserts a much more progressive world than Austen’s Regency with the majority of characters in the book belonging to the LGBTQ+ and the quiet acceptance or indifference of those who aren’t.

While I don’t mind progressive leanings as I prefer my historical fictions to fall more in the fiction side than the historical side, I feel this book went a little too far and was more on the side of fantasy or a fairy tale where everyone lived happily ever after without judgment. Even the ending of this book was more on the fairy tale side where Charlotte gets everything she ever wanted without much struggle or side-effects.

That being said, if you want a low-stakes, happily ever after spinoff of Pride & Prejudice, this is the best you will get.

Jane Austen but make it a sapphic Pride and Prejudice story between Charlotte Lucas and Mary Bennet, set four years after the original story! When Mr. Collins dies four years after marrying Charlotte, she is now lost, she's not sad, just kind of lost now that she's leaving the parsonage that is her home and needs help figuring out what to do next. So when she writes to Lizzie... the last person she expects to show up is Mary Bennet, the other Bennet sister. Mary is nothing that Charlotte remembers or expects. Mary has discovered academia and an interest in botany... and something else... something that captivates Charlotte.. and as their friendship grows... so does this new feeling inside of Charlotte. Charlotte may not have ever have the grand love that Lizzie has with Darcy... but for once she's beginning to see that maybe its happening now with the most unexpected Bennet of them all. Can Mary and Charlotte find a way to be together despite the ton's strict rules and expectations? This definitely was a unique read and as a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice I'm always looking for a fresh spin on the classic. Mary and Charlotte are both odd balls but I definitely see the potential, so when I read the premise of this one, I was so so excited. It starts off strong but kind of tapers off in the middle. I wish I was more invested and intrigued but I kind of fell off. It got a bit boring for me and kind of lacked movement in the story but it might be a me thing. I just struggled to read this and felt like it dragged on for me. Despite that, I do think fans of the classic should give this a go because it is a fun twist!

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin - Romance | Carina Adores for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to Harlequin for my gifted review copy. My opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Mr Collins has died leaving Charlotte a widow at 31. Lizzie is unable to visit and sends Mary Bennet in her place. Mary is nothing like what Charlotte remembers.

My thoughts:
This is for the Jane Austen lovers, particularly those who love the idea of a queer bent to the beloved characters of Pride And Prejudice, who act within societal rules (there were an awful lot of close friends). I really enjoyed the slower pace of this story and the massive intense character shifts that Charlotte goes through as she figures out she’s not alone in her feelings. Mary was an absolute delight to read, I loved that she wasn’t subtle but Charlotte doesn’t pick up on the hints from anyone, and when Charlotte finally does, the relief that the reader and the other characters go through is palpable.

Highly recommend for Jane Austen lovers.

I think I liked this book as a retelling more than I liked it as a romance, which is quite a refreshing change for me, as someone who can get rather persnickety about retellings. While I wouldn't necessarily have written some of these characters the same way myself, I did believe the author's take, and I liked that it actually felt like the author loved Pride and Prejudice and the characters who exist in it. Mary, in particular, was a delight. I loved that she was allowed to flourish and find herself, while still being kind of an awkward and weird nerd, but happier now than she was at eighteen.

I also really loved the community aspect, both in the sense of Mary's public science society and in quieter ways, like how everyone can be themselves in Mary's aunt's house because everyone there is queer and will look out for you. All of the little moments of caring were really lovely.

My only real frustration with this book was the third act. I can't exactly say it was unrealistic or unbelievable, but it did feel like Mary was constantly trying so hard to meet Charlotte where she was at and Charlotte was so determined to self-sabotage, despite literally everyone telling her that's what she was doing. Because most of the conflict in this book followed that exact pattern, it made it a little difficult to believe next time won't be the same thing again.

Still, I found this to be a very promising debut, and I look forward to more from Lindz McLeod.

I love Jane Austen's novels so I am always up for reading a book inspired by her novels. This one had a fantastic sapphic romance which had me rooting for their success.

Lindz McLeod brings sapphic to the classic Pride and Prejudice. The middle Bennet sister Mary is brought forward in this book with Elizabeth's best friend Charlotte.
The story is 3rd person POV, but it is focused on Charlotte. I believe McLeod stayed true to the characters we know and evolved them well. The story is told 4 years after the original.
I truly believe that if you enjoyed Jane Austin's version, this will fulfill your curiosity about what happens to some of the remaining characters.
This was my first book by Lindz McLeod. I look forward to other romances she may come out with in the future. (Anne de Bourgh - hint, hint).

Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to ARC.

This book was a fun 'what if' down the literary history rabbit hole and I enjoyed it very much. I enjoy it when old, entrenched stories can be re-imagined and not just by bringing them into contemporary times. This sapphic romance begins with the untimely death of Parson Collins and other events combine to bring Mary Bennet to the parsonage to spend time with the grieving widow, Charlotte. What unfolds, or blooms, is a story of love and finding oneself (in more ways than one).

Full transparency, I’ve never read nor seen Pride and Prejudice. I have a rudimentary knowledge of the characters and plot - I haven’t been completely living under a rock my whole life. But I almost chose not to read this one because of that and I’m really glad I went ahead and read it.

I loved this story.

Told solely from Charlotte’s perspective the story takes place in the days and weeks following her husband Mr. Collins’ death. It was thoughtful and full of longing with a character driven plot.

Much of the first half is filled with Charlotte’s internal struggle on her growing feelings for Mary and the impending return to her parent’s home. I enjoyed the slow burn and was pulled into the people Charlotte met and the expansion of her world.

Charlotte is an avid gardener that enjoys floriography, the language of flowers. It’s a central theme throughout the story that I found intriguing. I don’t always pay attention to affectionate nicknames the MC use, and although the one used in the latter half was simple, it felt natural and made my breath catch and further endeared me to the MC.

I usually prefer dual POV books but didn’t have the issues I normally do with single POV. It was written well and I wasn’t ever left wondering how Mary felt.

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet is the first book in the Austentatious series. Which I didn’t realize was the name of the series and love the play on words for the series. This is a new to me author and I look forward to the rest of the series.

There are two open door encounters plus lots of kisses.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Picking up four years after Charlotte marries Mr. Collins, this is a sweet and spicy "what if".

Part of me (a lot of me, tbh) wishes this had been set on its own, rather than tying itself to Pride and Prejudice, which carries all sort of feelings and expectations with it. The Mary Bennet we see here bears little resemblance to what little we see of Mary in the original novel, which doesn't help the feeling that this would be better off being its own thing and attaching itself to the "best friend's sister" trope than to P&P. The setting also doesn't /feel/ Austen, especially once we get out of Kent and into Cambridge and it starts to feel very "modern ideas and wishes about queer historical lives".

That said, what we get is sweet - Charlotte coming out of her shell and Mary helping her through figuring out who she could be if she took charge of her own future. There is again a lot of wish fulfillment-esque solutions to the problems that come up (including a really quite out of place third-act disagreement for what had been set up so far, followed up by an equally quick and out of place solution), but because in the end the overall effect is a lighter, fluffy read (which is another reason why I kind of wish it had been its own Regency plot rather than trying to be Austen), I'm fine with it.

Also flower language! I love flower language.

3.5 stars.

Overall, this book is nice. I loved the main characters and their strength. Also, I liked their chemistry and how they managed with their conflicts. On the other hand, I found the research process a bit messy because it looks like the author didn't have full knowledge of the period of time the story takes place.

I'm not a big fan of historical fiction books, but this one has its originality and a good reading pace. It's not perfect, but it was a cool read.

ARC given by Harlequin Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sorry for the late review.

I enjoyed this unique expansion of Pride and Prejudice, set 4 years after the events of the original P&P. We get to know more about Charlotte Lucas and her deepening attraction to a new and surprising love interest. I enjoyed the couple's relationship development and how Charlotte discovered her previously unexplored feelings and how Mary just let her experience things at her own pace. Good work!

i absolutely loved this historical lesbian novel! it takes place in the pride and prejudice universe, 4 years later, and follows charlotte lucas and mary bennet.

if you've read or seen pride and prejudice you would know that charlotte lucas (lizzie's best friend) marries mr. collins. in this story, mr. collins passes away from an illness, leaving charlotte as a widow. charlotte grapples with the guilt she feels at her relief and worries about what it means that she never loved her husband, or any man at all. then mary bennet comes to visit...

obviously you can see where this is going!

i really enjoyed this book and finished it in 2 days; i just could not get enough! i immediately recommended it to my best friend after finishing it and couldn't wait to write this review and recommend it to all of you!

lindz mcleod did a fantastic job exploring charlotte's self reflection and realization while crafting a compelling story and lovely romance.

Delightful is the perfect word for this book. A sweet continuation of the classic Pride and Prejudice centering on Mary Bennet and Charlottes Lucas (Collins). Following the death of Mr. Collins, Mary is sent to stay with Charlotte as a companion during her period of mourning. Having never been close Charlotte is worried it will be awkward, but quickly the two women realize they have grown and changes and have similar interests. An ease develops between them and soon Charlotte is wanting to spend as much time with Mary, as close as possible. This sapphic retelling is charming, romantic, and very entertaining. I highly recommend!

This was positively delightful, from cover to cover!

I cannot convey how much I laughed and kicked my feet just from the opening line of this book. It’s so good that I immediately texted a fellow P&P lover, because I knew she’d get a kick out of it. Thankfully, I found the rest of the book to contain even more humor, amidst the sincerity, heart, angst, and joy.

I’m not certain of the stats, but I’d guess that Pride and Prejudice has more retellings and spin offs than any piece of literature. Some are enjoyable, while some fail to capture the heart of Austen’s timeless love story. I found The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet to be fresh and innovative, especially because of its focus on different characters than most retellings. It really stands on its own, with brief mentions of the source material without relying too heavily on it to propel the story forward. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what came next for Mr Collins and Charlotte, or what became of Mary Bennett, this book not only satisfies that curiosity but it feels like the perfect continuation of Austen’s story.

In a world abundant with Pride and Prejudice retellings, I am charmed and delighted that we have one full of queer joy and love.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Linz McLeod
Pub Day: April 29th

Charlotte Lucas has been married to Mr Collins for four years when he dies after a short illness. Facing possibly returning to her parents home, she writes to Lizzie Bennet asking for a visit. While Lizzie is unable to visit, she sends her sister Mary in her stead. Mary isn’t what Charlotte remembers and the two strike up a friendship and soon Charlotte realizes that she is drawn to Mary in a way that isn’t entirely platonic.

My goodness gracious I loved this book! Queer historicals are really my bread and butter and this just hit everything I love about them. This one in particular has a delicious amount of yearning and a queer awakening that was so satisfying to see.

While I typically prefer POV in my books, this book absolutely needed to be in single POV so that we could really see Charlotte move through her realization of her queerness and moving beyond her comfort zone and taking what she desires most. Kudos to the author for making the absolute right decision there!

I also loved the narration by Clare Corbett which kept me engaged and invested the entire time.

Thank you to @harlequinbooks @htp_hive @htpbooks_audio for the eARC and ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This was an engaging sapphic Regency romance. As a fan of Pride and Prejudice and its various adaptations, I found this book to be quite enjoyable, consistent with my positive impressions of the genre. I appreciated the depiction of Charlotte and Mary’s relationship and found the romantic elements to be heartfelt and well-crafted, including moments of emotional tension and longing. The more intimate scenes were also thoughtfully executed. Overall, it is a charming and concise romance that I would recommend to those who enjoy Pride and Prejudice and Regency-era sapphic fiction.

This was a charming cottagecore lesbian Regency romance...just not sure it also needed to be a Pride & Prejudice retelling. While Charlotte is somewhat believable, the characterization of Mary is so far off from the books that it distracted my enjoyment unless I just pretended this isn't a retelling. We don't see a lot of the other characters, which is just as well.

The book starts out with the death of Mr. Collins. Mary goes to comfort Charlotte as Elizabeth is busy and they find that they share a love of the natural world, flowers in particular. Slowly, Charlotte starts to wonder if she might have more than just friendly feelings for Mary...