L.L. Diamond is more commonly known as Leslie to her friends, Mom to her three kids, and servant to her three cats. A native of Louisiana, she has been a wanderer for the past 20 years, living in Mississippi, California, Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, England, and Missouri before settling in Maryland.
One day, Leslie may decide what she wants to do when she grows up but for now, she enjoys writing the stories that live in her head and coaching age group swimming. She has degrees in biology and studio art, certifications to coach swimming in the United States and Britain, and numerous fitness certifications. Leslie is also a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Her accomplishments include drawing, watercolor, and playing flute and piano, but much like Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet, she is always in need of practice!
Visit Leslie’s website lldiamondwrites.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @lldiamond2
Leslie’s novels ~
Worthy in Every Way Georgiana Darcy wants nothing more than to fall in love, yet her innate reserve as well as a traumatic event in her past makes her uneasy in company—particularly in the company of gentlemen. She desires a husband and family, but how is she to manage such a feat when she will not even consider partaking of a London Season? She cannot so much as hold a meaningful conversation with most men, which does not bode well for falling in love.
Charles Granville, the Earl of Bath, never expected to find himself without his hearing, but the unexpected became his truth. Now, his life is different; it has been altered and his options are not what they once were. No lady of worth desires one who cannot hear. After all, most believe those who are deaf are also dullards. Who is he to change their mind?
When Georgiana’s sister-in-law Elizabeth and Charles’s sister-in-law Jane, the Duchess of Albemarle conspire to throw her into the company of Lord Bath, Georgiana finds herself suddenly staying with the duke and duchess who are caring for the recovering earl. She is caught unawares by their matchmaking, yet, unlike others of his sex, Lord Bath has a way that does not make her ill-at-ease. In fact, she is drawn to him. She wishes to learn to speak to him and enjoys his company. However, he is vehement he is not seeking a wife—that he will never marry. The barriers to her heart are crumbling with every moment spent in his company, but how is she to convince him he is worthy of love—that he is worthy in every way?
Worthy of her Love Jane Montford is at a loss. She has received calls and requests to dance from gentlemen at balls, yet nothing comes of them. Her stepmother, Mrs. Bennet, always told her she was not so beautiful for nothing, yet both her sister Elizabeth and her cousin Amelia wed before her—even her cousin Nicholas found love before her! What do gentlemen find so objectionable about her? And why does no man seem inclined to court her?
While walking in Hyde Park, Jane stumbles across two alone and frightened little girls in need of her aid. Their father, the Duke of Albemarle, just so happens to be a widower as well as handsome and genial, yet what would a duke want with her? Jane’s father is nothing but a country gentleman who married to the daughter of a tradesman after the death of his own wife. Despite those professing he is courting her, the duke would, no doubt, seek a lady with higher connexions than the granddaughter of an earl, would he not?
Henry Granville, the Duke of Albemarle, is in need of a wife. After his daughters are found frightened and alone in Hyde Park, Miss Jane Montford is thrust into his notice. Could she be the lady he seeks? But what if in courting Miss Montford, he brings danger to her door. After all, his brother Simon longs to be duke, and Henry has reason to believe his younger brother is behind the mysterious circumstances of his daughters in Hyde Park. What if by marrying Miss Montford, he makes her a target? Henry must protect his family at all costs, but first, how to prove himself worthy of Miss Montford’s love?
Catching Lizzy
Lizzy Bennet is a hot mess. She’s about to marry a man she doesn’t love, and she’s sporting a case of cold feet so severe her toes are surely blue. Between her mother’s arrangements, her ridiculous gown, and her stick-in-the-mud fiancé’s compulsive personality traits, she simply can’t go through with the disaster awaiting her. With the help of her best friend, she can stay at Will Darcy’s for the holidays, but to say Will’s good looking is an understatement! She just ran out on her wedding, the last thing she needs is man, but how is she supposed to resist the dark-haired hottie in Clark Kent glasses? Not to mention watching him interact with his daughter only adds fuel to the fire. Oh, holy heck! She’s about to endure the longest Christmas ever!
Will Darcy leads a quiet life with his daughter and housekeeper. He doesn’t need a wife or a girlfriend disturbing his peace and upending little Georgie’s holidays, so when his cousin brings Lizzy Bennet to Will’s house to hide from her crazy family, he balks. He will not suffer through another one of his cousin’s maniacal matchmaking plots! But Lizzy is… Could his cousin have finally gotten something right? No, that can’t be. Something has to be wrong with her, doesn’t it? But for the life of him, Will can’t find a single objection—and he’s tried! What’s he supposed to do if she’s living in his house for the holidays, eating at his kitchen table, and lounging on his sofa? She’s either going to make him lose his mind or his heart. But which is worse?
Nicholas Montford is tired of the London Season, tired of the marriage mart, and most of all, he is tired of encountering a certain duchess from his past. The Hatton viscountcy has an estate in Ireland, a place his father wrote fondly of in his journal. By journeying to Ireland, Nicholas could escape the duchess he once loved as well as see to a property that a Montford has not visited since he was a boy. Despite his grandfather’s objections, he departs for County Antrim, eager to seek solace, but when he first espies a cloaked figure on horseback galloping across his lands as though fleeing for his life, Nicholas’s wishes seem for naught. He gives chase to the trespasser, but when a fiery redhead with a glare to match her locks emerges from the cape, he finds himself in a predicament he never imagined possible.
Lady Fiona Fitzgerald has no need of a gentleman to wed—not even the handsome viscount who just arrived at Montford, the neighbouring estate. As the Earl of Kildare’s only child and heir, she plans to live forever at Larchfield as a spinster. After all, her father raised her as he would a son: she rides astride, shoots with the men, and never reads romances, so why do as expected and marry a man? Why would she make herself subject to a gentleman’s whims? But what is she to do about Viscount Hatton? He has come to her rescue more than once, challenges her at every turn, and frustrates her to no end. He also stirs her like no other she has ever met. When her father poses an ultimatum, the irritating gentleman could be the answer, but can she entrust Viscount Hatton with her dilemma? By doing so, she might have to leave all she has known and cherished behind, but by taking such a huge risk, will she find something even greater—will she find love?
A Gentleman of WorthAs the granddaughter of the Earl of Richmond, Lady Amelia Montford is never in want of dance partners. Even though she finds the gentlemen tedious, she is always guaranteed good company for one set—her dance with the agreeable and handsome Sir Anthony Greene. Despite falling madly in love with the dashing baronet during her first Season, Sir Anthony has become a devoted friend and confidante. Yet of late, he has behaved oddly and has even declared he is attached to a lady! Amelia is dumbfounded. Sir Anthony claims he is in love with her? No, he could not be, not after all this time. She loved him once, but he broke her heart all those years ago. How is it possible to fall in love with someone a second time, with her best friend?
Sir Anthony Greene had not expected Amelia to react with such shock to his revelation. Worse, when it is bandied about London that he had an assignation in the garden with her at the Marquess of Ormonde’s ball, her reputation is in tatters, so they must marry. He finds himself resigned to a life with a lady he loves but who considers him no more than a friend in return! Such an existence will be a torture!
After a long separation, Elizabeth Bennet is off to spend Christmas in London with her grandparents, Lord and Lady Richmond, and her cousins, Nicholas and his sister, Amelia. While her grandmother is determined to see her spoiled with new gowns and the like, Elizabeth would prefer to play chess and shop for books with Nicholas and her grandfather and visit with her grandmother and Amelia. At Lady Vranes’s private art exhibition, Elizabeth happens upon the one person she hoped she would never see again, Mr. Darcy. Not only that, but her grandparents and cousins are well acquainted with him, his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and his young sister, Georgiana. How is she to behave around a man who finds her merely tolerable and made his disdain for her evident during his time at Netherfield? Moreover, what is she to do when he calls at Richmond House as a good friend of the family?
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn. He has just realized that the Elizabeth Bennet he thought so unsuitable in Hertfordshire is, in fact, eminently suitable to be Mrs. Darcy and boasts of connexions that even his uncle, Lord Fitzwilliam, cannot fault. The only problem seems to be his behaviour in Meryton. Now, he must seek her forgiveness and attempt to court the only lady who has ever tempted him beyond reason. Will he be the gentleman who wins her heart? In the end, she will make her choice, all he can do is endeavour to be worthy.
The Peculiarity of Mr. Darcy’s Mirror
Ellie Gardiner has landed her dream job restoring art at the mysterious estate of Pemberley. Once a majestic home in the Derbyshire peaks, the long-abandoned property is in desperate need of help with a crumbling east wing, overgrown gardens, and a house full of possessions belonging to the once wealthy Darcy family. The most bizarre bit, however, is an enormous mirror in the once great ballroom. How does an almost two hundred and fifty-year-old mirror have not one speck of dust nor any sign of age? And why does it not show her reflection? Instead, some unknown lady stares back at her—a lady with a teasing smile wearing an empire waisted dress that one might see in a period drama. Do not even get her started on Fitzwilliam Darcy, the reclusive early 19th century gentleman whose painting she is restoring. He was the last successful master of Pemberley and also another puzzle to solve. Why would a man of sense and education hide himself away from the world? More importantly, why is she so obsessed with a man who has long since been dead?
After a couple of glasses of wine on a rainy evening, Ellie throws caution to the wind and presses her hand against her reflection, only to wake up in a time and place that is definitely not her own. Who is Elizabeth Bennet, and why does everyone keep calling her that? When she happens upon Fitzwilliam Darcy, the very man from the portrait, he comes to her aid, but what she truly needs is to return to her own time. Will she simply wake up one morning and resume her life at the Pemberley of the future? Must she travel to Fitzwilliam Darcy’s Pemberley and touch the same mirror as the one that transported her here? If she is to attempt the latter, she will need to trust Fitzwilliam with the truth, but if she does, will he even believe such an outlandish story? Blimey, what if she remains stuck in the 19th century forever?
Lizzy Bennet has her life sorted—well, sort of. She’s a successful veterinarian, working with her brother, Chase, in the family’s practice, she has her friends and family, and she has her petite gray cat, Evie. But, the one thing Lizzy doesn’t have is a boyfriend. Men have just never worked out for her. When William Darcy shows up at her clinic to have his horse examined, he’s not exactly oozing charm, so why does her heart go pitter patter whenever he turns his arrogant gaze in her direction? He’s aloof, he’s distant, and by the way he looks at her, he thinks she’s an idiot, which is why she absolutely refuses to develop a crush on him. After all, why would any self-respecting woman pine over a man who’s not interested?
William Darcy just relocated to the Texas Hill Country after leaving his cheating fiancé and thieving father behind in Maine. His focus should be setting up his new stable and his horse breeding business and not the pretty auburn-haired veterinarian, but with Lizzy treating his horse, he can’t avoid her, can he? The biggest problem is he can’t stop thinking about her, and even his sister Ana has noticed the object of his preoccupation. He needs to get some space from her. A relationship between the two of them would be nothing but disaster!
Meanwhile, a suspicious accident at the Longbourn stable is reminiscent of an incident from his past and throws him into Lizzy’s path. All he wants to do is keep her safe, but she’s the most stubborn, headstrong woman he’s ever met. His biggest challenge now is to resist temptation whenever she’s around. How difficult can that be? It’s not like she’s that perfect someone.
A reacquaintance with Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Christmas in London, what could go wrong?
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn between choices. Having fled Hertfordshire with the singular goal of separating himself from the fine eyes and pert opinions of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, he finds himself face to face with her in London through a connection he never would have expected. He would like to abandon his reservations and court Miss Elizabeth, but other considerations are holding him back, including his family and friends, who might consider him honour-bound to another.
Following Mr. Bingley’s abrupt departure from Netherfield, Elizabeth Bennet accompanies her sister Jane to London to visit her aunt and uncle. A sudden reunion with the disagreeable Mr. Darcy is not in her plans, but the man she discovers is not the same one who insulted her so grievously at the Meryton Assembly. Instead, a doting brother and amiable gentleman calls upon her in Cheapside.
A quiet Christmas at Gracechurch Street with her aunt and uncle seemed ideal, but the inclusion of Mr. Darcy brings old acquaintances and conflicts neither expected.
Can Mr. Darcy convince his family and friends to choose Elizabeth? Could Elizabeth turn out to be his perfect gift?
“I have endured the deepest agony, only to be shown a hope so bright I cannot but yearn for it.”
Fitzwilliam Darcy is mourning the love he lost—a love that was never allowed to bloom. What will become of him when Georgiana is wed, and he is left by himself? He cannot give away a heart not his own. Must he remain in this mournful existence, anticipating the nights to come, where in his dreams, he can finally be with Elizabeth, a spectre of his once living, breathing beloved. When a surprise visitor brings unexpected news, his hope is breathed back to life. Will he finally obtain his deepest desires? Will Fitzwilliam Darcy be able to leave behind the agony of the past and hope for the future he once thought impossible?
Due to circumstances beyond her control, Elizabeth Bennet’s family is irrevocably altered. Her father is dead, Lydia is missing, and her mother and remaining sisters are to be relegated to a life of poverty. Fitzwilliam Darcy’s behaviour at Pemberley indicates he still loves her, but too much has happened. She can never hope for him to once again make the offer of his hand. Elizabeth’s sole option is to abandon the life she once led and start anew. But, what happens when her path once again crosses with the love she thought lost to her? Will Elizabeth choose to protect him with the one option available to her or will she put aside the agony of the past and choose hope?
He’s Always Been the One (Wedding Planners #4)
Single mother Maggie Dashwood has no time for distractions. She’s just been promoted from an assistant to a full-fledged wedding planner, and her six-year-old daughter, Harper, keeps her running. So, why do her grandmother and her co-workers insist that she needs a man in her life? After all, a man would do nothing more than to split that precious little bit of free time she manages to snare between weddings and Harper. They might also leave like Harper’s father. Why would she want to risk that?
After an accident, her grandmother’s matchmaking eyes hone in on hunky Elliot Martin, an EMT who’s best friends with Maggie’s boss Charlie. As far as her grandmother is concerned, Elliot is flirty, sexy, and an all-around great guy whose singular purpose of wooing Maggie fits perfectly with her plan of finding love for her granddaughter. Meanwhile, Maggie struggles to maintain her equilibrium as well as dry palms when he’s around.
When ghosts from Maggie’s past return and threaten her possible happily ever after, will Elliot be the rock she so desperately needs or will he leave like Harper’s father before him?
William Darcy has gone completely mental! Despite Elizabeth Bennet’s less than stellar opinion of him, some unknown force possessed him to invite her to Pemberley to wait out lockdown. Just because she’d be closer to her sister Jane, who’s isolated in the gamekeeper’s cottage with her husband wasn’t a legitimate excuse either. He’d invited Elizabeth—the only woman he’d ever really fancied—Elizabeth, who’d refused him without reservation at the Rosings Book Festival. Now, he spends part of every day in Elizabeth’s company while struggling to keep his feelings hidden from not only her but also his nosy sister and motherly housekeeper. What a bloody nightmare!
When William Darcy showed up on her doorstep, the last thing Elizabeth Bennet expected was an invitation to Pemberley, yet she now lives in the poshest of rooms and can walk the extensive gardens and the forests without limits. Even Tilney, her timid Maine Coon cat, is willing to brave strangers to explore his new surroundings, but Elizabeth has no idea how to behave around Darcy. If no one can say when lockdown will end, she could be living at Pemberley indefinitely. How do you live with a man you’re attracted to, but who tries your every last nerve? How is she supposed to stay confined with Mr. Darcy?
Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Bennet always hoped to marry for love—that is until she surrenders to her mother’s demands and marries the handsome Duke of Leeds. Thrust into a society disinclined to accept the country nobody who entrapped one of their most sought-after bachelors, her marriage of convenience is nothing like she expected. Her husband confuses her, as he hides a scandalous secret he’s reluctant to share.
Fitzwilliam Darcy is a man torn. After meeting the Duchess of Leeds at a ball, he is fascinated by her intelligence and humour, but how does one maintain a respectable friendship with a lady—particularly when that lady is the wife of his cousin and godfather? Yet by spending time in her company, he loses more and more of his heart to a lady he is forbidden to possess. Tormented, his feelings must stay hidden from everyone, particularly Elizabeth. How is he to keep himself under such strict regulation when he is constantly thrown into her company? How does one prevent their own undoing?
It’s Always Been You and Me (Wedding Planners #3)
If only he’d never come back!
Charlie didn’t mind being on her own. Heck, she’d been on her own since her high school sweetheart Jensen Worth left town for good after graduation. He obviously never looked back, so why should she? She had family and friends to keep her company. She certainly didn’t need a man in her life!
Thirteen years after Jensen left Marysville, he’s returned, joining the Marysville police force and reconnecting with the friends he left behind all those years ago—her friends. Why couldn’t he have simply stayed away? Her life was certainly much simpler without him around! The problem is he keeps turning up like a bad penny. Charlie not only has to bump into him around town, but to add insult to injury, her mother invites him for Thanksgiving. Can a little dog named Daphne, a family emergency, and pushy, meddling friends help break down that enormous wall around Charlie’s heart? Will Charlie be able to remain angry with the only man she’s ever loved, or God forbid, will she fall in love with him all over again?
Now on Kindle
It’s Always Been Us (Wedding Planners #2)
Jena Barrett loves her perfect life. She has the best job in the world, a great place to live, and a best friend that she adores. The only hiccup is this wedding planner’s love life! However, when her sister Ellie suggests a remedy for Jena’s lack of significant other, the notion is so insane, it flips Jena’s universe off-kilter.
Brandon has always been the steady fixture in Jena’s life, her best friend. Even when he joined the Army out of high school, they never lost touch, picking up as though he never left the moment he returned. Now a local veterinarian, Brandon is the perfect man candy with his successful career, amazing personality, and a face and body no woman would kick out of bed—only he never dates. Not that she’s ever questioned why, at least not until now.
Could Ellie be right? Could he possibly be in love with her? If so, could Jena ever love him in the same way? The risk is huge. If everything blows up in her face, she could lose her best friend. But what if the train wreck doesn’t happen? What if Brandon is her missing piece, her happy ever after?
It’s Always Been You (Wedding Planners #1)
All Ellie ever dreamed of was the perfect vacation.
Ellie Barrett’s first glimpse of the island resort is everything she dreamed when she planned her long-awaited tropical getaway—sun, sand, and miles of brilliant aquamarine water. She’d made it! Two whole weeks to explore paradise. What could possibly be better?
Perhaps an athletic man in board shorts with a body to die for and a pair of stunning blue eyes? On her first evening, she meets William. Intelligent, amazing to talk to, and hot as sin, he’d never be interested in her, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the view while it lasted!
But perfection isn’t bound to last. What if William isn’t everything he seems? When love persists over all obstacles, is it enough? How can Ellie trust William and protect her heart at the same time?
Elizabeth Bennet’s first day at Darcy Holdings was turning out to be everything she’d imagined—that is until she met her new boss William Darcy. True, he’s hotter than Hades but he’s also rude, abrupt, and stares at her as though she’s committed some grievous sin. If only she could avoid him, but her friends’ not so brilliant ideas keep throwing them together.
William Darcy put his foot in his mouth when he met Elizabeth Bennet! Now, he’s head over heels for her and needs to apologize, but how? The dreaded office Secret Santa draw is a possibility, but would that help or would it only make things worse?
Twenty-five days of gifts? It’s creepy and overzealous if you ask Elizabeth. And what’s with this weird reaction she has to Mr. Darcy? He’s an ogre, isn’t he? But what if her friends are correct and he isn’t? Could there be more to him than she assumes? What would happen if she were to take a stab at unwrapping Mr. Darcy?
She swore would never marry!
Georgiana Darcy is a lady with a secret! The last thing she wants is to return to London, but what else can she do when her brother and his wife make plans to spend the Christmas season in town. When Lizzy’s youngest sister, Lydia, joins them, Georgiana gains a confidante, but will Lydia’s outgoing nature cause problems when Lord Sele, son of a family friend reappears in Georgiana’s life?
As an insufferable boy, Lord Sele vowed he would marry Georgiana, but was his return from Ireland a coincidence or was his sole purpose to pursue her? He admits to desiring friendship, but Lydia is determined his desire is Georgiana and she will stop at nothing to see her best friend happily settled.
What is Georgiana to do when faced with the society she has managed to avoid for her entire adult life as well as the one man determined to change her mind about marriage? Will she be able to overcome her fears despite the spectre from the past that seems to be haunting her? Will she be forced to tell her secret and choose happiness or will someone from her past ruin everything?
Who is this Mr. Darcy and what are his intentions?
Like much of Meryton, the Bennets of Longbourn anticipate the arrival of Mr. Bingley and his friends to Netherfield, yet an unexpected visitor is not a part of Mr. Bingley’s or Mr. Darcy’s plans. While the two gentlemen attempt to control their uninvited guest, Elizabeth Bennet arrives to tend to her ill sister. An overheard conversation, the intriguing behaviour of Mr. Darcy, and Miss Bingley’s cloying manner all fascinate her, but manage to throw her emotions into turmoil as well.
As Elizabeth becomes better acquainted with Mr. Darcy, his world unfolds and, if possible, it is more complicated than the man himself! Mysterious strangers and seducers lurk in the shadows—enough to threaten anyone’s equanimity. Elizabeth’s courage will be tested as she not only struggles to discover her own heart, but also why danger seems to surround Mr. Darcy.
The Earl’s Conquest
Fascinated upon a first acquaintance, the Earl of Matlock is a determined suitor, but Rebecca Fairchild is not so certain. The earl is kind, yet he is always so frustrating and stubborn! He is not what she had planned or what she ever imagined in a partner. Other ladies have also laid claim to the handsome Lord Matlock despite his preferences. Can he convince Rebecca he is her future or will other forces stand in the way of their happily ever after?
A prequel to An Unwavering Trust!
An Unwavering Trust
Two strangers with no one to turn to but each other…
Fitzwilliam Darcy is in a difficult situation. His father is pressing him to propose marriage to the last woman in the world he would wish to take as his wife. With a 
fortnight to announce his betrothal, he makes the acquaintance of Elizabeth Bennet, who is in a predicament of her own.
Could Darcy be willing to consider Elizabeth as a solution to his problem and to hers? And can Elizabeth ascertain enough of Darcy’s character to trust him upon nothing but a first impression?
A Matter of Chance
Single-mother and artist Lizzy Gardiner has just bounced back from a bad marriage when she meets businessman William Darcy; true to form, Darcy doesn’t make the best of impressions. The problem is he finds himself attracted, but she is insistent on relying on no one but herself. Can the two of them leave their pasts behind and find love with each other, or will the ghosts of the past return to keep them apart?
Rain and Retribution
When Elizabeth Bennet’s parents attempt to force her into a marriage of convenience for the sake of her family, she flees to make her own future. Will circumstances and their families conspire to keep Darcy and Elizabeth apart or will they unite to take them on together?
2 pings
[…] Facebook Twitter Goodreads Austen Variations […]
[…] L.L. Diamond Donación de $100 […]