Release day for Look on the Heart

Good morning, readers!

It’s release day for Look on the Heart, a new Darcy and Elizabeth variation! This book was inspired by a reader plot bunny, so shout out to Karen Leos!

You can get the book on Amazon and KU here: https://mybook.to/LookontheHeart

Here’s the blurb:

Elizabeth Bennet’s father has raised her to value a person’s character more than their appearance. He learned the hard way that physical beauty can conceal poor behavior—an error he made in marrying his wife. Determined not to repeat Mr. Bennet’s mistake, Elizabeth resolves to judge people by more than outward appearances. When Mr. Darcy, a guest of the new resident of Netherfield Park, attends the local assembly, she is intrigued.

Mr. Darcy’s face has been the subject of gossip and ridicule all his life. A port-wine birth mark covers a considerable portion of his face and invites suspicion and cruelty from those around him. A broken nose and scar only worsen his appearance. When his friend Bingley insists that they attend an assembly the night of his arrival, Darcy is reluctant. What lady would not find it a punishment to stand up with him? When he meets Elizabeth Bennet, he is captivated at once. She sees him.

As their acquaintance deepens, Mr. Darcy finds himself in love with the country miss. But one misunderstanding threatens everything. Letting the past dictate his actions, he breaks Elizabeth’s heart. Understanding comes, and he must now seek forgiveness from the only lady who has ever loved him.

This Pride and Prejudice variation is a sweet, low-angst story where beauty is more than skin deep, and a happily ever after is assured.

WOW.  In this story, Darcy has a port wine stain birthmark. It was also called a mother’s mark, a wine stain mark, and a few other names you will find in the foreword of the book. In the 1800s, people did not look favorably on such things. Here’s some of the research I found:

In 1811, birthmarks such as port-wine stains were little understood and often viewed through the lens of superstition and social prejudice. While modern medicine recognizes them as benign vascular anomalies, the Regency era lacked both the knowledge and means to treat them. Instead, they were often seen as the result of maternal impressions—emotional shocks or cravings during pregnancy—or, more darkly, as signs of sin or misfortune. In polite society, where physical perfection was prized, particularly in women, such marks could unfairly affect one’s marriage prospects or social standing. Despite this, love and character often triumphed over shallow judgment, and many bore such marks with quiet dignity.

This story seeks to honor that strength, reimagining a world where the heart sees far more than the eye.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

I’m giving away an eBook copy of Look on the Heart to one lucky reader! Comment below with your thoughts about the story for a chance to win! Winners will be picked at the end of the first week in August.