The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy Cover Reveal!

I am so excited to be here today to reveal the cover for my upcoming release, The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Quills & Quartos is giving away a $20 (US dollars) Amazon gift card; the draw is open internationally. All you have to do to enter the draw is comment on this post.

Before I show you the amazing cover, I want to tell you a little something about the book. I wrote The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy because I wanted to explore the ‘Elizabeth is not a Bennet’ trope from a different angle. I have read many stories in which Elizabeth belongs to a different family, and I really enjoy them. I began to wonder what it would be like if our beloved Mr Darcy did not grow up knowing he was a Darcy. We meet him as someone who is very aware of the superiority of his position in life. He’s rich, well-connected, independent—no pesky parents alive to tell him what to do—and handsome, which, as Elizabeth Bennet tells us, “a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can.” What if, instead of growing up as the heir to a grand estate and the grandson of an earl, he grew up in a much humbler setting? How would that shape his character? What would it mean to his relationship with Elizabeth? What would happen if he then discovered that he was Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley? What would it mean for the people in his life?

In The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy, this is what happens. Mr Darcy grows up believing he is William Lucas. The Lucases and Bennets—especially a certain young lady—and the Darcys are all affected when the truth about ‘William Lucas’ is revealed. The word ‘recovery’ in the title serves a dual purpose; I used it both in the sense of Fitzwilliam Darcy being found and returned to his rightful place in the world, and second in the sense of healing. Other characters need to heal or come to terms with what happens, too.

I’ve added more Darcy family—Fitzwilliam’s father, George, remains alive, and there is an uncle and some cousins. The Fitzwilliams also show up, especially Colonel Tom Fitzwilliam and his older brother, Sterling (Viscount Bramwell). Ultimately, however, this is a love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Here is the blurb.

I am not William Lucas. I never was. I am…I am…I have no notion who I am meant to be.

In 1789, a terrible crime is committed, plunging one family into grief as another rejoices in an unexpected child. Two decades later, a chance meeting returns William Lucas to his birthright as Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.

Discovering the truth about his past means leaving behind everyone he loves. The pain of separation from his childhood best friend and soon-to-be betrothed, Elizabeth Bennet, threatens to destroy their happiness forever. Tormented by questions about himself, he struggles to understand his new life. He must contend with a father buried in the shadows of the past and family relationships he does not understand.

The truth has come out. Some have gained by it, some have lost by it, and I am in the middle. I cannot possibly make everyone happy. No matter what I do, someone will suffer. No matter what I do, I shall suffer.

Somehow, he must find a way to do right by his new and old families, especially if he is to avoid losing Elizabeth forever.

And now, the cover, which was done by Susan Adriani at CloudCat Design.

Isn’t it gorgeous? Having Pemberley feature prominently symbolizes everything that Mr Darcy gains when he discovers who he really is. There is an opulence to what we see in the cover—the broad, well-tended lawn, the clear blue of the stream, the manor house, even the carriage being pulled by six horses and people casually strolling in the foreground. I love the sense of warmth and peace I get from it. I’d love to wander around the estate, then head inside for refreshments.

I’ll be sharing more about the book in the coming weeks. The Recovery of Fitzwilliam Darcy will be released on Tuesday, April 6. You can pre-order it now at Amazon.

Remember to comment to enter the draw for an Amazon gift card!

Lucy

©Lucy Marin 2021