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  • An Endeavour to Be Worthy

  • The Montford Cousins, Book 1
  • By: L.L. Diamond
  • Narrated by: Deborah Balm
  • Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)

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An Endeavour to Be Worthy

By: L.L. Diamond
Narrated by: Deborah Balm
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Summary

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 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 behavior 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.

Contains scenes with adult content.

©2022 L.L. Diamond (P)2023 L.L. Diamond
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Romance

What listeners say about An Endeavour to Be Worthy

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    3 out of 5 stars

Too many Americanisms

American 'English', mawkish sentiment and inappropriate interaction with servants spoil the story. The narrator overacted.

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Listener received this title free

Amazing Lizzy is richer story


I am always eager for a ‘richer Lizzy’ story, I love it when Darcy has to work hard to win her and watches her navigate the ‘Ton’ with ease. I absolutely loved this variation it had everything I have always loved about JAFF. There was a passionate and affectionate Darcy, Elizabeth was quick to fall for him and there were no misunderstandings. I miss the more mature variations we used to get and this one gave me everything, all the passion and getting carried away with emotions. I loved the Montfords - Lord and Lady Richmond are everything I would want for Jane and Lizzy as grandparents. I loved Nicholas’s naughty nature, acting like an annoying younger brother to Lizzy. The narration was smooth and lovely, this will be a regular relisten!

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  • Fabulous Mrs B
  • 02-05-23

Great story.

I read it as a book last year and now listened to it. Great time spent. I like the Monkfords. Great Jaff.

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  • Shopping Fan
  • 12-04-23

What Did You Say?

Performance: The narrator has great potential. She gives just the right inflection to bring a scene or conversation to life. Her portrayal of female voices is terrific. However, her male voices are inconsistent. Unfortunately, every time a character whispered, the narrator whispered. Since my speaker doesn't automatically adjust its output volume, those whispers were so low that I could not hear what was said.

Story: The story was excellent. It was low angst with a few new character twists. Well-written and fun, this is another book worth reading or listening to by L.L.Diamond.

Overall: I removed a star because of the whispers I couldn't hear and the inconsistent male voices.

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  • Marie
  • 04-03-23
Listener received this title free

Connections and Cousins

I definitely enjoyed this new-to-me narrator, Deborah Balm. Her narration and performance is very very good. Her cadence and pace is excellent. Highly recommend the audiobook.

Book Review:
This is the first book of a planned series by the author—The Montford Cousins. In Book 1, we learn that Jane and Elizabeth are daughters of the first Mrs Bennet, Sophie, who was daughter to the Earl and Countess of Richmond (Montford). Elizabeth and Jane have been raised by Mr Bennet and the second Mrs Bennet, who has never shown much kindness to Elizabeth. Mr Bennet has really never stopped grieving for his first wife and is as indolent as ever.

Elizabeth has just arrived in London to stay with her grandparents for the season. Jane is currently with the Gardiners. They have two Montford adult cousins who appear in this book—Amelia and Nicholas, now the Viscount Hatton. Their parents were killed in a carriage accident, and they also reside with their grandparents.

Since Darcy’s parents were friends of the Earl and Countess, he is well-known to them and they consider him part of their family. Elizabeth and Darcy cross paths almost immediately upon Elizabeth’s arrival to town and they manage to quickly forgive one another for past bad impressions. A little shoving by the various Montford relations doesn’t hurt.

Elizabeth likes this different away-from-Meryton Darcy—as do I—but still has to understand these new feelings she has for him. Darcy knows he must “endeavour to be worthy” of her and convince her his feelings for her existed before he knew of her connections. There is a lot of page time for the couple. The good dialogue among all the characters flows well throughout the book and makes this a fast moving story—not an over abundance of narrative, which I always prefer. There is a major surprise in this book, at least it was for me. I think I’m still recovering from the shock of it! Ms Diamond often provides a surprise or two—recall Uncle Gardiner in An Unwavering Trust, and Colonel Fitzwilliam in Undoing, as perfect examples.

The non-canon Montford family characters are all very likeable and are lovingly portrayed. I greatly anticipate any future books in the series which I can only guess will feature the cousins’ individual stories in greater detail—and Jane too, I hope.

This is another great read from L.L. (Leslie) Diamond. Highly recommend.

Mature content.