Review by Kelly Jarvis: The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet

When Lindz McLeod takes readers into the world of Jane Austen four years after the conclusion of Pride and Prejudice, they will never think of Regency England in the same way again! The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet follows the budding relationship between the quiet, forgotten Bennet sister and the practical Charlotte Lucas, Lizzie Bennet’s best friend. The novel opens with the death of Charlotte’s husband Mr. Collins, and while she isn’t heartbroken by his death, she finds herself alone and in need of a home once again. Since Lizzie is unable to leave Pemberly, it is Mary Bennet who arrives to comfort the grieving widow.

Mary brings Charlotte to her Aunt Cecily’s house where Charlotte discovers a whole new world. Mary has blossomed into an intelligent, flirtatious woman who knows exactly what she wants from life, and, as Charlotte’s intimate feelings for Mary grow, she has to navigate a lifetime of gender, sexual, and social conditioning to accept the possibility of a new life with the woman she loves.

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet is a sapphic love story that explores queer love during the Regency Era. Mary and Charlotte are not alone in their sexual identity; Charlotte discovers that her own Aunt Ethel had a female lover, and everyone who works in Mary’s home pursues a “more secret kind of love.” Although Charlotte wrestles with internalized expectations of societal rules, she ultimately finds acceptance in the arms of her family and passion in the arms of a woman. The relationship between Mary and Charlotte is a slow burn, and readers looking to enjoy a Jane Austen aesthetic with a contemporary twist are sure to be delighted with the plot and characters. Mary and Charlotte converse through a language of flowers, secretly confessing their attraction to each other before finding the courage and space to talk to each other openly. Lindz gives two of Jane Austen’s most sober side characters their own happily-ever-after, and it is a joy to watch their love story unfold. If you have ever dreamed of reimagining the romantic possibilities in Pride and Prejudice, add this book to your list today! You can find it here.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/