The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet (publication day April 29, 2025) by Lindz McLeod is for Austen fans that wanted a better ending for Elizabeth’s best friend Charlotte than being married to the pompous Mr. Collins.
As the book opens, Mr. Collins has just passed, and Charlotte is faced with having to figure out her next steps as a widow, since she’s living in the house provided for the vicar at Rosings. Elizabeth cannot come to stay, as their child is mildly ill, so she sends her sister, Mary Bennet. Charlotte, of course, knew Mary as one of Elizabeth’s younger sisters, but they’ve not spent time together as adults. Mary surprises her, as she is interested in science, attending salons for its discussion, and leads a somewhat independent life thanks to an aunt who spends a lot of time in the United States with her American husband. Charlotte is most happy in her garden, and teaches Mary about the hidden meanings associated with various flowers.
Charlotte is expected to either remarry or go back to live with her parents, who would welcome her, but her long-term options are few, as when her parents are gone she would have to live with another relative who would be kind enough to support her. And it took so long for her to find Mr. Collins she doubts she would be able to find another match. And then there are those feelings for women that Mary seems to be re-awakening in her.
It’s a really sweet romance, and I loved how McLeod did not shy away from the issues faced by queer people (who have always existed and will always exist) in the early 1800s, and how they created found family within the confines of society at the time.
Charlotte has to figure out what she wants for herself before she can fully be with Mary, though, and I loved how she grew in her own self-assurance through the book.
I highly recommend if you are looking for a sapphic regency romance primarily focused on one character’s inner life and transformation into independence. And it was weight-neutral; there were no negative descriptions of body size.
Reading While Fat 