Rating: 
Summary: Great Read
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was so well written. The kind of book you can't put down. Great!
Rating:
Summary: Fun to read
Review: I found this book fun to read-which is the entire point of sequels anyway. I think some of the respondents for reviews much too serious and nitpicky and even sometimes wrong. I disagree that Mr Darcy would not have revealed the drinking habits of his father in explaining his own behavior. Apparently, modern readers do not appreciate the enormous problem alcoholism created in 18th century England. The characters of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth come alive just like Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth's personality is difficult to capture , but the authors do an excellent job.
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I love the works of Jane Austen and have looked for sequels that show me more of the world of her characters. There are some very fine ones, including Anne Telscombe's Sanditon and the works of Julia Barrett, but this is not one of them. The book almost seems to be written for children in its extreme simplicity and moralizing. The authors are not true to Austen's characterization, either - Mr. Darcy is frank and open about skeletons in the family closet, and Georgiana is obsessed with religion. I also found the Historical Notes distracting and unnecessary; they seemed to be included only to show how "knowledgeable" the authors were about the period and did not have much at all to do with the text. I find it interesting that these authors have reviewed their own book (very positively) on this website and others. There would be no need for such stuffing of the ballot-box if the book stood well on its own.
Rating:
Summary: Lack of Character
Review: Despite the authors' continual attempts to point out their vast research into the era in which Jane Austen lived, the faux pas written into the novel were too numerous to consider this a valid sequel. On the very first page, one of the servants refers to Mrs. Darcy, new mistress of Pemberley, by her first name! Why, most of the characters are on a first name basis within one day of having met. These blunders are inconsistent not only with the time period but with the style and grace of an author as socially conscious as Ms. Austen as well.Elegance and style seem to be forgotten in favor of information and speed. The way that the Baders' Mr. Darcy shares the tale of his late father's alcoholism with a room full of guests speaks volumes. Not only would Ms. Austen's Darcy disdain making such a social display, I have no doubt as to his discomfort at being present if someone else were to make such a disclosure in that setting. And the way in which the Pemberley Hall set speaks openly of the whole Georgiana-Wickham affair in the Baders' novel directly contradicts the wishes of Ms. Austen's characters. Still, I could appreciate _Desire and Duty_ (to a degree) as a stand-alone tale if I had not felt harassed by the not-so-subtle solicitations for acknowledgment of the authors' research into the 19th century. Most of these solicitations took place in the early part of the book, and I might have gained enough appreciation to enjoy the rest if not for the use of words "desire" and "duty" to a tiresome degree in the latter portion of the novel. To the credit of the authors, _Desire and Duty_ does hold true to the light and occasionally playful ambiance of Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_. I also found the plot informative and interesting, even if a little obvious. I would not recommend this book to Austen aficionados, but its light-hearted reading may be appreciated on other grounds. I will not read it again... but then, I'm picky.
Rating:
Summary: Poor Attempt
Review: It was not possible an any time to see the characters in this book as having anything to do with Jane Austens'. Ms Austen wrote from her knowledge of life as the daughter of a clergy man, but never did she spend pages preaching to her reader. This writing team actually had their heroine worrying that another character was not suffiently christian for her. At times it was so distracting that it was necessary to skip over paragraphs of text waiting for the story to resume. Perhaps if the writers were not so involved with trying to impress readers with the scope of their historical information they would have been able to edit their book and create something vaguely readable.
Rating: 
Summary: A little too preachy.
Review: I enjoyed the novel as a good period piece, but not as a sequel to Jane Austen. I can not imagine Jane Austen having "her" Mr. Darcy announce to a room of family and neighbors that his father suffered from a drinking problem that led to his death. Jane Austen had a place for religion in her works, but she gently hinted never preached to her readers.
Rating: 
Summary: Tolerable Tale
Review: I happened upon this book by chance and was very excited to give it a shot. I kept in mind, though, that any sequel to a novel, not written by the same author, is bound to disappoint. Yes, I was disappointed in this book - the characters were very flat and the story was predictable - but I had to remind myself that the authors gave it their all. The book is not for everyone, but any fan of Pride and Prejudice should give it a chance to decide for themselves.
Rating: 
Summary: Judge for youself...
Review: Yes, this book did contain a handful of social faux pas for the Austen era. And no, Jane Austen did not come back to life in the body of the authors and write this novel. My advice for anyone wants to read a sequel to the great "Pride and Prejudice" is to go for it. The great thing about one's ability to read is that they may do so at any time. The great thing about one's opinion is that they may chose to give it any time. This novel is a very interesting sequel. It is not only entertaining, but the authors seem to have taken many pains to keep it as accurate as possible. At the end of the novel the authors provide a type of footnote for any chapters that might require some futher explanation or reference. If you are even slightly interested in reading this sequel, I recommend that you make up your own mind. But do take note that it is not the only sequel and there are many talented authors out there who have tried to capture the Austen style and create a sequel to P & P. A very successful and enjoyable sequel to P & P was "Letters from Pemberly." Enjoy! And happy reading!
Rating:
Summary: Desire and Duty
Review: A gentle and genteel book which I found to be very enjoyable. The authors undertook the complex task of creating a believable sequel to Austen's book and did an admirable job, in my estimation. I don't claim to be a self appointed 'expert'in Austen's work; I am, in fact, an average book lover who enjoys a good read. I especially enjoy the efforts of authors who work hard to ensure the authenticity of a work set in times past. It is easy to weave a story by plowing new ground; quite another to attempt to remain true to an admired writer who's works have been examined for generations. I say bravo to the authors and I await the movie possibilities with hope.
Rating:
Summary: Using it for my High School English Class
Review: I am looking forward to the opportunity to have my Sophmore English Class read this sequel. It will give them a greater appreciation for this type of literature.
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