Book Review: What Kitty Did Next by Carrie Kablean

Title: What Kitty Did Next
Author: Carrie Kablean
Publisher: Red Door Publishing
Publication Date: 28 June 2018
Pages: 416
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: ARC via NetGalley
 


England, 1813. Nineteen-year-old Catherine Bennet lives in the shadow of her two eldest sisters, Elizabeth and Jane, who have both made excellent marriages. No one expects Kitty to amount to anything. Left at home in rural Hertfordshire with her neurotic and nagging mother, and a father who derides her as "silly and ignorant," Kitty is lonely, diffident and at a loss as to how to improve her situation.
When her world unexpectedly expands to London and the Darcy’s magnificent country estate in Derbyshire, she is overjoyed. Keen to impress this new society, and to change her family’s prejudice, Kitty does everything she can to improve her mind and manners—and for the first time feels liked and respected. However, one fateful night at Pemberley, a series of events and misunderstandings conspire to ruin Kitty’s reputation. But Kitty does next does next will not only surprise herself, but everyone else too . . .
Based on Jane Austen's much-loved characters, this is the story of one woman's struggle to overcome the obstacles of her time and place and truly find herself.


What Kitty Did Next is a book I approached with both eagerness and a little trepidation. After all, books of this nature tend to be either hugely enjoyable or a complete disaster. I am happy to say that this story fell into the former category. It was well written and picked up nicely from the end of Austen's novel. The characters all felt 'in character', and though slow to start, Kitty's tale soon picked up the pace as conflict ensued. I read it with a smile on my face and was eager to get back to it each evening to see how Kitty would fare. Though you could read this on its own, I believe you will get more from it if you are already familiar with the events of Pride and Prejudice. All up, a fun historical fiction with a splash of action and a dash of romance. 4.5 stars from me.