Review & Giveaway - - Inventing Mr. Darcy

Inventing Mr. Darcy

by Susanna Craig

Publisher: Severn House Romance and Saga

Release Date: September 1, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

A truth universally acknowledged: enemies attract!

Grad student Elle Bradshaw is on the cusp of completing her literature PhD. And while life beyond college is terrifying, spending her evening fixing a database malfunction with gorgeous yet grumpy tech geek Fisher Davis is worse. He infuriates her while making her heart race—it’s a distraction she doesn't need!

When a fluke geomagnetic storm leaves them trapped together during a blackout, the fiery kiss that follows is unexpected—and explosive. But catastrophically, the storm also wiped Jane Austen from existence! Now, Elle’s the only person to remember Pride and Prejudice and, it seems, romance itself.

As Elle navigates a world so familiar, yet not her own, she realizes she might just need to put her pride to one side and ask Fisher for help. Could the guy who was once her enemy turn out to be her very own Mr. Darcy . . . ?

PJ's Thoughts:

Whether you've read Jane Austen or not, those of us who read modern-day romance owe a debt of gratitude to the author whose works have inspired multiple generations of readers and writers who love happy endings. Now, imagine what would happen if, without warning, Austen disappeared from our collective memories, leaving only one lone grad student from Minnesota with the memory of Austen and her books. How far would the ripples of that lost literary - and real life - happiness extend? That's the premise of Susanna Craig's Inventing Mr. Darcy. 

As a long-time fan of Craig's historical romances, I was curious to discover what she had in store for readers with this new contemporary romcom. It started out a bit slow for me. Others may have a different experience but for the first third of the book, while I found the characters interesting, I struggled to connect with them. That all began to change the closer the story got to the halfway point. 

The book really hit its stride for me by the 50% mark. The pace picked up and I found that emotional connection I had been looking for, surprising myself with which character touched my heart the most. Spoiler: It was not the one I thought it would be.

Peeling away the underlying layers of Elle and Fisher brought forth the dreams, challenges, and emotional depth of both characters. Their growing feelings, vulnerabilities, intriguing layers, and personal growth brought them to life. I became totally invested in them, their personal relationship, their professional dreams, and in the Austen dilemma, eagerly turning pages to discover what would happen next.

I truly did not know how Craig would resolve the issues facing our lead couple, especially the "disappearing Jane" angle, but am happy to report that everything was wrapped up with a lovely, satisfying, believable bow in the end. 

I don't know if this book was a one-off or if Craig has more contemporary stories in her pocket but whichever direction she takes with upcoming books, I do know that I'll be buying them. 

If you're looking for a contemporary romcom with an original plot, snappy banter, enemies-to-lovers romance, a touch of spice, and a feel-good happy ending, I recommend giving Inventing Mr. Darcy a try. 

Have you read Susanna Craig yet?

What's your favorite contemporary romance trope?

Have you read Jane Austen? What's your favorite Austen novel?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, September 21 will receive a print copy of Inventing Mr. Darcy. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18