Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts [Paperback]

Pride & Prejudice: Hidden Lusts is an erotica novel adaptation of Jane Austen's classic Pride & Prejudice. All the characters are still here from Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth, and Mr. Bingley but you could have never imagined what was really going on in Netherifeld Park!
While Mrs. Bennett is determined to marry off one of her daughters to the good fortune of Mr. Bingley, Mr. Bennett is too busy behind his study doors with his favorite pictures to get involved.. Mr. Bennett is not the only one with an agenda of his own...Mr. Bingley and his sister both have their sites set on Mr. Darcy and will seemingly stop at nothing to get him. Lady Caroline is trying to bring her birch across anyone's backside that will oblige. Lydia is busy entertaining any officer she comes in contact with. Mr. Collins is known to go behind the bushes with any number of men to satisfy his need. All the while, Elizabeth is keeping herself busy and trying not to think of Mr. Darcy. Will anyone get what they so desire?!

My Thoughts
This adaptation what a refreshing change while keeping the classic storyline intact. Some of the scenes were a little much for my taste, but the plot remained solid and does justice to the genre. One of my favorite's is in chapter 19..."As Elizabeth lay in her bed in Lambton touching herself, so too did Darcy in Pemberley, their hands moving in unison at their loins....That their thoughts should be so closely united would have astonished them both, for as Elizabeth imagined that the fingers within the folds of her womanhood were those of Mr. Darcy, he imagined that those encircling his manhood belonged to her." This was my first novel by Mitzi Szereto, but definately not my last!

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews

I finished Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts a few days ago (now a week ago by the time I've gotten around to updating my draft) and this is the longest I think it has ever taken me to write a review after I've finished a book. I'm stumped on how to rate this book or for that matter, how to properly review Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts without a bunch of spoilers. Since most people I know would have read the original masterpiece by Jane Austen, I think people will want to know what makes this book different and what exactly is the Hidden Lust version all about.

Have I read erotica before? Of course! Have I read romantic comedies before? Of course! I have I read an erotic romantic comedy before? No. I can't say as I have. I giggled, laughed and smiled all through Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts. I dare you to picture Lady Catherine de Bough wielding a horse whip or Mr. Collins losing a front tooth while performing oral sex (on another man no less) and not crack a smile.

Mitzi Szereto has taken one of the most revered story of all time and modified each of the characters in an exaggerated new character form. Did you think a certain female character in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen was a bit bossy? Well chances are that same character is dominatrix in the Hidden Lust version. The story plot and flow was fantastic but was it so because it followed along an existing fantastic original by Jane Austen?

This erotic adaptation is not as extreme as Anne Rice's version of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty and for me it focused more on character adaptations. The "acts" themselves were often humourous if not ridiculous and lighter hearted. I was comfortable reading all about a character fantasizing over the porn of the era and finding a new creative way to use squash and I even giggled over the consequences of gypsy potions. But I just couldn't get past my precious Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth acting out in the manner it was written. I wanted to save them for one single spectacular love making session at the end of the book and after they were married. Call me old fashion (I have no idea who would ever call me old fashion) but I still just wanted to protect the sanctity of that couple.

So now I have circled back with a rating. I was entertained and I did enjoy the book but I could only read Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts in small doses. For me it was not a sit down and devour it type of book. I read this book more like it was a comical erotic fan fiction of Pride and Prejudice but with a professional flair because the writing is very good. Reviewing the definitions of my own personal ratings system I created for my book review blog, I am satisfied with a 3.5 as I feel it fits the bill. I think if you really love the original, you'll get quite a kick out of this version.

Teasers- birch switch, generous servants, apple bra, and late night interludes

Review by Stephanie: I'm amazed how parallel Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Szereto's sexy parody, Hidden Lusts, are. Though I do believe the original is a timeless classic, I can't say I really enjoyed it that much. I remember having to read it in tenth grade English; I made it about three-quarters through, before deciding just to SparkNotes the rest of it. This fiery rewrite however, I had no trouble reading. It may be I just really like sex (most likely), but the drama and mishaps of Hidden Lusts are absolutely entertaining, and best of all, kinky.

You always see hilarious porn parodies, and this book reminds me of one of them, only it's in the form of erotica, rather than porn. Each of the characters' traits are highly exaggerated, which makes for an even funnier storyline, and there of course, is brash, shameless, sex -- lots and lots of it.

My favorite thing about this book is how each of the characters have their own concealed desires, but only the reader knows about them. Szereto's content is sizzling hot, but I often found the sex scenes redundant. For instance, Mr. Wickham and Elizabeth's encounters always are described with "a moving in his breeches", meaning, an uncontrollable boner (LOL, right?), but that happens every time. It's funny at first, but becomes repetitive after a while.

Speaking of Mr. Wickham, we all know from Pride and Prejudice, that he turns out to be the charming, but elusive and judgmental villain. In Hidden Lusts, boy, is he ever! His accusations are atrocious, but his actions, even worse. He screams Victorian naughtiness, and threatens to tear the Bennett family apart.

Mr. Bennett seems to have his perversions as well, but they don't involve his wife. It's difficult to call him a handsome man, but his ways are very, very kinky, and often comical too. Mrs. Bennett's character seems mostly untouched, though her neurotic personality is strongly caricatured. We also discover the reason behind her brazen frenzy. She however, is one of the only characters who isn't sexualized, so her story is a breath of fresh air.

Then we've got the Bennett sisters, who are burlesque within themselves. Lydia -- oh, my precious Lydia. There isn't too much of her in Pride and Prejudice, except that she's the frivolous, foolish one. To call her a brazen whore would be uncouth, but spot-on. She elopes with Wickham in the original novel, as she does in this book, but the method of means isn't revealed until the very end; you'll be surprised! Mary is delightful as ever -- sarcasm, sarcasm. Poor Mary, the only unpleasant and ugly one in her family. Her greed to become physically beautiful eventually take a toll on her in Hidden Lusts, which teaches a lesson to our superficialities. Jane is nothing short of submissive, but her character is, for the most part, left alone. She isn't kinky or rowdy like her sister, Elizabeth (whom I will get back to later), but we do learn that her lusts are carefully hidden -- much so, that we wonder if they exist at all. Kitty plays a minor role in the novel. All she seems to do is chase after handsome militiamen along with Lydia, and her character isn't deeply examined either. But Elizabeth. How shocked I am with Elizabeth! She, soon after meeting Darcy, discovers the powers of self-pleasure, and realizes how much she loves it -- a little too much. She is definitely a likable character though, and the chemistry between her and Darcy is scalding hot.

I won't tell you about the rest of the smaller characters (who all have fervid, carnal intents), but I will say how fun it is to wander in the minds of seemingly proper tea-and-crumpets men and women, set to the tune of Jane Austen's romantic tale. Szereto creates a parody that's full of sex of all kinds (including taboo topics like homosexuality, adultery, and BDSM), but is classy at the same time. Her sophisticated and humorous touch to retelling a well-known story is both absorbing and clear. I still find it impressive how well her rewrite lines up with the original novel, and look forward to her future endeavors.

Quote: "His touches set fire to her flesh, stealing away all sense of propriety as she abandoned herself to his care, heedless to the repercussions."