Into the Woods: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Ali Scott

Darcy had never known passionate love and he had told himself countless times that Miss Elizabeth was an unsuitable prospect. But the way she looked at him now...

Miss Elizabeth Bennet, on her way to refuse a proposal of marriage from an unwanted suitor, finds herself privy to secrets she ought not to know about when she overhears a heated argument between the proud and arrogant Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy and a mysterious soldier in the woods. What she hears makes her not only wary of the soldier, but also softens her heart to Mr Darcy, feeling he might be far better than he seemed at their first meeting at the Meryton Assembly.
As Elizabeth and Darcy are thrown together by circumstance over the next weeks, Darcy is increasingly captivated by her wit and courage, to say nothing of her beauty. Darcy finds himself wanting to help the enchanting Elizabeth avoid an unwanted engagement to a neighbourhood man. Alas, misunderstandings and pride threaten to keep them apart.
When Elizabeth puts herself in harm's way to protect Darcy's sister, he realizes the depth of his feelings for her. Can he overcome his reservations about her family to follow his heart? And will Elizabeth see past her prejudices to recognize Darcy's true character?
Into the Woods is a novella length Pride and Prejudice variation. It is a low angst, closed door regency romance where friends become lovers and misunderstandings are overcome.

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Regency, Romance

172 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2025

Reviews

[Ree · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Lovely Blend of Friendship, Humour, and Heart
I really enjoyed this novella. What starts as an unexpected meeting in the woods turns into a genuine friendship that slowly deepens into love. The plot flows well, with moments that made me smile and others that kept me wondering what might happen next.

It’s described as low angst, but I did feel a steady sense of unease running through it, always wondering when Mr. Lucas or Wickham would make their respective move (two separate plot points there, they aren’t in league). That kept me turning the pages. Ali Scott showed her sense of humour throughout the book too.

A teasing remark by Elizabeth to Darcy during their dance at the Netherfield ball:

“What shall we speak of?” Miss Elizabeth’s question broke through his introspection.
“Must we speak?”
“Well, yes! If we are to be friends, or close acquaintances.”
“Are we not already thus?”
“As a general rule, I speak more than two or three words to those closest to me. Until we overcome these moments of silence, I fear you shall forever remain an enigma.”

And Mr. Bennet’s dry humour is spot-on:

He glanced back at Bingley who still had not approached the cases of insects. “I have a delightful collection of pebbles in the far corner, should you wish to examine something less terrifying.”

Also, Bingley’s assistance during a moment of rescue was impressive; he is stronger than we often see. Wickham is a touch more evil, and is as nasty as ever.

To sum it up, Into the Woods is a very good friends-to-lovers story—easy to read, a little tense at times, and full of heart.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. I also purchased the published version for my Kindle library.

[Carole (in Canada) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and fast paced variation!

“Meet me at sunrise tomorrow by the fallen oak.” (quote from the book)

I was hooked right from the first chapter. Elizabeth Bennet meets more than she bargained for at sunrise in the woods. Woods that have been a solace to her. Woods that conceal her until they don’t.

“What conspiracy was it that the most disapproving man ever to visit Hertfordshire should discover her in the midst of such unbecoming behaviour!” (quote from the book)

Being relentlessly pursued for her assumed future fortune, Elizabeth wishes to provide some privacy of her refusal to a local suitor. But things don’t go according to plan. Encountering Mr. Darcy in the woods upends her opinion of him. They are soon assisting each other. I enjoyed how their relationship developed. I also enjoyed her godfather and his antics towards Mrs. Bennet.

As much as the story held my attention, I found the resolution at the end a bit weak and a bit of a stretch of the imagination. Despite this, I do feel this was well written variation.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Sheila Majczan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story has Elizabeth overhearing a "discussion" in the woods, which leads to her changing some of her opinion of two men. As Elizabeth learns more about Darcy, her feelings, of course, change.

In this tale we have rumors about Elizabeth's godfather, (also Mr. Bennet's dear friend) gifting Elizabeth with a dowry or inheritance and so she finds herself with a suitor, a fortune hunter. Wanting to let him down in a private setting is how she had come to the woods in the first place. Then as she learns about Georgiana and Wickham's plan to use letters from to blackmail Darcy, we find her again meeting a man in the woods to try to gain access to those letters.

I enjoyed this short story. It does have a short epilogue but little of the angst I like.

[Gill M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review also posted on my blog

https://myjaffobsession.blogspot.com/...

Ali Scott returns with this pleasing Pride and Prejudice Variation.

Elizabeth Bennet is the god daughter of a wealthy explorer. Some in Meryton believe that he must have bestowed a fortune upon her and thus they try to hunt her!

One unwelcome suitor is the foppish brother of Elizabeth's close friend Charlotte Lucas.

In order to reject his proposal diplomatically, she agrees to an early meeting in the woods.

An already vexing morning gets so much worse. Elizabeth slips into the mud, overhears a confrontation between two men and then comes face to face with the haughty Fitzwilliam Darcy.

She is very surprised to find him kind and gentlemanly.
They strike up a friendship that blossoms into something deeper.

Mrs Bennet is typically marriage obsessed, Lady Lucas has far too high an opinion of her eldest son and George Wickham indulges in a blackmail plot.

An excellent variation with a good combination of angst, peril and of course a happy ever after for our dear couple.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Camille Fiore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Story

But minus one star for encouraging stupidity. Has Elizabeth never heard of a rock? I have trouble with a woman confronting a known-to-be dangerous MAN and not arming herself. Does she know a man's vulnerable spots? Can she find a palm-sized rock? Let me stop ranting.

Otherwise, this is an enjoyable story. I loved the offer made by the notoriously wealthy godfather! Even the fact that Elizabeth never expected anything, while everyone else did. Very interesting.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining, although I deducted one star for Elizabeth's sheer stupidity in dealing with Wickham and meeting the Lucas son alone in the woods. Both seemed out of character.

[lori huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but....

Elizabeth overhears an argument between Darcy and Wickham, who is threatening to expose Georgiana's near scandal with some love letters. Although Elizabeth dislikes Darcy, this information softens her attitude towards him, and she eventually learns that he's not so bad, and that he admires her.

I gave three stars for good writing, and the romance is very nice. However, I can't help but object to books in which Elizabeth does so many stupid things. The opening scene is an example, where she's supposedly trying to discourage a smarmy and avaricious Mr Lucas by inviting him to a private meeting with her in the woods, which is obviously wrong and improper in so many ways. Elizabeth is supposed to be intelligent and confident, not a reckless child like Lydia.

I wanted to like this story more, since the relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth is so much less acrimonious than usual. I recommend the book for the enjoyable writing, but I have serious reservations and disappointments with Elizabeth.

[Koren | the_blue_eyed_bluestocking · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️

I enjoyed this quick-paced novella length Pride and Prejudice variation.

Timing: Just after the Bennet's stay at Netherfield
Premise: Elizabeth overhears of Darcy's trouble with Wickham while on a walk in the woods to turn down a suitor's proposal of marriage. It creates some action and a tentative friendship between the two.

What I loved: The conversation in the woods and subsequent visit to Longbourn created a sweet camaraderie between Elizabeth and Darcy. He spends several instances in the story rescuing her in one way or another, and she attempts to do the same, which backfires. I like that Elizabeth knew about Wickham because it made her more amenable to Darcy, but also more reckless in general. I also liked Mr. Bennet in this story, and the addition of his friend as Elizabeth's godfather, who no one fully understands what role he will play with her.

It's always interesting how one tweak in a story can lead us down a whole new path of possibilities. I really loved that fewer obstacles stood in the way of ODC's path to HEA. The little epilogue was perfect, allowing us a little glimpse into just how sweet and teasing they end up being together.

I received a copy from Booksprout. All thoughts contained here are my own.

[Monica Bowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

When reading P&P variations, I appreciate authors who work from a clean slate when it comes to quoting the original work. It is refreshing to find that the author has used new ways for Darcy and Elizabeth to fall in love, while going through the motions of refusal, confusion, and hope for a happily ever after. This is exactly what Ali Scott has done in Into the Woods. The overall feel of this variation was concise yet full of the romantic tension we so desire. My favorite part was the ending that gives us a very subtle look at what intimacy between Darcy and Elizabeth would look like (while keeping it closed door). My least favorite aspect was the subplot related to Mr. Lucas’s attempts at securing Elizabeth’s hand. It was also refreshing to have a story without Mr. Collins or Lady Catherine. Overall, this story satisfies all that one would expect from a Regency romance novella.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this variation of Pride and Prejudice. It was a relatively easy read for me. I got lost in the book because the story was just so nice. Darcy and Elizabeth were nice. I liked Ali's take on them. Darcy is a better gentleman in this I believe. Elizabeth is better with patience and her thoughts. I think that the other characters were also well written. I think she fleshed out all of her characters very well. The author did not create flat characters.
I enjoyed the dialogue. It sounded so real. I think my favorite dialogue comes from Darcy and Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet makes me smile.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Allison Ripley-Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

Warning: Meant for mature audiences. Contains scenes that would scandalize the ton. Readers of a delicate constitution are advised to keep their fans and vinaigrettes close at hand.

It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. You will see the most beloved characters in a whole new way. This is a Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice variation. This is part of In Want of a Wife series. This is a novella length variation, and it is a low angst, closed door regency romance where friends become lovers and misunderstandings are overcome. Darcy had never known passionate love and he had told himself countless times that Miss Elizabeth was an unsuitable prospect, but the way she looked at him now.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet, on her way to refuse a proposal of marriage from an unwanted suitor, finds herself privy to secrets she ought not to know about when she overhears a heated argument between the proud and arrogant Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy and a mysterious soldier in the woods. What she hears makes her not only wary of the soldier, but also softens her heart to Mr Darcy, feeling he might be far better than he seemed at their first meeting at the Meryton Assembly.

As Elizabeth and Darcy are thrown together by circumstance over the next weeks, Darcy is increasingly captivated by her wit and courage, to say nothing of her beauty. Darcy finds himself wanting to help the enchanting Elizabeth avoid an unwanted engagement to a neighbourhood man. Alas, misunderstandings and pride threaten to keep them apart. When Elizabeth puts herself in harm's way to protect Darcy's sister, he realizes the depth of his feelings for her. Can he overcome his reservations about her family to follow his heart, and will Elizabeth see past her prejudices to recognize Darcy's true character? So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.

[Season Hoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

I enjoyed this sweet tale. ODC builds a perfect friendship but ODB is still a bit of a doofus. I do wish we got more of Lizzy’s godfather and the description is a bit off because Darcy isn’t really helping fend off suitors. Their writing is good with enough stuff going on to keep you engaged. I only wanted more which is the sign of a great writer. This sweet and short tale is worth the read.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute and exactly what I needed rn

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Bennet is on her way to refuse an unwanted offer of marriage from a neighbour when she overhears an heated argument between Mr Darcy and another man. Considering what she just heard, her understanding and opinion of Mr Darcy begins to change and she begins to understand that she may have judged him wrong and too harshly. Circumstances bring them together repeatedly in the next weeks and they spend much time together. Soon they form a sort of friendship.
Darcy is enchanted by Elizabeth from nearly the first moment. After rescuing her from an unwanted proposal he spends more time with her and is more and more captivated. He would dearly love to make her his wife but deems her unsuitable for this position. But then she puts herself in harm's way to protect his sister.
Can Darcy overcome his objections against Elizabeth? Does Elizabeth feel the same for him? And what about her unwanted suitor who still wants her as his wife?

The book was very well written by the author Ali Scott. I have read her other books, too and I enjoyed them all very much. This book is no exception. I like Ali Scott's style of writing very much. Most of the time the story is not very eventful because Darcy and Elizabeth slowly build their relationship and discover the other’s personality. But at the end, when Elizabeth tries to protect Darcy’s sister, the story becomes more thrilling and forces both Elizabeth and Darcy to determine their feelings. But do not get me wrong, the uneventfulness at the beginning is a fine thing because thus the relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth has the room to develop the way it does.

I like the idea that Elizabeth, due to an overheard conversation, is very early in her acquaintance with Darcy able to see a glimpse of his true, hidden self and judge him more accurately because she detects that her first impression of him was flawed. I like that she is now able to form a more accurate picture of Darcy’s true personality and that lets her heart soften to him. With this she is able to develop feelings for Darcy, first feelings of friendship than of love, and form a deeper relationship with him.

There is another, new, main character in the book, Charlotte’s brother who is determined to marry Elizabeth (mostly because his mother said so 🤣 ). Therefore Darcy has a rival in his affection for Elizabeth. But in this case this is a really good thing because Mr Lucas tends to do many things Darcy normally is used to doing (for example insulting Elizabeth’s family, thinking selfishly only of oneself). Darcy, for himself, finds this behaviour repulsive and he also gets to know Elizabeth’s feelings on the matter. He therefore has a really, really good example of how NOT to approach a woman and needs not to make the same mistakes. He also can compare his conduct with that of Mr Lucas to improve himself. That is a really gut thing because therefore it does not need Elizabeth’s refusal to change Darcy’s behaviour for the better and let him lose his bad habits. Elizabeth therefore sees the real Darcy from nearly the beginning of their acquaintance.

I really like how the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy develops. The building tension is palpable throughout the whole book, especially when both are on the verge of falling in love with each other but are not yet ready to acknowledge it. My favourite moment therefore was the excursion to the ruins, a really great scene between Darcy and Elizabeth.
In addition I really enjoyed that it was very obvious for all that Darcy and Elizabeth are in love, only the two take a bit longer to acknowledge that.

What I really enjoyed was that this book, although it takes place after Jane’s illness, is without William Collins (he was detained in Kent). It is really restful for me not to hear him praise Lady Catherine in every sentence and ramble on about other nonsense 😉.

Apart from George Wickham, who normally is a villain whenever he is around, there are no villains in this story. Darcy and Elizabeth only experience the way love normally is - one develops feelings and one needs to find out if they are reciprocated. But there is nobody else who tries to intervene in ODC’s relationship.

If you like to know how an overheard conversation between Darcy and another man can change her understanding of him you should definitely read this excellent variation.

I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of the book via bookspout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristin O'donoghue · Rating 5 out of 5]

For lovers of Pride and Prejudice who always wonder what Darcy and Elizabeth's path could have been like if they'd just had more opportunities to talk and get to know each other before outside forces got in their way, then Ali Scott's new novella, Into the Woods, is read you will want to jump into!

In Into the Woods, Scott starts her story not too long after Darcy and Elizabeth first meet in Meryton. However, rather than let the pair start to get overly entrenched in misunderstandings and prejudices, she gives readers an opportunity to explore the 'what if' Darcy and Elizabeth had a chance encounter in the woods near Netherfield that could present an opportunity to mutual respect and understanding.

I think one of the things that I loved most about this read is the intimate and every day type of dialogues and interactions that Darcy and Elizabeth get to enjoy as they build the foundations of a friendship amidst the confusion of deeper feelings that they both start to realize they cannot deny. Scott does a wonderful job of navigating these scenes in a way that feels so organic to the characters that you can't believe that these were not n the Austen's original.

Into the Woods, made me fall in love yet again with the way in which Darcy and Elizabeth come to be true champions for each other, even if I was a little concerned with just how much Elizabeth was willing to risk of her own safety. Of course, Darcy does not fail to rise to the occasion and to realize that the only woman he could ever be with is this very spirited and captivating young woman from Hertfordshire. Finally, it was pretty great to see how Elizabeth would act if she had always known from the beginning just how untrustworthy Wickham was from day 1.

If you are looking for a relatively low angst Pride and Prejudice variation that has wonderful dialogue and beautifully crafted one on one moments between our favorite couple, then definitely give this latest book from Ali Scott a read!

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet, with just a touch of drama. On her way to refuse a proposal from Frederick Lucas, a ridiculous fop, Elizabeth overhears an argument between Darcy and Wickham, a man she had not yet met. She takes a fall, which she often does in P&P variations, and Darcy escorts her back to Longbourn. His kindness and consideration begin to chip away at her first impressions. They quickly become friends, although both of them try to repress romantic feeling in themselves. Darcy is often there to assist her in this tale, especially when her plan to trick Wickham goes awry.

Elizabeth's godfather, a world traveler and friend of her father, is a background figure who doesn't appear until near the end. He puts the inevitable stamp on Elizabeth's future.

Very enjoyable and hard to put down.

[Tzippy Sheffi Elgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading Into the Woods. The romance between Elizabeth and Darcy is sweet and delightful. In this story, Elizabeth learns about Wickham's lies in the beginning which allows her to form a different opinion of Darcy. I enjoyed the progress of their relationship, their becoming friends and confidants and then lovers. I found the story engaging and amusing (some of the scenes that included Mr Lucas, the ridiculous, mercenary and annoying dandy). The ending is just heartmelting and lovely and the epilogue made me wish there was another one with more Darcy and Elizabeth moments.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[PH · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘ “Would you care to request a dance?” Mrs Bennet pressed on. “Jane is so admired you should claim one now before the chance is lost.”‘ How I laughed at Mrs Bennet’s undisguised confidence regarding her eldest daughter. I love the insignificant remarks made by all the side characters, which added a lot of fun and decorations into the plot.

A fast-paced, happy, low-angst story. Although I do not feel easy considering Elizabeth’s plan of no-real-plan to meet the villain alone in the wood, this is as a whole an enjoyable read. A most delicious epilogue waiting at the end. Swoon~

[Rosava Doshchyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Обридливий залицяльник, нахабний Вікем та багатий хрещений-мандрівник — усе це поєднується в цій варіації.

✅ Дружба між Елізабет і Дарсі

✅ Руйнування підступних планів

✅ Мила безконфліктна романтика

✅ Безстрашна Елізабет

✅ Брудні спідниці (міряти грязюку після дощу — то святе!)

✅ Хрещений на приколі, який хоч і з'являється тільки в кінці, але протягом всієї історії показує себе веселим дядьком

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up. I had trouble getting into the story, but once I did, I was hooked. I wish it didn't end with their engagement - OK, there was sort of an epilogue, but we never find out what happens to Wickham and a few other loose ends. However, it had some swoonworthy parts, and left me with pleasant feelings, so that makes up for it.

[RTD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice

What I liked:

- It is a cute and light read.

- Darcy and Elizabeth's friendly relationship.

Least favorite:

- Darcy waited almost two weeks to see Elizabeth, and that wasn't even on his own accord.

* 3.5 Stars

[Linda K Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Woods

A sweet short Pride and Prejudice variation where Elizabeth over hears a disagreement when she is planning on turning down a proposal. Everyone seems to think her an Heiress... but is she?
Nice hea.

[Vem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very ooc Darcy and Elizabeth, and a truly idiotic Elizabeth too. The development of the romance was too fast to make any impact. But some of the dialogues between Elizabeth and Darcy were nice, although not enough to make up for the other issues.

[Leanne Eastman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

I enjoyed this shorter variation and the development of ODC’s relationship. It was well written and moved along at a good pace, which I appreciate. I liked that ODC moved on quickly from initial challenges to become friends first and enjoy each other. Well done.

[Mrs Alison Gauld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

The development of the love between Elizabeth and Darcy was very well explained, and the descent of of Wickham, the description of his character was very good. Elizabeth was foolhardy to attempt to see Wickham alone , but her rescue was just great.

[Karen Petrone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it 😍

This book was so good. Very entertaining. Nothing uneccarily long or boring. fully had my attention caught the whole time. I really liked the addition of her godfather.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

extremely plotty and complex for a novella, yet pacing was very consistnet throughout. Lizzy's lines were truly witty, the plot was novel, and the characterization of each character in line with canon. highly recommend.

[sharon temple · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very pleasant read.

This is a lovely story. A well-written, easy short read for a lazy afternoon.
I would have liked to learn more about Lizzy’s newly-introduced, intrepid Godfather so I hope he reappears in future stories.
Low angst, everyone gets what they deserve.

[mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

I added Ali Scott to my ‘reliably writes lovely stories’ author list a while ago and this story keeps her at the top of that list. 🥰