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Charlotte Collins, née Lucas, is the respectable wife of Hunsford’s vicar, and sees to her duties by rote: keeping house, caring for their daughter, visiting parishioners, and patiently tolerating the lectures of her awkward husband and his condescending patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Intelligent, pragmatic, and anxious to escape the shame of spinsterhood, Charlotte chose this life, an inevitable one so socially acceptable that its quietness threatens to overwhelm her. Then she makes the acquaintance of Mr. Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine.
In Mr. Travis’ company, Charlotte feels appreciated, heard, and seen. For the first time in her life Charlotte begins to understand emotional intimacy and its effect on the heart—and how breakable that heart can be. With her sensible nature confronted, and her own future about to take a turn, Charlotte must now question the role of love and passion in a woman’s life, and whether they truly matter for a clergyman’s wife.
PRAISE FOR The Clergyman's Wife
"There's a hint of DH Lawrence in this nuanced, cleverly-plotted Pride and Prejudice spin-off."
BBC CULTURE
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"With a light touch, wisdom, and care, Greeley explores questions that provide a richer understanding of history and of our own lives."
REBECCA MATTIS, Phoenix Books
Indie Next Pick Review
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"This is a book to savor, like the seasons and the emotions it so skillfully draws, and Greeley is a wonderful new talent to discover."
NATALIE JENNER, international bestselling author of
The Jane Austen Society
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A "quietly powerful tale."
AUSTENPROSE.COM​
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"Poignant, pensive, and brilliant."
LAUREL ANN NATTRESS, editor of
Jane Austen Made Me Do It
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"Greeley's attention to historical detail and her astute characterization as she adeptly uncovers nuances of character in both Charlotte and her husband... feel fresh while also ringing true to Austen's writing. Fans of other Austen spinoffs... will devour this thoughtful, moving, readable debut."
BOOKLIST
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"Greeley debuts with a delightful yet poignant historical inspired by Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice... With tight prose and expert characterization, Greeley easily draws readers into the world she's created."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY​
"The Clergyman's Wife is a compelling, beautifully rendered view into the soul of Pride and Prejudice's Charlotte Collins, and into the bittersweet realities of the life of compromise she chose when she married for security rather than love."
SHANNON WINSLOW, author of
The Darcys of Pemberley
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"Beautifully written and with engaging detail, The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley brings readers into the mind and heart of this young woman torn between propriety and true intimacy. It is a novel I couldn’t put down and will long remember!"
SARAH SHOEMAKER, author of
Mr. Rochester
December 2019 Indie Next Pick
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December 2019 BBC Culture Top Ten Read
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December 2019 Bustle Top Ten Read
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December 2019 Christian Science Monitor
Top Ten Read
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Amazon UK Bestseller