Introducing Mrs Collins is Rachel Parris’s debut novel and a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, emerging as part of the celebration of Jane Austen's 250th birthday in 2025 .
In this narrative, Charlotte Lucas—the often-overlooked friend of Elizabeth Bennet—finally becomes the protagonist. Parris explores Charlotte’s life after marrying Mr. Collins, spotlighting her quiet resilience and the complexities beneath her practical decisions.
Introducing Mrs Collins is a bold, heartfelt reimagining of one of Austen’s most underappreciated figures. Rachel Parris brings wit, empathy, and modern sensibility to Charlotte’s story—turning the dutiful wife into a woman grappling with desires she never allowed herself to feel. Though some readers may quibble with character choices or narrative structure, the prevailing sentiment is one of affection and admiration for a character finally allowed to have her own storyline.
If you’ve ever wondered "what became of Charlotte Lucas?", or longed to see her as more than an afterthought, this novel offers a richly imagined and emotionally compelling answer.

This heartfelt, funny and moving novel is a worthy successor to 'Pride and Prejudice'. It has all the wit and compassion that made Austen's work one of the most enduring and best loved stories of all time. Written in a style that feels very like Austen's own, but a bit more readable for a modern audience, it follows the supporting character Charlotte Lucas as she enters into married life with the odious vicar Mr Collins. A lot of the novel runs in the same timeframe as the original, but it also includes some flashback sections set years before, and continues on to end several years after the weddings that ended 'Pride and Prejudice'.

If you haven't read Austen's original, it really is worth it - and this novel does include spoilers for the entire plot, so if you do plan to read both, do it that way round. It's many years since I read 'P&P' so I'm not sure how many of the scenes in this novel replicate those in the original, but that in itself is a compliment as the style of the dialogue is close enough that it's hard to tell. Charlotte is a very likeable central character, and the reader will surely be rooting for her from the first few pages. But Parris's real achievement is to make some of Austen's less sympathetic characters much more relatable and sympathetic, whilst still remaining true to the portrayals that Austen gave of them. Mr Collins remains irritating, obsequious, humourless - and yet by the end I really felt quite fond of him. Most surprising is the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who becomes a rather unlikely heroine of this story, despite being someone I'd be terrified to meet or have to deal with.

Over the years there have been a few sequels written by various authors, but usually focussing on the same central pairing and what they did next. This way of retelling, fleshing out some of Austen's excellent supporting characters, is another level. It allows us to get a fresh take on the events in Austen's book, and is much more interesting than a fleshed version of 'they all lived happily ever after'. After all, a story about a woman who got to marry an extremely rich man whom she was in love with, is potentially much less intriguing to read than that of a woman who married a very undesirable man because it was the only option she had. Much more opportunity for drama, emotion and general good reading there.

The thing I really loved about 'Introducing Mrs Collins' though is its heart - it is a story full of compassion and understanding for the human condition. The affection with which Parris writes is perhaps a bit surprising coming from a sharp edged comedian, but she really does enable the reader to see the best in everybody, with the sole exception of the villainous Mr Wickham - who remains as awful as Austen intended. It's a story that makes you feel better about people in general, although it is very sad and moving in parts and I cried a lot in the later parts.

It's an absolute must read for Austen fans, but it deserves a wider readership than that. If you like stories with great characters that you can really care about, you won't find anything better. And as an extra bonus, it's really quite funny too. Unlike most celebrity novelists, Rachel Parris is a truly brilliant writer - she really could 'give up the day job'. I hope she writes another one.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an eARC of Introducing Mrs Collins in exchange for an honest review. In short, I loved reading this! It’s my favourite book of the year to date and a must-read for fans of the Austentatious theatre show and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Ever wondered what happens to Charlotte Lucas after her pragmatic marriage to Mr Collins? Then look no further. This reimagining considers what Charlotte did next.

When she entered into a marriage of convenience with Mr Collins, Charlotte had no delusions about what the future held – namely, a home, financial security and a decidedly unromantic existence. Mr Collins’ representation as pious, obsequious, and repulsive was exactly as one would expect, though further exploration of his character in this spin-off novel revealed hidden depths. Parris showed a more human side to him through Charlotte’s fondness for him and through a believable backstory. Readers can expect glimpses into a childhood that helps to explain his uninspiring nature. Yet Charlotte harbours hope for a life that is both peaceful and passionate, leaving her in a moral quandary in which it's not merely propriety that’s at stake but her marital fidelity.

Alongside the romance plotline, I found the insight that Parris included into the Napoleonic Wars particularly interesting, especially regarding the battles that Colonel Fitzwilliam fought in and his increasing disillusionment with war. This was an engaging extension of the encounters with the militia in Pride and Prejudice.

I was also struck by the poignancy of parting and in particular the separation of Charlotte and Elizabeth as they moved forwards with their lives and away from one another to form their own establishments. Many readers will be able to identify with Charlotte's acknowledgement that dear friends can be hard to find.

Parris has written the voices of the characters so well, especially those of Mr Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh and the tone of their letters was just perfect. I was often amused while reading this five star novel and I will want to read it again.

Exploration of a character overlooked in the world renowned P&P. With wit, warmth, and insight into the world of Charlotte Lucas, a quietly empowering novel following on from the historical romance we all love and cherish. Austen books are and always will be one of my guilty pleasures, and a long time favourite, so any book that links to them, is a winner for me 😊

4+ ⭐

Books that have links to pride and prejudice are a guilty pleasure of mine. I've read many of them.
This one comes out near the top.
It gives you all the usual characters much as you imagine them, and then it gives you more.
The warmth I felt for Charlotte was quite something.

It was an absolute pleasure to read.
I liked that it took us beyond the timeline of P+P , which then gives the author more scope. Everything she wrote seemed to fit in how I imagined the characters would act.
I felt such affection for so many of these characters, a sure sign of great writing.
Just lovely.

This was such a refreshing surprise. Charlotte Lucas—often overlooked in Pride and Prejudice—finally gets her moment in the spotlight, and Rachel Parris gives her the voice she’s always deserved. Practical, poised, and quietly resilient, Charlotte’s story unfolds with wit, warmth, and just the right amount of romantic tension.

Life at Hunsford Parsonage is as dull as ever, but Charlotte’s inner world is anything but. When a new guest arrives at Rosings Park, things shift—slowly, then all at once. There’s spark, challenge, and a sense of possibility that feels both earned and exciting. Parris writes with a light touch, but there’s real emotional depth here too. Charlotte isn’t just navigating love—she’s questioning the rules she’s always followed, and wondering what it means to truly live.

If you love Austen but always wished Charlotte had more agency, this is the book for you. It’s clever, heartfelt, and quietly empowering. A lovely read for fans of character-driven historical fiction with a modern soul.

Thank you to Rachel Parris, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book performed a miracle: Made me love Lady Catherine De Bourgh.

But in all seriousness, I really enjoyed this. You can really tell that Rachel Parris loves and respects the source material. I am a sucker for a Jane Austen retelling and this one was no exception. I loved the discussion around women's prospects and rights in this novel. It's such an underpinning theme in the work of Austen and I appreciated it being brought to the forefront with Charlotte.

This is why one of the most impactful aspects of this novel was her relationship with Lady C. Somehow Rachel managed to take a very well known, and frankly unlikable character, and turn her into a practical, headstrong woman. She really gave this character so many layers and nuance. Something so special to add to the Austen canon. The same I think can be said for Mr Collins. He, like Catherine, never loses what makes them memorable in pride and prejudice, but you begin to see them in a new light. She keeps their characters whilst making you more understanding towards them.

Fitzwilliam has also always been an intriguing character to me, some lightness to Darcy's brooding, so that was a fun addition and I thought the romance worked really well.

The one thing I will say is that I didn't love all the flashbacks and asides from all different point of views and the letters. It just felt like a lot, however I do understand why those scenes were included.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, and Hachette Book Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a thoughtful and engaging continuation of the Pride and Prejudice world, this time focusing on Charlotte Lucas. The story begins with Mr. Collins’s proposal and follows Charlotte through her marriage and beyond, weaving in both her struggles and her search for fulfillment. It was fascinating to see the “what happens next” for characters we thought we already knew, especially Charlotte, Mr. Collins, and even Lady Catherine.
I was surprised by how well Mr. Collins was written—his dialogue and letters felt like they could have come straight from Austen herself. The author added real depth to him, even giving him a heartbreaking backstory that made me see him in a more nuanced way. Charlotte’s journey, meanwhile, felt both authentic to her time period and gently modernized, reminding me more of Persuasion in tone than Pride and Prejudice.
I’ll admit, I wasn’t always a fan of the flashbacks, but they did serve to build character depth, so I appreciated their purpose. And without spoiling anything, I absolutely loved that one of Austen’s most notorious villains finally gets the ending he deserves.
What made this book shine most for me was Charlotte herself. For so long she’s been seen as the sensible side character, but here she gets the space to explore passion, loss, resilience, and the possibility of true happiness. By the end, I found myself fully rooting for her and completely satisfied with where the story left her.
Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the Austen world—a sensitive, romantic, and deeply human reimagining. Whether you’re a lifelong Austen fan or someone new to Pride and Prejudice, this is a story worth picking up.