Old Boots, a new book by Grace Gibson, is a companion, of sorts, to her first Meryton Press novel, Silver Buckles. The two are completely independent of each other, yet they have one thing in common—footwear. We are happy to be publishing this novel which is now available for preorder and will be auto-delivered to your eReader on July 9th.
This story is told from Darcy’s point of view, and it is quite entertaining. Before getting to the cover, we will share the back cover copy. We hope you will enjoy reading more about Old Boots.
Back Cover Copy
Some form of devilry has come over Mr. Darcy.
Since his father’s death, Fitzwilliam Darcy has endeavored to be reliable, responsible, and restrained. But upon visiting Netherfield Park in Hertfordshire, he finds himself weary of the struggle to be so damnably well regulated and delights in a revival of the carefree mischief that characterized his younger days.
What brings on this sudden reversal? Perhaps it is a shocking incident that takes place upon his first entering the neighborhood when he rescues Miss Elizabeth Bennet from the raging current of a rain-swollen stream. The so-called “lady” does not prefer to be rescued, and Darcy’s subsequent dunking, rather than resulting in the gratitude that is his due, is met with her confounding resentment of his interference.
This tale of Darcy’s entanglement with the mysteriously grief-stricken Bennet family is interwoven with a love story—a most delicious exchange of looks, barbs, pranks, and innuendos as Miss Elizabeth, the “lightning bolt of Longbourn,” regularly singes, frustrates, and humbles the man from Derbyshire.
Imagine a Mr. Darcy who is mischievous and carefree like in his younger days! What an intriguing thought that is! Would you like to know more? We’ll take a look at a short excerpt soon. During the upcoming blog tour, there will be more excerpts with examples of the devilry that has come over Mr. Darcy! All readers and followers are in for a treat!
Now is the time to see the front cover. Then I’ll tell you about the painting.
The painting, The Honourable Mark George Kerr Rolle (1835–1907), High Steward (1861–1907), was painted by Henry Richard Graves (1812-1882) The painting and image copyright is owned by Barnstaple Town Council, and the original painting hangs in Barnstaple Guildhall, in Barnstaple, North Devon, England.
Meryton Press, Grace Gibson, and Janet Taylor would like to thank the Barnstaple Town Council, the Town Clerk, and Megan Sanders for granting us the privilege to use the painting on the front cover of Old Boots.
Are you curious about all the dogs and Darcy wearing a pair of boots that are definitely not “old”? Hmmm, what is happening here, and when is it taking place? Where?
Do you want to see the full wrapper? Maybe some questions will be answered, or…maybe more will arise!
Darcy is wearing “old boots” in this painting. Why would he not be wearing his usual perfectly shined boots? His valet must by mortified! I’m really curious now. How about you? What about the puppy behind Lizzy’s skirt? What does it have to do with the story? Stay tuned.
Let’s hear from the author, then read a short excerpt.
From the author
I am excited to introduce my newest release, Old Boots, told entirely from Mr. Darcy’s point of view. Isn’t this an intriguing, manly-man cover?
Mr. Darcy is usually pictured riding high atop a spirited thoroughbred and not often associated with dogs. But maybe I should explain that in this story, I have introduced a new character to help Darcy and Elizabeth’s love affair along—his name is Bandit, and in this excerpt, we see just how cleverly he arranges for them to meet.
Excerpt
A landed man will always think about drainage when looking at a stream, and I was in the midst of wondering whether Netherfield Park was muddy or dry when, with only half my attention, I began to notice a lady up ahead. She stood on the embankment, balanced by only one hand grasping a tree limb as she stretched precariously over the frothing water. She was staring intently into the current, and such was the tautness and intensity of her pose that the rest of my attention snapped into focus.
I struggled from a slouch into an upright position and began pounding on the roof of my carriage. As the wheels stopped, I jumped to the road, yet before I took one step toward the woman to ascertain what was needed, she dropped like a stone into the water below her!
I confess, I blinked twice to assure myself I was in my right mind, but a bonnet floating downstream on the fast-moving water caused me to shout with surprise and break into a run. In a flash, I was on the bank, frantically scanning upstream for any sign of the lady.
I spotted her instantly, not ten yards away but moving quickly, and after one second of anguish for my boots, I, too, plunged waist deep into freezing water. With her back to me, the woman was submerged chest-high and struggling to stay upright, judging from the splashing all around her. With grim determination to make quick work of rescuing her, I crashed through the ice-cold current, grasped her by the waist, and dragged her toward the bank.
I had heard that a drowning person can sometimes fight his rescuer, but I was surprised by the force of resistance with which my effort was rewarded.
“Let me go!” she bawled, and then, while flailing wildly against me, she spluttered, “You are making this harder!”
With a surprising degree of strength, she lunged away from me, and when I once again had a crushing hold around her waist, I became vaguely aware that we were not alone. She was clinging to something that thrashed and flailed for its life.
But before I could fully grasp this development, my foot slipped as we wrestled, and I stumbled, pulling us completely under water in a tangled mass. By some feat of superhuman strength, I found a foothold, righted myself, thrust us to the surface, and hauled myself, the lady, and—
“A dog?” I spat in disgust as I landed us, panting, gasping, and coughing in a heap in the mud midway up the bank.
I love this beautiful book cover and think it captures the essence of the story so well! If you would like to read a bit more about this matchmaking hound, join me at Austenesque Reviews on July 12th. Hope to see you there!
I love this excerpt and Bandit! He is one clever hound, isn’t he? To arrange this unusual and uh, rather wet, river drenching meeting for Darcy and Lizzy, he has to be fairly crafty! I thought it was a splendid introduction! Darcy and Lizzy don’t know what “hit” them, but they shall soon find out!
The blog tour for Old Boots will start July 12th. The complete schedule with links to all stops will be posted at a later date on this blog and on the Meryton Press Facebook page.
It’s Giveaway Time
Would you like a chance to win a copy of Old Boots by Grace Gibson? Meryton Press is giving away two eBooks, and the giveaway is international. We would dearly love to hear from you. To enter, leave a comment and share your thoughts with us. The giveaway will end at midnight central time, Monday, the 5th of July. Good luck to everyone!
Old Boots may be preordered at
Other Books by Grace Gibson
Silver Buckles and Reckless, Headstrong Girl may be purchased on Amazon in eBook, Paperback, and Audiobook format, and both are available on Kindle Unlimited.
Christina Boyd
That cover is gorgeous!
Grace Gibson
I totally agree! Janet Taylor always manages to pull out all the stops. This one really suits the story.
Meryton Press
That’s great to hear, Christina. Thanks for stopping by.
Mihaela
Wonderful, delightful surprise!
And of course I thought immediately that Ms Gibson should be very fond of footwear….💜
Loved the covers, the paintings and am all anticipation for the Darcy’s POV!
As for the old and new boots… Well… I should think he would take to wearing old ones whenever Elizabeth is nearby… Mischief happens and it pays to be prepared!
One question: how many layers of shirts and coats did Mr Darcy have on when he took on the river? Emerging from water should be…. interesting …batting eyelashes
Looking forward to the promise of great fun!
😘
Grace Gibson
You are right – this is a delightful, surprising of cover! I do think there is some magic, some power of attraction, built into the shoes and boots of ladies and gentleman of that time. Darcy soaking wet must have been a sight to behold – if only Elizabeth was not quite so infuriated she might have noticed!
Meryton Press
Loved the comment about Ms Gibson being fond of footwear. The buckles and the boots do play a neat role in the books. You have some good deductions about why he should wear old boots too! I’m curious as to the number of layers too! Hmmm…Great comments and good luck in the giveaway!
Glynis
An opportunity missed there Darcy! You should have taken a moment to remove your coat thus exposing your ‘wet shirt’ body to Elizabeth! I’m sure things would have escalated much more speedily! 😉.
I love the cover, especially the painting on the back! That pose Darcy? Phew! I’m really looking forward to this. Thank you for sharing this excerpt etc. 🥰
Grace Gibson
I see what you mean Glynis! I am excited for you to read this story and look forward to hearing your thoughts about this slightly devilish Mr. Darcy.
Meryton Press
So true, Glynis! He should have let that wet shirt body do the talking. 🙂 We’re glad you like the cover and the back painting. Grace thought that Darcy pose was perfect! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
DarcyBennett
Sounds great. Congrats on the release!
Grace Gibson
Much appreciated!
Meryton Press
Good luck in the giveaway, and thanks for stopping by.
Marie H
I love the cover/painting! It must have been a thrill to receive permission to use it. Good for you! I loved Silver Buckles, and it was one of my favourites for 2020. I can’t wait to meet Bandit. I imagine he is a bit of a rascal who will manage to get the best of Darcy from time to time. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Grace Gibson
Hi Marie! It took some time to get permission but thanks to Janet’s determination and persistence, we were able to use this image. I am excited for you to meet Bandit, and yes, he is very naughty! Thanks for stopping by today.
Meryton Press
It was a thrill, Marie! That email granting permission made our day! Wasn’t Silver Buckles a wonderful story? We’re so glad it was one of your favorites. We hope Old Boots will be one for 2021. Doesn’t Bandit sound adorable? Just wait until you get to read more about him. Good luck in the giveaway.
Cyndy
Sounds like a great book! I’m interested to learn more about Bandit and how he figures in the story. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of the book!
Grace Gibson
I appreciate that, Cyndy. I hope you win the giveaway!
Meryton Press
Hi Cyndy. It is a great book, and Bandit figures in the story quite nicely. He is a fun character and so lovable! Good luck.
Elin
Oh my, this book sounds thrilling!
Love the excerpt and the cover.
I absolutely adored Silver Buckles so I am definitely getting Old Boots too.
Congratulations!
Grace Gibson
Thank you so much Elin! I hope you enjoy the story and really appreciate your encouragement.
Meryton Press
Wonderful, Elin! It is an awesome book. We’re happy to hear you loved the excerpt, cover, and Silver Buckles. We hope you love Old Boots just as much.
Kathy Berlin
I adored Silver Buckles and am happy to see the author has given us a new book. The back cover picture with the dog behind the lady’s skirt was a perfect choice. What a great find! The excerpt is delightful, giving us a seriously ruffled Fitzwilliam Darcy and an irritated Elizabeth Bennet. Great start!
Grace Gibson
Ruffled and annoyed – you captured the spirit of this excerpt perfectly Kathy! I am excited for you to read it – best of luck on the giveaway.
Meryton Press
We have all been excited to have another book by Grace Gibson too. It’s so nice to hear you adored Silver Buckles and feel sure you will love this one too. The excerpt was delightful and your description of it apt! Thanks for dropping by and good luck.
Grace Gibson
Once again, Meryton Press has been wonderful! From beginning to end, everyone has made this process effortless. I feel amazingly lucky! A special thank you must go to Janet Taylor for the cover work and so many other things. She is a tremendous resource for authors. Also, I have had the amazing support of Debbie Styne and Ellen Pickels. Both of these talented editors somehow manage to make the polishing process painless and–dare I say–almost fun? This has definitely been a group project!
Meryton Press
Thank you, Grace. Your comments work both ways. I’m sure I can speak for all of us. You make the process effortless too. It is always a joy working with you, and Meryton Press is lucky to have you on our team. Congratulations on your new book!
Sheila L. Majczan
I read and loved both Silver Buckles and Reckless, Headstrong Girl – 5 star reviews from me. I also adore the cover pictures. I am looking forward to reading this new story. Thanks for sharing the excerpt.
Grace Gibson
Sheila, I can’t express how much confidence positive and thoughtful reviews like yours can inspire in the creative process. I truly appreciate every word. Thank you so much!
Meryton Press
Hi Sheila! We’re so glad you stopped by and shared your thoughts. The 5 star reviews from you were awesome, and we all appreciate them, and you, very much. We’re also happy to hear you adore the cover paintings as much as we do. Wasn’t the excerpt fun? Good luck in the giveaway.
Mrstiffanym
Looking forward to a book written from Darcy’s POV! Cant wait to see where these boots take Darcy.
Grace Gibson
Yes, let’s see where these boots take the gentleman…over to Longbourn perhaps? Thank you for stopping by today and good luck on the giveaway!
Meryton Press
I love it! These boots do take Darcy lots of places, and you will have fun reading about them. He is quite mischievous in this story. It seems that dunking may have cast a spell over him, or was it that so-called “lady”?
Regina
Love the cover and the “rescue” of Lizzy and the pup. Very Darcy-like!
Meryton Press
Thanks, Regina. Isn’t that just like Darcy? 🙂
Grace Gibson
I am glad you enjoyed the excerpt, Regina – thank you!
Kelly Miller
Congratulations, Grace! Your new book sounds great, and with a dog in a pivotal role, it cannot miss! 🙂
Meryton Press
I knew you would like the dog addition, Kelly! 🙂
Grace Gibson
Thanks so much Kelly!
Elaine Barr
I can’t wait to read this book. Love the cover.
Meryton Press
Great! Thanks, Elaine.
Grace Gibson
I hope you enjoy it Elaine! Good luck on the giveaway.
Beatrice
Oh, I love Grace Gibson’s books! So delighted there’s a new one coming out! I anticipate exceptional banter and much fun.
Meryton Press
Aren’t her books good? We delighted you shared your thoughts. Thank you!
Grace Gibson
I appreciate that very much Beatrice! I hope you enjoy this version of Darcy and Elizabeth’s love story.
Suzan Lauder
I like that cover enough that I’ll have to get a paperback instead of my usual Kindle version. The excerpt was cute! I look forward to reading this book. Best wishes on your latest release, Grace!
Meryton Press
Thank you for stopping by, Suzan! We’re happy you like the cover well enough to get a paperback! Awesome! Wasn’t the excerpt fun? Now the real fun begins for Darcy and Lizzy. (and Bandit) 🙂
Grace Gibson
Thank you, Suzan! I agree that cover is a “keeper” – Janet is a magician. Hope you are having a lovely summer.
Jan Hahn
Love both the front and back covers! And knowing Janet’s love for dogs (it rivals her love for Darcy), I’m sure she enjoyed working on these covers. Great job, Janet! Grace, I was lucky enough to get an early read of Old Boots, and it’s as much fun as Silver Buckles. Congratulations on writing another wonderful book!
Meryton Press
You are absolutely right, Jan. I did enjoy working on these covers! 🙂 Thank you! We’re so glad you dropped by. It’s great hearing your thoughts on Old Boots, too! Isn’t it a fun book? I love it!
Grace Gibson
Oh my goodness, Jan! What a nice surprise. Thank you for that confidence booster. The cover is excellent, isn’t it?
Tamara Howard
Looking forward to this new release. I loved Silver Buckles, especially. I agree the cover is wonderful!
Meryton Press
Happy to hear it, Tamara! It’s so nice hearing you loved Silver Buckles. I think you will love Old Boots too.
Grace Gibson
What a lovely comment, Tamara. Thank you!
J. W. Garrett
Oh, what a delightful cover. I love the dogs. What a clever idea. I have read both Silver Buckles and Reckless, Headstrong Girl and loved them. I am so excited for Grace Gibson in the launch of this new work and wish her all manner of success. Thanks to Meryton Press for the generous giveaway. Blessings on its success and good luck to all in the drawing.
Meryton Press
Aren’t all the dogs adorable? Dear Bandit does his job well in this story. He’s a rascal, but a good one! Good luck in the giveaway.
Grace Gibson
I am glad of this opportunity to tell you how much I have appreciated your creative, insightful, encouraging reviews J.W. I hope you enjoy this new offering and wish you luck on the giveaway!
Colleen
What a sweet cover! This story looks cute.
Meryton Press
We’re glad you think so, Colleen. Hopefully, you will get a chance to read it soon. Thanks for stopping by.
Grace Gibson
Thank you Colleen!
Paige
I love both the front and back covers! Don’t include me in the ebook drawing, because I already have a copy. I’ll be reviewing it for my blog in a couple of weeks 😄
Grace Gibson
Much appreciated, Paige. I look forward to visiting your blog on July 19th!
Meryton Press
Hi Paige. We’re glad you like the covers. We’re looking forward to your stop during the blog tour.
Sarah P
Great cover, I loved Silver Buckles and can’t wait to get my hands on this new story. It’s so nice to read a version of Darcy that’s carefree, and not subdued under the pressure of society and his own familial requirements.
Grace Gibson
I am so happy you enjoyed Silver Buckles and hope you enjoy this Old Boots as well, Sarah. Happy reading and good luck on the giveaway!
Meryton Press
Wasn’t Silver Buckles good? We’re so happy to hear you loved it and hope you love Old Boots just as much! I think you will love this Darcy! Thanks for stopping by.
Alexandra Solano
I can’t wait to read it. Thank you for the consideration.
Alexandra
Meryton Press
You are welcome, and we hope you get to read it soon.
Grace Gibson
Thank you, Alexandra! Good luck on the giveaway.
Lois
Congratulations on the release!
Meryton Press
We’re happy you stopped by, Lois. Good luck.
Grace Gibson
Thank you, Lois!
ForeverHis
The cover is wonderful and the excerpt is a true teaser. It seems to explain the beginning of the story; now I’m anxious to see where this soaking will lead ODC. Congrats on another book. I will look forward to reading it. Thank you for entering me in the drawing.
Meryton Press
We’re happy you enjoyed the excerpt. It does set up the story nicely. You are entered in the giveaway. Good luck.
Grace Gibson
Thank you! Good luck on the giveaway and happy reading!
Ginna
Nice! It is a surprise that she has a new book coming out. I look forward to enjoying it.
My birthday is the 5th. What a treat that would be, if I were to win!
Meryton Press
Well, happy birthday in advance! Just maybe you will be one of the lucky winners! 🙂
Grace Gibson
I hope you win, Ginna! Thank you for stopping by – I really appreciate it!
Buturot
Another enticing excerpt!!! Thank you for sharing.Looking forward to its release.
Congratulations Ms Gibson for another much awaited book!
Grace Gibson
Thank you so much! Hope you are enjoying your summer!
Meryton Press
Wasn’t it an enticing excerpt? You’ll get more during the blog tour! Good luck in the giveaway, and thank you for stopping by.
KateB
Beautiful cover and a great scene of Darcy and Elizabeth meeting. It sounds like Lizzy to get angry when she doesn’t need rescuing. 🤣 I love P&P variations with dogs as matchmakers. And I loved Mrs Gibson’s other books. Congratulations
Meryton Press
Hi Kate! We’re glad you stopped by and shared your thoughts with us! Thank you! We’re so happy you to hear you’ve loved Grace Gibson’s other books. I’m betting you will love this one too. I agree with you on the dogs as matchmakers! 🙂 Good luck!
Grace Gibson
Hi Kate, and thank you for you wonderful comments! Perhaps dogs know that sometimes a little irritation is all that is needed to encourage two people to fall in love…? I like to think dogs are that smart anyway… Enjoy your summer!
Maura
Looking forward to this one having enjoyed Silver Buckles so much. Love the stories with some humor!
Meryton Press
That’s great to hear, Maura! Thanks for stopping by, and good luck.
Grace Gibson
I am with you Maura! Like our heroine Elizabeth Bennet, you must dearly love to laugh! I hope you get a few chuckles out of this story, and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about Silver Buckles.
Debbie
What a beautiful cover! And the story sounds very intriguing, who wouldnt want to see Mr. Darcy give a loose reign to the mischievous part of his character? It is a whole new side of him to explore, which I love! It makes me very curious to read the rest of the story.
Grace Gibson
Hi there, Debbie! I have my fingers crossed you will enjoy this slightly different side to Mr. Darcy. I certainly had fun imagining him playing a few jokes on Caroline Bingley! Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Meryton Press
We love to hear that, Debbie! Thank you. I think you will find that the story is intriguing. This side of Darcy is such fun! I hope you can read it soon. Release day is not long now. Good luck in the giveaway.
Kim P.
What a fun excerpt. I look forward to reading more about this carefree Darcy. It seem like after this dunking he would not be well pleased, maybe that’s where Bandit will “help” some more. I love stories told from Darcy’s POV.
Grace Gibson
I am so happy you enjoyed that excerpt, Kim! I love nothing more than to listen to Mr. Darcy’s innermost thoughts and that is why I enjoy first-person writing. This is the first story I have written that is entirely one point of view and I do hope you enjoy it. Good luck on the giveaway and thank you for stopping by!
Meryton Press
Thank you for stopping by, Kim, and sharing your thoughts with us. It is such a fun excerpt and book. I think everyone will love reading about a more carefree Darcy! 🙂
Betty Campbell Madden
I’m definitely ready to read this story!
Meryton Press
Great! We hope you enjoy it! Good luck in the giveaway.
Grace Gibson
That is great news, Betty! Thank you!
Jen D
I really love the cover! I also love how Darcy comes to the rescue to save both Lizzy and a dog. Thank you so much for the short excerpt and the contest.
Grace Gibson
Janet Taylor has the knack of mirroring the spirit of a book through its cover. Thank you for stopping by and good luck on the giveaway, Jen!
Meryton Press
Hi Jen. We’re happy to hear you love the cover! That’s awesome. Isn’t it neat that Darcy comes to the rescue! That is such a fun excerpt, especially when Darcy discovers the dog! Thanks for stopping by and good luck.
Eva Edmonds
I was so surprised when Darcy emerged from the water with the Lady (am assuming Elizabeth) and a dog! I didn’t expect the dog. The cover is beautiful. I always picture Darcy surrounded with dogs. Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway.
Meryton Press
That is neat that you got a surprise, Eva. It is a great excerpt, isn’t it. I like that you picture Darcy surrounded with dogs, and we’re happy to hear you like the cover. Thanks for stopping by and good luck.
Grace Gibson
Hi Eva! I l too love the idea of Darcy surrounded by dogs and in this story, I indulged that idea. Thank you for your comments and I hope you have a wonderful summer!
Rebecca L McBrayer
I love the idea of a mischievous Darcy! Unique premise!
Meryton Press
Yes, it is, and Grace Gibson nailed The mischievous Darcy! Excellent story!
Grace Gibson
I am glad to hear that, Rebecca! Good luck on the giveaway and thank you for stopping by!
Betty Campbell Madden
The front and back covers are wonderful! And the excerpt tells me the story will be as well.
Thank you!
Meryton Press
Thank you, Betty. You are right. The story is wonderful! Good luck.
Grace Gibson
I agree with you wholeheartedly about the cover art, Betty! Thanks for commenting and happy reading!
Nicole W
So excited about this! Grace Gibson is one of my favorite authors and her work is rare and therefore, much worth the anticipation.
Meryton Press
We’re glad to hear you are excited about Old Boots. It’s great to hear Grace Gibson is one of your favorite authors. Thank you for stopping by.
Grace Gibson
Wow, Nicole! What a lovely compliment! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Good luck on the giveaway!
Lúthien84
Bandit is the dog’s name? I can see that it suits him perfectly. I can foresee that Bandit is going to be the catalyst that will move Darcy and Elizabeth’s story along nicely.
I adore the front and back covers. So tell me, Janet, is the back cover taken from another painting as well?
Grace Gibson
Hi there! Yes, Bandit is an exasperating, adorable and irritating dog — and that makes him perfect for the job of getting Darcy and Elizabeth together! Good luck to you on the giveaway!
Meryton Press
Hi Sylvia! I’m glad you stopped by! Bandit is a great addition to this story! He keeps things moving for sure! 🙂 I’m so glad you adore the front and back covers! That’s awesome to hear, and yes, the back cover is from a painting too. I made several adjustments to it, but the original is in the public domain, so no permission needed to use it. Both paintings are mentioned and named in the front of the book. Good luck in the giveaway.
Carole in Canada
Congratulations! I love the full book jacket and the original art that you were able to use. It certainly fits the novel perfectly! I’m looking forward to reading how Mr. Darcy’s valet handles ‘the mess’! I also look forward to seeing how Elizabeth Bennet keeps Mr. Darcy on his toes…or should that be ‘on his boots’! I’m also looking forward to all the banter between them.
Meryton Press
Hi Carole! It’s great to have you stop by. We’re thrilled you love the full jacket, and we were ecstatic to get to use the front cover painting. You are correct about it fitting the novel perfectly. Oh yes, Mr. Darcy was quite a mess. Those poor boots! lol I love your comment about Lizzy keeping him on his boots! Clever! I hope you get to read the book soon. Good luck!
Grace Gibson
Hi Carole! Nice to hear from you and I agree that Janet Taylor did such a wonderful cover for this story. Thank you for stopping by and commenting and have a wonderful summer!