The Unthinkable Triangle - By Joana Starnes

What happens when a Pride and Prejudice variation asks you to root for two genuinely good men vying for Elizabeth's heart?

This week on the Pride and Prejudice Book Club, we’re tackling The Unthinkable Triangle by Joanna Starnes, a high-angst variation that puts Elizabeth Bennet at the center of a true love triangle with Fitzwilliam Darcy and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. And while Sharon delighted in finally getting a triangle where both men are real contenders, Emilie… really struggled.

We dig into why this trope is such a hard sell for Emilie, especially when Colonel Fitzwilliam is written as emotionally present, communicative, and deeply invested in Elizabeth, while Darcy spends much of the story yearning from a distance, holding himself back, and making choices that feel more like restraint than growth.

That tension fuels a lively debate about whether Elizabeth’s emotional “switch” feels earned, whether Darcy’s love is grounded in reality or fantasy, and why the deepest betrayal in this book may not be romantic at all, but the fracture between two cousins who were once as close as brothers.

Along the way, we zoom out to talk about fantasy vs. real-life relationships, infatuation vs. love, and why — in the real world — the healthiest choice in a love triangle is often to walk away from everyone.

If you love messy emotional questions, debates about tropes, and honest takes on romance in literature, this episode will give you a lot to chew on!

🎵 Music Credit: Pride & Prejudice Book Club Theme composed, performed, and arranged by Megan Mason

📚 Curious what we’ll be reading next? See a list of upcoming books at prideandprejudicebookclub.com

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