Match Made in the Stars: True Love Through Time, #1

By Jemma Thorne

For two hundred years their romance has stirred hearts…

What if Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are destined to meet time and again, their souls searching for their true love through time and space?

And when they meet, there’s always magic.

When Lizzy Bennet meets Mr. Darcy amid the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she finds him stern, unfriendly and vaguely aggravating. He finds her breathtaking, and he doesn’t enjoy the feeling. His life’s ambitions have finally begun to bear fruit and he doesn’t have time for love. Neither of them do. But Lizzy and Mr. Darcy will keep meeting, until they take notice of fate’s attending hand and the true love it’s steering them toward.

Match Made in the Stars is the first volume in the True Love Through Time series of romances inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The beloved couple meets again…and again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jemma Thorne
• Release date: Nov 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519957252

Jemma Thorne

Jemma Thorne is a romance addict. She loves the thrill of new love to be found again and again in the pages of books, whether it’s a modern or historical setting, or better yet, one full of magic and mystery. She’s been writing for years (and years). She lives in a stunning land of magic and mystery herself, a place called Oregon, along with her husband and daughters. 

Book preview

Chapter 1

The movie set was well-controlled chaos, with streams of production crew moving like a choreographed dance as they prepared for the day’s shoot. The dressing rooms farther back were less controlled, and even more chaotic. Lizzy Bennet slid over a step to allow a man carrying what was probably forty pounds worth of lacy gowns to pass in the slim aisle between the makeup chairs. She wasted no time getting back to Jess Stockton’s makeup. She still had two faces to go, and they were supposed to be on set in twenty minutes.

Lizzy was well suited to the fast pace of a Hollywood makeup artist. She kept being asked back, anyway, and in her field that said something. It was exciting, all of the hustle and bustle it took to create the movie magic that reeled in audiences. Watching the movies that were the end product of all this effort always gave Lizzy a warm, completed feeling. She was part of something much larger than herself and took pride in her small piece of the movie-making endeavor.

Okay, thank you Jess. You’re done.

Thanks Lizzy! The bubbly actress gave her a quick hug and sprinted off to the breakfast bar on the way to the set.

Me next? Jim Davies asked from the next chair. He’d been waiting a few, but the chair next to him wasn’t occupied yet. Hopefully Alex would be in before her turn—they didn’t have time to spare waiting around for her, but actresses didn’t bear the brunt of that. The makeup artist was easier to blame.

She moved her kit over next to Jim’s chair, and began to add the makeup that would allow the cameras to catch the best of this hunk of man. He was gorgeous and had a way of drawing all eyes to him and keeping them there. He was a great actor, and Lizzy was sure he had a long and bright career in front of him. He only had a small part in this film, but who knew what the future held? Lizzy always wanted to keep the actors happy, because if or when they got big they could ask for her by name and help her career.

What are you up to this weekend? Hot date? Jim asked. He always got bored in the chair and wanted to chat her ear off.

Nah. I don’t have many of those with the hours, ya know?

He blinked instead of nodding, his responses attuned to the needs of a makeup artist at work. Yeah, I know. I go home and learn my lines. There ain’t no rest for the wicked.

And money don’t grow on trees, Lizzy finished the line from an old pop song.

You should get a date, Lizzy. You’re fun. And you should have some fun while you’re young and all.

She cracked a grin.

He didn’t smile—makeup in progress—but he kept talking, inserting his foot further into his mouth and seeming to enjoy it. Don’t want the goods to get all old and turn into bads.

Lizzy rolled her eyes. Whatever. You worry about you and I’ll worry about me, okay?

I’m not worried. Just talking. Now he flashed her a smile.

Dealing with mouthy actors was only one peril of her job.

She had almost finished with Jim, when she took a step back to reach something she’d left on the counter nearby, and her foot came down squarely on someone’s else’s foot. She began to turn to apologize and knocked Alex McEnna’s arm. She had a perfect view of the hot coffee arcing out of the actress’s uncovered cup and the cream lace finery Alex was all dolled up in.

Oh, no. No!

Ah! Alex shrieked as the cascade of coffee, driven by the unassailable force of gravity, came down right on her, splattering across the cream gown she wore. "You dumb bitch! How can you be so stupid?"

"Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize you were standing there." Lizzy moved to get out of her way and Alex’s eyes flashed in anger.

Obviously! I’m back to wardrobe now, and you’re going to get fired for this! Alex railed as she set off to see what wardrobe could do to repair her outfit.

Blinking to avoid tears and with a sinking feeling in her belly, Lizzy returned to Jim. He caught her hand as she went to continue his makeup and gave it a squeeze. You’re not dumb, and not a bitch. Alex is a total diva. Don’t let her bother you.

Lizzy hoped her smile wasn’t too pinched. She was mortified. She’d never ruined a costume before, and from the look of how the coffee had spilled she’d just spoiled that record. And Alex might be dramatic, but she was also a rising star and Lizzy didn’t want to be on her bad side. If she’d been here on time, of course, it wouldn’t have happened.

She couldn’t afford her hands shaking, so she tried to breathe smoothly in and out and cool her jangling nerves.

Alex returned, but she held up a hand to Lizzy as she approached to start her makeup. No! Don’t come anywhere near me, you klutz. I have my own girl coming. She’ll be here in five.

Just then, production manager Maxine Smithe came into the room, her heels click-clacking in a rapid pattern as she rushed over.

Lizzy, I need to speak with you for a moment.

Shit! Here it came. One tiny mistake…

Maxine led her into the hall. As the door closed between them and the dressing room all of the bustle was cut off—just as Lizzy was about to be cut off from this job she had loved.

I’m sorry, Lizzy. You know I like you, but Alex is making a stink. We have to let you go or it’s going to be too much to manage.

I didn’t—

I know you didn’t mean to ruin that dress, but it was costly, and I can’t keep you on.

Lizzy drew a deep breath. She had to keep what she could of the good impressions she’d made around here; she’d heard of makeup artists freaking out at a firing and never getting a job in Hollywood again. She wasn’t going down like that. Alright. I’m sorry for the dress, and for spilling coffee on Alex. I’ll grab my stuff and get out of here.

Maxine’s expression gentled as she realized Lizzy was handling the firing calmly. I would stay out of Alex’s way as much as possible, Lizzy, if you still want to work in Hollywood.

Lizzy ducked her head and opened the door to the dressing rooms.

Alex was turned in her chair, another makeup artist applying the makeup that would make her beautiful features stand out. She couldn’t see Lizzy, and Lizzy didn’t waste any time looking at her. She piled up her stuff, shoved it into her bag to be organized later, and rapidly left the set to avoid any other embarrassments today.

Now to figure out how she was going to pay her rent next month.

Chapter 2

Will Darcy pushed up the sleeve of his gray suit and regarded his watch with solemnity. Two hours of his afternoon wasted on this showman Dallas Hendricks, and he still couldn’t be certain he was any closer to the capital he needed to get his idea off the ground.

What he would like to do is go to the gym for a game of tennis and return to his condo for a shower and some sleep. He’d gotten up at three this morning and spent the next two hours going over specs—doing the math by hand with paper and pencil as he still liked to do. He should have slept more; he was even less patient than usual. Escape was not at