Oh I love this story, you really need to continue!

I’ve been away too, and I was so thrilled to come back to this update! One thing I love about the first person voice is that we are so much in her head, while you expertly build up this sense of foreboding about what lies ahead - no omniscient narrator for us to unconsciously rely on for reassurance. I like the way that Maria (and even Georg) wobble about between being direct, uncertain, petulant and (on his part) seductive. Lovely writing too - “You never were my anything but now you are” YUMMMY and “deers and catwhiskers” tee-hee. Great update!

So happy to catch up on this extraordinary story.

You capture the crushing lows and the exhilarating highs of falling in love for Maria so beautifully – it’s so like the “world is ending… and then it’s just beginning.” I could feel her disbelief and shock and joy the way you wrote it so powerfully.
It’s so astounding to her she can hardly even imagine what it would like to married to Georg. I loved her naive little reflections on what married life might be like - she can only conceive of it, the way she knows – of taking care of the children. She is so sweetly innocent! Hah, she does not realise what a glorious rollercoaster it will be to be married to Georg.

But then the crushing blow of learning her husband-to-be is going to keep a business relationship with his ex. Geez, what a dolt. Sorry. I love your Georg – he’s so sexy and arrogant but what the hell is he thinking? No wonder it makes Maria feel wildly insecure and terrified of the future.
We see him through Maria’s eyes – dark, intense, mysterious, enigmatic and sexily confident in your story, but he seems to have so little understanding of what Maria needs. That can only lead to some terrible misunderstandings. He had better redeem himself at some point. I’m glad at least he realizes his proposal was pretty crumby. And he hasn’t even said those words that every fiancée needs to hear: ILY.

It’s heartbreaking that she does not have the confidence to demand that he think again on his relationship with Elsa.

At least he does try to reassure her in his own fashion, painting a lovely picture of what it will be like when they are married. I giggled when she asked if the children would come on the honeymoon. Too sweet. The real Maria von Trapp mentioned something similar in one of her books – suggesting her fiancé should go on a honeymoon by himself. :-)

It was nice to see a crack in his arrogant façade for a moment when he asked if he was too old. It shows he has his insecurities too but Maria is unable to see them as yet.
As you have said before the younger Maria is an unreliable narrator of events, given how inexperienced, vulnerable and insecure she feels.
And of course, Elsa is there with her glamourous sophistication and her wily manipulations to crush Maria’s confidence even more. What a viper. Poor Maria. But at least we have the older Maria in the story to look back with understanding how Elsa was lashing out in her hurt.

This story is so amazing, so masterfully crafted and I can imagine it must be really difficult to write. I can’t wait for more of it, it’s so compelling and beautifully written that I am completely spellbound.

Wow, that was pretty cold of Elsa. If I were Maria, I'd be devastated after hearing all that from her, especially since it was preceded by Georg telling her he's keeping Elsa in his life and he hasn't told her he loves her. I do love getting only Maria's point of view; it's so interesting to try and figure out what's really going on. I'm not familiar with Rebecca, but I'm really enjoying this story, it's so unique.

I feel so bad for Maria right now, it can't be easy to be around all these people who are so much more worldly than she, telling her things and she's left wondering what to believe. I like when Georg quickly brings up the age difference. On the one hand it shows another way in he has more power he has in the relationship, as he's wiser and much more experienced, but also the potential for his insecurity/vulnerability - does she really want to marry a man that much older, with all these kids, one who hasn't even said he loves her and tells her shortly after their engagement that's he still going to be visiting his old flame in a far off city on business? Love an arrogant Georg but hoping he gets put in his place a bit.

Lovely again.
Yes, I recognised a LOT of lines this time around. Especially his talk of the proposal.
It's interesting, because a few things in this chapter seem pretty OOC for Maria. Like thinking about what being Baroness von Trapp would be like, and thinking about how she'd be in charge with some level of excitement. That seems really weird for her. BUT, here works perfectly. I couldn't see it working in any other story, but between 'Rebecca', 1st POV and the dreamlike quality of her remembering everything, it's great.
And yet, she still has her doubts, when she's talkling to Georg, and then later to Elsa. Especially with Elsa, as it is thrown back directly at her face there.
Love Georg absently asking her if forty-six was too old for her, and her response, and how she tells Elsa she doesn't care about that sort of thing anyway.
I know what happened to Mrs. de Winter from here on, and I'm excited to see where it goes for Maria. And WHO...

Elsa is just such a horrible person. My heart goes out to Maria, it really does. You put us in her shoes so well I just feel so overwhelmed. I hope you update this soon, I just read all the current chapters. Wonderful writing.

I am really enjoying your writing. I'm a big fan of du Maurier and really enjoy how you are taking on her style!

Wow, this makes me want to cry and I don't really know why. Beautiful.

It's heartbreaking how Maria's mood changes from absolute happiness, to doubt everything after Georg told her he wasn't going to break his business relationship with Elsa. I don't understand why he doesn't see the problem with working with Elsa after breaking their engagement, however, at least he has told Maria she was still around.
Georg didn't say to Maria he loves her and I wonder why. Does it mean he doesn't love her? Or is it that he doesn't like to show his feelings? He is attracted to her because he has the "tiger look" as Elsa says, but...Seeing this story from Maria's POV is very interesting, but we don't know what Georg thinks, what he feels...and it's also exciting. I agree with Maria, he treats her like a child!
Georg is a jerk in this story as you say, but I want to see how you develop his personality. I have a soft spot for his dark moods. I'm sure you won't disappoint me!
Lovely update and gorgeous writing!

I'm sure I've said this every review, but I just adore how you let us see the world through Maria's eyes. And in this chapter, it takes us on such a journey - from elation and excitement, to self-doubt and dread. You remind us that Maria is an unreliable narrator - she doesn't see or know everything that's going on in the world around her. But, it doesn't matter. You put us so firmly in her shoes with your gorgeous details, beautiful imagery and heartfelt emotion, that Maria's view of the world becomes our own.
I love Maria's initial excitement. She does and thinks exactly as a girl of her age would - trying her new title on for size, wondering how she would fill in her days as Baroness von Trapp, looking at the Captain and not quite believing she was going to be his wife.
But what the Hell is the Captain thinking?! He's going to continue his business partnership with Elsa and take the occasional business trip to Vienna - what?! I'm glad he told her, but I can't believe he doesn't see the problem with this, or that he can't see that Maria would have a problem with it. And poor Maria, he tells the children their getting married, but she's not there with him - what's that all about? Like Maria, I'd be wondering exactly what he told them, how he broke the news, and what their reactions were. I'd be in the study losing my mind (which she pretty much was...).
Although, I must confess, despite all of that, I am finding the Captain's arrogance and predatory approach to Maria rather sexy...
And as for Elsa... I don't think she could have unravelled Maria's confidence more surgically than she did. She landed so many blows, but that final barb was just so cruel.
I must admit to knowing nothing of the Rebecca story, but it doesn't matter - I'm just loving this take on TSOM. Brilliant chapter - such gorgeous, evocative writing!

Elsa is so awful! Georg is crazy to let her hang around. No wonder Maria is feeing anxious. I love this story and I am desperate to read more.

So good. Elsa is so cunning. I can't wait to read more.

I love how you weave past and present together along with the little daydreams maria has. Its so spellbinding. I hope you update soon.

I'm so hooked on this story. I really want to read more soon. Please update this when you can.

Finally, I've managed to immerse myself in your beautiful update. It was exactly what I needed after a week at work that felt like it was never going to end (actually, I don't think it has...).
This chapter certainly took us through the gamut of emotions!
I loved how we sunk into Maria's thoughts after her return to the Abbey. Her guilt at leaving the children, her shame at falling in love with the Captain, realising she couldn't become a nun, her joy then fear of moving to Paris. You described each so beautifully, so poignantly, you put us in Maria's shoes, so that her thoughts and emotions could have been our own. I have no idea how you manage to do that. When I read your Maria in the first person, as a reader, I start seeing and feeling the world through her. The reader becomes her. Well, this reader does!
I loved how you described her little day dreamings of the next time she would cross paths with the Captain. How the scenes would play out in her head, and how they wove in and out of the chapter. It's exactly what we do when we're falling in love with someone or when we're desperate for them to realise they're in love with us. It was just perfect. I love how she knew how many times he'd held her hand. It's those little things that just become important and magnified. And I smiled that when the Captain finally appeared in the Abbey garden, Maria told herself that it wasn't supposed to happen like that.
To be honest, when I learned that Maria was going to Paris, as I kept reading and time was ticking away, my feeling of dread kept growing. After all, how would the Captain find her in Paris? Oh, but then he appeared at the Abbey! I love your Captain. He knows what he wants, and he wants Maria. He had me swooning! I love his arrogance, his words are few but demanding, he's so dark and complex, but it's obvious he loves Maria. Oh, and that kiss! What a first kiss, with all it's orangey sweetness, and all those weeks of built up tension and emotion finally unleashed. Perfect.
I just adore this story, and I'm in awe of your incredible talent every time I read a new chapter. This update was just perfect!