Month: October 2019

The Gift of the Marquess by Darcy Burke

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Christmas, Novella1 Comment

The Gift of the Marquess (Love is All Around #2)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Love Is All Around #2
Publication Date: 10/15/19
Number of Pages: 134

It was truly a fortuitous day for us readers when this author realized her oeuvre didn’t contain any Christmas stories. She immediately set about remedying that with the Love Is All Around trilogy. The trilogy features the Stafford siblings and is set around the St. Stephens day festival and Hartwell House (a home for impoverished women). While the stories all occur at around the same time, none of them provide enough information on the other stories to provide any spoilers. The first book, The Red Hot Earl, featured the youngest sister, Bianca, but we were also introduced to the older brother, Calder (whom we’ve all loved to hate) and our heroine for this book, Poppy. The trilogy wrap-up will be Calder’s story in Joy To The Duke and I can hardly wait to see what turned him into such a sour curmudgeon!

We met Poppy in the last book and learned that something was wrong, but we never learned what it was. Now we know. Poppy and her husband, Gabriel, Marquess of Darlington, have been married for almost three years and Poppy has slowly come to the realization that there will be no children. It isn’t from lack of trying – she and Gabriel are a love match, but still, no children. She’s gotten more and more melancholy and she can’t bear to go to Hartwell House to see the children that are housed there. It just hurts too much. In her sadness, she’s even begun to withdraw from Gabriel.

Gabriel Kirkwood loves his wife to distraction and her current melancholy hurts him, especially since all he wants is her happiness. He doesn’t know how to help her, but he does know that he is happy that there have been no children. Not that he doesn’t want children – he does – he is just absolutely and totally terrified of losing Poppy and the child in childbirth. He lost his mother and his older sister to childbirth and Poppy lost her mother in childbirth. He cannot lose Poppy as well.

These two are so wonderfully and sweetly in love. It was a pure delight to see how they expressed their love and helped each other overcome their issues. The epilogue is wonderful and you’ll read the last word with a full heart and a warm-all-over feeling. If you want a truly uplifting and loving Christmas read, this one is for you.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Widow of Rose House – Blog Tour

On By TracyIn America's Gilded Age (1870-1900), American Historical, Gothic Historical, Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Yearly Favorites1 Comment

The Widow of Rose HouseThe Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
Tracy”s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: N/A

Release Date: October 8, 2019

Alva Penrose Rensselaer Webster is back in New York after 13 years and it is clear that her scandalous past has not been forgotten. She is having dinner at Delmonico’s with a publisher, desperately hoping to sell him on the idea of publishing her book on interior decorating, and the whispers are growing louder. Finally, she convinces the publisher to give her a chance and leaves just as fast as she can. But her escape is thwarted by a very large man who introduces himself as Sam Moore. She mistakenly believes he is propositioning her, which his first words to her confirm, but it is not the proposition she expected.

Professor Samuel Moore is famous, he is a genius and sought after inventor – in fact his whole family is famous, but what many people don’t know is Sam’s secret passion is ghost hunting – an Alva Webster happens to have just purchased a home with a ghost! When he sees her at the restaurant and learns that she owns the house, nothing will stop him from talking to her. Once the true nature of his “proposition” is revealed, a very embarrassed Alva refuses to grant him access. But Sam won’t give up, because now he is not just interested in the ghost, he is interested in Alva as well.

When Alfred, her former brother in law begins to blackmail her and the workers at her house refuse to return until she gets rid of the ghost, Alva decides to let Sam investigate the house – just so she can finish the project and write her book. Sam agrees, but now he wants to investigate whatever is between them as well as the ghost. Alva has no desire to remarry, but she agrees to an affair, but for Sam that won’t be enough. And while Alva knows she loves him, she knows her secrets and scandalous past, as well as the current threat Alfred presents would not ruin just her, but Sam and maybe his family and she will push him away before she lets that happen. But to do that, she must get rid of the ghost, once and for all.

I loved this story, I will admit the description of a “gothic romance” left me a bit wary, but I can honestly say this was not a dark read at all, there are some serious issues and possibly some triggers for sensitive readers, but Ms. Biller manages to keep this from being truly dark. Alva is a wonderful heroine who has been hurt and misused by those who should have loved her and Sam is awesome – I loved him so much, he is brilliant, funny and very, very protective of Alva. My understanding is this book is a debut offering and I have to say if that is true – WOW – it is well written, flows nicely, stays on point and has incredible imagery and emotion, I am very impressed and will be looking for Ms. Biller’s next book and hoping she is writing books about the other Moore siblings!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher.*