Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

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.

No Rest for the Wicked: Pirates of Britannia Connected World by Lauren Smith

On By BarbaraIn Author Collaboration Series, Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)Leave a comment

No Rest for the Wicked: Pirates of Britannia Connected WorldBarbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Pirates of Britannia Connected World
Publication Date: 10/30/19
Number of Pages: 219

This book is the author’s first foray into writing a pirate story and I can tell you – she has absolutely outdone herself. This is an excellent read. The excitement starts on the first page and doesn’t let up till the last. The book will tear your heart out and then put it all back together again – and there is a twist at the end that will absolutely floor you!

Dominic Greyville, the heir to the Earl of Camden, was fourteen when he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He suffered years of torture and abuse and was forced into becoming a pirate. Now, fourteen years later, he is a pirate and captain of his own sloop, the Emerald Dragon. He and his crew spend as much time attacking slave ships and freeing the slaves as they do capturing treasure, but that won’t keep them from being hanged if they are ever caught.

Roberta (Robbie) Harcourt was raised on the sea. She lost her mother when she was very young and her father couldn’t bear being separated from her, so she went on many of his sea voyages. She loved the freedom and adventure of the sea and hoped that her new life in Port Royal where her father Rear Admiral Harcourt would now be based.

Dominic gets word that there is a ship with ‘precious’ cargo headed toward Port Royal. It is such important cargo that there is a rear admiral traveling with it. That certainly whets a pirate’s appetite. It doesn’t take much effort for the Emerald Dragon to overtake the Fortune and capture all on board. After the captives are placed in a longboat with instruments to head them toward Port Royal, the Fortune begins to sink. Except – they found two cabin boys hiding in a closet. It is too late to get them onto the longboats, so Dominic’s crew takes them along with them. It doesn’t take Dominic long to realize that the cabin boys aren’t boys at all.

I loved seeing Roberta and Dominic dance around each other. The attraction was strong an the more Roberta learned about Dominic, the greater the attraction. There can be no life together for them – Dom is a pirate and would be hanged if he were caught.

You really have to read this wonderful pirate story. It is filled with love, friendship, enemies, and so very much excitement and suspense. The ending – all I can say is WOW!

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