Category: Novella

Earl of Oakhurst by Madeline Martin

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Earl of OakhurstBarbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Earl’s Christmas
Publication Date: 11/12/19

This was a delightfully, lovely and romantic read. A marriage of convenience morphs into a wonderful love story between two extraordinary people who both deserve all the best life has to offer. As with any book by this author, the story is well written and compelling and the research is impeccable as always. We also had a small visit with Alistair Johnstone, Earl of Benton, and his lovely heroine Emma Thorne who is now expecting their second child.

James MacKenzie thinks he is an unlucky man. Several years ago, he was in love with Lady Judith Eaton – or at least he thought he was in love – then, when his uncle died and his popinjay of a cousin, Gilbert, inherited the earldom, Lady Judith quickly announced her engagement to him and calmly walked away from James. Since then, James hasn’t been back in England and he certainly doesn’t want to return now. There is no help for it though – as the new Earl of Oakhurst it is his responsibility to move back and take up the reins. He knows nothing of being an earl, but his lovely grandmother will quickly remedy that. According to her, one of his first duties will be to marry – and quickly – and Lady Judith is still available. NO WAY.

Lady Penelope Keats is (was) a diamond of the first water and has had many, many suitors – well, she had them as suitors for a while. As soon as she showed them her intelligence and her keen interest in the healing arts, they ran the other way. She knows she can never marry because no gentleman would allow his wife to work At St. Thomas’ hospital – even as a volunteer. Yet, now, in order to continue volunteering there, she has to be married. Where can she find a husband who will allow her to continue her pursuit of medical knowledge?

When Penelope and James meet, they quickly discover that they can be the answer to each other’s dilemma. They form a pact – they’ll marry with no strings attached. Neither wants love or children, so it will be a perfect alliance. That works – until they share their first kiss – then each wants more, but won’t share that with the other.

It is a lovely read and it was so much fun to watch these two negotiate their way through their families’ expectations, strange goings-on at St. Thomas hospital, and their original marriage agreement. You’ll love the secondary characters – we’ve actually met Penelope’s mother before (she is a matchmaker) – and James’ grandmother is a delightful addition to the story.

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

Joy To The Duke by Darcy Burke

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Joy to the Duke (Love is All Around #3)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Love is All Around #3
Publication Date: 11/12/19
Number of Pages: Novella

Earlier this year, 2019, Darcy Burke realized that she didn’t have any Christmas books to her credit – and she promptly set about righting that grievous error. The wonderful result is the Love Is All Around trilogy. Each book is based somewhat on old Christmas tales. The first book, The Red Hot Earl, is loosely based on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the second book, The Gift of the Marquess, is loosely based on The Gift of the Magi, and this, the third book is based on A Christmas Carol. They are a lovely, lovely set of books – and while each can be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading all three.

The series features the three Stafford siblings – Bianca, Poppy, and Calder – with an overarching theme of the St. Stephens Day celebration and support for Hartwell House which is a home for impoverished women and children. In Bianca and Poppy’s books, while they are finding their HEA’s, they are also wrangling with their brother about his canceling the St. Stephens Day celebration and discontinuing the dukedoms support of Hartwell House.

If you read the other books, you totally understand that Calder IS Ebenezer Scrooge. He’s cold, unfeeling, joyless, distrustful, miserly – you name it. As I was reading those earlier books, I had to wonder how this author could possibly redeem and reform Calder. It seemed to me there was little hope for such a man as he. Never fear – his story was wonderfully written and his redemption was heartwarming. As we learned more about his childhood and what his father did to him as a young man, it is easy to see how he became the cold, unfeeling man he was – much like Ebenezer Scrooge. As I read the last words, I let out a big sigh and smiled because Calder’s HEA was beautiful and so well deserved. It is hours later, and I still smile when I think of him.

Calder’s sisters have just told him that Felicity Templeton Garland is back in Hartwell. He can hardly believe it – what is she doing back here. She’s the cold-hearted woman who took his father’s money and then went away and left Calder with a broken heart. He has to see for himself and sets out for town where, sure enough, he sees her. He can’t take his eyes off her. He devours her with his eyes.

After Calder’s cruel rejection of her, Felicity and her family moved away from Hartwell and she did eventually marry. While she cared for her husband, she was never in love with him. Now she’s a widow and has come to Hartwell to care for her ill mother. She’s only there temporarily, but it is good to spend Christmas there and she’s looking forward to the St. Stephen’s Day festival. Well, she’s looking forward to it until she learns that the cold-hearted duke isn’t sponsoring it anymore.

Felicity can’t reconcile the warm, sweet, happy young man with whom she’d fallen in love and the cold, selfish, joyless, miserly man he appears to be today. The man she loved (loves) has to be in there somewhere and for his sake, she’s determined to find him.

It was a joy to see Calder realize that his father was still controlling him – even from the grave. It doesn’t take long for him to know that he still loves Felicity – what takes a while is for him to learn that he deserves to be loved.

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