Book Review: The Gift of the Marquess by Darcy Burke

Love is All Around Book 2

The Marchioness of Darlington wants nothing more than a houseful of children, but after three years of marriage Poppy has given up hope. When she learns her husband doesn’t share her sense of loss, Poppy tries to soothe her aching heart by helping at a local institution for single women and mothers. But the arrival of an expectant mother only reignites her longing, driving the wedge between her and Gabriel deeper.

After losing his mother and sister in childbirth, Gabriel, the Marquess of Darlington, is secretly glad his wife hasn’t been able to conceive. He can’t bear the thought of losing her, not even to achieve their dream of having a family. Desperate to prove his love, Gabriel makes a shocking proposition. It’s a risk, but if he can overcome Poppy’s fears and hesitation, he can give her what she wants most for Christmas.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Untouchables comes a Christmas Regency series! Don't miss these holiday classics retold with love, passion, and heart.

Book One: The Red Hot Earl Book Two: The Gift of the Marquess Book Three: Joy to the Duke

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My Review:

Wow. There’s quite a lot going on here. And for anyone who has struggled with fertility issues, this story could be considered slightly triggering. Poppy and Gabriel are fantastic characters. Having been married for several years now, they’ve already made it past most of the worst miscommunication problems that often plague the newly wedded. That doesn’t mean their journey is all smooth sailing though; they still have their moments of ‘humans behaving badly’ where they don’t talk the issues through. No matter what else is going on, it’s easy to feel the love these two have for one another. I thought their emotional vulnerability came across as very realistic and I loved that both characters had growth they needed to accomplish. I felt that their issues resolved a bit too easily, but I realize that it happens that way in real life on a fairly regular basis. I’m dying to see what happens in the next book now. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley.

Other books in the series:

The Red Hot Earl (Love is All Around Book 1)