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 … 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
more
This is an emotional short story set at Christmas time about dealing with being childless. It is a touching story of both wife and husband accepting their future and healing through grief. It was inspired by the story, The Gift of the Magi.
Gabriel the Marquess of Darlington is madly in love with his wife Poppy. They’ve been married 3 years and still have no children. Poppy has been depressed about that and thrown herself into helping her sister with the Hartwell house charity that supports abandoned mothers and small children. Gabriel shares her dedication to the charity of helping others and makes repairs to the aging house. During the story Poppy finally faces the fact she’ll probably never have children and opens her eyes to fostering thanks to Gabriel’s suggestion. Gabriel on the other fears childbirth as
he lost his mother and sister in childbirth. He’s sure Poppy will die birthing their child. Later in the the story Gabriel himself comes to view life is uncertain and that he needs to take joy in the life he has now with his love and valued friends.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This lovely story by Darcy Burke takes the reader on a journey which in today’s world is still something so painfully private but in times past was seen as an unfortunate and unspeakable defect that a couple endured and could not acknowledge. Both Gabriel and Poppy are such good people – kind, giving and loving and you find yourself liking them so much, understanding their deep pain and wanting them to get what their hearts so desire. The surrounding cast of characters add depth and texture to the story and the writing is top notch. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
This is a truly heartwarming and emotional story from beginning to end! It’s a unique story because they are already married and in love, but going through such a rough time that tests them. I loved that this is going on at the same time as the first book so you know what was going on with Poppy at the house party. It’s heartbreaking to see them both struggle in different ways and be torn apart.
The scene where Gabriel remembered everything that happened with his mother and everything after was so raw with emotion. I absolutely loved the moment they made up because their love was so strong and it was such a powerful moment for many reasons.
Poppy wants to be a mother so badly, but after three years she’s trying to come to terms with it won’t happen the way she dreamed. She so desperately wants a baby, but can’t help but try to help Dinah in any way possible. I loved her fire from the start and when she laid into her brother.
Gabriel thought he found a way to give Poppy her dream and banish his fears, but it only brought them up in full force. He will break your heart as he talks about his fear. I loved how much he cared about helping others and when he realized he couldn’t let fear control him.
The ending was absolutely perfect and I can’t wait to read her brother’s story and find out what happened to him.
Copy provided for an honest and voluntary review
In want of a child.
Poppy and Gabriel have been married for three years and they still have no children. The arrival of a sick pregnant young lady in need at the Hartwell House gives Gabriel an idea. It could be an answer to Poppy’s depression. After the baby’s birth, Gabriel’s renewed fear of childbirth brings distance between he and Poppy. A surprise gift gives hope for Poppy and Gabriel. In the meantime, Bianca and Ash marry. There’s still the question….who will sponsor the St. Stephen’s Day party? Why is Poppy and Bianca’s brother so cold? What influence does Felicity have on their brother? I recommend reading this holiday series in order.
The Gift of the Marquess
by Darcy Burke
What an amazing story! I could feel Poppy’s sadness and heartache, trying to achieve the most precious gift and not getting anywhere near, puts a strain on a marriage, even though it’s a love match.
Although Gabriel would move heaven and earth for his wife, secretly he’s ok with his life as is, he definitely doesn’t want to lose another person he loves, no matter the cost!
A truly heartwarming and emotional read, every single page was fraught with emotion, well written loveable characters and in my opinion the best story this AMAZING author has written to date!
I received a complimentary copy from the author this is my honest unbiased opinion.
What happens when a wife finds out her dearest wish is her husband’s worst nightmare? Good story. I receive an ARC of this book.
“A dream rooted in his mind…A dream he dared not hope for, and yet couldn’t keep from wanting.” That was Gabriel’s thought as he realized the fact that the woman did not want her baby….
Gabriel had been helping out at Hartwell House that took in woman and children when they had nowhere else to go. His wife Poppy came whenever she could but realized she had not been herself lately.
A truly lovely story about a couple so in love everything seemed perfect except Poppy desperately wanted a child and after three years there had not been one. Gabriel was releaved because he was scared of losing her to childbirth. But a thought had come into his head when he saw the new girl who was pregnant and did not want her child.
Strong emotions, fears, doubts and love all feel this wonderful story that Darcy Burke has written to perfection. Emotions that so many women have felt through time when faced with trying to conceive and it feeling hopeless. A true joy filled my heart toward the end and I cannot wait to read the next in this series…
Gabriel & Poppy’s Journey to having a Family is an Absolutely Wonderful Story.
I enjoyed reading their Story.
I am looking forward to reading about Poppy & Bianca’s Brother Calder’s Story & find out why he is such an Asshole.
The Marquess and Marchioness of Darlington are very much in love even after three years of marriage. The only dark area in their marriage is Poppy has never become pregnant. Although Gabriel would like a child especially because he knows how happy it would made Poppy. Since his and Poppy’s mothers and his older sister all died in childbirth, Gabriel does not want to lose his wife in this way. So it is okay with him that she has not become with child. It is this almost irrational fear that made me want to reach in the book and shake him. If every woman died in childbirth, how did he think the world is populated. In spite of this not so endearing quality, any woman would be lucky to have Gabriel as a husband. At this point in their marriage, Poppy is going through a very difficult period, wanting Gabriel to understand her sadness at being childless. Enter Dinah, a very pregnant, unmarried young lady with no prospects. She is seeking help at Hartwell House, a charity that the Darlingtons support, not just with donations, but also with their time. Will Dinah’s bag be a solution to their childlessness? What if she decides to keep her baby? Will Poppy’s fragile psyche be able to handle it? This is a nice read with wonderful characters, although Poppy’s brother, Calder is not so nice. Introducing him toward book’s end sets up the next book nicely.
This was a different story line to your usual romance. This lovely couple are already married and very much in love but fear gets in the road of their life going forward. As usual it was well written with past and future stories mentioned to keep you feeling like you are part of the story. There was a fair bit of sex as they are a loving couple but this reviewer skipped it as usual and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book. I now wait with baited breath for the third in the series. I received this as an ARC and freely give my review.
Don’t Pass up this Series!
Oh my, what a beautiful story! You’re in for a treat with Gabriel and Poppy. This series is filled with amazing characters and great stories. So entertaining and I never want it to end. Next up: what’s up with Calder and Felicity? Coming November 12, “Joy to the Duke”! Yay!!
Quite an emotional story of life, love, loss, grief and fear. My heart was immediately engaged to the characters from the very beginning. The characters are continued from book one “The Red Hot Earl.” This book focuses on Poppy and Gabriel. Being childless and considering their past, it was easy to understand why they each felt differently about their situation. Each of their feelings were justified, normal and rational even. My heart went out to both of them as they struggled. Their every feeling, every emotion was realistic and east to relate to. What I most admired about Poppy is that even though she was deeply affected by the thought of being barren she never lost her head. She was a mature woman and despite all of it her character was strong. Even though she and Gabriel saw the same situation in a different light, it was sad when they did not connect with each other and suffered apart. When they each realized what they were about and how it was affecting them individually, by God’s grace they came to a loving solution. An inspirational read and I do recommend it. I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What happens after the I Do’s
Poppy and Gabriel are married and just missing the pitter patter of children’s feet. Gabriel has a real fear of loosing his wife to childbirth. Poppy yearns for the one thing she doesn’t have.
I loved this book that addresses a real issue for women’s health. Gabriel and Poppy are great characters facing a martial dilemma.
Can Gabriel find a way to bring Poppy a true gift?
Oh what a lovely and heartwarming story this is! Darcy Burke has done a wonderful job of writing Poppy and Gabriel’s story and I like the fact that they’ve already been married almost 3 years when the story starts.
All Poppy wants is to start a family and have a baby to love but after almost 3 years of marriage, she hasn’t gotten pregnant yet and is feeling very down about it. Gabriel, on the other hand, is happy that she hasn’t conceived because having lost his mother and sister during childbirth, he’s terrified that he’ll lose her the same way. Once they open up about their feelings, a lot of heartache ensues until they each realize they need to face their fears.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The Gift of the Marquess by Darcy Burke is book Two in the Love is All Around Series. This is the story of Gabriel Kirkwood, the Marquess of Darlington and Poppy, the Marchioness of Darlington. I have read the previous book which did allude to Poppy having a problem but I do think you could make this a standalone if you wish to do so. Poppy wants a baby but has been married to Gabriel for a few years with no child. We learn that Gabriel is afraid that Poppy will die in childbirth. I enjoyed seeing these two work through their issues to have their Christmas Gift.
The Gift of the Marquess by Darcy Burke
Love is All Around #2
Three siblings will have their story told in this trilogy. First came Bianca and Ash and last will be Calder and Felicity but book two is the story of Poppy and Gabriel and what a story it is. This couple is already married, loves deeply and after three years of marriage is still childless. Poppy is grim and sad and devastated that she may never have children while her husband, who has lost more than one due to childbirth, is secretly happy his wife has not gotten pregnant because he fears he might lose her, too.
The couple is interesting. They are both giving charitable people who do what they can for the village. They do go through a bit of a rough patch due to the baby situation but manage to work through their issues to end up very happy at the end.
Both Bianca and Poppy are rather upset with their brother and how much he has changed in the past ten years and I do believe we will find why he changed in book three and perhaps he, too, will be able to return to the man he used to be and find his happily ever after, too.
This is definitely a holiday trilogy as it takes place around Christmas and there will be a finale Christmas party in the final book.
Did I enjoy this story? Yes
Will I read more by this author? Without a doubt
4-5 Stars
This is the 2nd book in Darcy’s Love is all around series. WOW, what a deeply sensual, romantic, Christmas tale. They can be real as stand alone, but so much better if you read them in order. As this book answers questions I had about Bianca sister Poppy from The Red Hot Earl…
Poppy and Gabriel have been very happily married for three years, but have no children.
As hard as it was to bear children in these times, society usually blamed the wife if no children showed up. Even with the work both do at Hartwell House, a home for unwed women and children in need. Poppy is having trouble dealing with being barren. Gabriel doesn’t know how to help her
as he lost both his mother and sister when he was young to childbirth. He knows she wants a child of her own, but is secretly happy cause he is sure she would die and so would the child. She is his life and can think of losing her. These two are a very sexy couple both in and out of the bedroom–oh my !
Darcy always writes wonderful, deep, moving characters, these two were all of them.
We also get to revisit some of our friends from book 1. Ash and Bianca are here to help.
How they work thru all the feelings, and hurts till the end makes for a fast moving story.
I finished it in one setting and can’t wait to see what or why Poppies, and Biance brother ,Chill is so mean and unfeeling and well just down right nasty to everyone. We get a little eye opener into that in this book too. Don’t miss these books they quick and easy to read but hard to put down.
I received an ARC from the author and am giving my honest opinion. You just can’t go wrong with a
book written by Darcy Burke.
This second book of the series runs more or less concurrently to book 1, wherein it is mentioned that Poppy is not herself. In this installment the reader learns more of what has dimmed Poppy’s spirit.
While this can be read as a standalone without feeling lost, I highly recommend reading book 1 first; it is really good with a bit of suspense. Book 2 is a quiet story telling the tale of how a loving couple cope with a lack of offspring. It is also a refreshing change to have an already married couple rather than the marriage mart at the center of the story. Very nicely done.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Darcy Burke has done it once again. Not only has she written an outstanding story but she has proven she can write about subjects that affect women everywhere. This novel is about Poppy, a wife who desperately wants to have a baby but can’t, and her husband Gabriel, who doesn’t want her to get pregnant because he fears she will die in childbirth. This book covers the fears and anxieties of both people as they deal with this problem. I really loved this book and I would definitely recommend it
4.5
I enjoyed revisiting County Durham and Hartwell House.
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Love is All Around
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading Calder’s story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC.