I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Joy to the Duke is the 3rd and final novella in Darcy Burke’s regency Christmas trilogy Love Is All Around. This one is a second chance at love story featuring the Scrooge-like Calder Stafford, Duke of Hartwell. Desperately unhappy but determined not to do anything his cruel father would have approved of Calder Stafford is becoming more and more isolated from his friends and his sisters because of his refusal to host the annual St. Stephen’s day festivities at Hartwell or to support a local children’s home as they were his father’s pet projects. When he meets his first love Felicity Garland once again and they realise that the reasons they separated were all due to his fathers machinations his heart begins to melt but it’s been 10 years and he’s not sure he could ever be the person he once was again. I recommend reading the books in this series in order. Medium Steam Publishing Date November 12, 2019 #NetGalley #DarcyBurke #RegencyChristmas #ChristmasNovella #HistoricalRomance #Bookstagram ( )

Joy To The Duke by Darcy Burke
Love Is All Around #3

Holidays past, present and future are looked at by Calder in this historical Christmas romance that provides him a second chance with Felicity. The two were parted abruptly ten years before and the intervening years have changed them both in a variety of ways. With so much time lost between them it might be difficult to rekindle their feelings...or then again...perhaps not. Both had misconceptions and hurt feelings over what transpired in the past and to get over them honesty and conversation will be needed.

This story has the second chance romance idea flowing along with a rather Scrooge-like person in the character of Calder. Felicity is a woman who won’t give up and wants to help Calder return to the man he once was. There is a Christmas fete to plan, friendships to rekindle, a wonderful dog, some charming and less charming children and a wonderful story to read that will leave you in the holiday spirit.

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 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. ( )