The Christmas Foundling Author: Martha Keyes
Series: Belles of Christmas: Frost Fair #5
Genres: Historical Romance
Format: eBook, Print
Pages: 216
Date: December 5, 2020
Publisher: Indie
A babe in a manger once saved the world. Can this one save a failing marriage?
Lydia Blakeburn, Baroness Lynham, wants nothing more than to present her husband with an heir, but after five years of marriage, she has all but given up on doing so. What started as a love match has since begun to sour, yet there is nothing Lydia can do to free Miles from a marriage she is certain he regrets. The future they had envisioned together is slipping farther and farther away.
Miles Blakeburn is at his wit’s end. Not only has he failed to produce an heir to the family’s ancient title, his wife has withdrawn from him entirely. The one thing in the world she wants, he has thus far been unable to give her: a child. He is a failure in every regard.
When they happen upon an abandoned baby at the Frost Fair, Miles simply can’t resist the light he sees sparked in his wife’s eyes as she holds the child. He agrees to take the foundling in until Christmastide is over, when they will find the babe a permanent home. But, for a couple who’s been yearning for a baby for years, the infant can’t help but expose all the feelings Lydia and Miles have long been trying to bury, feelings that have the power to bring them back together—or estrange them forever.
*This book deals with the topic of infertility, which can be triggering for some
Rating: Mild+. Mild substance use; mild kissing; mild sensuality.
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About Martha Keyes
Martha Keyes was born, raised, and educated in Utah. She received a BA in French Studies and a Master of Public Health, both from Brigham Young University. Word crafting has always fascinated and motivated her, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that she considered writing her own stories. When she isn’t writing, she is honing her photography skills, looking for travel deals, and spending time with her family.
he author manages to take a very deeply sensitive and emotional topic and weaves into a heart stirring story about a married couple finding love again. Though it was easy to get frustrated with the characters, their actions (and reactions) were very close to what I would expect from a couple going through years of infertility. I thought the ending was PERFECT and it left me in happy tears.
I liked the connected theme of the Frost Fair in this series. It is unique in both the actual occurrence and as a topic for regency romance. This book didn’t spend a lot of time at the fair but it did set up the rest of the story quite well.
The feel of this book is pretty heavy since it is dealing with infertility and a struggling marriage. I’m probably not the best audience for it since I prefer light hearted and escaping the difficulties in life but I also know this is real stuff that real people struggle with. These two could really use a very good therapist to help them work through their issues. They are both on the same side but looking at the problem through their own lenses and not communicating at all so things keep spiraling to worse. For my own tastes I felt like the struggle went on too long and the story started to feel like it wasn’t moving anywhere but just spinning its wheels. At the same time, I think if you were, in reality, in this situation in your marriage the struggle would feel like it lasted forever so perhaps this is perfectly designed.
I appreciated that Lydia’s sister, Diana, was able to help Lydia see some things from another perspective. She was like that much needed therapist a couple times in the book. I also appreciated that the male considered that he could be the cause of the infertility because usually in this era it is blamed on the female.
Because this is a married couple dealing with infertility there are often implicit references to marital intimacy but there is no sex in the book.
In the end we do get to see the happily ever after ending. It is just a struggle for this couple to get there.
Possible triggers: infertility and a struggling marriage
Sex: implied marital intimacy
Language: no
Violence: no
*I received and complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
What a beautiful story about a sweet and tender topic! I cried tears of joy and happiness at the same time! Thank you for writing such a wonderful story about a hard and sensitive topic for many individuals!