She is on the verge of losing everything…

To save her home and keep her two younger siblings safe, Louisa Evans must turn to the head of the family that ruined hers.

He needs an heir…

The Marquess of Overlea is starting to show signs of having inherited the same illness that killed his father and older brother. To prevent the marquisate from falling into the hands of an unscrupulous cousin, Overlea must secure an heir before that illness also claims him.

But he is determined not to be the father of that heir…

Overlea’s plan is simple—marry the practical, yet desperate, Miss Evans and hold Louisa to her promise to provide him with an heir. But he waits until after they are married to tell his wife that he intends to have another man father that heir. His careful plan becomes complicated by an almost desperate need to claim Louisa for himself and an outside threat that proves even more dangerous than his illness.

I have put off reading Loving the Marquess (it’s been on my To Be Read list for a long time) and I have absolutely no idea why.  The blurb caught my attention, which is why it was on my TBR list, but for some reason I just never picked it up.  Now I regret it, because this book is quite enjoyable.

I really liked both Overlea and Louisa.  He’s your typical stubborn lord, convinced that he knows best and clueless to his emotions.  She’s sweet but strong, having to take care of her family from an early age.  They are definitely a good match for each other and once they get to the point that his silly plan is no longer on the table it was nice to see their connection deepen.

Speaking of Overlea’s little folly to have someone else father his heir, I think it could be off-putting for some but it was handled well and really didn’t go anywhere that would make anyone uncomfortable.  The plan was concocted very logically, too bad the heart had to get involved.  Being stubborn, of course, it took Overlea longer to let it go but Medeiros tied it all together nicely.

There’s a little bit of intrigue toward the end that added a little spice to the story.  I think that Overlea might have figured things out a little too easily, especially as it contradicted some strong beliefs, but otherwise it worked for me.  And had just that perfect little twist to keep things interesting.

There are also some great secondary characters that I’m looking forward to seeing more of in future books.  Louisa’s siblings and Overlea’s friend provide the perfect material for another couple of stories and although we didn’t get to know them very well, there was just enough to make me intrigued about the possibilities.

Medeiros is a relatively new author but she shows a lot of promise.  Loving the Marquess is perfect for those looking for a historical romance – the characters will keep you turning the pages and that touch of mystery will have you coming back for more.