An Affair Before Christmas    by Eloisa James Order:  USA  Can Avon, 2007 (2007) Paperback, e-Book      Reviewed by Kim Atchue-Cusella After four years of marriage, Lady Perdita 'Poppy' Selby decides that she has had enough of living a lie with the Duke of Fletcher. Socially she is a good wife but she's having problems with the intimate side of marriage. She moves in with her friend Jemma, who has a reputation for being outrageous. Unhappy about these developments, Poppy's mother moves in with Fletcher, which horrifies him since he is not fond of his mother-in-law. After they spend months apart, Fletcher recognizes that he needs to woo his wife back to save their marriage. He knows that Poppy has trouble spending time with him in the bedroom and even though she has encouraged him to get a mistress, he doesn't want to take that route. He is totally in love with Poppy and she is all he can think about. After spending more time with Fletcher, Poppy realizes she is in love with him - even though she previously told him she had never loved him. The more time they spend getting to know each other all over again, the more it becomes apparent to Fletcher that his wife's problems with intimacy come from her mother. Can he rebuild their love before Christmas and show his wife that all society marriages need not be unhappy? An Affair Before Christmas is the story of a married couple learning that happiness is to be had in a society marriage. Fletcher will not let go of Poppy easily and fights her mother's influence about a proper lady 's behavior. Poppy is not very mature, but grows up a lot during the separation. She learns that her husband truly loves her and, unlike his peers, wants nothing to do with a mistress. Eloisa James pens an enchanting story that readers will enjoy this holiday season. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews