Thrill of the Knight

by Julia Latham and Gayle Callen

Book Overview

A lady's deception Lady Elizabeth Hutton will never succumb to the ambitions of a neighboring lord--even after his soldiers imprison the newly orphaned heiress in her own bedchamber. Ever resourceful, the proud beauty has devised a strategy to escape the devil who's determined to possess her and her great wealth: she will switch roles with her loyal maid so that she can save herself and her people. A knight's rapture Sir John Russell's love of adventure...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061235156
• ISBN13: 9780061235153
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.3" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

gripping

I read the other reviews on this page and decided to get this book in spite of the conflicting opinions. I guess something about the story appealed to me. 50 pages or so into the book, I felt like I was reading a spin off of one of Joahanna Lindsey's 80's medieval romances. Nothing "thrilling" seemed to be going on. A somewhat cliched plot of a lady in distress twitching roles with her maid and the hero lord pretending to be a poor man to save his noble betrothed, a woman he hasn't seen since childhood. But I liked the characters, so I kept on reading. I am glad I did. Although it seemed that way at first, there was nothing contrived about the story. And every time it headed toward a cliche, at the last moment the author surprised me by taking the story to a completely different place than I had expected. I didn't even care that the sex scene came so close to the end because the sexual tension between the main characters was great and they were also busy in building a real and solid relationship. This is not a super scorching book, although the sex was hot. It is a wonderful novel with interesting characters and lots of twists and turns. Not in an epic way, but rather a small-scale but strong drama taking place within a castle during the reign of King Henry VII, just after the Wars of the Roses. The heroine is clever and courageous and the part I liked most about her is that she didn't "swoon" at the hero's feet whenever he touched her, even though she was strongly attracted to him. I am so tired of "swooning" heroines that just cannot help themselves even though the hero is being a jerk. This heroine had a brain as well as hormones. She had genuine concerns that had nothing to do with lust. The hero - a good guy and not a jerk - was right there beside her, understanding, trying to help, and definitely an alpha male. The friction between them was excellent at first, but then they became a real team, fighting to secure their future, battling their enemies as well as their inner worries that everyone feels in a normal relationship (not the "relationships" we read about in romance.) She was falling in love and she was scared. Totally believable and something I have not encountered in romance novels almost ever. There was no "big misunderstanding". Nor was the hero bad or dangerous. He was a good guy eager to help. Her fears simply stemmed from the fact that she was going to bind her life to a man she just met - what could be more real and relevent than that? All in all, this book was fantastic. The deeper I got inside the story, the harder it was to put it down. I recommend it to readers who are tired of "sizzling romances" that have a sex scene on p.160 and a boring plot that takes a back seat to the sex. This book has it all, especially a good story and interesting characters. Be patient - you won't be sorry!

Strong heroine, stronger hero.

Lady Elizabeth is clever, capable, and in charge of her world til the bad guys show up. Sir John comes to the rescue and is torn between his duty and his heart. Think you have read this book before?? I don't think so!! You will delight in Lady Elizabeth's machinations and be amazed at Sir John's efforts to put duty before self interest.

Thrilling!

I love nothing more than to lose myself in a great historical novel, and Julia Latham's debut, THRILL OF THE KNIGHT, was just the ticket for a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon. The characters were believable, the plot was delightful, and the setting was rich with detail that placed me smack dab in the middle of the story. I can't wait to read the further adventures of The League of the Blade.

Thrill of the Knight

When a neighboring lord imprisons Lady Elizabeth Hutton in her own rooms, the clever heiress outwits him. Determined not to fall victim to his greed, Lady Elizabeth trades identities with her ladies maid. Returning to find himself titled and engaged, Sir John hears that his affianced, Lady Elizabeth is being held captive. Although he hasn't seen her since his childhood, Sir John rides to her rescue. In disguise, he enters the captured household where he meets a maid. Sir John's vows are put to the test by his desire for not his fiance but her ladies maid. The choice between his honor and his heart is the hardest decision the noble knight has ever faced. Fans of medieval romance will love Thrill of the Knight! Ardor filled romance, mistaken identities and a villainous wretch will keep readers engaged and begging for more. I am a fan of mistaken identities and enjoyed the tangle that Elizabeth and John found themselves in. I also enjoyed their passion and love for one another. A very satisfying read! Annmarie Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

An Entertaining Read!

Lady Elizabeth Hutton is in a bad situation. She's promised to marry one man and yet she finds herself prisoner by another who would seek to be her guardian until her way-ward husband to be finally arrives to marry her. Deciding she doesn't want to be at the mercy of Lord Bannaster she switches places with her daring friend and maid. Now, Elizabeth can move freely and learn all she can in order to save her people and herself. Sir John Russell never thought he'd be in the place he is now, forced to marry a woman his older brother's were engaged to. He's a free spirit having traveled to far reaching locations, indulging in adventure after adventure. None of these have prepared him for the passion he feels for Lady Elizabeth's maid. The fire between them is intense and goes against all that he has been taught is noble. Will he be forced to make the ultimate choice or will honor and love go hand in hand? Well known historical author Gayle Callen is the name behind romance writer, Julia Latham. Ms. Latham has created a very endearing set of characters to inhabit her make-believe world. Elizabeth and John are thrust into a situation that on the surface seems cut and dry but looks are deceiving and nothing is going to be simple between them. Seldom do I enjoy a story where misinformation and hiding of identities between the main characters is used as the vehicles for the story. Ms. Latham has done a find job with this and thereby making this a good and believable conflict between these two characters. The passion and attraction between them is hot and instant which only adds to the build-up to the finish. Lord Bannaster is a proper evil doer and Anne, Elizabeth's maid rounds out this secondary cast of characters. This is a fine medieval romance and I look forward to reading Ms. Latham again in the future. CK2S Kwips and Kritiques