Knight of Desire [NOOK Book]

Margaret Mallory is destined for greatness.

Margaret Mallory is destined for greatness. When I read that this was her first book I was apprehensive. I read to relieve the stress of the day, to get lost in another time, and Ms. Mallory delivered."Knight of Desire "is an excellent--a read with plenty of intrigue, romance, and suspense. Her characters are believable. I found myself totally absorbed with the struggles of William and Catherine and almost read the entire book in one sitting. I am looking forward to Ms. Mallory's next book in this series and recommend Knight of Desire to anyone who loves a true historical romance.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Good one

Enjoyed this one too

i love this book...

all the books are great. i want more please....lol

What A Debut !!!

great book,loved everything about it..looking forward to a great and long series of knights, great title , beautiful details, exiting characters,interesting plot,very happy i took a chance and read this new author, can't wait for her other books..

Get this series!

I think I literally stayed up for 48 hours reading this! I loved William with his 'outward male pride' yet 'humble, loving heart'. Margaret did a wonderful job keeping you interested in 'what happens next' throughout the whole book. Very easy to follow and perfectly descriptive. I never once felt lost. Plus, I don't remember any lulls in the story.

Now book 2 is my favorite (Knight of Pleasure, but only by a little) - I fell in love with Stephen and his soldier arrogance, bantering with his older brother William and the breaking down of his heart into the reality of love. And no matter how much he tried to deny it, he got bit by the lust bug bad...and his new leading lady is one tough sweetheart!

Looking forward to book 3 - Jamie's story which will be out June of 2010!

An Enchanting Historical.. Very Enjoyable!

When a series debut is as wonderful as Knight of Desire, you know you are in for quite an adventure! Be sure to put Margaret Mallory's books on your wish list, I promise you won't regret it.


Although the plot may, at first, seem a bit cliche, or at the very least one that we've heard before, believe me when I say that it is anything but. The characters are very nicely developed, and just when you're sure you know what's going to happen next, Mallory throws you in a new direction! With her flowing, vivid descriptions, and the way she manages to draw from history (and then fictionalize, of course), to put the background into this novel, I was hooked from the very beginning.

Catherine is a very strong-willed heroine, and I greatly enjoyed seeing her grow and change as the story went on. She had a horrible excuse for a husband, but she fought bravely to get rid of him and get a better life for her and her son. I have to say, when the heroine of a romance novel proves, like Catherine did, that she's not just some silly bimbo looking for a guy, the author already has my vote! Nothing is worse then a character that can't even stand up to the storyline.



Our brave hero, William, was also a joy to read about. Although he was tough, with a bit of tortured-hero thing going for him at times, he was also very patient and gentle with Catherine.

The one flaw I found in this otherwise enchanting novel was the fact that William had such a difficult time believing Catherin! I understand why he may have had his doubts (most of the time, at least) and yes, it did make it more realistic, as far as new couples go... But if I was Catherine, I would have hit him every time he doubted me! A few scenes that showed the lack of trust built up so far, sure-- that's understandable, and even adds to the character and plot growth. However, after the third time or so that he reverted back to questioning her actions/feelings, I simply got a bit annoyed.

4 STARS! Almost a 4.5 rating, I enjoyed this book so much! From the romantic scenes, of which there were plenty; to the character connections, which ran deep, this was a truly magical romance novel for me. A captivating story, rich with historical backgrounds, but filled with twists and turns all through the book, Knight of Desire is a charming, sweet, and very passionate book--bring on the sequels!

Well Done! Great first novel!

I love this time period. Catherine is a strong woman who has endured much with her first husband but persevered. William's personality has many facets. He strong and sensitive as well with all the characteristics you love in a chivalrous knight. He is determined to be Catherine's hero just as she is determined to save her self. Makes for a good conflict.

Fall in love with Lady Catherine and William FitzAllen

Synopsis:
As a young heiress, Lady Catherine has little choice but to accept her king's choice of husband. But the night before her wedding, Catherine sneaks into the stables for one last taste of freedom and runs into William. William is a young knight in the service of the Earl of Northumberland. He accompanies her on this late night ride and they leave each other with memories that each return to over the years.

Lady Catherine betrays her husband to protect her king. On the day of her husband's death, her relief at her escape disappears as she learns that his lands and castle are forfeit to William FitzAlan and that she must choose to marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Not surprisingly, Lady Catherine chooses marriage.

William FitzAlan had wondered what sort of wife would betray her husband to the king and whether he could trust her enough to marry. William recognizes Catherine immediately and marries her despite his misgivings.

As political unrest and war invade their castle, Catherine and William slowly learn to trust and love each other.

Review:
I admit that I have a weakness for historical romances. Just reading about the book, I suspected that Knight of Desire would be a fun and satisfying read. Indeed, it has the elements of the best historical romances: interesting romantic leads, action filled plot during tumultuous times, and snappy dialogue.

I particularly enjoy romances with (a) the leading men who have had difficult lives but because of a strong sense of honor they remain brave and true and (b) although they're cynical or wary of love, they can't help but become besotted with the plucky heroines. Though I'd suspected that Knight of Desire would fulfill these expectations, I enjoyed the plot twists and the witty banter even more than I'd expected. This would qualify as a guilty pleasure - and a book that I'll reread several times until Margaret Mallory's next book comes out.

Renewed Desire for Medieval Romances

***see below for a chance to win a copy of this book***

I used to read medieval romances all the time. In fact I was hooked on them after reading my first Julie Garwood historical. To this day some of her medieval romances remain my all time favorites. But after a while it did not seem that there was anything new worth reading so I moved on to Regency and Contemporary romances. That changed for me after reading Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory.

Knight of Desire has all of the elements that I love about this sub-genre of historical romance. It has truly vile villains, emotionally wounded, yet a strong hero and heroine, and it immerses you with a vivid sense of time and place that is fraught with political unrest, peril, treachery, betrayal, and jealousy.

Catherine and William's love story is about learning to trust each other and their instincts despite doubts, insecurities and seeming betrayals, and at times left me heart sore for each one at different times. Knight of Desire renewed my love of reading Medieval romances for these very reasons. If you like Julie Garwood (Saving Grace, The Wedding, or Ransom) or Kat Martin's Bold Angel, then I think you will really enjoy Knight of Desire!


p.s.: To my great delight Margaret Mallory is already hard at work creating two more novels in the All the King's Men series. Look for Knight of Pleasure in late 2009 and Knight of Passion in 2010.

Ratings:
Romance 3.5
Passion 3.5
Kleenex 1.5
Overall 3.5

This book was reviewed for Seductive Musings blog. Want a chance to win one of five copies? Stop by the blog and enter by July 18 2009.

Fans will desire more deep historical romances from Ms. Mallory.

Given no choice in the matter, Lady Catherine was forced to marry an abusive spouse. Outraged by what has become of her, she vows to find a way to insure her son Jamie is never in her situation especially keeping him safe from his mean-spirited father. Catherine finds a means by giving information to her friend Prince Henry on Welsh rebel activity led by her husband. Her efforts lead to the death of her brute of a husband.

In 1405 King Henry IV proclaims her guilty of sedition and declares her lands forfeit and gives them to his loyal soldier William FitzAlan. The ruler also informs Catherine she has a choice of marrying William or dying in the Tower. William distrusts his new wife, but cherishes her beautiful body. As they become acquainted they fall in love, but trust is a more difficult bond to build; without it an unknown adversary may leave both dead.

The key to this terrific medieval romance is in the background as Margaret Mallory provides the audience with various viewpoints on the Welsh rebellion without hindering the changing relationship between the widow and the king's selected second husband for her. Thus the reader obtains a the perspective of real persona to include the Prince of Wales Hal, his mentor Hotspur and rebel leaders like Owain as well as fictional characters like the heroine, her late spouse (in retrospect) and William. The romance is strong but typical of the sub-genre. Fans will desire more deep historical romances from Ms. Mallory.

Harriet Klausner

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