Knight of Passion

Margaret Mallory

Jamie Rayburn met Linnet and her twin Francois when she was 12 and he was 15. Within another three years he was in love with her. But Lady Linnet wants revenge against the merchants who ruined her grandfather. When her grandfather died, their belongings were taken as "collateral". Linnet and Francois were able to escape and were rescued by Jamie's uncle.

After Jamie discovered Linnet was using him to get back at her absent father he was angry. He is an honorable man and he was angry she could act like that. Now, six years later they come face to face again. He discovered he's as attracted to her now as he was at 18. Yet he still can't trust her. She is working on obtaining revenge on the men who ruined her grandfather. She is using her business to take them down.

Lady Linnet is also a close friend and advisor of the newly widowed Queen Katherine. Jamie has been set to protect the Queen until the regent returns to England from the war with France. He decides he needs to convince Linnet to give up her scheme. He wants to marry her, but doesn't believe she will want to until she has brought down the men who wronged her family. In the meantime, they will enjoy each other. He'll try to let her believe he's not interested in the long term thinking that's what she thinks she wants.

Katherine's young son and new king has been taken into protective custody to "keep him safe". Linnet has trouble keeping Katherine in a quiet widowhood. Politically she could be major trouble, especially with the new man she has taken on, Owen Tudor. She tries to council the Queen. Jamie tries to council Owen to stay away from the Queen. Between the intrigue there and their own sneaking around, Jamie and Linnet are tied up in political and personal knots.

Knight of Passion is a historical romance that takes place in the 1420's shortly after King Henry V died. Lady Linnet is a headstrong woman In that time noble women were supposed to be wives and mothers, waiting for their men to come back from the war. Yet Margaret Mallory is able to make Linnet believable within the constraints of her era. She runs a business, which isn't the norm, but does it through representatives. Jamie is honorable and true, all that a good romantic knight should be.

I liked the political, historical setting of Knight of Passion. The romance is pleasant and satisfying. It has hot love scenes and sexy lovers. It's the backstory that kept my interest. Fortunately, Mallory also gives a synopsis of the known history of Queen Katherine and Owen Tudor (ancestor of the later Tudor kings and queens). Since that isn't a time period I've studied, this was new to me.

This is the third of the King's Men series. If you enjoy historical romance, you'll enjoy this novel as well. It's a book that's good for escape for a few hours.

Notice:  Explicit sexual content, Non-graphic violence

Publicist provided for review

Knight of Desire
Knight of Pleasure
Knight of Passion