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    Knight of Desire
    Knight of Desire
    Knight of Desire
    Audiobook9 hours

    Knight of Desire

    Written by Margaret Mallory

    Narrated by Derek Perkins

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    His surcoat still bloody from battle, William FitzAlan comes to claim the strategic borderlands granted to him by the king. One last prize awaits him at the castle gates: the lovely Lady Catherine Rayburn.

    Catherine risked everything to spy for the crown. Her reward? Her lands are declared forfeit and she is given this choice: marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Catherine agrees to give her handsome new husband her body, but she's keeping secrets, and dare not give him her heart. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateNov 12, 2013
    ISBN9781452687551
    Knight of Desire

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    Reviews for Knight of Desire

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      Knight of Desire is the first book in the medieval series “All The King’s Men” which is set around the same time that her “Return of The Highlanders” series. This book and this series is set around the time when King Henry IV took the throne and which deals with the Wales rebellion. I don’t get a chance to read too many books around this time era and I had such a wonderful time with this book, it swept me back into this majestic period of history in England. Margaret Mallory has a almost magical touch when it comes to writing medieval era romances and I really got a kick out of her “authors note” that she put at the end of the book that explains some historical figures that we see in this book. Including King Henry and his son Harry and some of the Wales rebellion leaders.This book begins with a prologue where our hero and heroine meet for the very first time. Lady Katherine, is to be married at sixteen to a man who frightens her but this is what the King is asking of her, and she is loyal. But the night before the wedding she wants some freedom but a knight….Sir William. William knows the risk of escorting Katherine, but fears what could happen to her if she doesn’t have protection. So he goes out with her so she can enjoy her last night of freedom. There is a strong bond that forms between William and Katherine, a frienship of laughter and understanding. But Sir William goes off to war to fight and gain his own lands and Katherine is to be married to Lord Rayburn.Lady Katherine has had to bear years of her husband forcing himself upon her, beating her for the lack of a child but finds a way to get pregnant and now she has a small son she loves and adores. But now Rayburn wants a second child and she doesn’t know if she will survive his beatings once again. So when she realizes that her husband is a traitor to his King, she reports him to the King knowing that he is working along side with the rebels. She received notice that her husband has been killed and one of the King’s men, a loyal knight, will be taking over the lands and will be the one to decide her fate. Sir William doesn’t know if he can trust Rayburn’s wife, considering she betrayed him even if it was due to her loyalties to the King. But when he sees her, he recognizes her as the one whom he protected that one night and one he never forgot even after all these years. So he has two choice send her to the tower in London or…marry her.At first, Katherine is apalled that she will have to marry again especially to a man that is a stranger to her. But she soon realizes that Sir William is very different from her late husband…he is kind and gracious to her son. Soon a slow trust begins to form between them, but there is still a level of miscommunication between them. And when they both make mistakes, they soon realize that they need to embrace their marriage and come to an understanding and acceptance. But the battles with the King’s enemies will prove to push the love they have found to the brink and they may lose each other just as they have found each other again…What a tremendous and beautifully written story that I devoured. I honestly didn’t want to put this book down and breezed through this audio book. I have had this trilogy on my TBR for the LONGEST time, in reality…years. I will admit, that the covers that Forever designed for these books are stunning and just makes you want to buy them so they can look pretty on your shelf. But I adore medieval romances and Margaret Mallory is so talented at writing these books and the time era that she has chosen for this trilogy is one of my favorites. There are so many unique dynamics that bring this book together.One of my favorite aspects was seeing all the secondary characters and where as some of them are actual historical figures. Such as King Henry IV and his son Harry. Prince Harry we see quite a bit of in this book, he and Katherine were childhood friends, and we see how he plays a pivotal role in the story and the development of the plot and some of the Wale rebels machinations. I was fascinated by Prince Harry to be honest. I so don’t like his father since he was very cruel. But his son, was the opposite. Of course, he was a warrior and at the young age of eighteen, he already was in charge of England’s armies and despite how youthful he could be…he was cunning and so intelligent yet charming and kind too. I was really intrigued with how Mallory developed the plot because…seriously…it didn’t turn in the way I expected it and she always does this to me. She turns my world upside down with twists and plot developments that take those unexpected turns. The historical aspects of the story are one of my favorite elements of this story. Its so rich with history and details and I was really intrigued with how she handled the rebellion of Wales. This is such a fundamental part of England’s history and she wrote it so well. I found myself really intrigued with the leaders of Wales who are in charge of this rebellion and now I want to pour through historical books to find out more about them. This is the true talent of Margaret Mallory, when she wants me to pour over history books….you just know how well she pens a story.The romance between William and Katherine isn’t a easy road for either of them. The first half of the book, the focus is them learning each other and boy the misunderstanding and miscommunciations are ridiculous at times. If they were to just sit down for five minutes, it would be resolved. But then its a romance novel…so its not going to be that easy. But they do find some common ground and boy does the hero let Jealousy get the better of him. We see him face up to why he is feeling jealous of the Prince….so much that he almost wants to attack him even though its obvious they are just good friends. Katherine has her own issues of course too….she hasn’t emotionally recovered from the abuse she was dealt by her first husband and at times she does take it out on William, even if she doesn’t realize what she is doing at first. They both have to learn about trust and honesty and being open with each other if they want their relationship to work. But they do make it work and find some common ground although….the learning aspect of their relationship was so dramatic at times that it could be a bit frustrating. This aspect of the story is the reason this book isn’t a five star read. Lack of honesty and communication can drive me up the wall.Overall I fell in love with Knight of Desire….its a tale rich in history, vibrant in sensuality, stunning in detail and endearing in emotion, simply a romance to remember!!!UNFORGETTABLE!
    • 4/5
      I bought this trilogy based on the recommendation of a bookseller. She said for debut novel this was really well done so I decided to give it a try. I have to say I was very impressed.

      I adore medievals as a rule and this one was lovely. Though there were several misunderstandings and a lack of trust between the couple, I felt they were justified on both sides.

      Although Catherine is a strong, independent woman, I never felt she was too independent. Despite betraying her first husband she was very loyal and caring. She suffered quite a bit throughout the book, both mentally and physically, but she bore each new strain admirably. Though I understood why her husband mistrusted her, I still felt her pain.

      At times I became just as frustrated with William as Catherine, but it was hard to remain angry. His strong sense of honor and self-doubt made him an extremely sympathetic character. Plus, the kindness he showed not only Catherine but her son and the inhabitants of her home was very endearing.

      I found the setting and political backdrop fascinating. The Prince, King and their enemies were written in a way that was engaging on their own while advancing the main storyline. I also enjoyed the other secondary characters, especially Robert, Stephen and the Tudors (who were featured here before their reign).

    • 4/5
      Huzzah for enjoying a free book!

      Mallory's debut medieval pairs the wily Lady Catherine with the honorable, but stubborn and insecure, William FitzAlan in a hasty marriage. Catherine's husband had betrayed the Crown, but Catherine had been sending the prince messages behind her husband's back. The day the king's forces catch up with and kill her traitorous husband, she's offered a choice: live in the Tower of London, or marry William, who the king gave her lands to. Reasonably, she agrees to marry.

      The book shines on the virtues of its plot. There's angst, yes. Catherine was abused by her previous husband and is not terribly keen on the whole wife thing. William doesn't trust her or women in general. But the plot keeps twisting and turning, with running away to an abbey, royal visits, kidnapping, intrigues, and bad guys getting what's coming to them. She drops clues and builds foreshadowing subtly. Never did I think I had the next step all figured out, but neither was I ever totally surprised.

      None of this book is groundbreaking. You know these guys. She's spirited. He's alpha. There's a ton of misunderstanding and groveling. But the plot moves so well, pulling us along a surprising journey, that the stock characters are acceptable. They're not cardboard cutouts, but this is not a character study by any means. I enjoyed Catherine's poise and spirit and William's drive to do the right thing and ability to apologize when he's done quite the wrong thing, but they're very familiar characters to me.

      Regardless, I look forward to subsequent books of hers. She has a good voice for medieval romance, if maybe a touch too modern.
    • 4/5
      This book was entertaining. I found myself chuckling throughout. There is strong sexual content in this book. I found myself skimming over the romantic scenes to get back to the main story. I did enjoy the heroine, she is lively and strong willed. I would recommend this to others who enjoy romance novels.
    • 4/5
      This book was entertaining. I found myself chuckling throughout. There is strong sexual content in this book. I found myself skimming over the romantic scenes to get back to the main story. I did enjoy the heroine, she is lively and strong willed. I would recommend this to others who enjoy romance novels.
    • 5/5
      I love historical romances. This book did not disappoint me at all. The story has twist and turns that you don't expect. I look forward to reading the whole series.(Series includes: Knight of Desire, Knight of Pleasure, and Knight of Passion.)
    • 5/5
      A beautiful cover coupled with an emotional story creates the wonder that is KNIGHT OF DESIRE by Margaret Mallory. I recently fell into the world of Historical Romance and have thus far been fortunate to encounter some great works. KNIGHT OF DESIRE falls firmly within this category. The romance was tender, the passion hot and the suspense surrounding our main characters was enough to get even the toughest of hearts pumping with adrenaline. This was a fantastic book and one that I am thrilled to have read.Lady Catherine Rayburn has done the unthinkable; she has betrayed her husband. In doing so, she has aided King Henry, but will anyone care about her reasons? When a man betrays the King as her husband did, his family usually is forced to suffer the consequences right along with him. Will King Henry show Catherine mercy or will he doom her to a life in prison?William FitzAlan has always wanted land of his own; his desire for a family and a stable life that he can hold on to is overwhelming. When the king graces this warrior with all that was Rayburn's, FitzAlan is suddenly closer to achieving his dream. The only problem is that the king has also given FitzAlan the power to decide Catherine's fate. Will he take her as his wife, or will he send her to the tower? With a body made of steel, but a heart made for love, FitzAlan agrees to marry Catherine and save her from a dark future. With conflict rising inside and outside of the castle walls, FitzAlan must fight to protect his new family and attempt to claim his new wife's body and her heart.Mallory did a beautiful job of creating this tale. Her research went a long way toward creating a feel of authenticity in the book. Many of the characters and historical elements of the book are accurate. There are, of course, instances where Mallory took creative license, but it all helped in making the story a wonderfully cohesive work of art.The main characters, Lady Catherine and Lord William are highly complex individuals. Both come with their own set of desires, fears and a fair amount of history. The back-story of both characters unfold slowly. Mallory gives us a look into the pasts of Catherine and William inch by inch, pulling us in closer and making the story completely addictive. Not only do we want to know what happens next, but she leaves us wanting to know what happened before. What events helped developed the two people that now find themselves standing in front of each other, surrounded by strife? I absolutely loved how Mallory did this. It gave the reader something to look forward to on different fronts. Her ability to keep us interested in both the past and the present was amazing and really helped to make KNIGHT OF DESIRE a fantastic read.In addition to the characters, Mallory did a great job of imbuing depth and complexity to other aspects of the book. The political atmosphere of the time was explained wonderfully, adding a note of suspense and intrigue to an already wonderful story. Sometimes we would find ourselves face to face with a highly romantic page and the next page we would find ourselves tossed into the politics of English as they battle the Welsh. This is part of where Mallory's research comes in to play. She does a really great job of bringing life to this aspect of history and helping us to feel the tension in the air.Speaking of tension - wow! Tension is what pulls a reader through a book, making him or her unwilling to set the book down. It is what makes us say, "Oh, just one more page. Just one more chapter." The tension that Mallory graced the pages with really brought the story to life. On my second day of reading this, it was like I blinked and all of a sudden was five chapters ahead in the book. Her words flow so beautifully, the tension rising and falling throughout the pages that this becomes less of a book one is reading and more of a story that we get to experience.If I had to pick one thing that made this book really memorable for me, it would be the descriptions that Mallory uses. From the way she creates the landscape to the way we get to feel the textures and colors of the clothing, Mallory's words create a sense of realism. She does a wonderful job of engaging our senses, ensuring that we can taste, tough, smell, hear and even see the story come to life. I'm not joking when I say that I can close my eyes and picture some of the landscapes that Mallory paints for us. KNIGHT OF DESIRE is truly a colorful story - a treat for the eyes.KNIGHT OF DESIRE was a beautiful book with a memorable and compelling story line. Mallory's characters are complex and realistic, making them easy to relate to. The scenery was gorgeous was were Mallory's descriptions. There were a few occasions where I would have loved for the pace to pick up just a smidge, but in all honesty this lasted for maybe a paragraph or two. To top it all off, the cover of this book is just incredible. The artist has done an amazing job of creating the luminescence that Mallory instills Lady Catherine with.I highly recommend that fans of Historical Romance give KNIGHT OF DESIRE a try. I honestly don't see how someone could not love this story and I think that your brain and heart will thank you for it later. If you're looking for something to curl up with on a rainy day, this might be a choice to consider. Even if you're looking for something to get your blood going, you may think of picking this one up. It has something for everyone to fall in love with, just as I did.
    • 5/5
      On the night before her wedding Lady Catherine secretly decides to go on one last ride before she is to marry the man her King has chosen to be her husband. There she meets a young knight (William FitzAlan) who accompanies her on this ride and returns her safely to the stables, but not before leaving them with memories that they think back upon over the years.Five years later, Lady Catherine betrays her husband in order to protect her king. Her husband was violent and abusive and she has no remorse in betraying him for the traitor that he was. On the day of her husband's death, she learns that his/her lands and castle are forfeit to William FitzAlan. The King has left her with no choice but to either be taken to the Tower or to marry FitzAlan. Reluctantly she chooses to marry William - as for William, he recognizes Catherine as the young girl he still thinks of and immediately marries her despite his doubts as to what type of woman can betray her husband.Although the main threat to Catherine is easily resolved with their marriage, there are still many other issues that they have to deal with. For one, Catherine has only been to the marriage bed with her late husband and it was not something pleasant for her. So she is none too thrilled about consummating her marriage. Secondly, William has issues trusting her - he is constantly questioning her actions not to mention his closest friend keeps reminding him of the outcome of her previous marriage. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.I love historical romances - and this one has just the right amount of romance, witty banter and likeable characters. Ms. Mallory definitely did her research when describing the Welsh rebellion of the 15th century as well as Medieval England. This is a well-written story and you will see that the pages fly by with ease. It is riddled with love, lust and betrayal... what more could you want out of a romance novel? I can definitely recommend this to fans of the romance genre and congratulate Ms. Mallory on a very enjoyable debut.
    • 4/5
      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!
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 3/5
      In Knight of Desire, Lady Catherine Rayburn is locked in an abusive marriagve, her only solace the memory of the one innocent night she spend with a kind man as a girl and her son. When her husband becomes a traitor to the English crown for his own benefit, she spies on him and sells him out to the English. When they put him to death, Catherine considers herself delivered and free. All she wants is a quite life in her castle with her child. Unfortunately, the King of England has other plans for her– it is either to the Tower for being the wife of a traitor or marry another man and let him resume control of her castle. Emotionally and mentally wounded from her former husband, Catherine does not trust or submit easily to her new husband William FitzAlan, who she does not recognize as the man she spent her one good evening with before marriage. William, a soldier, has a hard time understanding women or trusting her because his own mother quite manipulative. It takes the two of them a while, but they soon enough fall into passionate love with a few tiffs in between since William is the jealous and quick to assume type. At the same time, conspiring against them is William’s friend Edmund, who pretends to be a loyal protector in order to give Catherine over to the enemy. Held hostage by the Prince of Wales and the Tudor family, the now pregnant Catherine can only accept her fate or hope that her husband comes to rescue her. Knight of Desire is a historical romance, its context Medieval England and the Welsh rebellion of the 15th century. I have to admit, my knowledge of Medieval England is a bit lacking, but I do know a considerable bit about Medieval society and expectations in general. Aside from a few things that I couldn’t imagine a woman of the time doing (not saying some women didn‘t and couldn‘t defy expectations, of course), I was pretty much pleased with the historical accuracy of Knight of Desire—and trust me, I was looking at the small things such as what they used for dinner and how they ate. If a fork showed up, I would have promptly closed the book and refused to reopen it! The book is very well written, as well, so it flows along from page one to the end without those little bumps along the way that come with reading a book that is a bit difficult or awkwardly written at times. All of the action and the descriptions work well on text. As it seems, this is Mallory’s first novel and shows just what a adept writer she is and how much she deserves to be published. Her talent with words give credibility to the entire novel in general. Mallory’s English countryside is breathtaking, the wilderness wild, the fights rough and bloody, and the passion hot. I certainly never got bored with reading this novel and had it in bed with me late into the night and early morning. Most of the second half of the drama was fueled by Catherine supposedly being so beautiful that a man wanted her enough to hate her. Typical romance stuff there, which I have difficulty enjoying. I prefer my romance to defy convention in certain ways and to catch me by surprise. I was a bit bothered by the rampant use of the phrase “in sooth” because I don’t believe in dotting modern language novels with archaic terms unless the words used are nouns. That is just a personal pet peeve of mine, and my personal feeling on the matter doesn’t diminish the simple fact that Mallory wrote a very good historical romance novel, which paints a satisfactory picture of Medieval life in England. All in all, Knight of Romance is a good book and I would definitely recommend it to fans of the romance genre.
    • 4/5
      On a cool October night a beautiful young girl sneaks out into the stables to take a last ride before she is to be married.... She surprises a young knight sleeping in the stable... it is an encounter that neither one of them will ever forget.... And neither will you! This is a wonderful story! Rich with passion and great characters! Catherine is a strong willed independent woman, even as a young girl. Beautiful & smart! William FitzAlan is noble, kind, loyal, brave and gorgeous! Their romance is sizzling! Their marriage is complicated... Catherine's first marriage was to a cruel, abusive man, who she betrayed by sending word to the King of his traitorous ways. Not knowing anything other than the pain & suffering she felt at the hands of her first husband, she is afraid to put her trust in William ( in bed & in his heart). Unable to avoid the "inevitable", she is ultimately surprised & delighted at the passion between them! And slowly they try to resolve the other issues in their lives- the secrets that still separate them & the trust they must put in eachother to survive the turmoil around them.Knight of Desire is a historical romance and Margaret Mallory certainly did her homework! The setting for Knight of Desire is 600 years ago during the Welsh rebellion, when the welsh were fighting to take over as much of England as possible. Knight of Desire has everything you'd want in a great story: political intrigue, love, lust, loyalty & friendship. You will not be able to put it down! I couldn't!
    • 5/5
      Knight of Desire tells the story of a young woman, Catherine, who is forced to wed a violent man. When she has had enough of his behavior, she betrays him and sends word to the king that her husband is a traitor. Her husband is captured and killed. The king has decided to let Catherine's fate and her home lay in William's hands. He has given William the choice between sending Catherine to the tower which would undoubtedly result in her death or wedding her the very same day she became a widow. William is an extremely honorable man and decides to take Catherine as his wife. This book is filled with romance, lust, love and betrayal. I loved this book! If you enjoy Historical Romance, this is a MUST READ!
    • 4/5
      This well-written debut novel was a joy to read, and introduces a wonderful new voice to the historical genre. William and Catherine share an interesting, though convoluted, connection and their interactions are the solid base that carries the rest of the plot. I enjoyed the pacing and the love story, though felt some of the more interesting elements of William and Catherine's backstories called for greater exposition, as did the important betrayal the served as such a central plot device.All in all, a great read especially for a debut novel. I definitely look forward to future offerings from this new author. Highly recommended!