To Charm a Knight (Zebra Historical Romance) [Paperback]

If you like medieval times and the sharp immediacy that time travel provides, this adventure will really get your blood racing. Gareth is sexy, intelligent and determined to have lovely, feisty Victoria for his own. And Victoria is a strong woman who refuses to whine as she accepts that she's going to have to hustle like mad to survive. I love the way the light tone of the story invites you to laugh, but not at the expense of a very pleasing hero and heroine. Instead, the humor comes from the contrast of the comic extremes of a hero and heroine who couldn't be more unalike. Their mutually weird ways constantly startle each other and lead to many hearty chuckles. They are also very hot lovers, always welcome in any romance!

In short, if you like laughter, exotic adventure and hot sex, you'll love this book!

Instead of correcting the curse, H. Walter finds himself kidnapped by Sir Ranulf, the lord who seized the castle lands and reputably killed the lord and lady of Castle Avondel. Now Victoria must rescue her boss by finding Aethelwyn's Amulet. The amulet is rumored to be magic, insuring protection to the castle. Unfortunately, in the thirteenth century women must have a knight to champion their cause, and the knight who presents himself to her aid doesn't meet the typical knightly code. While he might champion the virtues of honor and courage, he also needs a bath and he needs to polish his armor. Sir Perceval, as he presents himself, actually has his own agenda. His name is actually Gareth, and King Henry supports his quest to restore Castle Avodel to himself, the rightful heir.

Readers who enjoyed TO TAME A ROGUE will delight in Linda Kay's latest time travel romance, TO CHARM A KNIGHT. With unusual characterizations that ignore impossibly perfect romantic standards of beauty, this heroine and hero are convincingly real. Victoria's plain features and Gareth's rust armor insures characters that readers identify with as well as fantasize about. Yet Victoria's bold, sassy approach and her determination make her a terrific heroine, even as she clashes with subservient roles of medieval women. A delightful read destined for the keeper shelf, TO CHARM A KNIGHT comes very highly recommended.

No one could ever guess Victoria harbors romantic fantasies of being rescued by a dashing knight in shining armor and on a white horse, and she would never admit it to anyone-especially not her boss, H. Walter or her critical but totally dependent and man-hungry aunt Crystal. Walter would no doubt rub it in and Crystal would only harp on her niece's lack of the looks and style that could attract the sort of man of which she daydreams. Thus, Victoria is intelligent and grounded enough to enjoy the fantasy for what it is-a dream that can never be realized.

But then again, being the efficient personal assistant of a medieval addict with his head in the clouds and hopes of renovating a recently purchased ancient English castle may have its perks after all.

H. Walter Harrington IV is a successful tycoon, who splurges almost as much money indulging his favorite pastime sponsoring an annual Medieval Fair, as he donates to charity. He's a stubborn man, used to getting his way and the only person who's ever said "no" to him is Victoria...that is until Walter asks her to cancel all his appointments for three weeks and accompany him on a trip to England.

Against her better judgment and every instinct that tells her Walter is wasting more time and money on the ruins that were once Castle Avondel, Victoria agrees to go.

It is a decision that she soon regrets, especially once she has the living daylights scared out of her when, through the magic of the Thistlewaite Travel Agency, its bizarre proprietor Tobias and Merlin's stone, she and Walter are whisked through time and space to 13th Century England.

Walter is on a mission to secure Aethelwyn's amulet, and thereby restore the ruined Avondel to its former glory. Simple and as a matter-of-fact as taking a trip to Disney World for H. Walter. More complicated and nerve-racking than juggling Walter and Crystal's business and social schedules put together for Victoria.

Capable and independent in her own place and time; Victoria is suddenly afraid and at a loss thrust in 1274. She's more importantly upset that Walter has taken her wishes for granted, usurped her belief in good old fashioned logic only to replace it with his talk of magic, time travel, wizards and finally meeting the lord and lady of Avondel.

Unfortunately, Walter and Victoria have landed at Avondel ten years after the siege of the castle has occurred. And when Walter is soon abducted by neighboring landowner, Sir Ranulf of Darkvale, the intrigue and danger really begins.

Alone in the Age of Chivalry where women are worshipped but nonetheless still considered property and the weaker sex, Victoria has to figure out how to rescue Walter. Armed with walking-around gold from Walter, a Swiss Army knife and a veritable 20th Century medicine cabinet in her purse sets off to do just this. Now if she could only be sure she had that Snickers packed at the bottom of her purse.

Enter Sir Perceval (aka Sir Gareth) a dingy drunken knight in dented rusty armor. Not exactly Victoria's dream come true, but she decides he'll do in a pinch.

Sworn to avenge the slaughter of his parents, the enslavement of his young sister, the destruction of his childhood home, and reclaim his birthright Sir Gareth of Avondel is on a mission of his own. He will stop at nothing to see it through-from entering a jousting match in disguise and an assumed identity right under the nose of his sworn enemy, or lying to the bold and strange woman who challenges his very intellect and titillates his desires.

Kay has a wonderful feeling of place and setting and writes with authority and a wry sense of humor clearly exhibited in her portrayals of Victoria's resourceful damsel not-so-in-distress and Gareth's chauvinist with a conscience and soft heart for his lady. Kay has created a hero and heroine with unmistakable chemistry, leading an engaging cast of sub-plot characters and the driving force behind a multi-leveled love story.

A well-written and entertaining page-turner complete with legendary curses, familial betrayal and strife, high-adventure, intrigue, murder, revenge, secrets, and of course the prerequisite happily ever after, To Charm A Knight charmed this reader and is very highly recommended.