Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory

Lady Isobel Hume has been betrayed by the men in her life. Firstly, her father weds her to the highest bidder - a very old man whom luckily for her dies shortly after they are wed. Then before she can rejoice at the fact that she is finally out of her terrible marriage, she finds that her late husband has left all his fortune to someone else, leaving her with no choice other than to marry the man who now claims "her" lands or be at the mercy of their King. The King feels that Isobel can best be used to secure an allegiance to Normandy- and she chooses this rather than to succumb to her late husbands successor.

Once under the King's protection, Isobel is provided a chaperon and there she meets William and his younger brother Stephen. Sir Stephen Carleton is known for being a ladies man. But once Isobel crosses his path he is taken in by her beauty, charm and innocence. Isobel is also smitten with Stephen but they can't defy the King's wishes. Through some instances of major flirting, several heated encounters, and a few not-so innocent rendezvous' - their attraction for one another grows. Isobel has always done everyone else's bidding and she feels that it's time for her to have one thing before she moves on and marries the next man... and that is to be with Stephen. But when the seduction quickly escalates and what starts off as a fling becomes something much more - they find themselves in a tight spot, for a fling will never suffice for either of them.

I LOVED THIS STORY! And let me tell you, I really liked Ms. Mallory's first in the series, Knight of Desire - but I absolutely fell in LOVE with Knight of Pleasure. Call me a sucker for historical romance - but it was also so much more than that. Yes, the time frame the book is set in does play into my romantical notions... but Stephen and Isobel are just to die for.

Isobel is this tough girl who knows how to wield a sword and although she's always followed rules (her father's, her late husband's and now her King's), she is a rebel at heart. I loved this about her. She was proud, she was strong and she was courageous. Stephen is carefree and light-hearted, he has a great sense of humor and his flirting and seduction of Isobel were just a treat to read. He's deadly with a sword and protective of Isobel... yep, be still my heart... what more could you want in your hero, right?

This was just a beautifully written tale where you jump in and quickly become engrossed in the lives of these two characters. They are likeable, relateable and absolutely dreamy or, should I say, "steamy" together. I found myself rooting for them from the start. Ms. Mallory has once again done a fabulous job and has definitely recruited herself a devoted fan in me. I can't wait for the next one!

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This book was provided for review by Hachette Book Group.