Review: Knights - good, bad and naughty
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 26, 2012
Squire William Raven wants nothing more than to receive his spurs and become a knight. Since the lord of the manor, Sir Robert de Cantilou, has been off the past five years on a crusade in the Holy Lands, he knows this is not bound to happen soon. While participating in a particularly nasty practice fight where his temper gets the best of him, his instructor Ulric has to pull him off his opponent, because none other than Sir Robert himself is riding into the courtyard.Sir Robert returns a different man than when he left, the crusades have aged him and he seems more relaxed than before he left. Much to William's embarrassment, Sir Robert not only saw him lose his temper, but seems amused by it. This is not the way William hoped to bring himself to Sir Robert's attention, which makes him all the angrier.Sir Robert assembles all the knights and squires, and informs them that in a month's time they will be holding a hunt by order of the king for French nobility from the County of Toulouse. They must all be on their best behavior and do whatever it takes to entertain their guests. At last, William thinks there may be a way for him to show his skills to the visiting dignitaries, and possibly receive a knighthood from one them.As the castle prepares to receive the visitors, most of the squires take advantage of the extra maids that have been brought in to help. One night while listening to another squire do just that, William is visited in his bed by a stranger. He never sees the stranger, just smells and tastes him.While on his way to the banquet for the visitors, William overhears a conversation between two people conspiring to kill Sir Robert. Not knowing who they were, William thinks it's best he try to figure out who they are himself and take them down. William has his hands full trying to solve the mystery, protect Sir Robert, and figure out exactly what his relationship with Sir Robert is. He wants to protect Sir Robert, but he also wants his knighthood, which may mean leaving him.What fun this novella was. We are transported back in time to medieval England in all its glory. We sit at banquets in the great hall of the castle, our hearts race as we ride with hounds on the hunt for a wild boar; we hold our breath as William and Sir Robert explore their new feelings for each other. This is a short novella, but the authors manage to pack so much into it that you don't feel cheated after finishing it. The setting is vivid and real, you feel you have been transported back in time. By the end of the story, you feel like you've met two very special people in William and Sir Robert, and almost wish you didn't have to leave them.I hesitate to say this novella is erotica, there is slightly graphic male/male sex, but it's not the focus of the story. The story is William learning who he is, and Sir Robert gentling this tormented young man. I worked with William to try to figure out who our culprits were and I must say, I was just as shocked as he was when it was revealed. I begged him to try to control his temper and I fell a little in love with Sir Robert for his calmness and fairness in not only dealing with William but with all those around him.This was a quick easy novella to read, and after I finished my journey I was proud of William and enjoyed my visit with him in his world.Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Dual Review Team