KNIGHT OF PLEASURE

Author: Margaret Mallory ISBN: 9780446553384 12/2009 HISTORICAL Publisher: GRAND CENTRAL
Time Period: Northumberland England, 1417

THE GREATEST PASSION Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country. IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. So when a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen has a chance to prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure...and that love can conquer all.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

KNIGHT OF PLEASURE was the second installment of the All the King’s Men series by Ms. Mallory, a book that I was anxiously awaiting the release of.  I recently did a review for KNIGHT OF DESIRE, the first book in this series, where we are first introduced to William's younger brother Stephen.

KNIGHT OF PLEASURE is Stephen’s story, where he meets lady Isobel Hume, a child bride whose elderly husband leaves her penniless unless she agrees to marry the man of her late husband's choosing.  So instead of being forced into one marriage to someone she knows that she does not like, she takes her chances and agrees to allow the king to decide for her. But while at court, she meets Stephen and falls in love with him.  With her groom to arrive at any moment, she has to keep her feelings in check.

I gave KNIGHT OF DESIRE a Top Pick rose, but unfortunately, I did not find that same rose quality in KNIGHT OF PLEASURE. There is some action, but it just wasn’t enough.  William and Catherine return along with Jamie from the previous book, but it still wasn’t enough to give this book a boost that it so needed.

There was a part in the story that was getting good in regards to Isobel’s father and who he was, but even that we didn’t find out until the epilogue, and it was something that was only mentioned in passing. I wanted to be there when Isobel found out; what her reaction was; and so on; but I felt cheated.

I would read another installment of this series just to see where it goes, because I do love the characters.

Sheila Smith