A KNIGHT WELL SPENT

Author: Jackie Ivie ISBN: 142010165X 10/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: KENSINGTON
Time Period: Scotland 1141

SHE LIVES TO HEAL. He's a giant of a man; what's more, he's the enemy.  These truths should be enough to send Aislynn running far and fast from the wounded stranger in the woods.  But he needs her help—and the reward he bestows changes her forever. HE FIGHTS TO KILL. Formidable knight Rhoenne Guy de Ramhurst has been "gifted" with a fiefdom—and the unenviable task of taming the rebellious Highlanders that populate it.  He also has a castle full of dissidents, led by his own half brother.  Yet those challenges pale in comparison with attempts to forget the healer who saved his life and captured his heart.. AND ONE LOVE RULES THEM BOTH. Rhoenne believes a family curse places any woman he loves in mortal danger.  When Aislynn is abducted by his profligate sibling Rhoenne becomes her protector—even as he tries to resist her.  But Aislynn has secrets of her own—and as deception and danger swirl ever closer around them, the truth may be their only salvation.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

If I was to say I enjoyed A KNIGHT WELL SPENT by Jackie Ivie, it would be a colossal understatement. I loved this book! It is all I hoped it would be and more—much more. Set in Scotland in 1141, it tells a tale of love, betrayal and acceptance. The players in the love match are an unlikely trio—the woman whose powers save the knight, and the man who would have more than his half-brother's leavings, if only he could find a way to do that.

Filled with wonderful attention to historical detail and with dialogue that brings Scotland to life, this sweeping romance has something to offer every romance lover. Handsome, tortured knights, damsels in distress, castles and kingdoms and the battles that keep those kingdoms safe. Swords flash, tunics shorten, and brawn and muscle protect sensitive feminine charms. Through it all, though, the damsel Aislynn is the strength that can either hold the fiefdom together—or pull it apart.

As I said, I loved every moment of this story. The characters were wonderful and the story amazing. There are four other "knight" books by this author and I plan to add them to my reading list. Just by this one book I can tell Ms. Ivie is one storyteller whose stories I don't want to miss. If you're in the mood for kilted knights and a heroine whose tenacity is sure to stand the test of time, A KNIGHT WELL SPENT is right up your alley!

Kay James