A Perfect Knight for Love by Jackie Ivie
Kensington (Sept. 4, 2012)
Mass market: $6.99; ebook: $5.99
ISBN: 9781420124002
Favorite Lines: “I ask her to assist me…she disobeys. I doona’ want an argue…but that’s all she does! I beg her na’ to make me chase her. What does she do? Ignores it! She does na’ obey the least thing! Blast you, wife! And your bonny frame!” (p. 195, ARC)
A Man Of Misfortune With his reckless, drunken brother bringing ruin to the clan, and the lass he’s loved all his life in the clutches of a violent husband, the last thing Thayne MacGowan needs is a spirited, sharp-tongued damsel to contend with—no matter how enticing she may be…
A Woman With A Secret
Having narrowly escaped an objectionable arranged marriage, Amalie is starting a new life—with a new identity. But her freedom is cut short when a surly but irresistibly handsome Highlander is forced to take her as his bride. If only he knew who she really was…
An Unlikely Love
Fate designs an improbable match, and a battle of wills ensues. As Amalie struggles to protect her identity, Thayne finds himself fighting for an unexpected love—and a passion neither can refuse…
Jackie Ivie is not a new name in the historical romance genre, but I can’t say I’ve really sought her out. After reading A Perfect Knight for Love I will keep my eyes open for more of her work.
Set 1689 Scotland, A Perfect Knight for Love introduces us to a woman running from a prearranged marriage. Amalie is semi-sheltered, open-minded and hard-working. She is practical, stubborn and. Sometimes her characteristics seem at odd with one another which makes her more realistic. I can’t say I loved her, but I did enjoy her for the most part. Amalie is unfortunate enough to get caught between two clashing clans.
Thayne, the hero, is a handsome man and not the head of his clan. He is, however, the man the clan looks to in all matters. See his brother, the leader of the clan, has issues. (I’m not going to tell you what exactly to avoid spoiling the story.) Thayne walks a tight wire trying to protect all around him, but when the woman he loved as a young man needed his assistance he dropped everything and rode to her aid. It wasn’t long before he was blind-sided by circumstances which led to his being with Amalie.
A Perfect Knight for Love is a book of battles. Not just the battle between clans, but that between man and woman, parent and child and individual verses self. It is somewhat predictable, but in that lay some of its charm. I knew that I’d read a story about a heroine who faces adversity only to get her Scottish laird in the end.
The beginning of the story is exciting. I couldn’t wait to see where Ivie took the couple. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the high point of the book. The story kept moving as the characters traveled and the couple got to know one another, but I never reached the level of excitement I started with. I pretty much knew what was going to happen every time a situation occurred. That took a little from my enjoyment of the story which is why I rated it 3.5 on GoodReads.
A Perfect Knight for Love is a good book. I’m not gushing over it, but I might read it again when I’m feining for a historical Scottish romance. It’s action packed, features a romance which knocked the hero off his feet and ends with a happily ever after. Most importantly, it’s a pleasant read with just the right amount darkness to prevent the book from being either a fluff or heavy read.
Scooper Speaks 