The Knight’s Maiden in Disguise
Risking her life
To save a knight!
Disguising herself as her late twin brother keeps Avva Carpenter, and her family, safe. Until Sir William Devereux arrives in her town. As the castle’s stable master, Avva can’t avoid the knight—or the desire he instantly stirs in her. He’s everything she never knew a nobleman could be: honest, kind, brave. When danger surrounds them, the only way to help William is to reveal her true identity, but can she trust him enough?
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Author Bio:
Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).
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Tracy’s Review:
The Knight’s Maiden in Disguise by Ella Matthews
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The King’s Knights, #1
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Sir William Devereux is on a mission for the King’s Knights, an elite group that serves King Edward III, the king himself has sent William to prepare Baron Caerden in South Wales for a visit from the king. William hopes that if this mission is successful the king will reward him with a rich bride. His father is a baron, but William feels that his parents are too blinded by their love of one another to manage the barony properly, he worries that his sisters will suffer and wants a rich wife to ensure they are properly dowered and that the estate is not left destitute when William inherits. William views his parent’s love as a liability and vows to never succumb to such nonsense. He and his squire James, are almost at the Baron’s keep when they notice that the village is too quiet and that there are no women about, curious, he then notices that there seems to be no one guarding the keep. Worried, he sends James to warn the King’s Knights that something is amiss and then sets out on his own to find out what is going on. He enters the stables and is immediately blown away by his immediate and intense attraction to the stable master, who at first glance is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, he soon realizes his mistake and is bewildered by his attraction to the man. He is overwhelmed by it and has to force himself to leave the stables and concentrate on his mission. A mission that is getting more difficult by the moment when he learns the Baron is not in residence.
For the last year, Avva Carpenter has been disguised as her deceased twin brother Aven, something that is necessary for a young woman living in Caerden. If she could, Avva would leave and start a new life elsewhere, but she won’t abandon her younger brothers, who are apprenticing for the blacksmith, she hopes that they will soon be settled and she can move on. Avva’s reaction to William was every bit as visceral and immediate as his was to her, but she can’t risk her disguise and vows to avoid the handsome knight. But that will be easier said than done since William seeks her out, again and again, to help him figure out what the Baron is up to.
It didn’t take long for William to figure out that Avva is a woman and an ally. Together they uncover a plot against the king and set out to thwart it. But when William is injured, Avva’s involvement may just end up getting her killed. Can William save her and still complete his mission? And if he does, will he still want to marry an heiress or will he do what he has vowed never to do and marry for love?
This was a well-written, fast-paced read with wonderful characters and enough intrigue to keep you flipping pages. The story is not overly complex, but it is well-plotted and perfectly executed, it is filled with forbidden desire, warmish love scenes, secrets, a truly wicked villain, great secondary characters, action, and finally a HEA that didn’t seem possible. I enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
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