Mariella and Romano are appealingly-drawn in this old-fashioned romance novel with all the right elements: meeting, build-up, sexual tension, tease – that oh-so-important tease . . . and the final result. The tale includes the expected side characters: trusty servants for both and an evil woman of questionable nature, all living in authentic Italian surroundings of long ago.

If you’re looking for a lively story with good characterizations and realistic settings, you’ll enjoy Knight’s Desire. This book is exactly what traditional historical romance readers want and expect. I had but two slight disappointments. I felt the absence of a back-story because there were so many side details mentioned and alluded to, and had these elements been allowed to evolve, Knight’s Desire would’ve been a full-blown extravaganza. My other concern was the end. The fact that this book was so traditionally-written begged that it follow a certain typecast. The virgin. The virile hero. The tease. The struggle . . . . I won’t give it away, and at this point it was just a minor detail, nothing to stop any reader from enjoying a well-done book!

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Linda Alexander
June 9, 2008