Reviewer Comments: Two strangers are stranded in an icy storm and find true love in Jackie Ivie’s new historical romance The Knight Before Christmas. Ivie delivers a sweet historical romance with a strong knight, a damsel in distress and a cheery Christmas wedding. Adding elements that will surprise, readers are in for a real treat as they sit down to a delightfully winters read.
Myles Magnus Donal has been given an ultimatum by his father; he must go to Rocky Fells and claim his betrothed. Myles has done everything he could to delay his impending marriage. The stories of how spiteful and shrewish his betrothed is have traveled around the countryside and he has no intention of going through with the marriage. When a horrible storm nearly kills him on the way to the Keep, near dead, he takes refuge in a small-dilapidated croft in the middle or nowhere. When he wakes he finds himself being nursed to health by a lady.
Lady Kendran Eschon will not marry her intended; it does not matter how badly she is punished and but she attempts to escape her fate by running away from the Keep. Unfortunately a horrible winter storm forces her to find shelter in a small-unused croft on her families land. She has just made a perfect fire and is beginning to get warm when the largest man she has ever seen knocks down the door. When he falls, almost dead, at her feet there is nothing she can do but save him. When he comes to, she finds that they have nothing in common except that his closeness makes her breathless and his strength leaves her weak. Soon she finds love in his arms, but how will she be able to escape her betrothed and can she trust this man who claims he will marry her by Christmas.
The Knight Before Christmas is a perfectly written historical romance. Ivie separates her book in two parts the idyllic time that Kendran and Myles spend together in the croft and then rescue and time spent at Rocky Fells. Readers will find they are in for a roller coaster ride of emotion as Ivie gives them true love then snatches it away. Bringing in trouble that readers will not anticipate until they learn the truth themselves. Ivie also brings in elements of the supernatural with Lady Sybil, Kendren's sister and gifted with sight. Readers will enjoy these extra characters from an eerie wolf to a super talkative squire named Beggin. Ivie infuses her historical with little elements that add to the humor and fun of the story, while giving readers a sweet romance.
The Knight Before Christmas also gives readers a fiery romance between Kendran and Myles. Readers will find the building of their attraction fun a feisty, as they meet for the first time in the croft. Then as circumstances make them pull together, Ivie takes readers through the paces as they find true love only to have it taken away. The Knight Before Christmas is full of surprises, but readers can expect that a wedding will happen and it will be by Christmas. There is nothing more romantic then a December wedding and Ivie gives readers romance and so much more.
