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The Gilded Knight
Is He Simply A Knight In Shining Armor...
In the midst of England's coldest winter in years, widowed Nell Simmons is relieved that her period of mourning is nearly over, but she cannot help worrying about her delicate young daughter, Delphine - especially when the heir to Meadow House is due to arrive and demand their removal from the estate. But when the new viscount sends his brother Charles in his stead, Nell is amazed to realize that the famously selfish bachelor is melting her long-frozen heart...
Or Her One Chance For True Love?
As a younger brother, Charles's life has never held much purpose beyond pleasure - and keeping his creditors at bay. The dubious honour of meeting with his cousin's widow is simply an excuse to escape London for a few days, until a fierce storm traps him at the country house with Nell and her ailing child. Suddenly Charles is eager to make himself useful - and make Nell believe that he can be the hero who will make her every dream of love come true...
In the midst of England's coldest winter in years, widowed Nell Simmons is relieved that her period of mourning is nearly over, but she cannot help worrying about her delicate young daughter, Delphine - especially when the heir to Meadow House is due to arrive and demand their removal from the estate. But when the new viscount sends his brother Charles in his stead, Nell is amazed to realize that the famously selfish bachelor is melting her long-frozen heart...
Or Her One Chance For True Love?
As a younger brother, Charles's life has never held much purpose beyond pleasure - and keeping his creditors at bay. The dubious honour of meeting with his cousin's widow is simply an excuse to escape London for a few days, until a fierce storm traps him at the country house with Nell and her ailing child. Suddenly Charles is eager to make himself useful - and make Nell believe that he can be the hero who will make her every dream of love come true...
254 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 2005
About the author
Donna Lea Simpson
45 books115 followersDonna Lea Simpson is a nationally bestselling romance and mystery novelist with over twenty titles published in the last ten years. An early love for the novels of Jane Austen and Agatha Christie was a portent of things to come; Donna believes that a dash of mystery adds piquancy to a romantic tale, and a hint of romance adds humanity to a mystery story. Besides writing romance and mystery novels and reading the same, Donna has a long list of passions: cats and tea, cooking and vintage cookware, cross-stitching and watercolor painting among them. Karaoke offers her the chance to warble Dionne Warwick tunes, and nature is a constant source of comfort and inspiration. A long walk is her favorite exercise, and a fruity merlot is her drink of choice when the tea is all gone. Donna lives in Canada.
The best writing advice, Donna believes, comes from the letters of Jane Austen. The author wrote, in an October 26th, 1813 letter to her sister, Cassandra, “I am not at all in a humor for writing; I must write on till I am.”
The best writing advice, Donna believes, comes from the letters of Jane Austen. The author wrote, in an October 26th, 1813 letter to her sister, Cassandra, “I am not at all in a humor for writing; I must write on till I am.”
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 17, 2008
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" The Gilded Knight is a sweet Regency romance that was an easy read, perhaps a little too easy. The hero and heroine were pretty likable and relatable characters, but both they and their story seemed so ordinary as to be rather lackluster. They were just two average people for their time, facing rather average problems. The conflict is pretty minimal, fueled mainly by the fact that Charles is on a mission for his brother to essentially evict Nell from her home of many years, but unexpectedly finds himself sympathetic to her daughter's frail health. Even the story of Charles' knighting, which the reader has to wait nearly the entire book to discover, was quite unextraordinary. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the plot or characters except that they simply didn't make for a terribly compelling read. I think I just prefer a little more complexity in my romances, but for anyone looking for a simple, uncomplicated read, it was quite pleasant.
Charles is a second son who was born with a disfigured foot that left him lame. His childhood is very sympathetic. As a young boy he was mercilessly bullied and tormented by his older brother and cousins, and also lived in abject terror of his grandfather who was the previous owner of Nell's home, so his only real memories of the house are unpleasant ones. When he was old enough, he asked his father to buy him a commission in the military, but his father refused on the grounds that his lameness would make him unsuitable. As a result of that, Charles became a bored aristocrat who spent his days gambling and drinking and basically doing nothing with his life. I never at any point disliked Charles, but because of his dissolute lifestyle, he wasn't exactly a stand-out hero for me either. I prefer when a hero is a hard worker or a self-made man, because it makes him seem more capable of taking care of the heroine and being a stable husband and father. However, I suppose the point of the plot is that falling in love with Nell and her little daughter drives Charles to want to be a better man. As I already mentioned, Charles goes to Nell with the intent of evicting her, so that his brother will pay off his debts and he can get back to the business of being a rake. In spite of the reason for his visit, I admired that Charles had a conscience and truly cared about the little girl's illness. He was great with Delphine, visiting her daily to tell her stories and play quiet games as she recovered. He also ends up being very kind and generous with Nell, trying his best to take care of her when she won't take care of herself. Being snowed in, Charles has plenty of time for introspection and soon discovers that while his life hasn't been great, it could have been far worse. In the end, I guess I was convinced that he was ready to turn over a new leaf, and he finally got an opportunity to show himself a truly gallant knight in shining armor.
Nell is a woman whose life for the past nine years has pretty much been consumed with tending to her ailing daughter. When the doctor gave her no hope, she still persisted, sometimes going against the accepted advice of the time, to do unconventional things in an attempt to restore Delphine's health. Her efforts seem to be working until the little girl comes down with another fever. Nell knows that the manor house technically no longer belongs to her since her husband's death, but Delphine's health and other fears have kept her from moving sooner. Even when her husband was alive, she was basically on her own. He never treated her with much kindness and only seemed interested in whether she could produce an heir for his estate. When Nell gave birth to a daughter, and an unhealthy one at that, he didn't seem to care much. She is however, extremely well-respected by all her servants who would literally move heaven and earth to do anything for her. Nell has lived a rather dull, boring life, spending all her time caring for others and never thinking of herself. While on the surface, that is quite admirable, I think deep down, it had become almost an unhealthy obsession for her. When Charles comes along and starts trying to be nice to her and take care of her, it is a very foreign feeling to Nell.
There are certain elements that I've come to expect from Traditional Regency romances, one of which is a sweet, low-key relationship with little or no sensuality. That was definitely the case here, as it takes more than half the book before Charles and Nell even share a kiss. Nell was understandably preoccupied with her sick daughter, so there weren't many opportunities for her and Charles to spend time alone together. However, the stolen moments they share were, for the most part, more like two friends getting to know one another rather than the build-up of a grand romance. I have no problem with the hero and heroine finding friendship first, but I still like to feel an emotional connection between them. With Charles and Nell, I just didn't sense their emotions and the gradual falling in love as palpably as I would have liked. At least the book wrapped up on a romantic note though.
Another thing I expect from a Traditional Regency is great dialog. While nice, the dialog here just wasn't as sharp and witty as I usually expect it to be, but I suppose that might be due to the more dreary subject matter. Because of this, the pace could sometimes be a little slow, with not a lot happening. The writing itself was a bit too passive for my taste as well, with a little too much telling and not enough showing. The Gilded Knight may have been somewhat unremarkable, but overall, it was still an agreeable read. It was my first book by Donna Simpson, and I liked it well enough that I might be open to trying something else by her in the future.
"3.5 stars" The Gilded Knight is a sweet Regency romance that was an easy read, perhaps a little too easy. The hero and heroine were pretty likable and relatable characters, but both they and their story seemed so ordinary as to be rather lackluster. They were just two average people for their time, facing rather average problems. The conflict is pretty minimal, fueled mainly by the fact that Charles is on a mission for his brother to essentially evict Nell from her home of many years, but unexpectedly finds himself sympathetic to her daughter's frail health. Even the story of Charles' knighting, which the reader has to wait nearly the entire book to discover, was quite unextraordinary. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the plot or characters except that they simply didn't make for a terribly compelling read. I think I just prefer a little more complexity in my romances, but for anyone looking for a simple, uncomplicated read, it was quite pleasant.
Charles is a second son who was born with a disfigured foot that left him lame. His childhood is very sympathetic. As a young boy he was mercilessly bullied and tormented by his older brother and cousins, and also lived in abject terror of his grandfather who was the previous owner of Nell's home, so his only real memories of the house are unpleasant ones. When he was old enough, he asked his father to buy him a commission in the military, but his father refused on the grounds that his lameness would make him unsuitable. As a result of that, Charles became a bored aristocrat who spent his days gambling and drinking and basically doing nothing with his life. I never at any point disliked Charles, but because of his dissolute lifestyle, he wasn't exactly a stand-out hero for me either. I prefer when a hero is a hard worker or a self-made man, because it makes him seem more capable of taking care of the heroine and being a stable husband and father. However, I suppose the point of the plot is that falling in love with Nell and her little daughter drives Charles to want to be a better man. As I already mentioned, Charles goes to Nell with the intent of evicting her, so that his brother will pay off his debts and he can get back to the business of being a rake. In spite of the reason for his visit, I admired that Charles had a conscience and truly cared about the little girl's illness. He was great with Delphine, visiting her daily to tell her stories and play quiet games as she recovered. He also ends up being very kind and generous with Nell, trying his best to take care of her when she won't take care of herself. Being snowed in, Charles has plenty of time for introspection and soon discovers that while his life hasn't been great, it could have been far worse. In the end, I guess I was convinced that he was ready to turn over a new leaf, and he finally got an opportunity to show himself a truly gallant knight in shining armor.
Nell is a woman whose life for the past nine years has pretty much been consumed with tending to her ailing daughter. When the doctor gave her no hope, she still persisted, sometimes going against the accepted advice of the time, to do unconventional things in an attempt to restore Delphine's health. Her efforts seem to be working until the little girl comes down with another fever. Nell knows that the manor house technically no longer belongs to her since her husband's death, but Delphine's health and other fears have kept her from moving sooner. Even when her husband was alive, she was basically on her own. He never treated her with much kindness and only seemed interested in whether she could produce an heir for his estate. When Nell gave birth to a daughter, and an unhealthy one at that, he didn't seem to care much. She is however, extremely well-respected by all her servants who would literally move heaven and earth to do anything for her. Nell has lived a rather dull, boring life, spending all her time caring for others and never thinking of herself. While on the surface, that is quite admirable, I think deep down, it had become almost an unhealthy obsession for her. When Charles comes along and starts trying to be nice to her and take care of her, it is a very foreign feeling to Nell.
There are certain elements that I've come to expect from Traditional Regency romances, one of which is a sweet, low-key relationship with little or no sensuality. That was definitely the case here, as it takes more than half the book before Charles and Nell even share a kiss. Nell was understandably preoccupied with her sick daughter, so there weren't many opportunities for her and Charles to spend time alone together. However, the stolen moments they share were, for the most part, more like two friends getting to know one another rather than the build-up of a grand romance. I have no problem with the hero and heroine finding friendship first, but I still like to feel an emotional connection between them. With Charles and Nell, I just didn't sense their emotions and the gradual falling in love as palpably as I would have liked. At least the book wrapped up on a romantic note though.
Another thing I expect from a Traditional Regency is great dialog. While nice, the dialog here just wasn't as sharp and witty as I usually expect it to be, but I suppose that might be due to the more dreary subject matter. Because of this, the pace could sometimes be a little slow, with not a lot happening. The writing itself was a bit too passive for my taste as well, with a little too much telling and not enough showing. The Gilded Knight may have been somewhat unremarkable, but overall, it was still an agreeable read. It was my first book by Donna Simpson, and I liked it well enough that I might be open to trying something else by her in the future.
March 30, 2015
A good story, well written, with indirect characterization (very well done) and a beta hero who is not the usual honorable man but tends to be kind in spite of his selfishness.
February 20, 2019
I just could not get to grips with this book. It did not hold my attention and I felt the story was flat in so many places that I could not read it the whole way through.
December 21, 2019
Recently widowed and left to raise a daughter on her own, the self-sacrificing Lady Nell Simmons knows she faces an uncertain future: her late husband’s cousin and the rightful heir to their estate has staked his claim and is demanding Nell’s removal, despite the fact that her delicate daughter is fearfully ill. When the heartless heir sends his wayward brother Charles to hasten her departure, Nell is relieved to realize that the scandalous man has more compassion than she imagined.
Sir Charles Blake, widely known to be a rake and a wastrel, has agreed to serve as his brother’s henchman only as a means to having his considerable debts erased. As a ferocious winter storm strands him there, Charles slowly comes to find himself torn between his obligation to his brother and the feelings of tender longing Nell has inspired in him.
Another well written charming read. The characters have depth & I really liked Charles & Nell. I loved their path to a HEA, how they came to feel for each other & for Delphine. A traditional romance that held my interest all the way through
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Sir Charles Blake, widely known to be a rake and a wastrel, has agreed to serve as his brother’s henchman only as a means to having his considerable debts erased. As a ferocious winter storm strands him there, Charles slowly comes to find himself torn between his obligation to his brother and the feelings of tender longing Nell has inspired in him.
Another well written charming read. The characters have depth & I really liked Charles & Nell. I loved their path to a HEA, how they came to feel for each other & for Delphine. A traditional romance that held my interest all the way through
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
August 26, 2017
This book had the makings of a five star read. I really liked the storyline. The primary and secondary characters are likeable. I loved the interaction between the hero and the heroine's daughter. But for some reason the book felt flat. Perhaps it was the lack of humour. It just seemed stilted to me, which was frustrating because I enjoyed the plot.
I also would have liked an epilogue. Why was Delphine, our heroine's child, sick? I hate unanswered questions.
I also would have liked an epilogue. Why was Delphine, our heroine's child, sick? I hate unanswered questions.
January 22, 2019
This was a sweet and gentle romance. The two main characters of Nell and Charles were extremely likeable. Nell wasn’t used to men who cared for her and put her first. Charles has a troubled childhood and was made to feel unworthy. I loved the connection between them and also the relationship with Nell’s daughter, Delphine. There are a few factors that will come between them. This was a very engaging read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 20, 2018
There was just something about this novel that brought the word "cozy" to the forefront of my mind. I liked that the character's personalities aren't as strong - the best word I can describe it - as in most other Regency/Historical novels. It helped balance out the plot and matched the general setting of the book.
January 30, 2019
This was a very well written story with everything you expect from a Classic Regency Romance book. The main characters were very likable. Nell was a devoted mother who selflessly cared for her sick child. The story was lacking sensuality and fell flat at times.
February 11, 2019
Usually I am not one to want to stop a book, novel, or any piece of literature midway through but I wanted to with this story. I didn’t however, I kept reading mainly in the hopes that somehow it would get better. It didn’t.
The story isn’t horrible, the storyline is actually good and holds much promise but overall it was just ok. The character of Charles I liked actually but none of the others I felt were thought out or had depth to them. Nell to me was a love/hate character. I really disliked her snottiness, even telling myself that this was how many aristocratic women behaved in those days. But then she would have these moments of tenderness where you start to like her only to have her say something mean, sarcastic or unbecoming and then I’d dislike her. Perhaps this was the intent of the author but for me, it didn’t come across well. The use of big sophisticated words was a huge turn off. I am all for upping the readers vocabulary but when one reads a novel of this sort, it usually is for relaxation. Having to search and look up meanings takes the reader out of the story. Again, part of the time period setting but not needed. Also, sentence structure was often times hard to read, it seemed jumbled and could have used better editing and formatting.
I don’t want to give a totally negative review for Ms. Simpson but to me, I think this novel could have been better if there was more character development and sentence formatting. There is a lot of promise for the storyline, character development and even room left open for a sequel. Ms. Simpson is an accomplished novelist and this was the first book I have ever read of hers, I am hopeful that her others are better.
The story isn’t horrible, the storyline is actually good and holds much promise but overall it was just ok. The character of Charles I liked actually but none of the others I felt were thought out or had depth to them. Nell to me was a love/hate character. I really disliked her snottiness, even telling myself that this was how many aristocratic women behaved in those days. But then she would have these moments of tenderness where you start to like her only to have her say something mean, sarcastic or unbecoming and then I’d dislike her. Perhaps this was the intent of the author but for me, it didn’t come across well. The use of big sophisticated words was a huge turn off. I am all for upping the readers vocabulary but when one reads a novel of this sort, it usually is for relaxation. Having to search and look up meanings takes the reader out of the story. Again, part of the time period setting but not needed. Also, sentence structure was often times hard to read, it seemed jumbled and could have used better editing and formatting.
I don’t want to give a totally negative review for Ms. Simpson but to me, I think this novel could have been better if there was more character development and sentence formatting. There is a lot of promise for the storyline, character development and even room left open for a sequel. Ms. Simpson is an accomplished novelist and this was the first book I have ever read of hers, I am hopeful that her others are better.
February 2, 2019
This is a very clean and tender story involving a widow with a sick child and a "knight" who has nothing and is lame. Charles has been sent by his brother to get the widow out of his inherited manor and in return he will pay off Charles' gambling debts and rent owing. Nell's daughter Delphine is often ill and doesn't want to move while her daughter is ill....she's also scared of change. I did enjoy their story but there were a few loose ends left, the biggest one being why was Delphine sick all the time? Did Charles ever find a job, did his valet Godfrey get together with the maid Martha, etc. It would have been nice to have all those answered in the story.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 5, 2015
the book was more about the heroine and hero finding themselves, but more through self-realization than anything they do for each other. the heronine finally admits to basically being a squatter because she was afraid of change, though she kept blaming her child's illness. the hero finally admits to being a real life gilded knight, thinly covered with a knighthood, but with no substance underneath. liked the kid, the constant references to the gilded knight got tedious, not sure why the valet's mysterious background was mentioned but never revealed.
January 7, 2017
I just re-read this book for the third time. It's a very tender romance. A lot of the book is the hero reevaluating his life and realizing he wants to be more, and he wants love and a family. It was very character driven, which I liked. The hero, Charles, and the heroine, Nell, are both likable, but have their flaws, and the relationship between Charles and Nell's daughter Delphine is adorable. Overall, there is warm and cozy feeling when reading this book, a perfect wintertime read. Also, it was nice to see a book set in winter, but not take place at Christmastime.
January 30, 2019
I want this story to go on and on. I want to know if Charles learns to trade, if Nell has another child. If Delphine outgrows her illness. This story is lovely and these characters have become family!
July 13, 2014
Had forgotten I had read this years back, it is a nice variation on a theme, with a happy ending.
August 30, 2014
it's all about glided knight :) #Love #inspiring #mother's love
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews