Knight of My Dreams

by Lynsay Sands

Originally appeared in the print anthology A Mother's Way, under the title "Mother May I?"

Lady Alice knows she is not the type to entice a man. She's too voluptuous, too intelligent, too strong minded. Why, she even reads! But then Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, arrives at court. Tall, dark and handsome, the knight is any woman's dream. And he has just been ordered by the king to find a bride… and Alice is to help him!

Jonathan has been evading his mother's matchmaking schemes for years, so why does she insist that Lady Alice isn't for him? Alice is only to aid in his search for a bride, yet Jonathan can't help but be distracted by her glorious hair—the color of a sunset—and a figure that is like a lush berry about to burst to full ripeness… Has Jonathan fallen prey to love?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Novella, Historical Fiction, Medieval, Short Stories

112 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 29, 2014

About the author

LYNSAY SANDS is the nationally bestselling author who is known for her hysterical historicals as well as the popular Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series. With her witty and charming personality, Sands describes books as, “Waking dreams or stories, tales to amuse, entertain and distract us from everyday life.” She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there are occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus. Visit her official website at www.lynsaysands.net.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a hot knight who's ordered to find a bride...pronto.



Why?
Well, unless he secures his line with an heir, everything will go to his less desirable cousin, and the king really doesn't want to see that happen. News that he has to find a bride makes his grandbaby-starved mother ecstatic, and she immediately embarks on a mission to find a suitable bride. Of course, since she knows he mistrusts all of her motherly intervention, she comes up with a rather brilliant plan to introduce him to the girl of his (and her) dreams.
To the reader, it's a rather see-through scheme, but it was fun to watch her plan unfold, nevertheless.
And there was the predictable (but super cute!) HEA at the end that made me smile.
Dawww!



I didn't realize this was a novella (my fault!) when I grabbed it, so I was a really shocked when their story wrapped up so quickly. Still, it was a really adorable story, so the disappointment didn't last long.
Recommended for anyone looking for a fun bit of fluff!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Knight of My Dreams by Lynsay Sands
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Purchased paperback copy

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lady Alice knows she is not the type to entice a man. She's too voluptuous, too intelligent, too strong minded. Why, she even reads! But then Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, arrives at court. Tall, dark and handsome, the knight is any woman's dream. And he has just been ordered by the king to find a bride… and Alice is to help him!

Jonathan has been evading his mother's matchmaking schemes for years, so why does she insist that Lady Alice isn't for him? Alice is only to aid in his search for a bride, yet Jonathan can't help but be distracted by her glorious hair—the color of a sunset—and a figure that is like a lush berry about to burst to full ripeness… Has Jonathan fallen prey to love?

What I Liked:

This book was adorable and hilarious! I've read several of Lynsay Sands' books and I think this one is a favorite, definitely in the top three. I bought it on a whim, because I love a good knight/maiden story. It's a short story, and very entertaining!

Jonathan, Lord of Fairley, is a young but seasoned warrior who is not ready to get married. But when the king orders him to get married in two weeks - or he (the king) will choose a bride for him - Jonathan knows he must do something. His mother has sent many suitable girls his way, but not Lady Alice, daughter of Lord and Lady Houghton, friends of his mother. According to his mother, Lady Alice is unsuitable... but after Jonathan meets her for the first time, he decides that she is anything but unsuitable, and he wants her. Is Lady Alice the one?

Such a cute romance story! Jonathan is your cliche tall dark and handsome knight, with many victories in battle, and a good reputation as a knight. Alice is your cliche sweet maiden, who is a little on the voluptuous side, something that Jonathan likes a lot. When the two meet, their connection is instant, but they don't fall in love right away. It takes a few more encounters, but soon, they can't get enough of each other. Much to Lady Fairley's chagrin - she is determined to match her son with someone else, and asks Alice to make a list of suitable eligible young ladies for Jonathan.

This story has a little scheming in it, involving a rather meddlesome mother and a bumbling uncle. It's so funny! I was laughing and I was sighing at the cute romance. Jonathan and Alice are thrown together, and they can't deny their chemistry.

This book is so short, and there's only one steamy scene, but it's a good one! The building chemistry between the characters is really good. A finale steamy scene wouldn't have been a bad idea though!

The ending was great - a nice happily-ever-after. I liked this novella and definitely recommend it!

What I Did Not Like:

I wish this were longer! I think it was originally a novella so it wasn't intended to be long. But still! One more steamy scene wouldn't have hurt. *wink*

Would I Recommend It:

If you're looking for a quick romance read, this is a perfect one! It's cute, sweet, funny, and a little steamy. And pretty short, but not annoyingly so. The author constructed the story well. Plus, it's set in the 1500s, with a knight and a maiden! WIN!

Rating:

4 stars. This was a great novella! I'm glad I bought it on a whim. Plus the cover is fantastic. I want more medieval romance novels, especially involving an alpha knight and sweet maiden!

[Serena Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una comedia romántica en época medieval!




•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers

•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen




Caballero de mis sueños de Lynsay Sands


Argumento:

Lady Alice sabe que no es del tipo que seduce a un hombre. Es demasiado voluptuosa, demasiado inteligente, demasiado fuerte. ¡Incluso lee! Pero luego Jonathan, conde de Fairley, llega a la corte. Alto, moreno y guapo, el caballero es el sueño de cualquier mujer. Y el rey acaba de ordenarle que busque una novia ... ¡y Alice debe ayudarlo!

Jonathan ha estado evadiendo los planes de emparejamiento de su madre durante años, entonces, ¿por qué ella insiste en que Lady Alice no es para él?

Alice es solo para ayudarlo en su búsqueda de una novia, sin embargo, Jonathan no puede evitar distraerse con su cabello glorioso, el color de una puesta de sol, y una figura que es como una exuberante baya a punto de estallar en su plena madurez ... ¿Tiene Jonathan presa caída del amor?





Mí humilde opinión:

Disfruté mucho de este cuento corto histórico. Este fue un romance ligero, no hubo escenas de amor fuertes, fácil de leer que me sacó unas risas mientras me tomaba un café.

Creo que la madre de Jonathan se llevó todo el protagonismo en la historia con sus maquinaciones para casar a su hijo y le de nietos.

Ojalá hubiera sido una novela más extensa, me gustó la historia, era entretenida y los personajes eran agradables, tenían más para dar.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Solid Stars!! My first read by Lynsay Sands and I'll definitely be going back for more!

My dual review with Kathleen posted at: Swept Away By Romance

What worked
Kathleen says: I LOVED the story line, it was VERY entertaining and totally grabbed me from page one. I loved the humor that was added in and also the fact that I was so invested in the characters.
I LOVED the banter that went on between Jonathan and his mother. It made this story even more interesting.
This book definitely engaged all of my emotions. Considering the length of the book, I say all those facts are AMAZING!
Karla says: The scheming on the part of Lady Fairley and Lady Houghton. Nothing malicious, just fun with the mother's and their plotting attempts to pair Jonathan with Alice.
The relationship Jonathan had with his mother. She was meddlesome, but you could tell how much he cared for and loved her.

What didn’t work
Kathleen says: The only thing that I could possibly say that did not work is I WISHED it was longer. I could have just kept reading on and on.
Karla says: Nothing!! But, I loved the characters so much I wanted more, and I really think the author missed the mark by not giving readers an epilogue. While the story ended on a high note, it would have pushed it to a 5 star read if one had been included.

Best scene(s) and/or quote(s)
Kathleen says: Best scenes? The whole darn thing was a best scene, but I will add just a few.
1.) I loved one of the first scenes of the book where the hero Jonathan calls his mom out on how she described the heroine Alice to him; he did this in front of Alice, so funny.
2.) It was too funny when Jonathan dragged Alice into the bushes to spy on his mother and Alice’s uncle.
3.) All of the Bride feast scenes. These scenes were all hilarious.
4.) The intimate scenes between Jonathan and Alice. I could really feel their attraction.
5.) Near the end, Jonathan’s mother comes up with yet another plot involving Jonathan and Alice.
Karla says: So many great moments, but I loved this conversation that Jonathan had with his mother about Alice. It might sound mean, but in the context of the story it worked, because it was a part of the plan to pique Jonathan's interest in Alice. Then his thoughts when he finally meets her...he is sooooo sweet!!! Check it out.

“Is she without title or dower?” Much to his surprise, irritation flickered on Lady Fairley’s face once more. “Nay. Her father was a wealthy baron. There is a sizable dower.”
“Well, then, why is she unsuitable?”
“She is . . .” Her expression fluctuated briefly, torn between irritation and reluctance as she struggled for an explanation. Jonathan was shocked beyond belief when it finally popped out: “Puffy.”
“Puffy?” he echoed with a laugh.
“Aye. She is large. Too voluptuous, if you must know. And she is far too intelligent and strong-minded. She would not do at all. She even reads,” his mother added with distaste, giving a delicate shudder.

And this was his response when he finally meets her, made me melt into a puddle of goo!!

Speaking of Lady Alice,” he added slowly, a strange smile coming to his face, “you were hardly fair in your description of her. She is much lovelier than you claimed.”
If Alice blushed at this unexpected compliment, Lady Fairley flushed an even redder shade, one that turned almost purple as her son went on: “How was it that you described her?”
Alice peered from son to mother again when Jonathan paused; she was aware of undercurrents here, but didn’t understand them.
“You never mentioned that her hair held all the colors of a sunset: mellow golds and fiery reds. Or that her eyes were the clear blue of a cloudless sky. What was it you said?” The knight tapped his chin thoughtfully, and all the while his mother grew more straight-backed and tense. Alice simply grew more and more flustered.
“Oh, aye, I remember now. You commented on her figure. What was it you said? She was . . . lush? Round and rich like a berry brought to full ripeness?” Alice wasn’t sure how to take such a compliment, but before she could react, Lord Jonathan went on. “No, no. It was something else you said. What was it?”

*BIG SIGH*!!

Favorite character(s)
Kathleen says: My favorite character was Alice; she was naturally honest and was very smart. I loved how she did not like being sneaky or playing games where others were concerned.
I also LOVED Jonathan’s mother. Her plotting to get Jonathan and Alice together made this whole story a very funny and interesting read.
Karla says: Alice: She was so sweet and even though she was attracted to Jonathan, she put her own feelings aside and came to Jonathan's aide in finding a bride. Little did she know what their close company would lead too.
Jonathan: He's a knight...*swoon*!!! Not only is he a fierce warrior, he's a gentleman , honorable, and when it came to Alice...smitten!
I loved these two, such a great couple!

Overall Thoughts
Kathleen says: My rating on this book is 5 Stars! For a short book, it packed a lot of content and I LOVED every moment! The humor added into this book made this story for me. All the characters were done wonderful, I LOVED them all. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all romance lovers who love a fantastic short filled with wonderful characters and a story line so humorous that it will give you a hard time putting it down until the very end. ~ 5 Stars!

Karla says: While this book was short in pages, the story wasn't lacking in any respect. I enjoyed it and the characters so much, I would have gladly spent more time lost in their world. I chuckled my way through this read and when all was said and done, I had the warm fuzzies and couldn't get the grin off my face! This is exceptionally well written, had witty dialogue, charming characters and a funny plot. I only wish that there would have been an epilogue. Considering all the scheming on the part of Jonathan and Alice's mothers, it would have been fun to include them...along with some grandbabies. Still and all, well worth grabbing and reading!
I've always wanted to read a book by Lynsay Sands, but had my sights set on her paranormal books. Well, I'll after reading Knight of My Dreams, I'll be looking for more of her historical romance books too.~ 4 Stars!

*A copy of the book was provided by Avon/HarperCollins via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duel review by Karla and Kathleen posted at: Swept Away By Romance

What worked
Kathleen says: I LOVED the story line, it was VERY entertaining and totally grabbed me from page one. I loved the humor that was added in and also the fact that I was so invested in the characters.
I LOVED the banter that went on between Jonathan and his mother. It made this story even more interesting.This book definitely engaged all of my emotions. Considering the length of the book, I say all those facts are AMAZING!

Karla says: The scheming on the part of Lady Fairley and Lady Houghton. Nothing malicious, just fun in the mother's and their plotting attempt to pair Jonathan with Alice.
The relationship Jonathan had with his mother. She was meddlesome, but you could tell how much he cared for and loved her.

What didn’t work
Kathleen says: The only thing that I could possibly say that did not work is I WISHED it was longer. I could have just kept reading on and on.

Karla says: Nothing!! But, I loved the characters so much I wanted more, and I really think the author missed the mark by not giving readers an epilogue. While the story ended on a high note, it would have pushed it to a 5 star read if one had been included.

Best scene(s) and/or quote(s)
Kathleen says: Best scenes? The whole darn thing was a best scene, but I will add just a few.
I loved one of the first scenes of the book where the hero Jonathan calls his mom out on how she described the heroine Alice to him; he did this in front of Alice, so funny.
It was too funny when Jonathon dragged Alice into the bushes to spy on his mother and Alice’s uncle.
All of the Bride feast scenes, they were all hilarious.
The intimate scenes between Jonathan and Alice. I could really feel their attraction.
Near the end, Jonathan’s mother comes up with yet another plot involving Jonathon and Alice.

Karla says: So many great moments, but I loved this conversation that Jonathan had with his mother about Alice. It might sound mean, but in the context of the story it worked, because it was a part of the plan to pique Jonathan's interest in Alice. Then his thoughts when he finally meets her...he is sooooo sweet!!! Check it out.
“Is she without title or dower?” Much to his surprise, irritation flickered on Lady Fairley’s face once more. “Nay. Her father was a wealthy baron. There is a sizable dower.”
“Well, then, why is she unsuitable?”
“She is . . .” Her expression fluctuated briefly, torn between irritation and reluctance as she struggled for an explanation. Jonathan was shocked beyond belief when it finally popped out: “Puffy.”
“Puffy?” he echoed with a laugh.
“Aye. She is large. Too voluptuous, if you must know. And she is far too intelligent and strong-minded. She would not do at all. She even reads,” his mother added with distaste, giving a delicate shudder.
And this was his response when he finally meets her, made me melt into a puddle of goo!!
"Speaking of Lady Alice,” he added slowly, a strange smile coming to his face, “you were hardly fair in your description of her. She is much lovelier than you claimed.”
If Alice blushed at this unexpected compliment, Lady Fairley flushed an even redder shade, one that turned almost purple as her son went on: “How was it that you described her?”
Alice peered from son to mother again when Jonathan paused; she was aware of undercurrents here, but didn’t understand them.
“You never mentioned that her hair held all the colors of a sunset: mellow golds and fiery reds. Or that her eyes were the clear blue of a cloudless sky. What was it you said?” The knight tapped his chin thoughtfully, and all the while his mother grew more straight-backed and tense. Alice simply grew more and more flustered.
“Oh, aye, I remember now. You commented on her figure. What was it you said? She was . . . lush? Round and rich like a berry brought to full ripeness?” Alice wasn’t sure how to take such a compliment, but before she could react, Lord Jonathan went on. “No, no. It was something else you said. What was it?”
*BIG SIGH*!!

Favorite Character(s)
Kathleen says: My favorite character was Alice; she was naturally honest and was very smart. I loved how she did not like being sneaky or playing games where others were concerned.
I also LOVED Jonathan’s mother. Her plotting to get Jonathan and Alice together made this whole story a very funny and interesting read.

Karla says: Alice: She was so sweet and even though she was attracted to Jonathan, she put her own feelings aside and came to Jonathan's aide in finding a bride. Little did she know what their close company would lead too.
Jonathan: He's a knight...*swoon*!!! Not only is he a fierce warrior, he's a gentleman , honorable, and when it came to Alice...smitten!
I loved these two, such a great couple!


Overall Thoughts
Kathleen says: My rating on this book is 5 Stars! For a short book, it packed a lot of content and I LOVED every moment! The humor added into this book, made the story for me. All the characters were wonderful, I LOVED them all. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all romance lovers who enjoy a fantastic short, filled with wonderful characters, and a story line so humorous that will be hard for you to put down until the very end. ~ 5 Stars!

Karla says: While this book was short in pages, the story wasn't lacking in any respect. I enjoyed it and the characters so much, I would have gladly spent more time lost in their world. I chuckled my way through this read and when all was said and done, I had the warm fuzzies and couldn't get the grin off my face! This is exceptionally well written, had witty dialogue, charming characters and a funny plot. I only wish that there would have been an epilogue. Considering all the scheming on the part of Jonathan and Alice's mothers, it would have been fun to include them...along with some grandbabies. Still and all, well worth grabbing and reading!
I've always wanted to read a book by this Lynsay Sands, but had my sights set on her paranormal books. Well, I'll after reading Knight of My Dreams, I'll be looking for more of her historical romance books too. ~ 4 Stars!

[BookLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little story. I figured out Lady Margaret’s game pretty early on and found it amusing to see her son Jonathan play into her matchmaking trap so easily. It put me in the mood to re-read The Switch and Love Is Blind, two of my favourite Lynsay Sands books.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have a theory that this little novella was one that Lynsay Sands wrote long before she got her first book published. The Goodreads description says that it originally appeared in an anthology that was published in 2002, but even judging against LS's books published during this period, the beginning of her career, Knight of My Dreams is just a very amateurishly written book. This has to be an old piece that she wrote behind closed doors in her late high school or early college years, before she'd gained the confidence to even tell anyone she wanted to be a writer. Something she dusted off and submitted for the anthology on short notice once she'd become better established. Because even back in 2002, Lynsay Sands was a much better writer of plot and character development than is on display in this book.


The story is that Lord Jonathan has been ordered by the king to find a wife in the next two weeks or the king will appoint one himself. That's all a lie, however. The truth is that Jonathan's mother has orchestrated the whole thing. She has a girl all picked out and has been scheming for the last FIVE YEARS to get Jonathan together with her. This girl is, of course, the heroine, Alice. What exactly has the mother been doing that it's taken her five years to enact this charade? We never get to find out. We only get a vague reference to her having paraded a number of other women in front of Jonathan to keep up the ruse that she was trying desperately to find him a bride, any bride, so that when she pretended to NOT want Jonathan to meet Alice, it would be guaranteed to pique his interest.

That's pretty convoluted, not to mention dangerous. Five years is a long damn time to keep up a charade like that. What if he had actually liked one of those other girls? What if Alice had fallen in love with someone else? What if Jonathan hadn't been stupid enough to fall for his mother's VERY obvious performance? It was all very weak. And beyond that, the mother has also endevoured to make it appear that she's involved in a romance with Alice's foppish uncle, knowing that it'll make Jonathan so outraged that he'll use Alice as an excuse to keep stalking his mother and the uncle on their secret "trysts."

Again, this is really convoluted and the fact that it works exactly like the mother plans just makes Jonathan seem stupid. Way too much of the story is focused on Jonathan and Alice being played by their manipulating relatives and falling for it hook, line and sinker. We didn't get to see their relationship actually growing organically. There wasn't enough time spent with them developing some kind of meaningful connection for me to buy that they actually loved each other after only a few days' acquaintance. Every time they tried to steal off alone together the mother would interrupt them so they couldn't. They were basically secondary characters in their own story, with the mother, the master puppeteer, being the primary.

And when they finally do get some alone time, they move from their first kiss directly to Alice getting her first orgasm in the space of a few minutes. It didn't feel justified. Then their mothers and the uncle turn up, and Jonathan's mother calls Alice a whore for having allowed him such liberties. Jonathan almost slaps his mother for insulting the woman he supposedly loves but then...doesn't. He doesn't really do anything to his mother, he just announces, after Alice has left, his intention to ask her to marry him the following day.

Then he does that and Alice refuses his proposal because his mother is such a nasty cow and she can't bear to spend the rest of her life being made miserable by the bovine. Jonathan accepts that and runs right back to his mother to whine about how she's ruined everything, instead of, say, offering to banish his mother from his life because Alice is more important? Or anything that would make him a strong, take-charge hero rather than the pussy-whipped mama's boy he is?

The mother promises to fix everything, even though she has right up to that very minute been maintaining her feigned attitude of hating Alice, which should have tipped Jonathan off that this was all a setup but doesn't because he's an idiot. Then she spills the whole plan to Alice to assure her that not only does she think Alice is the best choice for her son but she's actually manipulated the whole thing so that they'll get married. Alice is pacified and even THANKS the psycho mom for her interference. She then agrees to marry Jonathan under the condition that the mother not interfere anymore. The mother promises, ON HER HONOR, that she's done interfering and the moment Alice leaves, she starts making plans to interfere again. Which makes Alice stupid for believing her and the mother just plain evil.

She even reveals, while discussing the success of their scheme with Alice's mother, that the two mothers and the uncle had all sat there WATCHING Jonathan fingering Alice into an orgasm before coming in to "find" them because she had planned on using that compromising position to FORCE her son to propose if he wasn't inclined to do so of his own accord. Jesus Christ, woman! That's wrong on so many levels!

I think they call this a Jocasta complex, the opposite of the Oedipal complex, where instead of the son having unhealthy sexual feelings toward the mother, it's the mother toward the son. I mean, seriously, what mother happily watches her son perform a sex act on an innocent girl?? And as the story closes out, the mother is gleefully planning to hurry along the conception of her future grandbabies by slipping Alice and Jonathan herbs that both increase fertility and sexual drive. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to think she also plans to be in the room with them during the act to give pointers on the best positions as well!

So yeah, very weak "romance" between our hero and heroine since they were just pathetic cardboard cutouts with no will of their own in the situation. And a major squick-factor with the mother and her far-from-acceptable level of obsession with her son's sex life. (shudder).

There were also a bunch of things that seemed anachronistic, like Alice never having an escort of any kind and being allowed to just wander off with Jonathan whenever she pleased - or rather, whenever Jonathan's mother pleased since she was the one in charge - but compared to the travesty of the rest of the story, they hardly registered with me.


All in all, I think it would have been better if this one stayed in the vault!

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book available to download from Edelweiss (thank you Avon!) and it was a really great story. I loved it! The reason I picked it up, actually, was that I wanted to read something non-paranormal because the last eight or so books I read were all like that. It felt good and refreshing to read a historical fiction novel, especially one as good as Knight of My Dreams.

When Jonathan, an earl and knight gets ordered by the king to find a bride within two weeks, his mother is determined to set him up. She already thinks to have found the perfect woman for him: the smart and strong minded lady Alice. But as Jonathan has always done the exact opposite than what his mother wanted him to do she comes up with a scheme to get Jonathan and Alice together after all.

Jonathan's mother was absolutely a riot. I loved how she just knew her son and Alice would make a perfect match and was so determined to get them together. I might not agree with everything she did, but at least it worked. Jonathan and Alice were also great characters. I loved them both and together they had so much chemistry. I liked how Jonathan at times got sulky or jealous and I liked how Alice was witty and headstrong. Together they make quite the pair. I also thought that the author did a really good job on writing the romance between them. Not only were the passionate parts very nicely done but also how they got to know each other and just had that amazing attraction. Also the writing was superb!

Knight of My Dreams by Lynsay Sands was a really good and quick historical fiction novel that I enjoyed immensely. My only wish for it would have to be that I wanted it to be longer. The whole package was pretty amazing and I'm so glad that I decided to read it. I think I'll have to read more books by this author for sure from now on!

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynsay Sands writes the silliest romance books, particularly the period ones. The plot doesn't make much sense, the characters are almost cartoon-ish, but they're fun, short and easy to read. All pluses for my brain-dead work commute.

Knight of my dreams follows Jonathan, Earl of Farley.

Jonathan is a real manly man, which of course means he has been avoiding his mother's matchmaking schemes for ages. Except now he has to get married (the horror!) and his mother has told him she does not like Lady Alice as a daughter in-law.

So now Jonathan is 100% interested in Lady Alice.


I wish all men were so easily manipulated.

And Lady Alice is not a normal lady, no Sir! She speaks her mind, she's intelligent, she reads! (*gasp*) And of course ALL other women in the book are frivolous, silly ninnies, because Alice needs to be special.



They both get into over the top situations and the book has the expected happily ever after.

Are you looking for nuance? Character development? Not here folks!

But if you're looking for laughs then this is your book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Knight of My Dreams a cute and endearing short story.

Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, is ordered to appear before the King. Once he arrives at court, he is shocked by the King's order and believes his mother is conspiring against him. He is told he must find a bride in two weeks or the King will appoint one. The race is on to find someone he can spend the rest of his life with...

Jonathan has hit the nail on the head with his mother's interference. From the start, she is carefully pushing Jonathan toward the specific eligible lady of the court. Carefully trying to keep her intentions under wraps and enlisting help in her ploy.

Lady Alice doesn't believe she is the marrying kind. But when Jonathan and Alice meet, there seems to be instant chemistry...so why does his mother do everything in her power to push them apart?

In a world where love is not a priority in marriages, Alice and Jonathan went from interest to declarations of love rather quickly.

What I especially enjoyed was the matchmaking attempts by Jonathan's mother. This is a fun, entertaining, and very quick read. If you are looking for a short read with an HEA, check out this witty historical romance.

I received this copy of Knight of My Dreams from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for publication on April 29, 2014. (Originally published under the title MOTHER MAY I? in the print anthology A MOTHER'S WAY)

[Miriam · Rating 2 out of 5]

How disappointing! Not a vampire book, and hardly even a historical romance. You can't even tell what year it is supposed to be, nor does it seem consistent with how women were treated (Lack of chaperones). The plot was very predictable as well. I love Lyndsay Sands' vampire books, but this one you could give a miss to. Luckily I got it from the library so I have returned it!

[May Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
Historical read
Safe read

-H not a Manwhore
-Virgin h
-H interested in h right away
-no intreat in any OW
-Funny
-no OW Drama
-HEA no epilogue

[Desi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average novella, lazy plot, childish behavior by adult characters who remain deliberately and unnecessarily oblivious. It is also a bit repetitive, surprisingly, since word count should be at a premium. Cover art is absolutely beautiful though.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining short read. my favorite part was when he was banging his head on a tree. lol

[Ana Breen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un romance corto pero bonito. Me gustó mucho 💖

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

As always with this author I could not put this book down. My only complaint was not being able to see what Johnathan's mother does next.

[Sm · Rating 2 out of 5]

story about a couple of mothers and an uncle trying to set-up a knight and maiden
the book was essentially all about the shtick and not enough about Jonathan and Alice, it seemed like their relationship was the sideshow instead of the other way around
and some of the schemes just seemed ridiculous, the forced balls and then interrupting the almost-makeout shesh
Jonathan seemed immature, at times, trailing after his mother and scowling all the time
it was okay, but would've preferred that the romance were front and center

[Lynsey A · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars This was a light and fluffy and fun read. It is a short novella and has a cute story with a match-making mama trying to get her son married. She pretends to dislike her best friend's daughter in order to get her son to pay to attention to the girl. It all happens very quickly but is a cute read.

[Ashley Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short read, and kept me engaged. I wanted a bit more romance to it all, and would definitely read more of this story.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Johnathan is a knight whose mother is rather interfering. The king has stated that Johnathan must marry and she has the perfect plan to match him up to the ideal woman. She does this by pretending to hate the woman, Lady Alice, in hopes that her disapproval will make her all the more appealing to her son. It works, sort of. Mostly, Alice tags along while he's traipsing after his mother to find out what she's up to and the two fall into lust/love. The plan backfires only a little bit since Alice doesn't really want to marry a guy whose mother hates her, but mother takes care of everything once again.

This was really not to my tastes. This has a very serious looking cover, but this aims for quite a bit of comedic effect since Johnathan and his mother are battling wits and what not and Johnathan ends up looking pretty silly in his efforts. Also, this doesn't really set up much of a relationship between Alice and Johnathan...and Alice may as well be just some random woman for all that we get to know her. In the end, the thing that bugs me more than anything is the lengths that mother was willing to go to - she and the other matchmakers basically watch Jonathan all but take Alice's virginity so they can pressure them into marriage with their being compromised (instead of actually announcing their presence and letting them know someone is watching). Gah. What awful people. Not to mention, the mother's lengths, in basically calling her future daughter-in-law a whore in order to get the hero on board...well, Alice basically forgives the mother when she gives her explanation, but I think she should have been a lot more angry. I'd rather a mother-in-law who hates me than one who interferes in everything in my life. And Jonathan just brushes it off like it's nothing too. That mother needed a serious talking to and to feel a bit of contrition. But no, because then it wouldn't be funny I guess?

[Christina Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a HUGE Lynsay Sands fan. I have loved everything I have read of hers so far. This is one of her Historical Romances and it was so good. It had a lot of humor and was just a great and fun read. Lady Alice knows she is not the type to entice a man. She's too voluptuous, too intelligent, too strong minded. Why, she even reads! But then Jonathan, Earl of Fairley, arrives at court. Tall, dark and handsome, the knight is any woman's dream. And he has just been ordered by the king to find a bride… and Alice is to help him!

Jonathan has been evading his mother's matchmaking schemes for years, so why does she insist that Lady Alice isn't for him? Alice is only to aid in his search for a bride, yet Jonathan can't help but be distracted by her glorious hair—the color of a sunset—and a figure that is like a lush berry about to burst to full ripeness…
It is so funny because Jonathan's mother is a busy body and has planned all along for Jonathan and Alice to get together, but her son will never listen to her, so she schemes and plots, which adds a great amount of humor to the story. Great fun read.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic novella. It is a quick, easy read. It’s fun, cute and actually incredibly romantic. Plus, there is this insanely meddlesome mother who I am completely in love with. Meddlesome mothers who just have their sons’ best interests at heart? That’s just perfect. Especially when you discover her machinations at the very ending of the story and realise that every moment in this novella has been carefully orchestrated.

Finishing this novella had me quite merrily giggling away. There was a great sense of humour throughout this story. I love that it’s a tale which takes you to another place, but with the same battles we face today. Namely, men who are stubborn and silly and refuse to take control of their lives. I have a man like this in my life, and there are certain things which I approach in a really, really roundabout way. Just to make sure that the outcome is the what I desire… I probably relate a little too much to the mother in this story…

There is nothing really revolutionary that I can say about this novella. It was just a great, easy read that I didn’t want to put down. I was kind of sad that it ended so quickly… but I do have another Lynsay Sands standalone novel in my pile to read this month… I look forward to another story that is simple, light and fun.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matchmaking Between Best Friends Means Being Extra Sneaky

Lord Jonathan, the Scourge of Crécy, has been given 2 weeks to find a bride. The King wants him settled and his mother, while eager for him to wed, seems to be embarking on a romance of her own. Her best friend volunteers daughter, Alice, to help make a list of eligible ladies and find Jonathan a bride. While Jonathan finds himself more and more intrigued by Lady Alice, his mother keeps saying that she won’t do. (Reverse psychology at its best.) From the beginning, Alice has found his grumpiness endearing rather than intimidating and as the days go by, she finds it harder to stay on the task of finding him a bride and more wishing she was on his list.

A nice short story, well developed. It was fun seeing how the scheming mothers matched Jonathan and Alice. The perfect read on a cold winter’s day when the power went out. (Note: this is not a clean read. Luckily, Sands remembers it’s a novella and doesn’t let getting hot and heavy overpower the story.)

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've not read any of Lynsay Sands non-Argeneau books, so this little novella grabbed my attention and I knew would be a quick read during this busy time of year (the week before Christmas). It was definitely a quick read and quite entertaining, holding many of the aspects of the Argeneau stories that I enjoy. Basically, a mother uses some quite complex manoeuvrings to find a bride for her soldier son, during the reign of King Edward and the period of the Black Death ravaging Europe. Quite a clever scheme by his mother but I won't spoil it for you.

[Kei · Rating 2 out of 5]

A silly tiny story where a very manipulative mother gets together a pair
(very cliche: 'tall, dark, and handsome knight' he, and 'curvy, too smart, and a reader' she)
who behave like children without any self-awareness
(while also dis-ing all other poor women in the world, while they are at it).

I would still like this story more if her manipulations did ruin everything in the end, and she was forced to apologise to everyone to mend the things, and really understand she should never do it.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very short and cute story about one of the King's knights falling in love with a family friend in his search for a bride. I really liked the two main characters in this story and the chemistry they had together. My only little complaint is that it did feel a little rushed. I would have liked the story to be longer but otherwise it was great. Lynsay Sands is an amazing author!

[Lyndal F Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother in law of my dreams

From the beginning to the end you are enthralled by Lady Margaret. What will she do next to convince Jonathan that mother knows best (without him being suspicious). To the very end Lynsay keeps you guessing just how far this mamma was willing to go? Was the King involved? That's for you to decide.

[Karen Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always delightful

Her books always leave me wanting more. I like to be entertained and removed from reality which Sands does, in spades. Her sense of humor is wonderful. This tale was a short but sweet love story of a couple who were manipulated by their conniving mothers to fall in love. Sometimes mother really does know best.

[Mary Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny Short Story

Enjoyed the antics of Lady Fairfield. Lynsay Sands writes about interesting characters by telling a unique and compelling story.

I read this short story in a few hours. I recommend it to all Lynsay Sands' fans and romance readers.