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Thrill of the Knight
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26She hid as a servant to save her people-and stole a knight's heart.
Newly orphaned, Lady Elizabeth Hutton refuses to bend to the ambitions of the neighboring lord who covets her lands-even when his soldiers lock her in her own bedchamber. So she takes a desperate she and her maid trade places, giving Elizabeth the freedom to save her people while hiding in plain sight.
Sir John Russell has come to rescue the noblewoman he hasn't laid eyes on since boyhood-the woman he is sworn to marry. Yet it isn't his betrothed who stirs him. It's her bewitching servant, whose pull threatens the oath he lives by and forces him toward an impossible duty and honor, or ecstasy and disgrace.
Newly orphaned, Lady Elizabeth Hutton refuses to bend to the ambitions of the neighboring lord who covets her lands-even when his soldiers lock her in her own bedchamber. So she takes a desperate she and her maid trade places, giving Elizabeth the freedom to save her people while hiding in plain sight.
Sir John Russell has come to rescue the noblewoman he hasn't laid eyes on since boyhood-the woman he is sworn to marry. Yet it isn't his betrothed who stirs him. It's her bewitching servant, whose pull threatens the oath he lives by and forces him toward an impossible duty and honor, or ecstasy and disgrace.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Gayle Callen
94 books533 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Gayle Callen writes historical romances for Avon Books. Her twenty-second novel, The Wrong Bride, was published in November 2015.
Gayle’s novels have won the Holt Medallion, the Laurel Wreath Award, the Booksellers’ Best Award, and finaled in the National Readers Choice Awards. She was a nominee for RT Book Reviews Magazine’s Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She also writes the contemporary romances as Emma Cane.
Gayle resides in central New York with her husband. Now that her three children are grown, she has time to read, sing, and delve too deeply into historical research. A past President of the Central New York Romance Writers, she is also a member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists Inc. Visit her website at http://www.gaylecallen.com
Gayle’s novels have won the Holt Medallion, the Laurel Wreath Award, the Booksellers’ Best Award, and finaled in the National Readers Choice Awards. She was a nominee for RT Book Reviews Magazine’s Reviewers’ Choice Award. Her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She also writes the contemporary romances as Emma Cane.
Gayle resides in central New York with her husband. Now that her three children are grown, she has time to read, sing, and delve too deeply into historical research. A past President of the Central New York Romance Writers, she is also a member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists Inc. Visit her website at http://www.gaylecallen.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Thrill of the Knight is the first book in a new series by Gayle Callen, whose medieval historical romances I always enjoy. This story follows Lady Elizabeth Hutton, promised in marriage to William, who has since died. The contract reverts to his brother, Sir John Russell, a man she hardly knows because he has been serving in Normandy. With no brothers to inherit the earldom, Elizabeth’s lands and title will pass to her husband, making her a very desirable match. Viscount Bannaster certainly notices, forcing Elizabeth to take a desperate gamble: she and her maid, Anne, switch places, giving Elizabeth the freedom to protect her people while hiding in plain sight.
John returns to his long-neglected estate, but quickly realizes that securing his marriage to Lady Elizabeth and keeping her safe is his priority. To reach her, he assumes a false identity, infiltrating Alderley to safeguard the woman he has vowed to wed. Both John and Elizabeth hide their true selves, igniting a suspenseful and romantic dance of discovery. John feels an overwhelming attraction that tears at him, filling him with guilt, as he believes he is betraying his betrothed by longing for the woman he assumes to be her maid.
I enjoyed the delicious tension and emotional stakes, and I completely understood Elizabeth’s hesitation to trust him once his true identity emerged. I also admired his unwavering honor and protectiveness, as well as her selfless determination to put her people first, even at her own peril.
I did feel that the reveal of their true identities took a bit longer than necessary, stretching that part of the plot. Still, I was swept up in the charm of the hidden identities, the slow build of trust, and the mix of duty, danger, and honor. I am also intrigued to know more about the League of the Blade and what it all means. In the end, watching Elizabeth and John fall for each other—no matter the masks they wore—was deeply satisfying. It’s a romantic, engaging start to a series I’m excited to continue.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
John returns to his long-neglected estate, but quickly realizes that securing his marriage to Lady Elizabeth and keeping her safe is his priority. To reach her, he assumes a false identity, infiltrating Alderley to safeguard the woman he has vowed to wed. Both John and Elizabeth hide their true selves, igniting a suspenseful and romantic dance of discovery. John feels an overwhelming attraction that tears at him, filling him with guilt, as he believes he is betraying his betrothed by longing for the woman he assumes to be her maid.
I enjoyed the delicious tension and emotional stakes, and I completely understood Elizabeth’s hesitation to trust him once his true identity emerged. I also admired his unwavering honor and protectiveness, as well as her selfless determination to put her people first, even at her own peril.
I did feel that the reveal of their true identities took a bit longer than necessary, stretching that part of the plot. Still, I was swept up in the charm of the hidden identities, the slow build of trust, and the mix of duty, danger, and honor. I am also intrigued to know more about the League of the Blade and what it all means. In the end, watching Elizabeth and John fall for each other—no matter the masks they wore—was deeply satisfying. It’s a romantic, engaging start to a series I’m excited to continue.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Knights and Medieval England aren’t my usual literary digs, but when I saw that OHB was re-releasing Julia Latham’s (a.k.a. Gayle Callen) League of the Blade series, I couldn’t resist venturing out of my comfort zone.
Growing up Elizabeth felt safe in her longstanding betrothal to the Russell heir, but then her parents died, and so did her fiancé – leaving her a vulnerable heiress, hounded by the king’s nephew. And since she wouldn’t entertain the cad, he came with his army and took by force.
Youngest son of 3, John left his family at 16 to make a name for himself on the continent – only to return home 8 years later, and find his parents gone, his brothers gone, his ancestral estate severely neglected and his brother’s betrothed now his and locked up in her own tower.
She switches places with her maid to try and help her people. He gets his men to beat him up and infiltrate the castle as a wounded traveling bailiff.
The maid and the bailiff hit it off, but neither trusts enough to unveil their true identity – and that’s where the complications start... Guilt, regret, half-truths and lust mixed with a splash of childhood trauma while trying to defeat a lecherous villain from the inside.
Now, John’s a knight through and through – clever, brawny and loyal to a fault – so he’ll keep his damsel safe no matter what – even the wrong damsel. While his conscience kicks in and he confesses, it takes Liz an age to do the same. It’s action-packed and always on the move, and I really loved John. I’m a bit on the fence about Liz though. All that stubborn pride; I wanted to wring her neck at times! But all in all, I really enjoyed all the sneaking around, the people reading, the manoeuvring and outwitting, the League’s interventions, the cook and John’s wingman Philipp (I do hope he has a book!)
That final stand off in the great hall: very Robin Hood-esque! Excellent!
And that bathtub scene... naughty, naughty Liz.
Yes, I liked it very much and I’m looking forward to the rest of this series!
Growing up Elizabeth felt safe in her longstanding betrothal to the Russell heir, but then her parents died, and so did her fiancé – leaving her a vulnerable heiress, hounded by the king’s nephew. And since she wouldn’t entertain the cad, he came with his army and took by force.
Youngest son of 3, John left his family at 16 to make a name for himself on the continent – only to return home 8 years later, and find his parents gone, his brothers gone, his ancestral estate severely neglected and his brother’s betrothed now his and locked up in her own tower.
She switches places with her maid to try and help her people. He gets his men to beat him up and infiltrate the castle as a wounded traveling bailiff.
The maid and the bailiff hit it off, but neither trusts enough to unveil their true identity – and that’s where the complications start... Guilt, regret, half-truths and lust mixed with a splash of childhood trauma while trying to defeat a lecherous villain from the inside.
Now, John’s a knight through and through – clever, brawny and loyal to a fault – so he’ll keep his damsel safe no matter what – even the wrong damsel. While his conscience kicks in and he confesses, it takes Liz an age to do the same. It’s action-packed and always on the move, and I really loved John. I’m a bit on the fence about Liz though. All that stubborn pride; I wanted to wring her neck at times! But all in all, I really enjoyed all the sneaking around, the people reading, the manoeuvring and outwitting, the League’s interventions, the cook and John’s wingman Philipp (I do hope he has a book!)
That final stand off in the great hall: very Robin Hood-esque! Excellent!
And that bathtub scene... naughty, naughty Liz.
Yes, I liked it very much and I’m looking forward to the rest of this series!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Rue, The Knight and the Villain
An intriguing slow-moving story of finding love and much deception trying too fraught the villain.
I did enjoy Elizabeth the queen and John her betrothed that needed to prove he actually is her legitimate husband to be.
I found the story interesting but by the second half dragging and predictable.
Some passion with a little taste of heat but lacking any depth.
Book Rating 3.8 rounded up 4.
⭐The cover is the star of the book.
An intriguing slow-moving story of finding love and much deception trying too fraught the villain.
I did enjoy Elizabeth the queen and John her betrothed that needed to prove he actually is her legitimate husband to be.
I found the story interesting but by the second half dragging and predictable.
Some passion with a little taste of heat but lacking any depth.
Book Rating 3.8 rounded up 4.
⭐The cover is the star of the book.
Review of advance copy
Book 1 of The League of the Blade series, this is about Elizabeth and John. I like that Elizabeth cares more about her people than herself, that John is determined to save her, while proving himself at the same time, and that they overcome rumors and misunderstandings.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews