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Gentlemen of Knights #7

Lord of the Knight

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Desperation, jealousy, intrigue... unrequited love.

Lady Maria Mottram was plain by ton standards. Yet, gentlemen were drawn to her for her pleasing wit, ability to speak of their favorite pastimes, and for her lofty family connections which made her very handsome indeed. Until one wretched day when her family’s name was attached to scandal. Swept away by friends to Paris, Maria is faced with a whole new heartache of watching the man she has loved forever be captivated by another, and her needing to marry quickly.

Captain Lord Philip Everleigh was one of England’s most dashing heroes. Every man wanted to be him and every lady wanted to have him. He was one of Wellington’s most trusted spies, working under the cover of diplomacy. Numbed with the world of glittering intrigue, he finally finds a beautiful Archduchess who stirs his blood.

Philip and Maria had been close friends since childhood, but Philip’s good judgement appears to be lost to his infatuation.

Will Maria be able to save him before its too late? Will she lose Philip forever and resign herself to a loveless marriage?

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2022

251 people are currently reading
78 people want to read

About the author

Elizabeth Johns

86 books361 followers
Like many writers, Elizabeth Johns was first an avid reader, though she was a reluctant convert. It was Jane Austen's clever wit and unique turn of phrase that hooked Johns when she was "forced" to read Pride and Prejudice for a school assignment. She began writing when she ran out of her favorite author’s books and decided to try her hand at crafting a Regency romance novel. Her journey into publishing began with the release of Surrender the Past, book one of the Loring-Abbott Series. Johns makes no pretensions to Austen’s wit but hopes readers will perhaps laugh and find some enjoyment in her writing.
Johns attributes much of her inspiration to her mother, a retired English teacher. During their last summer together, Johns would sit on the porch swing and read her stories to her mother, who encouraged her to continue writing. Busy with multiple careers, including a professional job in the medical field, author and mother of small children, Johns squeezes in time for reading whenever possible.

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5 stars
507 (56%)
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261 (29%)
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104 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Profile Image for &#x1f989;Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews113 followers
August 6, 2022
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋

A sweet and emotional read.
Philip has been best friends with Maria for many years, when her feelings have morphed into love, his it seems, have not.

When he falls for an Austrian Duchess, Maria has to swallow her pride and begin the search for a husband, and that’s not going to be the man she loves.
But can she make it work
Can he, or is something else at work here, all may not be as it first appears.

Excellent book and a very good read.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
Profile Image for Janet.
5,194 reviews64 followers
August 11, 2022
Lady Maria Mottram wasn’t a diamond of the first watr but she was well liked in society until one wretched day when her family’s name was attached to scandal. Swept away by friends to Paris, Maria is faced with a whole new heartache of watching her close friend Philip, the man she has loved forever be captivated by another, and her needing to marry quickly. Captain Lord Philip Everleigh was one of England’s most dashing heroes. Numbed with the world of glittering intrigue, he finally finds a beautiful Archduchess who stirs his blood.
The seventh book in the series but it’s easily read on its own. I loved both Philip & Maria but at times I wanted to shake Philip for not realising who was right in front of him until it was nearly too late. Maria was a delight & I admired her for facing society rather than hiding & I loved her true friends who stood by & supported her. There was mystery, intrigue, infatuation, revenge & of course love, A well written book which I thoroughly enjoyed & hope the elusive Gabriel has his story
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
2,448 reviews27 followers
August 11, 2022
This was an engaging read with likeable characters. I was pleased that Lady Maria was able to be herself when she was out of her mother’s control. She didn’t seem to appreciate how lovely she was, probably due to her mother. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Captain Philip Everleigh, he did seem very sure of himself and yet he found himself in something of a quandary. He also begins to see Maria in a new light. Maria had loved Philip for a long time but Philip had previously looked upon her as a friend. There is another lady on the scene but is she all she makes out to be? It didn’t make clear why someone would call Maria’s brother, Gabriel, a traitor, at the beginning of the story and what happened in India with her father wasn’t fully explained. I did enjoy all the details about the English in Brussels. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Lori D.
4,080 reviews131 followers
August 11, 2022
A story of unrequited love that just may change, but there is a journey to get there!

Maria is forces to flee England due to her family's scandal. Going to Paris with friends, she
finds herself in the company of her great friend Phillip who she has been in love with.
But he seems to be focused on another lady.

A mystery, intrigue and wonderful characters bring this to a great conclusion!
141 reviews3 followers
August 12, 2022
Good plot

A good plot, moves along quickly.
I like this series, and look forward to further adventures. We must have Gabriel's story soon.
4,195 reviews22 followers
September 9, 2022
This is book 7 in the Gentlemen of Knights series. It is my first time reading something by this author, so I have not read any of the previous books, but I had no trouble reading this as a standalone. The story is filled with mystery and intrigue and held my interest all the way through. Philip and Maria have been friends since childhood. Maria was well-liked in society, but a scandal attached to her family resulted in her retreating to Paris. Although her and Philip have been friends for a long time, Maria's feelings changed along the way and she is deeply in love with him. Only Philip does not seem to reciprocate her feelings and in fact he has his sights on someone else. Maria is heartbroken, and gathering up her pride, she is resolved to marry without love. Philip clearly does not realize what he has right in front of him with Maria until it might be too late.
This was a lovely story that captivated me from the start and kept my interest and attention till the end. The characters were well-developed and endearing, and my heart went out to them both, especially Maria. The author did a really nice job of creating scenes that came alive and I could easily picture them in my mind's eye. This was an engaging and entertaining story and I really enjoyed it. I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it.
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
1,440 reviews
August 7, 2022
Lady Maria Mottram has had to leave London to escape scandal. When a friend invites her to stay in Paris, she agrees but soon finds herself faced with watch Philip, the one man she has loved, being captivated by the beautiful Archduchess. Captain Lord Philip Everleigh was one of England’s most dashing heroes. Envied by all, he is one of Wellington’s most trusted spies, working under the cover of diplomacy. Numbed with the world of glittering intrigue, he finally finds a beautiful Archduchess who stirs his blood. Whilst Philip and Maria have been close friends since childhood, can it be that he is lost to her, due to his infatuation with a woman who might not be what she wants all to think.
I found Maria to be such a great character, who does all that she can to support Philip, despite his obvious fascination for another woman. At times, I did want Philip to see Maria for the strong and selfless person that she was yet had to have faith that he would eventually see reason. An excellent read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Margaret.
3,218 reviews33 followers
August 11, 2022
4 1/2*STARS*
Napoleon is still in exile on the island of Elba. The British continue to maintain their spies. Even though it was proven her brother was not a traitor, society still gossips and Maria Mottram decides to leave London. She is invited to Paris by her friend Kate, the wife of Captain Jack Owens attached to Wellington's staff. Maria is hoping to see her childhood friend Philip Everleigh, also with Wellington. He is the man she loves and dreams of having a life together. At the same time Maria arrives in Paris, the Archduchess Pauline Klementine of Austria, makes her entrance into society and mesmerizes Philip. He sees no one else but her. Maria's heartbroken. It isn't long before the archduchess' behavior becomes suspicious. Maria doesn't trust her and sets out to find out her secrets to protect Philip. Only it seems Philip should have been protecting her in Brussels. Men can be such fool's over a beautiful woman! Some suspense and intrigue before Napoleon's escape and the battle at Waterloo.
Embraces and kisses.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Profile Image for Petula.
3,090 reviews87 followers
August 4, 2022
After her family is involved in a scandal, there's nothing Lady Maria Mottram can do but hide from society. A good friend and her military husband have invited her to travel to Paris with them.  Following the Drum with the Duke of Wellington's staff will be a very different experience for her.  

Our heroine is in a delicate emotional state for more than one reason. The bright side for her is getting out from under her mother's control. 

Captain Lord Phillip Everleigh is one of Wellington's most useful officers.  Some of his duties are unknown to outsiders.  His appearance is a valuable tool.  This particular task will cause him more than a little self-doubt. Not something he's used to feeling.  

This series of books,  while linked can each be read alone.  You will meet characters from the other books,  but not enough to spoil any of them.  We get a story that is different from most historical romances set in the same era.  The characters have vulnerability as well as strength and all are very interesting.  

Great fun.  
Profile Image for Margaret Watkins.
3,565 reviews88 followers
August 12, 2022
With her family's reputation in tatters, Maria Mottram accepts her close friend's invitation to accompany her to Paris, where Wellington is residing. With political intrigue rife in the aftermath of Napoleon's capture, Captain Philip Everleigh and his fellow officers are constantly on the lookout for suspicious activity. Upon the arrival of Archduchess Pauline, Philip goes on high alert, but unfortunately, she is a master manipulator and well knows how to use her charms. Maria instinctively dislikes the Archduchess but is wise enough to realize that her feelings may be swayed by the attraction she has always felt for Philip. As the novel escalates, so too does Philip's mistrust, as more and more clues emerge. Fortunately, the truth does come out in time, and the novel ends on a successful note. I found this romance a little less humourous than preceding books in this series, but it is nevertheless enjoyable and entertaining. I received a copy of this novel through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Profile Image for Shawna Wood.
714 reviews20 followers
August 16, 2022
I have been in a bit of a book slump for the past few months and most books are not able to hold my attention. I was excited when I got an email from Elizabeth Johns talking about this new release. She is one of my favorite authors and always enjoys her reads and this one did not disappoint. It pulled me from the beginning and probably would have stayed up all night reading if I didn't have the stuff to do in the morning.

Maria has to be one of my favorite heroines. She was such a fantastic character. Strong, vulnerable, and fiercely loyal to those around her. She has loved one man her entire life but she is willing to let him go if that makes him happy. She was someone who was going to make her own way in her world regardless of what was expected of her and she was a fun character to read.

Phillip was a hero that I wanted to wring his neck, lol. He didn't even know what was right in front of him until it was almost too late. He let himself be caught by a shiny object that cost him almost everything. He did redeem himself in the end.

This is another great addition to the series and a perfect book for the end of summer reading.
Profile Image for Avril Hemingway.
1,012 reviews3 followers
August 5, 2022
A well written nicely paced interesting book with both romance and mystery. I did find myself a bit lost at the beginning as the scandal affecting Maria was never well explained so perhaps not to be read as a standalone as I felt I was missing out on not having read the earlier books. I did like both character's but did feel as an experienced spy Phillip was a bit stupid to get involved with Pauline and it was a bit unbelievable how quickly he changed his allegiance to Maria. However Maria more than made up for his character defects by being so selfless and willing to help him. In the end I couldn't put it down so 5 stars. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for GG.
613 reviews9 followers
August 22, 2022
Readers first met Maria, Philip and Gabriel in book six of this series. This is the story of Kate and Jack who figure quite a lot in book seven. The scandal mentioned numerous times in Maria's book starts in Kate's story and has repercussions in this book. Maria loves Philip but it does not seem to be returned. She decides to marry to escape the ongoing scandal with her family. Philip gets caught up in the machinations of Pauline and it gets complicated from there. Gabriel puts in brief appearances. The ending was quite a surprise.

I love this series, it keeps getting better. It really should be read in order. Elizabeth Johns is a master storyteller and proves it again with Lord of the Knight.

I am hoping Gabriel gets his own book.
Profile Image for Ann Gonzalez.
1,501 reviews15 followers
July 30, 2022
Johns has a way of writing that makes it impossible to put the book down. I was captivated from the beginning. Lord Phillip Everleigh was introduced previously in the series and I knew instantly that his would be an interesting story. Maria's character was such a sweet soul that my heart broke for her at times. Elizabeth Johns has a remarkable talent in writing her characters and setting so that the reader is drawn in. This book can be read alone, but much better as a series in my opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book in the series.
I received this book from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mary Hart.
1,121 reviews27 followers
August 13, 2022
3.5 stars

Not a bad read. Only kisses, I like a bit more passion. The heroine was tenacious trying to persuade the hero that his obsession with the archduchess wasn't in his best interest. The duchess was a bit two dimensional and her demise I thought was a bit OTT. It's a interesting series, some I've loved and given 5 stars to but this didn't quite match up to that high benchmark. This might have been because of the heros behaviour making his about turn seem a bit less believable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Profile Image for Carol Guthrie.
517 reviews6 followers
August 18, 2022
Phillip’s story is full of adventure. The book had me turning pages late into the night.

Phillip has lived a life free of “entrapment” and is greatly surprised at how fast and far he falls for the Archduchess of Austria. He wants her badly even knowing she probably isn’t good for him. His childhood friend, Maria, sees through the woman’s wiles. In fact, those with most intelligence can see that something is wrong. However, Phillip can’t find it inside himself to deny his animal instincts and continues in pursuit. For this reason, I found it hard to enjoy the conclusion of the story. I’m not sure how good a husband he would make to any woman.
967 reviews5 followers
August 14, 2022
clean romance

I have enjoyed this author in the past and this book (and series) do not disappoint.

She creates well written plots and characters within a world that comes alive off the pages.

I have enjoyed reading each of the characters receive their own story and romance amongst the spies and intrigue. She keeps the twists and turns enough to keep me guessing.

I hope Gabe also gets his chance at love and happiness!
1,711 reviews6 followers
December 2, 2023
You knew how it was going to end, but waiting to see how the author took you to that place was intriguing. A gentleman soldier and a scandalized Lady with a lifetime of friendship end up in Paris. She is retreating from polite society. He is assigned to Wellington. He becomes embroiled in a liaison with a archduchess. The lady is a master at manipulation. While his best friend watches from the sidelines he plays a dangerous game.
391 reviews
April 8, 2025
Maria and Philip must overcome the schemes of an Austrian Archduchess to reach their HEA.

Maria has loved Philip for many years but finds he has been beguiled by an Austrian Archduchess.

This all takes place during the prelude to the Congress of Vienna.

Are there unrevealed political purposes to the Austrian lady’s intents or is she just wanting to spoil her father’s plans to marry her off to a man of his choosing?
Profile Image for Berly.
793 reviews29 followers
September 25, 2025
This is the 7th in the series. It is a kisses only Regency Era romance with some mild mentions of violence. It takes place during the war. Essentially, it is a standalone story, but it is connected with book 6 in the series. These characters and part of the plot were introduced in that book.

I'm not loving that so many in this series revolve around the war and soldiers, but I did enjoy this story more than most of the others I recently listened to.

Alex Wyndham is the audiobook narrator.
248 reviews1 follower
September 17, 2022
Book 7 in the series did not disappoint!

As always … read them in order.
This story was different and had some good twists and turns. Both main characters are very likable. The author always keeps the pace going so it’s hard to put her books down.
I’ve now read everything she’s written so looking forward to anything new!!
Profile Image for FAITH Morgan.
41 reviews
September 4, 2025
Most of this series is a three. But something I’ve felt a gap in with this genre recently is continental settings. I really appreciate this taking place to the backdrop of the final days of the Napoleonic Wars. I’m a bit bummed the next book time jumps, I would have liked to explore how the news of his return to the mainland would be handled.
519 reviews2 followers
August 13, 2022
Lord of the Knight

Elizabeth being one of my favorite authors, I have never been disappointed with any of her stories. I have finished this book late into the night. I couldn’t possibly go to sleep with the characters still in trouble!
Profile Image for Sammee.
224 reviews
March 17, 2023
I was looking forward to this book afterJack and Kate's story. Sadly, this was extremely disappointing and repetitive. Marie was a moaning love sick puppy, and Phillip showed no signs of why he would be a trusted spy. My least favorite of the series. Two stars for the overall story.
31 reviews
March 24, 2023
love at last

This well-written book is extremely enjoyable. It gives hope, as well as a great reading experience. I recommend it to all, especially to those who, because of their upbringing and ultimate self-talk are convinced they will never be worthy of love.
Profile Image for Christy Peterson.
1,559 reviews35 followers
April 9, 2023
This is probably my least favorite of the series, even though it is a spy story, more like the 4th and 6th ones. It is about another of Felix's spy friends. He's just an idiot, knows he's and idiot, and keeps being an idiot. Not a lot to respect there. This is a weak 3 star.
1,085 reviews10 followers
December 24, 2023
Another winner! This series is so good. Every book is delightful to read. I enjoyed hearing about the war/soldiers, etc. Very well written. I Listened to most of these on audiobook and the narrator is amazing.
3 reviews
August 13, 2022
Very good. I am interested if the author has a story for Gabriel? What happens to every one after Waterloo?do any of them women stay as nurses?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews

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