What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dark Horse #2
The White Knight
Actor Sean Fairchild has a not-so-secret a psycho stalker who thinks taking out the sexy, shy young actor will leave the world a better place. His manager insists Sean needs protection, and Sean's beginning to think he's right.
It's a Hollywood cliché: the hot and handsome bodyguard. But in the case of LAPD Detective Daniel Moran, it's all true. Dan is everything Sean ever wanted in a leading man, but Dan's kind of an old-fashioned guy. It's his job to keep Sean safe and in one piece -- happy is someone else's problem.
As tension mounts, Sean can't help turning to Dan, while Dan is finding it harder and harder to say no. Their only chance of a happy ending is if Dan can keep Sean alive -- but what happens when he uncovers the secrets Sean is trying hard to conceal?
Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find Male/male sexual practices.
It's a Hollywood cliché: the hot and handsome bodyguard. But in the case of LAPD Detective Daniel Moran, it's all true. Dan is everything Sean ever wanted in a leading man, but Dan's kind of an old-fashioned guy. It's his job to keep Sean safe and in one piece -- happy is someone else's problem.
As tension mounts, Sean can't help turning to Dan, while Dan is finding it harder and harder to say no. Their only chance of a happy ending is if Dan can keep Sean alive -- but what happens when he uncovers the secrets Sean is trying hard to conceal?
Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find Male/male sexual practices.
103 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2009
22 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
Josh Lanyon
224 books5,418 followersAuthor of 100+ titles of Gay Mystery and M/M Romance, Josh Lanyon has built her literary legacy on twisty mystery, kickass adventure, and unapologetic man-on-man romance.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Her work has been translated into twelve languages. The FBI thriller Fair Game was the first Male/Male title to be published by Italy’s Harlequin Mondadori and Stranger on the Shore (Harper Collins Italia) was the first M/M title to be published in print. In 2016 Fatal Shadows placed #5 in Japan’s annual Boy Love novel list (the first and only title by a foreign author to place on the list). The Adrien English series was awarded the All-Time Favorite Couple by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. In 2019, Fatal Shadows became the first LGBTQ mobile game created by Moments: Choose Your Story.
She’s an EPIC Award winner, a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist (twice for Gay Mystery), an Edgar nominee, and the first ever recipient of the Goodreads All Time Favorite M/M Author award.
Josh is married and lives in Southern California with her irascible husband, two adorable dogs, a small garden, and an ever-expanding library of vintage mystery destined to eventually crush them all beneath its weight.
Find other Josh Lanyon titles at www.joshlanyon.com
Follow Josh on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
July 10, 2013
4 stars.****Review posted July 10, 2013
I'm going to make it short but sweet.
The White Knight is in a way a sequel and a prequel to The Dark Horse because it alternates between past and present. Honestly, I am usually not a huge fan of this timeframe hopping but it was done well and I really liked it. I guess the shortness of the story played in its favor since I'm not sure if I'd have appreciated the same approach if it had been a full length novel. The constant back and forth could have gotten tedious.
This short story is a little bit difficult to review without giving away too much because the interesting stuff happens right off the bat on page one and then everything went quickly. Suffice it to say we get to see how Dan and Sean met for the first time in Dan's office at LAPD and how Dan acted as Sean's bodyguard. I was a little bit surprised that we didn't get more story about the stalker Paul Hammond. Though I must say it didn't affect the plot negatively in any way because the main focus is on Sean and Dan's very serious "relationship problems" as well as Sean's Also, the story tells us how Sean coped with being gay, the problems that arouse and his
The White Knight is a very good and well developed little story in the common Lanyon manner and solidly written. Plus, Sean and Dan get their well-deserved HEA. Being persistent is worth the effort, after all.
Recommended read.
As a side note
I advise you to read the books in order, and that should mean something coming from someone who loves to read out of order. :)
I'm going to make it short but sweet.
The White Knight is in a way a sequel and a prequel to The Dark Horse because it alternates between past and present. Honestly, I am usually not a huge fan of this timeframe hopping but it was done well and I really liked it. I guess the shortness of the story played in its favor since I'm not sure if I'd have appreciated the same approach if it had been a full length novel. The constant back and forth could have gotten tedious.
This short story is a little bit difficult to review without giving away too much because the interesting stuff happens right off the bat on page one and then everything went quickly. Suffice it to say we get to see how Dan and Sean met for the first time in Dan's office at LAPD and how Dan acted as Sean's bodyguard. I was a little bit surprised that we didn't get more story about the stalker Paul Hammond. Though I must say it didn't affect the plot negatively in any way because the main focus is on Sean and Dan's very serious "relationship problems" as well as Sean's Also, the story tells us how Sean coped with being gay, the problems that arouse and his
The White Knight is a very good and well developed little story in the common Lanyon manner and solidly written. Plus, Sean and Dan get their well-deserved HEA. Being persistent is worth the effort, after all.
Recommended read.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"You. Same old, same old. It's always been you, anyway you're serving it."
He laughed, kissed my nose. "That's the nice thing about love. It feels just as good giving as getting."
As a side note
I advise you to read the books in order, and that should mean something coming from someone who loves to read out of order. :)
October 2, 2025
Read my review of Book 1 here
When I read The Dark Horse yesterday, my biggest gripe was that we didn't get details about what went down between Dan, police detective and consultant to Hollywood, and Sean, fair actor and honestly... a fucking mess.
This sequel novella does a great job of showing us how Dan and Sean fell in love, how stalker Paul Hammond got into Sean's life and how they managed to escape that situation. While The Dark Horse exposes the growing pains of Happily Ever After, this shows how tenuous that "Ever" is. The story starts with Sean having fallen down a flight of stairs and throwing up blood. He keeps asking for Dan and someone ominously says they aren't together any more. Besides, they're shooting in Wales. However will they get a hold of him?
When Sean comes to, Dan is there by his bedside but he won't kiss him. Why won't Dan look happy to see him? It's something that fills Sean with anxiety because in his concussed semi-coma, he dreamt about how they met when he and Steve (his bff-agent-manager) had gone to report Hammond's escalations to the police. Sean faced something many victims often deal with when they don't want to grapple with the fact that they're being... er, victimised. Sean felt--embarrassment. And the longer he let it go on, the worse he felt about filing a report with the police. Expecting to be laughed at, the police detective they deal with is Lt. Daniel Moran, also queer himself and with a proximity to Hollywood. He was appointed Sean's personal bodyguard/lead investigator of the on-goings.
From the first time Sean made him breakfast, Dan fell, heart-first. But Sean is a complicated person to love. Misdiagnosed as a teenager with bipolar disorder , he was forcefully institutionalised as a kind of proxy conversion therapy. Sean has survived a lot and I applauded him his refusal to give in to despair. Because our boy Sean? He has problems. Apart from crippling anxiety, depression, chronic breakdowns, he also has some kind of suggestion-sensitive dysphoria which he experiences whenever anyone suggests he see a shrink. It's even worse when the suggestion comes from Dan... Dan, the strongest man he knows who sees him as weak.
But Sean misunderstands and runs off to Wales where they're shooting an adaptation of Mary Renault's The Charioteer. Dan rushes within a few hours to be by Sean's side so that must mean no matter what happened, which Sean can't remember due to his concussion, that Dan still loves him right? Right?
The School of Athens, Plato and Aristotle
Lanyon telegraphs Sean's anxiety so well I found myself gagging every time something was revealed. But no matter the mystery of Sean and Dan's relationship, there's still the nagging question of who pushed Sean down the stairs. Was the intent to kill him? Why has someone ransacked Sean's cottage? Why is a stranger accosting him in the middle of a cast dinner? The story weaves deceptively calm like a riptide. By the time the story wraps itself, you're left with an overwhelming, choking desperation that these kids just might make it.
When I read The Dark Horse yesterday, my biggest gripe was that we didn't get details about what went down between Dan, police detective and consultant to Hollywood, and Sean, fair actor and honestly... a fucking mess.
This sequel novella does a great job of showing us how Dan and Sean fell in love, how stalker Paul Hammond got into Sean's life and how they managed to escape that situation. While The Dark Horse exposes the growing pains of Happily Ever After, this shows how tenuous that "Ever" is. The story starts with Sean having fallen down a flight of stairs and throwing up blood. He keeps asking for Dan and someone ominously says they aren't together any more. Besides, they're shooting in Wales. However will they get a hold of him?
When Sean comes to, Dan is there by his bedside but he won't kiss him. Why won't Dan look happy to see him? It's something that fills Sean with anxiety because in his concussed semi-coma, he dreamt about how they met when he and Steve (his bff-agent-manager) had gone to report Hammond's escalations to the police. Sean faced something many victims often deal with when they don't want to grapple with the fact that they're being... er, victimised. Sean felt--embarrassment. And the longer he let it go on, the worse he felt about filing a report with the police. Expecting to be laughed at, the police detective they deal with is Lt. Daniel Moran, also queer himself and with a proximity to Hollywood. He was appointed Sean's personal bodyguard/lead investigator of the on-goings.
From the first time Sean made him breakfast, Dan fell, heart-first. But Sean is a complicated person to love. Misdiagnosed as a teenager with bipolar disorder , he was forcefully institutionalised as a kind of proxy conversion therapy. Sean has survived a lot and I applauded him his refusal to give in to despair. Because our boy Sean? He has problems. Apart from crippling anxiety, depression, chronic breakdowns, he also has some kind of suggestion-sensitive dysphoria which he experiences whenever anyone suggests he see a shrink. It's even worse when the suggestion comes from Dan... Dan, the strongest man he knows who sees him as weak.
But Sean misunderstands and runs off to Wales where they're shooting an adaptation of Mary Renault's The Charioteer. Dan rushes within a few hours to be by Sean's side so that must mean no matter what happened, which Sean can't remember due to his concussion, that Dan still loves him right? Right?
The School of Athens, Plato and Aristotle
Lanyon telegraphs Sean's anxiety so well I found myself gagging every time something was revealed. But no matter the mystery of Sean and Dan's relationship, there's still the nagging question of who pushed Sean down the stairs. Was the intent to kill him? Why has someone ransacked Sean's cottage? Why is a stranger accosting him in the middle of a cast dinner? The story weaves deceptively calm like a riptide. By the time the story wraps itself, you're left with an overwhelming, choking desperation that these kids just might make it.
May 24, 2012
This book is the sequel to The Dark Horse and at the same time it's the prequel. The Dark Horse started when Sean and Dan had already met, so we finally know what brought them together, but at the same time we are learning that things didn't work out as hoped and anticipated.
Sean is in Wales, shooting the movie he was pining for in the first book, and he is involved in a strange accident. He falls down icy stairs and he has lost part of his memories. He is confused, he longs for Dan, but when Dan arrives, we are revealed that Sean and Dan are going through a rough time.
The story is in Sean's point of view, but it alternates from the first to the third person and it also goes back and forth between the distant past (as if it was the prequel to The Dark Horse), the near past (what happened to Dan and Sean in between the two books) and the present. The narration gave me the impression of being in a upward spiral, because it starts in the core of Sean's confused memory and it slowly opens as we get a better understanding of what happened. I don't know how Josh Lanyon was able to change from the first to the third person so gracefully, but it really helps in setting a rhythm and, although it surprised me at the beginning, it unexpectedly made the story clearer. It shows Sean's need to put a distance between his feelings and reality and it's a way for Sean to heal and recover from his accident.
Sean and Dan's relationship, though strained, is still emotional and full of chemistry and it really puts on the balance of their life what the two have together and especially what they could lose and this time it seems that it's Sean the one who is fighting harder to keep them together.
There's also a suspense element that is important to the plot and it's solved with elegance and simplicity.
I recommend readers to buy the two books together and read them back to back. Sean and Dan are a great couple and I was incredibly satisfied with having their story told in its fullness and complexity.
Sean is in Wales, shooting the movie he was pining for in the first book, and he is involved in a strange accident. He falls down icy stairs and he has lost part of his memories. He is confused, he longs for Dan, but when Dan arrives, we are revealed that Sean and Dan are going through a rough time.
The story is in Sean's point of view, but it alternates from the first to the third person and it also goes back and forth between the distant past (as if it was the prequel to The Dark Horse), the near past (what happened to Dan and Sean in between the two books) and the present. The narration gave me the impression of being in a upward spiral, because it starts in the core of Sean's confused memory and it slowly opens as we get a better understanding of what happened. I don't know how Josh Lanyon was able to change from the first to the third person so gracefully, but it really helps in setting a rhythm and, although it surprised me at the beginning, it unexpectedly made the story clearer. It shows Sean's need to put a distance between his feelings and reality and it's a way for Sean to heal and recover from his accident.
Sean and Dan's relationship, though strained, is still emotional and full of chemistry and it really puts on the balance of their life what the two have together and especially what they could lose and this time it seems that it's Sean the one who is fighting harder to keep them together.
There's also a suspense element that is important to the plot and it's solved with elegance and simplicity.
I recommend readers to buy the two books together and read them back to back. Sean and Dan are a great couple and I was incredibly satisfied with having their story told in its fullness and complexity.
December 22, 2014
The format was a bit confusing to me, but all in all, great bookage.
January 27, 2022
I loved catching up with Dan and Sean again. They have a chemistry I find totally absorbing. So I was shocked to learn all was not as rosey as when we last left them.
The mystery in this one was not as much the main focus, more a slight side story, but still intriguing.
I did have a slight problem with the writing style on this one. I found the back and forth between 1st POV and 3rd POV a little off putting and I’m not a fan of the back and forth time lines.
The blurb for this one didn’t really match up to the story inside, in fact the blurb matches the first book more in my opinion.
But all that aside this is a good second book, just not quite as good as the first for me.
ETA Same as above
The mystery in this one was not as much the main focus, more a slight side story, but still intriguing.
I did have a slight problem with the writing style on this one. I found the back and forth between 1st POV and 3rd POV a little off putting and I’m not a fan of the back and forth time lines.
The blurb for this one didn’t really match up to the story inside, in fact the blurb matches the first book more in my opinion.
But all that aside this is a good second book, just not quite as good as the first for me.
ETA Same as above
June 16, 2017
There's no one else that writes longing and unrequited love like Josh Lanyon!
Update June 2017
Pretty short, but very nice anyway. I stand by my first review of this book.
Update June 2017
Pretty short, but very nice anyway. I stand by my first review of this book.
May 31, 2019
Re-read May 2019
April 24, 2017
Rounded up to 4 stars
It is my 3d AMNESIA case that I read by Josh Lanyon. But I can imagine that there are more of it in the JL's works. I am a HUGE fan of JL, but I still have not read ALL author's works. (Thanks God, she is very diligent). And Josh Lanyon + AMNESIA totally work for me.
I enjoyed the second book more. Amnesia or not. Dan is great and Sean is such a sweetheart and no one can write MM romance relationships better than Josh Lanyon. Period.
It is my 3d AMNESIA case that I read by Josh Lanyon. But I can imagine that there are more of it in the JL's works. I am a HUGE fan of JL, but I still have not read ALL author's works. (Thanks God, she is very diligent). And Josh Lanyon + AMNESIA totally work for me.
I enjoyed the second book more. Amnesia or not. Dan is great and Sean is such a sweetheart and no one can write MM romance relationships better than Josh Lanyon. Period.
May 24, 2012
Sean is a movie star with a troubled past and a psycho stalker. Dan is an LAPD cop hired as bodyguard while they hunt the stalker down.
This story is told in flashback style as Sean regains his memory after a head injury. Alternating between the past and the present until the full story emerges. He uses the tools he has learned after years of mental health issues to tell himself his story to piece back together his memories. Some of which he has blocked - and he knows why they must be blocked. They must be painful.
As Sean works to gain his memory back, he is given the chance to gain the life he had with Dan back as well. We hear his thoughts on his own mental health issues, how he perceives his relationship with Dan and his own self worth. As thoughts lead to actions and reactions the ramifications are great but not insurmountable.
For such a troubled half of the whole, Sean is amazingly easy to relate too. I fell in love with Sean and rooted for him a little more after every word in this book. Although this could have been an overwhelmingly weighty and angsty story, the flashes of humor and moments of sweet goodness steady it to a very well paced book, both story wise and emotionally for the reader
The more intimate scenes in this book are by no means graphic. They are implied in many ways but done in a way that left me satisfied, convinced they were happy and that the sex was great but not the basis of their relationship.
I gave this 4 star because of some plot confusion relating back to the first book in the series. I didn't realize it until I finished the book but this is a sequel. While I think it intends to be a stand alone there are some vague mentions of legal problems with his Manager and Sean needing to testify against him. Since I had not read the first book, Dark Horse, I was completely lost regarding this info and actually went back and re-read areas to see if I had missed information. When I had not, I figured I would get more info as he flashed forward in his story, but it is never covered. You do need to read the first book to know what that is about. It doesn't interfere with the story, but it did throw me off my stride and pulled me out of the book when I came to it.
This story is told in flashback style as Sean regains his memory after a head injury. Alternating between the past and the present until the full story emerges. He uses the tools he has learned after years of mental health issues to tell himself his story to piece back together his memories. Some of which he has blocked - and he knows why they must be blocked. They must be painful.
As Sean works to gain his memory back, he is given the chance to gain the life he had with Dan back as well. We hear his thoughts on his own mental health issues, how he perceives his relationship with Dan and his own self worth. As thoughts lead to actions and reactions the ramifications are great but not insurmountable.
For such a troubled half of the whole, Sean is amazingly easy to relate too. I fell in love with Sean and rooted for him a little more after every word in this book. Although this could have been an overwhelmingly weighty and angsty story, the flashes of humor and moments of sweet goodness steady it to a very well paced book, both story wise and emotionally for the reader
The more intimate scenes in this book are by no means graphic. They are implied in many ways but done in a way that left me satisfied, convinced they were happy and that the sex was great but not the basis of their relationship.
I gave this 4 star because of some plot confusion relating back to the first book in the series. I didn't realize it until I finished the book but this is a sequel. While I think it intends to be a stand alone there are some vague mentions of legal problems with his Manager and Sean needing to testify against him. Since I had not read the first book, Dark Horse, I was completely lost regarding this info and actually went back and re-read areas to see if I had missed information. When I had not, I figured I would get more info as he flashed forward in his story, but it is never covered. You do need to read the first book to know what that is about. It doesn't interfere with the story, but it did throw me off my stride and pulled me out of the book when I came to it.
April 3, 2016
A prequel/sequel to THE DARK HORSE (and yes, one needs to read that one too), I think Josh has woven a flawless combination between some cliché themes (amnesia, love between the bodyguard and the actor, a guy with a troubled past) with a very romantic story between two of the most endearing characters he ever written.
The way Josh writes ... using the Sean's 1st POV to tell about the present and how he feels, with the 3rd POV to tell about the past, sort of making the readers like objective observers -- to see the story from both character's POVs -- is something unique and compelling. Josh writes the characters' feelings and thoughts like a violinist maestro. She puts humor and angst and romance with the right balance to brilliantly tug my heart and emotion.
And the ending is just ♥ *le sigh*
The way Josh writes ... using the Sean's 1st POV to tell about the present and how he feels, with the 3rd POV to tell about the past, sort of making the readers like objective observers -- to see the story from both character's POVs -- is something unique and compelling. Josh writes the characters' feelings and thoughts like a violinist maestro. She puts humor and angst and romance with the right balance to brilliantly tug my heart and emotion.
And the ending is just ♥ *le sigh*
October 27, 2016
3.5 stars
In style this is different from the first one. Lanyon gives a fragmented picture which I then put together. This style seems to fit exactly with what's happening to Sean so I like that.
Read with Irina
In style this is different from the first one. Lanyon gives a fragmented picture which I then put together. This style seems to fit exactly with what's happening to Sean so I like that.
Read with Irina
November 26, 2023
This prequel/sequel worked much better for me than The Dark Horse. Almost skipped it cause I wasn't a fan of Sean in that one. So glad I didn't. This one starts out with Sean having amnesia. We then get the story told from his POW. 3.5 ⭐⭐⭐
May 24, 2012
This is a sequel to "The Dark Horse". On the one hand, it explained how Dan and Sean met, on the other hand, it also revealed what happened after the ending of the previous book. I liked this one a bit better, I'm not really sure why, though. There was a nice portion of hurt/comfort once more - which never hurts ;) - and I simply liked the way Lanyon handled the characters: they were both human. They made mistakes, sometimes they were selfish and self-centered, they weren't perfection incarnated which is great - it made them seem three-dimensional. Also, it was interesting to see the story jump back and forth from Sean's hospital stay to the time when Dan protecting Sean from a stalker - I think it added another intriguing level to the story.
July 7, 2017
I love this story.
August 11, 2025
Overall book review: 3.8
Audio book: N/A
Book cover: 3.5
REVIEW ON BOTH DARK HORSE AND WHITE KNIGHT
The fact that these books are both short-reads, made me
overlook things that would have been issues in a full length.
Because I’m an avid JL reader, there are things I take into
account regarding characters. When I first read Christopher Holmes,
I could not for the life of me understand what JX saw in him.
I liked Kit well enough but, and I said this in my review,
I thought JX deserved better. Since then, I finished the series
and re-read. I came to understand the inner complexities of
Kit’s mind. I no longer think JX deserves better. He’s fine with Kit.
I think Sean is the same. The difference is, Sean did not get a
full-length novel or a series to flesh out the inner workies of his
mind or emotions.
We only got two very short very fast paced clips of his life.
I say fast paced because if you take the timeline into account, things
progress pretty fast between Sean and Dan, which then in my
humble opinion 100% is one of the main problems the second
book stems from.
Sean is by no means over the emotional trauma of everything
happening in his life the past year, on top of having a crazy
stalker, he found out that his judge of character apparently
wasn’t that great.
Now, he also finds himself in a brand-new relationship.
A relationship that not only has to battle the past year and
new developments but also, an emotional history of Sean’s
family life which caused him to be admitted to a mental facility.
I’m brow lifting about the life choices both Dan and Sean have
taken here. Moving in and being this serious this soon may have
been a little much.
I was happy to read the second instalment. I liked how JL brought
them together here and even the little glimpses of ‘before’ were nice.
It did however put more focus on the feeling that Dan was more
invested in this relationship that Sean.
I don’t thing it’s more that a feeling though, I just think Dan knows
his own mind better, and Sean is still finding his footing.
The moment his guard is down, Dan is the first thing on his mind.
I pretty much new very early on who the culprits in both books were,
but it’s one of the things I chalk up to this being very short.
All in all, I did enjoy the read.
Audio book: N/A
Book cover: 3.5
REVIEW ON BOTH DARK HORSE AND WHITE KNIGHT
The fact that these books are both short-reads, made me
overlook things that would have been issues in a full length.
Because I’m an avid JL reader, there are things I take into
account regarding characters. When I first read Christopher Holmes,
I could not for the life of me understand what JX saw in him.
I liked Kit well enough but, and I said this in my review,
I thought JX deserved better. Since then, I finished the series
and re-read. I came to understand the inner complexities of
Kit’s mind. I no longer think JX deserves better. He’s fine with Kit.
I think Sean is the same. The difference is, Sean did not get a
full-length novel or a series to flesh out the inner workies of his
mind or emotions.
We only got two very short very fast paced clips of his life.
I say fast paced because if you take the timeline into account, things
progress pretty fast between Sean and Dan, which then in my
humble opinion 100% is one of the main problems the second
book stems from.
Sean is by no means over the emotional trauma of everything
happening in his life the past year, on top of having a crazy
stalker, he found out that his judge of character apparently
wasn’t that great.
Now, he also finds himself in a brand-new relationship.
A relationship that not only has to battle the past year and
new developments but also, an emotional history of Sean’s
family life which caused him to be admitted to a mental facility.
I’m brow lifting about the life choices both Dan and Sean have
taken here. Moving in and being this serious this soon may have
been a little much.
I was happy to read the second instalment. I liked how JL brought
them together here and even the little glimpses of ‘before’ were nice.
It did however put more focus on the feeling that Dan was more
invested in this relationship that Sean.
I don’t thing it’s more that a feeling though, I just think Dan knows
his own mind better, and Sean is still finding his footing.
The moment his guard is down, Dan is the first thing on his mind.
I pretty much new very early on who the culprits in both books were,
but it’s one of the things I chalk up to this being very short.
All in all, I did enjoy the read.
May 24, 2012
It’s a Hollywood cliché: the hot and handsome bodyguard. But in the case of LAPD Detective Daniel Moran, it’s all true. Dan is everything Sean ever wanted in a leading man, but Dan’s kind of an old-fashioned guy. It’s his job to keep Sean safe and in one piece — happy is someone else’s problem.
As tension mounts, Sean can’t help turning to Dan, while Dan is finding it harder and harder to say no. Their only chance of a happy ending is if Dan can keep Sean alive — but what happens when he uncovers the secrets Sean is trying hard to conceal?
From Loose Id.
It has been a while since I have read anything by Josh Lanyon. I read the 1st book in this series, Dark Horse, early last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters are incredibly compelling. Sean is so broken and I love the authors ability to portray the damaged hero so strongly without him becoming too much of a whiney pain in the ass. Sean tries hard to fix himself with varying degrees of success and this is what appealed to me so much in the 1st book. He has some fairly ingrained issues with control and even though there is a sense of completion in the 1st book, it is the 2nd book where you see more of Sean slowly letting go and trying to move on, it’s just so very human. He knows Dan loves him and is only trying to help, but it is only through ultimately trusting someone else that he can move on and these two strong willed people can learn to live and be together. Love it. The titles are astute too.
What also appeals is the humor within the book. Those sardonic moments that sneak up on you, like Dan being a black belt? heh. They catch you by surprise and make you snigger quietly to yourself. It’s clever humor and I like that kind of internal dialog from a character.
I am used to hot, but not gratuitous sex in Lanyon’s books. They often have a lean, pared down feel that is always intense, but some of the scenes in White Knight took me a bit by surprise. (No more sticky pen for you!) They were intense and loving, with much hot tub goodness. Noice.
Compelling and beautifully written, it’s books like these that stay with you. More please.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/04/...
As tension mounts, Sean can’t help turning to Dan, while Dan is finding it harder and harder to say no. Their only chance of a happy ending is if Dan can keep Sean alive — but what happens when he uncovers the secrets Sean is trying hard to conceal?
From Loose Id.
It has been a while since I have read anything by Josh Lanyon. I read the 1st book in this series, Dark Horse, early last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters are incredibly compelling. Sean is so broken and I love the authors ability to portray the damaged hero so strongly without him becoming too much of a whiney pain in the ass. Sean tries hard to fix himself with varying degrees of success and this is what appealed to me so much in the 1st book. He has some fairly ingrained issues with control and even though there is a sense of completion in the 1st book, it is the 2nd book where you see more of Sean slowly letting go and trying to move on, it’s just so very human. He knows Dan loves him and is only trying to help, but it is only through ultimately trusting someone else that he can move on and these two strong willed people can learn to live and be together. Love it. The titles are astute too.
What also appeals is the humor within the book. Those sardonic moments that sneak up on you, like Dan being a black belt? heh. They catch you by surprise and make you snigger quietly to yourself. It’s clever humor and I like that kind of internal dialog from a character.
I am used to hot, but not gratuitous sex in Lanyon’s books. They often have a lean, pared down feel that is always intense, but some of the scenes in White Knight took me a bit by surprise. (No more sticky pen for you!) They were intense and loving, with much hot tub goodness. Noice.
Compelling and beautifully written, it’s books like these that stay with you. More please.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/04/...
November 5, 2023
This one is... convoluted. It works because it maintains mystery. But Sean is still the most annoying MC I've stayed with to the end. The ending is weaker than it should've been. I'm glad I got these two books on sale, is what I'm saying. Not the worst story. Not the best, either.
Want to read
December 15, 2018Thank you ShhItsASecret for gifting me this! I'm excited to read it!
January 2, 2018
When I read "The Dark Horse," the first book in the series, it felt like a sequel since we as readers don't see how Dan and Sean initially started their relationship, but in this second book, we finally get details that fill in those gaps. We also move forward to Sean working on the set of The Charioteer, and then back again as he now tries to piece together some missing history .
So, in conclusion, it's one step forward, one step back, one step to the left....sort of a literary "Doin' the Time Warp Again" which I found really ...odd. 3.5 stars.
So, in conclusion, it's one step forward, one step back, one step to the left....sort of a literary "Doin' the Time Warp Again" which I found really ...odd. 3.5 stars.
September 26, 2018
3.5 stars
May 22, 2016
3.5 stars rounded up
This is both a prequel and a sequel to the book The Dark Horse, confused??? Yes I thought I would be too but Josh Lanyon pulled it off and I enjoyed the story very much.
Sean is off in Wales shooting a film when he has an accident and suffers a nasty concussion. Dan arrives and he helps Sean work out the recent events he has forgotten and solves the mystery of what happened. So why not more stars? I would have liked to see a little more of Sean and Dan together after they went home.
This is both a prequel and a sequel to the book The Dark Horse, confused??? Yes I thought I would be too but Josh Lanyon pulled it off and I enjoyed the story very much.
Sean is off in Wales shooting a film when he has an accident and suffers a nasty concussion. Dan arrives and he helps Sean work out the recent events he has forgotten and solves the mystery of what happened. So why not more stars? I would have liked to see a little more of Sean and Dan together after they went home.
November 6, 2020
UGHHHHHHH. I despise cheating in stories where the couple gets back together in the end and they live happily ever after. What Sean did ruined his and Dan’s relationship for me. This book made me hate him, and I absolutely adored him in the first book. Just...why, Lanyon?!
I kept praying that it would turn out to be Larry who kissed Peter at the bar and not Sean. But no...Sean really went and did that.
I kept praying that it would turn out to be Larry who kissed Peter at the bar and not Sean. But no...Sean really went and did that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2012
A wonderful and moving sequel/prequel to The Dark Horse. What I loved the most was Lanyon’s respectful and sensitive way to portray beautifully flawed characters, who care for each other deeply and – in very different ways – present strengths and vulnerabilities that define who they are and their relationship’s potential to grow stronger or suffer setbacks, depending on the circumstances.
The alternating 1st and 3rd person POVs were not jarring to me, but they reinforced the idea of Sean trying – in the 3rd person sections - to distance himself and make sense of an important phase of his life, in connection with the present, and come to terms with his temporary memory loss and confusion over what might have happened between him and Dan before he’d left for Wales to start working on the film adaptation of The Charioteer, which could explain present-day Dan’s apparent coldness towards him. The three narrative storylines that make up the book are beautifully and seamlessly woven together, and make the story even more dynamic and richer.
As with other books by JL, the characterisation was one of the strongest points, without forgetting the dialogues, which conveyed the believable and palpable tension and conflict between Sean and Dan, brought on mostly by Sean’s decision to work on the movie overseas for twelve weeks without break without consulting Dan, and more in general by the two MC’s coming to know each other better, and developing certain expectations and conflicts along the way.
Sean often struggles with his insecurities, and yet his vulnerability and ‘neediness’ do not totally overwhelm his personality and behaviour. As Dan recognises, Sean has a lot of hidden strength in the way he’s overcome some very painful and life-threatening situations, the damage to his sense of self-worth inflicted both in his teenage years and early adulthood (mostly to do with his parents’ homophobia and bullying from some of his schoolmates), and in his more recent past (especially dealing with ).
It’s also clear from Sean’s history with medical problems that his mistrust of doctors and medical diagnoses is well-founded, and that it’s only natural he’d come to trust someone like Dan almost completely, as the only person in the world who can make him feel safe, and loved, who can cope with virtually any crisis, without patronising Sean, his fears and insecurities. Dan may occasionally appear exasperated with Sean’s often childish or selfish behaviour, and may appear more mature, stronger and more in control, but he undergoes his own character growth too; and because he knows how hard he’s fallen for Sean, and is aware of the precarious balance their relationship stands on, especially with Sean’s mood swings and knee-jerk reactions, and his inexperience with long-term relationships and the compromises it entails, Dan confesses to suffering from conflicting emotions in his effort to support Sean and build a long-lasting relationship with him. This means he often behaves as if in self-protect mode, and admits so to Sean.
Dan may have a slightly controlling and domineering side of his character, but he seems to use it mostly to decide the best course of action in a difficult situation, and not to patronise Sean and make him feel inadequate. Sean sometimes resents Dan’s interference this way, but he’s also sensitive and smart enough to know Dan would never purposely hurt or prevaricate him.
Sean is a wonderful character creation: despite his flaws, he’s such a endearingly honest and genuinely good person that one can’t help but empathise with his struggles and fears, and understand that part of his ambition to become a respected actor stems from his self-confessed desire to “be someone else”, even for a little while. It becomes apparent that his talent as an actor also comes from his internalised struggles, and his ability to channel some of his deep-rooted feelings into portraying characters and stories he feels a certain empathy with.
I also enjoyed Sean’s exchanges with his friend and fellow actor Peter, their easy camaraderie and chemistry beautifully conveyed by sparkling dialogue.
There’s a feeling of ‘innocence’ and ‘purity’ even in the sex scenes in this book, as in The Dark Horse. They’re never gratuitous and, irrespective of how graphic they are, they’re incredibly intense and eloquent in what they reveal about the characters’ emotions. They’re never ‘tacked on’ to increase the hotness factor, but they’re integral part of the story and character development.
Once again, JL has created characters I fell in love with and rooted for. The journey they go through is beautifully and sensitively evoked, and the gentle humour infused in the story was a nice counterbalance to the serious issues (such as homophobia, mental illness, attempted suicide) that underline the MC’s conflict and struggles. There is a universality to Sean’s longing for someone like Dan, how much he craves the companionship and friendship the older man can offer, and how terrified he is that Dan might leave him, or “write him off” as a bad relationship risk. At the same time, it’s clear why Dan has fallen for Sean and how empty his life would be without Sean.
Highly recommended read.
The alternating 1st and 3rd person POVs were not jarring to me, but they reinforced the idea of Sean trying – in the 3rd person sections - to distance himself and make sense of an important phase of his life, in connection with the present, and come to terms with his temporary memory loss and confusion over what might have happened between him and Dan before he’d left for Wales to start working on the film adaptation of The Charioteer, which could explain present-day Dan’s apparent coldness towards him. The three narrative storylines that make up the book are beautifully and seamlessly woven together, and make the story even more dynamic and richer.
As with other books by JL, the characterisation was one of the strongest points, without forgetting the dialogues, which conveyed the believable and palpable tension and conflict between Sean and Dan, brought on mostly by Sean’s decision to work on the movie overseas for twelve weeks without break without consulting Dan, and more in general by the two MC’s coming to know each other better, and developing certain expectations and conflicts along the way.
Sean often struggles with his insecurities, and yet his vulnerability and ‘neediness’ do not totally overwhelm his personality and behaviour. As Dan recognises, Sean has a lot of hidden strength in the way he’s overcome some very painful and life-threatening situations, the damage to his sense of self-worth inflicted both in his teenage years and early adulthood (mostly to do with his parents’ homophobia and bullying from some of his schoolmates), and in his more recent past (especially dealing with ).
It’s also clear from Sean’s history with medical problems that his mistrust of doctors and medical diagnoses is well-founded, and that it’s only natural he’d come to trust someone like Dan almost completely, as the only person in the world who can make him feel safe, and loved, who can cope with virtually any crisis, without patronising Sean, his fears and insecurities. Dan may occasionally appear exasperated with Sean’s often childish or selfish behaviour, and may appear more mature, stronger and more in control, but he undergoes his own character growth too; and because he knows how hard he’s fallen for Sean, and is aware of the precarious balance their relationship stands on, especially with Sean’s mood swings and knee-jerk reactions, and his inexperience with long-term relationships and the compromises it entails, Dan confesses to suffering from conflicting emotions in his effort to support Sean and build a long-lasting relationship with him. This means he often behaves as if in self-protect mode, and admits so to Sean.
Dan may have a slightly controlling and domineering side of his character, but he seems to use it mostly to decide the best course of action in a difficult situation, and not to patronise Sean and make him feel inadequate. Sean sometimes resents Dan’s interference this way, but he’s also sensitive and smart enough to know Dan would never purposely hurt or prevaricate him.
Sean is a wonderful character creation: despite his flaws, he’s such a endearingly honest and genuinely good person that one can’t help but empathise with his struggles and fears, and understand that part of his ambition to become a respected actor stems from his self-confessed desire to “be someone else”, even for a little while. It becomes apparent that his talent as an actor also comes from his internalised struggles, and his ability to channel some of his deep-rooted feelings into portraying characters and stories he feels a certain empathy with.
I also enjoyed Sean’s exchanges with his friend and fellow actor Peter, their easy camaraderie and chemistry beautifully conveyed by sparkling dialogue.
There’s a feeling of ‘innocence’ and ‘purity’ even in the sex scenes in this book, as in The Dark Horse. They’re never gratuitous and, irrespective of how graphic they are, they’re incredibly intense and eloquent in what they reveal about the characters’ emotions. They’re never ‘tacked on’ to increase the hotness factor, but they’re integral part of the story and character development.
Once again, JL has created characters I fell in love with and rooted for. The journey they go through is beautifully and sensitively evoked, and the gentle humour infused in the story was a nice counterbalance to the serious issues (such as homophobia, mental illness, attempted suicide) that underline the MC’s conflict and struggles. There is a universality to Sean’s longing for someone like Dan, how much he craves the companionship and friendship the older man can offer, and how terrified he is that Dan might leave him, or “write him off” as a bad relationship risk. At the same time, it’s clear why Dan has fallen for Sean and how empty his life would be without Sean.
Highly recommended read.
May 4, 2021
I usually hates flashbacks, but here, it works. It is typical Josh Lanyon - intense chemistry, shitty communication, and abrupt endings - but I love it. Dan and Sean are perfect in their imperfections, and the mystery is cool - even though it was just a ploy to get Dan and Sean together again in beautiful Wales. Another Josh book that did not disappoint.
March 31, 2023
This started out a bit confusing. At first I wondered if I'd read the series in the wrong order but, nope, thankfully it works itself out.
QUICK THOUGHTS
● Sequel/part prequel to The Dark Horse
● Cop/Actor pairing
● Established couple
● Confusing at first
● Full of angst
● Kind of dark (which is funny considering the title of book one)
● Made me anxious
● Fixing the romance takes precedent over the mystery this time
● Some of what was missing in book one gets told in this one
● The "twist" got me this time, I didn't see that coming
● More story than sex
● Still love the MCs... Sean & Dan
● Satisfying enough ending but would love more
● NOT a stand-alone
September 16, 2018
I have a confession... about halfway through the book, I had to go back and read the ending of the first book because I couldn't figure out why the heck Steve had been arrested... *headdesk* LOL!!!
Poor Sean, he just can't seem to catch a break! But, at least we got our HEA this time! *grin*
Poor Sean, he just can't seem to catch a break! But, at least we got our HEA this time! *grin*
May 24, 2012
I find this series absolutely delightful!
The fact that Sean is so troubled (but extremely sharp-eyed about his flaws) and more than a little harsh towards himself, made the journey very interesting indeed. It was fascinating to get to follow his line of thought and at the same time to feel all the strong emotions he felt. I’ve always admired Josh Lanyon’s skill to write so beautifully and I thought that The Dark Horse and The White Knight had some of the most touching and ravishing scenes and description I’ve read from him so far.
And while I liked the first book a lot, it was The White Knight that truly dazzled me with the first and third person POV and changing time. How is it possible to make it work so well? Those facts added a nice tension into the story that was unfolding itself layer by layer. At times it was almost heart-breaking to be inside Sean’s head, when he looked back to their relationship and remembered the highs and lows of it.
I highly recommend this series. Do not miss your chance to get to know Sean and Dan!
The fact that Sean is so troubled (but extremely sharp-eyed about his flaws) and more than a little harsh towards himself, made the journey very interesting indeed. It was fascinating to get to follow his line of thought and at the same time to feel all the strong emotions he felt. I’ve always admired Josh Lanyon’s skill to write so beautifully and I thought that The Dark Horse and The White Knight had some of the most touching and ravishing scenes and description I’ve read from him so far.
And while I liked the first book a lot, it was The White Knight that truly dazzled me with the first and third person POV and changing time. How is it possible to make it work so well? Those facts added a nice tension into the story that was unfolding itself layer by layer. At times it was almost heart-breaking to be inside Sean’s head, when he looked back to their relationship and remembered the highs and lows of it.
I highly recommend this series. Do not miss your chance to get to know Sean and Dan!
March 4, 2016
So, I started reading this right after finishing the first book and the first pages gave me problems. Was this a prequel? Should I have started with this book???
But after reading especially Ami's review I knew what happened here. And although I'm not a fan of flashbacks and normally don't like reading that - here it worked. It took me a bit to get into my reading flow but then I liked the contrast between now and then.
And yes, the ending was very endearing.
But after reading especially Ami's review I knew what happened here. And although I'm not a fan of flashbacks and normally don't like reading that - here it worked. It took me a bit to get into my reading flow but then I liked the contrast between now and then.
And yes, the ending was very endearing.
July 11, 2012
Short, but great. Two very interesting MCs - especially Sean, who has a lot of issues and some flaws. The story starts with Sean being stalked and Dan protecting him (professionally) - this could have been a cheesy bodyguard story. Fortunately it is not. The way the whole stalking thing was described was very realistic and touching - what it did to the victim e.g.
Although it is more a story than a full novel the characters are well developed and it is NOT insta-love.
Although it is more a story than a full novel the characters are well developed and it is NOT insta-love.
May 24, 2012
This one was definitely different with the shifting POVs between 1st and 3rd and then flipping from the present to the past points in the story. Surprisingly it worked perfectly for me. Also,I loved getting to see the beginning of Sean and Dan's relationship, how it fell apart, and how they came back together in the end. Plus a little mystery on the side.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews