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Cavendish Chronicles #2
身代わり婚約者
★国王がさだめた結婚に抜け道を探す二人。出し抜くつもりが出会いがしらに恋をして…。★時は十六世紀。泣く子も黙る偉大な国王ヘンリー八世から、会ったこともない二人の男女が結婚を命じられた。花婿となるのはサー・ブランドン・キャヴェンディッシュ――王の側近で、華やかな宮廷でも一、二を争う伊達男だ。婚礼の儀は三週間後と決められ、ついに遊び人のブランドンも身動きのとれない状況に陥った。しかも花嫁は大年増の魔女だという。彼は今後の対策を練るために親友を替え玉に仕立てあげ、自分は介添え役になりすまして、花嫁の住む城におもむいた。
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First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 25, 2019
Reviewed for THC Reviews
I read Silent Knight, the first book of the Cavendish Chronicles, about two years ago. I very much enjoyed it, but didn’t get around to picking up the next book until now. I’m so glad I did, because I liked Midsummer’s Knight even slightly better. It’s an utterly charming story that I feel falls under the romantic comedy genre, because the author has taken the concept of midsummer madness and turned it into a delightful farce. Neither the hero nor the heroine are particularly pleased when King Henry VIII declares that they will be married. Of course, they can’t go against their king, but neither do they want to marry someone they don’t even know. So, in order to feel each other out and see just who they’ve been betrothed to, they both put on a charade of pretending to be someone they’re not. At first, there’s underlying concern on both their parts as they begin to fall in love, while thinking they’re actually falling for the wrong person. Much hilarity ensues as each one begins to uncover the other’s deception, but there’s also a healthy dose of sweet romance to warm the heart. Add in the frantic search for a half-mad, jealous nephew who wants his aunt’s castle and land all for himself and is willing to kill to get it, a couple of mischievous children, the king’s retinue playing their own game of dress-up, and a very stinky moat, and you have the makings of a wonderful lighthearted story. Midsummer madness indeed!
Although his father has been pressuring him to settle down and give him an heir, Brandon has been happy playing the rogue until his father takes the issue up with the king. As a trusted knight in King Henry’s court, the king views it as his duty to see Brandon settled with a wife, so he chooses the twice-married Lady Katherine Fitzhugh for him. Brandon has never met Katherine before and knows nothing of her, but he does know her nephew, Fenton, a bounder known for his trouble with creditors. Fenton has his own nefarious reasons for telling Brandon that his aunt is an old crone who’s rumored to be a witch, and although Brandon doesn’t entirely believe him, it does plant a seed of doubt in his mind. Enough so that he persuades his best friend, Jack, to temporarily trade identities with him until he can ascertain what manner of woman to whom he’s betrothed. Once at her holding of Bodiam Castle, Brandon quickly begins to fall for the Lady Katherine’s beautiful, intelligent cousin, while dreading the idea of marrying the lady herself. But he soon learns that the lady he’s falling for is indeed his intended fiancée in disguise. I definitely fell for Brandon. He’s an honorable and chivalrous knight, and while he may not be the silver-tongued devil with a talent for making ladies swoon like his friend Jack, he can certainly say some very sweet things and be seductive. He also has two impish illegitimate children, and I have to give him props for taking his responsibilities to them seriously and being a good father. He’s also a consummate protector to Katherine and the rest of his family when he discovers that Fenton is up to no good.
Katherine was first married as a mere teenager to an elderly man who she ended up nursing until he died eighteen months later. Then her second husband was an abusive monster with a weakness for drinking, gambling, and women, so it was a relief to everyone when he finally died. Katherine had hoped to live out the rest of her life in solitude, or at the very least, not marry again unless it was for love. Then the order to marry Brandon Cavendish arrived from the king, dashing all her hopes. She also receives a letter from Fenton describing her betrothed as a gambler and womanizer. Fearing a repeat of her last marriage, Katherine wants to find out what kind of man Brandon really is, so she concocts a plan to switch identities with her beloved cousin, Miranda, in order to find out. Both men who show up at her door are pleasing to the eye, but she seems to be falling for the one she’s not betrothed to, or so it appears until she discovers his true identity. Then she begins to hope again that she might get what she’s looking for after all, until she learns just how badly Brandon’s father wants an heir. She has always wanted children, too, but after two marriages produced none, she fears she may be barren. Katherine is a loving, caring, intelligent woman who always looks out for those for whom she’s responsible. Even though they’re basically sprung on her, she’s very accepting of Brandon’s illegitimate offspring and takes them under her wing as well. She was just an all-around wonderful heroine who was easy to relate to and who I very much liked.
There are a number of prominent supporting characters as well. The real Jack and Miranda are hilarious, because they’re falling for one another every bit as much as the real Brandon and Katherine are, but they’re miserable, thinking that they’ve fallen for someone they can’t have. It’s a great relief to them both when they finally learn the truth. Their pairing offered a second sweet romantic couple that I could root for. Brandon’s brother, Guy, and his lady love, Celeste, (Silent Knight) arrive in time for the wedding along with their growing family, and the noble Guy helps ferret out Fenton. Brandon's parents, Thomas and Alicia visit as well. They become the hero and heroine of the third book of the series, Three Dog Knight, which goes back in time to tell their love story. They still seem to be a loving couple, but I did have to wonder what kind of hero Thomas will be since he nearly wrecked his son’s happiness over the desire for an heir. He wasn’t malicious, though, just single-minded, so hopefully he’ll prove to be as good as both of his sons. Brandon’s children, Francis and Belle, are wonderful. Belle is a mischievous, little imp, while Francis tries to act very grown up. These two become the heroine and hero of book #4, Halloween Knight, and book #5, One Knight in Venice, respectively. Katherine’s nephew, Fenton, is a dastardly villain, while his manservant, Wormsley, is a somewhat pathetic though decent fellow at heart, who doesn’t want to hurt anyone. And of course, there are a plethora of servants, squires, and men-at-arms, along with the king and his courtiers to round things out.
Overall, Midsummer’s Knight was pure, unadulterated fun to read. It’s slightly dramatic in places, while still remaining lighthearted most of the time. I’m not particularly well-versed on Shakespeare, but I have a feeling that the author’s love of the Bard and her experiences with Shakespearean productions definitely played into this story. I’m usually very picky about romantic comedies, but this one really hit the spot. It was humorous while still being genuinely romantic. With two winners in a row, Tori Phillips has certainly won a place on my favorite authors list, and I very much look forward to continuing with the Cavendish Chronicles soon.
I read Silent Knight, the first book of the Cavendish Chronicles, about two years ago. I very much enjoyed it, but didn’t get around to picking up the next book until now. I’m so glad I did, because I liked Midsummer’s Knight even slightly better. It’s an utterly charming story that I feel falls under the romantic comedy genre, because the author has taken the concept of midsummer madness and turned it into a delightful farce. Neither the hero nor the heroine are particularly pleased when King Henry VIII declares that they will be married. Of course, they can’t go against their king, but neither do they want to marry someone they don’t even know. So, in order to feel each other out and see just who they’ve been betrothed to, they both put on a charade of pretending to be someone they’re not. At first, there’s underlying concern on both their parts as they begin to fall in love, while thinking they’re actually falling for the wrong person. Much hilarity ensues as each one begins to uncover the other’s deception, but there’s also a healthy dose of sweet romance to warm the heart. Add in the frantic search for a half-mad, jealous nephew who wants his aunt’s castle and land all for himself and is willing to kill to get it, a couple of mischievous children, the king’s retinue playing their own game of dress-up, and a very stinky moat, and you have the makings of a wonderful lighthearted story. Midsummer madness indeed!
Although his father has been pressuring him to settle down and give him an heir, Brandon has been happy playing the rogue until his father takes the issue up with the king. As a trusted knight in King Henry’s court, the king views it as his duty to see Brandon settled with a wife, so he chooses the twice-married Lady Katherine Fitzhugh for him. Brandon has never met Katherine before and knows nothing of her, but he does know her nephew, Fenton, a bounder known for his trouble with creditors. Fenton has his own nefarious reasons for telling Brandon that his aunt is an old crone who’s rumored to be a witch, and although Brandon doesn’t entirely believe him, it does plant a seed of doubt in his mind. Enough so that he persuades his best friend, Jack, to temporarily trade identities with him until he can ascertain what manner of woman to whom he’s betrothed. Once at her holding of Bodiam Castle, Brandon quickly begins to fall for the Lady Katherine’s beautiful, intelligent cousin, while dreading the idea of marrying the lady herself. But he soon learns that the lady he’s falling for is indeed his intended fiancée in disguise. I definitely fell for Brandon. He’s an honorable and chivalrous knight, and while he may not be the silver-tongued devil with a talent for making ladies swoon like his friend Jack, he can certainly say some very sweet things and be seductive. He also has two impish illegitimate children, and I have to give him props for taking his responsibilities to them seriously and being a good father. He’s also a consummate protector to Katherine and the rest of his family when he discovers that Fenton is up to no good.
Katherine was first married as a mere teenager to an elderly man who she ended up nursing until he died eighteen months later. Then her second husband was an abusive monster with a weakness for drinking, gambling, and women, so it was a relief to everyone when he finally died. Katherine had hoped to live out the rest of her life in solitude, or at the very least, not marry again unless it was for love. Then the order to marry Brandon Cavendish arrived from the king, dashing all her hopes. She also receives a letter from Fenton describing her betrothed as a gambler and womanizer. Fearing a repeat of her last marriage, Katherine wants to find out what kind of man Brandon really is, so she concocts a plan to switch identities with her beloved cousin, Miranda, in order to find out. Both men who show up at her door are pleasing to the eye, but she seems to be falling for the one she’s not betrothed to, or so it appears until she discovers his true identity. Then she begins to hope again that she might get what she’s looking for after all, until she learns just how badly Brandon’s father wants an heir. She has always wanted children, too, but after two marriages produced none, she fears she may be barren. Katherine is a loving, caring, intelligent woman who always looks out for those for whom she’s responsible. Even though they’re basically sprung on her, she’s very accepting of Brandon’s illegitimate offspring and takes them under her wing as well. She was just an all-around wonderful heroine who was easy to relate to and who I very much liked.
There are a number of prominent supporting characters as well. The real Jack and Miranda are hilarious, because they’re falling for one another every bit as much as the real Brandon and Katherine are, but they’re miserable, thinking that they’ve fallen for someone they can’t have. It’s a great relief to them both when they finally learn the truth. Their pairing offered a second sweet romantic couple that I could root for. Brandon’s brother, Guy, and his lady love, Celeste, (Silent Knight) arrive in time for the wedding along with their growing family, and the noble Guy helps ferret out Fenton. Brandon's parents, Thomas and Alicia visit as well. They become the hero and heroine of the third book of the series, Three Dog Knight, which goes back in time to tell their love story. They still seem to be a loving couple, but I did have to wonder what kind of hero Thomas will be since he nearly wrecked his son’s happiness over the desire for an heir. He wasn’t malicious, though, just single-minded, so hopefully he’ll prove to be as good as both of his sons. Brandon’s children, Francis and Belle, are wonderful. Belle is a mischievous, little imp, while Francis tries to act very grown up. These two become the heroine and hero of book #4, Halloween Knight, and book #5, One Knight in Venice, respectively. Katherine’s nephew, Fenton, is a dastardly villain, while his manservant, Wormsley, is a somewhat pathetic though decent fellow at heart, who doesn’t want to hurt anyone. And of course, there are a plethora of servants, squires, and men-at-arms, along with the king and his courtiers to round things out.
Overall, Midsummer’s Knight was pure, unadulterated fun to read. It’s slightly dramatic in places, while still remaining lighthearted most of the time. I’m not particularly well-versed on Shakespeare, but I have a feeling that the author’s love of the Bard and her experiences with Shakespearean productions definitely played into this story. I’m usually very picky about romantic comedies, but this one really hit the spot. It was humorous while still being genuinely romantic. With two winners in a row, Tori Phillips has certainly won a place on my favorite authors list, and I very much look forward to continuing with the Cavendish Chronicles soon.
July 14, 2023
Edizione italiana, titolo " La rosa d'oro" per la serie Tudor collection, in uscita a fine luglio.
Brutto e noiosi.
Per me l'avventura con gli harmony finisce qui
Brutto e noiosi.
Per me l'avventura con gli harmony finisce qui
January 6, 2011
The 2nd book in this Knight Series
This is Brandon Cavendish's story (the first book was his younger brother Guy). Brandon is 31 but has no plans of marrying. His father has bandied him about it often with no results so it seems Sir Thomas had enlisted the help of the King in the matter. Whilst playing tennis the King announces to Brandon he has arranged a marriage for him. Brandon assumes it a ply to distract, as it did. He finds it to be truth.
Kat has had two husbands and desires no more. Her first marriage was to an 80 year old man who needed a nurse maid not a wife and the second to an abusive beast who she was glad when he died.
Kat receives the letter from the King that she will marry. A plan comes to mind. Miranda becomes Kat. That way Kat can watch and see what this man is truly like.
Brandon and his best friend, Jack, also decide to switch places.
Fenton, the nephew of Kat, spends his allowance ahead of time and plans on being the soul heir to her lands and money. No worries. He then hears of the marriage that could change everything for him and sets out to stop it.
Many turns and twists in this story but it all ends up together as a great tale.
This is Brandon Cavendish's story (the first book was his younger brother Guy). Brandon is 31 but has no plans of marrying. His father has bandied him about it often with no results so it seems Sir Thomas had enlisted the help of the King in the matter. Whilst playing tennis the King announces to Brandon he has arranged a marriage for him. Brandon assumes it a ply to distract, as it did. He finds it to be truth.
Kat has had two husbands and desires no more. Her first marriage was to an 80 year old man who needed a nurse maid not a wife and the second to an abusive beast who she was glad when he died.
Kat receives the letter from the King that she will marry. A plan comes to mind. Miranda becomes Kat. That way Kat can watch and see what this man is truly like.
Brandon and his best friend, Jack, also decide to switch places.
Fenton, the nephew of Kat, spends his allowance ahead of time and plans on being the soul heir to her lands and money. No worries. He then hears of the marriage that could change everything for him and sets out to stop it.
Many turns and twists in this story but it all ends up together as a great tale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2012
England 1530
Brandon is 31 and Kat is 29. I loved the back and forth between the characters. The whole plot of pretending to be the other was great! And then one would find out and then knew the other didn't know, classic. It turned out to have a happy ending. I wasn't too happy with his father's attitude toward Kat when he found out she was older. But it still was wonderful.
Brandon is 31 and Kat is 29. I loved the back and forth between the characters. The whole plot of pretending to be the other was great! And then one would find out and then knew the other didn't know, classic. It turned out to have a happy ending. I wasn't too happy with his father's attitude toward Kat when he found out she was older. But it still was wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews