Torrid Tarot: Knight of Cups

Ellora's Cave – www.ellorascave.com

ISBN: 978-1-41991-460-7

February 2008 
Erotic Historical Romance
Rating E-rotic

England 1204

Lady Elena de Burgh survived ten years of misery with Hugh de Burgh.  She has been a widow less than a month when a messenger from her cousin, King John, arrives at Loxburn Castle with the news that she has been invited to visit the king.  Elena had known that John would not allow her to be widowed for very long.  Many barons will vie for her hand, and more importantly her lands.  Ranulf, Baron of Lewes, is at the top of that heap.

Sir Stephen de Verre was trained by Hugh and is now in service to the king.  He has been given the charge to bring Elena to the king.  He has long had affection for Elena and it was that feeling that made him leave Loxburn.  It is painful for him to follow the king’s edict regarding Elena, knowing that she will be given to another.  If he could, he would claim her for himself.  When he sees her again, he vows to take his own request for Elena’s hand to the king.

At court, John sees that Elena and Stephen are serious about each other.  He has made up his mind to allow the match when Ranulf, who is also at court, kidnaps Elena.  But Elena has been taught to fight by Roderick, one of her men-at-arms.  So she is not the damsel in distress that Ranulf hoped to find.  Stephen is not far behind them.

Court intrigues, politics, and greed figure heavily in this well-written story.  Dawn Halliday takes history and turns it into something alive.  She weaves historical people like King John, his daughter, Joan, and her intended, Llewellyn, the Prince of Wales seamlessly into the lives of her own characters.  With SINS OF THE KNIGHT, we get a taste of an England not quite at peace with itself.  The places have a tactile feeling to them and the storytelling is first-rate.  Stephen and Elena engage in steamy, hot lovemaking and Stephen is a true knight in all he does.  I very much recommend SINS OF THE KNIGHT.