Blog Tour Book Review: A Defiant Maiden’s Knight by Melissa Oliver

I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour today for A Defiant Maiden’s Knight by Melissa Oliver. I love Oliver’s historical romances, and this one is no exception! Let’s check it out.

About the Book:

A tense, dramatic medieval love story.

A knight’s protection…That she doesn’t want…or need?

Joan Lovent may be losing her sight but she refuses to lose her independence too. So when Sir Warin de Talmont tells her it’s too perilous to be out alone in the city, she doesn’t pay him any heed. But with threats surrounding them, she begins to value his protection and helps with his dangerous work in return. If only the powerful connection between them wasn’t so impossible to ignore!

UK Harper Collins- https://bit.ly/3isA6ng
Harlequin US https://bit.ly/3Jwt397
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09N1RD4D2/
Amazon US https://amzn.to/3udgZmC

My Review:

Melissa Oliver writes swoon-tastic historical romances, so, of course, I jumped at the chance to be on the blog tour for A Defiant Maiden’s Knight. The story follows Joan Lovent, the visually impaired sister of Thomas Lovent, who was the protagonist in The Knight’s Convenient Alliance. However, you don’t need to have read that book to follow this one.

Sir Warin de Talmont is a spy for the Knight’s Fortitude, a group determined to protect the crown and country. He is following a suspect when he hears Joan’s scream and sees her on her knees in the mud. Knowing she is the sister of the Knight’s Fortitude’s leader, Warin rushes to her aid even though he loses his target. Warin was expressly asked to look after Joan in Thomas’s absence, and he takes his duty seriously, much to Joan’s frustration. However, the more time they spend together, the less they can deny their growing feelings.

Joan and Waring are such dynamically developed protagonists, and I enjoyed their individual growth as well as their growth as a couple. Joan is so compelling, and I love that she proves to herself and others that she is as competent as those around her, and just because she is losing her sight doesn’t mean she isn’t as capable as everyone else. I think many people in her life underestimate her and coddle her, and as Joan becomes more self-assured and confident, she shows others just how strong she is and how much she has to offer. Warin also learns a lot about himself and faces the guilt and fear that have kept him emotionally detached for many years.

Warin and Joan have such great chemistry, and their romance is super swoon-worthy! Both characters struggle with their feelings. Because of his tragic past, Warin fears intimacy, and because of her failing sight, Joan feels like she’s unlovable. Determined not to be a burden, she resigns herself to a life without love. However, both learn a lot about themselves and their capacity to love over the course of the story. I enjoyed their banter and the undeniable spark between them. They show each other in so many ways how much they care for each other despite their reservations, and I looked forward to finding out how they would deal with the emotional and physical obstacles in their way.

Like all of Oliver’s books, A Defiant Maiden’s Knight is a wonderful story with compelling characters, an interesting plot, and an epic love story. The story also has a bit of intrigue, which is entertaining and suspenseful. I would definitely recommend the book to historical romance readers and am thankful to Rachel’s Random Resources, Melissa Oliver, and Harlequin historical for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Rating:

About the Author:

Melissa Oliver is from south-west London where she writes historical romance novels. She lives with her lovely husband and daughters, who share her passion for decrepit, old castles, palaces and all things historical.

Melissa is the WINNER of The Romantic Novelist Association’s Joan Hessayon Award for new writers 2020 for her debut, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight.

When she’s not writing she loves to travel for inspiration, paint, and visit museums & art galleries.

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