A Knight's Vengeance

When Geoffrey de Lanceau was a young boy, his father was killed in a siege upon their castle. Lord Arthur Brackendale was the man responsible. Geoffrey has sworn to avenge his father's death by striking back at Lord Brackendale one day. That day arrives many years later when he sets eyes on Brackendale's daughter Elizabeth. Lady Elizabeth Brackendale has been kidnapped by Geoffrey de Lanceau. Geoffrey is her father's sworn enemy and the monster her father has warned her about all of her life. Elizabeth is confused by the feelings Geoffrey stirs in her, but her need to keep her people and her father safe are uppermost in her mind. At first Elizabeth is kept a prisoner, but the arrangements slowly change as she and Geoffrey get to know each other. They are enemies who struggle to maintain their distance even though their growing attraction wages a war on their hearts. When the time to fight is upon them, Will Elizabeth have to chose between her father and her new found love? A Knight's Vengeance is a wonderfully told story about a tender love born from the hate of revenge. Elizabeth and Geoffrey's transition from enemies to lovers is entertaining and passionate. The end has a thrilling battle and heart-warming closure. A Knight's Vengeance captivated me with a beautiful and strong heroine, a brave and fearless hero and an exciting, romantic tale! Nannette reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

"A Knight's Vengeance" tells a wonderfully romantic tale set against a thrilling medieval background. As in her previous novel Dance of Desire, Catherine Kean presents interesting, well-developed characters who are thrown into extraordinary circumstances that test their courage, strength, and loyalty. In this case, Lady Elizabeth Brackendale, the daughter of a wealthy lord, is kidnapped by Geoffrey de Lanceau, a roguish knight sworn to kill Elizabeth's father to avenge his father's death. Sworn enemies to each other, the worst thing Elizabeth and Geoffrey can do is fall in love. Kean has a marvelous ability to draw the reader into the story through her use of the senses. We can almost smell the exotic flowers in Elizabeth's bath water, taste the figs covered in honey and cinnamon, and hear the belches of the disgusting suitor that her father selected for Elizabeth. The playful teasing and growing sensuality produce the perfect level of moderate intimacy that will satisfy most romance readers. I highly recommend it. Leslie Halpern, author of Reel Romance: The Lovers' Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies and Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science.

Geoffrey de Lanceau has spent eighteen long years nurturing his need for vengeance against the man who ended his father's life and confiscated his heritage. He's never gotten over the fact that when his honorable father died he was branded a traitor by king and country. Betrothed to the lecherous Baron Sedgewick of Avenley, Lady Elizabeth Brackendale is desperate to find a way to escape her impending marriage. She dreams of marrying a man she could love. Just being in the baron's presence makes her nauseous, how could she possibly stand him touching her? Geoffrey and Elizabeth meet in the market for the first time when she's almost run down by a wagon while attempting to evade her guards. It isn't until she tries intimidating him with knowledge about her father that he realizes that she is the daughter of the man he's sworn vengeance against - Lord Arthur Brackendale. Once he leaves her to the inept care of her guards, Geoffrey meets up with his friend and fellow knight Dominic who had heard of Elizabeth's upcoming nuptials. Geoffrey sees the marriage for what it is - an attempt at protecting Elizabeth from him and joining Sedgewick and Brackendale lands which border each other. To draw Brackendale out, Geoffrey intends to do the one thing sure to enrage the Lord - kidnap his daughter and hold her for ransom. It's a good solid plan but can he keep himself from falling in love with the daughter of the enemy? What if he discovers that the man he thought was the enemy isn't at the root of the deception that resulted in his father's death? Catherine Kean will have readers riveted to the pages of her newest novel A KNIGHT'S VENGEANCE. I adore Elizabeth's stubbornly determined nature. Geoffrey is just as contrary. Imagining these two characters going head to head on every little issue from the quality of the meals to whether or not he'd allow Elizabeth to take a bath kept me reading to see who would be victorious in their continuing battle of wills. I was quickly drawn into this storyline and could easily sympathize with both characters' plights and could hardly wait to see how it would all work out. Chrissy Dionne (courtesty of Romance Junkies)

King Henry ordered Lord Arthur Brackendale to besiege the keep at Wode and kill Lord Edouard. Arthur obeyed his king. Therefore; at the tender age of ten, young Geoffrey de Lanceau held his father, Edouard, as he died, tainted with the title of "traitor". Geoffrey never believed his father betrayed their king. Geoffrey vowed that one day he would have his vengeance upon Lord Brackendale and reclaim Wode. Eighteen years passed. Due to his valor in the King's Crusades, Geoffrey de Lanceau has been granted the new position as lord of Branton Keep. With his faithful friend, Dominic de Terre, Geoffrey has decided to begin his quest to fulfill his vow. To do so, he kidnaps Lord Brackendale's lovely daughter, Lady Elizabeth, and Mildred, a gray-haired lady-in-waiting. Geoffrey will let Arthur suffer fear for his daughter before sending the ransom demand. To save Elizabeth, Arthur must give up Wode or fight. But Geoffrey never expects to fall in love with his feisty and brave captive. Lady Elizabeth has always dreamed of marrying for love, but she is promised to an old baron which rumors claim his cruel bed games is what killed his previous three wives. Then she is abducted by a scarred, tormented rogue who attracts her even though she despises him. Elizabeth wants nothing more than to escape with Mildred and return to her father. But Elizabeth and Geoffrey must join forces to find out the truth of what happened in the past, before it tears apart the present. ***** Fabulous! Author Catherine Kean gives readers everything they could possibly want in this tale of heroism and betrayal. There is a handsome and tormented hero, a brave and loyal heroine, a jealous and vindictive courtesan, as well as a romance that overcomes all obstacles. This will be one of the best historical romances of the year! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

By 1192, Geoffrey de Lanceau has become a dedicated diligent knight, working extremely hard to overcome the legacy passed down by his late father, Edourd, the former lord of Wode. Eighteen years ago the liege accused Edourd of treason; his keep Wode seized by order of the monarch, and Edourd executed by Lord Arthur Brackendale, and his land stripped from his family and given to Brackendale. Geoffrey believes his father was framed by the man currently occupying Wode. One day the lad vows to prove his father died loyally to his monarch and avenge his death. Lady Elizabeth Brackendale dreams of an eternal love match, but her dad has plans to marry her off to a man older than him. She begs her sire not to sell her to a dirty old man, but he ignores his daughter's plea. However, Geoffrey begins his quest for vengeance by kidnapping Elizabeth of Wode. His plan is to use her as an expendable pawn to get at her father. However, instead Geoffrey finds he is attracted to his prisoner; she reciprocates as she feels deep emotions for the anguished knight as her love begins to heal his battered heart. However, there remains her father, who will never acquiesce to a relationship between his valuable property and the son of his late enemy. A KNIGHT'S VENGEANCE is a well written medieval romance starring an obsessed hero living for vengeance until he captures the daughter of the man he loathes and blames for what happened to his father and his family. The key to the tale is that Arthur is not an odious stereotypic totally evil villain, but instead a complex full blooded character. With a delightful seemingly star-crossed lead duet and a solid support cast, this novel is a keen historical tale. Harriet Klausner