Lady Knight

I would say this is one of the best lesbian romance books I've ever read. The relationship between the two characters develops at good pace. It's sweet, charming, sexy and romantic. The characters themselves are three dimensional. The scenes are so well crafted I think I actually sneezed when the caravan horses kicked up dirt. And the sex, let's just say it's plentiful and good. I wish L-J would do a sequel.

Yes, I was enthralled. Enraptured. L-J Baker weaves an incredible story of love, lust, power, and gender roles. I crave stories about strong women surviving in a man's world, al la Xena, Warrior Princess. The hero/heroine, Riannon, not only survives and proves herself worthy of respect, but she surpasses the men around her in bravery, skill, and chivalry. She is literally a knight in shining armor. Rhiannon is such a wounded, lonely soul and to watch her come alive as her love for Eleanor grows is gripping, especially when you know that her cousin Aveline is ready to thwart her at every turn. Aveline has her own plans for Rhiannon and will stop at nothing to have her way. As a novel in general, it was well-written, well-plotted, and suspenseful. As a les fic novel, it was a refreshing departure from the cliches and standard plot lines. Baker delivers a dramatic, sexy story that will suck you in and keep you there until you've closed the back cover.

Great book. All the characters are well developed, not just the 2-main ones. Lots of action and lots of passion that is maintained thru the whole book. I never got bored with it. Took it on vacation and was even accused of being unsociable because I couldn't put it down. It's frustrating, happy, heartbreaking and sexy in all the right places. The action, characters and situations are very believable. I never once heard myself saying "yeah, right". Get this book if you like heroism, knights, chivalry and all that stuff.

L.J. Baker has a gift for delivering fantasy stories via the printed page. Her first book, BROKEN WINGS, had faeries and nymphs as characters who lived in trees and had strange eating habits. LADY KNIGHT, her second novel, is a departure from that type of fantasy into medieval knights, magic, and laws enforced by the sword. This reader is impressed at the author's seamless transition from one into the other. Riannon is a scarred, yet beautiful, woman who was knighted several years before the book begins. She lives as a knight, fighting with armies until they discover she's a woman and she's forced to move to the next opportunity. At the summons of her priestess cousin, Aveline, she plans to attend her estranged brother's wedding. The warrior must face many trials, including being a family outcast, dealing with the spell Aveline places on her to ensure loyalty in a religious quest, and facing her feelings of love for beautiful widow Eleanor. Eleanor has been married twice and is a wealthy woman in her region. By paying great sums, she has been able to convince the king to allow her to remain single. When the king dies, the new queen is convinced by Aveline to force her to marry. Aveline does this to keep Riannon focused on her quest. However, by the time the marriage is to take place, the seemingly straight Eleanor has fallen madly in love with her knight in shining armor. This is a wonderful story of love and heartache is a world where women's lives are not their own. It reminds me of my own childhood fantasy play where I had a sword that looked suspiciously like a baton, fought armies of stuffed animals, and slayed dragons to get the attention of the girl next door. One not to be missed!

Having read Broken Wings from this author I was sure I would like what ever she churned out and I was not disappointed. While the two stories differ vastly in theme, the writing is all Ms. Baker. She creates this world or replicates a time in history and draws you in, in the first couple pages. And then you can't put the book down. Had I had a teacher who could evoke the images and time period that clearly to me, I might have been a better student. I know I would have chosen to read more books in this genre. Ms. Baker delivers a story with all the gusto one comes to expect from her. Her writing is factual something I admire greatly for her diligence to get it right. Obviously she did her homework, and we all benefit from it. The story tells of a Lady Knight, Riannon of Gast, her true love, Lady Eleanor Barrowmere, and her cousin Aveline naer of the Goddess. These three woman's lives are closely entwined throughout the book. While I wanted to hate Aveline for her deeds I had to admire her for her ambition something few women in that period of time could have succeeded at. Though the ending as far as Aveline is concerned could be interpreted as being unfinished, I prefer to read it as she is well on her way to achieving all her goals, and then some. The love story between Riannon and Eleanor shows us that true love can survive ghastly events when it's real. While not necessarily a sugary happily ever after, it shows promise of being one, something they have both earned. It was not an easy road they traveled and yet they conquered all their demons. I think that's one of the things I always enjoy about Ms. Baker's writing. Women can conquer just about anything if they try. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good character development, realism to a time in history that we might not otherwise know about, and a swift moving plot that never lets you down.