Tag Archives: Erin Knightley

Catching Up With Erin Knightley

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Catching Up With Erin Knightley

Erin-Knightley2

 

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome back Erin Knightley. Erin is here today to talk about her just released book, Flirting With Fortune, which is her 3rd book in her Sealed With a Kiss series. She will also tell us what she has in store for  2013/2014.

Let’s talk to Erin.

 

 

TRC: Hi, Erin.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us at The Reading Cafe, to discuss your new release “Flirting with Fortune”, as well as to talk about what you have planned in 2014.

Erin: Hello! Thanks so much for inviting me to join you  🙂

TRC: You have just released Flirting with Fortune, which is the 3rd book in your Sealed with a Kiss series.  For those who may not have read this series, would you please give us a brief description of the premise of the series?

Erin:  Absolutely! The Sealed with a Kiss series follows three of the Moore siblings – children of the Marquis of Granville. Each book features letters that are important to the storyline—which is where the Sealed with a Kiss title came from. Someday I hope to return to the series and give the youngest two siblings, twins Carolyn and Jocelyn, their happily ever afters, too!

FINAL Ruined by a Rake Cover CroppedTRC: Earlier this year you published a novella, Ruined by a Rake.  Can you give us a brief description of this novella?  How different was it writing a short story in comparision to your three full length books?

Erin:  The novella was created in good fun—I wanted a good old fashioned love/hate relationship. Out of that idea grew Eleanor and Nick’s story. Here’s the elevator pitch: When the only way to save the woman he loves from being forced into the wrong marriage is to ruin her, what’s a rake to do?

For the full blurb and to read an excerpt, check out my “Books” page on my website 🙂

Miss Mistletoe

 

As for the writing, it’s both freeing and constricting to write a novella, lol. It’s nice not to agonize over a long, involved plot, but it still has to have enough going on to be interesting! This was actually my second novella (MISS MISTLETOE was my first, which was actually connected to the Sealed with a Kiss novels), so I had already learned a few lessons 😉

 

 

 

flirting with fortune

 

TRC: Will you please tell us a bit about Flirting with Fortune, which was released over a week ago?

Erin:  Oh, my, can I start with how darn sexy Colin’s half-Scottish accent is? His voice is crystal clear in my head, and I really hope I captured that for the reader! Colin is a barrister-in-training who recently inherited a title—along with an unexpected avalanche of debt. Now he’s forced to become the one thing he never imagined in order to save his family’s home and future: a fortune hunter.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Beatrice is an accomplished painter, a bit of a snoop, and an heiress who has come to despise the fortune hunters who circle like vultures. She’s learned a thing or two about how to spot them in her six months since debuting, but all bets are off when she meets the son of Britain’s most famous painter.

I have had so many people ask me about Beatrice getting her own story (she was prominent in both of the first two books), that I was a nervous wreck about getting her story right! I hope I succeeded – y’all will have to let me know what you think!

TRC: What are you currently working on, and what do you have planned for 2014?

Erin: I’ve just turned in the first book in my new series titled THE BARON NEXT DOOR. The series is tentatively named Prelude to a Kiss, and it follows a trio of young female musicians who have converged on Bath for the first annual Summer Serenade in Somerset music festival. Anyone who read A Taste for Scandal will recognize my heroine, pianoforte player Charity. This book comes out in late spring 2014, and I believe the second book in the series will be out in winter 2014.

A fun little fact: of all people, Charity was actually loosely based on my brother! Like him, she is a gifted musician who hears music in her head and composes on the fly. If you want to hear a piece he conducted that I listened to while writing one of the emotional scenes in the book, check this out: Click here.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Erin: If any of your readers would like to try one of my stories, I am offering RUINED BY A RAKE free for a limited time! Available wherever e-books are sold 🙂 Also, I love chatting with readers, writers, and fans alike. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, and I even occasionally blog on my website. Lastly, to stay up-to-date on giveaways and releases, please feel free to sign up for my newsletter  🙂

TRC:  TRC members, don’t miss Erin’s limited time offer of a free copy of Ruined by a Rake.  It was a fun enjoyable read.

TRC:Thank you, Erin for giving us an update on Flirting With Fortune, as well as what we can look forward to in the future.  It was a pleasure talking with you again.  We hope to catch up again in the future.

Erin: Thanks so much for having me here!

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Flirting with Fortune by Erin Knightley

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Flirting with Fortune by Erin Knightley

flirting with fortuneLinks to order Flirting With Fortune:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
An Honest Deception

Sir Colin Tate has never imagined marrying for money. But debts left by his artist father have put his siblings’ futures in danger. To wed an eligible heiress, this independent-minded Scot must play by restrictive rules—until an irresistible lady dares to pursue her passion for art…and him.

An Unexpected Desire

Lady Beatrice Moore can spy a fortune hunter as expertly as she captures subjects on canvas. But when she meets the striking son of Britain’s most celebrated painter, the attraction is instantaneous—blinding her to the possibility that he could ever be one of those schemers…

An Unthinkable Dilemma

Then the truth comes out, shattering Lady Beatrice’s faith in the mischievous yet kind man who has captured her heart. With reputations and fortunes hanging in the balance, Colin and she must find a way to trust in a love that cannot be proven—or face an unfathomable loss.

Review:

Flirting with Fortune is the 3rd book in Erin Knightley’s Sealed With a Kiss series.  This series concentrates on the wealthy and powerful Moore children, as they each find their destined mates.  The first two wonderful books in this series belonged to Evie and Benedict, then Richard with Jane.   In Flirting with Fortune, it is Bea’s turn, and her parents are pushing her hard to find a husband before she gets much older.  But Bea, who is an artist, is much like Evie was; she isn’t interested in the men she must face at the coming out balls.  As far as Bea is concerned, they are all Fortune Hunters, looking only for the dowry that comes with picking a bride.  She is determined to never marry a fortune hunter.  Bea’s only interest is her art, which gives her so much joy, and the late famous artist, Sir Frederick Tate is her idol.

We meet our hero, Colin Tate, who is the late artist’s son, before the ball, where he will be introduced.  While waiting in the study, he spots someone looking at all the art work of his father.  Both Colin and Bea meet here, and they find themselves intrigued and attracted to each other fairly quickly.  But it isn’t until Bea finds out Colin is her idol’s son that she makes her mother officially introduce her.

What follows is an wonderful romance, as both Colin and Bea find themselves falling in love.  The relationship between them was so much fun to watch, as they had such great chemistry; easygoing camaraderie, cute banter between them, and they were just simply irresistible together. 

Colin knew that Bea was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he was hopelessly in love.  But he worried, as he had a secret that could destroy his relationship with Bea.  Colin’s father left the family deep in debt, and Colin having his family depend on him as the eldest son, to find a way to save his home in Scotland.  This was the real reason he was forced to come to England to find a wife with a dowry to help him pay off those debts.  But Colin truly loves Bea, and he is afraid she will think he wants her only for the money, as she is obsessed with hating Fortune Hunters.  When he meets Richard (Bea’s brother) to ask for her hand in marriage, Colin tells him the truth and explains a solution that Richard finds acceptable and proves his love to Bea.

Unfortunately, we knew Bea would learn the truth of Colin’s debt.  What happens next is a very painful period that had me somewhat unhappy with Bea’s behavior.   I loved Colin and his determination to prove his love, at the same time I wanted to smack Bea a few times.  Will Colin win Bea’s forgiveness?   Well this is pure romance, so you pick the answer.  As I have mentioned in previous reviews, Erin Knightley has a wonderful voice, and her romances are fun and enjoyable to read, as well as having some great characters in this series.  I suggest you start with the first book (More Than a Stranger) before you read Flirting with Fortune.  You won’t be sorry, as Sealed With a Kiss is a wonderful series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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An Interview with Erin Knightley

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An Interview with Erin Knightley

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Erin Knightley as our guest today. Before we meet Erin, let’s find out more about her.

Despite being an avid reader and closet writer her whole life, Erin Knightley decided to pursue a sensible career in science.  It was only after earning her B.S. and working in the field for years that she realized doing the sensible thing wasn't any fun at all.  Following her dreams, Erin left her practical side behind and now spends her days writing. Together with her tall, dark, and handsome husband and their three spoiled mutts, she is living her own Happily Ever After in North Carolina.

Let's begin our Interview with Erin.

Hi Erin and welcome to The Reading Café.  We would like to start with some background information.   Please tell us something about yourself?

Erin:  I tend to be that person who jumps off the ledge and just goes for things. Well, not literally – I’m terrified of heights! I’m a certified diver with a Bachelors of Science in Marine Science, I’m a certified diamontologist and work 1 day a week at a jewelry store to keep myself sane, I spent months perfecting cupcake recipes for a business I wanted to start (Cloudberry Cupcakes), only to discover I could never have a home-based food business because I have indoor pets. I’ve been a pizza maker, a lifeguard, a resident adviser, a day care worker, a clerk at a dry cleaner store (where I had to call 911 for the first time in my life thanks to a crazy customer), a lab worker at 3 different labs in college (one of which was in Irkutsk Russia), a real estate agent, a maid, a Geographic Information Systems analyst, an environmental specialist, and now a full-time writer. All that fodder for contemporary novels, and I only write historicals!

TRC: Have you always been interested in writing?

Erin:  On some level or another, yes. It wasn’t until I was almost thirty that I considered making a living at it, but I always loved and excelled at writing in school. I have some of the most dramatic 3rd grade essays you’ll ever read, lol!

TRC: Is there anything (in general) you find particularly challenging about writing?

Erin:  Ugh – the internet. If ever there was a double-edge sword, that would be it. It is vital for my research and social networking, but it so often derails my progress when I am trying to write. I actually had to install Freedom on my computer, which locks me out of the internet for however long I specify. It was a $10 program, but worth its weigh in gold!

TRC: “More Than a Stranger” is your first book published. This is part of your Historical Romance series.. Sealed With a Kiss.  Would you please tell us how you came up with the idea of this series?

Erin:  This happened pretty organically. Once I started writing Evie’s story (More Than a Stranger), I knew that I wanted to stay with her family—I just loved them! For me, there is no better fodder for writing than a big, loving, all-up-in-each-other’s-business kind of family 😉

TRC: Last month you released a novella…Miss Mistletoe, would you care to tell us little about this novella?

Erin:  This is a fun little Christmas novella, which was born from knowing the very last line in the story, believe it or not. Basically it is about Cece, who embarrassed herself with an all too forward move on Finn when she was younger. They haven’t seen each other in five years until they both arrive at a wedding (Evie and Benedict’s from More Than a Stranger!) and are thrown together. Still mortified years later, Cece is determine to avoid Finn completely. Finn is none too happy to see Miss Mistletoe—the girl who made a spectacle of the two of them at a Christmas ball years earlier. But when she vows to ignore him, he can’t help but be intrigued. Before long, the tables are turned, and Finn finds himself perusing the same girl he sought to avoid.

TRC: A Taste of Scandal was just released, which has such a gorgeous cover. Would you please tell us the premise of this book.

Erin:  Didn’t they do the greatest job ever on the cover?! I swear, somehow or another, I must convince my husband to reenact the pose for our Christmas Card this year 😉   As for the story, Richard is the brother of the heroine in my first book, and I knew he would have his own book after he kept trying to steal the show in the first one! He’s handsome, charming, and a bit of a rake—not to mention the fact he is heir to the Granville Marquisate. He’s used to getting everything he wants…until he meets baker and proprietress Jane Bunting, who is wholly unimpressed with Richard and everything he stands for.

These two start off butting heads, but soon find themselves falling for one another against all odds. 

A fun little fact about this book: it grew from my love of baking. I was intrigued with the incredibly elaborate and beautiful desserts they had at that time, without a single mixer or electric oven to be had! And yes, I tried every recipe I wrote about. I swear, my arms are still sore from all that whisking!

Links to order A Taste for Scandal: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

TRC: What drew you to write Historical Romance? 

Erin:  I found romance novels through my job as a lifeguard—when it rained, I would go to the clubhouse and read from their library. I started off with contemporary, then found historical westerns, but it wasn’t until I discovered the likes of Connie Brockway, Lisa Kleypas, and Julia Quinn that I knew I was home. The gowns, the rules, the handsome rakes and glittering ballrooms—what’s not to love?

TRC: What are some of the Challenges (research) in bringing a historical romance to life?

Erin:   There is often conflicting information on the internet, and I must try to choose carefully what I believe to be true. For example, my use of the word ‘marquis’ instead of ‘marquess.’ There were those that were vehement that I was wrong because wikipedia said so. Yet, when I used Google Books to research tomes from that time period, I found plenty of uses of the ‘marquis’ spelling. Which reminds me of what one of my fellow authors said: “Even if you’re right, you can be wrong if readers don’t believe you.”

Also, there is always the challenge of not knowing what you don’t know until you try to write it (got that??). I’m writing a scene and suddenly realize I have no idea which servant would be attending to something, or how one goes about lighting a candle in a darkened room. It frequently stops me in the middle of scene and sends me scurrying to my research books/websites.

TRC: What are you working on now? 

Erin:  I recently submitted Book 3 in the Sealed With a Kiss Series—younger sister Beatrice’s story—called Flirting with Fortune 🙂 This one will be out in September of 2013. I’m also currently developing my next series, set in the same world with the characters I’m coming to know and love. More on that to come!

TRC:  Yayyyyyyyyy I guessed right….Beatrice is the next book  🙂

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information between each other and their family and spouses.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Erin:  Definitely my sister Kara. She is a screen writer by trade, and had a great mind for plotting. I’ve helped her, and she’s definitely helped me—sometimes just by playing the ‘what if’ game. Sometimes we go off on tangents, but other times it leads to genius breakthroughs! The same can be said of my fellow authors, Heather Snow, Catherine Gayle, Tammy Falkner, and others. It’s amazing what you can do when you sit down with another author, turn off all electronics, and just plot.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Erin:  Since I mentioned my sister, I also wanted to mention my super talented brother, Andy McLeroy. He is a spare-time composer, and he wrote an original piano piece inspired by my first novel, More Than a Stranger. It’s available for a free download at my website here: Click here. I’m so in awe of his talent—I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do!

Also, I’m active on both Twitter (www.Twitter.com/ErinKnightley) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/ErinKnightley). I love hearing for fans and fellow romance lovers! I also frequently do pop giveaways (much better than pop quizzes!), so keep an eye out.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Popcorn (homemade oil-popped)

Favorite Dessert: Cupcakes 🙂
**Many of you asked about Erin’s cupcakes. Check this funny video by Erin:

Favorite TV show: Biggest Loser or Downton Abbey

Favorite Movie: Love Actually

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Dirk Pitt (Clive Cussler’s perpetual hero) 

Dark or Milk Chocolate: DARK!

Erin, thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you good luck  on A Taste of Scandal.  We look forward to seeing you again at The Reading Café.

Erin & her publisher have graciously offered to give a member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of A Taste For Scandal.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

 3.  Giveaway open to U.S. only.

 4.  Contest runs from December 3rd – December 6th

Erin also has a wonderful giveaway on her website to celebrate the release of A Taste For Scandal.  Click HERE to enter that giveaway.


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A Taste for Scandal by Erin Knightley – a Review

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A Taste for Scandal by Erin Knightley – a Review

A Taste for Scandal by Erin Knightley is her second book in her Sealed with a Kiss series. Below is the description of the book from Erin’s website, which is followed by my review.

Description:
A TEMPTING DIVERSION
Things have always fallen into place for Richard Moore, Earl of Raleigh. His good looks, abundance of charm, and the small matter of being heir to a marquisate make him quite the catch. So when a delectable young woman wants nothing to do with him, he can’t help but seize the irresistible challenge.

AN UNLIKELY COURTSHIP
Jane Bunting knows all about responsibility—she has managed to support herself and her brother with their bakery—but she knows nothing of excitement or passion. When dashing Lord Raleigh crosses the threshold of her shop, she has no idea of the potential danger to her reputation . . . or to her heart.

AN IMPOSSIBLE MATCH
Neither imagined things would go so far—until the night their worlds collide, irrevocably changing both their lives. But when duty calls for Richard, and with everything Jane has worked for suddenly at stake, will their taste for scandal be their downfall?

Review:
When I read Erin Knightley’s debut novel, More Than a Stranger, I immediately enjoyed her writing, in what turned out to be a fun read.  Now with the next book in her Sealed with a Kiss series, I feel that though I enjoyed More Than a Stranger, A Taste for Scandal was even better

Richard Moore, who had a big part in More Than a Stranger, as Evie’s brother and Hastings friend, is our hero in this book.  He was one of my favorites then, and does not disappoint.  Richard is a charming & fun loving womanizer, who just wants to have fun, and has no interest in stepping into his father’s Marquisate position at this time.  Richard knows his responsibilities, but for now he just plans on enjoying himself every possible minute. 

Our heroine is Jane Bunting who runs a bakery, with wonderfully delectable treats.  By accident, Richard passes by the bakery and sees someone threatening the person inside, and he runs to her rescue.  Unbeknownst to Richard, there was no threat, as he mistakenly thought Jane’s cousin was an intruder, and during the scuffle, some things inside the bakery were broken.  Jane not knowing that this stranger was the Earl of Raleigh, she calls the police.  Of course, even as he apologizes, Jane totally was not enamored by Richard, who is rarely if ever, ignored by any women.   Later, that evening, after being told my her cousin that she was rude, and the Earl was really trying to help, Jane goes to Richard’s home, where his family is visiting for a bit, and brings him some of her delectable chocolate biscuits to offer her apology. 

Richard is intrigued that Jane shows no interest in him, and he finds her to be attractive and obviously a challenge, since she seems unattainable.  With the help of his sister, Beatrice, they both convince Jane to give them lessons on baking.  LOL  sounds kind of ridiculous that an Earl would want to know how to bake.   But what ensues is a wonderful tale of romance that is against all odds.  First comes friendship between Jane, Richard and Beatrice. Then begins the slow romance between Richard and Jane, that both are convinced is just an attraction, and maybe sex, but no future for either of them.  Into this mix, is a local busybody, who is determined to force Jane out of business.  It is beautiful and heartwarming to watch them begin to fall in love.  Just when their sexual intensity is about to be consummated, Richard is called away for a family emergency, and Jane will face her fears in the days ahead, as the busybody forces her out. 

Richard is faced with something he did not want, to take over for his ill father.  In doing so, he comes to the conclusion that though he loved Jane, he felt his family would not accept her, since she was a commoner.  Richard also felt that Jane herself would not want the responsibilities of being the Lady of the house, as well as the wife of the Marquis.  So with pressure from his mother and father he sets out to choose a wife, to satisfy all. 

What happens to Jane you ask?  She uses her friendship with Beatrice to help her get a job as a bakery chef at Evie’s mansion, with the promise that no one tell Richard, nor Evie for that matter.  The final ¼ of the book is delightful.  Both Jane and Richard come to the conclusion that nothing can happen with their relationship.  But what are sisters for. 🙂  Both Beatrice and Evie plot together to help the two people so much in love, to force them to open their eyes.  It was so much fun to watch, and I enjoyed both Evie and Beatrice doing their scheming.  Knightley does a fabulous job creating wonderful characters. I loved Evie, Hastings, Richard & Beatrice in the first book; adored Richard & Jane in this book.  I do not know who the heroine will be in the third book, but I do hope it’s Beatrice, as she so deserves her own book.

This was a fantastic enjoyable read, and I loved it from start to finish.  Knightley knows how to put fun in her romances, with sexual intensity, and she has you rooting hard for our couple.  Knightley also has a wonderfully refreshing voice.  If you love Historical Romance, or any romance for that matter, you must read this book, it is one of the best fun books I have read this year. Erin Knightley is on my automatic buy.

Reviewed by Barb

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Miss Mistletoe by Erin Knightley – a Review

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Miss Mistletoe by Erin Knightley – a Review

Description:
A Lord’s fortune is forever changed with a kiss on Christmas from a daring young woman…

Finn, Viscount Edgerton, has avoided the London scene to focus solely on digging out from under the pile of debt his father left behind. A decent dowry could make things a hell of a lot easier for the estate, but he hasn’t met the right woman. And he never would have expected her to come in the form of “Miss Mistletoe”—the young woman who stole a kiss at a ball in front of the ton and caused a scandal.

On the eve of her cousin’s wedding, Cece McCrea hardly expects to run into the man who inspired her indiscretion five years ago. This time, she resolves to put aside her childish crush and avoid him altogether. Her will is tested, however, when he pursues her….

Review:
As we are in the month of December, and this is the season to be jolly, I thought I would write a short and quick review on a wonderful regency romance novella by Erin Knightley; which is perfect for the Christmas season….Miss Mistletoe. This story is in between Knightley’s first book, More than a Stranger, and her new release, A Taste for Scandal.  All three books are part of her Sealed With a Kiss series. 

Miss Mistletoe was an enjoyable fun read. It is Christmas time, and Evie and Hastings, our couple from the first book, are getting married. Finn is sitting the night before with Hastings and Richard teasing him about their cousin Cece’s infatuation with him, and the famous kiss under the Mistletoe years ago. Cece will be at the wedding, and Finn plans to avoid her at all costs. 

Cece leaves her father home, since he is blind, and he does not want to travel, as she goes to the wedding. She spots Finn, and hides from him in embarrassment from those early days when she was a teenager.  Of course, as in romance, they are both pushed together, since they both were alone, and they were a matching pair.  To Finn’s surprise, Cece totally ignored him, and he found himself attracted to the now grown up Cece. This was such a cute and adorable fun romance.  Despite her trying to avoid Finn, as they are pushed together often, Cece finds herself falling in love with Finn, as he does with her, but she runs back home, after the wedding, refusing to become serious.  She is loyal to her father, and will never leave him to marry and move to Finn’s home. 

But this is a Christmas story, and this is romance.  Somehow, someway, they will find each other.  I love this series, and this cute novella was just the thing to hold me off until A Taste for Scandal comes out.  Erin Knightley has such a wonderful and refreshing voice. I do not read a lot of Regency/Historical romance, but Erin is winning me over fast.

Reviewed by Barb

 

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More Than a Stranger by Erin Knightley – a Review

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More Than a Stranger by Erin Knightley – a Review

More Than a Stranger is Erin Knightley’s debut novel and her first in her Sealed With a Kiss series.

Our heroine in this wonderful historical romance novel, is Evie Moore, and we meet her as a young child who worships her brother, Richard, who is now heading off to Eton. When Evie gets letters from her brother, he constantly talks about his new friend Hastings. 

Benedict Hastings is our hero, and Richard’s best friend.  He learns all about Evie, as she writes a letter to him to tell him to back off being her brother’s best friend, since she is already that.  This starts a wonderful friendship of letters between young Evie and Hastings.  Over the years, though they have never met, the letters built a great friendship of trust, which led both of them to care very much for each other.  Then out of the blue, when Hastings graduated, he cut off Evie totally, with no reason, and she was heartbroken.

A few years later, Evie, now a young lady, has decided she wants to work with horses, as has no intention of finding a suitable mate.  Her mother is determined for her to go to London for the coming out ball, which Evie no longer wants anything to do with. 

Hastings visits Richard, without telling him too much of where he has been.  Just that he needs a break and Richard offers him to come with him to his family home. Under the assumption that the family is in London during the season, Hastings accepts.  Then to his shock, as he arrives he sees a girl run up to Richard and realizes that he is looking at the girl he loved from afar, Evie.   But Hastings as he introduces himself to Evie,  lies,  as he does not want her to know who he is.  He calls himself Mr. Benedict, and with Richard’s help, he keeps his true identity a secret, not wanting to hurt her, or for her to learn the real reason he disappeared.  

When Hastings left school, he was recruited by the English government to do undercover work, which even Richard did not know.  Hence, his separation from his family and Evie. Though this is not really a mystery, there is some element of danger, as Hastings/Benedict left some baggage behind that will come to haunt him near the end.

But More than a Stranger is a wonderful charming romance.  Evie having sworn off men, having had her heart broken by Hastings, finds herself intrigued and enamored by the charming Benedict.   Benedict, trying hard not to allow himself to hurt Evie, finds himself falling deeper in love with her, as she is more then he could ever have imagined. 

To watch their relationship grow, despite both not wanting this to develop, and Evie not knowing who he really was, was wonderfully done by Knightley.  I loved Evie, who was not only beautiful, but vivacious, and extremely likeable.  You can’t help but love Benedict despite his lie to Evie.

Knightley did such a wonderful job creating such likeable characters all the way around.  Evie’s sister Beatrice, and Richard were great characters too.  The amazing thing about this story was the sexual attraction between Evie and Benedict, and you felt that chemistry throughout, without even one sex scene.  It was so beautifully done, as we watch them both fall in love all over again. Did Evie find out who Benedict really was? What is the danger that is following Benedict from his past? Is there a future for the awesome couple?  You need to read this book to find the answers. 

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, as well as an exciting ending.  More Than a Stranger is a wonderful start to a new series, and a wonderful new author in Erin Knightley.  Can’t wait to read A Taste for Scandal, which is the next book in this series.

Reviewed by Barb

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