The Lady Knights of Barony by Elise Marion – a Review

Written by Elise Marion, three courageous women make up the The Lady Knights of Barony.  Each warrior gets her own short story replete with personal hardship/turmoil, background/motivation and the unexpected bliss that turns their worlds upside down. 

The Hellion

Lady Ava Longley of Barony earned her knighthood (lady hood?).  The only daughter of Barony’s most skilled blacksmith, Ava was a miracle birth after 3 failed pregnancies.  Recognizing Ava as their personal miracle, mom & dad taught her how to protect and defend herself from all threats. When tragedy strikes their village, a rebel invasion led by Dorian Blake, French fiend and abductor of women, Ava is forced to utilize the skills taught her and defend her mother’s life.  On this day, a lady warrior was born.

Julian Vincent has managed to earn a reputation for nefarious assignments; he “gets things done”.  Hired by Dorian Blake, Ew!, to kidnap Ava, Julian is fraught with more than a little trepidation.  Julian is certain Ava has done nothing to “deserve” Blake; she has merely become his source of interest; a trophy of sorts.  Before long, travelling in such close proximity en route to Blake’s ship, The Raven, Julian and Ava explore their friendship, discover an ardent passion for one another and converge on a mutual mission against Blake (you didn’t think he’d still turn over Ava, did you?):  Retrieve Ava’s fellow Lady Knight, Mudiwa, who was apprehended by Blake’s thugs and is being held for ransom in exchange for Ava.  As the Captain of the Lady Knights, Ava pursues Blake obstinately and will not rest until Mudiwa is returned alive (actually falling into Blake’s plans).  Thankfully, and most importantly, Julian remains steadfast at Ava’s side, achieves more than his “half-noble” parts promised, and wholly commits himself to Ava.  I had to cut down on the “swoons” to provide more details, but that he is — trust me on this! 

The Beloved

Captured by Dorian Blake’s thugs in an effort to lure in Ava, Blake’s principal interest, Mudiwa is forced to remain aboard The Raven sailing for Martinique.  Having survived a life under the thumb of her husband, the King of Dahomey, who separated her from her true love (when he already had at least 1,000 other wives!), Mudiwa will be sold on the sex slave market. 

Riiiight…here’s where Mudiwa’s warrior skills demand her freedom!  Mudiwa manages to escape Blake’s clutches just as he’s about to rape her, but not without suffering a brutal beating.  A half-unconscious Mudiwa succumbs to her injuries after searching for refuge in the heart of the city and awakens to meet Isaac Prideux IV, the man who indelibly alters her life.  

About to inherit the most profitable plantation in Martinique, and thoroughly ruin his life, Isaac longs to escape his own hellish destiny where his fortune is earned at the hands of the disenfranchised.  Slavery has been abolished, but fear and loathing among the classes remains fertile in the fields.  Isaac dreams of a better future.  A hopeful one when Mudiwa enters his home.

When the bruises start to fade, their friendship begins to blossom.  Their admiration for one another deepens, but their attraction, while magnetic, remains unrevealed for fear of rejection.  This story was the most romantic; delivered in swoon-worthy glances and unending yearning.  Facing adversity and the ghosts of the past, Isaac and Mudiwa thrive in their differences and escape together this time. 

The Accidental Groom

When Dorian Blake returns home bearing more wounds by the Lady Knights of Barony (epic sword fight against Ava at the end of Mudiwa’s story!), who but Hanako’s vindictive ex-husband awaits him with a proposition?  Dorian is a beacon for all things evil.

Hanako’s past is catching up with her.  On her wedding night to a formidable Samurai warrior who would dominate Hanako and strip her of her own warrior skills, not to mention her clothes to get her with child, Hanako realizes she has to act fast:  Escape her husband before they consummate their marriage – after a year, her country will grant her a dissolution.  Hanako lands in Barony, finds kindred spirits in Ava and the other lady knights and leaves her husband in the past.  Why can’t things just stay this happy?  Because there’s strength in the struggle!

With the aid of the despicable Blake, Hanako’s ex-husband researches her whereabouts and slowly, but steadily stalks her.  Enter Garrick Overton, member of Barony’s High Council and future hero of Hanako’s.  Facing her ex at a ball hosted by the Queen of Barony (and lady knight, but on hiatus because of her pregnancy), Hanako lies and tells him she’s already married and will never return to Japan as his wife.  Better back up that statement, Hanako!  Dashing away and secreting herself into a room where Garrick was waiting to share a word with the King, “Kiss me”, cries Hanako.  Garrick not only obliges happily, he is a gentleman, but he quickly inserts himself into Hanako’s scheme and becomes her all-too willing husband.  Swoon.          

A common threat and enemy affecting all the lady knights, Dorian Blake is barely in Hanako’s story (he’s healing from the confrontation with Ava), but this character is more than meets the eye.  He’s got an alias and everything!  I know I had an “Einhorn/Finkel” moment when the pieces came together.  Yes, I did just quote from Ace Ventura:  Pet Detective. Think of me when you get to this discovery!   😀

Sometimes reviews just flow out of me because the material is just that good.  That was what I intended to accomplish here.  Not as easy as I thought when each character is worthy of her own full-length book.  Can you imagine how much longer my review would be then?  I know…you’d be sick of me.  Buy this book.  The Lady Knights of Barony are triumphant women who have rightfully earned their titles and HEAs.  I look forward to reading the next installment of the Cardenas series.  Since Dorian Blake was still living…there’s still hope he’ll receive justice at the hands of the Lady Knights of Barony!      

Reviewed by Carmen