In Need of a Knight (The Heart of a Scandal/The Heart of a Duke Book 0) by Christi Caldwell
Series: The Heart of a Duke #0, The Heart of a Scandal #0
on March 27, 2017
Genres: Historical
Goodreads

FINAL DECISION:  This was a nice story although the short length made it difficult to fully engage with these characters especially with Aldora’s dilemma.  The story was complete and did not feel rushed.

THE STORY: Lady Aldora Adamson along with her dearests friends received a necklace which promised the heart of a duke to the wearer.  Aldora hopes for years to find love but she has given up and resigned herself to marriage to save her family.  She decides to settle on a marquess.  Arranging to run into the marquess to begin her chase of him, Aldora mistakes Lord Michael Knightly for his older brother.  A man of scandalous reputation based on a youthful duel, Michael begins to fall for Aldora but knows that there is little hope if she realizes that he is the scandalous younger brother instead of the marquess.

OPINION:  I liked this story which has a fun trope of the heroine mistaking the hero for the man she plans on marrying.  Unlike his older brother, Michael is entirely unsuitable for Aldora’s desperate situation.  There are some very amusing moments as the two argue and debate and find each other annoying and irresistible.

I thought that these two were well matched as a couple and I liked their interactions.  I thought that the story was well constructed.  My one complaint was that the short length did not allow us to go far enough in understanding Aldora’s motivations for having to marry the marquess even when she was in love with Michael. I understood her reasons, but not the emotions involved in it.

These two were a good couple for a novella romance because everything was nicely contained and constructed. One other thing that was missing was an explanation of the necklace which didn’t seem to have a real effect here.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This novella was previously published under the title IN NEED OF A DUKE and published in an anthology.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  IN NEED OF A KNIGHT is the prequel for two loosely connected series: The Heart of a Duke series and The Heart of a Scandal series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3 stars.