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The Dark Knight (Montagues #4)

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 126 ratings · 35 reviews

At long last, Elizabeth Elliott—the bestselling author of The Warlord and Scoundrel—returns with a medieval romance that will take readers’ breath away.

Thief, assassin, and master of disguise, Dante Chiavari is the most feared mercenary of England’s King Edward. On one last assignment, Dante must play the part of a chivalrous knight to steal Avalene de Forshay from her f...more

ebook, 384 pages

Published June 26th 2012 by Bantam

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Jul 06, 2012 .þµŋψà. [Punya Reviews...] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: elizabeth-elliott, brilliant-cover, arc-reviewcopy-netgalley-edelweiss, oh-honey-shag-me-silly, i-wanna-have-your-babies

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...

For me, storywise Dante’s book wasn’t as per my expectations. Somehow I was hoping for something more. I, again, felt that the story was dragging in the middle, without anything interesting happening. At times, I found Avalane quite the wishy-washy thing too. But there are good things in this book as well, one of them is definitely Dante himself. He was just... so romantic. luv

I wasn’t impressed by him in Betrothe ...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Katie(babs) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Didn't want this one to end. The smutty reader that I am wanted more love scenes. Fans of medieval romance will enjoy this one.

5 likes · like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

Favorite Quote: “I am your knight. You are my lady. Time is all that can change those facts, but time is not yet our enemy.”

A while ago on Twitter, I saw a couple of people mention that they were very happy Elizabeth Elliott was writing again. After a little research I discovered this author has three books out in the mid-90’s (all well received). I became intrigued, and decided to request The Dark Knight for review, to see what all the hype was about. I’m so glad I did.

Set in the late 1200’s, D...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medievals-to-cherish

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Dante Chiaverri is a Very Bad Man. Assassin, thief, wicked, damned -- how else to describe a man who has served as King Edward's hired assassin? A nobleman's son, he has come to England in hiding from the family that would assassinate him and his family (his sister was the subject of Elliott's prior book, Betrothed). He's jaded, dark, bitter and skeptical, and believes that his sole purpose in life is to reclaim his heritage and home.

Fate has other plans. The King wants Dante to prevent a young...more

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Jan 08, 2013 May Mostly Romance rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

สำหรับคนที่รอเล่มนี้มาสิบสองปี (นับจากเริ่มอ่านงานของอลิซาเบ็ธ เอลเลียต) เราคงบอกว่า ถ้าคนแต่งต้องใช้เวลาสิบหกปี (จากงานเล่มสุดท้ายที่เธอเขียน) เพื่อเขียนเรื่องนี้ออกมาให้เป็นแบบนี้ เราก็ว่าคุ้มค่านะคะ เพราะเราย้อนกลับไปค้นบทสั้น ๆ ที่แนบมาท้ายเรื่องเมื่อปี 1997 ซึ่งถือว่าเป็นคนละเวอร์ชั่นกันเลยกับหนังสือเล่มนี้ (แต่ตัวละครเดียวกัน) เราว่าเวอร์ชั่นปี 2012 นี่ดีกว่ามากมาย

นี่เป็นอีกครั้งนึงที่เราตกหลุมรักพระเอกตั้งแต่ฉากเปิดตัว ใครจะต้านทานได้เมื่อเขาเริ่มต้นด้วยการฆ่าปาดคอ (รสนิยมเราออกจะโหดไปหน...more สำหรับคนที่รอเล่มนี้มาสิบสองปี (นับจากเริ่มอ่านงานของอลิซาเบ็ธ เอลเลียต) เราคงบอกว่า ถ้าคนแต่งต้องใช้เวลาสิบหกปี (จากงานเล่มสุดท้ายที่เธอเขียน) เพื่อเขียนเรื่องนี้ออกมาให้เป็นแบบนี้ เราก็ว่าคุ้มค่านะคะ เพราะเราย้อนกลับไปค้นบทสั้น ๆ ที่แนบมาท้ายเรื่องเมื่อปี 1997 ซึ่งถือว่าเป็นคนละเวอร์ชั่นกันเลยกับหนังสือเล่มนี้ (แต่ตัวละครเดียวกัน) เราว่าเวอร์ชั่นปี 2012 นี่ดีกว่ามากมาย

นี่เป็นอีกครั้งนึงที่เราตกหลุมรักพระเอกตั้งแต่ฉากเปิดตัว ใครจะต้านทานได้เมื่อเขาเริ่มต้นด้วยการฆ่าปาดคอ (รสนิยมเราออกจะโหดไปหน่อยค่ะ --- รู้ตัวนะคะ) ซึ่งเป็นการล้างแค้นคนร้ายที่ฆ่าพ่อและแม่ของเขา และนั่นทำให้ดังเต้ขยับเข้าใกล้กับการคืนสู่สถานะเดิมของตัวเอง หลังจากถูกญาติสนิททรยศจนต้องลี้ภัยออกจากอิตาลี มาอยู่อังกฤษ และทำงานเป็นมือสังหารให้กับกษัตริย์ ในที่สุดหลังจากทำหน้าที่นั้นมาหลายปี เขากำลังจะกลับอิตาลี เหลืองานสุดท้ายเพียงอย่างเดียว

การลักพาตัวหญิงสาวจากตระกูลสูง ผู้สืบเชื้อสายสำคัญที่อาจจะสั่นคลอนฐานอำนาจของกษัตริย์ ถ้าหาเธอแต่งงานกับผู้ชายผิดคน ดังเต้ปลอมตัวเข้าไปในปราสาท และเหตุการณ์ก็เป็นใจทำให้เลดี้เอวาลีนเชื่อใจเขามากพอจะหลบหนีไปกับเขา

เหตุการณ์ช่วงต้นเรื่องทำให้เราคิดว่า ธีมของเรื่องจะมืดมากกว่าที่เป็น แต่จริง ๆ แล้วไม่ถึงขนาดนั้น แก่นของเรื่องก็ยังคงเป็นเรื่องโรแมนซ์ระหว่างอัศวิน และเลดี้ผู้เป็นเจ้าของหัวใจของเขา หลายสิ่งหลายอย่างในเรื่องคลี่คลายง่ายเกินเหตุ และลงตัวมากไปหน่อย แต่ด้วยจังหวะของการดำเนินเรื่อง ระหว่างที่อ่าน เราไม่รู้สึกว่า เป็นปัญหาอะไรนะคะ

เราชอบพระเอกตั้งแต่ฉากแรก (จริง ๆ ตั้งแต่เขาออกมาใน Betrothed) เข้าใจว่า บางอย่างเกิดขึ้น ทำให้คนแต่งเปลี่ยนใจไม่เขียนเรื่องของเขาออกมาอย่างที่ทิ้งท้ายเอาไว้ในบทส่งท้ายของ Betrothed ไม่ว่าเป็นอะไร เราขอบคุณนะคะ เพราะเราชอบตัวตนของเขาในเวอร์ชั่นนี้มากกว่า กระนั้นดังเต้ก็ยังคงเป็นดังเต้ที่เราเจอใน Betrothed นักฆ่าที่เลือกใช้ยาพิษมากกว่าการต่อสู้ซึ่งหน้า ไม่ใช่เพราะเขาไร้ฝีมือ แต่มันเป็นวิธีที่ได้ผลมากกว่า

มากยิ่งไปกว่านั้น เราชอบนางเอก เราคิดว่าคนแต่งเขียนได้ลงตัวเกี่ยวกับคาแร็คเตอร์ของเธอ เอวาลีนเป็นหญิงสาวที่อยู่ในยุคนั้น เธอไม่ได้ก๋ากั๋น ทำตัวเก่งกาจ หรือมุ่งมั่นจะเอาชนะผู้ชาย เธอแค่อยากมีบ้าน (ปราสาท) สามี และลูก เมื่อสถานการณ์ทำให้เธอต้องเลือก แม้จะเป็นการเลือกระหว่างสิ่งที่แย่ กับสิ่งที่เลวร้ายกว่า เธอก็เข้มแข็ง (ทางจิตใจ) แล้วก้าวต่อไป เราว่าเธอเป็นสมดุลที่ดีกับคาแร็คเตอร์ของดังเต้มาก ๆ

ประเด็นที่ขัดใจเราไม่น้อยในเรื่อง ก็คือความเชื่อที่พระเอกมีให้กับ The Magician กับคำทำนายไพ่ทาโรต์ของชายคนนั้น แต่คิดอีกทีก็พอทำใจยอมรับได้ เมื่อคิดว่า อยู่ในยุคกลาง และคนยุคนั้นก็มีแนวโน้มจะเชื่อเรื่องเหนือธรรมชาติ (แต่ก็นะ เป็นพระเอกอ่ะ เราคาดหวังให้เขามีเหตุมีผลมากกว่านี้)

ส่วนหนึ่งที่ชอบเรื่องนี้มาก เพราะดังเต้ทำให้เรานึกถึงพระเอกที่เป็นมือสังหารอีกคนนึง Allegreto ของลอรา คินเซล ไม่กล้าพอจะบอกว่า เล่มนี้เทียบเคียงปลายเล็บของเล่มนั้นได้หรอกนะคะ แต่แค่เศษเสี้ยวเดียวที่เตือนให้เรานึกถึง Allegreto ได้ ก็ทำให้หัวใจของเราพองโตแล้วล่ะ

อีกอย่างนึงที่เล่มนี้ทำให้เราคิดได้ก็คือ ความเปลี่ยนแปลงของหนังสือโรแมนซ์ในช่วงยี่สิบปีที่ผ่านมา เล่มนี้อาจจะออกขายเมื่อปีก่อน (2012) แต่สไตล์การเขียนยังเป็นโรแมนซ์เมื่อสักสิบกว่าปีก่อนอยู่ ซึ่งก็คือ การอัดแน่นไปด้วยการบรรยายฉาก และเหตุการณ์ที่เกิดขึ้นในประวัติศาสตร์ ซึ่งเดี๋ยวนี้หาอ่านไม่ได้แล้วในโรแมนซ์ยุคใหม่ (ที่เขียนในช่วงห้าถึงสิบปีที่ผ่านมา) และทำให้เรารู้ตัวว่า คิดถึงเรื่องโรแมนซ์แบบนี้มากขนาดไหน (less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Ave Binks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alternating-perspectives, early-london, fave-adult-books, historic-fiction, medieval-fic, human-love, seires, standalone, reviewed

I really didn’t think I would enjoy this story as much as I did. I thought it would be just another torrid romance novel that would be more about how many times the main characters could make love in a single book and we can maybe throw a little story in there. I was happy to discover that that was not so with this novel :) With this novel I really understood the difference a romance novel and a romantic story. The romance in this story is nothing short of swoon worthy; Ms. Elliott had me I fall...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Amanda Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'Tis true, I am a murderer, a liar, and a thief. 'Tis equally true that I will use whatever monstrous talents I posses to keep your daughter at my side. You can take Avalene to a convent at the ends of the earth and I will find her and steal her away again. I will lie to God, himself, to free her. I will protect her with my life, and I will murder anyone who threatens her.

Redonk Nutshell: King's agent sent to abduct a female political pawn ends up falling in love

Dante Chiavari is sent by King Ed...more 'Tis true, I am a murderer, a liar, and a thief. 'Tis equally true that I will use whatever monstrous talents I posses to keep your daughter at my side. You can take Avalene to a convent at the ends of the earth and I will find her and steal her away again. I will lie to God, himself, to free her. I will protect her with my life, and I will murder anyone who threatens her.

Redonk Nutshell: King's agent sent to abduct a female political pawn ends up falling in love

Dante Chiavari is sent by King Edward to intercept an envoy on route to collect a Welsh descendant of the nearly extinct Welsh royal line. He is to abduct her and keep her from being delivered into the hands of a man that threatens to raise a Welsh rebellion against the crown. Dante accepts this task with the stipulation that this will be his last - he finally has his cards set to return to his Italian homeland and claim what was stolen from him. He poses as a knight and enters Coleway castle with intent to steal away Avalene de Forshay. What he doesn't count on is falling in love with her.

Avalene hasn't seen her father in years. He sent her to be raised by her aunt and uncle, two people she can't seem to ever please, regardless of how hard she tries. She is sheltered in the castle, but not ignorant. She knows she is a pawn to be played in the game of kings. Her arranged marriage to a potential threat to the King of England has yet to be ratified. When "Sir Percival" arrives in court to take her to her betrothed, she is relieved to FINALLY be put to task. She is drawn to the knight, though she knows it's futile. When he welcomes her attentions, she becomes even more torn about her impending marriage. When "Percival" ends up being the notorious assassin to the king, she's mortified and irate. Yet still, she can't help her attraction to him.

This was a fun medieval romance. It's dark in the sense that Dante is not a "good" person, per se. He is, at heart, a killer, though he does so in the name of his king. His love for Avalene is the first he's ever felt of passion, and it's very romantic watching him fall for her.

Overall, this is a sweet and romantic read, though I don't foresee myself reading it again.

The Dark Knight by Elizabeth Elliott

Rating: C

Romance: 3.5/5 Raunch: 2/5(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medieval-era, historical-romance, wales

THE DARK KNIGHT by Elizabeth Elliott is an exciting Medieval historical romance. A dark tale of the assassin,thief,and mercenary, Dante Chiavari and the beautiful Avalene de Forshay,who could be used as a pawn to start a war between Wales and the crown. With deception and danger at every turn, Avalene finds the man she knows as Sir Percival has been keeping a secret that could destroy them both. With fast paced action,danger,secrets,betrayal,passion,risks,perils,trust and the greatest danger of...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ever since the murder of his parents, Dante has been working to become strong enough --and lethal enough-- to get the vengeance he has always dreamed of. Now he is darker and deadlier than anyone else in the English kingdom. He has become an assassin for the king and has earned enough favor to get him back to his homeland of Italy to reclaim his birthright.

He only has one last mission before he can go home. Dante must extricate a woman from a marriage disadvantageous to the crown. To do so, he m...more Ever since the murder of his parents, Dante has been working to become strong enough --and lethal enough-- to get the vengeance he has always dreamed of. Now he is darker and deadlier than anyone else in the English kingdom. He has become an assassin for the king and has earned enough favor to get him back to his homeland of Italy to reclaim his birthright.

He only has one last mission before he can go home. Dante must extricate a woman from a marriage disadvantageous to the crown. To do so, he must pose as one of her father's knights who has come to collect her for her betrothed.

Avalene is miserable in the home where she has fostered for the past several years. When Dante arrives, he is like an answer to a prayer. She is more than happy to get away from her aunt and uncle --and she can't help but be taken by Dante's nobility and favor. She never dreams that a man so fine could possibly want her. But he does.

The story follows Dante and Avalene as they escape from her home and from those who would drag her back to a life without choices. And, of course, we watch them fall in love along the way. It took me a little while to get into the story, but it really picked up for me once Dante and Avalene make their escape together.

Dante is an interesting character. He is man plagued by darkness, but he finds relief in Avalene's light. It's very sweet to see how hard he falls for her. The attraction between these two is instant and I felt like their bond happened kind of fast. I'm a little skeptical of Avalene's near sixth sense for sussing out Dante's moods and dishonesty. But I did enjoy watching him rebuild her delicate self-esteem. I liked how quickly he came to respect her and how willing he was to throw away his ideas of making her anything less than his wife.

The betrothals and kidnappings were all about politics, but the story was never weighed down by too much by it. Unlike some period stories, it was easy to keep all the players straight and understand their motivations. I enjoyed the sexual tension and Avalene's sexual awakening over the course of their romance. There's not a ton of sex, but there were enough love scenes to satisfy me.

It was an interesting change of pace from the Regency era historicals I usually read.

Rating: B-

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

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Jul 23, 2012 ~Jessica~I'm a Hoodie Ninja~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: utc-reviews

This review was posted at Under The Covers

3.5

“ In his world, truth was an illusion built upon lies, a place where one wrong word, one wrong gesture could cost his life.”

Dante Chiavari is the king’s assassin. He is known as the most ruthless and cold hearted killer out there. His latest mission; to pose as a Sir Percival the Knight and kidnap Avalene de Forshay before she is married off to a family that will use her heritage to start war with the king. It was supposed to be a quick and easy job,...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, reviewed-for-fiction-vixen, read-in-2012, medieval

Orignally posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/review-th...

When I read the blurb for The Dark Knight by Elizabeth Elliott I was a little intrigued. I haven’t read a medieval romance in ages, it seems that most new releases in the historical romance genre tend to be with a Regency or Victorian setting. Then I found out this author released several romances set in the same time period back in the 1990′s, which made me even more excited. Some of the best and most diverse historical romance I’ve ev...more Orignally posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/review-th...

When I read the blurb for The Dark Knight by Elizabeth Elliott I was a little intrigued. I haven’t read a medieval romance in ages, it seems that most new releases in the historical romance genre tend to be with a Regency or Victorian setting. Then I found out this author released several romances set in the same time period back in the 1990′s, which made me even more excited. Some of the best and most diverse historical romance I’ve ever read were put out way back in the 1980 – 90′s. Remember the older Johanna Lindsey, Julie Garwood and Jude Devereux works? That’s what I was hoping I would get when I decided to review The Dark Knight.

Dante Chiavari is a dark, scary man. After being exiled from his homeland as a child he has become the King’s Assassin. His one goal in life is to punish the uncle who stole his lands and had his mother wrongly accused of killing his father. After this goal is completed he fully intends to retire and take his rightful place in Venice. As a child he and his siblings were taken in by Mordecai, an advisor and magician to King Edward. Mordecai and his mysterious advice is who guides Dante throughout his life and who gives him a mission to complete before he retires from a profession he hates. His mission is to pretend to be a man named Sir Percival, abduct Avalene de Forshay and prevent a forced marriage that will result in the rebels in Wales having a direct line to the Welsh throne.

This was a very romantic book. The attraction between Dante and Avalene starts from the first moment they meet. For an assassin Dante played the chivalrous knight very well. Avalene has been living with her aunt and uncle for years and has dreams of getting married and becoming mistress of her own home. When a knight named Sir Percival comes claiming that he was sent by her father to retrieve her because she has become betrothed she is more than ready to go with him. What she didn’t count on was being immediately taken with her knight. Avalene is a little naive at the start, but at the same time very engaging and brave. She has ideals of who a man like Sir Percival should be and how he should act. Very shortly into their journey Dante and Avalene start to fall in love. They both try to fight it as Dante thinks of himself as a monster and has never intended to take an English bride, and Avalene is already betrothed and knows that to stray will brand her as a harlot. Ultimately they can’t help themselves.

Finally he fitted his lips to hers in a kiss so gentle, so filled with reverence that she felt tears come to her eyes. Like everything else about Sir Percival, his kiss was perfect. It was a kiss that a knight bestowed upon his lady-love, a kiss that spoke of the yearning he suffered for a lady who was forever beyond his reach. It was a kiss that sealed fates.

Eventually Avalene finds out that her Sir Percival is really the King’s Assassin, a man named Dante. There is some misunderstanding between them as she can’t really believe that he wants her like he does and he can’t understand why she isn’t afraid of him like everyone else. Dante is the ultimate hero, a man who is both dangerous to his enemies and gentle with his lady. He always treats Avalene with respect, even when he is considering taking her back to Venice with him as a mistress instead of a wife. He just seems to cherish her. I do wish there had been a few more sexy scenes. I think I’ve been conditioned to expect a little more sexy with my sweetness, but overall I found this book to be incredibly romantic.

The comparison at the start of this review of The Dark Knight to those old school romances is a good one. I got what I wanted; a story of a dark, engaging hero who falls in love with a brave lady. There was romance and an interesting plot. Now I’m looking forward to this author’s next release that includes the semi- bad guy from this book. I might even look into finding out if I can find her back list. I would recommend The Dark Knight to any historical romance addict who is looking for something a little different.

Favorite Quote:

“Fate has taken away much in my life. You are a gift I did not expect but one I will selfishly take, even if there is a price I must eventually pay for my greed. You are worth the consequences, Avalene.”

(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, historical-romance, romance, time-travel, series

This was just a very well written love story. Some authors have the magic touch when it comes to writing about history, laying out the scenes with beautiful detail and emotions that are almost tangible. The book was balanced with the right amount of tension, drama and realism to help the reader to fully experience the lives the characters portrayed. I loved the fluidity of this book. The heroine wasn't the usual damsel in distress. Her thought process lent to true rational thoughts that gave her...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Lesley (My keeper shelf) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As the King's assassin Dante Chiavari is a master of disguise, on his final mission before his long awaited return to Venice he must convince Avalene de Forshay he is the chivalrous knight Sir Percival sent by her brother to take her to her betrothed.

Avalene is very much a pawn in her family, the Segrave's and the King's plans, promised to Faulke Segrave, Dante must ensure that the planned nuptials do not take place as with Avalene's connections Segrave plans to lead a civil war to overthrow the...more As the King's assassin Dante Chiavari is a master of disguise, on his final mission before his long awaited return to Venice he must convince Avalene de Forshay he is the chivalrous knight Sir Percival sent by her brother to take her to her betrothed.

Avalene is very much a pawn in her family, the Segrave's and the King's plans, promised to Faulke Segrave, Dante must ensure that the planned nuptials do not take place as with Avalene's connections Segrave plans to lead a civil war to overthrow the King.

I don't tend to read a lot of historical fiction but I was absolutely engrossed in The Dark Knight. Initially it took a while to understand all the political and royal background information but when Dante and Avalene met I knew the story was a winner.

As an assassin Dante is a dark character who has been hell bent on revenge for most of his adult life and is therefore not exactly obvious hero material. His initial reaction to Avalene and his growing feelings for her took him very much by surprise, he doesn't believe that he deserves any goodness or kindness in his life and it's obvious that what started out as Dante pretending to be an honourable knight actually becomes a reality as he falls in love with Avalene.

Avelene's sexual awakening on her escape with Dante was very well played out, adding a nice little bit of spice to the story but never overwhelming it. I think I gnawed down to my fingertips waiting for the inevitable wait, your NOT Sir Percival??? but like Avelene I had fallen a little bit in love with Dante and could see his good side too.

Although this is book four in a series (I didn't realise that when I started reading it) it could definitely be read as a standalone. I enjoyed my venture into the world of historical fiction even if the image of the Sir Galahad the knight from Monty Python's The Holy Grail with the servant behind him clip clopping with the coconut shells slipped into my mind a few times at the first mention of a chivalrous knight!

Thanks to Net galley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review The Dark Knight.
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Jul 14, 2012 Conny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I was a first read winner and I have to say I really enjoyed this book. Once I got started I could not put it down, and that is pretty much what I want in a book. It has plenty of action, royal intrigue, forced marriages, romance and so much more. It does leave some things unexplained, for instance if the steward John was so obsessed with Avalene would he not try and recapture her? But we never hear from him again once she escapes her uncle. Also just a few pet peeves of mine are all the kissing...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: drama, better-than-i-thought-it-would-be, adult, historical, male-and-female-pov, net-galley, insta-love, romance, switching-pov, reviewcopies, stand-alone

For this review and more visit my

*I was provided with a free copy of this review in exchance for a review*

The dark knight is a book I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. From the first page I found it very atmospheric and intriguing.

I thought the writing was great; it managed to be descriptive without info dumping. I thought the first half of the book was very interesting because the main character thinks she knows what is going on but you know that actually things are not what she thin...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Linda Bsss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the time when she was nine, Avalene's father sent her to his sister as he had a new wife and sons and she was not needed anymore As she grew she was trained in ladyshio fashion eventually taking over the running of the castle since her aunt was too busy admiring herself. Then sir Percival was sent to return her to her father's castle in Wales..............

Dante Chiavari, the English king's assassin, met with Mordecai, one of the kings advisor and a magician enter into his mentor's home to g...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-stands-for-a-readers-xmas, x-series-bk-3, x-2012s, first-reads

Oooooh-weeee. This was smoking hot. Now, I'm not usually a romance fan, and romance of the historical variety is usually enough to send me running for the hills because there is only so much blushing and demurring and "fancy a rough ride on a trip to Toddy Town?"-ing that I can take before I scream. Initially, I thought The Dark Night was a fantasy novel. It is not, though there are elements of magic-realism. TDK is a medieval romance. About a fair lady - and an assassin.

Avalene is the descendan...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Heather Book Savvy Babe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, edelweiss, reading-romances-challenge-2012, review-on-blog, romance

I enjoy reading historical romances, but I was looking for a change. When I saw The Dark Knight was from a medieval time (instead of Regency of Victorian), I was excited to pick it up and give it a try. I am glad I picked this book up, I thoroughly enjoyed the The Dark Knight and I found a new-to-me author to watch.

The Dark Knight is an alluring novel that transports readers into a medieval English world full of deceit, intrigue, romance, and just a hint of magic.

It took me a little bit to reall...more I enjoy reading historical romances, but I was looking for a change. When I saw The Dark Knight was from a medieval time (instead of Regency of Victorian), I was excited to pick it up and give it a try. I am glad I picked this book up, I thoroughly enjoyed the The Dark Knight and I found a new-to-me author to watch.

The Dark Knight is an alluring novel that transports readers into a medieval English world full of deceit, intrigue, romance, and just a hint of magic.

It took me a little bit to really get into this book. The book begins with the King's Assassin, Dante Chiavari, visiting his mentor, a mystical magician who gives Dante his new mission. It took me a bit to understand just who this mystic was to Dante and to the story. As the book continues, it becomes clear, but in the beginning, I was uncertain. The mystic, Mordecai, is a mentor to Dante and also an advisor to the king. Mordecai predicts the future and helps guide it. Dante gets his mission, to kill his enemy in Italy and to abduct a woman to keep her marriage from threatening the King's reign. While I was a bit confused about the mission in the beginning, it proves to be integral to the story. According to Mordecai, Dante's actions and choices on the mission can drastically affect the future for both himself, and for the country.

Dante Chiavari is a dark man, he is a deadly assassin, loyal to King Edward of England. Dante had been wrongly exiled from his home in Italy and was trained by Mordecai to become a killer. For most of his life, Dante's purpose was to destroy the man who murdered his parents and ruined his life. Once Dante accomplishes this, his purpose in life is not as clear. When Dante pretends to be Sir Percival to abduct Avalene de Forshay, the attraction between them is strong and Dante begins to think more on what he wants his future to look like. As for Avalene, she is surrounded by people who only want to use her, for either her beauty or for her lineage. She doesn't know who to trust, and when she learns of "Sir Percival's" betrayal, she doesn't know if she will be able to trust any man again.

Avalene and Dante's relationship develops at a steady pace. They have a definite attraction to each other from the beginning, but they both have doubts and obligations the keep them from falling into a serious relationship. Avalene is betrothed and she believes her father has her best interests in mind, but after absconding with Dante, she realizes that her reputation will be ruined. Dante has to figure out where Avalene would fit into his life, the life of a monster. In the meantime, Avalene's betrothed tries to kidnap her back from Dante and there are significant political implications to whoever Avalene winds up marrying. There is a lot going on in The Dark Knight, plenty of adventure, some sizzling romance, and intrigue that kept my interest throughout the book.

As the story progresses, so do the characters. Avalene discovers that there is more to Dante than a cold-blooded killer, and she begins to see the bigger picture. She looses some of her naivety and learns the value of having faith in the right people. Dante learns to see himself as more than a killer, he begins to see that maybe he can actually find happiness in his life.

The Dark Knight is an excellent read. There is a highly developed plot, with interesting sub-plots and enough intrigue to keep me fully engaged in the story. The romance was excellent, it was believable, tender at times, and also sizzling at times. What really cinched the Dark Knight as a good read for me was the hint of magic that Mordecai the magician brought to the story. I would not classify this book as paranormal by any means, but there is that touch of magic that makes the romance, adventure, and intrigue really stand out.

Readers who like slightly darker romances will really enjoy this book. I recommend The Dark Knight to historical romance readers as well. I am definitely looking forward to read more by Elizabeth Elliott in the future.

*I received this book for review*(less)

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Aug 01, 2012 Belinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book by Elizabeth Elliott. The characters were very believable and interesting. Dante is the oh so handsome male lead who is dangerous, deadly and desirable. Avalene is the innocent, beautiful and virginal woman who captures the man of her dreams. For those who like medieval romance, this is the one for you. Read and you won't be disappointed.

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Feb 18, 2013 Mskchick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I seem to remember her writing being more deft years ago. Several time early in the book there were several information dumps- very awkward.

However, I did enjoy the book, and I hope she writes another one soon!

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Jul 04, 2012 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this book very much. While I thought the middle slowed down (to a halt) it does pick back up at the 67%. Dante is a great hero and I loved Avalene (just not her lip biting quirk). I'm looking forward to the next book. I hope Armand gets a story!

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Jul 21, 2012 Macaron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medieval

4 1/2 *
The hero is truly irrestible. I can understand why the heroine fell for him. And the heroine is intelligent and brave, not one of these silly supposedly stubborn girs who don't want the hero for reasons we can't understand.

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Dec 07, 2012 Hong Yu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

5 stars - Amazing. I was very engrossed in the story, EE's writing is exquisite, her characters are so well developed and feel so real. Love it!

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Jun 28, 2012 Vi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A terrific road/ adventure romance. Very romantic as well. I need to look into her backlist now.

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Jan 29, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, romance, historical

I had to read this book slowly as I enjoyed it so much. It's much like a fairy tale-esk in the over all romance that slowly builds. and as a bonus it's a good guys where black novel.

I'm also biased as I've been in love with the Assassin's Creed games, so an Italian assassin just made my little geek gamer heart swoon.

There is plenty of internal monologue and struggle to keep any reader happy and Dante, while very male isn't the tropey alpha we've all come to expect.

A very fun fluffy read that I w...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Carolyn Crane marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I am really excited to read this book! That's all.

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Feb 17, 2012 yoksan is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical, romance, potential-for-pickup

(Early read. No review 'till officially released.)

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Aug 11, 2012 R Clarke rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was disappointing. Not what I expected.

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Jan 21, 2013 Kathy Roberts rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Average romance novel.

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Jul 18, 2012 Julie Rodriguez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, won

I won this book on goodreads. I was not able to put down this love story. I enjoyed it. New author to me but I will be picking up other books by her. Very well written and it had a great plot. Highly recommend.

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About Elizabeth Elliott

Elizabeth Elliott (born in Fort Worth, Texas as Linda Elliott) is the pseudonym for American romance novel author Linda Crippes. All of her novels are published by Bantam Books, now owned by Random House. In addition to writing, she has held various management positions with Fortune 500 companies and worked as a management consultant for a variety of smaller businesses, specializing in information...more

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Quotes from The Dark Knight

“Her smile turned to one of joy and something he could not quite define. “You really do love me.”
“I do.” He couldn’t help but smile back at her, at the note of wonder in her voice as if she were the lucky one. His finger traced the small dimple in her cheek. “But I doubt you will ever be able to understand how much. My world was a very dark place before you came into it. I am at home in the darkness, and you will likely see traces of it still lingering in the years to come. Intrigues abound in Venice, and I will be vigilant about protecting you. There will likely be times when you see a side of me that is … unpleasant, although hopefully not as unpleasant as the day we encountered the mercenaries.” — 4 people liked it

“A good hunter did not rush into a den of lions unprepared, and Dante was a very good hunter.” — 3 people liked it

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