Return of the Knight

Gentlemen of Knights #8

by Elizabeth Johns

How can a reclusive earl convince the woman that he loves to give him chance?

Orphaned as a child and raised by her uncle, Rose Sutton has spent the last five years helping him with her cousins and the parish while eagerly awaiting her sweetheart’s return from the army. However, when it becomes clear her beau is not coming back, and her uncle decides to marry the meddlesome village busybody, Rose is desperate to leave.

Gabriel Lloyd, Earl Mottram, is more suited to shadows and secrecy than glittering ball rooms, but he steels himself to return to England to fulfill his duties—which include finding a wife. The need to provide an heir is increasingly pressing since his cousin is a rake and a blackguard. On his first day in Nottinghamshire, Gabriel sees Rose Sutton and knows she is the one for him.

Unfortunately, she does not care for him. How can he convince her he is not the cold, arrogant man she believes him to be?

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Gentlemen of Knights
Duke of Knight
Black Knight
Knight and Day
Dark of Knight
Shining Knight
Dangerous Knight
Lord of the Knight
Return of the Knight

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2023

About the author

Like many writers, Elizabeth Johns was first an avid reader, though she was a reluctant convert. It was Jane Austen's clever wit and unique turn of phrase that hooked Johns when she was "forced" to read Pride and Prejudice for a school assignment. She began writing when she ran out of her favorite author’s books and decided to try her hand at crafting a Regency romance novel. Her journey into publishing began with the release of Surrender the Past, book one of the Loring-Abbott Series. Johns makes no pretensions to Austen’s wit but hopes readers will perhaps laugh and find some enjoyment in her writing.
Johns attributes much of her inspiration to her mother, a retired English teacher. During their last summer together, Johns would sit on the porch swing and read her stories to her mother, who encouraged her to continue writing. Busy with multiple careers, including a professional job in the medical field, author and mother of small children, Johns squeezes in time for reading whenever possible.

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2*STARS*
Major Gabriel Lloyd has returned to Edwinstowe after ten years as a spy for the Crown to take his place as the Earl of Mottram. He's not sure of his reception since his father was labeled a thief of honor and decency.
Rose Sutton is twenty-four and lives with her family in Edwinstowe. Gabriel shows up at the assembly, but only dances with Rose, then leaves. Rose would make a perfect wife, but Gabriel has no idea how to court the lady. A trip to London for the season, brings good news for Rose, but worries for Gabriel. He has his hands full to win Rose and keep his cousin in line. Ladies should always take a second look at the quiet ones!
Clean romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a wonderful time reading this story. The characters were all amazing. They made the story all the more believable. Mainly Gabriel and Rose. Not to say that Rose’s cousins slash siblings didn’t have a helping hand with it. I rather thought that they did a fantastic job in the humorous parts of the book. I absolutely loved the romance between Rose and Gabriel. It reminded me of lost love. Reading how Gabriel and Rose find their way back to one another is beautiful and the best parts of book. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on.

[Ashley Lavering · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

I enjoyed this story. It was sweet. The enemy to lovers theme was softly in here due to misunderstanding his character. It was a nice story. Clean romance

[🦉Maggie Whitworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Always a very readable author, this series is a great way to pass time .
I enjoyed it thoroughly, wonderful characters and great stories from Elizabeth, that always hold my attention and inspire me to read more from this genre.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

[Shawna Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was probably my favorite read of the month! I just adore Ms. Johns's stories and this one had its own special charm.

What I really enjoyed:
-Pride and Prejudice Vibes
-Grumpy/Sunshine Trope
-Forced Proximity
-Matchmaking family
-Sweet Romance

This is a great book to lose a few hours to in a day and you'll have a big smile on your face when you finish

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return of the Knight by Elizabeth Johns is a very low-key romance, which is not to say it was not a good read. Gabriel Lloyd, Earl of Mottram has returned to Arden Hall after ten long years away. He was a shy man and nervous for the reaction to his return. His father had been embroiled in a scandal and he had helped bring it to light. He had learned to be secretive and it was doing him no good now. He had been lurking in the village for several days but the time had come for him to return home and become the man he was destined to be. On his way he saw the most beautiful young woman he had even seen, Rose, and moments later heard a scream. It turned out to be a young boy, her brother, who had fallen out of a tree and dislocated his shoulder, something he could remedy. He forced himself to attend the assembly the next evening, saw her again, danced with her, and then, uncomfortable with the crowd, strode out of the hall, embarrassing her. The next day he had several callers, including her father, who was the local vicar. He was invited to dinner. A family dinner, better, but still difficult. He had already decided he wanted her as his wife, but he was unable to be charming enough to win her.

Gabriel is “blessed” with an affliction that is part and parcel to many people: he is an introvert. Charming when he is comfortable, but he is so seldom comfortable. How is he to convince her when she can barely tolerate him? Plus, he wants her to choose him, not be stuck with him. He doesn’t want a marriage of convenience. Fortunately, he has plenty of help, including the poor people on his estate, with her soft heart being pierced as he figures out ways to help them. Rose is as beautiful and kind as she can be. She is the niece of the vicar, not his daughter, and that causes some heartache as the truth becomes apparent. It is a nice, quiet romance. No kidnappings, unruly trysts in gardens during a ball, or untoward behavior on the part of any principal characters. I enjoyed it very much.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Return of the Knight by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #ElizabethJohns #ReturnOfTheKnight

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the eight book of the series and although I haven't read series from the beginning, I had no trouble reading this as a standalone. Gabriel Lloyd, Earl of Mottram, has returned home after years of being away. He now needs to fulfill his duties to marry and provide an heir. He is a shy man and an introvert, and he was nervous to return home because of the scandal his father had been caught up in. Gabriel has spent these past years in the army as a spy for the Crown, trying to redeem his family name. Rose was orphaned as a child and has been living with her uncle and helping him take care of her cousins as well as giving her time in the community.
Gabriel has no idea how to court a lady, but when he meets Rose, he is immediately taken with her. But Rose sees him only to be cold and arrogant, and does not care to spend time with him. Because of his introvert nature, Gabriel is uncomfortable in most situations and is often misunderstood. But if he wants to win over Rose and make her his wife, he must rally all his courage and follow his heart. It also doesn't hurt when he gets some intervention from those who care for him and Rose.
This was a well-written, slow burn romance, and I enjoyed seeing Gabriel and Rose grow closer as they began to understand each other more. The characters were well-crafted and I immediately fell in love with them. A tender, warm, and sweet romance between two people who were very well suited for each other.
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orphaned as a child and raised by her uncle, Rose Sutton has spent the last five years helping him with her cousins and the parish while eagerly awaiting her sweetheart’s return from the army. However, when it becomes clear her beau is not coming back, and her uncle decides to marry the meddlesome village busybody, Rose is desperate to leave. Gabriel Lloyd, Earl Mottram, is more suited to shadows and secrecy than glittering ball rooms, but after a decade in the army he steels himself to return to England to fulfill his duties. The need to provide an heir is increasingly pressing since his cousin is a rake and a blackguard. On his first day in Nottinghamshire, Gabriel sees Rose Sutton and knows she is the one for him.
The eighth book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. A well written slow burn romance, which was well paced & had strong relatable characters. I really liked both Gabe & Rose, he outwardly seems unapproachable & quiet but as Rose finds out appearances can be deceptive. I loved their journey to a HEA with no misunderstandings but two people getting to know each other & fall in love. There was some drama concerning Gabe’s heir. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when Gabe told Rose’s uncle & his new wife that he wished to marry Rose.
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return of the Knight is a well-written, warmhearted, and tender romance, which kept me glued to my Kindle right to the closing chapter. Both the Earl of Mottram and Miss Rose Sutton live under a cloud of disgrace and whilst Gabriel tried to redeem his family name by carrying out the less savory missions that helped to overcome the French in the war against Napoleon, Rose cared for and nurtured her cousins and less fortunate members of her community. The initial meeting between the main characters fizzled out like a damp squib and the second led to something of a disaster, but the man who was willing to stare death in the face discovers the following his heart takes all his courage. When Rose's circumstances take an abrupt turn, her only recourse is to accept the invitation extended to her and go to London to finally take part in a season, where even more surprises awaited her. With the intervention of those that cared most for them, Gabriel and Rose manage to overcome their misgivings, even though an unscrupulous character did try and throw a spanner in the works. The novel is part of a series but is nevertheless a standalone and comes to a delightful conclusion. I received a copy of the novel as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

This was the first book in the series that I read but I don't think that was a problem. I'm guessing some of the couples we meet had stories in other books, but I don't feel like I had to have read those books in order to following what was occurring in this book (although now I do want to go back and find some of those books). I liked Gabriel and Rose right away and enjoyed watching their relationship evolve as the story went on. I also loved that he wasn't pushy in trying to gain her attention - if anything, he was almost too understated in his feelings. I also really liked that this was just a sweet romance; no big drama, no misunderstandings. There a little bit of drama involving Bertie, but that never took over the story too much. Gabe's proposal/expression of love was so sweet and it was good to have Rose finally get to know what we as readers had known all along. Much like Rose, I would have liked to have been there when her new stepmother found out she was engaged to Gabe. I liked the way Rose's relationship with her grandparents was handled. It happened quickly, but it wasn't as though Rose just immediately forgave them for the past.

[Linda J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 STARS

Very slow burn on romance. It wasn't until almost the end that they declared their feelings, and only after being pushed.

The beginning was sweet how they met. They both love the country life but must go to London for the season. He wants to give returning soldiers work in the country so his visit is twofold. He knows he must find a wife and knows it is our h. She doesn't feel the same and he knows this. He dislikes being in crowds, his true self is hidden from her.

I wanted the author to give us more info on the lives of the soldiers who were hired and having to move to the country. Plus how did her siblings fare with a stepmother who was anything but warm. Did her father regret marrying the woman?

This is a standalone story with only a few passionate kisses. Even though romance was on the back burner, they did mesh as a couple.

One nasty villain who causes trouble here and there. No cheating, no cliffhanger, HEA and clean. Little on suspense, but does have a twist for our h.

I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you some other tidbits to decide whether to purchase. (ljb)

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can Gabriel get his Happily Ever After?

Gabriel Lloyd is Maria’s brother. He has spent the last several years working for Wellington and trying to clear the family name of the shadows cast upon it by the actions of his father years ago - these were brought to light in previous books.

Rose Sutton has grown up in the village near Gabe’s home and has known his family since childhood.

She grew up in the home of her uncle the vicar but was in fact his niece (her mother was the vicar’s sister). We eventually learn about the truth of her father and his place in society as the story progresses.

Gabe is awkward in polite society and therefore comes across as cold and remote.

Rose realises that this is not the case and the two gradually fall in love.

Bertie (Rose’s former love and Gabe’s cousin and heir) suddenly reappears and turns out to be a thoroughly nasty piece of work and there are several instances where Rose and Gabe have to overcome the problems Bertie causes before they can get to their happy ending.

I have real enjoyed this series and will be looking for more of Elizabeth Johns books in the future

[Zulmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slow burn which I do enjoy. I like how both characters truly wanted to know more and understand each other without jumping to conclusions about who they thought the other person was supposed to be. Rose & Gabe are a perfect fit. I really liked Gabe as a male character since he wasn’t overly happy and confident with maintaining or initiating conversations which I can relate to. He was more quiet in his approach.

I knew Bertie was going to be trouble from the start so I was not surprised at all with all the things he tried to pull.

Mind you, I haven’t read from this author before or the other previous 7 books on this series but I was able to follow along just fine but I’ll probably go back and read the rest.

Overall good story with enjoyable characters and side characters. A bit predictable and slow but it is what it is.

Thanks to Net-Galley for the e-arc of Return of the Knights.

[Ann Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was wonderful. I liked the personality of both characters. Together they make a good couple with an engrossing story. I really understood Gabe because I am also not a smiley, happy social person. Rose was a lovely person with a caring heart. Nothing overly dramatic or great action throughout the story, but it was well-written and held my attention. There is only a subtle bit of passion and love, but it is there and it works well with the characters and story.
Definitely a book and series I will read again.
I received this book from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an honest review.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabriel Lloyd ,Earl of Mottram spent his years in the Army among secrets and shadows. Scandal and treachery are attached to his family name. Now it's time to come out of the shadows and start his own family . 

Miss Rose Sutton was taken in by her aunt and uncle as a child and brought up as their own.  A happy and full life in the countryside, until a secret is revealed.  

Fabulous characters make this a very entertaining read. It's part of a series where you will have met some of the characters before, but each one can be read on it's own.  

Good fun. 

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

What a good novel! I liked how well written it is , the characters - Gabriel is finally getting out of the shadows to shine! - with depth of feelings. Once again Ms. Johns creates a scene where honor is esteemed and love triumphs. Such strong Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth vibes but with an incredible “Darcy’s” POV!!! The author’s style always makes me think of Jane Austen’s a bit so it was fun to see this classic grumpy/sunshine relieved.
The story is well-developed, well-written and very engaging.

[Luci Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

clean romance

Excellent book and series! Brothers in arms and finding their better halves.

I enjoy the author’s style of writing with great characters and strong plots.

The hero struggles with shyness and feelings of unworthiness despite his kind heart and duty to country and others.

The heroine is kind and also struggles with rumors that are false.

The tale of the two as they find themselves as well as the treasure they have in each other.

As a good writer it is sad when a book ends… this holds true with this.

[Jessica's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classy historical romance with a charm that tunnels under your skin pressuring the reader to root for the love interests to work out. A social country lady meets a reserved grumpy Earl. It has meet-cute moments, vulnerability, and scandal.

Elizabeth Johns created a clean romance with the feel of Pride and Prejudice but with the perspective of Mr. Darcy.

Everything also is a little bit brighter in the world with happy endings. Highly recommend to any age group.

I received this ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

[Texastwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose Sutton is awaiting something that is not coming. Gabriel Lloyd is wanting to change her outlook.
I found this book original and wonderfully written. I had forgotten about this series until the middle to the end where she reminds us of other characters. So having said that you don't need to read other books in this series to know whats going on.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book

[Jeanie's Kindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a man of few words before the war and then working as a spy for Wellington for ten years had given him a aloof air. He was prone to observe from the shadows. Gabe was stoic even as a child. Due to inherent a title and wealth, he had always known he was responsible for others.
Rose was orphaned at a very young age. Her uncle, the vicar raised her as his own child. She was considered the oldest of his six children. She was his sisters child and they were both children of a viscount.

[Berly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final book in the Gentlemen of Knights series. It is a kisses only Regency Era romance. It contains a standalone story but much of the background of the main characters is given in the previous 2 books. This one didn't focus as much on the war. So I appreciated that aspect. I think I ended up liking the end of this series better than the beginning.

Alex Wyndham read the audiobook and he made this male main character very breathy.

[Penny Cardwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!!!!!

Elizabeth Johns is one of my favorite authors. Her stories are rich in history and pull the reader in....making us part of the story where we bond with the characters. I've read or listened to all the earlier books in this series and loved every one. I'm thinking this might be my favorite. But I said that about all the others too.

[Connie Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand!

As I knew it would be! Wow! I could not put it down once I started it. This whole series has been a true delight to read. I loved some of ghe characters from earlier books and loved hearing from them again. So very good, and I highly recommend this book and series!

[Connie Skief · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story of overcoming the past for both

And embracing the future. Heartwarming, sweet, interesting, and as good as the rest of the series. He is a quiet strong ex soldier and she an outspoken preacher daughter. Highly recommended for all readers.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet

This book was lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed this entire series and loved this story. It was very sweet and I read it in one setting

[Nena · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it

Interesting story and very romantic. I’m glad I decided to buy this book even though I have so many books waiting in the cue.

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Knight story.

Very sweet to see the characters unfold to find the cold outer appearance was just a facade of the truly shy personality.

[Dorothey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return of the Knight

I really enjoyed this story. Five stars, I liked the way the story flowed and it held my interest. Enjoy.

[Kathy Brickert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This is Maria's brother Gabriel's story! I love this series and how we see each member in the company of spies find their HEA! Great read!

[Trudy Fagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

True love is worth the wait!

A very good book about good people getting what they deserve. Many interesting characters, especially the main characters. I recommend it!!!