Review: Tempting the Knight by Annette McCleave

Title: Tempting the Knight

Author: Annette McCleave

Genre: Historical Romance {Time of the Crusades}
Publisher: Self-Pub?
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Heat Rating: 3/5

~*~Book Blurb~*~

Rolfe de Miron has returned home after five long years on crusade. Time and experience have changed him, but he's still bitter over the scandalous actions of his young wife, Melissande, who painfully betrayed him. But she's his wife, he needs an heir, and the years have added tantalizing new depth to her beauty. What's a righteous man to do?

Melissande is a foolish girl no longer. She has made every effort to redeem herself since the scandal, and her tireless labors have earned her the respect of Rolfe's people-including his mother. Yet Rolfe sees none of her hard work, only her failings. The only common ground they have is a very heated mutual attraction. What's a determined wife to do?

I'm very happy to have stumbled upon this little gem! In about 25K words, author Annette McCleave certainly pulled off a fabulous historical romance with a great romantic storyline!

Setting: Chateau Miron, France, 1254

This is the story of a young wife and husband, separated shortly after marriage by the events surrounding The Crusades and finally having an opportunity to learn about one another after five years of separation. There is, however, a catch. Scandal and hurt was introduced to the new marriage shortly after hero, Rolfe, leaves for the Crusades. When he returns, his simmering loathing of his beautiful wife returns and grows due to the fact that he begrudgingly realizes how much his body still reacts to the site of her, as well as discovering that he still has deep feelings for her, despite his not wanting to admit to them.

The characters are definietly three-dimensional as they reminisce about the old times and begin to discover and create the new. The plot is centered around overcoming the obstacles that started out in the young marriage then further marred by time and war. The hero is no longer skinny, shy, and timid, but sexy, dominate, and hard (maybe pun intended *g*). His wife Mellisande, finds this new look of her husband quite pleasing and wants nothing more than to find her place in their marriage bed once again. But it's just not that easy. 

"Wife or not, desiring her felt remarkably like sinning."

Even though Rolfe finds the new devastatingly luscious curves of his wife enticing beyond words, he has no intention of being humiliated and hurt once again. However, he is determined to produce an heir. Reluctantly he sets out to just that. But he's no longer timid and shy, and his bedding is not either. Something of which only encourages the enormous desires and longing between the two, for she meets him with just as much enthusiasm and determination as he deals out. Both are quite pleased -- and irritated -- by the "newness" of their spouse.

As I said, this is story of a marriage strugling to survive with two strong, likeable characters learning about one another again. After all, they are no longer young, innocent, and naive. They have grown in both body and spirit, but still harbor past memories -- both good and bad, that aids to the unraveling of the plot and charcter growth. The heartfelt moments are beautifully articulated and even managed to bring a slight mist to my eye.

In addition to a fabulous cast of characters, Annette McCleave wove in so much fantastic historical venicular as well as historical mentalities and setting aspects, that it was easy to get transported back in time.

For the deal of only $0.99, this is a novella I highly recommend to any historical romance fan looking for a quick, romantic, well plotted and executed, and very sexy read! Enjoy!

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