Loved so much. Classic LH . These are the books that i grew up reading and loving. I liked the hero and heroine. Loved the storyline. So many secrets and twists.

Told through flashbacks to five years in the past, Arthur dumped Regina on their wedding day. During those years she wrote a book, My Secret Desires : a Memoir by Anonymous. Everyone is avidly reading it and wondering if Arthur is Lord K, and who is anonymous? Mostly it's a depressing story full of bitterness and anger. A second chance romance that was so slowly plotted I couldn't stay interested.

This book was just so so. I love a historical fiction romance so I was excited to pick it up. It was a quick read but not the best I have read!

Lorraine Heath’s writing is unmatched! I love how she tells a story with such care and this book is no exception. Regina and Knightly are absolutely amazing. The angst and conflict are done in a way where you want the groveling but you understand the circumstances as to why they weren’t together in that particular moment. I recommend reading The Notorious Lord Knightly, as well as the rest of Lorraine Heath’s backlist! Can't wait for the next book in the series! Thanks Avon and Netgalley for the eARC!

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Secret Identity
✔️ Then and Now

I always have to be prepared for emotional damage when picking up a second chance read. I now need to remember to prepare to be devastated when it's a "left at the altar" read. Regina (the jiltee) wrote a salacious book detailing trysts with "Lord K", based on her experience with the Earl of Knightly (the jilter). She did it to put him in her past but all the book did was bring them back into each other's lives.

I loved the story and both characters though it took a long time for me to warm up to Knightly. It helped that he just accepted her anger towards him and tried to make life easier for her.

Reading some of the flashbacks of their courtship was so painful knowing how much Regina suffered during the aftermath of their breakup. One pet peeve I have about second chances was here though, and detracted a little from my enjoyment of the book (no specifics so I won't spoil it). 

However, there were some surprising reveals which boosted my enjoyment of the book. You're left with the feeling like these two have earned their HEA.

While this is book 2 of The Chessman series, it worked well as a standalone (though I do want to go back and read book 1). 

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕

For all the time we've spent with the Chessmen, I really didn't feel like I knew much about Knightly going into this book. Despite that, I really enjoyed this second book in the series. Regina was a spitfire, and I do so love a woman scorned. Were there moments where their internal dialogue felt a little repetitive? Sure, sure. However, these two had chemistry for days and I was into it. I don't always enjoy flashbacks, but these were few enough that they worked for me. You could definitely read this as a standalone if you're a fan of second chance romances, women out for revenge, and animosity that I wouldn't quite label as enemies-to-lovers, but still gives off that vibe.

3.5 stars rounded up

Writing a whole ass book to take a man down? I love the dedication!
This was yet another fun romp in the Chessmen series from Lorraine!

Lorraine Heath never disappoints! This second entry in The Chessmen series is one of a bride having been left at the altar who ultimately seeks her revenge by writing a steamy anonymous novel leaving little doubt who the villain actually represents. But neither Regina nor Lord Knightly have ever really stopped loving each other, and how they find their way back together is a journey well worth taking. Highly recommended.

The best part of this book was the snippets of the scandalous book that the FMC “anonymously” published about the MMC. This was because (1) it was a heck of a lot of fun to see the characters’ reactions and (2) it was a unique way for the reader to get flashbacks into the MCs’ initial relationship. 

Second-chance romances can be difficult to hit just right and in this case, the miscommunication trope didn’t work for me as the main plot device. It weakened relationship with little indication that it would survive long-term. While I was disappointed in the reason for jilting the bride, I was actually quite upset over the quick resolution to the issue. It, along with the MCs actions throughout, was too illogical.

Steam: 🔥

The Notorious Lord Knightly is book 2 in the Chessman series by Lorraine Heath and while part of a series, I thought this could easily be read as a standalone.

The main characters are Regina and Knightly and this fits nicely into the second chance romance trope.  I enjoyed both characters as Heath did a great job of setting the stage with their backstory and tying that into who they are now.  I thought the character development was well done and I love that Regina had the strength and willingness to put the story all out there on her terms.  Of course, she has to scramble a bit but that only means she and Knightly truly get a chance to see who they are now and what that means for each of them.  For Regina, there's a very fine line between love and hate and despite what was in their past, she has to decide if she can trust him again.

If you're looking for a new historical romance to pick up, consider this one.  I always enjoy Heath's stories and this one hit the mark.

Lorraine Heath is an absolute must read historical romance author in my eyes. Heath's writing is beautifully eloquent, her characters are clearly drawn, the pacing is on point, and the romance is beyond swoon-worthy. Heath has a way of centering a romance, swiftly drawing the reader in, and keeping us guessing on how this romance with come to fruition. The Notorious Lord Knightly is a beautiful second chance romance, that features a single mother, and a bit of a class difference (the heroine is an illegitimate daughter of a lord). If you are looking for a beautiful romance between two people who truly love each other despite of past hurts, then look no further than this recent release from Heath!

Lorraine Heath is a true master at her craft. Her writing is elegant and the way she crafts words is stunning and appears effortless. Heath can clearly illustrate what love feels like through her words, she beautifully weaves her words to express longing and passion. Her characters are rich, relatable and understandable. I adored Arthur, the hero, he is swoonworthy and such a cinnamon roll. Watching him love Regina from afar and fall head over heels for her daughter broke my heart. I love that he is so consistent in how he sees Regina, how he respects her and how he only wants what is best for her. I found Regina to be such a strong and wonderfully independent heroine. I love how she takes her life in her own hands and I love watching her fall back in love with Arthur. The depth of their feelings are so beautifully explored through their interactions, the care they show the other, and the understanding and trust they have and are rebuilding. 

The chemistry and tension sizzles between Arthur and Regina, and Heath builds the sensuality of their relationship steadily throughout the novel. I love that we get insights into their past relationship through the Novel inserts (written by Regina) at the top of each chapter. This gives the reader a clear understanding of the sweetness of first love, the sensuality of first romance, and the trust of a young and innocent relationship. Because we have these small insights, Heath can slowly rebuild their relationship before they reenter into a physical relationship. Their relationship at every stage is so romantic and endearing. 

The Notorious Lord Knightly is an absolute must read in my eyes! If you are a historical romance lover, if you are a Lorraine Heath lover, then you absolutely must do yourself a favor and read this romance!

Middle lagged a bit, but overall an enjoyable HR for me.

The way Knight and Regina untangled their past full of hurts and miscommunication was beautiful and satisfying. (Knight left her at the alter right before their wedding.) There is a reason, but I actually wish it was more of an internal reason instead of an external conflict. It was out of his control, mostly, and I think the story would have been that much more compelling if the reason for the betrayal was more straightforward.

(I recently read "Not Quite a Husband" by Sherry Thomas, so that may be influencing me, I admit. The reasons for hero being a jerk in that story are more fraught and less straightforward, which I appreciated.) 

Anyway, Regina's child, who she has to keep secret since she was born out of wedlock, was a tender part of the story for me. Regina wants her daughter to have the best life possible, and because she herself was an illegitimate daughter, she knows how difficult it may be for society to accept her.

I was so disappointed with the last Chessman book that I had a bit of anxiety when I first started this one since Ms Heath is one of my favorite authors. I’m glad to say the that I’m right back to loving this series and really enjoyed the story of Arthur (Knightly) and Regina. Even though the mystery of why Knightly jilted Regina was fairly easy to figure out I liked the journey getting there.   Both of our MCs have baggage that is none of  their fault Regina is the illegitimate Child of an Earl and his actress mistress. Although raised with love and support from her father, she has never been accepted into society. Knightly was the spare until his beloved brother died in a riding accident when they were young and his father never got over the fact that he would now inherit the title. When Knightly and Regina first meet at her coming out ball it’s love at first sight and all seems perfect until Knightly jilts her practically at the altar. The book opens 5+ years after occurrence and with the talk about  going about town about who is the mysterious writer of a salacious “memoir” with a character by the name Lord K that everyone assumes is Knightly. Did Regina write this book? And Why.  What unfolds is a beautiful reconnection and 2nd chance love story of two people that were meant to be together but were forced part by choices that should never have had to have been made.  I really, really enjoyed watching these two fall back in love and finally get there HEA.  I was kindly given a ARC of this book by NetGallery for my unbiased review

As always, I’m in awe of Lorraine Heath’s world building, of her ability to write wonderful, realistic characters and to make me love them to bits!
First of all, let me say that this book has all the tropes that I personally dislike most, starting with second chance (I won’t reveal the other, because it would be a spoiler). Nonetheless I’ve been following this series and the previous one from the very start and I wouldn’t have missed this book for the world! And I must say that the author made an awesome job at captivating me and at making me forget my dislike, albeit temporarily (ha ha). The “trick” of the Anonymous’s book bits at the beginning of each chapter is a stroke of genius! But the angst! So much angst that I thought I couldn’t bear it! Thankfully the HEA is guaranteed or I would have died reading it!
So, on to the last Chessman. I’m sure the book will be a treat like the previous ones!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Lorraine Heath. Knightly and Regina are both such amazing leads. Their story is written with characters who have passion, depth, and wonderful dialogue. Their chemistry made the page sizzle and come alive to the point I was hooked from page one. The plot flows seamlessly and it's full of humor, passion, pain, and love, a love so deep and complete that our leads compliment and grow together.

The Notorious Lord Knightly is easily 5⭐/5⭐, I totally recommend this book.

I just reviewed The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath. #TheNotoriousLordKnightly #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this second chance romance. I loved how the hero Knight wanted to make sure the heroine was getting what she deserved by giving her gifts even when she didn’t notice. However my favorite part about this book was the discussions about romance books. It definitely added that extra bit of feminism that I really appreciated. I was more interested in the feminism in this book than the romance, however I wasn’t disappointed in the romance.

Once again, Heath has hit it out of the park with The Notorious Lord Knightly.  LH draws you in from the very first page, making this book very hard to put down.

This book combines two of my favorite tropes - fake dating and second chance romance. The book centers around two characters who are both harboring secrets-one about family and the other about their identity.  The hero is an Earl with a pristine reputation.  The heroine is an illegitimate daughter who is also a budding romance novelist.  They pretend to get back together to salvage their reputations, only to fall in love at the end.

LH knows how to write a swoon worthy hero who will do anything to protect his mother and the woman he loves.  LH takes the reader to next level escapism by making the hero so amazingly perfect - think Rege-Jean Page in written form.  I also love the fact that LH wrote a romance novel that features a romance novel writer as the heroine - how meta 👏🏽

Main point:  run out to buy this book, you will not be disappointed!

⭐️🔥I Absolutely loved this story although I am not surprised at all as Lorraine Heath literally can’t write anything but amazing stories!🔥⭐️

This is book two in her “The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction Series”  and it is set in London during the late 1800’s - if you haven’t read book one of this series you can read this story as a standalone although I always recommend starting with the beginning.  If you have read “The Duchess Hunt” which is book two in Heath’s “Once Upon A Duke Series” then you will have previously met The Chessman - and now we watch them all “fall to their Queen” just like all the other pieces in the great game!  Again, you don’t have to have read any other books to fully enjoy this story. 

So one of the things I absolutely love about Heath’s writing is you can never really be sure your first impression of a character is going to be right and while you know there will be a happily ever after the reader is never 100% sure how the two main characters will get there!  These two factors make Heath’s books highly entertaining page turners that are packed with romance and passion!  

The MCs in this story are two that have met before … Arthur, Earl of Knightly and Miss Regina Leyland … in-fact 5-years prior to this story Knightly left Regina at the alter,  If that doesn’t quite intrigue you enough Regina went after revenge and attempted to ruin Knightly by revealing a secret; However, this plot backfired and leads her to back to Knightly for help.  What more could a romance plot ask for?? I know, how about the revelation from Knightly about what really happened on the fateful day 5-years prior.  Is the explanation enough? This will be a highly personal response for each reader and the entire story evokes very strong emotions.  

This book has it all including deep betrayal, life lessons, anger, mistrust, secrets, characters that are perfectly imperfect and make decisions they come to regret, chemistry, falling in love (again), unrepentant passion and a heroine who isn’t afraid or ashamed to give into desire, sex, an exploration of mistresses versus wives in the nobility and the purposes of both, and of course a happily ever after! ❤️😍 Let’s not forget the perfect epilogue!! 

The tropes included in this story are jilted bride, Unexpected Title, Hero Falls First,  Ruined, Secret Job, Second Chance, Secret Baby, and fake romance to real. 

I can highly recommend this book. I can’t wait for the next book of the series! 

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 3.5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥 | Top Contender for 2023 🏆🏆


📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this #book from Avon and Harper Voyager publishing via #Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review. Reviews are cross-posted to social media, goodreads, and blog. 🦄
@avonbooks @HarperCollins
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The Notorious Lord Knightly. Well this story was totally not what I expected to be. I don’t know if it’s from the overwhelming joy of a father connecting with his child or the steamy hot spring express, that the main characters graciously shared with their readers? Let me just say that it was a lot from both points. This story is amazing. 
I think that you should take sometime to read this book. It touches on so many levels. The ones that stands out the most to me are one’s confidence and the willingness to sacrifice one’s own happiness to see the one you love safe, happy and possibly in love. The plot is truly amazing and such a joy to read. Of course Arthur and Regina’s goals didn’t move in the same direction of the plot. 
Through a lot of upheaval and hard issues started to be addressed that’s where the good times begins with some fun under the sheets. The issues that I thought were good page turners are when the family drama, and past regrets are addressed by some characters that Arthur and Regina shared their emotions with. Then there were some adversaries that Arthur wanted to kill on sight. Good versus evil is always a great page turner for any book. These moments are exciting as well. 
The entertainment comes when Arthur and Regina spar between each other endlessly. Could this be because the two have so much venom for each other or are there secrets that they withhold from each other? Are these secrets to hard to share and can they find a way to share them? The narrative is clear and simple to read. You will not find words to stumble over or the need to look up for definition of meaning. 
The details and descriptions are explained very well. Giving you some wonderful visuals to expand on your  imagination. The passion and romance fans the flames that ignite so much gratification from one lick of a man’s tongue. I give this book two snaps and a, Arthur can your tongue come out and play? Until next time my fellow readers. Read on! 
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Another amazing title by my favorite author. This series continues with mystery and suspense as the previous book! I love that Lorainne creates amazing real-life-like characters! I loved the heroine, she was so devilish and thirsty and knew how to get revenge! Well done to you! girl!