Megan Clawson comes back with her sophomore novel, Love At First Knight, and once again knocks it out of the park.

High-level, I really liked the characters. I felt like Daisy and Teddy were great MC’s, and their chemistry on page was phenomenal. I found myself rooting for them throughout the entire book. Teddy gave perfect grumpy vibes, but getting to see him deeper you realize he’s not just a grump for grumps sake, and I love that. It helps me feel like I’m able to better connect with characters when there’s more to them then the surface level.

Now, I need to get into Daisy’s story a bit more. She is a nerdy girl that speaks to a lot of our nerdy girl souls, but that’s not all. One thing I love about Megan’s writing, is her ability to so accurately capture mental health struggles. So many times I read a book and the romance is going to be similar to others. And while I thought Daisy and Teddy were so sweet and enjoyable, their romance is really no different. There’s only so many ways you can write a love story (and that’s why we love reading them!). But, Megan makes her stories stand out in the discussion and exploration of mental health struggles in tandem with the love story. Daisy’s anxiety, agoraphobic tendencies (idk if you’d really classify her as having these or if I am just projecting here), and sensory/stimulation issues, really spoke to me. As someone who lived in Paris for a short while and felt how difficult it is for someone with sensory issues to go on public transport, to overcome that fear of dealing with crowds, the scenes where Daisy experienced these issues honestly spoke to me. Additionally, the fear of change she experienced that she felt held her back at the start of the book was so relatable as well. I feel like I’m rambling at this point, but I just know that this story and this characters experiences and struggles really spoke to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a solid 4.75 star read, and also tbh that cover is gorgeous??

It was great to return to the Tower of London with Clawson’s second book, this time with the different perspective of a rural village woman, Daisy, moving to London and encountering the Tower for the first time. The focus is less on the Tower in this book, though we do get sprinklings of history thrown in, which still fascinate me, but we’re seeing more of the Knight school as its own thing. Daisy is such a brave character, battling her anxiety to move across the country on her own and follow a passion, and it was great to see how she reacted to the people and changes about her and to see how overwhelming such things can be, for anyone, but even more so for people fighting against themselves and their body’s reactions.

Now, Teddy was sadly not a character I really liked. Did I empathise with him? Absolutely, growing up in the limelight, constantly hounded by paparazzi and your own family’s expectations can’t be anything but awful, but I just couldn’t really root for him. I felt so bad for Daisy that everything she wanted was at risk because of him (she may want to take some of the blame on herself, but I’ll only allow a smidge!). He was often rude, condescending, and just a real pain. However, these two did have some sweet moments opening up to each other and the few chapters at the end were quite heartwarming. That being said, the star of this show was definitely Daisy. I loved to see her growing confidence as the book progressed, the close bond she had with her family, and how unreservedly herself she was. I also have to give a special shoutout to Bobble because her character was the coolest and reminded me a little of a quirky Londoner flatmate I once had.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Love at First Knight by Megan Clawson was such an enjoyable read! Although I loved Megan's first book, I enjoyed this one so much more! Daisy was so fully developed and knew who she was and was willing to push herself for her job at the Tower of London. Teddy was a spoiled brat who met his match in Daisy, who put him in his place. Great characters made for a fun and interesting novel that had me finishing it well into the night. Kudos! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book definitely wasn’t for me. I didn’t know that this was going to be heavily centred around LARPing, which I didn’t even know the meaning of until I saw some other reviews of this book. It was just…too quirky in my opinion. I found it kinda embarrassing at times so it was pretty hard for me to get through the whole book. I will say that if you don’t mind the LARPing aspect, you could definitely enjoy the story.

I also found that the progress of their relationship was pretty quick and also just not very realistic or believable. I get that this is fiction so there are things that are bound to be a little unrealistic here and there but this was just a bit hard to ignore.

An interesting concept, just not for me at all.

Note: I will be posting my review on Goodreads without a rating until the book is published, as I am aware that some publishers/authors do not want any ratings below 4 stars to be posted before the book is released.

"With only four weeks to show everyone who I am and what I am capable of, I will give everything I have to prove that I am not a failure."

I think this story will be better suited for a different reader. I think for the right romcom reader this will be perfect but it just didn't hit all the marks for me - the writing and dialogue is there but the style of romance was just not for me personally.

The characters I enjoyed and I think there was potential in their individual character development and as the main leads but it was never fully reached. I think the main hiccup for me was that the build up of the romcom was too fast paced. For me, I found myself wanting more romance in the first half, I wanted more of a development so when the second half of the story happened it happened so quick.

I appreciated the viewpoint of a female character that dealt with anxious thoughts and the impacts on day to day life. In addition to featuring a female character whose personality and life revolved around activities and hobbies more dominated by men. However, I just needed something more from the character. I loved the aspects of characters helping her to open up and connect with the female lead through methods that comforted her, but I just wanted these friendships to open up more clearly. The development of friends and siblings moved in the same manner of the relationships, too quickly.

Overall I think this will be the perfect romcom book for those who enjoy a cheesier, fast-paced romance! If you enjoy geeky hobbies, soft romances and commoner x royalty romances this will definitely be for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this eARC, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I quite enjoyed this book! I found the primary and secondary characters charming and fun. The story was heart-warming and very inspiring. I am ALWAYS a sucker for enemies to lovers trope and it was entertaining. I loved Daisy and Teddy's romance. There were moments when it made me chuckle a few times. Daisy's character development is amazing. It's really great to read about her getting out of her comfort zone and challenging herself with new experiences.

I think I preferred her first book, and it was nice to see the characters pop up again, but this is a lovely easy to read rom com that taught me all about LARPing. Love a royalty / celebrity Rom com and this doesn’t disappoint.

I think I love this book so much cause I relate with Daisy way too much (except for the cosplay part). I love every chapter of this book. The insecurity they both faced, how they fell in love, the heartbreaks. Thanks NetGalley and Avon books for the ARC

I loved reading this book, the comedy and romance makes for a heart-warming combination, the addition of the tower of London and 'knights' makes it all the more exciting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Adorable, funny, and top not entertainment! Great tropes like enemies to lovers and forced proximity, the larping setting was extra fun for me, and this book was just a nice romp.

I recommend Love at First Knight to anyone who enjoys any of the following: royal romances, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, larping, the one bed trope.

What a delightful read! The chemistry and banter are delightful, the romance is cute, and the setting is escapist and lovely. Recommend!

This was ADORABLE truly. I loved how hilarious it was, light hearted and fun majority of the time and I truly felt the connection between characters

So first, the book title drew me in and then the book cover was a definite ‘if this is anything to go by, this is a Nicola must read’ and the whole thing was just a beauty. It just made my heart happy and you can’t help but smile like a complete goon because it’s so sweet. It had all the tropes you want in a book!

I understand Daisy so well and she’s so easy to identify with. Especially with us slightly reserved introverts out there. Temporarily moving to London would be terrifying for anyone but getting to experience it with Daisy was great and seeing her grow and flourish honestly made me need tissues at the ready!

Putting yourself out there can be so hard and watching Daisy do that and challenge herself was amazing. It made for such good reading and thrown out of her comfort zone finds Daisy in all sorts of situations she would never have seen herself in. And that’s not to mention a certain royal who seems to be causing her downfall at every turn… safe to say, I LOVED the royal element; it was both frustrating and utterly addictive all at once.

And Bobble’s pure acceptance of Daisy honestly made me want to cry! What a lovely and understanding friend and gah, everyone needs a bobble in their lives. Also, can we make silent Sundays a thing?! And the ending. It was so wholesome I actually wanted to weep tears for year. I mean, what more could you want from a book? it made me feel all the feels.

Not exaggerating when I say contender for favourite book of the year!

I liked Love at first Night, it was a very sweet romance that also touched on neurodiversity, which was done well. I liked both of the main characters and the supporting characters were great too. I read Megan’s first book too, and I loved learning all about the Tower of London.

This hilarious rom-com is like a knight in shining armor for anyone craving a good read. Clawson's clever tale effortlessly mixes humor, history, and badass girl power into a captivating story that pairs perfectly with a glass of wine (or two). With a fearless leading lady and a swoon-worthy love interest, this modern spin on medieval romance will have you hooked. The escapades will transport you to a world of chivalry and courtly love, with a refreshing focus on women's independence. Get ready to have your heart stolen by Love at First Knight.

Love at First Knight is a great read for anyone who loves the enemies to lovers trope. The main character, Daisy, is very shy and hasn't seen much of the world and seems to have a high level of anxiety. That being said, it doesn't stop her from being in charge as her alter ego Lady A, because she loves to LARP, along with her whole family. This love for LARPing is what presents an opportunity to work in London, and in the Tower of London grounds no less. Pushed out of her comfort zone, Daisy ventures to London and overcomes her obstacles to do something she enjoys for fun. That is, until a Viscount gets dropped on her and becomes her responsibility, as well as her arch nemesis.

This book was a sweet, lighthearted read with plenty of detail that made it easy to vividly picture what the author was intending. The main character is unsure of herself and day to day life, let alone the big city of London! I felt you really got to know her and resonate with her as a character. Not to spoil it but the ending was sweet, I only wish that might have been drawn out a little more!

Daisy grew up in a family that loves “LARPing” (Live Action Role Playing). She takes a summer job in London at a Knight school, where she meets Theodore, a member of the royal family.
After just recently reading Spare by Prince Harry, the storyline felt familiar, and I kept picturing Harry as Theodore, which was lovey.
This was a sweet book. I really appreciated that the main character was introverted, quirky, and not your typical rom-com heroine. She dealt with anxiety, but had a brave alter-ago “Lady A” which I loved.
It very much gave me fairytale vibes. Modern day nerdy Cinderella, if you will. Again I love that Megan Clawson went outside the typical rom-com box, and did something different.
I think this book will appeal to a very niche market. Some of the nuances I appreciated and other parts I just felt weren’t necessarily targeted towards me, but could see the draw for a particular market. I am an introvert and somewhat “nerdy” and appreciated the LOTR references etc. However LARP is not something I know anything about, so while I appreciated reading about it, I think if it’s something you are into you- you would LOVE this book.

I wish romance novels came with a spice-o-meter, as I just never know what to expect. This was a zero on the spice- which may help others determine if this is for them or not.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This title will be released April 25, 2024.

3.5 stars from me!

This book was amazing. It was very well written and the plot was well thought out. The banter and romance was very good.

The path of royal love doesn't run smoothly!
I loved Megan's first book and this second one doesn't disappoint. I have to admit that at first I found the details at the start of the book, about Daisy's LARPing a bit intense, but I realised why it was important later, as it the essence of the book.
I love the setting of the Tower of London and the 'real life goofiness' that she gives to all of her characters.
This is a fun, fabulous read with several laugh out loud moments as well as a serious message underneath.