Actual rating 3.5⭐

Lady's Knight is a riot of fun! Kaufman and Spooner write spunky characters with loads of heart and bravery.

I really enjoyed listening to this story. It reminded me a bit of a Knights Tale, but with spunky fmcs slaying the night in a legendary-esque medieval Europe. If you're looking for a My Lady Jane fix, this one is for you; featuring queer girls who fall in love, a secret identity, jousting matches, and a fire breathing dragon.

*review cross posted in audio format*

This book was definitely a slow read for me. While I enjoyed the story in the end I just couldn’t get into the story.

Oh my god, Lady's Knight was SO much fun to read. A love a good sapphic story but the voice itself was so charming.

What absolutely fabulous book! It was so much fun to read! This was so fun and charming! A medieval sapphic romance between a knight and a lady is just such a good premise.

I really enjoyed this one. I am not a huge teen romance reader, despite being a teen librarian who has to order this stuff all day long. But this one caught my eye and then held my attention. It's a great blend of light, medieval romp paired with more contemporary humor and a super cute sapphic romance. Definitely a recommended add the collection for some cute, fantasy-lite LGBTQIA+ rep.

Lady's Knight is a perfect queer medieval romp! A blacksmith's daughter pretends to be a knight to enter a jousting tournament (tournament is men-only) and teams up with the lady who is meant to be the tournament prize. The characters were hilarious, and I had so much fun with this one. Dragons, knights, and taking down the patriarchy! This will be one that I re-read for giggles. Thanks to Amie Kaufman, Netgalley, and Harper Collin's Children's for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.

This book has everything: girls with swords, dragons with opinions, flirtation by jousting, fourth wall breaks, and enough queer glory to make King Arthur personally weep into his goblet.

Lady’s Knight is a sapphic medieval rom-com romp of the highest order. Imagine if A Knight’s Tale and She-Ra had a baby, raised it on feminist rebellion and snark, and gave it a tiara that doubles as a weapon. That’s the vibe.

Gwen is a blacksmith’s daughter with knightly dreams and excellent taste in women. Isobelle is a royal “grand prize” who is absolutely not about to be handed off like a sparkly sack of potatoes. When these two team up to beat the system—complete with armor disguises, fake identities, and a tournament full of Very Dumb Men™—it’s game over for the patriarchy and game on for feelings no one was ready for.

This book is funny in that delicious, wink-at-the-reader kind of way, but it also punches you in the heart when you least expect it. The chemistry is off the charts, the banter is elite, and the feminist undertones are served with the subtlety of a flaming sword crashing through a stained-glass window.

If you’re into chaotic queer heroism, royal schemes, romance that blooms behind steel helmets, and epic quests where the real treasure is the ladies we kissed along the way, then Lady’s Knight is your next must-read.

I absolutely loved the ride that is Lady's Knight! It's a perfect blend of seriousness, goofy hijinks, loveable fleshed out characters and just everything I love in a book (lady knights, evil dragons, doofus love interests, the super 'innocent' character, etc.)

Think of the Knights Tale but gender switched with the witty writing of Lady Jane. I dare you to not enjoy this story. It is very much still relevant to our patriarchal society today and those that want to continue to restrict women's rights. And of course. Who does not like a good romance.

I really enjoyed this. Granted, I tend to enjoy most everything from this duo, so I'm not shocked that I liked this book. I loved the tension and the banter between the characters---the humor was really engaging and felt natural. The asides from the narrator were an intriguing addition, and I actually really liked them. It added a quirkiness to the story that fit and felt like a part of the reading experience. This book was just a solid, well-written time, with good pacing and fun characters. I really enjoyed this book and I definitely think a lot of our patrons will love this book, too!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I think the romance between Gwen and Isobelle was soo cute! I loved how Isobelle gradually realises her feelings for Gwen, and how understanding and caring she is when Gwen opens up to her. However, I wasn't completely sold on their relationship? I don't feel like their relationship had a lot of depth, outside the high stakes of the tournament that brought them together.

My favourite parts were all the references to modern stuff! I personally love the juxtaposition of modern culture in the medieval setting, although there were a lot of references to French stuff, like the characters were eating croissants and drinking champagne, which isn't a bad thing. But since the characters are from different places, including France, Norway(?) and North Africa, shouldn't there be more be references to non-French cultures?

While I enjoyed the modern writing style, there were these short interlude chapters that would occur every once in a while, in which an unnamed omniscient narrator would jump in to set the scene, or provide fourth-wall breaking commentary. I suppose it makes sense to do so, as this book is a satire of sorts about subverting medieval fantasy tropes, but honestly, I was not into it. These "interludes" threw me out of the flow of the story, and I eyerolled at some of the commentary. Like, you don't have to keep hinting that something dramatic is gonna happen, let me read on and find out for myself!!!

Maybe other readers would get on better with this book than I did, but I think in this case this book just wasn't for me.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a gifted physical ARC. My opinions are my own.

Synopsis: The queer feminist take of A Knight’s Tale that we didn’t know we needed.

Read this for:
- common born female masquerading as a noble knight
- dragon
- a lady in need of rescue
- a lady’s maid who has way too much knowledge to be JUST a maid
- dancing lessons
- only one barn loft

My thoughts: I was absolutely delighted in reading this story. Gwen is a freaking icon and Isobelle is amazing (her character growth is stunning). Yes this has the kind of vibes of A Knight’s Tale, with the irreverent humor, lackadaisical adherence to medieval realities, and of course it’s hilarious and the banter is witty, but it’s also an anti-patriarchy story because the men? For the most part they are less.

Highly recommend!!!

I actually bought a copy of this while abroad in London. I love anything that has to do with medieval history, and when you add sapphic relationships and fantasy to that, it just makes it 10x better. I love the rise of female knights in recent book releases and this was no different. The characters were so dynamic, the plot was engaging, and I had such a good time with this.

A fierce and fun romp of a book that is a great way to kick off any and all sapphic knight summer activities.

This book was funny, lighthearted, easy reading that didn't really push any new boundaries but was a fun historical romance that I enjoyed my time with - the only reason it receives a slightly lower rating is because this book felt so long and I started to drag my feet towards the end.

I loved our main character, gwen, so much and the focus on platonic and romantic relationships was very special. only note: more dragon please.

BUT this did feel like it was setting up for a sequel mayhaps and I would be so down for more of these characters!

Book Review of Lady's Knight by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Cover Story: Seriously?
BFF Charms: Heck Yes x 2
Talky Talk: Seriously Funny
Bonus Factors: Dragons, Awesome Grown-Ups
Anti-Bonus Factor: Compulsive Heterosexuality
Relationship Status: Accept My Favor

Cover Story: Seriously?
This is a perfect depiction of Isobelle and Gwen, down to the expression of disbelief on Gwen’s face as she looks at Isobelle.

The Deal:
Lady Isobelle of Avington has been ordered by her guardian to marry whichever knight wins this year’s “Dragonslayers’ Tournament”. She’s not thrilled to be their sports trophy, to say the least. At the same time, blacksmith’s daughter Gwen longs to prove that she can wield the armor and weapons she forges as well as any man, and that the legends of chivalry her mother taught her are not entirely baseless. The solution, at least in Isobelle’s mind, is obvious: why can’t Gwen disguise herself as a knight, win the tournament, and forfeit the “prize”, leaving Isobelle happily single?

It’s the perfect plan, except for some minor details. Firstly, for a commoner like Gwen, impersonating a noble is punishable by death. Secondly, Isobelle had no idea until now that girls in armor are her type. And thirdly, “Dragonslayers’ Tournament” is just a name, isn’t it? There hasn’t been a dragon in this county for centuries … right?

BFF Charm: Heck Yes x 2
Isobelle and Gwen are both great heroines with much more to them than society sees. Gwen is a tough, no-nonsense smith, but also secretly a dreamer. Isobelle, while she might look like a typical spoiled rich girl, is both smarter and more vulnerable than she appears. Think Keladry from Protector of the Small meets Elle from Legally Blonde. (Now there’s a fanfiction idea.)

Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Isobelle, understandably, needs some time to figure out that not only is she attracted to Gwen, but Gwen has been attracted to her almost since they met. At the same time, Gwen is telling herself that a girl like Isobelle must be straight, even as they’re unlacing each other’s dresses or their friends are daring them to kiss. All this combined with the ever-present threat of getting caught makes for tension so thick you could cut it with a sword.

Talky Talk: Seriously Funny
Kaufman and Spooner hit a gleefully anachronistic note that reminds me of the team behind the Lady Janies novels. Who cares if medieval England didn’t have potatoes? They’re tasty. Tournament shirts are called “T-shirts”. Chapter titles include such gems as “Nobody ever expects a lady to rappel off a balcony.” The best part, though, is that the authors also know how to dial this back when they need to. Sexism and homophobia are historical (and present-day) realities. By hand-waving them away, some writers might give readers a nice break, or even help us imagine a better future, but they also lose the chance to tell important stories. Kaufman and Spooner know better than that.

Bonus Factor: Dragons
The narrators make it fairly obvious from the start that there will be dragons eventually. (“It all looks a bit nerve-rackingly flammable. This, by the way, is what people refer to as foreshadowing.”) That being said, I was not prepared for how truly epic the dragon’s scene would be. These tropes are classics for a reason – because they work.

Bonus Factor: Awesome Grown-Ups
Isobelle’s mysterious maid, Olivia (“She doesn’t really assassinate people … does she?”) and Gwen’s dancing/martial arts teacher, Madame Dupont, are there for the girls whenever they’re needed, whether to alter a dress, cram a lifetime of weapons training into a few weeks, or organize a jailbreak. Even Gwen’s dad Amos, who seems careless and absent-minded at first, has a surprisingly cool part to play.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Compulsive Heterosexuality
Isobelle always assumed that when she fell in love, it would be with a man because that’s all she’s been taught. Falling in love with Gwen throws her for a loop – and worse, the only way she can avoid being married off against her will is to let the girl she loves risk her life in combat. Gwen, for her part, is so used to girlfriends treating her as “practice” for their future husbands that she panics at the idea of kissing Isobelle, even though she really wants to, because she can’t tell whether it means the same thing to them both. Even the male characters are not immune from this; asexual Sir Orson needs a rich wife to save his crumbling estate, whether he wants one or not.

Relationship Status: Accept My Favor
If this book were a knight (of any gender) riding off to joust, I’d be the lady throwing her ribbon.

Anyone looking for a fun read should look no further than this sapphic fantasy about a girl who enters a knight competition and forms a connection with a noble girl her age. This book has so much great humor and the book is just overall a fun read. My only complaint is that it is quite long, and feels a bit slow at times.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has everything: badass female characters, a cute love story, twists and turns, and high stakes. I raced through this and would love to read more from this world.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5/5 stars

✧ Sapphic
✧ Woman disguised as a man
✧ Social commentary + feminism
✧ Female solidarity + community
✧ TWs: violence (not super graphic), misogyny, forced marriage, homophobia

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it was a fun fantasy story and sapphic romance with an incredibly engaging writing style. The social commentary was a bit heavy-handed at times, but overall blended well into the plot and felt like a natural frustration for many of the main female characters. The romance was cute, but not necessarily unique or life-changing.

On the other hand, the setting was vague and confusing at times, and the emotional payoff felt underwhelming. Though there are a lot of stakes for both of the main characters, Gwen and Isobelle, throughout the story, the climax doesn’t really happen until around 90%. There were a few moments around this point in the book that made me feel shocked, sad, or excited, but aside from that, I wasn’t incredibly emotionally invested in the characters. The ending felt a little bit overwhelming and felt as though it was setting itself up for an unnecessary sequel while not addressing many loose ends from this story. Additionally, the setting was really confusing—I didn’t realize until France was mentioned that this was set in the real world, and couldn’t figure out that it was set in England for most of the book. The time period seems vaguely medieval, but neither that nor the world around our characters felt very fleshed-out or explained.

I had a pretty good time reading this and would recommend it if you’re interested in historical queer romances and the woman-pretends-to-be-a-man trope à la Viola from Twelfth Night. If you need your fantasy worlds to be more fleshed out and/or your stories to really dive deep into the characters and have a big emotional impact, this book will probably not be for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sapphic knight story, but found it to be just a tad bit too long (it felt like it took a long while to get to the actual tournament). The relationship between Gwen and Isobelle was really captivating. I think we could all tell where their relationship would lead as soon as they came up with their scheme and I really liked the more romantic plot over the action stuff.

This was such a fun time. It made me feel nostalgic for A Knight's Tale and Princess Bride, all shows that I don't trust teens have seen unless their parents are a big fan. I still think this story is a fantastic gateway for teens to get more into those classics. If they like this I will happily recommend they go check out those movies, we have them at our library.

That said the story itself is modern, but timeless in a way. I think teens who did watch and love My Lady Jane TV show would love this. I think teens who are looking for sapphic stories will love this. I think teens looking for something that makes them feel like they can do the things they set out to do, will enjoy this book.

Highly recommended.