This story is about the baby sister of Lord Cartwright, Simon Montgomery, Theodora, who we met in The Thief Steals Her Earl.

She is now about to have her first season along with her friends Adeline, Lady Georgina and Lady Josephine, however they decide that to help their former headmistress with some much needed funds towards the upkeep of the school. They embark on winning an archery contest where the prize is money. However they don't reckon on Alistair Price, Adeline's brother and guardian, who needs to keep Adeline from bringing shame on herself and her siblings which if she enters the competition will most likely happen. However it's not Adeline, but Theo who garners the unwanted attentions and it's up to Alistair to hel.

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Positivity. Such a big word, with a simple meaning that means so much. I am drawn to strong heroines. So many times, women are looked at as in need of a rescuer but Ms. McKnight has spotlighted the opposite with her Lady Archer's Creed series. Strength of character breeds strong friendships, fearless women and great storytelling. I can go on all day about Theodora and her band of courageous compadres but the greatest message of all within the pages of this novel is: There is no one mold for a person to fit into. We are special for what we are and that inner light that sets our course not only makes us unique but beautiful.

Theodora, Lady Archer’s Creed
This story took a different approach to the average run of the mill Historical Romance. While the story is predominantly about Theodora, there are three other ladies that we get to know quite well. The four girls met in boarding school and have forged friendships that will last a lifetime. All four ladies are unique in that they are well educated as well as skilled archers. With archery a big part of this tale, the story flies along from one adventure to another. While I really did enjoy this book, there were a few characters that were rather unlikeable. Also, I felt the conflict surrounding the ladies taking part in an archery tournament was both repetitive and irritating after a while. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Theodora's story, and eagerly anticipate reading the rest of this series from Ms. McKnight.

Six years ago Lady Theodora Montgomery was sent to Miss Emmeline’s School of Education and Decorum for Ladies of Outstanding Quality in Canterbury, whilst there she became friends with Ladies Adeline Price, Georgina & Josephine where they became extremely good archers. Now they have returned to London for their first London Seasons. They are far more interested in winning a large purse prize than securing a husband. But when she is unmasked on the tourney grounds, her face exposed to all, she fears her identity and days spent gallivanting around London will cause not only her undoing, but the downfall of her friends as well.
Mr. Alistair Price, heir to the elderly Viscount Melton, arrived in London with his eight younger siblings in tow. He is charged with keeping his family name above reproach until the Season starts and his sister, Miss Adeline Price, is presented to society, though that proves far more difficult than Alistair ever expected when he discovers his rebellious sister climbing down the side of their townhouse and scurrying off to Whitechapel for an archery tournament.
Theo beats Alistair to win the Whitechapel tournament, this means that the girls now have the entry money for the Greenwich tournament. Theo & Alistair are very attracted to each other but neither wishes to marry yet, she wants to work with Cassini on her maps & he has his eight siblings to see settled. However Theo’s mother has other ideas & throws the horrid Oliver Gladstone at Theo.
Theo is blackmailed into becoming betrothed to Gladstone, that gives Alistair the imputus to try to claim her but how to achieve it.
The novel was well paced & the characters were well portrayed but the idea of four young ladies of the ton taking part in archery tournaments didn’t sit well with me. Theo seemed too perfect & Adeline was extremely selfish. Alistair although likeable seemed to be always in a foul mood, but a softer gentler side was shown. The book did hold my attention & I do want to read the other three archers’ stories

Lady Theodora has graduated from Miss Emmeline's School of Education and Decorum for Ladies of Outstanding Quality alongside her three roommates and friends, Georgina, Josie, and Adeline. Now about to enter her first season in a London, the skilled lady archers will take on the world of men to save the school they love. However Alistair Price, Adeline's oldest brother and keeper of his younger eight siblings, will do his best to stand in their path to protect the family reputation. Some mild spoilers below.

While based on an interesting concept and idea, Theodora unfortunately fails to deliver particularly well. The basis of the Lady Archers group is this idea of everlasting friendship, however Adeline seems a genuinely terrible friend with few redeeming qualities, Georgie and Josie come off as meek pushovers with no particularly distinct personalities, and Theo seems to spend a great deal of her time feeling as if she doesn't really fit into to this friendship group (which, from the story, does not seem to be inaccurate). The characters are all fairly simplistic and there is a overall lack of character development. While the plot progresses fairly fast, the characters do not seem to grow in any substantial way - Theo never seems to fit in with the friend group, Alistair never overcomes his incredibly off-putting overbearing nature (despite plot hints that he would), Adeline never matures (presumably she will have her own tale later on in which this happens, but her character does not seem to grow at all), and Josie and Georgie never become better friends to Theo either. And while Theo has all the makings of a strong heroine in her archery skills and academic mien (which, as a side note, make it seem like she is entirely too perfect at everything), she never seems to really resonate or grow into a strong, independent personality. There are also some elements of implausibility in that Theo's older brother would be so completely absent from her daily life despite sharing a roof, the rapid raveling and unraveling of the Gladstone courtship plot twist, etc.

While the overarching plot line is interesting and a unique take on a more Regency-style era, the one-dimensional characters and lack of growth as well as issues of implausible plot twists make it difficult to truly appreciate the story.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance digital copy!