I'm a huge fan of Amalie Howard's writing and she's one of my favorite historical romance authors, so I was very excited to receive an early copy of LADY KNIGHT and I absolutely loved it! Thanks to NetGalley and Joy Revolution for the advanced copy!

Amalie Howard had a very unique writing style, and it translates well to this YA series. Her heroines are intelligent and generally have a goal in mind. Zia is no exception. She's kind, and she's intelligent, but she is frustrated by the shackles of her time period. And then there's Rafi, her brothers friend who sees her for who she is and protects her every step of the way. Overall, this was a good read, quick, witty, and entertaining.

#netgalley #LadyKnight

4.5 stars

This was a very good YA regency romance. The lead character was a strong feminist fighting for a good cause. The romantic lead was positively swoony, and the romantic tension and angst throughout was impeccable. There were good friendships, and there was great diverse representation. This was my first book by this author and I'm very excited to read more.

I just love Amalie Howard’s books and this one was no exception. It has friendship, romance, strong female characters, Regency-era parties and an intriguing plot with fun, modern twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was my first time diving into Amalie Howard's books, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. I’ve always had a soft spot for strong heroines, and Zia totally delivered. She’s fierce and determined, even if she has her naive moments here and there. And Rafi? His observant nature and the way he genuinely cares for Zia totally had me hooked. Their witty banter had me grinning and their chemistry feels natural. Plus, their character growth throughout the story was so well done. Overall, I had such a great time with this book that I’m definitely thinking about picking up the prequel since I haven’t read it yet, or maybe the sequel if one comes out in the future. If you're into a YA version of Bridgerton with a bold take on defying society's expectations, this one's for you. Packed with adventure, humor, and moments that'll make your heart flutter, it's definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's - Joy Revolution for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 0.5/5

If you are looking for a Bridgerton fix in between seasons, this is the right book for you!

Zia was last season's diamond, but she would rather secretly rob her brother's rich friends than find a husband especially since the one boy she ever had a crush on said he sees her as nothing more than his best friend's bratty little sister.

The tales of Zia and her Lady Knights were exciting and fun, and the tension between her and Rafi as he caught her in the middle of them was chef's kiss! I will say that the progression of their relationship did feel kinda awkward to me. We had all this fun flirty energy and banter and then it was like stolen touches but no feelings admitted and then bam obviously we are in love love. It felt weird and a tiny bit disingenuous but that's me being nitpicky.

I also feel like the first 70% of the book was so entertaining and then the last 30% was kinda boring as the book wrapped up and she was dealing with her consequences. I wish there were more gripping scenes in the end instead of just acknowledgements of time passing.

I do love a man tho that doesn't try to stifle a woman's spark and Rafi is so good at that. Honestly so hot! When her brother was like why didn't you stop all her unladylike activities and he was like bro you can't stop a storm so I just follow her around secretly and keep her safe. Literally swoon.

Zia and her pals are strong and brave for their time. They have set out to help and nothings stopping them. Lots of adventure and some love matches. Wonderful story.

This was a fun companion story to Queen Bee who cross over characters. The story was creative and intriguing to read.

Super cute ya version of Bridgerton! This book is great for those that like regency era things, but don’t want a smutty romance. The characters are easy to love and make normal human mistakes and grow from them. It is a great and quick read!

Lady Zenobia, daughter of a Duke, believes women should be able to be more than a wife. She has her crew of friends who are trying to save an orphanage and girls school by being highwaymen and robbing their friend’s brothers! She has had a crush on her brother’s friend, Rafe, for years but believes he thinks of her as a little sister. However, that has changed and he begins to pursue her. Lady Zenobia is a gifted pianist who writes her own music. Ravi supports her in her interests. It is a cute read.

This book will be an excellent addition to a classroom library for girls who love Jane Austen and want a YA-approved Bridgerton-style Regency romance. The book is clean, with several firey kisses and mentions of courtesans, but no graphic encounters on the page or even a closed-door scene. I appreciate this for my students. I enjoyed the first book in the series and looked forward to this one. The reimaging of the Regency with more diversity and cultural connections is straight out of Shonda-land.

While I would recommend for YA-aged readers, this one fell a little flat for me as an adult. I did not love the tone, particularly of the academic scenes. I found Lady Zia a little annoying, and I skimmed most of the passages focusing on the literary class. As a literature teacher, perhaps I've overly steeped pedagogy, but those scenes felt flat. I was also confused as to why they would permit several of the characters into the secret reading class or why pick such a controversial book. Perhaps Howard could have had the class study a less contentious book first to better ground the characters? I also found the modern speech cadences jarring in against the Regency setting.

This book was so fun! It was very well written and it was a very unique story. The romance was so cute and I loved the plot twists.

*Lady Knight* by Amalie Howard is a witty, empowering historical romance that’s as charming as it is rebellious. Lady Zenobia “Zia” Osborn is a duke’s daughter determined to break free from society’s stifling expectations. With her secret life as part of the Lady Knights—a club for daring and unconventional women—she’s a heroine you’ll root for from the start. Enter Rafi Nasser, the irresistible rake and her brother’s best friend, who stumbles upon Zia’s double life. Their chemistry is electric, their banter sharp, and their romance both tender and thrilling. Rafi’s mix of charm and respect for Zia’s independence makes him the perfect match for her fiery spirit.

Howard weaves a story full of humor, passion, and a strong feminist streak, making this a standout in the historical romance genre. With daring escapades, forbidden love, and a touch of mischief, *Lady Knight* is a delightful read that leaves you smiling and swooning in equal measure.

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line

I loved this book. Zia was such a strong MC as a whole and I loved her interactions with the other girls from her school along with her teacher. However, Rafi was undoubtedly my favorite in the book. His and Zia’s chemistry and relationship development was just so great.

Although I do not remember the first book very well, I did surprisingly like this one more than the first. If you liked the first one, you will definitely love this one—it was even more girlbossing with a strong side of adorable romance, and I will definitely read any other book this author puts out.

Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars
Thank you to Net Galley & Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Genres, settings, categories, themes: historical romance (M/F), feminism, literature, music, art

💗 Tropes: 💗
> Lords & Ladies
> Highwayman/woman (Subtrope of Thief/Heist)
> Reformed Rake
> Sibling's Best Friend

POV: first person, from h's perspective

Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in an anthology series, can be read as standalone (I did not read the 1st), no cliffhanger

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Overall ratings

Heat level: 🍓 0/5 sweet 🍓 (but with good tension/heat)
(from Ampersand’s guide to heat levels in romance novels – (0) sweet, (1) mild sizzle, (2) sensual steam, (3) spicy seduction, (4) red hot, (5) erotic)

~ Heroine (Zenobia “Zia”) ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 She annoys me at one part, but overall a great character.

~ Hero (Rafi) ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 Unsure why he's portrayed as such a rake; his "reform" isn't really discussed, but it seems like he's not that bad? Like he gets "rake" status, but isn't actually? This probably could have been delved into a bit more.

~ Side characters ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Pacing ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Plot ~ 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 I was hoping or a little more danger & intrigue, it's a bit more of a light romp really, but still great.

~ Romantic connection ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 love them

~ Writing ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌗🌑 a few odd word choices, such as "my pulse streamed" (forgot to note the other one that really jumped out to me)

~ Reading enjoyability & fun ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

~ Depth & tone (light & fun --> more serious, addresses heavier topics?): light 1/5
~ Diversity & representation: diverse cast of characters - mixed race, gay couple, aromantic couple; not sure how historically accurate, but whatevs

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❗CW/Triggers:❗none really

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📝 Review/Notes 📝
Great historical romance with a strong heroine. Fun cast of characters that go on adventures. Occasionally they water down their *bravery* and I get disappointed, but overall it's a fun read.

She lets me down with <<minor spoiler: how she blurts things out in court>>. She’s supposed to be intelligent and quick witted, certainly she can do better than that.

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🤠 Recommended for: YA romance readers, feminists, historical romance fans

This was such a fun read! Zia was a little naive, but she was also brave, funny, and just so real. I read the first book in the series before reading this one and Lady Knights is my favorite of the two. I also love the “rake”, Rafi, he definitely caught my eye in the first book. I do wish we got a little more from him. This has so much depth about breaking society’s expectations of you and your gender and defining what you want for yourself. It’s also just so lighthearted because its friends just doing dares and enjoying being young too. I wanna be a Lady Knight so bad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my ARC!

This is the first of Amalie’s YA novels. It is “spicier” than most other YA novels I have read. Not in what the characters do but what the main character describes. I applaud it. It’s realistic without being vulgar. I miss a dual POV in this as I do find the male lead to be interesting and think his pov would be very entertaining. Great balance of action, romance and friendship.

What a fantastic book! This was more enjoyable than I had anticipated. The main characters were fantastic! They collaborated so effectively and had a wonderful chemistry. You fall in love with the characters because they are so beautifully written. Thanks for this Arc, NetGalley!

I love Amalie Howard and loved this book so much! The love story is gorgeous, but the book centers more on the FMC and her girl gang fighting for women’s rights, orphans, and schools—all the people with no power in Regency England.

Lady Zenobia (“Zia”), a wealthy duke’s daughter, is so over being someone’s possession and wants more from her life than looking pretty and deferring to a husband. She’s a brilliant composer and student, and is beyond frustrated that any woman who has an opinion is considered hysterical. But how does she start breaking down these boundaries without going too far??

Zia’s fed up enough to take matters into her own hands along with her friends—reading banned books and finding money for the orphans (by whatever means possible), composing music, and sharing secrets. Until her brother’s best friend, Rafi, is onto her…

Zia and Rafi together are fire, even though there’s no spice in this book (a complete shock, since Amalie Howard books usually have the best steamy scenes). Which makes sense, since women’s independence and free-thinking ability, among other feminist themes, take center stage here. Still, the sensuality and chemistry are off the charts and radiate from the characters, and there are some beautiful intimate moments.

I love Zia’s adventures and growth through the book, as well as Rafi’s. Unusual for Regency romance, it’s first person single point of view. So we get much more insight into Zia, but we still get enough of Rafi and also get the air of mystery. Also loved the inclusivity and diversity of characters. Finally, I LOVED the Mary Wollstonecraft quotes and references, and various literary references interspersed throughout the book.