Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amalie Howard for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Lady Knight coming out April 1, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoy this author. I think she has some fun historical fiction mixed with modernness books. I really love the diversity in the book. The quotes by Mary Shelley added a lot to the story. I think the story mostly focused on Zia. I think I would’ve loved it more if there was more with Rafi and his story. Some things seemed a little rushed. However, I enjoyed it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys diverse historical fiction!

Deeply need this to be adapted in netflix. Lady Knights, those who still from the overly rich to give to those in need. I found the FMC deeply compelling, trying to find her place in a world where women must be demure but its a box she clearly refuses to be placed in. The banter for this book is so wildly fun, the pining as well just so good.

Lady Knight by Amalie Howard, book two in the Diamonds series, a fun, love storyd and perfect for fans of Bridgerton. Zenobia (Zia) Osborn loves music and dreams of being a composer someday. Unfortunately, she’s the daughter of a wealthy Duke and destined to eventually be the perfect bride to a nameless, faceless, well-heeled gentleman. That is not the life she wants and she’s having none of that. Zia is actually part of a secret group known as the Lady Knights; a social club for rebellious girls. The Lady Knights is actually a group of girls, who fight for women’s rights, orphans, and schools; all the people with no power in Regency England. No one knows about her secret life, until Mr. Rafi Nasser discovers. Intrigued, he agrees to keep her secret, especially since they can’t have a scandal on their hands.

I really liked Zia, she was so multifaceted, and while she got into mischief as most teenagers do, she was motivated by a caring heart. She used her privilege for good. I also really enjoyed the banter between her and Rafi. He really doesn’t know what to make of her, while it was enjoyable watching him fall for her. While he was concerned about her, he never took away her agency and kept her secret.

Ms. Howard does a great job of presenting the very real challenges young ladies faced back then. She manages to capture the anxieties young women endured when being forced to marry by their families while also providing lots of moments of levity. She’s created characters; each having their own unique strengths. I must admit that when I first requested the novel I didn’t realize it was YA. That doesn’t take away from the story, but some of the plot points were hard to relate to having more life experience and looking back to that time with a much more mature lens.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley @RHCBEducators # LadyKnight

I absolutely loved loved reading this book, it was adorable and sweet and I believe it stands to set a great message for all that read it about the role of rebellion and challenging authority in a society that tends to cater to the patriarchy! As a huge fan of some honorable classics and authors mentioned throughout the book and an integral part of the plot, this was filled with so many wonderful quotes and conversations about these pieces and people! This was such a cozy read, and I can't recommend it to regency / historical fiction fans enough!

Heat Factor: When he paints her like his French girls, she removes her *gasp* stockings. (Also they kiss a bit.)

Character Chemistry: He has mercurial silvery irises and a cute nickname for her.

Plot: Zia is trying to save an orphanage in basically the dumbest way possible (#romanceheroinebehavior) and then starts sneaking around to hang out with her brother’s BFF. All while reading Frankenstein.

Overall: I support some of the impulses behind the story, but reading it was pretty tedious

Here, we have the YA-ification of Regency Romance. I am not the target audience here because I find current execution of YA fiction mildly irritating at best, so I tried to approach this as if my fifteen-year-old self had picked this up. You know, instead of jumping right into Julie Garwood / Lisa Kleypas / Bertrice Small. I’m not sure I succeeded.

Let’s start with the basics. The setting is basically Bridgerton (the TV show). It’s a reimagined multiracial Regency period, full of people of color in the aristocracy and wearing beautiful clothes inspired by different cultures to the balls—but one where we’re not examining actual cultural differences beyond surface pretty things. Also, like in the TV show (but not like in other Regency romances or actual historical use), there is one Diamond of the First Water per season, as declared by Queen Charlotte. Our heroine, Zia, was last year’s Diamond. This is only mentioned so Zia can think about how this sets girls against each other, but since this is a purely ahistorical addition, I’m not sure why it’s included. To make Zia like the Prom Queen, I guess.

Anyways, Zia is the daughter of a duke, and therefore has to follow all the rules of society, but she wants to be a composer! (#romanceheroinebehavior) So she and her friends from finishing school—which she still attends, despite being in her second Season—have started a group called the Lady Knights where they get together and do Things Girls Aren’t Allowed To Do. Including rob their older brothers when the boys are out on the town in order to raise enough money to pay the rent on their school and the orphanage next door because there’s this one orphan who is just so cute and they love her.

Unfortunately, Rafi, the very hot best friend of Zia’s older brother, keeps catching Zia when she and her friends are doing shenanigans, because in addition to robbing people on horseback, they also decide to raise money by sneaking into gambling hells (to rob people), entering in illegal horse races, and attending underground fight clubs. Just mind-bogglingly reckless actions when they could, I don’t know, talk to their extremely wealthy and well-connected and kind parents about sponsoring the orphanage so it doesn’t get torn down. Zia thinks she doesn’t like Rafi because he’s a Rake, but he smells so good and has such pretty eyes and gives such great kisses. (#romanceheroinebehavior) This eventually leads to her sneaking out of her house to hang out with Rafi in his studio, which is maybe YA behavior, but the casual way they just chill while he paints seems very at odds with Regency genre conventions.

While all of this is going on, Zia and her friends are also in a secret book club at school where they read banned books and discuss them. This was exceptionally tedious. I lived through high school English (and college English) and do not need a repeat of “let’s discuss the themes in this book.” I didn’t like it when Stephanie Meyers did this in Twilight (“Edward and I are just like Catherine and Heathcliffe because of our doomed looooooove”) back when I read that nonsense in my early twenties, and I don’t like it now. I suspect these classroom scenes were largely included to make the beats of the story better map onto contemporary YA fiction, but it was jarring in a Regency romance (where the 18-year-old debutantes are portrayed as adults, even if they do sometimes engage in nonsensical #romanceheroinebehavior). Plus, this teacher is doing a bad job of managing the classroom discussion (source: I used to teach college-level discussion classes). These discussions of Frankenstein didn’t add much to the plot or characterization that couldn’t have been shown in a more natural way, except to add an overt book banning plot point and give the girls a chance to “Oh Captain, my Captain” their teacher à la Dead Poets Society.

In terms of the writing, I did appreciate the moments where Howard paused to explain things that longtime Regency readers take for granted (like that until their father, the duke, died, Zia’s brother had the courtesy title of Marquess). These are things that I learned (ish) via osmosis (and also, let’s be honest, via Erin yelling about Romance Books Doing It Wrong), but I could see my younger self appreciating these small notes that would ease my way into more fully understanding the context of adult Regencies.

However, most of the writing seemed to have an identity crisis—that mapped onto the identity crisis of the larger project, and whether it was more fully a YA coming-of-age novel or a Regency romance. Sometimes, we’re in very formal mode: “we had all divested ourselves of our exterior trappings.” That is a full-on, let’s learn some SAT words, Regency romance sentence. However, just a few paragraphs before, Zia thinks, “we would be in huge trouble if my nighttime adventures came to light.” I found the switch to be very jarring.

It is probably obvious that this book’s execution really didn’t work for me. However, I do appreciate the impetus behind making Regency romance more accessible to younger readers in a format that works for them today (rather than digging up those old Sunfires). Let’s get those formative minds interested in historical romance! Beyond the fact that I love historical romance, I think historical fiction is a great vehicle to explore current issues from a different angle—and Howard certainly does that here, touching on racism, censorship, and the role of women in society. So please take my sour grapes with a grain of salt; there might be a young teen in your life who would really like this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Prior to this novel, I'd read several of Amalie Howard's adult romance novels and absolutely loved them! So, I knew going into this novel that I'd likely have the same feelings, and boy did I! Howard writes such wonderful women who defy the expectations of society, and she often does so in a clever way. This was a fun read, and I think it's a great way to serve a genre that is not typically done in ya lit. It's a great read for teens and adults interested in HR, but not wanting the spice that comes with the genre.

📖 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙆𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙮 𝘼𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘺, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯.”

Amalie Howard is one of my all time favorite authors for the historical romance genre and this new book, Lady Knight, was fantastic!

As a woman, the lessons learned in this YA story are so powerful! The romance was kept tame for the targeted audience but as someone who loves her spicy adult reads too, I was FERAL over Rafi!

“𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘡𝘪𝘢. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

That man was so protective of Zia but also let her do whatever wild thing she wanted to do, I loved it! Seriously, he never tries to make her feel less than she is. He ADORED her in his own dark & broody way!

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘵.” 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘪’𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦.”

Zia and her girl gang were awesome! If I was alive during their era, I would 100% need them as my friends. I loved their teacher. There are a ton of great discussions involving Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus; and I was obsessed with those scenes! I loved reading that story in high school, so it was really fun to listen in on their thoughts!

I need all of my historical romance honey’s to read this one ASAP! I can’t wait for more books in this series!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🤭 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥
❤️‍🔥 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
👀 𝘏𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴
🫖 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘠𝘈 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✨ 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺
🔥 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 & 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮
🫶🏼 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺
🤣 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳

Lady Knights or brigands?

A heart thumping beginning with our heroine and her friends holding up a coach on Hounslow Heath.
Lady Zenobia Osborn is the daughter of a duke. She’s in her second season and her father, Duke of Harbridge has decided Zia must marry.
Zia doesn’t want to marry. There’s no one who’s caught her interest except her brother’s rakish friend, Mr. Ravi Nasser. That was when Zia was younger. He had been very dismissive of her. That had hurt.
Now Zia attends a finishing school where she and some fellow students secretly read and discuss the works of thinking women like Wolstencroft. Their latest read is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
Zia and her friends have formed a secret gang called the Lady Knights. They support the orphanage and school that’s part of the same land their school stands on. The school and orphanage has been targeted by the slimy Viscount Heller (who’s Rafi’a uncle). The Viscount and his cronies want the land to build a gambling hell.
Well that’s not going to happen, not on the Lady Knights’ watch! Hence the holdup!
An hilarious look at these times with an underlying serious comment on the role of women in society, the despicable practice of declaring women as suffering from Hysteria often resulting in their convenient incarceration, the injustice of sentencing, and a myriad of other issues thinking women were fighting for.

A Random House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This is the book I wish I had as a young adult!

Lady Zia (alter-ego, Lady Knight) and her friends engage in questionable activities and steal from their wealthy peers in order to gather funds to save an orphanage and their school. They know the money would just be lost on the card tables or gambling halls, and they have a good cause. Unfortunately, her brother’s best friend, Raif, a young man she has fancied for quite some time, figures out her identity. Much to Zia’s frustrations, he keeps showing up at her rambunctious activities. Perhaps he is starting to see Zia as something more than just his friend’s “silly little sister.”

This book is empowering in multiple ways and is a story I wish for the next generation of women. First of all, we are given a friendship group of brave, talented young women who challenge what they are “allowed to do” in order to help those in need. There is sword fighting, horse racing, boxing, and many more situations that would have the ton in an uproar. Girl Power at its finest!

Furthermore, Zia and her friends attend a finishing school with rebellious teacher, Miss Perkins. Exposing the girls to feminist literature, she sparks fierce debate among her students that raise their consciousness about what it means to be a woman in society. Important works of literature, such as The Vindication of the Rights of Women and Frankenstein play an important role in this book. It reminded me of my Women’s studies classes in all the best ways.

Behind these valuable messages, Amalie Howard gives readers all of the fun one would expect of a historical romance appropriate to the young adult genre. The banter between Zia and Rafi is lively and witty, and their chemistry is heart-fluttering. In addition to copious adventures, the book is filled with fantastical elements of London’s Regency era. The school scenes help make the story even more relatable to a teen audience.

This book is a stunning example of a young adult historical romance. At the same time, it’s political and social power is exactly what we need in these times. Share this with the young adults in your life!

Thank you NetGalleyfor the Arc. This is my honest review.

Lady Zenobia "Zia" is determined to save her finishing school and the connected orphanage from being sold off and turned into a gaming hall by a ruthless viscount. Her plan? Team up with her closest friends - the Lady Knights - dress up as boys, and rob a group of her brother’s wealthy, gambling-obsessed friends. I mean... they were just going to lose the money anyway, right?

Too bad one of them turns out to be Rafi - Zia’s brother Keston’s best friend - who’s far more observant than the rest. As their paths continue to cross in scandalous situations, the tension between Zia and Rafi absolutely sizzles.

This book is a companion to Queen Bee (which I loved!), but it totally works as a standalone. I loved seeing Keston and Ela’s story from the first book continue in the background! Zia was such a standout character - smart, witty, rebellious, and completely unafraid to challenge the expectations placed on her. I loved how bold and unapologetically herself she was throughout the story. The pacing did slow a bit in the middle, but Amalie Howard shines with her rich historical detail. The author’s note at the end was such a great touch and should not be overlooked! In it, she explains several literary and historical references woven throughout the book, which added even more depth to the story.

I gave this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4! I personally prefer Amalie Howard’s Taming of the Duke series, but this one will definitely hit the mark for YA readers who love books with fierce heroines, forbidden romance, and historical flair!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Joy Revolution for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This second book in The Diamonds series was an exciting and captivating fun regency romance novel. A defiant heroine, a secret society of young women who defy societies convention while performing daring persuits, a brothers best friend, all made an entertaining story. It was full of drama, charm, courage, wit, intrigue, mystery, action, and romance. I enjoyed the historical details and the inclusion of quotes from Mary Wollstoncraft. I highly recommend it.

“We, women, were born to soar.”

Zia, a duke’s daughter, is a feminist who dreams big. Declared diamond of the season, she feels trapped within the confines of her gender, in the roles defined for women. When she and her friends, her “Lady Knights,” take control of these roles by secretly becoming thieving rebels for a noble cause, she runs into trouble when she encounters Rafi. Zia has always known Rafi, the ton’s disreputable rake and her brother’s best friend. She’s no stranger to him or his antics, which is why it’s shocking when Rafi discovers Zia’s scandalous secret. As they spend more time together—so Zia can ensure Rafi doesn’t spill her secret and cause a scandal she’ll never recover from—they both discover sides of each other hidden from everyone else.

Historical fiction can be tricky, since authors need to find the balance between fact and fiction. Despite its delicate nature, however, readers should easily be able to tell that Howard is a seasoned historical romance author. While there’s plenty that is rooted in truth for the Regency era in which the book is set, there’s also plenty of fictional elements that enhanced the book. An example of this balance was the inclusion of more diverse characters. In the story, there are characters of different sexualities, ages, and ethnicities—which might not have been historically present in the Regency era, but certainly make the novel more representative of modern experiences and people. One of my favorite aspects of the story was the book club the Lady Knights were part of. Their discussions on authors, texts, femininity, and gender roles were so refreshing to read. On another note, the dedication at the beginning of the book was a great reminder and I encourage those who typically skip past dedications to take a second to read it. Lady Knight is the perfect read for people looking for a main character that is like Bridgerton’s Eloise Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington combined. It’s a great young adult introduction to regency romance filled with fun banter and an overarching theme of feminism.

The story of Lady Knight brings up back to the world of Queen Bee and I absolutely adore it, gobbling the book up and finding myself thinking about it when I couldn't read more from Zia, her Lady Knights, the adorable rake Rafi and the swoony slow-burn romance between Zia and Rafi. From the first chapter, we are drawn into Zia's world where she balances being a duke's daughter as well as a young woman on the quest for equality and chances her kind normally are not allowed, such as being a highwaywoman.

The story is layered beautifully with social commentary. We see plenty of real historical characters talked about as well as real-life issues the women of Regency-are faced. I loved seeing Zia fight against it in her own way and the exploits of the Lady Knights proved to be daring and full of heart. Her friendships with Greer, Lalita, Nori and Blythe are equally wonderful and I love seeing the strong bond these young women have with each other. The inclusion of the book club felt also approriate and the conversations they had felt real and layered.

I also really enjoyed the pace of the slow-burn romance. When we first meet Rafi, it almost seems like he has no feelings for Zia and is aloof as a bird, but as we get to know him more, he starts to show his true colors which prove to be so interesting and endearing. There were a lot of moments that made me swoon in this book for him and he has definitely earned his place in my heart.

I do hope we return to this world once more at some point, because I need for Zia and Rafi as well as Ela and Keston, who make appearances throughout this book and it was a perfect reminder to Queen Bee and their own love story. Loved seeing that.

Strong female character whom knows what she wants. In a book club and part of a Robin Hood theft and hist of all women. Made a fun read that I finished in a few hours.
I was more invested in the fun of the story that the brother's best friend trope wasn't half bad. I think i like it in this type of historical romance.
I can't but my finger in it but something felt missing in this story besides the pace too fast. Other wise it was a fun read.

This was such a fun and upbeat read! I loved the characters and the writing style!! Can’t wait to read more in the future!

Lady Knight by Amalie Howard is a charming, feel-good historical romance that had me completely hooked with its mix of rebellion, wit, and swoon-worthy moments. From the very start, I adored Zia—her determination to live life on her own terms, despite the stifling expectations placed on her, made her such an easy character to root for. She’s fiery, principled, and full of heart, driven by a desire to do what’s right, even if it means bending—or outright breaking—the rules of society.

Watching Zia and Rafi come together, not just as romantic partners but as a team standing side by side, was one of the most enjoyable parts of the story. Their dynamic felt authentic and uplifting, and I loved how they helped each other grow.

This book was simply a joy to read. Lady Knight was the perfect blend of romance, humor, and rebellion—and now I’m itching to dive deeper into the genre. A delightful escape that left me smiling.

While not entirely historically accurate (after all, where would be the fun in that?), this was a well-researched and fun romp through the late Regency period.

Zenobia "Zia" is the younger sister of the male protagonist of Howard's previous book, and she is a fireball for sure. Enthralled with the idea of compsoing her own music and thinking independently, she is determined to break away from the ties that society holds on her. However, she doesn't count on sparking up a relationship with one of her brother's friends in the midst of some less than legal activities.

You do not have to read the previous book to enjoy this one though characters from that book make an appearance.

Lady Knight by Amalie Howard

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Random House Children’s, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lady Zenobia (Zia) Osborn dreams of being a composer someday. She’s the daughter of a Duke though and is destined to be the perfect wife to a gentleman. Zia doesn’t want that life and is part of a secret group known as the Lady Knights, a social club for bold girls. She can study any subject she likes and save orphans. No one knows about her secret life, until Rafi Nasser comes along and discovers her secret. He agrees to keep her secret since they can’t have a scandal.

Rafi is an heir trying to become a painter, which is not an appropriate career for a noble. The tension in the MCs relationship is due to Rafi being Zia’s brother’s best friend and the fact that he keeps catching Zia in dangerous situations.

Overall, this is a fun, entertaining YA historical romance read! It’s full of adventure, humor, and heartfelt moments!

I couldn’t put Lady Knight down—this book had everything I love in a story: a fierce heroine, a gripping plot, and just the right touch of rebellion. The main character was smart, bold, and unafraid to challenge the world around her, which made her incredibly fun to root for. I loved watching her navigate loyalty, love, and duty while still staying true to herself.

We need some Lady Knights to push back against the patriarchy today.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute regency romance. I would recommend this book to young women who are interested in reading Bridgerton but are not yet mature enough to do so. I enjoyed this quite a good amount as an adult reader, but I think it would've been even more entertaining had I been younger.