This book has a humorous start, and I instantly fell in love with Zia. She’s brave and witty and rebellious, carving a life for herself that brings her true joy. Zia and her fellow Lady Knights rob a group of her brother’s friends in order to get money to save her finishing school and connected orphanage. Think Regency Robin Hood(esses?). Unfortunately for her, Rafi is part of this group, and he is much more observant than his companions.
Zia is 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. While the novel had a strong start, the pacing does drag in the middle. Overall, I thought this was a fun, quick read and I think students will really enjoy this young adult novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to preview.

This is a stand alone companion to Amalie's Queen Bee from last year.
In this book Zia wants nothing more than to be independent and free to make her own choices, but as a member of the ton and the diamond of the season, she is expected to attend parties and balls with the sole objective of finding a husband.
To push boundaries of propriety and find an outlet for her restless spirit, Zia and her school friends create the Lady Knights. As a Knight, these young women challenge each other to be daring and enter the world of men undercover to see what kinds of entertainments are forbidden to them, However, each time Zia enters into this world of men, she seems to run into her old nemesis Ravi- the boy that two years ago said he would never court her and didn't even like her.
As Zia finds more and more trouble, Ravi seems to be more and more present, and Zia begins to wonder if he sees more in her now than he had two years ago.

What’s better than a book about group of young lady’s robbing spoiled rich men to save their beloved school and orphanage?

A book that also has a devilishly handsome rogue, whom finds out about the FMC’s secret.

Lady Knight is a feminist Robin Hood, dripping with tension and witty banter - featuring a diverse cast of characters and tons of history and charm!

Amalie Howard is officially an auto-buy author she writes some of the BEST tension I have ever read!

What’s to love…
- Strong FMC who knows her own mind
- rakish-bad boy MMC
- Diverse characters
- brother’s best friend
- feminist
- bookish - the FMC is in a book club!
- interconnected standalone reads well out of order
- strong female friendships

🌶️ - no spice. Amalie Howard writes spectacularly fiery tension and explosive first kisses - but her YA novels are appropriate for all ages and do not contain any explicit content or even closed door scenes. Publisher age rating is 12+ but I think advance elementary age readers would have fun with this one too! (imo)

Special thanks to the author, Amalie Howard for getting this ARC into my hands sooner and saving me from that torturous wait!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House (Joy Revolution) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was another amazing story by Amalie Howard! While this is the second book in the series, it’s a companion novel and can be read as a stand alone. I have not yet read Queen Bee, and did not struggle to follow the story. I loved Lady Zenobia and Rafi’s rebellious relationship. Zia is a strong and smart fmc trying to save her finishing school and connected orphanage. Rafi is an heir trying to further his love of painting which is not an appropriate profession for a noble. The tension in their relationship stems from Rafi being Zia’s brother Keston’s best friend and the fact that he keeps catching Zia in illegal and dangerous situations with her group of blue stocking classmates. Appropriately for a YA novel so there isn’t much steam, but the tension built and the few kissing scenes are wonderful. I love the attention to historic detail that Howard writes in her stories, later in the book Zia comes to understand how different the consequences of her antics might be if she were of a different class. At the end of the book is an explanation of all the literary and historical references written in the book, which is amazing and so fascinating.

I enjoyed reading Lady Knight. I enjoyed reading the quotes before the chapters. I like the different spin on telling historical romances with the a diverse cast. Zia and Rafi were a great couple to follow. I enjoyed Zia's quest for being her own person in a male dominated society.

Amalie Howard is just the best. I generally prefer adult romances to YA ones, as an old person, but I really love what she's doing with this series. She refers to it as "anti-historical" because the characters are from diverse backgrounds that really should have been included in 19th century Britain's high society. She blends this diversity in so deftly that it never feels forced or fake, and her strengths in character development, building romantic tension, and weaving in adventurous plots (all of which I really love about her adult romances) show up here as well. The story here is that Lady Zenobia "Zia" Osborn and her friends form a group called the Lady Knights with the specific goal of robbing their rich siblings to save their school (and the associated church and orphanage). On one such highwayperson outing, she robs her bother's best friend, Rafi Nasser, and he pretty quickly figures out who she is and what's going on. This was fun and thoughtful, with lots of adventure and a great cast of characters.

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