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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An incredible Regency novel, April 12, 2001
On a visit to his childhood friend, Magnus, Earl of d'Arenville, finds himself falling in love with a child. It was the most unlikely thing. But having decided he'd like children of his own, he realizes that he must choose a wife. Not just any wife but one who will be content to live in the countryside and raise their children lovingly. Magnus requests that his cousin Laetitia put together a house party of eligible girls to choose from. One evening, he witnesses a young woman rising to the defense of a small boy and his dog and decides that she will be the one despite the fact that she is orphaned, penniless, and not eligible in the eyes of society. Contrary to Magnus's belief, however, Tallie Robinson knows she won't be happy or grateful to be married to someone known as The Icicle. She was content to see to her cousin Laetitia's house and her children and all too happy to spin dreams of a hero who would love her and whom she could love in return. But Laetitia's outrage at what she sees as her undeserving turn of good fortune results in Tallie being turned out without a character, forcing her to marry Magnus after all. From there, the two embark on a Grand Tour. Though Magnus would be content to spend their honeymoon in Paris, Tallie has her reasons for wanting to travel to Italy. And over the course of their honeymoon, Tallie begins to realize that Magnus is not the cold and heartless man she thought as his concern for her becomes evident and she soon discovers that he is the hero she's been waiting for. All too soon she finds herself falling in love with this man who can't comprehend what love is but is becoming increasingly entranced with his incredibly charming and remarkably naïve wife. "Tallie's Knight" is a wonderful story penned by author Anne Gracie. In it, she takes two people of very different temperaments who have never known love. From this marriage of convenience, the author spins out an incredible love story that fulfills Tallie's dreams, melts Magnus's heart, and captivates her readers. Tallie is a heroine who is ignorant of the malice that is rampant in society. Left by her parents at a school for most of her life, Tallie has retained her innocent outlook and her tendency to dream, which Gracie expresses through Tallie's internal thoughts. Through these dreams, readers come to understand Tallie's capacity for love and as Tallie experiences new things in her marriage her hero begins to take on more definition. Magnus is a hero who is misunderstood but doesn't care. Gracie begins the story by revealing that Magnus is much more than what he seems. As he falls in love first with a child and then with Tallie, we begin to see that though his heart does indeed melt, it seems to be far more likely that it was untapped for most of his life. In Tallie he finds a woman unlike any other that he's met. She doesn't use tears to manipulate, she is unexpectedly demanding, and she isn't thrilled with jewels. Tallie's love and her simple charm force Magnus to see the world through her eyes and to realize that it could be a very fine place indeed.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romantic dreams tested against reality, May 14, 2001
When Magnus Earl of d'Arenville meets Thalia Robinson he has already decided that he wants children and a marriage of convenience seems just the thing for the man known as 'The Icicle'. Thalia, or Tallie as she is known, is staying with her cousin Louisa, and she is the poor relation who is looking after Louisa's three children. Plain and on the shelf, Tallie spends her time in her own fantasy world while she looks after the children, hence part of the reason for the title 'Tallie's Knight'. She dreams of a romantic rescue, and what she ends up with is a proposal from the cold and reserved earl. The marriage takes place early on and Anne Gracie has set the novel against the failure of the Peace of Amiens in 1803 when France suddenly closed its borders against the English and held them prisoner.Tallie's Knight is not as funny as Gracie's first book "Gallant Waif" but again she has created wonderful, strong characters and a story full of twists. The reasons for Tallie marrying Magnus, whether or not they can reclaim one another from the misunderstandings and the failures and misfortunes of their past makes this a great read.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a welcome new-comer --, May 24, 2001
As pleased as many readers must be to have a third major publishing house issuing books categorized as 'Regency Romance' (and I'm certainly one of them) I suspect many of these readers would be even happier if the books were to be correctly labelled. There is a world of difference between the 'Regency Romance' and the Regency-set Historical novel. All of the recent batch of such books from Harlequin that I've read have been labelled Romance, when they're really Historicals. So from this point onwards, I'll open one of their books expecting only whatever I find, rather than what the label tells me I'll find. I suspect it will work much better. Tallie's Knight is a case in point. The depth of characterization and scope of the plot clearly indicate Historical, and it is indeed a very delightful example of such. Anne Gracie is a writer to watch, as she definitely has the writing skills to match her knowledge of the period. An added bonus is her strong sense of humor, and the ability to infuse her writing with that humor. One of the usual characteristics of the Historical novel is the inclusion of love scenes, and this book is no exception. The plot is 'the marriage of convenience' which nearly always requires such episodes, but there is no indication anywhere that this book will contain a good many such, and some readers will no doubt be turned off by their presence. Actually, I think the book would have benefitted greatly from a bit of judicious editing here and there, as well. Still, it is indeed an enjoyable book, although I was a bit put off by the extended travelogue portions, as well as the profuse daydreams of Tallie, the orphaned heroine. As governess to the children of her cousin, Laetitia, she is thus on the scene when Magnus, the Earl of d'Arenville (Laetitia's cousin from the other side of the family) surveys the young ladies duly presented by Laetitia, from whom he hopes to find his bride. Magnus doesn't really want a bride so much as he wants children; but to get the one, he must have the other. Not really knowing where to start looking for a suitable bride, he offers to foot the necessary bills if his cousin will host a house party, thus enabling him to inspect the young ladies--and be inspected, in turn, by their Mamas. He expects the resulting marriage to be a very businesslike arrangement; not for him the love match. He knew only too well the hazards of that emotion--he had only to look to his own parents for confirmation. Of course, to the dismay of everyone, Magnus chooses Tallie for the warmth she displays while protecting her young charge Georgie and his puppy from Laetitia's wrath. This decision only magnifies Laetitia's wrath; consequently, in addition to failing to provide the bride-to-be with the proper bride-clothes, she also offers truly nasty instructions about bridal behavior to Tallie, who has no other, older, female relative available for such consultation. The misunderstandings that arise from these instructions form a major portion of the plot, and Ms. Gracie handles these scenes with grace and wit--and believability, not an easy task. I look forward to reading many more books by this very talented author.
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