Dream Knight

Rating:
Summary: Timeless Tales review
Review: By TT reviewer Susan E. DeWitt [full review on our website]

Can dreams come true? Lady Catheryn of Brezden in DREAM KNIGHT thinks so when she put a yarrow-filled sachet, a dream bag, underneath her pillow and dreamt of destruction and perhaps a forthcoming love. Soon the events of her dream start to unfold, and she attempts to meet them head on. It's not until later that the full meaning of her dream becomes apparent. Even though she believes Gerard to be the man in her dream, her dream knight, she is still hesitant to trust him and allow herself to love him. At 19, Catheryn is under the supervision of a baron, Pike, and another gentleman, de Brye, since both of her parents are dead, though she is considered Lady Catheryn of Brezden. Pike and de Brye are both unkind men; de Brye has plans of marrying the young Catheryn. Catheryn is a strong woman, but it is quite obvious that she fails to realize that she cannot control Brezden on her own. She fails to acknowledge the good things that Gerard does, and doesn't want to trust him.

Gerard Reveur comes to Brezden to avenge his former wife and newborn son's death, and claims Brezden as his in the name of King Stephen and Earl William. Gerard is just as unwilling to allow himself to trust Catheryn as she is him.

The hero and heroine meet for the first time in her chambers, when Gerard discovers Catheryn passed out on her bed from a recent beating. It is clear from the initial encounter that the two will be at odds, both being strong willed and untrusting people, but that the attraction is strong for them both. Throughout DREAM KNIGHT, Gerard and Catheryn struggle to work together as well as against one another, including fulfilling the wishes of King Stephen and Earl William. But through that struggle they grow to love and trust one another. Two things neither of them thought themselves capable of.

Set in Medieval England, DREAM KNIGHT is a well written, enjoyable read. The writing is done well, the dialogue clear and not overdone, with a good balance of action and narrative throughout the book. The love scenes belonged in the book, and did not seem forced, were not overdone and did not go on incessantly. Catheryn and Gerard are both well-rounded, three-dimensional characters. The two characters developing from strong willed, independent people to two people who love and trust one another is believable. De Brye is a wonderful protagonist, though I would have liked to have learned a little bit more behind his reasoning for his interest in Brezden. The subplots all end up being connected in a round about way, and is accomplished in a non-confusing way. Even the dream sequence Catheryn has at the beginning is intertwined throughout the story to create quite a climactic ending. The fact that Catheryn accepted Gerard as the man in her dream, and didn't just bend to his will, was an important aspect to the story, and made her in my eyes a strong heroine. I would recommend DREAM KNIGHT to anyone who enjoys medieval romances and is a book I would read again.

Rating:
Summary: A great medieval story of love and revenge
Review: Courtesy of The Best Reviews

It all started with a dream....

Catheryn, Lady of Brezden, had been worn down over the past few years of her life, her spirit tattered and her will near broken. Her parents were dead, murdered by Catheryn's guardian. She has been abused and forced to live in fear by Raymond de Brye. Her only hope was in a sachet given to her by the healer of the keep. Catheryn dreamed a dream that night, one of darkness and thunder and death. In this dream he came to her, atop a huge warhorse black as night. Was he her salvation... or her destruction?

Gerard, Count of Reveur, attacked Brezden with one intent - to kill the traitors to the king who brutally murdered Gerard's wife and newborn son. He finds Catheryn in her bed, battered and bruised by de Brye's most recent act of cruelty against her. But she was not too battered to stand up to Gerard and fight for her people and her home. He swears to protect her from further harm, though he does not trust this ward of his most bitter enemy.

Catheryn and Gerard are at odds from the beginning. She has secrets she must keep to protest her men, and he wants nothing to do with a woman he believes could be in league with the devil in the flesh. Catheryn and Gerard are coerced into a marriage neither one wishes for, but their daily interactions cause feelings to grow and passions to flame... Catheryn finds herself falling in love with her Dream Knight, even though she fears him to be her downfall. Gerard is intrigued by his young unwanted bride, finding he longs to be her hero, and burning to reveal her secrets and heal her wounds, both the physical and emotional kind.

This was a page turning story. From the opening scene of Catheryn's dream, to the closing scene of the story, the reader is captivated. There is even a touch of the mystical, with dreams foretelling the future. There were however, a few unbelievable scenes, where suspension of reality is necessary to the acceptance of what happens. Also, a few of the supporting characters were not as fully developed as they could have been.

Catheryn and Gerard, and even de Brye, are fascinating characters, full of life. It was nice to see a hero who is not infallible, and often wrong. Many times he makes near impossible vows to others that he can't keep, making him feel horribly guilty he couldn't fulfill them. His goal in life is revenge, but fairer things intrude, stalling his plans. Gerard is far from perfect; in fact, he comes across as downright cruel in a few scenes with Catheryn, not understanding her actions. Ms. Lynn also handles a delicate subject with finesse, making it very realistic and subject to high emotion. Catheryn's behavior as a result of the abuse she receives is very natural, as are Gerard's reactions to it.

All in all, this book was a pleasurable read, though intense and deep at times. It will make one long to be swept away to a fantasy world, where dreams can tell the future and wishes come true.