After spending many years honing his skills as a thief, imposter and murderer at the King's bidding, disguising himself as chivalrous Sir Percival to prevent an arranged marriage should be an very easy task for Dante Chiaveri to complete. That is, of course, until he encounters the subject of his mission! As the king's most deadly assassin, Dante Chiaveri knows that he has to accept one last assignment from King Edward in order to leave his current life behind and return to his rightful place in Venice. The month that he would spend in the company of Avalene de Forshay would not only prove to be one of his biggest challenges but it would also change the course of his life.

Avalene de Forshay always thought that she was just a very plain young woman and spends most of her time being ignored by her family and the opposite sex. She knows that as an overlooked heir to a long departed Welsh prince, her future will most likely hold a betrothal and marriage based upon what is best for her father's interests as a Welsh Marcher Lord. When she falls into the arms of Sir Percival in a most unusual first meeting, Avalene is immediately smitten with Sir Percival despite the fact that he will be delivering her to most calculated fate. Her reaction to him has her questioning her original plan of compliance and Avalene discovers that despite people not being what they appear, her heart could truly only belong to one person.

Elizabeth Elliott masterfully takes you back to a time of chivalry, titles and crowns with her book, THE DARK KNIGHT. The effort made to develop the back drop on this story will certainly not go unappreciated by most historical romance readers. The story is well written, the characters are well developed and I found myself wanting to find out more about some of the supporting characters at the conclusion of THE DARK KNIGHT. At times I thought Avalene to be a bit too agreeable to her circumstances but that trait is found in a lot of solid historical reads. Be advised that this story sneaks up on you and I found myself fully engaged once the world surrounding the tale was created. THE DARK KNIGHT could definitely stand well on it's own or be part of a series if the author is so inclined.

Book Summary

Thief, assassin, and master of disguise, Dante Chiavari is the most feared mercenary of England's King Edward. On one last assignment, Dante must play the part of a chivalrous knight to steal Avalene de Forshay from her family and thwart the ruthless Faulke Segrave, who would wed Avalene and use her to spark war between Wales and the crown. Upon seeing the beautiful and innocent young maiden, however, the mercenary suddenly finds himself at the mercy of his own intense desire. When Avalene meets the handsome knight she knows only as Sir Percival, he sweeps her off her feet even as he spirits her away from Coleway Castle. Their escape is wrought with risks and perils, but Avalene will find that the greatest danger lies in losing her heart. And after the truth is revealed, Avalene fears that she may never again be able to trust the dark knight who has come to mean more to her than life itself.