Katie MacAlister, Hard Days Knight

Hard Days Knight

Katie MacAlister

Signet, Jan 2005, $6.99, 368 pp.

ISBN: 0451213866

At the Ontario Renaissance Faire, Seattle visitor unemployed software specialist Pepper March attends as an English wench because her cousin CJ persuaded her that she would find chivalrous medieval hunks as she always dreamed of a knight in shining armor. When the cat she is watching gets loose, Pepper follows, but almost is run over by a horse. The actions of English knight Walker MacPhail saves her from a stomping.

However, her hero is not very chivalrous afterward as he rips her for being an idiot. Later, she learns from her cousin that Walker is a member of the jousting team Three Dog Knight that includes CJ's beau. As Walker and Pepper become acquainted, they begin to fall in love. However, he fears any lasting relationships as much as he struggles to reenter the jousting ring that he once owned.

This is a delightful somewhat reverse anachronistic tale that cleverly uses a Renaissance festival to furbish a medieval context in a modern day Canadian setting. The story line works because of the strong cast. The heroine wants a caring knight for her to nurture while her choice has issues to deal with. The secondary players provide the background that will lead the audience to believe they are attending the gala. The final joust between the lead couple is a brilliant ending to a fine contemporary.

Harriet Klausner