KISA (Knight in Shining Armor) is my new favorite acronym – and there's nothing we romance readers love better than a good KISA.
The KISA is the gold standard in romance heroes. He is the one in every fairytale with a Happily Ever After.
I wondered what would a modern-day knight look like and where might we find one? Could we even find one? And if we did, would we recognize him?
What makes a good KISA? Is it his winning smile and stunning physique? Or is it his attitude and heart? The sacrifices he's willing to make for others? Maybe our modern-day KISA have replaced their shiny armor for other protective gear. But to me anyone willing to risk his life for another is worthy of the title.
That was part of the inspiration for my new 1-Night Stand Story, One Knight in Brooklyn. I wanted to take an idealistic young woman and put her in a situation that, by all appearances, looked like her fairytale fantasy come true. Then I wanted to completely shatter her unrealistic ideas with a heavy dose of reality and see what would happen. What ensues is a fun, zany adventure in Sherwood Forest that forces Marianne to reevaluate her expectations. It leads her to the conclusion that heroes come in all shapes and sizes and actions speak louder than words.
Robert, the somewhat rough-around-the-edges hero, hasn't dated since the death of his wife 3 years before. But at the prodding, cajoling, and general pain-in-the-assin' of his in-laws (That's right in-laws) he books a one-night stand at the Castillo Resort in Niagara Falls.
He doesn't know how it happened, but he ends up in a castle near a forest where he meets a smokin' hot Lady Marianne. According to Robert, "If she was a fire, she'd be a god@#&% 5-alarm ringer! And she's what the guys at the station call a 10/10 – which means on a scale from 1
to 10, she's the top no matta which way she's facin' – if ya know what I mean."
One Knight in Brooklyn is a romantic adventure that will make you laugh out loud and leave you
with a big satisfied smile – if you know what I mean. **wink**
Blurb:
After signing up for a one-night stand through an exclusive matching agency, hopeless romantic Marianne Caldwell is swept away to a medieval land where she hopes to spend the night with a
worthy man of honor.
Unsure of how she got from the Castillo Hotel in Las Vegas to a castle in the English countryside, Mare finds Robert, whose stunning physique and winning smile immediately convince her he's the Robin Hood she's been seeking. But despite his efforts in saving her from a corrupt sheriff, his Jersey Shore accent and coarse ways unravel her romantic visions.
With her fairytale fantasies coming unhinged, Mare must decide if Robert is just a crass car salesman from Brooklyn or the chivalrous knight she's looking for.
One Knight in Brooklyn Excerpt:
“Well, Dallas, what did a pretty gal like you expect from this deal?”
There was no way in hell she would answer that question. So she employed her stellar skills of diversion and subterfuge. “What did a guy like you expect from this deal?” Okay, maybe not the cleverest line she’d ever come up with, but this guy with his mesmerizing eyes messed up her mojo.
He leaned back with his elbow on the mattress and flashed a brilliant smile. She swallowed hard. “To get to know a lovely young woman such as yourself and have a little adventure. You think you
can handle that?”
Could he be any more cocky? His thinly veiled innuendo struck her with the delicacy of a baseball bat. No question he was hot. From a purely physical standpoint, he was perfection, but did anything rattle around behind those blue eyes? She crossed her arms over her chest and
tilted her chin. “What I want to know is, can you handle that?”
Oops, she hadn’t meant for that to sound like a challenge or an invitation, but even to her own ears, it did. He stood, his long legs closing the distance between them in two strides. She braced her legs to hold her ground, but retreated toward a wall. So much for holding my ground. Pressing her head back against a branch, she looked up into his even stare. God, his eyes were Ceylon blue, his lips full and lush. He stopped in front of her, but continued to lower his head
toward hers. Other than the rustling wind, only her ragged breathing sounded amongst the leaves.
Robert braced his hands on either side of her shoulders, effectively trapping her between him and the tree. Every cell in her body buzzed with electrical current, and her gaze helplessly transfixed on him. The lids of his eyes lowered, and his straight nose brushed against hers.
“Can I kiss you?” His whispered request tickled her skin.
Chills swept over her heated body. Her knees gave way, and she sighed out some inaudible response he apparently took as affirmative. He brushed her lips with a kiss.
