Audiobook Review – The Parfit Knight (Rockliffe, Book 1) by Stella Riley, Narrated by Alex Wyndham (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 7 hours and 6 minutes
Publisher: Stella Riley
Release Date: January 18, 2016
ASIN : B01ANZFHTK
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Rockliffe series
Source: Audiobook on Loan through Audible Escapes
Rating: 4/5 stars

“ When the Marquis of Amberley’s coach is waylaid by highwaymen and his coachman shot, he is forced to take shelter at the first house he finds and is subsequently trapped there for a week by a severe snowstorm.

Oakleigh Manor is the home of Rosalind Vernon who lives alone but for her devoted servants and an ill-natured parrot, cut off from the outside world by the tragic result of a childhood accident. But Rosalind is brave and bright and totally devoid of self-pity – and it is these qualities which, as the days pass and the snow continues to fall, touch Amberley’s heart.

On his return to London, the Marquis persuades Rosalind’s brother, Philip, to bring her to town for a taste of society, despite her handicap. But the course of Amberley’s courtship is far from smooth. Philip Vernon actively dislikes him; Rosalind appears to be falling under the spell of the suavely elegant Duke of Rockliffe; and worse still, Amberley is haunted by a dark and terrible secret that, if revealed, may cause him to lose Rosalind forever.”

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Rockliffe series. I borrowed this audiobook through Audible Escapes.

Audiobook Quality (4/5): This was a very well done audiobook and I enjoyed listening to it. I would definitely recommend listening to this on audiobook if you enjoy audiobooks.

Story (4/5): This was a well done historical romance. It’s mostly a comedy of errors type of historical romance. Rosalind has been blind since childhood and, when Amberly is stranded at her manor during a snowstorm, he falls in love with her clever wit and bravery. He convinces her brother, Philip, to let her join society in London which results in many entertaining antics. I prefer my historical fiction/romance with more of a plot aside from the romance (a mystery, fantasy, intrigue etc). However,this was well written and very sweet.

Characters (5/5): The characters were very well done and incredibly likable. I loved Rosalind with her daring wit and her wonderful attitude. Amberley was also a very lovable character. The side characters were wonderfully done too (Rosalind’s brother Philip, his intended, and the Duke of Rockliffe). I would love to read more about the Duke of Rockliffe in future books. I think my only complaint is that the characters were almost all introduced in the first chapter which made it challenging to keep track of them at first; there is also a lot of switching between first name and surname which can get confusing.

Setting (4/5): The majority of the story is set in Victorian London. It was well done but not all that unique or original. I did enjoy all the historical detail in the settings and customs of the time.

Writing Style (4/5): The story switches mainly between Rosalind and Amberley’s point of view. It is well written, easy to read and full of witty conversation. I found it entertaining and looked forward to listening to it. I don’t read a lot of straight historical romances, so I kept feeling like something was missing. I wanted some mystery, or magic, or action…just something more than a straight historical romance.

My Summary (4/5): Overall this was an entertaining historical romance with characters that were engaging and fun. There isn’t a lot more to the story outside from the antics between Rosalind and Amberley, along with Rosalind trying to have a season in London while dealing with her blindness. It was all fine but I prefer a bit more meat to my stories. If you are looking for a straight historical romance with lovable characters and witty dialogue I would highly recommend this. If you prefer something more with your romance (mystery, adventure, magic) I would skip this. I don’t plan on reading more of this series because this wasn’t a great fit for me.