The Parfit Knight by Stella Riley

Narrated by Alex Wyndham

I’ve been a huge fan of Stella Riley’s books for longer than I should probably admit! As I’ve said in our interview, I discovered her writing back in the 1980s and loved it so much that it stuck with me for more than twenty-five years, even though she took a long break from writing. In addition to a series of novels set in 17^th Century England, she has also written three historical romances set in the Georgian Era, of which The Parfit Knight is the first. Audio versions of the next two books – The Mésalliance and The Player – will follow, and I can say without doubt that the combination of Alex Wyndham’s gorgeous voice and interpretative skill and Ms Riley’s intelligent writing and excellent characterisation makes The Parfit Knight a truly delightful audio experience.

Blinded by a childhood accident, twenty-two-year-old Rosalind Vernon lives a secluded life, surrounded by familiar things and looked after by a devoted staff. Her brother, who has recently sold out of the army, believes it best for her to be somewhere she is comfortable and away from the unforgiving eyes of society. But in reality, she’s living in a prison – albeit one with gilded bars – and lives a monotonous, unfulfilling existence, until one day, the actions of a highwayman and the advent of an unexpected snowstorm quite literally change her life forever.

Dominic, the Marquis of Amberley, is travelling to his Hertfordshire estate when his coach is waylaid and his coachman is shot and badly injured. Once the aggressor is dealt with, it is imperative that the injured man be treated, so Amberley and his servants make for the nearest house to request aid and shelter. On his first meeting with the house’s occupant, Amberley is stunned to find her the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He is equally astonished when she tells him that she is blind, but – and this is one of the things that makes him perfect for her – he intuitively realises that the last thing she wants or needs is to be treated differently or pitied, and surprises her by eventually telling her that any sympathy he may feel for her situation is because she is a young woman living the life of a recluse, and not because she is blind.

During the days they spend together trapped by the snow, Amberley prods and pokes Rosalind into doing things she has never done before and had never thought she would ever do, like throwing snowballs or learning to dance. He shows her more excitement and fun in those few days than she has had since her accident twelve years earlier, and gives her the courage to want more from life. It’s clear to the listener that she is charmed and probably deeply infatuated with Amberley, but one of the things I so love about the story is the way Ms Riley turns things back-to-front so that it’s the worldly, self-assured Amberley who falls head-over-heels in love. He isn’t afraid to admit it to himself either, not being one of those “I’m never going to get married” heroes so often found in historical romance; instead, his reluctance to declare himself is rooted in his deeply ingrained sense of fairness and honour. Knowing that he is most likely the first man outside of her family that Rosalind has ever interacted with in an informal way, he believes that she needs the time and opportunity to meet others before making such an important decision about her future.

On the face of it, then, The Parfit Knight is a very simple tale. There are no grasping relatives, secret babies or evil doers; it’s just a beautifully told story about two people falling in love and the obstacles they have to overcome – one of which could have potentially devastating consequences.  But what makes it such a terrific romance is the way that the central relationship is presented as a true meeting of minds. There is a lovely moment when Rosalind realises that she has at last found someone she can really talk to and laugh with which is really touching; and the moment when Amberley realises he is completely and irrevocably in love is brilliantly done. There is an engaging cast of fully-rounded secondary characters such as Amberley’s closest friend, the laconic but seemingly omnipotent Duke of Rockliffe (whose story will be told in The Mésalliance) who, at times, comes dangerously close to stealing the show; and Rosalind’s over-protective brother, whose wrongly-founded dislike of Amberley causes the couple more than a few problems. Ms Riley writes male friendships incredibly well, and the scenes between Amberley and Rockliffe and their circle are an absolute delight.  But beyond that, she has the knack of creating the most wonderful heroes; I haven’t yet come across a hero of her creation who hasn’t charmed me utterly. Amberley is, to paraphrase the author’s words: “rich, assured and possessed of a certain elusive charm which even his well-wishers were inclined to regard as frankly disastrous.” He is also clever, kind, witty, sensitive and intensely honourable, the perfect match for the sweet, but courageous Rosalind, for whom he opens up the prospect of a life consisting of so much more than she ever believed she could have.

I know that Ms Riley put a lot of time and thought into selecting the narrator for her audiobooks, and I can’t imagine that anyone will disagree with me when I say that Alex Wyndham is an excellent – perhaps even the perfect – choice. He has received high praise for his narrations here at AudioGals, and my fellow reviewers and I have never failed to be impressed by his ability to create and flesh out large numbers of characters of both sexes, and to bring exactly the right emotional note to his interpretations. I’m delighted to report that his performance in The Parfit Knight more than lived up to my expectations – which were pretty high. His pacing is perfect, his characterisations are all spot-on, and his ability to differentiate effectively between the five or six male characters who appear regularly during the story – sometimes three or more of them together – is very impressive, because in doing so, he never resorts to caricature or goes over the top in order to make them sound different from each other. In our interview, Alex Wyndham says that it can sometimes be difficult to find the right voice for a romantic hero, but one would never know it because his interpretation of Amberley is perfect. He expertly captures the character’s warmth, humour and poise while at the same time allowing the listener to hear the vulnerability that lies beneath the confident exterior. His portrayals of female characters also continue to impress, and I especially like the soft, low tones he adopts for Rosalind, and the playfully French-accented English used to portray Amberley’s mother.

The Parfit Knight is a tender, character-driven romance that is sure to appeal to anyone looking to enjoy a well-told and intelligently written love story. And when it’s wrapped up in a performance by one of the best narrators around… I guarantee you’re in for a real treat.

Caz

Narration: A+

Book Content: A-

Steam Factor: You can play it out loud

Violence Rating: Minimal

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Stella Riley

The Parfit Knight was provided to AudioGals by Stella Riley for a review.