Swordplay, Sapphics, and Shenanigans: A Review of "Lady’s Knight" by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
- Kim Bartosch
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Step aside, damsels in distress—Lady’s Knight by bestselling duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner flips the script on medieval legend and delivers a sparkling queer rom-com full of swords, sapphic swoons, and sharp-tongued banter. Published by StoryTide and reviewed via NetGalley, this book is a feminist firestorm wrapped in chain-mail and charm. With echoes of A Knight’s Tale, My Lady Jane, and a sprinkle of The Great, it’s a joyride through a reimagined England where love, laughter, and liberation collide on the tournament field.
Title: Lady's Knight
Authors: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Publisher: StoryTide
Reviewed via: NetGalley #netgalley
Pub. Date: June 3, 2025
Genre: YA Romance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Book Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Synopsis:
An undeniably fierce, unforgettably funny, unapologetically queer feminist romp through the England of medieval legend. Bestselling and acclaimed authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner bring readers along on an epic quest for valor, freedom, and, above all, love. A Knight’s Tale meets the Lady Jane series, with a dash of The Great!
Gwen is sick of hiding—hiding the fact that she’s taken over her father’s blacksmithing duties, hiding her attraction to girls, hiding her yearning for glory as a knight.
Meanwhile, Lady Isobelle of Avington, queen bee of the castle, has never once considered hiding who she is—until now. She’s been chosen as the grand prize in the Tournament of Dragonslayers, to be given to whichever knight can claim her hand. And for the first time in her life, she can’t talk her way out of trouble.
When Isobelle discovers Gwen’s knightly ambitions, they hatch a scheme together—Gwen will joust in the tournament, disguised as Sir Gawain. Winning means freedom for Isobelle, and glory for Gwen. Losing means… well, let’s not go there.
One thing’s for sure: Falling in love was never the plan.
But the best laid plans…are often trampled all over by dragons.
My Review "Lady's Knight" by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
🗡️ A Medieval Romp with Modern Spirit
If A Knight’s Tale, My Lady Jane, and The Great had a baby—with armor, dragons, and queer longing—it would be Lady’s Knight. This sharp-witted, swoon-heavy adventure by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner is everything a reader could hope for in a queer feminist fantasy: smart, subversive, and full of heart. It’s not just a romance—it’s a reclamation of space for women and queer folks in a world that underestimates them.
The story delivers a pitch-perfect mix of humor, heart, and heraldry, with enough banter to make even the most battle-hardened knight crack a smile.
🧝♀️ A Plot Full of Disguises, Dragons, and Defiance
At the heart of the novel is Gwen, a blacksmith’s daughter who’s been secretly keeping the family forge alive—and dreaming of knighthood. When her path crosses with Lady Isobelle of Avington (picture Elle Woods meets Brienne of Tarth), the two form a pact: Gwen will enter a deadly tournament in disguise, and Isobelle will coach her through the courtly chaos.
The stakes? Gwen could finally achieve the glory she’s always dreamed of, and Isobelle might escape the shackles of a forced marriage. Of course, neither plans to fall head-over-heels in love… but this book isn’t called Lady’s Knight for nothing.
Yes, there are dragons. Yes, there are disguises. Yes, there is jousting. But beneath all the swordplay and shenanigans, this is a story about being seen—truly seen—for who you are.
💖 Characters to Root For
Gwen is endearing, determined, and deeply relatable—torn between duty, identity, and the desire to be something more. Isobelle, meanwhile, is the kind of confident, bold heroine who masks her fear with snark and sparkle. Together, they make a dynamic duo full of chemistry, tension, and unexpected tenderness.
Side characters are just as vivid—from sarcastic squires to flamboyant courtiers—making the world feel rich and full of life. Everyone has a role to play in this tapestry of tradition and rebellion.
🏰 A Setting Worth Storming the Castle For
While rooted in medieval aesthetics, the world of Lady’s Knight feels entirely fresh. Kaufman and Spooner infuse the setting with feminist grit and sparkling irreverence, never weighed down by stale tropes. The Tournament of Dragonslayers serves as both thrilling plot device and biting satire of performative masculinity, while the castle scenes brim with secrets, strategy, and stolen kisses.
Even the dragons aren’t just danger—they’re metaphor. This book knows how to wield its fantasy elements in service of something deeper.
😂 What Made This Book a Blast
🔥 Witty banter and hilarious inner monologues
🛡️ A refreshing sapphic romance that feels both swoony and sincere
🐉 Dragons and sword fights, balanced with heart and humor
💅 Smart commentary on gender roles, power, and expectation
🏳️🌈 A joyful, unapologetic embrace of queerness in fantasy
The book never preaches—but it does make a point. Women in this world are silenced, sidelined, and sold off… but Lady’s Knight insists that their stories are worth centering. That they can be brave, brilliant, and beloved—all at once.
🤔 What Didn't Work (Spoiler: Not Much)
Honestly, if I had to nitpick, I’d say the plot occasionally leans into the predictable—but that’s part of the fun. You want the reveal, the swoon, the standing ovation. This book delivers on every promise it makes, and then some.
🌈 Final Verdict
Lady’s Knight is a sapphic triumph: bold, bubbly, and beautifully subversive. Kaufman and Spooner have given readers a tale of love and legacy that feels both timeless and timely. Whether you're here for the romance, the rebellion, or the dragons, you're in for a treat.
If you loved My Lady Jane, One Last Stop, or The Princess Bride with more glitter and grit, don your armor—this one’s for you.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🗡️✨ Feminist fantasy meets queer romance—with dragons. What more could you want?
Meet the Authors:
Amie Kaufman is a New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult and middle grade fiction and the host of the podcast Amie Kaufman on Writing. Her multi-award-winning work is slated for publication in over thirty countries and has been described as “a game-changer” (Shelf Awareness), “stylistically mesmerizing” (Publishers Weekly), and “out-of-this-world awesome” (Kirkus Reviews). Her series include the Illuminae Files, the Aurora Cycle, the Other Side of the Sky duology, the Starbound trilogy, the Unearthed duology, the Elementals trilogy, and The World Between Blinks. Her work is in development for film and TV and has taken home multiple Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, and a Gold Inky, made multiple best-of lists, and been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. Raised in Australia and occasionally Ireland, Amie has degrees in history, literature, law, and conflict resolution and is currently undertaking a PhD in creative writing. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, daughter, rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library. Learn more about her and subscribe to her newsletter at amiekaufman.com.
New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner grew up reading and writing every spare moment of the day while dreaming about life as an archaeologist, a marine biologist, or an astronaut. She graduated from Hamilton College in New York State with a degree in playwriting. She’s traveled all over the world, to places such as Egypt, Australia, South Africa, the Arctic, Greece, Antarctica, and the Galápagos Islands, and there’s a bit of every trip in every story she writes. She currently lives and writes in Asheville, North Carolina, but the siren call of travel is hard to resist, and there’s no telling how long she’ll stay there. She’s the author of Hunted and Sherwood and the coauthor of the award-winning Starbound Trilogy (These Broken Stars, This Shattered World, Their Fractured Light) and the Skylark Trilogy (Skylark, Shadowlark, Lark Ascending). In her spare time she plays guitar, plays video games, plays with her cat, and reads. meaganspooner.com
Comments