A CODE OF KNIGHTS AND DECEPTION
Eliza Hampstead
GENRE: Historical Time Travel Romance
BLURB:
Outlander meets Black Mirror in this sizzling dark time travel romance.
She thought it was real. She was wrong.
When Sophia wakes up in 15th-century England, she expects hardship—but nothing prepares her for this brutal, unforgiving world. Lost, alone, and desperate to return to her husband and son, she vows to find a way home. But as the days turn into months, Sophia begins to build a new life, finding unexpected kinship and purpose in this strange land.
After a violent attack, she takes fate into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to train under Henry, the castle’s enigmatic master-at-arms. As steel clashes and their connection deepens, forbidden desire ignites.
Yet Henry is not who he claims to be. His real name is Ethan, and this is the least of the lies he tells her. Falling for Sophia was never part of the plan—but the closer they become, the more he realises how wrong it is to keep her in the dark.
As danger closes in and the lines between reality and deception blur, Sophia must uncover the truth about Henry—and herself—before she runs out of time.
*Warning: strong language, steamy scenes, and graphic violence inside. Mention/Description of, but not limited to, abduction, blood, death, amputation, childbirth, death, sexual assault, suicide, violence against children, rape, and torture.*
The book is the first in a duology and ends with a cliffhanger.
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Excerpt:
I had the strangest dream. Nothing unusual for me, but this one lingered in vivid detail, as if I’d truly been there—in a medieval castle, smoke and burning wood perfuming the air, stone walls looming around me. Azure blue eyes. I smiled at the memory, then made the mistake of swallowing and winced at the sharp, scratchy sensation in my throat. I reached for my phone on the nightstand, seeking comfort in the familiar routine of checking the time, but my hand met only empty space.
Confused, I squinted into the darkness. My surroundings looked much as it had last night: thick red bed curtains drawn nearly shut, letting in only a small beam. I shifted under the heavy covers, my feet touching the icy stone floor and sending shivers up my legs as I sat up in my underdress. A faint shaft of light crept in from a small window, softly hinting at dawn. It might have been around six.
Breathing out a small cloud, I rubbed my arms to coax some warmth back into them and took in the room's strangeness, feeling how truly alien this place was.
"Good mornin', my lady! How be ye feelin' today?" she chirped, her voice motherly and comforting in my panic. Her plain brown dress rustled as she moved about the room, efficient and unfazed.
"Toilet?" I croaked, my voice strained and hoarse from my sore throat.
Polly looked at me in confusion, observing me standing there with legs crossed.
"Ah, a privy ye seek." She nodded thoughtfully, then produced a chamber pot from under the bed, holding it out to me.
I reached for it, mortified. What was I supposed to do now?
Interview with Eiza Hampstead
What is your favorite part of the book?
That’s like asking me to pick a favourite child! But if I had to choose, I’d say the scenes where Sophia starts embracing her new reality—when she realises she’s not just stuck in the past but has to actively survive it. Her modern logic clashes with medieval customs, and watching her navigate that (sometimes gracefully, sometimes not) was both fun and challenging to write. And, of course, I love her moments with Henry—especially the ones filled with tension, stolen glances, and that slow-burn attraction that builds despite all the reasons it shouldn’t.
Does your book have a lesson? Moral?
I think at its core, this book asks: What makes life worth living? Is it love? Family? A sense of purpose? Sophia faces impossible choices, and through her, I wanted to explore the idea that sometimes, the life we think we should have isn’t the one that makes us truly happy.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Sophia is probably the closest to me—she thinks like I would if I suddenly woke up in medieval England (which is both a good and bad thing). Some side characters were inspired by historical figures, like Lord Richard de Beauchamp, but also by people in my life. Sophia’s best friend in the book? He’s based on my real-life best friend (because every time-traveling woman needs someone to keep her grounded, even if only in spirit).
Her family is also inspired by mine—her ex-husband has more than a few similarities to my ex-husband, and her son is based on my own son when he was younger. In fact, one of my favourite little details—a joke about how her son’s metabolism only works when he’s talking—is straight out of my real life!
So while much of the book is fictional, there are a lot of personal touches woven in, making it feel very real to me.
Of all the characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?
That’s tough, but I’d have to say Henry. He has so many layers—he’s honourable, yet he has secrets; he’s a warrior, yet he’s thoughtful. He’s the kind of knight we wish existed in history, but with enough flaws to make him feel real. Plus, he has a dry wit and a way of saying the exact thing to get under Sophia’s skin, which I love writing.
What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?
Probably Father Johannes. He’s rigid, judgmental, and absolutely convinced he knows best about everything. I’d last about two minutes in a conversation with him before arguing about something—probably women’s roles or medieval medicine.
What would the main character in your book have to say about you?
Sophia would probably ask, "Why did you make me like you? Didn’t I deserve a better personality?" She’d definitely have some questions about why I threw her into such a challenging situation with all those historical customs, no modern conveniences, and the constant pressure of survival. But, deep down, I think she’d understand. I started this book 12 years ago, during a tough time in my life—right during my divorce. I wondered, How would I react if I suddenly woke up in a completely unfamiliar world, much like Sophia does in medieval England?
Sophia is essentially my past self, and through her, I processed a lot of the emotions I was feeling at the time—grief, confusion, the need to rediscover my purpose. Writing this book was a way for me to close the chapter on a failed marriage and move forward, just like Sophia does. In the end, the book helped me find my own new family, new love, and a renewed sense of self. I think Sophia would see that, and maybe—just maybe—she’d forgive me for making her face all those challenges in the first place. After all, they were part of her journey too.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
This book has a cliffhanger, so while it could stand alone, it’s definitely part of a bigger story. The next book will dive even deeper into the themes of reality, choice, and identity—plus, more adventure, more secrets, and more romance!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Award-winning author Eliza Hampstead, a scientist by training, lives with her family in the UK. When she's not writing, she spends her time as a geek. Playing all sorts of games (board games, video games, RPGs) and being a big fan of medieval history are only a few of the many hobbies she has. Passionate about fantasy, she’s always planning her next adventure.
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6 comments:
We appreciate you hosting A CODE OF KNIGHTS AND DECEPTION today.
I love a good historical romance. Sounds really good.
Thank you!
Looks like a good book.
interesting
Which fictional character (not your own) would you love to grab coffee with?
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