Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific book. Teon and Revna were forced to marry to prevent a war. Revna was young and hopeful of a successful marriage. Teon is angry because he blames Revna's father for his mother's death. He then leaves to continue fighting other conflicts and stays away for eight years, returning only when he hears of his father's death.
I loved Revna. Instead of returning to her father's home, she stuck it out in her new life. As a Viking woman in a Saxon kingdom, she is looked at with suspicion and distrust. I liked hearing about how she earned the love and respect of the people around her by being the caring and compassionate woman she is. I also liked how she retained her Norse heritage and customs. That heritage is helpful during the siege as she uses her skills to help defend the castle. I also liked her independence, as shown by how she stood up to Teon when he tried to cut her out of things she'd been doing for years.
Teon was harder to like throughout most of the book. From the start, he takes out his prejudices against the Vikings on Revna, treating her with cruelty and contempt. After his return, he continues to do so, blaming her for anything wrong. He even refuses to consummate the marriage, not wanting to "taint" his pure Saxon blood with her heathen blood. He isn't happy about his growing desire for her.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Teon and Revna. Because of the siege, they are forced to work together, and their growing attraction becomes harder to resist. Teon's blind prejudice against Revna takes hit after hit as she shows her care and compassion for Teon's people. Despite his vow to avoid tainting his bloodline, he rationalizes taking Revna to bed to stop his distraction during the fighting. There are a few sweet scenes between them, but even then, Teon pulls away, recalling his reasons for his hatred. When he goes too far, Revna sneaks away, and Teon finally realizes the truth of his feelings.
Teon's hatred of the Vikings lies in events involving his parents and Revna's father. I enjoyed the slow revealing of those events and the truth behind them. Revna's determination and bravery in pursuing the truth also opened Teon's eyes to the things he didn't know. Teon's father's past comes back to bite Teon when his illegitimate half-brother lays siege to the castle, determined to take Teon's castle, crown, and wife. The details of the fight are vividly described, making it easy to feel part of the action. The resolution of the siege is intense, with several twists that kept me glued to the pages. I loved the ending and seeing Teon embrace his feelings for Revna.
#netgalley
I loved Revna. Instead of returning to her father's home, she stuck it out in her new life. As a Viking woman in a Saxon kingdom, she is looked at with suspicion and distrust. I liked hearing about how she earned the love and respect of the people around her by being the caring and compassionate woman she is. I also liked how she retained her Norse heritage and customs. That heritage is helpful during the siege as she uses her skills to help defend the castle. I also liked her independence, as shown by how she stood up to Teon when he tried to cut her out of things she'd been doing for years.
Teon was harder to like throughout most of the book. From the start, he takes out his prejudices against the Vikings on Revna, treating her with cruelty and contempt. After his return, he continues to do so, blaming her for anything wrong. He even refuses to consummate the marriage, not wanting to "taint" his pure Saxon blood with her heathen blood. He isn't happy about his growing desire for her.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Teon and Revna. Because of the siege, they are forced to work together, and their growing attraction becomes harder to resist. Teon's blind prejudice against Revna takes hit after hit as she shows her care and compassion for Teon's people. Despite his vow to avoid tainting his bloodline, he rationalizes taking Revna to bed to stop his distraction during the fighting. There are a few sweet scenes between them, but even then, Teon pulls away, recalling his reasons for his hatred. When he goes too far, Revna sneaks away, and Teon finally realizes the truth of his feelings.
Teon's hatred of the Vikings lies in events involving his parents and Revna's father. I enjoyed the slow revealing of those events and the truth behind them. Revna's determination and bravery in pursuing the truth also opened Teon's eyes to the things he didn't know. Teon's father's past comes back to bite Teon when his illegitimate half-brother lays siege to the castle, determined to take Teon's castle, crown, and wife. The details of the fight are vividly described, making it easy to feel part of the action. The resolution of the siege is intense, with several twists that kept me glued to the pages. I loved the ending and seeing Teon embrace his feelings for Revna.
#netgalley
