Category: Medieval – Early (410 – 1066)

The Warrior’s Forbidden Viking Bride by Sarah Rodi

On By TracyIn Ancient Britain, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Medieval - Early (410 - 1066), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, VikingLeave a comment

The Warrior's Forbidden Viking Bride (Harlequin Historical)The Warrior’s Forbidden Viking Bride by Sarah Rodi

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 17, 2025

After Christians raided her village in Denmark and killed her husband and infant son, Alivia has seethed with hatred for them and when she has the opportunity to raid an English monastery, she jumps at the chance for revenge. But things don’t go as planned and she accidently starts a fire in the church – endangering her life as well as her twin brother and a young boy. When they are trapped in the burning building, it is a Christian priest that saves them. The priest agrees to go with them as long as they promise not to hurt the boy or sell them into slavery. Alivia is not happy about this turn of events and can’t understand why her brother Jurgen would bring them along. She takes every opportunity to vent her rage at the priest and is even more upset that she finds him attractive – something that hasn’t happened since the death of her husband. Can she let go of her hatred and allow love to fill her heart again or will her grief win?

Ryce wasn’t always a priest, he was once married to King Eardwulf’s sister and served the king as a warrior. But when his wife and child die during childbirth, he is consumed by grief and takes it out by slaying the king’s enemies. But when he is injured and sent to the monastery to recover, he turns to his faith to find peace. Later he agrees to care for Aldfrith, the king’s illegitimate son and vows to never touch another woman. An easy vow to keep in a monastery – but when pagans attack and he and Aldfrith are taken captive by a Viking Shield Maiden and her brother – he finds himself tempted for the first time in years. Alivia is not like any woman he has ever known and despite his vows and her hatred, he finds himself drawn to her. Like Alivia, Ryce is holding tight to his grief and his faith, making him believe that there is no chance for a future with her.

This was a very emotional, enemies to lovers romance that had wonderful characters who have been crippled by grief and given a second chance at love – if they have the courage to take it. I loved Ryce and Alivia, they have both known indescribable loss but have each coped with that loss in a different way; Ryce through his faith and Alivia through vengeance. Neither is eager to open themselves up to pain again and will have to be willing to let go of the past in order to have a future. This book is filled with heartache, loss, second chances, steamyish love scenes, battles, and a hard-won HEA. This book does have things that might be triggers for some readers, so I would suggest checking the content warning before reading, but I do think the author handled these sensitive subjects with empathy and respect.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Alliance with Her Renegade Knight by Lissa Morgan

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Historical Mystery, Medieval (1066-1540), Medieval - Early (410 - 1066), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, Tudor Era (1485-1603)Leave a comment

Alliance with Her Renegade Knight (Harlequin Historical: Medieval)Alliance with Her Renegade Knight by Lissa Morgan

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 1, 2025

Life has not been kind to Isolda Breydon, first her father and brother perished at sea leaving her to run the family wool business, a predominantly male profession whose members did nothing to help her succeed, and then she was betrayed by her betrothed, which left her reputation in tatters. But none of that deterred her, but when the Duke of York crossed King Henry and went into exile, leaving the people in his village at the mercy of the new Lancastrian regime, things became hard for the common man and Isolda could not stay silent. She began anonymously penning scathing poems criticizing the unfair taxes and corrupt leadership. But setting herself against the hierarchy has consequences and she finds herself under the eagle eye of Sir Henry Wevere a knight in the service of the new overlord, the Earl of Shrewsbury. But Henry poses a threat not only to her freedom, but to her heart as well.

Sir Henry Wevere has been sent to Ludlow to find the author of the disparaging poems, and he too has more than his fair share of heartache and has vowed to never love again. But when he meets Isolda, his heart refuses to listen to reason and falls fast and hard for her. When he realizes that she is the author of the poems he is torn between his duty and his heart. He tries to get to the truth and finds himself falling harder for Isolda, but can he risk his heart or should he turn from love and just concentrate on doing his job?

I loved the blurb for this book and really liked Isolda and Henry, they are wonderful characters. I loved how well Isolda and Henry worked together against the injustice, and it was easy to believe their love for each other as well as their fear of embracing that love. Overall, I liked this story, but I did feel that it was repetitive at times, especially concerning their individual heartaches, and I found that a bit frustrating. But if you prefer a slow burn, no spice type of love story, with intense feelings, then this story is definitely for you. Please note, this story does have deep roots in grief, so if that is a sensitive subject for you, I would suggest checking the content warnings before reading this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *