Category: Medieval – Early (410 – 1066)

The Viking’s Princess Bride by Sarah Rodi

On By TracyIn Medieval - Early (410 - 1066), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Standalone Title, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Viking's Princess BrideThe Viking’s Princess Bride by Sarah Rodi

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: January 21, 2025

Driven by vengeance, Njal Salversson laid siege to Jorvik, the royal seat of the Saxon King Aelfweard, hoping that defeating the king who ordered the slaughter of his family would finally give him peace. He and his men have been fighting for the past two years and now that the king has been defeated, Njal wants to put the past behind him and find a way for the Danes and Saxon to live together in harmony. The first step to achieve that goal is to marry King Aelfweard’s widowed daughter, Princess Cwen. Marriage was not originally part of his plan, but when he met her on the battlefield, she captivated him like no woman ever had. But Njal has been burned before and trust is hard for him to give, especially when he is sure Cwen is hiding something, and his family loyalty is called into question. Can he find true love and peace with his enemy’s daughter or is he setting himself up for more heartache?

Princess Cwen is used to being a pawn for her father, so a second political marriage doesn’t come as s a surprise to her, but her reaction to Njal is unlike anything she as ever experienced. He makes her want things that are impossible. But lying to Njal doesn’t sit well with Cwen and when she finally lets herself admit what she is feeling is love, it makes lying even harder. But her secrets are not her own and could have ramifications that hurt the people she loves. Can she trust Njal with the truth and will he forgive her deception or will the betrayals in his past keep him from accepting her explanations?

This was a wonderful story set in the Early Medieval era of Anglo-Saxon England. I loved Cwen and Njal, they are both amazing characters, who are willing to forsake their own happiness for the sake of their loved ones. This story has a lot going on including love at first sight, enemies-to-lovers, longing, betrayal, secrets, a heaping dose of angst, family loyalty, heartache, lies, forgiveness, a bit of spice and finally a HEA that seemed almost impossible and even includes a very sweet epilogue. I do wish the story had moved a bit faster, but overall, it was a very good read and one I would happily recommend to fans of Medieval romance.

*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. *

The Knight’s Bride Prize by Ella Matthews

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Medieval - Early (410 - 1066), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Knight's Bride Prize (The Knights' Missions Book 2)The Knight’s Bride Prize by Ella Matthews

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Knights’ Missions, #2

Release Date: November 26, 2024

After an incident at the castle of his mentor, Lord Ormond, Sir Hugh de Veilleux and his two brother Knights Leo and Tristian are tasked with proving their loyalty to his liege lord by each performing a mission. Hugh’s assignment is to infiltrate Ceinwen Castle, the Welsh holding of Lord Geraint and investigate suspected treason. He will infiltrate the castle under the guise of taking part in the tournament that Lord Geraint is holding to find a husband for his only daughter, Lady Bronwen. Hugh is not happy about the deceit, but he will do anything to clear his and his friends’ names, so they can pursue their dream of joining Sir Benedictus’s King’s Knights. Hugh believes this will be a simple mission, but that was before he met Lady Bronwen and found himself doing the one thing, he swore he would never do by falling in love with her.

Lady Bronwen was impressed by Sir Hugh from the moment she laid eyes on him, but once she learned that he was the third son of his family and had no hope of inheriting, she had to set her mind against him as a potential spouse. Not because she was mercenary, but because Hugh has no home of his own to take her to and she desperately wants to leave her father’s house. Her father was once a kind and benevolent lord, but in recent years he has become a drunk, more interested in drinking and feasting than his wife or daughter. But as much as she tries to ignore Hugh, it proves to be impossible. Will they give into the attraction simmering between them or will Hugh’s secrets and lies destroy any chance of a HEA?

This was a well-written, nicely paced story with very likable characters who both fight the call of their hearts. This book has intrigue, secrets, more than one villain, treason, lies, steamyish loves scenes, a bit of angst, a little heartache and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. My only qualm with the story is how the traitor was handled, but aside from that, it was a great read with a really, wonderful ending, that I am happy to recommend. This is the second book in the series, but could easily be read as a standalone title, although, after reading this book, I purchased the first book because I just have to know what happened with Leo!

*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. *