The Viking She Loves To Hate

Her rival

Is her most dangerous temptation!

Astrid Viggosdottir’s father has ordered a competition between her and new arrival Viking Ulrik to prove who is the better boat-builder! If she loses, Princess Astrid will be duty-bound to marry a Jarl. If Ulrik loses, he will be banished, leaving his motherless daughter homeless. With the stakes so high, Astrid should hate this man―but during the long hot summer their rivalry turns to a heated passion that neither can ignore!

Purchase Links: 

Mills & Boon (UK) ~ UK ~ US

Author Bio:

Lucy Morris has always been obsessed with myths and legends. Her books blend sweeping romance with vivid worldbuilding to whisk you away to another time and place filled with adventure. Expect passion, drama, and vibrant characters.

Lucy lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves Terry’s chocolate oranges and Irn-Bru. In her spare time, she likes to explore castles with her family, or drink bubbly with her friends.

Social Media Links :

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Website

 

Tracy’s Review:

The Viking She Loves to Hate by Lucy Morris

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone Title

Releases: July 25, 2023

Ulrik of Aalborg was once a warrior, but now he is a widower with a young daughter and a shipbuilder, with dreams of becoming a master shipbuilder, but his options in Aalborg are limited, so when King Viggo, a man he saved in battle years ago, offers him a position of the master shipbuilder in his kingdom, Ulrik jumps at the chance. But when he and his daughter Frida arrive, King Viggo is a bit vague about the position and Ulrik notices that the king’s ships are well-built and wonders why the king offered him a position, when he clearly has a good shipbuilder. It isn’t until later that he learns the truth – the king’s daughter Astrid is the current shipbuilder and she also wants the position of master shipbuilder. The king orders a contest, they will each build a ship and the winner will be the new master shipbuilder, and if Astrid loses, she will marry a man of her father’s choosing and if Ulrik loses, he and Frida will be banished. It is a competition that neither can afford to lose, but is there a way they can both win?

This story is well-written and definitely well-researched featuring a classic enemies-to-lovers trope combined with a second chance at love for Ulrik. Astrid and Ulrik start out as rivals and enemies, but over time, Astrid will mature from the spoiled princess she starts out as and Ulrik will find that he can open his heart to love again, and as they make these changes, they find they have much in common and forge a true connection. But their story is not without difficulties, there will be many things keeping them apart and hurdles to overcome, leading to a bit of heartache and angst before they find their HEA. Overall, it was an interesting book with very likable characters and one I would be happy to recommend.

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

Beguiling the Duke by Darcy Burke

Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Lords in Love, #1

Release Date: March 7, 2023

John “Law” Holbrook, the Duke of Lawford is on his way to meet Lady Frederica, the woman his father wanted him to marry when his carriage loses a wheel and he is stranded in the town of Marrywell. He, his valet, and his driver make their way to the closest residence, a large farmhouse owned by the Campion family. It is here that he mistakes Sadie, the owner’s daughter for a servant and learns that due to the start of the annual May Day Matchmaking Festival, there is no one to fix his carriage and no rooms to let. But despite his gaffe, he is invited to stay and Sadie has the doctor summoned to tend to his driver. Law is relieved to have to delay his trip, he doesn’t want to marry Lady Frederica and despite what her father believes and what his father wanted, he never made any promises to wed her and there is no betrothal agreement. He quickly realizes what a gem Sadie is and tries to rectify his early insult. When he learns of the festival and Sadie’s desire to find a husband, he promises to help her find a husband before the end of the festival.

After years of managing her father’s house, Sadie Campion is more than ready to have a home of her own. And after an embarrassing lapse in judgment four years ago, she is finally ready to try her luck again this year. She worries that this might be her last chance to find a match and hopes she is chosen to be one of the seven young ladies chosen to be a “maiden fair” as they are almost always matched by the end of the festival. Having Law by her side is no hardship, she just has to remember that he is not for her. But the more time they spend together, the harder that is to remember – for both of them. It seems like he may be the one for her after all, that is until Lady Frederica and her parents show up declaring to one and all that Law is betrothed to her. Has she been played for a fool again? And why does it hurt so much more this time?

This was a cute story with engaging, likable characters, but at the same time, it was a bit drawn out and predictable. I liked the idea of the Matchmaking Festival and thought naming the town “Marrywell” was clever. Sadie and Law are easy to root for, but their story was a bit formulaic and I found the sheer number of secondary characters to be overwhelming in a relatively short book. Overall, it was a cute story with a bit of steam, a little heartache, and a happy ending that includes an epilogue. This is the first book in a two-author collaboration series, but I assume each story will be a standalone title and they can be read in any order.

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