Tag: Sarah Rodi

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. *

The Viscount’s Forbidden Flirtation by Sarah Rodi

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Viscount's Forbidden Flirtation (A Season to Wed, 2)The Viscount’s Forbidden Flirtation by Sarah Rodi

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: A Season to Wed, #2

Release Date: April 1, 2025

French emigree, Miss Seraphine Mounier first meets Ezra Hart, heir to Viscount Hart when she tries to prevent a duel between Erza and her brother Henri, Baron Mounier. She is too late, but thankfully Erza deloped and apologized for the insult he paid to Henri, when he made derogatory statements about the French immigrants in England. This doesn’t pacify Seraphine, and she makes it clear that she doesn’t like Erza and wants nothing to do with him. But their paths keep crossing and the more time she spends with him, the more she softens towards him. Erza needs a noble wife with an impeccable background and there is no way the Viscount would accept her. She tries to distance herself from him, but Erza can’t seem to take a hint and when disaster strikes, he is her hero, and she falls head over heels for a man she can’t have. Too bad falling in love doesn’t guarantee a happy ending.

Ezra Hart is the heir to Viscount Hart, but that is not a right he was born to, and it is conditional. When Ezra was just 10 years old, the Viscount’s son died and he approached Ezra’s parents with a proposition, Ezra would come to live with them as their son and the Viscount will make him his heir and in exchange, he would give Ezra’s father a home and a living. Ezra missed his family, but had no contact with them, and never felt like he belonged with the Viscount. So, when the opportunity to go to school came, he was happy and made some lifelong friends, friends he convinced to go into the military with him when they finished school. He fought for years and now that the war is finally over and he has returned to England, his is trying to come to terms with his life. His experiences in the war skewed his feelings towards the French and while in his cups one night he made some awful comments that ended up published. Words he regrets and after meeting Seraphine, he will do whatever he can to make things right. He would love to make Seraphine his wife, but his inheritance is conditional and without the Viscount’s approval, he has nothing to offer her.

This was a well-written and interesting story with a very unique plot that touches on sensitive issues regarding prejudices and social status. I liked Erza and tried to be understanding of his original opinions of the French immigrants in England, especially as he had just returned from the war. I also tried to give the same empathy to Seraphine who had lived in England most of her life but was still treated like an outsider, yet I had a hard time warming up to her. However, I had a hard time believing she was as ostracized as she claimed, as she and her family were accepted into the highest echelons of society and had no shortage of invitations. Yes, there were a few people who were nasty – but that was more about jealousy than xenophobia. This was a very fresh story, but it did have a lot of etiquette errors – by my count Seraphine was ruined at least three times and seemed to have no concern for her reputation. Overall, I liked the story and thought the author handled the sensitive plot points very well. This is the second book in an author collaboration series but could easily be read as a standalone title.

*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. *