ABOUT THE BOOK

A challenging wife

For a warrior Viking

When Thorstein Bergson rescues a beautiful woman from a storm-tossed longship he little expects to broker a powerful marriage alliance with her. This high-status ice queen is not the comfortable wife this warrior chief is seeking, but maybe the bittersweet pain in Gyda’s eyes hides another woman beneath? The one he tasted that first night, when she kissed him with such pent-up longing…

MY REVIEW

It’s been a while since I picked up a Viking romance and what a lovely story it is. A desperate Norse widow sets sea to live her life independently from controlling and contemptible men. Her dead husband was three times her age who despised her because of a shameful mistake. As a weaver and seamstress, she plans to make a living selling her tapestries until her ship capsizes and she loses all of her silver. Without her wealth, she is vulnerable once again and agrees to a marriage alliance with a chieftain warrior who saves her from drowning and gives her until the Yule to come to her senses and leave him for the wealth and life she is accustomed to.

Gyda is sick of men dismissing her and treating her with contempt. She had value. No man would break her again. Her coolness and strength show her to be a challenge to Thorstein who thinks she is haughty and above his station. Why would she be happy with a simple farmer like him?

It’s a treat to watch these two stubborn people grow to love each other despite being thrown into a situation they didn’t want at first. Gyda’s determination to become a good wife to Thorstein is demonstrated in the way she endears herself to the people in his settlement and presides over the daily tasks with authority and care. My heart breaks for her desperately wanting to be loved and settling for kindness and consideration from Thorstein if that’s all she can get. Thorstein on the other hand does not want a wife like her. He’s certain she will betray him like his first wife. So he willfully stays away from her stating he will never love again. It’s Gyda’s anger and final humiliation that finally sets their passion in motion until her nasty stepson shows up to ruin her happiness by threatening to reveal a shameful secret.

I wanted to add that I enjoyed watching Gyda enchant the settlement community with her storytelling and giving her beautiful embroidered gifts to the children. And I think Thorstein needed to grovel some more after the way he judged Gyda and embarrassed her in front of the community.

I recommend this wonderful debut novel filled with angst, passion, and courageous and stubborn characters. 

Thank you to Ms. Morris for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lucy Morris lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children, and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly, and Irn-Bru. A member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association, she was delighted to accept a two-book deal with Harlequin after submitting her story to the Warriors Wanted submission blitz for Viking, Medieval and Highlander romances.

Writing for Harlequin Historical is a dream come true for her and she hopes you enjoy her books!

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