Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Sian Ann Bessey
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: July 2nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
Aisley lost everything in a Viking attack. Now, working alongside the one man she trusts, she is ready to fight for her people—and for love.
Wessex, AD 878
Aisley’s young life was changed forever when her father accompanied King Alfred into battle and lost his life in a deadly skirmish with the Vikings. Now, almost seven years later, the Vikings are once again rallying on Wessex’s borders, and Aisley fears that her older brother may have treacherous plans to betray the king by aligning himself with the invading Norsemen. But when Aisley encounters a handsome nobleman in the market, she feels the first stirrings of hope. Though they met only once when Aisley was little more than a child, she recognizes him immediately as one of King Alfred’s most trusted men.
It has been years since Brecc has seen Aisley, but when he spots her in the marketplace, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the copper-haired young lady with a gift for healing. Before his fledgling feelings for her can develop into something more, however, a Viking attack tears them apart. King Alfred is forced into hiding, and in a matter of days, the Saxon nation is brought to its knees. Unwilling to forsake their people, the king and his men embark on secret raids of Viking encampments. But when Aisley joins the fight, Brecc must reconcile his steadfast loyalty to King Alfred with his growing love for the king’s newest warrior.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for the gifted ARC.
LOVED THIS.
I love when I really feel the intersection of history and fiction in stories. It’s why I continually come back to the historical genre. I loved how well researched and intricate this story was and I am always here for unique historical settings.
The romance between Aisley and Brecc was really sweet. I liked that this had a little bit heavier romantic presence too. I loved how they came together and the tender chemistry between them. The romance has great tension and watching them combat outside battles only made the connection stronger. I loved both of these characters separately and together (which is always a high mark for me).
I enjoyed learning more about this time period and battles. I feel like I read a lot of Viking books but not much of the other groups that were around in this era. I loved finishing this and immediately wanting to learn more about the King and the setting and battles. It satisfied by history nerd tendencies in all the best ways.
This is officially my new favorite Sian Ann Bessey book.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: moderate
- Content Warnings: battle scenes and war themes, loss of life, near death experiences
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