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Synopsis
A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in the first book of a Norse-inspired fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband's back.
Freya's dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region's jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess's blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden's fate.
Believing he's destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Synopsis source: Goodreads
Review
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Magic
HB&W Rating: 4 stars
View on Goodreads
Buy on Barnes & Noble, Amazon
I loved the premise of humans gifted with magic by virtue of a drop of blood from a god. Norse mythology and Vikings have always interested me and so this romantasy definitely appealed.
It was a compelling read, though I think it dragged a bit in places. Still, I loved the imagery during Freya's inking and how it depicts her inner struggles. Some of the foreshadowing was as subtle as Bjorn's axe and I struggled to understand how Freya didn't catch on. If she had, it could have moved the story along more quickly where it dragged otherwise.
I can't wait to see what's in store for Freya and Bjorn in the next installment, which is all too many months away!
Until next time,
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