TEST
Lately the Viking romance seems to be enjoying a renaissance of sorts and I, for one, could not be happier. While I would not want a steady diet of this time period (or a steady diet of any single time period for that matter), it is one that I enjoy and am glad to see it creeping back onto the shelves. Jolie Mathis’ debut is set in Saxon England and her tale of love between a Saxon princess and Viking warrior is a fun read indeed.
Princess Isabel of Norsex loves the freedom of riding in the outdoors. One day she suffers a fall from her horse and is rescued by a handsome Viking warrior. Later she learns that this warrior was taken into captivity in Norsex. She has the opportunity to free him and risks herself to do so. She thinks of this warrior often, little dreaming that she will ever see him again.
When Kol Thorleksson returns to Norsex, to lay waste to the kingdom of his cruel captor, he immediately recognizes Isabel and is shocked to learn that she is no mere castle servant or peasant, but is instead a princess of Norsex. Isabel is Kol’s prisoner now, and he finds himself wondering whether the girl who showed him kindness still exists or whether Isabel has grown up to be as cruel as those in Norsex upon whom he seeks vengence. Isabel, faced with being made the captive of the man she once saved, understandably feels betrayed. Still, beneath the betrayal, she finds herself developing other feelings for Kol as she spends more time around him.
As this is a captor-captive romance, one would expect to find a certain amount of argument and struggles for power between the hero and heroine, and Isabel and Kol certainly do not disappoint on this score. They start off distrusting one another and this naturally leads to a great deal of power play. While it makes sense in the first portion of the book, the constant litany of distrust and betrayal does get a bit old as the plot winds along. Initially, a reader may sympathize with the characters, but after a while it becomes difficult to avoid rolling one’s eyes and muttering “Oh, just get over yourselves already!” as yet another round of struggle begins.
Still, even with the somewhat overdone conflict, Kol and Isabel’s story is compelling. Each of them has suffered and has been made to feel an outsider in their own homelands, and it is rewarding to watch them find healing in each other. In addition, the plot is filled with all manner of court intrigue and divided loyalties. In addition to learning to deal with one another, Kol and Isabel must learn who in Norsex can be trusted before they lose their lives. While most of the villains will be easy for readers to figure out long before the characters do, Mathis does a good job of building tension throughout her story and the ending is a satisfying one.
Jolie Mathis’ debut is a welcome breath of fresh air for historical romance readers. Though there are some rough spots in the plotting, primarily in the second half of the book, it is still an entertaining read and a compelling romance. This is not one for those who like their historicals purely light and fluffy, but if you are looking for good dramatic romance, Jolie Mathis is a promising new author to check out.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Medieval Romance|Viking Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 20/06/06
Publication Date: 2006
I enjoy spending as much time as I can between the covers of a book, traveling through time and around the world. When I'm not having adventures with fictional characters, I'm an attorney in Virginia and I love just hanging out with my husband, little man, and the cat who rules our house.
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.