Review

A Viking maiden heading to battle…

…in bed with her captor!

As a female warrior, Dagmar Kolbeinndottar knows she’s not meant for marriage and a family. Until she’s kidnapped by Celtic warlord Aedan mac Connall, who has been tasked with returning Dagmar to her estranged father. Fighting her father’s orders to marry, Dagmar declares she will take no one but her abductor, expecting Aedan to refuse…

But he’s intent on making her his bride!

Oh, my!! What a fantastic read, I do have a real soft spot for Medieval/Viking Romances and this is terrific. Warriors Viking Bride is a edge of seat, seductive read that captures your imagination and takes you on a wonderous journey through a time that was dangerous but also highly sexy. I have read so many great thing’s about Michelle Style’s writing and I am ashamed to say that this is the first of her work I have read, but that will be remedied from now on as I have become transfixed with her smooth and articulated writing.

When Dagmar was just a child her father returned home with another woman, who would be his next wife. Dagmar is heartbroken when her father tells her mother to leave, but Dagmar would be staying under the watchful eye of her “new” mother. Dagmar’s mother fight’s tooth and nail to keep her daughter – which isn’t surprising seeing as she is a great warrior in her own right – and after a vicious battle between her two, beloved parent’s, Dagmar and her mother flee in the night never to look on her father and her childhood home ever again.

“You’re a good warrior, Gael. Your timing is impeccable,” she said awkwardly, holding out her hand “I’m honoured to be a part of your Felag.”

Years later, after the death of her beloved mother, Dagmar is now the “Shield Maiden” she is a warrior in her own right and one not to be messed with. She is known as the painted warrior with snakes in her hair, as she paints her face blue – a swirl for every battle she has fought in and her long hair is plaited in way to look like snakes, only her mother and her oldest friend know the truth, but Dagmar knows that people believing her snake haired ruse will keep unwanted people at bay. Especially now since her mother died, enemies are everywhere those that she is fighting against and those within her camp all wanting to take her position as leader of the Felag. Even her own father and his new wife have been known to send out assassins. So, when one day another warrior turns up on the day of her next and hopefully final battle, claiming he from her father and wants to talk she is instantly alert – usually she would just dispatch them and send the remains back to her father, but something about this one makes her stop, he seems different somehow. Before she can decide what to do she is in battle where everything goes wrong, and her life changes forever.

The invincible warrior was a shield which hid this frightened woman. He hated to think what she must have faced as a young girl. “It’ll be fine, Dagmar,’ he said. “Your safe. Ill protect you. You’ve done enough.”

She gave an indistinct murmur and snuggled closer. Laid her head on his chest and pinned him down, every time he tried to move, she followed.

Keeping an arm around her, he took off his cloak and spread it over them both. He instantly smiled in her sleep….

Dagmar is a complicated woman she has multiple of layer’s that makes this woman fascinating and lovable. I do like strong decisive heroines who put the heroes into their places, women who have a brain and know exactly how to use it and who do what they want, when they want and women who strive for that equality. Dagmar is that in a nutshell, she is a warrior in her own right, and she isn’t afraid of showing those around her exactly who is the boss. She also has a very vulnerable side to her personality, she was hugely affected by her parent’s actions when she was a child and that has caused a lot of trust issues, especially regarding men.

Aeden has been charged to collect Dagmar and take her to her father, he has sworn to himself that he won’t ever fall in love and take a bride. That’s until he meets Dagmar, she infuriates the hell out of him with her stubbornness and argumentative streak and yet, she seems to sooth his torn and shattered heart. He has made a promise to her father that he won’t touch her as her father has plans of his own for his daughter, but that proves too hard for the usually stoic warrior to do. The only reason that he is even doing this task is because he has no choice, if he wants to save his people, then he must take the angry, volatile and fragile Dagmar to her father – which really is easier said than done. Aeden is a warrior in his own right, he is a proud, resilient man who doesn’t let anything get in his way, if he can help it and especially not a beautiful and infuriating woman.

Aedan is a deep-thinking man, who was thrown unceremoniously into this duty. He is a bit of a lone wolf, he will do what is needed of him but after various trials that he had to go through, he has become rather cynical with other people and their motives, the only person he trust’s is himself and his dog; Mor. I love the addition of Mor to the story, the gentle giant for me is a crucial part of the story and of bringing these two vulnerable and hugely cynical people together.

He gave a crooked smile. “I’m the one who can see your face in the morning dawn, I’m the one who makes the judgement about your beauty, not you.”

Every particle of her was aware of him, a great ache filled her insides. Aeden in this mood was dangerous in a way that he hadn’t been before. She forced a laugh. “You walked into an army with just a dog for protection, your judgement is suspect.”

“But, it remains mine,” he gave a soft laugh which made her insides melt…

The relationship between Dagmar and Aedan is steamy and raw, they are actually very much a like and those similar traits does cause them to head bump each other, on numerous occasion’s and yet when they start to learn each other’s history and personal trails, they have a mutual respect for each other. But that doesn’t mean that everything is going to be all rosy, Aeden and Dagmar have a lot of obstacles to get past.

Ms Styles has created an original and I found it to be a very moving story about moving on, and second chances. The storyline is a wonderful blend of romance and action with that seductive and mysterious quality that you only get from the Medieval era. I think Ms Styles has got Aeden and Dagmar spot on, they are both highly charged individuals who need the other in each of their lives.

This is so good, I cannot recommend it more.

This was an ARC copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.

Warriors Viking Bride is to be released on 22^nd February and can be pre-ordered now at Amazon.