Title: The Viking’s Princess Bride
Author: Sarah Rodi
Published: January 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Viking romance, Love at First Sight, Enemies-to-Lovers, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

Feel the heat as two enemies are forced to wed in this spicy Viking romance!

He’s won the throne...

But she’s his royal prize!

Victorious in his quest for revenge, Viking Njal takes the Saxon crown – and their princess! But while he’s wedding Cwen in the name of peace, he cannot deny the way she entices him. Even if it’s clear she’s holding something back...

Princess Cwen has long accepted being used for her kingdom’s gain, but attacking the enemy’s hand is the most outrageous request yet! Still, the rugged warrior ignites a fire inside her... Cwen just can’t let Njal storm her carefully constructed walls. Because she’s harbouring a secret that could rock the foundations of their marriage!

My Review:

A marriage of convenience? A Viking warrior? Enemies turned lovers trope? You bet, I’m in!

A Viking warrior hero has always had a place in my heart. With his fierce rugged appearance but has endless patient and kindest heart, Njal captured my heart with him from the moment he appeared amidst the war between the Norsemen and Saxons.

I was rather baffled as the first few chapters dramatically revealed the war between Njal as a Dane and Cwen, as a Saxon. Cwen, a princess carrying a sword, is actually fighting on the battlefield! From the very first time Njal catches the sight of Cwen, He can’t get her out of his mind. Love at first sight in the middle of war, how fascinating.

I think Njal is the kindest and most considerate warrior. Despite his desire for revenge, he doesn’t want to completely tear down the Saxon. He just wants peace, and he proposes the marriage as a solution to stop the vicious cycle of revenge and war. Meanwhile, Cwen, despite her beauty and stubbornness, she bears greatest burden of secret. Their whirlwind marriage is full of mistrust, miscommunication, unease and a closely guarded secret that always hover over their burning desire, but Njal’s true hunger kept their relation burning slowly and steamy. I enjoyed reading it as the secret uncovered slowly. Being a new king, Njal is continuously inflicted with dilemmas yet his kind-hearted character is truly remarkable.

To me, it is a powerful tale of festering vengeance with intense sexual tension that completely ends with a satisfying prologue. Thank you Sarah Rodi for sending me the e-arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.

About the Author

Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her granddad, or devouring love stories from local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Barkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over twenty years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Harlequin Historical. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy-ever-after. You can contact her via https://twitter.com/sarahrodiedits or visit her website at https://www.sarahrodi.com/ .

 Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com