Set
in the 10th century in Norway, Ireland and England, this is the
story of Chessa, the daughter of the Irish King. She is kidnapped by Ragnor of
York, heir to the Danelaw, who is also a self-possessed dolt and has been told
to marry the girl who loathes him.
Chessa
has a champion, one Cleve, a Scot who was forced to become a slave and is now a
diplomat, who sets out to rescue her. He needs her back since he's negotiated
her marriage to William of Normandy, another man Chessa doesn’t want. When a
storm blows Chessa and her kidnappers onto Hawkfell Island, a wonderful cast of
characters, all known to Chessa, join the party. (All the characters from the
first novels in the series show up to dive into Cleve's and Chessa's problems.
It’s a great reunion!)
Much
ensues as Cleve arrives at Hawkfell Island and discovers Chessa wants to marry
him. Chessa and Cleve bicker and poke at each other as he insists she is going
to Normandy. I laughed out loud at some of their dialog. And only when the
problem of Ragnor of York is sorted out can Cleve turn his attention to
discovering his true heritage in Scotland.
It’s
a great adventure with lots of laughs and excitement along the way. Although I
recommend reading the series in order, this can be thoroughly enjoyed as a
stand-alone. Coulter weaves a deft tale with lots of historical detail
reflecting solid research. I loved this book and appreciated the careful
attention she paid to the characters and the historical setting. She is a
master of historical romance.
Don’t
miss it!
The Viking Novels:
Season of the Sun
Lord of Hawkfell Island
Lord of Raven’s Peak
Lord of Falcon Ridge
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