Strangers on the run Now they must wed!Sandulf, youngest of the famed Sigurdsson brothers, is on the trail of the assassin who murdered his family. On his way, he meets Scottish runaway Lady Ceanna, a prickly, wary woman trying to escape a forced marriage. Her beauty and courage make Sandulf realize there may be more at stake than his revenge… As the threat of her family follows them, there’s … them, there’s only one way to keep her safe–marriage!
Sons of Sigurd
Driven by revenge, redeemed by love
Book 1 — Stolen by the Viking by Michelle Willingham
Book 2 — Falling for Her Viking Captive by Harper St. George
Book 3 — Conveniently Wed to the Viking by Michelle Styles
Coming soon
Book 4 — Redeeming Her Viking Warrior by Jenni Fletcher
Book 5 — Tempted by Her Viking Enemy by Terri Brisbin
“Perfection! Michelle has this massive gift with words which transport the reader to another time.”
–Chicks, Rogues and Scandals on A Deal with Her Rebel Viking
“Five Stars! Ms. Styles is becoming my go-to author for Viking stories. It was extremely well written, the story comes to life, rich in detail. Highly recommend!”
–Rose is Reading on A Deal with Her Rebel Viking
more
Another fantastic entry in the Sons of Sigurd series. This one features the youngest son, Sandulf. As in the previous books, the story opens on Alarr’s wedding day and the attack that decimated their family. The oldest brother, Brandt, tasked Sandulf with watching over his pregnant wife, Ingrid. Sandulf does his best but is no match for the assassins who attack. He is devastated by his failure, a feeling that is compounded by Brandt’s harsh words on his return. Sandulf is sent away to Constantinople to protect him from Brandt’s anger.
As the youngest, Sandulf idolized his older brothers and followed them around when he was younger. As he got older, he trained hard so that he could join them. But he is also still young and headstrong and tends to rush in without thinking things through. This creates quite a bit of strain between him and his brothers, who do not let him forget the problems he causes. He looked on his protection of Ingrid as a way to prove himself. As he leaves his home and family, he swears to find the man who killed Ingrid and make him pay.
Several years later, a matured and changed Sandulf has tracked the assassin Lugh to Scotland. In a village in Scotland, where Northmen are not exactly welcomed, he waits for the guide he hired to take him on the next leg of his journey. A chance encounter with Lady Ceanna provides him with another key to his pursuit of the assassin Lugh.
Ceanna is desperately trying to escape a forced marriage. Her new stepmother is determined to marry her off to the captain of the guard, who is also her lover. Ceanna’s father is fading fast, and Ceanna is his only heir. Marrying Ceanna to her henchman would cement the stepmother’s power. Ceanna is sure that if she can get to her aunt, an abbess in a nearby city, she would be safe. She plans to become a nun, putting her home under the Church’s protection. Unfortunately, the guide she hired left without her, leaving Ceanna stranded.
Sparks flew between Sandulf and Ceanna from the moment they met. Ceanna is wary of Sandulf, unwilling to trust a stranger in her escape. Sandulf immediately senses that Ceanna is his ticket to the monastery where his quarry is rumored to be. I loved their back-and-forth in the tavern as she refuses his attempt to join her on her journey. Sandulf’s instincts are good that she’s in trouble, and he prevents one attempt to stop her before she even gets started. Ceanna is a determined and intelligent woman and sets out on her own, unaware that Sandulf follows her. She is none too pleased when he reveals himself but eventually sees the sense in joining forces with him. This was none too soon, as they soon caught up with the guide’s party, which has been attacked. The guide is injured, and the rest of the party is dead, including a woman dressed in Cearra’s clothing.
This began a journey full of ups and downs. Ceanna knows the way to the monastery, but the trip is not an easy one. Added to the strains of the trip is the attraction that grows between Ceanna and Sandulf. Both try to resist because of Ceanna’s stated goal of becoming a nun, but it is not easy. There are some amusing moments as each one holds mental arguments with themselves over those feelings. Sandulf is very protective of Ceanna, determined that he won’t fail to keep her safe. Their arrival at the monastery doesn’t go quite as planned, and with becoming a nun out of the picture, the only way to keep Cearra safe is for Sandulf to marry her himself!
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Sandulf and Cearra. It was fun to see Sandulf’s reactions to Cearra’s practicality and lack of squeamishness. She is nothing like the women he is used to, and it only adds to her appeal. He also finds her beautiful, and can’t understand why she doesn’t realize it. Cearra quickly comes to trust Sandulf, but that doesn’t stop her from standing up to him when she thinks he is wrong. Once they are married, their feelings for each other grow more potent, but neither feels worthy of the other. I ached for them both until they realized that they belonged together. I loved the scene at the end where Sandulf was finally able to lay his quest to rest and confess his love to Ceanna.
The pursuit of the assassin was full of twists and turns, and complicated by the trouble that stalked Ceanna. Their arrival and conversation with Cearra’s aunt did not go as Cearra hoped. I did not like the aunt and her attitude toward both Cearra and Sandulf, especially at first. I loved Cearra’s persistence in pursuing the truth. I didn’t feel terribly sorry for the abbess as she was forced to face the truth. I was glued to the pages as Cearra and Sandulf returned to her home, found she was believed to be dead, and that an unexpected suspect was believed to be the murderer. I was on the edge of my seat as they carried out their plan to rescue the suspect and confront the stepmother and assassin. The confrontation was exciting and intense.
There are still some questions that remain in the search for the truth behind the attack and murder of Sigurd. The quest continues with the next brother, Danr, who is on the way to confront their mother.
Book: Conveniently Wed to the Viking
By Michelle Styles
Series: Sons of Sigurd, Book # 3
Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
1)Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog
2)Administrator of Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews
3)Administrator of Tartan Book Reviews
4)Administrator of Purple Tulip Book Reviews
Heat Rating: Sizzling Hot!
Overall Rating: Five Stars and Five Kilts
Summer 877
Oban, Scotland
The hero of this novel is the youngest brother, Sandulf Sigurdsson, of Kingdom of Maerr, of the west coast of North Norway. He is still trying to find the murderer of his father, brother Alarr’s bride-to-be, her parents, his eldest brother’s pregnant wife, Ingrid. As she is the one he had sworn to protect. He has now been pretty much disowned by his family as he is on a mission to gain their forgiveness, honor and respect by finding the murderer of his sister-in-law Ingrid and her unborn child. A .death his oldest brother Brandt will never forgive him for, feeling his now dead father always spoiled his baby brother and made excuses for him. This was the brother Sandulf had idolized most of his life! Yet it’s been three years and Sandulf has changed greatly. He no longer runs into battle or problems but takes his time and thinks it through with patience and precision. Now he is in Scotland and understands his brothers wife’s assassin is hiding out in a nearby church. He is not sure for what for their Gods forgiveness or just waiting to heal and recharge and attack another innocents life! Now he finally has access to this holy place through his new aquaintance, Ceanna of Dun Ollaigh. She is the niece of this holy place, to this Christian church’s Abbey.
Ceanna is on the run from a forced marriage as her fathers second wife is forcing her to marry a man her father would normally object to. Her step-mother is only a few years older than Ceanna, she will do everything to save her people and hopefully her father. Ceanna suspects this step-mother has done something to make him ill and is refusing letting him get help for his illness or to be seen by another healer. She claims he is beyond healing where he has a wound that has festered and is beyond healing. Of course Ceanna knows this evil vindictive dark hearted woman is lying! She knows the man, Feradach, she wants Ceanna to marry is her step-mother’s lover, as she has seen them together making murderous plans. A crude man her father would normally never have accepted but her father barely knows who his own daughter is! Plus once her father dies having no older children or sons Ceanna would inherit everything. Something this evil couple both seek and want badly and will do anything to get it, including murder! That would be Ceanna and her father’s murder! So she hired a guide to take her to her Aunt’s church but his entire party is murdered including a woman dressed in Ceannas clothing!
At this time she meets this handsome Northman as sparks begin to fly through Ceanna. As Sandulf has saved her life a couple times in a short amount of time. Even though her people are very prejudice against his people from past raids where they were attacked and stolen from Northman. Cearra knows her step-mother and her lover will kill her and abuse their people. As everyone loves her father. So she runs away to save her life, but murder follows so Ceanna feels becoming a holy maid is the correct decision. It is the only way to protect her people. Plus men like this handsome Northman don’t desire women like her, they are usually just after her wealth. When Sandulf discovers men of Scotland don’t desire her for her appealing looks, body and intelligent mind, he clearly thinks something is mentally wrong with them. Of course he would never act on his feeling for a pure woman who wants to become a holy maid. Though he does secretly think it’s the wrong vocation for this beautiful and intelligent woman. He tries to hide his attraction but he also believe Ingrid’s killer Lugh is hiding at her Aunts church. A man he plan to assassinate as soon as possible plus he does not want this.
Except when they arrive at the church they find out her step-mother has weaseled into her Aunts mind easily. They know Ceanna does not want a career in the church and do not believe anything she says. So Sandulf claims they want marriage as it is they only way to save her life. Yet soon he realizes a life bent on revenge and proving his loyalty and respect from his family is not all that matters. Perhaps the love of a good woman he was was born to protect but also love is the answer. Will he ever find Ingirds killer? Will Ceanna love Sandulf or is he just another way to save her life? Read and find out the answers in this captivating novel.
I will stop here not giving anything away in this riveting romantic adventure story filled with treachery, murder, suspense, mystery and of course loyalty forgiveness, redemption and of course faith and love.
This book is filled with twists and turns plus many hurdles to jump where the ending was a big surprise. I absolutely love this series where each book is written by a talented Harlequin author. “Conveniently Wed to the Viking” plotting was absolutely breathtaking and filled with a lot of gasps and heart stopping moments. The setting was amazing, brilliant dialogue and the multi dimensional characters were also magnificent! A book I absolutely enjoyed from start to finish and highly recommend!
Note: You can read any book in the Sons of Sigurd series as a stand alone book. I personally have loved reading every book in this masterpiece series and plan on reading Redeeming Her Viking Warrior By Jenni Fletcher next.
Sons of Sigurd Series
Stolen by the Viking
by Michelle Willingham
Falling for her Viking Captive
by Harper St. George
Conveniently Wed to the Viking
by Michelle Styles -TODAY
Redeeming Her Viking Warrior
by Jenni Fletcher – TBR in September
Tempted by Her Viking Enemy
by Terri Brisbin – TBR in November
Disclaimer: I received an advance readers copy through the author and Harlequin Publishers. I voluntarily agreed to do a fair review and blog. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.
BUY LINKS:
https://www.amazon.com/Conveniently-Viking-Sons-Sigurd-Book-ebook/dp/B083Y3WKC2
https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335505590_conveniently-wed-to-the-viking.html
https://books.apple.com/us/book/conveniently-wed-to-the-viking/id1495189699
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/conveniently-wed-to-the-viking
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=wpTKDwAAQBAJ
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conveniently-wed-to-the-viking-michelle-styles/1136053705?ean=9781335505590