He’s sworn celibacy… Until he gets vengeance!Danr Sigurdsson is indebted to the captivating, mysterious healer living alone in the wilderness who carefully tends his wounds. Consumed with anguish over the massacre that killed his family, Danr has sworn not to touch another woman until he finds those responsible. So resisting Sissa should be easy, but as they search for the truth, fighting … fighting their mutual attraction becomes the hardest battle…
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
Book 4 – Redeeming Her Viking Warrior by Jenni Fletcher
Book 5 – Tempted by Her Viking Enemy by Terri Brisbin
“What makes this romance stand out is that most of the significant characters are so likeable… The sparks that fly, moreover, make for a lively narrative. Highly recommended.”
–Historical Novel Society on An Unconventional Countess
“I loved this sweet, slow burner of a romance… built up perfectly, showing a simmering romance that felt so natural.”
–Rae Reads, Book Blog on An Unconventional Countess
“It’s put Jenni Fletcher firmly on the ‘buy everything she writes’ list for me.”
–A Cat, a Book and a Cup of Tea, Book Blog on Miss Amelia’s Mistletoe Marquess
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Danr Sigurdsson has come to the Isle of Skye looking for answers about the massacre three years ago that killed his father, sister in law and his brother’s betrothed, but when he confronts his late father’s wife Hilda, he new husband Joarr injures him and he is forced to run. He collapses in the forest and would have died for sure if not for the help of a silent woman with silver-blonde hair. He tries to talk to her, but she doesn’t speak. She tends him and after a few days leaves. He is weak, but he finds her living alone in the woods and doesn’t stop talking until she finally speaks. She is unlike any woman he has ever known (and there have been MANY), he wants her, but he made a vow of celibacy and can’t forget his true purpose, no matter how enticing he finds her.
Sissa has lived alone for years and trusts no one, especially not warriors. After an attack on her village by raiders leaves her alone save the company of her wolf, Tova, she would have perished if not for the kindness of a Gael healer, Coblaith. Unable to understand each other’s languages, Sissa stopped talking but Coblaith taught her healing skills and quite by accident she began to help the villagers, but she never spoke to anyone – until the Norseman and that was only to tell him to shut up and leave her alone – but the man will not listen! She agrees to let him stay and slowly they form a friendship. But the past has taught her a painful lesson of loss and as much as she likes him and enjoys his company, she believes she must guard her heart or suffer the pain of losing him.
This book was set in ancient Scotland and was a well written, fast paced book with wonderful characters and a lot of emotion. I really loved this book, Danr is such a great hero, I loved that he talked all the time – usually heroes are cast as the strong, silent type, so to have a chatty hero was a refreshing change of pace. And Sissa was far from your typical heroine, she is strong, capable and stubborn, she harbors so much pain that she almost forces the love of lifetime to walk away – thankfully, Danr was not willing to go without a fight! The book has a bit of everything, action, a quest for vengeance, heartbreak, betrayal, warm love scenes, reconciliation, wolves and a very sweet HEA. This book is the fourth book in an author collaboration series that follows five brothers in an interconnected plot to find out who killed their father – I did not read the three previous books before reading this installment and had no problem whatsoever following the ongoing story line – but it did make me want to go back and read the other books!! I am happy to recommend this title, I think it might be one of the best books I read this year and will definitely be checking out the other books in the series.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me.*
Before I start with my incessant waffle, I just want to say a massive thank you to Jenni Fletcher for writing such an astounding and magical book. Danr and Sissa will stay locked away in my heart for many, many years to come, I read this book and instantly felt so much happiness and love for the story, the characters and of course the gifted author.
Have you ever felt so incredibly connected to a character that you feel as though you know them as actual people? There is a finest shimmering thread pulling you into their world and you think; oh my giddy aunt I love this women and yet at the same time you are completely green with envy that this incredible character is living out your very dream of living in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but dogs (or in Sissa’s case wolves) for company, and a sinfully handsome, yet complicated Viking chopping wood in the background.
OK, that’s it, I’m going to live in the woods
But, honestly, though, there is something very magical about this book, I can’t quite put it into words just how much I love this book, I have read all of Jenni Fletcher’s books, and loved them from day one, she is one of the most gifted authors around, with each new book I am always bowled over with her clever and beautiful stories, but this one is very special. Jenni Fletcher has just set a whole new standard for how historical romances should be written,
This was such a hard review to write, there is so much I wanted to say about this beautiful book and yet even the slightest wrong word would give a whole load of spoilers and that is one thing that I refuse to do, so I’ll just write a bit of babble and hopefully, it will look review-ish.
Sissa and Danr are perfect! These two are easily my favourite couple out of all the historical romances I’ve read, and believe me there has been a few over the years, these two have stolen the crown for the favourite couple. There is a certain weariness between them, she distrusts all men especially warriors and he is easily the most dangerous she has ever come across, yet she can’t hide the fact that she is hugely attractive to the large rugged beast which has fallen into her lap, he stirs her blood to boil – especially with his incessant talking, I thought I was a natterbox, this man puts me to shame if talking was an Olympic sport; then he would win gold. I do love a talkative man though, it’s such a normal trait and yet we see it so little in books.
Sissa is easily one of the most mystical and mysterious character’s you will ever meet, there is an otherworldly aura about her that draws you to her. I love her simplistic look on life and how she lives, she is highly intelligent and independent, she is fierce and loyal with a kind and caring heart, but beneath that unmovable mask there lies pain and vulnerability, she has a past and secrets. The more you learn about her the more you like her and are inspired by her, she is an incredible woman, life hasn’t been a bed of roses for her, it is such a joy seeing as she opens up and allows Danr close.
Danr….Oh, my!! He is…well, what can I say?
Danr is everything you would expect a Viking to be; strong, sexy, fierce, powerful, handsome, glorious blue eyes, amazing arms…oh, my those arms! I may have died and gone to muscled arm heaven with him…sigh! Yet, there is another side to this man then what is on display….oh aye, he is mighty fine to look at and he has a notorious reputation, but this stud has a compassion side too, he really feels things. He is full of guilt, remorse and shame over what he believes to be his fault – I can’t go too much into it, as it would spoil the story – he wants revenge and redemption, he wants the truth and find the people who brutally murdered his family.
Another thing that I absolutely love about this is the cover…I mean, come on, have you seen it? It’s stunning and what’s more, the cover model’s really looked like how I imagined Danr and Sissa to look, they are perfect…I would have loved to see a wolf or two though.
Redeeming her Viking Warrior is the fourth book in the Son’s of Sigurd series, I have read the second book; Falling for her Viking Captive by Harper St. George which is amazing, you don’t need to read them in order as these books are very much stand-alone stories. A little insider info though, Danr from this book and Rurik from Viking captive are twin brothers, both brothers mention their twin but only as a background to their own story.
This book as you may have guessed from this long-winded post is utterly magical, the story is simply perfect, I honestly can’t say enough good things about it, it’s a mesmerising and beautiful story which is full of love and second chances. I love the start, it opens with a memorable bang and the intensity of the story doesn’t slow, the moment Danr and Sissa meet you instantly know that these two are going to be something special, they are both wary and taken back by the crackling tension that hovers around them like a low early morning mist.
Overall, it’s in one word; Perfect!!
Terrific continuation of the series. It can be read alone, but it is better if you know the full background. In the previous book, the brothers discovered something that leads them to believe that their father’s wife may be responsible for his death. Danr volunteers to find Hilda and confront her. Not known for his patience, Danr’s initial attempt at interrogation ends with him wounded and on the run. He is found, near death, by a mysterious woman who heals him.
I was pulled into this story from the very first pages. Danr is the brother known for his ability and willingness to charm the ladies. On the day of the massacre, he was lured away from the wedding by a woman and knew nothing of the attack until it was too late. Distraught and guilt-ridden over his failure to protect the family, Danr swore that he would not touch another woman until he found who was responsible and earned his brothers’ forgiveness.
Sissa’s village was destroyed five years earlier in a raid. She barely escaped with her life and was taken in by a reclusive healer. The woman trained Sissa before her own death, and for the past three years, she has been on her own. Wary of people, Sissa developed her mysterious persona as a way to protect herself. She is especially wary of the injured warrior she finds in the forest.
I loved the description of the first encounters between Danr and Sissa. He fears at first that she’s an apparition, while she isn’t sure it’s safe to go near him. Sissa can’t leave him hurting and sets about healing him. Even in his weakened state, Danr can’t help being drawn to her despite his vow of celibacy. As soon as he is on the road to recovery, Sissa disappears. She is dismayed by her reaction to him and wants him gone. Fate does not cooperate, however, as Danr finds his way to her home, determined to repay her for his care. This scene is hilarious as the silent Sissa faces a Danr who talks and talks and talks until he talks his way into staying.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Danr and Sissa. Both start with suppressed feelings – Danr because of his vow, and Sissa because of her fear of loss. Sissa’s walls are so thick, and she is so stubborn that it is hard to believe she will let him in. Danr is unexpectedly domesticated, and it is his kindness, cooking ability, and way with a good story that begin to break down those walls. I loved watching them grow closer as each reveals more of their history. Simmering under the blooming friendship is attraction. Danr does his best to bury his, determined to stick to his oath, but he can’t help thinking what it would be like to have Sissa in his life. Sissa feels the sparks also, but in her innocence, it takes a while for her to recognize the feelings he stirs in her. I ached for them both as Sissa’s fears push Danr away. A bit of unexpected danger brings them back together, and advice from an unlikely source helps them through the last obstacles. There is still a bit of excitement due to misunderstandings, but the ending is terrific.
The overarching series story of the search for those responsible for the massacre moves ahead in this book. Danr’s first confrontation with Hilda doesn’t go as planned, and he is left stewing while he heals. Eventually, he shares the story with Sissa, who has some theories of her own. Sissa’s acting on those theories created some personal drama for them that led to some unexpected danger. I loved the scene in the village as Sissa and Hilda joined forces and the further revelations that ensued. It was a great lead-in to Brandt’s story, and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
Though this is a part of the multi-author Sons of Sigurd series, I don’t think you have to have read the rest to enjoy this (I haven’t, and I had no trouble following what was going on). Although there’s an overarching plot as the five sons of a Viking chieftain follow clues to solve his suspicious death, this book is focussed on Danr and his romance with Sissa, a reclusive healer who lives alone in the forest on the Isle of Skye, accompanied by her two pet wolves. Sissa finds Danr seriously injured and nurses him back to health before leaving him to fend for himself, but he follows her home, much to her horror. While she would prefer to turn him out, to do so would mean his death until he is fully healed from his injury, so she allows him to stay, and of course (this is a romance!) they start to fall in love.
It’s a Viking-era version of the old standby trope Trapped In A Cabin With Only One Bed, and it’s done with the fantastic twist that Danr has taken a vow of celibacy until his father’s death is avenged. It forces the author to explore a different kind of intimacy growing between the two, to explore what makes them a good match for each other with a slow reveal of their backstories and personalities. It’s beautifully done, against a richly detailed backdrop of the Isle of Skye in the 9th century.
The only question I had, and it was a fairly minor niggle, was that Sissa was either younger than I’m entirely comfortable with reading in a romance or something was off with the timelines, because she was too naive. By her account, it was five years since her village was razed and her family killed, yet she had no idea that a man seeing her naked might provoke an adult sort of reaction? If she was eighteen at the time of the story (about as young as I’d feel comfortable with even in a historical romance) then she was thirteen when her mother was killed, and I don’t think a thirteen-year-old girl in this era – frankly any era! – would be that ignorant of men and their lusts. Extending the timeline out doesn’t work since her pet wolf, who she already had at the time of the raid, would be too old – though the wolf and her mate should already have previously had pups, so that timeline is a bit off anyway, so maybe it would be better to have Sissa find the wolf pup later. It’s a minor niggle which bugs me because I’m picky, but didn’t really detract from the overall romance or story arc. I’m still happy to give this excellent story five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via the author.