I may drag my feet completing a series, but I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I do finish that final book. Bonus points when it works out to where I enjoy all the entries in the series, which has been the case with Lucy Morris' Shieldmaiden Sisters trilogy for Harlequin Historical. This has been a trilogy where each book builds on the next, with the final book, Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior, wrapping up events set in motion in the first book, The Viking She Would Have Married. The hero in that book was supposed to marry a Welsh princess to secure an alliance his odious father wanted. Instead, the princess ran off (with his help) and he married his one true love, the heroine. The fly in the ointment? The princess' brother, the hero in this final book - and y'all he is not a happy man.
Helga's mother and two older sisters are fierce shieldmaidens. Helga is not. Her talents have always been elsewhere, as a healer, a skilled archer, looking after the women and children while battles rage. Helga is also the family rune caster and fortune teller, firmly believing she foretold her oldest sister's marriage and her next oldest sister's reunion with her true love. She's walking through the market after her older sister's, Valda's, weeding - looking on as Brynhild bickers with Erik, when she is taken captive. The dragon, the rune that she cast on that long ago day with her sisters, has finally come calling.

Lord Rhys is in the cursed Viking outpost of Jorvik looking for his missing sister. She was sent to this hellscape to marry the despicable Jarl Ulf's son Halfdan, who threw her over for some shieldmaiden. Another nail in the Viking coffin. Not only have they raided his lands, terrified his people, the men are so cowardly they let women fight. Now his sister is missing. Rhys will have his revenge and when he sees Helga he shoots his shot. Her uncle is Jarl Ulf, he takes her and Ulf will have no choice but to broker a hostage exchange. Assuming, of course, his sister is still alive. And if she isn't? Oh boy...

As readers of the first two books know, Rhys is so very, very wrong. Ulf is despicable and thinks so little of Helga's family they live in near destitution. The only thing Ulf is upset about is that no marriage to Rhys' sister means he's going to have to take Rhys' Welsh lands the hard way. Which he's more than happy to do.

Once they're away from Jorvik and he doesn't fear she'll escape, Rhys removes Helga's gag and she tells him how wrong he is. Still, it's not a disaster for Rhys. Yes, Ulf is still going to raid his holdings, but Helga's sisters and mother will track down his sister and exchange her for Helga's safe return. That's really all he wants. He'll figure out how to defeat Ulf with limited supplies and men after that. Of course he didn't expect to fall under the spell of Helga, who quickly worms her way under his defenses.

The bulk of this book runs along a parallel timeline to the second book, Tempted By Her Outcast Viking. That book finds Brynhild and Erik in a road romance, tracking down the missing princess, and making their way to Wales to rescue Helga. Like that book, Helga and Rhys start falling in love on the road, making their way back to his land in Wales. However the love truly blossoms once they are there, as Helga comes to understand the enormous pressure Rhys is under to protect his land and his people, the incredible obstacles in his way and the emotional baggage he carries. A big reason he sent his sister off to marry Halfdan? His beloved aunt was taken captive by Ulf's men. The marriage was to lead to her release, which is why he knows his sister didn't just "run off." She knew what her duty was and that their aunt's life depended on it.

The romance is a bit of slow burn early on but catches fire in the final third, with our couple consummating their relationship prior to the final battle scene with Ulf. There's also a rather thrilling scene where Helga helps rescue Erik's aunt, along with several other hostages.

Besides having a healthy dose of external conflict, there's plenty of internal conflict to prop up the romance. Rhys has serious trust issues and Helga has just enough vulnerability to soften his defenses. I'll be honest, I always found Valda and Brynhild the more interesting heroines, but Helga definitely holds her own. She's no shieldmaiden, but there's a quiet strength to her character that makes it hard to take your eyes off of her - which Rhys quickly discovers. Also, there's a couple of scenes where she truly dresses him down in such a quietly fierce way, it's really something to behold.

This is definitely a trilogy where each book builds off the ones that preceded, so no I don't think they necessarily stand alone all that well - but the overall arch of the storytelling is well done and it's a trilogy that has everything from internal angst to thrilling battle scenes. Also the couples? Not a single dud in the bunch. It may have taken me a little while to finish the entire trilogy, but it was time well spent.

Final Grade = B

Lucy Morris blends passion, danger and intrigue in her latest irresistible historical romance: Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior.

Viking healer Helga has been captured by Lord Rhys, a Welsh prince with a vendetta against her family. Fully aware that Rhys has vengeance on his mind, Helga knows that he will show her no mercy, so she must keep her wits about her and try to appeal to his better nature if she wants to be freed. With her entire future in jeopardy, Helga needs to remain focused on attaining her freedom from Rhys. She cannot afford distractions of any kind – so she is flabbergasted when she finds herself drawn to him. Far from fearing him, Helga is consumed by her desire for her captor. Can Helga convince Rhys to see past his hatred for her family and give their burgeoning relationship a chance? Or will he continue to see her as an enemy who must be destroyed at all costs?

The moment Rhys has been waiting for for so long is finally here. He has managed to capture Helga and he plans to exact his revenge against her family. However, the more time he spends with Helga, the more he finds himself attracted to her. Despite his better judgement and his hatred for her family, Rhys begins to hope for a future with the Viking healer. Will he manage to put the past to rest and embrace this chance at happiness with Helga? Can the two of them build a life together? Or are they destined to remain bitter enemies until their very last breath?

Lucy Morris excels at writing emotional, atmospheric and captivating historical romances that sweep readers back in time and she has outdone herself yet again with Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior. An enemies-to-lovers romance rich in tension, pathos and sensuality, this brilliantly paced and beautifully evocative tale enthralls readers with a strong and spirited heroine and a charismatic and brooding hero it is impossible not to fall in love with.

An outstanding historical romance from a writer who keeps getting better with every book she writes, Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior is another must-read by Lucy Morris.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Lucy's third book in her Shieldmaidens series continues with the 'villain' from a previous book who kidnaps one of the sisters to hold as hostage -- it doesn't go quite as either of them expect it will!

An emotional, sexy, historical romance, I really enjoyed this story!

Any author who's recced by Super-Wendy is an auto-read for me and that's why I wanted to read Morris. Sadly, I found this underwhelming to say the least. The characters were poorly developped, as if the author was saying "look at what I'm doing" and the sparks that makes any romance enthralling to read weren't there. I find the one element essential to any Medieval-set romance, a sense of the Middle Ages "otherness" (Blythe Gifford manages this beautifully), missing. Some of the historical details, I'm sure, were "accurate", but the feeling of this being a modern sensibility transported to medieval times persisted for me and took me out of the narrative.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This story runs parallel to the previous book “Tempted by Her Outcast Viking” and is the story of the youngest sister, Helga. Helga is not like her older sisters, she is not a warrior, although she knows how to fight, she is a gentle soul, who tends to the hearth while her sisters and mother wage war, she is a healer and has dreams and visions of the future. And it seems as if those prophetic dreams are starting to come true when after a year of misery, her sister Valda marries Halfdan, her first love, and the family's fortunes begin to change. But Valda’s marriage also led to Halfdan’s father Jarl Ulf to disown him, when he failed to marry Alswn of Gwynedd. Now Alswn, along with her guard Hywel are missing, and her brother, Rhys, the Dragon of Gwynedd is out for blood. He is convinced that Helga’s family is connected to Jarl Ulf and therefore bears some responsibility, so he abducts Helga. He informs her sister Brynhild that he will hold Helga hostage until his sister is returned to him at his fortress in Wales.

Helga is shocked to realize that the dragon that has haunted her dreams since she was a child, is actually Rhys, the man she believes is her fated mate. But she soon begins to question that fate when Rhys makes it clear that he hates Vikings and doesn’t believe her when she tells him that Ulf is not her family and won’t care that Rhys took her. Rhys is sure she is lying – Vikings killed his parents and of late Ulf has been raiding and pillaging his land, going as far as to take his Aunt hostage – Ulf made it clear that he planned to conquer Rhys and take his lands, hence the marriage agreement between his sister and Ulf’s son. But now that Halfdan married Valda and his sister has vanished, Rhys knows it is only a matter of time before Ulf wages war on him. A war he knows he cannot win since his king refuses to send men to help him. His only hope is that Ulf values Helga’s life enough to back down. However, it isn’t long before Rhys realizes he was wrong about Helga and isn’t sure he will be able to let her go, even if his sister is returned. But with Ulf’s army at his front door and her family’s army at his back door – Rhys will have to decide if he is willing to trust the woman he has come to love with not only his heart and his life but with the fate of his entire clan.

This is a must-read if you have been following the series – Helga is an amazing heroine, despite her own feelings of inadequacy; she is courageous, bold, gracious, and helpful. Rhys is a bit harder to like, he also struggles with inadequacy, but is reluctant to accept help and refuses to let anyone know him, including his own family. This story has a lot happening and is much more emotional than I was expecting. The book has abductions, misunderstandings, a very slow-burn romance, battle scenes, steamyish love scenes, cameos from previous characters as well as a host of new secondary characters, and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. It needs to be pointed out that this story does contain some triggers such as rape and physical abuse, but they are all off-page and there are at least two graphic death scenes that might be disturbing to readers sensitive to violence. I thought the author handled these scenes very well and didn’t dwell on them. This is the third and final book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone title, I would suggest reading the entire series in order for the best reader experience. Overall, I thought this book was the perfect ending to a wonderful series and I am happy to recommend not only this title but the entire series.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Fantastic conclusion to the series. This book mostly takes place at the same time as the previous book (Tempted by Her Outcast Warrior) but from the viewpoints of Helga and Rhys.

Helga is the youngest of the three sisters and the only one who is not a warrior. She has always felt like she is a disappointment and a burden to her family. Her talents lie in other directions - healing, organizing, and understanding human nature. All of those qualities become vital in this book.

Rhys is a Welsh noble whose sister was supposed to marry Halfdan (The Viking She Would Have Married) to cement an alliance with Halfdan's father, Ulf. The marriage fell through when Halfdan married Valda, and Rhys's sister eloped with her bodyguard. Rhys only knows that she has disappeared and blames Ulf and his family. He kidnaps Helga to force Ulf to return his sister. He thinks Helga is the weakest of the sisters and gets quite a surprise.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Helga and Rhys. Many years earlier, Helga had a dream of a black dragon with blue eyes carrying her away and believed it was a sign of her marriage. Rhys is known as the Black Dragon in his homeland of Wales. When Helga first sees him, she is immediately drawn to him, though her initial fascination takes a bit of a hit when he kidnaps her. Rhys is attracted to Helga, but she is the enemy and his hostage, so she is off-limits.

The journey back to Rhys's lands was an exciting trip. Though she is a hostage, Helga is treated well, and it isn't long before her feelings for Rhys return and begins to grow. As she learns of his reasons for taking her, Helga's empathy leads to her desire to help him. Rhys is weighed down by his responsibilities to his people and his land. He was raised to put them first, before his desires and happiness. As a result, Rhys protects his heart by keeping everyone at a distance. I loved watching Helga get under his skin and stir up the emotions he's kept locked away.

I enjoyed the effects the journey had on Helga and Rhys. Helga is open about her feelings of inadequacy around her family. As he gets to know her, Rhys can't understand their attitude and becomes angry on her behalf. I love how he learned to listen to her insights and ideas and showed her the respect she deserved. His treatment of her boosted her self-esteem. I loved seeing her confidence grow. Rhys is intense and focused to the point of tunnel vision on his sister's rescue and his issues with Ulf. I loved seeing Helga's success at breaking through some of that intensity and getting him to look at the bigger picture.

I liked seeing Helga settle in as a "guest" in Rhys's home. It doesn't take her long to feel as though she belongs there. Rhys feels the same way but fights his feelings because of the events of his past. Helga's love and empathy for him enable her to finally get him to open up to her. I loved how she showed him that he deserves love and happiness, too. However, Rhys still has some major trust issues, and as the book reaches its climax, he has choices to make. Brynhild and Erik's arrival with news of his sister and his reaction to it put his newly committed relationship with Helga at risk. A heartbreaking scene between Helga and Rhys exposes his fears and drives Helga to call him out on his hypocrisy. The ending is intense as Helga takes a desperate chance to save the man she loves, and Rhys realizes his mistakes almost too late. I was glued to the pages as I read the intense battle scene. The post-battle scenes were terrific as Rhys faced Helga and her family. It was an eye-opening experience for him, and I laughed out loud at some of his encounters.

The epilogue was wonderful. I loved seeing how the couples from each book have progressed with their relationships. Each is consistent with their personalities but shows how they have grown and changed. I adored Rhys's surprise for Helga, showing the depth of his love and understanding of who she is.

Book: Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior
Author: Lucy Morris
Series: Shieldmaiden Sisters, Book 3
Publisher: Harlequin
Print Length:282
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5 Saltire Flags

Jorvik AD 913

In this third book and series finale of the Shieldmaiden Sisters, it centers on Helga the youngest sister. She feels she is less than her older sisters since she is not a Shilemaiden like Valda and Brynhild. Helga also feels they are ashamed of her since she isn't a strong warrior like them. Furthemore, both Shieldmaidens have found their lifemates, something neither wanted. Helga is a healer who comprehends and understands the human condition that some enemies called her a witch! She also has a positive outlook on marriage and can’t wait to fall in love! Unlike her two older sisters who thought marriage was a prison or a cage and being a wife was a type of slavery.

The hero in this story starts off as a villain, like Helga we meet Rhys, a Welsh Prince, the leader of Black Dragon of Gwynedd in previous books of this series. Rhys wants revenge against Jarl Ulf who has mistreated his people and lands horribly, but he has been misinformed thinking Ulf would care about what happens to Helga or her sisters! Plus Rhys had made an alliance for his sister Alswn to marry Ulf’s son Halfdan, but he did not honor his fathers wishes! As he married Helga’s sister Valda, the woman he had always loved! The problem is his Welsh sister is missing, the reason for this abduction where he abducts Helga in book two Tempted by Her Outcast Viking.

Rhys picked Helga due to her not being a Shieldmaiden though he did think she was beautiful but he was a kind abductor not wanting her physically harmed in any way. As this abductor to lover story,though this is not the Stockholm Syndrome as Rhys really listens to Helga and respects her which soon turns to love. Yet what will happen when her strong Shieldmaiden sisters find out? Prince They will want to tear Rhys apart! Will he discover his missing sister? So many obstacles to overcome. Do these star-crossed lovers even have a chance? Read and find out!

Bravo to Lucy Morris who pens a phenomenal breathtaking series finale to her extraordinary Shieldmaiden series that I absolutely and unequivocally loved. Let me tell you this Welsh Prince had me drooling he will definitely have readers swooning! I wait to see what this author releases next! Another fast-paced, action-packed, romantic adventure that historical readers will definitely love. This can be read as a stand alone book or in series order. Both Viking fans historical romance readers will love this book.

Shieldmaiden Sisters Series
Book 1: The Viking She Would Have Married
Book 2: Tempted by Her Outcast Viking
Book 3: Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the Harlequin publishers and through Netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair review and blog. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

Book two ends with a cliffhanger of what is about to happen with family/war/kidnapping and what happened with Helga once she was taken. So you go in with a lot of questions but Rhys will grow on you and Helga will just make you want to time travel and make her your BFF. This one was packed with action, wonderful side characters, landscapes, and then more action. Helga and Rhys have chemistry from their very rocky start, who learn to trust each other. We get some great steam in this fact paced enemies to loves!!

I just loved this series so much! The landscapes came to life and made me want to visit Wales so much. I can’t wait to see more of Lucy and hope we get a lot more Viking Romances out of her!!

Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior is the third and final installment in Lucy Morris’ Shieldmaiden Sisters series following three Viking sisters as they find love while fighting against the same enemy. This is the youngest sister Helga’s story, which takes place at the same time as the events of book two, Tempted By Her Outcast Viking. In this book, Helga is captured by Lord Rhys, who demands the return of his own sister.

Lord Rhys’ sister was betrothed to marry Helga’s brother-in-law in order to broker peace with Ulf, Rhys’ rival, but instead ran away with her guard. Rhys does not know this, however, and believes that kidnapping Helga means her family will influence Ulf to release his sister. Rhys is surprised to find that Helga puts up a rather good fight when he and his men try to kidnap her. She is eventually overpowered and they begin their journey back to Rhys’ kingdom.

When Helga was a child, she and her sisters played a rune game in which she rolled a dragon – and because a dragon is Rhys’ symbol, she Helga believes Rhys is her destiny, and because of this, she chooses to stay with him once they reach his keep. There, Helga begins to insert herself into the lives of his people, endearing herself to them. All the while, Rhys starts to slowly thaw towards Helga and allows her into his heart more and more as they wait for Ulf’s army to arrive.

I had been looking forward to Helga and Rhys’ tale since I read Brynhild and Erik’s (Tempted by Her Outcast Viking) and I am so glad I wasn’t disappointed. I absolutely love the Beauty and the Beast trope, and this title does it justice. Often such stories dissolve almost immediately into instalust or the hero is grumpy for all of one chapter before completely coming out of it, but that isn’t the case here, which made it such a delight to watch Rhys grow and change as a person as Helga draws him out. It makes the change seem so much more realistic. Helga herself undergoes changes as she becomes closer to Rhys; she grows up quite a bit and becomes a more self-assured woman.

Lucy Morris effortlessly blends action sequences with the romance happening between her heroes and heroines and there’s no exception to that in this book. Even as Rhys and Helga enjoy a short respite from the threat of Ulf and his warriors, the knowledge he is coming is still enough to keep the tension in the air in anticipation of the coming battle. The battle scenes themselves are also well written, making it easy to picture exactly what’s happening.

With a sweet and steady romance, a grumpy hero that slowly opens his heart, and plenty of action, Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior has a little something for everyone. I continue to love everything Lucy Morris writes.

I am loving this whole Viking series by Lucy Morris.

I always am a fan of dual POV in a book and getting to know what both Helga and Lord Rhys are thinking about each other and the different perspectives on the situations/ challenges they are going into really flushes this story out. The world building is there from the other stories in this series, and while it isn't a must to read them, I feel you will enjoy this story a lot more by reading the whole series in order.

Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior is the final installment in the Shieldmaiden Sister series and trust me, readers, it does not disappoint.

I’ve been waiting not so patiently for Helga’s story. I felt that instant connection with her when I met her back in the first book in the series. So, I was super excited to read a book centred around her. Now, before you go diving into this book, you will need to read the previous two books in the series. Everything is connected, and the story builds off each book, and you will have a hard time keeping up with what is happening if you don’t have all that background information. Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior takes place during the same period of time that Tempted by Her Outcast Viking (the second book of the series) occurs. For those who need a quick refresher of what happened during the second book, Helga is kidnapped by Lord Rhys, who will only return Helga to her family when his sister is returned to him. Brynhild and Erik set out to find Rhy’s sister, only to discover that she has fallen in love with her protector and no longer wants to return home. Things were even more complicated when Ulf and his army set out to wage war on Lord Rhys and his people. In this book, we see what happens to Helga when Rhys kidnaps her.

This is my favourite book in the series. It was the perfect epic and romantic conclusion to an unputdownable book series. Lucy did an excellent job at bringing together all the previous stories and characters and building us up for this final conflict. The story and pacing of this book are similar to the first book in the series. It’s fast-paced and filled with lots of battles. I really could not put it down. Lucy is a fantastic storyteller. I am always amazed at all the thoughts and details she puts into her stories, characters, and the historical world she has created. It makes reading her books such an enjoyable experience. I loved the direction she took Helga’s story in. It had everything I wanted romance, battles, forced proximity, and breathtaking settings. It was just woven together so beautifully.

Helga’s romance with Rhys was everything I could have ever wanted. These two have this perfect destiny/enemies-to-lovers romance going on. I soaked up every exchange, glance, conversation, and moment these two had together. Their dialogue was smart and compelling. I needed to keep reading because I wanted to see how their relationship would progress. Helga is a different heroine than her two sisters. She isn’t a warrior by nature; her strength doesn’t come from her ability to wield a sword or gain victory on the battlefield. Instead, her strength is quiet and steady. She is the healer in the group and has this wonderful ability to see the good in others. Despite what others may think, she is clever, and I loved that Rhys saw who she was right from the moment he met her.

Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior is a stunning conclusion to a romance series that I would read again and again.

Thank you, Harlequin Historical and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so pleased to have had the chance to read an advanced copy of Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior by Lucy Morris. I’ve loved The Shieldmaiden Sisters series, and I’m sad to see it end. That being said, Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior is a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy. It’s exciting and entertaining, and I adored the love story and the amazing epilogue!

We were introduced to Helga and Rhys in the previous books in the trilogy. Helga is the youngest of the shieldmaiden sisters, and she is the only one who is not a warrior. Rhys is the villain who kidnaps Helga in book two. I adored their enemies-to-lovers romance and feel like any time there’s a character named Rhys, I immediately fall in love with him. And when he’s brooding and mysterious with a lot of layers, I swoon. So, I swooned a lot as I read this book. lol

Rhys sees his own hypocrisy and learns from it. I love how much he grows and changes over the course of the story. He listens to and respects Helga, and he makes her feel heard and respected. I think he supports her in ways she is not used to. Helga (love her!!!) also changes throughout her journey. She understands her family a little better, and she becomes more self-aware and assured. I love seeing her confidence grow, as her relationship with Rhys deepens.

The story has action and suspense, and an overarching threat that has been lurking since book one is finally addressed. I liked seeing how many of the characters from the previous books had a part in helping Helga, her sisters, and their partners. It’s exciting and intense and very entertaining.

This is such a fantastic historical romance series! The female protagonists are strong and fierce, their partners are dynamic and complex, and the romances are positively swoon-tastic. And the epilogue! It was everything I could ever hope for in a HEA, and seeing how all of the characters’ lives have grown, changed, and come together while offering glimpses of their happy futures warmed my heart. And Valda’s crewmates are so sweet and comical. I just love them! This is by far one of my favorite all-time epilogues!

Special thanks to Harlequin Historical and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars. I'm new to this author, and also to this time period in historical romances (usually I stick to Regency and Victorian era). This entry is part of a series but works fine as a standalone.

The aspect of this book that interested me the most was the cultural/religious insights into Norse and Welsh life. Also, to the author's credit, the plot moves along well, with fast pacing and action overcoming sometimes stilted dialog and flat characterization. There is a cute flirtation between a Norse captive and the MMC's aunt, although it's a bit uncomfortable considering the aunt's recent circumstances (I appreciated the fact that the author doesn't smooth over the reality of rape during wartime). I also enjoyed the toughness of the MFC's sister.

Unfortunately, the MC's remain too immature for me to really get into, particularly the MMC. I know there are formulas the romance genre dictates, but I wish more of the storyline had focused on their social and religious divide and not simply their hot/cold attraction.

Bottom line: I enjoyed the first 70% or so but got tired of the MMC's silly alpha-ness and the MFC's tendency to give in to him too easily. Loved the toughness of the older women though.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this opportunity.

I was provided an arc e-copy by the publisher Harlequin Historical and the author
Lucy Morris So I can give a honest review thank you do much for sending me a copy.

I love reading Lucy Morris storytelling she makes the characters come to life. I enjoyed read Brynhild and Erik story Beguiling Her Enemy Warrior was a 4 star read

Happy Reading
Lisa 📚