I really enjoyed this book & the characters who are in it. It was a nice turnaround with the Vikings being captured but the way the characters got to know each other & grew to respect each other was wonderful as well. I didn't see there being any infidelity per say as they didn't know if his wife was even alive and life goes on anyway. Overall an enjoyable read.

Caragh is starving. Her whole village is. After the death of her father, her older brothers leave to find food leaving her with her younger brother. But when a boat full of Vikings approaches, he and a couple other boys decide to attack. By the end of the day her brother and the ship are gone and Caragh has a prisoner: the viking leader, Styr. Immediately she notices how attractive he is and soon learns that he is trustworthy and very married.

I really enjoyed the relationship that kept flourishing between Caragh and Styr. Though there seem to be some gray areas pertaining to faithfulness. What made this novel really worth reading though was Caragh. She's one of the strongest heroine's I've read in a very long time. Willing to go her own way and do what she must in order to help her family and community. It's a heart warming story and one that I will probably reread at some point.

1.5

*Book source ~ NetGalley

Viking Styr Hardrata, his wife, and his men landed their ship on the shores of Caragh Ó Brannon’s village in Ireland. Caragh and her brother think they are attacking when Styr just wanted to rest before sailing on. From the time they depart the ship things go downhill fast.

Where to start with this one? At first I really liked the characters. Caragh shows fortitude in a trying time and Styr is honorable. And then it all goes to shit. By the end of the inane story I hated them both and wished they’d just drown. The plot is ridiculous, the romance unbelievable, and the characters…just ugh. I nearly gave up on this several times because there’s little to redeem it, but I slogged through. I wish I hadn’t. After about the first 15% or so it’s crap. All of it. And Caragh is not likeable. At all. Oh, she starts out innocent, but after she finds out Styr is married she goes out of her way to tempt him into cheating on his wife. Her behavior is beyond detestable. She can go suck a dick. A single dick. Not a married man’s no matter how fucked up his marriage is. He was an honorable man before he met Caragh. Ugh. Hate her. And now I hate him. What a giant shitball. And that scene in the tent? Who does he think he’s fooling?! WTF?! Ok, rant over. I’m going to make like a dog, kick some grass over this shit and prance away.