The Viking's Touch by Joanna Fulford

Absorbing romantic story
4 stars

Viking adventurer, Wulfgar Ragnarsson, lives life on the edge, cheating death and making his fortune as a mercenary all to escape the pain of his past. When his ship and crew need to make repairs he finds himself thrown into the company of the beguiling widow, Lady Anwyn.

Lady Anwyn is tasting freedom for the first time but there are many who would try and win her heart and her lands. To protect herself and her son, Anwyn will do anything – even if it means giving herself to a warrior who will never give her his heart.


Upon reading the inscription in this book I found that it appears to be the sequel to The Viking’s Defiant Bride however this book stands completely alone so you can still enjoy it even if you know nothing of the first story.

From the outset I was charmed by this book and the writing style. I’m not sure whether all the language was completely correct to the time period but it was still engaging and the interactions interesting.

Anwyn was a likeable character – strong and defiant but still true to her time period and never becoming a stereotype. Wulfgar is my favourite type of hero – someone who is strong and tough but with a sensitive core and that is crying out for the love of a good woman. The pair had great chemistry and as such I would have liked the love scenes to be a little more in depth.

The story itself kept me interested and I always wanted to carry on reading just a little bit more each time. The ending was wonderful and a good culmination of everything that had happened throughout the story.

Overall, if you like tales of Vikings and the women that tame their hearts and enjoy a good romance then I really think you will like this story so it’s one I would recommend to you. 4 stars.

Lady Drusilla's Road to Ruin by Christine Merrill

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Basic and forgettable historical romance
3 stars

Lady Drusilla Rudney has given up any thoughts of her own Season or successful marriage in order to look after her pretty and vivacious but silly younger sister. So when her sister decides to elope, the only thing that Dru can do is follow her and try to prevent the marriage.

Ex-army captain John Hendricks is intrigued by the prim yet beautiful damsel in distress he finds sitting across from him on the mail coach to Scotland. Agreeing to help her in her mad dash is no real hardship. However giving her up when they have to return to their real lives might just be the hardest thing he’s ever had to do.


This appears to be the second book in a series after Lady Folbrooke’s Delicious Deception. Although the couple from that book appear in this one, you don’t have to have read the first one to understand this one.

While this book passed the time, I’m afraid that I found it quite basic and ultimately forgettable. Dru was a nice enough character – feisty without ever conforming to a stereotype. I also liked that John was a strong, un-titled man but his glasses gave him a sweet, studious edge. I wanted the pair to have chemistry but I just didn’t believe that they felt anything for each other, other than perhaps lust.

Halfway through the book I started to wonder what on earth was going to fill the rest of the book and that is never the sign of a riveting and enthralling story. There was also a fair number of jarring Americanisms throughout the book which pulls you from the story.
Overall this was an easy enough read with a basic plot that just didn’t seem to rise to any sort of high level. 3 stars.

Taken By The Viking by Michelle Styles

Rich and absorbing Viking romance
4 stars

When Vikings landed at Lindisfarne, one wrong move turned a peaceful trading mission into a deadly raid that saw the place ransacked and pillaged. Annis of Birdoswald knew she had to flee but she was no match for the fearsome Haakon Haroldson.

Taking Annis back to his lands, she must choose between life as a lowly slave or give in to the dark and dangerous passion she feels with Haakon. But there are plots and intrigues that may stand in the way of this couple finding happiness with each other.


This is the first of three novels all connected by the raid at Lindisfarne coming before Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wifeand The Viking's Captive Princess. While they share similar characters and back story, each are entirely stand alone.

Annis is a strong woman who knows her own mind but her insecurities and worry make her much more than a stereotype. Haakon is the strong Viking Jaarl who tries desperately to keep control of his headstrong captive and his own heart. The pair had chemistry and although the sex scenes weren’t scorching, they were still nicely sexy. If I could have changed one thing, I would have liked to have Haakon show just a little more emotion when it came to his feelings for Annis – even if that was in private. Despite that, the ending was lovely and had me sighing!

The story was very rich in detail and it was obvious that the author not only did a lot of research into the time period but also put her heart into ensuring historical accuracy. At the end of the book she explains some of the points of note and lists the books she found useful which is an interesting touch and good if you are interested in learning more about the history of the Vikings.

Overall, this was an enjoyable story to pass the time and one that I would recommend if you enjoy a Viking romantic adventure. 4 stars.

The Accidental Princess by Michelle Willingham

A good, Victorian romance

4 stars

All her life Lady Hannah Chesterfield has followed the rules and knows that she must marry a man of good breeding and social standing. But that doesn’t stop her from being intrigued by the wicked, dashing Lieutenant Michael Thorpe and the delicious feelings he provokes in her.

Michael knows that he can never have Lady Hannah for his own, but it doesn’t stop him from desiring her. But when scandal breaks, the pair find themselves thrown together on a journey to find the secret of Michael’s birth. If this ordinary man is really now a prince – can he convince Hannah to be his royal bride?

I have read a couple of Michelle Willingham’s Viking novels but never any of her Victorian ones so I didn’t know what to expect when I started this, especially since I’ve been a bit hit or miss with M&B Historicals in the past.

This seems to be the second book in a series that started with The Accidental Countess and An Accidental Seduction. The characters from those books only made an appearance so the book stands nicely alone.

This book started a little slow but after a couple of chapters it really got going. Hannah seemed to epitomise the true Victorian girl with her morals and innocence and I loved the way she evolved throughout the book. Michael was also a good character – I love a brooding man! Together they had good, if not explosive chemistry, and interesting interactions.

The plot really kept my attention and was far-fetched but not so ridiculous that you couldn’t get behind it. I felt it really flowed and once I got into the book I really enjoyed it.

If you’re looking for a page-turning historical romance with interesting characters then I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this book. 4 stars.