"a wonderful debut book"

Princess Isabel is out playing "hooky", riding her horse Merwyn and dreaming of having a lover that she is to marry. Rushing home before a storm, she is jumping the horse when a clap of thunder causes the animal to toss her into the river. At first, she thinks she is dying, but then a handsome stranger, Kol Thorleksson, rescues her from drowning. Instead of being rewarded for his heroism, Kol is whipped. Isabel's half-brother, King Ranulf, believes Kol attacked her, so commands he be punished. Isobel awakens from being unconscious and finds Kol is being beaten because Ranulf believes he tried to harm his sister. She tries to make them stop, to explain he didn't hurt her, instead saved her, but cannot. Later, she helps Kol to escape.

Kol vows revenge against Ranulf for the whipping. Two years later his chance comes. He lays siege against Ranulf's fortress. Ranulf escapes, but leaves his two sisters behind. Kol's rage over losing Ranulf is nothing compared to the anger he experiences when he discovers Isabel is one of the princess-sisters to Ranulf. His fury grows when he learns Isabel has a two-year-old son and has named Kol as the father of her child. Kol knows he is not the father of Isabel's child and believe she named him as the sire to protect another.

As time goes on Kol realizes Isabel actually appears to believe he is the father of her child. Isabel had no idea who Kol was when she helped him escape, or no idea¯she believes now, that he had made her pregnant. Her people believe she is a traitor to them because Kol was the Danish enemy out to cause Ranulf's people harm, and she helped him. Kol plans to use Isabel and the child to trap Ranulf. Only it's Kol who is trapped by Isobel's charm.

Kol knows he didn't attack Isobel, even though she now believes this. But the child IS there, evidence someone fathered her baby. Ignore the questions this premise presents and let the delightful story unfold under the charming voice of the writer. Jolie Mathis pulls out all stops and gives you a wonderfully entertaining book, with a strong hero and heroine who will steal your heart. I adore Viking tales, so it's great to see this long-neglected era of Historical Romance being done again.

A marvelous debut book. I am sure we will be hearing more from this writer.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted May 30, 2006

Summary

In this sexy, emotional debut, a beautiful Saxon princess must guard her heart against the formidable Viking who is the enemy of her people...

True love can conquer the fiercest warrior...

Kol Thorleksson, the powerful Viking warrior known as the Sea King, owes his life to the young Saxon woman who risked everything to free him from bondage. Two years later, he has returned to Norsex, this time to wreak vengeance on those who plotted to destroy him. He is shocked to discover that the lovely woman who helped him regain his freedom is the sister of the tyrant who sought to take it away.

Not a day has passed without Princess Isabel of Norsex thinking of the handsome Viking who crossed her path. But when her peaceful world is threatened by barbarians, the last thing she expects is to find Kol at their helm. Now, with danger lurking in every corner of her kingdom, Isabel finds herself torn between her sworn allegiance and her traitorous heart...