Viking in Love

December 21, 2009
Tenth-century England is beginning to feel a little old in Hill's latest Viking adventure, her first for Avon. This is a straight historical romance, not the time-travel scenario familiar from The Very Virile Viking
and others in the Time of Your Life series, and without the inherent absurdity of eras colliding, the humorous anachronisms come across as forced and creaky. Breanne and her four sisters, Viking princesses all, have killed one sister's abusive husband, who inconveniently had strong ties to the misogynistic King Edgar. Their very distant cousin-by-marriage, Caedmon, has a stout castle well away from the scene of the crime, but he'll only allow them to stay if Breanne promises him 10 nights in her company—no holds barred. It's a familiar formula of war between the sexes and desire ruling all, and only Hill's fans are likely to enjoy the ride.

February 15, 2010
Fresh from killing their sister Vana's abusive husband and dumping his body down the garderobe, Norse Princess Breanne of Stoneheim and her four sisters seek safety with distant relative Caedmon of Larkspur in his Northumbrian castle. But Caedmon, newly returned from a nine-month battle, has found his cook gone, a bevy of children running wild, his servants slacking off, and his castle in filthy disarraythe perfect moment for Breanne and company to descend like avenging Valkyries, determined to whip everything, including him, into shape. VERDICT Earthy, laugh-out-loud hilarious, and lusty, this tenth-century revel takes readers back to a much-less-refined time and is just plain fun. Hill's ("Viking Heat") Viking series are legendary; her fans are sure to enjoy this latest addition.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2009
Oswald, the sadistic Earl of Havenshire, makes a major mistake when he beats up his wife, Vana, just as her four sisters, all daughters of King Thorwald, come to visit. The enraged sisters give Oswald a fatal taste of his own medicine. At first, its easy to pretend that hes away visiting his mistress, but as suspicions grow, the sisters flee. Caedmon is just home from an extended tour of duty for the king when five women show up on his doorstep, claiming to be distant relatives. The princesses soon bring order to his large, chaotic household. Then Caedmon discovers the truth and has to decide whether to turn in the sisters or help them escape. If hes caught, hell likely be tortured and killed. If he refuses, hell lose stubborn Breanne, the apparent ringleader, whos beginning to grow on him. With her clever dialogue, often bawdy situations, and great cast of characters, including a warrior woman, a proverb-spouting wise man/healer from the East, and a saucy cook, Hill has created another wickedly wonderful story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)