Can love stand the test of time?

Synopsis

Born centuries apart. Bound by a love that defied time.

She couldn’t believe her eyes. The runes were normally so reliable and she had never doubted them before.

Madison Berger is visiting Dublin with her family for a Viking re-enactment festival, when she chances upon a small knife embedded in the banks of the Liffey. Maddie recognises what the runes on the knife’s handle signify: the chance to have her own adventures in the past. 

Maddie only intends to travel back in time briefly, but a skirmish in 9th century Dublin results in her waking up on a ship bound for Iceland, with the man who saved her from attack. 

Geir Eskilsson has left his family in Sweden to boldly carve out a life of his own. He is immediately drawn to Maddie, but when he learns of her connection to his sisters-in-law, he begins to believe that Fate has played a part in bringing them together. Amidst the perils that await on their journey to a new land, the truest battle will be to win Maddie’s heart and convince her that the runes never lie…

My review

Maddie is in Dublin for a Viking re – enactment festival. When one evening, she finds a small knife embedded in the banks of Liffey, she immediately knows it’s not a normal, ancient knife. Maddie knows how to read the runes on the knife, and she knows that the knife can take her back in the past.
After saying the words, she is suddenly in the 9th century and after a struggle, Maddie finds herself on a boat with the direction of Iceland, together with the man that saved her from her attackers.
When Geir Eskilsson discovers that the strange woman on his boat, has a connection with his sisters – in – law, he believes that his attraction towards her is also a trick by Fate, to bring them together.
But can Geir convince Maddie to stay with him and start a new life together in Iceland? Or will Maddie return to the Dublin she knows, to her family and friends?

I have to be honest, I initially struggled with this story. No matter how hard I tried, I found I very difficult to get attached to the characters. Maybe because time travelling is a concept I found very hard to grasp? But I knew what I started, and I was adamant to give it a few more chapters a shot before I would give up.
So I kept reading, and suddenly the chapters flew by and I found myself totally enthralled by the tale of Maddie and Geir.
And okay, Nordic names will never be easy for me, but to make to read easier for me, I changed the names a little into Tiziana – understandable 🤣.

I was very intrigued how Maddie would cope in a world where so many things are not known yet, and a lot of things that are basic to us, are not invented yet.
But also how the 9th century was a whole different lifestyle. And I am not only talking about material things. But the actual way of life, and mind-set is the total opposite of what we know.
Maddie sees many things that in 2021 would be totally not done, and even if she knows she cannot divulge too much on changes in the future, she does her bit to make a few changes for the better.

Despite their huge differences, I truly enjoyed reading about Maddie and Geir. I admired Maddie’s determination to make some important changes, and I loved Geir’s wish to make Maddie happy. Even if he doesn’t understand what is wrong with some aspects of his way of life, he gives Maddie’s suggestions a shot and sees for himself what a change that can bring.

And I found it a bit funny how Geir just accepts that Fate brought him Maddie, while Maddie fights all her might to find a way to get back. And slowly realizes that maybe her future is with Geir after all?

After the initial struggle, I enjoyed reading this maybe impossible story (but who knows for real…). It shows us how little changes can have an important influence on the future. But also that sometimes, to find true love, it’s not about going forward, but about going back. And perhaps, after reading this book, we will all see that somehow all the luxury and comfort we have now, are all expendable and that with love, it doesn’t matter where (actual place but also in time) you are, because love is all that matters, even when you think that you are not good enough…