How can you fall in love with your enemy?

Synopsis

Kidnapped by the warrior

Tempted by the man…

Captured by the infamous Lord Rhys, a Welsh prince intent on revenge against her family, Viking healer, Helga, must keep her wits about her if she’s to be freed. Easier said than done when she desires him rather than fears him! Helga senses there’s good inside Rhys and feels compelled to reach his heart. First she must make him see there’s more to her than just his enemy…

My review

Helga is the youngest of three sisters. While her sisters are knows as fierce shieldmaidens, Helga feels like she is disappointing her family, as she is not as strong as a warrior, but has other talents, like healing and understanding the people around her. She also believes that there are signs out there, showing us what life has in store of us. Unfortunately, that made some even call her a witch.
One of those signs, told her by the runes, is that a black dragon will appear to be the love of her life.
Little did she expect that Lord Rhys, a Welsh Prince, known as the Black Dragon in Wales, would kidnap her in retaliation when Rhys’ sister disappeared with her bodyguard instead of marrying Halfdan, now happily married Helga’s sister Valda.
Even if Helga should be afraid of Rhys, she also senses the good in him. And while staying at Rhys’ homeland, she understands that there is more to him and his story than she thought. But can she trust her heart to the man who captured her and is a sworn enemy? 

Having read the previous parts of this series, I was very intrigued what Helga’s story would turn out to be.
I dare not to say she is the weakest sister of the three, but she clearly isn’t a fighter and has her focus on other things. 

And while her other talents are for sure admirable and perhaps even more helpful, I could understand why she sees herself as a disappointment. Having a mother and two sisters who are just so fierce and strong, while you are not, well, it’s understandable to have a lower self – esteem, even if your family loves you deeply. 

But I just wished Helga to see what we as a reader could see so clearly, and that is how amazing she just is by being herself… so what if you are not a fierce warrior? Helga’s knowledge, patience and understanding brought her so much more that anything else would have…
It’s obvious that she is a compassionate, kind, gentle person, ready to help out however she can, whoever she can. She sees behind the masks people put on, and understands them on a level no-one else could. 

And even if I am not the kind of person who believes that dreams can reveal the truth, or that there are signs out there, I was very curious to see whatever Helga would see and how it would turn out to be in reality. 

From what we have know  in the previous books (which I strongly suggest to read!), it was easy, almost mandatory to see Rhys as the worst kind of enemy. Who would ever think to capture just a kind person like Helga?
But of course, Rhys turned out to be nothing like we initially thought he would be like! What was I ever thinking, seeing him as a bad guy! 

First of all, it’s the way he treats Helga. While she is obviously his captive, he let’s his people know her as a guest. And when he understands her feelings of desperation and uselessness, he allows her to roam around, making her feel more at home and discover his world. 

And then when we know his own tale, well, even if I don’t agree with his actions, I could understand where he was coming from. And I admired his sense of duty and responsibility. He is the kind of person who would give up on his desires and own happiness, if that means that his people would gain from his sacrifices. 

I loved how this story was filled with reciprocity. Because thanks to Rhys, Helga starts to see whatever she thought as a weakness, as her strength. And seeing her bloom into a confident young woman was wonderful to read.
And thanks to Helga’s empathy, Rhys understand that he too deserves to be happy and that being happy isn’t at cost of the happiness of others. 

This was a wonderful, perfect ending of a series that captivated my from the first book. And Helga’s story was the one that I was the most eager to discover, it was also the one that I liked the most, as Helga was perhaps the most recognizable, relatable character from all the sisters. Because let’s be honest, we aren’t all fierce warriors, but there is nothing wrong with that!