When you’re looking for revenge but you find something else

Synopsis

A kidnapped royal…

Could be the Viking’s undoing!

After Brand Ivarsson of Kald abducts Anne of Termarth on the eve of her wedding, the Viking’s consumed with only one thing: revenge against her loathsome betrothed. But confronted with the stunning princess, so foreign to his world, Brand’s captivated not only by her beauty, but by her spirit and her kindness. Is Anne his prisoner…or is she the one who’s captured his scarred heart?

My review

Princess Anne of Termath is getting married after this has been arranged by her father. She dreams of having her own freedom and decide who to marry, but that is not in her cards. So the night before getting married to Lord Crowe, Anne is wandering along the ramparts of Termath Castle.
The last thing she expects to happen, is being kidnapped by Brand Ivarsson of Kald. He is seeking revenge against Lord Crowe and taking the Princess is the perfect way.
Even if both have prejudices ready, soon they realize that not everything they thought to know about the other was correct.
And maybe their feelings of despise and hate change into something completely the opposite?

Sometimes, all a woman needs is reading a book where a hot, ‘beastly’ Viking is the main character! And when you are in that mood, this book is the perfect read!

Before I started to read this story, I had to get in the right mind-set: remember Tiziana, we are talking about a historical tale, so women are not enjoying the freedom we have now, Vikings are conquering the world and absolutely forget about the comfort we have in the present!

So when we see Anne for the first time, it’s obvious that she isn’t all that thrilled about her wedding arrangements. And take also in account that her father isn’t the most involved one…
But of course, just listening and do as your told, is what you do in these times, even if you are a Princess.
Even if Anne is doing as told, she dreams of being free to make her own choices. She is in reality a feminist before feminism was a thing!
She is also a kind person, and she doesn’t want anyone to be hurting. And in order to protect her people, she agrees to go with Brand, as long as everyone else is safe, even if every bone in her body is afraid of being taken to Kald.

Of course, when we think about Vikings, Northmen etc, we all imagine these fierce warriors, with no compassion, only looking for making more conquests. And Brand his ‘nickname’ The Barbarian doesn’t help his cause.
And obviously, kidnapping Anne isn’t proof of his kind character. But when I got to know Brand better, and learned about what he had to endure when younger, my heart bled for him.
Slowly we get to see the real Brand, and he is not only a fierce Viking, but also a protective brother, only wanting peace for the people of Kald.

Yes, we know what will happen between Brand and Anne, but there was so much more to this story. it shows us that we always have a certain idea about a person or a people, based mostly on what we have heard from others. But the truth can be so different. Brand isn’t a blood seeking, violent man, just as Anne isn’t a gullible, spoiled princess.

And can I say that when there was a certain event linking both characters, my heart just melded?
I truly enjoyed reading this story about a Viking and a Princess, that thanks to each other find what it means to love someone unconditionally…