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bwagner's review
4.0
The Trickster's Lover: A Steamy Paranormal Romance with the Norse God Loki: Gods and Lovers Series by Samantha MacLeod is a paranormal fantasy romance story. This is not my first story by this author but it is my favorite of hers so far. I enjoy how she can write a story that will pull me in right from the beginning. Her details make me feel like I am right there with the characters. Her characters are connectable, lovable and true to life. They will take you on a roller coaster ride of various emotions that you don't want to miss. This is the story of Caroline and Loki. Caroline has moved to Chicago away from her family and her boyfriend to attend a university. As she finds herself single again little does she know her sanity is about to be tested. She has been waiting months for a set of books from the library, she is so excited to pick them up and dig into them. As she digs into them she catches the attention of Loki. What will happen when he suddenly appears and rocks her world? As he visits her more often will it put her safety in danger? When Loki's visits all of a sudden stop, Caroline decides she needs to find out why. How far will she go to reach Val-Hall? Is she willing to put herself in danger to find out about Loki? Will everything she has learned be enough to save herself and Loki? These are two strong characters that you will just love. Caroline has a little insecurity problem but she is smart and determined. I enjoyed watching her grow throughout this story. She is just so down to earth and has a kind heart. She thinks she is going crazy when Loki starts appearing. She tries to resist at first but the attraction between these two is so hot that it just can't be controlled. Loki is sexy and mysterious and I enjoyed his character. They took me on a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming, some left me on the edge of my seat where other times left me needing to cool down. These two have such great chemistry together. But the question that Caroline struggles with is the difference between reality and myth. How far will they go for their love? What will fate have in store for them as Caroline starts her journey into solving the mystery of Loki? I highly recommend this story, I know you will want to see what happens to Caroline and Loki and if they find their HEA.
angelahayes's review
5.0
5 Stars
The Trickster’s Lover is the first book in The Trickster’s Lover Series by Samantha MacLeod. I was introduced to this author through her book ‘Death and Beauty’, which I really enjoyed reading. So, when I saw this book, and that it had a Norse Mythology element to it too, I knew that I had to read it. I am really pleased that I did, because this story is brilliant- in fact I have enjoyed this book much more than even I could have anticipated. I love Ms. MacLeod’s spin on Loki and the Norse Mythology. Her imaginative, interesting and fully developed storyline is really well written, and full of wonderful descriptive details. The characters are complex, fully realised individuals who grow and develop as the story progresses, especially Caroline. She and Loki have a very erotic relationship. Their chemistry is palpable.
The story is so entertaining, I was hooked from the very first page.
I will definitely be reading more of this talented authors work!
Thank-you Ms. MacLeod!
The Trickster’s Lover is the first book in The Trickster’s Lover Series by Samantha MacLeod. I was introduced to this author through her book ‘Death and Beauty’, which I really enjoyed reading. So, when I saw this book, and that it had a Norse Mythology element to it too, I knew that I had to read it. I am really pleased that I did, because this story is brilliant- in fact I have enjoyed this book much more than even I could have anticipated. I love Ms. MacLeod’s spin on Loki and the Norse Mythology. Her imaginative, interesting and fully developed storyline is really well written, and full of wonderful descriptive details. The characters are complex, fully realised individuals who grow and develop as the story progresses, especially Caroline. She and Loki have a very erotic relationship. Their chemistry is palpable.
The story is so entertaining, I was hooked from the very first page.
I will definitely be reading more of this talented authors work!
Thank-you Ms. MacLeod!
jennadb's review
5.0
The Trickster's Lover: A Steamy Paranormal Romance by Samantha MacLeod is the first book in the series and I really enjoyed it. Samantha created a paranormal fantasy romance story where there is a different take on the most misunderstood Norse god, Loki. A world in which you don’t know what is fact and what is fiction.
Caroline is done with men or so she thought. When deciphering/translating a book she has finally gotten her hands on her world is changed forever. A world in which she no longer knows if she is dreaming or going crazy. But one thing she does know and that is she will fight to save all she loves and if that means being in a fight for her life then so be it.
This is fun read and I enjoyed this story and seeing the character of Loki in a different light. I can’t wait to see where she goes with other stories.
Caroline is done with men or so she thought. When deciphering/translating a book she has finally gotten her hands on her world is changed forever. A world in which she no longer knows if she is dreaming or going crazy. But one thing she does know and that is she will fight to save all she loves and if that means being in a fight for her life then so be it.
This is fun read and I enjoyed this story and seeing the character of Loki in a different light. I can’t wait to see where she goes with other stories.
gabriela_bookish_page_'s review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
To be honest, this was surprisingly good.
gracew's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
morganphoenix's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
dazidoo's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
lilleanne's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
laffingkat's review
4.0
These are all good stories, and it’s nice to have them gathered together and presented in the author’s recommended reading order in this box set. I recommend this set for anyone who enjoys Norse mythology or paranormal romance with some cautions. If you’re not a fan of Norse mythology; if you’re bothered by explicit sex, cruelty, rape, murder, or foul language; or if you don’t like books that include cheating or love triangles, you might not enjoy this set. Read on for more detailed reviews of the stories in this set that I have read so far.
The Trickster’s Lover
The Trickster’s Lover is the first novel in Samantha MacLeod’s Loki series. Initially, I had a bit of trouble relating to our main character, Caroline. If a stranger showed up in my apartment in the middle of the night and cut off my clothes, I can’t imagine my response would be to become overcome with lust. But then, I’ve never had an encounter with a Norse god, so who knows? Part of the pleasure of reading is to experience what life might be like for other people, and Caroline’s situation is certainly different—if you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to try to balance work, friendships, and trying to obtain your PhD along with an erratic romantic relationship with a Norse god and saving the world from Ragnarök, well, this is your book!
As the novel progressed, I did start to relate more to Caroline, although she still frequently made decisions that made me wonder if perhaps she’d been dropped on her head a few too many times. Her characterization is consistent, it just didn’t always make sense to me that someone so intelligent would make such bizarre choices. I will say that despite not always understanding her, I genuinely grew to like her.
I also loved watching her romance develop with Loki—it was in its own strange way quite sweet and touching, and such a delight to watch Loki slowly reveal more of himself. There’s a lot of sex in this book, which didn’t always work for me, but I really loved the mythology and seeing the romance develop.
The Trickster's Honeymoon
This novella, Book 2 in Samantha MacLeod’s Loki series, describes the preparations for Caroline and Loki’s wedding, and the honeymoon in another realm he whisks Caroline away for. I loved the beautiful descriptions of Alfheim and the creepy depictions of the Light-elves. There were some laughs and surprises amongst the steamy scenes between the newlyweds. Be aware that things get violent and bloody. It was nice to see Caroline get to save the day again, though I cringed at what she had to go through to do so.
The Trickster's Song
The Trickster's Song is Book 4 in Samantha MacLeod’s Loki series, but because most of the novel focuses on events in Loki’s past, you don’t have to read the previous books before enjoying this one. The contemporary frame story will be more meaningful if you read the books in order, which is easy to do with this box set.
At first, this book wasn’t what I expected. As in the first book, I initially had some trouble relating to Loki’s wife Caroline, and I was slightly put off by all of the raunchy sex so early in the book. But I acclimated as the story proceeded, and as always, I enjoyed getting to know Loki better.
As I got deeper into the story, I was really caught up in Loki’s misadventures. At times, it felt a bit like watching a train wreck—you know it’s going to get ugly, but you can’t tear your attention away. So, read with caution if you’re distressed by manipulation, cruelty, rape, and murder. Also, note that there is quite a bit of graphic sex (mf, mm, mmf, and mmm) and foul language.
My favorite parts of the story were watching Loki’s romance develop with Sigyn and seeing his interactions with his daughter Hel, but honestly, I never tire of reading about Loki.
Claiming Thor's Hammer
This is a cute erotic short story retelling the Norse myth of how Thor and Loki reclaim Mjölnir from the Jötunn warlord Thrym. Loki is the one who repeatedly gets surprised in this story! I found it amusing and I liked the ending, although it left me wondering about several details.
Winning Freyja's Cloak
Despite the briefness of this kinky little erotic fantasy, you get a pretty good sense of who these characters are. I was a little put off by the dismissive tone in which Freyja discussed her lovers, but it's really hard to resist a story about Loki using his charm to get what he wants.
The story is beautifully written with a surprisingly poignant ending. I was left really longing to know more about Loki and why he wanted Freyja's cloak.
The Trickster
This brief erotic short story reveals how Loki first met his mortal wife, Caroline. It’s fun to see some of the scenes from The Trickster’s Lover from Loki’s perspective, and as I’ve come to expect from the Loki stories, deliciously sensual with a nice side of humor.
I have not read The Wolf’s Lover yet, but I will update my review when I have had a chance to do so.
I received an ARC of this box set from the author and volunteered to review it.
The Trickster’s Lover
The Trickster’s Lover is the first novel in Samantha MacLeod’s Loki series. Initially, I had a bit of trouble relating to our main character, Caroline. If a stranger showed up in my apartment in the middle of the night and cut off my clothes, I can’t imagine my response would be to become overcome with lust. But then, I’ve never had an encounter with a Norse god, so who knows? Part of the pleasure of reading is to experience what life might be like for other people, and Caroline’s situation is certainly different—if you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to try to balance work, friendships, and trying to obtain your PhD along with an erratic romantic relationship with a Norse god and saving the world from Ragnarök, well, this is your book!
As the novel progressed, I did start to relate more to Caroline, although she still frequently made decisions that made me wonder if perhaps she’d been dropped on her head a few too many times. Her characterization is consistent, it just didn’t always make sense to me that someone so intelligent would make such bizarre choices. I will say that despite not always understanding her, I genuinely grew to like her.
I also loved watching her romance develop with Loki—it was in its own strange way quite sweet and touching, and such a delight to watch Loki slowly reveal more of himself. There’s a lot of sex in this book, which didn’t always work for me, but I really loved the mythology and seeing the romance develop.
The Trickster's Honeymoon
This novella, Book 2 in Samantha MacLeod’s Loki series, describes the preparations for Caroline and Loki’s wedding, and the honeymoon in another realm he whisks Caroline away for. I loved the beautiful descriptions of Alfheim and the creepy depictions of the Light-elves. There were some laughs and surprises amongst the steamy scenes between the newlyweds. Be aware that things get violent and bloody. It was nice to see Caroline get to save the day again, though I cringed at what she had to go through to do so.
The Trickster's Song
The Trickster's Song is Book 4 in Samantha MacLeod’s Loki series, but because most of the novel focuses on events in Loki’s past, you don’t have to read the previous books before enjoying this one. The contemporary frame story will be more meaningful if you read the books in order, which is easy to do with this box set.
At first, this book wasn’t what I expected. As in the first book, I initially had some trouble relating to Loki’s wife Caroline, and I was slightly put off by all of the raunchy sex so early in the book. But I acclimated as the story proceeded, and as always, I enjoyed getting to know Loki better.
As I got deeper into the story, I was really caught up in Loki’s misadventures. At times, it felt a bit like watching a train wreck—you know it’s going to get ugly, but you can’t tear your attention away. So, read with caution if you’re distressed by manipulation, cruelty, rape, and murder. Also, note that there is quite a bit of graphic sex (mf, mm, mmf, and mmm) and foul language.
My favorite parts of the story were watching Loki’s romance develop with Sigyn and seeing his interactions with his daughter Hel, but honestly, I never tire of reading about Loki.
Claiming Thor's Hammer
This is a cute erotic short story retelling the Norse myth of how Thor and Loki reclaim Mjölnir from the Jötunn warlord Thrym. Loki is the one who repeatedly gets surprised in this story! I found it amusing and I liked the ending, although it left me wondering about several details.
Winning Freyja's Cloak
Despite the briefness of this kinky little erotic fantasy, you get a pretty good sense of who these characters are. I was a little put off by the dismissive tone in which Freyja discussed her lovers, but it's really hard to resist a story about Loki using his charm to get what he wants.
The story is beautifully written with a surprisingly poignant ending. I was left really longing to know more about Loki and why he wanted Freyja's cloak.
The Trickster
This brief erotic short story reveals how Loki first met his mortal wife, Caroline. It’s fun to see some of the scenes from The Trickster’s Lover from Loki’s perspective, and as I’ve come to expect from the Loki stories, deliciously sensual with a nice side of humor.
I have not read The Wolf’s Lover yet, but I will update my review when I have had a chance to do so.
I received an ARC of this box set from the author and volunteered to review it.
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