A review by cuppacora
The Viking's Stolen Princess by Sarah Rodi

fast-paced

4.5

5 Word Review: Family, danger, love, protection, friendship.

Enemies to lovers AND grump and sunshine? Sign me right up. Is there a better pairing of tropes out here? Combine with a lot of force proximity on horseback and you know you're onto a winner.

I loved Anne's headstrong ways, and how she was so generous. She was always looking to protect others and help them, even to her own detriment, Honestly she's a bit of an angel.

Brand is so fiercely loyal, and I would love him to fight in my corner. He's protective of Anne as much as he resents her at times because of their past, which only he remembers.

Both characters have complicated thoughts on love and marriage. But the passion between them? Wow. That first kiss was excellent, it felt like there was so much build and and a growing awareness between them.

This is like a super charged slow burn. We spend a lot of time with Brand and Anne alone which makes the romance feel slow, especially at the beginning, and the forced proximity of their travels really amps up the pace in general and means that everything - emotions, events - goes faster. I think a lot of it feeling like a slow burn is Brand's memories of Anne, she has been in his head for a long time.

I very badly want more from this author. I loved how they brought the history alive with every page, I loved the small details like how a princess wouldn't know how to dress as a peasant. Little things that made the world so vivid.

This was an outstanding Viking romance.