A review by cuppacora
Tempted by the Runes by Christina Courtenay

medium-paced

4.75

5 Word Review: History, friendship, danger, travel, love.

Trust me, you need this Viking time travel romance in your life.

I loved Maddie. I loved how she could hold her own, even out of her own time. Her curiosity was such a huge part of her personality and really helped drive the plot. I loved her distrust Geir, and it was justified to start with!

Geir is very headstrong and has such a tough interior, but deep down he's a teddy bear. He's so gentle and caring and thoughtful, it warmed my heart right up. I think that the only thing I didn't like about Geir was his manipulation at the beginning. I completely understand where he was coming from with his actions, but I do wish he'd perhaps been more honest with Maddie about how he knew of time travellers. Maddie of all people would have understood!

I thought they were great together, this couple work so well.

The small details bring this story truly alive. I could picture perfectly Maddie securing her hair with an intricately carved bone pin. I could feel the weather, the elements, on my skin. The descriptions are amazing and bring everything to life brilliantly. It was almost like I was wandering there myself.

I thought the extra layer of mysticism added by Maddie's fortune telling with runes was very clever, especially with how it added to her inner turmoil.

Tempted By The Runes by Christina Courtenay is perfect for fans of Outlander, Vikings, and The Last Kingdom, and the details make for the perfect historical(ish) romance.