emmelnie's review
5.0
Every once in a while, you read a romance where everything in it is just right. Conquered by the Viking was one of those occasions for me. The heroine, Merewyn, is smart, resourceful, and courageous. Our hero Mathios is thoughtful, wise, and strong. So, so many times you read romances where characters make relatively silly actions in service of the plot. That doesn’t happen here. Or you read romances that inflict horrific things on everyone but the main characters. That doesn’t happen here.
The world of the Viking conquest is marvelously depicted, especially the isolation of it. Merewyn doesn’t journey to distant cities when her home is attacked by Vikings. She lingers nearby and eventually returns. Mathios and his friends never journey far from where they are shipwrecked, since their goal is to repair their ship and return home. This intense focus forces the reader to dwell on the growing relationship between Merewyn and Mathios, all to the betterment of the story.
The supporting characters and their stories are also marvelously drawn. The secondary stories of Arne and Connell, as well as what happened to Merewyn’s enslaved brothers, offer enough interest in their own right as well as an additional means to deepen the bond between Merewyn and Mathios.
Barker does a great job illustrating Celtic as well as Viking society, particularly the contrasts between them and the challenges that this can create as each character has to adjust to the reactions and behaviors of another’s culture. In addition, I never felt I was reading a modern version of older times. The kinds of views that we would hold of institutions and practices instead reflected the views of Celts and Vikings.
I read this book in one gulp, almost fearful that something would occur to break the spell this romance cast over me. And that didn’t happen. Barker sustains the story and its characters brilliantly throughout Captured by the Viking.
Even for 5-star reviews, I usually find the book has some irksome elements. Not for this book. I can wholeheartedly recommend Conquered by the Viking. It’s a great example of engrossing, enthralling historical romance.
The world of the Viking conquest is marvelously depicted, especially the isolation of it. Merewyn doesn’t journey to distant cities when her home is attacked by Vikings. She lingers nearby and eventually returns. Mathios and his friends never journey far from where they are shipwrecked, since their goal is to repair their ship and return home. This intense focus forces the reader to dwell on the growing relationship between Merewyn and Mathios, all to the betterment of the story.
The supporting characters and their stories are also marvelously drawn. The secondary stories of Arne and Connell, as well as what happened to Merewyn’s enslaved brothers, offer enough interest in their own right as well as an additional means to deepen the bond between Merewyn and Mathios.
Barker does a great job illustrating Celtic as well as Viking society, particularly the contrasts between them and the challenges that this can create as each character has to adjust to the reactions and behaviors of another’s culture. In addition, I never felt I was reading a modern version of older times. The kinds of views that we would hold of institutions and practices instead reflected the views of Celts and Vikings.
I read this book in one gulp, almost fearful that something would occur to break the spell this romance cast over me. And that didn’t happen. Barker sustains the story and its characters brilliantly throughout Captured by the Viking.
Even for 5-star reviews, I usually find the book has some irksome elements. Not for this book. I can wholeheartedly recommend Conquered by the Viking. It’s a great example of engrossing, enthralling historical romance.
krysley's review
3.0
Though the sexy times are hot, dirty, and very well done, I feel the rest of the plot is very mild and lacking. I liked reading about a different era and different group of people in a historical romance (especially an erotic one), but it often feels like the non-dirty parts are dry. There seems to be a lot of historical information about the Vikings and how they lived, but those parts are written in such a boring way that I want to skip it. It sometimes feels as if I'm reading a non-fiction book.
Along the lines of how this book is written, I do think a lot of the dialogue is clunky, stilted or amateurish. It just doesn't flow easily and reads as if the author had a checklist of things she needed the character to do and thought it'd be a good idea to have them talk about each individual point.
Despite all that ... I need to read the next book about Kristin and the twins. BRB.
Along the lines of how this book is written, I do think a lot of the dialogue is clunky, stilted or amateurish. It just doesn't flow easily and reads as if the author had a checklist of things she needed the character to do and thought it'd be a good idea to have them talk about each individual point.
Despite all that ... I need to read the next book about Kristin and the twins. BRB.
jaypeg's review
3.0
Shipwrecked viking leader Mathios and young Celt Merewyn meet just as she is about to kill his wounded comrade. After seeing her whole family and hone destroyed by Viking raiders, Merewyn sees nothing but doom and disaster ahead when the Vikings take over her farm for the winter whilst they fix their ship. I can’t say I blame her.
After she tries and fails to escape by poisoning the crew she enters into a BDSM type relationship with the viking leader. A lot of spanking basically. It’s not really my thing so I found it a bit repetitive and I really actually wanted Merewyn to kick him in the balls, but that’s probably just me.
It’s a hot story but I got a bit bored once they set sail for the Jarl’s lands. This was an ok read but I wasn’t quite it the right headspace for it. I need a bit more feisty banter and push/pull in my stories.
After she tries and fails to escape by poisoning the crew she enters into a BDSM type relationship with the viking leader. A lot of spanking basically. It’s not really my thing so I found it a bit repetitive and I really actually wanted Merewyn to kick him in the balls, but that’s probably just me.
It’s a hot story but I got a bit bored once they set sail for the Jarl’s lands. This was an ok read but I wasn’t quite it the right headspace for it. I need a bit more feisty banter and push/pull in my stories.
More...