Sandra Hill has done it again with her latest installment in her Viking series. Once again her love of Vikings and Navy SEALs combines into a magnificent story of suspense and romance. She has certainly found a way to blend her love of two different types of amazing warriors.
Lydia Denton is the former wife of a Navy SEAL. When her husband is lost on a mission in the Middle East, Lydia is not sure how she will survive her grief. Then she learns that she is carrying her husband’s child and her son gives her the strength to go on. Now it is five years later and Lydia owns a successful aerobic center in the town of Coronado. She is ready to start thinking about dating again, but vows that she will not fall in love with another military man. Then she meets Finn.
Thorfinn (Finn) Haraldsson is a Viking warrior who lives in the 11th century. Finn also knows the pain of losing a loved one. His unfaithful wife left him with his infant son five years ago. Shortly afterwards, they were both lost at sea. Finn has yet to recover from that loss. He even journeys to Baghdad when he hears a rumor that someone has seen his wife and child. When he is accosted by angry Arabs, he loses consciousness only to awaken in the 21st century. He does not know how or why he traveled through time. That is until he sees Lydia.
Finn and Lydia must figure out how their lives are connected. Is it just a coincidence that Finn looks so much like Lydia’s dead husband? Finn is convinced that Lydia’s son is actually his son, but she isn’t so sure. They have several obstacles to overcome including the terrorist that is stalking Lydia and her son and Finn’s determination to join the SEAL team.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The drama and writing grabbed me from page one and I had a difficult time putting the book down. I love the way Ms. Hill blends the old world charm of the Vikings (including their chauvinistic attitudes) with the modern era. She tells her story in a way that makes her characters come to life and allows us to feel for them. Her depiction of the devastation felt by military families who have lost loved ones in the War on Terror rings true and allows us a glimpse into the lives of people who fight for our country. At the same time, Ms. Hill shows the familial bond that develops not only among soldiers, but among the wives of soldiers as they wait for news about their husbands.
This book is one in a series, but the reader does not need to have read any of the prior books to follow the story. We are introduced to the whole clan of Vikings that have time traveled and although details of their stories are not given, enough is shared for us to understand what is happening with the characters. All in all, a true delight to read.
