Review: Savage, erotic, bloody, and bittersweet!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 19, 2012
Savagery is one of those books where the combination of the setting and the genre immediately sold me. It's an erotic romance set in 909 France, which is not something I've read before. Vikings! Cherine is kidnapped by vikings after they raid her village. Of course, at first she's scared, but then she realizes that Erik is not the violent barbarian she assumes he is. And she soon finds that she wants him.Even though this is an erotic romance, there's actually a story here, and it's a really good one. Erik has awakened something in Cherine, and freed her from an arranged marriage back home, only to have her enter another one with the viking leader, Rolf. Rolf wants to take a French bride as a warning to the people in the towns he conquers and he'd like her to be skilled in the bedroom, so he's tasked Erik with "training" her. While Cherine may have strong feelings towards Erik, perhaps there's room in her heart (or at least her bed) for Rolf, too?Then there's Cherine's conflicting emotions are her new life. On one hand, she's happy because her life with the vikings is better than her's had been up to her kidnapping. She's well-fed, has nice clothes, and a comfortable shelter. But she's also a captive, forced to be with a man she does not love (although the sex is good, and keeps her alive). She's also conflicted about Erik. She believes she has feelings for him, but knows she shouldn't. She's afraid of Rolf, but wants to please him to keep her new lifestyle. The only think she has to herself is her body, and she's putting it to good use. She's just trying to make the best of her situation, and getting some pleasure of her own isn't so bad, right?Savagery definitely lives up to its name in some places. There's brutal and gory fight scenes, right along with the sex and romance, which also aren't easy. If you're looking for a happily ever after, this will not be it. The ending is quite bittersweet that I definitely think it suits Cherine and Erik's story.*Disclaimer: I received this book from the author for review. No compensation was offered or accepted.