Review: 3.5 stars
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2014
This is the second book in the Sigurdsson family series.  Rachelle Fiennes is searching the battlefield for her uncle after the Battle of Stamford Bridge when she encounters Jarl Tyr Sigurdsson.  Is their meeting Tyr’s punishment by Odin for surviving or God’s answer to Rachelle’s prayers all those years ago when her parents were killed?  You’ll have to read BLIND MERCY to discover which, if either, it is.There were many aspects of BLIND MERCY I really enjoyed.  There was a definite sense of déjà vu occasionally that reminded me of the historicals from the ‘70’s.  Those were the start of my love affair with the genre.The history and settings were wonderful.  From York to Norway the settings and times were so descriptive it was easy to imagine yourself there with Tyr and Rachelle.Well developed characters that were easy to relate to.  Onetooth was my favorite.  He was Tyr’s champion but rather than intimidating he came across as a teddy bear, at least with the fairer sex.  He was a good friend to Tyr.BLIND MERCY sports a properly reprehensible villain in Tyr’s cousin, Aaron.  Jealousy and greed are the roots of his evil.  He’s not alone in his efforts.  The old adage, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” is certainly applicable when it comes to Aaron’s accomplice.  This pairing is part of what reminded me of my past reads because the treachery was usually very close to the hero or heroine in those earlier tales.Good flow and pacing allowing for quick smooth reading.My issues were with the relationship between Tyr and Rachelle, its development, and on occasion, Rachelle.  I had a hard time believing, given the situation and times, she’d leave the battlefield with the enemy simply giving up the search for her uncle.  I read it several times wondering if I was missing something couldn’t find it if I was.Rachelle was educated and intelligent but there were times I doubted both of those attributes.  In a nutshell, Rachelle was alright for the most part but she caused a lot of her own problems and there were times I’d have gladly throttled her.For Tyr, the physical seemed to be the predominant force.  Most of Tyr’s time with Rachelle was spent trying to seduce her.  Personally speaking, more time spent developing a mental and emotional connection that at least kept pace with the physical.  I do admit though that when Tyr finally let his emotions fly it was all you could hope for.  However, these aren’t make or break issues for most.The wonderful history and writing combined with that reminiscent quality make BLIND MERCY worth reading.Reviewed by IvyD for Miss Ivy's Book Nook