Review: Vivid & Compelling Viking Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 28, 2014
In this second book in the Blind series the journey towards HEA for enemies to lovers Rachelle and Tyr is a rocky one due to outside forces of jealousy and greed along with betrayal from within.  These two start out as enemies but their shared grief binds them together in an emotional coupling full of sexual tension and ultimately steamy encounters.Rachelle is an admirable heroine who lost her parents at an early age and was then raised by her Uncle, who took care of her just like a father.  After a bloody battle, while searching for her Uncle, she comes across Tyr and is immediately taken to his homeland where he plans to ransom her.  Things soon change though and what follows is a compelling romance between two strong-willed individuals.  Throughout her losses Rachelle has survived and accepts her change in circumstances with bravery.  She's no shrinking violet in standing up for herself and I was rooting for her every step of the way in her dealings with Tyr's petty mistress Frida and her continuing hope in being reunited with her Uncle.Tyr is the son of the protagonists in the previous installment and is the quintessential Viking in looks, words, and deeds.  He's strong-willed, confident, and loyal with a surprisingly kindhearted side as witnessed by his reactions to his brother's death.  There was great depth to him that was brought out most clearly in Rachelle's presence and made him an admirable hero.The author depicted this bloody and harsh Viking world in a vivid manner showing her great care in research.  From the compelling characters, to the dramatic twists and turns, to the villains coming from every corner, this read quickly immerses you in the action from the very first page.  I'm excited that there's another book to come and am intrigued to see how the author will redeem the character of Aaron as he takes center stage in the next release.  Fans of the historical genre should definitely read this as the Viking era isn't one seen very often in romance and Ms. Rand does an admirable job in depicting it.