The Love Within

Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This is the third book of the "Viking Sea Jewel" series, although it should be the second, and chronicles the story of Aldric and Freya's daughter Edana, twin sister of their son Beorn. More than that, it is the story of Padraic - or as he called himself Kerrin torn from his mothers breast and brought up thinking himself the son of an adulterous mother who had lain with her husbands brother.

As his grandfather lay dying under the boot of Kerrin's father, the Viking conqueror Torrin Ericksen, he laid a curse on him and "....all your seed, Torrin Ericksen! Man-wolves! Unholy curs! Slayers of innocents! You shall rue the day you sailed your dragonships on Waterford!" Whether the curse were real or not, the seeds of destruction were sown in the mind of the conqueror and the innocent child of the union would bear the cruelty borne of that madness. Brought up believing that no woman could ever be trusted, Kerrin rode to fetch his betrothed bride thinking to 'test' her fidelity by claiming he was the brother of Edana's bridegroom.

The adventures they encountered as they traveled from England to Ireland as Edana fought her attraction to her surly 'brother-in-law' and Kerrin fought against the feelings he felt for Edana, his wife, were both numerous and quite exciting as the action in this very lively tale flew from page to page. From the very first pages you will be kept in suspense wondering just who and what Kerrin is as the passionate response both feel they get to know one another escalates. Secondary characters thoroughly and fully developed, add the requisite layers to this terribly good book and just add to the enjoyment as your imagination is brought vividly from one exciting locale to the next in 9th century Britain and Ireland. Wonderful book that I can highly recommend.