Sandra Hill - The Norse King's Daughter

Princess Drifa can certainly see why Sidroc Guntersson is a living legend -- on battlefield and in bedchamber both. But the King of Stoneheim’s willful daughter pitches a royal fit when she learns of the true reason for the virile Viking’s passionate attentions. A third-born son with no hope of inheriting the family jarldom, scheming Sidroc must marry and is interested in Drifa only for her father’s land and money. The barbarian is lucky she just cracks him on his fool head with a pottery pitcher!
Five years later, Drifa needs Sidroc’s protection -- in Byzantium, no less! -- though revenge holds more appeal for this man she left for dead. ’Tis a pity two such perfect enemies match each other so well, passion for passion. So much so that the bold Viking berserker is soon thinking marriage again . . . only this time it will be on his terms!

Comment: I know, I know, I said I wouldn't read more books by this author in the near future because they're becoming too much the same, but I already had this one purchased so I decided to get it over with.

This is the story of Drifa and Sidroc. Drifa refused to marry Sidroc years ago because she found out he only wanted a woman to be the mother of his child and she wanted to marry for love. Now, years later she's traveling to Byzantium to do research on flowers - her passion - but while there she sees herself in trouble and Sidroc is there as a warrior and he helps her. During all the adventures, they finally fall in love, proving their fast relationship from the past did have reason to flourish in the present.

I have to confess this story was much better than the one I've read before. This story has two funny but also capable of seriousness main characters and most important than that, it had a better plot with some interesting subjects, like the family liaisons that can limit or help out lives and the life in an harem back in those days. Of course, everything told in a lighter mode and without much deepness but it still provided interesting thoughts.
The plot was an easy one, both to read and to follow but this is to be expected. The reader has to think these books serve more to entertain than to make us think, but while in the mod for it, I also have to admit the author delivers, plus it has many funny moments and it's always a good time to laugh with the character's antics.
I finished the book with thoughts of harems and how awful it must be to a woman in those lands to be almost a slave because she doesn't have any rights or independence. In this aspect, the book portrayed a very serious situation which I'd have liked to see more developed, but I knew it wouldn't be. The family ties was another thing I liked here, specially because in previous books it was always too perfect or too nonexistent.

In the end I liked the time I spent reading but I don't regret not having any more to read. It's a type of book that can become boring after so many the-same-thing.

Sandra Hill - The Viking Takes a Knight

All Ingrith wants is refuge for herself and a group of orphans from a vicious Saxon commander who would harm the children and destroy her honor. At her age, she no longer expects to find a husband, or even a lover, especially not the arrogant Lord of the Bees!
John of Hawk's Lair longs for peace and quiet, not a nagging wife and noisy children. As a knight in the king's service, he spends his cherished time at home working on his beekeeping experiments. So when an irksome Viking princess comes barging into his castle with a horde of orphans, he does everything he can to get rid of her. But then a sexual attraction sparks between them, despite their differences, one that soon has them making honey, rather than war . . .

Comment: This is another installment in the viking series by the author. In this case, the historical ones, because the author writes viking stories both in historical and contemporary settings.

In this book, we keep following the stories of the many viking princesses sisters. Ingrith is 31 years old, she thinks she isn't that attractive and what she does best is cooking. John is the son of the heroine from the third book in the historical viking series, The Tarnished Lady. We've seen him since he was a boy and now he's the hero on his own book. These two never thought they might fall in love and have a family but apparently it's what's in their path, along with many funny moments and some interesting takes on the meaning of true love.

When I discovered this author I've read most of her work in a row. I loved her voice and her stories and how funny and light they were even when treating more serious themes. All those books still have a special place in one of my shelves.


However, the last books have become too superficial. I no longer have the same feeling of balance I used to in the older ones. I guess part of it is my own taste, it changed, but I can't help feeling the stories no long have that special taste of magic like I saw in the other books. The last two books in particular have a little bit too much sex, I mean they always did, but there was lots of sexual tension before, to make the sex not only hotter, ah ah, but more meaningful because all that sexual tension isn't there just to make the sex more intense, it's also to help build up situations where the characters would meet and argue and see the other through different eyes, it was like foreplay and dating at the same time, so by the time they actually had sex, it would have more meaning. In these last books I found that they would jump to sex too soon and in this one Ingrith is a virgin but too eager after a faked reluctance. I think it would be more suitable to create a certain resistance before she decided to have sex, I don't know...it's just the feeing I have.
Apart from this, I think the stories have the same fun and the same plot interest, it's just...nowadays I need more.
I don't know what else to say, both main characters were quite focused once they went though their obvious "ah this isn't what I want", but like I said, the way they went about it didn't convince me. I expected more from this book, considering it was John's, a character the reader cared about since he was a child in his mother's book.

The author started a vampire angels series..with vikings. Besides the obvious reason market related, I wonder why she did it...somehow the idea doesn't seem that good and I'll wait to see someone else's opinion before getting that one. I just hope she will return to the contemporary books soon.

Sandra Hill - Viking in Love

She said . . .
Caedmon of Larkspur is the most loathsome lout I have ever encountered When my sisters and I arrived at his castle, we were greeted by servants and children running wild, while Caedmon lied abed after a night of ale. No doubt there will be another child soon, because I must admit he's as handsome as he is virile. And I must endure him, for we are in desperate need of protection, though I can only imagine what this knight will demand of me in return.
He said . . .
After nine long months in the king's service, all I wanted was peace . . . not five Viking princesses running my keep. And the fiery redhead who burst into my chamber that first morning is the worst of all. Why, I should kick her out . . . but I have a much more wickedly delightful plan for Breanne of Stoneheim, one that will leave her a Viking in lust.

Comment: This author was the first one I read with the theme time-travel. I still things she does it beautifully, the only thing that bothers me is the language sometimes but I get it, she tries to respect the time.
In this book we see some previous characters and know how they're doing, which is always a good think in my book. I like to keep updated with the characters, it makes the world much more close, more tidy, it gives a sense of continuity and i like to think it's like a big soap opera and I like to know how the beloved characters are. She does this quite well.
Breanne and Caedmon aren't my favourite couple, but they have chemestry, I wish I'd seen a bit more struggle from her part, but I knew what I was getting when I got the book, so... The romance could be better, i think, but these books are good to relax and I still enjoy them, even if they don't show much seriousness.
The plot is too obvious, but still entertaining. I wouldn't say it's a bad book, because it makes it purpose...but of course the author has done better. I hope the next one is like that, better.

Sandra Hill - Dark Viking

Rita, a former stunt woman, can't believe she signed up to be a female Navy SEAL. She needed the signup money to pay her mother's medical bills.
Steven, a fierce Viking warrior is depressed over the "death" of his brother Thorfinn. Yep, even Vikings get the blues.
Rita can't believe she's been tossed back in time to the tenth century wearing a head-to-toe wetsuit and flippers with her face cammied up.
Steven can't believe the gods have sent him a fish woman to ease his woes. Not a beautiful mermaid, but an ugly-as-death fish.
How dare the brute put her in a cage!
How dare the wench teach his people line dancing!
Love and laughter guaranteed in this trip down Memory Lane...uh Fjord.

Comment: I've been reading the author for some years now. When I first started reading them, they all seemed amazing and fresh, the language, the humor...
Today I still think that, but the truth is, they no longer seduce me like before.
Today I read them more for fun and loyalty than despair eagerness.
But it's ok, after all everyone changes and it's only natural the reading changes too.

The story is everything the author used us to: the time-travel, the romance, the "what am I doing here?", the HEA...oh and by the way, is it me or the books seem smaller everytime? I enjoyed it a lot, especially because of the reading changes. We all like to revisit loved worlds and characters, and it's no exception in this case. For me, at least.
I'll keep reading as long as the books are a portrait of hapiness...of sadness is the Real World full of...