Crimson Romance
Synopsis:856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth, magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century. Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage.
Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon, is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking. She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will love find its way around her stubborn heart?
Bram, the Viking, finds himself without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent?
With the blame for a rival laird’s death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping at their heels.
She has a very easy to read style, full of flow and description. Plenty of character commentary and action, which allowed me to follow the story line effortlessly.
Kaireen is a good and likeable character. Although she hates Vikings, for reasons I didn’t quite figure out, she is not vicious. At one point she comments that although he doesn’t like him, she doesn’t want him dead, even though it would be easy to let him die. She is fully of spunk and fire, but ultimately powerless, something she is very aware of. I’m thinking of the countless times she stomps and spits (thankfully not literally), but then goes and does what she is told.
Bram is a different, I have no idea what he is thinking, it wasn’t until I read the book description about that I knew anything about him. This would normally frustrate me, I love to think I know all about characters. In Bram’s case less is more. He is just there, tall, strong, lively and stable. He keeps pushing for what he wants in this nonthreatening and water-wearing-down-stone way. I loved him for this. He never gets angry or throws things, he just keeps being a direct contrast to Kaireen’s fears.
I am not an expert on the time era, but that didn’t seem a problem, Cooper gives enough detail that I can imagine it, but not so much that I lose the direction of the story. She writes characters with such hope for the future that I actually feel good after reading this book. (Strange idea, but maybe happily ever after does exist?)
I wonderful Friday night read (took me two cups of tea and three hours).
Now, Cooper, where can I find the story about Kaireen’s sister?
(Reviewed by Countess Sarah)
