Sandra Lake

Here's s setting you don't read often, 12 century Sweden. good feel for the politics of the time. I liked it on the whole. The author did a pretty good job setting up the lack of choices women had in those days. He married her to get sons and she didn't piddle around making them fall in love before she got them in bed which is way more realistic than many authors of historical romance. I did feel like the heroine's about face on her feelings for the marriage and her husband were oddly miraculously instant. She did a good job with the characterization of the heroine's daughter.… (mais)

I enjoyed this story.
Lida married for love but her husband died leaving her with a daughter and suspicion of infidelity.
Jarl Magnus is a gruff ruler who arranged a marriage to Lida solely based initially on her being 'sturdy' enough to survive the harsh climate and bear him sons.
I thought it was an interesting transformation for Magnus, who is conflicted between his growing feelings for his new wife and step-daughter and his background view of women.
Lida struggles with having married for love previously and now feeling as though she has sold herself.
There is an interesting plot in the background, scheming and a woman scorned.
There was talk of the Jarl's past with women but no intimate scenes with anyone other than the Hero and heroine.
No cheating.
HEA.
… (mais)

A good story.
A second chance romance.
Sovia, daughter of Baron Losna, is on a mission to seduce Stål Magnusson, firstborn son of Swedish warlord Jarl Magnus Knutson and heir to his seat. With a civil war on, the stakes are high. The Baron needs the money and political alliance that Sovia’s marriage to Stål would secure. Fortunately, Sovia’s skill with men, not to mention the rugged good looks of her target, makes the assignment all too easy. But the tables turn when Sovia realizes she has taken the wrong Magnusson— Stål’s twin brother Hök—to bed. Wrong brother or not, Hök is enamored, and offers to marry Sovia. When that offer is rejected by her father, Hök’s heart and pride are broken.

Seven years later, as Lady Sovia is about to be executed by Norway's usurper king, Hök, now a battle-hardened warrior, comes to her rescue—by finally taking her hand in marriage. Though his intent is to take revenge, as well as her hereditary land, he cannot help but be impressed by her unbreakable spirit. But Lady Sovia has secrets that will make it nearly impossible for them to live happily ever after...… (mais)