THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE - Sandra Hill
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-201908-0
January 2011
Historical Romance

England and Norway, 962

Adam was well known as a healer, but he has forsworn his practice since all his cures failed to save his beloved sister two years ago. Rashid, a friend and a man from the Middle East, thinks Adam needs to start a harem to cure himself of the celibacy he has also embraced since his sister's death. Adam is dismissive of Rashid's cure until a Viking warrior abducts him. She wants Adam to cure her father of a head injury.

Tyra is the oldest of five daughters. Since her father didn't have a son to inherit, he encouraged Tyra to take up the manly arts of warfare so that she could inherit. None of her sisters may marry until their older sibling has married, so unmarried at age twenty five, Tyra is also keeping all her sisters unmarried. They are all comely women who desire marriage and are talented in keeping a home. Tyra is a tall woman with a muscle toned body developed from weapons practice and who dresses like a man. She firmly believes no man could possibly be interested in her as a woman. Once the healer she has abducted cures her father's injury, she plans on relinquishing her right to inherit and leave the stead so her sisters may marry. However, Adam excites her in ways she has never been tempted.

The two main characters are charming in a very modern way, while still fitting into their historical setting, a remarkable feat. Adam seemingly has learned medicine from a time-traveling adoptive mother, and, of course, Tyra is a self-sufficient woman in an age where women are chattels. Rashid and Tyra's sisters add humor to the building attraction between Adam and Tyra. The romance has a contemporary feel in the story while also having aspects of slap-stick comedy, but the historical setting and culture seems well researched and very believable. THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE makes an unusual, fun, historical romance.

THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE is a revised version of MY FAIR VIKING. Author Sandra Hill admits to 'unkilling' two characters in the story. She also added humorous lines to the beginning of each new scene. Not all of these worked well. Some took me out of the story rather than leading me into the scene. THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE is also one of a series of related novels, and while I had no problem following the story line, readers might want to read THE OUTLAW VIKING, the story of Adam's adopted parents, for better understanding of his modern medicine knowledge.

Robin Lee