Name: A Fate Inked in Blood
Series: Saga of the Unfated #1
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher: Del Ray
Format: Hardback
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Mythology (Norse)
Noted Tropes: Forbidden Romance, Bodyguard, Forced Proximity, Oaths, Prophecys
Spice Rating: Explicit Open Door 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rating:
Synopsis: Goodreads
A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
Review:
I may not have intended to pick up A Fate Inked in Blood when I did – but boy am I glad I did. And thanks to the wheel in May for picking A Fate Inked in Blood for one of the books on my TBR! Because honestly, I really enjoyed it! Greek mythology is really in at the moment (well… always), so whenever I see books that are inspired by and incorprate other mythologies I get really excited. We’ve got the inclusion of Norse mythology and elements of the time / Viking culture included in the Saga of the Unfated and I ate it up!
This, I think, was a really good mix of fantasy and romance! The romance did start a bit insta-lusty, but it was a slow-burn timeline waiting for any kind of legitimate pay off! But the plot didn’t stop throughout. I loved this, it worked out brilliantly and it kept me on my toes (both for the slow burn will they won’t they and the plot twists). So, let’s talk about that Forbidden Slow Burn Romance… It was between Freya and Bjorn…
Freya begins the story as the wife of a child of Njörd, Vragi. She has a terrible relationship with him and wants more for her life. She finds herself being given the opportunity to be rid of Vragi when he turns her into the Jarl, Snorri, who then pits her in a fight to the death against his son Bjorn. At this point, she has no choice but to reveal the secret that she’s been hiding – the fact that she’s a child of Hiln and a shield maiden. But despite this less than ideal meeting – Freya finds herself attracted to Bjorn and while training as a shield maiden and trying to do her part she has to curb her forbidden feelings for her Jarl’s son!!!
OH MY GOD did I love them. These two had excellent banter, and I genuinely loved them together. I personally didn’t fall for their tension at first, I figured ultimately they’d just remain obsessed with each other from afar but when things started slow burning I realised I was definitely wrong and went on the forbidden journey with them!
I struggled with Snorri and his wive Ylva throughout the whole damn book. He is so wrapped up in the prophecy he was told and seeing it come true that he just pissed me off constantly with his decisions. The pair of them are not the only reason for the drop down in .5 but to name the other character that influenced this I fear would spoil some twists involving the character. I don’t know if these things were because of the Norse influence or because they just annoyed me… But other than these three, I really had no problems with A Fate Inked in Blood!
The lines are blurring a little between Book 1 and 2 because I read them in quick succession, and at the time of writing the review I’ve read a couple more books since so to avoid the risk of accidentally spoiling something for book 1 (or book 2), I’ll end the review here and say… If you’re a fan of slow burn, banter, a trial by fire sort of situation for the FMC trying to find her way in a new world and twists that will have your jaw on the floor… this saga is well worth diving into. A solid 4.5 star book, for sure! Oh, and expect a cliffhanger, because what solid duology wouldn’t have a cliffhanger that has you diving into book 2 the first moment you get?
“You are mine, Born-in-Fire. And I am yours, even if only the two of us know it.”
Reading With Tyler 
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