⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wow! Thank you NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Freya is a gods blessed 20 year old who has big dreams but is wasting away as an evil clan leaders wife. When her path crosses with a beautiful man named Bjorn, a journey she has been dreaming about begins. She is given by her husband to a new husband who forces her to reveal her hidden powers as the shield maiden. She is part of a prophecy that has her being controlled by a new man who wants to use her to become king of the entire land. She begins to realize that you must be careful what you wish for as her new path is full of hard decisions, loss and suffering.

I am so happy I was able to read this amazing book in advance. I don’t normally enjoy book based in norse mythology as they are very brutal and gory. But Danielle made this work as an epic fantasy as well as a romance book. We have all the major elements we love: humans blessed with magic from the gods, touch her and die romance, deception, war, female growing into her true self and power. Epic quests and journeys, battles, lies. Freya and Bjorns love story is beautifully done in between all the battles and blood and politics. True to Danielle’s nature she flips the switch and there is a huge deception between the heroine and hero which sets up book 2 well. The book is well written, has good pacing and lots of adventure. The spice is very graphic and there are several scenes depicted in great detail so I do give it a 5 spice although it doesn’t overtake the book at all.
Bjorn has become my new book boyfriend 😍

I absolutely loved this. I never found myself bored or dragging but was continually kept on the end of my seat eager to keep going! I cannot be more excited to continue this series

A friend, who I blindly trust on book recommendations, told me to request the arc for A Fate Inked in Blood on NetgGalley. I did so, not thinking I'd be sent a copy because it was my second time ever requesting one (without receiving the first that I requested lol), but I received my copy only a few days after requesting and oh my stars I'm in love.

This book truly has it all: forced proximity, forbidden lovers, battles, Norse mythology, and hot vikings (for all of my The Last Kingdom pals). There wasn't a moment in the book where I felt like things were dragging on or as though there was filler. Everything moved at such a perfect pace, without compromising character building or the plot.

Even though I've already read the arc, I've already pre-ordered my hardcover and will patiently (because I have no other choice) wait for book 2, before book 1 is even released.

This book, and the mmc, is now up there in one of my favorite romantasy reads.

Please read this book, when it comes out. Better yet, request a copy here, if you are able. It's truly so wonderful and now I don't know how to fill this giant viking sized void.

A full 5 stars for A Fate Inked in Blood! I loved this! A Fate Inked in Blood is a Norse mythology inspired fantasy novel. You don't have to have prior knowledge of Norse mythology to enjoy this book!

This book follows Freya, a woman who possesses a drop of God's blood. Based on a seer's prophesy, Freya has the potential to unite a divided nation and quickly becomes under the control of a man (Jarl Snorri) who wants to use her to become king. Freya is forced to marry Snorri and Snorri assigns his son, Bjorn, to guard and train her. Freya is attracted to Bjorn, but must not act on this attraction to protect her family and her people. I thought the attraction between Bjorn and Freya would be weird since she is married to his father, but it was handled very well and not awkward at all.

Now, getting into what I loved about this book:

This book is action packed! We quickly jump into the action which I loved! The first paragraph was perfect!

I loved the immediate banter between Freya and Bjorn. Their banter was entertaining throughout. It is slow burn and full of tension which was truly top tier.

My only complaints are I wish there was a map and a pronunciation guide. At times, it was a little slow listening to Freya's internal monologue and some of the battle scenes were hard to follow, but none of this lessened how much I enjoyed this book and the story!

There is a good split between being character driven and plot driven which I liked. There was also a good balance of plot and romance.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys:
-good banter
-slow burn romance
- a unique fantasy setting
-the TV shows Vikings Valhalla or The Last Kingdom

Of course, the last few chapters were amazing and I can't wait to see how the story continues! There were a lot of big reveals in the final pages so I'm anxious to see how it all plays out!

Thank you to NetGallery, Del Rey, and Danielle L Jensen for the eARC!

A Fate Inked in Blood is a beautifully scripted novel that combines Norse mythology, fantasy, spice and romance! Needless to say, this is an absolutely fantastic book. I read this book in one sitting. The only negative comment I have would be I don’t have book 2, yes it’s that captivating!

Wishing a few pages, I was pulled into this fantasy world, it captivated my entire mind. I became engrossed in the characters and their lives. I found myself gasping out loud and cheering them on. Each of the characters had to find their own paths, overcome their own struggles and trials. It was truly a warriors tale. I personally felt like you are able to relate with the MC as well as feel her pain and betrayal within and throughout the story.

Danielle Jensen managed to create an epic storyline that I wish was real, she is truly a master of her craft. I highly recommend a preorder! 10/10!!!

A Fate Inked in Blood is a Norse-inspired fantasy romance with incredible world building, forbidden romantic tension, and powerful main characters. If you're like me, you probably already stopped reading this review at viking/Norse-inspired romantasy and added to your tbr. It's like The Witcher, Thor, and The Bridge Kingdom had a tryst that gave us a sexy, viking baby.

We're introduced to Freya, our fmc, married to a disgusting, yet god-touched. powerful man. When doing her wifely duties, cleaning the fish he provides for the village, BJORN (swoons) appears, with his big muscles, tattoos, and everything she's ever wanted while married to this piece of trash. The TENSION, the VIBES, the BANTER? Yes, I know everyone says banter between the two mc's in like every book, but the underlying sexual tension and quips had me giggling and punching the air.

Freya is put through the ringer with her family and her marriage, all while grappling with her sense of duty and being manipulated by those seeking power and violence. Will she find what she's always dreamed of? Or will her unfated choices lead her to her own demise?

Read this if you love
- vikings
- norse mythology
- forced proximity
- strong women
- tattooed hot men
- forbidden romance
- one horse of course
- slow burn

Thank you to Danielle L. Jensen, Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine and NetGalley for this new obsession.

This is one of those books that makes you forget you’re reading. I love that Freya is a strong, kickass heroine. The story moves along at a good pace, I didn’t feel there were any lulls. There was a lot of action throughout and a lot of cringeworthy moments for Freya. I don’t know how many times I cringed for her (or laughed out loud depending on the circumstances—sometimes both.) I went in with high expectations as the author’s Bridge Kingdom series is a long standing favorite of mine and I was not disappointed!

Freya is a strong willed protagonist in a world that only wants to use her. She finds her fate woven with the jarls son, Bjorn. Follow her trials given by the gods to earn their favor and protect her lands against raids from enemy territories.

RUN, DO NOT WALK to preorder this book. I was hooked from chapter one. The writing style is beautiful, and the pace is perfect. There is enough action, romance, and mystery to keep you engaged. The spice is perfect and doesn’t detract from the story line. I normally let the story tell itself, but when my mind came to the conclusion with the big plot twist I was SHOOK. I had my suspicions but man oh man. I enjoyed my journey. My only gripe is that I have to wait to read more of Freya and Bjorns adventure.

I would first like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this amazing opportunity to review my first arc.

This is my first novel by Danielle L Jensen and I am honestly slightly disappointed. While the magic system is unique, it needed to be fleshed out more. Unfortunately, the romance was unable to make up for the lack of world-building. I would have preferred more build-up with the romance. I found the romance to be very insta-love/lust, which I don't like but know others don't mind it. I would not consider this a slow burn because their attraction toward one another comes very early in the book. I did however love the bater between the main characters. The ending may have been predictable but I still am intrigued to see where the story goes. I feel like the sequel has the possibility to be better than the first book, based on the first book. I do plan on continuing reading this series.
I'm still thankful for receiving my fist arc.

This wasn’t just epic, it was AN epic.

I hadn’t read anything by Danielle Jensen except for “The Bridge Kingdom” series, and I am so pleased with how different, but equally compelling, this book was.

The interpretation of Norse mythology was captivating, and while the twists were fairly predictable, that didn’t lessen the reading experience at all.

I am kicking myself for reading this so long before it’s release, which means I’ll have to wait who knows how long for the second one to come out, but it was worth it to enter this world of magic and deception.

5 stars!!

No spoilers

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This book ... this freaking book, is probably going to win my Book of the Year bracket! I can honestly say that I was pretty sure it would be a 5 star read by the time I got to chapter 4 (only my 5th out of 160 books read this year) and the rest of the book only lived up to those early expectations. We get a mix of Norse mythology made real, viking lifestyles, raids, drakkars, runic magic and more!

I don't remember the last time a book gained my full attention from the start like this one did. Danielle L. Jensen managed to build such a captivating world and environment without even seeming to try and her characters were so relatable.

Freya is such a black and white character that it made it easy to love her. An independent but selfless woman, sacrificing all her wants and dreams to live the way her family expected her to, and then when everything around her falls apart, she still sacrifices her wants for her family's desires. Freya was anything but weak, though. Despite always being seen as a tool to those around her, she stood up for those that couldn't defend themselves and always fought for the little guy. She did her best in every situation and never expected anything in return, not even gratitude.

Bjorn, on the other hand, was such a layered individual. Flirtatious and seemingly uncaring about the people around him, it's through his recklessness and anger in battle that we begin to see that he's not as cold to the world as he thinks he is. Bjord is a mystery from the moment he pops out of that river and we still have so much to learn about him as we reach the ending of this book, so I'm ecstatic for book 2 to come out. I want him to have the closure he deserves.

There were some predictable moments and character actions, but Jensen never fails to use the last 50 pages of a book to bring my jaw to the floor. Even knowing things couldn't be as good as they seemed because of Jensen's writing style, I still wanted to cry in anger and frustration at the end.

Danielle L. Jensen, you have made a fan for life out of me and I can only hope my own books are half as awesome as yours one day.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC of this book - I'm off to go preorder the hardcover and beg RHP for a physical ARC!!!

Danielle can literally do no wrong.

This book was one of my most highly anticipated considering how much I absolutely loved The Bridge Kingdom and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

If a Viking inspired romantasy with a completely unique magic system, witty and fierce FMC, a dark, broody and sarcastic warrior MMC is even remotely up your alley, ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR LIST.

A beautifully written masterpiece full of battles, adventure, power and slow burn romance with delicious spice. I will be counting down the days until I can have book 2 (please, Danielle, let me have it now).

This book follows Freya, who was married off to a man blessed by a God. She’s unsatisfied with her life and the man she was forced to be with. Freya yearns to be a warrior like her older brother, and when a random, gorgeous man, appears on the shore of her land, it seems her wish may finally come true.

However, Freya has a huge secret. One that is exposed the day the stranger washes upon the shore. She is forced to become a pawn and weapon in a game of Kings and Jarls, and one wrong move can change the threads of fate for her, and everyone around her.

But when war is brewing and her heart finds itself yearning for a man she cannot have, what path will she choose? Is her life her own, or will she forever be a pawn in a war she has not desire to be a part of?

This book was extremely fast paced and action packed! I loved the relationship between Bjorn and Freya, and can’t wait to see what happens in book 2 👀

5/5 ⭐️ 2/5 🌶️

⚔️Forbidden love
⚔️Vikings
⚔️Betrayal
⚔️Spice
This was really good! If you love the show Vikings you will love this! The beginning was a bit slow for me but once it hit the 50% mark it POPPED OFF. I’m mad I have to wait for the next one for so long. Action, adventure, gods, betrayal, and a steamy romance. What more is there to say?

Main Points
◾️First in a series
◾️🌶️? Yes
◾️Magic powers, family drama, riddled prophecies, changing fate
◾️Will I finish the series? Yes
◾️Would I recommend? Yes

Content advisement for the little readers: -not for the little readers, explicit sexual acts

There’s prophecy, family drama, riddles from gods, and a whole lot of the pining. Fate Inked in Blood is a solid entry to a new series. The plot progresses at a steady pace with reveals sprinkled along the way. The characters feel believable and relatable.

What I enjoyed most is that the foreshadowed or hinted at storylines were either confirmed or denied by the end of the book. No dragging obvious plots for “suspense.” I don’t like when clues that are drawn out instead of being solved in a reasonable timeframe.

Jensen’s story writing also avoided the clichés that I feel ruin stories. Freya didn’t just reveal she was a shield maiden and then have everything handed to her. She was still undertrained and suffered logical consequences for what was happening.

So far there isn’t a lot of Norse lore, mostly just mentions of Gods and their associated powers. It’s been easy to follow. I have only a little knowledge of Norse mythology, but so far none is needed to follow along. Anyone can pick up this book and follow along.

The plot doesn’t move as quickly as Bridge Kingdom, but I still recommend it. I read Fate in two days. I have a few hypotheseses about what is going to happen next, but I’ll have to just wait for the sequel to find out!

I love Danielle Jensen’s books! The banter between Freya and Bjorn in A Fate Inked In Blood exemplifies Danielle’s mastery of dialogue between her characters. The world-building is so vivid it almost makes you feel like you are right there with the characters in the story. While I enjoyed the book in many areas, I felt like it dragged in some spots, but I’m eager to read the next book in the series. For readers who enjoy action and fantasy/magic, I would recommend this book!

Wonderful world building and I loved the Norse Mythology inspiration! Highly recommend if you like cool and unique magic systems and a strong female main character. I really liked the slow burn pacing of the romance as well.

Reasons to read:
- Romantasy
- Slow Burn
- Vikings and Norse Mythology
- Forbidden Romance

Absolutely loved this book. A stand out fantasy read for me in 2023. Danielle always delivers for me in world building and lovable characters and A Fate Inked in Blood was no different. I had never read a book inspired by Norse mythology before and I absolutely loved it the wild ride we just embarked on. Freya is strong willed but also wears her heart on her sleeve and Bjorn is a savage cinnamon roll. Their chemistry was electric from their first moment together and only grew stronger. I did find quite a few things to be predictable but it didn’t detract from the experience for me and I suspect that was done with intention. So excited for the continuation of this series and only a little sad that I know book 2 won’t be out for quite some time haha.

I don’t know how I have never read anything from Danielle L. Jensen, but I need MORE!! This book had me enthralled with the first chapter and left me needing more when I was finished- I devoured it! The character and world building were great, and I feel everyone had their own distinctive voice. It had just the right amount of spice, humor, action and magic. I cannot wait to read more of Freyas adventure of finding herself and what the Gods have in store for her!!

*ARC Review- Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for a free e-copy for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

This author is one of my favorites. I read her last series The Bridge Kingdom and enjoyed it but felt it was a little YA for my tastes. This book was more adult which I liked but seemed to drag on a little. I really wanted to fall in love with this book but felt it was hard to like the fmc. Three out of five stars for me. I’ll probably read the next book in the series.