What a great read! I did not know until later this author also wrote the Bridge Kingdom series, It then made sense why I really liked her writing style. I also just started watching the tv show Vikings Valhalla so this was a great transition. The heroine Freya goes through trials, heartaches, and many tribulations through the first book in the Saga of the Unfated. She has blood of a god which gives her special powers, in which a power hungry jarl uses to his advantage. She is held hostage and made to fight in his quest to be king. Freya and the king's forbidden son Bjorn have an initial attraction that has a will they wont tension. It does leave off on a major cliffhanger that leaves you wondering and wanting more. Overall really enjoyed this and can't wait for the rest of the series! I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a wild ride! A Fate Inked in Blood is going to be the next big Adult Romantasy. But this time it's VIKINGS!!!!

It has all the savagery and morally grayness of Viking stories but also the heart of them: family. We follow a young woman who dares to dream and her dreams come true in the worst way possible. We see her being used over and over again. But we also see Freya make new friends, discover magic and find love.

I love that all the characters had depth, but it wasn't a slow character driven book (nothing wrong with those, I love those but in this case it wouldn't have worked because vikings) yet the characters were implicitly developed. We get to see bits and pieces of them and see how they react in different situations. We're allowed to build our own judgement of them depending on what we have absorbed of the story. There's no heroes in this story, especially not the Nordic gods. You witness how a white man wields religion against his peers and people. You see women forced to be what men expect them to be but you also see how they fight against it and support one another.

Freya is between a rock and a hard place. There's really no good answer to her situation and I do not envy her journey to figure out her path. But I suppose all of us go through some sort of struggle to figure out our paths. I related to Freya so much and I hope other readers see themselves in her as well.

Freya and Bjorn find peace in their violent lives in one another. They try to make the best of a bad situation and I'm really rooting for them. When I tell you their banter is unparalleled, I'm not lying. Bjorn is good humoredly self-depreciating and plays along with Freya's fiery temper.

My favorite was Baby Bjorn (there's no babies in this, Bjorn is the grown adult MMC, his name just reminds me of the baby product company and is an oxymoron because Bjorn is anything but little). Baby Bjorn just needs all the hugs in the world.

Fans of Jensen's Bridge Kingdom and Dark Shores series alike will love this book. I highly recommend to fans of the adult romantasy genre in general.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book! It was my first story inspired by Norse mythology and I loved it. Danielle does it again- everything she touches is gold.

The book follows Freya, a young woman blessed by the gods with the power to protect, and her journey to unite her country under her territory’s jarl-turned-king. As the king she swore her loyalty to continues to escalate what he’s willing to sacrifice to achieve his goals, Freya has to weigh the cost of staying the course with the cost of weaving her own path, all while resisting the alluring pull toward the king’s son - her assigned protector.

This book has so many of the most delicious romantasy tropes. The banter is next level and will have you cackling one moment and melting the next. This is a book I’d recommend to any romantasy lover.

**Review will be published release week on my site and socials!**

There was no chance I wasn’t reading this immediately upon my Netgalley approval. And I loved so much of it!! I love seeing a new DLJ world and all of the Viking content had me soaring. It was brutal and intense and I loved the fast paced nature of it all.

And the ROMANCE. It was quintessential forbidden and I am here for it all. And I loved how frustrating Freya was to me as a character. She simultaneously made me cranky and yet I also understood her decisions. I really see a great character arc for her coming and I can’t wait. And I absolutely adored Bjorn. He must be protected at all costs.

The plot is filled with some politicking, plenty of raids, lots of battles, and yes, plenty of spice (I will say this is DLJ’s spiciest book and that did bug me a little, buuuut I love her soooo I skipped over). Anyways, there’s also MEDDLING GODS which are my current fantasy weakness. There’s something about the chaos they cause that has me gripped to my kindle needing to know what happens next.

As always, DLJ crafts a beautifully soul shattering cliffhanger that has me begging for more. I love the direction it’s going though and can’t wait to see more of Freya’s world unravel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

I was ecstatic to review this arc, as I'm a huge fan of all things Danielle Jensen, and this new series by her sounded very exciting.

I was not disappointed. The story starts out strong, and I was hooked from the start. The pacing is great, the characters are well drawn, the romance is delicious and the author makes us work for it, which I loved. My single complaint is that a certain aspect of her marriage felt a bit too contrived (so as not to risk spoiling, I won't mention exactly what), but it felt like a convenient loophole when there was actually potential for greater angst if this loophole was not used.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this work, and I look forward to the next in the series!

A Fate Inked in Blood is the first book following Freya, a woman stuck in a loveless marriage. After finding out she is a shield maiden, she is taken from her first husband and wed to another lord searching to conquer. As she navigates her fate and learns more about her past, Freya must fight her growing feelings for her new husband’s son, and dedicated protector as well as war within herself regarding how to best protect those she loves and the innocents caught in the middle of battle. Will Freya choose the right path or submit to the will of her new husband?

This book left me wanting more! The twist ending I did not guess, even if I had correct suspicions of who was the double agent. My only complaint is I wish there was more world building and explanation of the gods believed in/ how that ran the world Freya lives in. Overall, worth the read and can’t wait to pick up the next one!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to give an honest review!

I wound up skimming the second half of this just to see how it would end. I didn’t vibe with Bridge Kingdom but I went into this with an open mind because the Viking concept sounded so promising. And I really wanted to give this author another chance.

I’ll start with what I did like:

- The Norse-inspired lore. There aren’t nearly enough of these in this genre and this book has me wanting to seek out others with this vibe.
- Freya and Bjorn’s banter. They’ll definitely keep you entertained during their travels.
- Forbidden romance!


What I didn’t like:
- My biggest issue here was the pacing. The first dozen or so chapters felt pretty good but once our characters are on the road there were times where the scene swaps felt jarring. One minute everything seems hunky dory and the next they’re being ambushed and then they’re back to exchanging sultry banter and/or downing alcohol…I don’t know how these characters found time to breathe.
- High stakes that were disappointingly low and quick to overcome.

I’ve no doubt this will be a hit. As I said the premise was very promising. I just find it hard to keep up with fast-paced fantasy.

This book is fantastic. I absolutely ate it up. I love that it has a Norse setting and it definitely gives the same vibes as the Vikings tv show. Bjorn will certainly be added to the ranks of book boyfriend goals as well. There are lots of great hints and foreshadowing of what’s to come in the end, but Like Freya, we don’t want to see them. I love where this story is going and the incredibly slow burn romance. I can’t wait for a sequel to this novel. Sign me up!

Thank yo so much for the ARC, Netgalley!

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars!

This book was everything I love in a Viking romance. The romance, the rugged Viking men, the independent woman who knows what she wants, and the Norse mythology. I want many more books in this wonderfully created world.

Granted, any fan of Danielle Jensen is going to love this book because she truly has a way with words and knows how to captivate her audience.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Freya has excepted that she must live a life as a fishwife, unhappy and just bearing it to protect her family. But when a stranger comes and her secret is found out everything changes for her. Everything she does is to protect her family, but maybe they ask too much.

This was so enjoyable! I find Norse mythology so interesting, and I absolutely loved this take on the legends and Gods. Freya was a lovable and entertaining main character, and the character of Bjorn was so funny. I had to keep reading this book, I could not put it down. I cannot wait to see where this story goes!

This is a Vikings-inspired fantasy romance, so in addition to some delightful application of norse mythology, expect a heaping supply of barbarian men and the toxic masculinity that follows. And become very comfortable with the idea of every female character being treated like livestock from beginning to end.

While similarly full of action and adventure, a fate inked in blood was missing the carefully crafted and ingenious storytelling of the bridge kingdom. Most notably, I can’t say the stepmom-stepson romance plot line was appealing to me. At worst of times, their interactions gave me the ick. At best, I was still cringing, particularly at the male love interest's use of “born-from-fire” as a nickname for the female protagonist. It doesn’t really roll off the tongue. Every time it was uttered, it sounded quite clunky and little pieces of my hope and faith in this book gradually chipped away. In general, I was deeply undersold on their love story.

I still somewhat enjoyed it. The plot twist at the end was weak and heavily predictable, but one thing you can rely on with DLJ is a romantacy that is easily digestible with steady pacing. I would probably recommend it to fantasy romance lovers aching to scratch an itch, but not before prioritizing a whole host of other reads, including the original bridge kingdom duology by the same author (which I believe to be a stunning masterpiece in all its severely under-hyped grandeur). In fact, I can barely believe this is the same author because the plot outline, character development, and worldbuilding were all substantially weaker.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the early copy

All right, readers. Poll time.
What's sexier: shadow magic or fire magic?
Personally, I'm team fire, but if it was a close call before, Bjorn makes it official!

Seriously, you are NOT going to want to miss this when it comes out in 2024!

• slow-burn (insta-lust, but I promise the drawn out tension will drive you insane)
• Norse mythology
• forced proximity
• fast-paced plot
• powerful heroine who has both good and evil in her
• banter that will make you giggle and kick your feet <3
• one horse trope
• kissing to hide in plain sight trope
• betrayal
• battles
• prophesy
• forbidden love
• fire daddy mmc
• eventual spice

The first books I read by Danielle L. Jensen were her The Bridge Kingdom duology, which I loved, so I was super excited to get to read this. If it's even possible, I actually thing this book surpasses that duology in so many ways, though there are some similarities: Jensen's incredibly easy-to-read prose (no info-dumps), good balance between plot and spice, and quick pacing of the story. Having read The Bridge Kingdom first, I was a bit nervous for how the spice would pan out in this one. I remember the sexy scenes in that duology feeling stilted and ill-timed. Not the case here! It's a slow burn, but once it burns, it'll scorch you like Bjorn's fiery ax.

The only downside for me is that I wanted some more details about the world. If I hadn't watched a bunch of viking shows as a teenager -and I definitely imagined Freya as Katheryn Winnick's Lagertha- then I wouldn't have known how to picture the world these characters lived in. There were very few details about the practical aspects, which I'm sure many readers will appreciate, but it made the story a little less vivid for me.

There are so many quotable gems, but I'll have to wait for release day to share them. Just know that this is certainly worth preordering if you enjoy stories about vikings, forbidden love, and powerful mcs!

Jensen is masterful at creating complex worlds without the tedium of complex world building. It is so easy for authors to get lost in the weeds and details, making their books drag with too many rules, people, places and history. But Jensen smartly always pulls the focus on characters. Again she has created a vibrant, dangerous, intriguing world that manages to be unique and yet on an interpersonal and social level, deeply relatable. This is a fantastic book which starts a new series, and while this book ends with an intense cliff hanger, it's not cruel to the reader. We are left wanted more, but not mad about. All-in-all another great book by this great author.

My favorite thing about Danielle’s books are that they are easy to read. A Fate Inked in Blood doesn’t have an overly complicated magic system with an unnecessary amount of world building. We are given just enough world building to understand and enjoy the plot. Every page was intentional. There were not any fillers and the story immediately took off only a couple chapters in which I appreciate. We are given morally grey characters, betrayal, spice, magic, mythology, and so much more in just 400 pages. When I read a book I want to be so consumed that when I finally come up for air I can’t even process what is going on. This gave me just that.

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you NetGalley, Del Ray, and Danielle for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book blew my mind.
From the very first chapter I was captivated and excited to dive into this world that Danielle created. The banter between the two main characters was perfect and had me smiling and rooting for them from the beginning. Freya has a wonderful character arc and honestly is such a badass.
When the book ended I literally wanted to cry because this book isn't even out yet. How long will I have to wait to get book 2?!?!

This book has everything you could want.
Slow burn.
Spice.
Norse gods.
Magic.
Forbidden romance.

From beginning to end this book was captivating and entertaining. I read the whole thing in a day and look forward for the next book in this saga.

At Location 73 Chapter One - “My dearhusband” needs a space.

At Location 137 Chapter One - “Vragi’s catchto” needs a space.

At Location 940 Chapter Six - “onlyknew now.” Needs a space.

At Location 1944 Chapter Fourteen - “my trainingwith Bjorn,” needs a space.

At Location 2784 Chapter Seventeen - “theopen ground” needs a space.

At Location 2917 Chapter Eighteen - “sacrificesimplied they had” needs a space.

At Location 3241 Chapter Nineteen- “husbandback, but when” needs a space.

At Location 4337 Chapter twenty five - “testmy will,” needs a space.

At Location 4636 the sentence - “I spun away, meeting another man’s attack and leaving him less his throat as I moved on to the nest.” Doesn’t make much sense to me. “Leaving him less his throat” sounds very awkward to me.

At Location 4961 Chapter twenty nine - “ newvoice whispered to me” needs a space.

At Location 5013 Chapter Thirty - “if it is Nordeland, so much the better” sounds awkward. Not sure if it’s supposed to be broken english.

Partial review (full review on Goodreads) -

Freya the fierce, and strong willed female main character. Oh did I enjoy her as a character. A spitfire.
Her need to protect everyone she loves above all else. And the sacrifices she'd been willing to make to keep them safe. But with her destiny ever changing so did her resolve.

Bjorn, Viking fire daddy🥵🪭 . Annoyingly protective, and mysteriously brooding, the main male character willing to protect Freya and her wants and needs. But is it lust, vegance or love fueling his desires?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. The medium pacing was perfect. It gave time to build up the characters, to show their strengths and weaknesses.

I was surprised that the characters actually had physical powers. I wasn't expecting that at all. It was a pleasant surprise. Enjoyed that aspect, it gave the story and characters vibrancy and made things more interesting.

I did find the twists in the plot a bit predictable. I'm not sure if it was meant for the readers to know the twists and for us to watch some of the characters struggle to find sense. But it was easy for me to pick out the plot twists.

The cliffhanger kills me inside. Because the book isn't even out and I already want the next book asap! I'm so invested in this series. I have to know what happens next.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to have access to this Advanced Readers Copy. I'm extremely grateful. This book was one of my favorites this year. And I hope to have access to the next book.

This book was SO good. Even better than I expected it to be. From the very first chapter I was invested in Freya and her desire to choose her own way. I love that the book showed that sometimes getting what we want of isn't exactly the dream we thought it would be but was actually a nightmare. I can't wait for the second book to come out; it can't come quickly enough.

I’ve had this book on my list of most anticipated ever since Danielle Jensen shared her deal announcement. She had me at Viking romance and it was everything I hoped for and more! The tension, the mythology, the lore - I was immersed in this story from the very first page! The plot is entirely character-driven and so well developed. We watch Freya go from resigned wife to someone in control of her own fate. I loved the banter between her and Bjorn - Jensen has immense talent for creating such realistic characters, full of depth. I need more everything - more Freya, more Bjorn, more Skaland! To me, this book has everything that defines the perfect fantasy romance. I cannot recommend it enough!

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey Books, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this book.
I sat down and devored it in a day.
I absolutely love Norse mythology and I wish more fantasy books were written about it.
This had the making of a Norse fantasy tale. I will never not love the aspect of the many different Gods and what they represent.

The banter between Freya and Bjorn was immaculate and had me physically laughing out loud.
I enjoyed how the story was told. Freya did remind me of that saying "a beaten dog will still return to its master." I hate when female characters have so much power but they let people with less power dictate their lives. I just know she has to grow into that confidence.
This book was the perfect mix between the plot and the romance. Neither over powered the other and it kept me interested and gripped throughout reading it even if parts of the plot were predictable. I cannot wait to share this gem with my friends and I will share my favorite parts of the book on release day!
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!!! I need it NOW! I am so impatient to have the physical copy in my hands to drool over.

EVERYONE GO PREORDER NOW. DO NOT HESITATE! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS BOOK NEXT YEAR.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for letting Mr have the honor of reading this treasure.

This was the perfect book for those wanting to transition from YA to NA/Adult fantasy. Next to the romance, the world building in this book is it’s greatest strength. Jensen has created a lush, intricate world. She has painted a picture which is quite vivacious and vivid full of compelling characters; with the plot intense enough to had you sat on the edge of your seat throughout the reading time.