Content warnings: abusive marriage, betrayal, war, death, murder

Freya is a fishwife whose cruel husband uses his god-given power over sea creatures for his own ambition. Freya longs to be a warrior instead of serving such an odious man. But Freya's family has forced her to keep a secret her entire life -- that she's been gifted powers by the goddess Hlin.

When Freya is forced to reveal her secret to save her life, the revelation changes her course in unimaginable ways. Freya is forced into the service of a jarl who wants to become king, guarded night and day by his son and heir Bjorn. Bjorn's gift is from the god Tyr; he enters battle wielding an axe made of fire. Freya begins to train as a warrior, living the life she wished for while chafing at being forced to do what others command.

Spending so much time with Bjorn leads Freya to want what she can't have, and she feels even more stifled by the circumstances of her existence. As word of Freya's power travels across Skaland and beyond, she begins to realize that her people's enemies will do whatever it takes to possess her power.

This makes for a novel with twists and turns that is never slow or boring. All the reader can do is strap in and enjoy the ride. Recommended for readers who enjoy fantasy, fast-paced action, and historical settings who won't shy away at a bit of romance.

This book was just okay, in my opinion. I didn’t dislike it, but I also never struggled to put it down and always had to make myself pick it back up.

The premise was interesting and had a lot of potential, but it just fell flat for me. The ending was predictable, but maybe that was intentional? There was a lot of foreshadowing that pointed toward exactly what happened, at least in my opinion. I’m not sure I’m intrigued enough at this point to continue the series, but who knows…maybe I will have forgotten my disappointment by the time the next book comes out.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

A sword-maiden chosen by the gods... Okay, a gorgeous cover and a great hook, check! Norse mythology set in Viking times, check! A meet cute that combines him emerging from the sea a la James Bond, and her beaning him with a fish, check!

This is a fun read with frank spiciness: the protagonists are beautiful and athletic, he's got sexual talents and she's got a lot of pent-up energy.

Both are blessed/cursed with blood from the gods. They hold a unique place in their society: only those with blood of the gods can control their own fate -- everyone else, nope. This makes them pawns in the royal struggles for power in their world, so that they must constantly be on the alert for betrayal.

This is the first of the series, and for fans of Lagetha Lothbrok, Ragnar and the television show Vikings, it's is a must-read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the free eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

I have actually read one other thing by Jensen, and I didn't even realize it--I read The Bridge Kingdom back when Covid first started and I was a shut in for a few months, and I really enjoyed it. It was well written, fast paced and compelling. I think that this story only expands on Jensen's writing talent. The characters were even more well realized, the setting even more detailed, and the plot even more compelling. I flew through this with my heart pounding, anxious to see what awaited next. I also loved the magic system with the god powers, and thought that while that could have been convoluted it was really accessibly described. I was rooting hard for the main character and I loved the love interest--so much banter and snark and they're both really well characterized. I loved this and absolutely cannot wait for more in this world/from this author!

This novel was fantastic, I had a hard time putting it down. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Ray publishing for the advanced reader copy. I feel lucky to have read it early so I know in advanced that getting a fancy first printing is absolutely necessary. I am also super excited Danielle Jensen is coming to my home town in February so that I can meet her and thank her in person for such an amazing story. I’ve been reading a lot of highly rated books lately but this is high up there in my list of best books I have read this year. Everyone should check this out, I really like the magic system using god powers, the main character was thrilling and fun to root for and well the love interest…..*blushes* yeah he’s something else…. 10/10 book boyfriend material. The banter and snark was witty and had me laughing out loud. I ended up reading a few one liners to friends, just so they could share in the laughs.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book! There were a lot of parts of it that did annoy me just based on different circumstances but I enjoyed the mythology and the way magic works in the world. It’s a very cool concept and I enjoy stories with Vikings and Norse mythology. Freya is an interesting main character but definitely not my favorite 😂 Bjorn stole the show and I’m interested to see what happens next!

If you are a fan of the TV Show Vikings and romantic fantasy, you'll want this on your TBR list. Jensen swiftly pulls her readers into a world where Fate is inevitable, except perhaps for those born with the blood of the gods in their veins. Freya, a young woman bound by the bonds of family and her own secrets, is swiftly pulled into a struggle between various kingdoms. Jarl Snorri is eager to claim his place as king, but he needs Freya's power to do so.

Tropes included Forbidden Love, Chosen One, Protector/Savior, and Forced Proximity. I'd sit the spice rating at a 4.5.

Full disclaimer: I realized while reading this why the romantasy genre doesn't personally work for me as a reader. But beyond my personal preference, I would recommend this to romantasy fans looking for brutal fights, and spicy nights.

I was lucky enough to get AFInB as a e-arc copy to read. Freya is such a strong female lead character, and ends up meeting Bjorn. He ends up being a huge part of the story overall, but it’s quite the adventure to get there. Freya has some deep guilt over some previous situations, and we can see it in her struggles as we go through the book.

I was hoping for more mythology overall, but I did like the journey Freya has. I can’t wait to see more of her story in the future.

DNF’d at 25%

I don’t think I’m one for the romantasy that are set up like this. Instant attraction and chosen one story kind of hits like a lot of other super popular romantic fantasy books. I thought the Norse mythology would get me interested but that wasn’t the case.

Danielle Jensen immediately pulled her reader into the Norse world that Freja resides and creates a world based on the confliction of the MMC and FMC and those around them. It is clearly depicted to the reader the stronghold the Gods have on its people, country, and how they live their daily lives. You are instantly pulled into Freja’s life and feel her conflicts within her biological and wedded family (be it forced or chosen).

Enter Bjorn, man with a god’s blood and a soul who sings to our heroine. The banter and longing between the two characters pulls the heartstrings of the reader as you learn about their feelings and confliction to each other. I wanted they to put aside their hesitations a little bit sooner in the novel.

At times, I found it a bit tedious on the hesitation of either pursuing freedom or deciding to move forward with the romantic relationship that was destined to happen. Towards the end of the book, I was unsure if I would continue the series, but it leaves you on a cliff hanger making the reader wonder what decisions will Freja make next and when will she come fully into her power, leadership, and feelings for Bjorn.

A Fate Inked in Blood follows Freya, a shield maiden blessed with the blood of Hlin. Because of this drop of blood, Freya is "unfated" meaning she can write her own fate, not written by the gods.

Freya has hidden her true heritage at the urging of her father and later her brother, but it is revealed when her husband trades her secret for coin. This sets off a chain of events where Freya discovers that it has been foretold that whoever controls her will unite the realm as king. The local jarl, Snorri, binds her to him through marriage - though it is never consummated. The jarl assigns his son, another who is blessed with the gods blood, to protect Freya so she may fulfill her 'destiny' to make him king.

I really loved how the story progressed, how Freya took control over her own destiny and stopped letting men, and her horrendous family, decide it for her. I did get the urge to throw the book across the room a few dozen times, yelling at Freya to stop being so damn accommodating or making relatively stupid decisions. I did see the end twist coming. I guessed it around halfway through and it only got more obviously the closer we got to the end.

Regardless, I loved the world building, the character development, and the general story. I cannot wait for the next book. 4.5 stars.

A Fate Inked in Blood was GREAT!! My favorite from Danielle Jensen so far. I enjoyed EVERY page of this book.

It was fun, gritty, spicy, and so entertaining! I loved the Norse mythology, magic, and twists. A badass FMC (with Eowyn vibes) and an MMC that would burn the world for her.

I 100% recommend pre-ordering or adding to your TBR for next February!! I can't wait for the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.


The first 40% of the book went so well but then from there it just kind of fell flat. Was hoping there would be more development of the FMCs powers.
I will continue to read the series in hopes for a better story and character development, as I do believe the story line has potential.

a norse inspired fantasy romance with lots of badass warriors, gods and goddesses everywhere, and a questionable king trying to control fate? SIGN ME UP.

freya, our fmc, starts out as a simple fishwife. she’s miserable and her husband is awful. he is one of the rare people blessed with a drop of gods blood, making him able to call upon the gods power whenever he wishes. our girl just wants to be a warrior like her brother. and one day in the woods she gets her chance, but she has to prove herself first.

the plot was fantastic here. it had me hook line and sinker from the vet first chapter! slow burn romance was delicious and very well done. there’s grief, betrayal, loss, war, love, lust, and so much more in this debut book of the series. i cannot wait for book 2!

Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
A Fate Inked in Blood is a fantasy romance that will instantly draw you into a world inspired by Norse mythology. Freya is stuck in an unwanted marriage and secretly wishes to be a powerful warrior like her brother. When her husband betrays her to Jarl Snorri, it is revealed she is a shield maiden blessed by the goddess Hiln. She is taken from her home and forced to marry Snorri, as he believes Freya will make him a king. Freya has to navigate her blood oath to Snorri, and her true feelings for his son Bjorn. Once I started this book, I could not put it down. Danielle Jensen’s writing is captivating and I fell in love with Freya’s narration. Freya is a heroine that most women can relate to, she sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of others by ignoring her own wants and needs. She always puts her loved ones before herself, but this is expected of her and never appreciated. I was honestly surprised by the emotions this book made me feel on Freya’s behalf. The anger I had for all the men that see Freya as an object is unquantifiable. Her brother uses her marriages to ensure that their mother is well cared for and that he remains in good standing in the jarl’s war band. Her first husband, Vragi, sees her as something to produce children and nothing more. Her second husband, Snorri, thinks he’s entitled to her power and that she is only a tool to make him king. This made me appreciate Freya and Bjorn’s dynamic so much more, as he truly sees her as a person and an equal. The romance in this book was to die for. I could not get enough of Freya and Bjorn. The only critique I have is that the ending threw me off. I felt like Freya’s ‘madness’ should’ve been more drawn out, it seemed to me that the two voices came out of nowhere. Freya also started to have a sense of loyalty to Skaland and Snorri even though he was terrible to her all throughout the book and everyone treated her like trash. Maybe she’s just a better person than me. With the twist at the end, I honestly can’t wait for the next book to come out. If you’re looking for a new romantasy book, this is a great read. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advance reader copy!

I really enjoyed this read for Freya’s emotional journey, and the use of Norse mythology. I love that she is a woman who makes mistakes, who might not be on the right side, and who falls to her own thoughts and the emotional manipulation of others. Freya’s inner thoughts, fantasies and anxieties, and how she wars with herself to stop them, is so relatable.

And Bjorn?! I don’t expect meet-cutes in fantasy romance but OMG THAT MEET CUTE. My favorite laugh out loud line from Bjorn: ”It’s not a fucking mountain.”

I saw most of the redirects and plot twists coming, and nothing was truly a big reveal to me, but even with the simplicity of the plot it was an incredibly enjoyable read. I laughed out loud a few times and I appreciated the tender moments. Nothing felt forced or rushed; the pacing was perfect with a really good foundation for book two.

My only gripe is: how much time has passed?! This is one of those books where I’m pretty sure it all happened in like two weeks, but it was never clear and could easily have been six months.

I love Danielle's books, so I already knew I would like this one, but let me tell you, I was blown away. This Norse-inspired, fantasy romance centers around a shield maiden named Freya. Freya is blessed by the gods and has to battle to unite a nation under a power hungry king while she fights her growing attractions for his son Bjorn.

The world building and magic system were incredible. I could easily imagine what this world would be like and was completely sucked in from start to finish. The characters were to tier for me. Freya is a badass, Bjorn is funny, sexy, also very badass. The banter in this book was some of the best I've read in a very long time.

Overall this book was also fun. It kept me on my toes and I wanted to stay up all night reading it. There's truly no writing quite like Danielle's, and this book certainly did not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley, Danielle Jensen and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to receive this arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for the ARC of this book!

Well, I read this book in one day. Jensen's writing is captivating and pulls you into the story in the first chapter. The book is a Norse-inspired fantasy with a slow burn romance. Freya goes from a fishmonger's wife in a small town to the most sought after person in the nation after it's discovered she is the shield maiden from prophecy and is destined to unite the nation under one king. Everyone then either seeks to get her on their side, or kill her to prevent others from gaining power. The love interest is the hunky Viking son of a jarl who seeks to be king, and who has been granted power from the god Tyr. Politics, war, and magic all collide and force Freya to fight to choose her own fate. I had so much fun reading this book, and I am excited to see where the rest of the series goes. Yes, there is spice. And yes, you will be ready to throw the book at the end. The thing that kept me from making it a 5 star read were some plot points that just kind of disappear. Nothing to stop me from enjoying the book, but I hope it's something that is mentioned in book 2.

I requested this Arc because I have loved Jensen’s other books and was very curious to see if this follow up could live up to the hype and I am so thankful it does. I was hesitant at first because Norse mythology honestly is so overdone as of late, but she still managed to take a common story and make it unique and new all over again. I loved the characters and the pacing and will definitely recommend to friends! My favorite parts are definitely the enemies to lovers and revenge plots.

What an absolute treat this was to read! Action from start to finish! A fast paced plot that kept me on my toes, balanced with a romance that had just enough tension and sweet moments. I’m already desperate for book 2!