"Two delightful romances for the price of one!"
At long last those incorrigible twins, who were never far
from trouble in Ms. Hill's previous historical Viking
romances, have struck out on their own in more ways than
one. Inseparable since birth (except for a moment of
madness when their father made the foolish mistake of
fostering them apart for a few brief months), Toste and
Vagne Ivarsson were about to meet their maker together at
the prime age of 31. Joining the Jomsvikings had seemed
glamorous at the time but, a year of chastity later,
pillaging Saxon churches for sacred relics did not seem
worth dying for. However, grossly outnumbered, and gravely
injured, the twins accept their fate, fully expecting to be
reunited on the other side. Is that fate we hear laughing?
Ah yes, for both men will be rescued from the battlefield
to eventually recover, each thinking that the other had
died. What could fill such an unbearable hole left by one's
other half? They will soon find out.
Toste awakens at St. Anne's Abby where he encounters Lady
Esme, a novice of long standing, who has been using the
Abby as a sanctuary. Esme's late mother had willed her
only daughter her dower lands which apparently was enough
reason to for her Father and brothers to attempt her
murder. In a pain filled haze Toste hears something quite
different when Esme states her given name, a phase which
conjures nights of steamy passions. While Esme is quite
plainly disgusted with men, Toste becomes determined to
change her mind. Toste, and his old friend Bolthor the
Skald, soon devise a daring plan to recover Esme's rightful
inheritance. This will lead them to the home of Eirik of
Ravenshire and a raucous reunion with several old familiar
friends. Can Toste convince Esme to take him for more than
her estate manager? Will she be the one to fill the gaping
hole left by Vagne's death?
Vagne awakens tied to bed in the home of Gorm Sigursson. It
seems Gorm has mistaken Vagne for Toste, who had ruined his
daughter's chances for wedded bliss, having tagged
her "Helga the Homely" in his thoughtless youth. Now Gorm
expects Toste, I mean Vagne, to make up for this
transgression by marrying said daughter, and giving him a
much longed for grandchild. Naturally Helga is shocked by
this state of affairs. Taunted and ignored over the years,
Helga, though no longer homely, has grown independent and
has no use for a man in her life. Still she has a soft spot
for her father, and well Toste, I mean Vagne, isn't at all
bad to look at. Maybe. just maybe. she can persuade him to
donate the seed that would give her father the grandchild
he so badly wants, without an entanglement. After all, how
hard could that be? The results of her experiments are
both hilarious and dangerous - to her heart, that is.
Tempted though he is by the no longer homely Helga, Vagne's
first priority is to avenge his brother's death. And of
course he could never leave a child of his behind. No,
another arrangement would be have to be made if Vagne had
anything to say about it. Never under estimate a determined
Viking maiden. Yowsa!
Not only are the individual situations of the two brothers
fraught with hilarity, but naturally, being twins, Toste
and Vagne share that special connection, which under the
circumstances is both confusing and maddening for them, as
each finds the other laughing at his predicament "from the
grave". A TALE OF TWO VIKINGS is two-for-one, sexy,
steamy, comedy which will leave the reader laughing out
loud. By the way, ATOTV introduces the youngsters of Eirik
and Tykir Thorksson, who appear to be as incorrigible as
their infamous fathers. Who knows what Ms. Hill could be
cooking up next. Copyright © 2004
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted June 9, 2004
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