If I hadn't read Willingham's MacEgan series before this, I would've avoided her like the plague. This book was so disappointing and completely unlike her usual fare. Willingham has a special place in my heart for writing stories about flawed and complex heroes and heroines. The heroines aren't your typical innocent virgins, and the heroes aren't your typical jaded warriors. In this book, they were more flawed than complex.

First of all, this book definitely crosses the line into adultery, no matter what Willingham states in her author's note. Historically, marriage was rarely for love. It was an alliance between families for resources, so it was common that the couple involved didn't actually care for each other. Infidelity was common, especially among husbands. Sometimes it makes sense in a historical novel, but I was disappointed in this romance. After all, these aren't completely historical. There's a fantasy element to them too in that the hero and heroine's love for each other is pure, and nothing taints that more than adultery.

Second, the characters weren't that great. Caragh is the stupidest woman I have ever read about, and I was astounded she wasn't dead by the end. She's a Disney Princess in a Game of Thrones world. Yeah, doesn't work. Obviously, stupidity runs in the family because her brothers were worthless pieces of trash. Her older brothers are the least effective "over protective" brothers ever. Every time they look away, she's in trouble, but by golly they will protect her to the very end. Good luck with that. She'd be dead a thousand times if it weren't for the hero because her older brothers are useless.

Even worse was her younger brother. The whole conflict of the book starts because of his stupidity. He attacks the Vikings that approach their settlement (when they'd intended peace), threatens the hero's wife, and gets all of Styr's men enslaved. Yet, Caragh begs Styr to save him time and time again. Stop. Not only did he endanger his sister, he endangered the entire tribe as well as the Vikings. This man deserved to be sold into slavery. He deserved to die. As the brother of the chief, he should've been punished severely for his reckless actions, but because he just came of age, we're supposed to believe this was the result of youthful folly. Nope. What he did was unforgivable. If Caragh won't forgive her former lover, she shouldn't forgive her brother either. Sorry not sorry.

I'm reading the sequel because I'm curious about Elena-Styr's wife's take on things. If he falls for a dunderhead like Caragh, Elena must have too much sense for him, and I like a woman with sense. In general, I would spare yourself this du0logy, unless you're diehard Willingham fan. Then, we can commiserate over this book together. ( )

Until the end of this book, it was a like a constant kick in the feels. I hope Elena's story isn't as gut-wrenching as Styr's was. ( )

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The stars are falling.

The more I write this review, the fewer I want to give to this book. And the more I want to give a serious review to what I first thought of as a silly diversion.

This book left me with a strange feeling I finally identified as sadness. It's not a bad thing for a book to make me feel sad, far from it. But this was not a life-changing sort of sad book. It was a potentially sizzling romance that ultimately read more like a thought experiment on the topic of infidelity. The result, in my mind, showed that infidelity and hot romance may not mix. Good people who experience heartbreak and a slowly dying marriage are not that sexy.

The first sign of trouble was the author's note that appears before the story begins, telling the reader that this book is going to tackle a special and perhaps undesirable topic. Yelp!

From the start, in order to make sure the male lead was not a jerk, the writer was very careful to lay out an impossibly depressing marriage for him. It made the infidelity seem far less wrong. To me, I read it as a cheap out. Rather than handling the subject of cheating head on, she justified his cheating from the get-go.

On a more detailed note, it's a pet peeve of mine when an author, perhaps in an attempt to evoke a historical period, uses deliberately longer or more convoluted words and phrases than necessary. For example, "He took her hand within his," instead of "He took her hand." Or, "the anger of him" or "anger within him" instead of "his anger." I understand wanting to create rhythm and flow in narrative, and thus sometimes making choices like this. But there were so many withins in this book that I started to dread them. ( )

Very good book with a different sort of theme. Caragh and her people are slowly starving to death. She has been left in charge of her younger brother while her two older brothers go trade for supplies. One day a Viking ship is spotted landing. Her brother and his friends decide to attack the ship and take its supplies. Styr and his wife and men have come to Ireland for a fresh start. Theirs is an arranged marriage that is not doing well. They have no children and Elena is withdrawing more from him every day. When they are attacked the Irish take Elena and his men captive and sail away and Styr is taken prisoner by Caragh.

I really liked both Caragh and Styr. Caragh was doing her best to keep herself and her brother fed, but finding food had become increasingly difficult. During the fight when Brenden and his friends attacked the Viking ship she used all the strength she could summon to stop Styr from attacking her brother. When she took him prisoner she felt bad about chaining him but not for protecting her brother. She has a soft heart and cares for the people of her tribe. She also treated Styr's injuries and made sure he had food, such as it was. She was attracted to him but fought it because of who he was, and even more when she found out he was married. Her fiance had cheated on her and she has a hard time trusting men now, but finds herself trusting him. I liked the way that she worked with him over getting food and then making sure that he takes her along to find Brenden and Elena. She had a pretty good understanding of what makes men like Styr the way they are and was able to use it to get what she needed. I liked the way that she respected his vows even as she fell in love with him. Their love grows slowly, but always with the knowledge that nothing can come of it. I also enjoyed her ability to get the men in her life to behave around her. She broke up several altercations between the various male characters. Her heartbreak was obvious when they finally caught up with Elena, but she had the strength to do what had to be done. I enjoyed the ending and look forward to Elena's story to see how it all turns out.

Styr was an interesting hero. He and Elena had married young. It was an arranged marriage where they had been friends but there was no love between them. In the five years they had been married she had never gotten pregnant and was growing to resent Styr because of it. He was determined to do whatever necessary to save their marriage and planned to start a new life with her away from the bad memories. Styr was frustrated because no matter what he did for Elena nothing seemed to help. It had gotten to where what little affection they had for each other was gone. When they were attacked and Elena was kidnapped, Styr was furious that he hadn't been able to protect her. When he regained consciousness he was stunned to find himself chained and captive of Caragh. Her care of him was something completely outside his experience. He found himself intrigued by her and wanting to help her. I liked the way that he tried to help her without her being aware of it. Her kindness to him touched something in him that he hadn't even been aware he was missing. As they worked together to find his wife and her brother, Styr found himself caring for her more than was wise. He fought very hard to resist his feelings as he refused to dishonor his vows to his wife. I really liked that sense of honor that caused him to fight against his own happiness. I loved seeing his protectiveness toward Caragh. He really wanted to find a way for them to be together. It hurt to see how unhappy he was once he found Elena and that he had to give Caragh up. I loved his surprise at Elena's actions and the difference it made to his life. Also loved the way that he still had to make things right with Caragh and that her brothers weren't pushovers. ( )

TO SIN WITH A VIKING by Michelle Willingham is an exciting Medieval Viking Historical Romance set in Ireland-ad 875. Fast paced, steamy story of an Irish Lady,Lady Caragh Ó Brannon, and a Norseman, Styr Hardrata. Both playing with fire neither, wishing to get burned,but..... One,Styr, is in a loveless,childless marriage, the other,Lady Caragh, starving to death,literally and carving not only food but love. Styr brings his wife,and men to Ireland seeking a fresh start to his loveless marriage,he,his men and his wife is kidnapped. Styr by a starving Lady Caragh, and the others by her youngest brother. Than.....the trouble begins, for the others are again kidnapped and sold into slavery. Except Styr's wife and his first in command who jump overboard during the second kidnapping. Styr is determined to find his wife and friends. Lady Caragh is determined to make sure Styr does not follow through on this threat to kill her beloved brother. While passion sparks, Styr is an honorable man and refuses his impulses to have Lady Caragh in his bed. Well written with interesting characters who are engaging as well as determined. An intriguing plot as well. Ms. Willingham is a constant storyteller who holds your attention as well as grips at your heart. I cried,and cursed the unfairness of a loveless marriage and the determination Styr had to not commit adultery. Oh but when they do...watch the sparks fly....A great read! If you enjoy Medieval,Vikings,early Ireland, and a great romance,than "To Sin With a Viking" is the story for you to read,you will not regret it. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Net Galley.

RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING: STEAMY
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More ( )