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A Fragile Trust

by Helen Kirkman

Reviewed by Coral


When Gemma finds an injured warrior, she debates leaving him to die. She isn’t sure if he is English or a Viking invader. She also has a hatred of war and of all warriors. But despite all of this, Gemma takes the injured warrior back to her home, currently occupied by Vikings.

When the warrior, Ash, awakens, she learns that though he is English, he was raised by Vikings. Claiming to now be fighting on the side of the English king of Wessex, Gemma isn’t sure she can trust him.

But she may not have a choice, as the Vikings in her village hold someone precious of her and Ash is the only person who can help her get them back.

I don’t read many books classified as strictly romance, though I have read a couple that I have really enjoyed. Sadly, this book is not one of them.

Given the setup of the book, it’s hard not to think of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles even though the books are in two very different genres. With Uhtred, you can see how his childhood loyalties are torn. With Ash, the book took a long time to actually explore the backstory that was right there on the back of the book. Plus I didn’t really enjoy what we were presented, with all the Vikings being portrayed as the unquestionable villains in the story. Ash is supposed to be emotionally scarred from this childhood but by the point where he actually shares his story with Gemma I no longer cared.

Having read several fictional portrayals’ of Alfred the Great now, I was disappointed by his character in this book.

Even the romance was poorly handled as I never really felt any connection between Gemma and Ash beyond the “they are obviously going to be together” kind.

There was nothing about this book I enjoyed and I am not sure how I made it to the end (though it may just be stubbornness).

Grade: F