This is a Norse inspired fantasy romance.

Freya is a shield maiden who is bound by oath to a jarl who is desperate to become king of Skaland. Freya tries to protect those she loves while falling in love with the jarl’s Gods-blessed son, Bjorn, who is just swoon-worthy.

I loved The Bridge Kingdom and this book gives off the exact same vibes. There’s intrigue and passion and betrayal but in the best way possible. The use of Norse mythology was fantastic and so fun. The powers were so interesting and it was just an overall great read.

— 4.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

📖 | 432 pages
👤 | author Danielle L. Jensen
🏢 | publisher Cornerstone, Del Rey UK
📅 | release date 27 February 2024

What you can expect:
— New-Adult Fantasy Romance
— First Instalment In A Series
— First-Person POV
— Singular POV
— Norse Mythology
— Vikings, Gods, Prophecies and Magic
— Chosen One
— Slow-Burn Romance
— One Horse
— Forbidden Romance
— Hidden Identities

A Fate Inked in Blood is the first instalment in the Saga of the Unfated series by author Danielle L. Jensen. We are introduced to our main character Freya as she is bound in an unwanted marriage as she spends her days gutting fish whilst dreaming of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back. Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her and lands her in a fight to the death against the son of the jarl, Bjorn. In a last bid attempt to survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate. Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.

This book is my first real experience reading a Norse Mythology-inspired Fantasy book, and I have to say it has not disappointed. I never knew what to expect from this book as it is my first read by this author and to say I am eager for more is an understatement. A Fate Inked in Blood is effortlessly compelling with its enveloping writing style and hypnotic dialogue which keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The consistent pacing, easy-to-follow world building and eye-widening plot twists left me unable to put the book down as I was enchanted and compelled in Jensen's story-telling. I look forward to reading more works from this author as I eager anticipate news on future instalments to this not-to-be-missed series.

A Fate Inked in Blood kept challenging me as I sought to theorise and discover the answers before they unfurled. Some answers I guessed correctly which left me feeling elated and looking forward to what comes next in the sequel, whilst some twists took me by complete surprised and left me with my jaw on the floor. Freya is such a wonderful character to follow as we see her rise and fight against the fate that others try to force upon her. With a warrior's spirit and a kind heart, its unsurprising to see Freya battle with what she believes to be right and wrong. I was glad to see her struggle despite her "chosen one" status as Freya was forced to train and learn her way around a blade, as opposed to just knowing what to do. Her struggle and determination enabled me to better connected with her character and the journey we follow her on, and I'm truly excited to follow Freya on her journey to see what comes next. Bjorn was an absolute delight as a main character and a love interest. His roguish nature and quick wit often left me laughing and smiling as he gleefully went toe-to-toe with Freya's temper. I love how accepting and encouraging Bjorn was of Freya as he never once expected or asked her to change, as opposed to others around her. A lot of mystery and suspense surrounds Bjorn's character and I found a lot of enjoyment as we unravelled many of his mysterious layers. Bjorn has quickly become a fan-favourite of mine as he has demanded his space on my list of favourite book boyfriends, and I look forward to discovering more of his truths after that suspenseful ending

The development between Freya and Bjorn was suspenseful and seductive as follow the pair whilst they battle their hidden desires and yearning. I loved that we watched them form a comforting companionship which served as an emotional establishment to fall back on. Their slow-burn felt genuine and true as it was effortlessly explored through yearning and want. The progression offered a deeper insight into the wants and needs of both characters, and the only disappointment that I have is that A Fate Inked in Blood is not a dual-POV book. I would have truly loved to have a deeper insight into Bjorn's POV which I believe would have further divulged into the emotional stakes that were delivered upon the end.

I had the absolute best time when reading A Fate Inked in Blood by author Danielle L. Jensen, and I truly believe new and existing fans of Jensen's work will share my sentiment. This book is perfect for readers looking for a Fantasy Romance with an easy-to-follow world filled with political stakes, pining and a forbidden romance which leaves you yearning for more. An absolute must-read of 2024, and I'm already sad that I have even longer to wait for the much-anticipated sequel.

Thank you to Cornerstone, Del Rey UK and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review prior to release day.

A very quick paced and action packed romance book. I really enjoyed the old nordic atmosphere created by the author.

“A place where I’d find answers, yes.
But also where I’d begin to control my own fate.”

This was the first Norse-mythology based story that I have read and I enjoyed it.

Freya is a strong female who is used by her family time and time again to secure their own lives without care for her state of being. It is her duty to sacrifice for them which served to underscore the loneliness and burden of obligation that she carries. Bjorn is caring, understanding and hides more than the eye can see. There is a fair amount of angst and tension between the two and it has you rooting for them time and time again. The story was well-paced and easy to follow however I thought that the plot twist was quite predictable and guessed it early on. This doesn’t detract from the story except to make me want to shake Freya and tell her to think before she acts. I love how Bjorn helps her to understand how much power she truly holds and come into herself.

Overall, this was a great romantasy and I eagerly await the next installment.

Thank you to Penguin SA and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

4⭐️

This was an enjoyable, yet entirely frustrating, read. I enjoyed the romance, the plot/world building, I even liked Freya’s character most of the time. But was this utterly predictable? Like, from LITERALLY chapter one-two I called the big plot ‘twists’ and guessed everything else way before the ending too. Foreshadowing is good, beating me across the head with info for the ‘twist’ until I start to wonder if the FMC is dense not to understand what’s going on? Not so much.

The problem I had with this book is that Freya could have solved ALL of her problems by literally just stopping for two seconds and actually considering what information she had. If she’d done that in like the first two chapters, then this would have been a very different read. Because of this, the ignorance of the FMC feels like plot convenience rather than clever character development. The pacing for some scenes also seemed a bit off for me, with info being dropped in like an abrupt bomb rather than being skilfully led towards/revealed.

On the whole, I enjoyed this. But I do think that the ending of this book should have been the middle in order to improve the pace and to ease the predictability of this book. Predictability isn’t always a bad thing, but I almost didn’t want to read this because I already knew beat-for-beat what was going to happen next. This book wields plot convenience and miscommunication a little too freely which led for an ultimately frustrating reading experience.

"A Fate Inked in Blood" by Danielle L. Jensen is an adult fantasy romance set in a norse inspired world. The book follows Freya as she is revealed to be a Shield Maiden, fated to unite Skaland.

This was a book I should have loved. It had so many elements that I enjoyed, and yet it didn't quite click right for me. Which is a shame. I am not sure what it was that slightly made me always feel disconnected, but I was never fully lost in the story.

Nevertheless, I liked the book enough to finish it and I don't regret reading it. I really enjoyed the two main characters, Freya and Bjorn.

Freya is a strong-willed character and a victim of the world she lives in. The depiction of her two very unhappy marriages is very dark as both act as a control tool. Even in families where there is love, like Freya's father and brother and mother had some love for her, marriage is how daughters serve their family, the only way. She is quickly forced from one unhappy marriage to another and it is painful to watch and, a part of me definitely grew irritates at her family for not simply allowing it but also not providing emotional support to make her situation more bearable. Their lack of acknowledgement that she was being sacrificed irked me from the start.

Bjorn is far more mysterious. His banter with Freya is quite funny, and he hrew on me very quickly. He was the one person who admitted how unfair what was happening to Freya was, and I think that immediately endeared him to me as a very different kind of man in the world of the book.

This is definitely an adult romance book. There is so much sexual tension from day one. I actually felt bad for Freya because she clearly was very unsatisfied for so long, even though her constant sexual thoughts felt odd at times. To the point she admitted that no sane person could have those thoughts when their life was on the line.

Beyond the romance, there is an interesting plot and a wider story about destiny. In a religious society being the one who is the exception of the rule that the Norns (the Nordic goddesses of fate) control one's fate makes other people try their hardest to control them. The threat of this person being a woman upsets the gender hierarchy so much that it makes all the surrounding men ever more eager to tighten said woman’s leashes. This is true in Freya's story.

I think many people will enjoy this book. It has a couple you can easily root for, a good amount of spice, and a plot that is separate from the romantic element and allows for independent character development.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for this arc.

3 stars.

i am soooo conflicted about this book. i really enjoyed the world, the setting, the nordic lore woven into this. it was different. the plot, i also enjoyed. but the characters... i just couldn't bond with them. i didn't like freya's whole "woe is me" mindset, and it really annoyed me at times. bjorn was okay, but still not entirely there either. and i think there wasn't one character i really felt for, that i rooted for and didn't want to die. not one. and strong characters are just so important to me, i feel like we know none of them. it feels like the world was built around freya and bjorn instead of them being built into the world. and while i am sure there will be plenty people to give this book the love it deserves, it just wasn't for me.

The Bridge Kingdom is one of my favourite series so I was excited when I saw a new series from Danielle L Jensen, and let me tell you, A Fate Inked in Blood did not disappoint!!

I absolutely flew through this book I loved it so much! The story follows Freya, who is blessed by the Gods and is fated to become the shield maiden, seen to unite lands and make a king out of whoever controls her fate. She is unwillingly married to a Jarl who aims to use her in battle to become the King that was prophesied. Freya faces dangerous tests set by the Gods, and is reluctantly guarded by the Jarls son Bjorn. However her growing desire for Bjorn could be the thing that destroys everything…

This Norse-inspired tale was everything I love in a fantasy romance. A strong female character, a tattooed warrior for a love interest and gods/goddesses. The romance is a bit of a slow burn but the angst was so good and I loved the banter between the love interests. There was also some spice, more in the second half of the book. I loved the battles and the plot was very fast paced with lots of action. We don’t learn much about the gods but I am hoping that comes in the sequel.

I did see the ending coming but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book. An easy 5 stars for me. I can’t wait to read the next instalment!

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone for an advance copy of this book.

Having read The Bridge Kingdom previously, I was really looking forward to this and delighted to be approved for an ARC.
This Norse mythology inspired fantasy romance was really enjoyable and I flew through it in a couple of days. I really enjoyed the Norse elements of the world building, and I thought it was quite a refreshing change from some other Romantasy books I've read recently. I really appreciated that the MC was very capable and it was good to see her growth by the end of the book.
The writing was generally really enjoyable to read, however, some of the phrasing was a little repetitive at times. The romance was absolutely one I was rooting for, I just personally would have preferred a slightly slower burn.
Overall, I found this one really fun to read, the plot moved quickly and there was never a dull moment. I'm really looking forward to the next one!

I was so excited when I got a copy of this, I loved the bridge kingdom! This entire book was a thrilling adventure, with exceptional pacing - cannot wait to see what’s next in the series. Adventure, excitement and more

I really enjoy Norse mythology so I was excited to read this one.

This was a fast paced, entertaining romp, with an interesting magic system.

The story is built around shield maiden folklore, with the female MC being a prophesied shield maiden with magic destined to be a king maker.

Freya spends most of the story fighting to control her own life, while being bound by her desire to protect her family.

The romance is pretty good, but also produced my main quibble with this book, which was the sheer number of times the word core appears. Find another way to describe arousal, I beg you!

Overall, a really fun read, immersed in some fun reimagining of Norse mythology. Will definitely be going back for book 2!

I've been reading a lot of romantasy lately and Fate Inked in Blood is up there with the best of them. At the start I thought it was going to be a bit too predictable and just follow the regular romantasy tropes, but I soon became so immersed in the world of Freya and Bjorn that whenever I had to put the book down I found myself still thinking about it. Inspired by Norse mythology, it has lots of my favourite things - drakkars, vikings (tall, hot and tattoed), battles, and most importantly (for me) a fierce FMC. The ending...well being a duology (?) I knew it was not going to end on a happy ever after, but it still broke me. Now to endure the wait for book 2.
I think this one will be a big hit at the start of next year.

A Fantastic Viking-esque Read!

If you loved The Bridge Kingdom, you'll adore this, with Nordic inspired magic gifted through union with gods and a prophecy of a shieldmaiden fated to unite a kingdom.

Freya has hidden her power her entire life, until fate has other ideas and tosses her from an unhappy marriage into a forced union with a jarl determined to be king. Left with no choice but to become the shieldmaiden he demands, she journeys under the protection of Bjorn, the Jarl's son, in a battle to prove herself worthy, protect her undeserving family, and resist her evergrowing attraction to a man with too many secrets.

So, so good.

<I>”They say being given the blood of a good is a gift, but it’s a curse.”</I>

I want to preface this review by saying I ADORE The Bridge Kingdom by DLJ, and romantasy is my jam. I love a book with great world building, political intrigue and a swoon-worthy romance. So when I saw DLJ was doing a Norse inspired fantasy romance I was SO excited to get my hands on it!

Unfortunately… this book didn’t quite deliver for me. I’m not sure if it was the fact it was written in first person which just made the protagonist, Freya, feel incredibly whiney and repetitive and the political and world building side of the story feel very shallow, or if it just felt a bit rushed and clunky.
But either way, this book wasn’t what I was hoping for.
While I am intrigued by the world and the magic system, the whole thing felt a bit rushed, flat and predictable. I really wish that there were more layers to Freya and Bjorn’s relationship, and that I didn’t see where this story was going from the very first page- or heck, even if I knew where it was going I spent the whole time waiting for a twist or turn in the journey, something unexpected or exciting before the guessed at conclusion. But no.
I left this feeling that Freya was stupid, and not the strong warrior women she wants to be, and that Bjorn had a million and one chances to talk and deepen his character but just didn’t…. For future plot and character development? One can hope.

I will continue with the series, but am just feeling a little underwhelmed as I know how fantastic DLJ can be. This could have benefited from a dual POV to get a deeper story, so maybe the next one?


***Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review***

I've been hooked on Danielle's books since The Bridge Kingdom series, and this isn't my favourite; I don't know, I think the plot isn't as solid as Freya, which is sometimes powerful, sometimes unsteady. I struggled with this book, and it took me about a month to finish it. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and will eagerly await the sequel.

The Norse - inspired mythology was one of my favourite things about this book, add in the fantasy element as well as the magic system and the mystery behind the fmc Freya and the forbidden love between her and Bjorn made this an enjoyable read.

Freya is a tough character and was portrayed so well, sold into marriage by her family and then again to the jarl all because of a prophecy, even though all this was against her, she never stopped caring and still held onto her patience and control which was a refreshing thing to see after all the negligence she has suffered from the men in her family and village.

The plot doesn’t really move along very well and i did find it dragged in some parts it’s not until the middle did things start to pick up and move into a more thrilling adventure and I especially liked how it ended as it makes it exciting for what’s to come.

I will say the world building and descriptive writing was beautiful and held my interest and I found the magic system was perfect and gave just enough information that wasn’t too hard to follow and added to the realistic and relevance to Norse inspired fantasy romance I can see how this can be expanded on in books to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Immersing myself in "A Fate Inked in Blood" by Danielle L. Jensen has been an unforgettable adventure. This first entry in a Norse-inspired fantasy romance series captivated me from the start. Jensen crafts a narrative so engaging, it's nearly impossible not to get swept away into the vivid world she paints. Freya's tale, a shield maiden with a divine heritage, is a thrilling dance of fate and power that questions the very essence of destiny and control.

Jensen's portrayal of Freya is robust and compelling. She is a character who resonates with depth, battling to unite a fractured nation while contending with her desires for Bjorn, the fiery son of a king driven by ambition. The dynamics of their relationship unfold with an intensity that is nothing short of epic, the slow burn of their growing affection masterfully paced against the backdrop of political intrigue and the enchanting lore of the Norse gods​​​​.

The world-building in "A Fate Inked in Blood" is a particular strength of Jensen's writing. The Norse-inspired setting is not merely a backdrop but a character in its own right, rich with magic and mystery that wraps around the narrative like a spellbinding mist. The magic system, intertwined with the fate of the characters, adds a layer of complexity to the story, making the world of Skaland come alive with every page turned​​​​.

The emotional landscape of the book is vast and varied. As a reader, I was taken on a rollercoaster of feelings, from the heartbreak of Freya's struggles to the heart-warming moments of triumph and the passionate romance that defies convention. Jensen's prose is evocative, painting scenes that linger in the mind long after the book is closed​​​​.

While the book ends on a cliffhanger that left me craving the next installment, this narrative choice underscores the high stakes and the grand scale of the saga Jensen is crafting. The anticipation for the sequel is a testament to the book's gripping narrative and the investment it demands in the fates of its characters​​.

"A Fate Inked in Blood" promises an enthralling experience, filled with romance, magic, and the power of a well-told epic. I'm already looking forward to delving into more of Jensen's works, including "The Bridge Kingdom" series, and eagerly await the continuation of this mesmerizing saga​​.

I've come to share my impressions on the latest book by Danielle L. Jensen, the author of "The Bridge Kingdom": A Fate Inked in Blood. Well, let me tell you that I loved it, and I'm hooked on this book and its story.

Here, we follow Freya, who discovers a power from the gods and is forced into marriage with a lord to fulfill a prophecy that predicts she would make him a king. She finds herself having to stay with him and fight, and she will meet Bjorn, his son, for whom she won't remain indifferent and must discover what her destiny will be.

❤️ What I loved about it:
• You'll find the same reading sensations as in "The Bridge Kingdom," but in a Nordic environment inspired by the Vikings with magic from the Gods. It's an environment and mythology that I adore.
• The plot unfolds, and tensions slowly build throughout the novel, always leaving you wanting to read more, leading to an impressive ending.
• The relationship between our two main protagonists is really great; their exchanges are filled with tension, and the barbs they exchange only make their chemistry stronger. It's a good slow burn with a successful forced proximity, all for our enjoyment.
• Freya is a strong character, and I can't wait to see how she will fare in the next book. She is altruistic, even though it has sometimes led her to make somewhat foolish choices in ly opinion, but she is courageous and doesn't hesitate to fight for those she loves and her people.

A superb, enchanting, thrilling, heartwarming, and captivating story that grabs your heart and never lets go!

Its release is scheduled for February 2024, and I recommend it to you 200%!

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Del Rey. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review A Fate Inked in Blood.]

Rating: 3.75/5

A Fate Inked in Blood was my first Danielle L. Jensen book and having seen a lot of hype surrounding her Bridge Kingdom series, I was very excited to start this. I also don’t think I’ve read many books that have been Norse-inspired so it was fun to read a fantasy based on a different setting and mythology where the focus is an unfamiliar variety of deities, beings and heroes. I found the magic system in this book very interesting and the mystery surrounding the main character, Freya, was enough to keep me hooked until the very end. Unfortunately I struggled a little with the pacing as can sometimes be the case with the first instalment in a fantasy series, although I’m sure this won’t be an issue in the next book.

In this story we follow Freya, a woman who possesses a drop of goddess’s blood which brings with it a strange and mysterious power. Having spent her life trying to hide this so that she can protect herself and her family from those who would use her, she spends her days in a loveless marriage to a terrible brute. When her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, exposing the magic that she possesses, she must fight the jarl’s son to survive as the fearsome leader believes that Freya’s magic as shield maiden will unite the fractured nation under his rule.

I was confident from the first chapter that this would be a book I’d enjoy. It doesn’t take long for the plot to get going as the story is quickly set up following a dramatic introduction where Freya must finally embrace the magic that she has kept hidden. I had difficulty with her character at times as sometimes she would act in a frustrating way, but in books with a historical fantasy theme I try to remember that characters will handle situations differently than people in modern times. For example, although I understand the reason behind it, reading about women whose actions are dictated by men can be a rough time, but Freya proves to be a powerful and formidable woman and as one of the few characters with a fate that isn’t written in stone, I could accept that her difficult situation has room to improve thanks to her ability to weave her own path.

My favourite element of this story is the forbidden romance between Freya and Bjorn who is the son of the jarl who aims to control Freya’s fate. Bjorn is unlike most men in this story and although they get off to a rocky start, he does his best to support and protect her at every turn. Like Freya, Bjorn was also born with a drop of god’s blood and I enjoyed seeing how this kind of gift manifested for different characters. Seeing their relationship grow throughout the book was a lot of fun and following on from the cliff-hanger at the end, I can’t wait to see how they’ll continue to grow in the next book.

My main issue with this story was that it felt like the plot dragged in areas, but I’m not viewing this as a massive negative as that can sometimes be the case when reading a new fantasy series – especially when you’re not as familiar with what has inspired it. I’m still really looking forward to the next book in this series and I’ll definitely be checking out other books from this author. If you enjoy stories filled with meddling gods, lots of mystery and forbidden romance, you should definitely check out A Fate Inked in Blood.

I'm in two minds about the novel because I felt the first half was fairly strong and the second half was weak. I liked Freya in the first half but wanted to shake her in the second half. She was at times stubborn for stubborn's sake and her willingness to be the jarl's pawn baffling even once hostages were not an issue. I really didn't see her motivation for co-operating once she decided she was done with her shitty relatives.

The romance was mediocre and lacked depth. Some of Bjorn and Freya's banter was cringeworthy and I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes at times.

The plot was decent but I have a feeling I'll enjoy the second book more given there's likely to be less of Jarl Snorri.

A perfectly fine Norse inspired fantasy but needs more oomph.