by: Sheryl Nantus
Series: Odin’s Bastards
Genre: Military Romance/Fantasy Romance
Release Date: August 27, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Amara
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Some loves are bigger than this world…
Former soldier Erik Harrison is a dead man walking. The sole survivor of an ambush, the guilt of losing his friends is crushing. He questions his own sanity, remembering the vision he saw as he was dying –– a battle angel come to collect his friends' souls.
Valkyrie Brenna Lund doesn't know why she failed in her duty to reap Erik's soul on the battlefield. He deserves his place with the other mighty warriors in Valhalla, and if she wants to return home, she has to kill him.
There are consequences for betraying the gods. But the closer Brenna and Erik become, the more they both want to risk everything for a future together. If only an immortal hunter weren’t sent to kill them both.
Fine, thank you for asking! Enjoying the last days of summer with a nice cuppa tea and working hard on the third book of the Odin's Bastards series – building up to a big finish!
Oh my God! Third book!! Okay. Okay. You are throwing me off. (Breathe Kim. Breathe.) Okay. Sorry about that. Congratulations on the release of Her Alpha Viking. After seeing Thor: Ragnarok, I now know what a Valkyrie is. When I saw Brenna was one I had to read the book. Tell me how you came up with the idea for the book and the series.
Well, I won't lie and say I didn't fall in love immediately upon seeing Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie kicking butt with Thor – but the book had been around for a year earlier, believe it or not! I had the vision of a dying warrior refusing to go with the Valkyrie when she came for him – and built on that mental image. Why would he say no? How would she react? What would come of that brief interaction and how would it change both of them?
That’s pretty impressive. What can you tell readers about Her Alpha Viking?
It's a story about survivors – on multiple levels. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll believe in true love and enjoy seeing empowered women stand beside their men to fight all odds.
Yes. That is all true. Erik and Brenna are both warriors, who have a strong sense of loyalty. What were some things about them which surprised you?
Erik's patience, to be honest. He wants Brenna, but is willing to let her set the pace – hands over the power to her in regards to the relationship even though he's been in love with her for over a year, since that kiss. It's a slow burn and even when they finally make love, he lets her set the pace.
Brenna… her emotional journey, especially in regard to humanity. She isn't used to being with people other than her sister Valkyries, so her relationships with the other women and men around her change and evolve – giving as well as taking, including her relationship with Erik. He's her first, in so many ways…
I have a couple of favorite scenes from the book. But, tell me about one of your favorite scenes.
It's at the very start, when Erik steps into the ring to fight. I've always been a fan of MMA fighting, but Erik's isn't one of those – he's the bare-knuckled type, fighting underground where there's nothing but the simplest of rules and no special equipment. His first fight shows his determination and patience, figuring out a win strategy – until he sees his mystery woman in the crowd and all bets are off!
What are some fun facts about Her Alpha Viking?
Part of the book is based on a long, LONG road trip I took once from Toronto to San Francisco! A few of the stops in the book are related to that trip, minus the bugs and the cold, cold nights in the forest…
Helen's knitting isn't totally out of the blue – I took up crocheting as a bit of physical therapy, a way to clear my mind when I need a break from writing, and that made it in. Created a lovely long scarf for my husband, and the sweetheart even wears it when he goes out!
I’ll admit, when Helen was knitting I kept wishing she could make me a scarf. What can readers expect from the other books in this series and do you already have characters in mind?
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Brenna… her emotional journey, especially in regard to humanity. She isn't used to being with people other than her sister Valkyries, so her relationships with the other women and men around her change and evolve – giving as well as taking, including her relationship with Erik. He's her first, in so many ways…
I have a couple of favorite scenes from the book. But, tell me about one of your favorite scenes.
It's at the very start, when Erik steps into the ring to fight. I've always been a fan of MMA fighting, but Erik's isn't one of those – he's the bare-knuckled type, fighting underground where there's nothing but the simplest of rules and no special equipment. His first fight shows his determination and patience, figuring out a win strategy – until he sees his mystery woman in the crowd and all bets are off!
What are some fun facts about Her Alpha Viking?
Part of the book is based on a long, LONG road trip I took once from Toronto to San Francisco! A few of the stops in the book are related to that trip, minus the bugs and the cold, cold nights in the forest…
Helen's knitting isn't totally out of the blue – I took up crocheting as a bit of physical therapy, a way to clear my mind when I need a break from writing, and that made it in. Created a lovely long scarf for my husband, and the sweetheart even wears it when he goes out!
I’ll admit, when Helen was knitting I kept wishing she could make me a scarf. What can readers expect from the other books in this series and do you already have characters in mind?
The odds get higher and higher with every book, as Odin's Bastards come onto the celestial scene. The next book is Kara's story, as she tries to recover from her "failure" in this book. We learn about Dark Valkyries, who deliver evil souls to Helheim where they writhe in eternal torment until Ragnarok, when the Fenris Wolf will call them up for his army… and that's a big hint for the last book! Suffice it to say that when the Bastards rise up, the stakes get even higher!
Wow. I honestly never thought of Kara getting her own book. This whole world is new to me, so I’m looking forward to the next books. Here’s an obsessive reader girl question for you. When is the next book coming out?
Wow. I honestly never thought of Kara getting her own book. This whole world is new to me, so I’m looking forward to the next books. Here’s an obsessive reader girl question for you. When is the next book coming out?
The second book is scheduled for a January, 2019 release! And it's Kara's story – because even fallen Valkryies can find redemption and love…
Now you want it even earlier, right?
(Lol) Yes. Yes, I do. Oh my God. I want to know EVERYTHING!
Sheryl, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me. It was really a pleasure.
Now you want it even earlier, right?
(Lol) Yes. Yes, I do. Oh my God. I want to know EVERYTHING!
Sheryl, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me. It was really a pleasure.
Hey, thank YOU for asking! And I'd love to hear from the readers if they have any further questions – drop me a line via my website or Goodreads and I promise to get back to you – as long as you don't ask for spoilers! 😉
SHERYL NANTUS is an award-winning romance writer published by Entangled, St. Martin's Press/Swerve, and Harlequin's Carina Press.
When she's not writing about hunky heroes, she is sipping tea, playing board games and writing haiku.
A total fangirl at heart, she met her husband through an online fanfiction community and currently lives in Pennsylvania.
To celebrate the release of HER ALPHA VIKING by Sheryl Nantus, we're giving away for a $25 Amazon gift card!
LINK: http://bit.ly/2o4FEIl
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open internationally. One winner will be chosen to receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Entangled Publishing. Giveaway ends 9/9/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Entangled Publishing will send one winning prize, Pure Textuality PR will deliver the other. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted.
Freyja spied into your heart and knew you wouldn't be able to do it. She knew even before you did.
It should have been easy to take a tired, weary warrior. Even one like Erik.
The question now was why? This was the second time failing in her duty and she was no closer to finding out why.
She rubbed her face with her palm.
Brenna got to her feet and walked toward the bathroom. Maybe there was some sort of clue about him, something she could pick up. Her only memory of him before tonight had been almost a year ago and under very different circumstances.
The door was ajar, the water running. She edged close enough to look in.
The breath caught in her throat as she gazed at Erik Harrison, his bare torso gleaming with sweat in the dim light. The shredded remains of his shirt lay on the floor along with his jeans and shoes, kicked to the side in a jumbled heap. He wore only a pair of tight boxer briefs riding low on his hips.
It wasn't like she didn't know what a naked man looked like. Berserkers donned a scrap of bear fur as armor as they charged into battle, racing to a glorious death. Armored knights rode, encased in metal charging onto the battlefield. Soldiers from all times and places sat together in the Halls, fought every day and celebrated all night. She'd seen them all.
Including Erik, in the cage only a few hours ago, facing his opponent and going down to defeat wearing much the same as he had on now.
But this... this was different.
He wasn't perfect, far from it. Erik's chest was dotted with white puckered scars, some the size of nickels and others as short slashes. As he turned she saw his back and other, older marks showing previous battles. Yet it didn't seem to detract from the power coming off him in waves, the silent strength evident with every move, every shift of his body. The muscles were tight and well-defined, not an inch of fat on his frame.
He winced as he pressed a damp cloth to the mottled bruises over his left rib cage. Matty had focused in on that during the fight and it showed. The swollen cut over his eye had stopped bleeding and was already going down but it still warranted a cleaning and a fresh bandage.
She couldn't take her eyes off him. The toned muscles seemed to be calling to her urging her to soothe his distress with her touch, offer to take the pain away somehow. Images flashed through her mind of the couples she'd seen in the shadows of the Great Halls, lovers stealing away for some private time before the never-ending battles started at dawn.
Brenna clenched her fingers, digging her nails into the skin to stay still. A flash of heat between her legs shocked her and she pressed her knees together, cursing in silence.
What is this madness?
It should have been easy to take a tired, weary warrior. Even one like Erik.
The question now was why? This was the second time failing in her duty and she was no closer to finding out why.
She rubbed her face with her palm.
Brenna got to her feet and walked toward the bathroom. Maybe there was some sort of clue about him, something she could pick up. Her only memory of him before tonight had been almost a year ago and under very different circumstances.
The door was ajar, the water running. She edged close enough to look in.
The breath caught in her throat as she gazed at Erik Harrison, his bare torso gleaming with sweat in the dim light. The shredded remains of his shirt lay on the floor along with his jeans and shoes, kicked to the side in a jumbled heap. He wore only a pair of tight boxer briefs riding low on his hips.
It wasn't like she didn't know what a naked man looked like. Berserkers donned a scrap of bear fur as armor as they charged into battle, racing to a glorious death. Armored knights rode, encased in metal charging onto the battlefield. Soldiers from all times and places sat together in the Halls, fought every day and celebrated all night. She'd seen them all.
Including Erik, in the cage only a few hours ago, facing his opponent and going down to defeat wearing much the same as he had on now.
But this... this was different.
He wasn't perfect, far from it. Erik's chest was dotted with white puckered scars, some the size of nickels and others as short slashes. As he turned she saw his back and other, older marks showing previous battles. Yet it didn't seem to detract from the power coming off him in waves, the silent strength evident with every move, every shift of his body. The muscles were tight and well-defined, not an inch of fat on his frame.
He winced as he pressed a damp cloth to the mottled bruises over his left rib cage. Matty had focused in on that during the fight and it showed. The swollen cut over his eye had stopped bleeding and was already going down but it still warranted a cleaning and a fresh bandage.
She couldn't take her eyes off him. The toned muscles seemed to be calling to her urging her to soothe his distress with her touch, offer to take the pain away somehow. Images flashed through her mind of the couples she'd seen in the shadows of the Great Halls, lovers stealing away for some private time before the never-ending battles started at dawn.
Brenna clenched her fingers, digging her nails into the skin to stay still. A flash of heat between her legs shocked her and she pressed her knees together, cursing in silence.
What is this madness?
Purchase Her Alpha Viking from:
You can read my review of Her Alpha Viking here.
When she's not writing about hunky heroes, she is sipping tea, playing board games and writing haiku.
A total fangirl at heart, she met her husband through an online fanfiction community and currently lives in Pennsylvania.
Places to find Sheryl Nantus:
LINK: http://bit.ly/2o4FEIl
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open internationally. One winner will be chosen to receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Entangled Publishing. Giveaway ends 9/9/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Entangled Publishing will send one winning prize, Pure Textuality PR will deliver the other. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted.
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