I am delighted to have Sarah with a guest post today ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
Secret marriage in Saxon times
Would you marry the love of your life in secret if it was the only way you could be together?
In Saxon England (1017) marriage played a crucial role in life at the time. Marriages were a matter of political and economic concern rather than having anything to do with love. They were often arranged by families for reasons of alliance, inheritance, and power, with little regard for the wishes or feelings of the individuals involved. However, not everyone was willing to accept this, and some couples sought to marry in secret, motivated by love and desire.
Don’t you just love a forbidden romance? I do! All my stories begin with a tiny spark of an idea, and this one was no different. A Viking boy, wounded and left for dead. A Saxon girl, who rescues him. And what would happen if these two fell in love, despite their different backgrounds and the constraints and rules of their families? What if they cared for each other so much, they broke the rules and married in secret? And so, Her Secret Vows with the Viking began.
Enter my heroine, Ædwen. Having fallen in love with a man her father would never approve of – a Viking, no less – she and Stefan say their vows in secret, without the knowledge or consent of her family. But the truth will always out, won’t it? And it leads to a scandal that rocks the community.
This story starts almost two winters later, when Ædwen is distraught to be marrying the hateful Lord Werian. Her father has convinced her that her previous, clandestine union was invalid. But even though Stefan abandoned her, there has not been a day gone by that she hasn’t thought of him.
Anger has kept Stefan away these past years, and he has made a name for himself as King Canute’s right-hand man. But upon hearing about Ædwen’s impending wedding, his unsatiated vengeance and desire burns. He is determined to take his revenge on Ædwen and her father. So he interrupts the wedding ceremony, announcing to the congregation that Ædwen is already married – to him – and he has returned to claim his wife.
Despite the risks and consequences, the clandestine marriages that took place in Saxon times are a testament to the power of desire two people can feel for one another. While these unions may have been
frowned upon, they remind us that love knows no boundaries. In Her Secret Vows with the Viking, will Ædwen and Stefan overcome their anger and remember this themselves? Especially as these two also made a secret baby, as well as saying their secret vows!
I hope you enjoy my latest Viking romance as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Book blurb:
A year ago, Viking Stefan’s clandestine marriage to Saxon maiden Ædwen was torn apart by the shocking discovery that her father murdered his family. Unable to forgive his wife for hiding the truth, Stefan left. But now word reaches him that Ædwen is about to wed again…
Forced to marry at her father’s command, Ædwen’s stunned when Stefan bursts through the church doors and announces that she’s already married—to him! As the warrior steals her away passion reignites, but can Ædwen ever trust Stefan again when he left her alone, devastated—and carrying his baby…?
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Author Bio – Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her grandad, or devouring love stories from the local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Berkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, her two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over 20 years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Mills & Boon. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy ever after. You can contact her via @sarahrodiedits or sarahrodiedits@gmail.com or at sarahrodi.com
Social Media Links – @sarahrodiedits www.sarahrodi.com
Follow Sara Rodi on Twitter – https://twitter.com/sarahrodiedits
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