In The Marriage of Time, by Mariah Stone, Mia is a modern woman in need of a rescue, and in a hurry. Her ex boyfriend/mafia boss just found out she is pregnant and is dragging her back to his lair. Help can come from strange places and in strange ways. After a brief interaction with an old woman, she finds herself outside a Viking village, threatened by a bear, an grabbed by a Viking as he thunders by on horseback. Shocking, but she an her baby seem to be safe, for now.

Hakon “The Beast” believes he is cursed. He has been told so since he was born. After a defeat in battle, he agrees to meet a daughter of the king the next summer in the secret grove and then to marry her. This happens to be the very day Mia arrives after touching a golden spindle.

Both Mia and Hakon have bad histories, trust issues and secrets of their own. Do they have it in them to look for the happy ending neither believes they can have?

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was varied with a lot of surprises and a complicated arc that kept my interest. The dialog is engaging and the mythology seems to be well-researched. I recommend this book. It is book 3 in the called by a Viking series. I’ll be checking the rest of the series out soon.

I received an advance copy of this book. My opinions are, as always, my own and freely given.