Legacy of the Runes – Christina Courtenay

Runes
6

A bond that even time cannot break Storm Berger has never forgiven himself for his younger sister Madison’s disappearance. Suspecting she’s travelled back to the ninth century in the footsteps of other family members, Storm can only make sure she’s safe by going after her. Raised unconventionally as her father’s only child, Freydis has never been content to simply accept her fate. So, when she’s promised in marriage to a tyrant, she’s determined to find a way out of the arrangement. Help comes in the form of a mysterious and attractive stranger stranded on her island’s shores: Storm. The only way Freydis can truly be free is for Storm to marry her himself. But that would mean entwining lives that, until now, have been separated by centuries. . .

Spoilers occur in the listed triggers.

Missing family member
Death of a loved one
Kidnapping
Attempted sexual assault
Attempted murder
Piracy
Theft of inheritance.

Storm is the brother of some character’s we’ve met in previous books in the series. While some elements of his growth we see here have been introduced in these other books, in this one we get to see his growth from his perspective. From fun loving 21-year-old who’s enjoying his life in a carefree way, through to responsible, thoughtful and considerate man.

Freydis was sent to her mother’s cousins’ household to be raised after the passing of her father. While her father raised her in a fashion more appropriate for a son, her mother and extended family are determined to stamp out those tendencies and turn her into a proper “lady”. However, she’s determined to have a say in her life, especially now that they want to marry her off to get her out of their household.

Storm travel’s back to the 9^th century to find his sister who went missing when he was meant to be watching her. Not knowing where she could have gone, he travels back to where she would have gone missing and strategically search out for clues as to her whereabouts. On his travels, he comes across Freydis, and there’s something about her that calls to him and keeps dragging him away from his initial search.

When I started this, I thought I’d already read it mistakenly. Which would be hard to do since I’d only just received my advanced copy!

Silly me got Storm and Ivar mixed up in terms of which brother I’d already read, and which one had what role in Maddie’s disappearance and reappearance. Which honestly, given it’s been almost 8 months since I read that previous book, I think is fair enough!

So, while I spent a good portion of my time trying to remember which family member does what, and deciding I’ll need to do a re-read of the whole series in one go – I still thoroughly enjoyed Storm’s journey and development. Being in his head as he matures almost overnight because Maddie went missing, and he was meant to be watching her was interesting. Especially because I don’t recall him being in the army.

For me, the development of Storm alongside the drama accompanying his relationship with Freydis kept me intrigued the whole time. I think the only thing I would have liked was a slightly different ending to the story. I don’t know if it’s a thing to have two epilogues, but I would’ve loved to have had one for Storm and Freydis, and then the one we have for the whole series. Just so I can really get the closure I wanted for Storm and Freydis’s life.