The Marriage of Time (Called by a Viking Book 3)

TIME TRAVEL/HISTORICAL:  Jarl Hakon is having a rough time in ninth-century Norway. Most people believe he’s cursed by the gods. King Nyr wants him dead if Hakon won’t agree to become his ally, and sickness is spreading among the jarl’s village. He needs help. Thousands of miles away and hundreds of years in the future, former medical student Mia is running for her life to escape an abusive relationship when fate offers her the ultimate chance to disappear from her present reality and reappear in the past. Mistaken identity, a health crisis, political rebellion, culture clashes, and other conflicts challenge Mia and Hakon as they move from being adversaries to partners to lovers. Quick narrative pacing from one crisis to another reinforces the fast development of their rush to intimacy. 

Mariah Stone creates multifaceted primary and secondary characters in this cast of people who quickly engage readers’ emotional investment with their motives. Themes about the stages of escalation in an abusive domestic relationship anchor “The Marriage of Time” to a solid foundation, layered with other serious issues. Comparisons of mental and medical health concerns in the past and present weave throughout the story. The author’s meticulous research shines most brightly in creating a vibrant sense of daily life during Viking times. Although there are some missing steps in the evolution of Mia and Hakon’s love story, the strengths of their believable character traits and complicated personal histories mostly overcome them. A fresh spin on the path to their happily ever after offers readers a satisfying portrayal of a love that transcends the boundaries of time and place. 

Cardyn Brooks