Meet The Earl At Midnight by Gina Conkle is a fantastic historical romance.  Ms. Conkle has given readers a well-written book populated with an outstanding cast of characters.  Lydia finds herself being traded to Edward, Earl of Greenwich, to pay her stepfather and brother's debt from stealing from the Earl.  Lydia and Edward's story is packed with drama, humor and sexy bits.  I enjoyed reading Meet The Earl At Midnight and look forward to reading more from Gina Conkle in the future.  Meet The Earl At Midnight is book 1 of the Midnight Meetings Series but can be read as a standalone.  This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

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I’ve loved Gina Conkle’s books ever since I read her first book back in 2014. She writes well-researched Viking romance that has everything from hot romance, actions and a healthy dose of what you’d call the ancient Viking lifestyle. Book 2 of her newest Viking series Forgotten Sons wasn’t any different. Her Viking Warrior had everything that you can expect in a romance novel.

The series titled Forgotten Sons is based on a band of Viking brothers where they’re mainly connected by circumstances, rather than bloodline. Book 1, Kept by the Viking largely focused on the H and h’s relationship and everything surrounding it, rather than building up a backstory for the heroes of the Forgotten Sons, as they call themselves. Then again, with 6 of them in total, I’m sure the author will reveal their stories one by one in their own books. This, I’d say, works as an element of surprise since right now you don’t know much about the Sons except for the 2 who had already had their stories told. These 6 Viking warriors had known each-other since childhood. They share a very strong bond and would do anything for one another. They’re called Forgotten Sons because of some circumstances or the other has made them leave their own home in search of glory, financial stability and, if possible, a home of their own where they can settle.

In Kept by The Viking, we’re introduced to the leader of the Sons, Rurik and a Frankish slave girl called Safira. They weren’t meant to be together though Safira needed Rurik’s help in getting away from a sh!tty household. In the end it was discovered that Safira was abducted from her wealthy merchant father’s household and sold into slavery. She wanted to get away and return to her family. Little did she know while she was planning that, that a handsome Viking would escort her. She wasn’t expecting much, but got more than what she bargained for. The story had actions and suspense, as Rurik was fighting for a land to settle down, but in a twist of fate he would have to fight someone with whom he shares his bloodline, even though no love was lost between the two. Someone who he’d hated all his life and tried his best to avoid. One of the reasons why he left his home and became a mercenary. Thankfully, with Safira by her side, Rurik would find the strength to claim what he can then rightfully call his own.

A very short story originally meant for the author's newsletter subscribers, though now it's published on amazon w/KU. My copy was obtained via instafreebie when it was free.

I remember Gunner from the previous Norse series books, though not a whole lot if I'm honest. Even then I liked the story and wished it was a bit longer, maybe novella-length, giving a bit of the background on our H and the h's relationship. In any case, it can be read as a standalone.

I'm a big fan of Gina's Viking stories and still waiting for the next book in this series, though there's no release date of that yet. The blurb sounded very interesting to say the least.

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Gina Conkle is known for her hot and well-written Viking romances. Kept by the Viking, book 1 in a brand new series, is the latest in her growing backlist. Though I had a slow beginning, I really enjoyed the storyline and thought the H and h were absolutely adorable together.

The series titled Forgotten Sons is based on a band of Viking brothers where they’re mainly connected by circumstances, rather than bloodline. But Kept by the Viking largely focuses on the H and h’s relationship and everything surrounding it, rather than building up a backstory for the heroes of the Forgotten Sons, as they call themselves. Then again, there are 6 of them and I’m sure the author will reveal their stories in their own books. All I could gather that they had known each-other since childhood. They share a very strong bond and would do anything for one another. They’re called Forgotten Sons because of some circumstances or the other has made them leave their own home in search of glory, financial stability and, if possible, a home of their own where they can settle.

Kept by the Viking is the story of Rurik, the leader of the Forgotten Sons; a son of Birka, his birthplace. Rurik didn’t have a great childhood, and the aftermaths of that shaped his entire life every way possible. His father, Vlad, was a mean, merciless man whose show of ‘affection’ came with the use of his fist. He had treated Rurik’s mother like the dirt, and at one point, when the young Rurik rebelled against it he was beaten mercilessly. There are more stories of Vlad’s violence, but needless to say, since he left them Rurik or his mother, brother and sisters didn’t shed a single tear for that POS. He hates his father with a passion that rivals his need to possess his own lands.

Kept by the Viking (Forgotten Sons) - Gina Conkle 

Release Date: May 14th, 2018

Buy Links 

Harlequin: http://bit.ly/2Elt9Sw
Carina Press: http://bit.ly/2jidyHp
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DgK9GA
B&N: http://bit.ly/2D6HAKe
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Coojn5
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GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2mo0dy3

The story takes place in a time when Vikings were settling in and around the Frankish kingdom. The setting felt authentic and real, with lots of interesting facts and vivid descriptions of how people lived at the time. That was a real treat for me since I love historical bits in my romances. 
After being separated from her family, Safira asks the leader of the Forgotten Sons to help her return home, and while Rurik can tell she’s hiding something, he agrees to help her in exchange for the one thing Safira cannot give. 

I love the way Safira was depicted. From the moment they met, she proved to be resourceful and clever in a way Rurik had never before seen in a woman. Her powers of persuasion and perception came in handy at some crucial times, winning the respect of every one.

There was also the political intrigue, that although I can never get into because it’s all too confusing, it was still interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. The romance though was a slow-burn, not because it wasn’t good but because there were too many things against them as a couple. They did find a way to stay together but it sure took them a sweet long time to get there.

**I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.**