Bunny's Reviews: A Cut Twice as Deep Review Spotlight

This cover!!!!

Welcome to the book tour for A Cut Twice as Deep by Wendy L. Anderson. Read on for more info and my review!

Readers who enjoy viking romance novels packed with drama, romance, and betrayal you’re not going to want to miss out on Wendy L. Anderson’s A Cut Twice as Deep.

Twin sisters, inseparable since birth, find out at a feast held by their father that he has sold them off to the highest bidder. Sold off to men in distant lands that the girls have never even seen, they are given no choice in their future. While Liana had hoped to wed a young man she believed she was in love with, she finds these hopes and dreams dashed to pieces. Unfortunately, that will not the only thing that will be dashed to pieces before she leaves for her new future home. While Deirdre has no such romance cut short, the loss of her sister will be something that she struggles with as she goes to meet her own new future.

A Cut Twice as Deep is an engaging romance that beautifully reflects human nature through the characters found within the pages. Neither sister knows what to expect when they are sent away. All they do know is their father’s callous disregard for them. However, he’s not the only one. Don’t get ahead of yourself in speculation who else fits that mold. It’ll come to the surface quick enough. So just exercise a little patience.

As the story proceeds it will focus on one sister at a time initially. Liana will be the first depart and the author will take a few chapters to focus on her and meeting the man she will marry. The speculation that she has to deal with upon entering her betrothed’s home is definitely eyebrow raising. However, her attitude towards the remarks she hears and she handles it is absolutely outstanding. It brings a nice spark of humor to the story. This is absolutely something that readers will enjoy. It’s a refreshing change from where other authors might choose to have some “sassy snarky” remark intended to “put the offenders in their place.” The way it’s handled is a “mild” chastisement without going overboard, but enough to embarrass the speakers.

After a few chapters, the story shifts to the younger sister Deidre. As she is the shyer and thereby deemed the more “delicate” of the sisters you won’t be able to help but feel a touch more concern for her. Don’t let her delicate nature fool you though. Underneath that softness is a backbone of steel.

While there is an external danger to both of these young women, a more insidious danger lurks all around them, and that danger is – lack of communication, and misunderstandings. These two things will threaten to destroy everything that they hold dear time and again. But don’t worry, this story has a happy ending for both women. But first, their hearts will be broken yet again by someone close to them.

There are twists and surprises in this book. There are some predictable moments that you will foresee the danger to come to the particular sister featured, but all plays into the bigger picture. While we may not always like or appreciate the obvious dangers, when it is essential to driving forward the storyline it can be overlooked.

The overall story is enjoyable and the pacing is good and moves at a decent pace. The story moves quickly, but not too quickly. While the romance doesn’t develop slowly due to arranged marriage, the sparks fly pretty quickly between the characters. Looking for steamy? Well, this author won’t disappoint on that level either. This book brings a good storyline, well done drama, and enough to keep you coming back for more.

This book rates 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Always remember – sometimes a “bad situation” is actually a blessing in disguise. You just have to wait and see what becomes of it.

Pros:

- Interesting twists.

- Good character development

- Good dynamics between the sisters.

- Tasteful steamy scenes

- Nice HEA with some future references.

Cons:

- None outstanding.

Thank you to the author, Wendy L. Anderson, and R&R Book Tours* for the opportunity to read and review this book.

* Due to unforseen circumstances my review was not able to be posted during the tour. My apologies to the author and R&R Book Tours for the delay.

A Cut Twice as Deep

Publication Date: September 24, 2020 (First Edition)

Genre: Fantasy/ Romantic Fantasy/ Vikings

Twin Sisters with a bond forged in blood and fire, face betrayal and fear.

Twin sisters, Liana and Deirdre were inseparable like the two halves of a double-bladed axe, making the pain of having to leave each other a cut twice as deep. Their father, Gorsedd Gunnarson, King of the great country of Svartur Rokk, did not care about twin bonds or his daughter’s preferences and severed the pair with a single blow. Both Liana and Deirdre have been sold to the highest bidders for ships, weapons, and alliances. For Gorsedd Gunnarson these are very profitable and advantageous marriage arrangements, but the twin sisters would be torn from each other's lives and sent to lands far apart forever! Liana is forced to leave her childhood sweetheart and marry a stranger. Sweet, timid Deirdre would be wed to a Viking warlord. One would leave her home on a ship and the other on a horse. Both would travel great distances to new lands. Given no choice but to embrace the lives planned for them, they find that the future holds more than they could ever have suspected. In a land where blood and ice reign, danger and betrayal war with love and hope.

Can they fight to find happiness in an ruthless world ruled by the sword and axe.

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Excerpt

Thorsten tried hard to draw blood on Tiernan, but the damned man would not stay still. They hacked at each other, and each time Thorsten got too close, Tiernan would nick him on the arm or hand. Soon Thorsten had cuts all over his body that bled, but none were serious. Thorsten tried to put a quick end to the fight and stepped in too close. Tiernan swung down and Thorsten’s thigh split open as if Tiernan sliced into a thick piece of meat. The pain lanced up and gripped Thorsten in his bowels as the muscle separated and hung from the bone. He knew he could not make that mistake again and stepped toward the side of his good leg swinging his sword overhead for a downward stroke. Tiernan had anticipated the move and darted in, slashing down in the same spot on Thorsten’s uninjured leg repeating the same wound. Thorsten roared in pain, slashed out wildly, and clumsily managed a cut across Tiernan’s upper arm.

So, the battle went. Now Tiernan easily cut and slashed at Thorsten, inflicting pain, and damaging him so that his blood began to soak the ground. He soon tired from the loss of blood. His wounded legs barely held him up. Each time Tiernan’s sword flicked out toward Thorsten he made another slice. Soon, Thorsten was covered in blood from head to toe. His shirt hung in shreds on his bloody chest, and he staggered with two wounded legs.

Gorsedd watched from atop his horse contemplating the fight, thinking if Tiernan won the fight he would be able to keep Thorsten’s share of the gold, and then he’d sell off Liana to some rich Lord over on the Isle of Jura. He would keep Kearn and Tiernan’s sons to assure Liana and Deirdre’s compliance and, what worked once, would work again. He had to stop himself from grinning and almost hoped Tiernan would win as this new plan unfolded inside his scheming mind. The sheer number of warriors he had assured him a quick victory.

Kearn chanced a look behind them and saw in the distance his men were approaching rapidly. Turning to Tiernan he shouted, “Finish it, Tiernan!”

That was the signal that Tiernan was waiting for, and his eyes turned darker stormy grey as his right hand swung his sword in a wide circle over his head. Thorsten had also heard what Kearn shouted and raised his sword to make a killing blow.

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