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Immortal Vikings #2
The Second Lie
A businesswoman desperate to achieve her dream.
Wine seller Christina Alvarez Mancini told one little lie—to reassure wealthy clients, she invented a suave British boss. With her ultimate dream, a winery of her own, close to becoming reality, she can't allow irregularities at a highend wine auction to jeopardize her reputation.
A con man in love with a good plan.
Stig needs money, fast. An immortal Viking thief who discovered the perfect role as a fictional wine merchant, he's days away from the big payoff. Even if the California woman who created his character realizes a real person is conducting business in London, he'll disappear. That's what he does best.
Secrets that turn deadly.
Stig has success in his sights when Christina walks into his auction preview, ready to ruin his plan. Experience tells Stig to cut and run; a thousand years of boredom compel him to flirt. And when deadly Vikings from Stig's past crash the party, Christina and Stig are forced to cooperate in order to escape. Yet everywhere they flee, it's these two rivals' own lies that set the greatest traps…
Wine seller Christina Alvarez Mancini told one little lie—to reassure wealthy clients, she invented a suave British boss. With her ultimate dream, a winery of her own, close to becoming reality, she can't allow irregularities at a highend wine auction to jeopardize her reputation.
A con man in love with a good plan.
Stig needs money, fast. An immortal Viking thief who discovered the perfect role as a fictional wine merchant, he's days away from the big payoff. Even if the California woman who created his character realizes a real person is conducting business in London, he'll disappear. That's what he does best.
Secrets that turn deadly.
Stig has success in his sights when Christina walks into his auction preview, ready to ruin his plan. Experience tells Stig to cut and run; a thousand years of boredom compel him to flirt. And when deadly Vikings from Stig's past crash the party, Christina and Stig are forced to cooperate in order to escape. Yet everywhere they flee, it's these two rivals' own lies that set the greatest traps…
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2015
2 people are currently reading
891 people want to read
About the author
Anna Richland
5 books203 followersAnna Richland (she/her) writes romances about geeky heroines and the sexy men who fall in love with them. She is a former US Army officer who now fills her days with imaginary people and real coffee. When not wearing pajamas at her computer, Anna takes weekly watercolor classes, plays decisively mediocre pickleball, and maintains a fifty-year habit of reading too much. She lives with her quietly funny Canadian spouse and two occasionally-resident children in a very old house in Seattle.
Publishers Weekly called HIS ROAD HOME, winner of the 2015 Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award for Best Novella, "Tantalizing." The reviewers at Smart B*tches, Trashy Books wrote, "The closing scene between Rey and Grace is so freaking romantic I could pass out."
Publishers Weekly called HIS ROAD HOME, winner of the 2015 Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award for Best Novella, "Tantalizing." The reviewers at Smart B*tches, Trashy Books wrote, "The closing scene between Rey and Grace is so freaking romantic I could pass out."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 20, 2015
Originally published at The Book Pushers
I picked up The Second Lie because I read the first book in this series, First to Burn (reviewed here) and found it flawed but interesting. I was curious to see where the author went with her concept of immortal Vikings who fought with Beowulf against Grendel. My fellow Book Pushers and I all liked Richland’s voice in the first book, but got overwhelmed by plot threads. I hoped that this time would be different.
I also met the author in Seattle and found her voice interesting in person as well. So I definitely went into this book with hope.
And I must admit that I not only liked The Second Lie much better than First to Burn, I also enjoyed it a lot more than the other book I had to review today at Reading Reality. Thank goodness.
While The Second Lie also piled on the plot coincidences the way that First to Burn did, it came out less as “too much over the top plot bunnies” and much more with the high-speed pacing (and chasing) of a romantic suspense-type thriller.
Also our hero was slightly less tortured and our heroine had fewer (although not none) secrets of her own to weigh down her emotional baggage.
It helped a lot that The Second Lie felt like a mix of two of my old favorite TV series, Remington Steele and Scarecrow and Mrs. King. (My vision of Stig is that he looks more like Scarecrow but sounds more like Steele.)
What we have is a story about Christina Alvarez Mancini who owns a Napa Valley wine collection service under the name Morrison and Mancini. But Geoffrey Morrison doesn’t exist, except on paper and on the internet, very much like Remington Steele. Wine snobs just don’t trust women in the business – it’s a last bastion of privileged old boys’ clubbing. The fictional existence of Geoffrey Morrison, British, older and worldly-wise, gives Morrison and Mancini an air of credibility that Mancini alone could not. Her expertise is very, very real, and she is both the brains and the work behind the company, but Morrison’s pseudo existence gives her more cachet.
Until he comes to life. Even worse, he comes to life by creating a wine-swindle using cheap wine and inflated invoices for her actual sales. Her reputation will be ruined unless she can find him and put a stop to his shenanigans. Unfortunately for Christine, she finds the fake pseudo Morrison in the middle of a wine auction, while very bad guys are hot on his tail.
Stig has stepped into Geoffrey Morrison’s imaginary shoes in order to make enough money to save a memorial for someone he once loved from a wrecking ball. He doesn’t think Christina will catch up to him before he can pull of the con. Fortunately for him, she does. Unfortunately for him, she does it at the same time that his past catches up to him, and she gets caught in the crossfire. (Similar to the opening of Scarecrow and Mrs. King)
Stig is one of the immortal Vikings, just like Wulf in First to Burn. Although Stig has been a warrior, he has always been a thief, first and foremost. His theft of a cup from a dragon-hoard got him into the immortal Vikings’ company in the first place, and he continues to steal things for their leader, as demanded, in payment for the original saving of his formerly mortal life.
Some debts take a long time to pay.
Stig and Christina are chased across Europe, pursued by both the evil immortal Vikings and wine investigators and insurance fraud adjusters. The longer they run together, the more they discover that they are a perfect match, in everything except Stig’s immortality.
Christina isn’t sure that she trusts Stig, in any way except to keep rescuing her from the trouble that he dropped her into. He even tells her the truth about himself, but her 21st century mind refuses to believe his seemingly-fanciful story. It’s only when he sacrifices himself to rescue her from a dragon that she admits the truth to herself.
But it may be too late.
This was solidly better than the first book. It is also more lighthearted in spite of the nasty people and things that are after them. It felt like this was because of its two antecedents, which both had elements of romantic comedy mixed with their capers.
Their cross-European adventure is simply fun. From the very beginning, where Christina attempts to face down Stig only to realize that he does, at least momentarily, have the upper hand, until the point where she is kidnapped (again), they have a lot of fun while running for their lives, or at least their freedom.
Stig reveals parts of himself, and his long talented life, to Christina in a way that catches both the imagination and the heart. When he shows her both his secret underground bolt hole and the collection of art masterpieces he stores there, he reveals himself to her without her realizing it. He has been, over the centuries, a great artist. Actually several of them. He has also stolen stuff from everywhere, including art treasures from the Nazis and the missing collection from the Gardiner Museum in Boston.
He’s also completely willing to laugh at himself, stealing multiple cars and smuggling himself and Christina to France through the Chunnel train, by pretending to be a cross-dressing diva looking for his next flamboyant gig.
He brings out the devil in her, and she brings out the hero in him. A match made, if not in heaven, at least in Valhalla.
The fun never ends, until Christina is kidnapped by the evil Vikings. At that point, the story gets a bit grim as we are re-introduced to Jacob and Luc, the old and older operatives that we met in First to Burn. Stig has to put together a last-chance team to rescue the woman he has come to love, even if he won’t admit that to himself.
In the end, he doesn’t slay a dragon for her, but he does ride one.
I give The Second Lie a very solid B.
(p.s. The second dragon is a komodo dragon)
I picked up The Second Lie because I read the first book in this series, First to Burn (reviewed here) and found it flawed but interesting. I was curious to see where the author went with her concept of immortal Vikings who fought with Beowulf against Grendel. My fellow Book Pushers and I all liked Richland’s voice in the first book, but got overwhelmed by plot threads. I hoped that this time would be different.
I also met the author in Seattle and found her voice interesting in person as well. So I definitely went into this book with hope.
And I must admit that I not only liked The Second Lie much better than First to Burn, I also enjoyed it a lot more than the other book I had to review today at Reading Reality. Thank goodness.
While The Second Lie also piled on the plot coincidences the way that First to Burn did, it came out less as “too much over the top plot bunnies” and much more with the high-speed pacing (and chasing) of a romantic suspense-type thriller.
Also our hero was slightly less tortured and our heroine had fewer (although not none) secrets of her own to weigh down her emotional baggage.
It helped a lot that The Second Lie felt like a mix of two of my old favorite TV series, Remington Steele and Scarecrow and Mrs. King. (My vision of Stig is that he looks more like Scarecrow but sounds more like Steele.)
What we have is a story about Christina Alvarez Mancini who owns a Napa Valley wine collection service under the name Morrison and Mancini. But Geoffrey Morrison doesn’t exist, except on paper and on the internet, very much like Remington Steele. Wine snobs just don’t trust women in the business – it’s a last bastion of privileged old boys’ clubbing. The fictional existence of Geoffrey Morrison, British, older and worldly-wise, gives Morrison and Mancini an air of credibility that Mancini alone could not. Her expertise is very, very real, and she is both the brains and the work behind the company, but Morrison’s pseudo existence gives her more cachet.
Until he comes to life. Even worse, he comes to life by creating a wine-swindle using cheap wine and inflated invoices for her actual sales. Her reputation will be ruined unless she can find him and put a stop to his shenanigans. Unfortunately for Christine, she finds the fake pseudo Morrison in the middle of a wine auction, while very bad guys are hot on his tail.
Stig has stepped into Geoffrey Morrison’s imaginary shoes in order to make enough money to save a memorial for someone he once loved from a wrecking ball. He doesn’t think Christina will catch up to him before he can pull of the con. Fortunately for him, she does. Unfortunately for him, she does it at the same time that his past catches up to him, and she gets caught in the crossfire. (Similar to the opening of Scarecrow and Mrs. King)
Stig is one of the immortal Vikings, just like Wulf in First to Burn. Although Stig has been a warrior, he has always been a thief, first and foremost. His theft of a cup from a dragon-hoard got him into the immortal Vikings’ company in the first place, and he continues to steal things for their leader, as demanded, in payment for the original saving of his formerly mortal life.
Some debts take a long time to pay.
Stig and Christina are chased across Europe, pursued by both the evil immortal Vikings and wine investigators and insurance fraud adjusters. The longer they run together, the more they discover that they are a perfect match, in everything except Stig’s immortality.
Christina isn’t sure that she trusts Stig, in any way except to keep rescuing her from the trouble that he dropped her into. He even tells her the truth about himself, but her 21st century mind refuses to believe his seemingly-fanciful story. It’s only when he sacrifices himself to rescue her from a dragon that she admits the truth to herself.
But it may be too late.
This was solidly better than the first book. It is also more lighthearted in spite of the nasty people and things that are after them. It felt like this was because of its two antecedents, which both had elements of romantic comedy mixed with their capers.
Their cross-European adventure is simply fun. From the very beginning, where Christina attempts to face down Stig only to realize that he does, at least momentarily, have the upper hand, until the point where she is kidnapped (again), they have a lot of fun while running for their lives, or at least their freedom.
Stig reveals parts of himself, and his long talented life, to Christina in a way that catches both the imagination and the heart. When he shows her both his secret underground bolt hole and the collection of art masterpieces he stores there, he reveals himself to her without her realizing it. He has been, over the centuries, a great artist. Actually several of them. He has also stolen stuff from everywhere, including art treasures from the Nazis and the missing collection from the Gardiner Museum in Boston.
He’s also completely willing to laugh at himself, stealing multiple cars and smuggling himself and Christina to France through the Chunnel train, by pretending to be a cross-dressing diva looking for his next flamboyant gig.
He brings out the devil in her, and she brings out the hero in him. A match made, if not in heaven, at least in Valhalla.
The fun never ends, until Christina is kidnapped by the evil Vikings. At that point, the story gets a bit grim as we are re-introduced to Jacob and Luc, the old and older operatives that we met in First to Burn. Stig has to put together a last-chance team to rescue the woman he has come to love, even if he won’t admit that to himself.
In the end, he doesn’t slay a dragon for her, but he does ride one.
I give The Second Lie a very solid B.
(p.s. The second dragon is a komodo dragon)
March 13, 2015
This was one that caused a few blinks of surprise in the beginning because I had certain expectations going in. I read the first book in the series, liked it, and so I picked this one up without reading the blurb. Yeah, that might have helped me see that setting, character backgrounds, etc were going to be vastly different. First book focused on a military special forces guy who is really an Immortal Viking because you know- what better career would an Immortal Viking excel at? Well...how about a professional thief and long-con guy with a conscience and a heart. Yep, pretty different story path there already. I had to peek once to see if I accidentally made a mistake thinking this was part of the same series. No mistake, but hey, I went with it and a good time was had by all.
The first book was pretty hard to top for excitement, danger and high-octane thrills and this one didn't try. It offered a lot of those things, but had its own panache. No cookie cutter stories here. I loved how it took a whole new approach while still maintaining continuity with the series. I always enjoyed those classic cat burglar and long con capers like To Catch a Thief, How to Steal a Million, The Hustler, Mission Impossible, Entrapment etc so to see the latest Immortal Viking, Stig, running a con and partnered with a beautiful woman with secrets of her own then having to go on the run together because it seems everyone once a piece of them for one reason or another, I was all sorts of tickled to death and settled in for some good entertaining stuff. Probably a good idea to read them in order because lots of the trouble starts in the previous book, but the reader would do alright getting them out of order too.
Story opens with wine seller Christina Alvarez Mancini arriving in London for a wine auction planning to upset the plans of a fake who is using her company to do his scam. She created a persona of a business partner when she opened her business because the wealthy wine lovers won't put their trust in a lone woman hence the creation of a fake male boss while she goes around pretending to work for him and follow his instructions. However, she is shocked to learn that someone is now pretending to be her boss and is selling off quantities of rare wine that doesn't exist all in the name of her business. She knows that she must be careful because even a whiff of scandal will make her persona non grata in the international wine community. Her first encounter with the imposter leaves her gaping. If she hadn't known better even she would believe him because he is just that good, attractive, and oh yes, associated with some seriously dangerous people who snatch them both on the orders of someone else.
Stig was named a thief when his connection with the other Vikings began over a thousand years ago. One of the Vikings acts as surety for him so he isn't punished for the crime in exchange he is indebted to serve the man for a few years- that stretch into eternity when their group are changed into Immortals on one fatal venture. He became the butt of their derision when he proved to be reticent about fighting and battle. He lives by his charm and wits. He is heartsore and guilt-ridden over a human woman that he could not save and now the monument commemorating her death is in danger of being removed. He needs money fast to preserve this last bit of Nora's memory hence his scheme to lighten a few wealthy pockets. All is going well until the one weak point of his scheme shows up ready to expose him as a fake. He admires the fiery Christina and enjoys the game of toying with her until his past catches up and puts her in mortal danger because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with him. He can't afford to let her loose with all she knows and the fact that others know she is close to him and would use that so he drags her on the run with him. Along the way, they both learn a lot about each other and themselves. In the end, Stig's life comes full circle. He is confronted with a fiercesome terrifying situation and he can either run to safety or prove he has honor in him.
The story takes some time setting things up even while providing some thrilling escape sequences. It seems to have little connection with the series story arc until well past the mid-way point, but then it ties in neatly. I found the distinct differences in this one that matched the new Viking hero really cool on the author's part and I appreciated the vastly different hero personality and background too. Wulf was this huge, larger than life character in the first book and I had no trouble believing in his Viking-ness (its a word Scrabble people, swear!), but Stig is someone else entirely. He has charm, wit, a degree of macho and all that, but under these layers he sees himself as a timid man lacking in honor. Not a warrior like the others. He doesn't believe in the brunt, direct approach if slipping around in the shadows will work just as well and keep his skin intact. But this story shows Stig that he doesn't know himself as well as he thinks. I loved that Wulf recognized the strength in him and never looks down on Stig like some of the other Vikings do. I have a feeling that more will come out in future in regard to the truth of Stig's past so the others will see how they've wronged him.
Now the heroine is different too, but very likeable and one I could cheer for. Christina is a hardworking woman with plans. She has a few secrets that keep her from fulfilling all her dreams and keep her from outing Stig in the beginning like she wants. At first, she smugly sees herself as better than Stig because the ends justify the means, but then she realizes that his motives aren't simple greed. She also discounts Stigs honesty especially when he tells her fantastic things about himself because she likes to keep things and people neatly categorized. Stig wiggles out of each pigeon hole she puts him in, but then she surprises him too. Their escape adventure is not just a geographical one, but one of self-discovery too.
Oh and the passion that sparks! The sexual tension ratchets up to the same degree as the danger element. I was ready when they finally came together. Stig knew how to work Christina into a lather and she figured out real fast how to torment him too. That Paris restaurant scene was fun, but then so was the incident on the sports car's hood (bonnet for you Brits).
The ending was explosive and the confrontation between the two Immortal Viking groups who approach their immortality differently built up the turmoil even tighter. A few surprises were revealed and I look forward to seeing where things will go next in the quest for the artifacts and with a new Viking getting his story. The presence of Wulf and his lady doctor and a few others from the first book was a welcome sight.
All in all, strong continuation of the series and a really good story all in its own right. The caper-style story with its danger, twists, passion, strong characters and variety of settings was fantastic. This is a paranormal romance, but I would also recommend it to romantic suspense lovers too because of the tone of the story.
My thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The first book was pretty hard to top for excitement, danger and high-octane thrills and this one didn't try. It offered a lot of those things, but had its own panache. No cookie cutter stories here. I loved how it took a whole new approach while still maintaining continuity with the series. I always enjoyed those classic cat burglar and long con capers like To Catch a Thief, How to Steal a Million, The Hustler, Mission Impossible, Entrapment etc so to see the latest Immortal Viking, Stig, running a con and partnered with a beautiful woman with secrets of her own then having to go on the run together because it seems everyone once a piece of them for one reason or another, I was all sorts of tickled to death and settled in for some good entertaining stuff. Probably a good idea to read them in order because lots of the trouble starts in the previous book, but the reader would do alright getting them out of order too.
Story opens with wine seller Christina Alvarez Mancini arriving in London for a wine auction planning to upset the plans of a fake who is using her company to do his scam. She created a persona of a business partner when she opened her business because the wealthy wine lovers won't put their trust in a lone woman hence the creation of a fake male boss while she goes around pretending to work for him and follow his instructions. However, she is shocked to learn that someone is now pretending to be her boss and is selling off quantities of rare wine that doesn't exist all in the name of her business. She knows that she must be careful because even a whiff of scandal will make her persona non grata in the international wine community. Her first encounter with the imposter leaves her gaping. If she hadn't known better even she would believe him because he is just that good, attractive, and oh yes, associated with some seriously dangerous people who snatch them both on the orders of someone else.
Stig was named a thief when his connection with the other Vikings began over a thousand years ago. One of the Vikings acts as surety for him so he isn't punished for the crime in exchange he is indebted to serve the man for a few years- that stretch into eternity when their group are changed into Immortals on one fatal venture. He became the butt of their derision when he proved to be reticent about fighting and battle. He lives by his charm and wits. He is heartsore and guilt-ridden over a human woman that he could not save and now the monument commemorating her death is in danger of being removed. He needs money fast to preserve this last bit of Nora's memory hence his scheme to lighten a few wealthy pockets. All is going well until the one weak point of his scheme shows up ready to expose him as a fake. He admires the fiery Christina and enjoys the game of toying with her until his past catches up and puts her in mortal danger because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with him. He can't afford to let her loose with all she knows and the fact that others know she is close to him and would use that so he drags her on the run with him. Along the way, they both learn a lot about each other and themselves. In the end, Stig's life comes full circle. He is confronted with a fiercesome terrifying situation and he can either run to safety or prove he has honor in him.
The story takes some time setting things up even while providing some thrilling escape sequences. It seems to have little connection with the series story arc until well past the mid-way point, but then it ties in neatly. I found the distinct differences in this one that matched the new Viking hero really cool on the author's part and I appreciated the vastly different hero personality and background too. Wulf was this huge, larger than life character in the first book and I had no trouble believing in his Viking-ness (its a word Scrabble people, swear!), but Stig is someone else entirely. He has charm, wit, a degree of macho and all that, but under these layers he sees himself as a timid man lacking in honor. Not a warrior like the others. He doesn't believe in the brunt, direct approach if slipping around in the shadows will work just as well and keep his skin intact. But this story shows Stig that he doesn't know himself as well as he thinks. I loved that Wulf recognized the strength in him and never looks down on Stig like some of the other Vikings do. I have a feeling that more will come out in future in regard to the truth of Stig's past so the others will see how they've wronged him.
Now the heroine is different too, but very likeable and one I could cheer for. Christina is a hardworking woman with plans. She has a few secrets that keep her from fulfilling all her dreams and keep her from outing Stig in the beginning like she wants. At first, she smugly sees herself as better than Stig because the ends justify the means, but then she realizes that his motives aren't simple greed. She also discounts Stigs honesty especially when he tells her fantastic things about himself because she likes to keep things and people neatly categorized. Stig wiggles out of each pigeon hole she puts him in, but then she surprises him too. Their escape adventure is not just a geographical one, but one of self-discovery too.
Oh and the passion that sparks! The sexual tension ratchets up to the same degree as the danger element. I was ready when they finally came together. Stig knew how to work Christina into a lather and she figured out real fast how to torment him too. That Paris restaurant scene was fun, but then so was the incident on the sports car's hood (bonnet for you Brits).
The ending was explosive and the confrontation between the two Immortal Viking groups who approach their immortality differently built up the turmoil even tighter. A few surprises were revealed and I look forward to seeing where things will go next in the quest for the artifacts and with a new Viking getting his story. The presence of Wulf and his lady doctor and a few others from the first book was a welcome sight.
All in all, strong continuation of the series and a really good story all in its own right. The caper-style story with its danger, twists, passion, strong characters and variety of settings was fantastic. This is a paranormal romance, but I would also recommend it to romantic suspense lovers too because of the tone of the story.
My thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2014
I was given this book as an ARC by the author for an honest review.
This book is the sequel to First to Burn but is easily read as a stand alone book. There were certain parts that brought back the storyline from the first book to me which was good as I had really enjoyed that one too.
This book follows immortal Viking Stig and his relationship with Christina. Stig is a fast - talking, all action, charismatic con man but Christina easily keeps up with him. He is a man with a plan followed by another and another.... The story leads us from one country to another with lots of action and back story of Stig and Christina. The banter between the two is great, well written and realistic. As an English reader I particularly enjoyed Stig's speech, all too often the English british is overdone and unbelievable - this was an added bonus to the story for me. All the characters are well formed and consistent. I loved the characters from the previous book popping up too.
The idea behind the immortality of the group of Vikings is handled well and has its own story running through the books as experiments are carried out from two opposing teams of the immortals. I wish the book had been longer to cover a bit more detail.
If there is a downside to this book for me it's that the epilogue wasn't from Stig and Christina's point of view leaving me feeling something was missing.
I can't wait for the next in the series. This left me needing more.
This book is the sequel to First to Burn but is easily read as a stand alone book. There were certain parts that brought back the storyline from the first book to me which was good as I had really enjoyed that one too.
This book follows immortal Viking Stig and his relationship with Christina. Stig is a fast - talking, all action, charismatic con man but Christina easily keeps up with him. He is a man with a plan followed by another and another.... The story leads us from one country to another with lots of action and back story of Stig and Christina. The banter between the two is great, well written and realistic. As an English reader I particularly enjoyed Stig's speech, all too often the English british is overdone and unbelievable - this was an added bonus to the story for me. All the characters are well formed and consistent. I loved the characters from the previous book popping up too.
The idea behind the immortality of the group of Vikings is handled well and has its own story running through the books as experiments are carried out from two opposing teams of the immortals. I wish the book had been longer to cover a bit more detail.
If there is a downside to this book for me it's that the epilogue wasn't from Stig and Christina's point of view leaving me feeling something was missing.
I can't wait for the next in the series. This left me needing more.
January 30, 2015
I received this book for free for my honest review thru Lovers of Paranormal. I loved First to burn - Immortal Vikings #1 but what's great about The second lie - Immortal Vikings #2 is you can read it as a stand along book as well as part of the series either way you could enjoy this book. I loved all the adventure. Christina has a wine collection service& she it's trying to build her reputation/company up so to make her clients feel more comfortable she fakes a rich British boss but the charming conman Stig who also by the way happens to be an Immortal Viking. He find out about what Christina is up to and pretends to be the rich boss now they must work together if they want to stay alive. I loved all the plot, action, adventure and the sexy scenes. If you enjoyed this book and read it as a stand alone go check out First to burn! I can't wait to read more of Anna's books!
January 19, 2015
Christina Alvarez Macini runs a wine collection service along with a pretend boss. At a London wine auction she is shocked to find a stranger (Stig) claiming to be her boss. The night at an auction turns into a dangerous adventure. If they are to survive, these two strangers need to trust one another.
The first Immortal Vikings, First to Burn was one of my favorite books in 2014. I was so excited to read number two. While it has a different setting, the story and characters were just has good. Stig & Christina are different, but also very much alike in some ways. I loved that their attraction burned fast and hard. The Second Lie is an excellent addition the the series, I loved it. Sexy, exciting and filled with non-stop adventure. A must read.
The first Immortal Vikings, First to Burn was one of my favorite books in 2014. I was so excited to read number two. While it has a different setting, the story and characters were just has good. Stig & Christina are different, but also very much alike in some ways. I loved that their attraction burned fast and hard. The Second Lie is an excellent addition the the series, I loved it. Sexy, exciting and filled with non-stop adventure. A must read.
October 30, 2018
There is a ton going on in these books, but it's all informative and the stories keep speeding along. I blitzed my way through this one and its predecessor, only to come to a screeching halt when I realized this was published three years ago and there still doesn't seem to be a publication date for the third. Sigh.
July 15, 2017
I READ TWO OF THESE.
July 21, 2017
I read this to fill a square in the Ripped Bodice bingo game, and I'm so glad I did. What a fun, exciting caper story! I'll definitely read the first one in the series.
Read
June 22, 2022Sitting on TBR for 5 years. I'll give it a try, maybe it's still to my liking?
Update: It opens with the main characters lying to each other and the world. This isn't going to be my thing. (Perhaps the title should have clued me in.) DNF.
Update: It opens with the main characters lying to each other and the world. This isn't going to be my thing. (Perhaps the title should have clued me in.) DNF.
February 8, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (LoP or Lovers of Paranormal).
**Contains some spoilers**
There are a few reasons that I didn't care for the book. I did not like any of the characters. Christina Mancini was an educated woman who didn't have a strong personality and she didn't have any conviction in her opinions or actions. She went back and forth on a lot of events in the book. She is described as being educated in the book but she lacks common sense. She also can't look at certain situations with a level head or make rational decisions. I thought there were times where she was extremely selfish and felt entitled. For example, Christina and Stig on are on the run but the men that are chasing them find them… they keep finding them again and again somehow. Stig tells her to throw away everything they don't need. She thinks she does toss everything out except a cell phone she stole. Stig finds out she has that cell phone and informs her that is how the men are tracking them. From this event, Christina feels guilty for two sentences. In the next scene, she demands that she get half the money Stig is getting for his job because she has been with him. She is the one demanding money after she was the one that got them caught? … and no remorse for putting them in the situation.
At times, she was a very weak person. She would be into Stig then she would hate him but then later she would do whatever he says. Christina was too unstable for my liking.
On to Stig, he was a better character but not much better. The only reason I'm saying he was slightly better is because he was more stable than Christina was but that's it. I didn't like Stig because I felt like he was joking the whole time in the story and didn't take any of these life threatening matters seriously. He didn't realize Christina's life was at stake until she was abducted. I thought some of his plans for certain scenarios in the book weren't thought out well. They weren't exciting or original. These plans were not described well at all in the book. I also didn't see how he could be attracted to Christina, probably because I was so displeased with her throughout the book.
A large reason I did not like this book was because it lacked lots of details. I had so many questions about what was going on because there wasn't enough words to describe any of the situations. Every chapter didn't have enough detail on the setting or how the characters were placed. The author focused more on the interactions between the characters and not enough on where they were or body language. I felt lost a lot in this story. There are chapters that are supposed to bring a reader back to the past but I had no idea what the scene was about until way later when it was described more (not all scenes were described later, just some). These past scenes have random things being said that aren't described…
For example, in chapter 15, a past scene, Stig is the son of Gerlef of the Spear Danes. He is at the mercy of Beowolf for some reason. Stig is accused of stealing gold rings and Beowolf decides to let Stig repay them back by guiding them to the kingdom of Spear Danes.
Is the Kingdom of Spear Danes of importance?
How did Stig get accused of stealing gold rings? Were the rings significant somehow?
Overall, what is the real significance of this scene? The author doesn't describe it any further than this. I didn't understand it and there are lots of these throughout the whole story.
The book has a slow start. It took me a long time to want to finish reading it. Overall I will not be continuing on with this series.
**Contains some spoilers**
There are a few reasons that I didn't care for the book. I did not like any of the characters. Christina Mancini was an educated woman who didn't have a strong personality and she didn't have any conviction in her opinions or actions. She went back and forth on a lot of events in the book. She is described as being educated in the book but she lacks common sense. She also can't look at certain situations with a level head or make rational decisions. I thought there were times where she was extremely selfish and felt entitled. For example, Christina and Stig on are on the run but the men that are chasing them find them… they keep finding them again and again somehow. Stig tells her to throw away everything they don't need. She thinks she does toss everything out except a cell phone she stole. Stig finds out she has that cell phone and informs her that is how the men are tracking them. From this event, Christina feels guilty for two sentences. In the next scene, she demands that she get half the money Stig is getting for his job because she has been with him. She is the one demanding money after she was the one that got them caught? … and no remorse for putting them in the situation.
At times, she was a very weak person. She would be into Stig then she would hate him but then later she would do whatever he says. Christina was too unstable for my liking.
On to Stig, he was a better character but not much better. The only reason I'm saying he was slightly better is because he was more stable than Christina was but that's it. I didn't like Stig because I felt like he was joking the whole time in the story and didn't take any of these life threatening matters seriously. He didn't realize Christina's life was at stake until she was abducted. I thought some of his plans for certain scenarios in the book weren't thought out well. They weren't exciting or original. These plans were not described well at all in the book. I also didn't see how he could be attracted to Christina, probably because I was so displeased with her throughout the book.
A large reason I did not like this book was because it lacked lots of details. I had so many questions about what was going on because there wasn't enough words to describe any of the situations. Every chapter didn't have enough detail on the setting or how the characters were placed. The author focused more on the interactions between the characters and not enough on where they were or body language. I felt lost a lot in this story. There are chapters that are supposed to bring a reader back to the past but I had no idea what the scene was about until way later when it was described more (not all scenes were described later, just some). These past scenes have random things being said that aren't described…
For example, in chapter 15, a past scene, Stig is the son of Gerlef of the Spear Danes. He is at the mercy of Beowolf for some reason. Stig is accused of stealing gold rings and Beowolf decides to let Stig repay them back by guiding them to the kingdom of Spear Danes.
Is the Kingdom of Spear Danes of importance?
How did Stig get accused of stealing gold rings? Were the rings significant somehow?
Overall, what is the real significance of this scene? The author doesn't describe it any further than this. I didn't understand it and there are lots of these throughout the whole story.
The book has a slow start. It took me a long time to want to finish reading it. Overall I will not be continuing on with this series.
March 10, 2017
Impossible to finish
I loved His Road Home also by Anna Richland, so I tried this. Umm... No! The hero is so unpleasant you can't imagine why anyone would want to be with him. The plot ridiculous... Not worth your time.
I loved His Road Home also by Anna Richland, so I tried this. Umm... No! The hero is so unpleasant you can't imagine why anyone would want to be with him. The plot ridiculous... Not worth your time.
January 26, 2015
My Review:
I'll admit...I floundered a bit with this book and I hate that because I've adored the other two Anna Richland books that I've read. And in an effort of full disclosure, I need to also state that I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book which had a formatting problem. I'm sure this is NOT a problem in the final e-book, but the issue was... there was no way to see the scene breaks within the chapters to switch to another POV or timeframe in the story. And this is a book that jumps around a lot...both in POV and time-frame points of reference. As the reader, it made it virtually impossible to follow along this complex story line. That was NO FAULT of the author's and since this was an ARC, my rating doesn't reflect that issue...but I do think it may have had an influence over my overall enjoyment of the story.
This is a very complex story line. Both the hero and the heroine are telling and living lies. The hero is flat-out a thief and con-artist. The heroine is trying to make the best of a bad situation. But then she gets caught up in Stig's lies too and things go from bad to worse.
The premise of this series is brilliant. It goes back to the story of Beowulf and Grendel. The vikings who were there during that epic battle are now immortal after touching the tainted blood that was spilled. But unlike most paranormal stories with a group of men who fought together and ended up in a bizarre circumstance like this, this author took a different tack...her immortals do not work together. After 1500 years, they only call on one another unless absolutely needed...and several of them are simply not nice guys.
But Stig has also lived 1500 years and that's a lot of history. Within this story there are flashbacks to the time of Beowulf, the Titanic sinking, and WWII and that does complicate the story a bit especially when teemed with the fact that the author uses multiple POV's throughout the story...not just the hero and heroine.
At the heart of the story though is Christina. She also has a complex life. She runs a wine acquisitions firm working for a CEO that she made up. She made him up because a young female in the wine business simply just does not have the respect to make it. She comes to London to stop an auction full of fake wines and is surprised to find her "boss" on the premises schmoozing the customers.
I loved everything about this aspect of the story line. I thought the wine auction was interesting. What Stig was trying to pull off was brilliant, but Christina is too smart for him. I loved the story when it was the two of them together. Their conflict felt genuine and loved how they definitely matched wits over and over again. I could have truly loved this book if that was all there had been to it...the wine conspiracy story line.
But when the story involved the other vikings and the two village men, it went off the rails for me. Like I said, I'm not sure all that is the author's fault, but there did seem to be a bit too much going on in this book and the multiple "other" POV's...just no. I only care about what the hero and heroine are thinking. That's definitely a personal preference, but every time we went into someone else's head, it took me completely out of the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I'll admit...I floundered a bit with this book and I hate that because I've adored the other two Anna Richland books that I've read. And in an effort of full disclosure, I need to also state that I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book which had a formatting problem. I'm sure this is NOT a problem in the final e-book, but the issue was... there was no way to see the scene breaks within the chapters to switch to another POV or timeframe in the story. And this is a book that jumps around a lot...both in POV and time-frame points of reference. As the reader, it made it virtually impossible to follow along this complex story line. That was NO FAULT of the author's and since this was an ARC, my rating doesn't reflect that issue...but I do think it may have had an influence over my overall enjoyment of the story.
This is a very complex story line. Both the hero and the heroine are telling and living lies. The hero is flat-out a thief and con-artist. The heroine is trying to make the best of a bad situation. But then she gets caught up in Stig's lies too and things go from bad to worse.
The premise of this series is brilliant. It goes back to the story of Beowulf and Grendel. The vikings who were there during that epic battle are now immortal after touching the tainted blood that was spilled. But unlike most paranormal stories with a group of men who fought together and ended up in a bizarre circumstance like this, this author took a different tack...her immortals do not work together. After 1500 years, they only call on one another unless absolutely needed...and several of them are simply not nice guys.
But Stig has also lived 1500 years and that's a lot of history. Within this story there are flashbacks to the time of Beowulf, the Titanic sinking, and WWII and that does complicate the story a bit especially when teemed with the fact that the author uses multiple POV's throughout the story...not just the hero and heroine.
At the heart of the story though is Christina. She also has a complex life. She runs a wine acquisitions firm working for a CEO that she made up. She made him up because a young female in the wine business simply just does not have the respect to make it. She comes to London to stop an auction full of fake wines and is surprised to find her "boss" on the premises schmoozing the customers.
I loved everything about this aspect of the story line. I thought the wine auction was interesting. What Stig was trying to pull off was brilliant, but Christina is too smart for him. I loved the story when it was the two of them together. Their conflict felt genuine and loved how they definitely matched wits over and over again. I could have truly loved this book if that was all there had been to it...the wine conspiracy story line.
But when the story involved the other vikings and the two village men, it went off the rails for me. Like I said, I'm not sure all that is the author's fault, but there did seem to be a bit too much going on in this book and the multiple "other" POV's...just no. I only care about what the hero and heroine are thinking. That's definitely a personal preference, but every time we went into someone else's head, it took me completely out of the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
February 22, 2017
This book was great. Like just about every romance book out there, it's got some sappy parts, some sexy parts, and some cheesy parts. My favorite thing about it was the plot, though; I mean sure, I've read some romances with immortals, but not immortal Vikings who have feuds and sic Komodo dragons on each other. It's pretty humorous at times, too; at one point, Christina and Stig were, and I (roughly) quote, smoothing bedsheets a hell of a lot more than any bedsheet ever actually needs to be smoothed. Days later, I'm still laughing at this line.
So would I recommend it? Definitely. It's set up perfectly to be a stand alone novel, so you don't even need to read the first one (I haven't, and from what I've read, it's about someone else, anyway. Doesn't seem as exciting as this one).
I also really appreciate the author; I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, and received several cool items with it, including bookmarks, a sticker, another book (the author personally looked through my reviews to make this a book she thought I might like), and not one, but two personal notes! She cares about both readers and other authors, not just her own books! :)
So would I recommend it? Definitely. It's set up perfectly to be a stand alone novel, so you don't even need to read the first one (I haven't, and from what I've read, it's about someone else, anyway. Doesn't seem as exciting as this one).
I also really appreciate the author; I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, and received several cool items with it, including bookmarks, a sticker, another book (the author personally looked through my reviews to make this a book she thought I might like), and not one, but two personal notes! She cares about both readers and other authors, not just her own books! :)
September 18, 2015
I haven't read First to Burn but didn't need to to understand this story. Characters from Book 1 were introduced throughout Book 2, but it still read as a stand-alone.
Stig was one hell of an interesting character. His willingness to laugh at himself, step way beyond what I considered any man's normal comfort zone, and unplanned plans contradicted the warrior he was at heart. He fought for what he believed in, gave no quarter when it came to protecting those he loved, including those who were gone. And while all that devotion and love was awesome, they didn't appeal to me as much as 1)his honesty with Christina, and 2)his profession.
I don't think I've ever read a story about a male thief before. That was in and of itself a reason for me to keep reading. Most thief stories I've read are about women so this was a refreshing take on the whole burglar trope. The things Stig has stolen over the centuries is impressive, and the fact that his fingers are still attached to his person is even more impressive.
Christina wasn't nearly as entertaining but she was a likeable character nonetheless. I couldn't fault her determination to succeed as a wineseller and desire to own her own vineyard. Truthfully, someone as devoted to the trade as she was deserved both. However, it was hard for me to accept that she would so easily accept a conman posing as her boss after all the time and effort she put into creating her company. It struck me as odd that she didn't fight Stig harder on this topic. Maybe she did, but it didn't come across that way to me.
The chemistry between Stig and Christina wasn't fireworks or TNT equivalent. It was...mild, I guess. The sex scenes were well-written and it was in those scenes that desire, lust, want, and need really showed up. Everywhere else though seemed a little less obvious.
I did enjoy Stig and Christina's journey around Europe as they struggled to stay alive, stay ahead of the game, and help Stig's leader stop a madman Viking. Along the way, there was plenty of laughter, insight, hopefulness, fear, and determination. What started as a simple con ended up being the story of a lifetime for Christina and the ultimate theft for Stig. She wound up with a man who was honorable, a hero, and timeless. He found a woman who filled the emptiness in his heart that thieving hadn't accomplished.
3.5*
(Received from Bippity Boppity Book for an honest review)
Stig was one hell of an interesting character. His willingness to laugh at himself, step way beyond what I considered any man's normal comfort zone, and unplanned plans contradicted the warrior he was at heart. He fought for what he believed in, gave no quarter when it came to protecting those he loved, including those who were gone. And while all that devotion and love was awesome, they didn't appeal to me as much as 1)his honesty with Christina, and 2)his profession.
I don't think I've ever read a story about a male thief before. That was in and of itself a reason for me to keep reading. Most thief stories I've read are about women so this was a refreshing take on the whole burglar trope. The things Stig has stolen over the centuries is impressive, and the fact that his fingers are still attached to his person is even more impressive.
Christina wasn't nearly as entertaining but she was a likeable character nonetheless. I couldn't fault her determination to succeed as a wineseller and desire to own her own vineyard. Truthfully, someone as devoted to the trade as she was deserved both. However, it was hard for me to accept that she would so easily accept a conman posing as her boss after all the time and effort she put into creating her company. It struck me as odd that she didn't fight Stig harder on this topic. Maybe she did, but it didn't come across that way to me.
The chemistry between Stig and Christina wasn't fireworks or TNT equivalent. It was...mild, I guess. The sex scenes were well-written and it was in those scenes that desire, lust, want, and need really showed up. Everywhere else though seemed a little less obvious.
I did enjoy Stig and Christina's journey around Europe as they struggled to stay alive, stay ahead of the game, and help Stig's leader stop a madman Viking. Along the way, there was plenty of laughter, insight, hopefulness, fear, and determination. What started as a simple con ended up being the story of a lifetime for Christina and the ultimate theft for Stig. She wound up with a man who was honorable, a hero, and timeless. He found a woman who filled the emptiness in his heart that thieving hadn't accomplished.
3.5*
(Received from Bippity Boppity Book for an honest review)
February 3, 2015
Anna Richland returns with another installment in her Immortal Vikings series, where the Heroes are Immortals of Viking lineage. I thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series, and love the premise of the heroes at some 1500 years old.
Here we focus on the world of expensive wines for the nouveau and not so rich, with Christina as the business ideas. Knowing the difficulties of breaking into the rather cloistered world as both an upstart and a woman, she invented a rich globe-trotting partner for her business.
Imagine her surprise when there are problems with an auction of some wine, and she comes face to face with the man she created from whole cloth.
Stig is that mystery man, a Viking and one possessed of questionable morals. A thief by trade, when Christina shows up at the auction house, his plans are foiled until he realizes that she has granted him a sort of entre. Charismatic, fast talking and even faster thinking, Stig is a little “too” slick at first, and has just the right touch of bad boy to make him not entirely dislikable.
When the story twists to encompass counterfeit wine that she has plans for, the story takes off and never stops with thrills, dangers and a solidly developed sense of sniping and bickering between Stig and Christina as they try to sort their way through the mysteries, dangers and history.
Between their chemistry with Stig never having met anyone quite as quick-witted or intriguing as Christina, and the slow reveal of his ‘immortal state’, the story is one romp to another. My only complaint is the frequent POV switches that were hard to grasp early on, as the character voices needed time to strengthen, and mixed with the action-packed events the story took some time to get everyone straight in my mind. Once I had some more background on the two, and some time to watch them interact, the story took off and was a wonderful ride.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Here we focus on the world of expensive wines for the nouveau and not so rich, with Christina as the business ideas. Knowing the difficulties of breaking into the rather cloistered world as both an upstart and a woman, she invented a rich globe-trotting partner for her business.
Imagine her surprise when there are problems with an auction of some wine, and she comes face to face with the man she created from whole cloth.
Stig is that mystery man, a Viking and one possessed of questionable morals. A thief by trade, when Christina shows up at the auction house, his plans are foiled until he realizes that she has granted him a sort of entre. Charismatic, fast talking and even faster thinking, Stig is a little “too” slick at first, and has just the right touch of bad boy to make him not entirely dislikable.
When the story twists to encompass counterfeit wine that she has plans for, the story takes off and never stops with thrills, dangers and a solidly developed sense of sniping and bickering between Stig and Christina as they try to sort their way through the mysteries, dangers and history.
Between their chemistry with Stig never having met anyone quite as quick-witted or intriguing as Christina, and the slow reveal of his ‘immortal state’, the story is one romp to another. My only complaint is the frequent POV switches that were hard to grasp early on, as the character voices needed time to strengthen, and mixed with the action-packed events the story took some time to get everyone straight in my mind. Once I had some more background on the two, and some time to watch them interact, the story took off and was a wonderful ride.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 27, 2015
"The Second Lie (Immortal Vikings)"
By Anna Richland
4 Fangs
I am an independent reviewer for 'Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock'. I received this book from the author and from 'Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock'. This is my honest review.
"The Second Lie" is the second novel in the 'The Viking Series.' The book can be read as a stand alone but it is better to read the first book, "First to Burn." The series focuses on immortal Vikings that find their true loves. The author did her research on wine auctions. That part was very informative and accurate.
The story overall was interesting but the idea of a woman creating a fake male boss is something out of a 1980's TV series, though she did it for a different reason. That small part of the story's introduction was not very original; however, the storyline when it focuses itself on the adventure and the love story more than redeems itself. The writing is tight and there are no grammatical errors to distract the reader.
Christina owns a business that helps clinics to find rare or vintage wines. She created an imaginary boss to give her business credibility. She goes to a wine auction that is being run by a con artist using her company and her 'boss' name to make the auction appear legitimate. Christina goes to the auction to bust his con but finds he knows about her rues. He blackmails her to keep her silence. Then all-hell breaks loose when Stig's old associates show up at the auction and the adventure starts.
Stig and Christina, who was ate the wrong place at the wrong time, are hunted down by an enemy rival. His enemies wants Stig's head on a pike and poor Christina got caught in the middle their personal war. Christina is a strong character, as is Stig.
It's an enjoyable read. The characters play off each other well. It's a great book to read anytime.
By Anna Richland
4 Fangs
I am an independent reviewer for 'Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock'. I received this book from the author and from 'Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock'. This is my honest review.
"The Second Lie" is the second novel in the 'The Viking Series.' The book can be read as a stand alone but it is better to read the first book, "First to Burn." The series focuses on immortal Vikings that find their true loves. The author did her research on wine auctions. That part was very informative and accurate.
The story overall was interesting but the idea of a woman creating a fake male boss is something out of a 1980's TV series, though she did it for a different reason. That small part of the story's introduction was not very original; however, the storyline when it focuses itself on the adventure and the love story more than redeems itself. The writing is tight and there are no grammatical errors to distract the reader.
Christina owns a business that helps clinics to find rare or vintage wines. She created an imaginary boss to give her business credibility. She goes to a wine auction that is being run by a con artist using her company and her 'boss' name to make the auction appear legitimate. Christina goes to the auction to bust his con but finds he knows about her rues. He blackmails her to keep her silence. Then all-hell breaks loose when Stig's old associates show up at the auction and the adventure starts.
Stig and Christina, who was ate the wrong place at the wrong time, are hunted down by an enemy rival. His enemies wants Stig's head on a pike and poor Christina got caught in the middle their personal war. Christina is a strong character, as is Stig.
It's an enjoyable read. The characters play off each other well. It's a great book to read anytime.
September 19, 2016
it was a hard read to follow. I found myself skimming most of it until I could grasp what was going on again. i did make it to the end, I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary hoops to jump through to get to some of the parts.
January 11, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It's been a while since I red the first installment of the series, but it didn't seem to have any impact on my enjoyment of this one. In fact, if you wanted to, you can probably just dive right into the series from here. While there is a larger storyline at work, there is certainly enough detail to help you catch up.
Stig is the central character in this one. He's masquerading as the imaginary partner to one very determined woman. Christina didn't realize how much trouble she'd be inviting into her life by making a fake male business partner. She's hid behind him countless times to gain entrance into the "boys club" world of wine. Now, when she's trying to track down who is counterfeiting bottles of wine she procured, she's confronted with her imaginary boss.
Christina and Stig's fun cat and mouse game quickly spirals out of control when other members of the immortal vikings club show up to force Stig back into a life of more dangerous crime. It would be easy enough for him, if he hadn't already forged a bond with Christina and developed a bit of flexible morals. There is a lot of action jammed into the continuous getaway schemes and a lot of fun along the way. The book reads like one big heist with the twist of having the thief be an immortal. The pairing of a paranormal genre with a more typical thriller story read like a non-stop action film. Oh, and there's romance. And sizzling scenes that will set your kindle on fire. And some heartache, but we get a very satisfying HEA in the end. For fans of action, drama, or even history, this could be a great book to get your feet wet in the paranormal genre.
It's been a while since I red the first installment of the series, but it didn't seem to have any impact on my enjoyment of this one. In fact, if you wanted to, you can probably just dive right into the series from here. While there is a larger storyline at work, there is certainly enough detail to help you catch up.
Stig is the central character in this one. He's masquerading as the imaginary partner to one very determined woman. Christina didn't realize how much trouble she'd be inviting into her life by making a fake male business partner. She's hid behind him countless times to gain entrance into the "boys club" world of wine. Now, when she's trying to track down who is counterfeiting bottles of wine she procured, she's confronted with her imaginary boss.
Christina and Stig's fun cat and mouse game quickly spirals out of control when other members of the immortal vikings club show up to force Stig back into a life of more dangerous crime. It would be easy enough for him, if he hadn't already forged a bond with Christina and developed a bit of flexible morals. There is a lot of action jammed into the continuous getaway schemes and a lot of fun along the way. The book reads like one big heist with the twist of having the thief be an immortal. The pairing of a paranormal genre with a more typical thriller story read like a non-stop action film. Oh, and there's romance. And sizzling scenes that will set your kindle on fire. And some heartache, but we get a very satisfying HEA in the end. For fans of action, drama, or even history, this could be a great book to get your feet wet in the paranormal genre.
February 24, 2015
the thief stole my heart
What a great story! I really liked this author's ability to tell the tale of an immortal thief on the run with one heck of a lady. I was enticed to read this book by reviews that compared it to Remington Steele, a TV show and concept I loved. I also read a few reviews that were negative, and was curious enough to see which opinions I fell in line with. You just can never tell by reading all the reviews.
I'm happy to say this one pleased me greatly. Yes, there probably were a few problems with the story along the way somewhere, but sitting here having just finished I can't say I can recall any.
I know I read one of the best hot make out scenes I've read in a very long time. Let's just say when you get to the scene in the restaurant where they uncork the precious bottle of wine, make sure you have uninterrupted reading time and a fan. Loved that scene, it managed to be unique which is rare. Also read one of THE BEST lines ever. Can't quote it exactly due to amazon posting rules but it's something like this. "I need a long f___ with a slow man". Brilliant, just brilliant.
I had not read the first book in this series and so I have to say there were some parts where I was not entirely sure what was going on and who some of the characters were. It never detracted from the momentum of the story. That's another amazing thing, really. I was fully able to enjoy this as a standalone.
I loved Stig, our hero. I loved Christina, our heroine. I loved her descriptions of her yoga poses. I loved how she rose to the game when she needed to and didn't fall to pieces. And Stig, the care he took with her was precious.
Loved this book, I will definitely seek out more by this author.
What a great story! I really liked this author's ability to tell the tale of an immortal thief on the run with one heck of a lady. I was enticed to read this book by reviews that compared it to Remington Steele, a TV show and concept I loved. I also read a few reviews that were negative, and was curious enough to see which opinions I fell in line with. You just can never tell by reading all the reviews.
I'm happy to say this one pleased me greatly. Yes, there probably were a few problems with the story along the way somewhere, but sitting here having just finished I can't say I can recall any.
I know I read one of the best hot make out scenes I've read in a very long time. Let's just say when you get to the scene in the restaurant where they uncork the precious bottle of wine, make sure you have uninterrupted reading time and a fan. Loved that scene, it managed to be unique which is rare. Also read one of THE BEST lines ever. Can't quote it exactly due to amazon posting rules but it's something like this. "I need a long f___ with a slow man". Brilliant, just brilliant.
I had not read the first book in this series and so I have to say there were some parts where I was not entirely sure what was going on and who some of the characters were. It never detracted from the momentum of the story. That's another amazing thing, really. I was fully able to enjoy this as a standalone.
I loved Stig, our hero. I loved Christina, our heroine. I loved her descriptions of her yoga poses. I loved how she rose to the game when she needed to and didn't fall to pieces. And Stig, the care he took with her was precious.
Loved this book, I will definitely seek out more by this author.
December 24, 2014
4.5 stars
The Second Lie is a fast paced and delightful novel. Stig is a gentleman thief/conman (think Michael Caine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels / Brad Pitt in Ocean's 11-13) who also happens to be an immortal Viking. An immortal Viking who gets seasick no less! And our heroine, Christina, is a wine expert who has a big secret of her own.
Stig and Christina have great chemistry and I love their bantering!
"Am I allowed to roll my eyes at you, or does that only go one direction?"
I don't consider The Second Lie to be a paranormal novel -- to me it is a heist/romance novel with a paranormal hero. How Stig and the other Vikings became immortal is really unique and I love it. It's a nice break from all the vampire/shifter books out there.
I laughed while reading this book and at one point got teary-eyed (thankfully I was not reading in public when that happened).
The climax of the novel could easily take place in a James Bond film -- and I mean that in the best way possible.
You could probably get away with reading this as a stand-alone novel but I would recommend that you check out book one, First To Burn. (And don't miss the wonderful novella, His Road Home!)
I love Anna Richland's writing! It's so smart and funny. Her storylines are ambitious and I've really enjoyed her first two books. The Second Lie is a great book and I cannot wait to read more in this series!
The Star Wars reference gets an A+ and Porkchop is a pretty excellent sidekick.
*** I received an ARC from the author for the purpose of an honest review. ***
The Second Lie is a fast paced and delightful novel. Stig is a gentleman thief/conman (think Michael Caine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels / Brad Pitt in Ocean's 11-13) who also happens to be an immortal Viking. An immortal Viking who gets seasick no less! And our heroine, Christina, is a wine expert who has a big secret of her own.
Stig and Christina have great chemistry and I love their bantering!
"Am I allowed to roll my eyes at you, or does that only go one direction?"
I don't consider The Second Lie to be a paranormal novel -- to me it is a heist/romance novel with a paranormal hero. How Stig and the other Vikings became immortal is really unique and I love it. It's a nice break from all the vampire/shifter books out there.
I laughed while reading this book and at one point got teary-eyed (thankfully I was not reading in public when that happened).
The climax of the novel could easily take place in a James Bond film -- and I mean that in the best way possible.
You could probably get away with reading this as a stand-alone novel but I would recommend that you check out book one, First To Burn. (And don't miss the wonderful novella, His Road Home!)
I love Anna Richland's writing! It's so smart and funny. Her storylines are ambitious and I've really enjoyed her first two books. The Second Lie is a great book and I cannot wait to read more in this series!
The Star Wars reference gets an A+ and Porkchop is a pretty excellent sidekick.
*** I received an ARC from the author for the purpose of an honest review. ***
February 7, 2015
This is the first time reading this author and the blurb is what caught my attention. I have read a immortal viking series before and enjoyed it so was thrilled to see another. The thing about this one though is that They do not need to learn or blend in because they already do and they have shenanigans going on for want of a better word. This viking is a thief and has set himself up with taking over a person that was created by another person in order to run a business and get the clients needed. Stig needs money quick so he faces Christina who wants to ruin him without exposing herself. Wow interesting but things will not go according to either ones plans. When some from Stig's past come a knocking they must work together or it will be curtains. The author takes you through with these two as they try and stay ahead of the ones that want something from him but as they do this they both discover many things. The chemistry is very strong also between these two that adds to the enjoyment of the reading. The thing I enjoyed also alot that he can do is his paintings. Filled with drama you are swept along with high hopes of success on their part but at the same time knowing things will never be the same for Christina. It will also have a very satisfactory conclusion one that will put a smile on your face with the gifts that they both will have received. Received a arc for a honest review LOP(Lovers Of Paranormal)
December 20, 2014
This definitely is a fast-paced adventure with a lot of heat and chemistry between our romantic leads -- Stig is unquestionably alpha, and Christina has the spunk and spirit to match him, with a never-give-up-never-surrender attitude.
The first half of the book is FILLED with action, and the second half doesn't let up much, either. When Christina is unwittingly drawn into Stig's latest con job, and from there, the entanglements of his immortal viking life, Stig is determined to right the wrongs she's suffered at his hands -- and Christina is determined to salvage her business and save herself from the mess he's made of her life. The romance develops naturally between two people trapped in desperate circumstances, and Stig's nobility, well-buried beneath the lifetimes spent as a thief and conman, rises believably to the surface in response to Christina's expectations and needs.
I wish the epilogue had given us a slightly larger glimpse of Stig and Christina, but I was definitely satisfied by the ending, and it was great to see Wulf and Theresa again, even so briefly.
If you haven't read FIRST TO BURN, however, you shouldn't have any trouble following along with the adventures of this second book in the series!
**I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
The first half of the book is FILLED with action, and the second half doesn't let up much, either. When Christina is unwittingly drawn into Stig's latest con job, and from there, the entanglements of his immortal viking life, Stig is determined to right the wrongs she's suffered at his hands -- and Christina is determined to salvage her business and save herself from the mess he's made of her life. The romance develops naturally between two people trapped in desperate circumstances, and Stig's nobility, well-buried beneath the lifetimes spent as a thief and conman, rises believably to the surface in response to Christina's expectations and needs.
I wish the epilogue had given us a slightly larger glimpse of Stig and Christina, but I was definitely satisfied by the ending, and it was great to see Wulf and Theresa again, even so briefly.
If you haven't read FIRST TO BURN, however, you shouldn't have any trouble following along with the adventures of this second book in the series!
**I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
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February 5, 2015Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.
**This review is for a DNF**
Ugh, I hate DNFing a book. You know, an author spent so much time and effort on this and I can't even be bothered to finish it? It seems like a real jerk thing to do.
I'm not giving this book a star rating because I don't think that the book was bad or great. I just couldn't connect with the characters. I didn't really like Christina, the heroine. She's in London to try to figure out who is sabotaging her business and she falls asleep in the restroom? For hours? Um, okay. And the hero, Stig, is the one screwing Christina over? And he has the balls to admit it to her with a smirk on his face? Nope, no thank you.
I didn't care for the hero or the heroine and I didn't like the idea of an immortal being that has to resort to crime and being a con artist to get money. I think if readers have read the first book in the series and liked it, then they'll probably enjoy this one as well. Since I started this series here, in Book 2, I was probably at a disadvantage. I may try this book again at a later date.
**This review is for a DNF**
Ugh, I hate DNFing a book. You know, an author spent so much time and effort on this and I can't even be bothered to finish it? It seems like a real jerk thing to do.
I'm not giving this book a star rating because I don't think that the book was bad or great. I just couldn't connect with the characters. I didn't really like Christina, the heroine. She's in London to try to figure out who is sabotaging her business and she falls asleep in the restroom? For hours? Um, okay. And the hero, Stig, is the one screwing Christina over? And he has the balls to admit it to her with a smirk on his face? Nope, no thank you.
I didn't care for the hero or the heroine and I didn't like the idea of an immortal being that has to resort to crime and being a con artist to get money. I think if readers have read the first book in the series and liked it, then they'll probably enjoy this one as well. Since I started this series here, in Book 2, I was probably at a disadvantage. I may try this book again at a later date.
January 16, 2016
The Second Lie had me hooked from the word go as I love an adventure with my romance and this story has plenty.
Christina was working to building her name and her wine collecting service, and she invented a rich British owner to reassure her clients. But at her latest wine auction she is dismayed when things don't go as planned, and an unexpected guest arrives.
Stig is a con man and a thief, he's also an immortal Viking. When he discovered what Christina had done he knew he had a plan to make some fast money that he needed.
The story then leads us to an adventure of, a kidnapping and lots of 'on the edge of your seat' action.
And of cause the attraction between them can't be ignored, the passion is hot and steamy, and I liked the interaction and their banter, I especially enjoyed Stig, and his turn of phrase, he was very amusing.
This was a first book for me by this author, it can be read as a standalone but I intend to catch up by reading the first book from the series as I enjoyed this story so much.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next Immortal Viking story with great anticipation. 5/5
February 12, 2015
Anna Richland’s The Second Lie is full of action and romance, and continues the theme of her first Immortal Vikings book, First to Burn. I was intrigued when First to Burn left off with me wondering if Immortal Viking Wulf’s wife would find a cure for immortality. At the end of The Second Lie, I was still wondering if the cure would be found, and if so, would the immortals actually choose that route. I can’t wait for the third book to see if the author wraps it all up.
I was impressed with the author’s research into colloquialisms of the English, and also her knowledge of wine. Ms. Richland pays attention to the details.
I found the occasional interjections of flashbacks cumbersome, and I had a hard time understanding what was going on at these spots.
This was a great escape read for me. I loved how Ms. Richland tied in to the story of Beowulf , and the feistiness of Christina. I’m still not sure if Leif was killed; after all he is immortal, so will he turn up again in the next book?
I was impressed with the author’s research into colloquialisms of the English, and also her knowledge of wine. Ms. Richland pays attention to the details.
I found the occasional interjections of flashbacks cumbersome, and I had a hard time understanding what was going on at these spots.
This was a great escape read for me. I loved how Ms. Richland tied in to the story of Beowulf , and the feistiness of Christina. I’m still not sure if Leif was killed; after all he is immortal, so will he turn up again in the next book?
July 28, 2023
Better than the first with such a clean, clear trajectory of writing talent being honed on the fly that I feel safe predicting the next will be really good. And by the end of this series we could have a new superstar on our hands.
This author is so good at banter. I'm not an action adventure fan, but the banter makes these worth the ride. Plus, love the characters, the women who are smart, capable and assertive, then men who are sweet eye candy and the older people - in this case an elderly French resistance fighter and an aging special agent.
This book also proves the author doesn't require a military setting to write solid, real-feeling fiction.
I am so psyched about following her from now on! Auto buy baby!
This author is so good at banter. I'm not an action adventure fan, but the banter makes these worth the ride. Plus, love the characters, the women who are smart, capable and assertive, then men who are sweet eye candy and the older people - in this case an elderly French resistance fighter and an aging special agent.
This book also proves the author doesn't require a military setting to write solid, real-feeling fiction.
I am so psyched about following her from now on! Auto buy baby!
April 16, 2015
Well I am finished!! And I need to go just a little Fangirl! You must read this book! And it can not be appreciated fully as a stand alone so you must go back and read Thersa and Wulf's story (and Rey and Grace's, just because). Ms Richland does a fabulous job with details of the wine world, London's true underground, Belgium. Oh, and Stig and Christina's story is fun, nail biting, smoking hot! Just two favors, Ms. Richland! First you must get the "the band of brothers" back together in the future, ALL of them, please, including Porkchop! And second, oh please, Ms. Richland, could you write faster? I can't wait to learn more about Galan and Ivar!
May 10, 2016
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book, there is enough hot steamy sex for it to be a "romance" but there is also enough mystery, intrigue, and overall kick ass badness to make it a really good read for me. I mean who doesn't want to fall in love with someone who is 1500 years old. Also an artist, thief, and blonde hair with blue eyes, SOLD where can I get me one.
This is the second of the series, so I am sure that I am missing something from the first one, but this book has enough information that you can figure out the main characters and what their relationships are with each other.
I really enjoyed this book, there is enough hot steamy sex for it to be a "romance" but there is also enough mystery, intrigue, and overall kick ass badness to make it a really good read for me. I mean who doesn't want to fall in love with someone who is 1500 years old. Also an artist, thief, and blonde hair with blue eyes, SOLD where can I get me one.
This is the second of the series, so I am sure that I am missing something from the first one, but this book has enough information that you can figure out the main characters and what their relationships are with each other.
August 31, 2015
I really like Stig and Christina. Their chemistry is hot and sexy and they're both good individuals. This is a good story but I didn't enjoy it as much as book 1. These books have a lot of detail in them and I'm learning as I'm reading (always a good thing) but I think the thing I would have definitely benefitted from is a chapter intro each time i.e. which person's point of view we're going to and in what time period. All the jumping around messed with my head a bit and had me re-reading parts.
September 4, 2016
Immoral Liar Lair pants on fire!! Lol
What a fun read! I'm loving the immortal Vikings. The characters are great! The stuff that goes on in this books will have you chucking and shaking your head. A paranormal romance unlike any other it's absolutely worth reading. All the things these characters go through keeps it interesting and keeps you engaged unable to look away because as soon as they get a break they are off again. It was a fun ride and I think you will enjoy it!
***I won this book as a Goodreads First Reads winner***
What a fun read! I'm loving the immortal Vikings. The characters are great! The stuff that goes on in this books will have you chucking and shaking your head. A paranormal romance unlike any other it's absolutely worth reading. All the things these characters go through keeps it interesting and keeps you engaged unable to look away because as soon as they get a break they are off again. It was a fun ride and I think you will enjoy it!
***I won this book as a Goodreads First Reads winner***
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