Her Icelandic Protector

International Legacies #4

by Camilla Stevens

I was trained to kill. Now I’ll die to protect her. RÚNAR ARNALDSSON Quiet. Rugged. Brooding. And as it turns out…quite deadly. Ten years ago, we were two pairs of eyes that connected across a crowded airport. I was a carefree college student with a bright future. He was a rogue mercenary escaping his dark past. Now, I’m here in Iceland, his homeland. And what do I see across the bar but the same pair of eyes that captured mine almost a decade ago. Only this time, there are consequences. His past has caught up with him. And now my future is looking dark. Rúnar’s promise to protect me is almost as disconcerting as having a target on my back. Because he refuses to leave my side on this tour of Iceland. Because he broods in a way that makes my body heat up. Because he’s here in my room, dripping wet, wearing nothing but a towel... I’m not sure who is more dangerous, my Icelandic Protector…or the people who want me dead. due to adult content and language, 18+ only. Trigger Certain themes in this book may be triggering for some readers.  This is NOT a hockey romance. This is a BWWM book in the INTERNATIONAL LEGACIES The Italian Heir The French Thief The Nordic Lightning Her Icelandic Protector Her Russian Defender The Luxembourg Betrayal The Monte Carlo Shark

Genres: Interracial Romance

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2019

About the author

Camilla Stevens is a romance author focusing on IR, BWWM romance, usually humorous or suspenseful.

She lives in New York by way of Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle and a few stints elsewhere. And yes, she loves to travel.

Tulips. Read my books for more on that. ;)

VIsit my website for preview chapters and more!

Website: https://camillastevens.com/

Twitter Handle: camillastevens4

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.authorcamillastevens

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cbc3BD

Reviews

[DeeReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fate doesn't care about plans."


I enjoyed reading Runar and Whitney's engaging and thrilling second chance story. Although it started out a bit slow, but boy didn't it pick up with backtracking of the couple's chemistry, mystery, twists and turns, murder and mayhem. "Her Icelandic Protector" by Camilla Stevens will keep you turning the pages because Runar and Whitney were meant to be each others FOREVER!

5 stars!

ARC provided from Booksprout for my honest review.

[DarkDamsel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for this bwwm mystery, suspense romance novel. First, let me preface my thoughts with suspense is definitely not my favorite genre. While I knew this diving in to the book, I thought the romance part of the story line would draw me into it. That unfortunately never happened for me. The H/H Runar and Whitney respectively were very intriguing characters separately, as a couple I did not feel like the chemistry. And being the weird person that I am, I got caught up googling the different references i.e. mercenaries, French Foreign Legion. It was difficult for me to connect the dots with the characters and the story line so I gave up. This tale of mystery, action and intrigue may not have been for me but it is still worth a try. Camille Stevens is still one of may favorite authors of books such as The Nordic Lightning,High Stakes,Hard Sell: A Texas Heat Romance, and Home Run.



voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this title.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and was honored to have been able to read and review. It was such a phenomenal read and had amazing characters as well as an amazing story line. I just could not get enough of it and once I started reading it I could not put it down. I recommend that you read it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving this addition to a fantastic series by Camilla Steven's. Rumor and Whitney suared a brief meeting 10 years before meeting again. This time it's filled with suspense, danger and intrigue. The chemistry between them is hard to miss. Whitney is a free spirit that's perfect to soften Runars edges. Again we get supporting characters that enriches the storyline and draws you into caring for them all through out the story. Looking forward to the next adventure Camila Stevens shares with us!

[E Nina Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a quick read and entertaining!

I chose 4 stars because it was quick for me but I enjoyed it. I appreciate that it wasn't excessively "gory". A lot of sex, but I'm not complaining.

[Karen's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Runar Arnaldsson has been through a trying ordeal and all he can think about is getting home, until he see's trouble coming his way and wrapped in such a sexy package. Whitney Howard is always looking for a little fun and when she spots Runar across the room, all she can thing about is all the fun she can have with hot Icelander. When Runar gently turns Whitney away, she chalks it up as his loss. Fast forward many yeas later and these two meet again. Will they finally get to have the fun they missed out on years before, or will past problems and hidden dangers lead them to more than they bargained for?
Whitney and Runar, even with trouble nipping at their heels, were such a fun couple to me. Where Runar was quiet and reserved, Whitney was chatty and energetic which led to some entertaining moments between the two. I loved following along as they got to know each other while trying to avoid trouble which made these two and their story very endearing to me. Without giving away to much of the story, if your looking for romance with a touch of action and drama, I think you'll like Her Icelandic Protector.

[Elizabeth Rogers? · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!I

Another amazing book by Camilla . Even after a brief encounter 10years prior the pull between Runar and Whitney was enough that they still felt the connection to one another that when they meet again it was like no time had passed. I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. Runar and Whitney had a brief encounter several years ago. Now Whitney and a few of her friends are in Iceland. She happens to see Runar in a bar and goes to talk to him. The problem is that he now has to save and protect her. Once everything is taken care of he comes to the states to be with her. Luckily for them after everything that they go through in Iceland and America they are able to finally get their HEA.

[lf · Rating 4 out of 5]

One heck of a vacation adventure

Her Icelandic Protector is an interesting and very enthralling story if you just go with it. It is the story of Whitney, a twenty-nine year old lawyer on vacation with friends in Iceland. She sees Runar across a popular bar and recognizes him immediately as a man from 10 years ago. They had initially met at the airport in Paris where she approached him and they had a great conversation but he turned her down for anything more. Runar is an ex-mercenary who is trying to figure out how to deal with someone who wants revenge for Runar's time in the Balkans. When Whitney approaches Runar in the bar she puts herself in the middle of something she had no idea about and was not prepared for. But Runar will protect Whitney and hopefully they both will make it out alive.

This story has a lot going for it in there is mystery, drama, intrigue, action, romance and of course some hot sexy scenes. I have enjoyed Camilla Stevens previous books in the series and I liked this one also. The character of Whitney I wanted to slap a few times but we could all use a Runar in our life to protect us against anyone who would do us harm.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

[Jacqueline Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected....Yeah, for that

This was a good story. It was not exactly what I expected but that's a good thing. You get tired of reading the same old kind of stories, you know. So in that respect, it was a good book. But I will say one thing thou, I think the book was way longer than it needed to be. I don't know, I mean that's just my opinion.

[Anita Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runar and Whitney

Ms. Stevens has had me hooked on her writing since One Night. There has always been a quality of drawing the reader into the story and the characters. Runar and Whitney are no exception. Although the circumstances that bring them together are dangerous you can't help but pull from them to have an HEA. Loved it.

[Sara Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good storyline, but I do not like the derogatory way she is talked about, even by herself. This book was not what I would normally read.
Warning: due to adult content and language, 18+ only.
Trigger Warning: Certain themes in this book may be triggering for some readers.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sexy and suspenseful, there’s a lot to like about this pulse-pounding adventure. The romance takes a backseat to the suspense at times, but it’s an integral part of the story. The writing itself is great, and I was surprised by how easy it was to like a guy who kills someone so quickly and unfeelingly at the beginning of the book. I can’t say the same for our heroine - she never grew on me, and her reaction to an incident at the end of the book left a sour taste in my mouth. However, it wasn’t enough to overtake the complex and interesting journey the author takes the reader on throughout the book.

The story follows Whitney, an American on vacation with her friends. She’s an energetic, upbeat, and slightly slutty woman who likes to have flings while visiting foreign countries. When she sees a man at a bar that she recognizes from a chance meeting at an airport 10 years ago (where her 19-year-old self tried unsuccessfully to pick him up), she is drawn immediately to him. Runar remembers Whitney because of her upbeat, carefree personality, but he’s in the middle of a very dangerous situation and she has inadvertently made herself a part of that by making contact with him. Unable to leave Whitney in danger, Runar makes himself her protector for the rest of her trip, and somewhere along the way deeper feelings get involved.

If you like a suspenseful romance, this is definitely a good example. It gets right into the action and doesn’t let up along the way. I really liked how these two complemented each other - Runar is stoic, with a quiet confidence, while Whitney is vivacious and completely unnerved by the events that transpire. I wish that their interaction from 10 years ago had been more extensive - it was really just a quick meeting that should’ve been forgotten so many years later. Having a bond would’ve made it more believable that Whitney would trust the dangerous man who killed someone in front of her, and given the shortened timeline of their romance, I think it would’ve made their escalating feelings more realistic. The only other thing I didn’t love happened at the end of the book so I won’t go into detail but... it definitely didn’t do any favors for my opinion of Whitney. I would check out more from this author without hesitation, as Whitney was really my only major issue with the story. I received a free copy via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review of this suspenseful romance.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story starts out with a chance meeting between Whitney and Runar during a flight cancellation. The meeting was light and flirtatious but nothing more came of it. Ten years later they accidentally run into each other while Whitney is on a girls trip with her friends in Iceland. Their reunion has rough start that quickly turned into an almost deadly end for Whitney.

Runar gets there in time to save her from getting caught up in his past and as they say intense stress breeds intense passions. Once things quiet down for a minute these two are getting to know each other in a very carnal way quickly.

It was a very intense time for both of them as Runar was trying to keep Whitney from being placed in the crosshairs of an assassin in retaliation to something he did years ago. We get Runar’s backstory and discover why he was willing to give up his life for Whitney. For all of his taciturn ways Runar is a very sweet guy and took the whirlwind that is Whitney in stride.

For me this story fell apart went they came back stateside. The intensity of the story lulled and it was replaced by a lot of angst driven mainly by Whitney combined with some very petty family drama. A bunch of angst for the sake of angst has never appealed to me. It seemed that the story was floundering now that the main drama was no longer front and center. Thankfully the author did finally get things back on track and it was nice to get the double epilog to see what their future looked like.

One of my pet peeves is when authors have women use derogatory names to describe themselves when they enjoy pleasures of the flesh. Whitney gets to call herself an ese ell ewe tee when she admits to having several suitors, whilst Runar who slept with a bevy of women gets to “smirk” at his enjoyment of the same. Why doesn’t he get the nasty names?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[R Huiszoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camilla Stevens, 'Her Icelandic Protector', International Alphas Romance.

For one thing, two standard comments.
- English isn’t my first language. Sorry for errors.
- As an ARC reader I received this book for free. And promised an honest review. Here it is.

In general: suspenseful thriller in fascinating Iceland.

My rating: 5 stars (out of 5).

The main characters are Runar Arnaldsson and Whitney Howard. Runar (33) is an Icelander, an ex mercenary who got his his training in the French Foreign Legion and worked for a few years in Eastern Europe. Whitney (29) is an international law attorney from New York.
Ten years before they met for a moment on a crowded Parisian airport. Runar just finished his dark job on the Balkan; the young Whitney was a 19 years old carefree, adventurous and flirting student. They had an animated conversation, Whitney made a pass on him but Arnur, damaged by his dark past, rejected her avances. But both cannot forget the short click they felt.
Ten years later they meet again in Reykjavik. Runar now lives isolated in his home land and Whitney is - with her two best friends - visiting as a tourist. Accidentally Runar and Whitney see each other in the same popular bar. Runar was forced to have a meeting with a dangerous man from his Balkan past and Whitney, who approached him again without succes, gets involved in Runar’s affairs with the man who wants to settle an old bill from the past by killing Runar and Whitney.
Then the author Camilla Stevens creates an suspenceful, fascinating story describing how Arnur protects Whitney and escapes his death. Many action scenes in the fantastic Icelandic nature, a lot of interesting characters and the intriguing relationship between Runar and Whitney resulted - for me - in a book I couldn’t put away. I had to finish this page turner at one go.

R. Huiszoon.

[Debbie Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in this series and once again we are going to another part of the world. I have loved all the books in the series so far and even though each is a stand alone do yourself a favour and read them

Runar Arnaldsson and Whitney Howard had a chance meeting in an airport due to a plane cancellation ten years ago it was fun and flirtatious but never went any further Imagine Whitney's surprise when ten years later she goes to Iceland with a group of girlfriends and meets Runar again. He is a mercenary with a dark past and that past has caught up with him and has put Whitney in the cross-hairs he will do whatever he needs to in an effort to keep her safe even if that means gluing himself to her side while she tours Iceland. Such close proximity lead to them becoming even more attracted to on another Can he keep her safe and do they have a future together You will have to read to see

[Sfleming268gmail.Com · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Ms. Stevens is masterful in handling dialogue and communication between people, and especially lovers.
The characters in this story: Runar, and Whitney are made by their experiences and for Runar, those experiences are deeply scary, they become the same for Whitney when she drunkenly ignores his "Do not approach" signals when they meet again for a second time.
The best part is watching them grow through their mutual attraction, and protection of each other. Ms. Stevens also does a masterful job of handling insecurities and redemption.
Please read this story for the growth and pleasure you will get from getting to know Runar and Whitney, and learning about Iceland.
Enjoy!

So, why only, four stars?
The en of this story felt rushed; especially, after Ms. Stevens did such a great job building the events for both Runar and Whitney.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nancy L Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just 1 hitch.....

This could have been a 5 star book of not for the very first part that stuck in my head throughout. The scene where they come back from the ocean..... He has deep cuts that needs stitches and she has vomit breath.....how does that equal sex?????

[Rowena · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting romance read!

What started as an unexpected first meeting became more when Whitney and Rúnar once again their eyes connect, what happens next is filled with danger, suspense, and a heat level that does not disappoint. I loved their chemistry it sizzled as they face danger and their journey becomes more. The storyline was thrilling as their romance story goes on an adventure filled with excitement. I was highly entertained with their journey to an unexpected HEA.

[L Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that Iceland could make for a seriously sexy locale in this seriously sexy story? The chemistry between the heroine, Whitney, and the hero, Runar, is off the charts. Everything about the pair together just gives me a warm, tingly feeling. Camilla Stevens has done it again with this latest installment in her International Legacies series. If you haven't read it yet...what are you waiting for? Get to it because if you don't, I promise you're missing out on this heat. Can't wait for the next one...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Afrikka · Rating 5 out of 5]

And another one!

Seriously, I can never go wrong reading a Camille Stevens book. I one click w/o a second thought, and have yet to be disappointed! Runar and Whitney's roller coaster romance was full of danger and passion. The characters were well developed and the story was engaging from start to finish. I always enjoy her secondary characters, they really enhance the story. I highly recommend this book!

[Ellen Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another great book by Camilla Stevens that I couldn't put down. I loved the characters Whitney & Runar when they see each other after 10yrs it leads to a story full off drama, suspence together with hot chemistry. I was hooked into this story from the start.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nichol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Whitney and Rúnar started off strong. Whitney is a great character. Strong, confident and flirty. When she meets Rúnar, sparks fly immediately. Fast forward 10 years later, both characters meet in Iceland and are immediately placed in danger. I LOVED Whitney, but felt a little let down with Rúnar. The middle lagged a bit and the ending felt rushed. Still overall enjoyable. Can't wait for the next installment.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book four of the An International Legacies Romance series a well written story, by an Author I have not read before. I want to read more in this series. This is Whitney Howard and Rúnar Arnaldsson's story, there is suspense, drama, danger, evil, a villain, and love. I received an Arc from Hidden Gems and I am voluntarily reviewing.

[Melissa B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten years have passed since that chance meeting due to an erupting volcano and this time Runar doesn't seem inclined to let fate or their circumstances keep him apart from Whitney.
Wow, this is a steamy action-packed romance that's well-written and transport the reader into their world.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and Hidden Arcs, am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fern · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome read! Camilla Stevens has done it again! I also like how she brings back characters from previous books (Maya from "The Nordic Lightning") into this book as well as the other lawyer, Sloane. I cannot wait for the release of more books in the "International Legacies Romance" series. This story had a very nice HEA.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the series. Probably, not my fav but still a decent read. I did like the start but once they came back to the states it read a bit slow for me. This story is basically an interracial love story - male is apparently mysterious assassin hero so I expected more suspense and mystery and that’s where I got a bit lost in the book. I don’t go looking for interracial stories but either way I’m happy to read about the characters. I could care less what nationality or colour they are, or what do.our hair they have as long as the characters are interesting. What bothered me was the constant reminder that the female character was black. I started to feel my back get up for this character getting angry thinking, yes, we know, why are you making it a big deal - she’s a person, a woman who cares. Maybe I just don’t understand, but it left a bad taste for me. I didn’t understand the need. We weren’t constantly reminded the male character was white? Who gives a crap? People are people period. So for me, that left me less then happy and it was hard to enjoy the rest. I did enjoy the other books in the series and I’m sure it was only me. Perhaps, coming from my Irish/Manx background I just don’t understand but I think once you introduce characters there isn’t a need to keep reminding the reader. I will definitely buy others from this author,mit was just this one thing I didn’t get.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[adrie rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird one. Not bad. Just…weird. The title almost put me off honestly but I saw a recommendation on TikTok and I love a good bit of intrigue with my romance so I tried it. The pace for this was fine for probably the first 60% but then it gets weird. It felt like the author had a word count to meet but not enough plot in their head so they kept throwing stuff in at the end. The final confrontation between Rúnar and Nian (what is this name???) is the best example of what I mean — completely random, extremely abrupt, and almost dissatisfying with how quickly it resolved.

Aside from that, I’m glad most of the sex scenes are fade to black because the first one reminded me the old “Bad Sex Scenes” tumblr blog. I didn’t particularly hate the relationship development but I didn’t love it either. There just wasn’t enough of it for me to have strong opinions. After the main plot shifts, so much of what could be spent on fleshing out their romance is glossed over in favour of scattered and random divergences that don’t really add anything to the story.

All things considered, I didn’t hate reading this. The plot was (initially) entertaining enough and it wasn’t a complete slog to get through. However, the last third or so of the book was just weird and disjointed and not particularly enjoyable.

3/5 stars

[La Vida Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Runar and Whitney together. I also thought the story started off a bit slow, but it did pick up and was filled with a lot of action and intrigue, plus, you get to read how their love story unfolds and ends with a HEA. Whitney is my kind of girl. She's smart, unapologetic, yet loving and insightful. She's the perfect match for Runar whose heart isn't really up for grabs, but he can't resist Whitney's pull and fate leads them into each other's arms. I also really identified with Whitney's rivalry with her cousin Portia. Man oh man do I know how that goes lol These days though, my cousin and I are thick as thieves, thankfully, but I understand the rivalry.

Anyay, It's a fun read. Camilla Stevens is a great author. I really enjoy her International love stories! Enjoy!

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Runar protects Whitney from nearly getting killed and the story really takes off from there. I wished Whitney was portrayed as smarter. It's great for women to have fun on vacation but Whitney came across as completely reckless. Whitney makes poor decisions but Runar is determined to protect her nonetheless. Their passion grows and the story is filled with suspense until the plot suddenly takes a left turn when it focuses on the dynamics of Whitney's family. Usually, I like this author's books but this one didn't grab my attention or excite me in any way.