Customer Reviews

Come Back to Me

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Come Back To Me", Josie Litton's final novel in a triology of Viking/Saxon stories, is simply wonderful! Like the other two novels,"Dream In Me" and "Believe In Me", "Come Back To Me" involves a marriage of convienance between a Viking and a Saxon. This time the Viking is Dragon Hakonson, Wolf's younger brother and Hawk's best friend. Known for being a rake of sorts and a lover of all women, Dragon doesn't want to settle down and marry, but he knows that marrying a Saxon will bring the two groups closer to peace. Hoping to get a few days of peace before meeting/marrying his betrothed, Dragon escapes to Hawk's hunting lodge. There he comes across what he believes to be a young man running from something. While chasing the young man down, Dragon discovers that the he is actually a she.

Rycca ,hoping to reach Normandy and reunite with her twin brother, runs away from her family and her intended marriage to a Viking. Her fear of Vikings stems from when she was younger and Vikings viciously murdered her young playmate right in front of her. Knowing that by running away she faces retribution and even death by the hands of her father, Rycca begins her trek towards Normandy. Along the way she is chased by Dragon, right over the edge of a cliff. Dragon, feeling to blame for her fall, takes her back to the lodge and cares for her wounds. Because neither trust one another, neither allows their idenities to be known. Thus, Rycca and Dragon share one passionate night together. It's only later, after Rycca runs away and is captured by her mean father and brother, that they both learn that they are betrothed to one another.

"Come Back To Me" is a fitting ending to the Viking/Saxon trilogy. The first two novels were packaged as one book, so after reading them I had to wait weeks before I could finally get my hands on "Come Back...". I'm glad to say that it was definantely worth the wait. The novel ties up all the loose ends of the first two novels, particularly the question as to who exactly was trying to stop the alliance between the Viking/Saxon marriages. It brings back Hawk's vengeful sister Daria as well as the beloved King Alfred. I highly suggest any historical romance reader to pick up this trilogy. It's very engrossing and will leave you breathless.

Gennie Bailey-Rogers

In the minds of the Saxons, perhaps the most frightening of this generation of Vikings is probably Dragon Hakonson. However, the mighty warrior knows that the times are a changing, as he must marry a Saxon to complete the triad of weddings for peace. Though he will do the honorable thing for his people, Dragon goes hunting by himself one last time before his trip down the alter.

While hunting, Dragon meets Rycca, a Saxon woman garbed in male clothing obviously on the lam. Rycca does not want to marry a barbarous Viking even in the name of peace, but decides to feel passion once in her lifetime with this handsome escort. As the Viking and Saxon war with words, they share two common feelings: love and not desiring an unknown mate, but neither one realizes that each one is the other side's peace offering.

This reviewer has never before seen any publisher release a trilogy in two months for an established author let alone a debut writer. Anyone who reads COME BACK TO ME or the two previous novels packaged in one book (DREAM OF ME and BELIEVE IN ME) will understand why Josie Litton has been accorded this honor. Her latest tale completes this strong medieval romantic trilogy with a powerful plot starring two energetic and charming characters. The previous lead couples also return so that the series is wrapped up completely. Though this novel can stand alone, sub-genre fans will want to obtain the three stories to read over a few pleasant days.

Harriet Klausner

I truly enjoyed this trilogy! All three stories were great reads and all three couples endearing. I think I liked "Dream of Me" the best, but "Come Back to Me" is a close second.

The Norse Dragon, the man who loves women, was a great character. Though normally open to any new adventure, he dreads his arranged marriage with a Saxon lady he knows nothing about. But he is determined to support his brother Wolf's efforts to maintain the shaky peace between Saxon and Norse and is resigned to his fate. He has come to England to the home of his friend the Hawk who has loaned him his lodge in the woods to spend some alone time before the wedding.

He stumbles across a young boy, who turns out to be a woman in disguise, desperately fleeing and hiding something. Loathe to let a woman wander about alone and curious about her circumstances, he makes a bargain with her to stay with him for a couple of days hoping to find out who she is and what she is running from. And since she won't tell him who she is, why should he tell her who he is? Thus they pass a few days companionably and inevitably are attracted to each other.

But the Saxon lady Rycca has had very bad experiences with men, starting with her own brutal father and brothers. When she meets Dragon, she is completely thrown - he is like no man she has ever met. Ever kind, funny and at the same time smart and strong. Surely she has stumbled into some strange land! He can't be for real! She decides she must move on and takes off in the night only to be caught on the road by said father and brothers. Once again, she is rescued by the Dragon.

Surprise, surprise they discover they are betrothed to each other! The rest of the book centers on the growing relationship between Dragon and Rycca, their attempts to build trust and understanding and ultimately to discover who is trying to destroy them and thus the Saxon/Norse alliance.

Josie Litton is a great author - read all her books! Her second trilogy is also a must read - so far!

If you love Laurens, Quinn, Dodd, and the older works by Julie Garwood, please try Josie Litton. Her heroes are alpha-male without being stupid, and her heroines are intelligent and vulnerable without being insipid. Dragon and Rycca are a truly engaging couple, and the plot never drags, as they get to know each other and learn to love and respect their arranged-marriage spouse.

I recommend the entire Norse/Saxon trilogy by Litton to all who love medieval romances. The books capture the brutality of the period, while focusing on noble men and women who are trying to bring peace to their war-torn people. The theme in all of the three books include "gifted" women, strong warrior men, and the rewards for good hearts and intentions.

They all get a five-star rating from me.

After Dream of Me, I imagine it was hard to write two sequels with the same quality and magic, and I was right. Come back to me just did not have a romance I believed was true. Rycca, started out as a good heroine when she was in dressed in drag. She acted as a female warrior, adventurous and willing to feel her emotions. After she put on a dress, she became very whinny and annoying. After marriage, she clearly was still attracted to her husband, knew he had been rejected by her, and she was distant to him. Yet he was still considerate and gentle with her, controlling his sexual desires out of consideration for her strained feelings. However, in a few days at sea, they rekindle their romance and she complains to him that he doesn't touch her anymore. He kisses her and says he will. They promptly arrive home to celebrate their marriage and all seems hunky dory. That night when the time has come for them to make love finally as husband and wife, she gets furious and tries to stop him cos she (in a nutshell) will have too much pleasure under his vast, artful sexual instruction he's received. She somehow equates receiving pleasure with loss of freedom. She needs a shrink badly. Gorgeous, sexy, adorable Dragon has to use battle moves( yes battle strategy) to even get her in a compromising position, so he can finally get her in the mood with enticing foreplay. After a few climax's, she still complains to herself about her freedom, before she launches into the next set of climax's. Why Dragon didn't throw her out is beyond me. That ridiculous belly aching of hers over receiving pleasure from her husband so turned me cold to this couple,that I merely proceeded to glance through the rest of the book. Litton did such a beautiful, gradual, ever unfolding awakening of love in Dream of Me where Cymbra embraced her sexuality and relationship with her husband, Wolf, that the silliness of the other two heroines running away from wonderful men because of self imposed restrictions stood out too much. Even though all ends up well between the couple at the end of this book, their love story is too contrived. It doesn't unfold naturally. So I didn't care about it at all. If you want to see how things turn out for everyone, read this book. Don't bother with the love story. Dragon should have a more centered woman to match his needs in truth.

Come Back to Me was the first book I have read of Josie's and I absolutely enjoyed every page! She is a wondeful author and I was kept enthralled throughout the whole book and couldn't wait to get my hands on the next book "Dream of Me/Believe in Me" which I am currently reading now! Josie is a talented and wonderful writer and will certainly be kept on my reading list.

I have read all three books in this series. Boy this one is second best. the first one Dream of Me , was the best , but oh, this one, and DRAGON, WHAT A MAN. His brother Wolf in the first one was Oh la, la, also. Great series. signed avid reader.

This book was good; it was written well, it just began to sound very similar to the other two books in the trilogy. All three books talked about partners who were afraid of love, and terrified of commitment. All of the men were great and powerful and the women each had some kind of special gift. As I read the last book, I almost wondered if maybe I could have guessed the entire plot.

Just as the first two renditions DREAM of ME /BELIEVE in ME rocked your foundations, this last installment in the series will leave you both breathless and disappointed that the trilogy is at an end!

COME BACK TO ME, continues the stories of these proud people, Norse and Saxons and the wonderful characters that began with Litton's previous two novels. I am sure all of you fell in love with Wolf Hakonson's younger and carefree brother. He was funny, witty and with his devil may care attitude he has sworn not to be noosed into marriage like his brother or his friend Hawke. Although he knows that he will eventually have to settle down for the good of the alliance for his people, like Wolfe has done - he needs to think about it so he retreats to his hunting lodge to have a bit of a think!

Rykka is fleeing to Normandy to reunite with her twin brother. She has always believed that Vikings are a ruthless and animalistic race who kill in cold blood - as such was the case when she witnessed the death of her best friend by a Norseman. Rykka falls into a ravine is rescued by Dragon who treats her wounds. Their attraction for one another is immediate and palpable and they eventually share on night of incredible passion together. Neither divulges who they are and their identities remain a secret when they part.

It was truly a delight to see the mighty Dragon fall for sprightly and independent Rykka! Their verbal repartee is lively and their coming together is passionate and very sexy!

The book ties all the loose ends purposely left open in the two previous stories. The first two novels weave a breathless beauty iwith the description of the land, the two warring cultures which are mixed with the depth of emotion in the main protagonists. Litton neatly closes the trilogy with COME BACK TO ME. A lighter read than the two previous books it is also a joy to read. Dragon's carefree demeanor changes before your eyes as he helps Rykka with her challenges and realizes that it is all or nothing when it comes to protecting his lady!

This was the last book in the trilogy, I loved the story and hearing follow up from the previous books. So many others don't catch you up from previous stories. The second in this trilogy felt a bit far fetched for me but it was still well written and left me hoping in the end. A definite must have.