The Call of the Sea - Review

The Call of the Sea

By: Sian Ann Bessey

Publication: November 1, 2022

272 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--A Viking Historical Romance

On the eve of her betrothal to a nobleman she’s never met, Rhiannon seeks comfort on the shores of the sea she loves so well. But instead of offering peace to her uneasy heart, the ocean heralds doom with the arrival of dreaded Viking ships. A vicious raid leads to the death of her beloved father and leaves Rhiannon’s life in tatters. Heartbroken, she travels to Ynys Môn, where she takes up residence at the royal court of Owain Gwynedd.

Leif loves voyaging on the open water. As the son of a Viking chief, he’s accustomed to his people’s practice of plundering and looting. But when one of his companions ruthlessly kills an old man in front of the man’s beautiful daughter, Leif is haunted by the memory. Desperate to find forgiveness for the atrocity he allowed to occur, he’s offered a chance at redemption through the kindly teachings of an Irish priest and the unexpected arrival of a royal fugitive. Suddenly thrust into the midst of the Cymry’s political turmoil, Leif is reunited with the dead man’s daughter―Rhiannon. Forced to work side by side to uncover the truth behind the turmoil, they come to discover that love can grow from even the most tragic of beginnings. But with such incompatible backgrounds, surely a future together can never be theirs.

I've read a few books by Sian Ann Bessey. She's not quite an auto-read author for me (yet), but I've enjoyed her books. I've not read any romance books featuring Vikings, so I was intrigued and decided to check out The Call of the Sea.

The Call of the Sea was a slow start for me. Rhiannon is unlikely to forgive or trust easily after her father is murdered in front of her. Even though Leif wasn't the one who did it, he was present and a part of the group who raided her home. He was standing right there when her father was killed. He offered her words that didn't mean much to her at the time. She wouldn't lightly turn her heart toward him. So much of The Call of the Sea was story-driven, not relationship-driven. Leif and Rhiannon were at the heart of everything that happened, but there was so much time with them being apart.

The mystery/plot was interesting, and I was trying to figure out who was behind everything. Actually, that's not entirely true. I had a guess on the who, but the why was what I was trying to figure out. On one hand, I didn't really mind this part of the story, but when I look back I feel like the story dragged a little for me due to the focus on the mystery.

Favorte quote:

-"I should like to postpone being brave until the morrow"...

The Call of the Sea was a good read, but it didn't blow me away. I liked Rhiannon and Leif. I liked their individual stories and their path toward each other. Much of the feelings felt rushed to me due to the large portion of the book the characters spent apart. Thankfully, the book did allow for this by saying they wanted to know each other better. The plot and mystery drove the story forward, and I enjoyed it while also felt like it slowed me down. Ultimately, The Call of the Sea gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read The Call of the Sea? What did you think? Let me know!