The Reluctant Viking
Ruby and Jack Jordan have been married for twenty years and have two sons.  After a year of fighting Jack finally walks out,  and Ruby realizes she has let her personal life fall by the wayside while she has built up a successful lingerie company.  Then, while listening to one of Jack's tapes on The Power of Positive Thinking, Ruby is transported back in time and awakens on a Viking ship.  The leader, as luck would have it, looks just like Jack. While Ruby is intrigued by Thork's resemblance to Jack,  Thork is confused by his immediate attraction to Ruby.  Thork feels he must keep his distance, however, as he believes his half-brother will kill her, as he has killed anyone Thork has ever cared for.  Thork's two sons are only alive because they have been placed with another couple as orphans, and their deaths faked.  The boys' mothers were killed as well and now he fears for Ruby's life.  She tells him that even a little time with someone you love is better than none at all.  They are finally married, but their happiness is short lived when Thork's true enemy, Ivar,  kidnaps his oldest son and demands Thork in exchange for him. Tortured while a captive, Thork suffers fatal injuries and although he is rescued, he eventually dies from his injuries.  After Thork dies, Ruby finds herself back in 1993 with a new resolve to save her marriage.  Though it seems to have been some time in the past, it has only been a few hours in the present and Ruby decides to go after Jack.  It takes some sincere effort, but the two are not only able to work things out, but get some good news along the way!The Reluctant Viking is a wonderfully in-depth, ambitious challenge for a first time author, and Ms. Hill pulls it off with style! A major achievement from a new and refreshing talent! Ms. Hill takes the lead in time travel with a twist!Claire Haynes  --Copyright &#169; 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc.  All rights reserved--FromLiterary Times--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.