The story starts a bit slow. I was reading and waiting for the action to start. The plot didn't seem completely fleshed out.

Another wonderful Beryl Kingston write the most wonderful historical fiction her characters draw me in .Her new novel based on a true style is another engrossing novel.#netgalley #agorabooks

“No point meeting trouble half way. If ’tis coming, ’tis coming, and we’ll face it when we must."

What an unusual story, and one of the best kind that brings history to life. It would be an interesting but dry one if not for getting to know these characters and their own story. It's early 1800 in England and Lord Nelson is about to go to sea to find and fight Napoleon and the French. Jen and Marianne were just married, off to a bad start on their wedding night when he went to a pub. There he was drugged and signed into service. When Marianne heard of it, she searched for him then dressed in her brother's clothes and signed up too. She hadn't taken into consideration the size of the fleet, and ended up with her own adventures, even finding two friends who were also girls disguised as boys. Never a dull moment! Their story takes you all through the years and final battle where they won the war and lost Lord Nelson. I never would have thought to tell the story this way. It makes it easy to absorb the history lesson and easily picture it all. Excellent read. There is some brief, mild sexuality that I didn't feel was necessary. Beautiful cover!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley and the Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
#NetGalley #HeartsOfOak

You will not be disappointed by this read. A historical novel set in the times of Nelson onboard the British fleet. Such a novel setting for a historically based read. Adventure and romance on the high seas to and fro the Atlantic. The additional intrigue and stories of the separated couple also adds some frisson to the reading experience. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley

This is a reissue of a book which was previously published as Girl on the Orlop Deck. 

I had not heard of the book but the author I have read before, many many years ago before I started recording what I read. What caught my eye about this book was the title - a song I am familiar with through work. Interestingly despite experiencing 18 years worth of Trafalgar Nights, I did not realise the words were by David Garrick who coincidentally featured a book I had read a few weeks previous. 

I digress, this is the story of Marianne and Jem. Newly married Jem a trained carpenter behave abominably on his wedding night and goes to seek solace in the bottom of a jug of ale. Whilst a a low point he make friends with two gentlemen and finds himself the very next day onboard ship, having taken the king's shilling and having no recollection of the event. 

Marianne furious that her husband has already abandoned her, learns that he has joined the navy and decides to follow him. Being female is not going to stop her and so with her brothers breeches, Marianne becomes Matt Morris.

Will Marianne find Jem? 

Or will being in Nelson's Navy away from home for two years plus having traversed the oceans mean that Marianne and Jem will always be lost to each other?

This book gives you life onboard a Nelson ship even if you had never thought about how they all coexisted together - and of course women went to sea even in them days. Marianne in fact encounters others across her journey, but she also encounters tragedy, heartache, love and war and is at the heart of the battle of Trafalgar and sees the great man, Nelson fall. 

The plot moves at a fast pace for an event which took a long time building to the battle we know as the fleets chased each other around the seas. 

Whilst I have always known Beryl Kingston for writing sagas this was certainly a step up maybe because I had a lot of prior knowledge, living in Portsmouth where Nelson set sail from and also recognising the names of Collingwood and what actually did happen at the battle. That said even if you do not have this prior knowledge the book goes into great detail without it being dry and scholarly and it is all given a sense of place and time. 

I was somewhat disappointed quite near the end when the journey of Victory towards Plymouth went slightly wrong in its geography, you do not reach Torquay before Weymouth unless you have some serious navigating problems. I am hoping as I read this from a ARC that the mistake will have been amended. 

For fans of historical fiction and seeing one our greatest Naval battles brought to life through someone else's eyes.

Based on a true story, Hearts of Oak had an intriguing start but didn’t live up to my earliest expectations. When Marianne’s husband disappears on his wedding day, she investigates and finds out he has been tricked into joining the Navy. She does what she feels she has to do and that is to impersonate a ship-boy and follow him into the Navy. She spends two years trying to track him down as Nelson’s ships traverse the seas in search of the French. While I have no doubt that the language and the terminology were well researched the story failed to grab me and at times was repetitive. I read it through to the end, just to see what happened to Marianne but wouldn’t read it again.
Thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cute storyline about spunky Maryanne going off to sea in 1803 to find her husband who joined the British Navy. Alternating chapters tell of each of their experiences aboard different ships. Reminds me of the historical romance novels of my youth without the bodice ripping pirates! Fun read.

Hearts of Oak is inspired by a true story which made it that much more intriguing. It's about a woman named Marianne and everything she does to get her husband back after he was press-ganged into the British Navy on their wedding day.

I love sea stories and at least ninety percent of this one was set on the water so this was right up my alley. However, some of the writing and dialogue didn't flow as naturally as it could have which is why I only gave it three stars. With a little finesse though, this could be a five star story.

The story starts out a bit slow in my opinion. I like world building and setting the stage, so to say, but it was a bit dull to me and didn't establish very much. But since the one thing that had interested me about this book was that it's set during the Napoleonic wars and the main setting is on the ships of the brilliant Admiral Nelsons British navy. So I powered through and luckily the story started to pick up after that. The dialog is cheesy at places, and at other's a bit thin but there's some really good parts that makes up for the things the story lacks.

I don't really know where I stand with the books protagonist Marianne. At one hand I can understand why she did it, following her husband into the Navy, as she sees herself as a Plain Jane that would never get married (and this is a time period when you wanted to get married). But it's a bit much to then follow her estranged husband over the Atlantic to get him back... But her determination is inspiring, even though I wish she'd didn't use it to chase after a prick like Jem who doesn't deserve her.

So in short: I found it an reasonably enjoyable read most of the time. While it isn't the most brilliant story there is, it's a nice piece of fiction that's a quick read. So I'll give it three stars, I liked it overall and it makes me curious about Beryl's other works.

Hearts of Oak is based on true story and is well written. I enjoyed the characters and the story. I hope to read more from this author.

Absolutely could not get into this story. Colloquial laced dialogue felt cheap rather than authentic, the character development was thin, and the atmospheric detail non-existent.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

Based on a true story, Hearts of Oak is a veritable adventure on the high seas. Just married, Marianne Templeman discovers to her astonishment her new husband Jem has been pressed into Nelson’s Navy while in a drunken stupor. Not willing to endure the humiliation to which her fellow villagers will certainly subject her, Marianne dons her brother’s clothing and signs herself up in search of the erring Jem. As ship boy “Matt Morris” Marianne finds herself in the middle of Horatio Nelson’s conflict with the French. Enduring the hardships of life at sea she is nevertheless determined to find her husband which in turn creates an adventure of her own.

Previously published as Girl on the Orlop Deck, Beryl Kingston skillfully recreates everyday life as a sailors in the Napoleonic Wars. The book is a fast-paced, well-written narrative with delightfully spirited characters. Additionally, Kingston’s extensive research portrays historically accurate events and battle scenes which successfully put the reader in the middle of the action. Hearts of Oak is recommended for lovers of historical fiction, maritime settings, and women’s literature.

Full disclosure- An ARC of this book was provided via NetGalley in return for this review.