I really enjoyed this as a sequel in the Band of Bastards series, it had that overall feel that I was looking for and enjoyed from the first. It was a great historical romance novel that had characters that I was looking for and enjoyed a lot.

I was sucked into this book by the 3rd page. Intrigue and treason right off the bat. Then Galiena pretends Red is her husband and he wraps her in his cloak. Swoon. I'm a sucker for a strong Viking guy, and Red is perfect. I love the two of them together and how he respects her knowledge and decisions. The way the author manages to turn the simplest touch between these characters into such swoony moments is really impressive. If you've ever swooned over the hand flex in Pride and Prejudice, you know what I'm talking about. I am definitely adding the first book in this series to my TBR and I can't wait for more.

Gah, I loved this book! Red was so protective and had me swooning! I love how patient he was with Galiena. Both of them are a bit feisty and I loved the banter. This type of medieval chivalrous romance is honestly one of my favorites and this was so well done. The story sucked me in and I had to keep reading! While this is part of a series, this was the first book I read, and I'll definitely be going back to read the previous book now.

Love at first sight
Fate
Forced proximity
One horse
One bed
Growling!
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Oh! What a great story. Red, is a warrior, who is huge but has a marshmallow of a heart. He captured my attention immediately with his smile and joyous personality. Galiena, a widow, who has suffered greatly finds herself embroiled in a treasonous plot. Red steps in, takes control and has decided that Galiena is who he has always been looking for. The chemistry and banter between the two of them is fanominal. The secondary characters are equally as charming and amazing as they help prepare Red and Galiena for the forthcoming adventure. The second in this series, the story is as great as the first book. It can stand alone but I'd recommend reading the first book as well. This author has amazing creativity.

A timeless love story, well written, strong character with each have a good background story making them who they are.

Powerful love story!

Galiena is a young widow trying to cope with her grief after losing both her husband and her daughter, who finds herself an unwitting witness to a plot against the king. Seeking help from the first man she runs into, she has no idea how their stories already have a shared history.

Viggo Algarssen, known as Red, has been dedicated to serving Hawk for many years, though he also has an agenda of his own that he is waiting for the right time to complete. That time shows up when Galiena runs right into his arms and calls him her husband.

This is an intricate, multi-layered story that was charming and intriguing in equal parts. I loved the banter between Galiena and Red, and I especially adored his steadfast belief in their future together. The romance is exquisitely balanced against the forces of evil stalking their every step, making this a nail-biting action adventure as well as a sheet-clenching, passionate romance. It's the perfect blend of everything I read romance for, and I couldn't have loved it more.

Their HEA was stunning and triumphant and I wanted to stand up and cheer for them. As much as I loved the first book in this series, this one is even better. Highly recommended for anyone who loves medieval romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This is a medieval romance and part of a series. You can easily read each book separately.
In this story our heroine finds herself in the wrong place at a very dangerous time. Our hero is in the right place just in time to help.
The danger doesn't end there. An assassin has his sights set on a very vulnerable target. Stopping him will draw on all the courage our characters have.
An action packed adventure filled with emotional moments. There is a lot of humour to go with it. Lovely strong and independent characters.
I loved it.

Be still my heart! What is there not to like about Red Algarssen the Viking? Furthermore, he is everything the heartbroken Galiena needs to keep her safe and to heal the pain buried within her heart. The novel is suspense from the opening scenes where Galiena overhears a treasonous plot to the closing chapter when Red's life is at stake and she discovers that she does not have to choose between him and her past. Red has no compunction about claiming Galiena as his own, although he realizes that his main priority is keeping her safe from the man with whom he has a score to settle. Together with Red and his men, Galiena discovers hidden depths as they race across treacherous country to get to the King and the fearful woman who sought Red's protection becomes as protective as a she-wolf towards those she loves. Although part of a series and characters from the previous book appear in this one too, this romance is a standalone and comes to a satisfying conclusion. I received a copy of this novel as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

1. Overview:
In November 1284, in a pivotal moment, Galiena Mercer life changed again when she overheard a treacherous plot to kill the only heir to King Edward. As she tries to escape the culprits she runs into Viggo, the Viking also known as Red’s arms for protection, and as fate would have it the Viking is hunting the same evil traitors for a whole different reason. Red immediately believes fate has given Galiena to him, but with a sad past of loss, the widow Galiena needs some convincing. Her only mission is to warn the king and queen that their son’s life is in danger.

2. What did I like:
- I like the wide variety of vocabulary the author uses making the novel less generic.
- I loved the plot and the adventure the characters took.
- The author could make me feel afraid for the character's life.
- The Epilogue was great.

3. What I did not like:
-The sex scenes are too explicit and take away from the story.
- Some profanity used is historically incorrect and has not been used in those years.
- There is some repetitiveness in the feelings of the main characters. Why Galiena struggles to open her heart to Red and Red’s protective thoughts towards Galiena.

4. Ratings and Final Thoughts:
I like this book and would rate Heart of the Viking by Lois Templin 4 out of 5.
My rating is high regardless of the negative points because the story was well-written.

He falls first!
Galiena hears some men in an alley discussing how they are going to kill the king's son. When they notice that they've been heard, they go after her. Luckily, she runs into Red, and calls him "husband". Red, being an intelligent, kind man, figures the situation out quickly and goes along with it.
They end up going on an adventure together to warn King Edward and Queen Eleanor.
Galiena and Red have fantastic chemistry. We see a lot of Alyce and Hawk, characters from the first book. The side characters are fully developed characters. The only thing missing was the notable pet, but sometimes you can't have it all! Lol
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

This book was fantastic! I loved the tension and chemistry between Red and Galiena.
The banter between the main characters and the supporting characters was perfection.
This series overall is like a hidden gem. The characters, the world building, the dialogue, and everything in-between is well written and pulls readers in from start to finish.

Assassin, Passion, Fate, a Truly Awesome Love Story:
A most unconventional meeting between Galiena and Red starts this exciting and desirously passionate story into a highly charged romance story that is full of sweetness, thoughtfulness, traitorous conspirators, deciphering clues, a king and queen, camaraderie, an evil villain, and of course two wonderful characters destined to find their everlasting sizzling love.
A story packed to the brim with every emotion that makes up a fabulous heartfelt love story you don't want to miss.
It was such a treat to visit with some of the previous characters from the first book of this wonderful series, and I am certainly looking forward to the next story.
💋Adult Advisory🔥🔥+

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