Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey

So many people cut their romance teeth on Johanna Lindsey whereas I cut mine on Tessa Dare, yet I’m sure if I look back in my mom’s shelves and was allowed to read from them growing up, I’d find some Johanna Lindsey books in there.

Hearts Aflame

Confession: I like reading about vikings. Ever since reading Fox Mask by Juliette Marillier, I have a special place for vikings in my heart. While Hearts Aflame isn’t quite Marillier caliber, it is guilty pleasure caliber. Kids, I have zero shame in reading historical romance with sexytimes. Why should I? Hearts Aflame is fun to read, although I had to shut off my feminist sensibilities and remember this book is retro, back when alpha, semi-rapey heroes were the norm.

So, the plot is basically Kristen Hadraad is super hot, all the boys want her but she wants none of that. So, she’s all the boys in my hood suck balls and decides to stow away on her brother’s merchant trip and will find a husband for foreign parts. SURPRISE: Her brother plans on raiding, not selling stuff and making money the legit way. So the raid goes horribly wrong, Selig, her brother, dies, the vikings get caught and are turned into slaves for the Saxons. And well, Kristen eventually ends up in the bed of Lord Royce. Kids, you can put two and two together. You know how the story ends.

I liked how feisty Kristen was. She knew how to fight and stand up for her self. I love that she never would back down and argue right back with Royce when he’s being a big huge douchebag. Further, I loved how Kristen didn’t settle and would not accept less than what she believed she deserved.

Hearts Aflame is hard to put down. Like I said, guilty pleasure and the whole OMG sexytimes coming up anticipation. Also, this is not regency era, so there’s plenty of bed scenes, but also the whole will he/won’t he make Kristen his wife. And while this sounds dorky, I highly enjoyed Hearts Aflame despite the vaguely non-feminist parts. Look, I paid .99 for this and got more than my money’s worth.

Also, I pretty much love this cover of Hearts Aflame because it is SO cheesy and 1980s esque:

The Fabio version!!

Disclosure: Purchased copy.

Other Reviews of Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey:

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
The Book Reading Gals

Purchase Hearts Aflame here for .99 cents as of 9/7/2011. *FYI I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy things from Amazon after clicking link.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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