Heart of a Wolf

Viking Wolves #1

by C.J. Ravenna

How to get over a breakup:
1: Go to Iceland
2: Get sent back in time
3: Get abducted by a hot, moody Viking werewolf
The tour guides sure didn’t prepare me for this…

Kieran

After my boyfriend cheats, my best friend spirits me away to Reykjavik for a scenic getaway. I think this may be just the escape I need to get over the jerk.

What was supposed to be a beautiful boat cruise ends in chaos when I find myself transported to the age of the Vikings. Before I can catch my breath, I’m taken captive by Wulfric, a powerful and terrifying Viking warrior. But he’s not just a fearsome fighter. He and his clan are Ulfhednar, wolf shifters.

Humans are the natural enemies of Wulfric’s pack and the longer I linger in his time, the more dangerous my already precarious situation becomes. Despite our mutual dislike, Wulfric vows he will keep me alive until I can return to my time… but only if I let him claim me as his mate.

Turns out, there’s a thin line between love and hate. Passion erupts, burning hot enough to melt the glaciers. As I see a soft and loving side to this strong, wounded warrior, I begin to wonder just where it is I call home.

Can Wulfric’s past be my new present?

Heart of a Wolf is book 1 in the Viking Wolves series and features enemies-to-lovers, mating of convenience, a dash of time travel, mental health rep (PTSD and GAD), and a happy-ever-after.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Historical

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2025

About the author

CJ Ravenna loves to tell stories where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. Her books often feature an explosion or two, possessive and protective werewolves who adore their mates, steamy and swoony romance, and of course a happy ending.

Reviews

[~ Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ & semicolons ~]

Time travel, werewolves, fated mates, heat sex, family strife, slavery ... the author tried to make this book interesting and relevant, but, alas, it was a hard-fail from the get-go.

The time-travel aspect wasn't explored at all. A piece of wood from a certain tree takes you whenever and wherever your heart desires. That easy, huh?

Kieran doesn't even blink when he lands in Iceland circa 900 AD; he just accepts that time travel is a thing, and the woman who tricked him becomes his auntie.

Miraculously, Kieran and Wulfric communicate seamlessly ... in, uh, modern-day American English?

Everyone seems to travel between 21st century America and Iceland during the Viking times with perfect ease. Just put on a pair of jeans, and you're good to go. No culture shock. No language barrier.

Indeed, Kieran is on Zoloft and plans on regularly going back to the future for refills? LMAO. Just WHAT?

Besides Wulfric's brothers and aunt, there are no real supporting characters. The pack of villagers hate Kieran and want to kill him, but when he gets his furs, the rage stops and is never mentioned again.

Speaking of which, Kieran turns into a werewolf and is all, Yes, Alpha; right there, Alpha; knot me, Alpha. There's no introspection about how he's now a fucking WOLF??

Multiple strange situations (like Kieran seemingly stabbing Wulfric's brother) are dismissed.

Both Kieran and Wulfric act like teenagers, running off, sobbing, feeling unworthy ... the verbal abuse was disturbing. But I guess it's all good cause they're mates.

We know almost nothing about Kieran and Wulfric. Kieran broke up with his cheating boyfriend and has anxiety.

Wulfric ... nope, he has no backstory at all except he feels guilty about not doing more to save his daddy. He doesn't seem like a great Alpha either and lets his brothers steamroll him in front of the pack.

I wanted to like this story because the concept is super cool, but couldn't ignore the complete lack of relationship, character, and world development.

The narrative barely skims the surface and feels mechanical, like the author plugged an outline into Gemini and let it rip.

And that cover tho: Viking spears did not look like that, and they didn't use tiny strap-on hand shields. Wulfric having tattoos was never mentioned, and those tats look way too modern & stylish to be historical. The dude on the cover looks like a merman, not a Viking.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ]

4.5**** stars


This was a fucking great shifter romance. Wolves, Vikings and time travel. I. LOVED. IT.


I wouldn’t call this enemies-to-lovers, tho. That’s a real big stretch. More like disappointment and annoyance at first glance. *lol

Kieran, just got dumped into the past of Iceland twelve hundred years ago, gets kidnapped by a bunch of Vikings and only wants to go the fuck home. And Wulfric, pack Alpha, just found his fated mate. He feared he never would. But he sure as hell didn’t expect him to be a human, like what were the gods thinking??

“You’ve never even shifted, have you?” Kieran just stares at me like I’ve told him where pups come from. “Nope.” Kieran chucks my furs onto the floor. “But you’re gonna see a real shift in my patience if you don’t stop acting like a freak.”

ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED!


And damn, I’m so excited for the coming books for Wulfric's brothers. I wish they’ve already been written. Although I’m not sure the author maybe revealed a tiny bit too much already in regards so Anders’ and Lyall’s stories next to come.

***********
Viking Wolves Series

Book 1 - Heart of a Wolf - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Taming of a Wolf - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Devotions of a Wolf - 3.75 stars
Book 4 - Passion of a Wolf - 4.25 stars

[Cat the bookworm]

Loved the idea behind it. Sadly, it didn’t quite live up to its potential

Look. I don’t want to be nitpicky. I knew what I was getting into after reading a few reviews, and the blurb: we have Kieran, who’s visiting Iceland, being thrown back in time to the 800s, right to his “fated mate”, who’s the alpha of a (kind of) wolf shifter/viking. So I expected something similar to Outlander, and was prepared to love it.

And I did. Mostly. I loved both Kieran and Wolfric, his mate. I loved them together, and I loved the Norse mythology being thrown in the mix.

What could have been executed better was the time travel bit - they all were too… ok with it. I mean - they seem to hop back and forth all the time, and when Wolfric sees Kieran, he immediately knows he’s from the future, and it’s no big deal for him. If I’d been in his shoes, I’d had SO MANY QUESTIONS- what’s it like? What happens with my island? Are there still shifters? How do you live? Travel? What do you mean you’re from New York, where is that?

But nope. Nothing. He just shrugs, his wolf growls “mine” and that’s that.

Same for Kieran: he didn’t freak out, the only thing that bothers him are the thralls aka the slaves Wolfric and his pack own, and his most important goal is to free them.

Which is… great, for sure. But also kind of anticlimactic? And in the end, they seem to pop back and forth through time, visiting Kieran’s friends in NYC for dinner and to stock up their lube supplies, and hopping back to the past after that. It’s all very convenient and easy, right?

I’m a bit underwhelmed, so I’ll round my 3.5 stars down 😕 still looking forward to the rest of the couples 🙂

[Brooke]

⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️

The Viking werewolf and the American time traveler. What a pair we make.

This was a fun time — time travel, Vikings AND a sexy werewolf Alpha? That kind of crazy plot is my jam.

“You say these things, yet I don’t believe you actually mean them.” “It’s called sarcasm. It’s very popular where I’m from.”

Loved how the bickering turned to passion between Kieran and Wulfric. You can’t fight a mate bond, and once these two finally started trusting each other you can feel that they were fated. Wulfric’s protectiveness, the vulnerability they shared, the love. Helga, let me borrow your magic stick for a sec so I can find myself a hunky Viking…

I also appreciated the mental health rep. How the author represented Kieran’s anxiety really resonated with me, and any time I can connect on a personal level with the characters really makes me love the book even more.

“If your beast wants me…” Kieran breathes, his breath scorching against my mouth. “Then he can have me.”

Bit of a minor spoiler here:
Ok, so I was about to rage when they teased a switch scene being off page, but no worries, we get to see our Alpha bottom for his mate in the bonus scene. Love a good switcheroo.

And oooh baby, am I excited to see what else this series brings. The options are plenty, but I’m hoping for a ‘Viking werewolf finds himself transported to modern day’ scenario.

“You are mine. My pack. My heart. My soul. And no one harms what is mine.”

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

TROPES:
☾ Time travel
☾ Vikings
☾ Wolf shifters
☾ Enemies to lovers
☾ Mating of convenience
☾ Fated Mates
☾ Size difference

CWs & NSFW (spoilers):
- Depictions of slavery
- Mentions of cheating (not between MCs)
- Violence
- PTSD and panic attacks
- Anxiety (GAD)
- Parental death
- Mentions of parental estrangement
- Heat sex (no omegaverse, no mpreg)
- Knotting
- Rimming
- Coming hands-free
- Snowballling
- Mild edging
- Mostly strict top/bottom
- Switch scene (bonus scene)

[Audi♡]

"You're my anchor point. The place I'll always return to, time and again"

While on a nice lil vacation in Iceland, Kirean's boat goes through a nasty storm. He's sucked back in time to Ulfheim, where a pack of human-hating Viking wolves live.
For protection and help finding a way home, he makes a deal with the Alpha...

This was so ooey gooey sweet. My heart is all warm n sappy happy. The way they ran to each other🥺 cryin in the bathtub!
They went from…

"You're the very last man on this earth I'd ever choose as my mate."

To…

"You are mine. my pack. My heart. My soul.and no one harms what's mine."

The bickering, the tension, the vulnerability, THE PASSION. Ugh. I loved them. New Favorite 2025 couple. I can't wait for more in this world. Thank you for the ARC. Release date 1/27

No cheating,sharing/om.

[Precious]

A beautiful story

I just love it when authors take the whole werewolf trope and make it uniquely theirs and this author didn't disappoint in providing all textbook werewolf-y traits while elevating it to accommodate their vision and story.

This book follows the story of Kieran and Wulfric. Kieran gets sucked into the past, during the era of viking-werewolves, and at the brink of almost being slaved away by some werewolf, he ends up in the hands of Wulfric, an Alpha with a big soft heart.

This was something else, I tell ya. Both characters are broken is some way and by finding each other they are able to heal from their pasts that have impacted their presents in such a prominent way. Their journey towards acceptance was beautiful.

There is literally nothing to fault this book. The pace was perfect. Spice, impeccable. Healing, done thoroughly and my leave you teary-eyed (especially with what Wulfric had to endure alone. My big guy, ㅠ-ㅠ)

Kieran is a force to be reckoned with. I've got to applaud this guy for his strength and resilience all throughout the book. There were times where I though he was a little passive, but boy, was I wrong. He wasn't passive at all. He rather waited for the right moment to do things. He, as someone who deals with his own mental illness and has history with therapy, is perfect for the broken man who tries to fill in a role that he feels isn't worthy to fill. And plus, Kieran's slapbacks will forever be my favorite thing in the world.

"I wish there was another way. That the demons that plague you could take on a physical form.”

“Why?” he whispers, his lips inches from mine.

“I’d fight them all for you, and I wouldn’t stop until I’d won.”

Wulfric is a man of men, his is an absolute gentleman. Yes, he and Kieran got off the wrong foot in the beginning but when I tell you how much I swooned when he made Kieran food? I swooned! Wulfric has a soft side within that he only, later, shares with his mate. He wasn't supposed to fall for him but can't seem to shake off those feelings. The fierce dedication he has for Kieran is out of this world. And I'm glad he was able to face a few things he had been shying away from because of Kieran's help.

These two are made for each other. The compliment each other, bring out the best and worst in each other and absolutely adore each other.

If you are into werewolves/vinkings, hurt/comfort, enemies-to-lovers, captive/captor, intense sexual tension, touch him and die vibes, then check out this book. You will NOT regret it.

//ARC Review//

[rebecca]

(2.5/5) This book felt like one of my dreams. There's a cool and interesting idea behind it, but there were holes, missing steps, unfinished thoughts, and little to no explanation for anything. Reading this book was pretty frustrating, to be honest.

I really enjoyed the whole time travelling, fated mates and shifter aspect of the story, but the way this story was told was almost a disaster. Nothing really made much sense and there was far too little explanation of more or less every single aspect of the plot.

I ended up finishing the book after all (which was a bit of a surprise). As I said, I liked the basic idea, but that was the only reason I finished it.

[Steph]

I really and truly do not like the time travel trope. But, one of my Reading Resolutions this year is to branch out of my comfort zone. I got a winner my first try.

I love shifter novels and this one has a fun take on them that I've never read before.

The time travel was kind of weird, but I like that it's easy for them to go back and forth. Kind of felt like a cop out, but still fun.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review

[NitaBee]

Kieran and his friend Amanda visit Iceland’s Viking World Museum. There’s a painting of a warrior.

“His name was Wulfric Wolf-Heart.” “He was real?” I gawk up at the picture. “Apparently. It says here that based on his remains and the offerings buried with him, he was nobility, revered by his people. He was a jarl. That was the highest rank, secondary to only a king back then.”

Looks like Kieran has an ex boyfriend-Mark- who cheated on him.

A random odd but sweet lady makes Kieran a wood carving , a wolf with runes for travel and home. For free. It feels precious to Kieran.

Kieran takes a boat trip. There’s a storm , a fog, an iceberg!! He’s swept into the ocean , and is saved by cosplaying Vikings who imprison him and try to sell him.

‘Oh shit. I’m not in the twenty-first century anymore. Somehow, I’ve gone back in time to the age of the Vikings. Jarl Wulfric Wolf-Heart marches onto the stage and says in a deep, low voice, “That one is not for sale.”’

Kieran is now in the Isle of Ulfheim, Off the Coast of Iceland, Year 831

Kieran is Wulfric ,the alphas mate. But humans are their biggest threat and well … he’s a human.

‘Doesn’t he feel the same pull I feel toward him? Can’t he hear the song between our wolves, telling us our hearts are finally one? Even if he lost his furs and can’t shift, he should still be able to feel that connection.’

Wulfric is horrified to learn his mate is human and rejecting him. Kieran is freaking the fuck out.

‘Blowing out a breath, I blink up at the tent ceiling. Time travel is real. Werewolves, or ulf-whatever he called them, are real, too.’

Kieran lets Wulfric know he’s a time traveler.

The random wolf calving lady is Wulfric’s aunt, Helga!

“Oh, lad,” she says. “This is your home now. Your place is here, with your mate.”

Forced proximity. Wulfric’s needs Kieran to keep his humanity and Kieran needs his protection.

Anders , Wulfric’s brother, wants to be alpha . He sets up Kieran .

Kieran has to go through a trial , which he wins . There’s a ceremony and he transforms into a wolf.

‘I’ve got to leave before I start believing in all this werewolf soulmate crap.’

There’s a wedding ceremony and Kieran is in heat. Kieran and Wulfric consummate their marriage.

Kieran doesn’t want to leave now. But he has anxiety, he doesn’t have medication in this timeline.

Kieran also wants to make changes in the wolf community, which angers Anders.

Anders has some villagers attack Kieran.

There is a duel between Wulfric and Anders. Wulfric wins and Anders is exiled.

Kieran goes back to his time to get some stuff, catch up with Amanda and runs into Anders working in a bookshop cafe.

‘Red bursts in Anders’s cheeks, his jaw tightening as he grinds his teeth. “I can’t kill them?” “No!” Jamie hisses, whirling toward him with his hands on his hips. He’s a foot shorter than Anders. A growl rumbles in Anders’s chest. “Can I maim them? Just a little bit.” Jamie throws him a sunny smile and bats his eyelashes. “No.”

Looks like Kieran will be time travelling a lot now.

“Wherever we go, no matter where we are, in your time or mine, you are my home. My pack. My heart and my mate. I love you, little rabbit.”

[Library_of_a_Trashpanda]

I love a shifter book and this definitely hit the spot.

As someone of Scandinavian descent, I love Vikings and all the lore and mythology surrounding that time. So to find out there was a wolf shifter, viking, and time travel book? I was in so freaking fast. Thank you Ravenna for letting me be on the team to read and review.

We start our time with Kieran and end up back in time, found and chained by Vikings. It’s not as kinky and you want it to be 😉. When Kieran meets Wulfric, he realizes he needs more than some Ruby slippers to get him home. We get a good start with the enemies to lovers, I don’t want to have to rely on you vibe.

There’s some family drama and drama with the pack ( Did I mention Wulfric is the Alpha?). Kieran has to prove his loyalty and find his wolf, he has to earn his right to be Wulfrics mate, even if they’re fated.

And the spice? Dear lord it is top fuc*ing tier. Ravenna knows how to right a good fuc* and I love them for it. There are so many quotes that just lit my soul on fire 🔥

This was a fast paced quick read, and I loved it. I love that there seemingly are more books set up in this one, because as mentioned I am so here for Viking wolf shifters.

[eveeako]

2,3*
From beginning to, well, almost the very end, this series was one of the biggest hate-reads I have ever experienced.

The author had the misfortune of making me just interested enough that I wanted to know what happened next in the brothers' story. As a result, I felt compelled to keep reading the following books. And why is that unfortunate? Because the second book in particular made me feel so strongly that it's probably going to drag down her overall rating of the series a little.

But let's go back to the first book.

Honestly, I thought the author's take on werewolves—or not-quite-werewolves, depending on how you want to look at it—was interesting. As for the time travel aspect, there are more plot holes and logical inconsistencies than there are explanations, so I'd rather not even get into that.

I don't like Wulfrick. I never liked him, and there was never a point where I started liking him. Kieran, on the other hand, is a fairly normal character. I don't have strong feelings about him one way or the other.

The main reason for my low rating, however, is the writing style. And here I do have to praise the author, because this is something that improved significantly in the later books, which I'll mention again in my reviews of them.

In this first book, though, reading it felt like watching a stage play. The scenes were so fragmented that for most of the book I felt as though I had accidentally skipped two or three chapters. It was as if the author had decided to include only a montage of the "interesting" scenes while cutting out everything in between—the parts that are actually important for building a coherent story.

Every now and then we would learn that something had happened, that someone had done something, or that a character had behaved in a certain way. Sometimes we wouldn't even get that much.

As I said, in a way this story could have worked perfectly as a play, because it felt like a collection of loosely connected scenes. But when you put everything together, there were simply too many things that didn't make sense.

[Stephanie (NovelBound1813)]

I thought this was a really interesting book and a cool interpretation of time travel and wolf shifters. I liked the two main characters and I kept imagining what it would be like to be thrown into a world so different than the one you know. The story lagged a little bit in the middle and some of the ending felt rushed. I liked the ending, though I still have questions about how this would all work. But at the end of the day it's sci-fi/fantasy so a little suspension of disbelief is called for.

I received a complementary ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

[Kelsey Rhodes]

3.5/5 stars! There were things about this story I really liked. The time-shifting element was cool and I liked the set up of Kieran's break up and journey to Iceland. I just wish I liked Wulfric more. The forced mate bond kind of bothered me and I don't know if I believed their chemistry. That said, there was some great mental health rep in the story and I'd read another book by this author.

[VersaiVex_Reads]

I LOOOVE the fated mates trope and THIS book did not disappoint!
Now this is not an insta love... but it for sure is an insta lust + a bit of kidnapping + time travel + tension building snark/ banter.

While these men are struggling to become a cohesive pairing for the Werewolf viking pack, never thought I'd ever say that lol, an enemy is looking to stir up trouble not only for our bickering men... but for the pack as well.

I did not know I needed this story until I got totally sucked in. I couldn't put this down, I had to know what was going to happen next and when these men finally get down and knotty.

There is a constant push and pull with each man representing the past and the present. There is a lot of compromise and grace these men need in order to thrive as a couple.

Once a deal is struck between our wolfie lovers, the book gains momentum with a potential end.
There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the book from unknown enemies, fighting the past AND a lot of talk about mental health. Which I feel makes the men very suited to each other in the long run.

This was a great fast paced story, imo, with enough going on to keep the plot going & still make you gain interest. I really is a story of finding not only yourself but finding that one person who really makes you want to be the best you possible. While the bickering and banter really fuel Kiernan & Wulfric to complete their bond... it's the soft and sore moments that really bring them to life and want you to root for them to be strong together.

If you are looking for a fated werewolf vikings mate + a ton of bickering + pretty robust chemistry + soft sweet moment + meddling aunt + some strange mix of brothers.... look no further. It has all the goodness of fated mates and overflowing passion but also the realness of personal struggles.

[MJ's Book Blog and Reviews]

Review by: Jennifer
(5 Stars)

Kieran goes on a vacation to Iceland with his bestie, a good way to get over his cheating ex, and a way to start his next chapter. He had no clue that his next chapter would involve him traveling back in time and learning that there are wolf shifters and fated mates. But the time that he has gone back to, the shifters aren't fans of full humans and in fact the full humans are their slaves. All Kieran wants is to go back to his own time, and strikes up a deal with Wulfric, the man claiming they are mates. If Kieran will let Wulfric claim him, Wulfric will make sure that Kieran returns to his time and life. What happens once Kieran is claimed; will he have a change of heart?

It has been a long time since I dove into a time travel story, but the blurb called out to me, the whole MM, shifter, fated mates things, and not gonna lie, I was nosey as heck and wanted to see just how this was pulled off. Beautifully! Absolutely loved how the author pulled the whole thing together, we are getting drama, danger, violence, hot naughty bits and a story that I just inhaled in one sitting. I give this 5 stars.

[Becky]

When I started this, I was a bit worried it was going to have too much going on. Time travel, fated mates, plus shifters seems like a lot to fit in one book with everything making sense and having a good storyline. But Ravenna did a great job with it. There was enough world building that everything made sense without being overpowering. There was some good conflict and steam, plus a great cast of characters. I wasn't a huge fan of the time travel towards the end of the book. I thought the second trip especially either needed to not happen or be expanded. And I get that it's a bonus scene for newsletter subscribers, but honestly I hate reading those in general. There were some great setups for upcoming books, and I'm hoping we get all the brothers' stories eventually!

I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest review

[Molly Otto]

What starts with a vindictive at best relationship builds into two souls combining into one harmonious unit. Being thrown back into time isn't easy, and then mixing in ulfhednar (viking werewolves) is real! To top that being paired with a fated mate who you can't exactly stand makes Kienans anxiety disorder fly through the roof. Wulfric isn't exactly happy with who fate paired him with in this weak human who doesn't even have a wolf skin of his own. With a tribe not easily accepting of change, Kiernan helps show them a softer side in this hard, fought, and hard earned life. When push comes to shove, these men learn to trust and work with each other for the betterment of their tribe. The author did a beautiful job in addressing mental health issues and making you feel the turmoil. Leads you to see the growth in the men when they move forward from their pain to be a better mate. It is truly a special read and will be anxiously awaiting to see whose tale we get next.

[Cynthia M Brow]

Heart of a Wolf is the first book in the new Viking Wolves series by CJ Ravenna. This is the story of Kieran a modern day human and Wulfric a Viking werewolf. Kieran visits Reykjavik, Iceland after a breakup and gets sent to the past where he meets Wulfric who takes him captive. I loved CJ Ravenna's take on werewolves. I really loved that both main characters have issues that need to be worked through. I couldn't put this book down once I started it. Everything about this book was great, the steam, the use of Norse mythology, and the storyline. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book as a 5 star read.

[Shellfish]

Wow, what a journey, and never a dull moment. the heart of a wolf by CJ Ravenna is Thrilling and absorbing. what fabulous storytelling, it was interesting and complex. Honestly, I didn’t want it to end. It was so good. I can’t wait for more Viking werewolves and time travel. Wulfric’s brothers deserve their HEA.
I would love to have a book discussion about this book.
I have received an ARC and this is my honest opinion

[Winter dweller]

DNF 50%

[Liz]

I'm a fan of werewolves and a fan of growly vikings, so this was a delight plus add in some time travel and I'm a squealing happy girl. This was cute, so full of sass and banter and gave me all the warm, squishy feelings. I loved these two, they are both trying to heal from their own life events, and fate decides to throw two men from different times together. The differences made for some equally awkward and hilarious interactions.

[Roxanna Mascarenas]

I am not much of a PNR fan, but I have absolutely fallen in love with works from this author.
This is a interesting story with time travel will shifters the ability to claim your own shifting ability, which was unique in my opinion, not to be born with the ability and a unique twist on finding your happily ever after I someone finding you. The extended family was great and I look forward to more stories of them and with the unique aspect of the time travel that is in this book opens up an absolutely wonderful world of possibilities.

[juli✨]

i wish the book leaned into the time travel aspect a lot more than it did. unfortunately, everyone seemed totally fine with this random human man spawning into the year eight hundred or something… still, this read was definitely a fun time.

[Trish Skywalker]

CJ brings us to a whole new world and I absolutely loved it!!!
Kieran is not at his best. After walking in on his boyfriend with another man, his best friend takes him away on a trip to Iceland. He’s sad and anxious, but the trip has been a good distraction. Until a whale watching tour goes horribly wrong, and Kieran ends up in the freezing cold waters, falling fast. But he doesn’t land on the ocean floor, he ends up hundreds of years in the past, a prisoner on a Viking ship.
Them in a twist of fate, he is claimed by Wulfric, a great Viking warrior and an Ulfhednar: a man who can turn into a wolf. Not only is he huge and frightening, he’s also kind of an alpha hole. Kieran doesn’t care how hot he is, he will find a way out of this deal.
Wulfric needs a mate to tame his inner beast; Kieran needs protection and a way home. Their tentative truce becomes easier the more time they spend together, and Wulfric can see Kieran’s strength, and Kieran can see Wulfric’s softer side. But not everyone is happy with their alpha taking a human mate, and soon the two will have to fight for each other or lose their new bond. Their romance is slow burn, spicy, and sweet, and I loved how patient and understanding they were with each other.
I also loved Wulfric’s brothers (well two of them 🤣) and I hope we get to see more of them!

[Samantha Hale]

I mean… it’s not good. There are so many plot holes, and the conversations loop in ways that become genuinely annoying. Characters have the exact same conversations multiple times as if they’ve never had them before. There’s almost no build or tension; the plot doesn’t really lead anywhere. Instead, it throws out multiple “high stakes” conflicts that end up resolving with no real consequence.

The emotional depth is basically nonexistent, which is extra disappointing given that this book is marketed as having strong mental health representation. It doesn’t. It’s shallow and poorly executed.

And finally… we’re expected to believe that a gay musician from New York defeats an actual wolf after one week of training? Be serious. I should have DNF’d right there instead of wasting more of my time.

2 stars… because, hey, you did in fact write a book. Pat on the head.

[Catarina Águas]

ARC review

I really liked this book. I am not a big fan of time travel but I loved it in here.
Kieran was awesome, he didn't let anyone make him feel bad or be the boss of him. His life was his and he would do with it what I wanted. He made a total simp of Wulfric, I loved it.
Wulfric wasn't expecting his mate to be Kieran and he tried to resist the pull but there was no use, for either of them.
Kieran's home was with Wulfric in the past and there was that

[DLB2572]

Kieran & Wulfric

This was a very interesting take on several different tropes. Kieran traveling through time to find his wolf shifter fated mate, Wulfric, made for an entertaining story. I'm looking forward to the next books of the series.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Sandy Kay]

Modern human meets Viking wolf shifter in this uber-romantic fated-mates time travel romance.

I sat back and enjoyed the time traveling tension-filled ride. Haven’t read a time travel in ages! Glad to return to it! And the Viking village/way of living felt authentic to this know-nothing layperson.

Present day Kieran is on a trip to Iceland, getting over an abusive, gaslighting ex, with his bestie when he’s part of a boat accident, nearly drowns, and winds up plucked out of the sea by a huge man in Viking cosplay.

Turns out the cosplay...is real, and he’s gone back in time, and oh, he’s about to be sold as a thrall and forced into lifelong servitude. Lucky for him, the hottest man he’s ever seen strides up and puts an end to that...except...this man—Wulfric—is now saying Kieran belongs to him and must stay by his side for all time.

Say whoa...what?

It’s entertaining to see Kieran fight his pull to the at-first awful and closed-off Wulfric, who leaves him cuffed to the bed in his dwelling but soon shows a softer side. Turns out his “rescuer” is alpha to a clan of actual wolf shifters, and Kieran is his...fated mate?! Yup.

But Kieran is human. And humans are the long-time enemy of the Viking wolf shifters, so this match is unacceptable to everyone. Except Wulfric MUST have Kieran, or he’ll go beserker mad and lose everything.

Lots of pack-angst to overcome, with no one accepting Kieran, least of all one of Wulfric’s three brothers, who believes he should be alpha in Wulfric’s place. There’s some danger and betrayal alongside sweet getting to know you efforts, and high-heat steamy times, and Kieran’s attempts to return to his own time that soon seem less important that his growing fascination with the man who swears they belong together. Strong romantic conflict, an intriguing cast of secondary characters (love Wulfric’s aunt, Helga, who is rather responsible for the whole mess...!)

The obstacles turn out to not actually be obstacles, so it seemed a little silly everyone was so upset about Kieran being a human, given the solution is right there... Plus, it turns out deciding to stay or go isn’t...really an issue? And the conflict and resolution with the angry brother was rather idealistic to the point of convenience, but, hey, looks like a fun continuing books are in the works for all the wolfy brothers. Wulfric’s arc with coming to terms with his painful past added a strong layer to the read.

HEA, fated mates, modern time traveler going backward, sexy-times claiming, including a spontaneous heat, wolf shifters, Viking world. No cheating or any others in any way, apart from mentions of Kieran’s execrable ex coming up a little too much on repeat. F that guy! Some repetition, but, really just a thoroughly entertaining read. Recommended, and looking forward to the next book!

My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.

[Corey]

Synopsis:
After a breakup, Keiran takes a trip to Iceland, only to find himself pulled into the past. And there, he learns of gods, magic, and werewolves. Oh, and also meets Wulfric, an alpha wolf that claims that Keiran is his fated mate.

❤️ MM Paranormal Romance
🧡 Time Travel
💛 Wolf Shifters
💚 Fated Mates
💙 Touch him and di3 x 2
💜 Heat Cycles and Knotting

Highlights:
- Mental Health Rep
- Cool Shifter Lore
- “Little Rabbit”
- Unique and beautiful Iceland Setting

Recommend?
Yes: if you enjoy fated mate or werewolf romance and want a little twist!

No: if you dislike big bearded men.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

"Heart of a Wolf" by CJ Ravenna is an MM romance set in the beautiful Icelandic tundra. The story follows Keiran as he's transported back in time to the age of Vikings and meets Wulfric, the alpha of a village of wolf shifters. While first impressions may leave much to be desired, these two men eventually find trust and love despite trauma, mental health struggles, human discrimination, and an attempt to overthrow Wulfric from position.

Ratings:
Overall: 4/5 hearts - I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It had the fated mates / werewolf romance elements that I love, while also adding some unique elements that just made the whole experience enjoyable.

Peppers: 3/5 - Spice is a prominent feature but it starts a little later in the book and there's a lot of plot that affects the overall ratio.

Spice: 5/5 - The spice is so frickin' good. It's hot as hell. There's heat sex and knotting which I can never get enough of, but also romantic moments and animalistic mating. So of course it's a 5 from me.

Plot: 4/5
- Storyline: The storyline itself is surprisingly complicated, but not overly so. There's just a lot going on, including mental health struggles, learning to get along/falling in love, and even an attempt to overthrow Wulfric's leadership. But all of these threads melt together beautifully and it never felt confusing.

- Characters: Wulfric and Keiran are both interesting, likeable, and flawed characters. I really liked their contrast in morals and how that created tension. They both struggle with mental health in different ways and it was heartwarming to see them manage that together. I also really loved how CJ still had Keiran relying on medication for his anxiety instead of making it a "magic says I'm cured now" type situation.

- Writing Style: This was my first book by CJ and I will definitely be reading more. Their writing style is smooth and silky for me. It was so easy to read and was a real joy to experience.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me over on Instagram: @rainbow.reviews.mm
I share reviews with half-decent graphics, new release promos, and reading updates.

[Caroline Griffith]

This was a wonderful start to a series about the Viking Wolves and their love. In Book 1, we meet Wulfric and his human mate, Kieran. Kieran is from modern times, visiting Iceland after a break-up from a serious relationship, he's thrown from a boat and sent to a time where Vikings who shift to wolves rule the land. He encounters a man, Wulfric who instantly knows Kieran is his mate but also fears that he is human and will destroy his family and his people. We also learn that Wulfric is the alpha and his words and actions tie directly to the survival of the people. Humans have posed a threat and at one time directly impacted his people causing the loss of many they all loved.

Through this journey to love, we meet, Anders, Lyall, and Gunnar who are Wulfric's brothers and up until this point confidants. All three men have past hurt which affects them every day, but they all have different ways to cope. Anders is full of rage and anger toward his Alpha, years of resentment bubble to the surface with the arrival of a human. Lyall once loved and lost but not through death rather betrayal of his brethren there is more than meets the eye but he knows the betrayal may be too deep to overcome. Gunnar is still deeply engulfed in the grief of losing his chosen mate, Leif, and their son in battle. He chooses to be on his own while waiting for the berserker to take hold and punish him.

Now to our MMCs, Keiran is a former musician who through the words and actions of his previous partner is struck with feeling less than and worries that does not have the will to survive his latest trial. His debilitating anxiety plays a major role in his day-to-day life and he fears that he will not be able to be the man Wulfric desires. Wulfric has found his fated mate and he has a major strike against him, he's a human. Between Kieran's ill feelings toward Wulfric and Wulric's propensity to not not Kieran, it seems that the universe chose wrong and there is no way for them to be together. While trust slowly begins to form, Anders is there to shut things down and carry out his misguided frustrations. When all seems lost, Kieran must fight to show he belongs and Wulfric must allow him to do so. Kieran becoming a new and stronger version of himself unlocks another passionate part of his spirit. Wulfric offers a mutual promise for both men but little do they know that a dip in the hot springs will set into motion love, devotion, reverence, and trust but also pain, destruction, and revenge.

This story well exceeded my expectations and as we received small glimmers of the other brothers, I truly hope he get to see their love stories unfold. There are some twists and turns heard our way and I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo for it!