Heart of Winter

The Drake Chronicles #1

by Lauren Gilley

“It so happened that Oliver’s father was a profligate, a playboy, and an exceptional warrior. He was also not at all married to Oliver’s mother, a washerwoman, who died when Oliver was only six.”

Oliver Meacham, bastard nephew of the Duke of Drakewell, and a massive disappointment to his father, has just lost all his male relatives to the war with the invading Sels from the West. Without an heir, the duchy of Drakewell stands to fall into enemy hands, unless one of Oliver’s cousins can marry a lord with an army strong enough to defend it – which is how he finds himself escorting his cousin Tessa to the Great Northern Wastes; to the kingdom of Aeretoll, with a hope that Tessa might wed the fearsome warrior king who rules there, Erik Frodeson, in order to protect her people.

But the stern, forbidding Erik refuses to marry. He offers his nephew’s hand to Tessa instead. And to Oliver he offers insult, challenge – and the sorts of loaded glances that leave Oliver as flustered as he is furious.

Tessa doesn’t relish the prospect of marrying for a political alliance, but she’s ready to fulfill her duty to her family and people – even more so when she realizes that she won’t have to wed the churlish Erik, but his charming nephew, instead. Only…the king has two nephews. And Tessa has a choice to make.

The Drake Chronicles is a slow-burn fantasy series, full of court intrigue, adventure, drama, dragons, and passionate romance. Heavily influenced by Viking history and mythology, the series follows the intertwining stories of multiple couples as they fall in love, and fight to save their families, and their kingdoms.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Historical, Dragons, LGBT, Slow Burn

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 16, 2020

About the author

Wrote some stuff.

Reviews

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| 3.5 stars ||

➛First read: July 2022 | ★3.5 stars
➛Second read: September 2023 | ★3.5 stars

This is a fantasy story with a big focus on political alliances, family dynamics and romance.
The book takes place in a fictional world where Oliver and his cousin, Tessa, travel to 'The North' where Tessa will be expected to marry the cold, stoic and older king Erik, since their homeland needs a bigger army to fight their ongoing war. However, upon their arrival, king Erik quickly makes it clear he has no intention of marrying the young girl, and instead offers she chooses between his two eager cousins, one of which will be the heir to the throne after him. Meanwhile, Erik develops affections of his own, but instead they are directed at Oliver.

The main love story in this is definitely the one between Erik and Oliver. It is very much a slow-burn, and I loved Erik’s tentative courting of Oliver. Once Erik decided he wanted Oliver, he was so gentle and soft with him, and I found it quite sweet. Opposingly, Oliver was doubtful and unsure of their growing relationship, since he felt inadequate as a delicate Southern bastard to be with a Northern warrior king. This led Oliver to be scared to try anything between them, but he was still confident in all other matters of life, and I really liked him. I could see why Erik would fall for him, and also the other way around.

“But I’m only a bastard,” Oliver said, weakly.
“You are mine. And I will not have it said that you are anything less than the highly-esteemed, brilliant, beautiful object of my deepest affection.”

The love triangle between Tessa, Rune and Leif was mostly a side-romance, which made it hard to really get invested in it. Besides, I found their love to be a bit simple anyway, which could quite possibly come from the fact that Tessa as well as Rune were and acted very young.
It also didn’t help matters that Tessa obviously preferred Rune, who was like an overeager puppy and appeared to be a bit of an air-head, while I saw much more potential in Leif as a love-interest. I really wasn’t feeling the direction the love triangle was taking, and thus enjoyed it even less.

I also have to say that I wasn’t really a big fan of the writing style. It was far too drawn-out and all the many descriptions tended to bore me.

Nonetheless, I did really like the plot and the setting, and it definitely had some interesting things going on. I also felt invested in Erik and Oliver’s romance, and would have preferred to have seen even more of it.
Overall, I genuinely enjoyed reading this, and I’m pretty curious about the sequel.


'The Drake Chronicles':
1. Heart of Winter - 3.5 stars
2. Edge of the Wild - 3.5 stars

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start?🤔
Perhaps reinforcing that I'm not a fan of historicals? 🥴 or fantasy.😖
But Bev's review for Heart of Winter's sequel popped in my feed and I thought, hold on just a second, Jan! Go back there.
Lauren Gilley? Historical? Fantasy? MM?
THAT Lauren Gilley? the one who wrote Dartmoore Series ​one of my all-time favourite bikers series?



I am impressed beyond words. How does the same author manage to create two such different universes?

Erik, the King.


A friend questioned me about the authenticity of the historical dialogue and I'm gonna let you down here. I haven't read enough historicals to make this call. However, I'm ready to gush love about all the rest!


I loved this!
The slow burn.
The incredibly fleshed-out characters!!!
The enthralling winter atmosphere created.
The world-building, fascinating, rich in precious details, such as the man long hairstyles with braids, and beads. Oh my... be still my heart. The.Beads.

“You may refuse, of course, but it would please me greatly if you would wear these. If you would allow me to braid them into your hair.”

Oliver, the bastard.

Oliver was full of personality, so funny, sharp, clever, dry and impertinent. And what a perfect fit for Erik. 🎯🥰

The king was certainly as handsome – gorgeous, his brain supplied, unhelpfully – as his nephews, but lacked all their charm.

No fantasy so far though. 🤔
Jumping straight to the next.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself extremely impressed by this fantasy MM story.

I think I can say that this also reminded me a bit of GRR Martin's storylines in 'A Song of Ice and Fire', but with the main focus on romance. And not just on a gay romance, mind you. This book was an all around surprise.

Also, the world building is very well done. There are some Viking influences along with European medieval hierarchies, but you gotta see all that for yourself. 

The story takes us to Aquitainia, a realm in the warm South that is currently under attack by the Sels. The Duke of Drakewell and his brother both died defending their lands and the duchy is left leaderless, vulnerable to further attacks.

Duchess Katherine is willing to wed off her youngest daughter Tessa to their former ally in the North, the King of Aeretoll, hoping to win the war with the help of the northern armies.

Accompanied by her bastard cousin Oliver, Tessa travels north, into the cold wilderness, where muscled men with hairy chests and wild manes rule (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Tessa immediately takes a liking to the King's young nephews Leif and Rune, who both woo the beautiful southern girl like crazy. However, the King himself, Erik, remains unimpressed and vastly uninterested in forging a bond through marriage, offering one his nephews instead.

Oliver hates the king for turning down Tessa and a direct alliance with the south. But it's hard for him to be mad at the man for long. After all, the king takes a liking to Oliver. Plus, he looks like this:

 

Enough said. 

Also, this is cold and wild Aeretoll, where men are tall, muscled, hairy chested, soaking in the nude in natural hot springs and when they're not out to kill enemies with their bare hands, they braid their long hair and put sparkling beads into it - which is absolutely cute.
Like Arnold Schwarzenegger caught knitting.

Yes, I may have asked myself once or twice why King Erik falls in love with Oliver. Oliver seemed a bit uptight and not really approachable most of the time. But apparently 'hard to get' is exactly what Erik is looking for.

But whenever I caught myself wondering, I was surprised by the many small plot hints the author keeps throwing at us: Altered history books, a glorious past, a drake not being a duck after all and a mysterious man who could revive the old glory from times long gone.

I guess we'll get more of that in book 2. I can hardly wait.

Definitely a great fantasy recommendation!

5 stars

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️]

New Lauren Gilley?

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5* This author always impresses me with her skillfully written stories. Specifically, the Dartmoor motorcycle club series.

Here she creates a fantasy world and blends a mixed feeling of medieval, Vikings and a dash of GoT. From political intrigue to the depth of family bonds, this story weaves together themes of love, loyalty, and legacy.

But Oliver had loved books more than swords. His mother hadn’t been literate, what little of her he remembered, but she’d loved stories; would spin him yarns while she worked.

Not every hero is meant to be a warrior.

I was instantly drawn in to the sweet charm of Oliver the bastard (30), and the magnetic presence of King Erik (43). Every character here brings their own unique flair to the story, including Oliver's cousin Tessa (16) and the two men vying for her attention, Leif (22) and Rune (17). The dynamics among the clans add layers of tension and depth, while the hint of legends is the promise of adventure. At its core, this story is a tale of vulnerability and strength.

Fantasy
Gay romance
Family love
Political intrigue
Hurt/comfort
Sloooow burn
Gentle giant
Emotionally intelligent characters

And be still my heart, all those tiny moments, the looks, the braided hair, and the beads!!!

“You are mine. And I will not have it said that you are anything less than the highly-esteemed, brilliant, beautiful object of my deepest affection.”

There were moments when the writing bordered on excess, slogging down the narrative with overly descriptive passages. While this may have distracted slightly from the overall experience, did not diminish my appreciation for the richness of this beautiful story.

Oliver swallowed. “They changed the banners and shields.”

“And the history texts. Everything you ever read was crown-approved.” He dragged a fingertip around the edges of an illustration, a harnessed, saddled dragon with its head butted affectionately against its rider’s shoulder.

I can’t wait to dive into book two!

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fickle, mood reading ass had no idea what I felt like reading when I picked this up and I entered in to it with a hope and a prayer AND I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID BECAUSE THIS WAS SO GOOD! politics, violence and romance 🤌🏼

Oliver, the bastard nephew of the Duke of Drakewell, suddenly finds himself as the only living male in the family after his father, uncle and elder cousin are all struck down in a war against the Sel. In the brief ceasefire with the enemy, Oliver is made to accompany his niece, Tessa, to the Great Northern Wastes intending to arrange her marriage to the fearsome Warrior King of great renown Erik Frodeson, in the hopes that they will assist in the defence against the Sel (think Viking vibes). Upon arriving, Erik refuses the marriage but instead proposes her betrothal to one of his two nephews and heirs and instead Erik finds his attention being captured by Oliver and his quick mind.

The slow burn romance between Erik and Oliver was DEVINE, it tickled me just right! Between the antagonism melting into friendship and affection, and the hurt/comfort and the slow building trust and respect 🤌🏻. Although I suppose it’s not technically a real slow burn when there is still 5 books in the series (but it still kind of is?)

Also, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the side plot of Tessa and building her relationship between the brothers Leif and Rune and who she ultimately will fall in love with and want to marry. I think it really speaks to the quality of character work that I (A SELF PROFESSED HATER OF LOVE TRIANGLES) loved both Leif and Rune and can see the dilemma before her and the choice she will need to make, as well as the love and loyalty that exists between the brothers (although really someone should have just made the choice cause it seems like a recipe for life long drama between the three).

The relationships exist in a wide split of ages with a more mature relationship between Oliver (30) and Erik (43) and very youthful first love dynamic with Tessa (16), Leif (22) and Rune (17).

Honestly the whole host of side characters are so great and the cliff hanger ending has me barreling on to the next book immediately.

And even though there isn’t any magic as such, you just know that there is going to be a slow burn to dragon riding here….I FEEL IT IN MY BONES….

Im rounding down this 4.5 stars only because I anticipate this series getting better and want room to score upwards in further instalments ❤️



But when he opened his mouth, he croaked, “Hot.” Because he was– he was boiling.

Erik’s broad hand shifted to his forehead, then his throat. “Yes, you are,” he muttered. “You’re blazing with fever. Hey– hey, don’t fall asleep. Stay awake, stay with me.”

But Oliver’s eyes were too heavy to keep open. “I would.” He was aware of his mouth moving, but had no control over it. “I would stay with you… if you asked me to… If you wanted me. I have… I have nothing. And you make me ache.”

Above him, there was a sharp breath. Then: “Holy gods.”

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for the 4th time in May 2023

This has lost nothing of its appeal. I adore book 1!
And this time, it's the humour that struck me. So many giggles and so many smiles!


Read for the third time

There are hardly any books I reread within 3 months of the first read.
And that I loved even more on the second read.
If I could give this book another 5 stars and bump its rating up to 10 out of 5, I would.

It was sheer bliss to read this slowly again, savour all the brilliant world building and detailed descriptions the author spoils us with, not even talking about Erik and Oliver. We know their story is heart-achingly wonderful.
(Only little niggle: I did notice all the small typos and editing errors I missed on my first inhale.)

Going straight to book 2, to prepare myself for the third book which will hopefully be released at the end of summer. So, so good!

original review

What a fabulous, breath-taking start to this series!
It certainly seems to have all the makings of an epic saga!



1. Lauren Gilley has created a highly imaginative and detailed universe I’m totally intrigued by. I couldn’t help thinking ‘Game of Thrones’ here, but, Thank God, it’s a lot kinder and lighter.
It’s like opening a fantasy picture book where you keep turning pages to find something new and interesting around every corner.

2. The MCs:
I adored both of them:


Loved Oliver’s cute sass, determination and willingness to stand up to anyone, even to folks who are twice his size and three times his muscle bulk. And his vulnerability really made me root for him.




But Erik kind of took my breath away and SSS (serious swoon sickness) took a hold of me pretty much from the start. Honest, loyal, kind and just, (not even talking about his physique and that HAIR!), he didn’t only blow Oliver away. There is also his tendency to lip-twitching stubbornness and an underlying, bone deep sadness about him. Sigh.

3. The romance:
So swoon-worthy! It’s a classic story line, but so brilliantly done, with some enemies-to lovers vibe at the beginning, slowly changing into a ‘king and pauper’ type romance. Oliver is ‘only’ a bastard after all and Erik a powerful king. That scene in the bath is 100% stand-out ‘I’ll remember it forever’ stuff!

4. the ‘side’ characters
No way could they be described as secondary. I have not often loved so many different people in a book. I feel I got to know and love them just like Oliver. And I adored how kind, friendly and caring they are. And how easy and relaxed their relationships play out.

Interestingly, there are a couple of other elements here, I didn’t expect and would normally shy away from, but which totally worked for me here:

.) multiple POV:
While Oliver’s POV is predominant for most of the book, we also get Tessa’s, Erik’s and other characters’. For some reason this works beautifully here, and I really liked it. It felt like watching a movie, tbh.

.) m/f:
Oliver and Erik are the centre of attention, but there is the love ‘triangle’ between Tessa, Leif and Rune. Apart from ‘courting’ not much else happens here, but strangely I’m totally invested in these people.
(This is the FIRST m/f I have come close to for about 7 years!)

My ramblings are highly inadequate for how much I enjoyed this! Try this, even if you don’t usually go for fantasy or m/f.

Hooked and invested. Heading for book 2.

[Lisazj1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, this book deserves some fabulous, magical words from me *as if, me of the fangirl gushing 🙄* but sorry, you're not going to get it. Because I have to go read the next book right now, and then see if I can persuade *bribe* Lauren Gilley to get on the next one right now. Because there has to be more, right? I’m telling you here and now, two books will not be enough for all these people. 🥰

Amazingly rendered characters, a great fantasy setting that also works well as a historical the dragons have not shown up yet but I'm pretty sure they will, danger, imminent war, magnificent slow-burn romance *of which I am not usually a fan but holy smokes, gimme more* and honestly, why am I still talking, I could be reading!!! 🤯




Right. Ok, I'm about to go ahead and follow the Pied Piper (aka Jan) and her lead-me-right-by-the-nose review here to Edge of the Wild.

Though first I have to say that every damn member of this family is so full of heart, I love them all. But I love Oliver and his smart mouth the best and he deserves all the good things. Which absolutely includes Erik! 🥰🥰

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I knew if many of my friends were slapping 5 stars on this book, I had to read it. They were right, it’s a 5 star read.

This isn’t my typical type of read, but I fell in love with the world building and all the characters. I especially adored Oliver. It definitely had a Game of Thrones vibe to with the setting in a far off land with scary rulers.

I can’t wait to start book 2, although I am a wee bit nervous with the author saying there is going to be at least 5 books in the series with book 3 scheduled to be released late summer. I hope there isn’t a long wait until book 4.

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third read through and I still didn't want to put it down!


-----Original review/impression (April 2021)----------
I fucking loved this. If I didn't need to sleep at all, I would have read the whole thing in a single sitting. As it was, I picked it up again with my coffee this morning and just kept reading... Now, onto book 2!

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5 - 5 Stars***

Story: ⚔⚔⚔⚔
Setting: 🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰
Worldbuilding: 🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺
MC1 Ollie: 📚📚📚📚📚
MC2 Erik: 🤴🤴🤴🤴🤴
Romance: 🕯🕯🌡🌡💥
Swoon-factor: 😍😍😍😍😍
Side characters: 🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
Editing: 🔎🔎

[Elisa Glendenning (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars

Really enjoyed this - a great introduction to the series!

What I Liked:

🧲 Opposites attract (smart mouth 30yo Ollie vs brooding 43yo King Erik)
🦥 Slow burn (patience is a virtue 😏)
👌 Fab characters to root for (MC’s😍 & secondary🥰)
🖋 Beautiful writing
🐉 Great world-building
🌲 Gorgeous winter wonderland backdrop

Despite my enthusiasm, I had a few issues (mainly during the second half):

⚔️ No actual fantasy elements (although all good things come to those who wait)
⚔️ Sedate pacing - a me thing because I typically prefer more action
⚔️ Whilst I did love the writing, the author tended to be overly descriptive at times
⚔️ The editing could have been better

Nonetheless, am excited to find out what’s in store next for Erik, Ollie and the rest of the crew - I hope Ragnar makes another appearance because I do love a bad boy 😏. As for the dragons - can’t wait!

[Nelly S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You don’t have to be the king when you’re alone with me. You can just be you.”

— m/m fantasy
— bastard/warrior king
— class differences
— slow burn
— age gap
— secondary m/f romance

This is a great start to a series that I’m dying to continue so this is going to be short and sweet. Imagine a duke’s bastard nephew, Oliver, who is orphaned and titleless. Although bookish, he is spunky and not afraid to speak his mind. A duchy left reeling and defenseless after losing its duke and heir in a brutal war. A grieving duchess determined to save the duchy by offering her daughter to a northern warrior king in the hopes of securing an alliance.

Oliver is charged with accompanying Tessa on this perilous journey and negotiating a marriage contract. He finds a fearsome, arrogant, and aloof king of Aeretoll, Erik. A king who has no intentions to marry and instead makes a counter offer: to have his heir, Leif, marry Tessa. Therefore a fascinating secondary romance emerges featuring a love triangle between Tessa and Leif and his brother. And finally drama ensues when Erik makes Oliver his royal consort, opening Erik up to allegations of falling under the influence of the South.

What I Loved
— Great characterization of MCs and secondary characters.
— Lush writing describing a harsh but picturesque winter landscape.
— A delicious slow burn.
— Mix of fantasy and a hint of historical romance.
— Interactions among Erik’s clan.
— Captivating m/f love triangle.

“But here now, with the fire crackling, holding one another, Oliver felt—for the very first time—not like a bastard, or a disgrace, or a sickly disappointment… but like someone who was wanted.”

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Definitely not my typical read, but really enjoyed this one.

The setting.
The characters.
The world building.
Oliver and Erik #swoon

Going to round down instead of up. Because.....#lengthaversion. This was long, a bit wordy and slow going.

But still 100% enjoyable and I am 100% invested and can't wait for more in the next book.

[Rosabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's finally time to review this and I am ready! ✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻

I love books like this with kingdoms and magic and weird stuff and guys that look like vikings *fans herself*, so when I read the blurb I was so in!!! And what can I say? This shit is good, it tells the story about several characters and how the Drakes after loosing everything they try to make a deal with the north, *that feel so GOT*... Anyways, Oliver and Tessa find themselves in Erik's domain and the story unfolds beautifully from there.

The worldbuilding, the development, the characters, everything was topnotch! We are in several povs throughout the book but mostly in Oliver's, I liked it because we got to know what all of the characters were thinking. It also allowed for all types of relationships and situations to happen. So I'll brake it down that way:

- Oliver and Erik:
Oliver is a bastard and Erik is a king, they fell in love in a slowburn that got me wanting to read faster. They were both good characters, Ollie, even though he's not strong and doesn't knows how to fight, has his own strength and I was so happy to see him putting people in their places left and right, including the king *wink wink*. Erik was an ass for a lot of the book, his feelings left him scared so he lashed out but then he got his shit together and it was lovely to see.

- Tessa/Leif/Rune
I hate love triangles! HATE THEM! And this was no different, don't get me wrong I loved the characters but watching what they go through is no fun. First of all, hello Leif, I'm available if u want to draw me like a French girl *bats her eyelashes*. Do I like Tessa with him? Nope, he's a girl still and she's too much like him, he needs something more so I agree on her crush for Rune, wich was weird to me because I never felt Rune liked her until he got stabbed, but what can u do? I read the next one and I know what happens so yeah, I volunteer as tribute for Leif with my eyes closed! Period!

The other characters like Bjorn, Revna, Magnus, etc... Were so good and so fun to read, I love when a king has insubordinate people. Loved the dynamics, the pace. Everything!! 🥰❤

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read January 2025

I decided to start this year with a re-read of this lovely series.

-------------------------------

I was very hesitant to start this. I was sure I would be the odd one out, the one who didn’t love this.

Well, I was wrong. And I’m so glad I was!

I admit that I expected this book to be ‘flashy’ from the start. To have a magical world and be immediately dropped into some sort of adventure. And I was so glad to find out I was wrong!

This isn’t a flashy book, filled with magical creatures from the start. No, this is a bit of a slow burn book. Relationship wise, and also with all things magic. And I loooooved that.

Oliver has been sent to the neighboring kingdom to accompany his cousin Tessa. Oliver’s aunt wrote king Erik a letter, promising him the hand of her daughter to secure an alliance.

When Oliver and Tessa arrive in the cold north, Oliver expected to be surrounded by barbarians. And while King Erik might be more stoic than Oliver would have wanted, all the people are also very kind to him and Tessa.

Erik makes it clear though that he is not to marry Tessa. In fact, Tessa can marry his nephew, the heir to the throne, Leif. Erik appears to want nothing to do with them.

Oliver isn’t sure what to think of the king, except that he is very handsome, with long braided hair (as is the custom in the north).

Erik does not want the pretty 16 year old girl. Her bastard cousin Oliver though. Him Erik wants. But Erik is a king, and kings do not put feelings before duty.

But when Oliver falls ill, Erik can’t deny his feelings any longer…

I absolutely loved all the characters in this. I’m not always a fan of multiple POV’s, but here it really worked. For one, we only get the occasional POV of Tessa, Leif, Rune or Revna (Leif and Rune’s mother), but it is still a book mostly about Oliver and Erik.

But while I’m not always a fan of the women in a book, here they were a delight. As were all the characters actually.

What I loved most about this book was that these people were all so kind. Yes, they got angry, but mostly they were all patient people who communicated. I’ve read so many books where I just didn’t like the people in it because they acted like children or let their emotions rule how they acted. Just an example: Leif and Rune are brothers and even though it is clear they both liked Tessa, it never resulted in a fight between them. They kept being loyal to each other. I loved that.

So I can honestly say that this series has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.

[Moony Eliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhh... don't mind me. DNF @53%.

I thought I was going to be able to muscle through this one despite my issues, but it just wasn't getting any better for me so I called it quits.

It was so promising. Creative setup and the writer clearly has skill... but. The constant expository dialogue and inner monologue really killed the characterization and the potential relationship tension. I wanted my red pen so badly; the over-explaining was so unnecessary.

(h/t to Teal about the Romance Cluestick™️ -- that second paragraph could have been my review here, too.)

My feed and friends list is FULL of glowing experiences with this book and series, so please take this with a grain of salt.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 'winter' stars

This book is fucking amazing!! I can't believe it took me so long to finally get to it. And huge thanks to Elisa, Claudie, and Rhosyo for bringing this series to my attention.

Of course, there's always room for improvement but this story was nearly perfect. There was a great balance between the plot and romance(s). Just the right amount of politics to keep things interesting and not too much romance (in a way you only wait for couples to get together) but enough to make me all mushy 😍

Also, I loved the worldbuilding. At first, I thought that the setting is kind of early medieval because, well Viking vibes, however, it's actually more like the late middle ages... think maybe Italian Renaissance but with Viking vibes, lol, which is truly all kinds of awesome, I mean what a combination! (My inner history geek is a fan.)

He said, ‘Knowing that you are to inherit is not a blessing or a thrill. It’s a weight that you carry with you always. To know that the safety and happiness of an entire people rests on your shoulders is a heavy thing.’”

As for the characters, I really liked the whole cast. Let's start with Oliver, who is maybe not a typical hero for a fantasy(ish) setting. He's not a warrior or a leader but where he lacks in fighting, he can certainly hold his ground in verbal battles. And he's a whole-time marshmallow!

“But I’m only a bastard,” Oliver said, weakly.
Erik gave his belt a tug, expression firming. “You are mine. And I will not have it said that you are anything less than the highly-esteemed, brilliant, beautiful object of my deepest affection.”

Erik!!! 💖💖 I'm so in love with him. He definitely is a warrior type of hero but so soft and sweet inside 😍😍 there's not a thing I wouldn't love about him and his relationship with Oliver is just a cherry on top of his character!

He was gorgeous, and Oliver wanted to climb him.
And he was a mortal man, and he’d been hurt before, and Oliver wanted to hold him, too.

“I want your hair through my fingers,” he whispered. His lips trailed down to Oliver’s ear. “I want it on my pillow. I want to wake up with my face buried in it.”
His hand slid down to cup the side of Oliver’s neck. And he kept whispering. “I want to see the marks of my teeth in your throat.” Callused fingertips strummed over his pulse, across his collarbone. “I want to drape you in gemstones and fine furs. I want you in my bed.” His hand opened against Oliver’s chest, over his galloping heart, and Oliver was helpless but to press into the touch, whimpering. He was melting against him.
Lower, throatier, while he crowded in closer: “I want to know what you taste like. I want to get on my knees for you.” The tip of his nose traced the edge of Oliver’s ear. “I want to be inside you. I want to keep you.”
“Oh.” Oliver moaned and swayed forward against him, his imagination vivid and wild, his blood deliciously overheated. “That – that, all of that – you can have it. You can have everything. Please–”
Then Erik kissed him.

Tessa is the kind of female lead I adore. Women don't need to be fighting types to be badass and she's all kinds of a strong girl without needing to fight for it. Also, she's adorable and I can't wait how this love 'triangle' will resolve. Though I have my suspicions, hehe



Leif is a very intriguing character. I have a feeling there is so much more about him than we know so far. He sure hides some kind of secret. And what's going on with him and Ragnar. I mean, he's awfully interested in him.



Rune is my baby. Omg, he's so cute, I just want to squishy hug him and keep him safe. My baby didn't deserve what happened to him and I NEED him to be alright!


yeah, can't decide about his visuals, kind of Aethelstan and Cynlaef love child, that would be perfect

There are many more interesting characters that I like. Actually, so many that a list of characters at the end would be appreciated. I'm really looking forward to seeing how everyone's storylines will intertwine and crash together.

There hasn't been really any fantasy elements so far but I'm sure that dragons are on the way. I mean, it was kind of hinted. And maybe magic too? That would be awesome. So excited for the next book 🤩

5 'winter' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4,5 'I needed more Erik & Oliver' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐

[Rhosyo MT · Rating 5 out of 5]

May 2021. First read
Excellent! It delivered some of the best heart melting love scenes and dialogs I’ve read in a long time.

So many interesting characters, I can’t wait to read all their stories unfold (and hopefully more love stories like the one in this first book for many of them❤️).

Loved that the Main couple was a little bit older than usual. Oliver was a 30 yo man with an amazing personality, he was brave and smart with some personal and health problems that far from weakening him, made him really hero material in how he fought and dealt with them. I loved how he dealt with all the difficult moments he was thrown to, cold headed and brave, aware of his own limitations and never losing his backbone.
And Erik was a 43 yo seasoned king and EVERYTHING you could expect from a red blooded Viking warrior with a secretly romantic heart. Some of the personal thoughts he had towards Ollie made me cry like a schoolgirl.

I need more of this viking fantasy world, please. Let those dragons come!
.........

July 2022. First re-read
Second read, right after finishing book4 bc I just had to read all this again! and it was as good as I remembered. Butterflies in my stomach Good.

*In this first book it is said Nali inherited his father’s tittle only six months prior the Yule feast by the end of the book. I thought he was Corpse Lord since he was a baby? Maybe I was wrong, or maybe LG change a little the story as she kept writing?

[Mo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly feel as if I read a completely different book to my friends. *** - 2.5 stars! - ***

Touted under the genres "Fantasty/Romance/MM/Historical" - now, as 'they' say, 'two outta three ain't bad' but three out of four is even better ... "Fantasy" is the one genre I don't really read. Have dipped in maybe once or twice. But "Romance, Historical, MM", yes, three of my favourite genres. Let me just get one question out of the way "how in the world is this book a 'fantasy' book?" I suppose if you look up the definition of "fantasy", the author has ticked some of the boxes, but very lightly, if you ask me ...

What’s the best definition for the fantasy fiction genre? Fantasy genre stories revolve around magic or supernatural forces, rather than technology. Stories from the fantasy genre are set in fanciful, invented worlds or in a legendary, mythic past that rely on the outright invention of magic. Knights, wizards, kings, and dragons are all common in fantasy, but aren’t always required. Swordplay, archery, horseback riding, and spell-casting are also staples of the fantasy genre.

We had the the invented world, the king, the swords, the horseback riding. But, c'mon now, you have all these in a regular Historical book ... so touting it as "fantasy" is a bit of a push for me.



OLLIE - not sure what age he was supposed to be. Tessa was sixteen. As far as I remember from reading, he wasn't much older than her... I don't think he was more than twenty years old. Maybe those who loved the book will know if it was specified in the book ... I started skimming so I may have missed it.


ATTENTION! I have been reliably informed by Ms. Karen that Oliver is in fact "Thirty". Thank you Karen ... the following picture then is how the rest of you see Ollie. I still think he came across as a teenager/YA (didn't seem like a thirty year old to me)!!


ERIK -Erik was 43 - that was definitely mentioned. Acted like a smitten, teenage schoolboy half the time, if you ask me.


I have read four of Gilley's books in the Dartmoor series and really enjoyed them. She is a talented author so this is why I gave this one a shot. And EVERYONE of my friends. I mean, seriously, EVERYONE gave it four and five stars.

Oliver Meacham, bastard nephew of the Duke of Drakewell

It is in the book description ... Oliver is a bastard. But in case you forgot it, the author mentions it again FORTY THREE times in the book.

Oliver, bastard son of Alfred,
As a bastard,
The bastard,
The disappointing bastard son,
He was a bastard,
Asking a visiting bastard,
You stupid bastard,
Only a bastard
The bastard?,
Are you the bastard?,
Titleless bastard,
King and bastard,
A bastard foreigner ... and on and on and on and on ...

I think we "got it" the first or twenty second time. OK, OK, I will shut the fuck up now. It just got a little bit annoying after a while (yes, I hear some of you thinking the same about me and this review).

Anyway, that is my take on the book. Was not a bit impressed. What happened in the end with Tessa? Her choice? Don't know, don't care ... won't be checking out the next in the series.


Alas, even Erik's broad, strong, furred chest didn't do it for me.


I do go on a bit I know ... but, sure, ye wouldn't have me any other way!!

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

So this has been on my radar for a long time and for some reason I ignored it because of all the hype and the 5 star reviews.

I shouldn't have been scared to read it.

I was totally charmed by this book. I loved the characters, I loved the world building and I loved the sweet romance between Erik and Ollie.

Ollie melted Erik's Heart of Winter...snort! It was cute.

I loved that Ollie was strong in his own way and in his own right.
The traditions of the North done to Ollie were so sweet and I ate that up.

Low steam but I didn't mind it because of how I loved everything else.

I even liked Tessa and the love triangle situation she has with Leif and Rune.
I'm team Leif for some reason...

Off to book 2!

Took out half a star for the insistency with the used language.

[Xia and the Giant TBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so wholesome and well written it made me want to re-read all over again.
This was the best fantasy romance I read in 2021, and one of the best fantasy romance books I've ever read.
Thanks to my friend, Jan, who has been praising this book for months and who reminded me it was about time to start reading Lauren Gilley's books. :) Hugs, Jan!

[oshiiy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐️ I thoroughly enjoyed reading Heart of Winter. It was a surprise. I accidentally picked up this book only to read the first few chapters of it to find out if the story would make me interested in the rest of it too. Then, I found myself long passing the said few chapters and reading the whole book in just one sitting.

Oliver(30) was the cousin of Tessa, and they were sent from the South, Drakewell by his aunt, and Tessa to marry the North king, Erik for an alliance. Marrying the king didn't spark Tessa’s thoughts, and Erik didn't want to marry Tessa too. Not because of her lack of beauty, but because of his sexuality. Erik never wanted to marry anyone. The loneliness that drenched in his whole life never became a problem for Erik. But the beautiful man, Oliver that appeared in his life from nowhere made him question his decision all over again. Erik always found himself giving priority to his duties, and not his heart. But he found himself reaching for this pretty man, Oliver, nonetheless.

“You. I want you. More – more than I have ever wanted anything in my life.”

The slow burn and historical vibe between Erik and Oliver added another level of sweetness to the story. I loved both Erik and Oliver so much. But I loved Ollie even more. I wasn't expected Erik to be so nice. He was so gentle and thoughtful with Ollie, and Ollie was a great match for Erik too.

“I want your hair through my fingers,” he whispered. His lips trailed down to Oliver’s ear. “I want it on my pillow. I want to wake up with my face buried in it.”

Ollie never thought he could be with Erik. Because Erik was a king and Ollie was an ordinary man. But Erik wanted Ollie in his life. Whether Erik had decided to be alone with himself for the rest of his life, he couldn't suppress his impending thoughts about Ollie anymore.

“This impossible, sweet, fearsome man who was a king of a wild Northern nation, and who had – if he was honest with himself – not simply fucked Oliver, but made love to him. Called him pretty. And now held him so tightly and securely.”

Every character brings a delicious touch to the story. They are really nice, kind, and supportive.
I'm not a fan of mf romance now, but here I didn't mind the Tessa, Leif, and Rune’s love triangle, and I'm sensing that a few relationships are going to happen in the future.
The story is told by multiple POVs, but I didn't mind it either. But we can see that the story mainly revolves around Erik and Ollie.

My main concern is that I felt like sometimes most parts in here were overly descriptive, and the best thing I did was I skimmed. 🥴
Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read for me! looking forward reading about dragons! 🙈

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best kind of treat, when that email hit my inbox that Gilley had dropped a surprise (to me) book I about sprained my one click finger to grab this.

It's a slow burn romance about more than just the one couple in a whole new world and I loved it! Nobody writes slow burn quite like this author does, she's one of the few authors whose books I never want to end.

I think this series is going to end up being one of my favourites. The world building and rich characters are a delicious treat delivered in true Gilley fashion.

I've decided I'll read her shopping list, she's just that much of a genius author. That is all.

[Papie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, other than I fell in love with all the characters. Sweet sassy Oliver. Magnificent Erik. Adorable Tessa. Lovely Leif. Passionate impetuous Rune. Strong silent Bjorn. Hilarious Markus. Beautiful Revna.

I fell in love with the whole world the author created. The South, with its proper manners and beautiful people. The North, strong, powerful, hard, cold but full of warm people. The clans. The wars. The legends.

This was my first read by this author, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series, and check out all her other books.

[layh · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Hey⸺hey, don’t fall asleep. Stay awake, stay with me.”
But Oliver’s eyes were too heavy to keep open. “I would.” He was aware of his mouth moving, but had no control over it. “I would stay with you… if you asked me to… If you wanted me. I have… I have nothing. And you make me ache.”

erm. hold. pause. i am mentally unwell. i am shitting tears. i am screaming crying throwing up. i am the happiest i have been in over a month.

“Yes. Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. If I ever get you into a bath again, I’d prefer you conscious.”
Oliver’s mind blanked with shock. Erik was teasing him. No, Erik was flirting with him.

THEY TOOK THE WHOLE BOOK TO KISS AND YOU KNOW WHAT??? I ATE IT UP. I WAS HERE FOR IT. TAKE YOUR TIME KINGS!!! I LOVE SLOWBURNS. they are my beloved. they are so very dear to me. their slow-burn journey was so important to me.

“I’m glad it’s you,” he told him, and felt his lips form a smile. “You’re a very good dream to have right before the end.”

oliver my insane baby 😍 don’t worry guys he wasn’t dying, he was just in love with a king and very dramatic about it. which we all are. he is one of us. we must accept him.

DISCLAIMER: if you’re going into this book for a well fleshed-out plot, forget it. plot? WHAT PLOT?? NO THOUGHTS JUST ERIKOLIVER. no but jokes aside, this book did have plot but it was plotless for 80% of it and the drama happened to the end, which makes sense because there’s five other books so the author was probably leading up to it, and i’m just another silly fan who can’t wait to read all of them 😋 which is why this singular review is so unserious and incoherent. bear with me, i adore them and have no words with which to express my love for them.

also ⸺ you will fall in love with every character. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE EVERYONE, EVEN THE TINY SIDE CHARACTERS. this book left me baffled because there was not one character i could hate. i felt cheated because to my core i am a hater and lauren gilley, how dare you take that away from me? but i will literally kill everyone and then myself for every character in this book.

this book was honestly just so warm. it climbed into my chest and lit a campfire and made a place for itself all on its own. i found myself kicking my feet, suppressing very insane grins, and giggling like a mastermind up to no good throughout this stupid book. the joy it gave me was too much for my body to handle.

oh, right. you’re probably waiting for me to tell you what it’s about. well, first off, it’s about the gays. in the old times. being very gay. doing gay things. like falling in love. it’s also viking inspired. oh and there are dragons. well, kind of. anyway, what more could you possibly want? in other words, let's stop wasting time when YOU CAN BE READING THIS RIGHT NOW. LIKE, RIGHT NOW. DO IT. READ IT. MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER. MAKE YOUR DAY. READ IT!!

“I don’t get what I want,” he repeated.
Something in Erik’s gaze softened, heartbroken. “And what do you want right now?”
Madness, it was madness, it was… “You. I want you. More⸺more than I have ever wanted anything in my life.”

🥹🥹🥹 my darlings. i miss them so much already so i will be starting the next book immediately. this book just slaughtered me and i let it because i’m insane. it ticked all my boxes of interest. historical, fantasy, marriage alliance, mm romance, found family, slow burn, kind of grumpy/sunshine, good banter. if that seems like your thing, i definitely recommend!!!

pre-review:

glad we’re finally acknowledging that marriage alliances are a bit gay in nature. LIKE WHO ARE YOU OFFERING PROTECTION TO AS A KING, YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND?? 🙄🙄🙄 VERY SUSPICIOUS. anyway i loved this, probably too much tbh. wish i could be normal ab the gays. rtc! ❤️

[Claudie ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Gilley outdid herself yet again. It’s my second series (and fifth book) by her, and at this point I’m not even surprised anymore — and neither should you — when I say: I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! 💃

Everything! The worldbuilding, the story itself, the characters, the romance, ahhh, the romance was to die for, truly swoon-worthy, a perfectly executed slow burn if I ever saw one! 😍 Ollie was a sweetie with a backbone of steel, and Erik…



Ok, not really, because out of all Gilley’s original creations I’ve met so far, I wouldn’t say that he’s my type, but you catch my drift. He was a total dreamboat (even if he’d been a bit of an asshole at first!). And the chemistry between these two was perfect.

Tessa’s story got me very interested (and invested!), too. I think we all know who captured her heart, but questions remain: will they be allowed to be together? What about the other brother, who my heart goes out to — will he be overlooked again, or will he also find somebody to love?

Last but not least, is it greedy of me to want more MM relationships in this series? If so, I can’t help it, Gilley just does them so well, much better than your usual romance author. But then again, there’s something about her writing overall, this unique quality that I can’t put my finger on, but that’s completely wonderful.

Too bad I can’t just jump head-first into the sequel and ignore everything else. Monday can’t come fast enough!

[ancientreader · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was sitting comfortably in 3-star "enjoyable warm bath without a lot of substance" territory (especially since it was free on Kindle when I got it) until the point at which the good guys, having acquired an enemy prisoner, first menace him with a flame and then threaten him with further torture (having his fingers broken) to get information. Also, in the same scene, the Head Good Guy, who is one of the MCs, threatens the prisoner by telling him all about how he beheaded several unarmed, bound men. This could be considered capital punishment, given that they killed his brother-in-law, but OTOH they belong to an enemy people so the killing could equally be considered an act of war, in which case the MC has murdered POWs, which on the whole is not a good look.

FFS, when are writers going to learn that torture (a) is always immoral; (b) does not work, because unsurprisingly, people being tortured will eventually do or say anything to get the torture to stop? Torture was widely discussed during the early days of the "War on Terror" (Abu Ghraib, anyone?), and experienced interrogators pointed out over and over and over again that the most productive interrogations begin by establishing a rapport with the person being questioned and never, ever include torture on the menu. Words cannot express how sick I am of this trope whereby a character demonstrates that he can rise to a dangerous occasion by inflicting pain on someone helpless. Just quit it.

ETA: I read a few pages past the scene in question, hoping that the other MC would read King Torturer a moral lecture, but no.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

What an unexpected treat! New-to-me author Lauren Gilley wrote a spectacular introductory novel to her new series, The Drake Chronicles. Near perfection. Looking forward to the next one!

Niggles… whoever edited this book needs their library card revoked. And the author might want to consider integrating her endless narratives into the dialogue. Way too much tell and not enough show. And how about some battle action next book?

[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not have picked up this book at a better time. I was looking for something different and this fit the bill perfectly!

I loved all the characters. Erik, Revna, Leif, Rune, Birger, Bjorn, Tessa and my favorite, Oliver. ❤️

I loved the magical feel of the story. ❤️

I loved the setting. ❤️

I loved the slow burn between Erik & Oliver. ❤️

The last few chapters were crazy. And the ending had me running to start book #2!!!