The Viking and the Raven

Living Past: Vikings #1

by Annie O. Liberty

Welcome to Living Past, the world’s first tourism-based time travel company. Understand the culture, the politics, and the people who shaped the world as it is today. Live the Past.

Sabrina

I wish it would have been someone else, or someplace else. But as the newest journalist on staff, I get the ‘privilege’ of an all-expense paid trip to the past. Viking era to be specific because that’s what our readers want. What do I want? I’m not sure until I meet the Jarl. He’s dark, handsome, and guaranteed to be dangerous but then again, so is everything else here.

Arne

I wasn’t ready to lead but when the former Jarl left in the dead of night, handing over the title and an ominous prophecy, I didn’t have a choice. It doesn’t help that the next morning, the first part of the prophecy was fulfilled by a beautiful stranger. Now if I could just focus on my village and not the gorgeous woman driving me to distraction.

The Viking and the Raven is a Time Travel Viking Instalove Romance novella that is a fast-paced two hour read.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Novella, Time Travel, Fantasy Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

59 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2021

About the author

Hi, I'm Annie, the author of short, steamy escapes.

Reviews

[Kayla Valley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This premise shows promise!! This is a 2.5 for me and could so easily be a four star review. It NEEDS to be longer ( I didn't realize it was only 59 pages when I downloaded it) to actually cover things like conflict and character development, and this author needs a good editor. There are more than a few errors.

[Coral · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would take more than 2 conversations, a feast and a fuck to give up hot water and antibiotics.
But I did like the framing device of this story - basically if the villain in Timeline’s plan to do time travel tourism actually worked. However there seems to be a “prequel” that had more info in it and I don’t see why that wasn’t the first in the series. Especially since they’re novellas.
I probably wouldn’t read more in the series.

[TheBookPlatypus · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the story was silly and fun. Not a series I’d continue but I can never pass up anything Viking!

[Kate Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I should start looking at page #’s before reading but as author says, it is a very quick read. Super instalove too. Wish there was a little more to their story.

[Auj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of time travel as an entertainment thing that's been developed so the founders acquire money.

I really liked Sabrina and Arne and their chemistry. However, when they have sex and Sabrina moves in (when their relationship is slowly building up), the story suddenly ends. Then it skips to an epilogue in another person's POV and we find out that Sabrina and Arne got married. We also never found out why there was an error that necessitated Sabrina leaving early. I assumed it was because she got with Arne and had children with him, which would change the future, but it was never explained.

This book had a lot of potential to be excellent that wasn't fully realized with how short it is. I almost feel like the author is afraid/unsure of how to write a fully-developed romance??

The book would have been 4 stars had it not ended so soon :/

I read this at the gym, lol. Started & finished it there.

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book with time travel, the actual hardest thing to believe is that no one wants to time travel to meet a viking. I rolled my eyes whenever that was brought up.

While time traveling to a viking era wouldn’t be *my* preferred vacation spot, there are so many people who fancy themselves ‘modern day vikings’ 🤢

I thought this would have more depth than the prequel book that sets this universe up, but not much else was explained or expanded on. But to be fair this was also super short, even for a novella so I don’t know why I set my expectations so high.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Very Good Story!

So glad there are more stories to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and storyline so much. Can’t wait to read the next one. Sabrina and Jarl Arne are sweet. I like N’jal. 💜💜💜💜💜

[Taylor Conrad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book at all, love the idea behind it very westworld meets outlander. Just very short stories that I wish had more time to actually tell the story rather than skipping to the end.

[readbysinead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad quick read, quite enjoyed the storyline. Some minor grammar mistakes on the ebook but wasn’t much of an issue.

[Sabine · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Jarl stars
The premise of the book is very cool, but the book is way too short to get anything satisfying. Everything is rushed.

[Anna Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it

This was a good, short read. This was also the first one that I have read by this author and I definitely will be adding more to my tbr

[Dorothy Pitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book!

I love the concept of this story! It has believable characters and great timing. Definitely written with a subject we have all wondered about!

[Karianne Giard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book during Stuff Your Kindle. I saw time traveling and vikings and was on board.

I should have known this was gonna be so-so with the length of the book, though.

Clearly at the beginning with the mistakes slip up, we can assume the author changed the tense and person, but didn’t do a thorough job with correcting it. The story is so short. At the very least I would have hoped that kind of mistake would have been corrected.

And well. This is insanely too short. I wouldn’t throw my whole life away for barely one conversation and a one night stand. Like, how life shattering could that one fuck be?

It’s sad because this could have been interesting had it been more developed.

[LazyLucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ 2/5 ⭐️

Meh it was alright but I got bored fast so this short read that should have been an hour took way longer because I lost interest in the middle. I was actually more interested in exploring the time travel system and how it all works and how much took trial and error, hearing the first hand stories of customers who have gone to the different time periods like I wanted the main character to actually do some journalism but she was easily distracted by mountain main Jarl Arne to do her job (she already went into the experience with no research and preparation like ma’am are you serious??) I also didn’t like Arne so that didn’t help when we got more time with him toward the end. The steamy scene was meh and the conclusion of their story was wrapped up too conveniently and I wanted to further explore what caused the error and has it happened before? Maybe it’s explained in another book but I’ll find out later.
Anyway, there was an introduction of the Viking love interest (Njal) for the next book and a cliffhanger ending of a prophecy being fulfilled. I was kinda interested in reading more of that but then I read the synopsis and kind of lost the urge to continue the series, at least right now.

Would I recommend to others? Not really…❌

…unless you want a really short read about an average modern girl and a swole Viking man having insta love and messing with time travel in order to bone.

[AnaConda · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Don’t go,” he says, and I pretend he isn’t just talking about this morning, but forever.

💕MF
💕Viking x Time Traveling Journalist
✨Fated Mates
✨Insta Love
✨Low/No-Angst

Quite a few questions were left open. For example I don’t feel like I really know Sabrina. She is a pretty bland stand-in for the reader to project themselves onto.

Sabrina seems to have no attachment to her life. No family, friends, nothing. There is no deliberation about comparing the past with the future.
She acts the same about Arne. It’s insta love but also she never even really starts liking him explicitly in internal dialogue.
Even if they are fated mates, I feel like there should have been some kind of build up. From his POV he is clearly into her, but Sabrina tells us she likes him, but does not really show it.

“I didn’t want to go.”
“I didn’t want you to go. Stay here, with me.”

All in all a decent, quick read. The book would’ve benefited infinitely from being longer, as my only complaint is that the worldbuilding, relationships and characters aren’t really fleshed out at all. Yvonne and Njal each seem to have more of a personality than Arne or Sabrina.

Got me out of a reading slump though, so hey, can’t be all that bad!

[Christine Rains · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sabrina is a journalist forced to take a trip into the past because no one else is willing to take on the story about the time travel tourism company. She's hesitant at first, but then when she meets the gorgeous Jarl Arne, she's happy to spend time with the hot Viking warrior.

This short time travel romance novella started off strong. I love the idea of the Living Past, a time travel tourism company. Supposedly they've taken all the precautions. It's perfectly safe... maybe! This is a great premise for a series. I would have picked Vikings over cowboys and the Regency era myself. I thought perhaps this was a prequel, but I feel a story already happened before this one, because I felt I was missing out on the Jarl that left with his mysterious woman and Arne was put in charge. I really liked Arne and Sabrina and they had sizzling chemistry. Very steamy! I wanted far, far more of them, especially since it took only an hour for me to read this. There was not much tension in the plot itself and it ended way too soon. Thankfully I see the rest of the books in the series involve Vikings! I'm excited to see where this series will take me.

[Lindsey✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ I’m all for a good novella but I needed more!! 57 pages wasn’t enough to really become invested in the characters or romance.
I was very intrigued by the time travel and how that’s used in the present day as a way of vacationing, and would have liked more of that.
Sabrina being a journalist would have made for an excellent way to learn more about the Viking village & culture, its leader Jaral Arne, and the people. I feel it was kinda wasted bc once I started getting into the couple and story, bam- we are moving onto another story with the friend.

**Warning: veeeeery short story**

Worth reading?: YES
Reread?: NO

Read if you like:
-journalist FMC
-Viking leader MMC
-time travel
-insta lust
-insta love

[AnnaSeemsSoSmall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich war bei 3 Sternen, da ich den Schreibstil überraschend gut fand (aber behold: bin ja keine Muttersprachlerin) und die Grundidee soooo viel Potenzial hat. Die Leseerfahrung hat auch Spaß gemacht aber mich ärgert, dass es eine Novelle ist. Wenn danach drei, vier weitere Teile folgen frage ich mich: Warum nicht wirklich gut historisch recherchieren, sich selbst ernster nehmen und ein ganzes Buch schreiben? Dann könnte man die Story wirklich ausformulieren und sich Zeit für die Figuren nehmen. Das hat nämlich in Ansätzen eigentlich ganz gut funktioniert. Auf den 2. Teil hatte ich dann irgendwie keinen Bock mehr, weil da schon zur nächsten "Hauptfigur" übergegangen wird.

[Erika La Tulip · Rating 4 out of 5]

fast moving attention gripper

Man this was such a cute and fun short story that I automatically jumped into the second novela without realizing I couldn’t just stay in the past… I actually have to start working now! I immediately feel in love with Njal! Unfortunately, I have to wait 8 hours to read it (until after work) 😍 There are a few edits that can be made of course. But the story itself is beautiful! I would love more world building for Sabrina and the Viking world. But still jumping into the next book after work 😘

[VampApl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
Sad, the premise is good, but the book is too short for the story to be good enough. It feels rushed trying to cover so much story in just a few pages.
It could have been better if the introduction didn't cover almost 50% of the book, it's necessary have in mind the long of the book if you dont want this kind of thing happening.
I'll love to read this story in a book more extended and less rushed 🖤

[Kerryn Griffis · Rating 5 out of 5]

hot Viking time travel, yes please!

Super super quick read, only 56 pages but well written and I love the idea behind it — I mean who doesn’t want to take a holiday to the past, fall in love with a Viking and have some one on one fun with his fine ass — I’m an absolute sucker for Vikings so this tantalising quickie totally did it for me and you bet I’ll be getting the other novellas in the series

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOOD STORY AND DIFFERENT

You know I like reading novellas because they’re short and get right to the point. But if it’s a good story, like this one, I’d wish it was longer. But there are 5 more books and some prequels in there so put them all together it does equal a complete book. So on to Book #2.

[Jodi_xo✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this short book, the only reason I didn’t rate it higher is I think the book should have been longer with more character development. The characters should have gotten to know each other and that would have added more depth to the story. Other than that, I loved it. I would definitely continue reading the series and would recommend to others.

[Sαɱιɾα · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty, short novellas like this don't normally appeal to me, however, I thought the storyline was pretty good. Had this novella been longer, I think I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. I think this was a creative concept that could have been expanded/made longer. I would have given this five stars if it wasn't for the slight errors that made me go back and re-read the passages.

[Michelle Grimison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick story that has me fully sucked in and now I need to read all of these books!

Time travel “vacation” goes awry when Sabrina falls instantly into the sack with the Jarl of the Viking village… but there is a prophecy and now I need Neal’s story!!!

🌶️/5
Solely cause in the 60 pages they get to it 1.5 times!

[Linda Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick read

This book an hour to read. The characters were good Well described. I find in this short story the author put together a very good book worth reading. It's a interesting concept, trips For time travel and a journalist who makes it. This was real I probably join.

[Alia Keller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not typically a fan of the insta-love trope, this was the first one I've read that I've actually enjoyed. It was well written, the plot was interesting, I just wish there was more. More steam, more banter, more pages, more in general.

[Caitlyn Sudweeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short little story. But good.

Its weird to think that this story is long enough to be considered a book. I have high hopes for the author if they ever choose to write a longer book. Nothing would be rushed and characters have time to be developed. Great read none the less.

[Baxygirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

sadly not for me

I had hopes that this tale would be great.
Sadly it missed the mark.

It was filled with details of journalism and time travel that ultimately lead nowhere.
The prophecy was a great detail but also lead nowhere.
For a short story there was a lot missing.

[Maranda Prigmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

I liked this story. It was good from start go finish. I liked the chemistry between Arne and Sabrina. Vikings are some of my fave books. I can't wait to read about Njal and find out his fate.