Heart of the Wild Gods

881 AD - Wodenléah, a growing Saxon burh located within the Kingdom of Wessex, clings desperately to a brittle peace in a country divided between Saxon and Viking rule. Osric, the widowed thegn of Wodenléah and sworn protector of its church-held lands, and Æfre, a skilled healer and one of the last pagans in Wodenléah, are involved in a passionate affair. Æfre finds herself caught in the crosshairs of Wodenléah‘s Bishop Æthelwod, a ruthless clergyman obsessed with eradicating any "heathen" presence while increasing his holdings and influence. Æfre‘s association with Osric gives Æthelwod just the leverage he needs to tighten his chokehold on the region, threatening Æfre‘s wellbeing in the process. Jarl Torvald Ironsight is a Viking chieftain who presides over the trading camp just outside Wodenléah. Torvald harbors an unspoken protective affection for Æfre, yet finds he must join forces with her lover Osric to derail a plot that could destroy the fragile peace between their people. Together, they must navigate treachery, betrayal, and the landscape of their own hearts to stop Æthelwod‘s ambitions before both Wodenléah and Æfre pay the price. This story is for readers who love immersive historical fiction with a strong, central romance. It will especially appeal to fans of the Viking Age and Anglo-Saxon England who appreciate rich world- building and political intrigue woven into a character-driven narrative. Anyone who enjoys a capable, intelligent heroine and complex, honorable heroes will find themselves deeply invested in the fates of Æfre, Osric, and Torvald. This book is part 1 of the Wild Gods Series and does not contain a HEA or HFN ending. Content Warning: consensual sexual activity, violence