Book 72: The Very Virile Viking

NUMBER: 72
TITLE: The Very Virile Viking
AUTHOR: Sandra Hill
STARTED: September 20, 2006
FINISHED: September 21, 2006
PAGES: 372
GENRE: Romance

FIRST SENTENCE: In days of old when men were... whatever...

SUMMARY: [From barnesandnoble.com] Magnus Ericsson, a brawny Viking from the 10th century, sets out with nine of his 11 children to find new lands when his longship drifts off course and ends up smack in the middle of a Hollywood set. Mistaken for an "act-whore" auditioning for a Viking film, he snags the producer's attention as well as the interest of gorgeous realtor Angela Abruzzi. Angela agrees to take Magnus and his kids in, with the caveat that her family's Sonoma County vineyard, be the setting for the producer's next flick. Though buff, Magnus is none too swift, and it takes him a while to realize he's time-traveled. Instead, he thinks he's discovered new lands. He and Angela make ideal sparring partners and bedmates: the only problem is that Magnus has taken a vow of celibacy. Despite a daunting number of characters, Hill manages to give each child a unique voice while still keeping the focus on the sexy shenanigans between Magnus and Angela. A subplot involving a nasty neighbor who will do anything to get his hands on the winery is underdeveloped, but, all in all, this is an engaging, hilarious and entirely winsome read.

REASON FOR READING: The viking called to me from the library shelf - and so did his big sword.

THOUGHTS: This was a fluff of a read, and not a very good one at that. I really can't say much about it because it's simply a humorous romance that you read, enjoy, then toss aside for your next book.

I will say this, it passed the time on the stationary bike remarkable quickly. It also gets male treadmill runners next to you to do a double take and quirk their eyebrows.

The one good thing about the book, Hill took a bad thing (a man who can't keep it in his pants and thus fathers lots of children) and turned it into a good thing (said man loves them all, and is a father to them all - even though some of them are probably not his).

MISCELLANEOUS: Pronounce "virile" wrong and you've got a completely different book.

KEEP/SHARE/CRINGE(?): Back to the library - I'm so glad I now have a real library within walking distance again
RATING: 5/10 [I didn't particularly like it or dislike it; mixed review]

CR: When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander
RN: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

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