A proud warrior.

A brave woman.

A forbidden love that is tested by the intrigues of ancient Rome and the hostilities at the northernmost edge of the empire.

Centurion Marcus Florius Corvus has a splendid career in the legions ahead of him. Yet a visit to Rome and a chance encounter with an old friend change his whole life: He falls in love with one of his friend's pleasure slaves and becomes entrapped in an evil scheme designed to destroy him. And yet—he cannot help risking everything for Lia, the woman he has given his heart to, even if it means he will be banished to one of the most dangerous places in the Roman Empire: the northern frontier of Britannia.

This my first romance set in Roman times and in generally, my first book by Sandra Schwab, so I was curious what it would be like. It turned out to be an engaging, tender love story which I greatly enjoyed. Ms Schwab's detail-oriented writing recreated convincingly the atmosphere of ancient Rome, the Legions, being a warrior/slave girl.

Marcus was a warrior through and through but he was also noble and caring and open about his feelings. There was so much goodness in him, he felt like a sweetheart.

Lia was a slave, dancing and providing other entertainment for her master who was a friend of Marcus and his guests. But she was proud and despite her fate she had preserved her inner self, a kind of innocence and the ability to trust and love.

I loved the dynamics of Marcus and Lia's relationship including in the bedroom. There is a lot of play, exchange of power but also sincerity and real intimacy.

The story included also all that ancient Rome is famous for - political intrigue, debauchery, war, slavery, etc. Still it was mostly a very personal, human story. The background, though vivid and intriguing, never overshadowed the romance. 

I expected more raw and gritty in this story but the somewhat sweet romance I got also worked well for me. I can recommend it to romance lovers who enjoy well tender and emotional love stories unfolding in a well drawn historical settings.

Purchase links: Amazon