eBook
Published by Avon Red, May 15, 2012
ISBN 13: 9780062196897
Source: Tour/Publisher, for the purpose of an honest review
Genre: Erotic Historical Romance, m/m/f ménage
Stars: 4
Flames: 5
This tale is told first person point of view, Alba’s point
of view specifically. When readers first meet Alba she is a contently married
woman living the life that one would expect of an upper class Roman female. Her
husband owns one of Rome’s better Ludas (gladiator school.) I point out that
she is content with the way things are. She feels they could be better, but she
knows that things could always be worse. I am still shocked at the difference
in the woman at the beginning of this book to the woman at the end.
When her husband and his physician approach her about her
lack of baring a child she soon starts to see her husband as a different
person. She also starts to see that changes need to be made in her life, but
she is not in any position to see to any of those changes. Her position is dictated
by her husband, even if he makes her feel like a common whore.
I loved Alba. She is seeing things in a completely different
light than she ever has before. She knows that her husband is not the man he
presents himself to be. He is greedy and manipulative. He is often cruel and she
begins to feel as though she is just another of his possessions. His continued
poor treatment of her only reiterates this fact repeatedly. The only comforts
she has are her stolen moments with her two gladiators. The fact that a female
in this time period began taking charge of her life was exhilarating.
As with any first person point of view I was left wanting
more of Marcus and Caius. They know their place in this life and don’t hope for
a change in their status. They are happy to have the moments with Alba that
they are given, or the times they are stolen.
This is an erotic romance, there are numerous sex scenes.
Some of the scenes include male on male, light bondage, voyeurism, paid sex, and
anal. Alba’s time with her gladiators is
very hot. Her gladiators care deeply for her. Their attention to her and her
pleasures are exquisite. The time she gets to spend with Marcus and Caius makes
it so easy to understand why she made the sacrifices she eventually makes to
get her happiness.
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I've never read a story set in ancient Rome, but it looks like backdrop is the least important part of the story. ;D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your review!