Review: Loved it!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2013
This book really grabbed me right from the Prologue, when the heroine is placed in a dangerous and impossible situation through no fault of her own.  An act of revenge on the part of a stranger virtually ruins her life, the lives of her family and, later, her son.  I was eager to read on and find out how these early events impacted the rest of the book, and the exciting storyline just kept me reading.All the characters are fully developed and three-dimensional, which is another thing I liked about the book.  The actions and reactions of the heroine, Carissa, are believable throughout.  When the hero, Maximus, appears he brings charm and irresistible masculine energy.  I could sympathize with Carissa's attraction to him, even when she is torn by old fears and memories.  Maximus himself remains a mysterious figure through most of the story - I won't ruin anybody's fun here by giving too much away, but it's not till the end we find out his true identity.I think what I liked best about this story was its authenticity.  It really felt like I visited ancient Rome.  Use of Latin words and Roman terms was sparing enough that I wasn't stumbling over them, and frequent enough to lend a convincing flavor.  I never doubted that the historical details were accurate.  And there were just enough steamy loves scenes!  Of course, a happy ending never hurts.  All in all, an enjoyable read!