REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Blog Tour - Roma Amor: A Novel of Caligula's Rome by Sherry Christie

Roma Amor: A Novel of Caligula's Rome by Sherry Christie

Publication Date: April 15, 2016

Bexley House Books 

Paperback; 496 Pages 

Genre: Historical Fiction

      

  READ EXCERPT. 

Marcus Carinna hears a voice whisper, "Your turn," as he rides past his family tomb. An unseen presence also startles the Germanic priestess Aurima, whom he is bringing to Rome. But hardheaded Romans scoff at ghosts, and Marcus can't believe it's a warning from his brother, who killed himself three years earlier. 37 AD: To great acclaim, 25-year-old Caligula Caesar has become Rome's new master. No one is more pleased than Senator Titus Carinna, who helped him succeed to the throne. It's a shame the Senator's older son--Caligula's closest friend--committed suicide after being charged with treason. But that still leaves Marcus, his second son. Headstrong and hot-tempered, Marcus would rather prove his courage by leading legions against Rome's enemies than take his brother's place. Yet when his father orders him to befriend Caligula, he has no choice. Caught in a web of deceit, conspiracy, and betrayal, he will uncover a secret that threatens his family, the woman he desires, even his life... and may bring chaos to the young Roman Empire.

My Review

"Roma Amor: A Novel of Caligula’s Rome", is a complete page turner by author Sherry Christie! I had shied away from reading historical fiction set during the Roman Empire the past couple of years, but I thought this one sounded interesting, so I gave it a chance. So glad I did! I feel like I was able to learn so much about the inner workings of the Roman Empire as I read, but never once did I feel as though it lagged or became overly text book like. Prior to this novel, my only experience with Caligula was a movie I picked up at Family Video with the title “Caligula.” What a mistake that was! It was a 1970’s or 80’s film, and it was basically a soft core porno! It wouldn’t have been so bad, except for the fact that I had sat down to watch it with my parents, thinking it would be an interesting historically based movie! I think I turned 10 shades of red before finally making an awkward exit up to my bedroom. This book was a MUCH better experience than that one!

Marcus’ character is definitely one that draws female attention. He’s strong, wealthy, from the upper class, a warrior, and a bit of a bad boy. However, he is set on reforming himself, and making his father as proud of him as he was of his first son, Publius, who had been sentenced to death by the previous Roman Emperor, Tiberius. Marcus also develops a fascination with a Marcomanni Priestess named Aurima, who is a hostage of Rome after being taken prisoner during battle. His fascination leads him to do things that could possibly have serious consequences for his family’s good name, and possibly his life, but he finds that he is drawn to her, and unable to stop thinking about her.

"Roma Amor" is definitely one of the better books I’ve read recently. I found myself reading until two or three in the morning sometimes, unable to put it down for the night. Though it is a good sized book, I finished it quickly, because it was impossible to walk away from! If you are a fan and/or have interest in historical fiction, especially history dealing with the Roman Empire, than I would highly suggest getting this book. The author’s writing is fantastic, and never feels stiff or uneven, and the characters are so well-written that you can truly believe they were all real people, straight out of the past. Without a doubt, this is a FIVE out of FIVE STAR novel!

Reviews

"The first installment in a page-turning saga that revisits the heroes and villains of the grandest city of the ancient world.... Comes alive with the long gone characters who were its lifeblood" -Kirkus Reviews

''Combines current political concerns, the wide lens of the serious historical novel, and emotional maturity and realism with an utterly splendid grasp of what it must have been like to live in Rome under Caligula's reign.'' -Sarah Smith, Agatha Award winner and New York Times Notable author

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

After earning a Phi Beta Kappa creative award in college for an early draft about a nobly born charioteer, Sherry Christie spent many years of research and revision developing ROMA AMOR into the story about fathers and sons that it wanted to be. It's a joy to immerse myself in the lives of first-century Romans--and a distinct change from my day job as a . In addition to writing, Sherry is a professional copywriter. She lives on the coast of Maine with a native-born Viking and two cats. For more information, please visit Sherry Christie's website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 24
Kick Off at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, October 25
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, October 26
Review at Kinx's Book Nook
Friday, October 28
Guest Post at What Is That Book About
Monday, October 31
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter
Tuesday, November 1
Review at Bookfever
Wednesday, November 2
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Friday, November 4
Review at Svetlana's Reads and Views
Monday, November 7
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Wednesday, November 9
Review at Bookramblings
Review at The Book Junkie Reads
Interview at A Literary Vacation
Thursday, November 10
Interview at The Book Junkie Reads
Friday, November 11
Review at Beth's Book Nook
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Guest Post at The True Book Addict

Giveaway

To win a paperback copy of Roma Amor: A Novel of Caligula's Rome by Sherry Christie, please enter via the Gleam form below. 2 copies are up for grabs!


Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
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– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.


  Roma Amor