What do you do when the past becomes your future? The year is 2089, and time-travelling journalist Ashley Riveraine gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to interview her childhood hero, Alexander the Great. She expects to come out with an award-winning article, but doesn’t count on Fate intervening. Alexander mistakes Ashley for Persephone, goddess of the dead, and kidnaps her, stranding her in … stranding her in his own time. Being stuck 3000 years in the past with the man of her dreams wouldn’t be so bad if the scientists of the Time Institute hadn’t threatened to erase Ashley from existence if she changes history.
Ashley must now walk a tightrope, caught up in the cataclysmic events of the time, knowing what the future holds for the people she comes to love but powerless to do anything to influence it.
Join Ashley on her hilarious, bumpy journey into the past as she discovers where her place in history truly is…
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The Road to Alexander has an interesting premise, and it’s what made me want to read it. Time travel is always fun, and this novel proved to be unique.
Jennifer Macaire did a wonderful job making the reader feel as though they traveled back to ancient Greece with Ashley. I loved the factual characters, I loved the humor, and I loved the romance aspect too.
If you’re looking for something different, The Road to Alexander is one I recommend checking out!!
* I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Jennifer Macaire has a way with words! Her novel, the richly descriptive The Road to Alexander, sweeps you up and carries you along as it tantalises the senses.
Macaire’s protagonist Ashley is a futuristic journalist who wins a prestigious award that sees her time-travel back to 333 BC to interview a figure of her choice. Alexander the Great has it. Ashley has long idolised and idealised this hero, so much so that no man in her present-day existence can measure up.
But things go very wrong. Or, very right. Because she’s mistaken for a goddess, and her intended 20-hour stay is looking to be extended indefinitely, she has the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with Alexander, in every which way! A dream come true? Yes and no. Life is made up of dreams and nightmares. And we see the lot in this book—love, war, romance, death, sex, vengeance, courage, brutality, tragedy, comedy …
Ashley, with her insecurities and her defences, could well be everywoman. Something that might be characteristic of many stories, you might say?
But what really sets Macaire’s story apart from the rest is its symbolism that speaks to everywoman (and everyman).
There’s a sense that Ashley’s desire to return to this particular era to meet the great man, and ultimately win the approval of her peers, runs deeper than that; a suggestion that it’s as much a journey back into her own psyche to retrieve innate aspects of herself that she’s shut down in the interest of survival. (Who of us can’t relate to this?) And what better place and time to help her do this than one not bound by moralism, political correctness or inhibitions—everyone wore their heart on their sleeves (when they had sleeves. Walking around naked occasionally was the norm!)?
The characters in this book are endearing: Aristotle is adorable. And watch out for sexy Plexis, the irrepressible Barsine, and Olympias, Alexander’s wicked and inappropriate mother! The great man himself isn’t presented as a stereotypical, cardboard cut-out hero. He’s macho for sure, but he’s not afraid to show his vulnerability, which makes it safe for Ashley to open her heart. And you can’t help but cheer her on as she does.
I highly recommend The Road to Alexander to anyone needing to be reminded of what ‘real’ looks like in relation to today’s artificiality and superficiality.
An entertaining book, with historical detail woven into the plot, so that you can learn about the period in an interesting way without feeling you’re reading a textbook. The skilful writing brings both the the settings and the characters to life. And there’s a great romance too!
A pacey, entertaining read with the heroine, Ashley – and the reader – plunged back into the time of Alexander the Great. The trouble is Ashley was only meant to stay for a day but is forced to remain forever when Alexander mistakes her for Persephone, goddess of the dead, and kidnaps her. Stuck in an ancient world where everyone thinks she is a goddess, Ashley has to deal with living without modern conveniences in a world where people believe in a multitude of gods, goddesses and superstitions, and the threat of death is always looming. Ashley and Alexander fall in love and she travels with him and his army as he battles to extend his empire. There’s some lovely description and the full cast of historical characters including Alexander’s evil mother and Aristotle. Fun, sexy and at times incredibly sad, the story held me to the end and the research was incredible,
My favorite university courses were on classical Greece and taking a ride back in time and meeting Alexander the Great with Jennifer Macaire’s book is spot on amazing!
I loved it, and read the next 2. I am waiting impatiently for the 4th book due out in June.
I enjoyed this book and loved the whole concept of a time traveling journalist going back to interview Alexander the Great… only to be mistaken for a goddess and stuck in that time when Alexander “rescues” the heroine from being kidnapped by Hades.
I have never read any historical fiction, but I do enjoy romance, fantasy, and adventure and this book had all of that. Ashley, the time-traveling journalist, was raised not to show emotion and had never loved before, nor shown much affection from her family while growing up. She had always been fascinated by Alexander the Great, and because of her ability to control her emotions, and after winning a prestigious award, Ashley is chosen to interview this mysterious, yet fascinating character in history.
Throughout her adventure and journey, Ashley finds love and gets in touch with her emotions with Iskander (Alexander) and another certain character or two that I will not name so not to reveal major spoilers.
But the “sword of Damocles” hangs over her head at every turn. Ashley still holds her secret of who she truly is because if she changes the course of history, she will be erased. How awful to know the date of death for the one you love and not be able to do anything to stop it!
Although, a part of me does believe she is meant to live out her days in this time.
I am in awe of the amount of research that must go into writing this, yet appreciate the wonder of imagining what such a historical figure must have been like (in and out of bed!)
A fun read, and looking forward to the next book. There is definitely more story to tell and some questions I need answers to!