It is a world of power and privilege, secrets and sacred duty. It is the world of ancient Rome. And it is the esteemed Vestal Virgins—priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the home and hearth—who protect the Eternal Flame that protects the Eternal City.
Dedicated to a thirty-year vow of chaste service, Priestess Pomponia finds herself swept up in the intrigue, violence, wars, and bedroom politics of … politics of Rome’s elite—Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Octavian and his maneuvering wife, Livia—all the while guarding the secret affection she has in her heart.
But when a charge of incestum—a broken vow of chastity—is made against the Vestal order, the ultimate punishment looms: death by being buried alive in the “Evil Field.”
In Brides of Rome, Book One in the Vesta Shadows series, Debra May Macleod skillfully re-creates the world of ancient Rome with all its brutality and brilliance, all its rich history and even richer legend. A true page-turner that is as smart as it is compelling, this must-read novel brings the Vestal order to life like never before.
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First of all, I’ve got to admit it took me a while to really get into this book. I soldiered on and before I knew it I was thorougly hooked. In fact, I had a hard time putting my Kindle down because I really did end up enjoying the story a lot.
I would also like to say that initially I had no idea what time exactly this book took place in, I just knew it was about the Vestal Virgins, which I’ve been fascinated with and haven’t had the opportunity to read about them but I was happily surprised that the story involved Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Octavian etc. But the most important character to me was Vestal Priestess Pomponia.
This book had many female characters in the lead and I was so thrilled at that because ancient Rome was mostly a man’s world but these ladies in the lead definitely stole the show and I can’t do anything but praise the author for that. With that said, I feel like I should also say that none of the characters are actually likeable. Life in ancient Rome, especially the capital, was a brutal place and it was hard for a woman to survive.
I don’t want to say too much but my favorite character was Pomponia’s slave Medousa (named after Medusa from mythology). I just loved her spark, the snarky comments she often made in spite of being beaten for it and her devotion to Pomponia.
Brides of Rome by Debra May MacLeod was a daring novel about the early days of the Roman Empire with women in the lead as main characters. It was a slow start for me but the author’s knowledge and passion for ancient Rome definitely showed through the story.
Wow! This book is absolutely incredible. Whenever I picked up “Brides of Rome: A Novel of the Vestal Virgins”, I was whisked back in time to Ancient Rome, and went on a journey with this story. At times brutal, and always informative and intriguing, this book has so much in it. Some books you want to read quickly because you just need to know what happens next, and some books. you want to read slowly to devour every word and moment of the world of the novel and characters…and this book is both!
This is the first book I have read by Debra May Macleod, and I can’t wait to read many more. Her writing style is so visceral, and she is able to truly bring the past to life. She seamlessly blends historical fiction with real historical people and events. In this book we see Julius Caesar, Octavian, Octavia, Antony, Cleopatra, Livia, Liciana, and many more. I believe that the author beautifully intertwines parts of their stories with that of the Vestal Virgins. I can only imaging the amount of research Ms. Macleod put in to this book, as everything feels and reads so authentically. It is so clear how much she loves what she is writing about.
I enjoy studying and reading about Ancient Rome, but I was not familiar with the goddess Vesta, the Vestal Virgins, or the Eternal Flame and its significance before. The Vestal Virgins were chosen from wealthy Roman families, and promised themselves to serving the goddess Vesta for thirty years. I absolutely loved getting to read about these women, and found it absolutely fascinating that they were given many rights other women in Rome were not. The closeness and support of these women for one another is beautiful. They are a family who protect one another. I so look forward to doing more historical research on them.
Priestess Pomponia is such a strong woman, and getting to really go on the journey of her story was incredible. I could really feel her struggles, her wants and desires, as well as her pain. She is smart, stands by what she believes to be right, and grows so much throughout the book.
Every single character in this novel really helps to push the plot forward in one way or another. All of their personalities are so distinct, and their actions stand true to who they are. I absolutely love the dog, Perseus, as well!
If you enjoy historical fiction novels, learning about Ancient Rome, and / or are just looking for an amazing read, I highly recommend this novel. I had a very hard time putting it down, and I did not want it to end. Chapter after chapter, I found myself so drawn into the story, and I could not wait to see what happened next.
Thank you so much to Edelweiss + and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of this novel, and to Blackstone Publishing for also sending me a physical review copy of the book. I so enjoyed it, and am so looking forward to reading the next books in the series. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Enjoyed reading this novel.. Well researched.
I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the Vestal Virgins. There is always something to learn about ancient Rome.
A lot happens in this book that spans many years. Very slick plot and fantastic characters (Livia was my favorite). I highly reccomend this book, with a couple great twists, a sort-of-romance that doesn’t follow the typical pattern and all the cruel indifference you’d expect from Ancient Rome.