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Virgin Slave, Barbarian King
Julia Livia Rufa is horrified when barbarians invade Rome and steal everything in sight. But she doesn't expect to be among the taken. As Wulfric's woman, she's ordered to keep house for the uncivilized marauders. Soon, though, Julia realizes that she's more free as a slave than she ever was as a sheltered Roman virgin.
It would be all too easy to succumb to Wulfric's quiet strength, and Julia wants him more than she's ever wanted anything. But Wulfric could one day be king, and Julia is a Roman slave. What future can there be for two people from such different worlds?
It would be all too easy to succumb to Wulfric's quiet strength, and Julia wants him more than she's ever wanted anything. But Wulfric could one day be king, and Julia is a Roman slave. What future can there be for two people from such different worlds?
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
31 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
About the author
Louise Allen
424 books331 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.
I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.
With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.
I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.
My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.
This author also writes under the name Francesca Shaw.
I have had my nose buried in a history book - fact or fiction - for as long as I can remember, but even more important to me are the places and the objects that conjure up the past. My first attempt at historical fiction at the age of eight was three pages of improbable medieval drama set in the local castle.
With a degree in geography and archaeology I love to try and 'read' the landscape and the buildings in it for clues about the past. Virtually any place can trigger ideas for plots, but I am particularly inspired by Venice, Burgundy, Mediterranean islands and the Hertfordshire and Norfolk countryside.
I live in England in a village in Bedfordshire with my long-suffering husband. He is not sure whether to be flattered or alarmed to be told he is the inspiration for all my romantic heroes! Whenever possible we escape to our cottage on the North Norfolk coast where Percy, the bossy pheasant, allows us to share the garden.
My resolution every time I start on a new plot is to plan it carefully, make copious notes first and write lots of drafts in a disciplined and orderly manner. What inevitably happens is that the story starts to write itself in my head until it gets completely out of control - meanwhile my study floor becomes a sea of open books, prints and maps and I am found sitting in the car at traffic lights, muttering dialogue. At that point I have to start writing, knowing full well that the hero and heroine are going to take over and sabotage all my attempts at discipline. It is, after all, their story.
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November 28, 2012
Virgin Slave, Barbarian King by Louise Allen
Recommended by Rane
The title! Haaaaaa! As soon as I saw that title, I knew I had to read this book.
Well, the joke's on me, because this book kicked arse! It was set in ancient Rome and had marauding barbarians, a hot alpha hero, a courageous virginal (oops! that didn't last too long) heroine, excellent secondary characters, a suspenseful story line that kept me guessing until the bitter end how the hecka Ms. Allen would pull an HEA out of that hat, super hot sexy times, and a cool dog/wolf. I'm in love! With this book! Woo hoo! (Thank you, Rane).
Grade: A-
ETA: I forgot! The hero also has a beard!
Recommended by Rane
The title! Haaaaaa! As soon as I saw that title, I knew I had to read this book.
Well, the joke's on me, because this book kicked arse! It was set in ancient Rome and had marauding barbarians, a hot alpha hero, a courageous virginal (oops! that didn't last too long) heroine, excellent secondary characters, a suspenseful story line that kept me guessing until the bitter end how the hecka Ms. Allen would pull an HEA out of that hat, super hot sexy times, and a cool dog/wolf. I'm in love! With this book! Woo hoo! (Thank you, Rane).
Grade: A-
ETA: I forgot! The hero also has a beard!
February 11, 2015
Jesus Joney, what a title. That alone had me picking it up for snark purposes, but I was also genuinely interested in the setting: the Sack of Rome by the Visigoths in AD 410, and their subsequent movements. How often do you see that as the setting for a romance novel? So the author definitely deserves kudos for choosing a setting that’s well-known, yet at the same time, comparatively obscure.
Unfortunately, that’s about the only thing I’d give this book kudos for.
The plot is a fairly standard captive romance. Our titular virgin is highborn Julia Livia Rufa, who is rescued from looters by Visigoth warrior Wulfric, who then promptly takes Julia as his slave and rides off with her to the Goths’ encampment. Julia is disturbed by her attraction to Wulfric, even as she finds herself more at home amongst the Goths than she ever did in Rome. But, of course, there are factors working against them. Even as the Visigoths make their way south down the Italian peninsula, there are political intrigues brewing. King Alaric is at death’s door, and the potential candidates for the succession are sizing each other up. Wulfric is one of these candidates (so the title is a bit of a misnomer), and as such is burdened by his sense of responsibility to his people, which includes marrying the daughter of another powerful Goth chieftain. Somehow Wulfric and Julia must find a way to overcome these obstacles to be together.
Honestly, if I had to find one word to describe this book, it would be ridiculous. And not even in an entertaining way.
Julia had me gritting my teeth within the first few pages, because it quickly became clear that she was a Feisty Heroine. I was quite prepared to feel sympathetic to her, because she’s a sheltered young woman who finds herself in a pretty terrifying situation, but she reacts to that situation in ways that no real human ever would. No sooner has Wulfric taken her prisoner, rather than doing everything she can not to get stabbed, she’s nipping his ear off with her ~sass. Once she’s a slave, she goes out of her way to piss him off, like lazing around the tent and deliberately leaving it in a tip, or dousing him with a bucketful of cold water while he’s in the bath. I mean, come on, I like my heroines to have a spine, but at the same time, with capers like that, I didn’t think much of her IQ. As for the rest of the story, she spends most of her time effortlessly assimilating into the Visigoths’ way of life with no real sense of terror at her predicament, or attempt to retain her own cultural identity. Hell, at the end of her first day of captivity, she even feels comforted and at home in her new surroundings!
It’s just her luck, really, that Wulfric is just about the nicest Visigoth warrior ever. He’s built like a god (as we are reminded constantly), a strong warrior, a wise leader, nice to small children and animals, good sense of humour, does his best to make his new slave feel comfortable, holds her when she cries in her sleep, and is, on the whole, respectful of her boundaries. Gosh, he’s just so nice, in fact, that at the beginning I actually felt rather sorry for him, trying to get on with sacking Rome when he’s got Julia enquiring sarcastically in his ear every two seconds. Which is… really not the reaction I should have been having. Honestly, during the Sack, he breaks into a Roman house whose wealthy inhabitants have fled after hiding their valuables and leaving their slaves behind. He then finds the gold, gives it to the slaves and lets them go free. I know, right?! Where can you buy men like this?! I need to know! I appreciate that Allen was obviously trying to move away from the old school of romance “heroes” who had – um – issues with the concept of consent, but at the same time, there’s nothing about Wulfric that really convinces as a man of his time.
Needless to say, I found the romance between Julia and Wulfric somewhat – er – lacking. Part of it was the characterisation. I get the impression that Allen was attempting to level the incredibly unequal playing field by making Julia so ~feisty (and there’s a difference between feisty and ~feisty, work with me here), but the whole premise just made their interactions completely implausible. A quick look at Allen’s backlist tells me she’s primarily an author of Regency romances, and honestly, I kinda feel these two characters would be better suited to exchanging pleasant witticisms across Almack’s than exploring such tough concepts as slavery and culture clash during the twilight of the Western Roman Empire.
And there were plenty of awful, cringe-makingly silly moments throughout, like Julia declaring her love to Wulfric by shouting it to him while he’s in the middle of fighting for his life in battle. Or the catfight between Julia and her romantic rival at Alaric’s funeral (no, really). There’s an attempt to present it as a proper duel in the Visgoth mien, but no, it’s a catfight. The gleeful reactions of the men make that only too clear. Or what about Wulfric's pet wolf (definitely a wolf, not a dog at all!) that’s just one musical number away from being a Disney sidekick. Or the Roman magistrate who spouts pop psychology patter to Julia about the effects of Stockholm Syndrome (though, thankfully, stops just short of using the actual name)?
But by far the worst thing about the book was the exploration of the culture clash between the two peoples through the captivity narrative, which moved the book from merely “stupid” into “stupid and offensive” territory. In her author’s note, Allen mentions that she was inspired to write this story by the mingling of Roman and Gothic culture. This is a fascinating period, and personifying the complex cultural shifts through two characters is a cool idea. And, after all, there’s a historical precedent for a Roman/Visigoth union: Galla Placidia and Athaulf are both mentioned several times, and have very brief appearances.
Unfortunately, the cultural dialogue basically boils down to Virtuous Visigoths vs. Rotten Romans (thank you, Horrible Histories!). Julia’s family are a predictably evul patrician family who don’t love her and send her out into the middle of the Sack of Rome with only a slave-girl as an escort. Her mother in particular swings between Roman Matron Stereotype #1: the one who has fits of the vapours at the mere suggestion that her daughter is no longer a virgin, and Roman Matron Stereotype #2: the scheming matriarch who is willing to use her de-virginised daughter as a sexual pawn to secure her engagement to a wealthy senator. And, of course, Julia’s fiancé is a venal aristocrat who will “have two chins in five years” and kisses “like a wet fish” (as opposed to a dry one?) – clear evidence of degeneracy, I’m sure you’ll agree.
The Visigoths, by contrast, are about the nicest bunch of people you could ever hope to be captured by. I get that Allen was obviously trying to move away from dirty barbarian stereotypes, but it turns into one of those portrayals that is so one-sided that it completely fails as a way to explore these cultures and what they took from each other. Julia realises that she feels such a sense of belonging with the Goths because their slaves, according to her new friend Una, “belong to families, are part of families.” Yes, the Goths treat their slaves so well, unlike those nasty Romans who don’t even know the names of their slaves. Julia realises that: “Once you were in a barbarian household, however you got there, everyone had a responsibility towards you, just as you had duties to them.”
Now, from a historical point of view, I don’t know too much about Visigothic family systems, but the whole Roman concept of the familia included the household slaves, and there is a wealth of evidence – tombstones, dedications, accounts from Cicero, Pliny the Younger, etc. – that genuine affection and close relationships could and did exist between free Romans and their slaves/freedmen. I don’t think that just because in theory Visigoths’ slaves were members of the family, their state was any less bloody degrading than that of a Roman slave.
Apart from that, NO. To have characters express this view because it’s appropriate for their time and culture, fine, but for a 21st century author to use that same view to underpin their entire narrative, as is the case here, is mindboggling. You can’t argue that one culture’s slave trade was somehow more ethical than another’s. DON’T FUCKING GO THERE.
And speaking of don’t fucking go there… although generally Allen seems to be going out of her way to avoid the glorified rape of Ye Olde Romance Noveles, she swings too far to the opposite end of the spectrum and ends up utterly trivialising the seriousness of Julia’s situation. Julia is disgruntled at the initial thought of ending up as a sex slave – disgruntled, mind you, not appalled or, y’know, terrified. Hell, there’s even a scene where she has a sexy slave-themed daydream about her and Wulfric:
Are you fucking kidding me?! Did you honestly just write a scene in which an enslaved woman has a sexy bondage fantasy about the man who captured her – in a way that explicitly sexualises her predicament? Of all the things in this book, this was the one that absolutely nauseated me.
And in the end, it was that which made this book so awful. Ludicrous characters, inconsistent writing and silly plot devices are fun to snark, but Allen’s treatment of the captivity narrative was appalling. Although it was clear that she was trying to write a story in which the balance of power between the hero and heroine is actually equal, the premise she chose made that easy equality implausible, and her blasé treatment of the subject was just as offensive as those old bodice rippers.
Unfortunately, that’s about the only thing I’d give this book kudos for.
The plot is a fairly standard captive romance. Our titular virgin is highborn Julia Livia Rufa, who is rescued from looters by Visigoth warrior Wulfric, who then promptly takes Julia as his slave and rides off with her to the Goths’ encampment. Julia is disturbed by her attraction to Wulfric, even as she finds herself more at home amongst the Goths than she ever did in Rome. But, of course, there are factors working against them. Even as the Visigoths make their way south down the Italian peninsula, there are political intrigues brewing. King Alaric is at death’s door, and the potential candidates for the succession are sizing each other up. Wulfric is one of these candidates (so the title is a bit of a misnomer), and as such is burdened by his sense of responsibility to his people, which includes marrying the daughter of another powerful Goth chieftain. Somehow Wulfric and Julia must find a way to overcome these obstacles to be together.
Honestly, if I had to find one word to describe this book, it would be ridiculous. And not even in an entertaining way.
Julia had me gritting my teeth within the first few pages, because it quickly became clear that she was a Feisty Heroine. I was quite prepared to feel sympathetic to her, because she’s a sheltered young woman who finds herself in a pretty terrifying situation, but she reacts to that situation in ways that no real human ever would. No sooner has Wulfric taken her prisoner, rather than doing everything she can not to get stabbed, she’s nipping his ear off with her ~sass. Once she’s a slave, she goes out of her way to piss him off, like lazing around the tent and deliberately leaving it in a tip, or dousing him with a bucketful of cold water while he’s in the bath. I mean, come on, I like my heroines to have a spine, but at the same time, with capers like that, I didn’t think much of her IQ. As for the rest of the story, she spends most of her time effortlessly assimilating into the Visigoths’ way of life with no real sense of terror at her predicament, or attempt to retain her own cultural identity. Hell, at the end of her first day of captivity, she even feels comforted and at home in her new surroundings!
It’s just her luck, really, that Wulfric is just about the nicest Visigoth warrior ever. He’s built like a god (as we are reminded constantly), a strong warrior, a wise leader, nice to small children and animals, good sense of humour, does his best to make his new slave feel comfortable, holds her when she cries in her sleep, and is, on the whole, respectful of her boundaries. Gosh, he’s just so nice, in fact, that at the beginning I actually felt rather sorry for him, trying to get on with sacking Rome when he’s got Julia enquiring sarcastically in his ear every two seconds. Which is… really not the reaction I should have been having. Honestly, during the Sack, he breaks into a Roman house whose wealthy inhabitants have fled after hiding their valuables and leaving their slaves behind. He then finds the gold, gives it to the slaves and lets them go free. I know, right?! Where can you buy men like this?! I need to know! I appreciate that Allen was obviously trying to move away from the old school of romance “heroes” who had – um – issues with the concept of consent, but at the same time, there’s nothing about Wulfric that really convinces as a man of his time.
Needless to say, I found the romance between Julia and Wulfric somewhat – er – lacking. Part of it was the characterisation. I get the impression that Allen was attempting to level the incredibly unequal playing field by making Julia so ~feisty (and there’s a difference between feisty and ~feisty, work with me here), but the whole premise just made their interactions completely implausible. A quick look at Allen’s backlist tells me she’s primarily an author of Regency romances, and honestly, I kinda feel these two characters would be better suited to exchanging pleasant witticisms across Almack’s than exploring such tough concepts as slavery and culture clash during the twilight of the Western Roman Empire.
And there were plenty of awful, cringe-makingly silly moments throughout, like Julia declaring her love to Wulfric by shouting it to him while he’s in the middle of fighting for his life in battle. Or the catfight between Julia and her romantic rival at Alaric’s funeral (no, really). There’s an attempt to present it as a proper duel in the Visgoth mien, but no, it’s a catfight. The gleeful reactions of the men make that only too clear. Or what about Wulfric's pet wolf (definitely a wolf, not a dog at all!) that’s just one musical number away from being a Disney sidekick. Or the Roman magistrate who spouts pop psychology patter to Julia about the effects of Stockholm Syndrome (though, thankfully, stops just short of using the actual name)?
But by far the worst thing about the book was the exploration of the culture clash between the two peoples through the captivity narrative, which moved the book from merely “stupid” into “stupid and offensive” territory. In her author’s note, Allen mentions that she was inspired to write this story by the mingling of Roman and Gothic culture. This is a fascinating period, and personifying the complex cultural shifts through two characters is a cool idea. And, after all, there’s a historical precedent for a Roman/Visigoth union: Galla Placidia and Athaulf are both mentioned several times, and have very brief appearances.
Unfortunately, the cultural dialogue basically boils down to Virtuous Visigoths vs. Rotten Romans (thank you, Horrible Histories!). Julia’s family are a predictably evul patrician family who don’t love her and send her out into the middle of the Sack of Rome with only a slave-girl as an escort. Her mother in particular swings between Roman Matron Stereotype #1: the one who has fits of the vapours at the mere suggestion that her daughter is no longer a virgin, and Roman Matron Stereotype #2: the scheming matriarch who is willing to use her de-virginised daughter as a sexual pawn to secure her engagement to a wealthy senator. And, of course, Julia’s fiancé is a venal aristocrat who will “have two chins in five years” and kisses “like a wet fish” (as opposed to a dry one?) – clear evidence of degeneracy, I’m sure you’ll agree.
The Visigoths, by contrast, are about the nicest bunch of people you could ever hope to be captured by. I get that Allen was obviously trying to move away from dirty barbarian stereotypes, but it turns into one of those portrayals that is so one-sided that it completely fails as a way to explore these cultures and what they took from each other. Julia realises that she feels such a sense of belonging with the Goths because their slaves, according to her new friend Una, “belong to families, are part of families.” Yes, the Goths treat their slaves so well, unlike those nasty Romans who don’t even know the names of their slaves. Julia realises that: “Once you were in a barbarian household, however you got there, everyone had a responsibility towards you, just as you had duties to them.”
Now, from a historical point of view, I don’t know too much about Visigothic family systems, but the whole Roman concept of the familia included the household slaves, and there is a wealth of evidence – tombstones, dedications, accounts from Cicero, Pliny the Younger, etc. – that genuine affection and close relationships could and did exist between free Romans and their slaves/freedmen. I don’t think that just because in theory Visigoths’ slaves were members of the family, their state was any less bloody degrading than that of a Roman slave.
Apart from that, NO. To have characters express this view because it’s appropriate for their time and culture, fine, but for a 21st century author to use that same view to underpin their entire narrative, as is the case here, is mindboggling. You can’t argue that one culture’s slave trade was somehow more ethical than another’s. DON’T FUCKING GO THERE.
And speaking of don’t fucking go there… although generally Allen seems to be going out of her way to avoid the glorified rape of Ye Olde Romance Noveles, she swings too far to the opposite end of the spectrum and ends up utterly trivialising the seriousness of Julia’s situation. Julia is disgruntled at the initial thought of ending up as a sex slave – disgruntled, mind you, not appalled or, y’know, terrified. Hell, there’s even a scene where she has a sexy slave-themed daydream about her and Wulfric:
Lurid fantasies of chains-light, and of a precious metal, naturally-of skimpy silken garments, of Wulfric stretched out on a couch, watching her from under hooded lids as she prepared to oil his naked body, all chased their way through her imagination.
Are you fucking kidding me?! Did you honestly just write a scene in which an enslaved woman has a sexy bondage fantasy about the man who captured her – in a way that explicitly sexualises her predicament? Of all the things in this book, this was the one that absolutely nauseated me.
And in the end, it was that which made this book so awful. Ludicrous characters, inconsistent writing and silly plot devices are fun to snark, but Allen’s treatment of the captivity narrative was appalling. Although it was clear that she was trying to write a story in which the balance of power between the hero and heroine is actually equal, the premise she chose made that easy equality implausible, and her blasé treatment of the subject was just as offensive as those old bodice rippers.
May 5, 2022
3.5 stars
The stars slowly diminished as the story progressed, especially in the last 100 pages. This went from an exciting and fun adventure to frustrating tired contrived mess. The plot lost it's footing with the needless going in circles with the hero and heroine at a complete standstill with no forward movement. And that turnabout in the end for the hero? Nah. What was the reason for that? It felt extremely out of character for a warrior like Wulfric to just give up everything like that after everything he did for his people. It was made very clear and so obvious he was the most fit and suited to be the next King. The heroine didn't even want or asked that of him. Made zero sense. So did having your heroine escaping and running back to the hero after he set her free just to turn around say she was leaving him once he chose his bride. Huh?....Made no sense.
The stars slowly diminished as the story progressed, especially in the last 100 pages. This went from an exciting and fun adventure to frustrating tired contrived mess. The plot lost it's footing with the needless going in circles with the hero and heroine at a complete standstill with no forward movement. And that turnabout in the end for the hero? Nah. What was the reason for that? It felt extremely out of character for a warrior like Wulfric to just give up everything like that after everything he did for his people. It was made very clear and so obvious he was the most fit and suited to be the next King. The heroine didn't even want or asked that of him. Made zero sense. So did having your heroine escaping and running back to the hero after he set her free just to turn around say she was leaving him once he chose his bride. Huh?....Made no sense.
November 13, 2012
This is a fabulous historical romance! I found it hard to put down!
The story is set during the time of the Roman Empire when the Goths invaded Rome from the north to take what was owed them after the Romans reneged on a pact.
Julia, a Roman maiden is taken. She learns that being Roman doesn't equate with being honest and noble and that those referred to as barbarians are anything but.
The love story between Julia and Wulfric, a contender for the barbarian kingship, is so fabulous, tender and endearing. The obstacles, both cultural, political and physical are many and kept ne on the edge of my seat.
All characters, both main and secondary, are wonderful and I enjoyed this book enormously!
The story is set during the time of the Roman Empire when the Goths invaded Rome from the north to take what was owed them after the Romans reneged on a pact.
Julia, a Roman maiden is taken. She learns that being Roman doesn't equate with being honest and noble and that those referred to as barbarians are anything but.
The love story between Julia and Wulfric, a contender for the barbarian kingship, is so fabulous, tender and endearing. The obstacles, both cultural, political and physical are many and kept ne on the edge of my seat.
All characters, both main and secondary, are wonderful and I enjoyed this book enormously!
December 29, 2015
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceMy Review
Virgin Slave, Barbarian King is the first book that I have read by this author and is a roman historical romance. There are too many books that take place in that time period, so I just had to read this and its was short but a sweet romance that left me wishing it was a bit longer. From the first minute they encounter one another, Wulfric is so good to Julia, even though she is at times a wildcat, which is understandable given the circumstances…but I just fell in love with Wulfric who was very patient yet firm, and who is very loyal to those he cares for. It was such a delight to take the first seat on this adventure and I hope to read more from this author. I loved her style of writing and the way you see Julia and Wulfric connect….definitely worth reading!!! Just loved it!
Virgin Slave, Barbarian King is the first book that I have read by this author and is a roman historical romance. There are too many books that take place in that time period, so I just had to read this and its was short but a sweet romance that left me wishing it was a bit longer. From the first minute they encounter one another, Wulfric is so good to Julia, even though she is at times a wildcat, which is understandable given the circumstances…but I just fell in love with Wulfric who was very patient yet firm, and who is very loyal to those he cares for. It was such a delight to take the first seat on this adventure and I hope to read more from this author. I loved her style of writing and the way you see Julia and Wulfric connect….definitely worth reading!!! Just loved it!
March 1, 2016
Forget the title, this book was great. I read this a while ago; I should have reviewed it then.
I expected violence and brutality because of the time period. Thankfully, I was disappointed. The hero was kind, funny and sensitive, not at all what I have gotten used to lately. He was also hot. The heroine was also great, no tstl moments.
I have read some very dark books lately. I needed a break and this was it. I realize now that I don't always need a violent, evil antihero. This hero needed no sociopathy to make him interesting. Dark is sometimes overrated.
Maybe this book was not some epic, historically accurate piece of literature, but that’s ok. It was wish-fulfillment and I loved it.
I expected violence and brutality because of the time period. Thankfully, I was disappointed. The hero was kind, funny and sensitive, not at all what I have gotten used to lately. He was also hot. The heroine was also great, no tstl moments.
I have read some very dark books lately. I needed a break and this was it. I realize now that I don't always need a violent, evil antihero. This hero needed no sociopathy to make him interesting. Dark is sometimes overrated.
Maybe this book was not some epic, historically accurate piece of literature, but that’s ok. It was wish-fulfillment and I loved it.
December 1, 2019
The story really doesn’t match the title. That aside , I really enjoyed this book. Once I started I hated putting it down. I enjoyed all the relationships that developed in the secondary characters as well as the one with Wulfric. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and will look for more of hers to read.
September 5, 2013
Funniest title ever. Okay, possibly less funny than The Viking's Forbidden Love Slave (this was in fact the most popular Harlequin historical for some time, but I did not buy it because it looked as terrible as you might think from the title, and I like to think that I have some self restraint.) This book, however, gets lots and lots of extra points for not sucking given its truly ridiculous title. In fact, this is a really interesting plot, setting, and cast of characters. The book's depiction of the Roman invasion from the perspective of the intelligent, courageous, and sheltered daughter of a Roman statesman immediately sets it apart from its historical romance peers. The barbarians, who are in fact anything but barbaric, are equally engaging, and the hero and heroine are in need of no petty theatrics, misunderstandings, and tiffs in order to delay their happy ending. Their obstacles are very real, pulling at the heartstrings of the readers rooting for them. This is Louise Allen, in my opinion the only decent writer currently writing for Harlequin Historical, at her very best.
March 27, 2012
I loved this book! I didnt exactly enjoy the emotional torment the main female character had to go through (the I love him but I dont think he feels the same - the pain of knowing he will probably marry someone else to further himself in his society - and so forth). I could really feel for her as she experiences all the new feelings and the love for this man only to know she couldnt have him, but she still did fight for him. Of course they ended up together in the end - like we all knew they would (come on thats what makes these books wonderful, the fact that in the end no matter what they will be with eachother. As with most books I read I thought the ending felt a bit rushed. I wont say to much about it because I dont want to spoil it for those who havent read it but want to read it. Lets just say although a great ending, it wasnt what I expected or hoped for.
March 10, 2012
Horribly cheesy title, but SUCH a great story. In fact the title is really doing a disservice to this book. I was looking for a book where the heroine was captured and falls in love with her captor, and I was weary of reading this because of the title. I'm so glad I read it. It is now on my favorites shelf. I am really interested in what else this author has written.
I loved Julia's spunk. When she was first captured she was defiant and I loved that about her. I love that she didn't cower, she was strong and stood up to Wulfric even when she was frightened. I also loved how Berig became so protective of her. It was cute. You just couldn't help but fall in love with the characters.
I loved Julia's spunk. When she was first captured she was defiant and I loved that about her. I love that she didn't cower, she was strong and stood up to Wulfric even when she was frightened. I also loved how Berig became so protective of her. It was cute. You just couldn't help but fall in love with the characters.
February 12, 2015
Je ne sais pas trop comment noter ce livre. Parce qu'il n'était pas vraiment mauvais. Mais le sentiment qui domine chez moi, c'est la déception. Ce livre aurait pu être tellement bien ! J'aime beaucoup ce genre de sujets (la fille captive / esclave), et il y a de bonnes choses, l'intrigue n'est pas mal. Mais franchement, premier énorme point noir : ça va BEAUCOUP trop vite. On ne change pas du tout au tout et on ne tombe pas amoureux en 3 jours. D'où manque de crédibilité et de psychologie. Et puis ce n'était pas super bien écrit, ce qui gâche un peu les moments qui auraient pu être vraiment émouvants.
Déception, donc, car il y avait du potentiel. Mais la réalisation n'est pas à la hauteur.
Déception, donc, car il y avait du potentiel. Mais la réalisation n'est pas à la hauteur.
January 19, 2022
Schiava del suo cuore Louise Allen
Libro finito ieri sera e quando ci sono tornata per accertarmi di aver scritto bene titolo e autore , a rivederlo ho avvertito un leggero fastidio. Ecco, questo è stato in definitiva questo libro. Come anticipato è un libro che si fa leggere, certo una trama trita e ritrita, ma comunque scritta in maniera piacevole, incalzante e pulita. ho avuto la netta sensazione che ci fosse qualcosa di stonato a livello storico, ma siccome non è un periodo che ho apprezzato moltissimo e su cui non sono molto ferrata, sinceramente mi rincresceva andare a sincerarmi… E ho deciso di dare per buono tutto. La storia inizia durante il sacco dei Visigoti a Roma, lui Wulfric ( scrivo il nome pensando al meraviglioso duca di ghiaccio della Balogh) salva lei Giulia Livia, patrizia figlia di un senatore romano da uno stupro, ma ne fa sua schiava. Oddio schiava per modo di dire, per la prima parte della storia è stato più lui al servizio di lei che non viceversa. Ecco la prima sensazione di fastidio: Lui è molto gentile, tutti quelli attorno invece di trattarla da schiava la trattano come una di famiglia eppure lei da calci a destra e a sinistra. Poi fra i due finalmente esplode l’idillio ed ecco che la situazione si inverte. Lui senza colpo ferire , decide che no,deve rinunciare a lei perché i suoi doveri verso il suo popolo sono più importanti…ok sicuramente questo comportamento è più adeso alla realtà dell’epoca piuttosto che la resa all’amore, ma diamine… come dico sempre questo è romance , se pur con difficoltà,lui riesce a rinunciare a lei … mi cade tutto il palco. E qui parte il comportamento che io considero fastidioso di lei che invece di ritrovare la sua dignità di donna romana e dimostrarsi superiore nel momento in cui lui le dice senza mezzi termini” ti lascio a un magistrato romano basta,si chiude qui” ecco che gli corre dietro. A caro Wulfric , se invece di Giulia Livia , ti fosse capitata Donatella Roberta I calci nel sedere erano a due a due finché non diventano dispari…
Sì poi lui se la va a riprendere, ma la verità è che se lei non fosse tornata da lui per prima, gli eventi sarebbero finiti con lui che l’ha lasciata dal magistrato …
In definitiva non ho avuto la sensazione di questo grandissimo amore insomma…
Carino, piacevole ma non eccelso, a tratti irritante … raggiungiamo comunque la sufficienza.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2019
THIS WAS PRETTY GOOD IN CLASSICAL HISTORICAL ROMANCE WAY.
HERO is leader of his tribe and by some encounter he captures Julia and makes her part of his people despite her consternation. What he didnt anticipate is for the little Roman to bewitch him and soften his heart, making him do things he never will for another woman and soon they are sharing passionate kisses. Wulfric is mostly torn between his duty and his love for a woman not meant to be his. He has to marry someone else of status within his community if he were ever to take his place as future King. I absolutely adored how lovely, sweet and alpha protective he was of Julia. While he handled her, he also didn't stifle her freedom.
HEROINE is a beautiful Roman who got caught in a skirmish and captured by a barbarian who later steals her heart and virginity. She may be slight but she's brave and loyal, and I loved everything about her. Strong where it counts but submissive as a woman in love when it comes to making love with Wulfric. She's also stubborn and determined to be with him despite their bleak future although she's also not insensible like being able to accept that she will have to leave him soon, and she loves him enough to leave him should he decide to be King. I liked how selfless she was.
OVERALL this one had CHARACTERS and supporting roles that endear themselves to you especially SMOKE the wolf. The romance progressed well and smooth, no INSTA love but actual getting to know each other in between fights and lusty kisses.
HERO is leader of his tribe and by some encounter he captures Julia and makes her part of his people despite her consternation. What he didnt anticipate is for the little Roman to bewitch him and soften his heart, making him do things he never will for another woman and soon they are sharing passionate kisses. Wulfric is mostly torn between his duty and his love for a woman not meant to be his. He has to marry someone else of status within his community if he were ever to take his place as future King. I absolutely adored how lovely, sweet and alpha protective he was of Julia. While he handled her, he also didn't stifle her freedom.
HEROINE is a beautiful Roman who got caught in a skirmish and captured by a barbarian who later steals her heart and virginity. She may be slight but she's brave and loyal, and I loved everything about her. Strong where it counts but submissive as a woman in love when it comes to making love with Wulfric. She's also stubborn and determined to be with him despite their bleak future although she's also not insensible like being able to accept that she will have to leave him soon, and she loves him enough to leave him should he decide to be King. I liked how selfless she was.
OVERALL this one had CHARACTERS and supporting roles that endear themselves to you especially SMOKE the wolf. The romance progressed well and smooth, no INSTA love but actual getting to know each other in between fights and lusty kisses.
August 11, 2021
Roma, 24 agosto 410 d.C
Durante il sacco di Roma, la patrizia Giulia Livia Rufa, assalita da due delinquenti, viene salvata da Wulfric, guerriero goto che la porta via con se come schiava. Livia urla, scalcia e combatte ma con l’enorme uomo biondo non ha nessuna speranza. I goti vivono come nomadi in quanto il loro re chiede a loro di arrivare in Africa per stabilirvisi. Giulia, vissuta negli agi fino ad un giorno prima non ha la minima idea di come si gestisca una casa o un accampamento, in questo caso. Dopo un po’ di tempo passato in compagnia dei barbari, si rende conto che non è così male condividere la vita quotidiana con loro. E si rende anche conto di amare Wulfric ma lui è destinato a diventare re, potrebbe mai sposare una schiava romana?
Primo libro che leggo di questa ambientazione storica e wow! Non mi aspettavo che fosse così coinvolgente.
Giulia Livia ha una bella testa calda e non ci pensa nemmeno a sottomettersi a questo gigantesco guerriero. Livia è coraggiosa da morire, arriva persino ad acquistare una schiava gota per poi rimetterla in libertà.
Wulfric è un uomo tutto d’un pezzo, onorevole e leale ma questa romana gli annebbia i pensieri fino a renderlo non del tutto lucido.
Una storia travolgente e un viaggio per tutta la penisola italiana. L’autrice è molto preparata sull’argomento e ad un certo punto sembrava di essere lì con loro.
Durante il sacco di Roma, la patrizia Giulia Livia Rufa, assalita da due delinquenti, viene salvata da Wulfric, guerriero goto che la porta via con se come schiava. Livia urla, scalcia e combatte ma con l’enorme uomo biondo non ha nessuna speranza. I goti vivono come nomadi in quanto il loro re chiede a loro di arrivare in Africa per stabilirvisi. Giulia, vissuta negli agi fino ad un giorno prima non ha la minima idea di come si gestisca una casa o un accampamento, in questo caso. Dopo un po’ di tempo passato in compagnia dei barbari, si rende conto che non è così male condividere la vita quotidiana con loro. E si rende anche conto di amare Wulfric ma lui è destinato a diventare re, potrebbe mai sposare una schiava romana?
Primo libro che leggo di questa ambientazione storica e wow! Non mi aspettavo che fosse così coinvolgente.
Giulia Livia ha una bella testa calda e non ci pensa nemmeno a sottomettersi a questo gigantesco guerriero. Livia è coraggiosa da morire, arriva persino ad acquistare una schiava gota per poi rimetterla in libertà.
Wulfric è un uomo tutto d’un pezzo, onorevole e leale ma questa romana gli annebbia i pensieri fino a renderlo non del tutto lucido.
Una storia travolgente e un viaggio per tutta la penisola italiana. L’autrice è molto preparata sull’argomento e ad un certo punto sembrava di essere lì con loro.
January 18, 2021
I almost DNF-ed this. At one point I had the impression that all he wanted from her was obedience, sex, and food. But later into the book, Wulfric’s ambition, bravery, and leadership made reading it more bearable. It started getting better when Julia showed how practical and emotionally mature she is. Kudos to her! She’s not someone to trample on, and she’s good at compromising! The 2 stars are dedicated to her character development. 😁
On the other hand, Wulfric was immensely frustrating. He was so stubborn. But it is expected from someone as ambitious as him. I’d probably have the same choices, too.
The ending was okay, I just wanted to see how Wulfric came to decide on his future life choices. The last scene was particularly cute, too!
The third star is for how the book portrayed the life of a Roman woman and Visigoth warrior. Wulfric and Julia respectively knew their priorities and acted according to it. It wasn’t all hearts and wantonness.
Howoever, overall, I think there was something lacking. There was sex, romance, action, and politics. But I felt distant from the characters. 🤷🏻♀️
On the other hand, Wulfric was immensely frustrating. He was so stubborn. But it is expected from someone as ambitious as him. I’d probably have the same choices, too.
The ending was okay, I just wanted to see how Wulfric came to decide on his future life choices. The last scene was particularly cute, too!
The third star is for how the book portrayed the life of a Roman woman and Visigoth warrior. Wulfric and Julia respectively knew their priorities and acted according to it. It wasn’t all hearts and wantonness.
Howoever, overall, I think there was something lacking. There was sex, romance, action, and politics. But I felt distant from the characters. 🤷🏻♀️
Read
October 18, 2022Ran across this looking for books about Roman history and immediately decided to read it because of the title. As historical romances go it’s actually better than I was prepared for it to be, with the ridiculous title. Despite the genre being my go-to “vacation reads,” I have relatively high standards for historical romance novels and while this was exactly as corny and far-fetched as the title suggests, the writing itself was decent.
February 9, 2017
After I started reading Virgin Slave, Barbarian King I was concerned. I really dislike historical romance books that seem to be absent of historical detail and whose main characters are way too modern in their thoughts and actions. (I have run into a few lately.) Despite that, I was entertained and ended up liking this quirky book with the provocative title. 3/5 stars
January 19, 2022
Wonderful
A very nicely written book, couldn't keep it down till I finished it. Characters were nicely portrayed. Liked the way the culture differences were depicted by LA. Overall a very enjoyable book.
A very nicely written book, couldn't keep it down till I finished it. Characters were nicely portrayed. Liked the way the culture differences were depicted by LA. Overall a very enjoyable book.
February 22, 2024
This is definitely a soap opera, potato chip, book. Louise Allen writes well, so I was entertained by the story, even though I knew it was thoroughly outlandish and unbelievable for the time period she had chosen to set it in. Enjoyable, but a frippery.
January 5, 2018
Eh. Somehow I don't Julia would be that "feisty" (I hate that term in relation to a heroine) in Roman times. 3 is strictly for the writing being technically well done.
July 17, 2017
Great Book!
I really am in love with this book and all of its wonderful characters. It'd definitely going in my shelf of 'Favorites'.
I really am in love with this book and all of its wonderful characters. It'd definitely going in my shelf of 'Favorites'.
January 19, 2019
It was ok not bad
May 16, 2020
slow, lost interest, couldn't finish
September 1, 2021
Very good.
April 25, 2022
Ειμαι σιγουρη ότι η ιστορικη ακριβεια δεν είναι το φορτε του βιβλιου αλλα διαβαζεται ευχαριστα
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July 11, 2022Can't rate it because it's been 7 years since I've read it and I don't even remember most of the book 😂
February 4, 2025
Je l’avais lu y a des années…une de mes premières romance, je l’avais emprunté à ma grand-mère 😅
Et franchement j’ai adoré 🙈
Et franchement j’ai adoré 🙈
December 5, 2017
Sono quasi a metà di questo romanzo che ho già letto e, visto che me lo ricordo piuttosto bene e che posso risparmiarmi di terminarlo, lo chiudo qui. La storia comunque è carina perché la patrizia che funge da schiava per il suo signore visigoto è tutto fuorchè timorosa. E lui la costringe con l’astuzia ad affezionarsi a lui.
December 16, 2012
I bought this one direct from the author at the Festival of Romance, partly on the basis of her bad review from Julie Bindel (which she is understandably proud of, considering all the publicity that spun off from it). As is so often the case (excuse my snark), Julie Bindel got things all muddled up. This is a well researched story of life at the end of the Roman Empire for free Romans, their slaves, and their supposed allies who feel betrayed by the Emperor's unkept promises. It's also a romance, and a good one at that, but one does worry that Ms Bindel read only the title and the name of the publisher before writing her review.
Julia is a pampered Roman, daughter of one politician and betrothed to another. As Rome comes under attack by Visigoths, she is rescued from men (fine, upstanding Romans usually) who kill her slave and want to rape and rob her, by one of the invaders. He promptly takes her as his slave, but she finds the attitude of thr barbarians to their prisoners to be far more kindly than that of her own people. Thus follows a whole series of adventures across Europe before Julia figures out whether she wants to return to her old life or find a new one with these very different people.
Julia is a pampered Roman, daughter of one politician and betrothed to another. As Rome comes under attack by Visigoths, she is rescued from men (fine, upstanding Romans usually) who kill her slave and want to rape and rob her, by one of the invaders. He promptly takes her as his slave, but she finds the attitude of thr barbarians to their prisoners to be far more kindly than that of her own people. Thus follows a whole series of adventures across Europe before Julia figures out whether she wants to return to her old life or find a new one with these very different people.
August 3, 2009
I primarily read historical romances and tend to favor westerns. The setting for this book was Rome at the end of the Roman empire when it was being attacked by the Visigoths. I have to admit to knowing very little about this time period and was fascinated by what I learned about life back then and especially about attitudes toward slavery. Louise Allen provided a historical footnote in which she told about her research and that some characters in the book were factual. All in all a very enjoyable read with the added benefit of learning in little more about the Romans (and Goths).
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