Taurus

Imperial Desire #2

by Christine Elaine Black

Rebellious and strong-willed, Kalliassa flees a political betrothal arranged by her brother, the emperor of Rome. She runs to the one man capable of preventing the match -- her brother's sworn enemy. Unwittingly, she throws her fortunes into the hands of a man pledged to destroy Roman rule.
Taurus, proud Governor of Panua, would do anything to provoke the emperor, even ruin an imperial sister. But Kallie is like no woman he's ever met, and she tests his strength of will and his solemn vow to end the reign of her family forever.
Can true love overcome lust, lies, and deceit?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Adult, Erotica, Historical Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2013

About the author

Born and raised in the West of Scotland, Christine currently resides in Ontario, Canada. Her favourite stories to write are romantic fiction set in the ancient or medieval world.

A ROSE FOR LANCASTER
ANNE BOLEYN: Command of the King
THE ONLY GOOD ROMAN
THE ONLY GOOD ROMAN RETURNS
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Elain...

Reviews

[Mei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but nothing extraordinary.

The story could have been much more interesting, since the premise was good: a headstrong Kallie force Taurus to give her political asylum during a time when women were men's properties. I enjoyed her ways, so free and so unusual for the period. And I liked her not being afraid of Taurus.

Unfortunately thing were happening in a very abrupt and disjointed way. For example, when Kallie run away, Taurus changes his behaviour very quickly, like he has an almost relegious revelation! There's no smooth flow: on one page he's ranting against Kallie and on the next he's shamed by his own behaviour. That's so not good.

Still, if the author manages to improve and expand her writing, I think her books will merit a much higher ratings!

[Victoria Limbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and oh how I love Taurus. I think he is my ideal man! strong and fiery in his temper yet unrivalled in passion. The front cover does him justice, I could picture his face as he spoke. The story was lovely, not full of action but a tender love story that has many twists and turns and challenges.

Kallie is the kind of woman any would want to be. Even though she is the sister of the emperor, she is skilled with a bow an arrow, confident, adventurous and strong willed. It is these traits, which are unusual for a Roman woman who should succumb to a man's every order and do as she is told, even if it means marrying someone she hates for politics, that Taurus finds fascinating. Kallie refuses to be used by the men around her and believes in making her own fate. Taurus soon comes to realize he doesn't own her, no matter how much he threatens and says it.

The ending to this book was sweet and paves the way for a great sequel. I have not yet read book 1 in this series, but it seems this can be easily read as a standalone book. I look forward to reading more.

*received in exchange for an honest review*

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. From the very beginning the characters were well portrayed- good development on the part of Taurus. He’s the sort of hero you know needs to mellow. He does, and is very likeable for it. Kallie was a very accomplished young woman at the outset and remains so throughout the story. I was aware of less development of character in her, though the ending proves all people change a little according to their circumstances. There’s sufficient historical detail to satisfy the average romance reader; I personally liked this second book in the series better because there seemed more detail to plunge the reader into the era. The plot is simple yet interestingly fresh. There are a few fairly predictable twists, but the pace is excellent throughout which propels the story, and the reader to keep on reading right to the end. The writing and editing are excellent.

[Kathryn Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Taurus is a wonderful character whose alpha-male ways fit in perfectly with his position as ruler of an ancient city near Rome. Despite his brusque manner, we can see he has a good heart, and we witness his growth throughout the novel. Kallie was a fantastic heroine, an unusually brave and rebellious female for her time. The conflict between them was believable and the couple had definite chemistry. I loved the dialog, which felt very indicative of the time setting, and the historical components. I read this book as a stand alone, but I'll be checking out the others in the series.

[Leanne Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up for free, but am now off to buy Book #1 in this series, Maximus, because I have to see how it started. This is a very well written novel with an intriguing plot, and a cast of characters that drew me in to read the novel in two days! I felt like I stepped back into ancient Rome. This is a gripping read that is unique and engaging. The writing is thorough, fast and interesting, as are the characters. I loved Taurus's alpha character, and his growth through the novel (because of Kallie!!) and the lead in for Book #3. Excellent, high quality read.