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Liberating Lucius
Helena, a Thracian noblewoman, has been stolen from her home and sold as a slave. She is determined to hate her new master and escape at the first opportunity. She certainly doesn’t expect to be physically attracted to the young Roman who possesses her or to connect with him on a deeper level.Tribune Lucius Calpurnius is taken aback when he’s presented with a beautiful woman as a gift from a friend, yet he can hardly release her into a camp full of soldiers. He intends to use her as a servant and return her to her home when he is able. But it gets more difficult every day to keep away from the woman he desires, first with his body and later with his heart.As they become lovers and slowly forge a bond, the outside world threatens to tear them apart. Can Helena rise above her slavery to save herself and the man she has come to love?
84 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2010
3 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Dee
131 books698 followersI began telling stories as a child. Whenever there was a sleepover, I was the designated ghost tale teller. I still have a story printed on yellow legal paper in second grade about a ghost, a witch and a talking cat.
I enjoy dabbling in many genres. Whether you're a fan of contemporary historical or fantasy romance, you'll find something to enjoy among my books. I'm interested in flawed, often damaged, people who find the fulfillment they seek in one another. To stay informed about new releases, please sign up for my newsletter. You can join my street team at FB. Learn more about my backlist at http://bonniedee.com and find me on FB and Twitter @Bonnie_Dee.
I enjoy dabbling in many genres. Whether you're a fan of contemporary historical or fantasy romance, you'll find something to enjoy among my books. I'm interested in flawed, often damaged, people who find the fulfillment they seek in one another. To stay informed about new releases, please sign up for my newsletter. You can join my street team at FB. Learn more about my backlist at http://bonniedee.com and find me on FB and Twitter @Bonnie_Dee.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 1, 2013
This wasn't one of Ms. Dee's best, but it was still good enough. I really like her writing and she's never disappointed me so far.
That said, I must add that . I think it shouldn't have been featured in the story, as one can't really deal with it in the limited word count of a novella - especially when that event happens late in the story.
Anyway, that wasn't a deal breaker - hey, if Helena and Lucius could get over it that quickly, so can I - and it was interesting to read a romance set during the Roman Empire, a time period that I find truly fascinating (no matter how un-PC that admission might sound.)
That said, I must add that . I think it shouldn't have been featured in the story, as one can't really deal with it in the limited word count of a novella - especially when that event happens late in the story.
Anyway, that wasn't a deal breaker - hey, if Helena and Lucius could get over it that quickly, so can I - and it was interesting to read a romance set during the Roman Empire, a time period that I find truly fascinating (no matter how un-PC that admission might sound.)
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March 27, 2013
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
Liberating Lucius is a short story set in the ancient Roman era. This story tells you about a Thracian woman who is sold to a tribune of war as a slave and how they weather the difficulties to find a deeper meaning to their odd relationship. I loved the idea of the story but was disappointed in some regards. First of all, I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Lucius and Helena. The whole thing went over my head. And then, the ending left me in a doubt about the fate of their relationship.
Helena is a Thracian noblewoman, a widow who has her own lands and all. The Roman ruler of her area wanted to marry her to get her lands. When he couldn’t do it, he kidnapped and sold her to some slave traders. After months of the road, she’s sold to a Roman elderly general, who takes Helena as a gift for the young tribune of the war, Lucius. The whole thing was about as much as to poke some fun and also, to give the young celibate tribune ‘some means’ to focus on his job. It’s not that Lucius is bad in his job and he doesn’t care about acquiring sex slaves like this. But when the general jokingly tells him to pass the woman to the camp full of soldiers, Lucius keeps her just for her safety. He didn’t like the idea of this woman being used like this. Upon looking at her, Lucius sees that she’s beautiful and mad as a hell cat, apparently right now, at him. Lucius’s servant and also childhood friend, Magnus asks him to keep the woman to help him around the tent and do some chores. So, even though Helena hated it, she thinks it’s better than to be used as a sex slave.
Lucius is a nobleman’s son and has lived the life of an indolent life of gambling, drinking and skirt-chasing even sometimes ago. But he had to sudden awakening of his conscience about the people, the wars Rome is fighting and what he can do as a young man aiming to have a career at senate. So, although tribunes do not fight in the war but just report, Lucius broke the rule by taking active participation. He has been celibate ever since but Helena tempts him no doubt. He regales her with his childhood stories and what life is like in Rome while Helena told her about her life, short marriage at a young age to an elderly man and so on. In the meantime, there is call for another fight with the enemies. Lucius joins the others while Helena waits for him anxiously. She knows she’s began to care for him. Lucius returns wounded. She and Magnus take care of his injuries. While he bathes, Helena can’t help notice Lucius’s beautiful body. At night, as Lucius is feverish, Helena goes to check on him. He wants her to sleep with him and of course, this leads to something else. So, I was thinking, hell, didn’t the man had a bad wound on one of his arms? And, what about Magnus? He sleeps in the same tent FGS!.............. hmmmm.
Pilgrimage in the Roman Campagna (1848) by Francois Joseph Navez
Anyhooo! Helena is totally taken by this new development of their relationship, if you can call it that but she is determined to let Lucius know that this won’t continue. Lucius gets her meaning and doesn’t push her. After sometimes, the troops pull in and march back towards Rome. On the way, as emperor Aurelius is expected to meet the troops, they camp again somewhere near Rome. Throughout their journey, Lucius and Helena don’t see each-other much. One day, while Magnus is out to ‘visit’ a friend, Helena finds sometimes to take a hasty bath. Lucius finds her like that and they end up having sex again. This kinda brings their relationship to a deeper level but I didn’t really feel anything, don’t know why. And as Lucius is busy taking care of the emperor’s visit with the others, their legate- a fat, dumpy man jealous of Lucius’s accomplishments, kidnaps Helena. I wasn’t expecting for Helena to go through what happens next. This reminded me of The Warrior's Gift, where the heroine also goes through a similar situation. The description wasn’t graphic but a rape is still rape. Somehow, Lucius finds his way to the legate’s tent to find him raping her. Lucius goes berserk and even though he saves Helena, he knows trouble is coming his way. The legate can manipulate the truth, imprison and kill him.
Afterwards, the story goes to tell us how Helena takes a stance to save Lucius this time. All was ok, in a mild sort of way; I liked it but wasn’t really moved by anything. Not even the sex. And in the end, it was implied that Helena is probably staying as Lucius’s mistress. Even though they both are in love, her place in Lucius’s life wasn’t clarified and it definitely disappointed me a bit more. Anyway, it’s a short and sweet story of about 15/16 chapters, if you can ignore Helena’s rape. Told you before, everything kinda went over my head. *makes a face here*
3.5 stars.
Liberating Lucius is a short story set in the ancient Roman era. This story tells you about a Thracian woman who is sold to a tribune of war as a slave and how they weather the difficulties to find a deeper meaning to their odd relationship. I loved the idea of the story but was disappointed in some regards. First of all, I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Lucius and Helena. The whole thing went over my head. And then, the ending left me in a doubt about the fate of their relationship.
Helena is a Thracian noblewoman, a widow who has her own lands and all. The Roman ruler of her area wanted to marry her to get her lands. When he couldn’t do it, he kidnapped and sold her to some slave traders. After months of the road, she’s sold to a Roman elderly general, who takes Helena as a gift for the young tribune of the war, Lucius. The whole thing was about as much as to poke some fun and also, to give the young celibate tribune ‘some means’ to focus on his job. It’s not that Lucius is bad in his job and he doesn’t care about acquiring sex slaves like this. But when the general jokingly tells him to pass the woman to the camp full of soldiers, Lucius keeps her just for her safety. He didn’t like the idea of this woman being used like this. Upon looking at her, Lucius sees that she’s beautiful and mad as a hell cat, apparently right now, at him. Lucius’s servant and also childhood friend, Magnus asks him to keep the woman to help him around the tent and do some chores. So, even though Helena hated it, she thinks it’s better than to be used as a sex slave.
Lucius is a nobleman’s son and has lived the life of an indolent life of gambling, drinking and skirt-chasing even sometimes ago. But he had to sudden awakening of his conscience about the people, the wars Rome is fighting and what he can do as a young man aiming to have a career at senate. So, although tribunes do not fight in the war but just report, Lucius broke the rule by taking active participation. He has been celibate ever since but Helena tempts him no doubt. He regales her with his childhood stories and what life is like in Rome while Helena told her about her life, short marriage at a young age to an elderly man and so on. In the meantime, there is call for another fight with the enemies. Lucius joins the others while Helena waits for him anxiously. She knows she’s began to care for him. Lucius returns wounded. She and Magnus take care of his injuries. While he bathes, Helena can’t help notice Lucius’s beautiful body. At night, as Lucius is feverish, Helena goes to check on him. He wants her to sleep with him and of course, this leads to something else. So, I was thinking, hell, didn’t the man had a bad wound on one of his arms? And, what about Magnus? He sleeps in the same tent FGS!.............. hmmmm.
Pilgrimage in the Roman Campagna (1848) by Francois Joseph Navez
Anyhooo! Helena is totally taken by this new development of their relationship, if you can call it that but she is determined to let Lucius know that this won’t continue. Lucius gets her meaning and doesn’t push her. After sometimes, the troops pull in and march back towards Rome. On the way, as emperor Aurelius is expected to meet the troops, they camp again somewhere near Rome. Throughout their journey, Lucius and Helena don’t see each-other much. One day, while Magnus is out to ‘visit’ a friend, Helena finds sometimes to take a hasty bath. Lucius finds her like that and they end up having sex again. This kinda brings their relationship to a deeper level but I didn’t really feel anything, don’t know why. And as Lucius is busy taking care of the emperor’s visit with the others, their legate- a fat, dumpy man jealous of Lucius’s accomplishments, kidnaps Helena. I wasn’t expecting for Helena to go through what happens next. This reminded me of The Warrior's Gift, where the heroine also goes through a similar situation. The description wasn’t graphic but a rape is still rape. Somehow, Lucius finds his way to the legate’s tent to find him raping her. Lucius goes berserk and even though he saves Helena, he knows trouble is coming his way. The legate can manipulate the truth, imprison and kill him.
Afterwards, the story goes to tell us how Helena takes a stance to save Lucius this time. All was ok, in a mild sort of way; I liked it but wasn’t really moved by anything. Not even the sex. And in the end, it was implied that Helena is probably staying as Lucius’s mistress. Even though they both are in love, her place in Lucius’s life wasn’t clarified and it definitely disappointed me a bit more. Anyway, it’s a short and sweet story of about 15/16 chapters, if you can ignore Helena’s rape. Told you before, everything kinda went over my head. *makes a face here*
3.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2013
I quite liked it .. had a good story though was rather short from being a slave to falling for her "master" but had a good story to it and wasnt your normal "master/slave" type romance
Luius was actually quite a nice guy and looked after his slave/ lover from the time he met her ....
was a cheap read and enjoyed it (even though was short) and finished it in a day :)
Luius was actually quite a nice guy and looked after his slave/ lover from the time he met her ....
was a cheap read and enjoyed it (even though was short) and finished it in a day :)
June 1, 2021
Boring
August 3, 2016
I love Bonnie Dee's books - her writing is just impeccable and I love the different story lines she creates for each book. I'm not really into Historical Romances but when the writing is good, it honestly doesn't matter when the story takes place or that it happened a long time ago. In this book, she transports us back in time and gets the reader invested in the story and the characters like any story she writes. Her writing is detailed and meticulous and I was just very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading about Helena and Lucius, their trials and tribulations, their attraction and romance and even learning what it must have been like back in those days. Really good read!
July 2, 2013
Was ok but not gripping. Got it free and wanted to check the author out. Dnf
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews