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Eagle's Honor #2
Eagle's Honor: Ravished
A barbarian warrior, an enemy of Rome.
A sheltered young woman, the daughter of a Roman officer.
An unlikely love, threatened by the bloody strife at the borders of Roman Empire.
AD 190: When a fever ravages her father’s fort and kills her family, Livia has to leave Britannia behind and make a new home for herself in Rome. Lost in a world of grief, she finds little delight in the glittering capital of the empire. Nothing can penetrate the grey fog of her grief—except for the cool blue eyes of the slave Leontius, a barbarian warrior, a former gladiator, a man she ought to fear. And yet, she cannot help but crave his touch, even though he is an enemy of Rome; even though, should he ever manage to flee, he would unleash the anger of his tribe upon the border of the empire.
A sheltered young woman, the daughter of a Roman officer.
An unlikely love, threatened by the bloody strife at the borders of Roman Empire.
AD 190: When a fever ravages her father’s fort and kills her family, Livia has to leave Britannia behind and make a new home for herself in Rome. Lost in a world of grief, she finds little delight in the glittering capital of the empire. Nothing can penetrate the grey fog of her grief—except for the cool blue eyes of the slave Leontius, a barbarian warrior, a former gladiator, a man she ought to fear. And yet, she cannot help but crave his touch, even though he is an enemy of Rome; even though, should he ever manage to flee, he would unleash the anger of his tribe upon the border of the empire.
- GenresHistorical Romance
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2016
1 person is currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Schwab
24 books77 followersSandra Schwab has been delighting readers with her unusual historical romances since 2005. She particularly likes the quirky bits of history, so in her books, you’ll find Roman pet eels, Regency gentlemen with green hair, and medieval tournaments in Victorian Britain. She writes both m/m and m/f historicals - happy endings always guaranteed!
She lives in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with a sketchbook, a ukulele (well, more than one), and an ever-expanding library.
She lives in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with a sketchbook, a ukulele (well, more than one), and an ever-expanding library.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 27, 2016
Eagle’s Honor: Ravished by Sandra Schwab is a 2016 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I never pass up the chance to read a historical romance set in ancient times, especially these days when these types of novels are far and few between.
Set in AD 190, Livia, the daughter of a Roman officer, loses her entire family to a cruel illness. She is sent to live with her aunt in the bustling city of Rome, where she is exposed to opulence and open sensuality. Her aunt’s boredom prompts her to buy a barbarian slave for her own amusement, something that shocks Livia, but this Germanic warrior only has eyes for her.
Adelar has been enslaved after a vicious Roman attack, but when he sees a chance to escape, he doesn’t hesitate, his only regret being he must leave the sweet Livia, his little sparrow behind.
But, when Livia finds herself kidnapped after a battle, taken to the forts outside of Rome as a prisoner to a tribe whose language she can’t understand, the last person she ever expected to see was her Barbarian, her aunt’s escaped slave.
While she is considered the enemy among his tribe, Adelar will brook no violence against his little sparrow, nor allow her to be used as a pawn. But, he tries to resist his feelings for her, knowing it will only complicate matters. The longer he waits to make a decision about what to do with her, the harder it becomes to let her go.
But, it is only a matter of time before Livia will become a bargaining chip between her uncle, who is most certainly looking for her, and Adelar and his tribe. Her only hope being that there will not be a bloody battle between them.
I love forbidden love, where a couple is divided by class or duty or conflict, but still manage to find a way to be together. Those types of stories make for the most romantic and epic love stories, and the most satisfying.
I loved Livia because she was a humble, loyal, and honest, but was not biddable or a doormat, she had courage and fought for the love she knew was right.
Adelar is proud, fierce, brave, and a mighty warrior, but was also sweet, tender, and passionate. I did get frustrated with him a time or two, but of course Livia puts him in his place, but good!
This story is highly sensual, very sexy, but also emotional, with lots of true romance, mixed with intrigue and suspense, all presented in a well-balanced fashion.
4 stars
I never pass up the chance to read a historical romance set in ancient times, especially these days when these types of novels are far and few between.
Set in AD 190, Livia, the daughter of a Roman officer, loses her entire family to a cruel illness. She is sent to live with her aunt in the bustling city of Rome, where she is exposed to opulence and open sensuality. Her aunt’s boredom prompts her to buy a barbarian slave for her own amusement, something that shocks Livia, but this Germanic warrior only has eyes for her.
Adelar has been enslaved after a vicious Roman attack, but when he sees a chance to escape, he doesn’t hesitate, his only regret being he must leave the sweet Livia, his little sparrow behind.
But, when Livia finds herself kidnapped after a battle, taken to the forts outside of Rome as a prisoner to a tribe whose language she can’t understand, the last person she ever expected to see was her Barbarian, her aunt’s escaped slave.
While she is considered the enemy among his tribe, Adelar will brook no violence against his little sparrow, nor allow her to be used as a pawn. But, he tries to resist his feelings for her, knowing it will only complicate matters. The longer he waits to make a decision about what to do with her, the harder it becomes to let her go.
But, it is only a matter of time before Livia will become a bargaining chip between her uncle, who is most certainly looking for her, and Adelar and his tribe. Her only hope being that there will not be a bloody battle between them.
I love forbidden love, where a couple is divided by class or duty or conflict, but still manage to find a way to be together. Those types of stories make for the most romantic and epic love stories, and the most satisfying.
I loved Livia because she was a humble, loyal, and honest, but was not biddable or a doormat, she had courage and fought for the love she knew was right.
Adelar is proud, fierce, brave, and a mighty warrior, but was also sweet, tender, and passionate. I did get frustrated with him a time or two, but of course Livia puts him in his place, but good!
This story is highly sensual, very sexy, but also emotional, with lots of true romance, mixed with intrigue and suspense, all presented in a well-balanced fashion.
4 stars
November 28, 2017
Loved this exciting and passionate novel set during the Roman Empire in AD 190. Uniquely different than most historical novels, I was thrilled with how unpredictable this tale was. The depth of emotion and captivating characters kept me turning the pages. I highly recommend this book to those who love historical romance! I can’t wait to read more from this author!!
March 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this novel - the first romance I've read set in the Roman period, but it won't be my last.
May 15, 2016
Originally posted on my blog: Review: Eagle's Honor-Ravished by Sandra Schwab.
Confession: This is my first Gladiator/Barbarian in Ancient Rome story that I’ve read. I’ve always liked the trope, but I never got around to reading one.
There is a tinge of sadness throughout the whole story, partly because of Livia and her mourning. She is not your typical heroine. She is not strong, nor sassy. It was quite refreshing to read about a heroine whose characteristics include shyness and docility. Now, don’t get me wrong, she is not boring. It will take a gladiator and his family of barbarians to make her come out of her shell. But I did enjoy her path to becoming her own person again.
Livia is sad. There is no way around it. She constantly dwells on her losses and lives in the past.
She lets her grief rule her life and at times I wished I could reach out and help her. She doesn’t have the proper support system. Her aunt definitely does not help in any way. Or does she? One command may well have changed Livia’s life forever.
I loved the sexiness of this story as well. The love scenes were sweet and steamy. Poor Livia, does not stand a chance. Her interaction with her gladiator Leontius was at times funny and hot. Leontius, although a barbarian had a certain gentlemanly charm about him. He clearly respects females and isn’t really what one would think a barbarian would act like. However, he did have the stubbornness that every hero has and he does save Livia from herself.
If there is one thing I can take from this is that love can be found anywhere and even between the upper and lower class. I liked that this love story was between a former slave and upper class Roman. It brings a certain grittiness and star crossed lovers type feel into the story. One can’t help but turn the pages hoping for a happily ever after.
This is book 2 in the Eagle’s Honor series and can be read as a standalone.
Favorite quote:
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.”
Confession: This is my first Gladiator/Barbarian in Ancient Rome story that I’ve read. I’ve always liked the trope, but I never got around to reading one.
There is a tinge of sadness throughout the whole story, partly because of Livia and her mourning. She is not your typical heroine. She is not strong, nor sassy. It was quite refreshing to read about a heroine whose characteristics include shyness and docility. Now, don’t get me wrong, she is not boring. It will take a gladiator and his family of barbarians to make her come out of her shell. But I did enjoy her path to becoming her own person again.
Livia is sad. There is no way around it. She constantly dwells on her losses and lives in the past.
“Yet it was difficult to feel an interest in anything when the sadness was weighing down her very bones.”
She lets her grief rule her life and at times I wished I could reach out and help her. She doesn’t have the proper support system. Her aunt definitely does not help in any way. Or does she? One command may well have changed Livia’s life forever.
I loved the sexiness of this story as well. The love scenes were sweet and steamy. Poor Livia, does not stand a chance. Her interaction with her gladiator Leontius was at times funny and hot. Leontius, although a barbarian had a certain gentlemanly charm about him. He clearly respects females and isn’t really what one would think a barbarian would act like. However, he did have the stubbornness that every hero has and he does save Livia from herself.
If there is one thing I can take from this is that love can be found anywhere and even between the upper and lower class. I liked that this love story was between a former slave and upper class Roman. It brings a certain grittiness and star crossed lovers type feel into the story. One can’t help but turn the pages hoping for a happily ever after.
This is book 2 in the Eagle’s Honor series and can be read as a standalone.
Favorite quote:
“But it’s not at all as big as a horse’s.”
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.”
October 27, 2016
Sensual and Emotionally Charged
I loved this read so much! Ravished is a superbly well written sensual and emotionally charged historical romance set in AD 190 during the time of the Roman Empire. In this tale of star-crossed lovers, the reader is taken from the far reaches of windswept Britannia to the decadence of Rome and then to the border with Germania. The Barbarian Leontius is paired with Livia, a young and innocent high born Roman who has suffered the loss of her immediate family. They meet in Rome where Livia is spending time with her aunt and Leontius, a former gladiator, is purchased as her aunt’s pleasure slave.
Leontius escapes his bondage and returns to his homeland to avenge himself against Rome, yet fate decides to re-unite the couple, only this time it is Livia who finds herself held hostage by Leontius’ tribe. Yet Livia and Leontius have not forgotten their time spent in Rome and the attraction they have for one another refuses to be denied.
The author does a fantastic job of portraying Livia’s depressed and detached state of mind when she is mourning her family. Neither the decadence of Rome nor the isolation of her uncle’s fort can penetrate her low mood. It is only when she is captured, facing an uncertain future, that she begins her metamorphosis and begins to seize life and discover her inner strength. I really enjoyed this transformation and how she rose to the many challenges that her captivity threw her way, not least dealing with the attraction between her and Leontius and his stubbornness!
I loved how protective Leontius is towards Livia throughout the novel. He tries to fight his attraction as he knows their future together is impossible as Livia is but a pawn in the negotiations between Leontius’ tribe and Rome. However neither Livia nor Leontius can resist the chemistry between them and I enjoyed the sensuality of the lovemaking scenes between the couple who despite their differences are so well matched. I despaired of their HEA and at several points during the read I was reduced to tears due to the seemingly hopeless situation they found themselves in!
I enjoyed the secondary characters, particularly Livia’s uncle Caius and Lucius and Leontius' family. The descriptions of Rome and how it contrasts with life in Germania, especially amongst the Germanic tribes were well drawn.
Ravished is a must read for romance fans, especially those who enjoy reading about love and relationships set in the Roman period. Please note that a copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
I loved this read so much! Ravished is a superbly well written sensual and emotionally charged historical romance set in AD 190 during the time of the Roman Empire. In this tale of star-crossed lovers, the reader is taken from the far reaches of windswept Britannia to the decadence of Rome and then to the border with Germania. The Barbarian Leontius is paired with Livia, a young and innocent high born Roman who has suffered the loss of her immediate family. They meet in Rome where Livia is spending time with her aunt and Leontius, a former gladiator, is purchased as her aunt’s pleasure slave.
Leontius escapes his bondage and returns to his homeland to avenge himself against Rome, yet fate decides to re-unite the couple, only this time it is Livia who finds herself held hostage by Leontius’ tribe. Yet Livia and Leontius have not forgotten their time spent in Rome and the attraction they have for one another refuses to be denied.
The author does a fantastic job of portraying Livia’s depressed and detached state of mind when she is mourning her family. Neither the decadence of Rome nor the isolation of her uncle’s fort can penetrate her low mood. It is only when she is captured, facing an uncertain future, that she begins her metamorphosis and begins to seize life and discover her inner strength. I really enjoyed this transformation and how she rose to the many challenges that her captivity threw her way, not least dealing with the attraction between her and Leontius and his stubbornness!
I loved how protective Leontius is towards Livia throughout the novel. He tries to fight his attraction as he knows their future together is impossible as Livia is but a pawn in the negotiations between Leontius’ tribe and Rome. However neither Livia nor Leontius can resist the chemistry between them and I enjoyed the sensuality of the lovemaking scenes between the couple who despite their differences are so well matched. I despaired of their HEA and at several points during the read I was reduced to tears due to the seemingly hopeless situation they found themselves in!
I enjoyed the secondary characters, particularly Livia’s uncle Caius and Lucius and Leontius' family. The descriptions of Rome and how it contrasts with life in Germania, especially amongst the Germanic tribes were well drawn.
Ravished is a must read for romance fans, especially those who enjoy reading about love and relationships set in the Roman period. Please note that a copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews