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Thermopylae Bound #1
Princess of Thermopylae
Greece, 510BC Skylar has spent the past six winters travelling throughout Attica and the Peloponnese assisting those who requested aid, her father her only companion. Princess Alexis of Trachis has spent the past five winters with the fearsome tribe of Molossians in Epirus, honouring the alliance her betrothal formed. Two women with nothing in common. But when Skylar saves Alexis’ life, an invisible bond is formed, igniting an undeniable attraction. Alexis’ intended husband may be fierce, but so is Skylar, and both are used to getting what they want. In the fight for the princess, there can only be one winner. Can Skylar have Alexis or will old alliances win out?
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2018
56 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Belinda Harrison
12 books19 followersI have been told that I think I'm funnier than I actually am. I will pull out a bad dad joke or pun whenever possible.
I think farts are funny even though I'm a grown woman and I love, love, love Ancient Greece, Greek and Norse Mythology and getting lost in books whenever and wherever possible.
Connect with me on Instagram at belindagharrison, Twitter at BeHarrison78 or on Facebook under Belinda Harrison Author
I think farts are funny even though I'm a grown woman and I love, love, love Ancient Greece, Greek and Norse Mythology and getting lost in books whenever and wherever possible.
Connect with me on Instagram at belindagharrison, Twitter at BeHarrison78 or on Facebook under Belinda Harrison Author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 6, 2020
This is the January book for the Sapphic Book Club
The synopsis is pretty right on point. This book is at the heart a romance novel, despite what the first chapter may suggest. I imagine that the rest of the series has more of the fantasy elements but this book focuses on Skyler and Alexis and their budding relationship.
The book is almost exclusively from the POV of Skyler. I enjoyed her character, she was smart, fierce, and a badass. Alexis was a nice counterbalance to Skyler and I am curious and excited to see how they do in the rest of the series.
As someone who has very little knowledge of Greek history or geography, there were times when the characters would talk about locations and tribes/societies that I found hard to follow/understand. I think a map of the area would have helped but I found myself skimming those sections when they came up. Hopefully the info isn't important for later.
I should note, that there is explicit violence, a couple of sex scenes, and talks of physical/sexual abuse.
I would recommend this to romance fans. From my understanding there is significantly more of the gods and fantasy elements in the rest of the series, but until i read more, I won't be able to say if this is for fantasy fans.
The synopsis is pretty right on point. This book is at the heart a romance novel, despite what the first chapter may suggest. I imagine that the rest of the series has more of the fantasy elements but this book focuses on Skyler and Alexis and their budding relationship.
The book is almost exclusively from the POV of Skyler. I enjoyed her character, she was smart, fierce, and a badass. Alexis was a nice counterbalance to Skyler and I am curious and excited to see how they do in the rest of the series.
As someone who has very little knowledge of Greek history or geography, there were times when the characters would talk about locations and tribes/societies that I found hard to follow/understand. I think a map of the area would have helped but I found myself skimming those sections when they came up. Hopefully the info isn't important for later.
I should note, that there is explicit violence, a couple of sex scenes, and talks of physical/sexual abuse.
I would recommend this to romance fans. From my understanding there is significantly more of the gods and fantasy elements in the rest of the series, but until i read more, I won't be able to say if this is for fantasy fans.
February 4, 2020
This book was the January 2020's Sapphic Book Club read hosted by sapphicbookclub.
This book club read was a nice start into the year.
The ancient setting is one that I personally don't come across very often (in wlw fiction especially), so this was a nice change. There are action filled fight scenes, a kind of slow burn love story between the two main female characters and a cool main character. And the writing was good, no question.
There were still a few things tho that bothered me with this book.
And that is not even counting the hinted on brutality and rape, or the sexual predatory way the Queen behaves towards Skylar - that one was beyond weird and uncomfortable, but didn't make it on that list. (Just imagine )
One is that the first and last chapter tease a storyline that is intervined with fantasy/mythological aspects, like the existance of gods and valkyries as characters within the verse.
But the story of this book reads completely as historical non-fantasy fiction. Even if that mythological plot starts in book 2, it bothers me that the first and last chapter are completely seperate to what this first book is on ist own.
And the second major thing is info dump. Pages of pages and countless stories about... everything concerning the economy, history, politics, hierarchy and clans of this verse. It is too much. And the few of those that the reader might actually need to know for the story could have been knitted into the scenes at the points they are or become necessary.
This book club read was a nice start into the year.
The ancient setting is one that I personally don't come across very often (in wlw fiction especially), so this was a nice change. There are action filled fight scenes, a kind of slow burn love story between the two main female characters and a cool main character. And the writing was good, no question.
There were still a few things tho that bothered me with this book.
And that is not even counting the hinted on brutality and rape, or the sexual predatory way the Queen behaves towards Skylar - that one was beyond weird and uncomfortable, but didn't make it on that list. (Just imagine )
One is that the first and last chapter tease a storyline that is intervined with fantasy/mythological aspects, like the existance of gods and valkyries as characters within the verse.
But the story of this book reads completely as historical non-fantasy fiction. Even if that mythological plot starts in book 2, it bothers me that the first and last chapter are completely seperate to what this first book is on ist own.
And the second major thing is info dump. Pages of pages and countless stories about... everything concerning the economy, history, politics, hierarchy and clans of this verse. It is too much. And the few of those that the reader might actually need to know for the story could have been knitted into the scenes at the points they are or become necessary.
July 28, 2020
This book was read for Sapphic Book Club, hosted by @sapphicbookclub.
I have so conflicting feelings towards this book. In general, it was a love story with something a lot bigger on the background. The story aside the romance and relationship drama didn’t quite develop, but I think it’s going to take more important role in the following books. A little bit risky move, since the first book really should show what the story is going to be about.
Things I enjoyed? Prose was lovely. I felt welcomed and drawn into the writing. At times I paused because there was a smart sentence or something, even if I always forget to highlight them for later. I just want to say that the writing was enjoyable, it made the reading experience pretty great. Character-building was also good, I enjoyed reading these characters’ relationships developing, especially between the main couple: Skylar and Alexis. They’re both intriguing women, I could understand their motivations and reasonings, they were crafted believably.
The world-building was done beautifully, although it was a little bit of miss for me. That’s mostly because I have nearly zero deeper knowledge about ancient Greek, so I couldn’t keep up with the locations and customs. But, really, that’s more of my problem, because otherwise this world felt real and comprehensive.
Things I didn’t enjoy? It took a while for me to realise this really was a love story. Yes, the blurb centers around Skylar and Alexis, but the story actually began with action and time-jump. It was confusing, and I kept waiting for plot-driven action to happen. And then it didn’t really come? There were few teasing chapters, but nothing really happened so they didn’t build much anticipation. The whole book would’ve been completely fine without those chapters. While you want to obviously get that promise for a bigger story that continues in the next book, those bits felt disappointing and meaningless. This first book was a love story, and it felt like the whole main story I was welcomed to care about was neatly wrapped in one book.
Also, occasionally dialogue felt unnatural and confusing. For example, there were multiple stories told, characters sharing about their past etc., and while it deepened the world and the characters, it felt a bit lazy. I’m a big believer of the ´show, don’t tell´ rule, at least to a certain point.
In the end, this was a beautiful love story that made me fall in love with both Skylar and Alexis. If you enjoy romance and know a bit more about ancient Greek, I’m sure this would be a great read. But I’d warn about some explicit language and scenes, which really caught me off-guard.
I have so conflicting feelings towards this book. In general, it was a love story with something a lot bigger on the background. The story aside the romance and relationship drama didn’t quite develop, but I think it’s going to take more important role in the following books. A little bit risky move, since the first book really should show what the story is going to be about.
Things I enjoyed? Prose was lovely. I felt welcomed and drawn into the writing. At times I paused because there was a smart sentence or something, even if I always forget to highlight them for later. I just want to say that the writing was enjoyable, it made the reading experience pretty great. Character-building was also good, I enjoyed reading these characters’ relationships developing, especially between the main couple: Skylar and Alexis. They’re both intriguing women, I could understand their motivations and reasonings, they were crafted believably.
The world-building was done beautifully, although it was a little bit of miss for me. That’s mostly because I have nearly zero deeper knowledge about ancient Greek, so I couldn’t keep up with the locations and customs. But, really, that’s more of my problem, because otherwise this world felt real and comprehensive.
Things I didn’t enjoy? It took a while for me to realise this really was a love story. Yes, the blurb centers around Skylar and Alexis, but the story actually began with action and time-jump. It was confusing, and I kept waiting for plot-driven action to happen. And then it didn’t really come? There were few teasing chapters, but nothing really happened so they didn’t build much anticipation. The whole book would’ve been completely fine without those chapters. While you want to obviously get that promise for a bigger story that continues in the next book, those bits felt disappointing and meaningless. This first book was a love story, and it felt like the whole main story I was welcomed to care about was neatly wrapped in one book.
Also, occasionally dialogue felt unnatural and confusing. For example, there were multiple stories told, characters sharing about their past etc., and while it deepened the world and the characters, it felt a bit lazy. I’m a big believer of the ´show, don’t tell´ rule, at least to a certain point.
In the end, this was a beautiful love story that made me fall in love with both Skylar and Alexis. If you enjoy romance and know a bit more about ancient Greek, I’m sure this would be a great read. But I’d warn about some explicit language and scenes, which really caught me off-guard.
January 22, 2020
This book was read for Sapphic Book Club, hosted by @sapphicbookclub.
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First off: This book is definitely aimed at admirers of Greek history and mythology. If you can pick out Thrace on a map, would liken your love interest to Aphrodite and find a lengthy tale of Athens's tyrants fascinating this will offer a very satisfying slice of bygone times.
Besides all that the book still offers an excellent regency drama with a romantic core that will grip your heart and give it a good shake, just with some confusing asides. As long as odyssean aesthetics offer some kind of appeal I’d give this a go.
My favorite part has to be the main character, Skyla. You think you’ve seen a roguish Mercenary with a kind heart before but I’d call it impossible not to get attached to her. Her kindness and physical feats aside, she wears her heart on her sleeve and tries to gracefully accept her lot in life, however when there’s someone to protect nothing can stand in her way.
On one of her adventures she rescues the princess Alexis who nurses her back to health, offering them an opportunity to grow closer. While at first they connect on a physical level they soon get curious about their completely different experiences and things accelerate. The way their feelings outpace their spirited friendship is a big draw. Once they find a way to voice their feelings the intensity is almost infectious, as a reader you want them to succeed.
Alexis makes for a relatable love interest. Despite being headstrong and endlessly curious about the world she never got to see family and duty still come first. Sneaking around and mischief are the obvious solution to this conundrum, something many growing up in a traditional environment will understand.
The writing style is stoic, as is appropriate for a Greek story, yet still finds a ways to shine. Lots of details give the world substance and form while emotional outbursts really stand out from the usual slow paced dialogue.
My biggest gripe concerns the pacing of the plot. This book is long, not just by itself but as part of a series. Many things won’t get answers, elements get introduced that won’t be relevant for some time and world-building tangents can leave you feeling lost. The book does well enough at offering a self contained Arc but overall it’s not enough to satisfy.
Lastly minor characters in this Book tend to appear with surprising depth and believable reasoning which really impressed me. We never get to know their entire life story but I genuinely would like to hear it, that’s just good writing.
----------------------
All in all it’s a 5/5 stars for me. Despite all flaws and unique accomplishments you’ll find an endearing and heartfelt romance full of vivid characters and perseverance against the odds. Will definitely keep reading the series
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----------------------
First off: This book is definitely aimed at admirers of Greek history and mythology. If you can pick out Thrace on a map, would liken your love interest to Aphrodite and find a lengthy tale of Athens's tyrants fascinating this will offer a very satisfying slice of bygone times.
Besides all that the book still offers an excellent regency drama with a romantic core that will grip your heart and give it a good shake, just with some confusing asides. As long as odyssean aesthetics offer some kind of appeal I’d give this a go.
My favorite part has to be the main character, Skyla. You think you’ve seen a roguish Mercenary with a kind heart before but I’d call it impossible not to get attached to her. Her kindness and physical feats aside, she wears her heart on her sleeve and tries to gracefully accept her lot in life, however when there’s someone to protect nothing can stand in her way.
On one of her adventures she rescues the princess Alexis who nurses her back to health, offering them an opportunity to grow closer. While at first they connect on a physical level they soon get curious about their completely different experiences and things accelerate. The way their feelings outpace their spirited friendship is a big draw. Once they find a way to voice their feelings the intensity is almost infectious, as a reader you want them to succeed.
Alexis makes for a relatable love interest. Despite being headstrong and endlessly curious about the world she never got to see family and duty still come first. Sneaking around and mischief are the obvious solution to this conundrum, something many growing up in a traditional environment will understand.
The writing style is stoic, as is appropriate for a Greek story, yet still finds a ways to shine. Lots of details give the world substance and form while emotional outbursts really stand out from the usual slow paced dialogue.
My biggest gripe concerns the pacing of the plot. This book is long, not just by itself but as part of a series. Many things won’t get answers, elements get introduced that won’t be relevant for some time and world-building tangents can leave you feeling lost. The book does well enough at offering a self contained Arc but overall it’s not enough to satisfy.
Lastly minor characters in this Book tend to appear with surprising depth and believable reasoning which really impressed me. We never get to know their entire life story but I genuinely would like to hear it, that’s just good writing.
----------------------
All in all it’s a 5/5 stars for me. Despite all flaws and unique accomplishments you’ll find an endearing and heartfelt romance full of vivid characters and perseverance against the odds. Will definitely keep reading the series
----------------------
February 11, 2020
This was our January 2020 read for sapphicbookclub (sapphicbookclub.tumblr.com)
This book was an interesting read for me, partly because it kept my attention from start to finish, but at the same time, had some bits that I wasn't too fond of. It's historical fiction set in ancient Greece (my sixth grade self was yelling in excitement) so I loved the setting and background.
Short summary: Skylar and her father are warriors who travel aiding anybody that needs it, but when she saves Princess Alexis of Trachis, a strong bond forms between them. But Alexis is already betrothed, and Skylar is unsure whether she returns her affections at all. With a threat of war looming as well, it remains to be seen whether Skylar will be able to heal from her injuries sustained from saving Alexis, and keep the Princess and Trachis safe.
The writing was really good, the worldbuilding was thorough and the characters were well fleshed out in my opinion. I especially liked the natural progression of the main love relationship between Skylar and Alexis - I felt that both of them were strong characters in their own right (Alexis didn't feel like just a plot device to me and I really liked her character). The supporting cast was also interesting and varied, which I quite enjoyed. I'm really glad I got to read it because it was a novel that had so much more to go by than just "oh a wlw story", and it's the type of book I've been excited to read for a long time.
I love historical fiction and fantasy so this was a really cool mix for me, especially with all the historical information that the book goes through. Some of it feels a little info-dumpy, but a lot of it is through storytelling (from one character to another) and I felt that it made the world a lot richer and helped establish it well in my mind. I was a little let down when I realised that more of the fantasy bits come in the next book. It opens with a fantasy sequence that I expected would be followed through on, but I believe that will come in book #2 which I would be glad to read. Nonetheless, there was almost no exploration of the opening scene once the story begins, and it's almost like a whole different story, so that was a bit disappointing.
There were a few things I found uncomfortable; the violence was graphic sometimes, but I think it was well in line with the nature of the story. Nonetheless, if you're a reader that doesn't like those sorts of scenes, it might be worth skipping over or skimming through. Another thing that felt a bit weird for me was how Alexis' mother dealt with Skylar as she tried to keep them apart. The way she There are also instances of assault/rape and if you're a reader that doesn't enjoy these things, it might not be the book for you. But despite all that, the characters get a happy ending (no dead lesbians here) so it worked out for me.
The last minor issue I had was how the POV jumping didn't always feel consistent - this was I believe done in the aim to keep the fantasy aspect of the story threaded through the book, but it had me expecting this plot to emerge at some point, and when it didn't, it felt a bit off. But like I said above, if book #2 comes out, I'll be excited to read it. I had a great time reading this and I'm glad I got to.
This book was an interesting read for me, partly because it kept my attention from start to finish, but at the same time, had some bits that I wasn't too fond of. It's historical fiction set in ancient Greece (my sixth grade self was yelling in excitement) so I loved the setting and background.
Short summary: Skylar and her father are warriors who travel aiding anybody that needs it, but when she saves Princess Alexis of Trachis, a strong bond forms between them. But Alexis is already betrothed, and Skylar is unsure whether she returns her affections at all. With a threat of war looming as well, it remains to be seen whether Skylar will be able to heal from her injuries sustained from saving Alexis, and keep the Princess and Trachis safe.
The writing was really good, the worldbuilding was thorough and the characters were well fleshed out in my opinion. I especially liked the natural progression of the main love relationship between Skylar and Alexis - I felt that both of them were strong characters in their own right (Alexis didn't feel like just a plot device to me and I really liked her character). The supporting cast was also interesting and varied, which I quite enjoyed. I'm really glad I got to read it because it was a novel that had so much more to go by than just "oh a wlw story", and it's the type of book I've been excited to read for a long time.
I love historical fiction and fantasy so this was a really cool mix for me, especially with all the historical information that the book goes through. Some of it feels a little info-dumpy, but a lot of it is through storytelling (from one character to another) and I felt that it made the world a lot richer and helped establish it well in my mind. I was a little let down when I realised that more of the fantasy bits come in the next book. It opens with a fantasy sequence that I expected would be followed through on, but I believe that will come in book #2 which I would be glad to read. Nonetheless, there was almost no exploration of the opening scene once the story begins, and it's almost like a whole different story, so that was a bit disappointing.
There were a few things I found uncomfortable; the violence was graphic sometimes, but I think it was well in line with the nature of the story. Nonetheless, if you're a reader that doesn't like those sorts of scenes, it might be worth skipping over or skimming through. Another thing that felt a bit weird for me was how Alexis' mother dealt with Skylar as she tried to keep them apart. The way she There are also instances of assault/rape and if you're a reader that doesn't enjoy these things, it might not be the book for you. But despite all that, the characters get a happy ending (no dead lesbians here) so it worked out for me.
The last minor issue I had was how the POV jumping didn't always feel consistent - this was I believe done in the aim to keep the fantasy aspect of the story threaded through the book, but it had me expecting this plot to emerge at some point, and when it didn't, it felt a bit off. But like I said above, if book #2 comes out, I'll be excited to read it. I had a great time reading this and I'm glad I got to.
September 18, 2018
I would have easily given this at least 3 stars and recommended it to friends if not for the end of the book. The final 10-15% felt rushed and out of place, jarring after the genre-appropriate approach and slow burn of rest of the book. With the turn of a page, you go from Gladiator to the middle of a Game of Thrones episode, graphic with violence in a way that the majority of the prose did not prepare you for. Some readers might not mind the abrupt shift, but I think others will benefit from this content warning ahead of time.
October 23, 2021
“Do not fear the unknown, for sometimes it is where the most joy is to be found.”
Pretty interesting start to an f/f historical romance/adventure series. There also seems to be a fantasy/mythology aspect, but that didn't play a huge part in this book. The story follows Skylar, a young warrior who travels with her father, offering their aid in arms to whoever might need it. They find themselves working for the king of Trachis, and Skylar starts getting closer to the princess, Alexis. But Alexis is already betrothed to a man, a sinister one who seeks an alliance but is more interested in domination. We spend a lot of time with Skylar and Alexis as they get to know each other, and figure out their growing attraction to each other. This was my favourite part of the book, especially as it moved so gradually and naturally. They develop an intimacy that doesn't immediately turn physical, and there's so much great tension and longing; just the kind of romance that I eat up. The big misunderstanding did chip away at my enthusiasm considerably, but it was a lot less contrived than I've read in other books.
So the romance was great. Everything else... eh. I did eventually get a hold on the worldbuilding and all the different factions and stuff, but that was super confusing in the beginning, and not really helped by all the info-dumping. I'm never the hugest fan of reading about politics, and this had a huge helping of that. It was one of those plots where both the reader and main characters are fully aware of who the villain is, but because of political reasons/not wanting to show their hand/other stuff, we spend a good portion of the book in a stalemate, not really doing anything. And that's never very compelling to read. The writing was good but could have definitely used a closer edit; a bunch of little errors kept taking me out of the story. (Also, why candlemark? I get it, they didn't have clocks, but just say hour.) The story wasn't exactly dark. but several dark things happened. I guess I'm interested in the overarching plot, but we simply didn't get enough of it to really entice me. I'm not sure yet if I'll continue the series.
But it was definitely a promising start.
Content warnings: .
January 28, 2019
I was looking for a book to read and I am glad that I found this series. I really like how I could learn so much of the Greek mythology.
July 5, 2019
I was in grade school when I read all about Greek mythology and later in high school, I delved into greek history. I liked the many stories told within this story of Skylar and Princess Alexis. I hope their love isn't tarnished by Ares and his children.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2018
I WANT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES!
I grew up reading Greek history and mythology and wanted to be a Spartan. When my father found me making my bed on the floor I had to explain that I wanted to be a Spartan!
A girl conceived in love between an immortal female and a human male, born with a mark, and on the run with her father. Warriors, with a conscience, for hire. Honor bound.
Miss Harrison has woven a tale of history and myth without getting bogged down in the description of time, place, and people.
It was a book I started, wanted to put down, and just kept reading. Exciting, painful, effective but brief descriptions of the tribal cultures. And a wonderful description of how a young girl navigates her feelings to understand love.
Now, I'm forced to wait for book 2.
I grew up reading Greek history and mythology and wanted to be a Spartan. When my father found me making my bed on the floor I had to explain that I wanted to be a Spartan!
A girl conceived in love between an immortal female and a human male, born with a mark, and on the run with her father. Warriors, with a conscience, for hire. Honor bound.
Miss Harrison has woven a tale of history and myth without getting bogged down in the description of time, place, and people.
It was a book I started, wanted to put down, and just kept reading. Exciting, painful, effective but brief descriptions of the tribal cultures. And a wonderful description of how a young girl navigates her feelings to understand love.
Now, I'm forced to wait for book 2.
August 20, 2018
Amazing story! And easy read. There was excitement and angst. And if course it’s a time period so there’s that to love! The Author did great building up the characters and explaining where this story was set.
I can’t say much more with out spoiling it and going supernova fan girl.
Highly recommend to read and I can’t wait for the second!
I can’t say much more with out spoiling it and going supernova fan girl.
Highly recommend to read and I can’t wait for the second!
December 9, 2018
Good blend of myth, action, and romance.
Interesting characters in an engaging storyline.
Interesting characters in an engaging storyline.
November 8, 2021
Just as many women enjoy M/M stories, occasionally I will find an F/F story that catches my eye. Often Lex Kent will point something out to me. This one is pretty good.
One woman has grown up on the run, trained by her father to survive in a man's world during the sword and sandal era along the border of Macedonia and Greece. When they arrive in the region of Thermopolis, she finds herself falling for a princess. There is intrigue, history, bloody sword fights, communal baths, and an enjoyable amount of F/F sex.
The writing is very good, though there may be a bit too much historical accuracy with all the names of the cities, towns, rivers, etc. Interesting that it is told only from the perspective of the swordswoman, but it worked very well.
This is the start of a series, and there is a subtle arc that will tie the books together. I'll be reading the next one soon.
One woman has grown up on the run, trained by her father to survive in a man's world during the sword and sandal era along the border of Macedonia and Greece. When they arrive in the region of Thermopolis, she finds herself falling for a princess. There is intrigue, history, bloody sword fights, communal baths, and an enjoyable amount of F/F sex.
The writing is very good, though there may be a bit too much historical accuracy with all the names of the cities, towns, rivers, etc. Interesting that it is told only from the perspective of the swordswoman, but it worked very well.
This is the start of a series, and there is a subtle arc that will tie the books together. I'll be reading the next one soon.
May 12, 2019
I don’t know why I didn’t really care for this book, there aren’t any glaring problems, I just didn’t find it that engaging. The romance between the two was good but I would’ve preferred more build up. I will say however i appreciate that the main character is essentially just kassandra from assassins creed odyssey (skylar is an awful name choice though). I think the most interesting part of the book were the keres although they were mostly in the background. I’m definitely interested enough in where that plotline is going to go to pick up the next book in the series even though I didn’t particularly care for this book.
October 6, 2018
Lesbian romance Greco Roman style
I’ve come across this book lots of times while browsing thinking shall I shan’t I well I’m glad I did.Ok it’s bit Xenaish but it’s good it’s well researched with out being too difficult to read you’ll know the difference between Greek and Roman gods and all types of various clans and people from the Mediterranean you even get Valkyries too boot.its a good read with a good cast of characters I’m glad to say book two is put in the next few weeks which I will definitely get
I’ve come across this book lots of times while browsing thinking shall I shan’t I well I’m glad I did.Ok it’s bit Xenaish but it’s good it’s well researched with out being too difficult to read you’ll know the difference between Greek and Roman gods and all types of various clans and people from the Mediterranean you even get Valkyries too boot.its a good read with a good cast of characters I’m glad to say book two is put in the next few weeks which I will definitely get
September 24, 2018
Good story
If there had been contractions I'd probably have given this 5 stars, as it was the dialog was a little flat and unrelatable, no one in any time period speaks perfectly all the time, there are always accents, dialects, shortened speech, slang, etc... particularly in casual settings, and changing it up would have made the characters more distinct from each other and relatable. I would have liked to have part of the story from another character's perspective too, but I can also see the value of doing it this way too keep the reader guessing a little.
The story itself was great, and despite my issues with the dialog, the characters were well developed in other ways. It felt very reminiscent of Xena for obvious reasons, and honestly that was a huge part of the appeal for me. I liked that dynamic.
I always want more obvious racial diversity. 500 BC Greece had tons a brown and black people - if not predominantly - there was a huge amount of trade and migration happening out of Africa as well as from the rest of Asia into of the European peninsula, particularly through the regions this books speak of. Europe is small and nestled on the edge of Asia that is quite near Africa...two regions of the world that were far more advanced during that era - particularly in travel and trade. There could have been a few more poc folks described, at the very least in the background. Other than "we don't like the Persians". Insert eyeroll. Historical fiction that erases or ignores the existence of entire races or people isn't all that historical.
Overall, it was a good fun read. Other than the dialog thing, my complaints are typical of the genres (hist. Fic, fantasy/mythology, romance) but still relevant to my reading experience.
If there had been contractions I'd probably have given this 5 stars, as it was the dialog was a little flat and unrelatable, no one in any time period speaks perfectly all the time, there are always accents, dialects, shortened speech, slang, etc... particularly in casual settings, and changing it up would have made the characters more distinct from each other and relatable. I would have liked to have part of the story from another character's perspective too, but I can also see the value of doing it this way too keep the reader guessing a little.
The story itself was great, and despite my issues with the dialog, the characters were well developed in other ways. It felt very reminiscent of Xena for obvious reasons, and honestly that was a huge part of the appeal for me. I liked that dynamic.
I always want more obvious racial diversity. 500 BC Greece had tons a brown and black people - if not predominantly - there was a huge amount of trade and migration happening out of Africa as well as from the rest of Asia into of the European peninsula, particularly through the regions this books speak of. Europe is small and nestled on the edge of Asia that is quite near Africa...two regions of the world that were far more advanced during that era - particularly in travel and trade. There could have been a few more poc folks described, at the very least in the background. Other than "we don't like the Persians". Insert eyeroll. Historical fiction that erases or ignores the existence of entire races or people isn't all that historical.
Overall, it was a good fun read. Other than the dialog thing, my complaints are typical of the genres (hist. Fic, fantasy/mythology, romance) but still relevant to my reading experience.
January 23, 2020
This book is incredible! I wasn't sure I'd enjoy a historical romance, especially about Ancient Greece, but I'm so glad I've found it! I'm hooked! The story is told from the POV of Skylar, an absolute bad-ass and very sexy warrior who falls for (spoiler alert) the Princess of Thermopylae, lol. This book is so well written, the prose flows so nicely, and I've read the entire book in two days because I just couldn't put it down. Both Skylar and Princess Alexis are amazing, and I loved other characters too, like Skylar's father Leandros, and Alexis's best friend, Hesper. The way everyone was sort of secretly rooting for the two of them really warmed my heart. I can't wait for the next one in the series; I will be downloading it ASAP!
December 2, 2018
I instantly fell into this story...
I looked forward to picking up this book every moment I had a break and loathed parting from it. That’s how much I enjoyed this story! I especially appreciated the storytelling by the characters.
Dislikes: violent imagery (especially involving women) but it’s a book grounded in Greek mythos what did I expect!??
Despite this l can’t wait to get into the next book in the series.
I looked forward to picking up this book every moment I had a break and loathed parting from it. That’s how much I enjoyed this story! I especially appreciated the storytelling by the characters.
Dislikes: violent imagery (especially involving women) but it’s a book grounded in Greek mythos what did I expect!??
Despite this l can’t wait to get into the next book in the series.
August 24, 2025
I decided to take a different path following a number of contemporary reads recently so started on this 6 book series. It follows young warrior Skylar and the father who has raised her from her birth (and the death of her mother). It’s clear from the information given that Skylar is special in somehow being linked to the gods.
After a violent start it skips forward some 19 years until Skylar and her father intervene in a fight between unknown adversaries. There, Skylar first encounters the woman, a Princess, who will become the centre of her world. However, Skylar receives what would be a mortal wound for an average person. Events then move forward to her long slow recovery and developing relationship with the Princess, Alexis.
This is an engaging tale with Skylar being the big butch heroine Alexis needs to avoid betrothal to a brutal man, the brother of her late husband (who he killed). There is a major misunderstanding which almost destroys the slowly growing relationship between Skylar and Alexis (and which I could have lived without) but all in all it holds the attention. Beware however that there’s a huge ‘Greek myths and geography’ information dump in this which can be difficult to keep up with. And the author seems to love to use someone walking in and interrupting as a device whenever anything important is happening. The number of interruptions that occur beggars belief! Has no-one ever heard of a door, knocking and waiting?! Straight onto the next one for me however…
After a violent start it skips forward some 19 years until Skylar and her father intervene in a fight between unknown adversaries. There, Skylar first encounters the woman, a Princess, who will become the centre of her world. However, Skylar receives what would be a mortal wound for an average person. Events then move forward to her long slow recovery and developing relationship with the Princess, Alexis.
This is an engaging tale with Skylar being the big butch heroine Alexis needs to avoid betrothal to a brutal man, the brother of her late husband (who he killed). There is a major misunderstanding which almost destroys the slowly growing relationship between Skylar and Alexis (and which I could have lived without) but all in all it holds the attention. Beware however that there’s a huge ‘Greek myths and geography’ information dump in this which can be difficult to keep up with. And the author seems to love to use someone walking in and interrupting as a device whenever anything important is happening. The number of interruptions that occur beggars belief! Has no-one ever heard of a door, knocking and waiting?! Straight onto the next one for me however…
September 24, 2018
Stopped at 20% (strained to go on; I was fueled by a curiosity about the protagonist’s supernatural origins...). The horse-taming story was the final nail in the coffin for me. Not the story or event itself, but the writing of it, the way the dialogue was woven. It felt unnatural. The protagonist wasn’t recounting how she tamed her horse, it was the author speaking, and telling, using the character’s voice. Weird chapter separations too; there at times wasn’t enough of a leap in scenery to warrant the divide a new chapter brings. In any case, the dialogue was what mainly chipped away at my interest.
January 10, 2022
Amazing!
This is exactly the kind of book I want: historical fiction with some myth and LGBT main characters, especially lesbians. It moved pretty fast but I liked it and it suited the voice of the main character. The romance was perfect: it took time but was not painfully slow burn and the chemistry was incredible. The world building was awesome- I could picture everything clearly. The dialogue always had a point and helped build the world and plot. I am definitely going to read the rest of the series! I couldn't put it down and I still have some questions. Can't wait!
This is exactly the kind of book I want: historical fiction with some myth and LGBT main characters, especially lesbians. It moved pretty fast but I liked it and it suited the voice of the main character. The romance was perfect: it took time but was not painfully slow burn and the chemistry was incredible. The world building was awesome- I could picture everything clearly. The dialogue always had a point and helped build the world and plot. I am definitely going to read the rest of the series! I couldn't put it down and I still have some questions. Can't wait!
March 21, 2020
I bought this book thinking I'd love it, since it had two of my favorite things: lesbians and ancient Greece. I was a little bit disappointed... Too much jealousy in this book, I don't know. Not my cup of tea. My favorite character was the best friend, the scenes with her were the best.
Maybe it wasn't the right moment for me to read this, because I've read amazing reviews. Oh well, maybe I'll try the second book at some point.
Maybe it wasn't the right moment for me to read this, because I've read amazing reviews. Oh well, maybe I'll try the second book at some point.
June 14, 2020
First book in a 6 book series.
Lovers of Greek/Roman history and mythology will enjoy this romance with strong leads in Skylar and Princess Alexis and fully fleshed out supporting characters. A believable storyline that drags you in with clear descriptions, romance, drama, angst, blood, battle, grit and grime. Enough said. Looking forward to book 2.
Kudos to Ms. Harrison. I highly recommend with 5 stars.
I rec'd an ARC from Booksprout and this is a voluntary, un-biased review.
Lovers of Greek/Roman history and mythology will enjoy this romance with strong leads in Skylar and Princess Alexis and fully fleshed out supporting characters. A believable storyline that drags you in with clear descriptions, romance, drama, angst, blood, battle, grit and grime. Enough said. Looking forward to book 2.
Kudos to Ms. Harrison. I highly recommend with 5 stars.
I rec'd an ARC from Booksprout and this is a voluntary, un-biased review.
March 14, 2021
I love the writing style, I’m really into that ancient, historical kind of talk.. it was mostly gripping and I felt like I was right there. i love the protagonist‘s bluntness and the way she converses. I love slow burns, however, it was at times too cheesy for my liking and too perfect perhaps. Also there was too much talk of different tribes and cities that confused me.
October 23, 2020
I got this book through voracious readers only mostly because the title was intriguing. The book was excellent! It moved quickly, had drama and a good plot! I can’t wait to read the other books in the series!
January 27, 2021
Excellent
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat with all the angst and the intrigue. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series as I am eager to follow Skylar and Alexis’ journey.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat with all the angst and the intrigue. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series as I am eager to follow Skylar and Alexis’ journey.
January 29, 2024
Loved it!
Great story, I really felt like I was transported back in time. This isn't a book for the faint hearted but if you like a warrior with you romance then this is the one for you.
Great story, I really felt like I was transported back in time. This isn't a book for the faint hearted but if you like a warrior with you romance then this is the one for you.
October 15, 2018
Wow! I mean just wow! So amazing! This book is one of the only books to ever make me want to read the whole series! Good job and continue on with your work, you're doing great!
October 12, 2021
Most enjoyable and unexpected fantasy/ romance. Though the Greek history got a bit convoluted, the characters and writing made up for it. Looking forward to seeing the series unfold...
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