Cover Image: Brides of Rome

Brides of Rome

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Member Reviews

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, especially in the Greco-Roman area, so this was right up my alley. The world building is great and the characters are fascinating (I love anything and every thing pertaining to Anthony and Cleopatra). I love a good female oriented HF book. All around this was a great fun read.

By "fun" I don't really mean light and fluffy. Its a gritty book filled with real points in history (the relationship between Cleopatra, Anthony, and Augustus/Octavian was not a happy one and often tended to be rather bloody), but it is interesting, keeps you on your toes, and delivers a wonderful narrative that will stick with you.

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I enjoyed the book and characters around the time of Julius Caesar and cleopatra and Mark Antony. The main character is a female lead who is a vestal at the temple. The ending of the book was rushed.

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This novel tells the story of the Vestal Virgins that were very integral and important to the reign of Augustus. I found the novel to be very slow. Also, some of the content was disturbing and made it hard for me to keep reading. Still, I thought the author did an excellent jog in bringing the Roman Empire to life. I recommend this for fans of Kate Quinn, Margaret George, and Stephanie Dray!

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I am very sorry that I did not adore this book. I truly wanted to love it, but it totally fell flat for me. I do not think it is a bad book by any means, but it is not a brilliant book in my opinion. I do believe this would be great for someone else, just not me.

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Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I picked up this book because I have always been interested in Ancient Rome and, in particular, the lives of religious people during that time, but I have only read mysteries set in that time where the story usually centres on secular life.

I had heard of Vestal Virgins before but never really understood what they did. The story revolves around a Priestess of Vesta called Pomponia, who along with her sister priestesses, guards the eternal flame of the Goddess Vesta and represents the purity and goodness of the Romans. Pomponia is expected to serve 30 years as a Vestal Virgin and therefore never marry or be intimate with a man.

However, Pomponia is drawn to a representative of the God Mars, a childhood friend of sorts, Quintus, who both infuriates and attracts her. While she struggles with her attraction to him and the implications this may have on her life (punishment for losing her purity would be a particularly horrific execution) she is thrown into the machinations of politics and war. The new Emporer Octavian is at odds with Marc Antony and Cleopatra and Rome is starving. While the citizens of Rome look to Vesta and her priestesses to uphold the pure values and motivations of Rome, others work against them and Pomponia must draw on all her skill and intelligence to protect her order and her heart.

This is the first book in the series and I am very much looking forward to the next. The book is well-written and the characters are genuinely interesting. Even those names that one knows from the history books become real people to the reader. Highly recommended.

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I liked this book though I wish it had gone into more details on many aspects of Roman life. Worth reading

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Brides of Rome is the first in a historical fiction series by Debra May Macleod which is based in Ancient Rome and concentrates on the esteemed Priestesses of Vesta who maintain the Eternal Flame which protects the Eternal City. Book One begins around the time of the assassination of Julius Caesar and follows Priestess Pomponia as she navigates her sacred position through the brutality, treachery, violence and politics of the elite society who rule over Rome whilst guarding her own secret of forbidden love.

For the Priestesses, a broken vow of chastity is a crime punishable by death and when such an accusation is made against the Vestal Order, Pomponia must act quickly is she is to restore the faith of the elite and the rest of the city in her Priestesses.

Macleod has brought Ancient Rome to life within the pages of this book, I was absorbed in this world from the first few pages. It was a quick and entertaining read, although some of the scenes are quite violent, it was relevant to the time the story is set. At the end of the book, Macleod states that this is a work of fiction, and whilst she has included many true events in some places she has altered the timeline or created new characters in order for the story to flow better for the reader, which was not an issue for me, it is historical fiction after all. Overall, this was a well written and researched story and I am looking forward to reading the next instalment of the Vesta Shadows series. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publilshing for a digital copy for review.

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I love historical fiction and I'm super interested in ancient Roman times; after visiting Rome a couple of years back and absolutely falling in love with the city and its architecture, art, and history, I'm always on the lookout for stories set in that era. I was super excited to have received an eARC of this copy (huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a copy) and couldn't wait to dive in. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed with this book.

Sadly, I just couldn't care about a single character in this book. The lead, Pomponia, was a bland and unsympathetic character; most of the other women were catty and backstabbing. The men were cardboard cutouts at best. The 'romance' between Pomponia and Quintus was based on a childhood friendship and Quintus constantly being cruel to Pomponia. Their interactions were limited to Quintus cutting her down and ordering her around, then suddenly professing his love to her. I guess he's mean to her because he likes her. Pomponia hates his arrogance and knows he hits his wife, yet admits that she loves him and nearly throws her life away away to sleep with him. Still a better love story than Twilight?

Macleod clearly knows her history and ancient Roman culture, and it shows. The book is well-researched, even with the artistic liberties she admits she's taken, and is a gift for fans of that era. Her writing is immersive, if rather dry. Unfortunately, she falls short in characterization and pacing. Most of the book speaks of what the characters do, not how they feel. We see their actions, but never get inside their hearts. We're told that Pomponia feels love for Quintus, but we don't feel it. (And I, for one, question Pomponia's judgment in falling for a man who abuses his wife and seems to delight in tearing her down.) The story is rather slow for the first half of the book, although it does pick up more after the halfway mark.

Although the book is supposed to focus on the order of the Vestal Virgins, of whom little is known, a significant portion of the book focuses on other characters like Octavian and Octavia, Marc Antony and Cleopatra. I rather wish that Macleod had focused more on the Vestals, as per the premise. HBO's Rome already did the rest, and they did it better.

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*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley*
I love books about the roman empire. I find it a fascinating part of history. So this book was right up my alley. While I did enjoy the parts about politics, the story itself fell a little flat for me. There where very little consequences to the actions of the main character Pomponia, which resulted in little tension in the book. The story was interesting, but I felt like it could have been better.

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It was not my cup of tea, although I do read quite a lot of historical fiction, I found some of the content quite difficult to read, and did not feel invested in the protagonist's story. I did not know much about the vestal virgins before reading this, although I have read some of Kate Quinn's Empress of Rome Saga, but while some content overlaps, this was much more centred around ancient religions, roles in society, and the politics of Octavian's rule. Priestess Pomponia is part of the vestal order, and is required to abide by the rules of the order for at least her thirty years of service. Her role as part of the vestas gives her a front row seat to the political shifts in Rome, while she must work for Rome's prosperity rather than for a specific ruler. The political uncertainty is compounded by her personal life, and the threat of an accusation of unfaithfulness against the order.

Parts of the story were fascinating and towards the end of the story I found it engaging. The main turn off for me was how gruesome and graphic some of the scenes were. I understand that it is based on what actually happened, but I found it difficult to read because of that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

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All the stars! This book came to me when I was desperately craving a good book set in ancient times, and I am so thankful the publisher granted my request! A wonderful addition and will sit on my "favorite" shelf next to Kate Quinn and Michelle Moran, this book was just so good. Well written, extensively researched, I felt I was on those dusty, dirty ancient streets of Rome and rubbing shoulders with Caesar himself in the palace. Highly recommended for all lovers of historical fiction!

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Brides of Rome, Book One in the Vesta Shadows series, recreates the world of ancient Rome with all its brutality and brilliance. Debra May Macleod writes a powerful page-turner full of history and intrigue. The world of the Vestal Virgins was the perfect subject for this book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction!

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It is a world of power and privilege, secrets and sacred duty. It is the world of ancient Rome. And it is the esteemed Vestal Virgins-priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the home and hearth. Who protect the Eternal flame that protects the Eternal City.This new novel by author # Debra May MacLeod, #'The Brides of Rome's'will keep you entertained. The drama, wars, and bedroom politics of Rome's elite.
Thank you,
#Netgalley, # Debra May MacLeod, and # Blackstone publishing for the advanced copy

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Title: The Brides of Rome: A Novel of the Vestal Virgins
Author: Debra May Macleod
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 283
Rating: A nice dive into Ancient Rome, if you can withstand the slow burn

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Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome is one of my favorite historical eras. Much of the modern world can thank Ancient Rome for the way it works today, for better or for worse.

When we dive into Ancient Rome, books are often focused on the politics of it all, or on the armies.

The freedom an author gets when using Ancient Rome for the muse of their Historical Fiction piece is that we don’t know everything about it.

We can fill in a lot of the blanks, but there is the ability to fill in the some of the blanks with a bit of creative freedom.


is full of powerful Men

Macleod’s writing style is easy to read. She has a descriptive writing style, and she almost writes it in the form of a mystery novel.

She writes her story, almost leading the reader in one direction, before slamming a twist in their face that changes the story.

Sometimes the changes were subtle, sometimes they impacted the story and all of the major characters.

Macleod does it several times throughout the book and it doesn’t get old. It keeps the readers on their toes and keeps the story fresh.

As this story is focused on the Vestal Virgins, a religious order of women, we do get to see the world from a woman’s perspective and the vileness of men, which we don’t get to see often.


and even more powerful Women

Being a bit of a self-proclaimed history nerd, I knew of the Vestal Virgins, but I never really knew anything other than the bare minimum.

I can’t say for sure if Macleod was 100 per cent accurate in her depiction of them, but I can say that if it is true, it was interesting learning about them in a fictional way.

They were held in such high regard in the Roman World, and could control powerful men and women with a few words, but they were so limited in what they could do, and whom they could love.

Exploring their limitations, while also exploring their strengths and political powers gives the readers a good idea of the careful balance they walked.

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When I first started reading this book, I could not get into it at all. I think the reason why is there were so many Ancient Roman Names and I couldn't keep them straight. In addition, I knew nothing about Ancient Rome or the history of the Vestal Virgins so I wasn't sure what I was reading. After about 40 pages in, I stopped and decided to do a bit of research. I started by visiting the author's website. That was like striking gold; Debra May Macleod has a whole host of resources on her website about Ancient Roman and the Vestal Virgins. I got lost in her digital divide for about an hour but I learned so much and my interest in Ancient Rome was peaked. If you don't have an hour to spend, you can learn a lot just by watching her video summary of Ancient Rome (Time Machine Rome), it's about 8 minutes long. I then went back and re-started the book and from that moment, I couldn't put it down. The history of Ancient Rome in itself is full of mystery, intrigue, drama, love and war and this book includes it all. The story of the Vestal Virgins is fascinating and Mrs. Macleod has done a tremendous job of creating a historical fiction novel based on the Vestal Virgins.

Not only is the story action packed, it's full of historical references that are based on real characters. The author did an incredible job of interpreting what could have happened, with what sometimes did happen and adding in the fiction. She makes Ancient Rome come to life and she leaves the reader wanting more. And, it's a good thing - because apparently there will be a Book 2! I highly recommend this book. It's the perfect dose of historical fiction!

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First of all, I’ve got to admit it took me a while to really get into this book. I soldiered on and before I knew it I was thorougly hooked. In fact, I had a hard time putting my Kindle down because I really did end up enjoying the story a lot.

I would also like to say that initially I had no idea what time exactly this book took place in, I just knew it was about the Vestal Virgins, which I’ve been fascinated with and haven’t had the opportunity to read about them but I was happily surprised that the story involved Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Octavian etc. But the most important character to me was Vestal Priestess Pomponia.

This book had many female characters in the lead and I was so thrilled at that because ancient Rome was mostly a man’s world but these ladies in the lead definitely stole the show and I can’t do anything but praise the author for that. With that said, I feel like I should also say that none of the characters are actually likeable. Life in ancient Rome, especially the capital, was a brutal place and it was hard for a woman to survive.

I don’t want to say too much but my favorite character was Pomponia’s slave Medousa (named after Medusa from mythology). I just loved her spark, the snarky comments she often made in spite of being beaten for it and her devotion to Pomponia.

Brides of Rome by Debra May MacLeod was a daring novel about the early days of the Roman Empire with women in the lead as main characters. It was a slow start for me but the author’s knowledge and passion for ancient Rome definitely showed through the story.

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The historical events of Brides of Rome have been covered so many times in other novels. But... uh... I will just keep reading books set in ancient Rome forever and ever.

The brides of Rome are the Vestal Virgins, tasked with keeping the sacred fires of Vesta burning, leading dignitas and authority to major public occasions, and recording wills. They're not usually the focus of Roman stories, maybe there's a reference to a Vestal taking part in an occasion or passing a condemned criminal on the street, thus granting him a pardon. Here, the Vestals are present at key events, so even if the story follows the familiar path to empire, there's a new perspective.  I loved the scenes of vestal life, especially the relationships between older vestals and younger ones.

The book does have a few surprises. The story adds some new characters to the expected historical ones. I don't remember any accounts of Livia's sister (but would old Suetonius have bothered writing down a mere woman's female relatives?!?), who added so much drama to this story.  I didn't love that one of the Vestals was secretly in love with a man. Partly because the charge of incestum was so serious (buried alive! bringing divine retribution on Rome!) and partly because I was annoyed by picking up a book about Vestals and getting a pining love story.

The moments I enjoyed most were hints to the future. Young Julia can't stand her obnoxious stepbrother Tiberius, for example, and Livia wonders whether she and Augustus will ever have a son. Also, Caesarian dies offstage and his body isn't shown, and since this novel played around with historical events, I think he might make a reappearance. Lots to come in the next book, I think.

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Amazing book! I really enjoy historical fiction and this didn't disappoint. Great storyline and wonderful characters. Loved reading about the vestal virgins.

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i really enjoyed reading this, I'm glad when I saw the cover I was drawn into it. It was a good read with great characters and a good storyline.

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Brides of Rome is one of the best historical fiction I've ever read and one of my favorite books this year !

Although I studied latin for 3 year and kept a keen interest towards roman and greek culture, I never really knew about the Vestal virgins. I'm so glad I found this book to tell me more about them, in a fictional way that had many entertaining elements. Vesta is not a goddess that is often written about. It's usually all about the big powerful ones like Zeus/Jupiter, Poseidon/Neptune, Athena/Minerva, etc. For once I got a focus on a not so famous goddess, which was exciting !

Right from the start, the author gifts us vivid descriptions of the Vestals, main characters of this story, but also of their environment. I want to highlight how riveting Macleod's storytelling is. Brides of Rome is a rather big book, but thanks to her lifelike descriptions of the action and the surroundings of the characters, I didn't feel the time flying by. Whether we were in Rome or Egypt, in a cell or a palace, I could perfectly imagine every little action.

To that I'd like to also add the fact that every little plot line is REALLY thought out and cleverly brought. There's a lot of politics in the book, and it usually bores me out and confuses me a lot. However, here it's subtly adressed, in simple words, while still being clever. I'm very grateful for that.

Speaking of politics : We get the insight of several huge Roman political figures' lives throughout the book. I loved reading about the private life of famous people I learned about in class, especially Caesar and Cleopatra ! Sure, it's definitely not real, but it's nice to take a peak behind the curtain ! Caesar and Cleopatra are both very strong characters, yet they didn't overshadow the Vestals, who are the main focus of the story. Better, their relationships with the Vestal priestesses put the latter in the spotlight, showing their importance in Rome, and how much religion and politics are intertwined in Roman society.

Character-wise, besides Caesar and Cleopatra, one of the main focus of the book is Pomponia, a Vestal priestess who proceeds to become their leader and slowly get more and more involved in Roman affairs. We get to see her growing up, growing as a person and see how she makes little changes that will lead to bigger events. More than a public figure, Pomponia's character shows how hard it is for religious people to be constantly torn between their duty and their feelings. Pomponia is such a conflicted character, torn between her duties to the goddess and fighting for what she believes is right, all while struggling with falling in love with a man she shouldn't have feelings for. She's a fantastic character, fascinating to read about !

To conclude, politics and religion intertwin in this new series filled with deep and charismatic characters. You'll find here everything you could possibly want in a book, more so if you're a historical fiction lover. I also somehow got a very GOT-like vibe when it comes to the political mind games and deaths, so if you liked GOT, there's a good chance you could like this too ! In any case, just read it, it's fabulous storytelling.

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