Salem Fitzgerald

This book is like a summer day, when the sky is blue, the sea is warm and some rare birds sing to lull you to sleep.

It's a happy book filled with light and the promise of love and happiness.


I have rarely seen two characters more perfect, morally just, kind and devoted to each other. Markus the centurion, from the moment he laid eyes on Gwen, had fallen hopelessly in love with him and it all started because of his blue eyes. He didn't realize it at the time because he was on a mission to kill the last druid from a small village in Britannia they had conquered. But when the druid looked at Markus as he entered with his sword raised in that little hut, he made his steps falter and his heart stop. Something deep within didn't let Markus give the killing blow. The desire to kill was replaced by another type of desire of a more primordial kind. So Markus couldn't stop himself from raping the druid. Something began to grow in him and he felt he needed to protect Gwen's life so he took him as a captive slave.

Gwen was a very kind, forgiving man ( sainter than the Pope if you'd ask me) and their relationship blossoms into something beautiful over the months to come.


What is to be appreciated most about this book is the author's writing skill. It managed to convey the atmosphere of the time and to make Markus and Gwen very endearing.

This is an enemies-turned-lovers story. This is a master-slave story. This is a story about the love between two men. This is a HEA. There is no angst, or very low angst if you count Markus' bad conscience for raping Gwen the first time they've met and his resolution to never touch Gwen without his consent.


And this story was a little boring for me because I like the storms and the dark clouds now and then. I like my characters flawed, not perfect. There was danger over their relationship, mortal danger, but my entertainment was not at the level I expect from a historical romance novel (my favorite genre). So only 3 stars for my entertainment, but 4 stars for world building and characters and 5 for the writing. That will be an average of 4.


If you like beautiful, warm stories I fully recommend it. yes, there is a rape scene, but magic was involved, so in the end not much of a standard rape because the gods willed it. … (altro)