Another gladiatrix romance?

[jmc_bks]

I was checking out Harlequin's website today, hoping to find an excerpt of Beau Crusoe up, when I noticed that another romance set in imperial Rome will be released next month. Check it out Warrior or Wife by Lyn Randall here.

Yay for any book set outside of Regency Europe! And not to knock publishers for finally being willing to branch out into other eras for historicals, but there are settings other than the gladiator's arena. Just sayin'.

I'm finishing up Margaret Westhaven's Four in Hand, a trad that I picked up after reading the review at DearAuthor (link to come). It reminded me of Candice Hern's Just One of Those Flings, plot-wise: a discreet affair with a hero who decides they should marry, more or less imposing his will and bullying on his lover, a widow who is not inclined to remarry. There is a lot more going on here, with intrigue and other couples sorting themselves out. It was a pleasant read, but not a keeper for me.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

That's great that they're doing another Roman book--but the plot sounds exactly the same as Gladiator's Honor. (Which I just finished, actually!) Child of Roman senator becomes a gladiator/trix, but then falls in love with someone of the upper class and won't be accepted as an eligible match. Huh.

I think we have the movie Gladiator to blame. Publishers and authors must think that's what will sell.

-Jennie

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

I wondered about that a couple of months ago, back when Liberty and Gladiator's Honor came out. A poster thought it had more to do with HBO's series Rome, since Gladiator was 4 or 5 years ago. :shrug: