Barbarian Bride by Eva Scott – Book Review, Guest Post + Giveaway

Barbarian Bride by Eva Scott - Book Review, Guest Post + Giveaway

I received this book for free from . This review is voluntary. My opinion is not influenced in any way.

Barbarian Bride by Eva Scott – Book Review, Guest Post + GiveawayBarbarian Bride on February 1, 2014
Pages: 174
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four-half-stars

On the bloody ground of the Colosseum, she fights to save her life. In the treacherous boxes above, he fights to save their love.

Though Klara didn't love the man who was to be her husband, she didn't want him murdered, and she vows to track down the man who committed the crime. Sickened that she'd been attracted to the mysterious Roman, Klara tracks Lucius Aurelius to the fringes of the Roman Empire, only to find that they've both been trapped in a clever plot to overthrow Klara's father, the Chief of the Huns.

Klara is separated from Lucius, captured by slavers and sold to a gladiator school. She is the only one who can save herself, by fighting for her freedom. Lucius can ensure her battle is easier, but only by sacrificing himself. How much is he willing to give up for the fiery woman he's come to love?

Excerpt Three:

“How much further?” she asked.

“Not far. The wood thickens up ahead and we can take refuge for a little while, catch some sleep.”

“So no bed?” Sleeping on the hard ground had not been in her plans.

“Sorry, Princess. We can’t risk being seen together. A Roman travelling with a Hun, let’s just say it’s an unusual combination.”

“I don’t see why.” Klara became grumpy when she was overtired and found the need to take her mood out on Lucius irresistible. “What’s wrong with a Hun and a Roman being seen together? Your trade partners were Hun and no one thought anything of it.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, you’re a woman and I am a man. We’re not married to each other. We don’t have a chaperone. And you might find many people in these parts object to all of those facts. Would you like me to continue?” Lucius ticked off the points on his fingers in the most irritating manner.

“I haven’t forgotten,” she hissed. “I do wish you’d stop treating me like I’m some silly-headed girl.”

“I do beg your pardon, Princess,” Lucius sketched a mock bow. “I meant no offence.” Klara doubted that. She shot a sideways glance at the Roman, sitting above her in his saddle as if he were the Emperor himself and not simply a trader. How did he manage to look so fresh while she felt as stale as yesterday’s bread? It wasn’t fair.

guestpost

How writing something historical is different than writing something taking place now.

Historical fiction is one of the trickiest genres to write in my humble opinion. So many things can trip a writer up. There is a fine line between success and disaster, no more so than with dialogue between characters. Imagine your favourite Tudor history novel (think Philippa Gregory for example) and then cross reference it with a piece of Shakespeare. If Philippa wrote her stories using the exact way an English lady of the day spoke we’d all get confused, bored and wander off. The language would sound oddly phrased to our ears, words would be used differently to how we might use them, or simply unrecognisable. Cleverly Philippa Gregory has managed to blend just enough historical authenticity with a dash of modernity so we become caught up in the tale rather than struggle to understand what one person is saying to another. This is where the fine line shimmers into view. Too authentic and we become lost in the past never to find the storyline again. Too modern and we are plucked from the sixteenth century and dumped firmly back in our own time and place. Ouch!

Research is a key component of a good historical novel. The smallest fact can trick you up – if an author misplaces an event, a custom or item in the wrong time period readers will notice and never forgive them for sloppy research. On the other hand I have been criticised for having my Romans reclining while they ate. The truth is Romans really did eat lying down. The wealthy upper class ones anyway. Banquets took place in u-shaped couch configurations with tables placed in the middle, laden with food, while slaves passed back and forth in-between. A cliché? Absolutely but true nevertheless.

I adore historical novels and love to lose myself in well told tales of long ago. I applaud the authors who do this so well. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is a super great example of an author who has found the perfect balance between historical setting and reader engagement.

Who are some of your favourite historical authors?

bookreview
Barbarian Bride by Eva Scott is packed with action, adventure, history and romance. It really gave me the opportunity to travel back to ancient Rome and experience so many different aspects of the Roman and Hun cultures. It is a fascinating story that doesn’t let go. Klara is a strong, fierce Hun woman, the daughter of the tribal chief. Following the murder of her husband on their wedding night, a series of events takes place, implicating Lucius, a Roman, in the murder. Klara had been kissed by him earlier in the evening, and he ignited her passion in a way she never knew possible.

Both Klara and Lucius end up on the run from bounty hunters and they have to fight both separately and together if they want to survive. I loved the pacing of the story and the settings were wonderfully written. The characters are well-developed. There are lots of twists and turns and the romance provides the right amount of heat. There is so much tension, as everything seems to be working against the two of them being together. This was a satisfying historical romantic adventure. I truly enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it. I will be going back and reading other books written by Eva Scott. Even though this is the second book in the series, I was able to read it as a standalone without issue.

giveaway
Eva will be awarding a copy of Barbarian Bride and The Last Gladiatrix (the first book in the Romancing The Romans series) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). For your chance to win, please leave a comment on this post. Be sure to follow the tour (by clicking the tour banner at the top of this post) to comment at other stops and increase your chances of winning. Thank you so much for stopping by, and good luck!

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12 comments / Add your comment below

    1. Hi Sherry! I do hope you enjoy it. Two of the characters in it have their own stories too. I just cant seem to leave Rome alone! Eva x

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