The Roman Lovers Trilogy 1: The Gladiator’s Surprise Valentine

Come celebrate Valentine’s Day this year in Ancient Rome!


Capua, Roman Republic, 15 February 64 B.C.

It is the Feast of Lupercalia, the ancient fertility festival to celebrate the coming of spring. To start the festivities the single young men in town pick the name of a random young woman from an urn to spend the festival with, and, if the coupling is successful, the rest of their lives together.

Valentina’s younger sister ends up paired with the former gladiator Mardacus but refuses to be coupled with him. To save the family honor, Valentina chooses to take her sister’s place in secret, without anyone but the two sisters knowing about the switch. The thought of spending the night in the fearsome gladiator’s bed doesn’t seem such a chore when she discovers the heart of gold and mesmerizing tenderness hidden behind the scarred and fierce façade.

At least, not until she realizes the more time she spends with Mardacus the greater the risk of losing her heart to the warrior…