I found “Beast of Caledonia” to be well-written and paced with an overall balance a far notch above some other historical romance books I’ve read. Though I was concerned when I read in the introduction that research on ancient Rome had consisted of reading Colleen McCullough and watching HBO, descriptions and general information about the Roman empire I found to be accurate, as history is my favorite subject.
Whether it’s about a topic I know well or one I am mostly unfamiliar with, I like to know the author has a good “feel” for the setting or actions being made, making it convincing for me and Kate Poole did just that for the most part. I do wish, however, this had extended to the male/male sex descriptions or character memories provided to make them more accurate and believable, though I appreciated they were kept brief so as not to overly detract from the main m/f love story.
My final impression was of a carefully planned and skillfully executed novel which I appreciated for it’s crisp, clear descriptions, memorable characters and stirring determination to have a satisfying ending. I liked Beast of Caledonia and think it’s a winner.
Book Description: “In an ancient time, in an ancient land, their worlds collided. Can their love survive? Can they?
Sara is the daughter of the emperor’s legate in Caledonia, the Roman name for Scotland. Annachie is a Pictish warrior captured by her father’s soldiers and made a slave. Their friendship grows into a love neither of them can even acknowledge, much less consummate.
When her father finds them in what he thinks is a compromising position, he gives Annachie to a notorious slave trader and takes Sara back to Rome. Thinking that she will never see Annachie again, Sara agrees to become a Vestal Virgin. But six years later, her world is turned upside down when the games in the Coliseum feature the renowned gladiator, the “Beast of Caledonia”. Annachie!
Only for him would Sara forsake her vow of chastity and risk her life. And when she faces the ultimate price for loving him, only Annachie may be able to save her.”
Buy Now At Ellora’s Cave
Source: Publisher
Disclaimer: THIS REVIEW WAS COMPLETED FOR EBOOK ADDICTS REVIEWS, AND ORIGINALLY POSTED ON OCTOBER 11, 2010. PLEASE VIEW THEIR WEBSITE TO SEE ALL REVIEWS AVAILABLE.
–Reviewed by Red Haircrow
Red Haircrow Review 