Christina Phillips
Paperback, 336 pages
Published September 7, 2010 by Berkley Heat
ISBN# 9780425238080
Erotic Historic Romance
From my TBR Shelf
Christina Phillips Website
He was a master of seduction - but no match for the magical allure of the woman he wanted most...
Carys knew from the moment she first spied on Maximus in his naked barbarian glory that he was a dangerous Roman centurion - his taut, battle-scarred flesh marking him as a fearless warrior. But her desire for him was as undeniable as it was illicit.
Charged by his emperor to eliminate a clan of powerful Druids in Britain, Maximus never expects his mission to be thwarted by the clan's ethereal princess, Carys, his daring voyeur. Falling under her spell, he doesn't realize her true heritage - until he captures her heart as well as her body.
As Carys's loyalties are twisted, and freedom is no longer her single-minded obsession, an avenging former lover threatens to crush Maximus's people into oblivion. Now Carys and Maximus must overcome the devastation of war and face the ultimate sacrifice if their forbidden love is to survive.
My Ratings~~
Review
Sexual
A nice change of pace from the usual historical romance offerings: A Roman Centurion, Maximus, and a Druid Princess, Carys. Two lovers caught on opposite sides of a war. What a delicious set up for a romance!
And what opposites they are. Carys - A Druid Princess from a matriarchal line. A cultural that holds women in high esteem, honors their Goddesses above all, doesn’t believe they need a man’s permission. Maximus - Roman, alpha, protective, possessive, sees women as property, patriarchal. It’s these differences that Ms. Phillips puts to work….overtime.
He towered over her, his wood nymph, his Celtic lady, his Carys. “Why do you never do as you are bid?”
“Because”--Carys gasped as she flexed her thighs and dug her heels into his backside--“I’m not your slave, Maximus. I’m your woman.”
Maximus and Carys truly care and love each other, regardless of the consequences or conventions of what their peers and social standing require. They will do whatever is necessary to protect each other from the ravages of war.
I’m not a big fan of magic, and I felt at times it was excess baggage. One incident occurred when Carys entered into a drug-induced dream state to commune with her Goddesses. Another was during the destruction of the “spiral”: Was this an explosion or an implosion? I know Druid magic is an integral part of the story line and Carys’s way of life, but I just couldn’t wrap my mind around some of this.
And because of that, I was really undecided on a 3 or 4 howl. Oh - The roman bath scene. Okay, a 3.5 Howl!
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