Allow a full long day for this action-packed PG15 political historical romance set between AD 4-27 in Rome, Gaul, and Britannia. I had an ARC from NetGalley that got lost in the queue and this is my voluntary review.

i really liked Catrin, and I really felt for her struggle, this was a great read and I really enjoyed that I could read this as a standalone.

I read this book without having read the first 2 in the series. There is a very short recap at the start of the book, with A LOT to try and take in. I had to keep going back to reference it at first, just to keep up with all the different characters and what was happening, but it did get easier the more I kept reading.

I really liked the ancient roman setting and it's clear that a lot of effort has gone into the research for the inspiration of this book. It's a very slow burn, which I actually quite enjoy, but I found myself comparing it to a long running soap opera, where everything happens but nothing really happens - if that makes sense.

I liked the characters, the world building, and the writing was good. I also really appreciate the dedication the author has to keeping her story going. I liked the story, but I did find it a little repetitive and a bit tiring with all the back and forth. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book.

Amulet's Rapture is the third book in Linnea Tanner's award-winning Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Although the author provides a short summary of the events that have transpired in the first two books—located prior to the Table of Contents—I strongly recommend that you do not read this book as a stand-alone. So much happens in the first two books that a short summary is not sufficient to prepare you for this epic saga! At this time, two more books are promised in the series, so there is so much of this story left to be revealed!

If you have not yet read the first two books in the series, please do not read the rest of this review. Although I guarantee no spoilers from this book, I am unable to review Amulet's Rapture without revealing some spoilers of events that occurred Apollo's Raven and Dagger's Destiny.

While the events in Apollo's Raven and Dagger's Destiny had spanned only a few months, Amulet's Rapture covers a period of three years. Although there is less action in this installment, there is a greater focus on character development. After the brutal conclusion to Dagger's Destiny, Catrin has been enslaved by the Roman Decimus, who believes her to be an oracle of Apollo. He disguises her as a male so that her true identity will not be discovered and so that the soldiers will not defile her, since he believes her prophetic abilities require her to be chaste. The more Catrin suffers, the further she strays from her love for Marcellus, turning instead toward hate and vengeance. Meanwhile, Marcellus, whose memory was erased by Rhan and Marrock, is struggling internally, feeling as though he has lost his identity. He returns to Eliana, the married older woman who had taken his virginity in his youth, and due to Catrin's mystical powers, Catrin bears witness to his infidelity. In the events that follow, Marcellus experiences personal growth relating to duty, honor, and loyalty.

Some of the dialogue in the series has felt a bit forced, but this issue was especially prominent in Amulet's Rapture. Additionally, there were numerous errors in the text. Although I received two review copies of this book from two different sources, I had actually purchased a copy as well, and the errors are present in both editions. While I felt that the story was stimulating and engaging, I was frequently distracted by the dialogue and errors. Another round of editing would greatly improve the quality of the book.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and I am really looking forward to the author publishing the next installment!

#NetGalley #AmuletsRapture

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a great heroine story but found it quite boring with all the historical facts. I’m not a big history buff and that may be the reason.

Caterin was taken from her home and made a slave. This book is about her journey to be free and to return to her homeland to become its queen. Marcellus is the noble Roman she fell in love with. But in Rome he can’t acknowledge her as his. The journey they face is long and difficult!


I read and reviewed this advanced complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley

Catrin is a Britannian warrior princess and heir to the thrown of her murdered father’s kingdom, but her current circumstances are the opposite of royal. She’s enslaved to a cruel master who disguises her as a boy. Marcellus is a Roman prince and grandson of Cleopatra’s Marc Antony. Political intrigue and personal betrayals keep these young star-crossed lovers apart. They battle a variety of dangerous adversaries to reunite.

Maps of Britannia and Gaul, a brief history of the sociopolitical context of the era, a synopsis of the first two books in the series, plus a listing of the cast of characters make it easy to read Amulet’s Rapture as a stand-alone. Historical details of the times engage the senses. Catrin is compelling as the story’s valiant heroine. If only Marcellus were her equal. He’s spoiled, petulant, impulsive, and self-centered. He’s all brawn, with shallow intellectual depth, and very little maturity or genuine fidelity for nearly half of the story. The women who get involved with him are destined for multiple heartbreaks and a lot of suffering. He’s not presented in ways that make him seem worth Catrin’s longing and effort. That weakens the entire story thread, which makes Catrin’s determination and agony seem pointless.

The author is obviously a talented storyteller and a dedicated researcher who enjoys sharing the details of bygone civilizations with readers. Fans of Xena, Warrior Princess and Spartacus with a gloomy edge should enjoy Amulet’s Rapture.