When Duro rejoins his Iceni tribe after escaping from life as a centurion when Vesuvius erupted, he doesn’t get quite the welcome he hopes for – his younger brother is now their leader. But establishing his place in the new order must wait – he embarks on a quest for revenge against the Roman soldiers who killed his parents. During his travels, he comes across Gisel, being sold as a slave, and frees her from her Roman captor – but it takes some considerable time to convince her that he’s to be trusted.

In the present day, Mackenna’s relationship with rock star Blue Daniels and the rather different lifestyle she’s been enjoying are over. Jonah, another band member, has also had more than enough of Blue – but, having offered his support when she left, she’s finds she’s keen to have him as a friend in her newly rebuilt life. There’s an attraction between them that they both unsuccessfully try to resist – but neither of them can escape the attention of the media, and although he’s able to provide her with a much-needed refuge, the complications seem to make anything further impossible.

Two very different storylines, but they’re quite perfectly balanced – parallels cleverly drawn between the individuals and relationships, along with that thin veil between past and present that the author always excels at, moments of deja vu when surroundings change and there are sometimes momentarily disconcerting glimpses of the past.

There’s no wrenching between the two stories, separated by so many centuries – the well-researched detail of life in Roman Britannia makes that world exceptionally vivid and real, but I was equally happy to wander the streets of modern day Bath with Mac and Jonah. And both stories were equally intriguing and compelling – emotional at times, with their moments of well written drama, plenty of tension, unexpected twists and turns, and two central developing romances I entirely believed in.

This was such clever writing – and I really loved the symmetry of the stories and the connections between them, two equally convincing love stories spanning the years that separate them. Very much recommended – this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

Another gorgeous time-slip novel from Christina Courtensy I eagerly devoured over a weekend. Her books are always such a pleasure to read. I was sad when Christina’s Viking Runes series came to an end, but this new Roman series is every bit as good!

This is Christina’s second book focussing on the Romans in the historical storyline part, and I loved it just as much as I have all of her books I have read so far, which must be 7 or 8 books. She has a way of writing which draws me in immediately as the stories play out like a film in my head. Wonderful descriptions take me right into the centre of the action.

The Roman timeline goes back to just after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius around 80AD where we meet a recently escaped gladiator who has made his way back to his home in Britannia. He had been taken following the defeat of his Iceni tribe at the age of 8. Determination to get revenge on his captor had pushed him to become one of the best gladiators. On his travels he saves Gisele from a similar fate and falls head over heels for her.

In the present time, Mac has just finished with her bed hopping boyfriend who is the gorgeous looking lead singer of one of the most famous bands of the moment. Sadly his personality does not match his good looks, being a self centred diva. As Jordan, another of the band members checks in on her to see she is okay, a relationship begins to blossom.

Of course it wouldn’t be a Christina Courtenay book without a link between past and present, and as Mac and Jordan spend more time together they begin to have strange feelings of instinctively knowing what Roman objects are and of seeing their surroundings change. Could the ring Mac’s auntie left her and she always wears be the connection?

I just loved being drawn into the stories of the two couples in alternate chapters, and how time has seemed to bring them together again. I loved both timelines equally.

Thank you Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour.

I have to start by saying I have loved Christina Courtenay's books for a very long time.
Her novels blend the past and present seamlessly, the story flows and there is no sense of jumping around from person to person.
This novel is the perfect example of a dual timeline. The writing in AD80's is so descriptive you really feel you are walking in Duro and Gisel's shoes. And unlike some novels the present day doesn't feel like an add on. The known take if everyone having a soulmate is certainly true here.
Perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Nicola Cornick and Ananda Geard, this novel must cement Christina as one of the Queens of dual timeline novels

In AD80 and after many years as an enslaved gladiator, Duro has returned to his homeland of Britannia to seek revenge on the Roman who was the cause of his family’s downfall. When he rescues a beautiful young woman from slavery their lives are bound together not just in their current life but also far into the future. In the present day, Mackenna has recently split with her rockstar boyfriend only to have a deepening attachment to Jonah, another band member who, it seems, shares a connection to the past which can’t easily be explained.

The dual timeline is done really well so that it is perfectly possible to explore Ancient Rome in the footsteps of Duro and Gisel, whilst at the time time feel comfortable in modern day Bath with Mac and Jonah. I loved the intertwining of lives and the parallels between relationships which the author describes with her usual imaginative flair for even the smallest of details. History comes alive as we follow Duro in his quest for revenge but also enjoy the modern day dilemma which Mac faces as the ex-girlfriend of a very famous rockstar.

The shadowy element of past lives is described seamlessly so that I never felt like one timeline intruded on the other and enjoyed spending time with all the characters. There’s a good blend of history and also a light romantic theme which helps to make Shadows in the Spring into a really lovely dual time story..

Shadows in the Spring is another time-slip novel by Christina Courtenay. I really have enjoyed her Roman time-slip novels of which this is the second.

In 80 AD ex-gladiator Duro has escaped Pompeii and is back in Britain. A member of the Iceni tribe he was taken hostage and sold into slavery after Boudica’s revolt. Duro has managed to not only survive being a gladiator, he has survived the destruction on Pompeii. He has purchased the land that his village sits on from the Romans. Instead of immediately settling down, he is on a mission of vengeance. He intends to find the Roman who murdered his mother, raped his sister and sold him into slavery. While on his trek through Britain, he encounters Gisel a beautiful German girl who was kidnapped by the Romans and sold into slavery. After enduring the degradation of slavery himself, he sets out to save her.

In the present Mackenna Jackson finds her rock star boyfriend Blue in bed with two women. She breaks up with him and flees to the flat that she inherited from her aunt in Bath. Unbeknownst to Mac, Blue’s bandmate Jonah is enamored of Mac and leaves the band in disgust. Jonah and Mac start up a friendship but both start to have worrying visions of Duro and Gisel in the past. Can Jonah and Mac, and Duro and Gisel fiind love in their respective time periods, or will outside forces destroy them forever?

The two storylines meld together seamlessly. I really enjoyed this book, especially as I am a fan of anything to do with ancient Rome,

Thanks to Netgalley, Headline publishing and the author for a chance to read and review this ARC.

I enjoyed this timeslip fiction where the people and events in Roman Britain shadow modern-day Britain. In ancient Britain, Duro and Gisel undertake an epic journey of love and vengeance, paving the way for a contemporary romance between Jonah and Mac, who are both drawn to the people and times of ancient Britain. The believable timeslip portrayed by dreams, shadowy visions and perceptions gives this story a mystical quality and uniqueness. The romance is the force that drives the stories and the thing that ultimately connects them. Both timelines are immersive and intriguing, and it's a story I couldn't put down.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.
This is a historical romance with a dual narrative.

In AD 80, we follow Duro, who seeks justice for what happened to his loved ones. He finds himself captivated by Gisel, and the two of them begin a journey together.

The present day storyline takes us to Bath, where we follow Mackenna, or Mac. After breaking up with her unfaithful rockstar boyfriend, Blue, Mac spends some time with Jonah, his former bandmate. The pair enjoy spending time together, but at the end of it all, are they just friends, or something more?

I don't think I've read many historical novels set in Roman times, so I found the historical storyline really interesting. I also enjoyed following the modern storyline, and I felt there was a very interesting contrast and connection between the two. I think that I connected with the two storylines differently; I found the historical storyline more intense and dramatic, while the modern storyline was fun and heartwarming.

I felt like this was the kind of book that should be enjoyed a little at a time, rather than all at once, but once I became invested, it was hard to stop reading. It was a romantic read that also felt like a time-travel adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

This was an easy to read book which is told thru dual timelines. The one in the past takes place during Roman times. I didn’t find that story as interesting as the one set in the present. Mac & Jonah’s story was more interesting even if it was predictable. It’s a nice romantic story

Knowing where to begin is often challenging for a reviewer, and this book was no different. Therefore, I will strive to stay within the confines of the synopsis to avoid including any spoilers.

We first met Duro in Shadows in the Ashes, and I was drawn to his character from that point on. He was billed as a strong Barbarian, but digging deeper and discovering that his driving forces were tied up with family allegiance and loyalty to his friends didn't take long. Gisel had been taken from her family and was being sold as a slave, but Duro couldn’t fight the feeling that he was drawn to the white-haired beauty, and set out to free her, hopefully winning her trust.

In the modern day, Mackenna Jackson was the girlfriend of rockstar, Blue Daniels. That lifestyle falls apart when she discovers him cheating, and she relies heavily on Blue’s bandmate, Jonah. We soon learn that Jonah has been carrying a proverbial torch for her and is fighting strong feelings. Of course, Mac is off limits as she’s his bandmate’s ex, and couldn’t possibly be interested in him.

It’s impossible not to draw comparisons between the couples of the past and the couples of the present day. Descriptively, they are both similar, but it takes their awakening feelings for the symmetry to kick in fully. Whether it’s Duro or Jonah, their attraction to Gisel and Mac was undeniable.
Mixed with the occasional flashback to Roman Britain, the tension builds beautifully.

As the two timelines move toward a hopeful conclusion, the paths are not without obstacles. They must overcome an overzealous slave owner and a vengeful ex-lover. In the present day, obstacles also exist that challenge the possibility of happiness.

I absolutely loved how Christina balanced the two timelines and maintained the parallels in their lives, showing that despite the centuries between them, history can truly repeat itself and provide a love story across the years.

The story starts nearly 2,000 years ago, when the Romans ruled Britain. Duro, was just a young boy when he was whisked away to Rome to become a slave. Twenty years on, and Duro is back in England and he's set on righting some grave wrongs - including rescuing a lady just sold at a slave market. Gisel has no choice but to trust this ex-Gladiator as they trek across the land seeking revenge.

In present-day Bath, Mackenna has also been wronged but this time it's by her rockstar boyfriend (make that ex now). Jonah, her ex's bandmate, isn't happy with how she's been treated and he wants to try and make things right (ok - he's always had a bit of a crush on her). But what's stranger is that the more they get to know each other, the more it seems like they've always known each other. Their sense of deja vu has a distinct ancient Roman feel to it.

I love historical fiction and time-slip/ time-travel can be some of my favourite. It's not often though that you get to travel this far back in time. Christina Courtenay has clearly done a lot of research and has sprinkled this throughout the story. However, although I'm a closet romance reader, I personally found the insta-attraction, and Duro's 'gentlemanly ways' a bit much. This book though still has a lot to offer as a lighter, romantic read.

Christina Courtenay has written a number of time slip novels and her latest develops a storyline from a character (Duro) introduced in her 2024 novel 'Shadows in the Ashes'. The main protagonists from the earlier novel – Raedwald and Aemilia – are mentioned here but do not make an appearance.

The historical storyline is set in 80 AD shortly after the eruption of Vesuvius. Raedwald’s friend and fellow gladiator, Duro, has escaped from the devastated Pompeii to return to Britannia and his Iceni tribe. He had been enslaved following the defeat of Boudica’s rebellion against the Romans and now seeks vengeance on the Roman legionary who not only destroyed Duro’s life, but that of his family. On his journey to find Aulus Julius Felix, he rescues an enslaved German woman, Gisel, and is entranced by her power and beauty. She agrees to join him in his quest.

The modern storyline sees Mackenna Jackson moving to Bath to heal a broken heart. She meets Jonah Miller, a wealthy rock star disillusioned with the celebrity lifestyle, and there is an immediate attraction. As they visit the Roman sites in Bath, both experience flashbacks of an earlier time and an earlier passion.

The story alternates seamlessly between AD 80 and the present day.

Courtenay has written an enjoyable novel of history and romance. The plot is engaging and the two storylines mirror each other to a degree, but not in an obvious or plodding way. It is more a question of the characters visiting the same places and the modern characters experiencing unsettling visions and illusory hallucinations of the earlier time.

Duro is an appealing and compassionate character. His behaviour is considerate and almost gentlemanly – how authentic this is for a member of the Iceni tribe I’m not sure, but I’d like to think so. Courtenay may have done this to counter the Roman attitudes towards the ‘barbarian’ tribes that they so despised. The Romans, on the other hand, are depicted as rapacious and greedy, far less decent and loyal than the British tribes that they have supposedly civilised.

Courtenay has included plenty of helpful explanations for readers not well versed in Roman history and culture – I occasionally found this a little intrusive, but it was also interesting and informative. The recreation of the Roman world was well done and I particularly enjoyed the visits to the Roman Baths and museum in the modern world contrasted with its origins as an ancient temple complex of the first century. The use of the Bath curse tablets in both worlds is interestingly done. Overall, the Bath landmarks and settings – the Pump Rooms, Pulteney Bridge, the antique market – add interest and colour to the plot.

While undoubtedly a historical novel, this is also a romance and the romantic elements of the plot are well handled and include a sprinkling of sexual frisson. The misunderstandings, uncertainties and yearnings of the new relationships are admirably captured, although some of the obstacles are surmounted very easily and remind us that we are in a fictional world of ideals, not the messy world of reality. This is not to say that it is not an enjoyable, escapist read.

I loved this companion book to Shadows in the ashes. The parallel stories of a contemporary rock star and a retired gladiator in Roman times, held me fast. Duro and Gisel; Jonah and Mac. Two couples divided by time but walking in each other’s shoes.

Loved it.

I loved this time travel type of book. Chock full of interesting things about the Romans and a great story as well. A new author for me which I enjoyed immensely. I loved the romance side of things as well as it wasn't too soppy and had a lot of gentle romancing. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.