The Bathhouse
Sign In or Register Now to see if this title is available for request.
Buy on Kobo Buy on WaterstonesSend NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 28 Aug 2026 | Archive Date 23 Sep 2026
The Book Guild | Book Guild Publishing
Talking about this book? Use #TheBathhouse #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
Roman Spain, 42 A.D.
Marius is the proud son of a prosperous olive-growing family and a restless soul who craves more than harvests and household honour. A supporter of the Whites chariot faction, he thrives on rivalry and risk, fighting in the streets as passionately as he cheers in the arena.
When his childhood friend Aius – now enslaved to the ambitious patrician, Kaius – secures him a prestigious contract to supply oil for a grand bathhouse destined to rival Rome itself, Marius sees a path to wealth and lasting glory for his family’s name.
Then the floods come.
Fields are swallowed. Whispers rise of an angered spring goddess. Drawn to a captivating Greek seer who claims the waters carry a warning, Marius begins to suspect that the disaster is no act of divine wrath but the result of a hidden dam built to serve the bathhouse – Kaius’s monument to ambition.
As suspicion deepens and desire entangles him in a forbidden triangle with both Aius and the seer, Marius must decide where his loyalty lies. To protect his family’s legacy, he may have to challenge the gods or defy Rome itself…
A Note From the Publisher
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781835746226 |
| PRICE | £3.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Available on NetGalley
Available to Buy
Buy on Kobo Buy on WaterstonesAverage rating from 3 members
Featured Reviews
Diane L, Reviewer
"The Bathhouse" by Mark R.J. Lucek is a historical fiction novel set in Roman Spain, 42 A.D. The story follows Marius, the son of a prosperous olive-growing family, as he navigates a complex web of relationships and conflicts driven by ambition, loyalty, and rivalry.
The writing is well-crafted, but the narrative has a masculine tone and includes significant profanity and a rather vulgar setting. These elements may make it challenging for readers who prefer more refined or subtle storytelling.
The novel explores the forces that shape empires and the intricacies of loyalty within them, drawing on the author's background in Classical Studies and Medieval History. The historical setting and themes are likely to appeal to readers who enjoy stories set in ancient Rome.
Overall, "The Bathhouse" is a historical fiction novel that may appeal to readers who enjoy complex characters and themes in an ancient Roman setting. However, its explicit content may not be suitable for all audiences.
Abbey M, Reviewer
The Bathhouse is a historical fiction novel which tells the story of loyalty and politics.
This plot sounded appealing straight away however, I found the story to be confusing,
There were moments that kept me intrigued and turning the page but at other times, I felt let down.
The characters were not really likeable and I did not find myself invested in their outcomes.
Overall, it kept me entertained during this heatwave, but I was not as invested as I had hoped to be in this story.
The writing felt rushed at times, and the ending was not satisfying.
If you like historical fiction, like me, please do read it. Please be aware of the adult language also.
Simon C, Reviewer
Roman Spain 42 AD. Debut historical fiction author Mark R.J. Lucek’s THE BATHHOUSE transports readers way back to the Ancient Roman times when Emperor Claudius ruled.
The story tells the tale from the perspective of Marius, the son of an olive grower who is full of the innocence expected of a young man- experiencing the joys of chariot racing, playing with his childhood friend (Aius), etc.
THE BATHHOUSE mixes intrigue, rivalry and ambition along with some mythology and even a mystery of sorts . . .
Thank you to the author Mark R.J. Lucek and publisher (The Book Guild) for the opportunity to read this as an eARC via NetGalley.
Novel was released August 28, 2026.
Readers who liked this book also liked:
