REVIEW: MISTRESS OF ROME AND GIVEAWAY!

Mistress of Rome
by Kate Quinn
Paperback: 480 pages

Publisher: Berkley (TRD); Original edition (April 6 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425232476


First of all, I would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Kaitlyn of Berkley (Penguin Group) USA for sending me an ARC of this book!


Reading this book is like watching a great mini-series on television. It has it all; love, lust, murder,gladiators, courtesans, emperor, you name it this book has it! I have to admit when I first opened the book and started reading, I was surprised at the modern contemporary language in it. I decided to not let that bother me and continued reading with an open mind. Well, I can say with no hesitation whatsoever that I..... LOVED.... IT! This was a book that I could not put down. I was reading every single spare minute that I had, and when I closed the cover at the very end I ran to my computer to rave about it to Kaitlyn, who sent it to me, and to everyone on my plus 500 facebook list. Kate Quinn knows how to write a good story, filled with suspense, unrequited love, politics, and some history thrown in for good measure.

Often times in novels with fairly complicated plots you will find holes everywhere you look. There were none, in my opinion, in Quinn's book. Everytime there was a twist or turn, or someone was murdered -- and even how they were murdered -- it made sense. Each plot twist or turn was believable as was all of the politics of the day.

The story begins with Thea, a slave girl of an evil royal named Lady Lepida. (Oh how  Lady Lepida is fun to hate!) Thea and Lady Lepida are regulars at the gladiator games, and one thing I love about Quinn's tale is how she describes the actual games... very exciting and just like a film rolling in front of your eyes. Eventually, Thea catches the eye of the Emperor, a ruthless yet charismatic ruler who lords over all with an iron fist. Enter Arius. Arius is a hulking gladiator who rises to the number one fighter in the history of the games. Fate brings Thea and Arius together, but their time together is not to be. Wrenched apart by circumstances beyond their control, Thea is destined to be the emperor's toy, and Arius is destined to be pounded into the bloody sand day after day rising to his feet with a heavy heart and only one name on his lips.... Thea.

Will they ever meet again? Will Thea break her slave bonds forever?

This book is a sweeping tale that will have you reading feverishly into the night. Quinn successfully leads the reader from chapter to heart pounding chapter until you reach the breathtaking final pages.

RATING: 5/5

Now for the giveaway portion!  Berkley Group has generously offered to giveaway one copy of Mistress of Rome to one lucky winner (open to the US only please!) 

To enter just fill out this form, and for extra points post about it in your sidebar, tweet about it, or post an actual entry about it!  The contest ends April 30th at midnight MST.  Good luck!!!