The Gladiator’s Passion
Author: Sandra Schwab
Publisher: self-published
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Series: Part of the Eagle’s Honor series; all books can be read as standalones
Genre: historical romance, Ancient World, m/m romance
Snippet:
Breathless and gleaming with sweat, the Roman and Caomh sat sprawled side by side, shoulders pressed close together as if they were comrades-in-arms.
It was a nice thing to imagine: He and the Roman as equals, standing shoulder to shoulder and facing all adversaries of life head on. Together.
The sex, Caomh thought, must have addled his brains because that was such a ridiculous, fanciful thought. The fact that he had indulged in this fancy before, didn’t exactly make things better. It was foolish—and a thought too dangerous to be spoken out loud.
To distract himself, he rolled his head around to look at the Roman. “Are you training to become a bestiarius?”
The dark lashes fluttered, then lifted to reveal the Roman’s brown eyes, still fogged. “What?”
Caomh indicated the bloody scratches on the Roman’s hands and arms and a particularly nasty one across his chest.
“Ah. These.” The Roman chuckled and closed his eyes again. “Mafdet.”
“Mafdet?”
“An ancient Goddess. And also my cat.”
Despite himself, Caomh grinned. “Your cat is an ancient Goddess?”
The Roman elbowed him none too gently, making Caomh laugh outright.
At that, the Roman’s eyes opened again, and he smiled, one of his wide, charming smiles that made his eyes twinkle and Caomh’s heart flutter. He cupped Caomh’s face in his hand—he seemed to like doing that—and rubbed his thumb over the scar that ran from the side of Caomh’s nose to the corner of his mouth. “My cat is named after the Goddess. She came with my rooms at the fortress, and she doesn’t like me all that much.”
Now the thumb traced his brow, over and over.
Caomh didn’t want to let him know how much those gentle caresses were affecting him. Gentleness had had no room in his encounters with other bedmates, and he had never much cared for it either.
But with his Roman here…
Well, they had already established that he was not like other Romans, hadn’t they?
Still, it wouldn’t do to bask in the caresses the man bestowed on him. And so, he made his voice mocking when he replied, “Doesn’t like you? You shock me. You’ve managed to charm the trainer at the ludus, but not a cat?”
“I know. It’s very sad.” The Roman winked at him and continued to trace his brow as if he couldn’t get enough of touching him. “Ah, the Gods know how much I lo—” He broke off and, after the merest pause, gave him a rather odd smile. “How much I like those fine brows of yours. Such a nice fiery color! And your hair!” He brushed the sweaty hair off Caomh’s forehead. “Such a lovely color. I like it so much.”
About the Book:
A KINDHEARTED DOCTOR
When Maius Florius Corvinus starts a new life as a military doctor in a legionary fortress in the Germanic province, throwing himself into a scandalous affair with a gladiator was definitely not part of his plan. (Nor was acquiring a very grumpy cat.) Luckily, it’s just a fleeting infatuation—or is it?
A PRICKLY GLADIATOR
A former prisoner of war, Caomh has risen to become a star gladiator, winning fame and the adoration of the crowds in the arena—a life that has turned him into a hard, cynical man. In his world, there is no place for kindness or affection—until a chance encounter with the new doctor from Vetera changes everything.
AN IRRESISTIBLE PASSION
Passion ignites between Maius and Caomh, but the feelings that grow between them are soon put to the test when the gaps between their worlds threaten to tear them apart.
Content guidance: on-page sex-scenes; descriptions of gladiatorial combats; references to medical procedures (not detailed), injuries, death of parents and children (off page), rape (off page); some swearing
Purchase links:
https://books2read.com/gladiatorspassion
About the Author:
Sandra Schwab has been delighting readers with her unusual historical romances since 2005. She particularly likes the quirky bits of history, so in her books, you’ll find Roman pet eels, Regency gentlemen with green hair, and medieval tournaments in Victorian Britain. She writes both m/m and m/f historicals – happy endings always guaranteed!
She lives in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with a sketchbook, several ukuleles, and an ever-expanding library.
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