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A Noble Captive
by Michelle Styles
Honor,
passion and divided loyalties!
In 75 BC without a Roman navy, piracy
has become a serious problem that threatens shipping and capturing
Roman citizens for ransom, or ina worst case scenario, slavery.
Within this historical moment, Michelle Styles sets her second Roman
romance. Captain Androceles captures Marcus Livius Tullio on the
high seas and brings him to the Temple of Kybele. As a proud
defender of Rome and his men, Tullio bargains stands up for a better
position than the dark hold of the pirate's ship. There his men
will suffer and die but will he find himself in a more precarious
position in the temple as a prisoner under the watch of the
sybil? Helena will do everything in her power to protect the
people under the Temple's protection. When Tullio asks the sybyl
for the
protection of the Kybele, she must do the bidding of the goddess
despite
her hatred for Rome and all for which it stands. Determined to
protect his men, Tullio must find a way to turn the tables in
his favor and show Helena that he, and thus Rome as well, is a strong
and honorable advocate. Helena must protect her secret at all
costs but the closer she finds herself to this strong handsome man, the
more she fears that she will succumb to his charms. She cannot
betray her people, not when the fate of the Kybele temple might rest in
her power. The more Tullio sees Helena and her proud
determination, the more he realizes they have in common. Can Tullio and Helena, each sworn to protect
conflicting interests, find a way to protect each other from the
dangers they face? Can they follow the love in their hearts or
will their alliances prevent them from choosing love over duty?
Both Helena and Tullio are proud and honorable characters. Each
is driven by their duty to others. Each has a boldness tthat
makes them take risks when a man or woman more faint of heart would
hesitate. Each feels a compassion for people in their
charge. Once in her charge, Helena cannot help but feel
compassion for the plight of this crew, and yet she must watch her step
because if he gets too close to the truth, one slip might betray her
people. With his life and the life of his men at stake, Tullio
must prove to her the honor of Rome. Helena is both innocent and
courageous as she faces the greatest danger to the Temple of
Kybele. A simple harmless subterfuge to protect the sybil's
position suddenly puts everything at risk when Tullio threatens to
unmask her. Tullio must ferret out her weakness and use it to his
advantage, but when he does, how can he ever betray the woman who has
stolen his heart? When forced to choose between love and
duty, what will Helena choose.
In A NOBLE CAPTIVE, Michelle
Styles creates strong characters perfectly
matched in temperment with a riveting conflict, both personal and
historical, that drives them apart. Androceles makes a
wonderfully wicked villain. Michelle Styles increases the drama of the
conflict not only through his character but through the historical
setting as two opposing forces meet on the island that houses a holy
temple. Through Helena, the reader is drawn into the life of the
Kybele temple, feeling their plight, and cheering for her boldness and
courage in the face of danger. Through Helena, the reader sees
the dignity of the temple as well as the innovations, the tricks and
the deeply felt respect for the sibyl's powers. The reader feels
the heart of the religion. A religion remote and distant to a
modern reader takes on a whole new understanding through Michelle
Styles' characters and setting. As the temple faces dangers
within and without, the romance between Helena and Tullio deepens in
drama and emotion. Michelle Styles takes readers on thrilling
ride to the happy ending as duty and love challenge her characters to
the limit.
In her second
Roman romance, A NOBLE CAPTIVE,
Michelle Styles takes the reader into a fascinating period of Roman
history, making history come alive in the personal lives of her
characters. The view of the Temple, especially the activities of
the
sibyl
fascinate with the details of daily life and the larger perspective
given of the temple's place within the dynamics of the realm.
Michelle Styles gives the reader a feel for the ancient religion in the
hearts of the temple residents. Amid the conflicts between
Androceles,
Tullio and Helena, the reader feels the pulse of the period.
Michelle Styles grounds her romance in meticulously researched
historical detail. A NOBLE
CAPTIVE gives the reader the
joy of learning history that comes from historical romance, and yet it
does more. A NOBLE CAPTIVE
also brings the history into the
reader's heart, feeling history through her character's hearts, from
the inside as well as the dramatic moment of history that challenges
them from the outside. A NOBLE
CAPTIVE is an excellent choice for
romance readers who crave both history and romance without having to
sacrifice either for the other. A special kudos to Michelle
Styles for her passionate exploration of the more unusual corners of
history in the historical romance genre!
Publisher: Mills and Boon Historical
Romance (January
2007)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
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