Brides of Rome A Novel of the Vestal Virgins

Their world was one of punishment, power and privilege. It was a world of war, secrets and sacred duty. It was the world of ancient Rome. And the esteemed Vestal Virgins - priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the home and hearth - protected the Eternal Flame that protected the Eternal City. Dedicated to a thirty-year vow of chaste service, Priestess Pomponia finds herself swept up in the intrigue, violence and bedroom politics of Rome's elite: Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Octavian and his maneuvering wife Livia, all the while guarding the secret affection she has in her heart. But when a charge of incestum - a broken vow of chastity - is made against the Vestal order, the ultimate punishment looms: death, by being buried alive in the Evil Field. In BRIDES OF ROME, Debra May Macleod has re-created the world of ancient Rome with all its brutality and brilliance, all its rich history and even richer legend. A true page-turner that is as smart as it is compelling, this must-read novel brings the Vestal order to life like never before.