'You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.' -Jodi Picoult
All About Me
A native of Dayton, Ohio, A.M. Swink grew up obsessed with two things: books and horses. After a childhood of reading, writing, showing, and riding, she moved to Lexington, Kentucky to complete a degree in equine science and management and a degree in English literary studies. She now works in Lexington as a college professor of reading and writing. In her spare time, she has travelled extensively around the UK and Ireland, exploring ancient sites and artefacts, as well as tracing her own ancestry. She is proud to be descended from County Cork’s Callaghan clan.
When not writing, she can be found collecting and showing model horses or enjoying her favourite British comedy programmes.
My HP Books
Britannia, AD 59.
Decimus is a long-serving senior centurion who dreams of retirement in Rome. Luciana is a Cornovii princess devoted to the freedom and survival of her tribe. Connected only by a passion for horsemanship, the pair could not be more ill-matched. After a deadly conflict thrusts these enemies together, each is determined to fight their desires and triumph over the other. Who will ultimately control the other's heart?
But Decimus and Luciana are not the only ones on the hunt for supremacy; a desperate struggle over the province is beginning to simmer to a boil. There are whispers of mysterious Druids fomenting unrest among the western British tribes, whose inter-tribal divisions threaten to subsume them. The future of the Roman legions in the province is suddenly thrown into doubt as casualties begin to mount. Decimus and Luciana find themselves entangled within a web of characters, Briton and Roman, playing with Britannia's destiny to serve their own ends. The hunt for power is on, where only one side can emerge triumphant. But just who among these hunters will end up hunted?
Fans of Anya Seton's The Mistletoe and Sword, Stephen A. McKay's The Druid, and Simon Scarrow's Eagles of the Empire Series will be utterly swept away by this emotional charged page-turner about two people captured by mutual passions and embroiled in the destiny of Rome and Britain, as well as their own.
Book Excerpt
He effortlessly dismounted before her. ‘I was a stable lad growing up in Rome.’ A wistful, faraway look stole across his eyes before they returned to her. ‘The retired decurion who ran the place paid me in lessons.’
Luciana’s gaze softened. ‘You were eager to learn, no matter the cost?’
‘Something like that.’ He held the reins out towards her. ‘Would you like a go?’
Her expression suddenly brightened. She eagerly snatched at the reins and jumped onto Aquila’s back. Luciana didn’t even spare a momentary backward glance at the centurion. She clapped her knees around the horse and took off down the straight, bent low over his neck.
As soon as she felt the horse’s lolloping gait beneath her, Luciana’s grin widened. Aquila practically felt like a coracle beneath her, rising and falling on the waves of the wind. The ground streamed past in a blur. So this was what flight truly felt like! She lifted her head above the stallion’s short, rippling mane and let loose an exhilarated cry.
With just a flutter of a touch upon his reins, the horse smoothly turned a half-circle, checking his momentum with grace. Luciana marvelled at the sheer power within Aquila’s haunches, the rhythm of his strides, his sensitivity to the bit. The centurion did not just have this horse trained, but he’d conditioned him to a level of fitness that rivalled the man himself.
She flicked one eye upon the figure stationed far down the intervallum. He was, indeed, built as sturdily as his horse. What would it feel like to sense his back course beneath her; to have that solid mass respond to her touch as docilely as Aquila’s; to feel his power pulse within her? Was he likewise capable of taking flight?
She tore her gaze away and refocused upon the centurion’s incredible animal. Aquila smoothly transitioned between his gaits: gallop to canter to trot to canter to walk to trot to gallop. Each patterned footfall was a joy to sit. She laughed gaily, never wishing the ride to end. Caring for Aquila would be no chore; it was a privilege she would savour.
Book Trailer
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Book Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic debut, perfect for historically minded romance readers!
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2024
As a classicist, as a horse girl, and as a reader... This book was a unicorn for me! It combined so much of what I love and am passionate about. I'm so happy to have discovered A.M. Swink and her Roman Equestrian series, and I'm eager for the next book.
Swink paints a realistic and believable environment in 1st century CE Roman Britain that is clearly well-researched. I was especially pleased with the inclusion of horses in the book and the research on ancient equestrianism that was highlighted throughout.
There is definitely spice in this book (A+ in my opinion!), as well as violence, language, and so on... Which makes it all the more believable, and all the more fun to read for adult audiences!
Even if you're not a big fan of romance, I still believe that if you have an interest in the ancient Roman world (and Roman Britain in particular), then you'll enjoy this book and should give it a chance.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and well researched!
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2024
This novel throws you into the past, using accurate historical language and beautiful descriptive prose. As a horse person myself, I appreciate the correct terms used! This author is clearly very knowledgeable and well researched. They did an excellent job weaving a well-paced a story into history. I can't wait to read the next one!
Book Awards
