Guest Post with Christina Phillips & Giveaway!

FORBIDDEN by Christina Phillips

Between a warrior and a princess comes an erotic passion as all-consuming as the hatred between their warring worlds…

Carys knew from the moment she first spied on Maximus in his naked barbarian glory that he was a dangerous Roman centurion-his taut, battle-scarred flesh marking him as a fearless warrior. But her desire for him was as undeniable as it was illicit.

Charged by his emperor to eliminate a clan of powerful Druids in Britain, Maximus never expects his mission to be thwarted by the clan's ethereal princess, Carys. Falling under her spell, he doesn't realize her true heritage-until he captures her heart as well as her body.

As Carys's loyalties are twisted, and freedom is no longer her single-minded obsession, an avenging former lover threatens to crush Maximus's people into oblivion. Now Carys and Maximus must overcome the devastation of war and face the ultimate sacrifice if their forbidden love is to survive.

BARBARA'S REVIEW

Hi everyone! Please welcome Ancient Historical Romance author Christina Phillips to Lovin' Me Some Romance!

Guest Post:

Thank you, VampFanGirl, for having me over at Lovin' Me Some Romance today! I thought I’d chat a little about the ancient time period that my debut romance for Berkley Heat, Forbidden, is set.

I’ve always loved history and historical romances, but because I enjoy writing about heroines who are powerful in their own right and don’t need a man in order to conform to their society’s view of propriety, it had never occurred to me to actually write a historical romance until recently.

But when Maximus stormed into my head one night and refused to leave until I discovered why he was searching for his Druid princess, a whole new world of possibilities opened up. The Romans, with their military skill and advanced technology, were literally taking over half the world. While to a certain extent they assimilated the various religious beliefs of those they conquered, when it came to the Druids they wanted nothing less than annihilation.

All we really know about the Druids from contemporary sources comes from the Romans themselves. The Druids held responsibilities for lawmaking, were the keepers of knowledge and wisdom and were known as magicians. They were widely respected as the priests of Celtic society, and the Romans feared the power they wielded over the rebellious tribes that inhabited ancient Wales.

My muse was enthralled. Here was an entire segment of people that, despite the power and knowledge they clearly held for many generations, we know almost nothing about. Did they believe in the goddess culture? What was their societal structure?

Their world unfolded around me. In Forbidden, the Druids do worship the goddess culture and their women are as powerful as their men. My heroine, Carys, is not only a princess by virtue of her birth but also an acolyte of the Goddess of Wisdom, Cerridwen. Carys has never been used to taking orders or believing that a man is her superior, simply because of his gender.

Since the Romans believed the opposite, there is of course that conflict between Carys and Maximus, but because of their personalities and willingness to open their minds to a culture so different from their own, it’s far from insurmountable. The greatest threats come from the Roman Emperor and his desire to wipe out all trace of Druidic culture from the face of the earth, and the High Druid of Carys’s clan who has his own agenda.

Forbidden, and the second book in the series, Captive, both have strong heroines who are struggling against all the odds to preserve their way of life so their beliefs don’t vanish into the mists of time, lost forever to future generations. Forbidden is about ancient goddesses who will do anything to ensure their names linger on in the minds of their children. And most of all, it’s about how love can conquer anything.

Do you enjoy reading historical romance set during more unusual time periods? If so, what’s your favorite era/setting and what would you like to see more of?

Giveaway Details:

Christina Phillips is giving away one copy of FORBIDDEN. Here's how to enter:


*Answer Christina's Question with a Comment and a Valid Email Address (Entrants that do not leave an email address will be disqualified)*

**Contest Open to ALL (Limited to where The Book Depository Delivers)**

***Must be 18 or Older to Enter***

****Contest Closes Thursday, October 21st at Midnight U.S. Pacific Standard Time and the Winner will be Chosen Randomly and Announced Friday, October 22nd****